National Nutrition Month brings health issues into light

  • Published
  • 60th Diagnostic and Therapeutics Squadron and 60th Medical Operations Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  As National Nutrition Month continues, many Travis members have probably asked themselves, “Am I in good health?” The month of March brings health concerns into the light. 

Treat your taste buds 

Treat your taste buds — you decide how much and how often. 

Choose foods sensibly by looking at the big picture. It’s what you eat over several days, not just one meal or day that counts. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern. 

Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, moderate how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them. Select other foods that are low in these ingredients to balance your food choices over time. 

If you love fried chicken, you don’t have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion. If you eat high fat meats and whole-milk dairy products, switch to skim or low fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as beef round. 

If you’re one to add a lot of butter, cream sauces or salad dressings to your foods, rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back on your portions. 

Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ 

Don’t feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, fried chicken, candy bars or even ice cream. Just try eating them in moderation and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health. 

Maintain healthy weight 

The weight that is right for you depends on several factors that include your gender, height, age and genetics. 

We’ve all heard how excess body fat increases your health risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some types of cancers but being too thin can be harmful to your health as well, placing your body at risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. 

Furthermore, “yo-yo dieters” who are constantly losing and regaining weight are also putting their body at risk. 

Although maintaining a healthy weight is vital to achieving and maintaining good health and a high quality of life, it’s not so much the weight as it is the lifestyle that supports the weight. 

If you place your focus on the weight, there’s a high chance you’ll struggle with it. Instead try placing your focus on developing a lifestyle that includes sensible eating habits and physical activity in your daily routine. Your weight will fall into place. 

For more information about National Nutrition Month, visit www.eatright.org or contact the David Grant Medical Center’s Nutritional Medicine Flight at 423-3696, or the Population Health clinic at 423-7867.