By Jess Giffin, MPH, CHES, NBC-HWC, CIC
Spring is here and it is a great time of year to re-energize your health and wellness plan. We can enjoy longer daylight hours, warmer temperatures and more opportunities to find fresh food options.
As we shed the winter hibernation habits of being indoors all the time and craving warm comfort foods, try these three simple ideas to refresh routines:
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Plan for outdoor physical activity. Think about ways you can take advantage of longer day light hours to fit in physical activity. Being active outdoors may even support you in exercising for longer, one research study found that older people who were active outdoors did at least 30 minutes more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week than those who only did it inside. Try a long walk after work to decompress or plan an outdoor activity with friends in the early evening. Look for new parks or trails to explore or track your distance on a favorite walking path.
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Try a smoothie. As the weather warms and local produce is more readily-available, we can take advantage of more fruits and vegetable options. A smoothie is the perfect mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack to help boost your fruit and veggie intake. Try using both veggies (frozen spinach, kale or carrots) mixed with fruit (blueberries, strawberries, apples) and use a base of oat milk or almond milk. For extra protein, add in a scoop of peanut butter or protein powder. Also, try adding oats or flax seeds for fiber. See a simple green smoothie recipe below!
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Organize your fridge. Spring cleaning can benefit your food choices too! Make room in your refrigerator for the foods that support your health goals. You can start by checking all expiration dates and toss out anything past its prime. Condiments are a good place to start to clean and clear. Wipe down your shelves and drawers. Cut up fresh fruits and veggies and store in clear glass containers so you can see those options first when opening the fridge. Storing those at eye level make it more likely that you will remember to use those items.
We hope you've gotten some good inspiration to Spring into wellness!
SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE
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fresh spinach
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frozen pineapple
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frozen mango
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fresh banana
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Blend 1 cup of spinach (or another leafy greens of your choice) in a blender. Adding leafy greens to your smoothie boosts the phytonutrients and fiber, which then slows down the absorption of sugars into your body.
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Next, add 1 cup of liquid and blend well (until all leafy chunks are gone).
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Toss in fruit, such as frozen mango, pineapple and bananas in the blender.
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Next, blend again until smooth and creamy.
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Serve smoothie immediately for maximum nourishment.