Burke County Extension
Start Eating Healthy Day!
November 2nd is the 3rd annual Start Eating Healthy Day sponsored by the American Heart Association along with Subway!
Peggy R. Anderson
Extension Agent
November 2, 2011
Smart Eating Healthy Day
What if you had the opportunity to do something that would impact the rest of your life? Would you do it? Today could be that day! The American Heart Association along with Subway is sponsoring the 3rd annual Start Eating Healthy Day which is today!
What we put in our mouth has a direct impact on our health. The obesity crisis in America has no single cause, but usually it comes down to the fact that we eat more food than our bodies need. Why? There are so many reasons, including the fact that we’ve become an extremely inactive society. We spend long hours sitting at computers and in cars. We eat nearly half of our meals in restaurants or from packages – food that generally has more calories, fat and sodium and fewer fruits, vegetables, fiber and whole grains. All those things suggest that we’re not shopping for healthy foods and cooking in our own kitchens, or eating at home. As a nation, we simply no longer have the time or skills to cook healthy meals.
The American Heart Association along with the help of Walmart is providing the program “Simple Cooking with Heart” This program is set to teach Americans how to cook more at home by giving them tools, basic skills and techniques to get started and inspired – and have fun. Program components include online how-to videos, tips, recipes and free downloadable “Host Kits” which encourage people to host in-home parties to practice cooking simple, affordable and healthy meals with family, friends and neighbors.
To download the Simple Cooking with Heart Host Kits or for more information on the program, visit www.heart.org/simplecooking. The kits are great, they contain a leader’s guide and 5 recipe booklets for those attending your party. Check it out now. At least for the recipes!!
The AHA Heart-Healthy Diet Recommendations
· Balance the number of calories you eat and physical activity to maintain a healthy body weight (this means not eating more calories than you need).
· Make your diet rich in fruits and vegetables. A typical adult should try for 9 – 10 sevings (4.5 cups) of fruits and vegetables every day.
· Choose whole grains and high-fiber foods (three 1 oz. servings per day). A diet rich in fiber can help manage your weight because fiber keeps you feeling fuller longer, so you eat less.
· Eat fish, especially oily fish like salmon or albacore tuna, twice a week to get omega-3 acids.
