Eating for the season: spring tips for a healthier you

Spring signifies a fresh start, with warmer weather and blossoming flowers. It's a great opportunity to rethink your health habits and how to incorporate healthier changes in your everyday routine.

Whether it’s eating more seasonal fruits and vegetables or drinking more water, small changes can make a big impact on your overall health and well-being.

Not sure how to start creating healthier habits this spring? Use these tips to help you get started. 

Eat with the season  

Living in the Central Valley gives locals access to a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Learning how to incorporate these into your diet can help you meet your vitamin and mineral needs, bump up your fiber and can even help prevent certain diseases.

Examples of spring produce include:

• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Strawberries
• Sweet cherries

While these are just a few options that become available in spring, try attending a local farmers market or visiting farm stands to get a pulse of what produce is in season.   

Plan your meals 

Meal planning can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Planning your meals in advance can help you avoid takeout on busy nights since you already have a plan in place. A few things to keep in mind as you prepare meals:

• Pick a time once a week to plan out meals and make a grocery list.
• Try pre-cutting fruits (strawberries, for example) and vegetables (cucumbers or avocados) for easy-to-grab snacks or to throw into meals and salads.

Reduce sugar intake

Extra syrups and sugars are often added to snacks and drinks to increase flavor. Too much sugar in your diet, however, can contribute to other health problems like obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

If you enjoy flavored drinks, try switching to plain water or unsweetened tea. Or swap prepackaged snacks with a high sugar content with something more nutritious. 

Mindful eating 

It’s no secret that we all live busy lives so it’s easy to grab fast food for lunch or a handful of candy for a snack without thinking much about it, because it’s efficient and convenient. Mindful eating, however, means pausing to think about what you’re going to eat and being intentional with your meals.  

Mindful eating has been linked to improving digestion, curbing cravings and regulating eating patterns. Not sure how to “eat mindfully”? You can always start by:

• Limiting distractions (e.g., being on your phone while you’re eating). If our brains are focused on another activity, we naturally won’t pay attention to the amount of food we’re eating.
• Stop eating when you feel full. We so often want to finish everything on our plate – but your body will tell you when it's satisfied. Don’t continue eating just because there is food in front of you.
• Chew slowly. Thoroughly chewing your food (15-20 times) before swallowing can help improve your digestion and help you feel “fuller” more quickly.

Hydration 

Water is a key player to your health and nutrition since our bodies are made up of 60% water. Dehydration happens when your body doesn’t have enough fluids and can cause dizziness, fatigue and many other symptoms. Making sure you’re hydrated can boost energy and mental clarity, prevent kidney stones, decrease headaches and much more.

The recommended amount of water is eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day but can vary depending on your activity level and climate. 

Small changes in your diet or nutrition can make a big impact on your health. Set reasonable and realistic goals so you don’t get discouraged or feel overwhelmed. For example, if you’re not used to eating any fruits or vegetables, start slowly and set a goal to eat 1-2 servings per day.  

If you’re unsure where to start with your health goals, talk with your primary care provider about proper nutrition and what type of plan would benefit you.

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