Dietitian Helen Bond reveals the vital foods to eat at every stage of life

From growth spurts as a teenager to staving off the dreaded middle-aged spread, our diets vary widely over a lifetime. Teenage girls have higher iron requirements for iron to offset menstrual blood losses and so should eat 500g cooked red meat a week Oysters, eggs, fish and poultry are full of zinc, which can help keep teenagers' immune systems healthy Swallow some oysters - Zinc-rich foods such as lean meat, poultry, shellfish, eggs, nuts and seeds – will help keep your immune system healthy. Eat a handful of berries - Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, helps maintain a healthy immune system and healthy skin – vitamin C, berries, kiwi fruit, citrus fruits,, and their juices. Beans are a good source of phytoestrogens, naturally occuring oestroegen help reduce hot flushes and other menopausal symptoms by weakly mimicking the effects of oestrogen in the body Lack of oestrogen, means that women have the same chance of developing heart disease as men, so it’s vital to monitor your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Eat oil rich fish - Herring, mackerel, sardines and salmon are good sources and provide the essential long chain omega 3 fats that help maintain a healthy heart, healthy brain function and healthy vision.