Maybe your co-worker has decided to quit smoking. Or your spouse is trying to avoid sugary snacks and high-fat foods. Or you would like your child to get more exercise.

Will you help them succeed?

You can be a big help to the people you care about by encouraging and supporting them as they make sometimes difficult changes in their lives. It may call for a little bit of sacrifice on your part, but, hey, you just might improve your own health while supporting them! Here are some ways you can help.

Quitting tobacco

• If you use tobacco yourself, don’t smoke or chew around people who want to quit, and don’t encourage them to start again.
• Keep their mind off tobacco by doing things together, such as going to the movies or taking a walk.
• Understand that they will be irritable as they go through nicotine withdrawal. Be patient with them.
• Help out with daily responsibilities to lessen the stress.
• Learn relaxation techniques together.

Healthy eating

• Prepare nutritionally balanced meals that you all enjoy. Include low-fat meats, whole grain foods, and plenty of vegetables.
• Make sure you have a variety of healthy options, such as fresh fruit, light cheese, or other low-fat snacks, on hand. (See Home Cooking for more ideas.)
• Learn about the benefits of foods that are new to you, together.
• Reward successes with fruit, not treats such as cake or candy.

Getting more exercise

• Exercise together. Take an exercise class or join a fitness club together.
• Pick activities you like to do together so you are more likely to keep it up.
• Help them set goals that are reasonable and not overwhelming.
• Don’t be pushy. Let them go at their own pace.
• Prepare meals while they’re exercising.

Finally, remember that you are a powerful influence on how your friends and family members feel.

• Don’t criticize them if they lapse or cheat. Motivate them to start trying again.
• Celebrate successes, large and small.
• Tell them how proud you are of them, and do it often!

Learn more

• www.eatright.org
• www.prevention.com
• www.quit.com

Introducing the New Food Pyramid

Eating right shouldn’t be complicated. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agrees. It created a new, simplified food pyramid that helps Americans learn how to make healthy food choices and be active every day.

The first thing you will notice is that the food categories are now vertical, and each food group is brightly color coded.

The widths of the color bands suggest how much food a person should choose from each group. The purple band for meat and beans and the yellow band for oils are both narrower than the bands for grains (orange), vegetables (green), and fruit (red).

The stripes get smaller toward the top of the pyramid, telling us that not all foods in the same food group have equal nutritional value. While grape juice, for example, is full of grapes, it is also full of sugar. The USDA recommends going easy on fruit juice and choosing fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit most of the time.

Be sure to eat from all of the food groups, and eat different foods within each group as often as you can.

Another feature of the new pyramid is the staircase up the side, which reminds us of the importance of daily physical activity. The stairs also remind us that you don’t have to make drastic changes in your lifestyle to become healthier. You can take one step at a time to reach your goals.

The folks at the USDA understand that one pyramid does not fit all of us, so they created an interactive Web site to help us determine the kinds and amounts of food we should eat each day. If you would like help creating your own nutrition and exercise plan, or if you just want more details about the new food pyramid, visit www.mypyramid.gov or one of the Web pages listed below.

• http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/pyramid.html
• http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/pyramid.html