FORMIN HEALTH I BY DANIELLE ROBERTS, NUTRITIONIST Summer is here! That often means Vary your vegetables by eating all the colours. Add lots of green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, celery and broccoli. When it comes to fruit, top picks are digestive fruits (which contain digestive enzymes, antioxidants and nutrients). Have berries (filled with nutrients and antioxidants) such as paw paw (or papaya), pineapple, mango, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. people are creating their "new year, new me" goals. Let's be honest - how many times have those good intentions only lasted a few weeks with no long- lasting results made? Let's look at some good habits you can implement now so you can continue 2020 feeling like you are already making some progress! TROPICAL FRUITS LIKE PINEAPPLE HAVE ENZYMES THAT HELP WITH DIGESTION EATING Everyone loves to eat; it's fuel, but it's also enjoyment. If you ate or drank a little too much over the holidays, your body needs nourishment with a focus to rebalance your digestive system and liver. If they are not flowing properly, the ghost of Christmas and New Year's binges have trouble being cleared from your body, which doesn't give your body a good start. Give these tips a try: O Vary your protein sources from animal based to plant based. For example, you could have lean chicken, lentils, eggs, or quinoa. Smoothies are a good way to get nutrients in. Be sure to balance them with a 2:1 ratio of vegetables to fruit. Add chia seeds, almonds or pumpkin seeds to the blend to help slow the absorption of the natural fruit sugars into your bloodstream. O Drink freshly-squeezed lemon with honey in warm water first thing every morning! This helps to flush out your digestive tract and liver before put any food into your body, while also nourishing your immune system. EXERCISING you Summer means sunshine, so make the most of it and do as much exercise outside as possible! These examples fulfil many important elements to wellness such as joy, connection and nature. This kind of exercise shouldn't Try eating light foods as these put less stress on your digestive system in the warmer months. Go for salads, but not just the leaves - bulk them up with nourishing carbohydrates like raw beetroot, quinoa, pumpkin or kumara. be discounted, as it is just as beneficial to add these sorts of activities in as would be going to the gym. 14 HEALTH 200O • JANUARY 2020 >>