3 Tips for Staying Healthy while #staying home

3 Tips for Staying Healthy While in Quarantine

COVID-19, social distancing, and quarantine are words only a few of us were using three months ago; now, those words are trending throughout the country. Many of our lives have changed dramatically, and there are many things we can’t do while adhering to necessary social distancing recommendations. One thing we can do is to fuel our bodies with enough energy and support our health—one bite at a time.  Here are three simple tips to help you stay healthy while staying home.

Tip #1: Stay hydrated 

The adult human body is roughly 60% water, making water essential for life.  Within the human body, water flushes bacteria, assists in the transport of nutrients to the cells, and helps to keep your digestive tract regular.  For healthy adults consuming between 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) - 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) is recommended.

Tips for staying hydrated: 

1. Skip the sweet drinks and stick to water.  Sugar and caffeine alter the absorption and utilization of fluids in the body, and while they won’t dehydrate you perse, they will slow down the hydration process.
2. Consume more water-based foods.  Roughly 20% of water intake comes from food, so incorporating food like celery, strawberries or cucumbers can increase hydration.
3. Find a reusable water bottle you like.  Keeping your water bottle full and close while you work or study makes staying hydrated more convenient.  

Tip #2: Keep up your fruit and veggie intake 

Fruits and vegetables contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that all play a crucial role in keeping your body running correctly.  Not to mention, most fruits and vegetables have high water content to help keep you healthy & hydrated (see above!). When you are making meals, aim for  ½ of your plate to be full of colorful fruits and vegetables - the more color, the more nutrients.

Tips for eating more fruits and vegetables: 

Experiment in the kitchen with different vegetables.  Trying new ways of cooking and eating vegetables is a great way to have some fun and widen the variety of veggies you enjoy.

Get in the habit of washing and cutting fruits and vegetables at the start of the week.  This way, when you are working from home, you have healthy and ready to go snacks!

Try adding 2-3 veggies and 1 fruit to a smoothie.  Smoothies are a great way to sneak fruits and vegetables in the diet but often can be packed with sugar.  When making a smoothie, try this combination.  

Smoothie Formula

8-12oz of Water 

2-3 Handfuls of a Leafy Greens (Spinach or Kale are great)

1 Veggie - Carrots or Celery blend in great 

 ⅔ cup of Frozen Fruit (berries are a great low sugar option)

The juice of 1 lemon 

Tip #3: Get your Vitamin C - the right way!

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that supports the immune system and aids in wound healing. You can find this powerful antioxidant in fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruit, mango, cauliflower, and bell peppers.

If some of a good thing is good, is more of a good thing better? Not necessarily. Mega dosages of Vitamin C (like Emergen-C) that are much higher than the recommended daily amount (65-90 mg/day) can lead to nausea and diarrhea and very expensive urine.  Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, it can’t be stored. Whatever is not used by the body is removed through the urine.   Vitamin C is an integral part of a healthy immune system, and getting it directly from your food is both delicious and effective!

Foods that are naturally rich in Vitamin C:

Food	Serving Amount	Amount of Vitamin C in mg
Guava	2 small guava fruits	228 mg
Bell Peppers	1 bell pepper	184 mg
Strawberries	1 cup of strawberries	90 mg
Kale	1 cup of kale	85 mg
Orange	1 orange	52mg

In conclusion, nutrition plays a direct role in our immune system.  While you are staying home, making small changes in your nutrition can support your immune system and facilitate a few new healthy habits!