Fill Your Plate with Hope

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women. A woman has a 1 in 8 chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in her life. Although we are inspired by over 2.4 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S, we still have a long road ahead of us. It’s great to focus on a cure, but let’s not forget about something even more important—prevention. There are many risk factors that we can simply not change: age, race, gender, family history. But there are also many risk factors we CAN control …

• Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight
• Engaging in physical activity most days of the week
• Limiting alcohol to one drink a day
• Eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts, fiber-rich grains, and low-fat dairy

Here’s how to break your routine …

Traditional Meal/Snack		Fill Up Your Plate with MORE!
½ cup low-fat yogurt		Top with your favorite fruit, like strawberries, blueberries, and kiwi
1 slice whole wheat toast with peanut butter		Add sliced bananas
Egg white omelet		Fill with spinach, tomatoes, and feta cheese
Chicken salad on whole wheat pita bread		Spice it up with Southwestern salsa for added zip and more nutrition
Whole-wheat pasta with pasta sauce		Toss in diced vegetables: peppers, onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Even better, serve over spaghetti squash!
Lean ground beef, ground turkey, or bison burger		Dice up last night’s veggie leftovers and add to your burger mix
Brown rice		Grab frozen mixed veggies (try carrots, peas, and corn) and stir in
Jelly beans		Frozen grapes
Vanilla wafer cookies		Add fat-free whipped topping and a strawberry

Easy additions like this are a great to help you achieve or maintain a healthy body weight and improve your overall health. So don’t forget to eat for your health at all meals!