Genesee County Health Department

Better Life Through Better Health

Every year during the month of March, members of the American Dietetic Association enthusiastically promote the importance of nutrition for each individual and reinforces the importance of eating well as a key part of health.

 After the binges of the holidays, we look ahead to spring and wearing fewer clothes. We may want to shed those extra pounds. So on the mind of many are nutrition, health and fitness. Registered dietitians and public health nutritionists hope to encourage the community to use the Food Pyramid is as a guide for healthy eating habits that can be tasty and fun. The recommendations of the Food Pyramid are also very flexible.

Eating habits can be personalized to individual lifestyles, nutritional needs, health status and cultural choices.We can all start to begin to think about how we can enjoy better health and reduce getting certain diseases by adopting the following:

• Eat a variety of foods
• Maintain healthy weight
• Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol
• Choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products
• Use sugars only in moderation
• Use salt and sodium only in moderation
• If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation

Make changes gradually until healthy eating becomes a habit. For more information about nutrition, contact the Genesee County Health Department at (810) 257-3612.