It's easy to forget that sleep is an important factor in our health. Insufficient sleep is associated with several chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression. Additionally, drowsy driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving. Getting adequate sleep is a necessity, not a luxury.
To find out how much sleep you and your children should be getting, click here.
Apr 2, 2012
Mar 27, 2012
Walking... Did You Know?
As the weather is warming up it's a great time to get outside and go for a walk! Here are a few facts about walking you may not have known.
Walking is the most popular form of physical activity in the United States.
Although 41% of all trips made in the United States are one mile or less, fewer than 10% of all trips are made by walking and biking.
The average person takes 2000 steps per mile.
Brisk walking (≥3.5 mph) has been shown to reduce body fat, lower blood pressure, increase high-density lipoprotein, and even reduce risks of bone fracture.
Because of the health benefits, the cost of walking is actually negative.
For more interesting facts about walking, click here.
Walking is the most popular form of physical activity in the United States.
Although 41% of all trips made in the United States are one mile or less, fewer than 10% of all trips are made by walking and biking.
The average person takes 2000 steps per mile.
Brisk walking (≥3.5 mph) has been shown to reduce body fat, lower blood pressure, increase high-density lipoprotein, and even reduce risks of bone fracture.
Because of the health benefits, the cost of walking is actually negative.
For more interesting facts about walking, click here.
End of the 1st Quarter!
March 31st marks the end of the first quarter so make sure you've contacted your coach, your goal tracking is up to date, you've marked your physical activity and health education points or whatever you need to have completed before March 31st!
Mar 20, 2012
Recipe: Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A and C and are a great source of fiber and potassium. These fries could make a tasty side dish or snack.
Ingredients:
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, rinsed and dried
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil or olive oil
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Carefully cut the potatoes into 1/4″ thin strips, or to your desired thickness and length. Place potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients (oil and spices) until potatoes are evenly coated.
Spread out the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet. (Try not to overcrowd the sheet, or have multiple layers of fries — you want them to be roasted, not steamed.)
Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, turning the fries once or twice during that time to cook evenly. (May take more or less time, depending on the size and thickness you cut the fries.) Remove once the edges slightly begin to brown and fries begin to crisp.
Helpful Tips:
Experiment with some of your favorite seasonings! This recipe is adaptable so you can make it perfect for you!
Try putting a cooling rack on your parchment lined pan and placing the potatoes on the rack. This allows air to circulate underneath the food and eliminate the need to turn the potatoes.
Original recipe found here.
Ingredients:
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, rinsed and dried
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil or olive oil
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Carefully cut the potatoes into 1/4″ thin strips, or to your desired thickness and length. Place potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients (oil and spices) until potatoes are evenly coated.
Spread out the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet. (Try not to overcrowd the sheet, or have multiple layers of fries — you want them to be roasted, not steamed.)
Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, turning the fries once or twice during that time to cook evenly. (May take more or less time, depending on the size and thickness you cut the fries.) Remove once the edges slightly begin to brown and fries begin to crisp.
Helpful Tips:
Experiment with some of your favorite seasonings! This recipe is adaptable so you can make it perfect for you!
Try putting a cooling rack on your parchment lined pan and placing the potatoes on the rack. This allows air to circulate underneath the food and eliminate the need to turn the potatoes.
Original recipe found here.
Mar 13, 2012
National Nutrition Month
Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? This month try to focus on "getting your plate in shape." Set a goal to improve your diet by eating more fruits and vegetables, or replace processed foods with whole grain foods. For several links to helpful diet and nutrition resources, click here.
Mar 6, 2012
Congratulations to our "Drink More Water" Challenge Winners!
Congrats to our winners and to everyone for participating! Hopefully you began to see some positive changes from drinking more water and will keep it up! Stay tuned for info about the next challenge that will begin the end of April!
Mar 5, 2012
Food Safety
Have you ever wondered how long to cook your 9 pound turkey? Or maybe after it's cooked you're not sure how long you can store it in the refrigerator. If you are questioning that or any other meat (bison, sausages, lamb, hot dogs, chicken etc.) you can get all the info you need to be sure your food is safe by visiting foodsafety.gov
The website also has guidelines to help you thaw foods safely and keep your eggs, dairy and produce germ free to prevent food-borne illness.
Feb 28, 2012
No More Pyramid
Did you know that we no longer have a food guide pyramid to illustrate the recommended daily servings for each food group. Two of the outdated versions are shown below.
Instead, we have MyPlate. It was developed as a simple, easy to understand icon that reminds consumers to eat healthfully. It includes the five food groups we need to have at our meals; fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and dairy.
To learn more about MyPlate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov
Instead, we have MyPlate. It was developed as a simple, easy to understand icon that reminds consumers to eat healthfully. It includes the five food groups we need to have at our meals; fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and dairy.
To learn more about MyPlate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov
Feb 21, 2012
Adult Vaccine Recommendations
Vaccines aren't just for children! As an adult it's important to keep your vaccines up-to-date to help protect yourself and your loved ones from illness. For more information on what vaccines adults need to get, click here, and for information on the most recent changes in vaccine recommendations, click here.
Are you still drinking that water?....
There's one more week left of our "Drink More Water" challenge! Keep drinking that water and remember to enter all your tracking by February 28th to be eligible for great prizes!
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