by Cascade Ice on March 10, 2021
As the weather warms up you become more comfortable getting out of your home to travel again, you may be wondering how to stay on top of your healthy lifestyle. Of course you want to partake in fabulous meals and relax on the beach, but you also want to stay the course on your healthy living journey. So, what’s the best way to strike a good, healthy balance while traveling? We provide some quick and easy tips below!
Diet is more important than exercise
What you consume amounts to 80-90% of how you look and feel. While exercise is important, nutrition and diet are the holy grail when it comes to a healthy body. So how can you stay on top of your diet when there are treats and decadent meals everywhere when you travel? Don’t overcomplicate things. Eat whole foods most of the time and avoid liquid calories (Cascade Ice Sparkling Water is a perfect choice to stay hydrated with zero calories!). Aim for foods that are high in protein and fats that will keep you fuller longer, so you aren’t famished by the end of a hike or craving unhealthy foods at the end of a long travel day. Good choices that are easy to take on the go include trail mix, lean beef jerky, and single-serving hummus.
Have Fun While Being Active
Traveling is all about fun. And the fact that most of us have been quarantining for the past year makes the desire to have some memorable experiences even greater. So why not combine the fun with physical activity? Even if your vacation is all about relaxation, make sure you find a few times throughout your day to burn some calories and get your body moving. Dancing can burn up to 400 calories an hour, and moderate hiking can burn around 500. Many resorts and outdoor recreation areas will offer designated places and even classes to get your blood flowing. So enjoy yourself, but make the exercise part of the fun!
Drink plenty of H2O
When you’re traveling, you may get distracted from drinking your usual daily amount of water, but the truth is – you need more water when you’re traveling. From temperature and altitude fluctuations, to moving your body more than usual, you should make water consumption a priority during your travels. Make an effort to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water each hour. Bottled water can be expensive, so remember to bring your favorite travel bottle to fill up throughout the day. Cascade Ice offers plenty of different varieties of sparkling water to help you meet your daily goals. You can find out where to purchase Cascade Ice on our “where to buy” page.
Listen to your body
While you want to stay healthy while traveling, it’s simply not the time to be rigid. Flight delays, schedule changes and longer days can leave you feeling jet lagged and exhausted. Make sleep a priority on vacation and adjust your regular workout routines to be shorter and lighter to account for all of the activity. Traveling can do wonders for your mental health, but you also need to balance with your physical health – so, eat a balanced diet, get plenty of fresh air, and aim for 8 hours of sleep each night. Do you have any travel plans coming up?
How do you stay healthy while traveling? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Cascade Ice on March 5, 2021
March is National Nutrition Month, and that means we are focused on the best ways to make our diets packed with more nutrition to feed and nurture our bodies. This sounds daunting – but does it have to be? No way! Below we give you some quick tips on how to make each food and beverage choice more nutritious, so you can live a longer, healthier life!
Choose Whole Grains
Carbs are NOT the enemy, even though we’ve been led to believe that by the diet industry. Instead of focus on eliminating carbs, which are essential to many of the body’s functions, pay attention to specific ingredients. Refined grains have been linked to countless health issues, so when you’re shopping for bread and cereals, read the label to make sure it’s made with whole grains and seeds only, not a mixture of whole and refined grains.
Make an Egg-Cellent Breakfast
Another lie we’ve been told? That eggs have too much cholesterol and should be eliminated from your diet. Eggs are actually a fantastic source of protein, and they’re packed with essential nutrients like choline that keep your body functioning optimally.
Studies have even shown that eating eggs in the morning can increase feelings of “fullness” and can prevent you from consuming too many calories throughout the rest of your day. Cheers for eggs!
Drink Enough Water
We may seem like a broken record, but it truly is one of the most important facets of good health and nutrition – make sure you are properly hydrated! Drinking your daily dose of water may benefit weight loss, reduce appetite, and help your organs function more efficiently to rid the body of waste and toxins. It’s even been shown to increase energy! If plain old water is too boring, try one of the many sparkling water varieties that Cascade Ice has to offer.
Take some High-Quality Supplements
Even if you were 100 percent diligent about eating healthy all the time, you’d still likely be lacking certain nutrients in your diet. A daily multivitamin supplement is a great way to make sure you’re not missing out on any crucial vitamins and minerals. Vitamin D is one of the most common deficiencies in our diet, and it’s extremely important for bone health and your immune system function. Omega-3’s is another crucial nutrient that Americans typically lack, so taking high quality supplements daily can really help you achieve your body’s full, healthy potential.
Don’t Overcomplicate it
If a healthy eating or diet plan sounds more complicated than it should be, it’s likely not going to be effective for you in the long term. Instead of trying to make a complete overhaul of your diet, focus instead on making small, daily goals that over time will become lifelong healthy habits that you can stick with. For example, make simple switches like trading that 30-minute TV show for a neighborhood walk, or shutting off your electronics 30 minutes before bedtime and aiming for 8 hours of sleep each night. You’ll be pleased to find out that all of these small daily decisions end up benefiting your overall health, and you’ll feel and look better too!
How do you live a healthier, more nutritious lifestyle? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Cascade Ice on February 12, 2021
It seems like such a simple thing … drinking plenty of water each day. But life gets busy, and we forget to make staying hydrated a priority. Next thing you know, you may start feeling the effects of being dehydrated. Believe it or not, hydration affects most functions inside your body, making it one of the most important things you can do to feel and look your best every day.
When you make it a habit to prioritize drinking water, you’ll notice the benefits right away. Here are some things you’ll notice!
You feel focused
Do you ever feel like you get sidetracked easily, and you can’t focus on the task at hand? Drink a big glass of water and watch what happens! Even mild dehydration can affect your ability to focus, as water is one of the most essential needs in our bodies. Since our bodies are made up mostly of water, it makes it even more important to replenish it to feed and cleanse our system.
You’re less tempted to snack
When hunger strikes, make sure you’re not experiencing thirst instead. Sometimes our body can trick us into thinking we are hungry for food when we simply aren’t getting the recommended amount of water through food and liquids. When you consume plenty of water, you’ll notice right away that your snack habit will subside. Still crave a kick? Try Cascade Ice Sparkling Water for a little something different, while still meeting your daily hydration goals.
You have a glow
Skin benefits greatly from hydration, and for some people – it can prevent aging and make the skin’s surface feel softer and get rid of blemishes. The reason why? Our skin is our largest organ, and it relies on water to produce new cells to give us the appearance of a “glow” or youthful skin. When you add more H20 to your diet, your skin will likely be one of the first parts of your body to notice!
Your mood will change
Feel like you’re always in a funk? Not drinking enough water can really mess with your mood, from shifting hormone levels to making you feel tired. To give yourself a little “treat”, try adding some flavor to your water by cutting up fresh fruit and dropping it in, or try a flavored sparkling water variety to switch things up. Bubbly water offers the same benefits as regular water, so drink up, and watch your mood improve!
With all these immediate benefits to staying hydrated, how do you know how much water you need each day? It varies per person, but experts agree that a minimum of 6-8 eight-ounce glasses of water should be your goal. However, some adults may need more or less depending on their health, medications, activity level, climate, etc. Check with your doctor to see about the perfect amount for you.
Have you noticed immediate benefits of being hydrated? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Cascade Ice on January 15, 2021
In the past decade, gluten-free products have proliferated at your local grocery store. Even many restaurants offer gluten-free menu options. But how do you know if you should cut out gluten from your diet?
Those who are diagnosed with Celiac Disease cannot process gluten in their bodies. It triggers an immune response that inflames the intestines and can block certain nutrients from being absorbed into your body. Still others are simply “gluten sensitive” and can have similar symptoms to Celiac Disease without the damage to your organs.
To find out about gluten sensitivities, you can either do an elimination diet where you cut out gluten for 30 days, and then slowly introduce it back into your diet and note your symptoms. Or you can request a simple blood screening from your doctor.
While many Americans have ditched gluten because they think it will make them feel better, unless you have a confirmed sensitivity or Celiac Disease, there isn’t a need to eliminate it from your diet, experts say.
But for those who do, avoiding gluten means ditching most types of breads, pasta, and beer. Gluten is even in many of your standard packaged products like sauces, supplements, and some foods labeled with “natural ingredients.” All of our Cascade Ice product lines are gluten-free, so if you are gluten-sensitive, check out the many flavor combinations and offerings we have!
Lastly, if you’re adhering to a gluten-free diet, make sure you get plenty of fiber, as most Americans are deficient in it already, and eliminating gluten can make it worse. Add fruits, leafy greens, beans, and even high fiber gluten-free crackers to your diet to avoid inflammation and get plenty of fiber.
Are you practicing a gluten-free diet? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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