This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking. The tips can also be found on the challenge's website, www.healthysc.gov.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
What are your triggers? Learning to recognize your eating habits will help you manage them better.

What makes you eat? Each of us has different eating triggers, and some might be more obvious than others. (Rereading your food journal is one excellent way to spot occasions and foods that tend to trip you up.) Learning to recognize your own eating cues will help you figure out how to manage them better, so let's take a look:

Certain places or actions: Walking in the door when you get home from work, sitting down in front of the TV or even sitting in a particular comfortable chair can be powerful "feed me!" triggers. Or perhaps you can't talk on the phone or read the newspaper without having something to nibble. However it began, you may have come to associate those activities with eating a snack.

Seeing and/or smelling food: Tantalizing aromas and seductive visuals of food can get your digestive juices flowing and activate your "hunger" meter. Some people seem to be more susceptible to these cues than others. If walking by a pizzeria or a doughnut shop gets your senses reeling, you might be one of these food "hyperresponders."
Boredom: If you've got downtime or are busy with a task that doesn't command your full attention, you might crave food simply to have something engaging to do. Going to get something to eat might feel like switching channels to a better station.

Emotions: While some people react to stressful or unpleasant situations by losing appetite, many people find themselves eating more to help them cope. It's easy to see why: food is pleasurable and comforting, and after all, eating is one major way we care for ourselves. Overeating can even produce a drowsy calm (some call it a "food coma") that can be quite soothing. The act of eating itself can be a distraction, too, if you're a procrastinator: ever wonder why you're longing to cook up a delicious, complicated dinner when you have a deadline looming?

Research shows that positive emotions can trigger overeating, too. You might find yourself eating more when you're celebrating an accomplishment, anticipating a happy event or falling in love, for example.
-www.eatingwell.com



Physical Activity
Longer days and rising temperatures signal summertime. The American Heart Association has some tips to help you stay active, safe and heart healthy when it's hot outside.
You can stay active and beat the heat by:

* Going to a gym for a nice, cool environment with a variety of activities.
* Visiting your favorite local swimming hole or taking swimming lessons at a pool.
* Starting a walking group with your friends at the mall.
* Taking up an indoor sport, such as racquetball, basketball or volleyball, or taking an aerobics class.
* Going ice skating.

If you exercise outside when it's hot and humid, wear light, comfortable clothing and work out in the early morning or late evening. Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If you experience symptoms, stop exercising and cool down immediately by dousing yourself with cold water. You may need medical attention. Heat exhaustion can progress quickly to heat stroke, which can kill you.
-The American Heart Association, www.americanheart.org



Tobacco
It's normal to feel sad for a period of time after you first quit smoking. Many people have a strong urge to smoke when they feel sad or depressed, but remember that if you give in to your craving for a cigarette, you may feel even sadder that you didn't stick with your decision to quit.

What to Do:

* Identify your specific feelings at the time that you seem to be depressed. Are you actually feeling tired, lonely, bored, or hungry? Focus on and address these specific needs.
* Add up how much money you have saved already by not purchasing cigarettes, and imagine (in detail) how you will spend your savings in six months.
* Call a friend and plan to have lunch, or go to a movie, a concert, or another pleasurable event.
* Make a list of things that are upsetting to you and write down solutions for them.
* Keep positive about changes in your life.
* Increase physical activity. This will help improve your mood and lift your depression.
* Focus on your strengths.
* Plan your next vacation or fun activity.
* Try deep-breathing exercises.
* Draw up a list of your short- and long-term personal goals.
* Think of how healthy you'll feel when you are totally free of smoking.
* If depression continues for more than a month, see your doctor.
-www.everydayhealth.com

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking. The tips can also be found on the challenge's website, www.healthysc.gov.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
Don't forget the extras! Make fresh garlic a standard addition to all prepared veggies, salad dressings soups, etc. Garlic is truly a medicinal food that keeps our arteries healthy and boosts immunity.

Spice up your bean and poultry dishes with turmeric or curry spices. Both are teeming with the phytochemical curcumin, now world famous for its potent anti-inflammatory power (this translates to a reduced risk of CVD, Alzheimer's, and cancer).

Go Nuts! Get into the habit of throwing nuts/seeds into salads, soups, sauces, and other prepared dishes. Nuts score a perfect ten when it comes to nutrients, especially for the heart.

Eat your sprouts today! Add broccoli sprouts to salads and sandwiches. Broccoli is a bonafide anti-cancer superstar, and these sprouts contain ten to 100 times more power to protect against cancer than mature broccoli.

Don't forget your herbs! Remember to add fresh herbs liberally to prepared foods to increase both the taste and nutritional value of your meals.
* Parsley has vitamin C and a higher concentration of flavanoids (the superstar class of antioxidant phytochemicals) than any other food.
* Cilantro is loaded with phytochemicals, including one that kills salmonella (common source of food-borne illnesses) more effectively than our strongest antibiotics.
* Rosemary, ginger, tumeric and curry - also provide especially potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals.
-Dr. Ann Kulze, Nationally recognized nutrition and wellness expert, www.DrAnnwellness.com


Physical Activity
Swimsuit season is here and the pressure to go sleeveless is rising faster than record high temperatures. So what can the average American, who does not have a personal trainer on standby or daily healthy meals cooked by a professional chef, do to get toned arms and a tighter midriff section? The answer: Take it outdoors for some fun and free summer activities that will have you burning calories just in time for bikini season. Here are eight workout ideas to do on your own or with the entire family:

1. Go Off-Road. A great way to escape the hectic city life and reduce stress is to hike in nature.

2. Ride Your Bicycle. There is no better way to explore your neighborhood, city, back country roads or local trails than from the vantage point of a bicycle. And that is just one side-effect. Bicycling is a great cardiovascular workout and will strengthen legs, glutes and core. A 140-lb individual who bicycles at ten miles per hour for an hour will burn nearly 400 calories, which makes for guilt-free eating of a six-inch double roast beef sub sandwich. Bike longer and you can burn enough calories to eat a sandwich, and have your cake too.

3. Jog Around the Block The beauty about jogging or running is that you can do it any time, anywhere. Keep your running shoes in your duffel bag, at work, in your suitcase or near the door, and you're always ready to explore the great outdoors. Even short bouts of jogging or running benefit your heart health, clear your head and calm your senses. For those running in unfamiliar places, running up staircases, around tall buildings or a stadium still makes for a great workout. Running is great for busy professionals, because you can always make time to sneak in a quick run, even during travel. Simply ask the hotel concierge for a map of the city, a nearby park or trails and you're on your way.

4. Jump Rope. Jumping rope is not only a great heart-pumping activity, but also increases body awareness. Choose a light-weight rope with foam grips that won't slip away when palms get sweaty. The right length rope is one that reaches about chest high and is measured by stepping the foot on the center of the rope while bringing the handles up to the chest.Now all that's left is to challenge each family member to a jumping rope contest while keeping it fun.

5. Get Wet. Swimming laps offers a great full-body workout. But even splashing around in the pool can be a great workout for young and old alike. The buoyancy of water reduces the "weight" of a person by about 90 percent, which means less stress on joints, bones and muscles. Many people enjoy working out against the resistance of water while benefitting from its cooling effect on the body. Here are some workout ideas: Cup your hands and pull water away from you to build strength. Use a noodle, hand-held paddles or a kick board. For those wanting to enjoy a group workout, consult your health club or YMCA about aquatic classes or master's programs for swimming laps and don't forget to wear sun screen when swimming outdoors.

6. Inline Skate. Inline skating around the neighborhood or even a pick-up game of hockey make for great family fun and a workout. Most children love the idea. To prevent injuries, it is critical that adults and especially children wear helmets and protective gear on their wrists, knees and elbows. It may not look 'cool,' but can make the difference between a serious head injury or trauma and a minor injury or broken bones, so always be safe.

7. Just Dance. You don't have to be Lady Gaga to "Just Dance." Next time you're at a summer party, dance for fun and fitness: A 120-pound person who dances socially can burn almost three calories per minute or equals approximately 180 calories per hour, which is roughly the same amount of calories as a Bloody Mary. A 180-pound person dancing for an hour can burn over 750 calories, the equivalent of two slices of a pan crust cheese pizza. Encouraging children to be creative and move their bodies freely is fun and great for their mind and body. Teach your kids some new moves in your garden, the park or at the beach.

8. Calm The Mind. For those wanting to calm the mind, rolling out a yoga mat in nature for downward-facing dog positions and sun salutations may be the ideal stress-reliever during these tough economic times. Many yoga studios are also taking their workouts outdoors. When life gets tough, slowing the mind without any distractions can make for a spiritual recovery.
-American Council on Exercise, www.acefitness.org

Tobacco
For most tobacco users, cravings or urges to smoke can be powerful. But you're not at the mercy of these cravings. When an urge to use tobacco strikes, remember that although it may be intense, it will be short, and it probably will pass within a few minutes whether you smoke a cigarette or not. Each time you resist a craving, you're one step closer to stopping smoking or other tobacco use for good.

In the meantime, here are ten ways to help you ride out the urge to smoke or use tobacco:
1. Delay. If you feel like you're going to give in to your craving, tell yourself that you must wait ten more minutes and then do something to distract yourself. This simple trick may be enough to derail your tobacco craving. Repeat as often as needed.

2. Don't have 'just one.' You may be tempted to have just one cigarette to stop a craving. But don't fool yourself into believing that you can stop at just one. More often than not, having just one leads to another, then another - and you may wind up back in the habit.

3. Avoid triggers. Urges for tobacco are likely to be strongest in the situations where you smoked or chewed tobacco most often. Identify your trigger spots - or people - and have a plan in place so that you can avoid them entirely or get through them without using tobacco. Don't set yourself up for a relapse. If you usually smoked while you talked on the phone, for instance, keep a pen and paper nearby instead for doodling rather than smoking.

4. Get physical. Physical activity can help distract you from tobacco cravings and reduce the intensity of cravings. Just 30 minutes of moderate physical activity can make a craving go away. Get out for a walk or jog. If you're stuck at home or the office, try squats, deep knee bends, push-ups, running in place, or walking up and down a set of stairs a few times. If physical activity doesn't interest you, try prayer, needlework, woodwork or journaling. Or do chores for distraction, such as vacuuming or filing paperwork.

5. Practice relaxation techniques. Coping with a craving to smoke or use tobacco can be very stressful. In the past, smoking may have been your way to deal with stress. Take the edge off your stress by practicing relaxation techniques. These include deep-breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, yoga, visualization, hypnosis and massage.
6.Call reinforcements. Touch base with a family member, friend or support group member for moral support. Chat on the phone, go for a walk together or simply share a few laughs - or get together to commiserate about your cravings.

7. Remember the benefits of quitting. Write down or say out loud the reasons you want to stop smoking and resist cravings. These might include feeling better, getting healthier, sparing your loved ones from secondhand smoke or saving money. And if you're a closet smoker, you may save hours of time since you no longer have to spend time trying to creatively conceal your habit.

8. Go online. Join an online stop-smoking program. Or read a quitter's blog and post encouraging thoughts for someone else who might be struggling with cravings. Learn from how others have handled their tobacco cravings.

9. Try replacements. Try a stop-smoking product instead of a cigarette. Some types of nicotine replacement therapy, including patches, gums and lozenges, are available over-the-counter. Nicotine nasal spray and the nicotine inhaler are available by prescription.

10. Chew on it. Give your mouth something to do. Chew on sugarless gum or hard candy. Or munch on raw carrots, celery, nuts or sunflower seeds - something crunchy and satisfying.
-www.mayoclinic.com

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body uses. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to eat less food. You can create lower-calorie versions of some of your favorite dishes by substituting low-calorie fruits and vegetables in place of higher-calorie ingredients. The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are filling. Here are some simple ways to cut calories and eat fruits and vegetables throughout your day:

Start the Day Right with breakfast! Substitute some spinach, onions, or mushrooms for one of the eggs or half of the cheese in your morning omelet. The vegetables will add volume and flavor to the dish with fewer calories than the egg or cheese. Cut back on the amount of cereal in your bowl to make room for some cut-up bananas, peaches, or strawberries. You can still eat a full bowl, but with fewer calories.

Lighten Up Your Lunch! Substitute vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions for two ounces of the cheese and two ounces of the meat in your sandwich, wrap or burrito. The new version will fill you up with fewer calories than the original. Add a cup of chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, beans, or red peppers, in place of two ounces of the meat or one cup of noodles in your favorite broth-based soup. The vegetables will help fill you up, so you won't miss those extra calories.

For dinner add one cup of chopped vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, squash, onions, or peppers, while removing one cup of the rice or pasta in your favorite dish. The dish with the vegetables will be just as satisfying but have fewer calories than the same amount of the original version. Take a good look at your dinner plate. Vegetables, fruit, and whole grains should take up the largest portion of your plate. If they do not, replace some of the meat, cheese, white pasta, or rice with steamed broccoli, asparagus, greens, or another favorite vegetable. This will reduce the total calories in your meal without reducing the amount of food you eat. BUT remember to use a normal- or small-size plate - not a platter. The total number of calories that you eat counts, even if a good portion of them come from fruits and vegetables.
-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Physical Activity
If you think young children spend their summers running around and keeping trim, think again. A new study finds that kindergartners and first-graders put on more weight during summer vacations than during the school year. Children are eating more and exercising less when they are out of the classroom routine, suggests the study in the American Journal of Public Health. The extra pounds are not normal growth spurts. During the summer, children gain weight at twice the rate as during the school year, pushing some kids into obesity and making overweight children even heavier.

Exercise is an important part of keeping adolescents healthy. Encouraging healthy lifestyles in children and adolescents is important for when they grow older. Lifestyles learned in childhood are more likely to stay with the child into adulthood. Changes in lifestyle are harder to make the older the person becomes. The best way to promote healthy lifestyles is for the whole family to become involved.

A daily exercise program can provide a way to share an activity with family and friends, while helping establish good heart-healthy habits. The following exercise guidelines for adolescents can help you and your adolescent plan activities:

*Children and adolescents need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days for maintenance of good health and fitness and for healthy weight during growth.
*Parents are encouraged to limit children's screen time (TV, video, and computers) to less than two hours daily and replace the sedentary activities with activities that require more movement.
-Medical University of South Carolina

Tobacco
Although smokers must make their own decisions to quit, several common factors often serve as motivators for quitting.

-Health Benefits: Improved health seems to be the primary motivator for quitting. Many of the adverse health effects of smoking can be greatly reduced or even reversed through cessation. Immediate benefits of quitting include a decrease in blood pressure, a lowered pulse rate, an increased oxygen level in the blood, and a decreased blood carbon monoxide level. Also, the ability to smell and taste is enhanced. After two weeks of abstinence, circulation to the extremities improves, blood pressure remains lower, and lung function improves. After just a few weeks to a month, cough, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath all decrease, although cough may actually worsen right after quitting. Further, ex-smokers are less likely than current smokers to have colds, develop gum disease, experience fertility problems (in both males and females), or experience erectile dysfunction.

-Personal Requests: Many smokers receive personal requests to quit from family members, friends, and physicians who are concerned about the smoker's health and/or are bothered by their habit. Although one request may not be enough motivation, each subsequent request may increase a smoker's probability of quitting.

-Economic Aspects: Although health is usually the main motivator for quitting, the economic cost and burden of the habit may also influence some smokers' decisions. Depending on the individual, smoking can be quite expensive -- costing as much as $70.00-80.00 per week. Although the main public health objective of raising the price of cigarettes is to deter adolescents from smoking, increasing cigarette prices does seem to increase smoking cessation. The economic benefits of quitting may be especially important for the 30% of smokers who have incomes below the national poverty level. The cost of cigarettes isn't the only economic cost of smoking. Smokers' health care expenses are as much as 21% higher than those of nonsmokers. It is estimated that smoking costs the U.S. $158 billion each year in productivity losses and excess medical expenditures.
- The American Council on Science and Health

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking. The tips can also be found on the challenge's website, www.healthysc.gov.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
Summer may bring to mind outdoor picnics with hot dogs and chips, but a Purdue University expert says the season also provides the perfect opportunity to plan delicious, healthy meals.

"I think it's almost easier for people to eat healthfully during the warmer months than it is at any other time of year," says Laura Palmer, a Cooperative Extension Service specialist in foods and nutrition and a registered dietitian. "The abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, combined with the chance to grill foods, offers many tasty alternatives to the high-fat foods we might associate with summer."

Palmer offers the following suggestions for making the most of summer with foods that are both appetizing and nutritious:

-Be meat savvy. Choose lean cuts of beef, including round, sirloin and loin cuts. Tenderize the meat to increase flavor and texture without adding fat. Marinate in salsa, low-calorie salad dressing, wine or citrus juices. Grilled chicken breasts, turkey tenders and lamb kabobs also make great alternatives to high-sodium hot dogs and hamburgers.

-Aim for variety. Kick up the health factor of grilling with vegetables and fruits. Cooking vegetables on the grill adds flavor. Make kabobs with fruit and grill on low heat until the fruit is hot and slightly golden. These healthy snacks also make consuming the recommended daily fruit and vegetable intake simple.

-Don't forget to stay hydrated. Summer heat can cause dehydration. Water is the best option when temperatures soar, but you can add slices of lemons or strawberries for natural flavor.

-Make eating healthy a priority this summer by focusing on simple snacks that don't take much prep work. Keep fresh berries in the refrigerator to add to salads, yogurt and ice creams. Wash fresh green beans to dip in yogurt or low-fat cottage cheese. Keep healthy extras, like lettuce and tomatoes, in your produce bin. Try homemade popsicles by freezing 100 percent juice. Cut up raw vegetables to serve with low-fat dips. Fruit smoothies are a snap to make. Just toss some fresh fruit, yogurt and milk in your blender. Your options for healthy summer eating are limited only by your imagination.
-The Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, www.medicalnewstoday.com


Physical Activity
Stay active without succumbing to heat. South Carolina's summertime combination of high heat and dripping humidity can deter even the most ardent devotees of fitness and prompt them to seek the coolness of indoor air-conditioning. Total hibernation during hot weather, though, can set one on the path to an inactive lifestyle. A better way to stay active is to work around summer's heat just as we do winter's cold.

It is important, however, to pay attention to the weather and the effects of heat and humidity on the body. High heat and humidity can make exercising dangerous because many of the body's cooling mechanisms can be overwhelmed under these conditions.

The Institute for Aerobic Research recommends adding the temperature and the percent humidity to calculate a heat stress index. If the total equals 160 or less, it is safe to exercise. A total between 161 and 175 indicates caution should be used in exercising. Above that, exercise may be dangerous. For example, if the outside temperature is 90 degrees F and the relative humidity is 70 percent, the total is 160 and conditions for exercise are safe. However, if the temperature is again 90 degrees F but the humidity is 90 percent, the total is 180, dangerous conditions for outside exercise.

Hot, humid weather may result in heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Heat exhaustion usually starts with dehydration. Symptoms are profuse sweating, cool and moist skin, rapid and weak pulse, weakness, dizziness, headache and nausea.

Heat stroke occurs when the body has lost the ability to cool itself. Signs are hot, dry, flushed skin, rapid and pounding pulse, elevated blood pressure and deliriousness.

To prevent heat related injuries:

-Acclimatize slowly to heat conditions. That is, go out in the cooler times of the day, gradually increasing the amount of time and temperatures in which you are active.
-Wear lightweight, loosely woven or airy clothing that is light in color as well.
-Drink plenty of water before, during and after activity to prevent dehydration.
-Reduce the intensity of activity to a more comfortable level. For example, walk slower or jog fewer miles.
-Check the heat stress index before beginning exercise and use appropriate caution if it is over 180.

Ideas for active summer fun:

-Get wet - get out the sprinkler and join the kids in running through it.
-Wash the car if you have to do something productive.
-Play with water balloons or squirt guns. Go on, it'll be fun.
-Go canoeing or tubing on one of our beautiful Missouri streams.
-Take the kids or grandkids to a water park and play all day.
-Splash in a neighborhood or community pool.
-Play games like Marco Polo, water volleyball, raft races, or challenge the kids to pick up soft toys like plastic rings you toss into the pool.
-Be active without getting wet - mall walk, put some exercise equipment in the cool basement and use it, crank up the stereo a notch and dance, try a new exercise video or get out an old favorite - and move!
-Linda Rellergert, Nutrition Specialist in St. Charles County University of Missouri Extension, www.missouriefamilies.org


Tobacco
One in three smokers die early because of their smoking. They die of heart disease, stroke, cancer and emphysema. At one time smoking seemed "cool," but it has become less and less desirable.

What's more, research shows that secondhand smoke, the smoke from other people's cigarettes, can harm the health of nonsmokers. Breathing in another person's smoke can cause many breathing problems in children and cancer and heart disease in adults. The trend now is for public places and work places to go smoke-free. This should help smokers make the move to quit and keep everyone's lungs healthier.

Cigarettes are so much a part of the American scene that many people think of them as "normal." They are easy to buy and inexpensive compared to other drugs. But cigarettes aren't normal. They are very addictive and can cause sickness and death.
-American Lung Association, www.lungusa.org

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
Looking for a brighter future? Try eating a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables. The potential benefits associated with eating more fruits and vegetables stack up quickly. Reducing your risk of certain chronic diseases is only the beginning. Whether fresh, frozen, canned, dried or 100% juice, these 200+ taste sensations are quick, delicious and convenient, and will keep you healthy all year round.

Here are ten reasons to eat more fruits and vegetables:

1. Color & Texture: Fruits and veggies add color, texture and appeal to your plate.
2. Convenience: They are nutritious in any form (fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice) so they're ready when you are!
3. Fiber: Fruits and veggies provide fiber that helps fill you up and keeps your digestive system happy.
4. Low in calories: Fruits and veggies are naturally low in calories.
5. May reduce risk of disease: Eating plenty of fruits and veggies may help reduce the risk of many diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers.
6. Vitamins and Minerals: Fruits and veggies are rich in vitamins and minerals that help you feel healthy and energized.
7. Variety: Fruits and veggies are available in an almost infinite variety*there's always something new to try!
8. Quick and Natural: Fruits and veggies are nature's treat and easy to grab for a snack.
9. Fun to Eat: Some crunch, some squirt, some you peel; some you don't; and some grow right in your own backyard!
10. Taste great!
-Fruits and Veggies. More Matters., www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org



Physical Activity
It seems to me that there are two kinds of people when it comes to eating after a workout: The 'Non-Eaters' and the 'Immediate Eaters'. The 'Non-Eaters' will not really eat anything after a workout, but instead later in the day will treat themselves (to sweets/alcohol/chips/etc.) because they feel they deserve it since they exercised. The 'Immediate Eaters' finish their workout and simultaneously consume a protein bar and a post-workout shake within 5-10 minutes after their workout. On the right track, but let's analyze how that can have more of a positive effect on your workouts.

For the first thirty minutes after a workout your body is still ready to exercise; your muscles have been innervated, they are ready to fire (workout) when you say so, and are not ready to begin repairing yet. After thirty minutes, your muscles relax and begin to repair themselves. This is when one would want to consume protein, because protein aids in the muscle rebuilding process. So, if you consume your post-workout protein beverage 30 min to 1 hour after your workout, you will be helping your muscles rebuild during their prime time rebuilding process and maximizing the benefits of the protein you're taking.

After 2-3 hours, you should consume a regular meal (with protein in it) to continue aiding in the muscle rebuilding process. Do not 'treat' yourself to sweets or alcohol or whatever, for your muscles will still be crying out for protein and you will be feeding them sugar or alcohol or heavy carbohydrates...they want protein. Remember 'You Are What You Eat'? That is especially true on the days you exercise. If you can eat properly after a workout and stay away from 'treats', your results will come faster than you expect.
-Nicholas Frank, Life Tips


Tobacco
What's in a Cigarette? Your body gets more than nicotine when you smoke. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke. Some of them are also in wood varnish, the insect poison DDT, arsenic, nail polish remover, and rat poison.

The ashes, tar, gases, and other poisons in cigarettes harm your body over time. They damage your heart and lungs. They also make it harder for you to taste and smell things, and fight infections.
-Smoke Free

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking. The tips can also be found on the challenge's website, www.healthysc.gov.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
Spring and Summer-like temperatures are here, which means more opportunities to get outside and be active and more choices (and cheaper prices!) for fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the quintessential nutrient-rich, low-calorie foods. So why do so few people eat the recommended amounts? Here are some frequently cited barriers:

* They're too expensive.
* My small grocery store only sells apples and bananas.
* I don't know how to select fresh fruits and vegetables.
* They don't taste good.
* I can't cook.

Sound familiar? Fortunately, there are some great resources out there that can help you overcome these barriers.
Farmer's Markets: In addition to your weekly trip to the supermarket or grocery store, consider stopping at a nearby farmer's market. Farmer's market produce is usually locally grown, offered at lower prices, and very fresh. See if there's a farmer's market near you: http://apps.ams.usda.gov/FarmersMarkets.
Tips for Selecting the Best Fresh Produce: Buying a whole melon or pineapple can be risky if you don't know the signs of ripeness. This guide tells you what to look for when picking out your produce: http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/spfiles/SP527.pdf.

Easy Fruit and Vegetable Recipes for the Whole Family: While many fresh fruits and vegetables can be eaten raw without additional preparation (after all, they are nature's fast food!), these web sites provide great recipes for preparing a snack or meal with just about and fruit or vegetable you can buy: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org and http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov.

Wondering how many cups of fruit and vegetables you should be eating each day? If you take out some measuring cups you'll see that over the course of a day it's really not that tough to meet these recommendations. A half-cup of orange juice and small banana on your cereal for breakfast, an apple for a snack, a large salad for lunch, carrot sticks before dinner, chicken stir fried with broccoli at night and a bowl of berries with a dollop of cream for dessert will do it!
-Stand Up (more) & Eat (better), www.standupandeat.org


Physical Activity
To achieve weight loss, reducing calories by eating less is the single most important strategy, but combining exercise with calorie reduction yields even better results - that is, more pounds (and more fat) lost.

Once you are comfortable with the idea of starting to increase your level of physical activity, think first about increasing your activities of daily living. There are small ways in which you can build more physical activity into your day. For example, you can run some errands on foot rather than in the car. You can drive your car to a shopping area, but intentionally park the car far away from the front door so that you will have to do more walking. You can take the stairs instead of the elevator. You can start off by walking downstairs a few flights and then eventually you can start to walk up a flight or two. Think of your own life and make a list of small changes you can make to add more activity to your daily routine. The attitude you want to develop is one of looking for ways to be more active instead of ways to sit more. This is a new way of thinking that you can slowly adopt.
-Shape Up America!, www.shapeup.org


Tobacco
Literary master Mark Twain may have very well hit the nail on the head when he said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it hundreds of times." Like Twain, many Americans have tried over and over again to break the cycle of addiction that began when they smoked their very first cigarette. Many things have changed since the late nineteenth century when Twain was writing books like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but one thing remains the same: Tobacco is just as powerful and just as deadly now as it was then - if anything, it's only become more so today.

Like Mark Twain, most South Carolinians recognize the need to stop smoking. Unlike in 1910 when Twain died, we've now got years of scientific research reminding us of the health problems we'll suffer if we continue to light up. South Carolinians today know they'll lead longer, happier lives when they nix tobacco, and yet they find a hundred excuses not to stop.

Quitting isn't easy. If it were, 22.5 percent of South Carolinians wouldn't continue to pollute their own bodies. But there are resources to help along the way. When you call toll free 1-800-QUIT-NOW, you'll be connected with a trained counselor who has experience in smoking cessation. You can talk about your cravings, your kids, your life*whatever it is that makes you want to light up. You'll find a friend in your counselor - a person who's been there, done that. A person who can help you realize that quitting isn't a 100-meter dash, but rather a marathon with no defined finish line. A person who realizes you can still occasionally want a cigarette; months and even years after you've stubbed your last one out.
-South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, www.scdhec.gov

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
You probably eat out a lot-most Americans do. People are looking for fast, easy and good-tasting foods to fit a busy lifestyle. Whether it's carry-out, food court, office cafeteria or sit-down restaurant, there are smart choices everywhere. Here are a few tips to help you eat healthy on the go!

1. Think ahead and plan where you will eat. Consider what meal options are available. Look for restaurants or carry-out with a wide range of menu items.
2. Take time to look over the menu and make careful selections. Some restaurant menus may have a special section for "healthier" choices.
3. Read restaurant menus carefully for clues to fat and calorie content. Menu terms can mean less fat and calories: baked, braised, broiled, grilled, poached, roasted or steamed.
4. Menu terms that can mean more fat and calories: batter-fried, pan-fried, buttered, creamed, crispy or breaded. Choose these foods only occasionally and in small portions.
5. Order the regular or child-size portion. Mega-sized servings are probably more than you need. For a lighter meal, order an appetizer in place of a main course.
6. It's OK to make special requests; just keep them simple. For example, ask for a baked potato or side salad in place of French fries; no mayonnaise or bacon on your sandwich or sauces served on the side.
7. Hunger can drive you to eat too much bread before your meal arrives. Hold the bread or chips until your meal is served. Out of sight, out of mind.
- American Dietetic Association


Physical Activity
Get Moving! In addition to a healthy eating plan, an active lifestyle will help you maintain your weight. By choosing to add more physical activity to your day, you'll increase the amount of calories your body burns. This makes it more likely you'll maintain your weight.

Although physical activity is an integral part of weight management, it's also a vital part of health in general. Regular physical activity can reduce your risk for many chronic diseases and it can help keep your body healthy and strong.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Tobacco
Quitting smoking is both a mental and a physical undertaking. Mentally, you should be ready and relatively stress-free. Physically, you need to commit to exercising daily and getting plenty of sleep. A person trying to quit must overcome two obstacles: a physical addition to nicotine and a habit. The American Academy of Otolaryngology and the American Lung Association offer the following tips to help users quit using tobacco products:
* Think about why you want to quit.
* Pick a stress-free time to quit.
* Ask for support and encouragement from family and friends.
* Start a daily exercise or activity to relieve stress and improve your health.
* Get plenty of rest.
* Eat a balanced diet.
* Join a smoking cessation program, or other support group.
- MUSC Children's Hospital

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.


Nutrition
Am I really hungry? The sensation of hunger is instinctual. For many people, the first twinge of hunger sends them searching for food, often before they need to eat. Feeling hungry at the start of a meal is good, but eating every time you feel hungry can result in overeating.

You can monitor your appetite and eat accordingly. Before a meal, rate your hunger on a scale of zero to 4:

0 = not hungry
1 = slightly hungry
2 or 3 = moderately hungry
4 = overly hungry, starving.

Your goal should be to eat when you are between 2 and 3. If you're eating at 0 or 1, it may be for an emotional reason (such as anxiety) or a situational reason (seeing a food commercial on TV). Meanwhile, if your hunger level is 4, you may be vulnerable to overeating and should pay attention to eating slowly. And try not to go for long periods between meals.
-American Dietetic Association

Physical Activity
Incorporate a leisurely paced 15-minute "thermal walk" after each main meal. The thermal effect from your digestive system paired with the walk will have a cumulative effect on raising your average daily metabolism. Furthermore, it serves as a signal that your meal is complete and will quickly become a healthy routine.
-Adam Martin, Fitness Director at Hilton Head Health

Tobacco
Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations - Most relapses occur within the first three months after quitting. Don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:

-Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success.
-Other smokers. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke.
-Weight gain. Many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don't let weight gain distract you from your main goal-quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain.
-Bad mood or depression. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking.

If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your doctor or other health care provider.
-www.smoking-cessation.org

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
Help kids avoid portion distortion!

Portion wise: Be a role model. Make sure your own portions aren't too hefty. Allow your child to stop eating when she is no longer hungry. Allow your child to serve himself a small portion. Your child can have "seconds" if he is still hungry. Encourage your child to eat slowly and take "small bites."

Dining out downfalls: Eat out only one to two times a week. Avoid "super-sizing" fast foods. Go family-style when eating out. Order meals that your family can split, and choose extra vegetables and salads as your side orders.

Lessons to learn: Teach your older child how to use serving size information on food labels. Insist that snacks be eaten from a small plate or bowl. Don't let your child eat any food directly from the original box, bag or carton.
- SC Department of Health & Environmental Control

Physical Activity
You've seen the scary numbers: Child Obesity has doubled--and as a result, type 2 diabetes among kids is growing by equally epidemic proportions. (High blood pressure and early signs of heart disease are on the rise too.) You already know that getting kids physically active is a big part of the solution. So, what's the easiest way to pry your kid from the tube and get him outside for some activity? Walking - it's a great physical activity; it's natural and doesn't require any special clothing, equipment, or facilities.

On Saturday, April 25, First Lady Jenny Sanford is attending the launch of Leadership Columbia's Sally Salamander- a new interactive walking tour of cultural and historical sites in downtown Columbia. This event is free and open to the public. It's also a great way to get children engaged in walking while learning about South Carolina's history!

For more walking tips or to learn more about Sally Salamander visit the links below.
-www.prevention.com and www.columbiasalamander.com

Tobacco
It's true that smoking may help decrease weight by about 8 pounds, but so will a brisk, 15-minute daily walk. And since smoking causes shortness of breath, you may find that you tire easily and aren't able to walk or run as fast, as often, or as far. Ironically, since smoking actually encourages this decreased activity, it often leads to weight gain. So smoking may not only make you short of breath, but may also defeat your weight management goals in the long run (or walk -- so to speak).
-www.yourlunghealth.org

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Nutrition
Your mother always told you that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Believe it or not, research shows that she was right! Breakfast means "breaking the fast," or refueling your body after going without food all night. Food is the fuel that keeps your body going, and refueling at breakfast helps you perform and feel better.


To Replenish Blood Sugar: Because it's been eight to 12 hours since your last meal or snack, your body and brain need more food to replenish their blood sugar, or glucose. Eating breakfast provides fuel after a night of fasting and improves your brain's ability to function. Morning is the time of day when you have peak energy demands, yet you have the lowest energy reserves.

To Energize the Body: Eating breakfast energizes you, enables you to be more productive in the late morning, and helps you feel less tired throughout the day. It gives you more endurance and strength, muscle coordination, better concentration and memory, as well as better problem-solving ability.

To Perform Better at School and Work: Studies have shown that when children have breakfast, they are more alert, participate more fully in school activities, and they usually are on their best behavior. They have longer attention spans, score better on tests and improve their grades, are tardy or absent less often, and make fewer visits to the school nurse. They also are not as easily distracted and are less fidgety, irritable or tired. This applies to adults in the work place, too!
-Janis G. Hunter, HGIC Nutrition Specialist, and Katherine L. Cason, Professor, State Program Leader for Food Safety and Nutrition, Clemson University

Physical Activity
Whenever you miss a few workout sessions (more than a week), you may need to resume exercising at a lower level than before. If you miss a few sessions because of a temporary, minor illness such as a cold, wait until you feel normal before you resume exercising. Or if you have a minor injury, wait until the pain disappears. When you resume exercising, start at one-half to two-thirds your normal level, depending on the number of days you missed and how you feel while exercising. Whatever the reasons for missing sessions, don't worry about the missed days. Just get back into your routine and think about the progress you will be making toward your exercise goal.
-www.prohealth.com

Tobacco
Smoking can accelerate the normal aging process of your skin, contributing to wrinkles. These skin changes may occur after only 10 years of smoking and are irreversible.

How does smoking lead to wrinkles? Smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. This impairs blood flow to your skin, depleting it of oxygen and important nutrients, such as vitamin A. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin - fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. As a result, skin begins to sag and wrinkle prematurely.

Smoking doesn't only cause wrinkles on your face. A 2007 study found that smoking is associated with increased wrinkling and skin damage on other parts of the body, including the inner arms. In addition, repeated exposure to the heat from burning cigarettes and the facial expressions you make when smoking - such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke - may contribute to wrinkles.
-Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D., www.mayoclinic.com

US Surgeon General Steven Galson and Navy Lt. Andy Baldwin to Visit SC

Acting US Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, MD, MPH, will visit the Palmetto State on Wednesday, April 22, 2009, to attend Eat Smart, Move More SC’s annual Obesity Prevention Summit as part of his nationwide tour to promote the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative, Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future. Galson also serves as Acting Assistant Secretary for Health.

Rear Admiral Galson will be joined by Lt. Andy Baldwin, MD, a physician, lieutenant in the US Navy and Ironman tri-athlete, also known for being the bachelor on the 10th season of the hit TV reality show, “The Bachelor.”

Eat Smart, Move More SC is the only statewide organization dedicated to advocating and building capacity and collaboration to support evidence-based action on the issue of obesity prevention in South Carolina. The 2009 Obesity Prevention Summit will bring key players together to discuss, understand and address the causes, effects and prevention methods of obesity.

The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative targets prevention of overweight and obesity and the promotion of healthy lifestyles for young people. The Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future project brings well-deserved attention to communities throughout America that are coming together to address childhood overweight and obesity prevention. The project also recognizes local programs that use innovative approaches to encourage kids to eat right and exercise.

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
They're filled with colored boiled eggs, little chocolate footballs, and brightly colored marshmallow peeps, and kids think they're the best thing since Halloween. But Easter baskets also pack a fattening, sugar-filled punch. With childhood obesity on the rise, it may be time for us to rethink these bountiful baskets. So here are some ideas for healthier Easter goodies that will still have your kids brimming with excitement:

* Stuffed bunny. Instead of chocolate, make it a plush bunny. It will last longer, won't rot your child's teeth, and could be their new best friend.

* Go dark. You probably can't totally eliminate chocolate from the basket without screams of protest, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Chocolate-especially dark chocolate-contains flavonoids, which have antioxidant powers, and can contribute to cardiovascular health. This doesn't mean go gorge on Cadbury eggs, however; chocolate still has a lot of fat and sugar. But some small, dark chocolate candies on a special occasion like Easter won't do a lot of harm. Better yet, give dark chocolate-covered raisins or almonds.

* Bubbles. These soapy suds delight everyone, young and old. Your children will have as much fun chasing them as they have hunting for those elusive Easter eggs. Just make sure to remind them-this is one holiday treat that doesn't go in their mouths!

* Colored chalk. It's finally spring and time to get those kids out of doors. They'll love making a mess on the sidewalk, and you'll love that they're not in front of the TV. Being outside will give them a chance to run around, plus sunlight helps increase vitamin D. Just make sure to give them sunblock!

* Healthy snacks. Nuts and fruit are great additions, or even a box of 100% juice (make sure it has no added sugar). Try baking healthier versions of muffins or cookies. Even some more candy is OK, just not too much, and keep the portions small.

Easter baskets may never be very healthy-like Halloween trick-or-treating, that's kind of the point. But following these tips will help you minimize the damage. Even better, try feeding your kids so little junk food every day that these baskets seem like a huge treat. They'll enjoy the holiday even more, and will thank you when they become adults who live and eat healthily.
-Jordana Haspel for www.beachbody.com

Physical Activity
A good warm up prepares your body for more intense activity. It gets your blood flowing, raises your muscle temperature, and increases your breathing rate. Warming up gives your body time to adjust to the demands of exercise. This can improve your performance and help you get the results you want.

The simplest way to warm up is to do an aerobic activity at an easy pace. If cycling is what you plan to do, then start out slowly in a low gear. How long you spend warming up will depend on your fitness level. If you are newer to exercise, your body (and your mental resolve!) will respond better with a longer warm up.

Adding stretches to your warm up may improve your exercise performance. Once your muscles are warm, spend a few minutes on stretching. Since the goal of your warm up is to increase your heart rate and get you ready for more intense work, choose stretches that can be done standing up. Floor stretches are best for your cool down segment.
-American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons

Tobacco
Know your health risks! Exactly how bad is smoking for your health? Analyze the facts and then you be the judge.

According to the World Health Organization, smoking is the greatest preventable cause of death and disability - more than any other single factor. It is a known or probable cause of at least 25 diseases. However, its total impact on one's quality of life, loss of productivity, and the financial burden that it produces will probably never be completely assessed.

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 47 million adults in the United States smoke. This figure represents about 23.2 percent of all adults in the U.S. today. Right here in South Carolina the percentage of people who currently smoke is 25.5, well above the national average.

Each year, cigarette smoking causes an estimated 430,700 deaths in the United States - nearly 1 in every 5 deaths! Oftentimes people ask how can something as small as a cigarette have such a deadly effect? The answer is simple. Scientists have discovered that every "puff "that comes from a cigarette contains more than 4,000 different chemicals; namely ammonia, lead, benzene, arsenic, formaldehyde, and hydrogen cyanide. More than 45 of these chemicals are known to increase the risk of cancer and hundreds of the other ones are both lethal and toxic.
-South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking. The tips can also be found on the challenge's website, www.healthysc.gov.

Healthy Tips

Nutrition
You probably already know that fiber is an important part of your diet, and that it's good for regularity and constipation. However, you maybe surprised at how many other ways a high-fiber diet can benefit your health. Fiber not only promotes general wellness and intestinal health, it lowers the risk of developing many diseases and conditions that can put your life in danger - heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, and certain cancers. Fiber can help lower cholesterol by absorbing fat and cholesterol from food. Not only does fiber prevent fat absorption, it also helps you feel fuller longer. Filling up on high-fiber foods means you'll have less room for high-fat and highly caloric low-fiber foods. Some researchers have calculated that if Americans doubled their intake for fiber, they could cut 100 calories from their daily diet - which could shave off 10 pounds of yearly weight gain. Fiber helps with intestinal health and regularity.
-National Fiber Council, www.nationalfibercouncil.org

Physical Activity
The Bellows Breathing Technique (also known as the Stimulating Breath) is a yogic technique that can be used to help stimulate energy when needed. It is a good thing to use before reaching for a cup of coffee.

* Sit in a comfortable up-right position with your spine straight.
* With your mouth gently closed, breath in and out of your nose as fast as possible. To give an idea of how this is done, think of someone using a bicycle pump (a bellows) to quickly pump up a tire. The upstroke is inspiration and the downstroke is exhalation and both are equal in length.
* The rate of breathing is rapid with as many as 2-3 cycles of inspiration/expiration per second.
* While doing the exercise, you should feel effort at the base of the neck, chest and abdomen. The muscles in these areas will increase in strength the more this technique is practiced. This is truly an exercise.
* Do this for no longer than 15 seconds when first starting. With practice, slowly increase the length of the exercise by 5 seconds each time. Do it as long as you are comfortably able, not exceeding one full minute.
* There is a risk for hyperventilation that can result in loss of consciousness if this exercise is done too much in the beginning. For this reason, it should be practiced in a safe place such as a bed or chair.

This exercise can be used each morning upon awakening or when needed for an energy boost.
-American Medical School Association, www.amsa.org

Tobacco
Secondhand smoke is the smoke that comes from a cigarette or other tobacco that someone other than you is smoking. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for smokers, but did you know---
* Breathing smoke from someone else's cigarette, pipe, or cigar can make you and your children sick.
* Smoking inside a home or car is more dangerous because smoke gets trapped inside-even fans and open windows don't help.
* Children who live in homes where people smoke get sick more often with coughs, breathing problems such as asthma, and ear infections.
* Secondhand smoke is also linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
* Secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer in adults and is also bad for the heart.

Take steps to protect your family like make your home and car smoke-free and ask your doctor for ways to help you stop smoking. Remember that keeping a smoke-free home can help improve your health, the health of your children, and your community.
-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov

Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Nutrition
Make this year's spring break memorable by having fun and helping yourself, your friends, and others stay safe and healthy.

Limit alcohol: If drinking alcohol is part of your break, remember that it can impair your judgment and actions. Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and nonfatally injure someone every two minutes. Don't drink and drive. There are plenty of non-alcoholic alternatives.

Be active: You've probably been sitting most of the year working at the computer, studying, or in class. During the break, take the opportunity to start a fitness program. Do a variety of fun activities like walking, dancing, playing volleyball, swimming, and more. It doesn't need to be hard to be beneficial. Avoid injury by starting any new activity slowly. We all benefit from participating in regular, moderate-intensity physical activity for 30 minutes most, preferably all, days of the week.

Plan a successful trip: If you are going on a trip, be prepared. Are vaccinations required? Are there special food, destination, or other things you need to consider ahead of time? If you are taking medications, do you have enough for the trip? Know what's happening en route or at your travel destination.

Protect yourself from the sun: After a cold winter, it's tempting to stay in the hot sun all day. Although getting a little sun can have some benefits, excessive and unprotected sun exposure can result in premature aging, changes in skin texture, and skin cancer. Always wear sunscreen with at least SPF 15. For eye protection, wear wraparound sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV ray protection.

Watch your step: There may be temptations on your break that involve different or high-risk activity. Think twice before putting yourself at risk for injury. Be sure to use appropriate safety gear before venturing out, such as seat belts, life vests, or knee pads. Remember that unintentional injuries kill more Americans in their first three decades of life than any other cause of death. In fact, injuries (both unintentional and those caused by acts of violence) are among the top ten killers for Americans of all ages.

Know the ropes: When swimming and boating, know what's expected and what you can do to prevent injury or death for yourself and others. Know how to swim. Wear your life jacket while boating. Avoid alcoholic beverages while boating. Complete a boating education course. Participate in the vessel safety check program. Be aware of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Be smoke free: Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. Just 20 minutes after smoking that last cigarette, your body begins a series of positive changes that continue for years. Quitting is one of the best things you can do for yourself and others.

Eat healthy: Having fun takes energy and fuel. Be sure to eat a variety of foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products. Also include low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, and legumes. Drink lots of water and go easy on the salt, sugar, alcohol, and saturated fat. Good nutrition should be part of an overall healthy lifestyle, including regular physical activity, not smoking, and stress management.

Get help: If you or a friend has an alcohol or drug problem, has thoughts of suicide, or is in crisis for any reason, get help. Call 911 for emergency services, 800-662-4357 for substance abuse help, and 800-273-TALK (8255) for the national suicide prevention lifeline.
-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Physical Activity
Deciding to become a little more active than you are right now leads to improvements in your health and outlook on life. It's easy to increase your walking amounts, since you already do it throughout the day. But how much more should you do? How often should you do it? How fast should you go? For how long? These walking FAQs are important to consider when building a walking exercise program.

The FIT formula - Frequency (how often), Intensity (how fast) and Time (how long) - helps you find answers. When you do any physical activity, start at a low level and increase slowly. This goes for walking amounts, as well. Doing too much too fast can lead to injuries that set you back instead of move you forward. When you're ready to increase your activity, alter just one part of the FIT formula at a time.
-Arthritis Foundation

Tobacco
Oral cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Only about half of people diagnosed with oral cancer survive more than five years. That's because cancer in the neck and mouth spreads quickly. Often, it isn't found until it's very advanced. Oral cancer includes cancer of the throat, lips, mouth, tongue, gums and salivary glands. Anyone can get oral cancer. Although smoking increases the risk, more than 25% of oral cancer cases occur in people who never smoked. The best way to catch oral cancer early is to have regular exams by your dentist and to learn how to check yourself.
-Columbia University Medical Center, School of Dental & Oral Surgery

Two Georgetown County School District Elementary Schools Recognized by USDA for Outstanding Nutrition Environment

USDA Food and Nutrition Service Southeast Regional Administrator Don Arnette presented Silver Certificates and Banners to two Georgetown County School Principals and other school officials for their schools meeting USDA’s HealthierUS School Challenge at a high level. The ceremony took place today at Brown’s Ferry Elementary School, 7292 Brown’s Ferry Road, Georgetown, S.C. 29440. In addition to Brown’s Ferry, Pleasant Hill Elementary School, 127 Schoolhouse Road, Hemingway, S.C. 29554 was also recognized.

I’m pleased to recognize these Georgetown County Elementary Schools for achieving Silver-level status,” Arnette said. “The HealthierUS School Silver award is one of the highest honors a school nutrition program can achieve and reflects a strong commitment to provide students with additional healthy food options throughout the school campus, and to emphasize nutrition education and physical activity in the school curriculum.

“This elementary school has set a high standard of excellence for others to follow. I’m thankful to all who helped make these achievements possible – they are making a positive difference in the lives of our nation’s children.”

USDA has issued a challenge to schools throughout the nation to make changes to their school nutrition environment, improve the quality of the foods served, and provide students with more nutritious, healthy choices.

These Georgetown County School District Elementary Schools have successfully met that challenge by taking specific steps to improve their programs, address obesity, and encourage other schools to follow their lead. As a result of their efforts, each school received a Silver Award, one of USDA’s highest.

“It is an honor to be recognized by USDA,” said Jan Knox, director of food services for the Georgetown County School District. “We believe in serving school children quality meals. With the support of the administrators, teachers, cafeteria managers and staff, physical education specialists, counselors, parent volunteers and all other team players, these schools exemplify teaching healthy lifestyles.”

These schools’ achievements are very significant because obesity is a growing concern for school children in the United States. USDA believes that schools should be taking a leadership role in helping students learn to make healthy eating and active lifestyle choices and commends these South Carolina schools for leading the way in improving the school nutrition environment.

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Nutrition
Developed by cancer researchers from Johns Hopkins and now available in the produce aisle of most standard grocers, brocco sprouts are exploding with health-boosting goodness. They contain 20 times more of nature's anti-cancer wonder chemical, sulforaphane, than mature broccoli in addition to a nice dose of fiber, vitamin C and folate. A new study out just last week reported that sulforaphane also decreases respiratory inflammation by stimulating our innate antioxidant enzyme systems (Clinical Immunology, Mar 09). Throw them into your salads or add to your sandwiches. Look for the "Brassica" brand for best results.
-Dr. Ann Kulze, Nationally recognized nutrition and wellness expert

Physical Activity
Changes in muscle mass and strength are directly related to changes in balance, and become most obvious in middle age. Most stumbles or falls result in a twisted or sprained ankle. Ankle injuries can take up 6 weeks to heal. So a preventative approach to injury is well worth a few minutes of your day! Try these strengthening exercises while at your desk or at the kitchen table.

1. Standing toe rises- can you balance with finger tips lightly on the table or desk for 5, 10,or 20 seconds? Try 20 -30 standing toe rise repetitions, and then progress to balancing for short periods.

2. Ankle circles- rotate your ankles in both directions, 10-15 circular motions with knees fully extended.

3. Ankle pumps-with knees fully extended, slowly point your toes as far as possible and then flex the foot toward you far as possible, feeling a good stretch at each end point.

These exercises will start you on the way to better calf and foot strength. Completion of these exercise with your legs fully extended when sitting will also start some thigh/quadriceps strengthening. Remember, to gain muscle strength and stay fit requires only doing more than at present. No matter how small the increase, more exercise, means a more fit you!
-Pam deMent, RPT, MAS- Lexington Medical Center-Lexington, SC

Tobacco
What's a good way to help a cigarette smoker quit? The first move has to come from the smoker. People who really want to quit smoking stand a better chance of sticking to their decision. Letting a person know you care and that you are "there for them" can be a big help. Ask a smoker, "How can I help?" If the person can't come up with ideas right away, wait until you get some clues. Most smokers would like to be free of cigarettes.
-American Lung Association

Healthy SC Challenge

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Nutrition
Wearing green for St. Patrick's Day? Why not make a meal to match? From broccoli and green beans to spinach and green peppers, count all the ways you can fill your plate with greens! Properly prepared, green veggies add color appeal to your meals. Cooked just until tender-crisp, they add flavor appeal. Besides that, dark-green veggies supply plenty of nutrients-vitamin C, folate, and vitamin K, to name a few. Today we know they also supply two key carotenoids-lutein and zeaxanthin-which may promote eye health. And plant substances in greens may lower your risk for heart disease and some cancers, too.

* Go green! Think beyond the iceberg! Vary your salad greens: use spinach, romaine, watercress, chicory, or escarole.
* Serve on a bed of greens. Arrange grilled or roasted fish, chicken, or meat atop tender-crisp green beans or wilted spinach.
* Get leafy. Tuck chopped fresh spinach and other greens into sandwiches, pita, and wraps-and in lasagna, risotto, pasta dishes and burritos.
* Nosh on green snacks: raw broccoli spears, asparagus spears, zucchini slices, or crisp snow peas.
-Source: 365 Days of Healthy Eating from the American Dietetic Association (Wiley 2004), Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RD, FADA, CFCS

Physical Activity
For hundreds of years, the Irish have been stereotyped as beer-swilling, potato-eating louts, but in a 2005 survey, Ireland's obesity rate clocked in at 13 percent, less than half the rate of the reigning obesity champs, the U.S. of A. So maybe there's something to the Irish diet and lifestyle that we could learn from. In fact, there are a number of things the Irish are doing better than the Americans to keep off the pound- and one of them is walking.

Take a walk. This is where Ireland and most countries in the world really have it over America. They walk. Aside from our propensity for super-sizing our meals and processing our food with any number of bad-for-us ingredients, Americans are really losing the battle of the bulge because of our sedentary lifestyle. Walking for 30 to 60 minutes a day speeds up your metabolism, burns fat, and builds muscle. If you don't have time to walk for an hour, even adding short jaunts to the office or the grocery store to your daily routine can have massive health benefits and greatly contribute to weight loss.
-Joe Wilkes for www.beachbody.com

Smoking Cessation
If you're like most South Carolinians, you'll agree smoke-free dining just tastes better. Not only are smoke-free eating establishments healthier for you and your family, but they're easier on your clothes, hair and skin and allow your taste buds to savor all the delicious flavors you've come to expect when you're enjoying a meal out on the town. When it comes right down to it, 80 percent of diners are nonsmokers and even many smokers prefer not to smoke when they eat. Visit this link to find smoke free restaurants in your town: http://www.scdhec.gov/health/chcdp/tobacco/smokefree.htm.
-South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Nutrition
The road to health is often bumpy with lots of fast food restaurants beckoning you to pull over. But with your child's health you can't afford to keep falling into the potholes of poor nutrition. Below is a quick reference list for nutrition traps to avoid. Some of them should be rather obvious, however some may surprise you.

• Being home alone - When left home alone kids have free range of whatever is in the kitchen and no one there to approve of what they're eating.
• School Vending Machines
• Food portions that are too big - pay attention to how much your child is actually consuming and the portion sizes that are given on food packing.
• TV in the bedroom
• Rewarding them with treats
• Overly strict diets: both clean your plate and limit what you eat methods - You should never go to the extremes with your child's diet. This isn't teaching them healthy habits, in fact it's negatively affecting their mental connection with food. To curb this problem you shouldn't prohibit all sweets or likewise require a child to eat everything on their plate if they're full.
• Unhealthy habits of parents - You're the one setting an example so it should be a good one.
• Not involving kids in the food buying and preparing processes - Getting kids involved with buying groceries and making meals will expose them to the choices they will have to make when they are adults and also serve as hands on learning to make healthy nutrition not only make more sense but be more enjoyable.
• -www.getkidsinaction.org

Physical Activity
Although bouts of activity 30-45 minutes long, are recommended, several bouts as short as 10 minutes each may substitute for one 30- to 45-minute bout. Short bouts fit into daily schedules more easily. They are also often preferred by older adults who may have symptoms of conditions that limit exercise, such as arthritis pain.

Even low amounts of activity have important health benefits and are better than an inactive life style. For example, in the Nurses Health Study, about 10 minutes of moderate activity a day reduced the risk of cardiovascular events by over 20%. About 22 minutes of moderate activity a day reduced the risk by about 35%. The generally recommended activity level of about 30-45 minutes a day reduced the risk by more than 50%.

Also, function improved and disability lessened in exercise programs that result in only small improvements in fitness. In the Fitness, Arthritis, and Seniors Trial (FAST), 2%-4% improvements in aerobic fitness and leg strength resulted in 8%-10% improvements in functional limitations and disability. In another study of falls prevention in women 80 years and older, 90 minutes of walking per week combined with low-intensity weight training and balance training reduced falls by 50%.
-American Geriatrics Society, www.healthinaging.org

Tobacco
When lung cancer first develops, there may be no symptoms at all. But as the cancer grows, it can cause changes that people should watch for. Common signs and symptoms of lung cancer include: a cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time, constant chest pain, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness, repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis, swelling of the neck and face, loss of appetite or weight loss, or fatigue. These symptoms may be caused by lung cancer or by other conditions. It is important to check with a doctor if you have symptoms because only a doctor can make a diagnosis. Don't wait to feel pain. Early cancer usually doesn't cause pain.
-NIH Senior Health, http://nihseniorhealth.gov

Eating Healthy on a Budget

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Nutrition
Does feeding your family a healthy diet have to break the bank? Not if you know how to do it. Start by adding up the cost of all the food that your family eats away from home each week. Include lunches in the cafeteria, coffee breaks, sodas, vending machine purchases and meals eaten in your car or a restaurant. Then think about how much money you could save by eating more meals at home, carrying snacks with you, brown-bagging lunches and changing favorite recipes. Here are a few tips:

Avoid buying liquid candy like soda, lemonade, sweet tea, sweetened juice, energy drinks and fancy vitamin drinks. These options are not as healthy as a glass of water and a piece of fruit. In addition, the cost really adds up. Just two sodas or juice boxes every day can have a monthly cost anywhere from $15 if brought at the grocery store to as much as $120 if bought at restaurants and convenience stores. Avoid bottled water, too. It is very expensive since it is mostly just tap water. Save money by buying a water bottle for each person in the family-then fill it with your own water, keep it cold and ready to go.

Do not buy boxed cold breakfast cereal. Boxed cereals usually cost between $3 and $4 per box, and contain mostly refined grains mixed with sugar. And - have you noticed recently that you are getting less cereal for the same cost? Instead, buy other breakfast foods like 100% whole-wheat bread or English muffins for toasting, plain oatmeal, plain grits or big bags of store-brand whole grain cereals like O's or bran flakes. Add your own raisins or chopped nuts.

Go out to eat less often. Eating at home just one more time per week can often save $100 or more a month. Fixing food at home can be cheaper and quick, and allows you to make things that your family likes. Foods like grilled-cheese sandwiches, whole grain pancakes or scrambled eggs can be on the table fast, and are healthier than most fast-food meals that are typically high in calories, salt, fat and sugar. One way to avoid eating out: carry snacks like raisins, cereal Os or apples in the car to keep appetites under control until you get home.

Pack lunches for school and work. Fill lunch boxes in the morning quickly and easily with already prepared food. Sandwiches can be made for the whole week, and then frozen in small plastic bags. Oatmeal cookies, banana bread or muffins can be baked in large quantity and frozen in individual portions. A big bag of carrots, peeled and sliced to create a 2-3 day supply, can be ready to pop into a plastic container with a little ranch dressing for dipping. By adding a piece of fresh fruit or frozen fruit in a small plastic container, you can create a lunch that is fast, cheap and healthier.

Buy fewer single serving pre-packed foods. Avoid things like 100-calorie bags of cookies, granola bars, "fruit" chews, crackers, pudding, yogurt tubes, cheese, canned fruits, gelatin cups, applesauce, pre-boxed lunches and juice boxes. You pay a premium for someone else to stick these products in a bag or container for you. Invest in inexpensive, reusable, lidded containers and pack your own. Chances are that what you pack will be healthier, too.

Look for fresh fruits and vegetables on sale. Stores often have specials on produce that is in peak production. That means the fruit or vegetable is "in-season" and will be extra fresh and flavorful-as well as less expensive. When farmer's markets open in your area, you can get fruits and vegetables right out of the garden at even lower prices. Or, you can even plant your own tomatoes or cucumbers.

Watch for canned, dried and frozen fruits to go on sale and stock up. They keep for months and help you get a simple meal on the table fast. Be sure to stock up on basics like pasta sauces and frozen vegetables during sales when you can.

Consider making your own food. Muffins, cookies, instant oatmeal, granola bars, rolls, pizza dough, pudding, and salad dressings can be quick to make. The ingredients in these foods cost very little- and when you make them yourself, they can be much healthier. Be sure to use at least half whole-wheat flour, and add extra powdered milk, chopped nuts, dried fruit, and healthy fat (like olive or canola oil) to make them even healthier.

Eat less meat. Some old-fashioned basic meals like meat loaf, stew, soups, chili beans, pasta casseroles, or spaghetti use less meat because they contain other healthy ingredients. Grandma or older friends can be great resources for these old-fashioned "stretch the dollar" recipes. Update these old favorites to meet current nutrition standards by cutting the meat in half, and adding healthy extras to the recipe like vegetables (frozen peas, grated carrots and corn are kid favorites), beans, brown rice or whole grain pasta.

Have beans as your main course at least once a week. Kids and adults do not need meat every day. Beans are cheap and super healthy. Canned beans are great, but get rid of extra sodium by rinsing them with running water. Dry beans are even cheaper; just remember to soak them for a few hours before cooking. Quick bean meals include red beans and rice, black-eyed peas on rice, bean soup and baked beans.

Avoid foods with health claims on the label. These foods usually offer fewer benefits than cheaper brands. You can get much more nutrition from eating a great variety of less expensive foods. Remember that the word "organic" on the label does not mean "healthy," and many packaged organic foods contain unhealthy amounts of fat and sugar. Non-organic foods still contain most of the vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein found in organic choices. If you want to limit your family's exposure to pesticides and herbicides, one low-cost strategy is to scrub your conventionally grown fruits and vegetables very well with water.

Eating at home is not just great for the pocketbook and health-it is wonderful for children. Learning kitchen survival skills will help kids to grow up knowing how to care for themselves and enjoy healthier foods. Many children like to help the kitchen, and have fun doing tasks like setting the table or chopping vegetables for a salad. Cooking at home can be combined with the best idea ever for getting the whole family to eat more vegetables: serve some raw veggies for munching while the family cooks and talks together in the kitchen.

-EllieTaylor, RN, MS; South Carolina co-author of Feeding the Kids: The Flexible, No-Battle, Healthy Eating System for the Whole Family (2007) and Feeding the Kids Workshops: Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters (2009)

This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips

The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family's effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories - nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking.

Nutrition
Olive oil is fruity, flavorful*and confusing. Plenty of research suggests that cooking with olive oil can be beneficial to your health. Its monounsaturated fat content can help lower LDL, or "bad" blood cholesterol. The question then becomes-which type of olive oil to use?

Olive oil comes in a number of varieties, including virgin, light and extra virgin. All are the same in terms of fat content, either types of fat or total amounts of fat. The difference in olive oils lies mostly in the flavor. Extra virgin olive oil is low in acid, resulting in a fruity flavor and aroma, so you don't need to use as much to enjoy the flavor. Virgin olive oil is more acidic, meaning you need to use more to get the distinct olive oil flavor. Light olive oil is lighter in color and flavor.

Whichever type of olive oil you prefer, remember they all have something else in common: They are all high in total fat and calories, so go easy on portions.
-American Dietetic Association, www.eatright.org

Physical Activity
Balance changes are one of the primary changes that occur in middle age adults. This is usually the combination of a decrease in muscle strength and muscle mass. Did you know after age 20 adults lose an average of 10 ounces of lean body mass or muscle a year? The average adult gains an average of 1 pound and 10 ounces of body fat a year during the same time period. The exchange of fat for muscle can mask the changes if only reading the scale. The actual strength loss can be estimated at a 15% loss of muscle mass per decade by the age of 50 and continues to age 70. After 70 up to 30% of existing muscle mass is lost each decade.

Exercise is MORE important as we age. It is never too late to begin. Adults over 75 who never exercised have demonstrated significant physical improvements in clinical studies! Begin walking 3-4 days a week for 15 minutes at a comfortable pace. Start your strength training by doing mini-squats everyday-twice a day while you brush your teeth! This will be about 25-30 mini-squats. As your quadriceps (thigh muscles) get stronger, try brushing your teeth balancing on one bent leg! As your leg strength builds up from walking and exercise, your muscle mass will increase and so too will your balance. Improved balance translates into a younger more youthful you!
-Pam deMent, RPT, MAS- Lexington Medical Center-Lexington, SC

Tobacco
The immediate impetus to experiment with tobacco is often social, prompted by friends, family members, or other role models who smoke. However, various other factors-some of which may make certain youth more susceptible to addiction and long-term use-contribute to initiation and progression toward regular tobacco use.

The process by which a person moves from experimenting with tobacco to becoming a regular user can include the following five stages:

1. The preparatory stage, when a person's knowledge, beliefs, and expectations about tobacco use are formed.
2. The initial/trying stage, when a person tries the first few cigarettes.
3. The experimentation stage, which is a period of repeat, irregular use that may occur only in specific situations over a variable time.
4. Regular tobacco use, when a routine pattern of use has developed. For youth, this may mean using tobacco every weekend or at certain times of the day.
5. Nicotine addiction, which is regular tobacco use, usually daily, with an internally regulated need for nicotine.

-Youth Tobacco Cessation: A Guide for Making Informed Decisions, www.cdc.gov