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How to improve your nutrition in a sustainable way
March is National Nutrition Month. When thinking about good nutrition, we are often told to take more supplements, eat organically, and stop eating our favorite foods. While these tips are not terrible at face value, they can be expensive and hard to maintain. Let’s talk about healthy nutrition habits that are more accessible and easier to maintain.
- Eat with the environment in mind
- When possible, eat locally sourced and minimally packaged foods
- Eat more plant-based meals and snacks
- Try growing your own food in a garden or planter box.
- The choices we make have a ripple effect in our communities and the world.
- Eat more slowly than you normally do.
- Take the time to savor and enjoy your meals and snacks.
- Put your fork down between bites.
- Eat without distraction.
- Eat to satisfied.
- Allow yourself to leave food on your plate
- Use leftovers to create or supplement meals, or add to a compost bin
- Pay attention to how food makes your body feel.
- Let go of pressure to eat foods you do not enjoy and that do not make your body feel good.
- Allow yourself to leave food on your plate
- Eat a variety of colorful foods
- Eat the rainbow.
- Include a wide variety of nutrients in your diet, including whole grains, fats, and proteins.
- Aim for a little better each day
- Try to be 1% better each day
- Choose one small goal and focus on it
- Give yourself the grace to make changes and “mess up”
- Remember this is a very personal learning process.
- Reach out for help when you need it.
- Talk to your medical care team, a nutrition coach, or allergy specialist
Try to stop thinking about foods as good or bad and try to think about foods for the way they make you feel, their impact on the environment, and their connections to your culture. When we focus on whole person, and whole society health we will naturally gravitate towards foods that will support our overall wellbeing.
References:
https://www.eatright.org/national-nutrition-month-2023
Precision Nutrition Coaching Textbook
