Nutrition Bites 2021 Vol. 35:0

Staying Healthy

Keep your family safe during heat waves.

Extreme heat and heat waves during summer months can result in heat-related illnesses like heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, sunburn, and heat rash. Children, older adults, people who work outside, and people with disabilities are at the highest risk for heat-related illness. Follow these tips to protect yourself and your family from heat-related illnesses:  

•  Drink water throughout the day and avoid sugary beverages. Eat fruits and vegetables that have a high water content, such as bell peppers, celery,     cucumbers, melons, peaches, and tomatoes.
• Stay out of the heat and stay inside air-conditioned areas when possible.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothes when outside.  
• Wear sunscreen and a hat to prevent sunburns.
• Reduce the intensity of your outdoor activities during extremely hot days. Go for a walk in shaded areas and avoid midday peak hours in the sunlight.

Recipes and Nutrition Tips

Stay cool with a plum slushy.

Cool down this summer with our delicious Plum Slushy recipe! This simple slushy includes summer fruits like plums and blueberries, each of which is a great source of antioxidants that help fend off diseases and keep our cells healthy. This recipe is sweetened with 100% apple juice, meaning no added sugars. Remember that not all juices are 100% juice. Be sure to check the food label to determine how much of the juice is from fruit.  

Don’t have a blender or any plums? Find out how to make slushies with just 100% fruit juice and resealable bags! https://video.link/w/FEk3c.

Physical Activity Tips

Experience the health benefits of swimming.

No matter what your fitness level, here are some reasons to enjoy getting in the water. Swimming ...

• Provides a pleasant way to cool down on a hot day.
• Offers a relaxing and peaceful form of exercise that alleviates stress.
• Builds endurance, muscle strength, and heart health.
• Helps you maintain a healthy weight and offers a full body workout
• Improves coordination, balance, and flexibility.

Find safe public swimming areas near you and visit https://www.mass.gov/ accessible-beaches-and-pools. Remember important swimming safety tips such as only swim in safe and approved areas, never swim alone, and always have supervision for children.

Gardening Tips

Harvest your rainwater to use in your garden.

Rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting and storing rainwater runoff from a roof or other surface for future use. The rain collects in the gutters, travels through the downspouts, and is then channeled into a barrel or other container for storage until it’s needed. Do not use runoff water on edible plants because it may have contaminants. Only use this water on your flower garden or yard.

Catching rainwater may reduce flooding and erosion. It will reduce your water bill and demand on municipally treated water supplies.

For more information on how to harvest rainwater, visit https://txmg.org/ elpaso/learn/gardening-in-el-paso-articles/rainwater-harvesting/.

Food Access Resources in Massachusetts 

You can earn SNAP dollars with the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).

Spend your SNAP dollars on farm-fresh fruits and vegetables at participating HIP farmstands and farmers’ market retailers and have the amount of your purchase instantly added back to your EBT card. To locate markets near you, visit this interactive map at https://dtafinder.dtadash.ehs.mass.gov/hip/.

Project Bread – Learn about food assistance resources available to Massachusetts residents. Visit https://www.projectbread.org or call Project Bread's Food Source Hotline at 1-800-645-8333. This number is toll-free and confidential. Hotline hours: Monday–Friday, 8 am to 7 pm; Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm.