Nutrition comes from the word nutrients. Nutrients are the good things we get from the food we eat to be happy and healthy. Good nutrition depends on making healthy food choices. In our Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Disease, Living a Healthy Life with Diabetes and Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain classes, nutrition is a topic that is covered. We discuss how to read a food label, how much to eat, how to choose good or healthy fat, tips for choosing healthier carbohydrates and increasing fiber and much more.
Nutrient-dense foods and beverages provide vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting components and have little or no added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans, peas, and lentils, unsalted nuts and seeds, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and lean meats and poultry—when prepared with no or little added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium— are nutrient-dense food. Poor Nutrition contributes to Overweight/Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Factors, Diabetes, Cancer, Bone Health and Muscle Strength.
One way of helping you get the correct amount of nutritionally balanced foods is to use the MyPlate method. The MyPlate method of determining what to put on your plate replaced the Food Pyramid in 2010 by the US Department of Agriculture. This is a visual that shows you how to fill your plate.
Parts of MyPlate are:
Fruits-focus on whole fruits
Vegetables – vary your vegetables include dark green; red and orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy; and other vegetables
Grains – make ½ of your grains, whole grains
Proteins – including lean meats, poultry, and eggs; seafood; beans, peas, and lentils; and nuts, seeds and soy products
Dairy – move to low-fat or fat-free dairy milk, yogurt or lactose free dairy or fortified soy versions
Join one of our Living Well classes to learn more information about nutrition and how it can affect your life. Call 435-673-3548 X103 for upcoming classes.
Maria Bailey is the director for the AmeriCorps Senior RSVP program with the Area Agency on Aging - Five County. Maria has been with
the program for a year and a half. While new with the RSVP program, Maria is not new to working with older adults. She has been working with older adults for over 15 years!
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