How to Maximize National Nutrition Month! March 10, 2022

It’s National Nutrition Month!

March is National Nutrition Month. Here are some nutrition, food and tips from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Try a few today!

Eat breakfast. Include some lean protein, whole grains, fruits and even veggies. Try whole grain cereal and fruit, yogurt with fruit, or a whole wheat tortilla with fresh veggies.
Watch portion sizes. Make half your plate fruits and veggies- fresh, frozen and low sodium canned. Use the other half for whole grains and lean protein foods.
Get and stay active. Choose an activity you enjoy. Garden, walk the dog, dance with your grandkids! Start slowly -five to ten minutes a day, and work up to 30 minutes, five days a week.
Read food labels. It can help you learn the better choices of food to buy depending on your eating plan.
Choose healthy snacks. Fruits, whole grains, raw veggies can keep you satisfied between meals.
Drink water instead of sweetened beverages. Limit beverages with sugar substitutes.
Plan ahead when eating out. Look for healthy options, such as grilled, baked or broiled foods. Limit fast foods and pick foods such as grilled chicken salads or a plain hamburger with a salad and water as a drink.
Eat more fish. Salmon, trout oysters and sardines are high in omega-3 fats, good for heart health. Grill, steam or broil your fish selections.
Try more plant-based meals. Dried beans, peas and lentils are good protein substitutions for meat and poultry. Look online for healthy recipes.

Remember, it’s never too early to start making some healthy food choices!

Joanne M. Gallivan, M.S., R.D.N. is a registered Dietitian Nutritionist. She served as the Director of the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) in the Office of Communication and Public Liaison for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 1997-2016. Previously, Ms. Gallivan has served as project manager for NIDDK’s Weight-Control Information Network (WIN), a national source of information on weight control, obesity, and weight-related nutritional disorders for health professionals and the public; as Contract Manager for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s National Cholesterol Education Program and Obesity Education Initiative, and as Director of the Prince George’s County Health Department Nutrition Division located in Maryland.

Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic is a free clinic in Charleston, SC, that provides free medical care to uninsured adults. The Free Clinic serves adults with no health insurance living at or below 299 % of the Federal poverty level who live or work on Johns, James, & Wadmalaw Island or Folly Beach, or serve the Hospitality Industry of Downtown Charleston. You can sign up for our monthly e-news updates, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.