March is National Nutrition Month. During National Nutrition Month, the American Dietetic Association reminds everyone that an easy way to focus on eating better is to start from the ground up! “By starting slowly and giving yourself a good foundation, you can work towards a healthier life” says registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Toby Smithson. “Change doesn’t have to be dramatic to make a difference.”

The following suggestions can help you improve your nutrition from the ground up:

1. Focus on fruits and vegetables. Take a good look at your current diet and you will probably realize that you are not eating enough fruit and vegetables. Improve that by adding a serving a day to one meal or snack and increase it weekly. Add fresh or frozen vegetables to soups, salads, casseroles and sandwiches. Apples, pears and prunes are rich in soluble fiber, helping to lower your cholesterol. Include a variety of deep colored fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, oranges and grapes. Include dark green, red and orange vegetables in your diet. Cruciferous vegetables are named for their cross-shaped flowers and include arugula, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes and others. The phytochemicals in these vegetables may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer rand prostrate cancer as well as strokes. Fruits and vegetables are also an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A and potassium. Potassium plays a role in controlling hypertension.

2. Reduce your intake of sugar. Soda pop, desserts, processed foods such as salad dressings and peanut butter,  sweetened canned and frozen fruit and sugar that you add to food all contribute to your total sugar intake. Sugar is referred to as a source of “empty calories.” It contains calories but offers no nutritional benefit in the body. Replace soft drinks with water. If tap water bores you, add a lemon or lime slice and cool it off with ice cubes. You can purchase many fruit flavored spring and mineral waters also. Purchase canned or frozen unsweetened fruit. Limit your dessert or candy intake to one small portion daily or less. You can reduce sugar by 30 to 50 percent in your cookie and bar recipes if you like to bake. If you are craving something sweet, try fresh fruit, a fruit smoothie made with yogurt and frozen unsweetened fruit or a trail mix of dried fruit, almonds and a high fiber cereal to satisfy your sweet tooth. A high sugar intake can contribute to obesity and newer studies indicate it may also increase inflammation in the body which increases the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

3. Purchase locally grown food when possible or grow your own. Take advantage of the farmers market during the spring, summer and fall months. This places some of our money spent on food into our local economy. The produce sold at the farmers market is fresh, high quality and economical. If you are a beginner gardener, you can start small by planting a few plants such as tomatoes, green beans and green peppers in your back yard or in a community garden plot. You can also plant your own herbs such as rosemary and sweet basil in indoor containers. For more about growing herbs, go to the website www.bluelabelherbs.com. For creative cooking ideas for fruits and vegetables, try the Five a Day Fruit and Vegetable cookbook by Kate Whiteman or the Taste of Home Market Fresh Cookbook and check out www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org.

4. Go for the grains! Set a personal goal to include three whole grains in your diet daily. If you are eating only one now, increase this by one whole grain weekly. Whole grains are a good source of fiber, B-vitamins and magnesium. Read your labels —the first ingredient on the label should state whole grain or whole wheat. Examples of whole grains include: whole wheat bread, whole grain crackers, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and cereals such as oatmeal, Shredded Wheat, and All Bran. When you bake, substitute half of the white flour with whole wheat flour. You can also reduce your flour by 1/2 cup and substitute oatmeal for that 1/2 cup of flour in a quick bread or cookie recipe.

Becky Goodell is a licensed and registered dietitian at Albert Lea Medical Center — part of Mayo Health System.