March is the month to prioritize nutrition and healthy eating. In 2009, the message of the members of the American Dietetic Association is Eat Right! It's somewhat like the advice your mother gave you: brush you teeth, eat breakfast, put on a hat in cold weather — life messages meant to inspire you and keep your well-being in focus.

But like so many life messages, "eat right" raises questions. Why should I "eat right?" What does it mean to "eat right?" The answers to these questions are far from simple. The why is to lower risk factors that contribute to poor health and to provide us with the best materials needed for energy and maintenance. But, because each of us has different health needs, background and food preferences, there is no universal how to eating right. Seeing a registered dietitian for some personal health coaching is a starting point. Visiting mypyramid.gov is another. Here are some other ideas for eating right:

• Focus on balancing caloric intake with caloric output.
• Choose your calories for the nutrients they offer. Calorie density is a term used to describe the nutrition a food offers compared to its caloric value. Spend your calories like money — get the highest nutritional value for your expenditure. Knowing how to read and interpret all the tools on food labels helps with this task.
• Try going veggie once a day, once a week or whatever suits your lifestyle. The advantages of whole grains, vegetables and fruits include being naturally low in fat, and good sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals and plant nutrients. And there are variations on the veggie theme that allow you to include eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt and even fish and chicken for additional protein, if you choose.
• Practice eating reasonable servings of foods rather than portions served to you. Most foods can fit into your Eat Right agenda once you establish how much and how often is okay!

Perhaps the best starting point for National Nutritional Month is to take personal responsibility for eating for health! Most of us know when we are crossing the line in calories, fat, sodium...the not-so-good parts of nutrition. So we are back to the core message of Eat Right. Just do it!

Have a question for Judy about this article or need some healthy recipe ideas? Send her an e-mail at nutritionist@GiantEagle.com.