Free Workshop for Parents

Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence™
By MADD

Talking to your Teens about Alcohol
A free 30 minute workshop for parents of teens
Registrants will receive a free parent handbook!
Did you know?

• Teen alcohol use kills about 6,000 people a year, more than all illegal drugs combined
• Compared with non-drinking classmates, teens that drink alcohol are more likely to:
• Die in a car crash
• Get pregnant
• Flunk out of school
• Be sexually assaulted
• Become an alcoholic later in life
• Take their own lives through suicide
• Three out of every four kids say their parents are the leading influence on their decisions about drinking
• Kids who are more connected to their parents are less likely to use alcohol or other drugs

Start talking- it could be the best gift you’ve ever given!
When:  Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Where:  Hibbing High School Library
800 East 21st Street, Hibbing, MN

Please contact Hibbing Community Education at
218-262-0417 to register
Deadline to register is Monday, September 17, 2012

Babies Can Exercise Too

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers this advice about how parents can help their young ones get moving:

• Take time each day to play active games, such as peek-a-boo.
• On a clean floor, let baby play and stretch out, exploring his or her surroundings.
• Join a playgroup for babies of your child's age.
• Choose activities for your baby that encourage lots of movement of the hands, arms, legs and feet.

Full details and more at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_128271.html

College Freshman Beware of Weight Gain

There are several cost-effective ways college students can eat healthy and avoid gaining weight, including:

• Keep healthy snacks handy. Dorm room refrigerators should be stocked with healthy, satisfying snacks, such as fruit, string cheese, Greek yogurt, hummus and baby carrots.
• Drink water. Too many calories from sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages can lead to weight gain. These drinks can also cause spikes in blood sugar that can increase hunger.
• Stay active. Exercise plays a key role in staying fit and healthy. Boost your daily activity levels by walking to class, going to the gym or participating in intramural sports.
• Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to overeating and weight gain. Eating breakfast can also jumpstart your metabolism and help you concentrate in class and on tests.
• Get enough sleep. Sleeping less than six hours each night can affect hormone levels that control appetite, cravings and metabolism. People who do not get enough sleep often crave high-calorie junk food the body can quickly break down for energy.

SOURCE: The Methodist Hospital, Houston, news release, July 31, 2012

Do Not Over Train

The American Council on Exercise says if you feel more exhausted than energized after a workout, you may be overtraining. The council offers these additional potential warning signs:

• Seeing a decrease in performance.
• Experiencing a loss of coordination.
• Having headaches, stomach aches or other gastrointestinal problems.
• Having frequent infections and more frequent muscle or bone injuries.
• Having an elevated resting blood pressure and heart rate.
• Having tenderness or soreness in the muscles.
• Losing appetite or having trouble sleeping.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_128317.html

September will be National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

While the President's Council encourages all Americans across the lifespan to adopt a healthy lifestyle, September brings everyone increased cause to take action with National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. To do your part, set goals for you and your family this month to live a healthier lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

The American Council on Exercise offers these suggestions to help you maintain a healthy body weight:

• Weigh yourself weekly, so weight gain doesn't creep up on you. Also measure your waistline.
• Incorporate physical activity into your day as much as possible.
• Keep healthy foods at home at eye level. Avoid being tempted by junk food.
• Practice healthy stress management techniques, such as progressive relaxation.
• Engage a buddy in your fitness program, making exercise a social affair.

See Medline Plus for more information in weight control.

Fewer Calories in Your Drink

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics mentions these beverages that avoid the empty calories:

• Enjoy sparkling water or ice cold tap water with a few slices of lemon, lime or cucumber for added flavor.
• Before you drink coconut water, read the label to make sure it's not high in sodium.
• Pour fat-free or low-fat milk over ice.
• Create your own thirst quencher by combining different kinds of 100-percent fruit juice and adding fresh fruit.

Read complete article and get more health tips:

Quench Your Thirst Without Adding Empty Calories

Monitor Your Blood Pressure

Because blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription, home monitoring is an easy step you can take to improve your condition. Before you get started, it's important to know the right technique and to find a good home blood pressure monitor.

Read the full article by Mayo Clinic Staff on how to get the most out  of home blood pressure monitoring. 

Snacking

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says snacking smartly can help you get valuable nutrients and help you avoid overeating.
Here are the academy's suggestions:

• Keep a variety of healthy snacks at home, work and in your bag. Options may include: trail mix, whole-grain crackers, instant oatmeal, dried fruit, low-fat cheese and low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
• Stick to small portions, rather than eating out of a large container.
• Don't snack when you are stressed, bored or lonely. Snack only when you feel hungry.

Heat Stress Prevention

See the last four weeks of "Fire Talk" on the city's website for tips on avoiding Heat Stress by the Hibbing Fire Department.

Remember that extreme heat is a real concern that can cause serious health problems like exhaustion, heat stroke, cramps, sunburn and rashes.

This week, take precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses. Make sure to drink more fluids; avoid alcoholic and sugary drinks; wear lightweight, light colored and loosely fitting clothing; limit outdoor activity to the morning or evening and stay in an air-conditioned place during the afternoon heat.

How Much Sodium?

Reading food labels can help you slash sodium. Here's how to decipher them:

• "Sodium free" or "Salt free": Contains less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving.
• "Unsalted" or "No salt added": No salt has been added.
• "Very low in sodium": Provides 35 milligrams of sodium (or less) per serving.
• "Low in sodium" or "Contains a small amount of sodium": Contains 140 milligrams of sodium (or less) per serving.
• "Reduced sodium" or "Less sodium": Provides at least 25 percent less sodium than the traditional product.

For more tips see the Kids Eat Right page.

Why See a Gynecologist?

Take responsibility for your body and its health.  Go to girlshealth.gov  for all the great reasons to schedule regular appointments with your gynecologist.

Healthy Living Tips

The CDC says it is never to early (or too late) to change your lifestyle.  Put your whole family on the road to a healthier, longer life with the tips on their website.

  Center for Disease Control :  http://www.cdc.gov/Features/ChildHealth/

Check Out This Great Free Newsletter

Minnesota Grown Newsletter ǀ Subscribe to Pick of the Month

The Pick of the Month is a free electronic bulletin featuring fresh Minnesota Grown products and great recipes that your family will love.

Check out past issues and get details for how to subscribe.

Spice Up Your Food

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers these suggestions to spice up your food without piling on the calories:

• Use techniques that employ high heat for more intense flavor, such as broiling, grilling or pan-searing.
• Use fresh herbs and seasonings, such as cumin, cilantro, basil, caraway, chives, rosemary, ginger or garlic.
• Add a sprinkle of a sharp cheese to your favorite vegetable, rice or pasta.
• Add dried ingredients, such as sundried tomatoes, dried plums, cranberries, figs, apricots or red pepper flakes.
• Use brightly colored peppers to add flavor, and a splash of hot sauce or jalapenos.
• Add a squirt of citrus juice or grated peel from lemons, limes or oranges.

Not All Diets Burn the Same Calories

Dieters have long been told that to lose weight, you simply need to cut calories. But new research suggests that some combinations of foods may burn more calories than others.

See the complete article at Medline Plus.

People Who Walk Have Lower Risk of Diabetes

 Among people with low physical activity and a high risk of diabetes, those who walk more throughout the day are less likely to actually get the blood sugar disorder, according to new research.

See this Medline Plus article for the facts.

Have Your Body Mass Index Calculated

In a bold move, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is now recommending that primary care doctors screen each and every adult patient for obesity. This means using height and weight to come up with a body mass index, or BMI.

See the complete transcipt at Medline Plus.

Health of Americans a Mixed Bag: CDC Report

Highlights of the report include:

• The percentage of adults who drink five or more alcoholic drinks a day has dropped after increasing between 2004 and 2010, to just over 22 percent in 2011.
• Self-reported obesity in Americans over age 20 has climbed from 19.4 percent in 1997 to 28.7 percent in 2011.
• One in five adults aged 65 and older has diabetes versus one in 10 among those aged 45 to 54.
• Only 2.4 percent of Americans rate their personal health as poor.
• Among black children under 15 years of age, 16.6 percent have asthma; that figure is 10 percent for Hispanic children and 7.5 percent for white kids.
• Fifty percent of adults aged 25 to 44 say they have been tested for HIV.
• In 2011, 48.4 percent of adults aged 18 and older said they did aerobic exercise -- the highest percentage ever reported.
• For 6.5 percent of Americans, cost kept them from seeking needed medical care.
• Among those aged 65 and older, 7.3 percent needed assistance with personal care in 2011, compared with 6.4 percent in 2000.
• More adults (3.4 percent) had serious psychological distress during 2011 than in 1999 (2.4 percent).
• The number of U.S. adults who smoke dropped from 24.7 percent in 1997 to 18.9 percent in 2011.
• Most Americans (87 percent) had a usual place to go for medical care in 2011, a little more than the 2010 estimate of 85.4 percent.
• In 2011, almost 67 percent of those aged 65 and older had received a vaccine against pneumonia, a significant increase from 43 percent in 1997.

See complete news article at HealthDay.

Long-Term Salty Diets Tied Again to High Blood Pressure

Indulging in a bag of chips or munching a handful of nuts now and then isn't likely to hurt you in the short run, but regularly chowing down on salty foods over several years may damage your blood vessels and lead to high blood pressure, a new study finds.

See more about this study at Medline Plus.