Barksdale celebrates National Nutrition Month Published March 4, 2011 By Senior Airman Allison M. Boehm 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- March is National Nutrition Month, and Barksdale, home of Air Force Global Strike Command, is doing its part in enforcing this year's theme, "Eat Right with Color." Members from Barksdale's Health and Wellness Center are working to educate Airmen about the relationship between nutrition and health and how to apply the most current nutrition science to their daily lives. "Eating right with color summarizes some key concepts that are found in the United States Department of Agriculture' s most current, interactive food guidance system, MYPYRAMID," said Ms. Jennifer Coney, 2nd Medical Group registered dietitian. "The Web site, www.mypyramid.gov, is a great resource for all ages. It's based on the dietary guidelines for Americans." The dietary guidelines describe a healthy diet emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. It also includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars. "Eating a variety of color from each group will provide an assortment of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and much more," Ms. Coney said. "Antioxidants help protect the body from many diseases such as cardiovascular, cancer and neurological. Sweet potatoes and carrots are great sources as well as some green vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach." The MYPYRAMID also displays eating right with color by using a color coded pyramid to show the different food groups. The goal is to eat a variety from all food groups. Because the MYPYRAMID is interactive, it allows people to enter height, weight, physical activity and age to calculate their total caloric needs and well as how many servings they need from each food group. The Barksdale HAWC will have information tables set up at the Red River Dining Facility, the commissary and the fitness center this month, and they encourage Airmen to stop by, grab some nutrition handouts, and sign up for a prize. Ms. Coney urged Airmen to, "Be your own artist, and let the color wheel guide your meal planning. You can start by filling half of your plate with colorful vegetables. Check your local market for seasonal produce." A registered dietitian will also perform two Commissary tours during March in support of National Nutrition Month in order to introduce healthy shopping tips by including samples, aisle discussions and label readings. The tours take place at 9 a.m. March 15 and 31. Contact the HAWC at 456-8359, to register. For more information on National Nutrition Month, visit www.eatright.org.