Anytime is the time to happily celebrate with family and friends. “Have a happy,” I told my friend, the physical therapist. “Any words of wisdom?”  The response was perfect for my wordsmith brain. “Pay attention to your sides.  Make your sides happy.”

“Sides as in floss the sides of your teeth? Or which side are you cheering for? Maybe the food sides of the holiday meal?” My friend chuckled and continued, “The sides of your body.  Lie on your side and stretch your sides. Make your sides happy. Do not neglect your sides!” Oh, those sides, I thought. The right and left sides of my frame, cleverly displaying my overindulgence of side dishes. My happy sides.

I admit, my sides have been ignored for a while. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, do my happy sides look fit and small? The mirror just stared back at me with a blank look. Maybe I should take off my glasses to look in the mirror. I look much better, not clear, but better.

Side food dishes at any meal are a whole different ballgame. Different and difficult but happy. I will happily choose a side dish with any meal. The choice of these side items can be daunting. Server in a restaurant to me, “What sides do you want with your happy meal?”  Me, smiling, to server, “I have a few questions about these sides. Is the side happy? Is it steamed, baked, sautéed, coated with breadcrumbs, deep fried in some oil, and seasoned with something? Does the side contain salt that makes my blood pressure go sky high?” The server looks at me, wondering, which side of this happy planet is she from?

My favorite happy sides are fruits and vegetables, steamed or raw, hold the salt and sauce, please. I love sweet potatoes, a healthy vegetable when baked. Leave my sweet potato alone. Do not smash it, manipulate it, or top it with anything. Let my side dishes resemble what is grown in the field. I consider the most delicious, nutritious, and happy sides as gifts from nature.

Then there is the size of the happy side.  A tongue twister tale. Is it the size of a side of beef? I am not quite sure the size of the side of beef, but I think it is quite large. According to the American Heart Association, the serving size of a side of fruit is the size of a fist and for cooked vegetables, the serving size is 75 grams. For those who do not speak in grams, it is ½ cup of cooked vegetables.

Thanks to my physical therapy friend, I am very conscious of my happy sides, the sides of my body and the sides I eat at mealtimes. A good stretch in the morning to give my sides a happy start. Have a happy today and every day. For more fun and happiness, visit DrMarleneMD.com

Reference: American Heart Association, (2022), Fruits and Vegetables Serving Size Infographic, https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/add-color/fruits-and-vegetables-serving-sizes