Many working holidays and monthly events utilize food as a means of celebration or expression of joy in the classroom. Valentine’s Day brings an abundance of chocolates and other sweet treats to express appreciation for loved ones. Meanwhile, Buwan ng Wika calls for feasts serving the most well-loved Filipino cuisine and delicacies to showcase students’ pride in their culture. In contrast, there is one monthly occasion, despite its celebration of food and its benefits, that doesn’t get the same attention as the rest.
In my earliest memories, the school did not have any special events for Nutrition Month. There was no feast or showcase of delicacies like in Buwan ng Wika, nor a casual sharing of treats like on Valentine’s Day. However, as early as elementary school, kids are taught the importance of eating balanced meals and maintaining a healthy diet.
Students are taught about the three G’s that make up a balanced diet: Go foods, such as carbohydrates, give us the energy to perform daily activities. Growing foods like meat and protein-filled foods give us the nutrients we need to grow stronger, and Consuming foods like fiber-filled fruits and vegetables provides us with the vitamins to maintain our health. Putting all these together assures that people consume the right amount of nutrition they need to live long, healthy lives. However, beyond food, the three G’s can be applied to our daily lives.
Go
Characterized by their high energy content, go foods remind us that remaining active should take up a significant portion of our time. To nourish both body and mind, the energy we take in should be spent on doing things we love. Spending time with family and friends, playing a sport, or learning to cook new recipes—the moments we spend mastering tried-and-true skills or trying out new things keep our lives exciting and exercise our attitudes of being proactive.
Grow
Like the protein that keeps us strong, being more open to trying new things and taking initiative leads to growth. The pursuit of life goals and the progress we make in mastering new skills and hobbies enrich our experiences, leading us to grow stronger as individuals.
Glow
The ultimate glow-up in life is reached when we surround ourselves with things that nourish us inside and out. From fruits and vegetables that improve our health to wellness activities that enrich our lifestyles, glow represents the things that help us become better people. Among the various activities we may choose to do, meditative actions like taking a walk or reading poetry refresh our minds and fortify our mental health, just like their food counterpart.
These three things taught early on remain essential lessons we carry with us as we grow older. Having a balanced, well-rounded life is just as important as having a balanced diet. This Nutrition Month, let us remind ourselves of the importance of the 3 G’s: proper nourishment enriches both body and mind. Although it may not be as flashy or celebrated as other occasions, Nutrition remains an essential part of our lives—one that shouldn’t be celebrated in just a month, but in every action we take.
By Keanah Angeli R. Andres