Celebrate Health with Wise County Health Fair

As you mark your calendars for the many activities taking place this spring, I would like to encourage you to make plans to attend the Wise County Health Fair scheduled for Saturday, March 24 from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm at the Decatur Civic Center.  The Health Fair is sponsored by United Way and is promoting a healthier Wise County through community awareness and education.

An added feature this year will be the opportunity to dispose of prescription drugs that are expired or you no longer use. Thanks to the Decatur Police Department for making the Drug Disposal Box available. 

Fit Fun for Everyone, a Fitness Celebration will include Fitness stations set up by local Fitness Facilities, individuals, and student groups. Registration begins at 9:45 a.m. in front of the Civic Center with the first 50 participants to receive a t-shirt.  There are many additional prizes for participants visiting the fitness stations.  Adults and children are encouraged to participate from 10-11am.  This event is free.

There are many other free opportunities as well.  You will want to take advantage of numerous free health screenings. Several popular activities are returning such as: Face painting; child fingerprinting by the Wise County Sheriff’s office  Participants will be able to take part in plant pals offered by Wise County 4-H; and the Carter Blood Care unit returns. 

Entry forms for booths/displays/activities space are available via the United Way website at www.wisecountyunitedway.org/healthforum.html. You may also contact the Extension office at 940/627-3341 for additional information.

10 Simple Tips to Keep Holiday Weight Off Your Hips

The holidays are upon us … with Halloween candy and Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas, and New Year’s Eve before us, the recipe for weight gain is set. For many people, a gain of 5 to 10 pounds is common during the holidays.  However, getting the weight off can be a challenge.  Here are 10 steps to prevent weight gain this year.

1. Don’t deprive yourself. Just have three luscious bites instead of three pieces of pie. If you allow yourself to have a few bites instead of depriving yourself, you will feel less like eating the whole pie later.

2. Increase your exercise time by 10 to 20 minutes – either all at once or throughout your day. According to the American College of Sports medicine you can get your exercise in 10-minute segments of time and it is just as effective as if you exercise for a full 30 minutes.

3. Find slimming, healthy recipes to take to pot-luck holiday dinners. These dinners can be a dangerous place if you are trying to lose or maintain weight. With a little planning and creativity, you can make an addition to the buffet that tastes good and is healthy. Grapes, raw vegetables and low-calorie dips will make great contributions.

4. Have a healthy snack before a holiday dinner so you don’t eat so much. The right kind of snack, such as a handful of walnuts or almonds, can also regulate blood sugar and keep hunger pangs at bay.

5. Eat regular meals. During the holidays it is often tempting to skip meals. Starving yourself all day and then eating all evening is not an effective plan for weight maintenance. 

6. Sleep 7 to 8 hours a night. Studies have proven a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain. People who don’t get enough sleep often have a challenge curbing feelings of hunger. 

7. Plan what and how much you will eat at parties – choose to take a small piece of cake, but skip the chips. If you have a general plan, you will be able to enjoy the party.

8. Drink water – It has zero calories and can prevent mindless eating. If we drink water before meals, we will also feel less hungry and be able to enjoy the meal before us.

9. If you blow your plan, get back on track as soon as possible. Each day is a gift. If you veered off track at the family gathering on Saturday, there is no reason for you not to get back to your goals on Sunday. 

10. Remember: Everything in moderation. Moderation is the key to not feeling deprived and keeping yourself in balance. Whether it pertains to your exercise program, your healthy eating plan or any other activities, making small, but consistent adjustments will help you stay on track, feel better and perform at your best.

Celebrate Health with Wise County Health Fair

As you mark your calendars for the many activities taking place this spring, I would like to encourage you to make plans to attend the Wise County Health Fair scheduled for Saturday, March 25 from 8:30 am to 12:00pm at the Decatur Civic Center. The Health Fair is sponsored by United Way and is promoting a healthier Wise County through community awareness and education.

An added feature this year will be interactive educational workshops in the Chisholm Trail Suites: 9-9:20am-Self Defense Education; 9:30-9:50am-Zumba Class; and 11:00-11:20 am a Stir Fry Recipe Demonstration with give-a-ways that will equip you with ingredients to prepare the recipe at home.

Another modified feature is Fit Fun for Everyone, a Fitness Celebration which will include Fitness stations set up by local Fitness Facilities, individuals, and student groups. Registration begins at 9:30 am in front of the Civic Center with the first 50 participants to receive a t-shirt.  There are many additional prizes for participants visiting the fitness stations.  Adults and children are encouraged to participate from 10-11am.  This event is free.

There are many other free opportunities as well.  You will want to take advantage of numerous free health screenings. Several popular activities are returning such as: Drunk Driving Simulator; and Face painting; child fingerprinting by the Wise County Sheriff’s office  Participants will be able to take part in plant pals offered by Wise County 4-H; and the Carter Blood Care unit returns. 

Entry forms for booths/displays/activities space are available via the United Way website at www.wisecountyunitedway.org/healthforum.html. You may also contact the Extension office at 940/627-3341 for additional information.

Women and Heart Disease

A little over half of women know the leading cause of death for women is heart disease. Almost 500,000 women die from cardiovascular diseases, while 270,000 women die from all forms of cancer combined.

Because so many studies are reported in the news—some with conflicting findings—about half of women report being confused about how to reduce their risks for heart disease.

          The American Heart Association suggests aiming for Life’s Simple 7 Which is seven easy ways to help control your risk for heart disease. And by the way, these aren’t just for women; men would do well to follow these guidelines as well. 

1. Do not smoke, and, if you do, quit. Keep trying even if you have tried many times. Ask your doctor about tobacco cessation medications. Visit the American Heart Association’s Quit Smoking website for tools and resources.

2. Aim for a healthy weight. If you are overweight, even losing as few as five or ten pounds can produce a dramatic blood pressure reduction.

3. Become more physically active. Aim for 30 minutes on all or almost all days each week. Walking is a great way to be active, whether walking indoors on a treadmill or outside.

4. Eat smart. Choose a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, and moderate in total fats. Healthy foods are the fuel our bodies use to make new cell and create the energy we need to thrive and fight diseases. If you are frequently skipping out on veggies, fruit, low-fat dairy, fiber-rich whole grains and learn meats including fish, your body is missing the basic building blocks of a healthy life.

5., 6., &7.  Know your blood pressure, total HDL and LDL cholesterol, and blood glucose. Ask your doctor to do these tests and to inform you as to whether or not the numbers are within the recommended limits. Ask what you need to do if your numbers are outside the recommended range. 

       Walking is such an important way to reduce cardiovascular risks for both women and men. Every year, Texas AgriLife Extension in Wise County offers an eight-week program called Walk Across Texas to help people get started and establish the habit of physical activity.  This program will be starting March 6, 2017. Watch this news article for specific details.

       To find out more about Walk Across Texas, go to http://walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu

or call the Extension office at 940/627-3341.

Trunk or Treat and Halloween Activities

Trunk or Treat and Halloween activities are festive days that kids enjoy, because they get dressed up and get treats. For health-conscious parents, these days can be tricky. Do you set limits? Do you let kids decide how much to eat? I found advice on the KidsHealth.org and Clemson Cooperative Extension websites that I thought worthy of passing along.

There isn't just one right answer. Instead, use your best judgment based on your child's personality and eating habits. Kids who generally eat just a couple of pieces and save the rest might be trusted to decide how much to eat. But if your child tends to overdo it, consider setting limits. Here are some more tips for handling the treats:

·         Before kids go trick-or-treating, try to serve a healthy meal so they're not hungry when the candy starts coming in. 

• Know how much candy your child has collected and don't store it in his or her bedroom. Having it so handy can be an irresistible temptation for many kids.
• Consider being somewhat lenient about candy eating on Halloween, within reason, and talk about how the rest of the candy will be handled.  Candy and snacks shouldn't get in the way of kids eating healthy meals.
• If a child is overweight — or you'd just like to reduce the Halloween stash — consider buying back some or all of the remaining Halloween candy. This acknowledges the candy belongs to the child and provides a treat in the form of a little spending money.
• Be a role model by eating candy in moderation yourself. To help avoid temptation, buy your candy at the last minute and get rid of any leftovers.
• Encourage your kids to be mindful of the amount of candy and snacks eaten — and to stop before they feel full or sick.

You also can offer some alternatives to candy to the trick-or-treaters who come to your door. Here are some treats (individually wrapped items are best) you might give out:

• treats to promote physical activity like bouncy balls, jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, or plastic/foam fliers.
• snacks such as small bags of pretzels, sugar-free gum, sugar-free candy, trail mix, small boxes of raisins, and popcorn
• small boxes of cereal, cereal bars animal crackers,
• non-food treats, like stickers, toys, temporary tattoos, false teeth, little bottles of bubbles and small games, like tiny decks of cards (party-supply stores can be great sources for these)
• consider being a part of the Teal Pumpkin Project which has raised awareness of those children with food allergies and their struggles to enjoy trick or treating. You can take part in this project by providing non-food treats and displaying a teal pumpkin in front of your home/vehicle trunk to indicate to passersby that you have non-food treats available.

Steer clear of any snacks or toys — like small plastic objects — that could pose choking hazards to very young children.

And remember that Trunk or Treat/Halloween, like other holidays, are a single day on the calendar.  If your family eats sensibly during the rest of the year, it will have a more lasting impact than a few days of overindulgence.

For additional information on children’s health, contact Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Wise County Extension office at 940/627-3341.