Tips for National Nutrition Month

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

March is National Nutrition Month and doctors at the Veterans Affairs offer some tips for improving your diet.
Healthy eating pays huge dividends in terms of avoiding chronic disease as we get older. National Nutrition Month is a good time to put some changes into practise, and keep them going throughout the year. For instance, try smaller meals with a vegetable at the center, and smaller starch and meat servings. Have at least one serving of fruit and vegetables at each meal.

Drink more water between meals and try having fruit or nuts as a snack. Deep-fried and processed foods should be avoided, as they contain trans-fats, which have been linked to cancer. Reading food labels carefully will help you cut down on salt, sugar and corn syrup, none of which are health-enhancing. Recent research has shown that reducing the amount of fat and 'empty calories' in the diet can improve memory.

Source
Veterans Affairs R & D 4th March 2006

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