March is National Nutrition Month

This month, we here at the Employee Assistance Program are looking to celebrate healthy eating as a major aspect of positive physical and mental health. For 50 years, National Nutrition Month has been celebrated as a means of focusing on nutrition education, introducing and reintroducing healthy eating habits for longer and better lives. Meal planning and healthy nutrition are so important, and even small changes can make a big difference. Finding alternatives to sugary drinks, switching to whole grains, eating leaner meats, and significantly upping your amount of fruits and vegetables can be life changing.   

Check out the links to below to learn more. 

• To start, we want to continue to highlight the Boston Wellness Portal. If you haven’t already, signing up at this link will help direct you to many beneficial resources, including this page which links directly to recipes, and this page which links to an interactive meal planner.   Be sure to explore the rest of the portal for workout routines, informational articles, challenges and contests, and more.
• The city of Boston is partnered with Burnalong.   For those employees who sign up through the wellness portal, they are linked directly to free courses and other resources on essential well being topics including nutrition.
• The Mayor’s Office of Food Justice works to improve Boston community access to healthy regular food.    Their page includes links to community fridges, food pantries, neighborhood resources, SNAP benefits, and more. 
• This page on the healthy eating plate is a good up to date visual aid for healthy eating presented by Harvard medical school.  Harvard University also offers a low cost 2 session online course on nutrition and creating a health 6 week nutrition and exercise plan.
• The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers helpful tip sheets, planning materials, games, and more to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the recognition of National Nutrition Month.

From all of us at the EAP, have a safe and healthy March!