Gov. Abet rallies Bataeños towards a healthy lifestyle

BALANGA CITY, Bataan – As Governor Abet Garcia rallies Bataeños to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) has also enjoined residents in Central Luzon to live healthy; and to abide by what it calls the “10 Kumainments.”

“This is the more comprehensible version of the 2012 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos. We hope this can help change the eating habits and behavior of our kababayans here,” NNC-3 Regional Program Coordinator Florinda Panlilio said in a statement.

Panlilio said the 10 Kumainments are: 1) Kumain ng iba’t ibang pagkain (Eat a variety of foods every day to get the nutrients needed by the body); 2) Sa unang anim na buwan ni baby, breastfeeding lamang at mula six months, bigyan din siya ng ibang angkop na pagkain (Breastfeed infants exclusively from birth up to six months then give appropriate complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding for two years and beyond for optimum growth and development); 3) Kumain ng gulay at prutas araw-araw (Eat more vegetables and fruits every day to get the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber for regulation of body processes); 4) Kumain ng isda karne, at iba pang pagkaing may protina (Consume fish, lean meat, poultry, egg, dried beans, or nuts daily for growth and repair of body tissues); and 5) Uminom ng gatas at kumain ng pagkaing mayaman sa calcium (Consume milk, milk products, and other calcium-rich foods such as small fish and shellfish every day for healthy bones and teeth), 6) Tiyaking malinis at ligtas ang ating pagkain at tubig (Consume safe foods and water to prevent diarrhea and other food and water-borne diseases); 7) Gumamit ng iodized salt (Use iodized salt to prevent Iodine Deficiency Disorders); 8) Hinay-hinay sa maaalat, mamantika, at matatamis (Limit intake of salty, fried, fatty, and sugar-rich foods to prevent cardiovascular diseases); 9) Panatilihin ang tamang timbang; (Maintain normal body weight through proper diet and moderate physical activity to maintain good health and help prevent obesity) and 10) Maging aktibo. Iwasan ang alak at huwag manigarilyo (Be physically active, make healthy food choices, manage stress, avoid alcoholic beverages, and do not smoke to help prevent lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases).

“The 10 Kumainments were adapted from the 10 Commandments meaning we need to live by the messages and if you miss one you are already committing a sin,” Panlilio added.

During a recent flag raising ceremony, Gov. Garcia underscored the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and his message came at a time when Health officials claim that the average life span of Filipinos nowadays is only 67 years.