March is National Nutrition Month and here at Windom Area Health we are celebrating this month by promoting nutrition education and healthy living. By focusing on eating healthy foods and improving activity habits can help improve your health. There are many ways you can help improve your health. One way is by using MyPlate as a guide to help you find the healthy foods and to help create a healthy nutritious meal. For instance, make half of your plate fruits and vegetables, while focusing on whole fruits and varying your veggies. Make half of your grains, whole grains and move to low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt. Lastly, vary your protein routine and choose water as your main beverage.
Along with changing how your plate looks, you can also change your fitness routines up to make them more effective. Children and teens should get 60 or more minutes of physical activity per day, and adults at least two hours and 30 minutes per week. Getting your physical activity in does not always have to happen in a gym. For instance, you could take your family on walk after dinner, or you could play basketball outside with your kids. Getting up and moving is the key to staying active.
We have a Diabetic and Nutrition Services team consisting of staff who are Diabetic Educators and Registered Dietitians to help coordinate care that is right for you, through physician referral.
Registered Dietitian
A Registered Dietitian may be able to help you with:
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Planning nutritious and affordable meals or snacks for your lifestyle
- Preventing or learning to live better with chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease and various types of cancer
- Understanding nutrition and its role on your health
Additional benefits of a Registered Dietitian:
- Assess your health and eating habits to provide recommendations towards better health
- Work with you to create an individualized nutrition plan
- Provide guidance, resources and support in management of nutrition-related conditions
- Plan and deliver group nutrition education programs
Diabetes Education
We know that living with diabetes requires the need to make certain life adjustments. With the right tools at your fingertips, diabetes does not have to control you. It is a manageable condition.
The program at Windom Area Health is accredited by the American Diabetes Education and focuses on providing you the knowledge and skills necessary to manage and take charge of your diabetes.
Your diabetes education team consists of a multidisciplinary group of certified health professionals. Together we will work with your health team to coordinate diabetes care that is just right for you, including glucose monitoring, PO medication, insulin therapy, insulin pump therapy and CGM (continuous glucose monitoring).
If you are interested in meeting with one of our dietitians or diabetic educators, please let your medical provider know or contact Windom Area Health at 507-831-2400.