Green Living

NATIONAL BIKINI DAY

National Bikini Day marks the anniversary of the invention of the revealing two-piece bathing suit.

Named after the Bikini Atoll where the United States conducted atomic tests, the two piece bathing suit made its debut in Paris. French designer Louis Reard wanted to name revealing bits of fabric “atom”.

Sunbathers were wearing modest two-piece suits by World War II in the United States, but they hardly revealed the amount of skin the bikini revealed on July 5, 1946. While Europe enthusiastically donned the bikini after a long and arduous world war, American’s sense of decency kept them from accepting the bikini until the 1960s.

June is National Safety Month

Injuries are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 44. The good news is there are many things people can do to stay safe and prevent injuries. During National Safety Month, everyone is encouraged to learn more about important safety issues like preventing poisonings, transportation safety, and slips, trips, and falls.

Did you know that nine out of 10 poisonings happen right at home? You can be poisoned by many things, like cleaning products or another person’s medicine.

Other causes of injury in the home are slips, trips, and falls. More than one in four older adults fall each year often resulting in broken bones or head injuries.

Doing other activities while driving – like texting or eating – distracts you and increases your chance of crashing. Almost one in six crashes where someone is injured involves distracted driving.

It’s National Blueberry Month

Since they are now in season, July is a great month to discuss the health benefits of blueberries. Did you know that blueberries are native to North America and are grown in 35 states? What’s more, they’re an ingredient in more than 4,000 products, from muffins to pet food to cosmetics—and to think it all started in New Jersey.

The popularity of blueberries can be credited directly to Elizabeth Coleman White and Frederick V. Coville, who, succeeded in hybridizing wild blueberry plants to create a new domestic blueberry industry. They began their work at the White family farm, Whitesbog, in Browns Mills, Burlington County an area known for cranberry bogs and the infamous Pine Barrens. 

Although Washington and Georgia lead the country in terms of blueberry production, New Jersey is currently the fifth highest blueberry producing state in the U.S. Despite our state’s small size, New Jersey growers often register yields topping 56.7 million pounds of blueberries each year. Amazingly, over 80% of New Jersey’s blueberries are grown in Atlantic County and most of the blueberry harvest comes from a mere 8,800 acres. 

Many of New Jersey’s  blueberries are packaged at the Atlantic Blueberry Company at Hammonton. 

Living in New Jersey, we are lucky enough to have picking areas nearby—fun for the whole family! They make a great snack all on their own or enhance a meal, make stellar desserts or sauces. Plus, these vibrant berries pack a punch in vitamins and health benefits.  

Here are a few things blueberries can do for you:

#1: Blueberries are the #1 fruit with the highest antioxidant capacity. It beats out any other berry! These powerful antioxidants have been known to improve the immune system and prevent infections in the body (especially urinary tract infections.) 

#2: Blueberries can help with weight loss. Blueberries have fewer than 100 calories in a cup, making it a healthy pick for snacking. There have also been numerous studies, linking blueberries to the loss of stomach fat.

#3: The deeper the color of a blueberry, the richer they are in antioxidants, vitamins and medicinal perks. Go for the darkest berries!

#4: Blueberries can reduce the risk of cancer. Anthocyanins (which give the fruit its hue) have been studied and known to attack cancer-causing free radicals in the body.

#5: Blueberries for the brain! Numerous studies have shown that blueberries can help reduce the risk of memory loss. Brain food at its finest

It’s grilling season

JULY IS NATIONAL GRILLING MONTH

Summer is the time for the best outdoor cooking, so it is no surprise July is National Grilling Month.

Don’t let improperly prepared food ruin your summer. Use these grilling tips keep you grilling and enjoying the beautiful weather all season long.

  • Wash your hands. Use hand sanitizer when clean water isn’t readily available where you are grilling.
  • Keep food cold until you are ready to put them on the grill. Letting them sit allows bacteria to grow.
  • Don’t mix raw and cooked foods. Keep raw foods separate from each other. Once cooked, use a clean dish to place your final masterpiece. The bacteria from the raw food will contaminate the freshly cooked meal.
  • Keep hot food warm to at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit until ready to be placed in a cooler with ice or refrigerator to prevent bacteria growth. For salads and cold foods, keep them chilled on ice.

A powerhouse treat

Leave it to Simply Fit to serve up a delicious chewy bar packed with 15 grams of protein!

If you haven’t tried these new bars yet, you’re in for a powerhouse treat! Now available in decadent Birthday Cake and unbeatable Chocolate Peanut Butter.

Whenever I have a craving, I grab one. I even give offer to share them with friends at the gym—this is my last one.

Time to order a new box from my on line shopping club!

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how great the Birthday Cake bars are! Not too sweet, great texture and taste exactly like a birthday cake!

So healthy and delicious for me!

We need to refresh and replenish

I drink a lot of water—it’s my favorite drink. But every now and then, I need a boost—something that will enhance my water habit as well as keep me refreshed and replenished.

A few years ago, I found this great product. It’s packaged so conveniently that I can always take with me. I use it for workouts and I will even add it to my water in restaurants.

The reason why I like Sustain® Sport is because it packs four electrolytes into each serving to give me what I need the most: proprietary complex of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. That’s twice as many as Gatorade® Thirst Quencher Original Orange!  

I’ve found using this regularly on workouts, walks, or on hot summer days when I want a flavored drink. It helps to rehydrate and convert carbs into energy for school, work, activities, or sports. I’ve also noticed my walks and workouts last longer without fatigue and muscle cramps.

Even though it comes in five flavors, my favorite is the Ruby Red Grapefruit!

It’s National Hydration Day!

Games get intense under the hot summer sun and we need to replace fluids lost in the heat of battle.

Did you know the human body contains more than 60 percent water? Maintaining that balance while training is a challenge, doing it during the summer months is a practice that must be consistent. Becoming overheated or dehydrated can lead to heat stroke and possibly death.

There are ways to help prevent dehydration. Being hydrated before a workout even begins is important. If you are under hydrated before you start it’s hard to catch up once the sweating starts.  Drink plenty of fluids throughout the training. These can include sports drinks which contain electrolytes (Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium and Potassium) to replenish the essential minerals the body loses through perspiration.

My favorite product is Sustain which has the dual duty of protecting the athlete as well as providing essential electrolytes for maintaining hydration balance while the athlete trains, without adding excess sugar. Sustain can be used before, during, and after the workout, to continue fluid replenishment. It tastes great and is easy to bring on my workouts.

My new favorite snack!

Meet MY new favorite snack! New Simply Fit Nut & Fruit Clusters pack spectacular flavor into deliciously munchable bite-sized squares.

They’re crunchy, chewy, sweet, and salty.

Just what you need right about now.

Children’s nutrition and health

Today’s children, for the most part, do not eat well — they are overfed and undernourished. They commonly choose foods that are high in fats, sugars, and salt that have little, real nutritional value. The top choices among kids are hot dogs, chicken nuggets, French fries, pancakes, pizza, cookies and ice cream. It doesn’t sound like an optimal menu for growing children and it’s not conducive to good health.

This creates a domino effect that results in 97% of children suffering from some form of malnutrition. One out of every three children ages 2 to 19 is obese or overweight. That’s triple the rate of just a generation ago! Believe it or not many in this age group suffer from high blood pressure. Plus, diabetes in this group has increased by 21% in the last 10 years because of poor nutrition and 75% of these children do not get 60 minutes of exercise each day. The result? Childhood obesity health costs are $14 billion a year.

The article below will further explain some guidelines and strategies for ensuring that your child is well-fed and healthy. Supplementation can replace some of the vitamins and minerals missing in your children’s and grandchildren’s diets. Make sure to choose supplements that are safe and effective.

www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-nutrition-for-kids

Today is National Eat Your Vegetables.

Today is National Eat Your Vegetables. June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, and National Eat Your Vegetables Day reminds everyone that vegetables are an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.

As part of the main meal or as a snack, vegetables can be enjoyed in a variety of ways.  Each vegetable has its own nutritional content though generally, they contain a little protein or fat and varying proportions of vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Vitamin B6, provitamins, dietary minerals and carbohydrates. They also contain a variety of other phytochemicals, some of which have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties. Many vegetables also contain fiber which is important for gastrointestinal function. Another benefit is the essential nutrients that vegetables contain that are necessary for healthy hair and skin.

When eating a diet consisting of the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, it may help lower the risk of heart diseases and type 2 diabetes.  These diets may also help to decrease bone loss and protect against some cancers. The potassium provided may help prevent the formation of kidney stones.

It is recommended by the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, to consume 3 to 5 servings of vegetables per day.  This recommendation may vary, however, depending on age and gender. For most vegetables, one serving is equivalent of 1/2 to 1 cup and can be eaten either raw or cooked. Make sure you consume your recommended daily allowance of vegetables.

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