JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
National
Nutrition Month is an educational campaign organized every March by the Academy
of Nutrition and Dietetics, which is designed to emphasize the importance of
developing and maintaining healthy eating choices and physical activity habits.
This
year’s theme for the campaign is ‘Put Your Best Fork Forward,’ which acts as a
reminder that each bite counts and how simple changes in food choices can have
positive effect over time. The theme is geared toward encouraging individuals
to start with small changes in eating habits, such as preparing meals at home
or making healthy selections while out.
Members of
the Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, community can meet with dietitians at
both Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis regarding feedback on eating
patterns, weight management issues and the fundamentals of nutrition.
“With a
little bit of knowledge every person has the power to start making changes
towards a healthy lifestyle,” said Mary Jane Rewinski, MacDonald Army Health
Center health management clinic registered clinical dietitian. “Also, realizing
that no one can just change the way they eat overnight, it takes time for
people to really make adjustments and not only incorporate the changes, but
keep them in place.”
According
to Rewinski, the foundation for healthy body function and structure is proper
nutrition. To perform at an optimal level, every day the body and brain must
receive the six essential nutrients, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins,
minerals and water.
“You
really have to think about food as fueling your body,” said Monica Richardson,
633rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron health promotion coordinator. “You want to
fuel your body properly for activity and that’s how you maximize energize
levels, maintain healthy body weight and get all the vitamins and mineral you
need when you are mindful of what you are eating.”
Richardson
and Rewinski suggest incorporating a variety of nutritious foods into your diet
to find what you enjoy the most, then you may be more likely to adhere to the
healthy eating lifestyle.
JBLE
members can join nutrition and physical fitness classes offered by the
nutritionists and health promotion offices, to learn about healthy body
function, healthy-eating and weight management. The JBLE Health Promotion
office offers a 10-session weight management program called MOVE!, which stresses
health and wellness through proper nutrition and physical activity.
For more information about National Nutrition
Month or to consult with a nutritionist, contact the Fort Eustis health
management clinic at 314-7757 or the Langley nutritional medicine clinic at
764-6789.