National Nutrition Month (NNM) has passed, and University Cancer Centers (UCC) wants to know what improvements you’ve made to your diet that will carry on the remainder of the year and beyond. NNM was originally created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to focus a campaign strictly on the importance of making informed food choices and encouraging people to develop proper eating habits. Combined with daily activity NNM aims to kickstart a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages and with all health conditions. The best way to prevent cancer is to eat healthy super foods and maintain a healthy weight.
This year’s theme was “Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle” focuses on consuming fewer calories and being as informed as possible about the food choices individuals make. We all know that maintaining that healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of disease and promote overall health.
How to “Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle”
Many people want to be healthy, but often don’t know where to begin. Eating right may seem intimidating with all the information out there and newly minted “super foods” like kale popping up all over the place. The word organic is tossed around and used religiously by health food junkies, but to the average person, it may seem overwhelming. Unlike previous speculations, organic doesn’t necessarily mean they are foods that are so expensive they are out of your budget. A common misconception, organic fruits and vegetables only cost a few cents more than non-organic produce. You can easily stay within a reasonable budget by picking up organic produce and offsetting the cost by leaving the processed foods like chips and cupcakes at the grocery store where they belong.
Do your research when shopping for proteins. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be a whole overhaul of your refrigerator. Instead of ground meat, choose healthier options like ground turkey when making meals. These substitutes will have you eating leaner and cleaner than ever before. A great healthy option that still tastes like you are used to is spaghetti squash spaghetti combined with turkey meat. This healthy take on traditional pasta tastes virtually the same, yet contained much less calories and is a gluten-free option.
The important thing to remember is to take small steps when it comes to completely changing your diet. Do what you are most comfortable with, but do take those steps to step slightly out of your comfort zone to slowly change your diet. Swap out the vegetable oil for coconut oil and see the difference in your waistline.
Another thing to remember is portion control. Many Americans eat three times the portion they are supposed to be consuming. Not everything is bigger and better, especially when we’re talking portion control. Cutting down on the size of meals doesn’t mean you have to miss out on food. Integrate some healthy snacks into your meal plan to ensure that you never go hungry.
Don’t forget – exercise is your friend. Start small by taking walks and doing what you can to stay active. No one said you had to train for a triathlon, but make sure you are moving at least 30 minutes a day.