Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is the cornerstone of a healthy diet. Lowering the risk of cancer, chronic diseases, and improving all around health, the benefits are pretty clear. However, only 10% of adults eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables daily. That’s surprising.
The best way to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet is picking out some seasonal food, which will be fresher, and more nutritious than food that’s out of season. Naturally ripened crops at the peak of ripeness are better tasting and have a full flavor to them.
What’s in Season?
Classic summer fruits in season include apples, pears, peaches, melons, lemon, lime and berries of all kinds. Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries are all coming into fruition and reaching natural ripeness.
Some popular vegetables in season include potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, corn, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and spinach. Though at a grocery store it’s difficult to tell which fruits are fresh or processed, a farmers market ensures you’re receiving fresh produce.
August Picnic Spots
Enjoying fresh food with the family at a nice outdoor spot is a classic summer activity. There are plenty of places to choose from in Atlanta, with the most prominent one being Piedmont Park located in the heart of Atlanta.
Sweetwater Creek State Park is another beautiful outdoor space to enjoy a seasonal meal, which holds a 215 acre lake perfect for summer enjoyment.
A few more Atlanta spots to check out are the Historic Fourth Ward Park, Grant Park, Morgan Falls Overlook Park and Chastain Park.
Returning to School in 2021
August brings a return to school in Georgia, and with in-person learning resuming as the norm, that means the return of same old back to school preparation everyone is used to. Which includes prepping outfits for your kids for the next day, and maybe even for the week ahead, as well as meal prep, plus getting all the essential supplies.
School children in classroom at lesson
What else can you do to prepare your kids for school though? Setting or creating a designated homework station for your children improves their focus and productivity, so it’s a step towards success in school. Making breakfasts ahead of time and freezing them is a decent way to save time in the mornings while still providing a healthy meal. If time is really limited in the morning there are plenty of easy to assemble breakfasts. Toast and fruit, cereal, yogurt parfait, pre-made hard-boiled eggs and muffins can all help save time for breakfast in those mornings you’re going to barely make it on time.
Getting the right amount of sleep is good for overall health and vastly reduces the chance of common colds. Adults may need only 7-8 hours of sleep, but kids of school age are recommended to get 9-11 hours, and teenagers 8-10 hours. Keeping your kids physically active and providing a good daily vitamin are additional ways to preemptively fight illness.
And to stay organized, if you don’t have one already, a large calendar in a common area with important dates like tests, or due dates can help everyone have more cohesive schedules and stay on time.
Also remember to commemorate the year with a first day of school picture to serve as great memories down the road.
Medical History – Joseph Lister
Joseph Lister is known as the father of antiseptic surgery. In a time when there were movements to abolish surgery due to the death rate from infection, Joseph Lister innovated antiseptic techniques in 1863 that solidified his legacy as a medical pioneer. He even operated on the Queen of England. Lister used carbolic acid, which kills germs on contact, to treat surgical tools and weak solutions for the hand washing of surgical staff, as well as a spray to reduce germ levels. Modern surgical procedures have come a long way since Lister’s breakthroughs to transform the way we perform safer surgery in the operating theater.
August Vacation Spots
San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are a group of 172 islands in Washington state with 300 miles of shoreline. The primary attraction of the San Juan Islands is orca whale watching, with many pods of resident orca feasting on the salmon in the surrounding waters.
Other wildlife includes river otters, sea lions, minke whales, porpoise and much more. On the islands themselves it’s pretty hilly with summer temperatures of around 70 °. There are restaurants with fresh local salmon, halibut, crab, and clams.
Sarasota Florida
Florida is a fine place to enjoy a beach day, and Sarasota has some of the nicest beaches in America. Siesta Beach on the Siesta Key in particular has beautiful deep blue waters and fine white quartz sand perfect for the summer days.
Myrtle Beach South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a top vacation spot not too far from Atlanta, and provides over 60 miles of beaches to explore. North Myrtle Beach alone has 9 miles of beaches with hotels, resorts, and even campgrounds. There are also amusement parks, golf courses, and of course water sports and boating. There’s also fishing opportunities at piers or at the nearby intracoastal waters.
The Dakotas
North and South Dakota are rich with history, National park destinations, hiking, kayaking and wildlife. Mount Rushmore is an iconic attraction found in Keystone, South Dakota. The Badlands National Park has stunning hills composed of eroded clay and sand, with herds of bison freely roaming the park. If you’re interested in nature the Dakotas have endless trails to explore, with caves, hot springs, mammoth fossils, canyons, waterfalls, and more to discover.