Eating vegetables is key to a healthier lifestyle
Change your habits, change your life!
Why is wellness so difficult to achieve?
If we could manage obesity, type 2 diabetes, lower our risks of heart disease, stroke, some types of cancer, macular degeneration, cataracts, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s by consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables – then why aren’t we? Well, the fact is, change is hard!
Wellness is an interactive process of becoming aware of and practicing healthy choices to create a more successful and balanced lifestyle. Wellness is the framework that you can use to organize, understand, and balance your own growth and development. It is a continuum of self-care, giving yourself permission to get off track and get back on track, and remembering to celebrate your successes along the way.
D’Arrigo California has partnered with Stephanie Bouquet to share simple and holistic ways to find wellness and balance this new year. Bouquet is a registered dietitian, certified specialist in sports dietetics, certified diabetes educator and certified wellness coach.
“We have been in the business of growing fresh fruits and vegetables under the Andy Boy label since 1923 and we want to highlight new approaches to inspire families to find balance that leads to a healthier lifestyle as we come out of a challenging 2020 year. To help us on this wellness journey, we reached out to Stephanie, C.E.O. of SB Nutrition, as a professional in this field her knowledge and experience make her the perfect partner,” said Claudia Pizarro-Villalobos, D’Arrigo California, Marketing and Communications.
“As creatures of habit, wemustjumpin withbothfeettostart something new that will revolutionize our health outlook and results. It begins with simple daily practices, prepping meals ahead of time, and finding healthy recipes that inspire you in the kitchen and help you attain your wellness goals,” said Bouquet.
Here are some helpful tips to incorporate healthier foods into your diet:
• Make family cooking at home fun. Some say, “families that cook together, stay healthy together.” Also, family cooking promotes fun family time.
• Encourage your kids to help plan the menu. Kids love to get involved in the kitchen (especially making a mess!) and when they are part of the prep and cooking process they are more willing to try new dishes.
• Purchase healthy snacks to promote smart “nibbling” choices. Stock up on plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Try to curb snacks that are high in fat, calories, and sugar.
• Get moving. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.
• Find a workout partner. A partner will help keep you accountable and inspired to power through workouts.
• Stay hydrated. Drinking water keeps you hydrated, feeling full, and helps to maximize physical performance while lubricating your joints, spinal cord, and tissues. Experts recommend eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.
• Learn to slow down. It takes roughly twenty minutes for the brain and stomach to talk to each other to establish fullness. By slowing your rate of eating, you might find a smaller portion goes a lot farther toward satisfying your hunger.
• Get enough sleep. Shoot for 6-8 hours of sleep nightly to help regulate appetite, fullness, and blood sugar levels. Try to go to sleep at the same time and avoid distractions (electronic devices, caffeine, and alcohol) close to bedtime.
A simple way to increase produce consumption starts with meal preparation and what you put on your plate. Bouquet said, “Some of my favorite Andy Boy veggies are broccoli rabe, fennel and sweet baby broccoli. If you need inspiration in the kitchen, check out the trendy and delicious recipes created by influencers that your family and friends are sure to love.” Lots of delicious recipes can be found on the Andy Boy website. Embracing change may not be easy but you can do it! It starts with creating a health and wellness plan that incorporates daily behaviors to help you feel refreshed, replenished, motivated and energetic.
Submitted content from D’Arrigo California. Visit andyboy.com to learn more and to access healthy recipes you can try at home.