The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. – Isak Dinesen
Nantucket Island is a cure-all, a natural remedy to soothe what ails you. With miles of beaches, bike paths and walking trails, as well as a plethora of amazing eating establishments, it’s easy to find health on Nantucket… if you know what you’re looking for.
How to find health…
Health is more than eating right or getting adequate exercise. Health is all about balance – balance amongst the foods you eat, the amount of physical activity you get, and the time you dedicate to yourself. If any of these key ingredients are out of balance, they will throw the others off. For example, you may have heard the saying, “you can’t out exercise poor diet.” Similarly, if you’re running on empty you won’t be able to function efficiently, whether it be mentally or physically. For this reason, I encourage nutritional change through a lifestyle approach focusing on the three pillars of health: nutrition, fitness and self-wealth, all of which can be found on Nantucket.
NUTRITION
Food is one of our most basic needs and should take priority in our lives. When we are on vacation or on the go, making the time to prepare a healthy meal isn’t always a top priority. Lucky for us, Nantucket has an overabundance of healthy options.
When choosing a meal, remember it’s all about balance. So enjoy those from-scratch treats along with your vegetables! Here are a few tips to make dining out a little easier:
- Look for vegetables… lots and lots of vegetables We have heard this over and over again, and it’s no lie. The more veggies you eat, the better! Aim to make half of each meal vegetables.
- Don’t be afraid of carbohydrates. This macronutrient has been getting a lot of bad press lately, but it is a vitally important nutrient that enables our bodies to function efficiently. Yes, some carbs are better than others, so when selecting your carbohydrate source choose a whole grain or plant source and keep your portion sizes in check.
- Don’t skimp on the protein. And if you’re on Nantucket, you might as well go for the fish!
FITNESS
Our bodies are made to move! When we hear the word “fitness,” we always jump to the idea of formal exercise in a gym or fitness center, but fitness can be anything that gets you moving. From the formal to the informal, Nantucket has a multitude of opportunities suitable for any age or fitness level, and available any time of the year.
Fitness classes, traditional gyms and miles of picturesque walking trails… whatever your inspiration, just get moving. To motivate you to get up and go, MiniNutrition is hosting the Walk the Rock Nantucket Community Walking Challenge. Suitable for all ages and levels, Walk the Rock will begin Monday, May 16th and you can sign up here.
SELF-WEALTH
Whether you’re visiting Nantucket on vacation or you’re here to stay, let the sea set you free. Remind yourself that you can’t always be on the go, filling every last minute of the day with tasks and chores. To stay healthy, we must take time to do the things we love guilt-free. If that means leaving the dishes in the sink until the morning so that we can read a good book or have a glass of wine with friends, then so be it! Nantucket has so many wonderful ways to relax and if we don’t make the time to enjoy them, they will pass us by. So here it is… your prescription for “me time.”
Find your balance on this little island. Make the time to eat good food, enjoy the open spaces and top-notch fitness facilities, and most importantly, make time for you!
Kathleen Minihan, founder of MiniNutrition, is a Registered Nutritionist with a Masters in Nutrition and Health Promotion. Kathleen aims to share the importance of healthy living and illustrate that health and nutritional change can be enjoyable and achievable. MiniNutrition offers a lifestyle approach to health, incorporating sound science and small sustainable changes that create positive and lifelong health habits. To learn more or work with Kathleen, you can visit her website here.
