Get involved in your community

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In September 2005
Energize and Mobilize the U.S. Navy Way!
This September, join Navy Health Promotion as we
work toward ending the continuing epidemic of
overweight and obesity among military members and
families during National 5 A Day Month. This
years theme is Energize and Mobilize Eat
Fruits, Vegetables, and Be Active.
Get involved in your community! Mobilize your
command! Contact commanding officers and food
services on Navy bases and inquire about their
commitment to increase access to fruits,
vegetables and other healthy foods. Challenge
your commands to get healthy. Encourage them to
establish a healthy food policy for command
events, restrict advertising of unhealthy foods,
and schedule command wide exercise sessions.
Plan to participate in Crews Into Shape
(www-nehc. med.navy.mil/hp/Crews_Into_shape/index.
htm starting in March 2006. See the NEHC March
Toolbox for information on Healthy Meeting Eating
tips and other activities at www-nehc.med.navy.mi
l/hp/HP_Toolbox.htm. Advocate for healthy
workplace policies. Create workplaces that
provide access to affordable fruits and
vegetables and opportunities for physical
activity during the workday for staff. Challenge
all division directors, branch heads, and office
leads to get out at least once a week with their
small workgroup and exercise together for at
least an hour.  Make it a fun and
productive event that your command would want to
participate in. Offer a variety of fruits and
vegetables as a way to replace important
nutrients lost during exercise.
Energize yourself and your family! Make
ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables readily
available. Keep ready-to-eat fruits and
vegetables available at home in a bowl on the
kitchen counter and at eye level in the
refrigerator. Both shore and ship galleys
provide fruits and vegetables during meal times
as well as between meals for snacks. Navy
vending machines include trail mixes with dried
fruits, canned fruit in natural juices and fresh
fruit. Look for the healthy alternative logo on
assorted items. Variety is the spice of life,
even with fruits and vegetables. Ever tried a
tangerine, kiwifruit, or baby bok choy? Bring
home a new fruit or vegetable. Add something new
to a green salad, such as mandarin orange slices
or dried cranberries. Add cucumber and tomato
slices on your sandwich, and add peppers and
carrots to a healthy side dish. Take your
healthy habits with you outside of the home. We
spend more than 46 percent of all food dollars on
restaurant food, so consumer preferences count.
Dont be shy about making healthy requests. Look
for items that are broiled or roasted instead of
fried. Ask for extra tomatoes, peppers, or other
veggies in sandwiches, pizzas, or baked potato
toppings. Physical activity is more fun when
done together. Be active together! Physical
activity can be fun make it enjoyable for the
whole family. Ride bikes, take a hike, dance to
your favorite music, or kick a soccer ball around
at a local park.
Celebrate good health by eating the recommended
amount of fruits and vegetables and enjoying
physical activity every day. Mobilize military
leaders and Navy Health Promotion to create
communities where eating fruits and vegetables
and being physically active are easier to do and
more supported by commands. Improving the health
of the community through good nutrition and
physical activity may help reduce the costs
associated with overweight and obesity. It may
also decrease the risk of various
life-threatening diseases, such as heart disease,
cancer, and type 2 diabetes, and cut down on loss
of productivity in workplaces throughout the
military. To learn more about the health benefits
of fruits, vegetables, and physical activity,
visit the following websites www.cdc.gov/5aday
www.5aday.gov. www.nehc.med.navy.mil/hp/HP_Toolbo
x.htm