What is a serving size of fruits/vegetables?

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More Fruits and Vegetables November 2016 Challenge

With cooler weather on the way, people are more inclined to eat hearty, comfort foods. Soups, mashed potatoes, pies, and roasts are all great but our fresh produce intake tends to go down. Fruits and vegetables are super foods because of their high nutrient content and they aren't calorie dense. Meaning you're getting more bang for your buck when you eat fruits and vegetables. 

I want to challenge all of us to try and eat more f & v's during the work day instead of reaching for the leftover Halloween treats or some vending machine snacks. The USDA recommends that adults eat about 5-9 servings of fruit per days so I hope that by getting about a third of your intake at work will help motivate you to incorporate more produce at home as well. 

I'll be posting tips on tricks how to get to 9 servings without having to make a huge effort, debunk some nutrition myths, host some small snack potlucks, and help you be healthier during these holiday months.

Please send me an email if you have any questions or suggestions!

Thanks for your support :)

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Slow Cookers for Not So Slow Lives

I've had a request about how to better prep lunches or meals in general. I'm currently a student while working full-time and balancing an internship so believe me, I can understand how easy it is to pick up a quick 4-for-$4 at Wendy's! There are days where the last thing I want to do is prep, cook, and clean. This is where the magic of a slow cooker comes in. You can find a slow cooker for any budget. In my dreams, I would own one that can brown meats and have a self-timer, sigh, one day...but I just have your average, on/off, low/high slow cooker and it does the trick.

I am here to give you some tips that have been truly life changing!! I used to haaaate cooking with my slow cooker because 1) I had to wake up an hour earlier to prep and 2) the scrubbing required after eight hours of cooking (especially when the recipe called for honey - shudder). 

Tip #1:
These bad sisters:













I cannot praise these liners enough!! You can find them in all grocery stores in the foil/cling wrap aisle. Just make sure you let everything cool down before lifting the liner. I usually just ladle everything out and let the leftover bits chill. No more scrubbing!!!

Tip #2:
Prep things the night before (or even weeks!). I usually chop the vegetables that I need for my meal and get the slow cooker out on the counter before I go to bed. Right before I head to work, I just dump everything in and I'm out! There are hundreds of recipes for "freezer dump slow cooker" meals. You can toss all of the ingredients in a Ziploc bag and then dump it into the slow cooker whenever you want a slow cooked meal. Here's a shameless plug for my Pinterest. I've pinned some great recipes that I've tried myself.

Speaking of prepping...You can buy meat in bulk when it's on sale, toss it in the slow cooker ,and freeze the cooked meat for quick and easy lunches. I like to pour in a jar of salsa and some chicken breasts, cook it for about 4 hours, and then freeze it. It's quick and easy for tacos, taco salads, or a quick burrito bowl for lunch. See you later, Del Taco Chicken Soft Tacos!!

Tip #3: Avoid overcrowding your pot to ensure even cooking.
Fill it up between 1/2 - 2/3 of the way to keep things happy.

Tip #4:  Add some zing at the end.
The downside to this method of cooking is that your ingredients all start tasting the same. Try adding some oomph via a fresh squeeze of lemon, a smidgeon of fresh herbs, or some hot sauce after it's done cooking. BAM!

I'll be posting some other meal prepping techniques. Please email if there are things you're interested in learning more about!

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More Sleep October 2016 Challenge

This month's challenge is based on mental health. Most of us are constantly trying to eat healthier and/or exercise more to live a long and healthy life. But too often we forget about the mental aspect. In order to keep doing what we do, we need to take care of our brain!

How often do you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day? Or are you feeling more like this:


The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep per night. So our goal for the challenge this month is to dedicate at least seven hours, five days per week to sleeping. I realize that this is a major challenge for many of you so I'm going to give you a bonus point if you attend a relaxation workshop.

I will be sending out tips and tricks on how to not only fall asleep quicker but how to stay asleep through the night. So stay tuned!

Good luck, Wellness Warriors!

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Let's Get Physical - September 2016

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity 5 days per week, 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity 3 days per week. Note that these are minimum requirements for preventing disease. If you do more than the recommended, you are more protected against inactivity related chronic diseases.

Inactivity related chronic diseases include:
Type 2 diabetes
Cardiovascular disease
Some cancers
Some arthritis's
Hypertension

I realize that we're all busy individuals and it's difficult to carve out the 30 minutes each day or some of us might not know where to start. If you feel overwhelmed with 30 minutes of exercise, you can make some small lifestyle changes. Even small changes can decrease your risk. Maybe you can park a little bit farther, walk to work, join our walking group, go to an aerobic's class with your friend, there are plenty of ideas out there!

For the month of September, our wellness challenge is to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise for 4 days of the week. I will be doing a small walking group at 11:00 AM each day to help you reach that goal. We will walk about a mile (30 minutes) around downtown Provo. it'll be a great way to take a small, active break from work. Please come join us!

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What Happens When We Don't Drink H2O?

How is everyone doing on their first day of the challenge? This is a great video that explains why we need to drink water! Hopefully by watching this you'll feel even more motivated to complete the drinking challenge.

Comment below to let me know how you're feeling and if you have any suggestions or questions :)

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CHALLENGE: 8-8 oz. of Water for August

How many of us have fallen away from our New Year's Resolution to become healthier in 2016? I know I have and I can be found looking like this at my desk these days:

Let's renew these resolutions and get back on track and finish the year strong! I'm going to start with something that's not too drastic to what you're already doing and challenge everyone to drink 8- 8 oz. cups of water per day (or 64 oz. total). I'll be around today to pass out tracking sheets for you. 


Challenge instructions:
1. Record the number of 8 ounce glasses of water every day.
2. On September 1st, total the number of 8 ounce glasses of water consumed during the month.
3. Only water will count towards the number of glasses you drink BUT you can add lemon, cucumbers, flavor packets, etc. to make it tastier. Sometimes just drinking straight water can be rough on your stomach. (Excluded from the count: soda, juices, teas, coffee, alcohol, sports drinks, etc.)

Prizes will be awarded based on the following criteria:
Gold: 191-220 total glasses
Silver: 171-190 total glasses
Bronze: less than 170 total glasses

There will be small prizes (probably something homemade or bought at Costco) for those who win the gold! The best prizes will be your new glowing skin, less bloating, better circulation, and a generally happier body.

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Power Ball Bites

Does anyone else feel the 3:00 afternoon slump every. single. day? Around 3:00, you can find me slouching in my chair and using my fingers to keep my eyelids from drooping. In the past, I've built a dependency on our neighbor, Sodalicious, for a mid-afternoon pick me up. How many of us have resorted to running down to the vending machine to grab a small treat or a drink? I found a delicious solution that will help keep your blood sugar a little bit more stable so you don't feel that afternoon after burn.

Picture and recipe from: http://www.healthy-liv.com/no-bake-4-ingredient-peanut-butter-energy-bites/

Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Bites:
Ingredients:
1 3/4 C. old-fashioned oats
3/4 C. peanut butter (or any other nut butter)*
1/3 C. honey
1/3 C. dark chocolate chips
Optional: 1/4 C. wheat bran, flax seeds, chia seeds (I've used flax seeds and chia seeds and can never really tell they're in there. The seeds give the bites a nice crunch)

1. In a mixing bowl, dump all of the ingredients in and stir together
2. Depending on the consistency, add a bit more oats or honey to help things bind together
3. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the little bites and place them on a lined cookie sheet (so you don't have to wash the cookie sheet!!)
4. Refrigerate for about an hour and store in a zip baggy or a storage container.

Tips:

• I like to grind up the seeds before adding them in the bowl.
• I also like to chop up the chocolate chips so they're more evenly dispersed. 

This recipe should make about 24 bites and you can refrigerate them for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months. I love this recipe because: no baking in this summer heat, eating one or two is a healthy snack, it's only 4 ingredients and takes about 5 minutes to make, and they last for three weeks! Move over Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, hello healthy substitute!

Nutrition info per power ball:
Calories: 94
Fat: 4.5 g
Protein: 3 g
Carbs: 10.75 g

• Sugar: 5.3 g
• Fiber: 1.3 g

Make this recipe healthier by adding the chia and flax seeds!

Recipe adapted from www.healthy-liv.com

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Hydration FAQs

Q: Why do we need so much water?

A: Water is required for survival. All of your body systems need water to function. Water is used to regulate temperature, remove waste, lubricate your joints, nourishes and protects your brain, and so much more. Our bodies are about 70% water and we lose about 2.5 quarts of water from just normal activities.

Q: How much water am I really supposed to drink?
A; For sedentary individuals (those who exercise less than 2.5 hours/week) you need to drink about 30-35 ml/kg.
Here are general amounts for men and women:
Men: 3.7 L/day
Women: 2.7 L/day

This includes water from drinking, eating, and water produced by your body during metabolism

Q: Does juice, soda, coffee, etc. count towards my hydration goals?
A: The real answer is yes. All drinks (except alcohol) can count towards your daily water requirement. BUT! juices and sodas contain a lot of sugar so make sure to read your drink labels. The average amount of sugar in 1 cup of juice is 23 g of sugar!

I realize that not everyone likes drinking water but you can add fruit to your water to spice things up a bit. If you click on the Pinterest board on the right, I've pinned some ideas on how to flavor your water.

Q: What's an easy way to tell if I'm hydrated?
A: There are two easy ways to tell if you're properly hydrated: Thirst and urine color. If you're thirsty, drink! You also want to monitor your urine color. The ideal color looks like lemonade.

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August's Topic: Hydration

Hi there! Can you believe we are smack dab in the middle of summer? We only have 55 days left of summer! Get out there and start checking off you summer bucket list but make sure you're staying hydrated. I'm pointing out the obvious here but these next several weeks are going to be scorchers. It's vital to make sure you're protecting your skin AND drink a lot of fluids. The next few posts will debunk hydration myths, calculate how much water you should be drinking, and explain why hydrating is so important.

Stay tuned!

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June 2016: Skin Cancer Prevention and Detection

We made it through the winter gloom! I'm sure many of you are enjoying the sun's rays and the warm weather we've been having. This month we'll be focusing on how to protect your skin against skin cancer.

Fast facts:

• Did you know that every year there are new cases of skin cancer than breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancer combined?

• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of a lifetime.

• Men are more likely to develop skin cancer.

• About 90% of non-melanoma (includes different skin cells) cancers are tied to exposure to UV radiation from the sun,

• Skin cancer is also one of the most preventable cancers.

So what can we do to protect ourselves?

1. Know if you are at-risk:

Risk factors for skin cancer:

• Fair skin
• Family history of skin cancer
• History of sunburns, especially if you sunburned while you were young
• History of indoor tanning
• Skin that easily burns, freckles, or reddens easily in the sun
• Blue or green eyes
• Blond or red hair
• Certain type of moles

2. Be vigilant about wearing sunscreen whenever you're out and about.

3. Avoid tanning beds at all costs! (Send me an email if you need any recommendations for self-tanners)

4. Wear a hat, sunglasses, and cover as much of your body as you can.

5. Check your skin every month and look for new moles or any weird mole growth.

6. Seek the shade when the sun's rays are strongest (between 10 AM and 4 PM).

Now that I've scared you senseless into staying indoors all summer long! I'm here to tell you that sun rays aren't all bad for you. Did you know that our skin and exposure to sunlight makes Vitamin D? Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for your body and it only takes 15 minutes a day, three days per week is sufficient. AND! Your body can still make the vitamin even if you're wearing sunscreen.

Stay tuned for more information on sunscreen next week!

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Introduction

Welcome to our new wellness site! You will be able to find resources to help you make the best decisions for your health. There will be recipes, nutritional tips, techniques to help manage your stress, and exercise helps. Please submit any requests, questions, or ideas to MultiLingWellness@gmail.com.

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