Home    | About Us    | News & Events    | Academic Affiliates    | Contact Us    | Directions

Health Information Services Physicians Referring Physicians Hospitals and Clinics MyHealth Patients & Visitors Faculty & Staff

Nutrition Services Clinics Evaluation-With Referral Evaluation-Without Referral Food Services Health Improvement Services Recipes Reduce Your Cancer Risk Staff Steps to Success Tips

Nutrition Tips

Label Reading

• All foods can be incorporated into a healthy diet. Use the Nutrition Facts Panel on the food label to find foods that match your nutrition needs.
• The Nutrition Facts Panel on the food label gives specific information about calories and nutrients in a single serving. If you eat more than one serving, adjust the calories and nutrients to match the serving size.
• Fat free means less than or equal to 0.5 grams of fat per serving. This does not mean calorie free.
• Low calorie means less than 40 calories per serving. If you eat many servings, the calories may add up.
• Calories on the food label measure the energy supplied from food. Calories from fat reflect the number of fat calories the product provides per serving, not the percentage of calories from fat.
• Light or Lite foods can be 1/3 less calories or no more than 1/2 the fat if the higher-calorie, higher-fat version; or no more than 1/2 the sodium of the higher sodium version.
• Look at the fiber content of the food you are eating. Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain foods, beans and peas are all good sources of fiber and can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Try to get about 25 grams of fiber per day.

Food guide pyramid/portions

• Aim for at least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits per day. All forms (fresh, frozen, canned, or dried) count towards your goal.
• To help keep calories and saturated fat in check, select low fat milk or light, reduced-fat cheeses to get your two to three servings from the milk group.
• From the meat group, select lean meat cuts with the words loin and round in their description. If using chicken or other poultry, remember to remove the skin before cooking.
• When dining away from home, don'adding unwanted calories or fat to your food.
• A serving size of most grains, fruits, and vegetables is about 1/2 cup.

Kitchen Savvy

• When cooking vegetables, use only small amounts of water in order to preserve the nutrients that may seep out.
• Wash your hands frequently while you are preparing food.
• If you are unsure about a food's safety, throw it out.
• To cool hot liquids faster, use shallow pans.
• Thaw meats and other perishable frozen foods in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature to avoid food-borne illness.
• Store all foods wrapped or in covered containers to avoid cross-contamination and to preserve flavor.
• Keep leftovers where you can see them and use as soon as possible.

Physical Activity

• To increase daily activity, try using the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Fitness trails, shopping malls, school tracks, and streets with sidewalks are all good places to increase activity by walking.
• Each time you go shopping, park your car a little farther away in the parking lot. Keep a record of how much extra activity you fit in.
• Regular activity can increase self –esteem and self-confidence as well as reducing stress.
• Too tired to fit extra activity into your life? Physical activity can actually increase your energy level when done on a regular basis.
• Choose physical activities that you enjoy doing so that you will create time to make them a regular part of your routine.
• Pick a partner or alternate activities to keep yourself motivated and remember it takes 21 times of doing something for it to become a habit.