Monongalia County Health Department
  • HOME
  • SERVICES
  • News
    • Press Releases
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • MCHD Blog >
      • blog highlights
    • Video Library
    • Health Statistics
    • Education and Training
    • Posters
  • Dentistry
    • SMILE Express >
      • Portable SMILE Express Location Contact Form
      • SMILE Express Location Contact Form
      • Smile Express Referral Partner
    • Dental Services
    • Make an Appointment
    • Patients >
      • Child First Visit
      • Adult First Visit
      • Payment Options
    • Our Team
    • Contact
    • MCHD Dentistry Blog
  • Environmental
    • Contact Environmental
    • Food
    • Food Safety Training
    • Septic & Wells
    • Housing & Institutions
    • Recreation
    • Pools
    • Tattoo & Body Piercing
    • Rabies Control
    • Clean Indoor Air
    • Radon
    • Disaster Sanitation
    • Tanning
    • Fee Schedule
    • Online Permit Renewal
    • About Environmental Health
  • Clinics
    • Reproductive Health >
      • Family Planning
      • Adolescent Health
    • STD and HIV >
      • Syphilis
    • Immunizations >
      • Travel Clinic
      • School Immunizations
    • Communicable Disease >
      • TB Program
      • Influenza
      • Pertussis
    • Providers
  • Preparedness
    • COVID Dashboard
    • COVID-19
    • Testing & Vaccines
    • COVID-19 Links
    • COVID-19 Guidance
    • Mon Co. COVID-19 Stats
    • COVID-19 Press Releases
    • Recent Events
  • WIC
    • WIC Services
    • WIC Eligibilty Guidelines
    • WIC News
    • Doddridge County WIC
    • Harrison County WIC
    • Marion County WIC
    • Monongalia County WIC
    • Preston County WIC
    • Taylor County WIC
    • Breastfeeding
  • Mon QRT
    • QRT Press Releases
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Our Location
    • Board of Health >
      • BOH Meeting Agenda
    • Meeting Rooms
    • Job Opportunities
    • Notice of Privacy Practices

Thinking of tweaking your diet for health? March is a great time to do that.

2/26/2020

 
Picture
Thinking of tweaking your diet for health? March is a great time to do that.

By Kenzie Bostick

​Everyone is always told they should eat healthy, but how many people actually do it? For National Nutrition Month, we should all try to be more aware of what we eat and how it can impact our health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just one in 10 children and adults eats the recommended daily amount of vegetables. The number of people not getting enough fruit in their diet isn’t much better, with only one in seven adults and four in ten children eating enough. Each meal should include a grain, protein, fruit, dairy, vegetables and oil. 

Eating healthy will not be as beneficial if you eat too much, though. Practicing portion control is a key step in ensuring that you are getting the amount of each nutrient that you need.

Eating healthy can take some planning ahead. It all starts at the grocery store. Make a list of healthy foods before you go shopping, so you’re less likely impulsively throw those cookies or ice cream in the shopping cart. Try planning your meals for the week in advance, so you are less likely to eat unhealthy snacks and meals because you’re hungry. 

If you do end up eating out, just remember that many restaurant foods have a very large number of calories and are often unhealthy. Many restaurant meals can be made yourself at home, with a healthier recipe and smaller portions. It’s hard to make eating healthy a habit if you dread eating the foods. Learning how to cook new meals and experimenting with new flavors can make eating healthy seem more fun. 

In order to know if you are eating healthy or not, you must learn how to correctly read nutrition labels. You should begin by reading the serving size and total calories per serving. Next, you should read the percent daily values. These are normally based on a 2,000-calorie diet. You should eat foods low in added sugar, sodium and saturated fat. Aim for a high percentage of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

An often-overlooked part of nutrition is staying hydrated. The daily recommended amount varies by age, sex and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding. While drinking water by itself is a great way to stay hydrated, there is also water from foods and drinks that counts toward your daily recommended amount. 

We should be eating healthy every month, not just during National Nutrition Month, but it is a great reminder of the importance of making good choices about what goes in our bodies. If you really need help figuring out how to get the right amount of nutrients, see a registered dietitian nutritionist. 

Are you a pregnant or breastfeeding mother or the parent or guardian of children up to the age of 5? If you meet certain income guidelines, you would be eligible to receive services from Monongalia County Health Department's Women, Infants and Childrens (WIC) program. These include nutritional counseling and help with purchasing grocery items such as fruits, vegetables, peanut butter, yogurt, cereal, bread and more.

MCHD WIC has offices not only in Monongalia County, but also Preston, Marion, Harrison, Doddridge and Taylor. For more information, call MCHD WIC at 304-598-5181.

Kenzie Bostick is a public information intern at Monongalia County Health Department.


Comments are closed.
    MCHD logo

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture
Lee B. Smith, MD, JD
Health Officer
Monongalia County
Health Department

453 Van Voorhis Road
Morgantown, WV 26505
Hours M-F 8:30-4:30
(304) 598-5100


Home Page
MCHD Services
Public Health Nursing
Environmental Health
WIC Program
MCHD Dentistry
Threat Preparedness
Food Safety Training

Provider Information
Health Statistics

Contact Us
Location/Directions
Training Opportunities
Job Opportunities
Privacy Practices
Website Notices

Contact Us
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter