Healthy Start to a New Year

 As we adjust to the New Year, it is a great time to revisit your health goals and reset your priorities. “Making small lifestyle changes can make a big difference in your health and wellbeing” says Dr. Sumathi Venkatesh, a Health Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. 

Eat healthy foods – Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day. Your diet should consist of about 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruits, which can be in fresh, frozen, canned, and dried forms. Include a variety of protein foods and replace butter with heart-healthy oils. Intentionally buy and include more whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Watch for your sodium intake. Let your salt intake not be more than a teaspoon a day.

Stay hydrated – Set a goal to drink half your body weight (lbs.) in water (oz.) per day (if you weight 150 lbs., try to drink roughly 75 oz. of water each day). This may seem like a lot at first, so try easing your way up to that goal by increasing your water intake in increments. Another way to increase your water intake is to swap out one sugary beverage a day with water for one week and during week two try to swap out two sugary beverages with water. Drinking enough water is critical for maintaining strength and for preventing dehydration. Hydration is probably one of the key factors to maintain your physical and mental health. For those who are active you may need more water, especially before and after you exercise.

Be physically active – Exercise has numerous health benefits by improving blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol levels. Try getting 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least five days a week. If you struggle with time, incorporate physical activities in your daily routine by washing your car or mowing the lawn. Simple things can help increase your activity level, such as parking farther from the door at work, setting an hourly reminder to take a five-minute walk, or making plans with a friend to meet during lunch and walk. Remember, it is always a good idea to check with your health care provider before starting a new exercise routine.

Improve mental health – Managing stress and your emotional wellbeing is particularly important for good mental health. If you allow situations to overwhelm you, it may induce stress and may affect your daily activities. Practice mindfulness by having a non-judgmental attitude towards yourself and others. Adequate sleep is important to take care of your emotional wellbeing. Most adults need about 8 hours of sleep every day.

Manage health conditions – Untreated or poorly managed health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, or hypertension can be detrimental to your health and may severely impact the quality of your life. Following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, taking prescribed medications, and regularly following up with a physician can prevent or delay complications associated with these conditions.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, (903) 473-4580 or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu.  To view upcoming events or additional information please visit https://rains.agrilife.org/ or follow Rains County AgriLife on Facebook.

Favorite Time of Year

I think autumn is my favorite time of year.  After a hot summer, almost nothing beats a crisp cool day.  It is especially difficult to work a desk job when I know what is waiting for me outside.  I love watching college football on a Saturday morning, the changing colors of the leaves, the first smell of wood burning in a fireplace, Halloween, Thanksgiving, pulling my sweatshirts out from storage, I could go on forever.  I just love fall.  I even think people are nicer this time of year.  Leora (our office administrator) and I try to go for short downtown walks throughout the day and I have noticed lately that people genuinely seem happier.  If you are having a bad day, go for a walk downtown, it is good for the soul.  It may seem as if I am rambling without a true direction, and I will admit, when I started writing that was the case.  However, after I started listing all of the things that make me happy about this time of year I noticed that I was sitting in my office feeling relaxed with a smile on my face.  It is important to stop and appreciate the things that bring you joy every now and then.  Try to take five minutes and let yourself enjoy the moment.  So often we are in a hurry we end up missing the little things that make us happy, they get lost in the everyday bustle.  With all of this being said, I challenge you to take some time to sit down and relax.  Reflect on a happy memory and let yourself absorb the little things.  Is autumn your favorite season? I would love to hear your favorite things, send me an email or picture, sarah.latham@ag.tamu.edu and I will add it to my Fall Favorites blog post. 

In addition to my morning reflection, I would like to mention two upcoming events of the Extension office, our annual pecan sale and annual holiday program.  Please read below for additional information.  

PECAN SALE! The 2016 Pecan Sale has begun.  Place your order today!  All orders must be received by the Extension office by October 14th and orders will be available for pick up before Thanksgiving.  Halves and pieces are available in one, three and five pound boxes.  To order, please call (903) 455-9885 or stop by the Hunt County Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, TX 75401. 

MAKING MEMORIES, the annual holiday program, is scheduled for Friday, November 4th at the Ben E. Keith Community Room in Commerce.  Doors will open at 9:30 a.m.  FCS agents from area counties will demonstrate a variety of different ideas to help make your holidays joyful.  Holiday craft and gift ideas will be presented and you will receive a booklet including information on each item.  Tickets are available for purchase at the Hunt County Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, TX 75401. Tickets are $5.00 each and tickets are limited.  Registration fee includes morning refreshments and the holiday idea booklet.  If you are interested in paying over the phone using an electronic payment, please call (903) 455-9885.

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to come by the Hunt County AgriLife Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas, 75401, call (903) 455-9885, or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu.