Every month, week and day seems to be a new cause for celebration. But this month, there really is a cause for celebration—it’s National Bread Month. 

If you’ve ever been on a safari, you know how exciting it can be.

The Whole Grains Summit was recently held in Minneapolis, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend. Organized by the Grains for Health Foundation, the intended purpose for the summit was to develop a strategic plan for research, integration, communication and implementation to advance consumption of whole grains.

June marks the final month of the Grain Foods Foundation’s (GFF) spring campaign, RISE, through which we are highlighting the important connection between grains and energy. As I discussed in my April column introducing RISE, we have enlisted the support of former Olympian, soccer star and mom Mia Hamm as our spokesperson. It’s been an extremely successful campaign, and I’d like to use this column to share an update of our activities to-date.

This month marks National Celiac Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness of a condition affecting approximately one percent of the U.S. population. Because there’s been growing interest and media attention surrounding gluten-free, especially as a fad diet, we at the Grain Foods Foundation are working to change perceptions of it.

The Grain Foods Foundation (GFF) will launch its spring RISE campaign this month. The campaign is designed to highlight the role that bread and grains play in providing the energy consumers need to rise to any and all occasions.

National Nutrition Month is here once again, and this year’s theme is “Get Your Plate in Shape.” In honor of the first National Nutrition Month (NNM) since the release of MyPlate, this March is dedicated to reminding consumers about the importance of following MyPlate’s guidelines, with a special emphasis on calorie balance and portion control.

In honor of February being American Heart Month, here are some steps you can take to keep your “ticker” healthy. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 27 million American adults live with it. This sobering fact is magnified when you consider that heart disease is largely a “lifestyle disease” that can be prevented through some very simple actions.

Last year, I provided you with a snapshot of the Grain Foods Foundation’s efforts to share positive messages about the health benefits of bread and grains to the media through our rapid response program.