Healthful eating habits
Sometimes it feels like nutrition advice is constantly changing, but some of the most basic nutrition advice is still true: eat your vegetables (and fruit and whole grains). Adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet (and reducing how much processed foods you eat) has multiple health benefits, from reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers to boosting your immunity and helping your digestive system function smoothly. Plant foods are how we get fiber in our diets. Fiber can’t be digested yet is critical for helping regulate blood sugars and helping food move through the digestive system. Most Americans only consume about half the amount needed for good health.
Learn more about adding plant-based foods to your diet.
Colorectal Cancer Awareness
An estimated 153,020 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023. It is the third most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Colon cancer, however, is largely preventable through regular screening. According to the American Cancer Society, limiting red and processed meats and eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains may help lower your risk of developing colon cancer. It is recommended that anyone 45 and older talk to their doctor about colorectal cancer screening.
Helpful resources:
- Tips for eating more fruits & vegetables
- USDA-sponsored nutrition information
- CDC nutrition information
- Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label
- CDC colon cancer information
- American Cancer Society colorectal cancer information