Mar 10

Written by: admin
3/10/2008

March is the best month of the year to get great information for making changes in your personal eating habits.  The theme for National Nutrition Month 2008 is simply Nutrition: It is a Matter of Fact.  The American Dietetic Association is promoting healthful eating by providing "the facts" for consumers to make the best choices for themselves and their families.

The website of the American Dietetic Association - Your Link to Nutrition and Health - is brimming over with fact sheets, creative ideas for Nutrition Month activities, recommended reading lists and links to factual information about the wide variety of topics in the world of food and nutrition.

The National Nutrition Month campaign reminds Americans of these "Top Ten Facts about Nutrition" from the 67,000 Registered Dietitians represented by the A.D.A.

1. Eating right doesn't have to be complicated.  Websites are available to develop personalized plans for lifelong health.  The website www.mypyramid.gov has downloads for tracking meals.  If you want to know the amount of each "food group" your body needs, enter data about yourself and your physical activity to receive a "customized food guide."

2. The best nutrition advice is based on science.  Before adopting any changes to your diet be sure the information is based on scientific fact.  If you are seeking more facts, www.eatright.org has Nutrition Fact Sheets, including recipes, on topics from A-Z. The tips may help generate ideas for change if you are ready to try something new.

3. Get your food and nutrition facts from the expert: a registered dietitian.  Registered Dietitians are uniquely qualified to translate the science of nutrition into reliable advice you can use every day.  The website www.eatright.org has a link to Registered Dietitians in communities all over the country.

4. Balancing physical activity and a healthful diet is your best recipe for managing weight and promoting overall health and fitness.  The website www.mypyramid.gov has a physical activity component that is chocked full of facts.  Two pod casts are already posted at this site in multiple formats.  A new pod cast will be added each month to encourage small changes to eat less and move more that over time can have a big impact on your health.

5. Think nutrient-rich rather than "good" or "bad" foods.  The majority of your food choices should be packed with vitamins minerals, fiber and other nutrients. They should also be lower in calories.  A handy tool for calorie / nutrient finding is The Calorie King book.  This reference book costs about $10.00.  It is updated regularly for those "thinking nutrient rich" and is helpful for restaurant eating.

6. Look at the big picture. No single food or meal makes or breaks a healthful diet.  Your total diet is the most important focus for healthful eating.  To get a snapshot of your food intake, write down what you eat for several days or try the worksheet on www.mypyramid.gov to get you started.

7. Prepare, handle and store foods properly to keep you and your family safe from food borne illness.  as we choose to cook and eat meals at home this becomes even more important.  The ADA website www.homefoodsafety.org goes way beyond facts about hand washing with information-a-plenty that can be shared about handling food at home and the work place.

8. Don't fall prey to food myths and misinformation that may harm rather than benefit your health.  The link www.niddk.nih.gov has an informative article that debunks Weight-Loss and Nutrition Myths.  The power of myth as motivation rarely works even in the short term.

9. Read food labels to get nutrition facts that help you make food choices quickly and easily.  Nutrition Fact Handout #151 on the www.eatright.org site will help you GetSmart and Get the Facts about Food Labels.


10. Find the healthy fats when making food choices.  By choosing polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, you can keep your saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol low.  There are several handouts that may help you get the facts straight about each of the different fats at www.eatright.org.

Let's celebrate this month of "Fact Finding" to prepare ourselves for a Spring of action!

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