JERMYN, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — March is National Nutrition Month which focuses attention on the food we eat. Many of us struggle with a healthy diet even though it’s considered the first line of defense to prevent disease. Besides preventing disease, healthier eating can also improve your mood.
Eyewitness News Healthbeat Reporter Mark Hiller met with a longtime dietitian on Tuesday to get some expert nutritional advice and discuss some help available for those of us who are struggling.
As someone who counsels patients on healthy eating, Registered Dietitian Karen Papi with The Wright Center in northeastern Pennsylvania says many have one thing in common. “A lot of it is really not knowing how to eat properly.”
That means knowing more than just the four food groups. It starts with what’s called the healthy plate method. “Taking your standard nine inch plate. Most people use 12 (inches),” said Ms. Papi.
She says divide that plate into quarters and use one fourth for lean protein and another quarter for whole grains. “The other half of the plate we’re kind of recommending loading up with fruits and vegetables.”
It’s not just what you’re putting on your plate. Sugary beverages carry a calorie overload and can exceed the recommended daily limit of six to nine teaspoons of sugar. “You’re drinking a 12 ounce can of regular soda, you’re probably getting around eight teaspoons of sugar,” said Ms. Papi.
Too much sugar can trigger inflammation, fatty liver and joint disease and contribute to obesity. Ms. Papi says read the ingredients because what you’re actually consuming could come as a shock. For example, a six inch tuna sub at a popular fast food place contains 30 grams of fat or 51 percent of the recommended fat intake for the day. Meanwhile, a six inch roast beef sub only has seven grams of fat or 18 percent of the recommended daily fat intake.
Dietetic intern Kelly Dieffenbaugher is eager to follow in Ms. Papi’s footsteps and help others make healthier food choices. “If they’re willing to follow a diet or change their eating habits or change their exercise habits in order to get healthier rather than taking a pill, I love it,” said Ms. Dieffenbaugher.
Good nutrition is only part of a healthy lifestyle. Both Ms. Papi and Ms. Dieffenbaugher recommend ramping up physical activity. The Wright Center offers nutrition counseling classes to its patients and the community in general. Call 570-230-0019 for more information.
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