Mother Nature is calling: The Importance of Being Outside

By Tomilyn Thornberry

The holidays are over, summer is still a few months away, and we all tend to get stuck indoors with our televisions and computers during the months of January and February. It is no surprises these months have been found to have the highest depression rates. Even in sunny California the shorter daylight hours keep many of us inside for the majority of our days and weeks. If we stop to think about it there are probably even stretches of multiple days where we only go outside to get to and from our modes of transportation and our workplaces. For those with children, the thought of getting the kids geared up to go play outside can sometimes be exhausting.

But, no matter where you live, spending time outdoors each week is vital to your mental health.  It’s so important that we be conscious of making some time each day to just appreciate the outdoors. Here are a few suggestions on ways to make time for being outside each day:

-Do a daily routine (checking emails/etc. on phone, reading the daily paper) outside on a bench.

-Get off the elliptical or treadmill…take your workout outdoors!

-Pick one of the outside tables when you head to Starbucks to do work or study.

-Arrange a playdate with other parents/kids at an outdoor playground.

-Walk instead of drive!

-Don’t forget to open your windows to let fresh air in your home from time to time.

For children, being indoors is both overstimulating and boring.  Even the experts agree: “Throughout history, children spent most of every day frolicking outside. Our homes are boring because they replace the exciting sensations of nature (the feeling of the wind on their skin, the brilliant sun, the soft grass, etc.) with an immense stillness (flat walls, flat floors, no wind). (Being indoors) bombards them with jolting experiences that kids in the past never had to deal with: crazy cartoons, slick videos, clanging computer games, noisy toys, and bright colors everywhere...which can make many little children feel stressed."  You might deduce that the same can be said for adults with all of the technological gadgets we have to fill our time. 

To those of you that have weather to contend with in these winter months allow me to share with you an appropriate quote: “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.” In other words, if you have the right clothing items you can brave the rain, cold or wind and still be comfortable.  In Denmark, where the average winter temperatures are 30 degrees F, parents take their children outside everyday, they just dress them accordingly.

So, make time for the outdoors, even if it means pulling on a sweatshirt and reading a book on the porch at 8pm! Your body and mind will thank you.

How Do You Like Your Veggies? Raw, Baked, Steamed, Fried?

By Nichelle Francavilla

Does it really matter how we prepare our vegetables? Do we get the same nutritional value from pan fried vegetables, steamed vegetables, and raw vegetables?

The answer is no we do not get the same nutritional value from our vegetables through these different cooking modalities. This information almost seems hidden from us as a society.  Almost all vegetables with a few exceptions have the most nutritional value if we eat them raw. For most Americans eating every vegetable we consume raw would be quite boring and for some unappealing. There are fortunately other ways in which we can eat vegetables and still get nutritional value out of them. The second best way to prepare those veggies is through steaming, next baking/roasting, and finally through sautéing/frying them. The key for all of these cooking methods is to not overcook them. The more you cook the vegetables the more nutrition that is cooked out of them.

The unfortunate fact is that many vegetables have lost many of their nutrients by the time they reach our kitchen counter for a meal. Due to our mass production of foods in America the time between picking the produce and getting it to the consumer has increased significantly. Many nutrients are lost from our vegetables from being exposed to air and light during this time. The longer distance the vegetable travel means the longer they have been exposed to light and the longer they have been exposed to air. The best advice is to eat as fresh of food as possible from places like farmers markets or even your own personal garden. This eliminates the long distance that your produce has to travel to reach your plate.

Another tip is to wash your veggies, but not soak them because many of the water-soluble vitamins can have a tendency to leach out. This is true for any liquid you place your veggies in from steaming them in water to sautéing them in oil. The vitamins often leach into the liquid and are discarded. For soups where that liquid is often used, not much of the nutrition is lost because they are then included back into the meal.

Set a goal! What will you change to get the most nutrition out of your meal? How will you eat your next meal of veggies to benefit you the most? Perhaps raw or slightly steamed? Maybe you will even use your weekend to visit a nearby farmers market and get fresh veggies!

For more information visit: http://www.myoptumhealth.com