Sarah Gaete flashed her rainbow-colored wristband to a class of parents, children and educators as a reminder that adding a few greens, oranges and blueberries can make a difference in one's diet.

It's not about what we can't do, Gaete said about healthier eating, it's about what we can do.

Gaete, a registered dietician with the Riverside County Department of Public Health, led the Riverside County Champions Train the Trainers program on Tuesday at Vista Dunes Courtyard Homes in La Quinta.

Tuesday's training was the last segment of a two-hour, two-day program funded by Community Action Partnership.

The program aims to teach parents, children and leaders of such organizations as the local YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs about ways to eat better without breaking the bank.

Making healthy choices is tough when you can go to McDonald's and eat off their dollar menu, said Paula Simonds, community program director of Family YMCA of the Desert. But this is the first step in this community.

Simonds, who helped coordinate the program at Vista Dunes, said she chose the affordable housing development to host the program because of the low-income families that may not know that it can be inexpensive to eat healthy.

To help instill that message, Simonds said FIND Food Bank provided healthy food-packed boxes for the three families participating in the program to give those families examples of items that can be purchased at local grocery stores.

This is a great example of teaching our youth that it is our own responsibility for health and good eating, said La Quinta's Community Service Director Edie Hylton, adding that the program comes at the perfect time since the city recently became an official Healthy Eating Active Living City.

We can never start too early in learning healthy habits.

While 50 percent of adults and 50 percent of children get the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, Gaete said only 20 percent of teenagers get their daily dose.

You can get fiber from fruits and vegetables, which you can't get from a Centrum pill, Gaete said, referring to the myth that multi-vitamins are all you need to ensure the body gets its daily dose of nutrients.

What Gaete hopes is that those who attended the class take what they have learned home so the message can reach outside the classroom and increase wellness in the community.

Vista Dunes resident Karina Reynoso said the program taught her that healthier can be easier.

In addition to the two-day program, Gaete expects to host monthly meetings to check in on how participants are using the knowledge learned.

To read the rest of the article click here.

It's not about what we can't do, Gaete said about healthier eating, it's about what we can do.

Gaete, a registered dietician with the Riverside County Department of Public Health, led the Riverside County Champions Train the Trainers program on Tuesday at Vista Dunes Courtyard Homes in La Quinta.

Tuesday's training was the last segment of a two-hour, two-day program funded by Community Action Partnership.

The program aims to teach parents, children and leaders of such organizations as the local YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs about ways to eat better without breaking the bank.

Making healthy choices is tough when you can go to McDonald's and eat off their dollar menu, said Paula Simonds, community program director of Family YMCA of the Desert. But this is the first step in this community.

Simonds, who helped coordinate the program at Vista Dunes, said she chose the affordable housing development to host the program because of the low-income families that may not know that it can be inexpensive to eat healthy.

To help instill that message, Simonds said FIND Food Bank provided healthy food-packed boxes for the three families participating in the program to give those families examples of items that can be purchased at local grocery stores.

This is a great example of teaching our youth that it is our own responsibility for health and good eating, said La Quinta's Community Service Director Edie Hylton, adding that the program comes at the perfect time since the city recently became an official Healthy Eating Active Living City.

We can never start too early in learning healthy habits.

While 50 percent of adults and 50 percent of children get the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, Gaete said only 20 percent of teenagers get their daily dose.

You can get fiber from fruits and vegetables, which you can't get from a Centrum pill, Gaete said, referring to the myth that multi-vitamins are all you need to ensure the body gets its daily dose of nutrients.

What Gaete hopes is that those who attended the class take what they have learned home so the message can reach outside the classroom and increase wellness in the community.

Vista Dunes resident Karina Reynoso said the program taught her that healthier can be easier.

In addition to the two-day program, Gaete expects to host monthly meetings to check in on how participants are using the knowledge learned.

To read the rest of the article click here.