Summer Fun & Health
Summer is a great time to start walking
The weather is often good and there is no snow or ice on the ground to make things treacherous. Walking doesn’t require expensive equipment (except a good pair of sturdy shoes) and can be done as a family. Start slowly and talk to your doctor before you start any exercise program. Click here to learn how to add an exercise program to your life.
Summer is also a great time to think variety, especially in terms of fruits and vegetables!
Try to get at least six to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and go for those with the most color. A serving is generally one cup of raw product or a half cup of cooked product. It is best to get your fruit servings from whole fruits, but if you want to drink juice, pick those that are 100 percent fruit juice and stick to a four to eight ounce serving per day. For produce, choose dark green, leafy vegetables. Include yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables such as peppers, mangoes and watermelon. Add to the list cooked tomatoes and citrus fruits and you have some healthy choices.
When things get hot, remember to drink plenty of water
Keep a bottle of water with you during the day to help remind you to drink. The dietary recommendations for fluids for men are about 13 servings per day and for women about nine servings per day. A serving is one cup, or eight ounces, and can be any beverage that does not have caffeine. Sports drinks, like Gatorade, are not really necessary (unless you are running a marathon or are sweating profusely) and can often be high in sodium. Fruit flavored waters can make drinking water easier, but make sure to check how many calories you are drinking. Not all fruit flavored waters are low calorie. Tap water is generally okay to drink, but you may want to get a water filter such as a Brita®.
Staying safe and healthy during the summer months can be fun and challenging! Just follow some of these guidelines and you should be on the right track. For more information, check out MyPyramid.gov.
This information was provided by Milford Regional’s Outpatient Nutrition Services Department. Learn more about the services they provide.