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Staying Healthy Over Winter
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Staying Healthy Over Winter

31 May Staying Healthy Over Winter

Posted at 17:33h in Uncategorized by
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No matter the season, it’s important to keep up your healthy eating habits and get your 30 minutes of physical activity a day.

1. Enjoy Winter Vegetables and Fruit:

Grapefruit, kiwifruit, mandarins and oranges are all delicious and in season over winter. Try involving fruit in your breakfast if you’re not already, and add an extra serve of vegetables to each main meal. Broccoli, carrots and cauliflower are great winter vegetables, particularly for soups. It’s easy to find in season fruit and vegetables at your local grocers.

While fresh is best, stocking the freezer up with vegetables is a cheap and easy additions to any meal.

2. Take Time for Tea:

Drinking tea dates back to ancient China, and in recent years the spotlight has been on its health benefits.

Know benefits can include:

  • Antioxidant properties
  • May help to lower “bad” LDL Cholesterol
  • May improve gut health
  • May help to reduce blood pressure
  • May help to reduce the risk of stroke
  • May lower blood sugar levels
  • May help to reduce the risk of Cancers
  • May improve focus

Black tea is a great option if you are looking for a low-calorie, non-sweetened beverage with less caffeine than coffee or energy drinks.

3. Stews, Casseroles and Leftovers:

A great winter warmer! Making casseroles and stews with lots of vegetables boosts your meals with healthy foods. When cooking stews and casseroles, remember to trim fat off meat before cooking. Add kidney beans, chickpeas, soy beans or lentils for fibre, and use reduced salt stock. Stews and casseroles are great for meal prepping.

For winters desserts, stew some fruit and save some for breakfast for the next day.

4. Portion Sizes:

Winter is a great time to re-think the size of your meal. Foods such as rice, pasta and potatoes are easy to over-serve. Serving a smaller portion helps to manage weight, and free up space on your plate for more vegetables! Use smaller plates when dishing up and waiting 20 minutes before heading back for seconds.

5. Get Active Indoors:

There’s lots of indoor activities to embrace over winter, such as yoga, bowling, dancing, soccer and so on. The key is to make your activity enjoyable and social. Joining a group, pre-paying for classes, or getting involved with friends, can help to keep you accountable to your exercise plans.

6. Sit Less:

Be active around the house. Do some exercise while watching your favourite show. Stay active with gardening, cleaning, washing the dog or dancing. Have fun getting physical in the comfort of your warm home. Use an activity tracker. This can help to make sure you’re keeping the same activity level as you do during the warmer months.

7. Rug Up:

Keep an eye on the weather and if it’s ok, get some exercise outside. Once moving, you’ll warm up. While you’re out, look for other ways to exercise. Walk or cycle to the local shops instead of driving the car. Use the stairs instead of the lift or escalator. Join a walking group, or download a walking app and get active with friends to keep you motivated.

 

This is an edited extract from “The Heart Foundation”  – see original article at https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/blog/7-tips-for-staying-healthy-over-winter

 

If there is a part of your condition or injury that you are struggling to understand, be sure to seek clarification with your medical professional. None of the information in this article is a replacement for proper medical advice. Always see a medical professional for advice on your condition.