What is Healthy Living?

As spring and summer approach, we often feel the desire to get outside, to be more active, to “get healthy”. We hear about “healthy lifestyles, healthy living, and being healthy” but what does this really mean? How do we achieve healthy living?

A healthy lifestyle is defined as a pattern of living to promote health. The World Health Organization (WHO), defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing.

Healthy Living is a process of steps, actions and strategies put in place to achieve wellbeing. It is also about taking responsibility for our decisions and making smart choices for today and for the future.

Healthy living starts with healthy choices:

Quality of life-Quit Smoking! Limit alcohol use to no more then 1 drink per day for women and no more then 2 drinks per day for men.

Diet- A well balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, proteins and grains is still the gold standard. A daily diet should consist of 2,000 calories a day for Women and 2,500 calories for men.

Exercise-A minimum of 2 ½ hours of aerobic exercise per week or 20-30 minutes a day. This could be a high intensity work out or even a daily brisk walk.

Mental wellbeing-Take a break! Allow yourself time to decompress. Read a book, go for a walk, or listen to music.

Social wellbeing-Be social. Volunteer in your community, start a new hobby, join a book club, or organize a night out with friends.

Good health practices-See your primary practitioner at least once a year for an annual exam. Follow her recommendations for appropriate screening tests.

Start living healthy today.

Aimee Brown PA-C Billings OB-GYN Associates

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Kale and Apple Salad with Chicken, Feta, and Toasted Walnuts

Author: Healthy Recipe Ecstasy
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 4

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium sweet apples such as Honeycrisp, Gala or Pink Lady
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 generous pinch of kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 4 cups loosely packed kale, hard stems removed and leaves massaged and torn into smaller pieces
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• ½ cup feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch of kosher salt
• Lemon zest and black pepper for garnish
• Mexico Avocados Add Delicious Nutrition

 

INSTRUCTIONS

• Thinly slice the apples, about an ⅛ of an inch thick or less. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apple slices to the skillet in a single layer, if possible. Cook apple slices for five minutes. Add a generous pinch of kosher salt, stir and cook apples for another five minutes or until they are tender and just starting to brown. Add one teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary and cook for apples for an additional minute. Place apples in a medium bowl.
• Heat one teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat. Add walnuts and cook for two minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted. Set aside.
• Heat one teaspoon olive oil in the large skillet over medium low heat. Add the kale to the skillet and stir to coat. Cook two minutes or until the kale begins to wilt.
• Take the skillet off the heat. Add the chicken, the apples, the toasted walnuts and feta cheese.
• In a small bowl, whisk together one tablespoon honey, one tablespoon lemon juice, two tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil and a pinch of salt until combined.
• Toss the dressing and the kale salad together. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper to taste.

Aimee Brown PA-C Billings OB-GYN Associates