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Eat better today, feel better tomorrow

May 20, 2009|Jennifer Howard

Do you want to feel better today and stay healthy for tomorrow? You can by eating well and enjoying an active life. The food choices you make every day affect how you feel and the physical activity impacts your health for the future.

Dietary guidelines encourage us to make smart food choices from all food groups, not just a select few. By finding a balance between food consumption and physical activity, you get the most nutrition out of the calories you consume.

The new "My Pyramid" guidelines recommend that we eat at least two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables a day. They also advise three cups of low fat milk, yogurt or cheese daily. The guidelines also tell us to focus on the selection of whole grains and lean proteins.

Be sure to eat more dark green vegetables like broccoli, greens and spinach, as well as orange vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes.

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These colorful vegetables will help you get the most nutrition out of your calories.

Regular physical activity is important to your overall health and can help you achieve a healthy weight.

About 60 minutes of physical activity is needed each day by most adults to lose weight or maintain weight loss.

To begin your quest for a more active life, try parking further from the building and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

To learn more ways to add physical activity to your day safely, why not join our Winchester Weigh-Down program? Sign-ups begin today.

You can join us at the YMCA for a "jump start" demonstration, which is being offered at noon and 6 p.m. If you can't make it today, registrations will also be available on Wednesday, May 27.

Check out the Clark County Health Department Web page, www.clarkhealthdept.org, for a detailed list of programs or call the Clark County Extension Office at 744-4682.

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