Each year in March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics raises awareness regarding the dangers of unhealthy eating and dietary habits by observing National Nutrition Month. This initiative also serves to celebrate the benefits of maintaining a consistent diet and regular exercise regimen.
Having National Nutrition Month come at a time during the year when most of us have already abandoned our New Years resolutions makes sense. National Nutrition Month can then behave as a fresh start for people who fall into that category. If you’ve managed to persevere to this point and have managed to keep going with your resolution, allow National Nutrition Month to serve as an extra reason to kee the momentum going.
Here are 4 ways for you to celebrate National Nutrition Month:

1. Exercise Daily: Exercising every day doesn’t need to seem like a daunting commitment. In fact, exercise should be fun and should be an activity that you look forward to every day. If you hate the gym, that’s fine, try something new that interests you, such as: pick-up basketball, yoga, boxing classes or hiking. You’ll enjoy the endorphin release that’s triggered after working out, which will leave you with an improved mood and attention span.
2. Hydrate Regularly: Drinking a healthy amount of water is proven to help speed up your metabolism and alleviate conditions such as muscle soreness, headaches and cramps. While you’ll see different recommended daily amounts on every publication you see, try to drink around 1 gallon of water every day.
3. Change Your Diet: Like exercising everyday, improving your diet shouldn’t seem intimidating. Start with something simple, like cutting fast food or frozen foods out of your diet. Then, try cooking for yourself more frequently and sticking to the outside perimeter when grocery shopping. By avoiding the aisles, you’ll still be able to shop for all the fresh meats, produce, fruits and vegetables you need, while refraining from purchasing the chemical-rich junk food found in the aisles.
4. Improve Your Eating Habits: The next part in the equation of improving your diet is avoiding unhealthy eating habits. This may include skipping meals, overeating, undereating, or eating right before you go to sleep. Avoid late-night munching and instead eat a large (and healthy!) breakfast. While many think cutting out breakfast will help them shed weight, eating breakfast speeds up your metabolism and kickstarts your digestive system, making it conducive to any weight loss activities. You’ll also notice an increased attention span, which will help you at work or school!

For more health and nutritional advice, follow along with our blog or visit us at AFC Urgent Care Methuen where we can administer a cholesterol and blood pressure exam. Knowing your own physical health is the first step in improving your diet and lifestyle habits.
Call us at 978-975-0700 for more information. We look forward to helping you celebrate National Nutrition Month!