Measuring your Body Mass Index (BMI) tells you how much fat you are carrying around with you. If you carry a lot of fat, you need to gradually make changes in your eating habits to bring down your weight and avoid health risks.

To calculate your BMI

1. Measure your height in meters

2. Multiply this by itself

3. Take your weight in kilos

4. Divide your weight by the answer to (2)

5. Check your results

BMI

Less than 20 Underweight

20 – 24 Ideal weight

25 - 29 Overweight

30 – 34 Obese

35 - 39 Very Obese

40+ Morbidly Obese

You can also find a BMI ready-reckoner at

www.naturalhealthlines.com/eng/uae/bmi.htm

If your BMI is over 30 you need to talk to your doctor about eating and exercise because you need to make changes in your eating and exercise habits.

• Always eat a healthy breakfast.

• Always eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.

• Exercise for 20 minutes each day.

• Eat sensible portions.

• Always say 'No thank you' to seconds.

• If you eat for comfort or when stressed, find another way to treat yourself.

• If you eat out of boredom - read a book - learn a new skill - or simply phone up a friend.

If you need to lose weight because your BMI is high, recognize that it carries health risks such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Don't hide your head in the sand until it is too late. Start today by introducing positive, healthy habits. Start by drinking plenty of water. Have healthy snacks around you like vegetable sticks and a healthy fruit bowl. Don't buy foods that you can't resist. If you eat a lot at work out of boredom, think about changing your job. If stress makes you eat, try a simple exercise like going for a swim. Swimming is the best stress buster and it also gives you a great night's sleep.

Recipe of the Week

Chicken Raghu with Tomatoes and Olives

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 kg boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2.5 cm cubes

55 g all purpose flour

1 tbsp tarragon, or 18 g fresh

530 ml Italian style peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 1/2 tsp. orange zest, minced

360 ml (360 g) dry white wine or chicken stock

160 g pitted green olives

11 g parsley, minced

Method

Heat oil in a heavy non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Dust chicken lightly with flour, shaking off excess. Sauté chicken 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Stir in next 4 ingredients, salt, and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding additional water if stew becomes too thick. Stir in olives, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Ask Alva

I have a 2-year-old baby boy and I would like to know what to give him to make him strong and healthy with good bones. He recently fractured his leg below the knee. How can I get him to have the right amount of calcium, as he is a fussy eater? He is only 11 kilos at 2 years, but he is growing.

Your baby should have whole milk up until the age of 3 years, and then he can have semi-skimmed milk. He can also have whole milk yoghurts and cheeses as he will need a higher fat level than adults for energy. He will also need plenty of Vitamins - A, D, E & K. The calcium will also be beneficial for strong bones. Most of all he needs to be encouraged to eat a wide variety of food - young children are much more willing to try new foods than when they reach school age.

Young children need a good breakfast as they need to provide for lots of energy for their day. Try - egg on toasted bread and diluted fresh fruit juice and milky porridge. Refined cereal does not have enough calories for an active 2-year-old.

If you are worried about your child's diet, I would recommend that you talk to a pediatrician about it.