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March 2012: National Nutrition Month & Understanding Eating Disorders Hello Everyone, March is National Nutrition Month. Eating healthy, nutritious meals is one of the easiest ways to improve overall health and wellbeing. We invite you to celebrate National Nutrition Month with us by exploring new options for fueling your body with healthy, delicious foods. Our newsletter focuses on ways to plan and maintain a balanced diet, as well as how to have fun while working off a few calories. The second page of our newsletter promotes awareness and understanding of eating disorders. We hope that the facts we've gathered will serve as a resource to those seeking to learn more about this growing issue. Your Partners at The Wellness Corporation National Nutrition Month National Nutrition Month® (NNM) is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Get Your Plate in Shape Before you eat, think about what goes on your plate or in your bowl. Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories. Over the day, include foods from all the food groups. Try the following tips to “Get Your Plate in Shape.” Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange vegetables plus beans and peas. For canned vegetables, choose “reduced sodium” or “no-salt added” varieties. Buy fruits that are fresh, dried, frozen or canned in water or 100% juice instead of syrup. Make at least half your grains whole. Choose 100% whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and brown rice. Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk. Both have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, with less calories and fat. If you are lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk or a calcium-fortified soy beverage. Vary your protein choices. Try a variety of items from the proteins food Learn More About National Nutrition Month To learn more about National Nutrition Month, please visit: www.ChooseMyPlate.gov For additional information on making healthy eating choices for yourself and your family, please visit: www.eatright.org www.kidseatright.org group each week. This includes lean meat, poultry, eggs, nuts and beans. Make seafood your protein of choice twice a week. Cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fats and added sugars. Replace sugary drinks with water, and choose 100% fruit juice instead of fruit-flavored beverages. Heart disease" is an umbrella term that includes any disorder that affects the heart’s ability to function normally. The most common cause of the condition is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart itself. Add spices or herbs to season food without adding salt. When cooking, try using extra virgin olive oil for flavor instead of solid fats. Enjoy your food but eat less. Avoid consuming oversized portions by using a smaller plate, bowl and glass during meals. If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit yourself to 1 drink a day for women or 2 drinks a day for men. Read Food Labels Become a smart shopper by reading food labels to find out more about the foods you eat. The Nutrition Facts panel found that reading most food labels will help you: · · · · Find out which foods are good sources of fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamin C. Compare similar foods to find out which one is lower in fat and calories. Search for low-sodium foods. Compare the sodium in foods and choose those with lower numbers. Look for foods that are low in saturated fat and Trans fats. Be Physically Active YOUR Way Pick activities that you like and start by doing what you can, at least 10 minutes at a time. Every bit adds up and health benefits increase as you spend more time being active. It is recommended that children and teens engage in physical activity for 60 minutes or longer a day. Adults should try to get 2 hours and 30 minutes or more of moderate activity per week. Some ideas for physical activities the entire family can enjoy include: · Brisk walking · Hiking · Participating in a favorite sport · Biking · Rock climbing · Swimming (indoor or outdoor) · Playing a game of tag Understanding Eating Disorders :For over 30 million Americans with an eating disorder, food is not a source of nutrition, but an object of obsession. Secret starving, binge eating, or the purging of food are all common, as are feelings of anxiety, depression, guilt and shame. The physical problems associated with eating disorders can be lifethreatening: 1 in 10 people with eating disorders will die as a result of the condition. Eating Disorders: Additional Resources For more information on the prevention and treatment of eating disorders, or to learn more about how to help someone who you think may be suffering with one, please visit the following sites: www.nationaleatingdisorders.com www.edap.org www.aedweb.org When Food Becomes a Problem Eating disorders are centered on extreme emotions, attitudes and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. Anorexia Nervosa. Anorexia is a disorder that is characterized by selfstarvation. This condition usually begins in puberty, and tends to strike young people with perfectionist, obedient personalities. Anorexics generally refuse to eat or eat only a few morsels of food despite being severely underweight. Another common symptom of the condition is the compulsive need to exercise, which can contribute to dramatic levels of weight loss. Many people with anorexia do not see how thin they are becoming and often “feel fat” even at 80 pounds. A person with anorexia may resist any attempts for help because gaining weight is viewed as undisciplined and weak. For anorexics, control is key. Bulimia Nervosa. People with bulimia are involved in a binge-purge cycle of trying to control their weight and food intake. Stress usually triggers their purging which may include vomiting, laxative abuse, excessive exercise, fasting, and abuse of diuretics, diet pills and enemas. Bulimics tend to strive for the approval of others while food becomes their only source of comfort. Despite the drastic effort to control their weight and food intake, people with bulimia are often at or near a normal weight. Unlike anorexics, bulimics typically realize they have a problem and are more likely to seek help. About The Wellness Corporation The Wellness Corporation is a free and confidential program provided by your employer for you and your household members. The EAP can help resolve personal and professional problems. Contact us today! 800.828.6025 www.wellnessworklife.com Compulsive Overeating & Binge Eating Disorders. Compulsive over eaters, or binge eaters, use food as away to cope with stress, emotional conflicts and daily problems. They typically eat in response to emotional rather than physical hunger, and are often obese. People with this condition may abuse alcohol and other substances, and may also have a history of losing and regaining weight. Many people will choose “comfort foods” such as starchy, sweet, salty and fatty items to fill emotional hunger. Weight management becomes difficult and can cause the person to resort to drastic diets or purging methods to compensate for the excessive food intake. Thus, compulsive over eaters can be at risk for developing bulimia. Treatment and Recovery If you fear that you or someone you know might be suffering with an eating disorder, don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance. The sooner a trained medical professional can intervene and provide healthy treatment options, the sooner the person can get back to living a healthy, happy life. Remember that it can be difficult for someone with an eating disorder to realize there is a problem. It is important to remain calm and non-judgmental. Professional counseling is usually successful in assisting those with eating disorders. The harmful eating cycles can be replaced with new techniques to manage needs and feelings. Eating disorders are treatable but cannot be solved overnight, it takes time. Two to three years is not an uncommon amount of time for a person to recover and develop a healthy new relationship with food.