Ways to Exercise as a Family Even in the Summer Heat
Exercising as a family is a great way to encourage a healthy lifestyle, and it can help keep the kids busy while they’re out of school. However, the South Georgia heat is no joke and taking a walk outside or heading to the park may be a little too intense some days. However, we have some tips on how to exercise as a family even in the heat of the summer.
- Take advantage of the cooler parts of the day. While it doesn’t make sense to try and go for a walk outside or head to the local park in the afternoon due to the heat, you can take advantage of the mornings and evenings when it’s a little cooler (especially before July hits) to get outside and have some fun while getting exercise. Be sure to dress appropriately, wear sunscreen, and bring enough water for everyone!
- Find a community pool or splash park. When it’s hot outside, swimming or running around a splash park is a great way for your kids (and you) to get exercise without overheating. If you don’t have a pool yourself, find a community pool or a local splash pad to enjoy.
- Find an indoor playground near you. While it might be too hot to head to the local outdoor playground, many communities now have indoor playgrounds. Ask around and see if there’s one near you. If you don’t know of one, some fast food restaurants still have indoor playgrounds. You can walk around or do calisthenics while your kids play.
- Find a group fitness class. Some local gyms or community centers may offer fitness classes for the whole family.
- Head to the mall. While most people think of silver sneakers groups walking around the mall, the mall is a great place to walk in the cool of the indoors.
- Take advantage of free gym memberships. Some gyms offer summer passes for older children to workout for free during the summer, and having someone to workout with could be a great motivator for you to head to the gym yourself.
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are in season now in South Georgia, which makes it the perfect time to use them up in salads, on sandwiches, or even just by themselves. If you’re looking for more reasons to love tomatoes, we have just a few of their many health benefits below!
- Improved heart health has been linked to frequent consumption of tomatoes. Heart disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes, is the world’s most common cause of death. However, the lycopene, a plant compound found in tomatoes, may be able to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and in turn, help your heart health. Additionally, tomato and tomato products may help with inflammation and oxidative stress, which are linked to heart disease.
- Cancer prevention may be another health benefit of tomatoes. Observational studies have noticed a link between tomatoes and tomato products and fewer cases of prostate, lung, and stomach cancers. Again, lycopene is believed to be the reason why. Carotenoids, another plant compound found in tomatoes has also been linked to lower rates of breast cancer in women.
- Skin health may be another little-known benefit of the mighty tomato. Lycopene, as well as other plant compounds, found in tomatoes may protect against sunburn.
Herb-Roasted Olives and Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup garlic-stuffed olives
- 1 cup Greek olives
- 1 cup pitted ripe olives
- 8 garlic gloves, peeled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°. Combine the first 5 ingredients on a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Add oil and seasonings; toss to coat. Roast until tomatoes are softened, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
