Monday, February 23, 2009
Get Active, Eat Well…on a Budget
March is National Nutrition Month. With the current economic uncertainty and rising food costs, more people are finding it difficult to buy healthy food and live an active lifestyle. This year the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit is focusing on ways to help people eat healthy and be more physically active while on a budget.
Healthy eating and physical activity have been shown to help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and some cancers. However, a recent study by the Heart and Stroke Foundation found that almost half of Canadians are going without fruit, vegetables and milk products as a way of cutting back on food costs.
“Omitting these foods can have a strong negative impact on health;” says Carole Chang, a Registered Dietitian at the Health Unit, “people need to be made aware that healthy eating on a budget is possible.”
This year’s nutrition month campaign also provides practical ideas and tips to make healthy eating for physical activity easy and affordable. Many people believe that being physically active is expensive and that you need special foods for exercise, but you don’t need protein powders, designer supplements and sports drinks to live an active lifestyle.
“The truth is, the foods and fluids your body needs to fuel fitness can be found or made in your very own kitchen” says Chang. The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has partnered with local agencies to create free resources and opportunities for people to get active and eat well on a budget in the tri-counties.
For more information on eating well on a budget or getting active in your community, contact the Leeds, Grenville, and Lanark District Health Unit’s Health Action Line at 1-800-660-5853 or for local calls at 613-345-5685 and ask to speak with a Registered Dietitian. You can also visit our website at www.healthunit.org/nutrition.
Contact one of our Registered Dietitians at 613-345-5685.
Dianne Oickle, MSc, RD
Meena Parameswaran, MAN, RD
Carole Chang, MSc, RD
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