Tag: fruit

The weather’s not the only thing that heats up in summer. So do our bodies, which makes this season a great time to transition to a healthier diet. If we aren’t careful, foods we eat during the summer can affect our bodies and digestion through Thanksgiving and beyond.

That’s why it’s important that couples adopt a summer diet consisting of foods that are sweet, bitter, cold and oily—such as salads, steamed vegetables, fruits and coconut oil.

Children take pride in what they create, whether it’s a picture colored with crayons or a meal they helped prepare for themselves and their family. When encouraging healthy eating, participation is a key to success.

Creating a salad bar as a family meal is an easy and fun way to allow each member of your family to have creative control over their meal, while encouraging exploration and adventure of their taste buds. In addition, children can help in multiple ways to prepare the meal and take pride in the variety and choices they’ve helped to make for the family.

I know a person who spends hours working out every day, six days a week. He has been doing this for the last 60 days and has not lost a single pound. How is that possible? The answer is quite simple: he never changed his diet!

When it comes to looking good and feeling good, healthy weight plays an important role and experts agree that a major factor is what you eat. Most of us can manage to figure out a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Where almost everyone falls off track is mastering the fine art of snacking.

Walk the farmers markets and enjoy a grand show of summer's bountiful harvest. Leafy greens have reappeared along with all manner of beans and peas. Stone fruit, including peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums and pluots, are available in abundance. They are perfect to make fruit salad cocktails, a delicious way to celebrate summer's bounty.

Sun-loving Spaniards created sangria, probably the best-known alcoholic-fruit beverage. The inspired combination of wine (tart), fruit (sweet and acidic) and spirit (sharp) creates an umami of flavors that delivers a satisfying punch.

The name Martin Ray resonates deeply with those well-versed in the history of California wine. Winemaker Martin Ray was a pioneer in creating 100 percent varietals in the region and made wines under his namesake label from 1943 through 1972. Nearly 20 years later Courtney Benham made a life-altering discovery when he stumbled on 1,500 cases of Martin Ray wine in a San Jose warehouse. Recognizing his good fortune, Courtney purchased the brand and since 1990, he has been dedicated to the production of exceptional artisanal wines worthy of the Martin Ray name.

Escape to Yakima and the Yakima Valley in Washington State to find farm fresh experiences, and more than 100 award-winning wineries while basking in 300 days of sunshine. Enjoy the relaxing pace of the countryside and the charm of revitalized downtowns. Explore the vineyards with a winemaker, then laugh and enjoy a long leisurely lunch in Yakima or another community.

The warm weather of summer is here, but you’re less thrilled about squeezing into a swimsuit (or even a pair of "mom" shorts!). As a woman of a certain age—say, somewhere between late 30s and early 60s—your bikini has had its last poolside outing. For the most part you’re fine with that—hey, Christie Brinkley and Jane Seymour are freaks of nature anyway!—but still, you’d love to drop a good 10 or 20 (or 30) pounds. Is that too much to ask?

Of course not. Not only can you get in shape this summer, you can look, and feel sexier than you ever thought possible. The great thing about being "middle aged"—whatever that means—is that you’re young enough to look fabulous yet old enough not to care that you don’t look perfect.