March is National Nutrition Month ®, when the American Dietetic Association reminds us about the importance of healthy eating. This year’s theme is “Improving your nutrition from the ground up”. Now is the time to go back to the basics and build a healthy diet that includes healthy foods from all food groups.  

Despite the variety of nutrition messages over what not to eat plastered all over the media, Internet and from family and friends, many people still don’t have a clear idea of what foods they should be eating. By focusing on the positive components of foods you can help your clients develop a healthful approach to eating that will lead to a well-balanced and sensible diet.  

One way to help your clients make healthy choices is by encouraging them to include nutrient-rich foods into their daily eating pattern. Nutrient-rich foods have large amounts of key nutrients for fewer calories. These foods provide essential vitamins and minerals that the body needs to promote healthy growth, fight illness, increase energy levels and prevent chronic disease. Plus, being lower in calories helps individuals achieve maximum nutrition while still maintaining a healthy weight. Some nutrient-rich foods to focus on are:

• Whole grains, which are high in dietary fiber, B vitamins, iron and magnesium
• Fruits and vegetables, which are a great source of potassium, dietary fiber, folate and vitamins A,C and E
• Low-fat milk and milk products, which provide calcium, vitamin D, protein and potassium
• Lean meats, beans, nuts and seeds which supply protein, iron, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin E and magnesium

The “nutrition from the ground up” theme conjures up images of a backyard vegetable garden which certainly can be an element in a healthy lifestyle. However, you don't have to be a gardener to have a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables are plentiful in your local grocery store or a farmer's market. Frozen, canned and dried produce provides greater variety and easier storage of foods particularly in winter when availability and access are limited. We can feel good about eating a wide range and variety of fruits and vegetables. 

This March take a new approach to purchasing, preparing and eating foods for a healthier you. For more information on National Nutrition Month, visit www.eatright.org and peruse Dairy Council of California’s downloadable handouts for information you can share with adults and children. 

Trina Robertson, M.S, R.D.

Project Manager

February is American Heart Month. According to the American Heart Association, one in three Americans has high blood pressure. A major part in preventing heart disease, which is the number one killer of American women, is maintaining healthy blood pressure. One dietary intervention health professionals commonly recommend when guiding a client with hypertension is a reduced sodium diet. However, current research shows that we should think beyond simply limiting sodium to help our clients achieve healthy blood pressure. Other factors affecting hypertension that are equally important and often overlooked include lifestyle, diet quality and intake of micronutrients such as potassium.  

Focusing on lifestyle modifications can be a simple yet very effective way to treat hypertension. You can help your clients reduce blood pressure by encouraging them to:

• Adopt the DASH eating pattern, which emphasizes low-fat dairy foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans and nuts. This dietary pattern is high in fiber and potassium and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. 
• Be active. Engaging in regular physical activity helps manage weight, reduce stress and control blood pressure.
• Reduce Stress. Turning down the stress response helps the body tune in to good health.
• Limit alcohol and quit smoking.

There are many ways that you can help you clients prevent and/or manage this “silent killer.” First, stay current on the latest research. Check out our recent Health Connections Newsletter which focuses on Managing Hypertension Through a Healthy Lifestyle. Second, encourage your clients to focus on diet quality. This goes beyond focusing on limiting sodium. Try recommending the DASH eating plan. There are many resources online to help them get started. Our partners at Oregon Dairy Council have developed a user-friendly online tool to help individuals incorporate DASH into their daily food choices. Lastly, identify clients who are at high risk of developing hypertension. Risk factors include obesity, physical inactivity, high sodium intake, low potassium intake, excessive alcohol consumption and diabetes. Helping at risk individuals make healthy lifestyle changes can make a difference.

Ashley Rosales, R.D.

Project Manager

The CTA Good Teaching Conference – North 2010 was held in Burlingame, CA, January 22-24.  Dairy Council of California was one of many wonderful exhibitors providing the latest resources to support excellent teaching and learning practices for classroom teachers.   The conference kicked off Friday evening with lively music, dancing and fine dining energizing over 800 attendees to stop by exhibits and attend workshop sessions until 9 pm.  Both Friday and Saturday we continuously greeted teachers enthusiastic about ordering our programs for the first time.  They appreciated the ease of ordering and the availability and convenience of our new online Teacher Training Certification Program which gives hands-on and practical implementation strategies for each grade level program.  This was also an opportunity for teachers already using our curriculum to re-order their student workbooks for their current class this year.  Their many positive comments and words of appreciation for our programs made the conference a particularly rewarding experience for us.  We look forward to attending the Good Teaching Conference – South 2010 in Los Angeles, CA, coming up March 12-14.

Dairy Council of California