As summer winds down and the back-to-school season approaches I don't know about you, but I'm feeling that end-of-summer crunch. Between prepping for back-to-school madness and trying to squeeze in those last bits of summer fun, who's got time to think about health, right? Well, it's important to keep health at the forefront especially preparing for the upcoming winter in all of its viral and bacterial glory. By introducing new, health-conscious habits, we can nurture our families' well-being without sacrificing the joy of shared experiences.
Here are five simple steps you can take right now to protect you and your family's health and support overall vitality.
- Sneak in the good stuff (they'll never know!). Okay, so we all know veggies aren't always a hit with everyone, but here's a secret: Throw some spinach in with some Barlean’s Chocolate Greens and peanut butter, and boom! You've got a "milkshake" that tastes like a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup and is good for you. Start small - maybe one sneaky healthy swap a week.
- Make moving fun (no gym required). After a long day, the couch looks mighty tempting, doesn’t it? But here's the deal: moving our bodies is super important. So why not make it a game? Have a dance-off in the living room, see who can do the silliest yoga pose, or turn your backyard into an obstacle course. Bonus: you'll be laughing so hard you won't even realize you're exercising.
- Laugh it up (doctor's orders!). Speaking of laughing, sometimes we have to plan for laughter in our day because in the hustle and bustle it doesn’t always come easy. So, plan to pull up those funny cat videos, have a joke-telling contest with the kids, or dig out those embarrassing old photos and share them with friends. Laughter is like a free immune booster, and goodness knows we could all use a little more of that!
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate (but make it fun). Water is life, but it can be boring for some people. Jazz it up! Get the kids to help make fruit-infused water - it's like spa water, but with sticky little fingers involved. Or freeze some fruit juice into ice cubes to make water more exciting. Aim for half your body weight in ounces, but don't stress if you don't hit it every day. Progress, not perfection!
- Supplement smarts (because we're not superheroes... or are we?). In an ideal world, we'd get all our nutrients from a perfectly balanced diet, but between picky eaters and crazy schedules, sometimes we need a little help. Add omega-3s to your day - they're great for brain, and all over body wellness. Barlean’s Seriously Delicious Omega 3 tastes like dessert without all the sugar or calories and makes for an easy staple that’s healthy, delicious, and can be poured and mixed into just about anything to give it some decadence.
Remember, we're all doing the best we can with what we've got. These are just some ideas to make the health journey a bit easier and a lot more fun. You don't have to do it all at once - maybe pick one thing to focus on this month. And hey, if all else fails and you end up eating ice cream for dinner while binge-watching Netflix... well, there's always tomorrow. Balance is key, no matter your age or stage in life, and especially if you’re pouring Barlean's Omega 3 oil over that ice cream. Add even one of these healthy steps and you are going out into the winter months strong.
Julie Hawkes- Barlean's Product Educator