Walk To School On October 6TH!

Join families and kids from across the globe and walk to school with your children on October 6th.

 In 1997, the Partnership for a Walkable America sponsored the first National Walk Our Children to School Day in Chicago, modeled after the United Kingdom’s lead. Back then, it was simply a day to bring community leaders and children together to create awareness of the need for communities to be walkable.

By the year 2002, children, parents, teachers and community leaders in all 50 states joined nearly 3 million walkers around the world to celebrate the second annual International Walk to School Day. The reasons for walking grew just as quickly as the event itself.

• Walk to enhance the health of your kids.  Increased physical activity can combat a host of health problems facing kids today.
• Walk to draw attention to the need to provide safer routes for kids to walk and bike.  We need good sidewalks and safety education programs (for walkers and for drivers).
• Walk to school to recuce the use of your car and improve the air quality.

Work Up A Sweat!

Vigorous work-outs (you should be breathing hard and sweating!) help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel your best.  Start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles.  Include 20 minutes of aerobic activity, such as running, jogging or dancing.  Follow-up with activities that help make you stronger such as lifting light weights.  Then cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing.

Try to work out a minimum of 3 times a week.

Rediscover How To Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals

Jamie Oliver started cooking at the age of eight.  He has nine cookbooks in print.  His latest, "Jamie's Food Revolution" is about cooking good food from scratch.  Being able to do this is a skill that can save you money, keep you healthy, and make you and your family happy.

This cookbook includes recipes for meals everyone loves to eat and it breaks them down to make them as simple as possible.  Even if you have never cooked before you will achieve amazing results in the kitchen.

Jamie also believes that every single person should be able to cook.  His "Food Revolution" is also about learning how to make a recipe, then handing that recipe on to family and friends.

Find this book on the new nonfiction shelf in the library in 641.5.  Cook something today and pass it on.

Lose Weight! Gain Energy! Get Healthy!

If a little incentive will help you get started on an exercise, weight loss program, you may want to check out the following:

Weight Loss Challenge!

Thursdays, Beginning September 23, 2010

6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

The Wellness Club

2534 East Beltline (Next to Slumberland)

Hibbing, MN  55746

$20.00 per person

7 weeks

Topics of learning will include protein, heart health, healthy menus, digestion, carbs & ssugars, and eating out.

Contact Dave or Mitzie Calgaro

218-929-9411

calgaros@frontiernet.net

Sign up now, and make the rest of your life the best of your life!

Most Americans Still Not Eating Enough Fruits, Veggies

Dieticians, doctors, and a wide range of other medical professionals continue to push the idea that everyone needs to eat more fruits and vegetables.  The CDC has yet another study that shows that even the very modest goals set by the government for fruits and vegetables comsumption are not being met.

When you shop and plan meals and snacks remember:

• Fruits and vegetables protect your health.
• Fruits and vegetables are easy to take and eat on the go.  It won't interfere with your active lifestyle.
• Fruits and vegatables come in great colors and flavors.  It should not be hard to find something that you like.
• Fruits and vegatables are key components of any weight maintenance or loss program if used in place of higher calorie foods.

September is Healthy Aging Month

Unless you're looking forward to turning 21, getting older is almost always seen as a negative thing. But it doesn't have to be. September is Healthy Aging Month, and with these tips from the Federal Citizen Information Center, you can learn to stay safe and healthy regardless of your age.


Get smart about food safety. Now it's the egg recall, last year it was peanuts. You don't know what the next bacteria outbreak in the food supply will be, but you can make smart decisions when it comes to safely handling and eating food. Use a food thermometer to cook your food to the right temperature. Keep raw meats away from other ingredients to prevent the spread of germs. And make sure you thoroughly wash your hands and anything else that might have touched raw meat.

Know your medicines and what they interact with. Whether you take an allergy medicine or something for high blood pressure, it's up to you to know the name and dose of the medications you take. It's also important to know how those medicines could interact with food, alcohol or other medicines that your doctor might prescribe. To make it simple, check out this breakdown of medicines by category. It includes questions to ask your doctor and what to avoid when on certain medicines.

Stay on top of your screenings. Depending on your age and gender, there are different screenings that are recommended for early detection of common diseases. For men, common screenings include high blood pressure, diabetes and colon cancer. Common screenings for women include breast and cervical cancers and osteoporosis. Use these charts from the Department of Health and Human Services for men and women to track the results of your last screening, when your next appointment is scheduled and any questions you have for your doctor.

Get Moving. Exercise doesn't have to be something you dread. Pick an activity you enjoy, whether it's tennis with friends or swimming at the local pool. Be Active Your Way has lots of great suggestions for sneaking exercise into your daily life. Maybe you can fit in a 10-minute walk during your lunch break or spend some extra time in the garden pulling weeds. If you already exercise regularly, learn ways to step up your activity level. You'll keep your heart, bones and muscles strong if you make time for daily movement.

Set the stage for a healthy life no matter your age with these tips from the Federal Citizen Information Center.

Pack Variety and Nutrition in Your Child's Lunch

When planning school day lunches there are some key facts to remember.  Go to Medline Plus "Health Day" for five easy to follow tips.

This Week Talk About Safety

This week take time to review the rules for buses, bicycles, and pedestrian crossings. Teach your children how to stay calm in an emergency.

There are many traffic safety tips to share with your children to keep them safe when you can’t be with them. These tips may seem a bit trite, but they bear repeating (and repeating and repeating and repeating for kids).


First and foremost, set a good example by always following the traffic safety rules yourself. Children learn by example.

• Choose the safest route to school and walk it with your child prior to allowing them to travel it on their own.

• Always look both ways before crossing the street.

• Cross in the crosswalks at the corner, not in the middle of the block. Never cross from between parked cars. Never cross an intersection diagonally.

• Cross the street with the Crossing Guard whenever possible.

• Children should look to see that drivers are aware of them. Making eye contact with a driver is a good way to know whether a driver is aware that someone is about to cross the road.

• Cross quickly – do not linger or play in the street.

• Always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, skateboard, or scooter.

• Remember the same rules (look both ways, use crosswalks, etc) apply when riding a bike.

• Walk bicycles, skateboards, and scooters across the crosswalk.

• Be careful in parking lots – look out for the cars as they may not be able to see you. Never walk or run in front of cars.

• Teach children the meaning of traffic signs. Stop at all stop signs, red lights, and obey traffic signals. When the intersection has crossing signals, only cross when the walk signal is lit.

• When walking on sidewalks, be aware of driveways and alleys from which cars may emerge.

• When walking down a street with no sidewalks, walk as near to the edge of the road as possible, facing traffic. Bright colored clothing increases visibility, but when walking/biking near dusk reflective tape should be used on jackets, backpacks, bikes, etc.

Take Charge of Your Health and Your Life

The following database sources are available free of charge on the Arrowhead Library System database page:

Consumer Health Complete (CHC) is designed for the everyday consumer of health care information.  CHC provides convenient access to easily understandable health and medical information.  Consumers can search and browse within medical encyclopedias, popular reference books, and magazine articles.

Health Source: Consumer Edition is a rich collection of consumer health information.  This resource provides access to nearly 80 full text, consumer health magazines, including American Fitness, Better Nutrition, Fit Pregnancy, Harvard Health Letter, HealthFacts, Men's Health, Muscle & Fitness, Prevention, Vegetarian Times and many others.  This database also includes searchable full text for more than 1,000 health-related pamphlets and more than 130 health reference books, including books published by the "People's Medical Society".

Snack Smart

Snacks are a great way to refuel.  Choose snacks from different food groups -- a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal.  If you eat smart at other meals the occasional cookie or piece of candy or ok for snacking too.

Healthy Family Meals

"Given today's hectic lifestyle, it's more important than ever to build a healthy food culture right in your own home - without driving yourself crazy.  In "Healthy Family Meals" the American Heart Association showcases 150 recipes everyone will love.  Full color pictures make each selection look delicious and the easy to follow instructions ensure that your final product will be the same.  There is even a great Kids' Recipes section divided into foods that 7 to 9 year olds will like and things for the 10 to 12 year old crowd.

Look on the new book shelf in 641.56311 or check the library catalog and place a hold.

Wanted: Active Role Models for Today's Kids

Obesity is a growing problem for kids today. The Harlem Globetrotters have a program to help parents with this problem. 

In 2008, the Globetrotters launched a program called S.P.I.N.—Some Playtime Is Necessary—a program designed to make fitness fun for kids, while promoting and encouraging an active lifestyle. To date, they have worked with thousands of children and adults to make exercise and healthy eating a lifetime goal.

For more information on S.P.I.N. and finding active roll models for your children check out the article in a recent NIH Medline Plus publication.

Get the Nutrients You Need

Your body needs a variety of nutrients to function properly and stay healthy.  For a list of nutrients and where they are found look at look at this Medline Plus Health Day tip.

HealthCare.gov is Improving

Take your health care into your own hands.  Go to HealthCare.gov for information and tips on

• Finding insurance options
• Learning about prevention
• Comparing care quality
• Understanding the new law

Amelia's is Your August Light Night Out

During the month of August The Hibbing Healthy Lifestyles Coalition recommends trying the new "healthier" menu items being featured at Amelia's in Hibbing.

Since February, seven Hibbing restaurants collaborated with Hibbing Healthy Lifestyles to offer two or three new menu items that would be considered healthy.  Everyone likes get out every once in a while and having some healthier menu items makes it easier to do.  So this month take at least one night to treat yourself and try Amelia's Family Cuisine.

Hibbing Great Outdoors Walking & Biking Guide

Pick up the new Walking and Biking brochure at the library.  It features suggested walking routes within the city and soon to be designated bike routes.  The map inclues mileage for each loop and some cautions on the walking routes.

Explore the community on foot or on bike.  The brochure also has links to other great activities such as Cycle Mesabi, Hibbing Disc Golf, and Maple Hill Park.

The new brochure was made possible by Hibbing We're Ore and More and a grant by Minnesota's Vision / Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP).

Cut Calories Not Vitamins

When Dieting, Watch Your Vitamins
When weighing the benefits of one weight-loss plan over another, dieters may want to consider what else might be cut with the calories and carbs, suggests a new study.

Read more of this Reuters Health article online.

Suggestions From the American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association says you can't do everything at once. It suggests taking these small steps toward a healthier you:
•Make just one change at a time, and only when you're ready. Reaching all of your goals may take months, even years.

•Acknowledge that you have some bad habits that you'll need to work hard to change.

•Decide why it's important for you to make these changes, whether it's for yourself or for your family or friends.

•Start with one simple change that will make a difference, such as taking a daily 15-minute walk instead of watching TV.

•Create realistic goals and set deadlines. Make sure you meet those goals, and reward yourself appropriately.

Meal planning is all about making smart food choices for a healthier you.  This new edition of this best selling guide has the latest recommendations from the American Diabetes Association, as well as the USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

The basics of what to eat to the practical skills of shopping, planning nutritious meals, and even eating healthy restaurant meals is included.  Find out that eating healthy does not mean depriving yourself.

Find "Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy" in the new nonfiction section in641.56314.

Use Your Slow Cooker This Summer

Affordable, delicious, nutritious, and gluten-free recipes to delight the entire family.  more than 300 fabulous, easy-to-make, family-pleasing recipes, including:

• Breakfast Risotto
• Vietnamese Roast Chicken
• Tomatoes and Goat Cheese with Balsamic Cranberry Syrup
• Falafel
• Philly Cheesesteaks
• Crème Brulee

--and much more. Make It Fast, Cook It Slow is the perfect cookbook for easy, quick prep, inexpensive ingredients, and meals that taste like you spent hours at the stove.


Look for this book in 641.5884 on the new nonfiction shelf.