Tag Archive for: WIC

eating right
eating right

Challenge Yourself and Better Your Health

NNM

March is National Nutrition Month. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wants you to “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right” this month by exploring some new foods and flavors that will wake up your taste buds – you have 10,000 of them!

Start with a small goal. When you write your weekly grocery list, make a point to try one new fruit, vegetable, whole grain or protein that week. Or one that you have not tried in years. This could be as simple as trying a new type of apple, eating broccoli raw instead of cooked, or brown rice instead of white rice. As you feel more comfortable trying new foods you can add new spices or flavorings.

You won’t love everything you try and that’s okay. Some foods you may like a little and want to experiment with more or you might find a new food that becomes a regular on your grocery list.

To help you with this new adventure, try these websites for ideas on preparing whole grains and healthy ways to cook fruits and vegetables.

 Related Events:

Join WIC on March 8th at the Stoklosa Middle School 11:15-12:30 to learn about shopping on a budget. This event is part of Lowell Womens Week. Please register for this event by contacting Gladys at 978-654-5673 or email gsantiago@commteam.org. Check out the Womens week website for all the other great events happening locally! And regularly check the WIC page this month for more activities.

american heart month
american heart month

Feel the Love – Take Care of Your Heart

heart monthThe staff of Community Teamwork’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition program have a special message of love for you.

February, the month of love, chocolate, roses, teddy bears, and fancy dinners is upon us. Yes, this is a great distraction from our very busy, hectic lives which we all need sometimes. However, what we need now more than ever is a healthy heart. Eating up all of those caramel and peanut butter filled chococlate hearts will not get you there. February is National Heart Health Month! So you wonder, how can we keep our heart in great shape so that our lives are longer and more fulfilling. There are many ways. So look in to your heart and think about what you eat, how often you exercise, and what you are putting in to your body. Your choices may be doing more damage than you realize.

Be more mindful of the food choices you make. Food can be medicine. Get back to the basics and eat real food- the foods we were meant to eat and digest. Eat less prepackaged and processed foods like frozen meals, hot dogs, deli meats and fast foods, and sugary drinks and snacks. Eat more fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and WHOLE grains.

Exercise regularly. Exercise can lower blood pressure, reduce stress, reduce cancer and diabetes risk, build healthy bones, muscles and joints. All of which can lower your risk for heart disease.

Don’t smoke. Smoking greatly increases your risk, as well as those who ingest your smoke, for heart disease. When you smoke you are inhaling toxic metals, cancer causing chemicals and poisonous gases.

Keep your heart in the best shape you can so that you can give your loved ones many more special Valentines days to come.