ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Planning your plate can help make all the difference in your overall health. Dr. Dora Izaquirre Anariba, certified health educator for WellMed says 74% of the adult population in the U.S. is considered to be obese or overweight. She says that’s linked to health complications including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk of cancer.
As you plan your meal, Dr. Izaquirre Anariba says make each bite count. “Fruits and vegetables can make up, or should be making up, half our regular plate,” she says. With that in mind, she suggests “use all the colors, all the variety and what motivates you, right?”
Dr. Izaquirre Anariba says to decrease the number of carbohydrates you're consuming like pasta, rice and bread and then split the second half of your plate into a quarter of whole grains, like brown rice, and the other quarter into protein including seafood, beans, lean meats or poultry.
For a look at meal plans and grocery lists visit www.myplate.gov.