This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips 07.03.08

First Family Encourages Healthy Changes in Nutrition, Exercise and Tobacco Use Columbia, S.C. – July 3, 2008 - The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family’s effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking. The tips can also be found on the challenge’s website, www.healthysc.gov.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition

Grilling? Flavor your fourth! Because grilling is a low-fat way to cook, it’s healthy—and can make healthful food even tastier. Try these hints to add flavor, yet no fat or salt: Marinate veggies as well as meat, poultry and fish. Marinate with oil-and-vinegar dressing in a zip-top plastic bag for quick cleanup. Time your basting. Brush on light, oil-based sauces earlier in grilling. For less charring, baste sauces containing sugars (fruit puree, honey, preserves) toward the end of the cooking. Grill veggies. Just brush on a little olive oil and herbs first. Smoke it. Brush on a little liquid smoke. It adds more outdoor taste and it’s safe to eat. Season your coals. Toward the ending of grilling, sprinkle flavorful fresh herbs, citrus or apple peels, even whole, unpeeled garlic cloves on your coals. Enjoy the delicate flavor this gives.

- 365 Days of Healthy Eating from the American Dietetic Association (Wiley 2004), Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RD, FADA, CFCS

Physical Activity

Are you goal-oriented, or do you like to stay flexible? If you like to feel a sense of accomplishment, choose activities where you can chart and monitor your progress like training for a run, or take up an activity with rising skill levels, like martial arts. For a more flexible routine, try walking or find an exercise video you can do at home. Do you need to get energized or wind down? For an energy boost, try aerobic activities that get the heart pumping. Reduce stress with activities like yoga or tai chi. Do you like to be social, or would you prefer time to yourself? Social butterflies should try activities that connect them with other people. Try to walk with friends, join a team or recreation association, or go line dancing. If you need time to - yourself, walking, running, swimming, or gardening can give you time to reflect.

-American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org

Tobacco

Studies suggest that everyone can quit smoking. Your situation or condition can give you a special reason to quit.

• Pregnant women/new mothers: By quitting, you protect your baby's health and your own.

• Hospitalized patients: By quitting, you reduce health problems and help healing.

• Heart attack patients: By quitting, you reduce your risk of a second heart attack.

• Lung, head, and neck cancer patients: By quitting, you reduce your chance of a second

cancer.

• Parents of children and adolescents: By quitting, you protect your children and

adolescents from illnesses caused by second-hand smoke.

-www.surgeongeneral.gov

The Healthy SC Challenge is an outcome-based, cooperative effort aimed at encouraging individuals, communities and organizations across the state to show shared responsibility in developing innovative ways to improve the health of South Carolina's citizens. For more information about the Healthy SC Challenge, please visit www.healthysc.gov, or call 803-737-4772.