Healthy Notes

February 2012

February is Children's Dental Health Month
Our focus this month will be on dental care and how best to take care of our teeth. After all, our teeth need to last us our lifetime.

Brushing and Flossing for Little Mouths

When it comes to brushing and flossing for kids, both tasks require good manual dexterity, or in other words, good control of the tooth brush and floss; something most kids do not develop until around age six. It is important for an adult to brush a child's teeth twice a day to ensure the removal of plaque to prevent tooth decay. Until the age of six children should be supervised while brushing. Brushing should last for at least two minutes. But in the case of children, it will generally require a bit more time and patience for the person helping the child.

Young Boy Brushing Royalty Free Stock Photo

Start by using a soft bristled toothbrush with a pea sized amount of toothpaste. Choose a toothpaste that is appropriate for the age of the child. Avoid using toothpaste that contains fluoride until the child is able to consciously avoid swallowing it to prevent fluorosis.
Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle with the bristles pointed in the direction of the gumline.
Gently brush the teeth with a circular motion. Brush the outside surface , inside surface , and biting surface of the teeth.

Flossing a child's teeth is often easy because they have fairly large spaces between them. Some children however, do have tight spaces, and require daily flossing to prevent tooth decay between the teeth. Consider using a flossing aide, they are easily used between the teeth, cleaning gently and effectively and allow the child to attempt to floss on their own.

Quick Tips That Help Make Brushing and Flossing Fun and Easy

Brush your teeth together, taking turns brushing each others teeth.
Use one of the familiar cartoon character brushes.
Sing the theme song from your child's favorite cartoon or a nursery rhyme, while you brush their teeth.
Use toothpaste and mouth rinse that have pleasant flavors for sensitive taste buds.
Use syllables like “ahhhh” or “eeeeeee” to help your child open their mouth or move their lips away from their teeth while brushing.

A Life-Long Commitment

When you teach a child something new at a young age, he will learn the task and continue it well into adulthood. Brushing and flossing has never been more important. Bring your child in to see their dentist as early as the first signs of teeth. Children, depending on their oral hygiene, may have dental appointments once every six months to one year.

Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "Brush Up on Healthy Teeth"
University of Maryland Medical Center "Oral Health Brushing and Toothpaste

December 2011

Healthy Horizons
Lasting Gift Ideas

iphone Computers, mobile phones and other gadgets often become out-dated before you even figure out how to use them. This holiday season, why not try giving gifts that will last a lifetime? Help your friends and loved ones stay healthy, and they’ll remember how much you care about them for years to come.

A variety of kitchen gadgets can help you prepare nutritious low-fat foods. Durable nonstick cookware helps cooks cut down on added fats and oils. Slow cookers, rice cookers and vegetable steamers can all aid in the preparation of healthy meals. You can also encourage loved ones to prepare tasty, healthy dishes by giving a healthy cookbook.

For that friend or family member who’s been talking about getting into shape, make up a coupon for a run, bike ride or workout together. A pass to a local, state or national park system can encourage walking, biking, hiking or even kayaking.

Exercise clothing can make a great holiday gift. So can accessories, like a pedometer or a watch with a heart rate monitor. A watch with a GPS (global positioning system) helps runners track distance and pace. Hikers might also appreciate a GPS device or other accessories, like a walking stick.

For kids, sports equipment can be a great gift. Even something as simple as a flying disc, boomerang, football or soccer ball can provide hours of healthy and fun family activity. Read more

November 2011
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month

Santa Clarita Farmer's Market With nearly 26 million children and adults in American living with diabetes, and another 79 million at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, the disease is taking a devastating physical, emotional and financial toll on our country.

Recent numbers by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paint a desperate situation of where we are at, and where we are headed:

Every 17 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes.
Diabetes kills more people each year than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
Recent estimates project that as many as 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless we take steps to Stop Diabetes.

Healthy Lifestyle Habits to Prevent Diabetes

First, certain diabetes risk factors like age, family history, and ethnicity cannot be changed. However, changing other diabetes risk factors by eating a healthier diet and increased physical activity -- with or without weight loss -- may help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Let's Get Started

You can do a lot to lower your chances of getting diabetes. Exercising regularly, reducing fat and calorie intake, and losing weight can all help you reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels also help you stay healthy.

Making big changes in your life is hard, especially if you are faced with more than one change. You can make it easier by taking these steps:

Make a plan to change behavior.
Decide exactly what you will do and when you will do it.
Plan what you need to get ready.
Think about what might prevent you from reaching your goals.
Find family and friends who will support and encourage you.
Decide how you will reward yourself when you do what you have planned.

Steps to Living Better and Longer

Reach and Maintain a Reasonable Body Weight -- Being overweight can keep your body from using insulin properly. Insulin is the hormone that allows your body to use sugar for energy. Being overweight can also cause high blood pressure. Even losing a few pounds can help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes because it helps your body use insulin more effectively. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, losing only 10 pounds could make a difference.

If you are overweight or obese, choose sensible ways to get in shape:

Avoid crash diets. Instead, eat less of the foods you usually have. Limit the amount of fat you eat.
Increase your physical activity. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. This will help your body use insulin more effectively, helping you lower high blood sugars and improving your cardiovascular health.
Set a reasonable weight-loss goal, such as losing one pound a week. Aim for a long-term goal of losing 5% to 7% of your total body weight.
Make Wise Food Choices Most of the Time -- What you eat has a big impact on your health. By making wise food choices, you can help control your body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
Take a hard look at the serving sizes of the foods you eat. Reduce serving sizes of main courses (such as meat), desserts, and foods high in fat. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables.
Limit your fat intake to about 25% of your total calories. For example, if your food choices add up to about 2,000 calories a day, try to eat no more than 56 grams of fat. Your doctor or a dietitian can help you figure out how much fat to have. You can check food labels for saturated fat content, too, which increases LDL "bad" cholesterol.
You may also wish to reduce the number of calories you have each day. Your doctor or dietitian can help you with a meal plan that emphasizes weight loss.
Keep a food and exercise log. Write down what you eat, how much you exercise -- anything that helps keep you on track.
When you meet your goal, reward yourself with a nonfood item or activity, such as watching a movie.
Be Physically Active Every Day --- Regular exercise tackles several risk factors at once. It helps you lose weight, keeps your cholesterol and blood pressure under control, and helps your body use insulin. Even brisk walking works.

If you are not very active, you should start slowly, talking with your doctor first about what kinds of exercise would be safe for you. Make a plan to increase your activity level toward the goal of being active for at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week.
Choose activities you enjoy. Here are some ways to work extra activity into your daily routine:

Take the stairs rather than an elevator or escalator.
Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk.
Get off the bus a few stops early and walk the rest of the way.
Walk or bicycle instead of drive whenever you can.

Source: Michael Smith, WebMD Feature
American Diabetes Association

October 2011

Walking vs. Running: Which One Is Best?

Adding aerobic exercise to your routine is an excellent way to build your cardiovascular fitness. Running and walking are both excellent aerobic exercises. Both will help promote weight loss, improve your sleep, elevate your mood, boost your energy level, decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Walking and running are low-cost, easy-to-do anywhere, year-round activities. Both are social activities -- you can walk or run or with a friend. But since running is more rigorous than walking, it is my opinion that you should select a running program to maximize aerobic conditioning in minimum time.

Those who do not wish to run can obtain the same health and fitness benefits by walking. Walking is good exercise for those who are just starting to workout or for those with health problems. For the significantly overweight, walking can be less stressful on the body. Those who desire can slowly build up to running.

In order to get any benefit from a workout, it has to be one that you enjoy and will do day after day. So if you prefer walking, then do it! As a walker, you might have to walk a little more or eat a little less to achieve your weight goal vs. running. Walkers can make up that difference by going farther in distance.
Another important factor to consider when examining the difference between running and walking is that because of the repetitive nature of running, the risk of injury is greater. Running is considered high impact exercise. This can cause injury to the hip, knee and ankle joints. Walking is a low impact activity and is potentially less damaging to the joints.

Walking or running both have benefits. Choose that which best meets your needs and preferences.

The author Maria Faires, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer, Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist and freelance writer based out of Sammamish, WA

September 2011

More than 23 million children and teenagers in the U.S. are obese or overweight, a statistic that health and medical experts consider an epidemic. While obesity rates have soared among all age groups in this country, obesity is a particularly grave concern for children.

Childhood obesity puts nearly one third of America's children at early risk for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even stroke – conditions usually associated with adulthood.
Fast Facts About Outdoor Time and Children

Children are spending half as much time outdoors as they did 20 years ago. (Juster et al 2004); (Burdette & Whitaker 2005); (Kuo & Sullivan 2001)
Today, kids 8-18 years old devote an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes using entertainment media in a typical day (more than 53 hours a week). (Kaiser Family Foundation)
In a typical week, only 6% of children ages 9-13 play outside on their own. (Children & Nature Network, 2008)
Children who play outside are more physically active, more creative in their play, less aggressive and show better concentration. (Burdette and Whitaker, 2005; Ginsburg et al., 2007)
Sixty minutes of daily unstructured free play is essential to children's physical and mental health. (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2008)

August 2011

The Last Days of Summer

Summer is coming to a close, the kids will be heading back to school soon and we all get back to our normal routine. Take time to enjoy the last few weeks of summer by enjoying one of your favorite activities.
Here are 20 ways you can enjoy the summer before it disappears

Go to a baseball game.
Take a day trip to a lake.
Sit outside and drink a cold glass of iced tea or lemonade.
Have a barbeque.
Go on a picnic.
Go to the beach.
Take a long walk with no particular destination.
Go camping for a weekend.
Take out your bike for a nice long ride.
Go to a carnival or fair.
Have dinner at a restaurant and sit outside.
Go fishing.
Shoot hoops outside.
Play tennis.
Go out for ice cream.
Set up a sprinkler for the kids to run through (or yourself)
Go on a hike.
Read a book
Fly a kite.
Have a swim party.

July 2011

July is Park and Recreation Month!

Since 1985, America has celebrated July as the nation’s official Parks and Recreation Month.

Join us in celebrating the success of recreation and parks in contributing to the quality of life in the City of Santa Clarita. Not sure what all there is to do? Check out the city of Santa Clarita’s summer recreation schedule for a complete listing of recreation programs.

The Recreation Department offers a wide range of recreational activities including camps, swim programs, adult specialty classes, teen programs, and much more.

Whether it is Zumba, renting the Skate Park for a private party, learning to cook, staying fit with yoga classes, brushing up on your golf swing, or playing softball, there truly is something for everyone’s taste and preference.

With 100-degree weather already upon us, now is the time to make the most of the City’s Aquatic programs. In addition to being fun and providing an opportunity to beat the heat, the benefits of swimming are endless. Swimming helps reduce stress, improve flexibility, build muscle strength and improve coordination, and it provides a great cardiovascular workout.

Most importantly, learning to swim and exposure to water safety skills early in life provides a lifelong foundation for drowning prevention.

July is the perfect time to embrace and participate in Santa Clarita’s recreation programs, services, facilities and parks. Participation in parks and recreation programs will create lasting memories for years to come.

June 2011

Summer is here and children and families will be spending time outdoors enjoying the summer weather. Swimming is a great way to cool off and keep in shape, especially as the temperature heats up in Santa Clarita. Please read the following tips so you can best be prepared for summer safety in and around the pool.

Swimming Pool Safety
What is the best way to keep my child safe around swimming pools?
An adult should actively watch children at all times while they are in a pool. For infants and toddlers, an adult should be in the water and within arm's reach, providing "touch supervision." For older children, an adult should be paying constant attention and free from distractions, like talking on the phone, socializing, tending household chores, or drinking alcohol. The supervising adult must know how to swim.

Pool Rules
If you have a pool, insist that the following rules are followed:

Keep toys away from the pool when the pool is not in use.
Empty blow-up pools after each use.
No tricycles or other riding toys at poolside.
No electrical appliances near the pool.
No diving in a pool that is not deep enough.
No running on the pool deck.

Pool Fences
Children can climb out a window, though a doggy door, or sneak out a door to get to the back yard and the pool. To prevent small children from entering the pool area on their own, there should be a fence that completely surrounds the pool or spa. Combined with the watchful eyes of an adult, a fence is the best way to protect your child and other children who may visit or live nearby.
Pool fences should also

Be climb-resistant and should not have anything alongside it (such as lawn furniture) that can be used to climb it.
Be at least 4 feet high and have no footholds or handholds that could help a child climb it.
Have no more than 4 inches between vertical slats. Chain-link fences are very easy to climb and are not recommended as pool fences. If they must be used, the diamond shape should not be bigger than 1¾ inches.
Have a gate that is well maintained and is self-closing and self-latching. It should only open away from the pool. The latches should be higher than a child can reach – 54 inches from the bottom of the gate.
For above-ground pools always keep children away from steps or ladders. When the pool is not in use, lock or remove the ladders to prevent access by children.

Other protection products, when used with an "isolation" fence, may be of some benefit; however, these are not substitutes for adequate fencing. These may include the following:

Automatic pool covers (motorized covers operated by a switch). Pool covers should cover the entire pool so that a child can't slip under them. Make sure there is no standing water on top of the pool cover. Be aware that floating solar covers are not safety covers.
Door alarms
Doors to the house that are self-closing/self-latching
Window guards
Pool alarms

Swimming Lessons
Children need to learn to swim. The AAP supports swimming lessons for most children 4 years and older. Because of recent research, the AAP no longer advises against swimming lessons for children 1 to 4 years of age. Keep in mind that because children develop at different rates, each child will be ready to swim at his own rate. Other factors parents may consider before starting swimming lessons for younger children include frequency of exposure to water, emotional maturity, physical limitations, and health concerns related to swimming pools (i.e.,swallowing water, infections, pool chemicals).
Diving

Serious spinal cord injuries, permanent brain damage, and death can occur to swimmers who dive into shallow water or spring upward on the diving board and hit it on the way down.
Keep safe by following these simple common-sense diving rules.

Check how deep the water is. Enter the water feet first, especially when going in for the first time.
Never dive into above-ground pools; they are usually not deep enough.
Never dive into the shallow end of a pool.
Never dive through inner tubes or other pool toys.

May 2011

Big Red Bike During the month of May is the nationally recognized event, “Bike to Work Day.” This event supports bicycling as a viable and environmentally-friendly commute choice. However, you can ride your bike all summer long weather providing. Bicycling is fun for everyone. Men and women, young and old-Americans all across the country enjoy this safe and healthy activity. Anyone can pedal at any pace. Bicycling is gentle and low-impact, making it an enjoyable, pain-free activity for everyone.

Five Reasons to Bike Ride:

For Your Body

Riding a bike offers many health benefits. Here are just a few:increased cardiovascular fitness

increased strength
increased balance and flexibility
increased endurance and stamina
increased calories burned

It can be done by people of all ages, from childhood up even through the adult years when achy joints don't allow for more stressful exercise like jogging.

For Your State of Mind

Riding a bike is a proven stress releaser. Regardless of if you are riding purely for pleasure or for a specific purpose, you will arrive at your destination feeling relaxed, energized, and happier about the world and yourself.

Plus, being out on your bike is just flat-out fun. The more time you spend on two wheels, the harder it is to take yourself too seriously.

For Your Community

Being out on your bike is good for the people around you as well. You are able to go the places you want to go and yet put one less car on the road.

You don’t bring with you the noise that a car generates and are actually able to interaction with people as you move. From my bike I can wave to a neighbor, say hi to a kid, smell someone’s dinner cooking and be a warm and friendly human presence on the streets.

Also, not insignificant: operating a bicycling does not harm the environment. There is no polluting exhaust released, no oil or gas consumed. And the energy and materials used to manufacture one automobile could be used to create a hundred bikes.

strong>For Convenience

There is an undeniable convenience factor you’ll discover when riding a bike. Front row parking spaces are guaranteed no matter where you go. Traffic jams are also irrelevant.

Though cars will certainly make better time on long trips, you’ll find for many short trips or through heavy traffic, you can travel just as fast or faster on your bike.

Have you ever been to a massive festival or concert in a park somewhere, the type of event that draws so many people that just getting there is a problem? Going in on a bike is a perfect solution. Zip in, zip out. You don’t have to get there hours early to get a parking spot or else face parking miles away from the event. And you won’t have to wait hours in traffic to get out once it’s over.

For Your Pocketbook

It costs between 20 and 30 cents per mile to operate a car, depending on the vehicle. This is based on expenses like gas, oil, maintenance, etc., that go up when you drive more. This figure doesn’t include the hidden costs of vehicle ownership like depreciation, taxes, and insurance. These factors make the actual per mile cost to operate a car much higher.

Top 5 Reasons to Ride a Bike - By David Fiedler, About.com Guide

March 2011

Healthy Santa Clarita Food Pyramid Each March, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) sponsors National Nutrition Month. It's a perfect time to review your eating habits and focus on good nutrition. If you have kids, plan some activities that will get them interested in healthy eating. Bring your kids to the grocery store and challenge them to find a fruit or vegetable of each color. Even if you don't have kids, take some time this month to learn more about nutrition and improve your eating habits.

Remember, healthy eating doesn't have to be boring or complicated. The American Dietetic Association offers these 10 tips:

Visit Mypyramid.gov to develop a personalized nutrition plan.
Before making any changes to your diet, make sure the information is based in scientific fact.
Get food and nutrition facts from registered dieticians, your doctor, or reliable sites such as the ADA's.
Keep an active lifestyle -- proper eating habits and physical activity are the best way to maintain weight.
There are no "bad" foods per se. Just focus on nutrient-dense choices.
Drop the all or nothing mindset. One slip isn't going to ruin your whole healthy eating plan.
Prepare and store food properly to avoid food-borne illnesses.
Don't pay attention to food myths and misinformation.
Read food labels to get nutrition facts.
Choose healthy facts (polyunsaturated or monounsaturated).

Source: American Diabetic Association

February 2011

Now that the holidays are over many of us made resolutions to get healthy in 2011. Spend this month finding the motivation that's right for you. As the weather begins to change it may be a great time to try a new class, join a hiking or walking group, or even try new heart healthy recipes at home. A variety of new classes will be offered this spring through the City's Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department. Check out Seasons for a list of upcoming classes and programs.

Heart Health Month February is National Heart Month. The American Heart Association has a plethora of information related to nutrition and physical activity to keep our hearts healthy. Check out their webpage at americanheart.org for additional resources.

The Benefits of Daily Physical Activity

Reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout the body
Keeps weight under control
Improves blood cholesterol levels
Prevents and manages high blood pressure
Prevents bone loss
Boosts energy level
Helps manage stress
Releases tension
Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well
Improves self-image
Counters anxiety and depression and increases enthusiasm and optimism
Increases muscle strength, increasing the ability to do other physical activities
Provides a way to share an activity with family and friends
Establishes good heart-healthy habits in children and counters the conditions (obesity, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, poor lifestyle habits, etc.) that lead to heart attack and stroke later in life
In older people, helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging and maintains quality of life and independence longer