March 2015 Newsletter

March 2015 Newsletter

Happy March! As we all know March is National Nutrition Month. It is a time where we should evaluate how healthy we really are. Are we getting all the proper vitamins and minerals in our daily diet? Are we getting our recommended weekly exercise? These are all questions we need to be asking ourselves this month. Luckily, in this month’s newsletter we will be giving you helpful tips to leading an all around healthy lifestyle!

The goal of this month is to get everyone to get back to basics: “consuming fewer calories, making informed food and nutrition choices and getting daily exercise. The goal is to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote overall health.”

Here are some healthy recipes featured on AllRecipes.com that are quick, easy and most of all, nutritious! A healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner so that every meal of your day can be filled with nutritious value.

Breakfast: Crunchy Berry Parfait
Get your daily dose of fruits in the morning with this delightful parfait!

  1. Place about 1/2 cup strawberry slices into 2 glasses or parfait dishes. Spoon about 1/2 cup yogurt into each glass and top with about 1/4 cup granola. Divide remaining strawberries into glasses and top with banana slices. Place about 1/4 cup blueberries over bananas and top with remaining 1 cup yogurt. Layer remaining 1/2 cup granola over yogurt and drizzle each parfait with honey.
 Crunchy Berry Parfait
Lunch: Winter Green Salad
  1. Mix collard greens, kale, romaine, cabbage, pear, onion, orange bell pepper, avocado, carrot, tomatoes, walnuts, and raisins together in a large bowl.
  2. Combine olive oil, vinegar, honey, oregano, chili powder, mustard, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a glass jar with a lid. Cover jar with lid and shake vigorously until dressing is well mixed. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.
 Winter Green Salad
Dinner: Chicken with Garlic, Basil and Parsley
This delicious dish has few ingredients and a short prep time. Everything you are looking for!

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon parsley and 1 teaspoon basil evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange chicken breast halves in the dish, and sprinkle evenly with garlic slices. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 teaspoons parsley, remaining 2 teaspoons basil, salt, and red pepper; sprinkle over the chicken. Top with tomato slices.
  3. Bake covered in the preheated oven 25 minutes. Remove cover, and continue baking 15 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.
 Chicken with Garlic, Basil and Parsley

2015’s National Nutrition Month’s Slogan is “Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle”. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says that you can achieve this overall healthy lifestyle by implementing regular exercise into your routine.

Many people get confused about how much exercise is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle. Adults are recommended to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week and two days of muscle strengthening activity for major muscle groups. The Center for Disease Control offers some examples of this:

  • Speed Walking
  • Water Aerobics
  • Casual Bike Riding
  • Playing friendly doubles tennis

If you are interested in a higher-intensity aerobic activity, it is recommended that you get 75 minutes per week along with two days of muscle strengthening activity for major muscle groups.

  • Jogging or running
  • Swimming laps
  • Bike riding fast or on hills
  • Playing basketball
  • Playing singles tennis

Getting into exercise routines is very tough, but it can be much easier if you buddy up! Joining a gym with a friend or signing up for fitness classes can increase the likelihood of you sticking to an exercise routine. Also, no exercise is too small! If you can take 15 minutes of your lunch break to take a walk or even doing some leg lifts while you are sitting at your desk!