Health & Fitness
Health Challenge #2 - Eat Your Vegetables!
Health challenge #2 - Add some veggies to your diet
It’s been a couple of weeks since I issued the last health challenge and quite a few people accepted the challenge. I have to say, I’m really proud of everyone who even attempted to exercise 5 times in one week. It takes commitment and I know it’s not easy. Keep at it, you’re all doing great!
Today is the day for health challenge #2 to begin, and this one might be even more difficult than the exercise challenge. I challenge each of you to include at least one serving of vegetables into every meal for the next 5 days. According to an article by the Harvard School of Medicine, “The higher the average daily intake of fruits and vegetables, the lower the chances of developing cardiovascular disease.” Hopefully three servings a day won’t be too much of a stretch for most, but I know it will take some thought. And really, three servings a day isn’t what is required for our bodies. The same article sited above states, “The latest dietary guidelines call for five to thirteen servings of fruits and vegetables a day (2½ to 6½ cups per day), depending on one's caloric intake.”
The plan for this health challenge it to add one more dimension to your lifestyle that could help prolong your life. For Martinez residents, finding fresh organic vegetables shouldn’t be difficult because we have one the best farmer’s markets around on Thursday and Sunday. The produce is high quality and the prices are much less expensive than the grocery store. Because of the seasons starting to change, a large number of vegetables should be available to try. Next time you’re at the market, pick up something you have never eaten before and see if you like it. I never knew zucchini could taste amazing until my wife grilled it with olive oil, salt and pepper. You can even do something as easy as throwing some spinach into your chili, grating a squash into a hamburger patty or juicing some veggies and putting it in your morning drink.
If you’re worried about your kids eating their vegetables, try seeking recipes that have been “kid-tested.” Food Network has an entire page dedicated to “Kid Friendly Vegetable Dishes” and Jessica Seinfeld has cookbooks dedicated to including vegetables in delicious recipes. Check out her book “Deceptively Delicious.”
Once vegetables are a regular occurrence in your home, you won’t have trouble including them in your daily menu.
Please email me if you have any questions or if you need some support for this challenge.
Dr. Mark
