An Apple A Day

It seems like every month there is a mission to bring us all closer to a better lifestyle and better health in general. September is no exception. This is National 5 A Day Month. The goal is to raise awareness of the importance of getting at least five fruits and vegetables in your diet every single day. The maximum amount is 9, but it is probably more realistic for most of us to reach for a goal of 7 fruits and veggies a day. How can you accomplish this? Have fruit with your breakfast in the form of sliced strawberries, bananas, blueberries or raisins. Have an apple or carrot sticks for a snack. Add a salad to your lunch instead of fries or add sliced tomatoes to your sandwich instead of extra mayo for flavor. Always include vegetables with your dinner no matter what you are eating. Have them stir fried or grilled and definitely in a side salad. You can even add fruit into your salad like pinapple chunks, raisins, cranberries, sliced apples or mandarin oranges. At night, instead of snacking on chips, have some low-fat popcorn and a piece of fruit. Whatever you do, try to stay away from fruit juice which is usually laden with too much sugar. Whole fruit has more fiber and is just a better choice, especially if you are trying to lose some weight.