4 Tips to a Healthier Summer
Summer is here so why not work on getting a little healthier. Here are four simple steps you can take to move towards a healthier lifestyle.
Get moving.
Warmer weather allows us to exercise more outdoors. Whether it's walking, running, biking, swimming or hiking. It's a great opportunity to do something outside and burn calories at the same time. Regular exercise helps weight loss, control blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health and improve cholesterol levels. You may even sleep better and have more energy. I feel better overall when I exercise. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity) to improve overall cardiovascular health. Thirty minutes a day, five times a week is an easy goal to remember. If you’re new to exercise be sure to check with your physician before starting an exercise program. Choose something you enjoy doing and get moving!
Drink more water.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!! Up to 60% of the human body is water. Our bodies need water to function. It’s essential for maintaining body temperature, moving nutrients throughout the body, keeping body tissues and joints lubricated, and carrying out waste products. During the summer months you may need even more water due to increased sweating as the body tries to cool itself during the warmer weather. You should be drinking at least half your body weight in water daily. If you weigh 150 pounds you need 75 oz of water a day. Have a water bottle handy and sip it throughout the day. I keep mine with me where ever I go. Make this a challenge for you. Decide to drink so much by lunch and dinner. Your urine should be clear to a light yellow if you are getting enough water in your body.
Eat more color.
I know you've heard it before, eat more fruits and vegetables. There's a reason we should be eating "the rainbow". Every color provides different phytonutrients to our body. There are so many fruits and vegetables available
during the Summer so it can be easier to load up your plate with fruits and vegetables that are in season. Did you know the recommended daily does of fruits and vegetables is 9 - 13? That's a lot! I recommend loading up half your plate with fruits and vegetables and then a serving of protein the size of your fist along with a healthy fat. This will keep your blood sugar level and fill you up with good nutrients. Although including any fruit or vegetable is healthy, those with deeper colors of red, green, orange, or purple seem to be highest in antioxidants and other nutrients. Try something new over the Summer. It can be hard to get all of these servings in a day, especially for my kids so my family, along with eating healthy-nutritious meals, have implemented JuicePlus to our lives. This ensures me that we are getting more phytonutrients than we would ever eat. Flooding our bodies with 30 different fruits, vegetables and berries is nothing but a good thing.
Get Your Rest
Did you know you should be getting at least 7 - 9 hours of sleep a night? It's important to brain function, emotional well-being, weight loss and overall physical health. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. Sleep deficiency also increases the risk of obesity. So don't allow the Summer to keep you up to the wee hours of the night.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
