Photo By Jean Graves | Staff Sgt. Jessica Lewis, clinical noncommissioned officer in charge of the Nutrition...... read more read more
FORT JOHNSON, La. — Navigating the grocery isle and understanding the nutritional value of food is challenging, but the Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital nutrition care division can help.
At 8 a.m., Oct. 4, the hospital kicked off a bimonthly commissary tour initiative at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, Louisiana to give commissary patrons a healthier shopping experience.
Capt. Aireal Williams, registered dietician, and the chief of NCD at BJACH said tours will be offered at 8 a.m. on the first and third Friday of every month.
“The commissary tour is a free educational opportunity for the community to increase their nutrition awareness, invest in their bodies and improve their health,” she said. “Hearing from the experts can eliminate questions about which food and drink items are great or not so great for you.”
Williams said the commissary has amazing options.
“While fruits and vegetables are often seen as the main components of a healthy diet, it’s important to understand the healthier choices of other food groups as well,” she said.
Williams said understanding food labels and where to find the best options is important.
“If you can read a food label, you are less likely to fall for deceptive marketing traps,” she said. “Additionally, you will have your own understanding of what nutrients food is offering to properly fuel your body to help you meet your goals.”
Staff Sgt. Jessica Lewis, clinical nutrition care specialist, said the first tour was for Soldiers assigned to BJACH.
“We did the first tour for our unit to illicit feedback and work out the kinks before we opened registration to the community,” she said.
Lewis explained that educating everyone on how and why they should shop for nutrient dense foods is her goal.
“These tours are open to anyone who shops at the commissary, not just Soldiers,” she said. “My hope is that participants will develop a healthier relationship with food by understanding how it fuels their bodies for their nutritional and physical goals.”
Lewis said anyone looking to improve their overall health and nutrition will benefit.
“You only get one body, so providing that body with the best source of fuel will help you live a long and healthy life,” she said. “Having a good understanding of food labels and navigating the commissary is important to overall health. The tour participants will know what to look for the next time they shop.”
Spc. Annamaria Gilley, a licensed practical nurse, participated in the inaugural tour.
“I learned a lot, especially when it comes to comparing the sodium level of different condiments and seasonings,” she said. “I highly recommend this tour for everyone. My last duty assignment was in Korea where I predominately ate in the dining facility, now that I’m here, my husband and I are both relearning how to grocery shop, meal plan and cook.”
Gilley said she really enjoyed seeing for herself where to find the better options on the shelves.
Pfc. Dice Marchioni, behavioral health specialist, said before the tour he never looked at food labels.
“I’m going to start looking at what is in the food I buy from now on,” he said. “This gave me a better understanding of what I can eat and that there are healthier options for most of the foods I enjoy.”
Marchioni said understanding portion size and the nutritional value of the food he buys was his biggest take away from the tour.
The next commissary tour is Oct. 18 at 8 a.m. To learn more and register, send an email the BJACH NCD battle box at usarmy.johnson.medcom-bjach.list.nutrition-care@health.mil.
| Date Taken: | 10.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.07.2024 17:05 |
| Story ID: | 482703 |
| Location: | FORT JOHNSON, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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