“An apple a day keeps the Doctor away!”
Is there anyone – anywhere – who hasn’t heard that statement? As wellness coaches, we understand the value of making fruits and veggies a regular part of our (and our client’s) nutritional strategy. We get the fact that apples add fiber to the diet along with the vitamins contained within. But still – was this just a marketing strategy put forth by the apple growers? Or is there something more to this strategy than meets the eye?
Last week, I discovered the answer. I was working from my home office when I wandered into the kitchen, looking for a little something to tide me over between meals. We had a few apples in the fruit dish, but I never grab an apple when I’m working. Too messy. Unlike many other snack choices such as a banana or a bowl of yogurt, you have to go “all in” if you’re going to choose an apple. Unless you’re extremely careful, it’s difficult to take a bite, set it down and return to the keyboard. Your fingers get sticky… the apple only balances upright for so long… chewing is too loud for a conference call…
And that, my wellness coaching friends, is when I realized why “An apple a day” literally can be a very powerful strategy! The best way to eat an apple IS to go “all in.” Stand up. Step away from the computer. Commit to a 5-10 minute break away from your office, your phone, your computer. Breath fully. Enjoy the moment. Let your mind wander and your pulse rate slow.
An “apple a day” is about so much more than the apple. It’s 5 minutes of bliss, of stress release, of hitting the restart button on your day. And who wouldn’t benefit from that?
(and yes – the nutrients and fiber aren’t a bad thing either).
