Improve Your Nutrition from the Ground Up!

Angela Sader | posted March 10, 2010 |

March is National Nutrition Month®! This annual event focuses on the importance of making healthy food choices and maintaining positive eating and exercise habits. This year’s theme is “Nutrition from the Ground Up.”

Golden Living encourages our patients and their families to make informed food choices as a way to help improve their overall health and well-being. Good nutrition doesn’t have to mean a diet overhaul; it can start small with little changes. Below are some suggestions for improving your nutrition from the ground up.
 

• 1. Eat more fruits and vegetables: Consider your daily eating habits and think about where more fruits and vegetables can be added. You can start by adding just one serving each day (whether fresh or frozen) to one meal or snack and increase it every few weeks. The addition of fiber and vital nutrients will carry you a long way towards better health.
• 2. Make calories count: Too often, people think of foods as good or bad and that only those on the ‘good foods’ list are okay. All foods are good in moderation. You should consider portion size and how the foods fit into a balance for the day. Read the label for all nutrients - not just carbohydrates or sugars, but also for fats and salt. Items that claim to be low in sugar are often high in fat to compensate and vise versa. A small amount of the real thing is often better and more economical. If you have a sweet tooth, have fruit and yogurt for dessert. For a snack in the afternoon, have some trail mix or nuts. There is no reason to go hungry just because you are making healthful changes. To figure out how many calories you need to achieve a healthy weight, visit a dietitian, or for general guidance visit www.mypyramid.gov.
• 3. Test the taste buds: Expand your horizons! A healthy eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy and includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans and nuts. Try a fish you’ve never eaten or find a new vegetable recipe. A diverse menu with new items forces us to think about our food, and therefore, we tend to make better choices.
• 4. Exercise: Exercise is a must in order to properly use the nutrition you consume to build and maintain lean body mass. Whether it’s walking or some other physical activity, aim for 20 minutes of exercise five times a week, or 30 minutes three times a week.

For more tips on building your healthful diet from the ground up, during National Nutrition Month and all year long, visit www.eatright.org/nnm.