Spring into Health!

It is that time again. The sun is out, birds are chirping, and allergies are on the rise. In order to get you feeling your best we have some tips to keep you healthy, get you moving, and motivated.

Combating Allergies

To combat allergies yourself some over the counter solutions may provide considerable relief. Most antihistamines should do the trick. But if all else fails, do come in to see us. Allergies are on the rise and can become a serious and chronic problem, resulting in headaches and sinus infections if they are not treated.

Foods to keep your Immunity up

If you have been battling cold, the flu, or allergies, a great way to keep your energy and immunity up is to eat fruits vegetables that are in season. This will also give you the energy to hit the gym and cleanse your diet in preparation for spring and summer.

Fruits to focus on:

Strawberries are packed with vitamin C and fiber! They are great for your diet as snack or salad dressings.
Sweet cherries are a great snack or dessert with loads of fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.
Apricots also provide potassium and vitamin C.

Vegetables you need:

Asparagus is loaded with iron, fiber, and vitamin B and C.
Peas and Fava Beans are an excellent source of fiber and plant-based protein, which is great as a dinner side or snack for a vegan, vegetarian, or anyone trying to get into shape.
Radishes are a perfect low-calorie snack with some zing! One cup offers about one third of the daily vitamin C requirement.
Artichokes and Rhubarb offer lots of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. They can also be prepared in many ways.

These fruits and vegetables are perfect after flu season and will get you the fiber and antioxidants you need for the energy to keep up with daily activities, or your summer fitness goals. Be sure to make the most of them by buying in season, locally, and even picking up a hobby like canning jam to save all the goodness. Take a look at what new foods you can incorporate into some recipes, if you are a lover of truffle mushrooms give morel mushrooms a try. We will see you at the farmers market!

Fitness

Now that you have some meal inspirations let’s get you motivated to move! We know it can be a little difficult to start after the winter blues and holidays, which is why we are providing some tips to get you started.

First and foremost a physical is in order, just to make sure you are at a healthy physical condition. After your physical, prepare a for a fool proof plan. Set some goals which address how time you can commit to working out, what workouts you commit to doing, and who will hold you accountable. We all know it is much easier to work out with a friend. You can both keep each other accountable and committed to continue for the long haul. Be realistic about your goals. Instead of six days a week start off with three and commit to doing a certain workout every other time.

Do not get discouraged if the weight is not coming off in the first few weeks. Muscle weighs more than fat, so go ahead and step off that scale. Think more long term and how you want to look and feel. A great longer-term goal if that you want to fit into an old outfit or run a half marathon. There is much more to health and fitness than numbers on a scale.

Now that you have a plan give yourself some credit for getting this far!  Motivate and incentivize yourself to keep going by buying some new running shoes or work out gear, and maybe when you reach your goal a bigger reward is in order?