Happy Month of Love y'all! I just love February-- the love in the air, the chocolate, the flowers, and the beautiful red color everywhere. I love love. Even though to some a holiday may be commercialized, I think it is nice to set aside a special time of the year to highlight love. When I think of love, I think of hearts, and then I think of that bold, beautiful color! This month's favorites include all things red!
1. Go Red for Women
Today is National Wear Red Day, a special day to raise awareness for heart disease which is the number one killer of women in the United States. This year marks the 10th anniversary of National Wear Red Day hosted by the American Heart Association. While some risks for heart disease aren't modifiable (such as age, race, and heredity) there are many choices you can make to reduce your risk:
-stop smoking/don't start
-manage your blood sugar and blood pressure
-know your family history
-eat healthy, real food
-get active
-lose weight if necessary
As a dietitian, promoting the above healthy choices is so important to me! Be proactive in your health and raise awareness for this disease that impacts so many people by wearing red today.
2 & 3. Fruits and vegetables
I am a produce fanatic. I love the colors, the flavors, and the vitamins and minerals provided. Red fruits and vegetables have so many health benefits. Aim to consume fruits and/or vegetables at every meal. Lycopene and anthocyanin give many fruits and vegetables, their red color and may also help maintain heart health, boost the immune system, and prevent cancers. Add red to your menu this week through apples, bell peppers, raspberries, red onions, pomegranates, beets, red potatoes, and tomatoes.
4. Polish
Red nails are my favorite and always make me think of my Momma. 99% of the time her nails are painted red. I have many shades of red polish but my favorite right now is Momma's go-to: OPI Red. It's bright and cheery, with the slightest shimmer.
5. Decor
Red is my favorite color to decorate with-- you can find it in almost every room, especially this time of year! My mother-in-love Debbie helped me arrange our mantle via text for Valentine's Day. My dad and Karen gave us a red vase and the "twigs," as Dustin calls them, that were used in our wedding arrangements. I love the frame in the middle of our mantle with 1 Corinthians 13 written on it. Although the milk glass and hobnail are not red, I still love them. In addition to the mantle, I set out some heart tea towels I picked up a couple years ago at Target and updated my piggy chalkboard. I must admit, I have had to fight the urge to check out the new loot at Target this year so that I can stay on track with The Contentment Challenge. However, it is fun to move different pieces and items around in your home to decorate in new ways!
6. Wear
Since today is National Wear Red Day, it only makes sense to share a favorite red item I wear! My sister-friend Rhiannon gave her bridesmaids adorable monogramed scarves. I love a monogram and especially love that my scarf is red! My high school's colors are red and black, as well as my college sorority's, so red has infiltrated my closet for years.
7. Red Letters
Since this month's is considered the Month of Love, I started thinking about scripture mentioning love-- 1 Corinthians 13, John 3:16, Ephesians 5:2, 1 John 4:7-21, and many more. Love is mentioned in the Bible hundreds of time, making it clear that love is such an important part of a believer's life. It makes sense, seeing that God is love. He created us out of love to live lives of love. That's a lot of love! Jesus, the Red Letter man, gave us the greatest commandments in Matthew 22:37-40:
"Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest command. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Love God. Love others. Those are some beautiful red letters and words to live by.
So what red produce fills your crisper? What are you wearing today for National Wear Red Day? Did you decorate for the Month of Love? Do you have a favorite Red Letter passage? I would love to read your red favorites in the comments!
Have a lovely day!
No comments:
Post a Comment