Healthy HabitsJanuary 05, 2012

Filed under: - greenacres @ 3:12 PM

There’s a lot of talk out there at this time of year about the newest miracle drug, the most effective weight loss methods, and how to get fit in 1 week.  Some of them may be gimmicks, and some of them may have real solutions, but the best way to feel healthy in the new year doesn’t take a miracle pill or an extreme diet.  The most effective and long-term solution for your health is to arm yourself with knowledge: how to eat right and stay active, in a way that fits with your lifestyle.

Eat Your Veggies (etc.)  It’s hard to balance your meal times when you’ve got a full-time job and children to get to soccer practice and music lessons, but healthy snacking doesn’t have to be one of your stressors.  Thankfully, nature, and our modern grocery industry, have come up with some pretty handy solutions.

• Apples—it just takes a bit of tap water to make your apple ready to munch!  One medium-sized apple gives you just enough of a calorie kick to fight away cravings, and aid in healthy digestion.  Keep a few at your desk to keep away the temptation of unhealthy afternoon snacking.
• Baby Carrots—a classic of healthy snacking, these are perfect on-the-go, accompanying a sandwich, or steamed with any well-balanced dinner for fast prep!
• Dried Fruits—like raisins, apricots, cranberries, or mangoes, don’t have to be refrigerated to taste great, and make some of the tastiest hassle-free snacks!  Try them on top of salads, in your breakfast cereal, with a few nuts, or toss them in with some veggies to sweeten up your savory sides at dinner!

Supplement Your Diet – Even if you’re not looking to take a miracle drug, there are some nutritional supplements that are all natural that can give your body the boost it needs to reach its optimum health potential.  Everyone is different and you should consult your doctor before beginning a regimen, but here’s a list of some common supplements that are almost universally safe and effective.

• Probiotics—choosing a good broad-spectrum probiotic helps to support all the good bacteria throughout your digestive system: from your stomach to your colon, these little microscopic warriors are helping us to break down our food and absorb it into our system to our greatest benefit.
• Multi-Vitamin—most everyone out there will tell you take a good multi-vitamin is a must when you’re looking at how you should be supplementing your diet.  Luckily, we have multi’s tailored to men, women, and children of all ages and dietary needs.  Stop in to consult someone in our Supplements department to find out which one might be best for you!
• Essential Fatty Acids—New studies are indicating that one of the best indicators of future health is your blood sugar level and stability.  And these are directly related to your balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids that you consume. Most Americans consume far more Omega 6 than Omega 3, but our bodies need the reverse to be true.  Incorporating more fish into your diet is extremely helpful, but especially for those of us in a land-locked state, it can be hard to find good, fresh, inexpensive seafood options.  So it doesn’t hurt to try an Omega 3 supplement.  These can be taken in pill form, as easy-to-eat chews, or as straight oil to add to juices and smoothies.  A word of caution:  make sure to get a pure, high quality oil, otherwise you could be burping fish all day.  All of the Fish Oil supplements at GreenAcres have been hand-picked by our supplement experts for their freshness and safety.

Stay Active – You don’t have to have an elaborate plan or an all-access membership to an expensive gym to help yourself get in shape.  There are many ways to increase your activity during the day that will leave you feeling slimmer and stronger bit by bit.

• Walk, Walk, Walk. –For most people this is the easiest, and one of the most effective, ways to get more exercise in during the day.  We’ve all heard the admonitions to park further away from stores or from the office, take the stairs, and take a lap around the block.  But it can be hard to get in the habit.  Add just 1 habit per week, and you’ll soon find yourself successfully reaching all your exercise goals.
• Chair Yoga—OK, it might sound silly at first, but simple stretches that you can do your chair at work can go a long way toward working out the kinks.  Many experts find that once we experience an initial sense of well-being, we are more likely to continue on a path toward wellness and fitness.  Sometimes all it takes to reach that feeling is a few stretches every couple of hours.  Follow this link to check out some simple stretches that can help free your spine from pressure and increases tone and flexibility.

However you decide to improve your life and your health in the new year, we want to help!  Next time you come in, don’t hesitate to ask us what we can do—whether it’s picking out a tea that helps balance blood sugar, or pointing you in the direction of the almond butter, we’re up to the challenge!  And stay tuned to our Blog and our Facebook page as we chronicle some ways to stay healthy and stick to your New Year’s diet throughout the month.