Dietitian Insights into National Nutrition Month

Nutrition

Registered dietitian with CHC Solutions, Inc., Gina Salvatori, is here to update us on National Nutrition Month and provide us with tips.

March is National Nutrition Month, and every year the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics picks a theme to promote. This year’s theme (2021) is “Personalize your Plate.” I’d like to use this theme to emphasize that nutrition is not a one-size-fits-all approach and that what works for one person may not work for another person.

Utilizing A Dietitian

Relying on a dietitian to help personalize your nutrition recommendations to target specific goals or disease states is very important. This is especially important in today’s age of social media where we see many fad diets.

Dietitian Recommendations

Everyone has different nutritional needs, however there are some overarching recommendations that can benefit everyone:

  • Eat a variety of foods as your body benefits from specific nutrients from different food groups.
  • Develop a mindful relationship with food by limiting distractions when eating. Also, learn to take your time and enjoy your meals which is often difficult in our fast-paced world.
  • Don’t eat too quickly. It takes approximately 20 minutes for the food you eat to get to the part of your digestive tract that will send a message to your brain letting it know you are full. Eating too quickly and not being mindful at mealtimes is often what leads to habits such as overeating.
  • Try setting your fork down between bites and limiting screen time during meals to slow the experience down and be more present.

Overall, having a specific diet for yourself is important, but these general tips can be beneficial for everyone.

For nutritional advice during COVID-19, visit our blog at https://www.chcsolutions.com/continuum_connect/community-updates/maintaining-good-health-in-the-age-of-coronavirus/. For more nutritional resources, visit https://www.eatright.org/.

*Disclaimer: Any health and wellness content presented is for general informational purposes only. Such content is not intended to replace or serve as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.