Smart Health Talk Resolution #3 Eat more fruits and vegetables

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10 Smart Health Resolutions that can improve your health, and quality of life.

#3: Eat more vegetables.

➡ The new USDA recommendations include filling half of your plate with vegetables. There are many reasons for telling us to work toward that goal.

➡ Vegetables are one of the ultimate foods. Not only are vegetables low in calories and high in fiber, but they are packed full of disease preventing antioxidants and phyto nutrients of which thousands have now been identified as having been there the whole time in all plant foods. Antioxidants step in when outside factors such as poisons, pollution, chemicals, and even just the process of digesting food create "free radicals" that until stopped can destroy all cells in their path and can lead to diseases such as cancer. Antioxidants step in and stop the destruction. By eating vegetables and other plant foods you are adding new soldiers to your bodies army of defenders and supplying them with the weapons they need to that take out invaders and neutralize them in their tracks.

➡ Vegetables are a harder “sell” than fruits so more effort is needed to fit them in each day. Let's face it, many a vegetables has been at the core of many a joke, and sweet tasting fruit is usually an "easy sell." Vegetables can actually offer incredible flavor therefore those that buy into the idea that vegetables are bad tasting are really missing out. Some of my most delicious bites of food have been delivered to me by vegetables. Especially the really fresh organic kind that you get right from your garden, farmers market, and grocery store that works with local farmers. Vegetables are "free foods" because of their low calorie/virtually no fat content so you can eat all you want. Just be careful about adding fats to them as fats always count and cost you 100 calories a tablespoon or more. There is something very rewarding that happens when you eat these nutrition packed foods. When you give your body vegetables, it can go to town repairing and making new strong healthy cells. Try eating some greens for a couple of days and see the new glow that comes to your skin after your have supplied all of that great Vitamin A nutrition.

➡ Add extra vegetables when cooking most anything such as eggs, spaghetti sauce, chili, noodles, and soups. We don't realize all of the places we can fit vegetables into meals. Bring home a jar of spaghetti sauce and start with cooking lots of onion and garlic in some olive oil. Added chopped zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms spinach, and even carrots with the sauce. Buy cheese pizza, bring it home and add grilled peppers, onions, and mushrooms that you just mix with olive oil, spread on foil, and pop into the toaster oven until done. Hungry kids will eat it right up or have to work really hard to pick it off. Even ramen noodles can become more nutritious when you add some frozen mixed vegetables.

➡ Don't be afraid to keep introducing different vegetables to your children and yourself. Think you don't like a vegetable? Our tastes can change as we age so give them another try. When your kids watch you eat vegetables, chances are they will too.

➡ Start when your children are babies. When you introduce foods, always start with vegetables instead of fruits. It is always easy to love sweet, but when you give babies a chance to love vegetables first, chances are that will continue to love them through childhood and adulthood. Besides breastfeeding, this may be one of the greatest gifts you could give your child to set them up for reduced risk for disease.

➡ Join a Community Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) group and pick up a box of discounted, freshly picked organic produce once every week or two, or find one that delivers right to your door. Visit LocalHarvest.org to find farmers in your area. Not only do you save money and get organic vegetables right from the farm, but it saves you from having to do the shopping. What a deal!