Did you know that?

• Eatingmorefruitsandveggiescanmeanbetterskin,fewerwrinkles,healthierteethandgums,andhealthierweight!

• Manyfoodstodayhavehighsaltandhighsugarcontentwhichkidscangetusedtoandevencrave.

• Fruitsandvegetablesareanaturalsourceofenergyandgivethebodymanynutrientsyouneedtokeepgoing.

Let your kids know that

• Calciumhelpsthemgrowtaller

• Ironwillhelpthemdobetterontests

• Fruitsandveggiesareenergyboosters!

• Theycanhave7-9servingsperday!

What is a serving size?

• Fruits 1banana 6strawberries 2plums 15grapes 1apple 1peach ½cupoforangeorother100%fruitjuice

• Vegetables 10babycarrots 1romatomato ¾cuptomatojuice ½bakedsweetpotato 1earofcorn 4slicesofonion

How do I get children to eat more Fruits and Veggies?

• Trymakingsmoothiesorslushes.

• Putsomegrapesorbananasinthefreezer.

• Serverawvegetableswithranchdiporsalsa

Timely Tips

• Addveggiesorfruittothebakedgoodsyourfamilyalreadyloves.Blueberrypancakesandcarrotmuffinsaretastyandhealthy.

• Serveyoursoups,stewsandsauceswithextraveggies.

• Serveappleslicesorgrapeswithpeanutbutter.Ormaybeapeanutbutterandbananasandwich?Orstuffedcelery?

I N I T I A T I V EHealthy Weight

N E W S L E T T E R

W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

LOAD UP ON FRUITS AND VEGGIES

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YOU AND THE FLUThe question continues - should my family and I get a flu shot? Manyparentsareconfusedwhetherornottogettheflushot.Oneminutetheyhearthatifyougettheflushot,youaremorelikelytogettheflu,whileothersseemtoswearbytheflushot.

Here we will address some of the flu myths once and for all.

MYTH 1: The flu shot will give you the flu.

No,gettingaflushotcannotcauseyoutogettheflu.Thefluvirusesthatareintheflushotareinactivated,orkilledwhichmeansthatitcan’tcauseinfection.

MYTH 2: It is better to get the flu than the flu vaccine.

No.Fluisaseriousdisease,especiallyamongyoungchildren,olderadults,andanyonewithcertainchronicconditionslikeheartdisease,asthma,diabetes,orsomeonewithcancerwhoisundergoingchemotherapy.Anyvariationoftheflucanpassondangerouscomplications,hospitalizationorevendeath,evenamidhealthyadultsandchildren.Gettingvaccinatedisdefinitelythesaferchoice.

MYTH 3: I don’t need to get the flu vaccine every year.

Thisisnottrue.TheCDC(CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention)suggestsgettingayearlyfluvaccineforjustabouteveryonesixmonthsofageandolder.Thereasonforthisisbecauseaperson’simmuneprotectionfromvaccinationdeclinesovertime.

Youmightwonder“howdoesthefluspread”?Well,peoplespreadtheflu.Peoplethathavetheflucanspreadittoothersuptoaboutsixfeetaway.Itisbelievedthatfluvirusesarespreadmainlybydropletsmadewhenpeoplewiththeflucough,sneeze,oreventalk.Mosthealthyadultsmaybeabletoinfectothersonedaybeforesymptomsbegintoappear,anduptosevendaysafterbecomingsickwiththeflu.Childrenmaypassthevirusforlongerthansevendays.Symptomsbeginonetofourdaysafterthefluvirushasenteredthebody.Inlayman’stermsthatmeansyoucanpassthefluontosomeoneelsebeforeyouevenknowyouaresick,aswellaswhileyouaresick.

TheCDCrecommendsthateverychildoversixmonthsofagebegiventhefluvaccine,andalsostatesthatitisbeneficialforthefollowing:• Childrenandinfants• Womenthatarepregnant• Theelderly• Peoplewithdisabilities• Peoplewithotherhealthconditions• Peoplethattravelandliveabroad.

Thefluvaccinehasbeenshowntopreventdiseaseanddeath,bothinnumerouscontrolledstudiesandinpainstakingscientificreviewsofthesestudies.TheCDCreportsthatvaccinationisacost-effectivecounter-measuretoseasonaloutbreaksoftheflu.

Formoreinformationyoucanvisitwww.cdc.gov/flu

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE WINTERWinterweatherisnotoriousforextendinganinvitationtospendeveningsinsideonthecouchwithcozyblanketsandmugsofhotcocoa.Physicalactivitymayfalloffofourschedules,aswesuccumbtotheslumpofwinter.AccordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,only29.3%ofadultsinAlabamameetthe2008PhysicalActivityGuidelinesof150minutesofmoderateactivityeachweek.

Physicalactivityisbeneficialforourhealthinmanyways.Itcanreduceourchancesofdevelopingcertaindiseases,suchasType2Diabetes,helpusmaintainahealthyweight,reducetheriskofcolonandbreastcancers,improveourmentalhealth,andstrengthenourbonesandmuscles.

Whilecoldweathermaymakeitdifficulttoenjoytimespentbeingphysicallyactiveoutside,winteroffersanopportunitytospiceupourindooractivities:

• Familygamenight.DiguptheoldTwistermatandtwistupyoureveningroutinewiththisclassicgame.Itwillkeepyouandyourfamilyentertainedwhilestretchingandstrengtheningyourmuscles.

• Danceparties.Whetheryouarespendingyoureveningaloneorhaveafamilyoffive,dancingisanactivitythatcanbeenjoyedbyanyoneandanywhere!Turnupyourfavoritetunes,sliponyourdancingshoesandgetmoving!

• Commercialbreaks.LovetowatchTV?Noproblem.Eachtimeacommercialcomeson,findanactivitytodountilyourshowbeginsagain.Thiscouldbe

assimpleaswalkinginplace,liftingweights,ordoingjumpingjacks.Aprogramlastingonehourcouldhaveupto15-20minutesofcommercials,allowingyoutocompletehalfoftherecommended30minutesofphysicalactivityperday!

• Makeameal.Orderingincanbetempting,especiallywhentheweatherisdreary.However,cookingmealsyourselfcansaveyoufromconsumingunhealthycaloriesandgetsyouupandmovinginthekitchen.Trysomecomfortfoodrecipesorwintersoupsandstewsfromwww.eatingwell.com.

Physicalactivitycanbedoneanytimeandanywhere-thetrickistobecreativeandhavefun!

Make sure your School supports You!

Checktoseeifyourschoolhaspublisheditsfoodpolicieslike:

• NOfoodrewards

• Waterandfruitservedatschoolevents

• Healthyornofoodfundraisers

Make sure YOU support Your School!

• HelporganizeaFamilyFunnight

• Startaschoolgardenorhelpwithanexistingone

• Sharehealthsnackrecipeswithotherparentsthruschoolnewsletter

• Giveteacher’shealthyoptions

Lotsofschoolsareworkingtoengageparentsandstudentsinhealthybehaviors.Someideaswehaveseenincludefamilyfunnights,whereparentsareinvitedtoschooltoseewhattheirkidsaredoinginPE,tastesomesamplesfromschoolmealsandmeetcommunitygroupsthatcanhelpmakebeingactiveandeatinghealthyeasyandfun.

Manyschoolshavestartedschoolgardens,agreatwaytoteachkidswerefoodscomefrom,theycanusemathandscienceskillsandultimatelytheywillgettotastewhattheyhavegrown!

Therearemanyoptions,sobecreativeandcomeupwithyourown,orvisittheActionforHealthyKidswebsitetofindmore!

Fruits and Veggies, continued from page 1

SCALE BACK ALABAMA 2014ScaleBackAlabamaisastatewidecontestheldinJanuaryeachyeartoencourageAlabamianstoloseweight,exercise,andhavefunwhiledoingit.The2014contestbeginssoon!Weencourageyouandyourschooltoparticipate.ThereisnocosttotakepartinScaleBackAlabama.Thecontestisforadultsage18andolder.Visitwww.scalebackalabama.comformoredetails.When:January18-24,2014Where:Statewide,weighinlocationswillbeonthewebsiteinJanuary.

OBESITY TASK FORCE TASK FORCEAttendthestateobesitytaskforcemeetingtonetworkwithpartnersfromacrossthestatewhoareworkingonobesityissuesinadultsandyouth.Learnaboutprogramsandstrategiesthatcreatehealthierlifestylesandenvironments.Taskforcemeetingsareopentothepublic.When:February2014,fordatecheckonwww.adph.org/obesity.Where:AlabamaPowerCompany,ClantonWhattime:9:00amuntilnoon

LEARNING ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!Beyond School Hours XVII Annual ConferenceFoundationsforaBrightFuture,IncishavingtheirannualconferenceonFebruary12-15,2014attheHyattRegencyAtlanta,AtlantaGeorgia.BSHistheonlyeventofitskindofferingthelatesttoolsandinsightsforimprovingoutcomesforyoungpeopleacrosstheentireday.ToregisterorformoreinformationcontactFoundations,Inc.888-977-5437orvisitwww.foundationsinc.org/beyond-school-hours-xvii.

NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH“Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day”NationalNutritionMonthisanutritioneducationandinformationcampaignheldannuallybytheAcademyofNutritionandDietetics.Thecampaignfocusesattentionontheimportanceofmakinginformedfoodchoicesanddevelopingsoundeatingandphysicalactivityhabits.Contact:AcademyofNutritionandDieteticsnm@eatright.orgorvisitwww.eatright.org.When:March2014

Healthy Weight InitiativeAlabama Department of Public HealthThe RSA Tower201 Monroe Street, Suite 710Montgomery, AL 36130

A N D E V E N T SN E W S