BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR A LIFETIME

Your teen years are a time of rapid growth and that makes it very important to make nutritious food choices. Healthy bones and healthy weight are crucial elements now, and through the rest of your life.

· The foundation for a lifetime of strong bones is built during the teen and young adult years until about age 30. This represents your peak bone mass - the strongest your bones will ever be. But research shows that teenagers are not getting nearly enough calcium to build strong bones and that can lead to osteoporosis later in life.

· Maintaining normal weight is critically important since obesity often leads to diabetes-type 2, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, conditions once seen most commonly in adults. For adults as well as children, the best way to treat and prevent these problems is a combination of healthy diet and exercise. In addition, positive eating patterns developed during your teen years are very likely to last a lifetime.

The Food Guide Pyramid is a good resource for your daily eating patterns. When you eat out, you can satisfy your taste buds without sacrificing your nutrition. Vegetable pizzas or fajitas, fresh sandwiches with lean cuts of meat, salads, and baked potatoes are just a few delicious, nutritious choices.

While nourishment from the five food groups (fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains & meats/beans) is essential, you also want to eat what sounds good to you. The key is finding a good balance between eating nutritious foods and feeding your body what it craves.