Remembering to become healthy

National Nutrition Month is celebrated in July every year. It has been celebrated on the seventh month due to Presidential Decree 491, or the Nutrition Act of the Philippines, which was signed in 1974. The law was enacted so as to create greater awareness among our people about the importance of nutrition by consuming healthy food and discouraging the eating of unhealthy food, as well as cautioning what they eat.

It has been observed that there are reports of food intoxication due to unsanitary food or improper handling and preparation of food.

Some food that are sold along the sidewalks may also become carriers of diseases since these are exposed to dust and pollution from public and private vehicles.

A self-help preparation of food just like “Kumain ng isda, karne at iba pang mayaman sa protina,” “Hinay-Hinay sa maaalat, mamantika at matatamis na pagkain” and “Kumain ng gulay at prutas araw-araw” are some of the 10 easy rules that Filipino citizens can follow to improve their nutritional status. These are rules promoted by the National Nutritional Council in the campaign of Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos known as 10 Kumainments. In this case, we can be aware of how food was prepared as well as controlling the percentage of food intake, particularly those food that are not advisable to eat, especially for certain age groups.

A food pyramid guide was also launched by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, which guides us in the amount of food intake.

Take for example rice, which is rich in carbohydrates. Children seven to 12 years old should get fourto six servings; teenagers need six-nine servings; adults should get five-eight servings; and the elderly should get 4.5-six servings.

The nutrition-related message, Healthy Diet, Gawing Habit- for Life by different government agencies, should always be a theme for Filipinos for healthy goals so us to preserve human life.--