After devoting decades to designing a pyramid, then honing and refining that design, the nation’s nutrition experts have settled on what they believe is the perfect geometry to represent what we should eat — a plate. Arriving in the midst of an obesity epidemic, this new at-a-glance guide to healthful eating is meant to remind consumers to limit heavy foods and beef up on the greens.  “MyPlate” promotes fruits and vegetables, which cover half the circle. Grains occupy an additional quarter, as do proteins such as meat, fish and poultry. A cup of “dairy” rests to the side. Desserts have been banished to the desert. The message is clear: “Make half your plate fruits and vegetables,” said Robert Post, an official at USDA’s center for nutrition policy and promotion. <more> June 2, 2011 Washington Post

Healthy meal planning is important because you can improve the nutritional quality of your diet by eating more meals at home. Healthy meal planning begins with accurate information about good nutrition and tips for applying that information to your daily life.

Mealsmatter.org provides healthy meal planning resources help you establish a pattern of healthy food choices each week.  The site provides a range of features to make planning healthy meals easier, such as nutrition articles, recipes, personalized cookbooks and shopping lists, as well as a meal planner to help plan your meals over time.

By setting aside time to plan weekly meals with their easy online tools you will see how simple healthy meal planning can be.

1. Skyrocketing diabetes rates will impact the health of americans and the health care system

Due to the rise in obesity, the united states has an increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Public health experts predict diabetes rates to double or triple by 2050—affecting one out of every three americans—greatly impacting our health and making healthcare costs soar.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Friday that global shortages of food and spiraling prices threaten widespread destabilization and is urging immediate action to forestall a repeat of the 2007 and 2008 crisis that led to riots in dozens of countries around the developing world. Clinton told a meeting of the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization that urgent steps are needed to hold down costs and boost agricultural production as food prices continue to rise. Although the situation is not yet as dire as it was four years ago, she said the consequences of inaction would be “grave.” <more> The Washington Post – May 6, 2011