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Energizing tips for a healthier family

Feeling healthy is all about getting back to basics. The National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention make it easy. Every day, just remember five or more servings of fruits and vegetables, along with 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity.

It's simple. It's basic. And best of all, it's healthy.

GETTING THE WHOLE - FAMILY INVOLVED-IT'S EASIER THAN IT SOUNDS.

[image: an apple]

Encourage your family to help make the grocery list and pre-pare dinner. That way, everyone can select their favorite fruits and vegetables. By involving your kids, they'll be more likely to eat healthy foods. And they'll learn the basics of eating right.
Start a little healthy competition in your family by tracking everyone's fruit and vegetable consumption for a week. Have the
kids design a chart for each member of your family. Enter the number of 5 A Day servings eaten each day.
Total them up at the end of the week and see who ate the most fruits and a vegetables. Remember, five servings each day is the minimum!

QUICK BITES

Try these tips and see how easy it. is to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. BREAKFAST: Try a variety of fruit or vegetable juices (just be sure they're 100% juice), or make your own by blending orange-pineapple, apple-pear, and other combinations. Cook sliced apples and pears in the microwave and sprinkle with cinnamon. LUNCH: Pack a lunch box with sliced vegetables and low-fat ranch dressing. Stuff a pita pocket or roll a flour tortilla with vegetables, cheese, and mustard or low-fat vinaigrette. SNACKS: Fill ice cube trays with 100% fruit juice, cover the tray with plastic, poke heavy toothpicks into each square, and freeze. Or, freeze canned fruit, then whiz the frozen fruit in the blender for a fruit slushie. OTHER MEAL IDEAS: Add peas or broccoli to low-fat macaroni and cheese. Include frozen vegetables in soups, casseroles, or rice during the last five minutes of cooking. Pile vegetables on pizza before baking.

SO WHAT'S A SERVING --ANYHOW?

[image: a piece of broccoli]

The National Cancer Institute's 5 A Day program defines one serving as:

♦one 3/4 cup, or 6 oz., 100% fruit or vegetable juice
♦ medium fruit
♦ 1 /2 cup cut-up fruit
♦ 1/4 cup dried fruit
♦ 1/2 cup raw or cooked vegetables
♦ I cup raw, leafy vegetables.
♦ 1 /2 cup dried, cooked, or canned peas or beans

TRY 3 TEN-MINUTE WALKS

[image: the toe of a sneaker]

Physical activity doesn't have to mean going to the gym and sweating for hours. Fit a total of 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity into your daily routine — all at once, or throughout the day. It all counts. Being active helps control your weight, reduces stress, and boosts your energy. Here are a few suggestions:

♦Take three 10-minute walks throughout the day.
♦ Get off the bus a stop or two early and walk home.
♦ Be active with your kids. Take a bike ride, play catch, or clean the yard together.

♦ Guess what? Housework can be moderate physical activity. Throw on some music to liven it up and make it more enjoyable.

For a copy of "Time to Take 5," call NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER

For tips on physical activity, call CDC at 1-888-CDC-4NRG

Or visit ourWeb sites:
http://www.5aday.com
http://dccps.nci.nih.gov/5aday
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/readyset

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Digital version created: 15 December , 2004
URL: http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/e-resources/ebooks/records/edn1805.html
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