SAN DIEGO, March 13, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maintaining a nutritious diet as you age is essential to your overall health and happiness. In fact, according to research, eating well may reduce the risks of diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, bone loss, and some kinds of cancer, or may help you better manage conditions you may already have, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.
Eating well also provides the nutrients your body needs to maintain healthy muscles, bones, digestion, weight and other functions. And eating the right essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fats and water, fuels your body to provide the energy you need to remain active and involved in life.
To help you stay on track with healthy eating habits, The Silver&Fit Exercise & Healthy Aging Program offers you six tips for eating nutritiously during National Nutrition Month.
1. Fill Your Plate with Color: Fill half of your plate with fresh veggies, like broccoli and squash. Add fresh fruits for dessert. Try to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Filling your plate with these whole foods is a great start to a nutritious meal.
2. Manage Your Portions: As you age, you may be burning fewer calories, so you'll need to adjust your portions accordingly. Extra weight can increase the chances of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and can exacerbate joint problems. When eating calorie-rich foods, such as potatoes or red meats, choose portion sizes no larger than your fist. Try to eat more fresh, unprocessed foods, which are rich in nutrients but tend to have fewer unhealthy calories.
3. Choose Whole Grains: Eating whole grain products helps reduce the risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity.Try incorporating brown rice, quinoa, nuts and other whole grain foods into your diet.
4. Go Raw: Avoiding processed foods can do wonders for your health! Get back to your roots a few times each week by eating more raw, uncooked and unprocessed foods to give your body the burst of nutrients it craves. Try a salad filled with anti-oxidant rich treats such as raw carrots, kale, peppers, spinach, broccoli, squash, peppers and tomatoes. Buy raw, unsalted nuts for snacks. Eat anti-oxidant rich fruits such as berries, cantaloupe, papaya and peaches.
5. Eat Breakfast: Breakfast gives you energy to start your day and is important for everyone. Make sure you get the morning nutrition you need to keep you going all day long. We recommend trying oatmeal with soy milk and blueberries as a quick, but hearty, dish to get your day started!
6. Plan Ahead: Even with good intentions, it can be difficult to eat nutritiously without proper planning. Make a grocery list filled with nutritious foods. When you go shopping, buy enough healthy foods to last the entire week if you can (some fruits and vegetables may not last that long). At the grocery store, stay in the fresh foods aisles; try to avoid the aisles filled with processed foods that can get you off track.
This March, let National Nutrition Month inspire you to take the first step toward better health. Start your nutritious eating habits today!
ABOUT THE SILVER&FIT EXERCISE AND HEALTHY AGING PROGRAM
The Silver&Fit program is an exercise and healthy aging program providing unique, evidence-based fitness and health education activities for Medicare beneficiaries and group retirees. As part of the Silver&Fit program, members have access to: no-cost or low-cost memberships at a participating, contracted fitness club or exercise center, or to the Silver&Fit Home Fitness Program for those unable to participate at a fitness facility or who prefer to work out at home; SilverandFit.com, a website with a variety of health tools and resources specifically designed for older adults; The Silver Slate ® quarterly newsletter; and a toll-free customer service hotline. Follow Silver&Fit on Twitter @SilverandFit , Instagram @SilverandFit , YouTube at www.youtube.com/silverandfit , and Facebook at www.facebook.com/SilverandFit .
The Silver&Fit program is a product of American Specialty Health Fitness, Inc., a subsidiary of American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH).
The Silver&Fit logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=13048
ABOUT AMERICAN SPECIALTY HEALTH
American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) is a national health services organization that provides fitness and exercise programs, population health solutions and specialty health care programs for health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups and trust funds. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with offices in Dallas, TX, Indianapolis, IN and Columbia, SC, ASH has more than 1,000 employees and administers services for more than 32 million members nationwide. Additional products offered through ASH and its subsidiaries include Healthyroads® , FitnessCoach, Active&Fit® , ExerciseRewards TM and others. For more information about ASH, visit www.ASHCompanies.com or call 800-848-3555. Follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter at @ASHCompanies .
The American Specialty Health logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=14503
