It's all about learning: National Eating Healthy Day

Tomorrow marks the American Heart Association's National Eating Healthy Day. It is an opportunity for all of us --with a vested interest in our health after weight loss surgery, and the health of those we care about who join us at the table-- to purposefully direct our attention to good eating and the benefits it brings. I love the idea of a day dedicated to wellness and eating healthy.

 There are few things in our life over which we have as much control as we have over our diet. Certainly eating healthy requires effort and planning and sometimes fixing a decent meal is disruptive and inconvenient. But like anything, the more we learn about the subject the easier it becomes. This learning process, to me, is the essence of National Eating Healthy Day. We don't have to get every meal nutritionally perfect. But we can make adjustments, a little at a time, to improve our menu one meal at a time and one day at a time.

"On this day, Americans are encouraged to commit to healthier eating. Celebrating National Eating Healthy Day is fun and easy! We provide a complete toolkit of materials and how-to information for workplaces, schools, individuals and community organizations." AHA

I found this article on the American Heart Association's website to be most helpful in presenting small changes that make a big difference to our health in the long run. I hope you find it useful as well. Be sure to visit the American Heart Association Getting Healthy web resource. It is a remarkable repository of information to support a healthy life.

Healthy Eating Habits Start at Home

"Meals away from home account for at least half of the money Americans spend on food. But saving money – while eating healthier – is easier than you might think. The American Heart Association has developed healthy tips, recipes and guides to make it even easier to do both by preparing more meals at home. And what better time for your family to start making healthier food choices than March, which happens to be National Nutrition Month?

“With busy, on-the-go lifestyles, many Americans have lost touch with their kitchens and thrown in the towel on eating healthy, which is key to prevention of heart disease and stroke,” said Dr. Rachel Johnson, Ph.D., MPH, R.D., Chairperson of the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee and Bickford Professor of Nutrition at the University of Vermont. “Eating at home can improve a family’s diet – and it’s easier on the pocketbook, too.”

About one-third of Americans are overweight or obese, including nearly 13 million children. Childhood obesity has become a major health concern, causing health problems in children that previously weren’t seen until adulthood such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. Parents are key to helping overcome this national epidemic.

“Healthy habits start at home,” Johnson said. “We want to help people establish a healthier way of life so they can be around to enjoy their families. Parents and grandparents can pass down a healthy legacy to their children and grandchildren – and we can help the next generation of Americans lead better, longer and healthier lives.”

Here are some tips to help you and your family start eating healthier:

• Enjoy meals together. When everyone sits down together to eat, there’s less chance of children eating the wrong foods or snacking too much.
   
• Get kids involved in cooking and planning meals. Everyone develops good eating habits together and the quality time with the family will be an added bonus.
   
• Eating healthier at home starts with the ingredients you use. Many favorite recipes can be made healthier by substituting ingredients.
   
• When you use oils for cooking, baking or in dressings or spreads, choose healthier oils — which include canola, corn, olive, safflower, sesame, soybean and sunflower oils.
• Read this post: Fish and the Heart Healthy Diet
   
• Limit added sugars in your family’s diet. Sugar-sweetened beverages are the largest source of added sugars for most of us, so reduce or cut out soda, sports drinks, energy drinks and fruit drinks as well as enhanced waters, sweetened teas and sugary coffee drinks. Drink more plain water instead.
• Refresher: WLS Four Rules
   
• Try to reduce the amount of sodium you eat. If using packaged foods, compare food labels, and choose the product with the least amount of sodium. Use herbs and spices to add flavor when cooking, instead of salt.
   
• Eat more vegetables and fruits, whether fresh, frozen, dried or canned. Add them to dishes your family already loves and use them as healthier sides, snacks and desserts. If you choose canned, watch for added sodium and sugars.
• Read this post: Fruits and Vegetables in the WLS Diet"

Thanks to the American Heart Association for providing this useful article.For more nutrition tips, healthy recipes and resources to help your family get healthier, please visit heart.org/healthyhome.

Healthy Eating & WLS
Eating a traditional healthy diet after weight loss surgery is a challenging balancing act. We must follow the high protein eating guidelines in order to lose weight and sustain that weight loss. But to prevent culinary boredom and avoid nutritional gaps we need to include healthy complex carbohydrates and healthy fats in our meal plans. Knowing the basics is a great starting point for building sound nutrition that supports our weight loss surgery goals.  Keep reading here as we continue to provide valuable information that supports our health and well being.