March is National Nutrition Month and the Butler VA is reminding veterans how important it is to have a healthy diet.
Michelle Plinta is an outpatient dietician at the VA and she says that she tries to help veterans eat better by introducing it in different steps.
“We narrow it down and make a few healthy choices. And then after another week or two, we make a couple of other healthy changes,” Plinta said. “After a couple of months, I have veterans very successfully say, ‘Hey, I really feel better.'”
Plinta says programs like the weight loss initiative MOVE and the healthy teaching kitchen are important tools to help keep veterans healthy.
Plinta also understands that during a veteran’s career, they may forget how important a healthy diet is for their overall well-being.
“I was working with a patients and the person was saying ‘I just was in the Air Force and did my work, and went to the hall and ate, and never thought about my nutrition,'” Plinta said. “So I completely understand how a lot of people don’t think about nutrition.”
To learn more about the Butler VA nutrition programs, you can visit their website or call 878-287-6645.
