Crumple it up Blog

From the monthly archives:

July 2009

Operation Planet Savers Grand Prize Winners Attend the G-Force Movie Premiere in Hollywood, CA!

by Caitlin Christian on July 31, 2009 · Comments

Attention, OPS Agents: Do you know where three of your fellow agents were last weekend? On July 18, Agent HayHay boarded a plane to meet Agent JB_Lover101 and Agent BlueBlue in sunny California. Their mission: walk the red carpet at the “G-Force” world premiere, give interviews for Radio Disney, watch the movie, and have a fun-filled weekend!

The “G-Force” movie premiere weekend was nonstop fun and entertainment for our three lucky agents. On July 19, Hailey Still, Shannon Larusel, and Heather Edwards got dressed up to walk the red carpet, which would lead them into the movie theater. However, before they made it to their seats, they got to do an interview with Radio Disney—how cool is that?! 
 
After enjoying “G-Force,” our agents were treated to a special behind-the-scenes look at the G-Force experience—a big room filled with tons of games! While playing the games, our agents got to meet the stars of Radio Disney, as well as movie stars Jon Voight and Zac Galifianakis.
 
On Monday, our agents were escorted via limousine to the Radio Disney studio in Burbank. While at the studio, our agents got to meet two of the DJs, and sit in the same seats where the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus once sat.
 
Our agents did get a little time to explore their new surroundings. They toured around Beverly Hills, walked along Rodeo Drive, and went to the beach in Malibu. But don’t think our agents were sitting around all day!  Our agents maintained their fitness, getting in plenty of exercise chasing the waves and running and walking along the beach, and finding sea slugs, hermit crabs, and starfish.   
 
How do you plan on keeping up your physical activity for the rest of this summer? Have a great rest of the summer, and be sure to check out “G-Force,” now in theaters everywhere. 
 

Popularity: 25% [?]

{ 1 comment }

DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.

Kids Fitness – How To Be Active When You Don’t Like Sports

by Amy Acton on July 30, 2009 · Comments

In our continuing series on health tips for kids, KidsHealth.org offers some practical suggestions on how to stay fit even if you don’t engage in organized sports.

Sports can seem complicated because of all the rules, special equipment, confusing looking lines on the field/court, etc. Sometimes kids shy away from sports because they simply don’t understand how to play. Instead of jumping in and joining a team, ask your parents about a camp or program that introduces the sport. A gym class or intramural programs at schools are also good resources to try out new sports in a non-committal atmosphere. The Internet, public library and local bookstore are also good ways to learn independently about sports of interest.
 
A bad experience can make kids not like sports. Often a sport is not fun because the child lacks confidence or assumes all the other team members have confidence in what they are doing. Some kids don’t like the pressure that comes with competition as that brings out some intense emotions. Kids can get so fired up about winning that they (and to society’s chagrin, some side-lined parents and coaches) may yell or get upset when a player makes a mistake. This can be stressful making the sport undesirable as opposed to building team spirit, skill development and working together toward a common goal.
 
Kids who don’t like sports may not have found the right one for them yet. We all have different strengths – some kids are graceful, some strong, some with great aim, some fast, etc. Different sports require different skills so you may want to try several different sports to find the one that fits your strengths.
 
If you’re just not into team sports, there are several activities that can be done as an individual – competitively or just for fun. Some activities you may not even think of as sports, such as karate, marching band and cheerleading, are great ways to keep active. Here is a list of individual sports/games:
·        Swimming
·        Diving
·        Running
·        Ice skating
·        Wrestling
·        Gymnastics
·        Golf
·        Tennis
·        Skateboarding
·        In-line skating
·        Biking
·        Martial arts
·        Bowling
·        Crocket
·        Badminton
·        Tetherball
·        Handball
 
If the list above doesn’t interest you, there are plenty of activities you can do right at home or in your neighborhood that provide great exercise to keep your body healthy. To name just a few:
 
·        Walking/playing with the dog
·        Cleaning your room/garage
·        Raking leaves
·        Jumping rope
·        Playing at the playground
·        Dancing in your room
·        Washing the car
·        Making a snowperson
·        Walking while on the phone/listening to iPod
 
It’s not important if you play sports or not, but it is important to be an active kid. With all the options that are available to you, have fun in finding the one that is just right for you!

photo by: mikebaird

Popularity: 25% [?]

{ 0 comments }

DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.

Kids Nutrition: Make Wiser Food Choices

by Amy Acton on July 29, 2009 · Comments

In our installment about children’s health, I offer up some tips and tricks on helping kids make better food choices for parents and caregivers to employ. These approaches are recommended by the Action for Healthy Kids organization. 

(1)              No more ‘clean plate club’ — Don’t force a child to clean his or her plate to end the meal. Allow a child’s stomach to tell his or her brain when he or she is full.
(2)              Discourage dieting— Make the distinction that choosing healthy foods is a change in habit, not a diet.
(3)              Lead by example— Parents and caregivers should plan healthy meals that are eaten together with the children. Adults should be seen eating their vegetables and drinking their milk. Kids are most likely to eat healthy foods at the family dinner table with you.
(4)              Make your instructions tangible– Don’t just tell kids how much sugar is in soda — show them by measuring it out in teaspoons or sugar cubes.
(5)              Use the ‘one bite taste’ method— Don’t force a child to eat. The taste for a new food occurs over time. It may take as many as 10 to 15 times before they acquire a taste for their brussel sprouts so just be patient.
(6)              Get the kids involved— Engage children in food planning, selection, preparation and cooking. This is the perfect opportunity to teach kids that food comes from the farm and not the local grocer, age-appropriate serving portions, the food groups, etc.
(7)              Food is ‘fuel’ — Teach kids to think of their stomachs as gas tanks and not to ‘overflow’ your gas tank.
(8)              Start early— Likes and dislikes are formed early so start teaching kids about healthy habits from infancy.
(9)              Teach kids to use ‘tools’— Teach children how to read food labels, MyPyramid charts, shopping lists and recipes.
(10)          Provide variety— Expose kids to a variety of low-fat, fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. You may need to visit more than one grocer to cover the gamut of available foods.
(11)          Motivate— Tie the behavior you seek from your child to what matters to them — energy, positive body image, athletics, strength and fitness, school performance, etc.
(12)          Track progress— Have your child track how they feel — better quality of sleep, improved mood and energy level, less headaches or stomachaches — as they progress toward eating healthier foods.
 
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, less than 2 percent of children eat the minimum number of recommended daily servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy. This has led to low dietary intake of calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium and Vitamin E. Children’s eating habits also impact their behavior, readiness to learn and overall well-being. When parents and caregivers set a positive example and provide healthy food options, over time kids learn to make better food choices.

photo by: joguldi

Popularity: 24% [?]

{ 0 comments }

DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.

Should sodas, chips, and candy remain in schools?

by Max Shireman on July 28, 2009 · Comments

I read an article the other day titled “Kentucky sets a healthy example for school lunches” about a food service director in Kenton County, Kentucky, who began phasing out junk food in the cafeteria. 

I thought it was bold of Ms. Gray, the director, to begin removing the unhealthy choices for the students and replacing them with improved healthier options. Schools tend to rely on outside vendors of junk food to aid revenues for the sports and arts programs. To remove these items was expected to be the equivalent of financial suicide.
 
Instead of losing money by providing the healthier options, such as oven baked sweet potato fries and 100 percent fruit juices, they actually increased revenues by 61 percent. That’s amazing! The kids not only substituted the less healthy options for nutritious things, but they wanted more of the good stuff.
 
The food service was able to take food traditionally thought of as “junk food” and make it healthy. There’s a lot of debate around the school lunch program right now and how to improve healthy options. What are your thoughts? Do we keep junk food in the schools or do we encourage vendors to provide only healthy options for the kids?

photo by: Mary Thompson

Popularity: 25% [?]

{ 1 comment }

DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.

Kids Health Tips: Helping Kids Cope With Stress

by Amy Acton on July 27, 2009 · Comments

Kids StressTo adults, childhood is viewed as happy and carefree. After all, kids don’t have jobs to keep, mortgages to pay, deals to close, relationships to manage, etc., right? WRONG. Children feel stress long before they grow up. Stress is a function of the demands placed on us and our ability to meet them. Parents and caregivers may underestimate the adverse health effects that kids’ sources of stress and anxiety have on their emotional and physical well being. What is non-consequential to an adult could be overwhelming or traumatic to a child, particularly if they don’t possess effective coping strategies.

Sources of childhood stress include the following:
·        Separation anxiety (preschoolers)
·        Family conflict – divorce, domestic violence, abuse, etc.
·        Illness
·        Death of a loved one
·        Too many extracurricular activities
·        Constant change – schools, caregivers, moving, shuttling between parental residences, etc.
·        Social pressures – academic, peer pressure, need to fit in/conformance, teasing, gossip, bullies etc.
·        Disturbing images on news or TV – natural disasters, war, terrorism, neighborhood violence, etc.
 
The impact of a stressor depends on the child’s maturity level, personality and method of coping. Children often have difficulty expressing their true feelings. For example, you will hear a child say “my stomach hurts” when they are really feeling overwhelmed or “I have a headache” when they are being pinched by everyday pressures. Although they may not say it, kids want their parents/caregivers to reach out to them and help them cope with their feelings.
 
Emotional expressions of stress include the following:
·        Crying
·        Aggression — insubordinate, acting out, talking back
·        Irritability
·        Nervousness — fearful, panicky
 
Physical expressions of stress: include the following:
·        Asthma
·        Hay fever
·        Headaches
·        Gastrointestinal disorders – colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer
 
According to a KidsHealth poll, children handle their stresses in both healthy and unhealthy ways.
·        52 percent play or do something active
·        44 percent listen to music
·        42 percent watch TV or play video game
·        30 percent talk to a friend
·        29 percent try not to think about it
·        28 percent try to work on a solution
·        26 percent eat
·        25 percent take it out on themselves — hurt themselves by banging head, hitting or biting themselves
·        23 percent lose temper
·        22 percent talk to a parent
·        11 percent cry
 
How can parents help children cope with stress?
·        Best predictor of how well children handle stressors is how well their parents cope. Parents should monitor their own stress levels around the kids.
·        75 percent of kids want their parents to help them when they are in trouble — whether they ask for that help or not. Keep the communication lines open.
·        Plan play dates, sleepovers and outings for your kids with their friends. Children who have close friendships are less likely to develop stress-related problems.
·        Build in time for your children to play and relax into their daily schedules. Family schedules are busy and hectic. If you don’t plan for downtime, there won’t be any time left for it at day’s end.
 
As parents/caregivers, you can’t protect your kids from being exposed to stress, but you can help them develop healthy ways to cope with it.

photo by: Seattle Municipal Archives

Popularity: 24% [?]

{ 1 comment }

DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.

← Previous Entries