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Collage of red fruits and vegetables

Part 4: Lift Your Spirit — Color Your Plate! Support Healthy Aging With Red Powerhouses

Add red to your daily bread and produce better health!

This year we have been exploring ways to harness the energy of nature, draw it into our daily lives, and become one with it as we age. Here’s one simple solution: Make every cell in your body glow with the divine energy offered by fresh fruits and vegetables.

Produce is chock-full of essential nutrients and comes in a rainbow of colors to support your health goals. Aim for the accepted general consumption range of at least five one-cup servings — that’s at least two servings of fruits and at least three servings of vegetables. (To reduce your sugar consumption, try to go for more veggies.)

The beautiful rich colors of your red fruits and veggies indicate that they’re bursting with flavonoids, which provide cell-protecting properties.

Are you getting enough red in your diet?
Today, as part of our ongoing Purposeful Nutrition Series, let’s focus on the healing energy of the red powerhouses. These include:

Fruits: Red apple, cherry, raspberry, red pear, watermelon, pomegranate, red and pink grapefruit, cranberry, strawberry, red grape, red plum, goji berry.

Vegetables: Beet, rhubarb, red onion, red bell pepper, radish, red potato, radicchio, tomato.

Technically, peppers and tomatoes are fruits, since they contain seeds. However, because they are not as sweet as most fruits, they are placed in the vegetable category for culinary purposes.

Top benefits of red fruits and vegetables:
• Contain lycopene and anthocyanin — potent antioxidants/carotenoids that generate the red color
• Improve heart health and the circulatory system
• Lower risks of cancer

Feature Focus: Watermelon
Watermelon is good for more than slicing into wedges for the neighborhood picnic. This seasonal delight is packed with nutrition and can be the main ingredient in fresh, cool recipes.  

And did you know that the watermelon rind is completely edible, as well? Pickle it, chop it up in a stir-fry, or simply throw chopped chunks in your morning smoothie. More ideas check out watermelon.org.

Click here for a healthful and refreshing chilled soup.  

What are your favorite red fruits and vegetables? How can you add more to your daily meals? A conscious meal plan should include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. When planning your meals and before you take that first bite, remember to ask yourself these three questions:

• What’s the value or benefit?
• Do I like it?
• How will it make me feel?

Health is an intentional action — we must practice mindful living in order to reach mastery.

Many people mindlessly reach for quick and convenient food because they’re hungry or because it temporarily satisfies a craving. While hunger and flavors influence our munching behavior, consider shifting your mindset so you’re eating to support your higher purpose in life. And to make this new mindset more convenient for yourself, have cut-up fruits and veggies ready for snacking in your refrigerator.

I’d like to encourage you to establish a deeper spiritual connection with your food. Nature offers a huge selection of delicious red-colored goodness for you to delight in. Know the nutritional value of nature’s fresh bounty. And notice how you feel after enjoying your favorites. Eat well — age beautifully! Love yourself enough to supply your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive.

Consider This
Have you seen this cute pun? “I love you from my head tomatoes.”

Four Steps to Nourish, Transform and Flourish
• Set a loving intention to add fresh red fruits and vegetables to your plate this week.
• Begin by selecting red produce you like.
• How will including more colorful choices to your menu improve the quality of your life?
• Close your eyes and visualize how this lifestyle change can prepare you for your amazing second half.  

Need help with meal planning?

It can be challenging to maintain momentum on your own.  My Sprout Your New Life™ course will give you the tools and the strong spiritual foundation to make lasting change in your life.  Click here for more.

In love, peace and health--
Your feminine glow guide,

T. Kari Mitchell, M.Ed.
Motivational Speaker
Certified Holistic Health Coach
Lifestyle120.com

When your spirit is nourished, your inner light produces an outer glow reflecting your beauty and truth.

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