March is National Nutrition Month, which is an annually sponsored movement by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, National Nutrition Month®. The campaign focuses on both nutrition education as well as information.
Here at The Compounding Pharmacy of America, we want to celebrate nutrition and health this month and always. Eating well is much more than just about providing the fuel that the cells in our bodies need to survive.
Food is an integral part of many of the things we do. It is part of our celebrating (birthdays, weddings, parties) and mourning (after a funeral). We welcome visitors to our homes and offer them refreshments and meet our friends in coffee shops or restaurants for food and drinks. We have all heard of “comfort food” that reminds us of growing up (or wish it did). And food (chocolate and candy) is given as gifts to show people we care about them on special occasions, such as Valentine’s Day and Christmas.
Eating Mindfully During National Nutrition Month And Beyond
Developing a healthy relationship with food has a vital impact on both our physical and mental health and much of the food we eat throughout the year is consumed without much thought. We’re too busy and possibly thinking about the next thing (or more likely the next five things we need to do while we’re eating).
National Nutrition Month is a good time to start thinking about what you are eating and using your senses when you eat food. Instead of eating in front of the television or while staring at your smartphone, make a point of eating one meal or snack each day with no distractions.
Before you start to eat, look at your food and its color and texture. Take time to smell it, since the food’s aroma does enhance your taste experience. Put a bite into your mouth and hold it there for a moment before you slowly start to chew so that you can feel the sensation in your mouth.
Eat slowly so that the meal is a time when you can relax and focus your attention on the task at hand. It gives you a break during your day, which is a positive step for your mental health. Eating slower and chewing each bite more, can also help you eat less with each meal and help your body to digest the food easier.
Tips For Healthy Eating Habits – The Building Block For Health
The start of a new season is a good time to review the kinds of foods that you are eating and make some changes to your nutrition plan. Ideally, you want to make small changes that you can live with forever. Crash dieting and declaring certain foods “bad” and “off limits” will only make you want to crave them more often.
Along with eating without distractions and eating slowly as stated earlier, when you’re craving sweets, try snacking on an apple, pineapple, citrus or berries instead of candy or pastries. Doing this will really help curb your sweet tooth. Don’t believe us? Try it!
The National Nutrition theme this month for 2016 is, “Savor the Flavor”. Experiment with new, easy recipes and flavors, and healthier choices by eating baked potato wedges more often instead of fried french fries (they’re really good with a bit of olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper). Or, try baking or broiling meat instead of frying. Use herbs and spices in cooking instead of automatically reaching for the salt shaker. Over time, these choices will be second nature and you’ll actually prefer these healthy and clean-tasting choices. You’ll be making long-term heart-healthy choices for you and your family.
Did you enjoy this blog? Check out: How Eating Healthy And Exercising Can Help At Any Age
At our sister company, Dietary Rehab, we offer nutritional counseling and other beneficial programs to help you on your journey to health and happiness. Click here to find out more.
Chief Operating Officer, The Compounding Pharmacy of America
Matthew Poteet, Pharm.D. graduated with Honors from Lee University with a Bachelors of Science in Biological Science. After his undergraduate training, he completed the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy, graduating in 2004. Dr. Poteet has spent much of his pharmacy career on staff at two of the most prestigious academic teaching hospitals in the Southeast; Emory University in Atlanta and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. At these institutions he received extensive experience and training in sterile products compounding.
He returned home to East Tennessee in 2010, where he has held the position of Pharmacy Director at two sterile products pharmacies in Knoxville. Matthew lives in Knoxville with his wife, Chris. Dr. Poteet is Tennessee’s first Board Certified Anti-Aging Pharmacist by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
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