P.E.P. Talk - July 2023

How Many Physical Activities Do You Do?

When you think about health and wellness you need to consider how physically active are you? You don't need to set aside time to exercise daily if you are in motion and moving as part of your daily routine.

How much walking do you do in a day? How many steps are in a mile?

An average person has a stride length of approximately 2.1 to 2.5 feet. That means that it takes over 2,000 steps to walk one mile and 10,000 steps would be almost 5 miles. A sedentary person may only average 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day.

Things like painting, car washing, vacuuming/mopping, gardening/raking/weeding and changing bedding can be as physically demanding as exercise.

There are also many ways to sneak in a few extra steps throughout your day. You can park further away when running errands, take the stairs whenever there is the option, take a few extra laps in the grocery store and walking your dog.

I hope everyone takes the time to look through all of the information included in this month's P.E.P. Talk and use it to help take better care of you!

I look forward to hearing from you. - Erin

Understanding The Economy
Of Physical Activity

Defining physical activity

At its essence, physical activity is about movement. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines physical activity as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure – including activities undertaken while working, playing, carrying out household chores, traveling and engaging in recreational pursuit.” According to the WHO, in order to maintain good health, children and adolescents need 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity daily, and adults need 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity,
on a weekly basis.

The benefits of physical activity are varied, widely proven, and well-known, including: preventing chronic disease, reducing stress, managing weight, strengthening functional mobility, improving sleep, alleviating depression, improving cognitive function and so on. To receive these benefits, our engagement in physical activity needs to be regular, consistent, and sustained – not intermittent, only during holidays, or only when we want to lose weight or can find the time.

We can engage in physical activities in many ways. Some types of movement are essential to our daily lives, such as doing manual labor, walking to work or to the store, climbing stairs, doing household chores, gardening and so on. Termed natural movement, these kinds of activities have been the core of physical activity for humankind for millennia – including occupational, domestic, and transportation-related physical activity. Unfortunately, these activities are now on the decline around the world, progressively discouraged by our modern lifestyles and built environments.

We also engage in optional and intentional movement as part of our hobbies and leisure time. Recreational physical activity can include going to the gym, playing sports, taking a walk or cycling for fun, dancing and children playing on a playground.

If we engage in enough natural movement during our daily tasks, then it is not necessary for us to compensate with recreational physical activity in order to meet WHO guidelines and stay healthy.

In most of the world, however, our living environments, jobs, and lifestyles are less and less conducive to natural movement, while recreational physical activity is becoming increasingly essential in order to stay healthy.

Ingredients

2 potato (2 medium potatoes = 150g each)
2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion
2 eggs
¼ cup rosemary, fresh (¼ cup fresh = 1 tbsp dried)
¼ cup basil, fresh ( ¼ cup fresh = 1 tbsp dried. Feel free to use your favourite herbs of course!)
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup cheddar cheese
1 tbsp vinegar

Instructions

Cut the potatoes into thin slices. Dice the onion.
Cook the sliced potatoes in a wide frying pan in olive oil on a medium heat for 20 minutes. Half way in add the diced onion. Use a lid as this cooks them a bit quicker. Don’t stir too often or it won’t crisp up.
Crack the eggs into a cup and give a quick whisk with a fork.
Throw in the eggs, cheese, herbs, salt and pepper.
Cook for another 2 mins or until the egg is done.
Add a splash of vinegar.
Done.

Nutrition

Locals Only
Welcome to the Coachella Valley's locals only recommendations for you. This is a list of local businesses, excursions and happenings throughout the desert. They can be experienced as a single event or group them together to customize your own adventures and day trips.

Please visit each website to confirm the days and hours of each location.

Cabot's Pueblo Museum
Local Tip: Make sure to get tickets in advance if you want the guided tour. Lots of history, artwork and artifacts in this historic house museum. Highly recommended.