By Juliana Ronn, First Mile Care Director of Operations

March is National Nutrition Month! It offers an opportunity to revisit some useful articles and information sources with tips for eating well — and healthily.

Good nutrition is a major component of the clinically-proven National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) offered by First Mile Care. Our program enables personalized support and guidance at the community level, giving participants access to the coaching, tools, and resources they need to live healthier lives and reverse or prevent chronic health conditions like prediabetes. Approximately 88 million Americans over age 18 have prediabetes, but 84% of them aren’t aware of it.

The DPP was designed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to help people make more informed choices and lasting changes in their lives. While modest weight loss (about 5%) and modest activity (150 minutes per week) are core goals of the program, the DPP also focuses on nutrition and healthy eating, not dieting. The goal is to create realistic eating habits that you can stick with for the long-term, not just short-term meal plans. Participants learn to eat healthier without giving up the foods they love, even when eating out. Small changes, like awareness of portion sizes, can make a big difference.

Here are a “baker’s dozen” of links to articles about nutrition and healthy eating on the First Mile Care blog, in our “Diabetes Prevention in Action” webinar series, and in other online resources to help you on your journey to a sustainable healthy lifestyle.

1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a robust website with advice on nutrition choices and links to a wealth of resources related to healthy eating, including MyPlate, the USDA food group guide.

2. Coach Irazema Garcia offers her advice on the First Mile Care blog on how to plan and prepare a menu of healthy meals without feeling overwhelmed.

3. The HuffPost has a useful section on food that recently quoted Coach Jenny Fowler in an article about how to avoid confusing serving and portion sizes of many popular foods.

4. Coach Kathy Gregory discusses on Thrive Global how important good nutrition is to your workout performance and results.

5. Yes, the DPP lets you bake desserts and other goodies in a healthy way — just follow Coach Sandra Huskey’s advice. 

6. Have you ever wondered if it’s OK to eat the same foods, day after day? Eat This, Not That! interviewed Coach Jenny Fowler on getting the right blend of stability and variety in your diet.

7. Everyday Health is a blog that is full of consumer-friendly health and wellness content.

8. Coach Irazema Garcia’s recipe for cauliflower makes it a healthy yet still-delicious side dish.

9. Well+Good is a popular lifestyle blog with a lot of tips on healthy eating, including comments from Coach Kathy Gregory on coping with grocery-store shortages.

10. Coach Jenny Fowler provides advice for eating “smart” at holiday meals and other gatherings focused on food. 

11. Keeping a food journal is a useful way to discover how eating habits are connected to your moods, says Coach Karalyn Cass.

12. Learn about the link between your eating habits and mental health in this article on Incredible Edibles that includes Coach Kathy Gregory among the experts offering advice.

13. The Wall Street Journal talks about foods that can help fight stress, anxiety, and depression, while Coach Jenny Fowler offers tips on the First Mile Care blog for breaking the link between stress and eating.

To learn more about how you can benefit from the First Mile Care Diabetes Prevention Program, take the prediabetes risk test and get started today!