Mark A. Mahoney
With the recent 50th anniversary of National Nutrition Month 2023 in March, now is a good time to continue focusing on important messages and proactive actions.
Today’s column focuses on some healthy messages and actions that can be taken to help us achieve a better quality of life, as well as a note on diet that can provide us with many varied benefits and also helps promote greater environmental sustainability.
Here are some general health tips that are recommended:
1. Eat your breakfast
Start your day with a healthy breakfast including lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
2. Make half your plate of fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables add color, flavor and texture as well as vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber to your plate.
3. Watch portion sizes
Use half your plate for fruits and vegetables and the other half for grains and lean protein foods. Complete the meal with a serving of fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt.
4. Be active
Regular physical activity has many health benefits. Start by doing as much exercise as you can. Children and teens should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, and adults at least 2 hours and 30 minutes a week.
5. Get to know food labels
Reading the Nutrition Facts table can help you choose foods and beverages that meet your nutritional needs.
6. Prepare healthy snacks
Healthy snacks can keep your energy levels up between meals, especially when they include a combination of foods.
7. Consult an RDN
Whether you want to lose weight, reduce your health risks or manage a chronic disease, consult the experts! Dietitian nutritionists can help you with personalized, insightful, and easy-to-follow nutritional advice.
8. Follow food safety guidelines
Reduce your risk of getting sick with good food safety. This includes: washing hands regularly, separating raw foods from ready-to-eat foods, cooking foods to the proper internal temperature, and refrigerating foods quickly. Learn more about home food safety at eat well.org.
9. Drink more water
Quench your thirst with water instead of drinks with added sugars.
10. Make an effort to reduce food waste
Check the foods you have on hand before stocking up at the grocery store. Plan your meals around leftovers and only buy perishable foods that you will use or freeze in a few days.
Thanks to the Michigan District 10 Health Department for the guidance provided above.
Eating with sustainability in mind focuses on nourishing us through every stage of life while emphasizing environmental protection. Evidence-based diet information that can support health follows.
The Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean Diet is a diet that holds great promise for achieving a healthier lifestyle and also focuses on the theme of National Nutrition Month.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. You mainly eat vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Olive oil is the main source of fat. Research shows that the Mediterranean diet can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and many other chronic diseases.
The Mediterranean diet is also considered a powerful intervention to reduce body weight. Several studies of this traditional diet have highlighted its importance in the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases and mortality.
Improving our quality of life by adopting a healthy lifestyle is a process, not something that appears out of thin air. Taking the right messages and messengers to heart is a key part of this approach. Good luck taking a more proactive approach to better health in 2023, looking forward to a life-long approach to better health. Do it for yourself and your family.
Additional reference sites for scientific resources are provided at the end of this column, including information on the Mediterranean diet.
Additional Resources
Healthy eating for a healthy weight is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/healthyweight.
A good resource of information on the Mediterranean diet is available at the following site:my.clevelandclinic.org
New research on the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet for obesity management is available at news-medical.net.
Mark A. Mahoney, Ph.D. has been a registered dietitian/nutritionist for over 30 years. He can be contacted at [email protected].