Category Archives: Healthy Youth Development

Winter Activities & Events in Dec | 2016

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The holiday season is here and that means there are tons of events occurring everywhere. Do you want to participate in fun winter activities, join a event, or know what’s happening locally? Here are some activities listed of where and what you can take part of:

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http://365twincities.com/

  • Ice skate at your local park that has ice rinks. If not, you can try going to a couple locations like The Depot Ice Rink in downtown Minneapolis, Parade Ice Garden, and Wells Fargo WinterSkate in St. Paul.
  • Want to ride train with magical Christmas lights? The event “Santa at Night Trains” is happening between Nov. 5th – Dec 17th from 6PM-PM at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum in St. Paul. Check this link for more info!

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http://www.shutterstock.com/

  • Simply enjoy the snow through making a snowman and sledding. Sometimes, the fun is right outside of the door, we only need to go there ourselves. Check ahead of time of the weather so that you can enjoy your time in the snow the most without it being too windy and cold.
  • Check your local community for volunteer opportunities and donation spots. It is the season of receiving and giving love. So you can choose to show your appreciation to your community in different ways.
  • Skiing is another popular activity during the winter season. Locations such as
    Hyland Hills Ski Area, Buck Hill, and Mount Kato Ski Area are great ski resorts to check out.

This Month in Japan | December

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Like other countries located around the world, Japan is experiencing winter and celebrate the snowfall in their own unique ways. Despite the oncoming cold weather, Japan is remains a popular destination to travel to during the winter because of the festive events, beautiful sceneries, and amazing shopping experiences. Here are some activities and events occurring in December around Japan:

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http://www.kyotoguide.com/

  • Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri is held in mid December, usually around Dec 15th-18th. “The On-Matsuri is a festival held at Wakamiya-jinja Shrine which stands in the precincts of the Kasuga Taisha Grand Shrine. It was first organized in the 12th Century when an epidemic prevailed, and prayers were offered at this festival for the eradication of the plague and also for the blessing of a rich harvest. This historic festival continues to be one of the largest annual events of Nara Prefecture, attracting a great many tourists.” – https://www.jnto.go.jp/

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flutrackers.com

  • Sendai Pageant of Starlight is a free illumination event where pedestrians can enjoy the view of tons of LED light bulb to bring in the holiday spirit. It is held outside and throughout the entire month of Dec. “The venue for the light-up is the Zelkova lined boulevards of Aoba Dori and Jouzenji Dori right in the center of Sendai. A good starting point is Kotodai Station at the eastern end of Jouzenji Dori.” – https://japancheapo.com/
  • A event held in mid Dec and again in mid Jan is a flea market where people sell old antiques, toys, food, plants, and fabrics. “Setagaya Boro-ichi is a Tokyo-designated intangible folk cultural asset dating back some 430 years.” – http://www.gotokyo.org/
  • Popular destinations to visit in Japan are Kyoto, Takayama, Tokyo, Hokkaido, Sapporo, and more! These are just a few locations that offers great sight seeing, seasonal food, and famous local cuisines.

Tips for this Holiday!

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healthy-holidays
1) Keep the focus on fun, not food. Indulge in only the most special holiday treats.  For example in the Chinese new year eve dinner, the dumpling is the most special dish, and when families prepare the dumplings, they will hind the couple coins in the dumplings, who gets to bite on the coins, who will have the best luck at coming year.  It’s fun to eat the dumplings to find the coins, but keep in mind not overdoing it.
2) Staying physically active during the holidays.  A study conducted by the U.S. government found adults gained, on average, more than a pound of body weight during the winter holidays – and that they were not at all likely to shed that weight the following year.  The good news is that the people who reported the most physical activity through the holiday season showed the least weight gain. Some even managed to lose weight.
3) Toast the new year with just one glass of bubbly.
Alcohol can interfere with your blood sugar by slowing the release of glucose into the bloodstream; it also contain a lot of calories – 89 calories per glass of white wine or champagne, 55 calories in a shot of vodka, and 170 calories in a pint of stout beer. What’s more, alcohol breaks down your inhibitions and judgment, which makes you that much less likely to resist the junk foods that you would otherwise be able to pass by.
4) Shop wisely this season. It’s easy to be tempted to buy things that you don’t need that are on “sale” and “clearance”. Best thing you can do to prevent this from happening is:
  • Set a budget to limit your spending on gifts.
  • Make a list of all the people you are going to buy gifts for and the things you plan on buying.
  • Differentiate wants from needs. “I want this, but do I need it?”
  • Use coupons when applicable. There are coupons available through online websites, in your mails, and in stores.

Bullying Prevention

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url

Act to Change

What is bullying?

Bullying is the act of intimidating someone through influence or through force.

Can bullying happen to anyone?

Yes, bullying does occur everywhere and to anyone of any backgrounds. Bullying doesn’t have to happen person to person. Bullying can occur through online, social media apps, letters, and more.

What can I do if I or a friend is experiencing bullying?

It depends on the severity of the bullying to know what you can do, but here are some tips on how you can handle the situation:

  1. Reach out for help. Whether it is your parents, a legal guardian, a counselor, or your close friend, make sure to let them know that you are being bullied. You don’t need to feel helpless or ashamed of anything. There are people who will support you to help you solve and cope with your situation.
  2. Try to avoid confrontation. If possible, avoid getting into physical fights or argument with bullies. It will not help stop the bullying, it is better to ignore and walk away when you can.
  3. Use {free} services to address about bullying. You can call or email a hotline or a online tool to help you talk about your bullying experience. They will keep you anonymous and your information confidential. This link is a government website that gives your free resources.
  4. Don’t watch, stand up. If you see another person being bullied, the best thing you can do is grab a adult nearby to stop it. If you feel that the situation can be handled by you stepping in, you can try to deescalate the situation by using methods such as:
    1. Pulling the victim away to a place far from the bully
    2. Show up and ask them where they have been (acting as a friend to neutralize the negative space)
    3. If you have someone nearby or ask a stranger to aid the victim to escape the situation
    4. Call 911 if you feel that the situation is dangerous

From the Act to Change website:

  • About 1 out of 5 students report being bullied during the school year
  • Bullying occurs once every 7 minutes 5 to 6 times more likely
  • Bullied students were 5 to 6 times more likely to miss school than those who were not bullied 50% of AA students
  • Half of Asian American students in New York City public schools reported biased based harassment

Distracted Driving

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What is distracted driving?

While driving, the driver is engaged in another activity that hinders their ability to drive a moving vehicle safely.

What can you do?

  • Pay attention to your surroundings.
  • Follow basic driving regulations and speeding limits.
  • As passengers, alert distracted drivers of oncoming traffic and inform them

A Message from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety:

Distracted Driving, a Deadly Choice for Teens
 Twenty percent of fatalities involving teen drivers in Minnesota are distraction-related.
Distracted-related teen driving fatalities and injuries
Year
Fatalities
Serious injuries
Other Injuries
2011
1
38
1,181
2012
3
21
1,242
2013
8
39
1,117
2014
6
24
999
2015
7
25
1,153
Total
25
147
5,592
Make the Safe Choice
  • Cell phones — Put the phone down, turn it off or place it out of reach.
  • Speak Up – Offer to be the driver’s designated texter.
  • Music and other controls — Pre-program radio stations and arrange music in an easy-to-access spot. Adjust mirrors and ventilation before traveling.
  • Navigation — Map out the destination and enter the GPS route in advance.
  • Eating and drinking — Avoid messy foods and secure drinks.
  • Children — Teach children the importance of good behavior in a vehicle and model proper driving behavior.
  • Passengers — Speak up to stop drivers from distracted driving behavior and offer to help with anything that takes the driver’s attention off the road.
 

World Stroke Day

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On Oct 29, 2016, it is recognize as World Stroke Day to bring awareness and provide information on what people can do.

stroke-info

http://www.strokeassociation.org/

“Responding quickly can be the difference between recovery and disability, or even death. Luckily, stroke is largely treatable when you know the signs and act fast. A few seconds could save a life, possibly your own.” – http://www.strokeassociation.org/

What are the signs of stroke?

  • Numbness in the face and arms
  • lack of coordination
  • trouble speaking or understanding

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http://www.strokeassociation.org/

Call 911 right away if notice the signs of someone having stroke.

National Health Education Week (Oct 17-21)

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“Sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), National Health Education Week (NHEW) is celebrated during the third full week of October. This celebration brings national attention to public health issues and promotes consumers’ understanding of the role of health education and health promotion in society.

Celebrate this week with us as we focus on partnerships to build community health. ” – https://www.sophe.org/

What is the goal of National Health Education Week?

  • Spread awareness and knowledge of health care cost, healthy behaviors, and health programs to communities and schools.
  • To highlight the accomplishments and efforts of organizations towards public health.
  • To share health advises between professionals, the government, and between the people.
  • To continue to improve health education and other health conditions.

Click here for more info on day to day participation!

World Food Day – Oct 16, 2016

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“World Food Day is a day of action against hunger. On October 16, people around the world come together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger in our lifetime. Because when it comes to hunger, the only acceptable number in the world is zero.” – http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/

What can you to take part of this event?

  • Donate food at your local food shelf. Or perhaps a start a food drive yourself!
  • Volunteer at your local organization (food bank, food self, community center) that may offer food donation to the local community.
  • The theme this year is changing climate. We want to educate people on how our farmers/fishers are being impacted by the climate change on a global scale. In order to feed the growing population, we need to find better ways to produce food on a smaller scale and using eco-friendly alternative. “This is why our global message for World Food Day 2016 is “Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.” – http://www.fao.org/ 

Look down below for statistics on hunger:

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Accredited to worldfooddayusa

Walk to School Day – Oct 5!!!

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www.walkbiketoschool.org

Oct 5, the first Wednesday of this month, celebrates the “Walk to School Day“! The event is to promote children to walk to school to bring awareness to living a active and healthy life.

Why participate? 

  • It’s a great way to be a part of a global event and to promote health, to identify safer routes for walking in my community, and to improve air quality by parking my car.
  • To create a healthy lifestyle. Physically active kids are more likely to become healthy, physically active adults, which means that the behavior of regular physical activity early needs to be fostered at an early age.
  • To connect with my community. A walk to school improves neighborhood connections and boosts a sense of community.
  • To reduce transportation cost and pollution from transportation. Walking or biking is a great alternative to this.

A Litte About the History

“Organized by the Partnership for a Walkable America, Walk to School Day in the USA began in 1997 as a one-day event aimed at building awareness for the need for walkable communities. The event became international in 2000 when the USA, UK and CA all celebrated together on the first Wednesday of October. Currently, the international celebration includes 40 countries.” – http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/

Click here for more info!

Tips for the School Year!

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back-to-school-tips

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Staying active, productive, and attentive in school can be a challenge. Whether you’re in high school, college, or middle school, there’s something that we all need to do to be successful in school: maintaining balanced lifestyle! Here are some tips that can help you survive your school year:

  • Set your priorities on a list. What’s important to you while you’re in school is your grades. Although it doesn’t define your intelligence or who you are as a person, it does reflect on your commitment to academic achievement. List everything that you will be busy this year/semester. Is it your homework that you need to focus on? Or being able to take better notes? Or is doing a sport/club activity also important to you? See if you can determine what will impact you the most and what you have to focus on first.
  • Balance your time on a calendar or using a reminder! Timing in school is very important; deadlines, due dates, & scheduled meetings. If you know you have a lot of things to do, make sure you set at least a week or a couple days to finish. The length of time will vary depending on how much work you need to do, whether it’s a solo or group project, and the type of project.
  • Need help on homework? Don’t fear because you aren’t alone in this. You may be struggling in math or writing or reading but there are many experts and resources out there to help you. You can rely on your family members to tutor you, if not, there are tutor programs, and you can always turn to your peers/teachers/friends for extra help. Don’t feel like you have to take everything on your own because there are resources and people around you who are willing to help.
  • Make a year end goal! What’s your goal by the end of the school year? What is it that you want to achieve or maintain? It doesn’t have to be a academic goal, it can be anything. Set a goal for yourself that you can achieve; joining a photography club, getting a internship, going to the gym/working out more during the school year, or volunteering for pet shelters. The main goal is to keep you motivated towards something positive throughout the year and to have something that you want to do.