National Nutrition Month: Tips for Healthy Eating
Thursday March 12, 2020
Between busy schedules, balancing weekly budgets, and caring for kids, sometimes healthy eating is easier said than done. The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency wants to help make healthy eating just a little bit easier with real life solutions.
According to the CDC, only 1 in 10 adults report getting the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, and obesity is prevalent in almost 40% of US adults, and 18.5% of children ages 2-19. “Every family has different needs, so finding the key to healthy eating that fits your family’s routine is important,” says Kali Nichols, Director of Personal Health and Disease Prevention. “Take a look at the following tips and give some of them a try to see what works for you as we celebrate National Nutrition Month.”
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Pile on the fruits and vegetables. Choose all kinds of fruits and vegetables — fresh, frozen, canned, juiced and dried. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Look for fruits and vegetables of many different colors.
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Simplify. Instead of being too concerned with counting calories, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. Try to avoid packaged and processed foods and opting for more fresh ingredients.
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Drink plenty of water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many of us are often dehydrated — causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.
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Think smaller portions. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split something with a friend, and don't order supersized anything. At home, visual cues can help with portion sizes. Your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb. By serving your meals on smaller plates or in bowls, you can trick your brain into thinking it’s a larger portion. If you don't feel satisfied at the end of a meal, add more leafy greens or round off the meal with fruit.
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Avoid eating late at night. Try to eat dinner earlier and fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Studies suggest that eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day may help to regulate weight.
It’s important to make good nutrition decisions a part of every meal, every day. Healthy eating will help keep you feeling good, increase energy, improve health, and stabilizeyour mood. For more simple tips on how to make changes to your family’s nutrition, visit Choosemyplate.gov.
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