By Dr. C. Kilduff, DO

March is National Nutrition Month, and many of us know what to do with our nutrition but we rarely do it. One of the most important tips for good nutrition is to be vigilant about hydration and to drink plenty of water. 

Drinking water also has the positive effect of filling your stomach so you will be less hungry during your meals. Now is the hard part and it goes against most of our NEPA heritages, Portion Control…

Think of it this way, cut your plate in half on the left side, and make sure that entire side (50%) is composed of non-starch vegetables and/or low-sugar fruits. On the right side, cut that in half again, the top quarter (25%) should be lean protein and the bottom quarter (25%) should be fiber rich carbohydrates (legumes or whole grain based). This really leaves no room for our beloved pasta, white bread and potatoes. 

Compare this to your last restaurant visit, where most like the protein was the largest portion and the vegetables were the smallest, correct? An easy fix here is to drop the carbs and ask for double vegetables. As always. change usually happens slowly but if you can start applying these principles your overall health will improve.

NOTE: Dr. Kilduff is Medical Director of Hospice of the Sacred Heart