permanent allergy relief? - Intermountain Healthcare

EYLELIVING THELIFESTYLELIVING THELIFESTYLELIVING THELIFESTYLESuperSummer FoodsAs the weatherheats up,you mayfind yourselfcravingcool, crisp,refreshing meals. You’rein luck!Fresh produce abounds in the summermaking it the ideal time to meet therecommended nine servings of fruitsand/or vegetables per day. Summerproduce will cool you down and leaveyou feeling light and refreshed.Fruits and vegetables anytime of yearare nutritional powerhouses. Butsummer produce has an edge up withthe variety that is available. Below aresome summer super foods, just in timeto shape up for summer!Berries: Any berry will do…no need to discriminate! Blueberries,raspberries, blackberries, andstrawberries are the most common andare all very high in vitamin C. Thisvitamin is important for your immunesystem, but it also helps in collagenproduction to maintain skin elasticity.Berries are also a great source of fibersince the seeds are found in the fruit.Because of their lower sugar content,berries are lower in calories than mostother fruits. While the serving size forfruit is typically ½ cup for 60 calories,the serving size for berries is 1 cup for60 calories.How to use: Add berries toyogurt for breakfast, put them in asalad for lunch, pair with some nutsfor a snack, or eat fresh berries fora light summer dessert. One of themost popular desserts at the FitnessRidge Resort is chocolate-coveredstrawberries; just strawberries dippedin a bit of dark chocolate.Melons: As with berries, melonsare also low in calories. They have avery high water content, making themideal for proper hydration duringthe hot summer months. They are agreat source of vitamin A, which isimportant for eye health. Watermelonis high in lycopene, a powerfulantioxidant that may help to reduceyour risk for certain types of cancers.How to use: Melons are a greatcomplement to cottage cheese. Thismeal pairs fiber (melons) with protein(cottage cheese) to keep you full andsatisfied. They also make a great sidedish for any backyard BBQ.Bell Peppers: These, handsdown, are my favorite vegetable.They have a subtle crispy sweetnessthat I love. I also love that they are soversatile: they can be used in just aboutany dish, cooked or raw. Of the fourcommon colors-red, yellow, orangeand green-green is the least sweettasting, but all are great sources ofvitamin C. In fact, did you know thata red bell pepper has three times morevitamin C than an orange? One wholebell pepper is about 25 calories with 3grams of fiber.How to use: Try adding bellpeppers to an omelet for breakfast orthrowing them in a salad for lunch.They also make a great substitutionfor chips or crackers for dipping intohummus or a low-calorie dip. Try thatfor your afternoon snack!Tomatoes: Nothing screams summer morethan fresh red tomatoes. Be it Roma tomatoes, cherrytomatoes, slicing tomatoes…any of these will addflavor and nutrition to your summer meals. Tomatoesare high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and also lycopene.The lycopene found in processed tomatoes (tomatosauce) is more easily absorbed than in fresh tomatoes.How to use: The most common way to usetomatoes is slicing them for sandwiches or salads.Pairing them with a small amount of fresh mozzarellaand basil can be a nice appetizer or snack.Spinach: Spinach could top any list of superfoods given its stellar nutritional profile. When eatenraw, spinach is very high in vitamin C, vitamin A,vitamin K, and folic acid. Cooked spinach is also highin calcium and iron. These nutrients help in buildingbone density, boosting immunity, promoting eyehealth, and possibly enhancing mood. You have toact fast though; spinach will start to wilt within threedays.How to use: Start your day with spinach byadding a handful to your morning smoothie. Asidefrom the green color, I promise you won’t even knowit is there! My favorite smoothie is 1 banana, 1 cupalmond milk (or regular milk), a few handfuls ofspinach, and ¼ cup raw rolled oats. If you want amore traditional approach, add it to eggs, put it onsandwiches, or use it as a base for salads.Eating well means feeling well! So to have a supersummer, start your day with yogurt and berries,pack a sandwich with sliced tomatoes for lunch,have bell peppers and hummus for your afternoonsnack, serve a spinach salad with dinner, and enjoysome melon for dessert.(This article was not written by Intermountain Medical Group providers.)Emily Fonnesbeck RD, CDFitness Ridge RanchBiggest Loser435.673.6600biggestloserresort.com34 INTERMOUNTAIN MEDICAL GROUP IntermountainMedicalGroup.org SPRING/SUMMER 2011 35