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The following is a piece I wrote last March and felt it would be prudent to update it and post it here:
As Americans, we have experienced many wonderful and exciting technological advancements in the 21st century, however those advancements have now been marred given the fact that so many of our children and adolescents are unable to function normally, either physically or mentally and learning for many youngsters has become obstructed by a myriad of negative and destructive influences. As a former secondary education classroom teacher in New York suburban schools I was quite literally on the “front lines” of the war on childhood obesity. In order for children to truly thrive, their environment must be conducive to it. In order for them to learn and later function in what now has become an increasingly complex society, it is imperative that the school atmosphere be one that is safe, healthy and nurturing. This includes but is not limited to children and adolescents seeing and interacting with proper role models throughout the school day. Children are heavily influenced by those around them and while in most cases school officials and personnel cannot control the environment outside the school setting, they most certainly have the power to control what takes place on school property. It is time for educators both inside and outside the classroom to do what is right for the health and well-being of the child which includes a return to professional and what I term “health-driven” conduct on the part of the school administration, faculty and staff. How many of you over the age of 50 (as I am) can remember the names of your teachers? I will bet that not only do you remember most of their names, but I am certain that so many of them had a profound and mostly positive effect on you during the course of your K-12 education. A return to that professional classroom environment of yesteryear which includes a policy of no eating or drinking during class (except for water when needed on hot days) would be a tremendous start. This would also include administrative offices within the school building where children are often present throughout the day. It is highly disruptive to the continuity and effectiveness of the lesson when the air is filled with the stench of junk food and the smell of the remaining garbage afterwards. Teachers have the power to be excellent role models for our children. Engaging in constant, often mindless eating throughout the school day infringes on not only the well-being of the teacher, but also, and I would argue more significantly, on the child. Students must never see their teachers eating during class time when they are supposed to be teaching and therefore not wholly focused on their students. This sets a very bad example particularly when we as a nation are experiencing not only an obesity epidemic but also a multitude of other very serious health issues as result of not only overeating but eating so much junk. Food, especially junk food, must never be used as a “pacifier” for students with disciplinary issues. In addition, during the school day, faculty, administrators and staff must never return to the school building from break periods reeking of cigarette smoke. Again this sets a very bad example for our youth. Although a child may live in a household where smoking and unhealthy eating take place, the school environment and a professional and dedicated staff can often make a profound difference in the life of a child. You would be very upset if your physician were eating a greasy pizza and smoking while examining you or giving you the results of lab tests. That would be unprofessional to say the least! During my tenure as a grade 7-12 foreign language teacher, I was required to teach a unit on food as part of the curriculum. I also taught a sixth grade French and Spanish twelve week immersion program. As a reward for studying hard, I arranged for special field trips to world cafés where students learned to order meals in French or Spanish. This was special. The students looked forward to it and it was appropriate as part of their foreign language and cross-cultural education. Additionally I invited students who were well-behaved into my classroom during their lunch period and mine for extra help at which time I provided fresh fruit slices and sparkling water. The students appreciated the extra help and loved the fresh fruit as well as the “fancy water with bubbles” as they called it. For some students the fiber in the apple skin would be the most fiber they consumed in any given day. This is unacceptable. School districts can help remedy the situation by taking the following steps: 1- Enact a rule that eating will only take place during school breakfast programs and lunch periods within the cafeteria walls with school-based administrators enforcing this rule and also setting a good example themselves. 2- Understand that the major reason that so many students need to use the restroom so often is the result of all the gastro-intestinal difficulties which students experience during the course of the school day particularly in the afternoon. The ridiculous food choices currently available in most schools are undoubtedly the culprit. 3- Completely remove the “junk” from the cafeteria and replace it with daily deliveries of berries, apples, bananas, red grapes, oranges etc. Students will choose food over hunger in a heartbeat and will soon realize just how satisfying healthy eating can be just as my students did. Frozen berries for example are available year round and can be thawed and served as a much better option than chips and candy. 4- Consult Dr. Robert H. Lustig’s Book, “The Fat Chance Cookbook” as a model for meals students will certainly find appetizing. 5- When any school board of education crony declares they can’t afford to offer healthy, tangy, zesty, lightly grilled, sautéed and steamed vegetables, lean protein and fruit, then stand up and shout the following: WE CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO ANYMORE! There will not be enough cardiologists and endocrinologists to treat the coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, etc. I also consistently modeled a physically active lifestyle for my students. They could plainly see that I exuded lots of energy upon arrival at school and were curious to know how this was possible first thing in the morning. I would explain my daily cardiovascular and anaerobic exercise routine which I also incorporated into my foreign language lesson plans. As required by the New York State Dept of Education I also taught all the sports and fitness-related vocabulary and phrases and integrated total physical response activities with full body Simon Says for active foreign language acquisition. The experience was virtually a Phys Ed class conducted in French and Spanish. As far as the English version of regularly scheduled Physical Education and Health classes are concerned it is now time to explore alternate and more effective solutions for reaching grades K-12. Those teaching these subjects in particular need to look and act the part in order to make a lasting impression on children and adolescents. A teacher who practices what he or she preaches is paramount in order to effect positive changes in the life and well being of a student. Oftentimes when there is no proper role model at home, the teacher must then take on that role. Perhaps a requirement that Health and Physical Education teachers also become certified nutritionists and certified fitness professionals by nationally recognized and accredited bodies would be prudent. This would benefit not only the child, but also the educator. 67% of Americans meet the criteria for being overweight and one third of those Americans meet the criteria for being obese. It is time to stop this epidemic in its tracks and “model” healthy living for the sake of our children and their children.
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Your organs can only do the vital work they were brilliantly designed to do if you take proper care of them and feed them properly. For example, the "juicing" fad was designed to sell you an expensive machine for home use as well as overpriced little bottles and cartons of juice on the go. The reality is that you need to actually EAT in order to properly benefit from all the fiber, vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables. Your liver and kidneys do the cleansing for you if allow them to and treat them with respect. We are adults, not infants requiring liquid nourishment. One must DRINK WATER and EAT FOOD, solid fruits, vegetables and whole grains to "brush" through your digestive tract and cleanse your colon. Do not fall for risky gimmicks, deceptive advertising and dangerous treatments. Do allow your liver and kidneys to do the job they were brilliantly designed to do and as always, consult your trusted physician regarding what is best and safest for you. Until then...
Climb, lift and eat well... In the 5th Century BCE, none other than Hippocrates summed up perfectly the two components required for optimum health and fitness. He wrote: "Eating alone will not keep a man (or woman) well; he (she) must also take exercise. For food and exercise, while possessing opposite qualities, yet work together to produce health." - Hippocrates
Stay tuned tomorrow for more details on how you can improve and enhance the quality and quantity of your health and fitness. Until then... Climb, lift and eat well... The "mind-body connection" and "body awareness" are discussed often in the media, but how do you apply what these terms really mean in order to achieve optimum health and fitness? To begin with, weight-lifting, yes, weight-lifting, exercising with free weights, is indeed a "mind-body" activity as it involves the utmost concentration and precision in order to perform the movements correctly. This essential component of a well-planned and executed comprehensive exercise program requires focus and precision as you become "aware" of each and every part of your body and learn to concentrate on properly executed movements, first in isolation and then as compound, multi-joint and full-body exercises. Weight-lifting also increases flexibility just as much if not more so than stretching, be it static, active or dynamic stretching, provided you engage in the FULL RANGE OF MOTION of each exercise during both the eccentric (lowering) and concentric (lifting) phases. Weight-lifting promotes greater and improved balance as you stand to complete the weighted movements. Weight-lifting also engages your entire core musculature since your core is hard at work making it possible for you to stand erect while performing squats, lunges and deadlifts as well as while completing leg lifts on a mat while wearing ankle weights. Weight-lifting also reduces stress and is a mood elevator as your endorphins would tell you if they could speak. You feel the release of tension as you complete each movement. Lastly, proper breathing is most certainly an integral part of correct weight-lifting technique. Inhaling while preparing for each movement and exhaling as you exert for maximum power is essential. Do take the time to safely learn to lift weights properly by paying close attention to and focusing on your form, technique and correct breathing. Fuel your body with the proper, nutrient-packed foods your body needs in order to support optimum organ function, bone mineral density and cognitive function so you too can become "aware" and experience the healthiest "mind-body" connection of your life. Stay tuned tomorrow for words of wisdom from none other than Hippocrates himself, the father of modern medicine. Until then...
Climb, lift and eat well.... Stretching, yes it does feel good and yes it may make you feel as though you are "exerting" yourself, however "stretching" does not relieve you of your responsibility to your body to engage in solid upright cardiovascular and anaerobic exercise. It is but a small part of the whole picture. By all means, if you have extra time, engage in any activity you like for as long as you like provided it causes you no harm. Do keep in mind, however, that engaging in proper and consistent upright (while standing) cardiovascular and anaerobic exercise also feel very good when you free your mind of all the "hype" surrounding the latest crazes and fads. Take the time to learn how to engage in proper and effective cardiovascular and anaerobic exercise safely. As always, consult your trusted physician before engaging in any physical activity and continue to arm yourself with evidence-based facts regarding optimum health and fitness found here.
Climb, lift and eat well... The simultaneous decision to decrease my alcohol consumption to the level I call CEO (certain extraordinary occasions, 4-6 occasions per month) while methodically increasing the intensity of my strength-training and cardiovascular regimen at age 50 represents the product of what I am now. 52 has become my new 35 from the inside out..
Like our "ancestors" our brilliantly designed bodies were meant to climb, to gather, to reach, to squat, to lunge, to twist, to jump, to pull, to push, etc. Get the idea? The time has come to get up off the floor, get up off your seat and stand on your own two feet. When you can lift and carry your own body weight you will have then made real progress. Do not wait a moment longer. With clearance from your trusted physician begin at the level you are and then learn correct upright cardiovascular and weight-lifting technique from a certified professional. Be consistent and soon the reward of optimum health, fitness and quality of life will be yours.
Climb, lift and eat well... Excuses. There is no shortage of them when so many people say they have no time to exercise. One often hears these excuses from many women particularly from the mothers of very young and school-age children. I find it very curious, however, that many of these mothers say they have no time to exercise yet they seem to find the time to regularly spend time socializing with other women without their young children present. Perhaps the same babysitting arrangements could be made to allow these women to exercise regularly. As educated about health and fitness as they "perceive themselves to be" this is simply not the case. The reality is that they so often assume that the common myths surrounding proper cardiovascular and anaerobic exercise are true therefore sabotaging any chance of changing the course of their health and fitness in BOTH the short and long term. For example, many women (and men) do not realize that every year after age 30 bone mineral density drops at a steady rate UNLESS they engage in BOTH weight-bearing and weight-resistant exercise. This means exercise from a standing position as well as lifting weights. Unfortunately for them, most are unaware of this and continue to ignore the truth and engage in marginally effective modalities if not largely ineffective ones if they engage in exercise at all. Then again, if the likelihood of premature aging and chronic if not terminal illness is their goal then by all means they can continue socializing with those who want nothing more than to keep them down in an effort to not feel as bad about their own health and fitness shortcomings.
Ladies (and gentlemen), it is time to wake up, stand up and do what is right for optimum health and fitness not only for yourselves, but for those children you value more than words can express. |
Audrey"Let's PREVENT what we can and BE COMBAT-READY for what we cannot as we ENJOY and make the most of every single day!" Archives
July 2024
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