September, like January, is a time for beginnings. Children are going back to school. Some are just starting out, and others will be entering a new grade. Perhaps you’re starting a new routine, too. At TOPS new members are always welcome. Why not join now? We will support you in building new health habits and persisting even when you aren’t progressing as fast as you would like. Many in our TOPS group have ‘tried everything’, yet welcome the support, reminders, and caring suggestions from companions on a journey still ongoing.
We read in Healthline, “The bottom line. It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit and an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic.” We recognize that changing habits takes time and cheer each other on when we feel like giving up.
At TOPS we talk about the importance of making healthy meals a habit, as well as keep informed about what food is and what isn’t considered healthy, especially for our individual situations. You may have read some of our discussions about eggs, mushrooms, and greens in the past year, and now, at harvest time, is a good time to focus on the importance of eating more fruit and vegetables. We know how important they are for health and are the first item listed in the Canada’s Food Guide. “Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and protein foods should be consumed regularly…. Eating more vegetables and fruit is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Understandably, the medical advice is to eat more fruit and vegetables. Now, when so much of the summer’s vegetable and fruit crops are ripe and ready to harvest, is a good time to sample some of the produce that you aren’t as familiar with. The Farmer’s Market, farm stands, and our grocery stores are all bursting with wonderful produce, much of it grown locally. Why not add a new vegetable or two to your meals and some more fresh fruit to your breakfast or your lunch box? Maybe do your heart a favour and replace a less healthy snack with a fresh fruit or crisp vegetable. You could be laying the foundation for better health through better habits.
Often it comes back to the simple advice: “skip the diet, just eat healthy.”
Eat less CRAP:
Carbonated drinks
Refined Sugar
Artificial sweeteners and colours
Processed foods
Eat more FOOD:
Fruit and vegetables
Organic lean proteins
Omega 3 fatty acids
Drink water
Join us at TOPS for information, encouragement, support, and a few laughs. We’re a friendly group. We meet Wednesday mornings at the Community Centre, from 9:00 to 10:00. TOPS is a low-cost, enjoyable, international self-help program that welcomes everyone. Check out our website at www.tops.org. (Your first visit is free.) If you want to join us, please call.
Submitted by Amber Harvey
References: See Canada Food Guide