Live Healthy: It’s Time for your Seventh Month Challenge
By Kimberly Alton, RD, CSSD, LD
Director Food and Nutrition Services
Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center
The last few years I’ve used one of my July articles as an opportunity to challenge you to look at how healthy the first half of your year has been. Believe it or not, it is that time again!
Take a quick mental inventory of all the things you have done to help support a healthy body this year. Are you where you want to be? Did you keep some of the resolutions that you made way back in January? If not are there some simple things you can do to make the second half of 2018 healthier?
When setting goals, I always suggest limiting it to two. I also suggest choosing one that will be easier to attain and one that might make you have to stretch a little bit more. Why an easy and a more challenging one? We all like to succeed. Picking something that is in your wheelhouse and easier to achieve will help build your confidence for the more challenging goal. To help get you started, I have a couple of suggestions of simple things you can do to improve your health.
First, eat more fruits and vegetables. It’s summer time and there is no better time to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables than right now. What’s not to love about summer produce? I have been choosing plenty of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beans, corn, peaches, berries and melons. Loaded with a variety of vitamins and minerals and tasting their best in season, you just can’t go wrong with eating more of these. Need recipe ideas? Check out www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org. Want to grow your own, but not sure how? Look to www.bonnieplants.com for great information on choosing plants and growing tips.
We all know that we can use less salt in our diets. Increase your flavor by using more herbs and spices. You can grow your own or buy them in the store fresh or dried. Currently, I am growing basil, Thai basil, peppermint, lavender and mint. I’m also growing lemon balm and lemongrass, but trying to see if it works against mosquitoes – the jury is still out. Herbs can be grown in containers year round if you have a place in your home to keep them in the colder months. The Clemson extension website is a great resource for growing your own. Dried herbs and spices are used slightly differently so for more information on these browse the McCormick website at www.mccormick.com.
It sure has been hot lately. If you are one of those people who struggle drinking water, maybe this is the goal for you. Your body is mostly made of water and would really like you to fill it back up with the same. If you are not a water drinker, try adding a small glass at each meal and work your way up. If you need some flavoring, try some fruits, vegetables and herbs in your water for a naturally refreshing taste.
For some, the warm weather months are when they really start getting active, while others are ready to just chill in the air conditioning. If your activity tapers off in the summer because it’s too hot; then look for ways to increase your summer activity. With Neptune Island open, water fun can be found right here in Hartsville. If you like a little more natural setting, Hakuna Matuna offers kayak and paddleboard rentals. Check them out at www.hakunamatuna.com.
If you want to venture a little further out, check out the offerings of our State Parks. You will find everything you need to know at www.southcarolinaparks.com.
If none of the goals discussed thus far are striking a chord with you, maybe this next one will. Eating mindfully can be a powerful tool to help improve your health. What does that mean? How many of you find yourself eating a meal and then not remembering what you ate? Eating mindfully means that you enjoy the flavor, the textures, the aromas and by doing this you get more enjoyment out of your meal. Eating mindfully also leads to eating less because you are more in tune to your body’s actual needs and can recognize when you are full instead of stuffed.
In the more relaxed, longer days of summer, eating as a family is usually easier to achieve. In our super busy, have too much going on world; we don’t spend enough family time together and often very little eating time together. Start cooking more at home, plan meal time to be electronic free time, and you will be developing good eating and social habits in your children. August is family meals month, so by starting this in July you can get a jumpstart on this healthy habit.
Finally, snack healthy. With the children out of school, the abundance of snack items in our homes increases. Keep plenty of healthy snacks around for everyone to choose from. Fruits and vegetables, low fat yogurts, snack cheeses are just a few options. For more snack ideas search www.eatright.org/nutritiontipsheets.
What better time to take a quick inventory of your year than at the midway point? Take a moment to really think about how healthy your habits are. Let me remind you that you have to walk before you can run, so pick one or two things to work on. Small changes add up and can become big wins for you with your health goals. I hope at least one of these is doable for you. Until next time…live healthy.-