5 Healthy Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

by Kristen Seymour (Subscribe to Kristen Seymour's posts)
Apr 21st 2009 5:00PM

Tomorrow is Earth Day -- how will you celebrate? Taking care of the Earth and taking care of your body often go hand in hand, and I have a few suggestions for observing this special holiday while also celebrating your healthy lifestyle.

Bike to work. Or the market, or school -- wherever you need to go. Not only will it show that you care about the environment, but you'll burn off your breakfast, too. Walking, of course, is just as good.
Skip the gym (but not your workout). Take the opportunity to get in touch with Mother Nature. If you have a park nearby, run a few sprints, then use the jungle gym to do pull-ups (just be sure to bring along your own reusable water bottle!). Or, just take a long walk around your neighborhood or through the woods. By skipping the gym, you'll avoid using the power you would have consumed on the treadmill or in the sauna, plus, it'll feel great to be outside.
Eat vegetarian. I'm not saying you should become a full-fledged veg (although, I'm not saying you shouldn't, either), but research has shown that a vegetarian diet is beneficial for the planet, and a plant-based diet is good for your body, too. And don't freak out -- vegetarian dining isn't hard, and it's not scary. You don't have to come up with anything exotic (unless you want to). Whole wheat pasta with sauce and some sauteed veggies will work, and steamed vegetables with couscous is one of my favorite quick and easy meals. Get inspired here -- you might even start making it a weekly thing! (Bonus points if your vegetarian meal is comprised of local foods!)
Get involved. Forget sitting on the couch and watching all of the cool Earth Day events on the news -- find events near you! A quick search of my town and "earth day" revealed lots of things to do, including planting trees and cleaning up. And have you ever planted trees? You're in for a workout!
Plant your own garden. Hey, if you're going to get your hands dirty and your brow sweaty, maybe you want to get something tangible out of it -- I don't blame you. Work with your roommates or family to create a vegetable garden. You'll burn calories getting it started, and you'll reap the benefits of homegrown, fresh, delicious vegetables in no time! Find out everything you need by entering your zip code on the National Gardening Association website.

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Comments (4)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Anne 4-21-2009 @ 8:59PM

Author's proposal makes sense, if you can not do all of the author's five recommendations, you can try to adopt one. .

http://www.000health.com

Todd 4-21-2009 @ 9:36PM

Why do you need a special day such as 'Earth Day' to practice healthy living? Like Valentines day, why do you need one special day set aside to practice showing love, or living responsibly with this planet. We live on and with this piece of rock hurling through the universe, not on it as parasites..

Jonathan Aluzas 4-21-2009 @ 11:33PM

Great ideas, Kristen. Only thing I would change is plant a LOW WATER garden! Or, for that matter, try to reformat your overall landscaping to be more water-wise.