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Schools put Focus on Health

Local schools put focus on Health
West View honored for fitness; others eat right
By LEE G. HEALY
lee.healy@shj.com


Published: Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 3:15 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 1:20 a.m.

With exercise and plenty of fruits and vegetables, several Spartanburg schools are being rewarded for their efforts to create a healthier campus.


John Byrum/john.byrum@shj.com Order a Reprint
Promise Kennedy, left, and Anaya Hamilton eat a snack of apple slices during their kindergarten class at Park Hills Elementary School. Park Hills is one of three District 7 schools that has a grant to serve healthy snacks.West View Elementary School in District 6 was one of only seven public schools in the state to receive a Healthy School award for promoting wellness among both students and staff. The awards are a joint effort of the state Department of Education and the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Principal Shawn Wootton leads the faculty in five- to 10-minute workouts before each faculty meeting, and teachers are challenged weekly with fitness trivia.

Soon, a new fitness track behind the school will be complete for students, staff and the community to use. Wootton said the track is scheduled to open near the end of October. To help pay for the track, teachers gave $1 in exchange for being allowed to wear jeans on Friday, and students raised $1,600 through a jump rope fundraiser. Wootton said students were even handing over their ice cream money to help foot the bill.

And even without the track, students are encouraged to walk. The school rotates digital pedometers between classes so students can keep track of their steps.

We want them to focus on being active,” Wootton said. “Whenever they’re active, there’s a correlation with academics.”

The school’s focus on health started late last year, and the school community quickly embraced the idea.

“Whenever you do a schoolwide initiative like this, it permeates the hallways,” she said. “Kids are talking about it, teachers are talking about it. ... It’s in your face every day. They begin to grab hold of it.”

Fruits and Veggies

Three District 7 elementary schools are making use of a combined $67,316 in federal grant funds to provide students with fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day.

Mary H. Wright, Park Hills and Cleveland elementary schools each received in excess of $20,000 through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the S.C. Department of Education and the S.C. Department of Agriculture. The amount awarded depends on student enrollment at each school.

Ron Jones, District 7’s Chartwells food service director, explained that the grant money can’t be used on fruits and vegetables for breakfast, lunch or after school snacks. Instead, the money makes sure students have access to an apple or carrots mid-morning or after lunch. The healthy snacks are delivered in baskets to classrooms each day.

“We’re extremely pleased because we know how important it is to deliver strong nutritional methods and keep these children properly fed,” Jones said.

The idea of the program, which awarded $800,000 to 34 elementary schools in South Carolina, is for students to begin developing healthy eating habits early. Local produce is distributed when possible.

Park Hills Principal Debra Waldron said the snacks keep students’ energy levels up, and said the new program has gone over well with students.

“It will be teaching them about fruits and healthy snacks,” Waldron said, “and hopefully in the long term combat childhood obesity and even adult obesity.”

Seven Days and Ways to Be Healthy: Tips for Women

From staff reports • September 7, 2008
Pensicola News Journal

Eat healthy: Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day and less saturated fat can help improve your health and may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Have a balanced diet, and watch how much you eat.

Keep a healthy weight: Those who are overweight or obese have increased risks for diseases and conditions such as diabetes high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Eat better, get regular exercise, and see your health care provider about any health concerns to make sure you are on the right track to staying healthy.

Be active: More than 50 percent of American men and women do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits. For adults, thirty minutes of moderate physical activity on most— preferably all — days of the week is recommended.

Be smoke-free: Health concerns associated with smoking include cancer, lung disease, early menopause, infertility and pregnancy complications. Smoking triples the risk of dying from heart disease among those who are middle-aged. Helplines, counseling, medications, and other forms of support are available to help you quit.

Get check-ups: Based on your age, health history, lifestyle and other important issues, you and your health care provider can determine how often you need to be examined and screened for certain diseases and conditions. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases and cancers of the skin, cervix, breast and colon.

Get vaccinated: They're not just for kids. Adults need them too. Some vaccinations are for everyone. Others are recommended if you work in certain jobs, have certain lifestyles, travel to certain places, or have certain health conditions.

Manage stress: Perhaps now more than ever before, job stress poses a threat to the health of workers and, in turn, to the health of organizations. Balancing obligations to your employer and your family can be challenging. What's your stress level today? Protect your mental and physical health by engaging in activities that help you manage your stress at work and at home.

Source: www.cdc.gov

Know Your Produce

According to the (EPA), 60 percent of herbicides, 90 % of fungicides and 30 % of insecticides are known to cause cancer.


I would like to provide you with some educational pieces that I have found helpful in determining my selection of produce from my local market and/or grocery store. The Environmental Working Group has provided a handy tool called, the “Shoppers’ Guide to Pesticides in Produce” that you may find helpful too (www.foodnews.org ). I have attached this in an adobe file and there is a cutout purse size guide that you can take with you as you shop. I have also attached an archived issue of a newsletter I did on the “Danger of Pesticides” which may help educate you as to why I look for organic if possible, if not available, then stick to this guide and always wash my produce. The final piece is what I use and recommend for a very effective, affordable and easy to use fruit/vegetable spray that you can make at home for fractions of the cost of some of those on the market!

And finally, a little bit of education as to how to read those PLU codes on your produce at your local grocery so you know if what you are buying is organic or not……..always check this code as many times, the heading over the bin may say “organic” but somehow, inorganic produce is incorrectly placed in those bins……….consumer be AWARE!

— 4 digits: conventional produce

— 5 digits beginning with 9: organic

— 5 digits beginning with 8: GMO



Example:

— #4131 = Fuji apple

— #94131= Organic Fuji apple

— #84131 = GMO Fuji apple



Thank you for your ongoing interest in improving YOUR health naturally by making educated choices and decisions about what foods you will allow in your body and in the bodies of those you love and care about. And, thank you for your continued commitment to adding Juice Plus+ ® to your prevention program for health and vitality!

Sherry Fritz
866-508-2910
www.getfitandfab.com
www.sherryfritz.com
www.juiceplusreviewed.com

Arthritis

TO DISCOURAGE INFLAMMATION, EAT PLENTY OF ANTIOXIDANT-PACKED FOODS SUCH AS BLUEBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, APPLES, CARROTS, PEPPERS, FLAXSEED, WHEAT GERM, WALNUTS, PECANS AND COLD-WATER FISH (WILD SALMON, MACKEREL, HALIBUT, ETC.). LIKEWISE, GO LIGHT ON PRO-INFLAMMATORY FOODS SUCH AS MEAT (WHICH CONTAINS ARACHIDONIC ACID), SUGAR, WHITE FLOUR AND FRIED AND FAST FOODS. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DON'T FORGET TO KEEP JOINTS SUPPLE AND STRONG WITH REGULAR STRETCHING AND OTHER EXERCISE.

DOCTORS PRESCRIBING ANTIOXIDANTS FOR ARTHRITIS
Are doctors finally "getting it" -- the concept that food provides nutritional and health-building value? The lights may be coming on in the world of arthritis treatment with a new prescription product for osteoarthritis that has the curious distinction of being not a drug but a "medical food." Flavocoxid (Limbrel) contains a blend of natural ingredients featuring flavonoids -- anti-inflammatory compounds that are more commonly found in foods such as green, leafy vegetables, brightly colored fruits, soy, peanuts, cocoa and green tea. The idea is that since dietary deficiencies contribute to inflammation and osteoarthritis, taking a souped-up antioxidant cocktail can help reverse them.

AN ALTERNATIVE TO NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS?
To learn more about this new treatment, I spoke with Roland W. Moskowitz, MD, professor of medicine and codirector of the Arthritis Translational Research Program at University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. He told me that in clinical studies and prescription usage so far, Limbrel has improved patients' arthritis symptoms including discomfort, stiffness and loss of mobility.
If over time it continues to demonstrate safety and effectiveness, consumers may want to consider taking Limbrel to replace or cut back on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This class of drugs includes popular pain and inflammation relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, etc.), which ease arthritis symptoms but are associated with possible side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding and liver damage.

CORRECTING NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES
The link between osteoarthritis and nutritional deficiencies is nothing new. While wear and tear and trauma contribute to the breakdown of cells and cartilage in joints as we age, these degenerative changes are hastened by abnormally low levels of key chemical compounds such as flavonoids and antioxidants. The result is chronic inflammation -- which is not just a symptom, but an active contributing factor to arthritis progression through the elevated production of inflammatory metabolites in the body.
According to Dr. Moskowitz, Limbrel is designed to correct nutritional deficiencies, delivering disease-fighting antioxidants in a more concentrated form than is usually possible with diet alone. This product is packed with the anti-inflammatory flavonoids baicalin and catechin, derived from the natural botanical sources Scutellaria baicalensis, Baikal scullcap and Acacia catechu. These have potent antioxidant action that may prevent the oxidation of free radicals that leads to some forms of inflammation. Taking Limbrel may help to restore and maintain the balance of fatty acids in osteoarthritis, which in turn has the potential of reducing inflammation in two different pathways associated with arthritis. In contrast to the double-trouble action of Limbrel, NSAIDs target only one of the arthritis pathways.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
According to Primus Pharmaceuticals, the ingredients in Limbrel are "GRAS" or "Generally Recognized as Safe," meaning that they meet FDA standards for safe use in humans. Other GRAS ingredients include well-known nutrients such as folic acid, vitamin C and calcium, which likewise have therapeutic benefits. In clinical studies, Limbrel's side effects were comparable to a placebo.
Long-term risks of Limbrel are unknown at this point since, as a medical food, it can go to market much more quickly and escape the challenge of looking for any long-term side effects. Given that the ingredient list consists of traditionally used botanicals, Daily Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman ND, does not foresee any significant risk factors with Limbrel.
Dr. Moskowitz cautions that you should not take Limbrel in combination with the arthritis pain and inflammation drug celecoxib (Celebrex) or other so-called "COX-2 inhibitors." Although they are a different class of product, COX-2 inhibitors work on the same COX pathways in the body.
Limbrel can be taken with or without food, although some research suggests that taking it one hour before or after meals may increase absorption. If you are allergic to flavonoid-containing foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, cocoa, red wine or tea, tell your doctor before taking Limbrel.

DON'T NEGLECT NATURAL STRATEGIES
If Limbrel is simply a powerful extract of traditional botanicals, then why is a prescription required? That question opens a can of potentially political worms (having to do with marketing, sales and profits) that I won't go into here. However, according to Dr. Rubman, a naturopath who is well versed in the use of botanicals should be able to provide comparable results with OTC preparations of the ingredients at a fraction of the cost. As for Limbrel, only time will tell whether or not it lives up to its promise. In the meantime, however, keep in mind that no pill -- whether it's a drug or a "medical food" -- can take the place of natural strategies.

To discourage inflammation, eat plenty of antioxidant-packed foods such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, apples, carrots, peppers, flaxseed, wheat germ, walnuts, pecans and cold-water fish (wild salmon, mackerel, halibut, etc.). Likewise, go light on pro-inflammatory foods such as meat (which contains arachidonic acid), sugar, white flour and fried and fast foods. And last but not least, don't forget to keep joints supple and strong with regular stretching and other exercise.
(Read more about natural strategies to beat arthritis in Daily Health News, Dec 30, 2004

Real Heros Promote Healthy Foods

Real heroes promote healthy foods
Ads - Entertainment industry urged to tie characters to more nutritional foods
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 KEVIN FREKING
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Imagine Superman promoting fresh fruits and vegetables instead of a cereal.

Children are confronted with such a barrage of advertising for food and drink -- much of it unhealthy -- that the entertainment industry should take steps to tie popular TV and movie characters to more nutritional products, the Federal Trade Commission says.

The recommendation was part of a report showing that the nation's largest food and beverage companies spent about $1.6 billion in 2006 marketing their products -- especially carbonated drinks -- to children and adolescents.

The report, released Tuesday, stems from lawmakers' concern about growing obesity rates in children. It gives researchers new insight into how much companies are spending to attract youth to their products and what venues companies use for marketing. To come up with its estimate, the FTC used confidential financial data that it required the companies to turn over.

Overall, the spending was less than previous estimates had indicated. Still, it represents a large pot of money that is being used to entice children to foods that are often unhealthy choices, said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who sought the study.

"This study confirms what I have been saying for years. Industry needs to step up to the plate and use their innovation and creativity to market healthy foods to our kids," Harkin said. "That $1.6 billion could be used to attract our kids to healthy snacks, tasty cereals, fruits and vegetables."

The commission studied spending directed at children ages 2-17. Spending on soda marketing came to $492 million, with the most directed toward adolescents. Restaurants reported spending close to $294 million, which was divided about evenly between children and adolescents. For cereals, companies spent about $237 million, with most targeted to children younger than 12.

The 44 companies reviewed spread their marketing across all segments of the media, the commission found. Television ads provided a theme that usually carried over to packaging and displays in stores, and to the Internet, where entry of a code on a package allowed children to participate in games or contests with prizes.

For example, "Superman Returns" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" were prominently linked to many food products last year. Companies created limited-edition snacks, cereals, waffles and candy based on the movies. They offered prizes on the Internet to buyers of those products that ranged from video games to trips to Disney World to a $1 million reward for the capture of villain Lex Luthor.

"The Internet -- though far less costly than television -- has become a major marketing tool of food companies that target children and adolescents, with more than two-thirds of the 44 companies reporting online, youth-directed activities," the commission report said.

The FTC made several recommendations:

Media and entertainment companies should limit the licensing of characters to healthier foods and drinks.

Schools should adopt meaningful nutrition standards for the foods that are sold there, and companies should cease all in-school promotion of products that don't meet such standards.

Companies that market food and drinks to children should expand public-outreach efforts to educate children about the importance of healthy eating and exercise, with particular attention aimed at minority populations that are disproportionately affected by childhood obesity.

The commission noted that its review came during a year in which food and beverage companies had committed to curtailing the marketing of unhealthy products. For example, it noted that 13 companies representing more than two-thirds of advertising spending directed toward children had pledged to not direct their ads to children under 12 -- unless the foods met specific nutritional standards.

Ask Dr. Popper: Allergies

Dear Dr. Pam: Do people develop allergies by eating too much of some things like soy and wheat?

Not generally, although even people who consume a healthy diet tend to eat repetitively and would benefit from more variety in the foods they choose.

Some people are born with an allergy to a food, which generally shows itself in childhood. Some people outgrow these allergies, while others have to continue to restrict a food or two throughout their lifetime.

Others develop allergies due to poor intestinal health, which allows for whole food particles to enter the bloodstream. The body produces antibodies in response, which results in an allergic reaction to these foods when they are consumed. This is best resolved by adopting a program of dietary excellence and repairing the GI tract, after which many of the foods can be tolerated again.

There is a tendency, particularly among natural health care providers, to over-diagnose food allergies, particularly to wheat and soy. Although these allergies do occur, they do so considerably less frequently than these practitioners lead people to believe. The diagnosis, in my opinion, is based on lack of knowledge about the impact of diet on health, lack of a proper understanding of what constitutes dietary excellence, and poor diagnostic skills.

Dr. Pam Popper is an excellent resource. You may visit her website at www.wellnessforum.com