Maggie Beer’s advice for a healthy start to the new year

It’s a new year and it’s important that we step into 2021 with some positivity.

In a new episode of podcast Booming that debuted last month, beloved Australian cook Maggie Beer explained how a good food life sets us up for health and happiness in our later years.

What better way to look to the year ahead?

We might have overindulged in fabulous food during the Christmas holiday, but now it is time to get back on track.

A passionate advocate for fresh food, Beer emphasises the importance of eating well and its necessity for long-term brain health and longevity.

Having teamed up with Professor Ralph Martins to write her book Recipes for Life, she also strives to help older Australians access nourishing food through her foundation.

In last month’s episode of Booming, Beer ran through the lesson she had gleaned from Professor Martins.

“The key things I learnt from Ralph were that the strength of antioxidants that lies in the freshness of food, the value of herbs and spices, the importance of gut health, and that food is the most important part of the equation ... but in combination with exercise and mental stimulation and connectedness — it has to be whole,” she said.

“Food is the centre of the plate but it works together with all of those other things.”

Beer shared her wisdom on positive ageing and the important role food and home hospitality played in a long and healthy life.

Beer believes every meal should be a celebration.

“Don’t think that celebration means fancy,” she said.

“Celebration means caring, the quality of the produce, the seasonality of the produce, the flavour of the produce — it’s not about restaurant food, it’s about home cooking.”

So even though the holiday season is well and truly over, let’s take some of Beer’s advice and make each meal a celebration of health and happiness.