{"id":8280,"date":"2024-04-22T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8280"},"modified":"2024-04-22T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T14:30:00","slug":"inside-a-va-healthy-teaching-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8280","title":{"rendered":"Inside a VA Healthy Teaching Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2024-04-22T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

Courtney Magierski is one of 40 dietitians at Orlando VA<\/a>, and one who prides herself in being involved with the Healthy Teaching Kitchen (HTK), a program that provides Veteran patients with nutrition knowledge and the guidance and skills to learn how to cook.<\/p>\n

HTK helps support Veteran patients\u2019 food insecurity and provides an interactive behavior-change program to teach them and their families about healthy cooking and eating skills. The classes are open to VA-enrolled Veterans and a partner if they choose, including a family member, caretaker or anyone involved in helping purchase and prepare food.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is important because making healthy food choices is one of the most important things one can do for their health,\u201d Magierski said. Our dietitians \u201cserve Veteran patients in a variety of settings, including inpatient, outpatient, home-based primary care and specialty clinics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pictured above, Magierski provides a Healthy Teaching Kitchen demo for Veterans in the lobby of Orlando VA.<\/p>\n

Teaching Veterans and their families about healthy cooking<\/h2>\n

\u201cGood nutrition serves as the building block for fueling your body to work effectively. By improving what you eat, you can improve your overall health. Each decade brings with it specific health concerns and nutrition needs will change,\u201d said Emily Leonard, associate chief of Nutrition and Food Service at Orlando VA.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest barriers some people encounter with eating healthy is simply knowing what is healthy and why nutrition cooking classes are so important. <\/p>\n

\u201cCooking programs are showing lasting effects in patients\u2019 health\u2014in some cases within just one year of attending classes. Eating at home is typically healthier and lower in calories. The evidence shows that teaching patients how to cook meals at home is an effective medical intervention. It improves diet quality, weight loss, and can prevent diabetes,\u201d Magierski said.<\/p>\n

Start with small steps and be patient<\/h2>\n

For others, it\u2019s the shopping, food preparation and cooking that can be intimidating. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are new to it, I recommend people start with small steps and remember to be patient with yourself. Planning may help relieve mealtime stress and avoid poor choices. What you eat, how you treat your body and how you talk to yourself reflects the respect you have for yourself,\u201d Leonard shared.<\/p>\n

Still, it\u2019s never too late for people to begin learning how to cook for themselves. \u201cAnytime is the right time to learn to cook. Preparing our own meals not only saves money but it gives us control over how healthy the food we are eating is,\u201d Magierski added. \u201cI recently had a Veteran tell me he didn\u2019t think he liked kale but he liked it in the white bean and kale soup I had made during a Healthy Teaching Kitchen demo. That made my day, knowing I helped him make a positive health change. It brings me joy and purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Showing Veterans that healthy food can also taste good is just part of the fun part of being a dietitian. <\/p>\n

For HTK content, check out our YouTube at Healthy Teaching Kitchen YouTube Channel.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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