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It’s that time of year again! Registered dietitians around the globe will be celebrating National Nutrition Month this March, especially their fourth annual Registered Dietitian Day on March 9.

To refresh your memory about the significance of this month, check out the following message from the American Dietetic Association’s website, eatright.org:

“National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. NNM also promotes the American Dietetic Association and its members to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically based food and nutrition information.”

This year’s theme is “Eat Right with Color” so I'm giving my two cents on how to apply this slogan to your life this National Nutrition Month and beyond.

The American Dietetic Association website challenges registered dieticians to write about what this month’s theme means to each of us. So, what does it mean to “Eat Right with Color?" First, what does it even mean to “eat right?" To different people, eating right can have several different meanings. To eat right means to eat to your health. It means fueling your body with adequate calories and nutrients by selecting a variety of foods. While some people may have to be more carb-conscious, others may need to be more heart-friendly, and still others may simply choose to be eco-focused in their food selections. There is no such thing as “good” and “bad” foods, but there are simply foods that should be eaten in large quantities (think plants) and others that should be eaten in moderation. Some of the latest food trends help consumers to “eat right” by bringing them back to their local farmer. After all, to eat right means not only to do good for your body, but also for the environment. We should eat right for other bodies too! Eating right suggests a responsibility for parents to set a good example for their children — to introduce them to a variety of healthful eating habits, including a good relationship with food.

Now, on to this month’s theme — to eat right with color suggests maintaining a colorful plate by choosing foods from the rainbow. To me, color implies variety that isn’t just visual. Experience “eating colorfully” by tasting cuisines of other cultures, keep an open mind, and savor every flavor by being present in your eating occasions.

This National Nutrition Month, I encourage you to make that appointment with the dietitian you have been putting off. For those of you needing more encouragement, check out these Top Ten Reasons to See a Registered Dietitian.

For tons more information about how to celebrate National Nutrition Month, look here!

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a best selling author and the creator of "The F-Factor Diet", an innovative nutritional program she has used for over a decade to provide thousands with the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, and improved health and well-being. In January 2011 Tanya launched the F-Factor food line with the largest natural foods company in the US, the Hain Celestial group. She is thrilled to be able to offer the highest fiber products on the market to date. Become a fan of Tanya on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.