PIKE COUNTY, IL – March is National Nutrition Month. The Pike County Health Department (PCHD) would like to stress the importance of a balanced diet and exercise. Eating right isn’t just good for your body, it also helps reduce your risk of developing some diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. And it’s so easy to eat right. Make sure you get a variety of foods
each week: seafood, lean meat, poultry, beans, and nuts. At mealtimes, fill half your plate with fruits
and vegetables. Choose foods that are low in calories, fat, and sodium. Limit your alcohol. And
maintain a healthy weight.

With the skyrocketing cost of almost everything, here are some tips on eating right on a budget from
the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

• Cook more, eat out less
• Plan what you’re going to eat
• Decide how much to make or buy.
• Determine where to shop
• Shop for foods that are in season:
• Watch portion sizes
• Focus on nutritious, low-cost foods
• Make your own snacks
• Start a garden or visit a Farmers Market
• Quench your thirst with water

Eating right during pregnancy is also important. Keep yourself and your baby healthy during your
pregnancy by eating right. That means eating plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean
protein, and low-fat dairy. Make sure you’re getting your iron, calcium, and omega-3s, too. And pay
attention to folic acid which helps prevent birth defects. Folic acid is found in a wide variety of foods
such as dark-green leafy vegetables and enriched cereals and grains.
PCHD offers a special supplemental and nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC)
that meet income guidelines. The WIC program serves pregnant women, breastfeeding women,
non-breastfeeding postpartum women, infants, and toddlers and children up to age 5.
For more information on WIC call 217-285-4407 or visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic
For more information on eating right, visit EatRight.org