Blog

Eating Right Is Not Complicated

  • Emphasize fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products.
  • Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts.
  • Make sure your diet is low in saturated fats, trans fats, salt (sodium) and added sugars. eatingright.org

Make Your Calories Count

  • Eat foods rich in nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and fiber.
  • Eat lower calorie foods. eatingright.org

 

Focus on Variety

  • Eat a variety of food from all food groups.
  • Fruits and vegetables can be fresh, frozen or canned.
  • Eat dark green vegetables such as leafy greens or broccoli.
  • Eat orange vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots.
  • Vary your protein choices with more fish, beans and peas.
  • Emphasize fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products.
  • Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts.
  • Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta every day. eatingright.org

 

Check the Ingredient List

  • Foods with more than one ingredient must have an ingredient list on the label.
  • Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight.
  • Those in the largest amounts are listed first. eatingright.org

 

The Wellness Institute at Whittier Street Health Center

Whittier’s Wellness Institute includes a community garden and a Fitness Club as well as a number of Dieticians on staff who can assist you in planning healthy meals.  Our community garden is about to start planting for this season.  To learn more, please call Whittier Street Health Center at 617-427-1000.

Weight Management Clinic – Wellness Center

  • September 12, 2025

Trying to get your body in better shape or build healthier habits? You’re not alone. According to a 2024 Gallup poll, 4 in 10 U.S. adults identify as overweight, and over half (55%) report wanting to lose weight. Conventional wisdom about weight loss often focuses on two types of behavior change: eating a healthier diet […]

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Food Pantry Community Garden Blog

  • September 5, 2025

Having access to fresh, affordable, and culturally relevant food options is a pillar of maintaining good health. Still, too many of our neighbors struggle to nourish themselves and their families due to rising food prices, a lack of nearby grocery stores, and inadequate public transportation. The structural inequities that shape our access to food and […]

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National Recovery and Suicide Prevention Month

  • September 1, 2025

“It Takes a Village”: National Recovery and Suicide Prevention Month blog September marks two important observances in our ongoing dialogue on mental health and substance abuse: National Recovery Month and National Suicide Prevention Month. This month reminds us of the profound toll that mental health and substance use problems take on individuals, families, and communities, and […]

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Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

  • August 19, 2025

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month August is National Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month—a time to bring awareness to the importance of pediatric eye care and eye safety for children’s overall health. Starting as early as six months of age, regular vision exams can help to monitor healthy development, diagnose inherited eye conditions, and […]

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National Health Center Week and Back to School BBQ blog

  • August 1, 2025

Every summer, Whittier Street Health Center joins over 1,300 community health centers across the country in celebrating National Health Center Week. Observed annually during the first week of August, National Health Center Week (NHCW) was first established in 1987 by the National Association of Community Health Centers to highlight the excellence of health centers in […]

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Healthy Vision Month

  • July 16, 2025

Did you know that 40% of U.S. adults at high risk for vision loss did not receive an eye exam in the last year? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 93 million Americans are at risk for serious vision loss, but many are not accessing timely eye care due […]

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National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

  • July 14, 2025

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to shed light on the unique mental health challenges and disparities in mental health care that impact communities of color. July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to shed light on the unique mental health challenges and disparities in mental health care that impact […]

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  • June 1, 2025

Happy Pride Month! Every day, Whittier Street Health Center stands in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and supports the freedom of every person to love openly and live authentically. No matter your sexual orientation or gender expression, everyone has the right to receive comprehensive and affirmative health care. During Pride Month and every month, we […]

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World Asthma Day

  • May 7, 2025

Did you know that, as of 2024, there are over 250 million people living with asthma worldwide? This chronic respiratory disease is not only damaging to long-term lung health if left untreated, but impacts people differently based on social, economic, and environmental risk factors, such as access to healthcare, safe housing, and clean air. Research […]

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Mental Health Awareness Month

  • May 7, 2025

Struggling with your mental health? You’re not alone. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) estimates that 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience a mental illness each year. Despite how common these challenges are, many people fear the stigma and judgment associated with seeking help or speaking openly about their experiences with depression, anxiety, and […]

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A note about Whittier and COVID-19

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in our area, we ask all clients and patients to call ahead before coming to any of our sites. We are working to take care of most clients/patients via phone/video encounter so we can meet your ongoing healthcare needs. This is for your safety and so we can provide the highest quality of care to you while following CDC guidance for COVID-19. Please call 617-427-1000 for any questions or concerns.

Whittier will provide COVID-19 testing from 10 am to 4 pm on Monday to Friday. Following CDC guidance, we recommend testing if you have a fever AND one of the following three symptoms: cough OR shortness of breath OR sore throat. Please bring your picture identification and your insurance card (if you have insurance).