Nutrition and Physical Activity

Why is folic acid important?
Everyone needs folic acid, but it’s especially important for women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant. Folic acid is a vitamin that can prevent birth defects.

How can I get enough folic acid?
There are 2 easy ways to get enough folic acid every day:

• Eat breakfast cereal that has 100% DV of folic acid. Check the Nutrition Facts label on the side of the box. Some examples are General Mills Total®, Special K® Original, and Kashi® Heart to Heart. Use this list to find more cereals with folic acid.

OR

• Take a vitamin with folic acid. You can take a small pill that has only folic acid or take a multivitamin. Vitamins and folic acid pills can be found at most pharmacies and grocery stores.

Talk with your doctor about folic acid.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, your doctor can help you figure out how much folic acid is right for you. You may need more folic acid if you have a health condition or are taking certain medicines.

Check the label.
When you are at the grocery store, find foods with folic acid in them. Look for cereals that have 100% DV of folic acid.

Folic acid is also in foods like enriched breads, pastas, and other foods made with grains. Check the Nutrition Facts label.

If you buy vitamins, be sure to check the label for folic acid. This label shows a vitamin with 100% DV of folic acid.

If you take a vitamin, make it easy to remember.

• Take it at the same time every day. For example, take it when you brush your teeth in the morning or when you eat breakfast.
• Leave the vitamin bottle somewhere you will notice it every day, like on the kitchen counter.

What about cost?
Folic acid supplements (pills) are covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get folic acid supplements at no cost to you.

Eat healthy.
A healthy diet includes foods with folate (a different type of folic acid). In addition to eating cereal that has 100% DV of folic acid or taking a vitamin, it’s important for women to eat foods with folate, such as:

• Spinach and other leafy greens
• Oranges and orange juice
• Beans and peas

Check out this list of foods with folate.

Start Today: Small Steps

• Try one of these foods high in folate.
• Send an e-card to encourage a loved one to eat healthy.
• Take this quiz to see how much you know about folic acid.

To be healthy, your body needs to get enough vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Eating healthy means getting plenty of:

• Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products
• Seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, seeds, and nuts

Eating healthy also means limiting:

• Cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugars.
• Trans fats – Trans fats may be in foods like cakes, cookies, stick margarines, and fried foods.
• Saturated fats – These fats come from animal products like cheese, fatty meats, whole milk, and butter.
• Refined grains – Food products with refined grains include white bread, noodles, white rice, and flour tortillas.

When you eat healthy foods (and limit unhealthy foods), you can reduce your risk for:

• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Some types of cancer
• Bone loss (osteoperosis)

Learn more about why eating healthy is important.

Take Action! To save time, rinse and chop vegetables the day before you will need them.

Keep a food diary.
Knowing what you eat now will help you figure out what you want to change. Print this food diary [PDF - 36 KB] and write down:

• When you eat
• What and how much you eat
• Where and with whom you eat
• How you are feeling when you eat

For example, you might write something like:
Tuesday 3:30 pm, 2 chocolate chip cookies, at work with Mary, feeling stressed

Plan ahead to save time cooking.
Planning your meals ahead of time can make it easier to eat healthy when you are busy. Try these tips to save time:

• Cook several main dishes on the weekend when you have more time. Make enough to get you through the busy weeknights.
• Rinse and chop vegetables the day before you will need them.

Find recipes that work for you.
Check out these resources to get ideas:

• Heart Healthy Home Cooking African American Style [PDF - 3 MB]
• Delicious Heart Healthy Latino Recipes [PDF - 1 MB]
• A River of Recipes: Healthy Native American Recipes [PDF - 644 KB]
• Tips and Resources for Vegetarian Diets
• Information on Allergies and Food Sensitivities

Shop smart at the grocery store.
Try these tips the next time you go food shopping:

• Eat a snack at home before you go to the store.
• Make a shopping list ahead of time.
• Buy a variety of vegetables and fruits in different colors. These shopping tips can help [PDF - 668].
• Look for low sodium foods from this list.
• Choose fat-free or low-fat milk products. 
• Replace old favorites with the healthy, lower fat choices on this list.
• Choose 100% whole-wheat or whole-grain bread and crackers.
• To save money, buy fruits and vegetables that are in season or on sale.

Read the Nutrition Facts label.
Understanding the Nutrition Facts label on food packages can help you make healthy choices.

• Look at the serving size and the number of servings per package.
• Check out the percent Daily Value (% DV) column.
• Try to keep saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium at 5% or less.
• Look for foods that have 20% or more of fiber, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D.

Be a healthy family.
Parents and caregivers are important role models for healthy eating. You can teach kids how to choose and prepare healthy foods.

• Use this chart to help your family shop for healthy foods [PDF - 136 KB]. Take your child with you to the store and explain the choices you make.
• Turn cooking into a fun activity for the whole family. Let your young child help with these kitchen tasks [PDF - 12 KB].
• Check out these quick tips for making healthy snacks.
• Get more ideas on how to be a healthy role model for your kids [PDF - 459 KB].

If you have a family member who has a hard time eating healthy, use these tips to start a conversation about how you can help.

• At lunch, have a sandwich on whole-grain bread.
• Drink fat-free or low-fat milk, water, or 100% fruit juice.
• In a restaurant, choose dishes that are steamed, broiled, or grilled instead of fried.
• On a long drive or shopping trip, pack fresh fruit, unsalted nuts, or low-fat string cheese sticks to snack on.

Get more tips for eating healthy when dining out.

If you are worried about your eating habits, talk to a doctor.
If you need help making healthier eating choices, your doctor or nurse can help. Be sure to take a food diary with you to help start the conversation.

What about cost?
Under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010, diet counseling is covered for people at higher risk for chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get diet counseling at no cost to you. Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan.

Manage your high blood pressure or diabetes.
If you or a loved one has high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease, talk with your doctor about how to stay healthy. If you need to follow a special diet, check out these Web sites:

• Eating Healthy to Lower Your Blood Pressure (DASH)
• Tasty Recipes for People with Diabetes and Their Families [PDF - 1 MB]
• Keep the Beat™ Deliciously Healthy Dinners [PDF - 56 MB]

Start Today: Small Steps

• Have a glass of water instead of soda or juice.
• Make a shopping list with healthy foods [PDF - 285 KB].
• Use these tips to eat healthy when you eat out at a restaurant.

How do I know if I’m eating the right number of calories?

What can losing weight do for me?
If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can lower your risk for serious health conditions like:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Early death

Plus, eating healthy and being physically active can give you more energy throughout the day. Move more and eat healthy foods to help:

• Lower your blood pressure
• Lower your blood sugar
• Raise your “good” cholesterol
• Lower your “bad” cholesterol

Take Action! Keep a food and activity diary to help you learn more about your habits.

Make a promise to eat well, move more, and get support from family and friends. If you need to lose weight, do it slowly over time.

Set realistic goals.
Start out by setting small goals, like:

• I want to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.
• I will add 10 minutes of physical activity to my daily routine.
• I will avoid second helpings of meals this week.

Keep a food and activity diary.
Write down:

• When you eat
• What you eat
• How much you eat
• Your physical activity

Print a food and activity diary or make your own. When you know your habits, it’s easier to make changes.

Get active.
Move more to balance the calories you take in with the calories you use.

• Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of activity a week.
• Try to be active for 30 minutes 5 times a week.
• If you don’t have time for 30 minutes of activity, get moving for shorter 10-minute periods throughout the day.

Remember that some physical activity is better than none. Check out these resources for tips and ideas:

• Get tips on how to be active at any size.
• Find out how many calories your activity can burn.

Eat healthy.
Make your calories count. Use this interactive tool to practice using the Nutrition Facts label to make smart food choices.

Here are some easy ways you can eat healthy.

• Choose fat-free or low-fat versions of your favorite foods.
• Drink water or fat-free milk instead of soda or other sugary drinks.
• Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit.
• When you eat out, ask for sauces or dressings “on the side” so you can control how much you use.
• Try these menu planners for healthy meal ideas.

Eat smaller portions.
Eating healthy food is important. But you also need to pay attention to how much food you eat. Take the Portion Distortion Quiz to test your knowledge.

Here are some tips for watching your portions:

• Start the day with a healthy breakfast.
• Eat small, healthy snacks during the day. This will keep you from overeating at mealtimes.
• Put a small amount of food in a bowl instead of eating out of the package or container.
• Serve food on plates and leave the main dish on the stove. You will be less tempted to go back for seconds.
• If you are eating out, only eat half of your meal. Take the other half home.
• Read the label to find out how many servings are in a package. There may be more than one!
• Eat slowly – this will give you time to feel full.
• Don’t eat in front of the TV. It’s harder to keep track of how much you are eating.

Get tips to help you enjoy your food while eating less [PDF - 520 KB].

What about cost?
Screening and counseling for obesity are covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get these services at no cost to you.

Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan. For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.

Start Today: Small Steps

• Find a local farmers market.
• Look at the Nutrition Facts label when you food shop. Compare the serving size to what you usually eat.
• Get tips on starting a walking program.

Your body needs calcium to build strong bones when you are young and to keep bones strong as you get older. Everyone needs calcium, but it’s especially important for women and girls.

• Girls ages 9 to 18 need 1,300 mg (milligrams) of calcium every day.
• Women ages 19 to 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium every day.
• Women over age 50 need 1,200 mg of calcium every day.

Calcium can help prevent osteoporosis (weak bones).
One in 2 women and 1 in 4 men over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis (“os-tee-oh-puh-ROH-sis”). Some people don’t know they have osteoporosis until they break a bone.

How can I get enough calcium?
There are 2 easy ways to get your calcium:

1. Eat foods with calcium every day, such as:
   • Fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk, yogurt, and cheese
   • Broccoli, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables
   • Tofu with added calcium
   • Soy-based drinks (soymilk) with added calcium
   • Orange juice with added calcium
2. Take a calcium pill every day. You can choose a pill that has only calcium or a multivitamin with calcium. Let your doctor know you are taking extra calcium.

Check out this list of foods that are high in calcium.

Take Action! Look for foods with added calcium, like breakfast cereal or orange juice.

Most women don’t get enough calcium. Protect your bones – get plenty of calcium every day.

Know how much calcium you need.

• Women ages 19 to 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium daily.
• Girls need even more calcium – and so do women over age 50.

Find out how much calcium you need each day.

If you take a calcium pill, make it easy to remember. 

• Take it at the same time every day. For example, try taking it when you eat breakfast.
• Leave the pill bottle out where you will see it, like on the kitchen or by the bathroom sink.

Check food labels.
Use this calcium shopping list to find foods high in calcium when you are at the grocery store.

Foods that have at least 20% DV (daily value) of calcium are excellent choices. For example:

• A cup of fat-free milk has about 300 mg of calcium, or 30% DV.
• Some kinds of breakfast cereal have 600 mg of calcium per serving, or 60% DV.

Get enough vitamin D.
Vitamin D helps your body absorb (take in) calcium. Check this chart to see how much vitamin D you need each day.

Your body makes vitamin D when you are out in the sun. You can also get vitamin D from:

• Salmon and tuna
• Milk with added vitamin D
• Some breakfast cereals, yogurt, and juices with added vitamin D
• Vitamin D pills

Eat healthy.
Along with eating foods high in calcium or taking a calcium pill, eat plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, and other healthy foods.

Start Today: Small Steps

• Try dipping your favorite fruits in low-fat (1%) or fat-free yogurt.
• Get tips on eating enough dairy [PDF - 659 KB].
• If you already take a calcium pill, put a note on your bathroom mirror to help you remember to take it.

Good habits like these can help protect your family from food poisoning:

• Buy food from stores that look and smell clean.
• Don’t buy food past “sell by,” “use by,” or other expiration dates.
• Wash your hands often with warm water and soap – especially before and after touching food.
• Make sure food is cooked to a safe temperature.
• Keep raw meat and seafood away from cooked and ready-to-eat food.
• Keep cold foods cold. Keep hot foods hot.

What causes food poisoning?
You can get food poisoning from eating bad (contaminated) food. Bacteria are the most common cause of food poisoning. Bacteria can get into food in many ways.

• Foods may have some bacteria on them when you buy them.
• Raw meat, poultry (like chicken and turkey), fish, vegetables, and fruit may pick up bacteria where they are grown or packaged.
• Foods can also pick up bacteria at the store or in the kitchen. This usually happens when food that needs to be kept cold is left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

How do I know if I have food poisoning?
Some signs of food poisoning include:

• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting (throwing up)
• Diarrhea (frequent, watery poop)
• Fever
• Headache
• Body aches

Signs of food poisoning can start hours or even days after eating bad food. Usually the effects only last for a day or two, but they may last up to 2 weeks.

When do I need to call the doctor?
Call a doctor right away if you:

• Are throwing up many times a day for more than 2 days
• Have blood in your vomit or stools (poop)
• Have a fever higher than 101.5 °F (degrees Fahrenheit)
• Aren’t able to drink any liquids for 24 hours
• Are throwing up all liquids you try to drink for 24 hours
• Have extreme pain or cramping in your stomach
• Are feeling very weak, dizzy, or lightheaded

Who needs to be concerned about food poisoning?
Anyone can get sick from eating bad food. But food poisoning is a serious health risk for some groups of people.

Get tips on food safety just for:

• Pregnant women
• Babies
• Young children
• Older adults
• People with certain health conditions (including AIDS, diabetes, and cancer)

Take Action! When you shop, keep raw meat and seafood away from the cooked and ready-to-eat food in your cart.

Shop smart when you buy food.
Shop at stores that look and smell clean. A dirty store or a bad smell can be a sign that food hasn’t been stored safely.

Follow these other safety tips when you choose food at the store:

• Check the expiration (“use by” or “sell by”) dates on everything you buy.
• Don’t buy cans that are leaking, bulging, rusty, or badly dented.
• Don’t buy bottles or jars with “popped” lids or broken seals.
• Buy eggs that have been kept in the store’s refrigerated section. Make sure they are free of cracks and liquid.
• Put meat, poultry (like chicken and turkey), fish, and eggs in plastic bags, or separate them from other food in your cart or basket. This will keep them from dripping onto your other food.
• Shop for frozen foods last so they are less likely to thaw before you get them home.
• Make sure frozen food packages aren’t open or crushed. Avoid packages with frost or ice crystals – these are signs that the food has become warm and then refrozen.

Plan ahead to get food home safely.
Cold foods need to be put into a refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible. Follow these tips:

• Cold food needs to be refrigerated within 2 hours. If it’s a hot day – over 90 °F (degrees Fahrenheit) – it needs to be refrigerated within 1 hour.
• If you have other errands to do, save food shopping for last.
• If you live far from the store, pack a cooler with ice for your cold items.
• If it’s a hot day and you have the air conditioning on in your car, keep groceries in the passenger area instead of the trunk. This will help keep them cool.
• Put cold foods in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as you get home.

Protect yourself from food poisoning at home.
After you get the food home and stored away safely, follow these tips for a healthy kitchen.

Keep your hands, kitchen, and food clean.
Wash your hands with warm water and soap often, especially:

• Before and after handling food
• After using the bathroom
• After changing a diaper
• After touching pets

Wash all fruits and vegetables under running water, even if you plan to cut or peel them.

Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from ready-to-eat foods.
Use one cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and another one for fresh vegetables and fruits. If you have only one cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water after you prepare each type of food.

Make sure food is safely cooked.
You can’t tell if meat, poultry, and eggs are cooked just by looking at them.

The only way to be sure food is cooked safely is to use a food thermometer. A food thermometer will check the temperature inside the food to make sure the food is safe to eat.

• Find out how to use a food thermometer.
• Print this chart of the recommended cooking temperatures for foods [PDF - 3 MB] and put it on your refrigerator.

 

Keep cold foods cold.
Refrigerate or freeze all food that can go bad if it’s left at room temperature (like meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and open jars of mayonnaise).

• Check the settings on your refrigerator and freezer. Set the temperatures to:
  • 40 °F or below for the refrigerator
  • 0 °F or below for the freezer
• Keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer to make sure they are staying at the correct temperatures.
• Throw away food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If it’s a hot day (over 90 °F), throw away food left out for more than 1 hour.

Use foods that need to be kept in the refrigerator (dairy, meat, poultry, seafood, fruits, and vegetables) before they spoil and are unsafe to eat.

Stay safe from food poisoning when you eat out.
These tips can help you enjoy healthy, safe meals away from home:

• See if a restaurant looks clean before you even sit down. If the restaurant doesn’t look and smell clean, eat somewhere else.
• Order your food fully cooked (well-done), especially meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Cooking kills germs.
• Hot food needs to be served hot, and cold food needs to be served cold. Send back your dish if it’s the wrong temperature.

Start Today: Small Steps

• Get updates on foods that have been recalled.
• Report food poisoning to your city or state health department.
• Learn how to keep food safe when the power goes out.

Healthy snack ideas

• “Ants on a log” (celery with peanut butter and raisins)
• Fresh or canned fruit (canned in 100% juice, not syrup) with fat-free or low-fat yogurt
• Whole-grain crackers with low-fat cheese
• Frozen grapes (rinse grapes and freeze them overnight)
• Whole-wheat bread or apple slices with peanut butter
• Quesadillas (low-fat cheese melted in a whole-wheat tortilla)
• Unsalted pretzels or air-popped popcorn
• Baked (not fried) tortilla chips and salsa
• Whole-wheat pita bread with hummus (dip made with chick peas)

Put fresh fruit in a bowl that’s easy to reach in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter. This will make it easier for kids to grab a healthy snack.

On the go

• Take dried fruits and nuts, fresh veggies, or fruit in small baggies.
• Pack low-fat string cheese sticks.

Set the rules

• Teach your kids to ask before they help themselves to snacks.
• Eat snacks at the table or in the kitchen, not in front of the TV.
• Serve snacks in a bowl. Don’t let kids snack directly out of the bag or box.
• Drink water or milk (fat-free or low-fat) instead of soda or juice.

What do I ask the doctor?

It helps to write down questions for the doctor or nurse ahead of time. Print out this list of questions and take it with you to your appointment. You may want to ask a family member or close friend to go with you to take notes.

• How does my weight affect my health?
• Do I have a health problem that is causing me to be overweight?
• How will losing weight help me?
• What is a healthy weight for me?
• How much weight do I need to lose?
• How long should it take me to lose weight?
• What are healthy ways to lose weight and keep it off?
• How can I change my eating habits?
• What kinds of physical activity do I need to do?
• Could a weight-loss program help me?

Know your sodium limit.

• Healthy teens and adults need to limit their sodium intake to no more than 2,300 mg a day (about 1 teaspoon of salt).
• Some people, including children, adults age 51 and older, and those with high blood pressure, need to keep their sodium intake even lower (no more than 1,500 mg a day).
• Ask your doctor how much sodium is okay for you.

To eat less sodium, you don’t have to make lots of changes at once. If you slowly reduce the amount of sodium in your foods, your taste for salt will change with time.

Check the label.

• Use the Nutrition Facts label to check the amount of sodium in foods. Try to choose products with 5% Daily Value (DV) or less. A sodium content of 20% DV or more is high.
• Look for foods labeled “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”

Shop for low sodium foods.

• Load up on vegetables, fruits, beans, and peas, which are naturally low in sodium. Fresh, frozen, and dried options are all good choices.
• When you buy canned fruit, look for options packed in 100% juice or water.
• When you buy canned vegetables and beans, choose ones with labels that say “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
• Compare the sodium in foods like bread, soup, and frozen meals. Choose the ones with less sodium.
• Limit processed foods – especially foods that are salted, smoked, or cured, like hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats.

Prepare your meals with less sodium.

• If you buy canned foods (like vegetables, beans, or fish), choose low sodium varieties.
• If you use canned foods that aren’t low sodium, rinse them before eating to wash away some of the salt.
• Use unsalted butter or soft margarine.
• Don’t add salt to the water when you cook pasta or rice.
• Try different herbs and spices to flavor your food, like ginger or garlic.

Add more potassium to your diet.

Eating more potassium can help lower your blood pressure. Good sources of potassium include potatoes, cantaloupe, bananas, beans, and yogurt.

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