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Spring, 2019The days are getting warmer and the flowers are starting to bloom. There is no doubt that spring has sprung in Virginia! Lots of people do spring cleaning in their homes and yards when the days start to get longer. The team at Healthy You for Life wants to help you "clean up" any unhealthy habits that may have crept in during the winter months. Adding more whole foods and fresh air can do a lot to boost energy and support healthy changes for you and the rest of your family. This issue contains information on healthy snacking, recognizing different types of hunger, ways to stay active in Hampton Roads, and some tasty recipes.Carrot Sticks Aren't Just For Bunnies!Planting vegetables at home is a great way to get kids to eat more healthy snacks. Don't have a backyard garden? A large bucket, some potting soil, water and sun light will do the trick just fine! Even if you don't want to grow your own vegetables, spring is the time when more tasty fresh vegetables are finding their way to grocery store shelves and local farmers markets. However you get them, now is the time to add more fresh vegetables to your daily routine! Use the tips below and challenge everyone at home to add an extra serving of vegetables to their day.Start your day off with vegetables...add fresh peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, or spinach to your morning eggs. Not an egg fan? Try fresh avocado spread on your favorite whole grain toast.Fill your favorite sandwich with extra veggies. Try adding sliced cucumbers, bell peppers or lettuce to your plain meat and cheese sandwich.Add fruits and nuts to salads for extra color and crunch with your veggies.Experiment with different dips and spreads with your raw veggies (check the end of this newsletter for recipes). Choose vegetables to top your favorite pizza.Choose a vegetable from the store that is new to everyone at home. Look online and challenge each other to find the best way to prepare it!Swap your regular pasta for "noodles" made from veggies (think fresh vegetables, not the colored pasta on the grocery store shelf). Make your own from spaghetti squash or zucchini, or check out the freezer isle for different types of spiralized veggies.Get comfy with cauliflower! Did you know cauliflower can be used to make "rice" and pizza crust?Need to sneak them in? Add shredded vegetables to pasta sauces, casseroles, burgers, and baked goods.Physical Hunger vs. Emotional HungerPhysical Hunger:Comes on gradually and can be postponedCan be satisfied with any number of foodsMeans you’re likely to stop eating when fullDoesn’t cause feelings of guiltEmotional Hunger:Feels sudden and urgentCauses very specific cravings (e.g. , salty, sweet, pizza)You tend to eat more than you normally wouldCan cause guilt afterwardHow to Break the CycleManaging emotional eating means finding other ways to deal with situations and feelings that make someone turn to food. Stop and ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?” Is your stomach growling? Are you having difficulty concentrating or feeling irritable? When is the last time you ate and what was it? Not really hungry? If looking for food has become a part of your routine, think about why. Then try to change the routine.Explore why you’re eating and find a replacement activityBored? Lonely? Call or text a friend or family member, take a walk, go for a bike ride, read, draw, journal, color.Stressed? Try a yoga routine, listen to music, march or jog in place, do a plank, or dance until the urge to eat passes.Tired? Examine your bed time routine. Are you getting enough restful sleep? Tiredness can feel a lot like hunger. Food does not help if sleepless nights are causing daytime fatigue.Eating to procrastinate? Try to stay focused and complete the task. You will feel better afterward.Write down the emotions that trigger your eating with a mood and food journal.Write down what you ate, how much and how you felt as you ate, and whether you were physically hungry or eating for comfort. This allows you to see patterns between what you eat and feel and begin to make better choices.Take a 5 minute break to check in with yourself and breathe.It’s time for some spring cleaning! Whether you focus on dusting all the surfaces in your home, finally cleaning out your cluttered freezer, or de-cluttering your entire home, spring provides a great opportunity to refresh all areas of your life and refocus your priorities. Just as important as cleaning your physical living space, giving a “spring cleaning” to your health and daily habits can prepare you to best tackle the coming season. Benefits of Exercise for ChildrenImproved focus and school performance— To help finish out the school year strong, exercise can promote productivity (especially if some physical activity is done in the morning) and provide more oxygen to the brain to quicken thought processes and encourage creativity. Endorphins, otherwise known as the “happy chemical”, are released when you exercise and help with happiness and concentration.Improved overall development— Regular exercise helps with strength, coordination, and self-esteem, but especially with social development if done in a group setting or with a partner. Exercise also boosts the immune system, helping your child avoid the illness going around at school. Helps fight obesity—The CDC reports that childhood obesity rates have tripled since the 1970’s, leaving more of today’s children vulnerable to the epidemic. The two main contributors to childhood obesity are high-calorie diets and low amounts of daily exercise. Increasing physical activity (with the goal of 60 minutes of moderate to intense exercise every day) as well as making healthier choices with what we eat will aid in lowering body mass index. On top of increasing exercise, remember to drink enough water each day—try to increase by a few glasses of water—to hydrate your body to stay moving all spring!Ways to Exercise in Hampton RoadsFirst Landing State Park—This free state park provides miles of trails made for walking, running, and biking. Trees help with coverage on the hotter spring days to protect from sun exposure, and your children will love being in the fresh air surrounded by nature. Though the gate asks for a small parking fee, there is free parking available at the 64th street entrance. (2500 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23451)Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge—With plenty of trails (both paved and dirt), the Great Dismal Swamp allows you to navigate through beautiful and natural marshland. Not much into hiking? This refuge includes more than 80 miles of biking trails—as well as designated areas for fishing!(3120 Desert Rd, Suffolk, VA 23434)Kids Bowl Free Program— Also offered for free in Hampton Roads is a program for your child to come and bowl for free during the late spring and summer. The program offers various bowling dates as well as locations, so check out this website for specific details and to register: Trail at Mariners’ Museum—This 5-mile loop trail on the property of the Mariners’ Museum walks you through shaded forest, passing over Lake Maury on the 14 bridges on the trail, leading back to the museum. Cherry on top: You can tour inside the museum after your walk for just $1/person!(100 Museum Dr, Newport News, VA 23606)Tired of dipping your carrots in ranch dressing? Try these kid-approved recipes from to add a boost of flavor to your raw veggies at snack time:Creamy Pesto Dip1 cup low fat cottage cheese2 Tablespoons basil pestoCombine ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy! This dip tastes great with bell peppers, cucumbers, and broccoli.Honey Mustard Hummus15 oz can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed1/4 cup yellow mustard1/4 cup honey1/2 teaspoon garlic powdersalt and pepper to tasteCombine ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy! Try this dip with carrots, celery, and sugar snap peas.Cucumber Dip1 cup plain Greek yogurt1 Tablespoon lemon juice1 Tablespoon minced fresh dill1 clove garlic, minced1 cucumber, peeled and diced small1 teaspoon saltMix cucumber and salt in a small bowl; cover and chill 3 hours. In a small bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, dill and garlic. Squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible from cucumber and salt mixture. Stir cucumber into yogurt. Season with salt and pepper. ................
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