With all of the great restaurants in Mint Hill, both old and new, we have lots of options to go out and have a great time with family and friends. However, with the rise of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity throughout our country, it is important to make good decisions when we do eat out in order to get healthy or to stay healthy. The great news is that good, healthy options are becoming more plentiful in our restaurants. Follow these tips for a healthy dining experience:

• Look for entrees with lean proteins like fish or poultry.
• Ask for your food to be baked, grilled, or blackened and avoid fried foods.
• Ask for steamed vegetables instead of French fries.
• Order a salad with the dressing on the side and use the fork dip method with the dressing – dip your empty fork into the dressing then dig into the salad. This is a great way to get the flavor without the unnecessary fat and sugar that are abundant in salad dressings.
• Always remember that it is okay to ask for something on the menu to be changed such as asking for something to be grilled or steamed instead of fried.
• It is also a great idea to ask for there be no added salt or MSG for your meals.
• Stick with water instead of sugary sodas, tea, or alcoholic drinks. These add empty calories and will increase your desire for more food.
• End your meal with coffee instead of an oversized, calorie and sugar-laced dessert.

These tips should help you feel better today and make for a healthier tomorrow.

Dr. Phillip Thornton, RPh, PhD can be reached at Mint Hill Pharmacy. 704.910.2718. Call or stop by for more tips and how to get and stay healthy. We are a preferred pharmacy for most insurance companies, including CVS Caremark.