Decipher What It Means to "Eat Right"

RWJ Hamilton Observes Nutrition Month with Classes, Programs & Menus

HAMILTON, NEW JERSEY - We are a label-reading society, but just because we're reading the labels doesn't mean that we're able to make sense of the claims made by food manufacturers. Foods that are touted as "low-fat" or "low-calorie" may be high in sodium or loaded with preservatives; foods that are low in carbohydrates may be high in fat. If you're looking for guidance and inspiration, March is National Nutrition Month®, an appropriate time to commit yourself to healthy eating.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton), the area's leader in promoting good health and nutrition through its community education programs, is observing this year's "Eat Right" theme with an array of healthy cooking classes, programs and menus. In celebration of National Nutrition Month, RWJ Hamilton's food and nutrition department has created lunch menus during March representing cuisines from India, France, Mexico, and other places. A registered dietitian will be available each Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to answer questions about adult and pediatric nutrition.

Upcoming classes offered at RWJ Hamilton's Healthy Cooking Kitchen include:

Dining Healthy with Diabetes - March 31 and April 21; 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. An evening of cooking and diabetes education. Get answers to your questions about the medical management of diabetes. Fee: $10.

Dining Health with Diabetes: Kid Style - May 26; 6:30 to 8 p.m. For children age 8 or older, living with type 2 diabetes. Fee: $8.

Fighting Back with Phytonutrients - April 7; 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sample dishes prepared with grains, fruits and vegetables that contain disease-fighting phytonutrients. Fee: $10.

Grab N' Go Breakfasts - May 12; 3 to 4 p.m. Learn to start your day with quick and nutritious foods. Fee: $10.

Going Vegetarian - May 14; 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sample delicious vegetarian dishes and learn how to plan your diet to meet all your nutritional needs. Fee: $10.

Shaking the Salt Habit: Cooking with Herbs and Spices - May 28, 3 to 4 p.m. Enjoy foods prepared with more flavorful and healthy herbs and spices, and learn how to plant, grow and store them. Fee: $10.

To register, call 609.584.5900 or go to rwjhamilton.org/education. Classes are held at the RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness, 3100 Quakerbridge Road in Mercerville.

"Our nutrition classes can help you manage a health condition, boost your disease-fighting powers, enhance an already-healthy diet or simply try something new," says Wendi Silver, RD, a RWJ Hamilton dietician and health educator. "Whether we're offering nutritional advice or preparing new foods, these sessions are enjoyable while learning easy ways to keep healthy."

RWJ Hamilton also offers nutritional counseling, by order from physicians, for weight management or nutrition-related medical issues. Patients can access this service by calling Clinical Nutrition Manager Kanwal Singh, MS, RD, at 609.584.6557.

More About RWJ Hamilton
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton) is the only New Jersey hospital to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Located in Hamilton Township, NJ, the hospital is part of the RWJ Health System and Network and is affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey-RWJ Medical School and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

The RWJ Hamilton Health Care Corporation serves communities within a five-county area and includes an acute care hospital, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey Hamilton, three affiliated medical groups, seven Lakeview Child Centers, and the RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness, home of a medically-based fitness center and the hospital's extensive community education program. Over 1,900 hospital employees and 650 medical staff physicians share RWJ Hamilton's passion for Excellence Through Service. For more information, visit www.rwjhamilton.org.