Guam leaders and health representatives gathered together for a proclamation signing declaring March as National Nutritional Month. Clinical nutrition manager and registered dietician Sharon Azucena opened with a powerful reminder about the role nutrition plays in our health.

"Some of the most powerful medicine we have does not come in a bottle or a pill, it comes from the food on our plate," she said.

Azucena says nutrition plays a major role in both preventing and contributing to disease, adding, "The food we choose can strengthen our immune system, nourish our mind, and protect us from disease. It can help a child focus in school, help a mother bring healthy life into the world, and help our elder remain strong and independent."

But the opposite is also true.

Poor nutrition is quietly fueling many of the illnesses that weigh heavily on our island like diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure and other chronic disease that affects so many of our families. That is why nutrition matters. "Every meal is a decision, every plate is an opportunity, and every choice can move us closer to health or further away from it," she said.

Azucena closed her remarks with a heartfelt message on behalf of fellow healthcare professionals and registered dieticians during National Nutrition Month. "Because when we nourish our people we do more than improve health. We strengthen families, we honor our culture, and we protect the future of our island," she said.