WELLNESS NEWSLETTER Barnstable Public Schools Spring 2014

Dear Parent/Guardian, Let’s work together to instill in kids healthy life-long habits they need for wellness and academic success. This includes eating lots of vegetables and fruits, active play for at least 60 minutes/day,and limiting TV and computer time to 60 minutes a day.

Barnstable United Elementary School Pilots Healthier Food Service Offerings
The District Food Service Taskforce is looking to make our health service food offerings healthier. We started in January piloting a reduced sugar menu at BUES for breakfast and lunch and are continuing to look at creating healthier menu options. They received a grant for a smoothie machine and will start offering smoothies for breakfast soon. The Taskforce is working with food service to expand healthier offerings throughout the district. More to come…….

“Keep Kids Safe This Summer” Beat the heat: Watch out for the heat. The best defense is prevention. Those at greatest risk of heat-related illness include infants and children up to 4 years of age. Make sure to keep well hydrated and limit time in direct sun and heat.Be safe at home, work, and play:Most child injuries can be prevented. Play it safe on the playground. Each year in the United States, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children aged 14 and younger for playground-related injuries. Children should always wear helmets, car seats/seat belts. Fun in the Sun: Protect yourself and your family from recreational water illnesses. Do not swim when you have diarrhea, don't swallow pool water, take a shower before swimming, and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Prevent skin cancer: Avoid being outdoors during the midday if the sun is intense, use sunscreen with at least SPF 15, cover up with clothing, wear a brimmed hat, and wear sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays. In the Great Outdoors: When you're out on the trail, whether hiking, camping, or hunting, protect yourself from mosquitoes and other bugs by using insect/tick repellent. Wear permethrin-treated clothing when practical. Check your clothes and body for ticks daily. If you find any ticks, carefully remove them with tweezers. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease are most active in May, June, and July, but check for ticks in all warm months to protect yourself against other tick-borne diseases. “Water Safety This Summer”: Children have a natural curiosity and attraction to water. Teach your children to swim. Although swimming classes are not a primary means of drowning prevention, teaching children to swim can provide important protection as well as a fun way to exercise.”To help prevent water-related injury and drowning:

  • Children should be supervised in and around water at all times.Designate an adult “water watcher.” When it is your turn as “water watcher” you should not be involved in any other distracting activity, including talking on the phone, not even for a moment.
  • Whenever infants and toddlers are in or around water, including the bathtub, an adult should be within an arm's length at all times providing "touch supervision."
  • Remove floats, balls other toys from the pool after use so that children are not tempted to reach for them.
  • For children who cannot swim, use Coast Guard approved life jackets. Do not use air-filled or foam toys, such as "water wings," "noodles" or inner-tubes, in place of life jackets. These toys are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
  • Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The AHA & Red Cross offer a wide selection of CPR/AED, first aid, lifeguarding, swimming water safety, caregiving, disaster response emergency preparedness training.

Reducing your stress levels can not only make you feel better right now, but may also protect your health long-term. Here are some simple ways to reduce your stress levels.
  • Identify what's causing stress. If you feel stressed, write down the cause, your thoughts and your mood. Once you know what's bothering you, develop a plan for addressing it. That might mean setting more reasonable expectations for yourself and others or asking for help with household responsibilities, job assignments or other tasks.
  • Build strong relationships. Relationships can be a source of stress, but relationships can also serve as stress buffers. Reach out to family members or close friends and let them know you're having a tough time. They may be able to offer practical assistance and support, useful ideas or just a fresh perspective to address your stress.
  • Walk away when you're angry. Before you react, take time to regroup by counting to 10. Walking or other physical activities can also help you work off steam. Plus, exercise increases the production of endorphins, your body's natural mood-booster. Commit to a daily walk or other form of exercise.
  • Rest your mind. Stress keeps us lying awake at night. To help get the recommended seven or eight hours of sleep, cut back on caffeine, remove distractions such as television or computers from bedrooms and go to bed at the same time each night.
  • Get help. If you continue to feel overwhelmed, consult with a psychologist or other licensed mental health professional that can help you learn how to manage stress effectively.He/she can help you identify situations or behaviors that contribute to your chronic stress and then develop an action plan for changing them.

DID YOU KNOW? Research confirms that healthy kids perform better on tests, are more focused in class, behave better, are absent less, and have higher self-esteem. Approximately 1/3 of our kids are overweight or obese which is putting them at risk for a variety of health complications and chronic diseases. Obesity also contributes to 1/5th of all cancer deaths in the US. Food Allergies in children are growing, 1 in every 13 children (under 18 yrs) in the U.S. or about 2 in every classroom. Between 1997 and 2011 food allergies among children have increased around 50%.

Apple Banana Smoothie
1 frozen banana peeled and chopped. 1/2 cup of Orange Juice. 1 Gala apple, peeled cored & chopped. 1/4 cup milk. Combine allingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour in glasses and server. Enjoy!
Calories perserving:132 TotalFat:1gCholesterol:2mgSodium:14mg TotalCarbs:30.9g DietaryFiber:3.3g Protein:2.3g (recipe for 2 servings)
An Easy Frozen Snack: Need: 1 Bunch of seedless grapes, Ziploc baggies (snack size)
Directions: Remove grapes from vine and remove stems;Wash grapes and pat dry with paper towel(s); Place grapes in Ziploc baggies and seal. Place bags of grapes in freezer until frozen (approximately 8 hours) /

Hyannis Youth and Community Center: check out their website for offerings: Cape Cod Healthcare offers an online physician finder and dedicated phone line to help find and access over 450 qualified and highly skilled physicians on Cape Cod. Visit: Harbor Community Health Center:Hyannis is moving to a new address at 735 Attucks Lane, Hyannis in early June! Thehealth center accepts Free Care, MassHealth, and all major commercial insurances, and can assist if you need insurance, a primary care physician or dental services. Call: 508-778-5470 Check out Barnstable Public Schools health servicewebsitesfor more health and wellnessinformation/resources.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN WORKING TO CREATE A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN AND GROW! HAVE A SAFE AND FUN SUMMER! Health Advisory Council Spring 2014