'Good Eats' to kick off National Nutrition Month

This year's National Nutrition Month theme, "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day," encourages personalized healthy eating styles and recognizes that food preferences, lifestyle, cultural and ethnic traditions, and health concerns all impact individual food choices.

Join MUSC health and nutrition experts at the Urban Farm on March 1 to celebrate the kick-off of this month-long focus on healthy eating. Discussions, demonstrations and interactive activities that encourage and celebrate personalized healthy eating styles are scheduled throughout the day with a live cooking demonstration by executive chef Brett Cunningham at noon.

Schedule of events

• 11:30 a.m. to noon – "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day" with Mary Basel, clinical nutrition manager
• Noon to 12:30 p.m. – Cooking demo: "Preparing it Your Way" with executive chef Brett Cunningham
• 12:30 to 1 p.m. – Bees: positive for your garden with Jake Schubert, MUSC student and farm team representative
• 1 to 1:30 p.m. – Beneficial Borage: more than an herb-plus-seed giveaway with Mary Helpern, Urban Farm
• 1:30 to 2 p.m. – Urban chickens and the incredible egg with Chris Clark, MUSC student and farm team representative, and Sara Hendrix, RD
  
• 2 to 3 p.m. – Children's Event: Snack and garden-to-go activity with dietetic intern Meghan Marr
  
• 2:30 to 3 p.m. – Deceptively Delicious: Maximize the nutrition content in foods with registered dietitian Debbie Petitpain.
• Grab and go box lunches by Sodexo will be available for sale at the Urban Farm. The boxes will be $5 and include a bottled water. They'll be available from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Look for the intern in the vegetable costume around the Horseshoe for a $1 off coupon.

Employee Wellness events

• Zumba at Harborview Office Tower: Join licensed Zumba instructor Felecia Curry for a weekly Wednesday night class held from 5 to 6 p.m., Room 302, Harborview Office Tower. Zumba is a dance-based aerobic exercise class suitable for any fitness level. Space is limited. Email curryf@musc.edu for more information or to register.
• Worksite screening: A screening, valued at about $350, is available March 13 in Room 628H, Clinical Sciences Building. The screening is available to employees with the State Health Plan for $15 (covered spouses can also participate for $15). Employees and spouses without this insurance can participate for $42. The screening includes: height, weight, blood pressure and a blood draw for a blood chemistry profile, hemogram, and a lipid profile. To register, visit www.musc.edu/employeewellness and click "Worksite Screening."
  
• Farmers market: Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday in the Horseshoe.

MUSC Urban Farm

• Work and Learn with child-friendly activities: On the first and third Saturdays in March, from 9 to 11 a.m., work and learns will be held for children. Remember to bring a plastic bag and take home some fresh produce or help gather for donations on certain days. Wear closed-toe shoes. No experience or prior knowledge is necessary. The event is open to everyone.
  
• Early-bird maintenance: Get your day started with a little maintenance for the Urban Farm from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., March 6.
  

Contact Susan Johnson, Ph.D., at johnsusa@musc.edu for information on the Office of Health Promotion and Suzan Benenson Whelan at whela@musc.edu for information on Employee Wellness.

Friday, March 1, 2013