"FALL" INTO HEALTH

It is unseasonably warm right now, but it is officially fall. Let’s take this change of season as a chance to boost our health and fitness.

Eat Seasonal! Optimize your health with seasonal fruits and vegetables that deliver loads of nutrients and energy to your body. Potassium-rich winter squash like acorn and butternut squash go great with soups and salads. Figs make a delicious dessert choice and are amazing to top oatmeal with. Let’s not forget the quintessential fall fruit-APPLES! These fiber-packed power houses can be found everywhere in whole form or in ciders and snacks. Cruciferous veggies like cauliflower and broccoli are full of vitamin C that helps protect our immune system as the colder weather approaches.

Exercise smart! In October our clocks turn back an hour. This may alter your evening work outs. It will be darker and more dangerous. Be sure to wear reflective clothing and use headlamps or hand held lights to protect yourself. You won’t be sweating as much as you did in the hot sun of July and August. Don’t get complacent in your water consumption. Drinking water is just as important during autumn as it is any other time of the year, especially as cooler dryer air can lead you to work out harder and longer than usual without taking a break.

Get out in nature! While the colder weather may make you want to stay curled up with a cup of hot cider, fall is actually an incredible time to be outside.. Spending time outdoors has been shown to help lower stress levels, and when combined with endorphin-producing fitness, can make for an all-around mood booster that brightens each of your days.

Set a Fall Fitness Goal! Sign up for any of the amazing fall local charity runs. With a race in your future, you are more likely to stick with a training program. Our local Turkey Trot is a lot of fun and makes the additional indulgence on Thanksgiving seem forgivable J

Get Schooled! Our kids have finally gone back to school, why don’t we? Take this time of year to get schooled on important health and fitness subjects. For example, did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women and that managing weight and exercising regularly can significantly lower your risk of developing it? Take time to make your doctor's appointments. Fairfield University, Whole Foods, and even our libraries consistently offer free lectures on different health topics. Netflix has a variety of health educational documentaries such as, “What the Health?” and “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.”  Make your health a priority this season!

And as always, come on in the office. We would love to be a part of your health maintenance team!