Weight Debate

There are many simple steps you can take each and every day to achieve a happy and healthy lifestyle for you and your family. Even small changes in your life will add up to big results.

• Do NOT go to the grocery store feeling hungry.
• Do not skip breakfast.
• Use fat free milk instead of whole milk.
• In the morning, get a whole grain head start with oatmeal or whole grain cereal.

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The benefits of healthy eating contributes to overall:

• Healthy growth and development
• Healthy bones
• Healthy skin
• Healthy energy levels
• Lowers risk of dental caries
• Lowers risk of eating disorders
• Lowers risk of constipation
• Lowers risk of malnutrition
• Lowers risk of iron deficiency anemia

Diet and Disease read more »

Your child may already be meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Many physical activities fall under 2 or 3 different categories, making it possible for your child to do each type of activity in one day. Regular physical activity in children and adolescents promotes health and fitness!!

Compared to those who are inactive, physically active youth have better overall health: read more »

Heat Related Illnesses
Being hot for too long can cause many illnesses, all grouped under the name hyperthermia: heat cramps, heat edema, heat syncope, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. In this post we will be discussing heat stroke.

Almost every summer there is a deadly heat wave in some part of the country. It is important for a person to get relief from the heat quickly. If not, they might begin to feel confused or faint. Their heart could become stressed, and maybe stop beating.

Even short periods of high temperatures can cause serious health problems. Doing too much on a hot day, or spending too much time in the sun, or staying too long in an overheated place can cause serious heat related illnesses. read more »

Electrolytes are the salts and minerals that affect the amount of water in your body, muscle activity, and other important functions. Electrolytes are in your blood, urine and body fluids. When you maintain the right balance of electrolytes, this helps your body’s blood chemistry, muscle action and other processes.

Calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphate, chlorine, bicarbonate, and magnesium are all electrolytes, which you get from the foods you eat and the fluids you drink. read more »

Laxatives are medicines you buy in a store that will make you have a bowel movement. One common cause of constipation can be the abuse of laxatives.

The common belief that people must have a daily bowel movement has led to self medicating with OTC (over-the-counter) laxative products.

Although people may feel relief when they use laxatives, typically they must increase the dose over time because the body grows reliant on laxatives in order to have a bowel movement. As a result, laxatives may become habit-forming, can lead to dependency and decreased bowel function. read more »

Some facts about fiber:
The American Dietetic Association recommends 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily. For children it is 10 grams, plus the child’s age. For example, an 8 year old child would need 10 grams + 8 years = 18 grams of fiber per day. Both children and adults often eat too many refined and processed foods from which the natural fiber has been removed. Most Americans eat only half the recommended amount of dietary fiber each day. read more »

Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and arthritis are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.

These diseases account for 7 of every 10 deaths and affect the quality of life of 90 million Americans.

Although chronic diseases are among the most common and costly health problems, they are also among the most preventable.

You can prevent or control the devastating effects of these diseases. read more »

You are the most important influence on your child. You can do many things to help your children develop healthy eating habits for life.

Offering a variety of foods helps children get the nutrients they need from every food group.

They will also be more likely to try new foods and to like more foods.

When children develop a taste for many types of foods, it’s easier to plan family meals.

Choose foods and beverages that don’t have sugar and caloric sweeteners as one of the first ingredients. Added sugars contribute calories with few, if any, nutrients.

Cook together, eat together, talk together, and make mealtime a family time!

Source: U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

It may be safe for young people who suffer from depression to be treated with antidepressants, but drug companies who make antidepressants are required to post a “black box” warning label on the medication. A black box warning is the most serious type of warning on prescription medicines.

It may be possible that antidepressants make children, adolescents, and young adults more likely to think about suicide or commit suicide.

The warning says that individuals of all ages taking antidepressants should be watched closely, especially in young adults ages 18 to 24 during initial treatment, generally the first one to two months. read more »