My HealtheVet coordinators lead healthy eating event

For Veterans to take advantage of the resources available to them, they need to know the resources exist. That's why Theresa Gardner, a My HealtheVet coordinator at the Southern Nevada VA, wanted to raise awareness about a lesser-known feature for Veterans: Healthy Teaching Kitchen.

To promote the program, Gardner and Josselyne Escalante, a former My HealtheVet volunteer and Air Force Veteran, hosted a healthy eating event at the North Las Vegas VA cafeteria in May.

Healthy Teaching Kitchen helps Veterans build confidence in cooking and eating healthy. The program offers in-person and virtual lessons.

"Especially as Veterans get older, they become more at risk for diabetes, heart diseases and all sorts of different problems," Gardner said. "It's important for Veterans to know how to eat healthy."

Healthy eating event

Gardner and Escalante set up their booth in the facility's cafeteria to catch the attention of Veterans. For Veterans who weren't already acquainted with My HealtheVet, Gardner and Escalante encouraged them to register for the patient portal. Then they offered nutritious goodies and talked with the Veterans about the Healthy Teaching Kitchen program.

Healthy Teaching Kitchen caters to Veterans looking for disease-specific, anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy options. Their classes cover nutrition, different recipes, cooking demonstrations and more.

Veterans can watch the lessons from home and participate at their own pace. There are also live classes offered through VA Video Connect, VA's secure videoconferencing app.

Escalante emphasized that all Veterans are encouraged to start their nutrition journey at any time in their lives. She said the program is especially valuable for Veterans who are transitioning to civilian life or retiring.

"I think it's really easy to get out of a healthy lifestyle when you leave the military. It's easy to forget everything it takes to keep your body healthy and live a balanced lifestyle," Gardner said.

Accessing Healthy Teaching Kitchen

Interested Veterans can access VA's Healthy Teaching Kitchen on the Healthy Teaching Kitchen website or going through their My HealtheVet portal:

1. Open the My HealtheVet home page.
2. Click the "Research Health" tab.
3. Click "Medical Library."
4. Click the "Veterans Health Library" hyperlink.
5. Search "Healthy Teaching Kitchen" in the search bar.

To learn more about the program, visit VA's Healthy Teaching Kitchen page.

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