FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education campaign created annually in March by the American Dietetic Association.
Each year the campaign focuses attention on the importance of nutritious food choices and physical activity for a healthy and active lifestyle.
This year's theme of 'Nutrition from the Ground Up' encourages us to stop and think about our daily food choices and evaluate how well they match the basics of healthy eating.
Focus on fruits and veggies. If you are like most Americans, you're probably not eating enough fruits and vegetables. Yet, these foods are packed with nutrients and fiber. Any fruit or vegetable cooked or uncooked, fresh, frozen, canned, or dried works. Easy ways to add vegetables include:
· lettuce and tomato on a sandwich
· baby carrots, tomato, cucumber and pepper slices for snacks
· tomato or vegetable soup for meals or snacks
· tomato sauce for pasta
· vegetable kebabs, grilled or broiled
· broccoli, spinach, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini on pizza
· Vegetable juice or tomato juice (comes in low sodium versions, too)
Easy ways to add more fruit:
· fruit in cereal or on top of whole-grain waffles and pancakes
· smoothie made with fresh or frozen fruit and low-fat milk and yogurt
· fruit in salads; add orange slices or strawberries to spinach salads or toss grapes, or apple or pear slices in a mixed green salad
· cranberries or pear or apple slices on a turkey sandwich
· bananas, berries, kiwi or peaches in non-fat yogurt or as a topper for angel food cake and other desserts
· fruit for snacks and dessert
· dried fruits (without sugar added) in cereal or in small amounts for snacks
Include three or more servings of whole grains from cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta every day.
Add two to three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods daily.
Select lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, peas, lentils or nuts for protein. Vary protein choices with more fish, beans, peas and lentils.
Go easy on salt (sodium) and sugar.
As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. Begin to introduce healthier foods in small steps and build over time. It's also okay to include some of your favorite foods that might be high in fat, sodium and sugar just have them in smaller amounts, less often.
For more reliable information on healthy eating, you can go to the American Dietetic Web site www.eatright.org and www.mypyramid.gov. In addition, you may call Registered Dietitian Mary Jane Rewinski, RD, LDn and the Dietetic Technician, Registered Nutritionist Margaret Smith at 314-7612. Individual nutrition and group nutrition education appointments are available to active-duty Soldiers, active-duty families, retirees and other beneficiaries. They are both located in the Disease Management Clinic at McDonald Army Health Center.