Up Your Earth Day Game

Here are a few healthy challenges for you to try throughout the spring. Give one a go! Give them all a go? Give back to the planet that serves you, and improve your health at the same time. It’s a win, win!

• Try a fruit or vegetable that you have never heard of before.

• Go plastic free.

• Clean your room or closet.

• Walk or bike instead of driving.

• Cook a meal with your family.

• Compost.

• Unplug when you aren’t using.

• Plant a garden.

• Give up bottled water/soda.

• Clean up after yourself after lunch in the cafeteria.

All of the above challenges are easy to do, and they can all improve your physical and mental health. Try one each day, and give yourself one point for each challenge met. Set a goal of trying to get 10 points every week. You can’t plant a garden every week, but you can certainly tend to the garden that you plant weekly. You may not like the fruit/vegetable that you try each week, but on the other hand, you might love it! It might become your new favorite food. Take a chance. You and the earth are worth the effort.

How can we reduce the amount of plastic we use?

Plastic. We use it every day. We use it so much that the health of our planet is at stake. Our landfills cannot contain the amount of plastic that we throw away on a daily basis. There are small things that you can do to help our beloved planet. You can replace reusable items with the tossaway plastics you use each day. Instead of buying a new coffee cup every day to just throw it away, bring a reusable travel mug instead. Bring reusable grocery bags to the market, and use a reusable water bottle that you can refill when you need to. Plastic forks and knives can be washed and reused instead of thrown in the trash. My favorite suggestion to help save the planet and your health is to COOK! Cook with your family instead of ordering take-out food that comes in wasteful containers and full of unnecessary empty calories.

How can we celebrate Earth Day through the foods we eat?

Let’s all agree that Earth Day should be every day. The foods we choose to eat should be a choice that is our most precious priority. Every day, we should:

• Shop at farmers’ markets for local produce

• Make our meals at home with fresh, wholesome ingredients

• Buy in-season fruits and vegetables

• Plant a garden

• Plan your meals ahead of time

• Choose food that is grown and produced healthfully

How does taking time in nature affect our health? Have you ever heard of the term ecotherapy?

To Kramerize it for you, it refers to the various health benefits of being outside. This is not a foreign concept to most of us, but it is becoming a lost art for many of us. We don’t get outside enough anymore. We live in an area surrounded by parks and trails for biking and hiking. You do not need to travel far for a scenic bike ride or a serene beach walk. Getting outside and walking away from your game and workstation can have a dramatic impact on your health. Being one with nature can help to improve your immune system, increase your energy levels, elate your mood, help you focus and sleep better, and even increase your metabolism. This winter has been relentless– we can all agree with that– but the weather is warming. The climate is changing. No more excuses. Lay off the phone, the computer, and Fortnite for a few hours; get outside, and appreciate what the outdoors and our neighborhoods have to offer.