Download Wellness Challenge 7: Eat Fruits and Veggies

1.
Build and Strengthen Relationships
2. Create Your Own
3. Drink Plenty of Water
4. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
5. Eat a Healthy Lunch
6. Eat Foods Rich in Antioxidants
EAT FRUITS & VEGGIES
7. Eat Fruits & Veggies
8. Eat Protein
Challenge: Eat more fruits and veggies.
To complete this Wellness Challenge:
9. Eat Whole Grains, Nuts
1. Record the number of days you eat at least five servings of
fruits and vegetables on your Living Healthy Calendar.
10. Find Balance in Recreation
2. Get at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week and
track your minutes on your Living Healthy Calendar.
11. Get Adequate Rest
3. Eat fruits and vegetables and reach your activity goal at least
70% of the days in this Challenge.
4. Keep records of your complete Challenge and report your
success online.
Note: If you can’t complete this Challenge because of a medical
condition, let us know and we’ll be happy to come up with an
alternative that suits you.
12. Kick the Sugar Habit
13. Maintain, Don’t Gain
14. Makeover your Meals
Why fruits and veggies?
Fruits and vegetables are protective to your health in many
ways. Large research studies have found that people who eat
more fruits and vegetables have better health, less disease, and
live longer.
The first nutritional guideline of the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans states, “Use plant foods as the foundation of your
meals. ... Eating a variety of grains (especially whole grains),
fruits, and vegetables is the basis of healthy eating.”
15. Spend Less, Save More
16. Stress Less
17. Stretch & Strengthen
18. Walk 10,000 Steps a Day
WL07CH1WEB1216
Here are some of the key reasons why nutritionists
encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables:
• They’re low in calories & packed with nutrients
Fresh fruits and vegetables are high in water and
fiber, and tend to fill you up without eating too
many calories. Vegetables and fruits are also packed
with vitamins and minerals required for good
health. This is just opposite of most snack foods
and sweets that are high in calories and low in
nutrients.
• They help prevent cancer
Hundreds of studies show that people who eat the
most fruits and vegetables have the lower rates of
cancers such as prostate cancer, bowel cancer, lung
cancer, stomach cancer, and many more. The World
Health Organization recommends that everyone
eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables. “Choose
predominantly plant-based diets rich in fruits,
vegetables, and legumes.”
• They help prevent high blood pressure, stroke, and
coronary heart disease
Fresh fruits and vegetables are low in sodium and
high in potassium, a combination that helps reduce
high blood pressure.
Ways to increase your intake of fruits and
vegetables
• Keep ready-to-eat raw vegetables handy in a clear
container in the front of your refrigerator (easily
within view).
• Keep a fresh supply of fruit on the table or counter:
oranges, apples, kiwis, bananas, etc.
Vitamins, minerals, and more
Fruits and vegetables are a major source of vitamins
and minerals. They are also bursting with hundreds
of phytochemicals and antioxidants (cancer-fighting
agents.) A few examples include:
Vitamin A
• Helps keep your eyes healthy and able to adjust to
dim light
• Contributes to healthy skin and helps keep the
lining of your mouth, nose, throat, and digestive
tract healthy and resistant to infection
• Best sources are: beet greens, carrots, collards,
cress, dandelion greens, kale, mangoes, mixed
vegetables, mustard greens, peas, pumpkins,
red chili peppers, sweet red peppers, Swiss
chard, spinach, squash (winter, acorn, Hubbard,
butternut), sweet potatoes, and turnip greens
• Eat more salads, including a variety of raw
vegetables in the salad: broccoli, peppers, green
onions, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, greens such
as spinach, cauliflower, celery, beets, etc.
Vitamin C
• Enjoy stir-fried vegetables. Add tofu or other
source of protein to make a whole meal.
• Helps your body absorb the iron from the foods
you eat
• Add a variety of vegetables to soups and stew.
• Best sources are: acerola, broccoli, brussels sprouts,
chili peppers (red and green), guavas, kiwi, orange
juice, oranges, papayas, and sweet peppers (red and
green)
• Eat fruit salads often. Finish a meal with fruit as
a natural dessert: berries, melons, dates, grapes,
pineapple, papaya, mangoes, and watermelon.
• Makes your blood vessels stronger
• Helps you heal faster and helps you resist infections
Iron
• Contributes to healthy blood and strong muscles
• In addition to whole grains and legumes some
other sources of iron are: asparagus, avocado, beet
greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts, chard, collards,
dried fruits (apples, apricots, dates, figs, peaches,
prunes, and raisins), kale, mustard greens, parsnips,
peas, pumpkin seeds, rice, spinach, sweet potatoes,
tomato (juice, paste, puree, and sauce), turnip
greens, and winter squash.
Folic acid
• In addition to other B vitamins, folic acid
helps to lower a substance in the blood called
homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine
damages arteries, increasing the risk for clogged
coronary arteries.
• In addition to legumes, some other sources of folic
acid are: asparagus, avocado, boysenberries, okra,
orange juice, papaya, spinach, and turnip greens.
As you can see, fruits and vegetables are critical
to your well- balanced diet. Review the serving
guidelines that follow. Getting in enough of the good
stuff may be easier than you think.
• ½ cup cooked fruit such as applesauce or peach
slices
• 6 ounces of pure fruit juice such as orange, apple,
or grape juice
Vegetables
• 1 cup raw vegetables
• ½ cup cooked vegetables such as spinach or squash
• 1 medium fresh salad
• 6 ounces of vegetable juice such as tomato, carrot,
or V8
Don’t forget to fit in fitness!
Following the exercise guidelines below can help you
design an effective and safe activity program. Physical
activity:
• Burns excess calories, helping you achieve and
maintain a healthy weight
• Helps lower blood pressure and improves
cholesterol levels (raises HDL cholesterol)
• Improves insulin sensitivity, lowering blood glucose
levels, and preventing diabetes
• Improves mood and self image and combats
depression and anxiety
• Strengthens both muscle and bones, decreasing risk
of injury
• Reduces risk for colon and breast cancer
• Promotes a long, healthy life
The good news for most people is that physical
activity doesn’t need to be strenuous to be beneficial.
When you’re first getting started, keep your activity
moderate. Don’t over do it! Choose activities you
enjoy and that are within your current ability.
So what’s a serving of fruits or veggies?
Fruits
• 1 medium fresh fruit such as an apple, banana,
orange, etc.
• 1 cup fresh fruit