Healthy living encompasses quite a few aspects of our everyday life. It does not always mean a gym membership or working out every day of the week, but it does mean being mindful of our activities, food consumption, and habits. 

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Activity:

Try to do some kind of activity every day. It does not have to be record breaking or even brag worthy but it has to start, thoughts alone will never constitute as an activity. Exercise even if only  performed once or twice a week can reduce a persons risk of heart disease or having a stroke. 

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If you are unsure what to do or where to begin, begin with a small activity. Everything is about moderation, Rome was not built in a day and neither will changing your lifestyle!

 

Begin with changing your daily routine:

​-Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

-Snack on a salad instead of a candy bar or sweets.

-Go out dancing, roller skating, bike riding whether solo or with friends.

-Park your car further away from your destination and enjoy a brisk walk.

-Visit your nearest metro park, enjoy the scenery.

-Join a walking club and increase your daily steps as a group.

-Create a fitness group with friends and family, decide on a target pedometer goal and work every day to log your steps and meet your goal as a team.

-Many local YMCA's offer free or low cost yoga, Pilates and or mediation. Try a session and see if you like it!

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Diet:

Eating healthy does not mean a strict diet of bland leaves and a carrot or two tossed on your plate. Gardens are filled with brightly colored fruits and vegetables and your plate can be reflective of this variety.  With ease, you can choose at least one (1) vegetable from each of the five color groups. This can offer a variety of healthy nutritional options to you.

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Food Color Choices

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1. Purple/Blue Vegetable Choices:

Eggplant       Cabbage     Turnips    Endive     Potatoes     Cauliflower     Asparagus     Carrots

Black Olives  Purple Asparagus        Purple Cabbage         Purple Carrots                      Eggplant
Purple Belgian Endive                       Purple Peppers          Potatoes (purple fleshed)
Black Salsify

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Purple/Blue Fruit Choices:

Plums           Blueberries                   Blackberries              Currants        Grapes            Elderberries

Prunes         Raisins

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2. Green Vegetable Choices:

Artichokes    Arugula     Asparagus     Broccoflower     Broccoli     Broccoli Rabe      Brussels Sprouts
Chinese Cabbage              Green Beans  Green Cabbage  Celery         Chayote Squash  Cucumbers
Endive            Leafy Greens                         Leeks                    Lettuce       Green Onions        Okra
Peas                .Green Peppers                     Snow Peas          Spinach       Sugar Snap Peas
Watercress    Zucchini    Green Peas

     

Green Fruit Choices:

Avocados    Green Apples    Green Grapes    Honeydew    Kiwifruit     Limes

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3. Orange/Yellow  Vegetable Choices:

Yellow Beets     Butternut Squash      Carrots         Yellow Peppers    Yellow Potatoes
Pumpkin            Rutabagas                      Yellow Summer Squash           Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes  Yellow Tomatoes      Yellow Winter Squash

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Orange/Yellow  Fruit Choices:

Yellow Apples    Apricots     Cape Gooseberries     Cantaloupe    Yellow Figs   Grapefruit
Golden Kiwifruit  Lemons    Mangoes    Nectarines   Oranges    Papayas  Peaches
Yellow Pears  Persimmons  Pineapples   Tangerines  Yellow Watermelon

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4. Red  Vegetable Choices:

Beets     Red Peppers   Radishes    Radicchio    Red Onions   Red Potatoes  Rhubarb    Tomatoes   Red Lettuce

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Red  Fruit Choices:

Red Apples  Blood Oranges   Cherries   Cranberries   Red Grapes   Pink/Red Grapefruit
Red Pears    Pomegranates   Raspberries    Strawberries   Watermelon

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5. White/Tan/Brown Vegetables

Potatoes    Mushrooms    Onions   Parsnips    Cauliflower   Turnips   White Corn  Water Chestnuts

Kohlrabi   Shallots             Pears (flesh)              White Nectarines     Jicama   Garlic   Fresh Ginger

Jerusalem Artichokes
 

White/Tan/Brown  Fruit Choices:

Bananas     Dates   White Nectarines  White Peaches  Brown Pears