National Nutrition Awareness Month: Bite into a healthy lifestyle

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jonathan Light
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  March is National Nutrition Awareness month, but some may ask what is nutrition.

According to the National Institute of Health, nutrition is the field of study that focuses on foods and substances in foods that help animals and people to grow and stay healthy.

"For Airmen, it's important because proper nutrition fuels performance and establishes a strong immune system," said Maj. Jeremiah Johnson, 48th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Public Health flight commander. "The mission of the Air Force demands that we are at our best, and that starts with the right nutrition."

This time of year can be a useful reminder for Airmen to assess their diet and expand their knowledge on how to eat healthier.

The following are a few tips the 48th AMDS Public Health flight commander recommends:

· Plan out meals and snack ahead of time. Make a grocery list that includes everything needed to pack healthy snacks, lunches and well-balanced dinners.

· At every meal, try to have a variety of fruits and vegetables that fill half the plate. When including protein, choose lean meats, seafood, beans, eggs, nuts and seeds.

· Limit foods with added sugars and fats.

Nutrition can expand further than the food people consume.

"Just as important as having a healthy and well-balanced diet is daily physical activity and appropriate rest," Johnson said. "Adults should be getting at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day to maintain weight and 60 minutes if trying to lose some, while also striving to get seven to eight hours of sleep at night."

Although all of this information is important to know, the next step is putting it into practice and making it a part of the daily routine.

Johnson said to truly be successful, people have to commit to a healthy lifestyle and behavioral changes. This is because people who lose weight from dieting tend to gain it back, and potentially a little extra, when they go back to their "normal" diet or lifestyle.