Holiday Five a Day

Cookies and eggnog and fudge, oh my! During the holiday season goodies await us at every turn. Even in today's health-conscious environment, it's a difficult time to watch what we eat. The American Cancer Society recommends five servings of fruits and vegetables each day for a healthful lifestyle and to reduce the risk of cancer. It's a daunting challenge to incorporate those all-important fruits and vegetables into holiday feasts laden with cream, sugar and fat.

As the holiday season begins its tempting descent upon us, you can take the first step to a healthier lifestyle. Genesis Cancer Center has created a Five-A-Day Holiday Recipe program to help. You'll enjoy the glistening colors and rich aromas of holiday foods while improving your health and reducing your risk of cancer. More importantly, you'll be well on your way to getting more than 100 beneficial vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals that help prevent disease, give you energy and make you feel great. As a bonus, you may be a tad bit lighter on your annual New Year's trek to the scale.

"We created the Five-A-Day Holiday Recipe program so people can still enjoy the traditional dinner parties and community potlucks without sacrificing health or taste," says Polly Graham, chief clinical dietitian at Genesis Medical Center. "If we change our way of thinking about the holiday foods we prepare, we can increase our intake of fruits and vegetables and easily meet the American Cancer Society's recommendations." Graham notes that by simply eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, we can reduce our risk of cancer by 20 percent.

The Five-A-Day Holiday Recipe program features five taste-tempting dishes, along with an informational card to guide you in selecting fruits and vegetables with optimum nutritional value.

To have a set mailed to you, call 563-421-2000 or 800-383-2575.

Take our Five A Day quiz.