Blueberries are the second most-consumed berry behind strawberries and for good reason! Blueberries are a great source of antioxidants and vitamin C. If that wasn’t enough, the fruit contains healthy amounts of dietary fiber, something that most of us don’t consume enough of on a daily basis. Eating foods high in fiber not only helps us stay regular, but also helps to manage our heart health and cholesterol.

I love rinsing off blueberries and eating them fresh from whatever container they are in. But, I found a few other ways that to add fresh blueberries into my meals.

• Add blueberries into lowfat yogurt
• Sprinkle some blueberries into your favorite salad. Check out this recipe that I found for Chicken Blueberry Salad.
• Blend them into your favorite smoothie mixture
• Use them to refresh your usual salsa with this recipe. This Blueberry Salsa is the perfect companion to your summer grilled dishes!
• Muddle fresh blueberries and add to your favorite beverage. Blueberry mojitos, anyone?

I’m still in the middle of my colorful fruits and veggies challenge, so I’m open to more ways to enjoy fresh blueberries. Do you guys have any that you’d like to share?

Check out this short list of nutrients found in some rainbow veggies:

Orange - Sweet potatoes and carrots contain beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Red - Red peppers and tomatos contain lycopene, a nutrient with some antioxidant properties.

Purple - Red cabbage is a good source of dietary fiber and disease-fighting polyphenols.

What’s funny is that I went on a raw food eating plan for 7 weeks a couple of years ago and you would think that I would have been tired and hungry from the switch to eating “God know what” to eating only fruits and veggies. But, the truth was that I never had so much energy. My skin looked better, my thinking was more clear, and I felt more fit. I’ve made the executive decision to get more colorful veggies into my diet on a daily basis.

Starting tomorrow, I’m going to challenge myself to have at least two servings of NON-green veggies each day. You’ll notice that I haven’t really talked much about fruit in this post. Well, I don’t really have too much of a problem eating a variety of fruits. Berries, cherries, oranges, kiwi, pomegranates, etc…You name it, I’m eating it especially in the summertime! So, this personal challenge is all about vegetables. If you need a reason to join in the challenge (other than the health ones), how’s this? A January study published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior found that eating a caretenoid-rich diet gave individuals a glow that were deemed more attractive than suntans.

Beauty in a carrot? I think I can handle that! To jump start my challenge, I found this great salad recipe on FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov for a Colorful Edamame Salad. It’s a very simple recipe that is a quick way to get two cups of veggies in my diet!

Ingredients:

Directions: To cook edamame, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add shelled edamame and cook 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water to cool. Prepare all other ingredients and combine with the edamame in a large salad bowl. If desired, toss with a low or non-fat dressing of your choice.

What are some ways that you incorporate vegetables in your daily diet? The more creative, the better!

*gulp*

This is something that I knew needed to be done but frankly, I was scared. Scared to think about what could be wrong and scared to talk openly and honestly with a physician about what was going on. Since our toddler years, we have been taught that you don’t really talk about bodily issues or “stuff that happens in your gut.” And, those mores of decency followed me into adulthood, as I found myself battling various symptoms. Even in conversations with close friends, I would often say that it was my stomach with the issue…not my lower GI system because that’s “gross.” Even when I talked to my primary care doctor, a colorectal surgeon, and a gastroenterologist, I STILL felt embarrassed to have those conversations.

But, “gross” can’t keep me from addressing this health need of mine anymore. And, it should keep you from addressing your health needs either. Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. And, it’s the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for men and women combined. Statistics like this automatically tell me that I can no longer afford to be timid about this issue. It’s time to get gutsy…Pun intended.

This afternoon, I am undergoing a colonoscopy so that my doctors can figure out what’s going on with me. Given my family’s history of cancer and autoimmune disease, my doctor will more than likely also need to do a biopsy of my tissue. It feels good to type that to the masses and not be so hush-hush about it. Before this post, only a handful of people knew what my “secret procedure” was going to be. For those who thought it was plastic surgery, I’m sorry to disappoint!

As a young African-American woman, I really want to talk to my three member groups and say the following:

• Young adults – GI issues are usually associated with older adults, but that doesn’t mean that we should be listening in on the conversation. I know that we all think we are invincible, but trust me…We aren’t. If something is wrong with you health-wise, it’s best to address it now. It will be so worth it in the long-run.

• African-Americans – It’s no secret that there are health disparities that negatively affect our community. But, we also must be the change that we need to see. African Americans have the highest colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates of all racial groups in the United States. Let’s start advocating for our health (SCREENINGS) and setting a better example for future generations to come.

• Women – Take the time out to “choose you,” and choose your health. That’s the theme of this website. Make a commitment to yourself and stick with it.

When I joined the “Choose You” blog, I did so because I wanted to put my health first and encourage others to do the same. So, if you know of a loved one who may be at risk for colorectal cancer, PLEASE share this information with them. It’s not the most fun conversation, but it is definitely a needed one.

Why?

Why these women? Women who are wonderful mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, aunts, friends, and more…Questions that hurt to ask, especially since there’s no one to answer.

Needless to say, I’ve been in a funk since. There are no other words to describe it. It hurts me to see my friends in these situations…Hurts me to my core because I know that feeling. After a couple of hours of crying, I changed my tune and my outlook on this situation. While I do hate cancer, I decided that I wasn’t going to focus on that. Cancer cut to the core of my friend’s family by taking his mother too soon, and I decided that was where I was drawing the line.

Cancer can take away many things, but it can never take away our memories…Sweet, sweet memories. So, last night, I baked a cake for work and decided to dedicate it to the sweet moments that we’ve all shared with those that we loved and lost to the “C” word.

The cake has been dyed pink in sweet memory of Ms. Ernita, and I made a candy ribbon out of multi-colored pareils representing all the various cancer awareness colors. This cake can never bring back our loved ones or take away the pain, but I can tell you this much…I haven’t shed a tear since I baked it. And, that’s a start.

Love and sweet memories...

P.S. I am many things but professional cake decorator isn’t one of them

The above quote was one of the latest ones shared by my grandmother. I was one of my first visits to see her after several weekends of doing any and everything in the sun. She hugged me and said, “You’re getting awfully brown out there.” She was definitely right…You see, I am a summertime sun junkie.

Bringing us to the next part of the conversation. My Granny turned to me and said, “I know you better be wearing sunscreen. I always wear it because I do not want any cancer. You know ‘we’ get skin cancer too.” My eyes shifted and I stammered a bit because I knew what she was saying and agreed but wasn’t acting like it. Unless I plan to be outside for more than 5 hours and/or it’s a 90+ degree day, I don’t use sunscreen.

While statistics show that melanoma is 10 times more common in whites than in African Americans, that doesn’t mean that I should behave like I’m exempt from this condition.  So, I promised my Granny that I would start breaking out the sunscreen and giving my body a break now and then from the sun exposure. To help me with this process, I’ve purchased lotions and face moisturizers that contain sunscreen so that I don’t have an added step, especially on a daily basis.

Tomorrow night is my Granny’s birthday dinner and I’m super sure that she will be asking me about the sunscreen and sun issue. Luckily, I will be able to tell her that I’m getting smarter about protecting my skin and my health. And, I think that is one of the best birthday gifts that I could ever give her.

That’s why the only place that I can effectively burn a sweat is on Chicago’s lakefront. As a lifelong Chicagoan, I will tell you that you are hard-pressed to find a city with a more beautiful skyline/shoreline. But, aside from the city pride, I love the lakefront because it is the center of my fitness universe. Six mile walks seem like 30 minute strolls. Squats in the sand don’t seem as awkward (notice the imagery doesn’t alleviate the pain). And, my usually futile attempt at a five minute jog actually pays off!

Aside from the power-walking, jogging, and sand-exercising, there are also  mini-workout stations placed along the lakefront for chin ups, leg lifts, reverse crunches and more! Everything that I hate to do in the gym, I love to do on the lakefront for a variety of reasons. However, the most important one is that it’s peaceful and beautiful, not to mention free and a block away from my apartment.

This weekend is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous in Chicago, and I’m looking forward to getting some great exercise in! Especially after last night’s dinner with my uncle that consisted of BBQ nachos, buffalo wings, BBQ beef brisket, fries, and cornbread. Yes, that was a lot of food but doesn’t choosing you sometimes means choosing happiness? I hope so because BBQ definitely brightens my day!

I swear on the Chicago lakefront that I will make up for last night’s binge with a long walk tomorrow…Does it matter that I’ll be power-walking to another BBQ? *smile*

Even though my day-to-day life isn’t super stressful, the little (and big) things always seem to creep up on me! I don’t like to be thrown into the pressure cooker, and if I find myself there, then I have to be in perfect control. Well, we all know that life is the furthest thing from perfect or controlled. So, what’s a girl to do when she has to face these struggles to keep it going? First thing? Take a deep breath.

I’ve always been a “sigh-er, ” but this is much different. doing deep breath exercises has really changed my energy. It gives me a chance to center myself and my thoughts. I consider it yoga for my mind and soul. It’s quick and I can do it anywhere and at any time.

To make sure that I was getting the most out of my breaths, I found this great article on DrWeil.com. The article lays out three deep breathing exercise designed to really help relieve stress and focus your thoughts. My favorite is the 4-7-8 exercise.

Here’s the rundown: Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.

* Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.

* Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.

* Hold your breath for a count of seven.

* Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.

* This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

I love this exercise because it’s simple and can really be done anywhere! As a matter of fact, I do this at my desk, on the bus, and even walking down the streets. Do any of you practice deep breathing techniques? If so, I’d love to hear them! For other ways to manage stress, check out some of the Choose You blog entries from earlier this week! I’ve definitely learned a few things from reading the other posts, and I think that you will too!

When I started this journey, I listed my goals for achieving a healthy lifestyle. A couple of weeks later, my diet is still slightly irregular and I’ve definitely fallen short of eating fresh veggies and fruits at least once a day. *hangs head* I set a goal to workout during the week. Accomplished? Hmm…not unless you count my power walk to and from the office and that’s more of a stress reliever than exercise.

I’m starting to wonder if I have an issue with commitment. Here’s how it goes: I set my sights on a goal, lock in on it until I either get bored or have another goal/thought replace it. What’s crazy to me is that this is my health! Who doesn’t want to be committed to living a better, healthier lifestyle? Bleh.

The great thing about life though is that we are given a new day to start afresh and build on what we did (or didn’t) during the previous 24 hours. So, I’m not going to spend too much time feeling frustrated with myself! I’ve recently forced a couple of my friends to drag me to the gym with them, and even scheduled an Outlook appointment to remind me to eat. Baby steps, right?

If there’s one thing that I’ve realized so far, it’s that choosing me is a process and a lifestyle change. There’s no magic wand…And, I certainly can’t click my favorite red shoes and appear at the finish line. I am determined to make my health a priority and while all the steps may not have fallen in place yet, I’m proud of the small actions that I’ve taken thus far.

Today, I’m choosing to put any committment issues aside. What are you choosing to do?

For the past year, I’ve been battling colitis, random food allergies, and a lethargy issue that’s been out of this world. When you combine that with the various chronic diseases in my family history (cancer, multiple sclerosis, asthma, high blood pressure), I have a solid case for why it’s time to choose me. My body can’t be waving all of these flags for nothing! It’s time to put my goals and ambitions front and center, and being in great health is one of them.

When I learned about the “Choose You” campaign, I immediately pinpointed three key goals for myself.

• Develop and maintain a healthy (and delicious) diet…This means cutting out the stress eating. YIKES!
• Incorporate plenty of fun and affordable exercise into my lifestyle
• Reduce my stress levels (see the first bullet)

Now, that I’ve set the goals, it’s time to come up with a plan of action that fits into my erratic lifestyle. My first step is to get my eating habits under some sort of control. As of now, I tend to eat 1-2 meals per day, and I’m not really sure how and why that happens. I adore food and will eat tons of whatever you put in front of me. I’m just not that good about going out and getting said food. I recently read a LA Times‘ article examining the poor eating habits of a fellow twenty-something gal, and I thought, “Oh, Lord…She is me!” If I could master the art of convenient, healthy meals, I think that would do me a world of good. Luckily, I’ve found some great websites and blogs to help me get that ball rolling.

I’m actually excited about starting this journey to a more fit and fab me. Health has always been an important issue to me…Now, it’s time for my health to become an important issue for me. I hope that by chronicling my process, I can encourage other young women to start on the road to healthy living sooner versus later. Like my Granny says, “There’s only one you.” I hear you, Granny, and today, I start putting me first.