by Lori Wuellner
Spring often brings about refreshing, cleaning and organizing of our home but what about carrying over that same enthusiasm to you.
Maybe we should do a diet and physical activity check-up to find out if our lifestyle needs a little overhauling or refreshing. Eating a healthful diet and being more active can help lower our risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Track your eating habits
• For a couple of days as a starting point, write down what and how much you eat and drink. Use a journal, log your intake on our calendar, keep track on your phone, or use an online tool such as SuperTracker at www.choosemyplate.gov. Don’t forget to include beverages, sauces, spreads and sides. It all counts.
o Diet checkup: Are you missing any food groups? Many people are short of fruits and veggies in the diet. Adults should aim for 4 ½ cups of colorful fruits and veggies each day.
o Try these tips to eat more fruits and veggies:
Plan some meals around a veggie dish, such as a stir-fry or soup.
Include a green salad with your dinner every night.
Make a fruit smoothie for breakfast or snack.
Pack a clementine, banana or grapes in your lunch.
Track your activity
• For one week, write down the physical activities you do. Log each activity that you do for at least 10 minutes at a time. Use SuperTracker, a phone app or a journal, or mark a calendar.
o Physical activity checkup: Are you getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days of the week?
o Try these tips to stay active:
Set some “exercise dates” and write your plans on a calendar or put it on the reminder on your phone. Check off the activity after completed.
Plant a garden in your backyard or in a community garden. Raking, planting, pulling weeds and harvesting all count as physical activity.
Check out community classes. Does your community have a “fun walk” or “fun run”? Pull together a team and train together.
Take regular breaks from technology. Turn off the TV and computer, and put away phones and other devices. Go outside and enjoy a park or walking path.
For a springtime pick-me-up, quench your thirst with a nutrient-rich green smoothie made with season produce. Spinach is an excellent source of fiber and beta-carotene, which our body uses to make vitamin A. Mangos are tropical fruits and an excellent source of vitamin C and A, and fiber. We need vitamin A for healthy skin and eyes, and vitamin C to help wounds and cuts heal.
Lori Wuellner is a Wyandotte County Extension agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, K-State Research and Extension, 1216 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kan. Telephone 913-299-9300, email lwuellne@ksu.edu.
Pineapple-mango green smoothie
8 ice cubes
1 cup canned pineapple in juice, diced
1 large mango, diced*
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
½ cup pineapple juice
½ teaspoon coconut extract, if desired
*If mangos are not available, substitute one banana, cut into chunks, or 1 cup mandarin oranges canned in juice, drained.
Place all ingredients in blender in same order as written. Blend until smooth.
Makes four servings. Each serving has about 80 calories, 0 grams fat, 21g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 1g protein and 15mg sodium.
(Source: NDSU Extension Service, Food Wise, April 2016)
