Promoting Optimal Wellness for Body, Mind and Spirit

Did you Know?! Today is National ‘Eat Your Vegetables’ Day. This seems an especially good day to remind you to eat plenty of vegetables every day.

FUEL Your Body with Fresh Vegetables which are full of vitamins and nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Some Benefits of Vegetables – 

• High in vitamins and nutrients
• High in fiber.
• Low in calories.
• Meal plans rich in foods with fiber may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
• Low in Fat and NO cholesterol (when eaten without sauces!)
• Help to maintain a Healthy Blood Pressure (See D.A.S.H Diet.)
• Part of a healthy, balanced meal plan.
• Vegetables (and fruits) rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may lower blood pressure, and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss.
• May reduced the risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease.
• Vitamin A helps keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections
• Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption.

‘Fiber is Filling.’ ‘Fresh is Best.’ ‘Eat Your Greens/Get Lean.’  These are just some of the healthy affirmations you will hear in my Healthy Weight Hypnosis sessions.

Healthy Eating – I like to include vegetables with every meal and snack, with a goal of 5 – 7 helpings of fruit and vegetables a day. I begin the day with a veggie omelet or a kale/green smoothie for breakfast. Lunch and/or dinner generally consist of a salad loaded with vegetables with a source of lean protein. In between meals, my snacks generally include raw veggies like celery, broccoli and carrots or crunchy fruit like apples along with a healthy protein like hummus or a nut butter (if you don’t have a nut allergy!)

Finding Fresh Vegetables on Cape Ann – We are lucky to have many great places to choose from, including but not limited to:

• Cape Ann Farmers Market. Thursdays. Stage Fort Park. Gloucester MA
• Common Crow Market. Gloucester. MA
• Magnolia Farmer’s Market. Mondays. Gloucester MA
• Marshall’s Farm Stand. Gloucester MA
• Rockport Farmer’s Market. Saturdays. Rockport MA
• Utopia. Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
• Willow Rest. Riverdale. Gloucester MA.

Recommended Amounts of Vegetables – A general recommendation is ‘3 – 5 servings a day’ of fruits and vegetables, but this may vary from person-to-person and depends on other factors, such as age, gender, health conditions, disease states, and medications a person takes.  Ask your doctor or a nutritionist/dietician for advice and appropriate recommendations for YOU! 

Sources and More Information –

• American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/days-2/national-eat-your-vegetables-day-june-17/
• NIH Research Recommendations for Adults
• Simple Steps to Eating More Fruits and Vegetables
• US Department of Agriculture

Enjoy plenty of vegetables and this beautiful day on Cape Ann,  Karen

Karen Pischke B.S.N., R.N., C.C.R.N. Alumnus. Certified Hypnotherapist, Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Usui Reiki Teacher/Komyo Shihan. Owner/Founder of Dreamtime Wellness LLC.  Promoting Optimal Wellness for Body, Mind and Spirit www.DreamtimeWellness.com. Find us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dreamtime-Wellness-/348619611849199

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