Friday, December 12, 2008
Awesome Job!
Great job on the Santa Fund! There were 4 classes that raised over $100 for the cause. Yes my class won, but the bigger issue here is that our goal as a school was reached AND surpassed from last year. Way to dig deep. I did get a lot of..."you cheated to win", "what did you do to raise so much money", etc, etc etc. Really??? Are people REALLY concerned that my class was able to raise that much money?? I thought the point WAS to raise as much money as possible. Aside from reaching into the jar from another class (which we don't do), there are no rules to raising money. I suppose if people would like me to stop making an effort to raise so much I could...but then who loses? The same people complaining are the same people who's class raised $5. The only cheating going on is the cheating of the family we are trying to support. I get excited about increasing competition amongst kids and classes. What I've gotten my class to understand is that in order for another class to beat us they are going to have to raise a ton of money and if that happens then we as a school have done a great job. I think the people wrapped up in how my class gets the money, she expend their energy in figuring out a way to get their class to raise money. Our kids are very generous kids, just ask them.
Monday, December 8, 2008
STRESS!!!!!!!!
Between the holidays and finals this is a very stressful time of year for students. What you eat may help…..or hurt!
Here are some nutrition tips to help during this stressful time:
EAT BREAKFAST – Breakfast provides carbohydrates and protein to help get your brain and body ready to concentrate and perform.
EAT CARBOHYDRATES – Carbohydrates stimulate the release of serotonin, a brain chemical that helps reduce pain, decrease appetite and calm nerves. Healthy carbohydrates include whole grain breads, pasta, and cereals as well as fruits and vegetables.
EAT PROTEIN – Protein helps your body produce epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine – brain chemicals that boost mental alertness, memory and thinking. Lean protein-rich foods include fish, poultry, eggs, lean cuts of meat, legumes, milk, yogurt and low fat cheese.
EAT MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY – Eat 3 meals a day and snacks. Snacks keep you going. Healthy snack options include nuts, fruit, milk & cereal, and popcorn.
WATCH CAFFEINE – Caffeine may help you focus for a short time, but too much can leave you jittery. Hydrate yourself with water.
Here are some nutrition tips to help during this stressful time:
EAT BREAKFAST – Breakfast provides carbohydrates and protein to help get your brain and body ready to concentrate and perform.
EAT CARBOHYDRATES – Carbohydrates stimulate the release of serotonin, a brain chemical that helps reduce pain, decrease appetite and calm nerves. Healthy carbohydrates include whole grain breads, pasta, and cereals as well as fruits and vegetables.
EAT PROTEIN – Protein helps your body produce epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine – brain chemicals that boost mental alertness, memory and thinking. Lean protein-rich foods include fish, poultry, eggs, lean cuts of meat, legumes, milk, yogurt and low fat cheese.
EAT MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY – Eat 3 meals a day and snacks. Snacks keep you going. Healthy snack options include nuts, fruit, milk & cereal, and popcorn.
WATCH CAFFEINE – Caffeine may help you focus for a short time, but too much can leave you jittery. Hydrate yourself with water.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Many Thanks
Just wanted to thank everyone for doing such a fantastic job with the CPR Anytime program. It was so exciting to hear many of your parents telling us at conferences that their child had come home and talked at length about the program. Knowledge is power...and all of you who have shared this are empowering people. Congrats to you!!
Santa Fund
It's that time of year again to scrape the pennies and dimes out from under your carseats and couch cushions to help raise money for a great cause. This time of year is always challenging for people in terms of money and especially this year with the state of our economy, but remember, there are a lot of people who are even less fortunate than we may be. Are you a coffee drinker or a Rock Star energy drinker? If so, can you go a day without one of those guilty pleasures?? Nobody is asking you to contribute your college savings, but a few dollars here and there from everybody would make a huge difference. I've always tried to make Santa Fund a competition. I enjoy the "trash talking" and comraderie amongst the homerooms during this time. The more we really get into the spirit of the competition...the more money we are going to make for a great cause in the end. It's not really about which class wins, but just so you know...my class ALWAYS wins!! Best of luck.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Give Blood
If you qualify to give blood you should seriously consider joining your fellow classmates and teachers on Thursday May 20th and give the Red Cross some of your blood. It doesn't take long and it could help save a life.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Thinking About Being More "Green"?
Did you know...
For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.
You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.
By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.
In the United States, 426,000 cell phones are retired every day. Bring your old cell phone in to be recycled.
Paper or Plastic?
Neither! Paper bags can hold more stuff per bag and are easily recycled, but even at 100% recycling rates, plastic bags still require less energy and create fewer airborne emissions during the life cycle of both types of bags. Ultimately, neither paper nor plastic bags are the best choice; choosing reusable canvas bags instead is the way to go.
For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.
You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.
By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.
In the United States, 426,000 cell phones are retired every day. Bring your old cell phone in to be recycled.
Paper or Plastic?
Neither! Paper bags can hold more stuff per bag and are easily recycled, but even at 100% recycling rates, plastic bags still require less energy and create fewer airborne emissions during the life cycle of both types of bags. Ultimately, neither paper nor plastic bags are the best choice; choosing reusable canvas bags instead is the way to go.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Updated Speedball Tournament
The DECA sponsored Speedball fundraiser tournament has been re-scheduled, due to conferences, to Thursday November 20th. Again, contact DECA reps to sign your team up. Yours truly (Coach Vitelli) will be refereeing the games...that means lots of whistles to keep the game clean! If you don't like it, don't sign up.
Late Night Snacking
Many people think eating late at night causes weight gain. Actually, it’s not when you eat that matters, it’s what and how much you eat.
Fueling the body is a matter of timing. The longer you wait between meals, the more you tend to eat at the next meal. Three to four hours between meals is about the right amount of time to keep blood sugar levels in control.
Plan snacks with small portions in mind. Crackers and low fat cheese, yogurt and fruit, cereal and milk or peanut butter and apple slices are good options. Eating snacks with both carbohydrate and protein helps the body stay fueled.
If weight loss is your goal, space meals and snacks three to four hours apart, no matter what time of day, and watch portion sizes.
Fueling the body is a matter of timing. The longer you wait between meals, the more you tend to eat at the next meal. Three to four hours between meals is about the right amount of time to keep blood sugar levels in control.
Plan snacks with small portions in mind. Crackers and low fat cheese, yogurt and fruit, cereal and milk or peanut butter and apple slices are good options. Eating snacks with both carbohydrate and protein helps the body stay fueled.
If weight loss is your goal, space meals and snacks three to four hours apart, no matter what time of day, and watch portion sizes.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Speedball Tournament
DECA will be sponsoring a Speedball tournament set to take place November 24th at 6pm. See a DECA representative for more details on cost per team and players per team.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
MRSA Concerns
(CNN) -- A 6-foot-4 football player is more than a million times the size of a typical Staphylococcus bacterium. But under the right conditions, that athlete could find himself defenseless against the microscopic bug.
Kellen Winslow recently had a second staph infection and has accused his team of covering it up.
The problem came to the forefront last week with Cleveland Browns player Kellen Winslow, who recently had his second staph infection. He is reportedly the sixth player to acquire staph among the Browns in five years.
Winslow recently said the Browns treated him like a "piece of meat" when he was hospitalized for the condition, and he claimed they covered up the cause of his illness.
After Winslow spoke out, the organization suspended him for one game, then rescinded the suspension after a settlement with Winslow over the weekend. The Browns said in a statement Saturday that the team and Winslow had worked through their differences, and that the team looked forward to his return. Winslow joined the team again Monday.
Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts was revealed to have a staph infection, the Indianapolis Star reported Friday. University of North Carolina-Asheville fans also recently learned that Kenny George, the 7-foot-7 center on the basketball team, had a staph infection complication that led to part of his foot being amputated.
It's unclear how these high-profile athletes acquired their infections. But the topic is generating buzz throughout the sports world as more players' staph cases are revealed. Hospitals have long been known to be hot spots for transmitting staph, but recently cases have cropped up in other community settings. Regardless of where these players got their infections, the close quarters of a locker room raise questions about overall risks.
About 30 percent of people carry staph in their noses without exhibiting symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Don't Miss
CDC: Questions and answers about MRSA among athletes
Experts say Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a form of staph resistant to common antibiotics, has become a more prevalent problem in settings such as contact sports that involve skin-to-skin touching.
Most MRSA infections acquired in community settings present themselves as sores or boils and often appear red, swollen, painful or with drainage such as pus, the CDC says. Infections often occur in cuts and abrasions but also on body parts covered in hair, such as the back of the neck, armpit or groin.
Schools, prisons and other crowded environments are particularly known for transmitting MRSA, said. Elaine Larson, professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.
MRSA may spread particularly easily among athletes because they have repeated skin-to-skin contact, share items and surfaces that touch skin and have a hard time staying clean, the CDC says. Athletes often get cuts and abrasions; MRSA can enter uncovered skin breaks and cause infection.
Dr. James Steinberg, medical director at Emory University's Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, said that environment plays a role in the spread of MRSA but that it's less a factor than coming into contact with a person's skin.
"If you have somebody who has an infection -- he has a draining infection -- and he gets some of his pus on a bench, that staph's going to be there for hours or days before it dries out," he said. "But the higher concentration is going to be on that person's skin."
A second infection in the same person could result from re-exposure or from treatment that didn't get rid of the bacteria colonization, he said.
MRSA has been around in hospital settings since the 1970s, but community-associated MRSA was born in the late 1990s, and is now widespread in the community, said CDC spokesperson Nicole Coffin. A report from the CDC said that the deaths of four children from MRSA in North Dakota and Minnesota during the late 1990s "demonstrate the potential severity of community-acquired MRSA infections."
A study on the St. Louis Rams published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003 found that during the 2003 football season, there were eight MRSA infections among five of the 58 Rams players.
Health Library
MayoClinic.com: Staph infections
To protect against MRSA, the CDC recommends practicing good personal hygiene and taking care of your skin, which includes wearing protective clothing and covering cuts and abrasions with clean, dry bandages. Also, do not share items that come into contact with your skin, such as towels, razors and ointments. Put something between your skin and shared equipment -- for example, sit on a towel on a bench.
Larson said she is not directly familiar with Winslow's situation but understands the dilemma that a team would face if a player contracted a staph infection. There could be economic and psychosocial repercussions -- for example, another team might not want to play against that one, she said.
But in general, other team members should be made aware of the situation so they do not share towels or engage in other behaviors that might transmit the infection.
Still, there is a danger of overreaction, she said. In some instances when a child in a public school has died, the whole school panicked and fumigated the facility, she said.
"It's a good idea to avoid that level of fear, because it's costly and it scares people unnecessarily," she said.
On Thursday, the Brown's General Manager Phil Savage said the team did not alert players to Winslow's staph infection partly because of the health privacy laws and partly because the team was in "game mode" when Winslow had a confirmed diagnosis.
"To come out and talk about that just was going to be another distraction," Savage said on his regular weekly appearance on WTAM radio in Cleveland, Ohio. "That's our job, is to limit distractions as much as we can."
Winslow said in a statement released through his publicist, Denice White of EAG Sports Management, that he had been discouraged from making the issue public.
"This has nothing to do with football, and this has nothing to with my current contract situation," he said. "This is a health concern."
Kellen Winslow recently had a second staph infection and has accused his team of covering it up.
The problem came to the forefront last week with Cleveland Browns player Kellen Winslow, who recently had his second staph infection. He is reportedly the sixth player to acquire staph among the Browns in five years.
Winslow recently said the Browns treated him like a "piece of meat" when he was hospitalized for the condition, and he claimed they covered up the cause of his illness.
After Winslow spoke out, the organization suspended him for one game, then rescinded the suspension after a settlement with Winslow over the weekend. The Browns said in a statement Saturday that the team and Winslow had worked through their differences, and that the team looked forward to his return. Winslow joined the team again Monday.
Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts was revealed to have a staph infection, the Indianapolis Star reported Friday. University of North Carolina-Asheville fans also recently learned that Kenny George, the 7-foot-7 center on the basketball team, had a staph infection complication that led to part of his foot being amputated.
It's unclear how these high-profile athletes acquired their infections. But the topic is generating buzz throughout the sports world as more players' staph cases are revealed. Hospitals have long been known to be hot spots for transmitting staph, but recently cases have cropped up in other community settings. Regardless of where these players got their infections, the close quarters of a locker room raise questions about overall risks.
About 30 percent of people carry staph in their noses without exhibiting symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Don't Miss
CDC: Questions and answers about MRSA among athletes
Experts say Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a form of staph resistant to common antibiotics, has become a more prevalent problem in settings such as contact sports that involve skin-to-skin touching.
Most MRSA infections acquired in community settings present themselves as sores or boils and often appear red, swollen, painful or with drainage such as pus, the CDC says. Infections often occur in cuts and abrasions but also on body parts covered in hair, such as the back of the neck, armpit or groin.
Schools, prisons and other crowded environments are particularly known for transmitting MRSA, said. Elaine Larson, professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.
MRSA may spread particularly easily among athletes because they have repeated skin-to-skin contact, share items and surfaces that touch skin and have a hard time staying clean, the CDC says. Athletes often get cuts and abrasions; MRSA can enter uncovered skin breaks and cause infection.
Dr. James Steinberg, medical director at Emory University's Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, said that environment plays a role in the spread of MRSA but that it's less a factor than coming into contact with a person's skin.
"If you have somebody who has an infection -- he has a draining infection -- and he gets some of his pus on a bench, that staph's going to be there for hours or days before it dries out," he said. "But the higher concentration is going to be on that person's skin."
A second infection in the same person could result from re-exposure or from treatment that didn't get rid of the bacteria colonization, he said.
MRSA has been around in hospital settings since the 1970s, but community-associated MRSA was born in the late 1990s, and is now widespread in the community, said CDC spokesperson Nicole Coffin. A report from the CDC said that the deaths of four children from MRSA in North Dakota and Minnesota during the late 1990s "demonstrate the potential severity of community-acquired MRSA infections."
A study on the St. Louis Rams published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003 found that during the 2003 football season, there were eight MRSA infections among five of the 58 Rams players.
Health Library
MayoClinic.com: Staph infections
To protect against MRSA, the CDC recommends practicing good personal hygiene and taking care of your skin, which includes wearing protective clothing and covering cuts and abrasions with clean, dry bandages. Also, do not share items that come into contact with your skin, such as towels, razors and ointments. Put something between your skin and shared equipment -- for example, sit on a towel on a bench.
Larson said she is not directly familiar with Winslow's situation but understands the dilemma that a team would face if a player contracted a staph infection. There could be economic and psychosocial repercussions -- for example, another team might not want to play against that one, she said.
But in general, other team members should be made aware of the situation so they do not share towels or engage in other behaviors that might transmit the infection.
Still, there is a danger of overreaction, she said. In some instances when a child in a public school has died, the whole school panicked and fumigated the facility, she said.
"It's a good idea to avoid that level of fear, because it's costly and it scares people unnecessarily," she said.
On Thursday, the Brown's General Manager Phil Savage said the team did not alert players to Winslow's staph infection partly because of the health privacy laws and partly because the team was in "game mode" when Winslow had a confirmed diagnosis.
"To come out and talk about that just was going to be another distraction," Savage said on his regular weekly appearance on WTAM radio in Cleveland, Ohio. "That's our job, is to limit distractions as much as we can."
Winslow said in a statement released through his publicist, Denice White of EAG Sports Management, that he had been discouraged from making the issue public.
"This has nothing to do with football, and this has nothing to with my current contract situation," he said. "This is a health concern."
Managing Your Food and Your Mood
How we feel can often be a result of what we eat. But what we eat can also be due to how we feel.
Food and body chemicals interact to keep us going. When our moods change, so do our body chemicals. There are things we can do to manage the foods we eat when our moods change.
Stress often leads to a craving for carbohydrates, because they boost serotonin, which has a calming effect. Choosing more complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain products, beans and vegetables, can help you increase the nutritional content of your meals and snacks.
“Afternoon lows” are often a result of poor meal timing or food choices. Space meals three to four hours apart and choose low-fat protein and complex carbohydrates for your meals.
Food and body chemicals interact to keep us going. When our moods change, so do our body chemicals. There are things we can do to manage the foods we eat when our moods change.
Stress often leads to a craving for carbohydrates, because they boost serotonin, which has a calming effect. Choosing more complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain products, beans and vegetables, can help you increase the nutritional content of your meals and snacks.
“Afternoon lows” are often a result of poor meal timing or food choices. Space meals three to four hours apart and choose low-fat protein and complex carbohydrates for your meals.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Cold Weather Blues??
Feel down? In a funk? Even a short interval of physical activity might be the mood booster you need! Research shows that regular physical activity may help reduce stress and may lower the chances of—or speed the relief of—depression.
What’s the exercise link to mental health? The reasons aren’t clear. But it might be partly chemical: perhaps more endorphins released in the brain or more phenylethylamine (a natural amphetamine) released with aerobic movement. Or maybe it’s the feeling of accomplishment that comes with meeting a fitness goal or the distraction from stress-provoking events.
Let the mood-boosting benefits get you in the mood to move today!
Fit in at least 10 active minutes of walking today. Then work up to 60 minutes—regularly!
Get going with a friend. Camaraderie is mood-boosting, too.
What’s the exercise link to mental health? The reasons aren’t clear. But it might be partly chemical: perhaps more endorphins released in the brain or more phenylethylamine (a natural amphetamine) released with aerobic movement. Or maybe it’s the feeling of accomplishment that comes with meeting a fitness goal or the distraction from stress-provoking events.
Let the mood-boosting benefits get you in the mood to move today!
Fit in at least 10 active minutes of walking today. Then work up to 60 minutes—regularly!
Get going with a friend. Camaraderie is mood-boosting, too.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
S.O.S. Prevention
We will be running a program for all freshman and sophomores at NHS regarding Suicide Prevention. If you are taking place in this program you need to have your permission slip passed in asap. See Mr. Vitelli with any questions.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Get Fit!
If you've got $20 and access to your own OR your parents checking account then you can join Planet Fitness DIRT CHEAP! The $20 is for the the sign up fee and then your checking account (or your parents) will be deducted only $10!! a month to workout at Planet Fitness. $120 a year is an absolute steal for a membership. Along with your membership you also get a free t-shirt just for signing up. All you need to do is bring your Norton ID and tell the people at the front desk that you'd like the "Norton High School" membership. Good luck and happy working out. This deal applies to any NHS student, not just those currently in the Wellness class. See Mr. Vitelli if you have any questions.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Cold and Flu Season
Your Guide to the Cold and Flu!
So you aren’t feeling well and you want to know if it’s just the common cold (not as bad) or if you have the flu (more serious). Here are the signs and symptoms of the flu.
Source: www.flufacts.com
Symptoms
Fever Aches (usually very severe)
Chills (very common)
Tiredness (severe)
Sudden Symptoms (can appear very quickly, 3-6 hours)
Coughing (dry, unproductive cough)
Headache
Chest Discomfort
Flu Prevention Information Question:
What is the best way to prevent getting the flu?
Answer: Get the flu vaccine and wash your hands regularly.
Question: What are the peak flu months?
Answer: January and February.
Question: Is the flu vaccine 100% effective in preventing the flu?
Answer: No, it’s 70%-90% effective. It depends on the strains of flu that is in the vaccine compared to the strain that is spreading during flu season.
Question: Besides the vaccine, what are other effective ways of preventing the flu?
Answer: Hand washing regularly, coughing into your shoulder not your hands or forearm, limiting the amount you touch your face, as this is one way of getting the virus.
Question: How many flu viruses are in the vaccine?
Answer: Three.
Question: Who should be vaccinated? A
nswer: The elderly, children, those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women and those living in close living environments (college students).
Question: Who shouldn’t get vaccinated?
Answer: If you have a severe allergy to chicken or eggs, have had a severe reaction to the shot in the past, children under 6 months, of if you have a fever.
Question: How does the flu spread?
Answer: The flu spreads from person to person in respiratory droplets when people who are infected cough or sneeze. The person becomes infected through inhalation, or my touching something with the virus on it then touching their mouth, nose or eyes. What to do if you get the flu? Get rest, drink plenty of fluids, take some over the counter medications to relieve they symptoms and stay home to prevent spreading the virus. See a doctor if symptoms worsen or if you have a high fever that doesn’t break after a day.
Prevention of the flu: (Source: www.cdc.gov) Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too. Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from school and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent other from catching your illness. Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or turn into your shoulder when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his/her eyes, nose or mouth. Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious foods.
So you aren’t feeling well and you want to know if it’s just the common cold (not as bad) or if you have the flu (more serious). Here are the signs and symptoms of the flu.
Source: www.flufacts.com
Symptoms
Fever Aches (usually very severe)
Chills (very common)
Tiredness (severe)
Sudden Symptoms (can appear very quickly, 3-6 hours)
Coughing (dry, unproductive cough)
Headache
Chest Discomfort
Flu Prevention Information Question:
What is the best way to prevent getting the flu?
Answer: Get the flu vaccine and wash your hands regularly.
Question: What are the peak flu months?
Answer: January and February.
Question: Is the flu vaccine 100% effective in preventing the flu?
Answer: No, it’s 70%-90% effective. It depends on the strains of flu that is in the vaccine compared to the strain that is spreading during flu season.
Question: Besides the vaccine, what are other effective ways of preventing the flu?
Answer: Hand washing regularly, coughing into your shoulder not your hands or forearm, limiting the amount you touch your face, as this is one way of getting the virus.
Question: How many flu viruses are in the vaccine?
Answer: Three.
Question: Who should be vaccinated? A
nswer: The elderly, children, those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women and those living in close living environments (college students).
Question: Who shouldn’t get vaccinated?
Answer: If you have a severe allergy to chicken or eggs, have had a severe reaction to the shot in the past, children under 6 months, of if you have a fever.
Question: How does the flu spread?
Answer: The flu spreads from person to person in respiratory droplets when people who are infected cough or sneeze. The person becomes infected through inhalation, or my touching something with the virus on it then touching their mouth, nose or eyes. What to do if you get the flu? Get rest, drink plenty of fluids, take some over the counter medications to relieve they symptoms and stay home to prevent spreading the virus. See a doctor if symptoms worsen or if you have a high fever that doesn’t break after a day.
Prevention of the flu: (Source: www.cdc.gov) Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too. Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from school and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent other from catching your illness. Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or turn into your shoulder when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his/her eyes, nose or mouth. Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious foods.
Friday, September 19, 2008
FOX 25
Click here to vote for the Norton vs. Dover-Sherborn football game to be covered by FOX 25!!!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
SNACK ATTACK??? How to Snack Healthy!
You may find yourself wanting to snack more after Wellness class. This is totally normal, AND...it's a good thing! Between our agility workouts, fitness walks, and resistance training you are effectively raising your resting metabolic rate which burns more calories and can leaving you craving a healthy snack. However, fight the urge to grab a twinkie or cupcake and instead go for something healthier. You'll find that the more healthy you get, the more healthy your body wants you to eat. Here are some snack facts and also some snacks that are tasty and healthy. Enjoy!!
Snacking
Why is snacking good for you?
Healthy snacks are good for you!
They give you vitamins and nutrients that your body needs.
Give you energy and improves concentration.
Keeps you from overeating at meals or splurging on unhealthy foods.
Helps control weight and may keep blood cholesterol down.
Snacking Tips
“Plan ahead. Bring fruit, veggies or other healthy snacks with you.”
“Snack consciously. Pay attention to what you’re eating so you won’t over eat. Try snacking without doing anything else.”
“Choose nutrient rich foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains).”
“Watch for fat and calories. Read food labels and make sure you’re not eating more fat/calories per serving then you think.”
Space meals and snacks 3-4 hours apart to keep the body fueled.
Control your portions and monitor the serving size.
If you’re hungry late at night don’t ignore it, choose low-fat low calorie foods, and eat small portions.
Healthy Snack Choices
Toast with Jelly or peanut butter
Crackers and low fat cheese
Crackers with peanut butter
Yogurt (plain or add extra fruit or granola)
Fruit: Fresh, canned, frozen – eaten plain
Fruit with cheese
Cereal, Pretzels
Raisins or other dried fruits
Peanut butter and apple slices
Raw veggies and low fat dip
Pudding made with low fat milk
Micro-waved low fat popcorn
Half a bagel with hummus and a slice of tomato
Sunflower or pumpkin seeds, mixed nuts and dried fruit (watch portions)
A glass of Milk or a Yogurt smoothie
Homemade fruit pops
Frozen “chips”: Sliced banana, frozen
Homemade baked tortilla chips
Pita bread with cheese, hummus, or bean dip
Mini pizzas on English muffins or a mini pita (just add sauce and some cheese)
Ants on a log: Celery with peanut butter and raisins
Rice cake with peanut butter and jelly
Snacking
Why is snacking good for you?
Healthy snacks are good for you!
They give you vitamins and nutrients that your body needs.
Give you energy and improves concentration.
Keeps you from overeating at meals or splurging on unhealthy foods.
Helps control weight and may keep blood cholesterol down.
Snacking Tips
“Plan ahead. Bring fruit, veggies or other healthy snacks with you.”
“Snack consciously. Pay attention to what you’re eating so you won’t over eat. Try snacking without doing anything else.”
“Choose nutrient rich foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains).”
“Watch for fat and calories. Read food labels and make sure you’re not eating more fat/calories per serving then you think.”
Space meals and snacks 3-4 hours apart to keep the body fueled.
Control your portions and monitor the serving size.
If you’re hungry late at night don’t ignore it, choose low-fat low calorie foods, and eat small portions.
Healthy Snack Choices
Toast with Jelly or peanut butter
Crackers and low fat cheese
Crackers with peanut butter
Yogurt (plain or add extra fruit or granola)
Fruit: Fresh, canned, frozen – eaten plain
Fruit with cheese
Cereal, Pretzels
Raisins or other dried fruits
Peanut butter and apple slices
Raw veggies and low fat dip
Pudding made with low fat milk
Micro-waved low fat popcorn
Half a bagel with hummus and a slice of tomato
Sunflower or pumpkin seeds, mixed nuts and dried fruit (watch portions)
A glass of Milk or a Yogurt smoothie
Homemade fruit pops
Frozen “chips”: Sliced banana, frozen
Homemade baked tortilla chips
Pita bread with cheese, hummus, or bean dip
Mini pizzas on English muffins or a mini pita (just add sauce and some cheese)
Ants on a log: Celery with peanut butter and raisins
Rice cake with peanut butter and jelly
Friday, September 12, 2008
New Look Wellness
I've begun to get some feedback on our new look wellness program and most of it has been very positive. I'd like to thank those of you in the wellness class who have done such an amazing job of participating. I have a hunch that even those of you who were a little reluctant to do some of the agility work are actually, dare I say it, enjoying it. Those of you who are slow to warm up to the notion of the new format, please understand that THIS is how wellness programs are run around the country. The days of people just sitting on the sidelines and bouncing a ball are over. Being active is HEALTHY and being healthy is being FIT FOR LIFE! Please share your comments about the new program. Also keep in mind that we really want to take advantage of our outdoor time since the cold weather months are fast approaching.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Exciting News!
Think about something that REALLY gets you excited. It may be a video game, items of clothing, weekends, restaurants, etc. I wanted to preface this blog entry with that so maybe you can understand better why what I'm about to share excites me. It has to do with CPR and saving lives!! THAT is the kind of thing that excites Wellness teachers. It may be boring to you (as video games are to me) but what I'm about to share is something as a Wellness department that we are stoked about.Through the cooperation of Wheaton College and the Norton Fire Dept. each student is going to get an opportunity to learn some basics about CPR AND to take home an inflatable "Annie" doll that comes with a life saving DVD and get the opportunity to share their knew found knowledge with others in their life. If someone dropped in front of you and was in cardiac arrest, would you be able to do anything to help keep that person alive long enough for medical personal to arrive? Anyone can call 911, but can you keep the heart pumping and keep oxygen going to that person's brain long enough? What if that person were a neighbor, a teacher, a friend or worse a familly member?? Even if you didn't have the courage to perform the task, you might be able to walk someone through it that could. This presentation along with the take home "practice" doll might be the difference between someone you love living or dying. This is a one of a kind program right now and we at NHS are very fortunate to have been selected to take part in this program. I am excited that we all get an opportunity to learn some valuable "life saving" skills and also get a chance to pass it along. If you're not excited about this or you can't embrace it the way we as a department will, then we ask you to pass it along to your family members so that they can appreciate the importance of this opportunity. We really feel like this ties into our "new look" Wellness program and really puts the emphasis on a healthier living style. Fit for now, FIT FOR LIFE!
One Day, One Cause, One Cure
Did you know that one in every eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime? That’s one every three minutes. There’s something you can do to fight back against this disease, and we asking for your help.
Lee National Denim Day® is one of the largest single-day fundraisers for breast cancer. On October 3rd, millions of people nationwide will slip into their favorite jeans and make a $5 donation to support the Women’s Cancer Programs of EIF, who are bringing together world-class scientists to develop an early detection blood test and working in Lee Labs nationwide to find less toxic, more effective treatments for breast cancer patients. Stonehill College is proud to support this event and the fight against breast cancer. Just send in your donation by cash or check to my attention with one of the attached tribute cards if you would like and your name & department. We will let your supervisor know that you support Breast Cancer Research and can wear jeans to work on 10/3!
Once we have received all of our donations we will publish the names we pay tribute to unless you choose that they remain anonymous. Please indicate on your tribute card if you would prefer it to be anonymous.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Mr. Vitelli, Mr. Currle, Ms. DeSorcy
Lee National Denim Day® is one of the largest single-day fundraisers for breast cancer. On October 3rd, millions of people nationwide will slip into their favorite jeans and make a $5 donation to support the Women’s Cancer Programs of EIF, who are bringing together world-class scientists to develop an early detection blood test and working in Lee Labs nationwide to find less toxic, more effective treatments for breast cancer patients. Stonehill College is proud to support this event and the fight against breast cancer. Just send in your donation by cash or check to my attention with one of the attached tribute cards if you would like and your name & department. We will let your supervisor know that you support Breast Cancer Research and can wear jeans to work on 10/3!
Once we have received all of our donations we will publish the names we pay tribute to unless you choose that they remain anonymous. Please indicate on your tribute card if you would prefer it to be anonymous.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Mr. Vitelli, Mr. Currle, Ms. DeSorcy
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
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