The Year of Wellness: Focus on Nutrition

Fostering healthy minds & bodies together

Wellness is an ongoing process and a life-long journey. Together as a library community, we are going to learn how to foster healthy minds and bodies. Over the next year, we’ll explore how choices for healthy eating, fitness, creativity, and emotional wellness all contribute to overall well-being. 

This spring, we’re focusing on how nutrition contributes to healthy bodies and minds. Attend lectures and discussions to examine how mindful food choices can improve physical and mental health, boost resilience to stress, and prevent illness.

The official library Wellness Fellow this quarter is Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, LDN, a nationally recognized lifestyle nutrition expert and author. Vicki will share her experience with empowering people to eat nourishing foods and make choices that foster health and happiness for life. She is the author of two books, The Essential Guide to Healthy Healing Foods and Total Body Diet For Dummies®.

To kick things off, we asked Vicki to share her thoughts about cultivating a healthy lifestyle:

What do you hope our patrons gain from our collaboration?
My hope is to infuse excitement and enthusiasm for nutrition by embracing new foods, creating a better understanding of the relationship between nutrition and total body health, and discovering fun ways to get into the kitchen to create simple and delicious meals. The goal is to make good nutrition easy and accessible for all. 

How would you describe the connection between nutrition and emotional wellness? 
What you eat is an integral part of your emotional well-being, as it affects your mood, energy levels, and overall outlook on life. Research shows that omega-3 fats and fruits and vegetables fend off depression and promote a more positive demeanor. The gut-brain connection plays an integral role with nutrient-rich food (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and seafood), boosting mood-regulating neurotransmitters in the brain and keeping inflammation down in the body. Plus, a healthy gut supports mental clarity and resilience. 

What are some recommendations for sticking with a nutrition plan? 
The key to sticking with a nutrition plan is to keep it simple. Meals don’t have to be complicated or gourmet to be nourishing. Balances meals with protein and produce, in addition to moderate starches and fats for satiety. Create a schedule of eating, grocery shop on a regular basis to keep nourishing foods in the house, and don’t feel like you have to be perfect. If you veer off the plan, don’t throw in the towel; instead, get right back on at the next eating opportunity. It’s all about progress toward a healthy lifestyle and enjoying the process. Keep in mind, nourishing your body well is a daily practice over time – not a temporary plan. 

When we feel stressed, we often turn to ice cream or potato chips for comfort— how can we break this habit?
Stress is a natural trigger to overeat carbohydrate-rich foods, as cortisol, the stress hormone, increases the appetite and amps up the motivation to eat. The brain requires more energy when stressed, and carbs have a calming effect, plus they aid in the release of feel-good neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine, in the brain. This makes you feel good temporarily, but can cause weight gain in the long run. 

The best things to do to break the stress eating cycle are to aim to keep stress levels down by practicing mindfulness and getting out and moving – exercise can help keep stress levels at bay and keep you preoccupied when you want to eat, plus exercise keeps insulin levels in check, which decreases hunger levels and carb cravings. Replace highly processed snack foods that are tempting to overeat with nourishing snacks, such as pre-cut veggies, fruits, cottage cheese, yogurt, and hummus. 

What are some suggestions for encouraging children to embrace healthier food choices?
Getting children into the kitchen and involved in meal planning and prep is a great way to get them to make healthier choices. Keeping nourishing foods in the house and being a good role model for eating well is the best gift you can give children. They need to learn from parents and caregivers about good nutrition, and it starts with the basics at home – eating meals together, planning healthy snacks, and fostering a sense of enjoyment in meal planning and cooking. Cooking is a life skill, and the younger it starts, the better equipped a child will be to eat well for life. 

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Learn more about nutrition at these upcoming wellness programs, including two with Vicki:

Documentary Screening: Cafeteria Man
Monday, April 6, 7–8:30 pm | Sign up

Food & Mood with Vicki Shanta Retelny
Thursday, April 16, 7–8 pm | Sign up

Cook Along with Chef Kristyn: Earth Day | grades K–8
Friday, April 17, 7–8 pm | Online | Sign up

Hormones & Menopause with Vicki Shanta Retelny
Wednesday, April 29, 7–8 pm | Online | Sign up

Green Gold: The Avocado’s Remarkable Journey from Humble Superfood to Toast of a Nation with Author Monique Parsons
Tuesday, May 19, 7–8 pm | Sign up

Make Nutrition Accessible to All
Vernon Township Food Pantry provides nutritionally balanced food monthly to 275 families in need of assistance. The library is a collection site for the food pantry year-round. Consider bringing a nutritious item to the bins in the lobby on your next visit.