Employees and their spouses have access to free nutrition coaching from professional wellness coaches through the My Wellness program, one of the many free, one-on-one, confidential health coaching offerings of the program.
March is National Nutrition Month, and as part of that, March 25 is Whole Day for Whole Grain. This celebration spotlights the taste, versatility, and health benefits of whole grains.
Grains include things like wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, quinoa, sorghum and rye. The natural state of these and other grains when growing is to have three edible parts, each providing specific nutrients. When the grains contain each of these parts, they are considered whole grains. When any of these parts are removed, they are not considered whole, but rather a refined grain.
With each part that is removed from a grain, the overall nutritional value of a grain diminishes. This leads to refined grains being thought of as “empty calories.” Because of this, whole grains provide major health advantages compared to refined grains.
Health benefits of whole grains may include:
Lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol levelsRaising good cholesterol levelsBetter weight maintenance due to increased feelings of fullnessReduced risk of stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer
Tips for incorporating more whole grains into one’s diet include:
Consider whole-grain versions of some of the most commonly eaten foods, including bread, pasta and rice (choose brown rice over white rice)Look for the whole grain stamp on food packagingCheck the ingredients list and look for whole grainsReplace a portion of the white flour in a recipe with whole wheat flourSlowly work in whole grains – do not feel a need to overhaul your diet overnight
Participating in the free, personalized nutrition coaching available to employees and their spouses as part of the My Wellness program can help participants strategically plan meals and learn which foods to target for proper nutrition. This program is one of the many health coaching offerings that employees and spouses can take advantage of. 25 My Wellness points can be earned for completing each coaching program (up to 100 points total).
Employees and their spouses can sign up for this and other health coaching programs by using the newly enhanced coaching hub by going to the My Wellness portal and clicking “Coaching.” They can also call 800-882-2109 or email coaching@marqueehealth.com.
