Tag: Exercise & nutrition

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MARCH 2022

6 simple ways to stay hydrated

Are you drinking enough water? You might be getting less than you need. Your body is roughly 60% water, so even being slightly dehydrated can affect how you feel and function. By staying hydrated, you can improve your mood, energy level and immunity, as well as digestive and skin health. Drinking more water can even help you lose weight, thanks to the feeling of fullness it gives you. Ready to get started? Read on for some ideas that can help you stay hydrated — and start reaping the benefits.

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1. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.

By the time you feel thirsty, you’re already a bit dehydrated. On average, health experts recommend that you drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Try to sip water steadily throughout the day, and drink more than you usually do when the weather is hot, especially if you’re active. If you need a nudge, download one of the free, well-rated hydration tracker/reminder apps available from the App Store^® or Google Play™.

2. Add a splash of flavor.

If plain water tastes boring to you, add some flavor with fresh fruits, sliced cucumber, mint or a little fruit juice. You can also try clear soups, ice pops or sports drinks (especially if you’re exercising). All of these are great sources of fluids to keep you hydrated. Just make sure to limit caffeine and alcohol, which can cause you to become dehydrated.

3. Eat your water.

Certain fruits and vegetables contain plenty of water — and healthy nutrients. Watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, peaches and pineapples are fruits with high water content. Water-rich vegetables include cucumbers, leafy greens, radishes, celery, zucchini and tomatoes.

4. Stay cool.

Excessive heat causes your body to lose fluids. On very hot days, stay indoors and turn on the air conditioner. If you don’t have air conditioning at home, go to a place that does, like a shopping center, movie theater or public library. And plan outdoor activities for the early morning or evening.

5. Dress for the weather.

When the temperature soars, wear light, loose-fitting clothing that lets your skin breathe. Dark colors absorb heat, so stick with lighter shades. And avoid sunburn, which can increase your skin temperature and make it harder to stay cool.

6. Sip when you’re sick.

If anyone in your family is ill, pay attention to how much they’re able to drink — especially young children and the elderly. Fevers, vomiting and diarrhea cause dehydration. So when you or a family member experiences these symptoms, drink plenty of fluid.

Source: Scripps Health. 6 simple ways to stay hydrated.

Ready to take some other simple steps to improve your health habits and reduce your risk of chronic disease? Your Costco benefits can help.

EXPLORE MORE

MARCH 2022

How to read a food label

Walk down any supermarket aisle, and you’ll see products with enticing labels. But the real story is on the back of the label. Checking labels may take more time when you’re shopping, but it’s worth it. You’ll feel better knowing you’re making a healthy choice for yourself and your family. And you can teach your kids to be smarter consumers by sorting out nutrition facts from empty claims.

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Serving information

Take a look at the serving size and the number of servings per container. The calories and other nutritional information are based on one serving.

Calories

Calories are a measure of how much energy you get from a serving of this food. If you ate the entire package of granola, you’d get 1,400 calories. The average number of calories your body uses is 2,000 per day. (The total varies by age, sex, weight, height and activity level.) Eating too many calories per day is associated with being overweight and obese.

Nutrients

Section three shows key nutrients that can impact your health. As a general guideline, nutrients to get less of include saturated fat, sodium and added sugars (sugars that are added during processing). Nutrients to get more of include dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium.

% Daily value

The %DV shows how much a nutrient in a serving of a food contributes to your total daily diet. It can help you determine if a serving of food is high or low in a nutrient. If it contributes less than 5% of your DV it’s low. If it’s more than 20% it’s high.¹

Looking for ways to improve your diet and overall health? See the resources below for more information, including Costco benefits that can help.

¹ U.S. Food & Drug Administration. How to understand and use the nutrition facts label.

LEARN THE BASICS

OCTOBER 2021

Does your food love you?

You are what you eat. If your goal is to build a stronger, healthier you in the months and years ahead, take a closer look at your diet. Then consider some changes you can make to look and feel better.

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Better health starts with what’s on your plate

A healthy plate is rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lean protein. Get back to basics with these building blocks. Everyone’s body and dietary needs are different. You may be trying to lose weight or manage a chronic condition. You may have food allergies, such as gluten intolerance or a nut allergy. Or you may simply want to eat healthier to feel good and have more energy. Whatever your needs and goals, getting back to the basics is a good place to start.

All healthy diets have these three parts in common:

Carbohydrates

Think fiber. Healthy carbs come from plants — veggies, fruits and whole grains. The closer to their natural state, the better. For example, fruits eaten with skins on, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums and grapes, have more fiber, as well as important vitamins.

Try

• Whole-grain cereal for breakfast with a piece of fruit —fresh is best, but frozen works, too.
• Salad with lunch or dinner. Choose nutrient-rich greens like romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, mustard greens and arugula. For an extra pop of fiber, add slivered almonds or whole-wheat croutons.
• Steamed veggies with dinner. Lightly steamed vegetables can be tastier and easier to digest than raw, while still packing plenty of nutrition. Try broccoli, kale or green beans, all rich in vitamin A and folate.

Proteins

The key word here is lean. And remember, not all protein comes from meat. Beans, peas, eggs, nuts and low-fat dairy have plenty of protein, too. So do certain grains, such as quinoa and wild rice, and even vegetables like asparagus, potatoes and broccoli.

Try

• Chicken — skinless is best.
• Fresh or frozen fish. For the most bang for the buck health-wise, choose salmon, tuna, sardines or mahi-mahi.
• Ground turkey and lean ground beef
• And other lower-fat options

Meats with higher amounts of fat (beef and pork ribs; strip, porterhouse, skirt and T-bone steaks; bacon; lamb; chicken with skin on) are unhealthy because that fat is saturated. Saturated fats can raise cholesterol levels, raising your risk for heart disease.

Fat

Your body needs fat to function. But too much and the wrong kind can lead to problems, so choose smart.

“Good fats” (see examples below) contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve your cholesterol levels, reduce blood clotting and lower blood pressure.

“Bad fats” belong to the saturated fat crowd (see examples above) and have the opposite effect — higher cholesterol, higher risk for blood clots, higher blood pressure.

Try

• Tree nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans. Why no peanuts? Tree nuts are healthier than peanuts because they contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and more antioxidants, such as vitamin E.
• Healthy cooking and salad oils — olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil.
• Avocados, packed with good fats and fiber, along with nutrients like folate, magnesium, vitamins C and E, and potassium.
• Seeds, such as chia and flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds. They’re great sources of good fat, protein, fiber and antioxidants. Have pumpkin and sunflower seeds as a healthy snack, or sprinkle them on a salad. You can add smaller seeds, like chia and sesame, to yogurt, oatmeal and smoothies, or bake them into pancakes and muffins.

The following resources are available to you through your Costco benefits. They can help you learn how to eat healthier on your physical well-being journey.

TAKE ACTION

OCTOBER 2021

Energize your day

Whether you’re reasonably fit, want to shed a few pounds, or struggling with a chronic illness, anyone can reap the physical and emotional health benefits of exercise. Take a moment to learn what exercise can do for you.

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Exercise: the good-for-you habit

Regular exercise does a body good — from shedding those extra pounds to preventing health problems now and later. Whether it’s a morning walk or run, an evening yoga class, or a game of hoops with friends, better health happens when you move your body. Do it every day, and it will become a habit — something you don’t even have to think about.

You can start slowly, with a daily walk. Keep it up, and before long, you’ll start noticing that you feel better (and even look better). Exercise, like any other habit, can become something you can’t do without. And with all the health benefits it has to offer, exercise can be a great thing to get hooked on.

See what regular exercise can do for your body and mind.

Build a new & better you

Putting exercise into each day supports your physical well-being in some very important ways.

Want to reach a healthier weight? Exercise burns calories, making it easier to lose weight and keep it off. Because it also lowers blood pressure and bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, exercise can also help you avoid health problems like heart disease and stroke.

Living with type 2 diabetes? By making movement part of your daily routine, you can better manage your condition and fend off complications. That’s because exercise can lower blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. Tip: Exercise one to three hours after eating. That’s when blood sugar is often higher. Test first though. If your reading is over 250, you may want to wait until it’s below 100 mg/dL.

Trying to shake off a bad day? Physical activity boosts brain chemicals that can help you feel happier, more relaxed and less anxious. It’s a natural stress-buster that has the added bonus of boosting your self-confidence.

Did you know? Exercise can also help prevent cancer because it reduces inflammation in the body, keeps weight under control and boosts the immune system. For people diagnosed with cancer, regular exercise can make treatment more effective by reducing anxiety, increasing strength and energy, and helping with pain.

Get going!

If you’ve been less than active, walking can ease you into an exercise habit. Talk to your doctor first, then get going! Shoot for 30 minutes of walking each day. Break it up into two 15-minute sessions if that works better. Over time, add time and speed.

Other ways to move include: running, biking, strength training, yoga, stretching, gardening — anything that uses your major muscles and ramps up your heart rate.

The following resources are available to help you on your physical well-being journey.