How are your New Year’s resolutions coming along? I love to recycle, so I’m recycling last year’s pledge to continue exploring wonderfully delicious ways to eat and live abundantly, vibrantly and healthy.
In my previous column, I introduced you to the NEW START acronym for healthy living.
I unpacked the “N” for nutrition and the “E” for exercise. Have you started any new eating and exercise habits for 2015 yet?
There’s no reason you can’t start today to make healthy changes for yourself and your family.
Now, let me unpack the next two letters of this acronym.
“W” is for water. Adam’s ale, H2O, whatever you want to call it, are you drinking six to 10 cups daily of this clear, absolutely necessary liquid?
Most people are walking around dehydrated without realizing it.
Do you get headaches often? Joints feel stiff? Got scratchy eyes? Feeling tired? Strong-smelling urine? Then, drink more water.
Every one of your bodily functions requires water. Drink enough to keep your urine pale.
Milk, juice and coffee don’t cut it. Drink water to get maximal benefit.
“S” is for sunlight. Not only does the kiss of the sun kickstart vitamin D production, but that giant ball of fiery, glowing gas does so much more for us.
Did you know that a moderate amount of sun exposure daily can help boost your immune system, lower blood pressure, help heal skin conditions and ease symptoms of depression?
As well, sunlight promotes a good night’s sleep by prompting your body to produce melatonin, a sleep hormone, which translates into more z’s.
Taking a walk on a sunny day is a great way to combine the “E” and the “S” of NEW START.
So, with the aid of four letters thus far— “N,” “E,” “W,” and “S”—we have learned to become more conscious of what we eat; work our bodies daily, preferably out in the sunshine; and guzzle more water.
The results will be stunning for you. I’ll discuss the remaining four letters of the acronym NEW START in upcoming columns.
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Want delicious help improving your lifestyle?
Each Monday night from Jan. 26 to Feb. 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., I’ll be teaching a three-part “Hey, Good Cooking!” series at the Kelowna Lifestyle Centre, 1130 Springfield Rd.
You’ll get to make wildly delicious recipes like Maple Chia Hemp Pudding, Scrambled Garden Tofu, Almond Milk, Rainbow Collard Wraps, Sweet Potato Burritos, Zucchini “Alfredo”, Raw-some Apple Pie and more.
Call 250-864-0450 by Jan. 23 to register for this series featuring Breakfast Delights, What’s for Lunch? and Delicious Dinners.
The registration fee is $35/person per night, or $95 for all three classes.
Also, I will present a free health talk entitled New Year, New You! at the Rutland Adventist Church, 130 Gerstmar Rd., on Jan. 31, 5 p.m.
Hope to see you there.
