March is National Nutrition Month

Simple swaps to jumpstart healthier choices

In March, we celebrate National Nutrition Month, a month-long campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to promote the importance of making informed food and nutrition choices. At PPH, we are fortunate to have an incredibly dedicated staff in Dining Services, as well as our own full-time Director of Nutrition. With such robust resources at our fingertips, it’s easy to make healthy choices throughout the year, and we can use this month to jumpstart a new healthy lifestyle.

Below, see a few simple swaps that can start you on the path to better health.

  1. Swap fruit juice for whole fruit: That glass of orange juice, while refreshing, can pack a sugary punch first thing in the morning. Try a fresh cut orange with your breakfast instead and stick to lower-sugar morning beverages such as coffee and water. The fiber in the actual fruit will keep you feeling full and energized until lunchtime.
  2. Choose oil and vinegar over processed salad dressings: While bottled dressings are tasty, many pack on the preservatives and sugar. Try lightly dressing greens with olive oil and balsamic vinegar – add salt, pepper and seasonings to taste – and you’ll reap all the benefits of your healthy salad choice, with none of the drawbacks
  3. Eat slowly, and with friends: Without making a single change to your diet, you can eat healthier by slowing down, and enjoying your meals with friends, at a table, instead of rushing mealtime, in front of the television or computer. These simple rituals not only encourage us to enjoy our meals, but studies also have shown they can stop us from overeating, too.

Fortunately, these small tweaks can make a world of difference in our health and wellbeing, and they don’t have to feel like enormous sacrifices, either. As we age, it becomes more important than ever to feed our bodies and minds the right nutrients, but it’s also critical we enjoy our time, and that includes good food, good friends, and the occasional treat.

If you have questions about nutrition or are curious about menu options, visit any of the PPH dining rooms and speak with helpful staff who can help you make informed mealtime choices.

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The Philadelphia Protestant Home (PPH), founded in 1889 and incorporated in 1890, is a nonprofit Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Northeast Philadelphia, licensed by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and certified by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). 

PPH serves Northeast Philadelphia, Eastern Montgomery County, Lower Bucks County and the Greater Philadelphia area. Once again in 2017, for the sixth consecutive year, PPH’s nursing home, Pathways Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best nursing homes in the country and continues to receive a five-star rating from CMS.