March is National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month. Eating nutritious food keeps our bodies strong and healthy, and better able to ward off illness. Here are some tips on ways to celebrate national nutrition month.

Five Keys to a Healthy Diet

1. Plan meals

• Make a grocery list, and plan weekly lunches and dinners ahead of time
• Incorporate your and your family’s favorite foods

2. Stay hydrated

• Aim for no less than eight glasses of water daily
• Cut out soda and juices

3. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day

• Keep fresh fruits and vegetables on hand for snacks
• Incorporate fruits and vegetables into meals like salads and stir-fry

4. Incorporate lean protein into every meal and snack

• Use egg whites with omelets and scrambled egg dishes to cut down on fat and cholesterol
• Choose ground turkey or chicken in place of ground beef

5. Have healthy snacks on hand rather than reaching for convenience foods

• Snack on an apple with peanut butter or carrots with hummus before reaching for pre-packaged snacks

Here are just a few titles in the EVPL collection for more information:

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Complete Food and Nutrition Guide by Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RDN, FAND, CFCS
• Nutrition Stripped: Whole-Food Recipes Made Deliciously Simple by McKel Hill, MS, RDN
• Passionate Nutrition: A Guide to Using Food As Medicine From a Nutritionist Who Healed Herself From the Inside Out by Jennifer Adler, MS, CN, with Jess Thomson

Start making changes slowly if you need to, and remember that every step in the right direction will make a difference in your health over time. Your body will thank you!

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Related

• Clean Eating

Helen A.

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Give her a crossword puzzle to work, and Helen is one happy camper. She also enjoys making recipes healthier, developing her green thumb, and tracking her daily steps on walks with her husband.