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March is National Nutrition Month “Step up to Nutrition and Health” is the theme for this year’s National Nutrition Month. Being physically active and making healthy food choices everyday can affect how you feel. You can give your body the energy and nutrients it needs by choosing nutrient dense foods in place of “empty calorie” foods. Regular physical activity helps control body weight and decreases your risk of developing chronic diseases.   To encourage everyone to “step up,” the MUSC dietetic interns will be using fun and challenging events to increase nutrition knowledge and awareness. Some of the activities include crafts and story time in the Children's Hospital Atrium, games and prizes in the cafeteria, table-tents with helpful hints, and new “Wellness and You” items in the cafeteria. For information, visit http://www.nutrition.musc.edu/nutrition.htm. 10 Tips for Stepping up to Nutrition and Health 1. Make your sandwiches on whole grain bread 2. Play an active game with friends after dinner 3. Use darker colored leafy greens, like spinach or romaine, in place of iceberg lettuce 4. Choose reduced fat or fat free milk 5. Make a walking date, instead of a lunch or coffee date, with a friend to chat 6. Include vegetables when topping your pizza 7. Get up and move during commercial breaks of your favorite television shows 8. Choose a high fiber cereal, like Raisin Bran or Fiber One, in the morning 9. Replace fat and oil with applesauce when baking breads, cakes, and brownies 10. Bring colorful fruits or vegetables snacks such as red peppers, carrots, grapes, and bananas to munch on at work. Employee program brings ‘Wellness Wednesday’ As a part of the “Wellness Wednesday” series, Sodexho and the MUSC Nutrition Services Department will  sponsor a booth in the lobby of the Children’s Hospital March 1.   The booth will address the topic of the nation’s growing problem, obesity.   Obesity is a health issue affecting millions of Americans as the number of people who are overweight and obese continues to rise.   The goal of this booth is to raise awareness about healthy portion sizes and the effect a healthy diet can have on a person’s health. There will also be a guessing game where participants will be entered to win a “Cooking Across America” cookbook published by the American Dietetic Association. The answer to the question will be posted, following the contest, on the Nutrition Services Web site at http://www.nutrition.musc.edu. Editor's note: The preceding column was brought to you on behalf of the Employee Wellness Program. Striving to bring various topics and representing numerous employee wellness organizations and committees on campus, this weekly column seeks to provide MUSC, MUHA, and UMA employees with current and helpful information concerning all aspects of health.     Friday, Feb. 24, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.