By Mary O’KEEFE

January is CVW’s Healthy Living month and to start the section we are looking into nutrition. The expression “You are what you eat” is easy to say but not so easy in practice. Lunch hours are almost a thing of the past as more people eat at their desk at work and in front of the television at home or take a bite of whatever food is in front of them as they check their smartphones. Eating “healthy” is not that easy but it is important to overall health.

“Generally, you should have half of your plate with fruits and vegetables and [a quarter] of your plate should have some [type] of whole grain,” said Stephanie Wood, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital clinical nutrition manager.

And the last quarter of the plate should be a lean protein, either meat or, for those who do not eat meat, eggs or beans, she added.

There is no particular way to approach food, she said. Some diets suggest that eating fruits first will help burn calories. And filling up with more vegetables and fruits may help with calorie intake.

“It would help fill you up so you don’t indulge in starchy foods,” she explained.

Wood added it is a good idea for all adults to follow the model of having their plates half full of fruits and vegetables, a quarter whole grain and a quarter lean protein but, as people age, they should adjust the amount of food they eat at each meal.

“Smaller more frequent meals,” she said of an older person’s diet.

It does seem like there are more warnings of tainted food in supermarkets, like the December warning of hard-boiled eggs recalled due to a listeria concern and the November recall/warning of romaine lettuce from Salinas, California growers due to an E. coli outbreak.

“Unfortunately there is nothing [consumers] can do,” Wood said. “It is the [responsibility of] manufacturers and farmers to prevent [the outbreaks].”

Wood added the best way to make sure food is safe at home is to wash all fruits and vegetables before cooking or serving. The danger zone for uncooked foods is between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

“At home you can check the temperature of vegetables and meat,” she said.

“And make sure you are not [using] anything that is expired.”

One of the times women are especially aware of what they eat is when they are pregnant.

“To avoid listeria, the [best way] is to stay away from deli meats and from unpasteurized or soft cheeses,” Wood said.

She added women should be cautious of eating anything that is made with raw eggs, like Caesar salad dressing. She noted that fish is a valuable food source for all adults.

“It is recommended to eat three ounces of fish three times a week,” Wood added.

But for women who are pregnant, it is best to stay away from any fish that may contain mercury, even in small amounts. The safest fish dishes for pregnant women are white fish and salmon.

One of the misconceptions many people have is how they approach losing weight.

“[Some] diets [state] you can lose 20 pounds in a week,” she said. “People want a quick fix.”

These types of diets can be dangerous and do not often create lasting weight loss.

“The biggest thing [I can say] as a dietician it that one size does not fit all,” Wood said of diets. “You need to find something that works with you.”

She added that a meal should be something that is savored, not rushed through.

“I encourage people to be more mindful,” she said of eating.

If a person wants to eat a piece of chocolate, then enjoy that piece of candy instead of making it an entire “cheat day” of sweets.

USC-VHH will be starting weekly classes on what and how to eat with a Mindful Eating Series on Jan. 16 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. For more information, visit uscvhh.org or call (818) 952-2228.

  Mary Okeefe