Carolina Arana DMD, MPH

CHEC Pro Contributor

Editor of PublicHealthObserver.com

Physical Activity helps improve your overall health and fitness, and reduces your risk for many chronic diseases. Regular physical activity is important for good health, and it’s especially important if you’re trying to control and maintain a healthy weight.

Fitting regular exercise into your daily schedule may seem difficult at first, but knowing and following these physical activity guidelines, will help you to reach your physical activity goals through different types and amounts of activities each week; and you will start making exercise part of your daily routine. It’s easier than you think!

Guidelines

For Important Health Benefits

Adults need at least:

• 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., walking) each week AND
• Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

OR

• 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity  (i.e., jogging or running) every week AND
• Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms).

OR

• An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity AND
• Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms).

For Even Greater Health Benefits

Adults should increase their activity to:

• 5 hours (300 minutes) each week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., walking) each week AND

• Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms).

OR

• 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity  (i.e., jogging or running) every week AND
• Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms).

OR

• An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity AND
• Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms).

It is best to spread your activity out during the week, but you can break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day.

Remember: There is no need to think of strenuous exercise or boring workouts. Instead, do the fun activities you enjoy and watch the health benefits follow!

Source: Physical Activity Guidelines fro Americans, HHS

Carolina Arana DMD, MPH

CHEC Pro Contributor

Editor of PublicHealthObserver.com

You’ve probably heard the phrase “you are what you eat”. It’s true that food is broken down and transformed into cells, hormones, muscles and YOU! When you think of food in this way, it can be easier to make healthy and nutritious choices for your body. March is the National Nutrition Month and today can be your time to focus on making informed food choices for a balanced and healthy diet. Here are some nutritional tips to encourage proper eating habits and develop sound eating. Live by the 80/20 rule. Eating nutritious foods 80% of the time and “fun” foods 20% of the time is a healthy goal. It is time to really ENJOY the moment of eating and improve your HEALTH!

1. Eat breakfast. It boosts your energy, metabolism and mental focus.

2. Enjoy 2-4 servings of fruit each day. One serving is equal to 1/2 cup.

3. Drink water. Aim for 8-12 cups each day.

4. Avoid Trans fats. They increase your risk of heart disease.

5. Slow down. Savoring your food in a calm environment helps you tune-in to your body’s signals.

6. Eat 4-6 servings of vegetables daily.

7. Space your meals evenly throughout the day and eat a healthy snack between each meal. Too much time between meals can drop your energy levels, decrease your metabolism and result in overeating.

8. Nuts – Grab a small handful 3-5 times per week.

9. Monitor your sodium intake. Less than 2,300 mg each day is ideal – that’s about 1 teaspoon of salt.

10. Aim for 3-6 servings of grains each day. Rich in energy-boosting carbohydrates, vitamins and fiber, they’re important for overall health. One serving is equal to 1/2-cup cooked (rice, pasta, oats) or 1 oz. (1 slice bread). Gradually increase your daily fiber intake to 25-35 grams.

11. Fish for Omega-3’s. Two to three servings per week are good for your heart, brain and body.

12. Get the nutrition facts. The front of a package won’t tell you the whole story. Read labels and compare key nutrients calories, serving size, fat, fiber, calcium, and ingredients to make the best choice.

13. Consume 5 to 6.5 ounces of protein daily. Examples include: half a chicken breast (3 oz), 1 can tuna (3.5 oz), 1 Tbsp peanut butter (1 oz), 1 egg (1 oz) and 1/2 cup cooked beans (2 oz).

14. Cut the fat. Reduced-fat varieties of your favorite foods (skim milk, low-fat yogurt, etc.) will help you consume fewer calories and watch your waistline. Only 30% of your calories should come from fat–that’s 45-65 grams daily.

15. Modify your recipes. Keep the tradition and boost the nutrition by making substitutions: whole grain flour, less salt, heart-healthy fats, half the sugar, and beans instead of meat.

16. Sweeten without sugar. Sugar and corn syrup add calories to foods, but have no nutritional value.

17. Protect your bones with calcium. Aim for 3 servings of calcium-rich foods daily, such as 1 cup milk, 1 cup yogurt and 1-2 oz of cheese. Non-dairy alternatives that are fortified with calcium also make good choices.

18. Watch your portions.

19. Gradually increase your daily fiber intake to 25-35 grams.

20. Change your diet with the seasons and try a variety of colorful foods.

Plan and prepare healthy meals and make healthy food choices!

by Bobby Green

Our community happens to have highest crime rate in the city (Zone 5). However, I cannot agree with the media or the politicians who state that crime is on the rise. For one thing, the city just closed all it’s public housing facilities and dispersed the residents throughout the city. What we are witnessing in the city is what I call crime displacement. Meaning, with the economy this bad, the criminals operating in the underserved communities run out of victims so they target more lucrative neighborhoods.  These neighborhoods are often within 10 to 20 minutes from their surroundings, which is evident by the increase activities in Washington Park, Georgia Tech, AU center, Grant Park, etc. It’s also proof that more job opportunities need to be created in these underserved areas like Simpson Road, Bankhead, Boulevard, Mechanicsville, etc., if we really want to increase the city’s safety and quality of life.

“What we are witnessing in the city is what I call crime displacement.”

This is the new webpage and blog for CHEC Pro. We are constantly improving and we believe that a web presence is a very important component of our work and a way to increase our outreach capacity.

We recognize that we learn everyday so your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

by Sasha Green

CHEC Pro will begin our afterschool program at the Anderson Park Police Athletic League (PAL) facility. Children in grades k- 12 will have an opportunity to join this exclusive after school program. Kids CHEC is unique in that parental involvement is mandatory if the child is going to participate.

The program focuses on scholastic improvement, artistic development and other fun activities! Our goal is to get parents actively involved in their children’s lives. CHEC Pro will be working with the schools and the parents to increase the children’s interest in academics and their overall performance. This will lead to better communication between the schools and parents.

In addition to scholastics and the arts, we stress the importance of giving back by serving our community…a lesson not only for children to learn but for parents as well, for they are the first teachers of our children and the foundation of our communities.

Sasha Green, Co-Founder/Exec. Dir.—

”These children are great and have so much potential to be even greater!”

By Shena Jackson

Hidden Village Apartments in Dixie Hills was once home to high crime and poverty. The apartments went into foreclosure. Now it’s just an eyesore. One problem to another!

Death, pain, violence and suffering; these are things that youth experience in my neighborhood everyday and accept as the norm. In our community, the youth need to stop the violence because teens are killing and hurting each other daily.  The zip code 30314 has the highest murder rate of 43% in our community. (www.atlantaapd.org) It is time for the parents to come together and act as role models for the youth. The violent crime comparison 30314 is 19.15%. (www.neighborhoodscout.com) It is saddening because the teens in our community grow up following their parent’s footsteps. Personally, I have seen first-hand how violence impacts families and teens.

My family and I lived in Rachel’s Walk apartments located in Northwest Atlanta.

One night, we witnessed a murder right in front of my mother’s door and since then, I have been impacted by this occurrence. I have dreams about the incident; it took a big toll over my family and I. Every time I walk around my community it hurts my heart to see what is currently happening in our community. I get scared sometimes because you never know when murder may happen to your family or you. Now I have a positive attitude about things I do in my community. If youth in our neighborhood wake up, get a job, and do something productive with their lives, our community will change.

What we need is a big change in our youth. I have accomplished a lot of positive things because I don’t hang around the neighborhood. The neighborhood does not provide a productive setting. I am choosing to set myself a part and hope to be an example to my peers. I have learned that hard work and dedication are important to success. I share these thoughts and values with my surrounding social network so that they too can make a change for the better. If we do the right thing and keep a positive mindset, we will have a good, loving, and caring community. I think if we go out in our community and helped other youth we may feel better, as long as we know they are doing something good in life.

Shena Jackson –Is a CNA currently caring for her dad who is hospitalized with cancer.

by Tiffany Glass

During my childhood, I experienced some of the same problems that many disadvantaged youth experience today. I grew up without my parents. When I was around them, I didn’t respect them much and even talked back to them. There was also period of time that I did not go to school. I did not have anybody to teach me right from wrong. Even through all of this, I still became a better person.

Making the right changes in my life and becoming a better person would have been easier if I had the support of my parents. There are children out there today that need that same support. Parents should take time out and be active in their children’s lives. Taking the time to talk with them about real life helps children to know that someone cares about them and it will make them want to change for the better.

Did you know that 90% of our elementary and middle school kids qualify for Atlanta free lunch programs? 73% of all our children live in single parent homes. Our zip code (30314) has the highest crime rate in Georgia.

Now it is time to make a change! It is time for mothers and fathers to take their place and do what’s right for their kids, to make their children’s lives better then what they had or lived. Parents should take their children and read a book to them productive activity in order to better their lives, futures.

When it comes time, children can show their mom, dad had a positive influence on their transition from childhood to adulthood. Now it’s time for parents to take action; if we had more assistance from the mom and dad’s; kids would excel. That’s why it is best for moms and dads to stop and help prepare them for what’s out there and to better them as a person. I am asking for everyone to take time to help out when you can. We can all do what we can to make this world a better place.

by April Reeves

The word on the street is that teens in our community have no future. This is nonsense! Not only do we have a future, we are the future! It’s up to us, as teens to make the necessary changes to ensure that our future is a great one. Education, in my opinion, is the key to creating a successful future. It is important for teens to understand that success isn’t doing just enough to get by; success only exists when coupled with hard work and determination. The only way one can evolve from the negative aspects of the urban community is to pursue the course of success.

I grew up in a lower-class family of which no one had ever graduated from high school. I had my mind set to graduate, even though it was not demanded that I do so. While trying to stay on top of my studies and achieve set goals, I approached many days when I just wanted to give up. Aside from feeling self-defeated at times, I approached another hindrance to my goal of graduation. When I was in the eleventh grade, I became pregnant, and gave birth to a beautiful little girl. At this time, the dropout rate was high in my community. Backfit’s statistics shows that only 54% of Georgia’s kids are graduating high school, with the high rates in Fulton, Gwinnett and Cobb. Immediately, people began to say that dropping out would be the next phase in my life.

However, in May 2009, I broke the cycle. I was the first of five children to graduate from high school. I had a sense of pride as I did not let my situations prohibit me from graduation. Because dropping out is so common in our community, staying in school was not stressed to kids. It was not uncommon to see a school-aged child hanging out on the street during school hours; no one would even think twice to stop and ask them why they were not in class. This is just one example, of many, that show that parents and adults are not engaged in their child’s educational activities.

In this community, children depend on each other as role models, but it is not wise to have one child learning from another. Nevertheless, if the parents were engaged in their child’s educational activities, the child would have been in school instead of the streets.

Parental involvement is very important during a child’s life. For example, it allows the parent and the child to bond. Also, the child’s attitude about school may be more positive than negative, and it would also increase the child’s security in knowing that their parents would be there to support them. I always tried to keep a positive mind set. I constantly remind myself that I will not be another statistic. A good way to stay focused is to let the negative opinions of others be your motivation. If people think that you can’t achieve it, have the mind set to prove them wrong. Get your education; pave your path to success. You are the future!

April Reeves –Currently enrolled at Atlanta Job Corps pursuing a CNA certificate.

By Jasmine Camps

—A student and resident of Florida, interned as CHEC Pro’s Health Outreach Coordinator this summer, and was instrumental in the success of this summer’s internship program.

CHEC Pro, is a nonprofit organization seeking to better the neighborhoods in Atlanta’s underserved areas, has expanded its boundaries this summer. CHEC Pro initiated a summer employment opportunity for the youth in the 30314 area code. True to form, CHEC Pro’s summer program encompasses three of the four CHEC pillars; Children, Education and Community.

CHEC Pro has always sought to assist the youth in the community, however, with the release of children from school and into idle summer days, CHEC Pro saw the need to create a productive environment for youth. Mr. Bobby Green, Founder/CEO, located two portals to meet this need; create jobs for teens through local businesses and formulate an alliance with Atlanta Workforce Development. Mr. Green visited business owners and discussed opportunities for youth. Through this connection, six teens in the community were connected to the McDonalds on Martin Luther King Drive for hire.

Through Atlanta Workforce Development Mr. Green was able to develop another area of employment, with assistance from Ms. Deborah Lum and Ms. Shana Ford, as well as Councilman Ivory Young. CHEC Pro hired interns to assist with administrative duties in the office. On July 6, 2009, CHEC Pro provided summer youth employment, as four young women, ages 18-22, was hired from the surrounding neighborhood. Upon their arrival, the interns discussed their ideas, goals and personal backgrounds. CHEC Pro utilized this information to create a work environment that would be catered towards enhancing their desired achievements. One intern wanted to further her nursing training and ultimately become a Registered Nurse, and others aimed to attend college with the purpose of studying psychology, entrepreneurship and social work. CHEC Pro began teaching interns computer skills using of programs such as Microsoft Office and Microsoft Excel. The internet was also an important tool as they learned research & writing skills, and proper techniques for email correspondence.

Their most current project is to complete a customer service training program taught by Mrs. Sasha Green, Executive Director and Co-Founder of CHEC Pro. Mrs. Green’s expertise in customer service is displayed in her successful training for the Department of Community Health, thus, overflowing into CHEC Pro’s goals of enhancing the interns and preparing them for college and careers. “Our goal was to give our youth an opportunity to earn an income while expanding their horizons and outlook for the future. This summer, we’ve accomplished that and more!”

This summer issue of CHEC Pro’s newsletter is unique, as it includes articles from the summer interns. It is important for them to stretch their writing skills and then have the ability to see their work distributed in public print. Their articles encompass personal issues and ideals, as they were instructed to write about events that impacted their lives or topics that they felt strongly about.

To date, CHEC Pro’s summer has been filled with excitement through expansion as we began the initial phase of our summer youth program. This has been a taste of what is to come with the hope of increasing the number of interns for summer 2010. “I see this summer program as a demonstration of CHEC Pro’s capacity to provide meaningful service to the community”, says CEO Bobby Green. Truly it is, as the community can anticipate numerous opportunities from CHEC Pro to create a more promising future for the youth in our community.