While It's Easy to Go Overboard at the Easter Feast, Remember It's All About Balance

Woodsboro Independent School District Health News 3rd 9 weeks Mar 29, 2017

Dear Parents/Guardians & Students, Just when you thought all the holiday indulgence was behind you — and along comes Easter! Then all you see are towering displays of marshmallow chicks and chocolate bunnies that fill the store shelves! We are all aware of the importance of health, so give your family a special gift on Easter by treating your families to a healthy meal at your Easter Celebration and cut back on the sweets. It's been proven that exercise and eating right are two steps that can reduce your risk of many illnesses and disease, So let’s start being healthy today!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& While it's easy to go overboard at the Easter feast, remember it's all about balance.

1. Start with the real breakfast of champions: You may not be able to control what's served at the brunch table, but you certainly can control what you eat when you wake up. Try EGGS and not the chocolate kind! They're packed with protein and amino acids and they can help you to feel fuller for longer.

2. Drink plenty of water: Place thin cucumber and lemon slices in your water glass for a liver-detoxing and digestion-aiding beverage.

3. Fill up on veggies: Before you dive into the cheese plate or Easter basket full of candy, munch on a plate full of veggie sticks or salad. The fiber will fill you up, so you are less inclined to overindulge in the bad stuff.

4. Remember your serving sizes: Serve half of the plate with veggies, a quarter with grains, and a quarter with protein. If you prefer stricter measurements, forget the cups and teaspoons, and use your hand as a measuring cup. One thumb equals one serving of cheese. An open palm equals one serving of meat. A closed fist is one serving of fruit or vegetables. A cupped hand is one serving of grains.

5. Enjoy bread and candy last: After you've filled up on veggies and protein, then enjoy the bread and butter, Peeps, jelly beans, or chocolate-covered caramels. While it's tempting to inhale five or six candies in one sitting, slow down, take your time and thoroughly savor each bite. And try some dark chocolate this year! ************************************************************************* Attention 6th GRADE, 11th GRADE & 12th GRADE parents: ***IMMUNIZATIONS ARE DUE*** Letters will be sent out this week, informing parents of the immunizations due for their children in the above mentioned grades. The needed immunizations are as follows: 6th grade- Meningitis (MCV4), Tetanus (TDap) & possibly Varicella #2 11th & 12th grade- Meningitis Booster (MCV4 #2) & possibly Varicella #2 or Hepatitis A #2. Please contact the school nurse if your child is in one of these grades and you do not receive a letter indicating the immunizations your child needs. (Mrs. Baker 361-543-8000)

When it comes to lowering your risk of heart-related illness and disease, some foods do it better than others. These heart healthy foods are often called "SUPER" foods, because they contain high amounts of the special nutrients that have been proven to help the heart, including: antioxidants (help fight off cancers), fiber (lower cholesterol and reduce buildup of plaque in arteries), and Omega-3 fatty acids (reduce risk of irregular heartbeats that cause heart attacks)

Some of the SUPER Foods of Heart Healthy Eating include:

Blueberries, Avocado, Spinach, Oatmeal, Salmon, Tuna, Citrus, Broccoli, Kale, Nuts & Legumes (Dried Beans)

3 Ways to help turn EXERCISE into a HABIT

1. Develop a ritual to make starting an exercise program easier. If you can develop a ritual that makes starting your workout mindless and automatic, then it will be much easier to follow through. (Try listening to a favorite song to get you pumped up before you head out for a run or bike ride or Make a playlist that you LOVE and make it specifically for your workouts, and you may find that you want to exercise so you can hear it.) 2. Start with an exercise that is ridiculously small. The best way to make exercise a habit is to start with an exercise that is so easy that you can do it even when you are running low on willpower and motivation. Start out short and sweet so that you feel a sense of accomplishment. (Focus on finding a way to get started in just 2 minutes, rather than worrying about the length of your entire workout. Even if 5 minutes is all you can commit to, do it every day.)

3. Focus on the habit first and the results later. Remember, during the first 6 months, it is more important to not miss workouts than it is to make progress. (There will be plenty of time to improve your performance later on when exercise becomes a habit. Experts say it can take up to 6 weeks to notice the difference in how you look and you'll start to appreciate the natural high that comes after a good workout which means you will be less likely to miss.)