World Food Day – Oct 16, 2016

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Patricia Thao

“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:

Accredited to worldfooddayusa

Walk to School Day – Oct 5!!!

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Patricia Thao

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!

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Patricia Thao

crystalandcomp.com

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.

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Patricia Thao

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and it’s all about promoting healthier lifestyle and spreading awareness of obesity among children. It’s important to become more educated about your health so that you can better understand the benefits of leading a healthier lifestyle and the risks of making poorer health decisions. Also, the goal is to not only educate yourself, but those around you; your family, friends, peers, and more! Positive influence can make a difference in people’s perspective on living whether it is being healthier, exercising or going out more, or simply having a more positive outlook.

There are many ways to be healthier and it doesn’t mean you have to be limited in your choices. Whatever your health goal is, try some of these tips:

Try to include more fruits & veggies into your diet! Having a healthy diet includes a mix of all kinds of food that can offer your body nutrients. Also, a bonus is that you can eat a variety of things without getting bored of the same diet routine.
Cook your own food! Cooking your own food can be time consuming but have no worries, there are tons of recipe out there that is quick, healthy, and easy to make. With this, you know what you are consuming and you can better control your portions.
Exercise is important, but don’t stress over it! If find that you don’t like a tpye of exercise, try something else. The great thing about it is that there are many things that you can do to stay active. Daily things such as cleaning your house, going on a stroll to deliver mail, or walking up and down the stairs rigorously. It’s up to you to determine which workout is best for your schedule and body.

Other social media links listed down below!

Learn how one grocer in West Virginia is helping improve the health of customers by stocking toys that promote physical activity and healthy snacks in the checkout lane. http://bit.ly/2aiwILe – #NCOAM
Learn how you can take part in the effort to encourage more children in your community to be physically active and eat a healthy diet. http://bit.ly/1pirD0j – #NCOAM
Addressing obesity requires the support of communities. This National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, learn how state and local organizations can create a supportive environment to promote healthy behaviors that prevent obesity. http://bit.ly/1JS8YIE – #NCOAM

Twitter Movements!

@letsmove – The First Lady’s initiative dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity.
@CDCObesity – CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
@ACSMNews – The American College of Sports Medicine. Official sponsor of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.

Info provided above belong to rightful owner.

Postcard Highlights for August | 2016

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Patricia Thao

This month’s postcards are focused on nature and self-reflection. Remember that one’s perspective determines how they see and fell about things. It’s up to you to decide the positives and negatives in your life. Also, it’s good to be reminded that enjoying the simple things over extravagant luxuries could be more self-fulfilling. It could be spending more time with loved ones, going out to your community, or trying something new.

Protect Yourself During Summer!

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Patricia Thao

Summer is a time of sunny days, hot temperature, and heat waves that occurs throughout the days. Make sure that you stay protected from all of these and any potential damage from the summer heat. It’s time to review what you can do to protect your health!

Belong to rightful owner.

Everytime you go out, make sure to wear sunscreen! Apply it to your body and don’t forget your face and ears. Intense sunlight on any part of your body can damage your skin and cause skin cancer.
Drink lots of water! If it is hot outside your body will sweat to keep it cool and that also means you’re losing water. Drink as much water as possible to stay hydrated and refreshed!
“The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a buyer beware on the possible health benefits of Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) treatments. WBC is used to cool the body for therapeutic purposes. A person stands in a semi-closed chamber with their torso, and legs exposed to frigid temperatures for two to four minutes while their head and neck are above the machine. As with any new medical device, talk to your doctor first and learn more about this consumer update.” – Rightful owner
Summer nights means more bugs and mosquitoes are out! Wear repellent bands or/and spray on some insect repellent! Wear proper clothes (especially during summer night times) to prevent further bug bites!

Why You Should Be Eating More Fruits!

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Patricia Thao

There are definetly easy ways in which you can improve your eating habits. Whether there’s a certain goal that you want to reach, the best mindset is to start out small. Don’t focus on the end result because it’s more about what you can do now than worrying about the future!

Eating fruits is an easy way to consume healthier food and can you in providing your daily vitamins. The best part is that you can choose fruits to your liking and incorporate them into your meals. Fruits can be eaten by itself, as a side dish/desert, or in a mixed salad. The benefits of fruits varies from each fruit. Also, if you’re craving something sweet, eating fruits is a great and healthier option!

A healthy lifestyle with a good eating habits will help maintain and keep your body healthy. Of course, it is okay to indulge yourself into your cravings every now and then. Some things to keep in mind:

Try to drink water on a daily basis/as much as possible. Going on a couple hours without drinking water can leave your body dehydrated and possibly affecting other parts of your body. Your skin, lips, and hair will show signs of dehydration more than any other parts of your body.
Daily exercise is necessary to being/becoming healthy. Whether it’s short/long and doing a easy/mediocre/intense workout is up to you. Also, try to leave time (30 min-1 hour) to work out (possibly 2-3x a week).
Sleep is very important for your body to rest and reenergize! So try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night! Consistent sleepless nights can do more damage to your body than you know.

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Summer Physical Activities!

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Patricia Thao

Summer is a time for outdoor activities! So put on your work out gear and get your equipments ready if necessary. Make sure to the take opportunity of the warm weather to enjoy being outdoors and engaging in summer activities. Not sure of what you should do? Listed down below are some recommendations:

Walking around your community and neighborhood is a great way for you to discover new restaurants, local stores, and sites you have not seen before.
Go running/biking/walking around local trails! It keeps you active while sightseeing and you can control your own pacing.
Play a sport! Popular sports in the summer is volleyball, baseball, & swimming! Of course, feel free to participate in any sport activity. Form your own team or play for a local team!
Rent a paddle boat, canoe, kayak, and even rent a bike. They are commonly found in areas of Minnesota lakes.

The most important thing is to have fun and be safe! Any physical activities can be harmful when done extensively so remember to let your body rest. But no physical activity is also bad for your body. It’s all about living a balanced lifestyle in different kinds of ways.

Trauma Resources

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Patricia Thao

http://sandyhookcolumbine.org/

With recent violent events, it can impact people in different ways. If you know someone experiencing trauma, try your best to support them and let them know about their available resources. If you or a friend is in need, remember that you can always reach out to or depend on these things:

Close family members and friends
Professionals – local clinics, hotline, therapist, etc.
Online support communities
Click here for facts/info about trauma in the state of Minnesota
For local helplines in Minnesota click here!

“Anyone can help someone who struggles with trauma—whether they work in the medical or mental health community, or are just a caring individual.

The National Council for Behavioral Health would like to share a few resources about trauma:

INFOGRAPHIC: 10 Signs A Person May Be Experiencing Trauma
INFOGRAPHIC: 10 Tips to Help Someone Experiencing Trauma
TIP SHEET: Trauma in the LGBTQ Community: What Practitioners Should Know in the Wake of the Orlando Shootings.
FACT SHEET: LGBTQ Mental Health: How the Orlando Shootings Can Broadly Impact This Community.” – Rightful owner

National Park and Recreation Month!

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Patricia Thao

“National Park and Recreation Month is a time to promote the benefits of healthy, vibrant communities.” – http://www.nrpa.org/

National Park & Recreation Month encourages people to go outdoors, connect with local parks/reservations/recreations, and enjoy their time outside. It promotes people to reconnect with nature and to become more aware and supportive of our environment. “Today, the average American spends 93% of their life indoors – 87% in buildings and 6% in vehicles” (NRPA). Fun fact: Americans have celebrated National Park and Recreation Month during July since 1985 (NRPA).

Here are some ways in which you can participant in this month’s event:

Go outside to your local parks!
Visit/volunteer a reservation site!
Go walking/biking at your local trails!
Share the message on your social media and with people around you!
Remember to ask other people to join you outdoors!

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Category Archives: Healthy Youth Development