Summer means vacations, sun, fun, and eating on the run! Does that mean your diet is going to suffer? Hopefully not! With a bit of advance planning and armed with information, you can keep up a healthful style of living and eating – even while traveling. Just follow some simple tips:

THINK FRUIT!
Fresh fruit keeps well on trips and is an excellent alternative to having chips and candy in the car or hotel. Dried fruit also makes a great snack. Be sure to visit your local health food stores and ask for the non-sulfured variety.

THINK WATER!
For most of us, a day at the beach or on the lake often means cans and cans of soda or alcohol. That’s not only unhealthy, it also doesn’t do what is needed, and that is to hydrate your body. Instead of the usual coolers of soda and beer, try water bottles with slices of oranges, lemons, and limes to squeeze in. Also, there are a lot of naturally flavored waters and sparkling waters available today. Take time to find the ones you enjoy.

THINK FOOD COMBINATIONS!
Don’t forget the watermelon . . . but DO remember to eat the melons before the meat. Protein takes longer to digest than melons, so if you eat hamburgers and hot dogs first, followed by melons, the melons are likely to“ferment” in the stomach before they can be digested, thus causing the all-too-common “Mommy, I’ve got a tummy ache,” complaint heard from kids at cookouts. So remember, it’s okay to enjoy those juicy fresh summertime fruits, but remember this simple little rule: Eat melons alone or leave them alone!

And the BEST Summertime Eating Tip of All . . .
EAT LESS! The best advice for summertime eating is to enjoy what’s in season, eat fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables, drink lots of water, and most of all – get outside and enjoy the outdoors while you’re “feelin’ good!”

Be conscious. Live an intentional life!