National Nutrition Month ® is sponsored annually each March by the American Dietetic Association.  The theme this year is Nutrition From the Ground Up.

The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

The nutrient-rich-foods way of eating emphasizes choosing foods based on their total nutrient package, including vitamins and minerals, instead of choosing foods based only on what they don’t contain – saturated fat, sugar and salt. It offers a positive foundation to help build overall healthier eating habits and meet nutrition needs over a lifetime.

Choosing nutrient-rich foods first is a positive and realistic way to think about eating and focuses on enjoying food instead of avoiding it. Selecting nutrient-rich foods and beverages first is a way to make better choices within your daily eating plan.

An easy way to get started is to choose among the basic food groups from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPyramid.  There one can access information and guidance about the food groups:

-          Brightly colored fruits and 100-percent fruit juices.

-          Vibrantly colored vegetables and potatoes.

-          Whole, fortified and fiber-rich grain foods.

-          Low-fat and fat-free milk, cheese and yogurt.

-          Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts.

Other “Nutrition From the Ground Up” messages include reminders about the importance of family meals and staying active.

-           Make the most of family mealtime. Eating meals together provides the opportunity to help children develop a healthy attitude toward food. It also enables parents to serve as role models, introduce new foods and establish a regular meal schedule.

-          Balancing physical activity and a healthful diet is your best recipe for managing weight and promoting overall health and fitness. Set a goal to be physically active at least 30 minutes every day.

The ADA offers games, interactive tools, and event ideas to use with families, schools and communities to promote “Nutrition From the Ground Up” at www.eatright.org/nnm

Look for Nutrition and Health educators from CCEFM who will provide interactive educational displays at St. Mary’s Hospital of Amsterdam and the Memorial Campus from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  For more information about exact dates and locations contact Roseann Doran at 762-3909 ext. 116.