Keeping Your Health on Track During Winter

Winter can be a sluggish season full of rich foods and little activity. Here are some sensible ways to keep your health on track during the long winter months.

• Stick to Routines. To the best of your ability during this hectic time of year, attempt to stick to routines that promote wellness. Set a bedtime and honor it. Hit the gym. Meditate. Do whatever it is that keeps you grounded and feeling your best.

• Drink Up. Many people associate dehydration with the warmer months. But in winter weather, it can be especially easy to forget to stay well-hydrated. Remember, water doesn’t need to be the only source of hydration you think about this season. Soups and purees made from hearty winter vegetables, as well as citrus fruits do the trick, too, and their nutritional properties can help keep you healthy in winter.

• Keep Things Organically Sweet. Staying on track doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the sweetness of the season. Instantly boost the flavor of your favorite meals with organic honey. One great option is Organic Honey In The Raw. USDA Organic Certified and Non-GMO Project Verified, it’s made from pure nectar collected from exotic wildflowers found in the remote Caatinga region of northeast Brazil. The hand-harvested, sustainable honey is raw (never heated above 117 degrees) and unfiltered, so it retains the benefits of bee pollen.

And just one tablespoon of organic raw honey provides the right amount of sweetness and flavor for any dish or drink, including year-round staples like oatmeal, yogurt, tea, and more. You can also consider giving a honey makeover to all your favorite holiday recipes, including glazes and sauces for meat and poultry, cocktail recipes, and of course baked treats.

• Make Substitutions. Other healthful substitutions you can make this winter and beyond include topping pies with Greek yogurt instead of cream, using apple sauce in place of oil and nut flour instead of white flour in baking, and serving vegetable mash as an alternative to mashed potatoes.

• Be Mindful. Wedding or parties on your winter calendar? When you enter a party with a buffet set-up, it can be tempting to reach for the richest foods first. Before indulging in the canapes and Swedish meatballs, try filling up a plate with crudité first. While you’re doing so, get a good look at all the options available. This way, you’ll be more likely to savor choice items you’ll truly enjoy.

Winter doesn’t have to result in packing on pounds or feeling under the weather. With a mindful approach, you can keep your health on track all season long.

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