Spring Has Sprung!

by Helen Hamlin

Ready or not, spring is here! The pollen has begun to fly and we are all a bit frustrated by the yellow haze in the air. It might be a good time to stay indoors and get to some spring cleaning – it’s much easier to breathe inside these days.

I wonder how many of you have considered cleaning out the kitchen – the pantry, the cabinets and most importantly, the fridge! I am not saying that your kitchen isn’t clean, but there may be some food that just needs to go.

By needs to go, I mean go! Let’s think in terms of making room for all of those nice fresh seasonal fruits and veggies, great lean meats, fish and poultry.

Grilling season is here with lots of opportunity to lighten up our plates. Consider updating your spice cabinet. Experiment with some of the wonderful flavored olive oils – they will surprise you when grilling and will help keep the fats and calories down.

Along with the warmer weather, our thoughts are now turning to swimsuit season – yup, it is right around the corner! We are shedding those nice warm bulky sweaters and exposing more skin!

By taking full advantage of the season’s fresh choices and preparing our foods on the grill, we are moving in the right direction! Once the pollen has moved on, let’s add some more outdoor activity – hikes in the forests, bike riding on the lovely local trails, and swimming.

When cleaning out our closets, consider getting rid of those crummy old workout clothes and purchasing a few new lightweight colorful items. Ditch the dirty old sneakers and get some nice fresh new walking shoes. Let’s get ready to enjoy the wonderful days ahead!