Food for Thought: 4 Simple Steps toward Healthy Eating

By Peggy Jo Goodfellow, Arizona Farm Bureau: Have you heard the phrase, healthy eating equals healthy living? Americans today have a wide variety of foods to choose from but they don’t always make healthy food choices. 

“Good nutrition can help lower the risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers and osteoporosis,” said Dr. Glenna McCollum-Cloud, registered dietitian and President of Chandler University.  “For the first time in our history, the United States is raising a generation of children who may live sicker, shorter lives than their parents!”

No other country provides such a rich, healthy, economical, abundant and diverse amount of food for Americans to eat.

By choosing to take these four easy steps, you’ll be that much closer to healthy eating and living a healthier life.

Step # 1: Shop the perimeter of the grocery store first, then the aisles. Think about it. Dairy products, eggs, meats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains are all located around the “edges” of the grocery store.

Step # 2: Eat nutrient dense and colorful foods.  At mealtime, your plate of food should have a rainbow of at least 5 colors.

Step #3: Monitor your portions. Your stomach is as big as your fist.  A portion of meat should not be bigger than your fist. 

Step #4: Get physically active.  Taking 10,000 steps a day equals healthy living.

While you can find fresh, local and healthy food in the convenience of a grocery store, for the fun and enjoyment of our local Farmers’ markets, go to www.fillyourplate.org for a list of Farmers’ Markets and direct market farmers in Arizona.

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