Eating For Health

What fun to go hiking in the fall.    We just got back from hiking in the Shenandoah National Park.   Cooler weather, wonderful views, trees starting to turn colors and a great and fun way to exercise.    If you are hiking or going on a picnic this fall, bring some homemade trail mix.   If you make it yourself, or “make” it from bins in your local grocery store you can pick the options and the quality of the mix.   Sports Nutritionists and other recommend trail mix as a healthy way to refuel.   The fruit in trail mix offers many health benefits such as being good for your heart.   A 2016 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found those who ate one-half cup of fruit a day lowered their risk of heart disease.   And for those who forgo nuts because nuts are high in fat, a lot of research shows a handful of nuts a day can help you maintain, not gain weight.   Other studies show that eating nuts can help you lose weight.  ...

Can you eat healthier at work?       Many of us spend hours each day away from home, at the office, at work and then choose what is easy and convenient to eat.   There are a lot of temptations at work: vending machines, eating out at lunch, grabbing a quick snack from the office kitchen.      All easy and convenient but not necessarily the best for our health.   But eating at the office and away from home can be healthy if you plan ahead.   Sparkpeople has some great suggestions for you, Eating Healthier at the Office        1.  Pack your lunch and some snacks:   bringing your lunch will not only save money but will be better for your health.   a.        Lunch –focus on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, yogurt, lean protein b.       Snacks – pack a yogurt for a mid-morning pick me up, some fruit for an afternoon snack c. ...

Who doesn’t love to snack?   Summer time is the time to head off on a road trip, to the beach or mountains.   Some people say to avoid snacks, but why?   Snacks are important for kids as they have small stomachs and they need snacks between meals.   Adults love to snack.   So when you are on the go, how to make healthier choices on the run?   One way is to plan ahead and bring snacks with you.     I was at a car wash waiting for my car to get done and saw a mom and her 4-5 year old daughter sitting on a bench.   The daughter said, “I’m hungry”.   I thought for sure the mom would head for the vending machine.   But no, from her purse she pulled out a juice box and a baggie of orange slices, a baggie of whole grain crackers and asked her daughter which one she wanted.   I was pleasantly surprised and very impressed and told the mother how unusual she was to bring healthy snacks with you.   She planned ahead.   CVS actua...