Online Resources for Community Health

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Need a reliable search engine for topics related to health, wellness, and more? The official site of CDC has many resources that are available to the public. CDC hosts more than just health information as there are scientific data, current events, and other great topics!

“This searchable database, available to the public, is populated with practice-based resources to help you implement changes to prevent disease and promote healthy living in your community.

The resources include Webinars, model policies, toolkits, guides, fact sheets, and other practical materials which are organized by the following content areas:

Active Living
Clinical and Community Preventive Services
Foundational Skills
Healthy and Safe Physical Environments
Health Equity
Healthy Eating
Schools
Social and Emotional Wellness
Workplace Health

Each area has subcategories to make it easy for you to find the information you need. Start your search today!”

Access the CDC resources here!

References belong to CDC.

Stay Motivated in School

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Patricia Thao

www.annarborfamily.com

Many students return to school with new motivation, but it is quite hard to maintain it! Sometimes, you just want to give up because many things can affect you. But don’t worry, you’re not alone as many other students are going through the same problems. These tips will help you get through the year!

To feel good and energized, you need at least 8 hours of sleep! If your body is on a stable sleeping cycle, you will fall asleep much quicker. You’ll find that you will feel better the next morning as you won’t wake up exhausted.
Eat a balance meal with healthy snacks. It’s normal for students of all ages to feel constantly feel hunger throughout the day. Chances are you may be tired, didn’t get to eat a proper meal, or too busy to worry about eating right. But you can try to avoid unhealthy snacks and meals. Try to bring healthy alternatives to satisfy your cravings!
Along with eating well, try to live a balance life. That means make time for your education, family, friends, exercising, and free time. It will assure you more freedom to do what you need and want. So having a planner and being organized helps out a lot!
Ask questions in class! You probably don’t want to stand out or feel less smart than other students in class, but chances are other students are wondering the same. It’s all about trying to educate yourself without worrying what others may think of you.
Build positive relationships with peers and teachers! The closer you are with the people around you, you all can help and educate each other. Also, they provide new perspectives and knowledge that you may not know or have.
Take effective notes! Everyone has their own styles when it comes to note taking. But don’t relentlessly write down notes without proper organization . You won’t be able to find things easily when you need them to study. A popular note taking style is Cornell notes.

Picture credit linked here.

New School Year = Fresh Start

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Patricia Thao

ashfieldpandc.com

It’s that time of the year where students are returning to school. Everyone wants to have a new start at school and have a positive experience. But it will be different for everyone. Are you worried about your schedule, making friends, joining sports, and such? Here are some tips to help you out:

Don’t be shy to ask for help whether it’s for something small or big. School nurses, staffs, and counselors are there to help students out.
Finding your classes can be easy or challenging. The best thing to do is ask the school staffs who can help guide you to the right classroom.
Want to a join a sport/club? Meet up with the staffs at the athletic/club office. They can help you with the paperwork and fees that may apply.
Having problem with or wanting to change your schedule? You are able to change it if you set up an appointment and meet up with your assigned counselor. Just know that people who are grade above you will be in consideration first.
Trying to make new friends? Often time, you just need to reach out first (volunteer or partner work, speak first, invite others, etc.). It could be in the classroom, club, or sport team setting. You have more opportunities to make friends with people who share more similarities.
Stray away from drama, peer pressure, and negativity. Focus on important things such as your homework, grades, and friends. Don’t get too hung over school drama or with unwanted peer pressure because those things won’t do you much good.

Focus on School Adjustment Problems

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Focus on School Adjustment Problems:

INVEST NOW . . . OR PAY LATER!

work.chron.com

Some students experience difficulties adjusting to new classes (content and standards), new schools, new teachers, new classmates, etc. It is particularly poignant to see a student who is trying hard, but is disorganized and can’t keep up.

Over the first few weeks, teachers realize quickly who has and hasn’t made a good adjustment to their classroom and to the school. This is the time to address the problem before it gets worse. If adjustment problems are not addressed, student motivation for school dwindles, and behavior problems increase. Misbehavior often arises in reaction to learning difficulties.

The first month is the time to be proactive. This is the time for staff development to focus on the type of strategies that enable good student adjustment, as well as identifying and addressing problems as soon as they arise. This is the time for student support staff to work with teachers in their classrooms to intervene before problems become severe and pervasive and require referrals for out-of-class interventions.

While some schools already have a proactive approach to student adjustment problems, many do not. These are the type of concerns that are regularly addressed by a transformed system of student and learning supports.*

Making it Happen

(1) To facilitate a strong focus on school adjustment, use a staff development session to encourage structured staff discussions about what teachers can do and what other staff (e.g., student support staff, resource teachers, etc.) can do to team with teachers in their classrooms to enhance school adjustment. Also clarify ways to use aides, volunteers, peer tutors/coaches, mentors, those in the home, etc. to help with additional strategies designed to enhance social, emotional, and cognitive engagement.

(2) Establish September as “Addressing School Adjustment Month – Getting the School Year Off to a Good Start” (see Is the School Year Off to a Good Start? — http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/goodstart.pdf )

(3) Let staff know about the following free and easily accessed Center resources:

• Supports for Transitions – Chapter 4 in Transforming Student and Learning Supports: Developing a Unified,

Comprehensive, and Equitable System– http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/book/book.pdf

• Addressing School Adjustment Problems — http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/adjustmentproblems.pdf

• What Schools Can Do to Welcome and Meet the Needs of All Students and Families –

http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/WELMEET/welmeetcomplete.pdf

• Welcoming Strategies for Newly Arrived Students and Their Families –

http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/practicenotes/welcomingstrategies.pdf

• Welcoming and Involving New Students and Families – http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/welcome/welcome.pdf

• Learning Supports: Enabling Learning in the Classroom — http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/rtipract.pdf

• Engaging and Re-engaging Students – http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/engagingandre-engagingstudents.pdf

For more, use the Online Clearinghouse Quick Finds to link to other Center resources and to online resources across the country. For example, see:

>Transition Programs/Grade Articulation/Welcoming – http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/p2101_01.htm

>Classroom Focused Enabling – http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/classenable.htm

>Motivation – http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/motiv.htm

>Response to Intervention – http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/responsetointervention.htm

Credits belong to rightful owner.

Summer Travel Health

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Summer is the most popular season for people to go on vacations and trips. But many can forget to bring items to protect themselves from the harm. So here are the necessary travel items to bring:

Sun protection! It’s important to protect your body from harmful sunlight. It can help prevent sunburn, skin cancer, wrinkles, etc. So try to wear sunglasses, sunscreen products, hats, and clothes to cover your skin from direct sunlight.
Pack medicines! If you get motion sickness, cramps, headaches, stomaches, anything that may require medication then bring enough with you. It will help you feel a lot better along your trip.
Bring a safety kit! Just in case an emergency happen or someone gets hurt, a safety kit can provide many aids without wasting time or money.
Going out of the country? One thing that you must bring is your passport. Also, check to see if you may need to take shots before going so plan your clinic appointments ahead of your flight!
Stay hydrated! Drink at least 8-ounces glasses of water. You may need to drink more because you will sweat more. If you are going to a third world country or a poor region, then always make sure to drink from bottled water.
Bring bug spray! Try to avoid getting bitten or stung by bugs by wearing long sleeves and pants, staying indoors at night, and using bug repellants. They may carry diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and more.

Daily Health Tips

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Patricia Thao

The start to a healthier lifestyle is starting out with small steps. These are the steps that can help gradually help you reach your goal. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain your body weight, trying to eat healthier, or what you may want to achieve, it is better to set a plan with realistic approaches.

Switch out unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives. For example, do you have a sweet tooth for sugary drinks, snacks, deserts, and candies? It is better for you to switch it out with sweet fruits, organic juices, and have fruits become your snack.
Drinking too little of water? Maybe you don’t realize that you are not drinking enough water. Although there are tastier options out there, water is the best source of hydration for your body. After all, your body is made up about 65% of water! The recommended amount of water to drink is up to 2 liters a day.
An active lifestyle is always a plus and beneficial to your body, physically and emotionally. It helps reduce stress, burn extra calories, and maintain your body. It doesn’t mean that you have to work out according to a schedule. But trying to incorporate work out sessions (even if it it’s short or long) into your daily life is a great start.
Dieting isn’t always the answer to an healthier lifestyle. Everyone’s body are different biologically and sometimes, you lose or gain weight with a diet plan. Make sure to experiment and find out what works best for you.
Getting enough sleep is a very important part of the body regulation and recovery. If you find yourself being hunger many times, having mood swings, gaining weight, stressing out, and more, then maybe you need a break. Putting stress on your body by not getting enough sleep results in more stress. So make sure to sleep on a time schedule (if possible) and take naps whenever you are exhausted.

Remember, it’s not our external appearances that defines us, but what we think about ourselves internally. Don’t value yourself based upon what you see, it’s about how you respect and know that you’re worth. It is important to maintain one’s lifestyle physically and emotionally.

The Truth About Bullying

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Bullying

Created by AMA youths, this chart shows the reality about bullying. Bullying is universal problem and can range from all ages. It is very prevalent in younger ages where children and teens are more likely to be targeted. To resolve bullying, we should always ask for help, consult with trusted adults, and don’t take part of bullying. Here are some tips of what to do if you’re a bully victim and how to avoid it:

If someone or a group of people are bullying you, make sure to take immediate action and consult with your parents, teachers, or anyone that you trust. They will be your support and help you with your situation.
Avoid negative peers, conversations, and anything that will affect you negatively. The last thing anyone needs is to be surrounded by negativity as it only promotes bad feelings, thoughts, and stress.
Don’t take physical assault lightly if it happens to you or anyone else. It is something that needs to be addressed right away for your, another person’s, and other people’s safety. It is because it is likely for physical assault to be dangerous and occur frequently.
Realize that there is people out there who are willing to help you or a friend or anyone that is a victim of bullying.
Lastly, it is very important that you, your friend, or anyone else do not take part of bullying. Bullying is an endless cycle and to prevent it, we must try to stop it happening.

NRC Recognizes National Nutrition Month

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Patricia Thao

March is recognized as national nutrition month! This month focuses on healthy eating and living. The goal is encourage people to maintain a balance lifestyle between exercising and eating. Obesity is still a problem in the U.S. as less people are being active and consuming more than they should. Obesity affects many different kinds of people from all sort of age groups.

If you are still keeping your new year’s resolution or looking for simple ways to be healthier, here are some quick tips onto how:

Avoid fast food companies, junk food, and anything that is high in calories. Although the price might be cheaper, but what you are getting in return is more calories than necessary. Look for foods with simple ingredients, low calories, and organic is always a plus!
Eat seasonal fruits and veggies. The best to consume fruits and veggies is when they are in their season. Most likely that fruits and veggies will be cheaper at this time so take advantage of it!
“Replace fats like bacon grease and butter with olive or canola oil” – http://reachcoalition.org/
Cook your own food. It doesn’t get any better than knowing what is and how much is in your food. Whether it’s fried chicken, a burger, or a stir fry dish, it’s a lot healthier to eat compared to eating out or ordering fast food.
Work out as much as you can or maintain a exercise schedule. Even a little exercise can help you lose calories and destress. If you are able to keep up your own schedule, mixing up exercise methods can help you avoid boredom and still be productive.

References and pictures are from: http://reachcoalition.org/

Follow the fight against obesity at CDCObesity and theweightofthenation.

Working Together

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Patricia Thao

There are many ways to work together whether it is at school, at work, or with friends. Being part of group means there will be more ideas and opinions on different projects. Here are some effective tips to work as a team:

Make sure everyone gets to participate. It isn’t a teamwork without everyone’s effort. Whether you are a listener, follower, or a leader, it is best that everyone had a chance to be part of the group.
Be open minded and respectful of others. Chances are that your group mates may not share or like the same idea that you have. That’s okay because everyone has different opinions and ideas. Just don’t take it personally. It’s not about what one person, but what the entire group wants.
Assign roles to your team members. If you’re a leader or just want to help make things progress a little bit smoother, giving everyone a role will help a lot. For example, roles like a recorder, a writer, a speaker, etc. This help the group to not procrastinate and instead, becoming productive.
Make a goal. There must be something the group want to achieve out of working together. Finalizing a goal can help the group members imagine the results they want to see.
Take it on step by step. Working together is about taking steps and progressing as a team together. It can be from working on the deadlines, being organize, meeting a requirement, or more. Don’t rush into anything and make sure that everyone is on the same page.

Remember that working together is doing almost everything as a team. It’s not about following one person’s lead, but a team agreeing on one thing. Although there will be moments where each member has their on individual tasks needed to be done, it is the group work that will count at the end.

White Rice or Brown Rice?

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Patricia Thao

www.details.com

There are many articles that debates whether it is healthier to eat white rice or brown rice. It is a controversial topic as many people do share different opinions about their risks and benefits. But at the end of the day, it really just depends on the individual. Here are some important points that you should know because not exactly one is worse than the other.

1. If you have been eating white or brown rice since young and on a daily basis, it won’t cause a dramatic difference in your health. Compare this situation as opposed to those who just or recently started consuming rice on a daily basis. Their bodies may not be showing great responses, but it doesn’t mean that rice is bad for everyone. It could be how their bodies process rice differently (which may cause weight gain/loss, etc.) or the brand of the rice that they’re consuming. So don’t assume that just because eating rice isn’t well for others, it doesn’t mean that it’s a bad food.

2. Many other cultures rely on different based carbs (besides rice) like wheat, oatmeal, grains, and more. They come in many varieties as breads, noodles, bagels, pasta, and more. So if you want to cut out rice completely from your diet, there are other available options for you to choose from.

3. Brown rice is really not that much ‘better’ than white rice in terms of fiber and health benefits as the media like to say. When brown rice is produced, the outermost layer is the only layer removed which still leaves some of its nutrients and fiber behind. It is an healthier alternative to white rice since white rice are basically stripped of everything besides the starchy component. But don’t rely on brown rice as source of fiber because “each cup of brown rice contains only 3.5 grams of fiber for every 45 grams of complex carbohydrates.This means you would have to eat FIVE cups of brown rice (225 grams of extra carbs) just to get HALF of your daily fiber intake”. – http://4cyclefatloss.com

Instead, try to consume more vegetables and fruits daily. They contain more fiber without you eating too much calories. The best part is that you can put them into many different kinds of foods and dishes such as stir fry, salads, side dishes, spices, and more.

4. It’s not about what you eat only, but what you do to stay active. Just by switching out one type of food out isn’t going to help you lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Sure, it’s okay to eat better and you may even see results. But it has been provender by people and data that exercise and diet really does go hand in hand together. When you are consistent and doing both at the same time, you are bound to be more healthier than just doing one.

5. Just mix both! If you really can’t decide between the two and don’t want to give up either, eating them together solves it easily. Mix rice is another great alternative for people to try because it can help the body adapt to the different types of rice better. Suddenly switching out one kind of rice to another won’t let your body have the time to process the rice and it can cause a negative reaction.

Bicultural Healthy Living

A Balanced Approach to a Bicultural Healthy Life

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