Commonwealth Conversations: Public Health

Making the Grade: Changing the School Environment to Promote Wellness

Posted by:
Christine Horan, Department of Public Health

If you haven’t been to your childhood school since well, you were a child, I think you might be quite surprised by the changes that have taken place.  Whether it’s been 5 years or 50 since you were a student, schools are making changes every day to create healthier environments for the students and staff to learn and work.  The bad rap given to school cafeterias and physical education classes are more undeserved than ever.  In fact, in many districts it’s your Food and Nutrition Director or PE teacher leading the charge to improve school nutrition and increase physical activity.

While efforts have been happening you many years, a big force in getting schools to make changes was the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.  This federal act mandated school districts to convene a committee to develop a wellness policy addressing nutrition education, physical activity opportunities and foods served on school campuses.  These Wellness Policies helped get the ball rolling for some districts to begin addressing these issues and gave others the momentum to continue their efforts to improve their food and fitness environments.

So what are schools doing? 

• In Ashland, Food and Nutrition Director applies for every grant she can to be able to offer students meals made from scratch and fresh fruits daily.  Check out the story WBUR did on the school lunch in Ashland. 
• In Medford, a chef was hired as a part of a system-wide initiative to improve school lunches.  As a result, new recipes have been introduced, staff trained on new food preparation techniques and processed foods have been removed.
• In Holyoke, Dean Technical High School opened a new salad bar that will be maintained by students in the Culinary Department. 
• At the Josiah Quincy Elementary School in Boston, students participate in JAMmin Minutes.  Each morning at 9:35, the loudspeaker announces “It’s time for JAMmin Minutes” followed by a health tip of the day.  Eight hundred students and teachers participate in the 5 minute exercises left in teachers mailboxes the week before. 
• The Paul Baird Middle School and Boy and Girls Club in Ludlow purchased Dance Dance Revolution to be used in after school program and summer programs hosted by the school and their community partner.  Dance Dance Revolution is a video game that has players follow arrow on the screen with their feet on the “dance platform” to create dance patterns and work up a sweat!

The list goes on and on…Tell us what your school is doing to promote healthy eating and physical activity?

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Your Home. Your Gym.

Posted by:
Laura York, Department of Public Health

 

Laura is the Director of the Coordinated School Health Program at DPH and a NASM certified personal trainer. 

Looking to get started with strength training but don’t want to spend money on an expensive gym membership?  Just look around your home— your gym is right in front of you!  You can use what you already have in your house or apartment to build muscle and get fit.

Strength training is an important part of overall fitness.  Not only does building more muscle burn more calories (which helps you lose weight), it also helps keep your bones strong and makes your day to day activities easier to perform.

Here is a total body strength training program that you can do right in your living room.  Do this routine two to three times per week.  It should take about 20-30 minutes to complete.  Make sure you rest for 2 days between workouts.  And, as with any new exercise program, check with your doctor before you start.

Before You Get Started
Make sure you warm up for 5 minutes to prepare your body for the workout.  If you have stairs, step up and down on the bottom one.  If not, march or jog in place.  For even more intensity, raise your arms up and down over your head during the warm up or add in some jumping jacks.

You’re going to do your exercises in “sets.”  A set is typically made up of 8-12 repetitions or “reps.” A “rep” simply means completing 1 of your strength training movements.  For example, completing 1 push-up means you’ve done 1 rep.  Doing 8-12 push-ups is a set. 

Go directly from one exercise to the next and then repeat the entire cycle a 2nd time.  If you can do a 3rd, go for it!  Your muscles should be completely exhausted by the end of each set.  If you are new to exercising, you should rest for about 30 seconds in between each exercise.  As you get stronger, try to move between exercises faster.  Be sure to use slow, controlled movements and breathe out on the hardest part of the exercise.  If you’re going to be doing these exercises on a bare or wooden floor, use a soft surface like a rug or thick towel for more cushion. 

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Preventing Norovirus Infection

Posted by:
Tom Lyons, Department of Public Health

 

As if the rising number of influenza cases were not enough, here at DPH we've also received a significant number of reports on gastrointestinal illnesses likely caused by noroviruses.  Today we put out an advisory letting people know what we're seeing, and what we can all do to reduce our risk of getting sick.  Like flu cases, it is not unusual to see an increase in illness caused by noroviruses this time of year.  And, while we're ahead of where we were at this time last year, the number of outbreaks is smaller than 2007, when new strains of noroviruses were discovered.

Read our advisory to learn more about norovirus and how to protect yourself, or listen to the podcast below of my interview with Dr. Al DeMaria.

Podcast on Norovirus: (Transcript) 

Massachusetts Birth Report for 2007

Posted by:
Dr. Lauren Smith, Department of Public Health

 

Lauren Smith is a pediatrician, the Medical Director for the Department of Public Health.

Hi everyone.  In case you missed it, last week we released our annual Birth Report.  This is one of our "best sellers" and it is a product of some great work by our staff in the Bureau of Health Information, Statistics, Research & Evaluation.  There's a variety of trend data in the report, which covers birth statistics from 2007. 

Most of the indicators show that Massachusetts is doing quite well.  We are doing better than the national average in teen births, and the percentage of low birth weight infants.  A couple of troubling trends include the increased rate of gestational diabetes for pregnant mothers, and the continued high numbers of cesarean section deliveries that take place in Massachusetts.

Give the report a read and you'll be able to answer this question:  How many babies were born in our state in 2007?

Have a good weekend.

Flu Educational Resources

Posted by:
Tom Lyons, Department of Public Health

Like all of you, we at DPH were deeply saddened by the news yesterday of what appears to be our first pediatric flu-related death this flu season.  Child flu deaths, while rare, are tragic reminders of how serious influenza can be for some people.  We have a number of resources at our web site about the flu; how to prevent it and how to care for someone with the flu.  We've also produced a short podcast on flu prevention which you can listen to below. (Transcript)

Matters of the Heart

Posted by:
Kara Ryan, Department of Public Health 

 

Kara is a Nutrition Education Specialist at DPH.

It is hard to ignore hearts and love in February!  With Valentine’s Day on our minds, it is a good time to think about how we are taking care of our hearts and the hearts of those we love.  Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States.  It appears we forget about our hearts on most days of the year. 

While we can’t do much about our genes, there are many things we can do to protect our hearts.  We can exercise to help keep blood flowing through our bodies.  We can control how we handle the daily stress of life, which can keep our blood pressure down.  And we can make food choices that are good for our hearts. 

When it comes to choosing heart healthy foods, there are many options out there.  A heart healthy diet is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, and high in fiber.  This means that the bulk of the foods we eat should come from grains, especially whole grains, as well as fruits and vegetables.  If you aren’t used to eating these foods, now is a good time to start adding them slowly to your family’s table.  By making small changes in how your family eats, it is more likely to be a change that lasts for life.

There are many foods that can be seen as healthy for your heart.  But there are some foods that give you a lot more of the good stuff than others.  Why not try adding one or more of these powerful foods to your family meals this week?

Oatmeal—oats have the magical power to lower LDL cholesterol, otherwise known as bad cholesterol.  They’re a good fiber choice that can help keep your arteries clear.  Oatmeal makes a great morning meal.  Try adding some other good stuff to it such as walnuts, raisins and skim milk for an extra boost. 

Salmon—this fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in saturated fats.  There are a lot of good things omega-3s do for our heart, such as keeping down the fat levels in our blood and lowering our blood pressure.  If salmon isn’t your thing, other fishes such as tuna, trout, herring, sardines and mackerel are all good sources of this fatty acid.  Still not seeing a food that has appeal?  Try a handful of walnuts or almonds as a snack.  Or throw some flaxseed into your favorite dishes—they’ve got those omega-3’s too.  Just keep in mind to watch portion sizes as these options carry a lot of fat which can lead to weight gain.

Beans, beans—the magical fruit.  Studies suggest beans can lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.  For an extra boost, eat darker beans such as kidney and black beans which contain antioxidants that have heart saving benefits.

Whole Grains—in one word, fiber!  Whole grains come in many forms—you can find it in high fiber cereals, whole wheat bread or tortillas, bulgur, brown rice and barley, just to name a few.  The list is endless.  To change it up a bit, try different kinds of whole grains each week or add whole grains to foods you already eat.  For example, if you are making chili, add some bulgur to it.  Most likely your family won’t even know it is there.  

Blueberries—this fruit has been in the news a lot lately and for good reason.  Blueberries have antioxidants that help prevent disease.  They also carry a lot of fiber and vitamin C—all good for the heart.  Try adding blueberries to just about anything such as cereal, yogurt, and a low-fat granola.

Some other heart healthy foods you’ll want to make sure you eat are spinach, apples, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.  Your best bet: listen to mom and eat your fruits and vegetables.  By following this simple advice, from someone close to your heart, you are on the road to protecting your heart and the heart of those you love.

Do you have any heart healthy food tips?  We’d “love” to hear from you!

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Now for something completely different...

Posted by:
Tom Lyons, Department of Public Health

We interupt this public health blog for something that seems to have nothing to do with public health...

Governor Patrick is asking Mass. residents to weigh in on which one of our nationally historic sites should be featured on the back of quarters that will be struck by the U.S. Mint.  (The other 49 states have also been asked to identify sites.)

So, this has no connection to public health?  Not so fast. Why right there on the list is the Paul Revere House.  As if old Paul wasn't busy enough being an accomplished silversmith and patriot, he also managed to shoehorn in a stint as Boston's first health officer.  You can vote on one perferred and three alternative sites until February 26.

Click here to place your vote.

New Year's Resolutions. Why Can't We Stick To Them?

Posted by:

Maya Mohan, Department of Public Health

 

Maya is the Physical Activity Coordinator for DPH, and a maker of New Year's Resolutions.

You know what I’m talking about:  we make these lofty goals at the beginning of every year.  We try to overhaul our lives with an unrealistic idea of being “healthier”.  

I personally believe that resolutions can be a good thing.  Every New Year, we’re given a clean slate.  We get the chance to check in with ourselves and to make changes that can make our lives better.  And we really want to make those changes.

Then why is it so hard to stick with them?  A few reasons-- they’re not realistic, they’re too hard to do, and they’re not specific enough.

My own resolution is “to work out 3 or 4 times a week for 45 minutes before work.”  I’ll be honest, there have been times when it’s practically blizzarding out, and it’s all I can do just to walk the 10 minutes to my T-stop.  But, for the most part I’ve been pretty good with sticking with it. 

For one thing, I make a plan—I know how many times a week, when, and for how long I’m going to be active.  Then, to make it easier on myself, I make my lunch and pack my bag the night before - this gives me an extra 15 minutes of sleep in the morning!  And last but not least, I have a lot of support from friends and family. 

If you’re having trouble sticking to your New Year’s Resolution, try this: 

Revisit.  Is your resolution vague?  “I’m going to be more active this year.”  What does that really mean?  Try something more specific like “I’m going to walk for 20 minutes at lunch on 3 days a week.”  This will help you be clear about your goal.   

Rephrase.   Are you trying to do too much too soon?  For example, I don’t run.  So, for me to have a resolution that “I’ll run 5 days a week for 30 minutes” is unrealistic— and I could hurt myself. Sure, I’d try it for a week.  Then, after blowing my knees out, I’m pretty much going to be all set with that resolution.  Rephrase your resolution to gently push you a little bit past your current activity level.  A better resolution for me is “I will combine fast walking and slow jogging for 15 minutes, 3 times per week”.  Once I get the hang of that, then I can increase the time as needed.  When I think of it like this, I feel sure that I can do it. 

Refocus. Are you bored with your resolution?  Remember, this is basically a commitment we’re making.  So, make it fun!  Find an event to “train” for (like fun-runs, walks, bike rides, etc).  Many of these events raise money for charity - so, you’ll be helping a good cause while helping yourself! 

Request help.  It’s really hard to change a habit all by yourself.  Tell a coworker about your resolution.  Encourage a friend to join you while you train for your first charity 5K fun run.  Ask a friend or family member to give you a little push when you don’t feel like sticking to it.

It’s not easy to get a new habit to “stick.”  But, you CAN do it.  When you’ve gotten the hang of one small habit (like, getting off the T one stop before your normal stop), try another one. Keep adding to it, and before you know it, you won’t need January 1st to come around before making your next resolution. 

What are you doing that helps to stick to your resolutions?  I’d love to hear about it! 

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Resist Food Fights with Your Picky Eater

Posted by:
Kara Ryan, Department of Public Health 

 

Kara is a Nutrition Education Specialist at DPH.

Do you have a hard time getting your kids to eat healthy foods?   Do mealtimes with your kids feel like a struggle for control?  Don’t worry, you’re not alone. 

All parents want what is best for their kids and if mealtime is a struggle, worried parents may go to great lengths to make sure their child eats right. Some parents will bribe their kids into eating healthy foods or may punish them for not.  Chances are, this just leads to more of a struggle at mealtime.  This can cause parents to feel even more angry and worried about the situation.  Rather than putting you or your child through this struggle for control, try some of these options from parents and professionals:

• Ellyn Satter, a well known food guru for kids, says that the parent and child each have a job when it comes to mealtime. The parent’s job is to decide what, when and where a child eats.  The child’s job is to decide how much to eat— and whether or not to eat it.  This means parents need to make a variety of healthy foods available but be ready to take “no” for an answer.  When a parent is too pushy, the odds are the child will not listen, will turn grumpy, or begin to whine.  Ellyn says be sure to include at least one food that you know your child usually likes, but also to add some new foods. For more tips from Ellyn  visit her website.

• One of our WIC moms shared with other moms the tough times she had getting her two picky eaters to eat healthy.  What ideas does she have to offer to other parents? 
  • Make mealtime fun!  Talk with your kids and make mealtime happy and light.  Some kids may like to have a special plate or cup with their favorite character on it.

  • Be creative!  Cut fruits and vegetables into different shapes.   Make fruit look like a smiley face or use broccoli to make mini trees.

  • Include the kids!  Let your kids help prepare the meals.  This can be a fun family activity. Plus, your junior chef will most likely want to taste what he helped to make!

  • Be a role model.  Kids learn by watching you.  If you eat healthy, they’ll eat healthy!

• Jessica Seinfeld, mother of three and wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, likes to puree fruits and vegetables and add them to the foods she is makes.  She thinks this gives her kids an extra boost of nutrition. Jessica offers cooking tips in her book, Deceptively Delicious.  You can also try some of the recipes from her cookbook from Oprah’s website.

What are your thoughts about these options for getting your picky eater to eat healthy?  Have you found ways to get your child interested in healthy foods?  Tell us about it!