Brooke Staats, RD, LDN, CNSC
BOSTON, MA, – Don’t wait until the New Year to make new goals to feel and look your best. With the holidays right around the corner, start out on the right foot by taking advantage of everything that the Fall season has to offer for your health!
With a new crispness in the air, step out and enjoy the fresh, cool weather while you can. According to Brooke Staats, RD, LDN, CNSC, Outpatient Dietitian at Faulkner Hospital, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend getting at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise five days a week. Not only is exercise good for your heart health, but it also gives you an extra boost of energy throughout the whole day – which will help as the hours of daylight get shorter.
Exercise tips for Fall:
- Find someone to walk with during halftime of the football game. Set the timer on your phone or watch for 30 minutes and find a route that lands you back at home right in time for kickoff!
- Go apple picking and make sure to walk the entire orchard. Not only is this considered exercise, but you also get to scout out the best looking fruit!
- Find a local place to hike where you can soak up the beautiful autumnal foliage. This is sure to be great for your body and mind.
Not only are there ample opportunities for exercise in the Fall, but healthy eating is easy and satisfying with all the fresh seasonal produce! Some of the produce in season during the Fall months are apples, winter squash, pomegranates, figs, cauliflower, garlic, beets, pears, pumpkin and Swiss chard.
Healthy eating tips for Fall:
- Buy local, in-season produce at a farmers market to ensure that you are getting the freshest fruits and vegetables around. Keep in mind that farmers markets often accept SNAP benefits.
- Try a new green leafy vegetable. Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamins A, K and C as well as potassium. Simply sautŽ with oil and garlic and enjoy as a side or add to casseroles.
- Winter squash is abundant in autumn and is low in calories and high in fiber.
Here are some ways to prepare the different kinds of squash:
- Roast spaghetti squash until soft then shred with a fork to create strands and serve like pasta.
- Stuff roasted acorn squash with wild rice, dried cranberries and other vegetables.
- Make butternut squash into a creamy and warming soup.
For an individualized nutrition counseling appointment, please contact your physician for a referral to Faulkner Hospital’s Outpatient Nutrition Clinic, call 617-983-4455 or email FHNutritionClinic@partners.org.
