Staying healthy during summer
To the editor:
Summer is finally here. For many of us, summer means outdoor fun! Children are out of school, vacations are being planned and it’s time to fill the agenda with outdoor activities like swimming, riding bike, running, and hosting barbeques. It’s also an important time of year to be aware of how you’re fueling your body. The abundance of local fresh fruits and vegetables, combined with grilling foods, provides a great opportunity to add variety and many healthy options to your diet.
Try some of these great tips to keeping yourself healthy this summer:
• Get out the grill. Choose lean cuts of meat and enjoy grilled chicken breasts, fish, and kabobs. Try marinating in salsa or lower calorie dressing or citrus juices.
• Lighten up your salads. When making potato salads and coleslaws, substitute your mayonnaise for low-fat or fat-free options. If you’re adding egg to your salads, lose some or all of the yolks. Try a new salad such as fresh spinach, strawberries, feta cheese with a low-fat balsamic dressing.
• Keep it fresh and simple. Try keeping fresh fruits and vegetables available and focus on easy snacks that do not take much prep work.
• Easy on the sugar sweetened beverages. It’s important to stay hydrated during the summer heat. Water is the best option when temperatures soar. Think about adding slices of lemon or lime to naturally add flavor.
For more information or to request nutrition education materials contact me at 768-3030 or via e-mail at rbrown@acap-me.org.
Reegan Brown
ACAP Community
Education Specialist
Healthy Aroostook
