Veggie Tales: The Beauty of Produce (Originally for Outdoorosity.org)

Want to stay healthy to be able to enjoy life to the fullest? By prioritizing produce in your diet, you will be on your way. Produce is full of vitamins and antioxidants, it helps ward off a variety of undesirable ailments (read more from Harvard School of Public Health), plus it is visually appealing and delicious.

Here are some tips to get you on your way:

1. Go to the farmers’ market. There’s nothing like wandering through a beautiful market filled with local, seasonal fruits, veggies and plants to get you ready to eat well. Support your local economy, find fresher produce and try new things based on recommendations from real-life experts. For inspiration, ask the people selling what their favorite recipe is at the moment. Bonus: the people-watching is excellent!
2. Make your plate rainbow. A visually intriguing plate is more exciting to eat, and colors often indicate different vitamins in your food. For example, pumpkin, carrots and sweet potatoes are all rich in vitamin A and get their orange color from the beta-carotene. Learn more about beta-carotene from the University of Maryland Medical Center.
3. Try out some new salad ideas to avoid boredom. Dr. Ann has salad recipe suggestions.
4. Read up on the seasons and try eating accordingly. I’ve made a big effort the last two years to eat fruits and veggies when they are in season, and not only have I come to love some new things like butternut squash, kale and cucumbers, but I also love tasting things things when they are naturally most delicious. I usually save money by eating this way, as well! Start by choosing just a few seasonal items and add more as you are ready.
5. Choose portable fruits and veggies as on-the-go snacks. Fruit is the original convenience food, with many types coming in their own biodegradable “wrapper.” Whenever I have produce on my desk or in the fridge at work, I am better able to avoid the ever-prevalent pastries at the office and choose to indulge in sweets only when I really want to.
6. Use Pinterest (Outdoorosity does!). There are great charts of seasonal produce, infographics to remind you of the dirty dozen and clean fifteen, and recipes for any produce item that you might have on-hand, not to mention beautiful photos. I have found some of my favorite recipes on Pinterest and I always know where to go to find them again.
7. Buy a Community-Supported Agriculture share to get a steady supply of delicious produce while supporting local agriculture. Or, plant some of your own seeds and enjoy the fruits of your labor in a few months.
8. Ice cream is certainly a delicious way to end your meal, but so is berry crisp, citrus salad, a smoothie or rhubarb pie (Check out Outdoorosity's pinned recipes). Get creative and include produce in your dessert for a healthier sweet grand finale.

Thanks for reading. Which of these suggestions will you try?

Maximizing Each Day: Health in the Workplace (Originally for Greenville Pulse)

As much as we might wish that it were otherwise, there are a fixed number of hours in a day. Over the past five years, I have increasingly prioritized my health and it has made each hour better. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy that slice of Brick Street’s sweet potato cake just as much as (and maybe more than) the next person. However, I am a strong advocate for the value of making simple changes to help you feel and work better.


Whether you have a “desk job” like me or a more active working routine, there are some quick and easy actions that you can take to improve each workday.

Here are my favorites:

1. Keep a glass or bottle of water on your desk. The benefits are many, with my motivations being more energy and fewer headaches. Bonus: Refills are the perfect opportunity to stretch your legs and do a quick mental reset.
2. If you’re not an early-morning exerciser, look for fitness classes or gyms that you can visit during your lunch break. It is truly great to leave the office at the end of the day knowing that you have already worked out.
3. Audit your workspace set-up. Does your chair encourage correct posture? Is your computer screen at the correct height and angle to avoid neck strain and are you sitting the recommended 20 to 40 inches away? OSHA has tips. 
4. Allow yourself 30 more minutes of sleep. Sleep deprivation is significant: Don’t live at 80%. 
5. Keep fresh fruit, serving-size portions of nuts, or your favorite guilt-free snack in your desk drawer. When the chocolate chip cookies show up, you’ll be able to combat the temptation and instead choose to indulge a few times a week when you aren’t just eating for distraction.
6. Seek out a little daylight. If you often don’t leave the office before the sun goes down (I’m guilty here), make an effort to take a quick break for a walk or spend a few minutes working by a window to refresh yourself. Sunlight boosts vitamin D and serotonin levels. 
7. Take time to sit up straight and breathe well. Sad but true, too many people spend their time slouched over their desk or steering wheel barely remembering to breathe. Oxygen is vital. 
8. Keep your sunglasses and a travel-sized sunscreen with you so that you can be prepared to enjoy the outdoors anytime without worrying about UV rays.