Fruits and Veggies, Good Choice!

Looking for ways to improve your lifestyle and your health? Check out the “2008 Fruits and Veggies. Good Choice” Campaign. From July 16 through August 31st Down to Earth will be partnering with the Hawaii Department of Health to encourage Hawaii's residents to eat at least one more serving of fruit and one more serving of vegetables every day.

Keep an eye out for our deep discounts on about a half-dozen fruits and vegetables.  They are being promoted in our monthly Rewards Card Sales Flyer, our monthly newsletter, and on our website.  To see a special flyer that lists all the fruits and vegetables on sale click here.

We will also be conducting two special events that are tied to the DOH “Fruits and Veggies” campaign:

• A free public Nutritional Seminar on Saturday July 26th (For details click here)
• A free Cooking Class on Saturday, August 2nd (For details click here) 
  

At Down to Earth, we believe the single most important thing you can do for your health is to adopt a vegetarian diet.  But that doesn’t mean you have to change all your eating habits overnight. In fact, if you make the changes gradually, you’re more likely to stick to them. Adding at least one more serving of fruit and one more serving of vegetables to your diet every day is a great place to start.

 “It’s easy to eat just one more serving of fruit and one more serving of vegetables,” says Lt. Governor “Duke” Aiona. “Fresh fruit instead of pastries, tossed salad instead of mac, and crunchy veggies instead of chips . . . these are all good choices we can make every day.” 
 
Just think colorful. Different colored fruits and vegetables provide you with the vitamins and minerals that you need to stay healthy.  And eating a variety of colors helps you to get more of the nutrients, essential vitamins, minerals and fiber that may reduce your risk for chronic diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. 
Eating more fruits and vegetables daily may also lower rates of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. These are all chronic diseases that affect the residents of our island state. In fact, heart disease continues to be Hawaii’s leading cause of death.
“There is compelling evidence that shows increasing fruit and vegetable intake by as little as one serving per day can have a real impact on heart disease risk,” stated Deputy Director of Health Resource Administration Morgan Barrett, M.D. “In Hawaii, where heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death, this campaign is a much needed call to action that educates our residents on making healthy choices that can have positive health impacts.”

Other benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables include:

• Lose Weight: eating fruits and vegetables instead of higher-calorie foods can help you lose weight 
  
• Gain Energy: fruits and vegetables are a great source of energy and give your body many nutrients to help keep you going throughout the day
  
• Healthy Glow: fruits and vegetables high in vitamins A and C keep your skin, gums and teeth looking healthy
• Stay Strong: fruits and vegetables have vitamins and minerals that help build strong bones and muscles 
  

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