'March' toward nutrition month

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Shen-Chia Chu
  • 436th Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The 436th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Health and Wellness Center wants Team Dover to make smarter food choices throughout March as it celebrates National Nutrition Month.

This new campaign, called the 'Good Nutrition Pledge,' is created by the HAWC to help Team Dover members make decisions to incorporate healthier eating and exercise into a daily habit.

By taking the pledge, Team Dover members will be able to select certain habits and choose to improve their health by eating breakfast daily, drinking more water, cutting out fast food from their diet or eating more meals at home.

"This year's theme 'Nutrition: It's a matter of fact,' is to encourage people to look beyond the myths of nutrition, focus on the facts and consult a registered dietitian to translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living," said Kate Jennings, HAWC dietitian. "It's important to make small changes gradually over time to collect a lifetime of healthy eating habits. Even consuming 100 fewer calories per day could help you lose 10 pounds in one year.

"The ultimate goal is to accumulate healthy eating habits to achieve a balanced, nutritious eating plan for the rest of your life," she said.

Mrs. Jennings offers some of the following suggestions to help Team Dover members cut 100 calories per day:

· Put mustard instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich
· Try a light or fat-free salad dressing instead of regular
· Substitute Canadian bacon for regular bacon
· Eat fresh fruit instead of juice or dried fruit
· Order thin-crust pizza instead of pan pizza
· Order your coffee 'skinny' - with skim milk instead of cream
· Use a smaller bowl for your morning cereal
· Drink club soda with lime instead of regular soda

Turn in your pledge card before March 21 to the HAWC for a chance to receive a prize. Twenty-five lucky winners will be chosen and notified by phone or e-mail.

For information, call the HAWC at 677-3733.