Prevention 101:
Women's Health | Check out Prevention 101, our ongoing wellness series. Click below for this month's guide.
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A not-for-profit ministry of
Church of the Brethren Benefit Trust Inc.
Church of the Brethren Insurance Services provides ancillary coverage for ministers and other employees of congregations, districts, and camps.
Medical and ancillary plans are available to Brethren-affiliated employer groups.
Long-Term Care insurance is available for all members of the Church of the Brethren and employees of Church of the Brethren-affiliated agencies, organizations, colleges, and retirement communities.
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Contact Us
1505 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
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Greetings!
March is here, which means that spring is just around the corner! This month is filled with crocuses peeking through the snow, as well as the first blooms from paper whites and forsythia bushes. After hibernating during the colder months, warmer air beckons us to get outdoors and move. If you have had the kind of winter we've had here in the Midwest, you can't wait for spring to get here!
This month, Prevention 101 is focusing on women's health and the importance of taking time to get your annual checkup. This is important to all of us but especially to those who care for others -- be it children, parents, spouses, or pets.
March is National Nutrition Month -- that means it's time to evaluate your approach to your diet. What are you doing well? What are you struggling with? If you aren't sure where to begin with this assessment, check out the article below from the American Dietetic Association to learn how color can help you make good food choices.
To go along with eating well, we have included the second edition of LighTEN's series of monthly messages. This month's issue gives tips on exercising in an environmentally friendly way and the virtues of barefoot running.
"The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven --
All's right with the world!"
-- Robert Browning
We wish you a glorious spring!
Willie, Diana, Tammy, Randy
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Let Color Be Your Guide to Nutritious Meals
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 While the trees may be bare in March, there are still plenty of colorful and nutritious foods to fill your plate. During the 2011 National Nutrition Month, the American Dietetic Association encourages everyone to add color and nutrients to their meals through this year's theme: "Eat Right with Color."
"Adding a splash of colorful, seasonal foods to your plate makes for more than just a festive meal. A rainbow of foods creates a palette of nutrients, each with a different bundle of potential benefits for a healthful eating plan," says registered dietitian and ADA Spokesperson Karen Ansel. "Food variety supplies different nutrients, so to maximize the nutritional value of your meal, include healthful choices in a variety of colors."
Ansel offers ways to brighten up your plate in every season with this quick color guide.Green produce indicates antioxidant potential and may help promote healthy vision.
- Fruits: avocado, apples, grapes, honeydew, kiwi, lime
- Vegetables: artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, green peppers, leafy greens such as spinach
Orange and deep yellow fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that promote healthy vision and immunity.
- Fruits: apricot, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mango, papaya, peach, pineapple
- Vegetables: carrots, yellow pepper, yellow corn, sweet potatoes
Purple and blue options may have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits and may help with memory and urinary tract health.
- Fruits: blackberries, blueberries, plums, raisins
- Vegetables: eggplant, purple cabbage, purple-fleshed potato
Red indicates produce that may help maintain a healthy heart, vision, and immunity.
- Fruits: cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, red/pink grapefruit, red grapes, watermelon
- Vegetables: beets, red onions, red peppers, red potatoes, rhubarb, tomatoes
White, tan, and brown foods sometimes contain nutrients that may promote heart health.
- Fruits: banana, brown pear, dates, white peaches
- Vegetables: cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, turnips, white-fleshed potato, white corn
Ansel recommends choosing a variety of colors when shopping for seasonal fruits and vegetables.
"And for additional options in the color palette, choose frozen or dried fruits and vegetables available throughout the year," she says.
Instead of grilled chicken and mashed potatoes, consider painting a more colorful plate, such as grilled chicken topped with salsa, mashed sweet potato, asparagus, and spinach salad with orange slices.
"A colorful meal is not only visually appealing, but it also contains a variety of nutrients and is quite flavorful," says Ansel.
For more information on how to eat right with color, visit ADA's National Nutrition Month Web site for a variety of helpful tips, fun games, and nutrition education resources.
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| LighTEN Monthly Message |
Click below to read this month's LighTEN Monthly Message -- a four-part series from Brethren Insurance Services and Highmark that can help you lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks. Find healthful recipes, learn information about exercise and diet, and more. |
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