One in 4 Americans will die of heart disease in the United States (source). Approximately 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year (source). Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States (source). Some contributing factors to these statistics include increased portion sizes, lack of physical activity, behavioral related issues, lack of available resources, and environmental pollution. Evidently, all of these contribute in some way to the increase in overweight and obese individuals in America, which then leads to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. What can be done? Where do we start?
March is National Nutrition Month. The month was created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to help increase awareness of the importance of nutrition and how nutrition experts, known as Registered Dietitians (RD), can help you achieve your goals. Specifically, the month is geared to educate people on the importance of making healthy food and drink choices, creating improved eating habits, and incorporating more physical activity into their daily lifestyle in order to prevent the onset of many chronic diseases (source).
Here are 10 health tips for 2022:
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Make half your plate fruits and vegetable. Fruits and veggies add color, fiber, flavor, vitamins, and minerals to your plate. Experiment with fresh, frozen, and canned.
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Watch portion sizes. Get out those measuring cups and see how close your portions are to the recommended servings!
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Prepare healthy snacks. Healthy snacks can sustain your energy levels between meals. Choose from 2 or more food groups such as peanut butter with apple or raw vegetables with cottage cheese.
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Follow food safety guidelines. Wash your hands, separate raw protein foods from ready-to-eat foods, and cook foods to proper temperature are some ways to ensure your food is safe to eat!
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Get cooking. Preparing food at home can be healthier since you are in control of how it is prepared. Learn how to dice an onion or cook dried beans.
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Experiment with more plant-based meals. Vegetables, beans, whole grains, and lentils are all great substitutes instead of meat and can be cost-effective and better for your overall health. Try one meatless meal per week to start!
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Drink more water. Hydration is important for your body and skin! If your urine is not light to clear, you’re not properly hydrated!
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Get active. Physical activity has many health benefits. Start with 10 minutes at a time and build yourself up to 2 hours and 30 minutes a week (for adults). Try a walk after dinner or play a game of catch if you’re not a fan of going to a gym!
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Explore new foods and flavors. To keep from getting bored, try different grains, vegetables, or fruits that you’re not used to. This helps add more nutrition and eating pleasure by varying your choices.
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Get to know food labels. Reading the nutrition facts label can help you shop, eat and drink smarter.
For a referral to a registered dietitian nutritionist and for additional food and nutrition information visit www.eatright.org.