NUTRITION

Healthy Summer Cookout Tips

Bee-Alive, Inc.

CBN.com – Summer is here, and we all know what that means: cookouts, road trips, and long days at the beach! Americans are outside more hours and exercise more often during the summer. And when our bodies are happy, we’re more likely to be.

So why do we find ourselves so tired in the summer? Why the almost irresistible urge for a Sunday afternoon nap – even on a gorgeous day?

The problem is, many of us are so focused on what’s outside that we just don’t think about what we put inside our bodies in the summer!

The key to staying energetic and healthy is to ensure that everything you put in your body lines up with the “Four H’s” . . . it needs to be Hygienic, Healthy, Hydrating and Hearty. By observing the Four H’s, you give your body the fuel it needs to stay both healthy and energized. When you start to let them slip, you’ll notice a decline in energy … and maybe even your health.

Do you need just a little more energy to enjoy these waning days of summer? Are you itching for long-term energy, so you’re not living from energy boost to energy boost? In this column, we’ll help you do just that – to maximize your summer fun!

In this article, we’ll talk about the first two H’s – Hygienic and Healthy. In part two, we’ll finish up with Hydrating and Hearty.

KEEP IT HYGIENIC
According to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, consumer beef demand increased 10.4 percent from the first to second quarter of 2004. And although eating beef in moderation is not a problem for your body, make sure you keep it hygienic. A little contamination here and there may not send you to the hospital – but it will keep your body fighting back, sapping precious energy away from the loved ones you need it most for.

• Never let food sit out for more than two hours. When the temperature is over 90 degrees, put it away after one hour. It’s easy to forget the leftovers – but when the food comes off the grill, start your timer!

• Wash, wash, wash! Your hands, your utensils, your plates – keep everything clean. Never use the same plate to hold raw and cooked meat.

• Preheat your grill at least 20 minutes before using it. Not only does this warm up the grill – it kills germs lingering from last week’s barbecue.

KEEP IT HEALTHY
It goes without saying that a healthy diet is important – but somehow, that’s the last thing on our minds when we make our way to the cookout. Like most Americans, when you geared up for that last trip, you probably filled your picnic basket with potato chips and cookies…

• Vegetables taste great and go with any meal – particularly a barbecue. (No, potato chips don’t count!) Make sure you have plenty of lettuce and tomato for your burger buffet, and fill up on salads as much as the beef.

• Supplement your food – even the most well-planned diet can fail to supply all of your body’s needs. Find high quality vitamin and mineral supplements to complement your diet. And, try Royal Jelly, a natural substance from the beehive many people use for added energy, stamina, and vitality.*

• Be creative! Instead of a steak-and-burgers cookout, grill lamb with vegetable Kabobs. You’ll be surprised at what works – and keeps the summer mood strong.

We are what we eat – no matter what time of year! If you keep your intake Hygienic and Healthy, you’ll give your body the fuel it needs to be its best.

Read part two of this article, Savoring Summer: Eat Healthy for More Energy.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As with any natural product, individual results will vary.

For more information about Bee-Alive or Royal Jelly, please visit www.beealive.com.

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