Hello, gourd-geous! Please enjoy our blogger’s attempts to squeeze as many Halloween puns as possible into one story, along with our tips for a safe, healthy October.
Happy October! Here in the U.S. (and, increasingly, outside), we’re getting ready for Halloween—in my opinion, the best holiday of the year. But I live in Salem, Massachusetts, and here we do Halloween all month long. Halloween: It’s not a day, it’s a lifestyle.
So in the spirit of the month, here are some spooktacular tips for staying healthy and fa-boo-lous this boo-tiful holiday season.
Read a scary story
Need some motivation to pick up some healthy habits? Our friend Penn Jillette landed in the hospital on Halloween 2014 due to scary high blood pressure, and now he’s back to reflect on what the holiday means to him today.
Say “boo” to sugar
I know—why? Get this: The average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year. All that sugar means we’re more at risk for potentially dangerous conditions like obesity and diabetes, which can lead to cardiovascular issues, heart attacks, stroke, blindness, and other not-very-fun stuff.
So how can you detox? We’ve got some tips on how to go sugar free—and here’s one to start: Try going seven days—or three, or even one—without any added refined sugar. That means whatever is in your fruits and vegetables is okay, but no candy, cakes or cookies.
“BUT I AM A SUGAR MONSTER,” you’re saying. “SUGAR MONSTER NEED SUGAAAAR.” I feel you. Here are some not-terrible-for-you Halloween snack ideas, with options for keeping the focus on fruit and veg—such as pumpkin pie and baked apples, which are never a bad thing.
BTW, pumpkin is super-healthy. You probably know it’s full of vitamin A and C, but did you know the magnesium in pumpkin might help you reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes? It can also improve heart health and make your skin look better to boot. Check out our healthy pumpkin recipes for some ideas.
And we know that pumpkin gets a lot of love. (And let it be known that pumpkin spice—meaning cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice—is really good for you. So no guilt!) But sweet potatoes are also nutritional powerhouses, with vitamins A, C, calcium, potassium, and iron to boot.
Finally, lift your spirits with some tricked-out treats.
Withings Smart Scales
Get moving
Seriously, what better time than fall to get off your lazy bones and try something new—in costume? Check out a story from a real Withings employee who runs in an annual Halloween 5K for charity. Or why not join a zombie run? Or a Game of Thrones workout—the show may be over, but the sore muscles can live on.
And if you just need some inspiration (we know, it’s hard to get out of the house to exercise when the weather is bad), check out our post on the benefits of exercising in colder weather.
Have an [insert pun here] Halloween!
Image: The Boston office recently had a gathering to celebrate 🎉 the 10-year Withings anniversary with visitors from the Paris and Hong Kong offices
