March is National Nutrition Month, and at Promise Community Health Center, we want to promote healthy and informed decision-making when it comes to eating and lifestyle choices!
National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This year, we’re looking “Beyond the Table.”
At Promise Community Health Center, we provide a wide range of resources to support individuals in northwest Iowa, helping them establish and accomplish goals aimed at holistic health and fostering a balanced lifestyle.
Join us in our goal to help you put your health first and go “Beyond the Table.”
Five things you can do to better your health:
- Plan weekly meals ahead of time by writing out the ingredients you’ll need for each meal. This will help you meet all five food groups and can double as a grocery list for easy shopping.
- Use the FDA’s Nutrition Facts label when grocery shopping to compare ingredients in different food items. Select items that have higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber and lower amounts of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.
- Use MyPlate.gov to create healthy, complete meals that cover all five groups. Check the free MyPlate Kitchen resource for over 1,000 healthy, inexpensive, and tasty recipe ideas.
- Find out how calorie labeling on menus can help you make informed and healthful decisions about meals and snacks.
- Eat smart by monitoring calorie intake and portion sizes using the Nutrition Facts label alongside MyPlate.
For more tips and guidance, meet with our experienced Nurse Health Coaches through in-person meetings, phone calls, or telehealth video calls.
What is Health Coaching?
At Promise, we have health coaches ready to collaborate and assist you with personalized plans to help you reach your health goals! Promise Community Health Center Health Coaches can help you go “Beyond the Table” and assist in implementing healthy eating habits and lifestyle choices.
An introductory session and follow-up meetings will help steer you toward reaching your health goals. For a more structured approach, we offer a 12-week program, beginning with weekly sessions for the first four weeks and then switching to bi-weekly meetings for the following eight weeks.
Health Coaches also use tools such as My Plate, the Mediterranean Diet, and 5-2-1-0 for nutrition counseling.
Other ways Promise Community Health Center Health Coaches can help you:
- Weight loss support – Health coaches will accompany you on your weight loss journey, providing motivational interviews, nutrition counseling, and support for physical activity and exercise.
- Family and kids’ nutrition support – The Population Health Team works with parents and kids to help provide education, resources, and support on how to build a healthier lifestyle.
- Prediabetes prevention and education – Promise Community Health Center collaborates with its medical team to screen and identify patients at high risk for prediabetes, which is a condition characterized by slightly elevated blood sugar levels that precede diabetes. The Population Health team offers education, support, and referrals to Diabetes Prevention Programs.
- Diabetes Care – At Promise, diabetes care is a collaborative effort where you are at the center of the team. Nurse health coaches, alongside provider care teams and our Pharm D, offer evidence-based education, support, and access to resources for a healthy life. Individual health coach visits and diabetes education sessions are available to meet your needs.
- High blood pressure assistance – Our Population Health team collaborates with your provider care team and our Pharm D to manage your blood pressure effectively. Our free health coach visits help you understand what is contributing to elevated blood pressure, learn home monitoring techniques, and discover ways to improve your numbers.
Schedule an appointment today with our Health Coaches by calling 712-722-1700.
