MARCH IS NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH, an annual campaign established in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
This month’s theme is Discover the Power of Nutrition, emphasizing that nutrition empowers individuals and communities to thrive.
This empowerment encourages everyone to learn to make informed food choices and develop healthy and helpful eating and exercise habits.
What is a healthy eating pattern, you may ask?
A healthy eating pattern involves healthy foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and dairy, while also limiting saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.
Begin by empowering your day. The food choices we make have the power to help us thrive.
To get the most benefit from food choices, consider the following tips.
•Choose healthy and helpful options from all the food groups, switch between different food choices for a variety of nutrients from each food group and avoid diets that promote unnecessary food restrictions.
•Fad diets advertise quick and easy solutions to common concerns such as weight loss, but they don’t promote healthy and sustainable habits, leading to nutrient deficiencies. The goal here is to maintain health, prevent chronic diseases and make health a lifestyle, not a fad that is not sustainable.
•There’s much valid and reliable research out there that links healthy eating patterns to reduced risks for developing chronic diseases like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
•Don’t forget, as mentioned, to alternate food choices to get a variety of nutrients. A way to get a variety of nutrients is to try different foods throughout the week.
Remember to “eat the rainbow” by choosing dark green fruits and vegetables, anything from green kale to orange peppers or black beans, red lentils, yellow lemons, blueberries, or purple grapes.
Each color contains different nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants for the body and aids in ongoing cell repair.
•With the wealth of nutrition information out on social media, learn to be savvy and find accurate sources for nutrition information.
Are you concerned about the climbing grocery costs?
These tips may help with meal planning and preparation. Not being intentional about planning and preparing can make the expense a big obstacle to choosing healthy food options.
What may help is:
•Buy what is on the list.
•Perhaps plan your list around sales.
•Plan recipes before you shop.
•Make your list from recipesmany recipes can be modified to use less expensive ingredients or to substitute ingredients if necessary. For example, replacing meat with beans or purchasing a large bag of frozen vegetables instead of fresh vegetables.
•Look for the right people to point you toward wise alternatives and advice- both Kroger and Meijer employ registered dietitians that offer simple nutrition advice as well as virtual in-depth nutrition counselling, which is covered by most insurances.
Exercise!
Exercise works with healthy eating; therefore, it is essential to mention physical activity.
Find what works best for your lifestyle to find ways to be active, from walking, bicycling, fitness, classes and sports.
Physical activity can help improve your mood and manage stress. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and high blood pressure. For adults, it is recommended to aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate- intensity physical activity.
Thanks for celebrating National Nutrition Month. Have fun and feel good with maintaining healthy and helpful habits!
Laurie Syring, RDN/LD, is Clinical Nutrition Manager at ProMedica Flower Hospital. ✲
