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Lisa

Articles by Lisa

5 Ways Water Wins & Healthy Fuel Resources for Athletes!



Everyone knows that drinking water is a healthy habit, but how much and often and what are some of the benefits? For young athletes drinking water is much healthier than Gatorade or other sports drinks that are often high in added sugars. In fact, a 24-ounce Gatorade contains 34 grams of sugar and also contains large amounts of sodium as well. The Healthy Kids Hub has provided easy to use infographics that portray all the benefits of drinking water for athletes young or old, showing the benefits of water, like that it's free and doctors recommend it in their resource "5 Ways Water Wins", offered both in English and in Spanish. Another great resource offered in English and Spanish is the "Healthy Fuel for Healthy Athletes", which encourages young athletes to consume fruits and ...

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High School Student Helps Families Have Healthy Food Access



Fish, quinoa, canned vegetables and low-sodium soups are just some of the things that people are searching for at the food banks in New Albany (3.7% Latino), but not getting access to, according to High School junior Anna Perkins from Floyd Central High School. Now Ambassador-level Girl Scout, Perkins is working to make sure all in need of healthier foods, have access. Recognizing that many people who go to the food banks already have health risks such has high blood pressure and diabetes, Perkins decided to help create a checklist to help people donate healthier food items. Now, for over a year, Perkins worked with Hope Southern Indiana Food Bank to complete her Gold Award project which helps organizations and groups to use an outline that highlights healthier choices to ...

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See How Maryland Teens Say No To Sugary Drinks



How can teens combat the millions of dollars spent on advertising every year from the beverage companies? How about a bit of their own media. One out of every 4 children in Howard County (HoCo) is obese or overweight. Maryland teens are sick of this and are telling big soda to get the hint. They know that sugary beverages like soda and Gatorade are linked to higher risks for heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, and they are not afraid to spread this news to friends, family, and everyone through YouTube and social media. Involved with the Horizon Foundation, a non-profit whose mission is to improve the health and wellness of people who live or work in Howard County, Maryland, the Better Choices Coalition is a group of organizations, and concerned citizens leading an effort to ...

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Free Water Stations to Be Built Citywide in SF



San Francisco (41.9% Latino), will now enjoy the refreshing ability to have clean water access in neighborhoods across the city, where free drinking water stations will be installed thanks to community collaborations. The collaborations include the City of San Francisco, the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), and other community groups that are hoping to help lower-income neighborhoods have access to quality water, and reduce the high rates of obesity and diabetes. Diabetes, impacts around two million Latinos in the U.S. and about 95% of all diabetes cases are Type 2.  This type of Diabetes develops when the body doesn't make enough insulin and can lead to serious health risks like heart attacks, strokes, depression and more. Latinos often live in neighborhoods ...

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Optimistic Views on Budget Lead Sugary Tax Drink Proposal in Illinois



Estimates of $550 million annually to help the Illinois state budget fund Medicaid and support community prevention of obesity is bringing a positive outlook for lawmakers, business owners and health advocates alike in regards to a new sugary drink tax proposal. The sugary tax was introduced by Senator Mattie Hunter and Representative Robyn Gabel as of the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Proposal for the Illinois Budget. Health advocates excited about the proposal, hope that funds raised will go to help offset the state's Medicaid expenses and provide millions in funding for community health and prevention of obesity through a wellness fund for the community. Currently, 62.2% of adults are overweight and 27.6% are obese and 1 in 3 children in the state are obese or ...

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Mom Starts Petition for Healthier Checkout Lanes


food shopping grocery store

Telling reporters and gaining attention from Good Morning America, Michigan mom, and healthy food advocate, Jane Kramer has started a petition towards healthier checkouts for retailers. The mom explained in her online petition, that stores should do more to combat the obesity epidemic, by providing shoppers with healthier foods at checkouts instead of encouraging impulse buys of junk food that are often sold with tabloids as well. Kramer is asking a specific retailer in Michigan, Meijer, that has over 220 stores across the state, to provide children's books along with healthier snack options at checkout lanes. More than 1,195 supporters have signed her petition to help create healthier checkout aisles where kids are often faced with soda, candy, and chips. As Kramers hopes, kids ...

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Guide to Help Corner Stores Healthier Places to Shop



Latino communities often have more access to fast food and corner stores with less access to healthy foods, so ensuring healthier food access is available in corner stores is an important avenue to help bring healthier foods and diets to Latino neighborhoods. Research shows that increased access to supermarkets can help Latino communities economic vitality and is linked to healthier body weights, so how can corner stores play a part in healthier food access for Latinos? A new guide from the Food and Nutrition Service of USDA can help corner stores sell healthier foods, with strategies on marketing and displaying healthy food and beverage options, sourcing these options and making changes to their overall stores. The Healthy Corner Store Guide helps corner store owners learn how ...

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Pre-K kids are Influenced by Unhealthy Marketing Shows New Study



Many Latino preschool kids deal with heavy advertisements of unhealthy food marketing and consume more sugary beverages and junk foods than their peers. Now a new study highlights the importance of healthier food marketing to kids of preschool age. The study reported on in Pediatrics found that food advertisement exposure may actually encourage more eating among the young, and depending on which foods are offered, could be adding to a risk for unhealthy weights. Sixty children ages two to five were given a healthy snack then asked to watch a 14-minute TV ad, half watching an ad about food, the other half watching an ad featuring a department store. They were then given an option after seeing the ads to consume more snack foods, where the kids who saw the food ad ate 30 more ...

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New Study on Healthier Checkout Lanes is a Win-Win



What would you think of fruit slices or nuts in your grocery stores check out lanes? A recent study explored how consumers felt after a healthy in-store marketing study was conducted and how it can impact sales. Before the study was started, a pre-intervention study revealed many consumers had concerns and were annoyed with unhealthy snacks being placed and promoted throughout the store. Shoppers had reported a concern for many families that struggle with children pleading for unhealthy snacks at checkout, and believed stores should avoid unhealthy marketing. Candies and sugar confectionery were then replaced at one checkout lane in four stores. After four weeks interviews with consumers revealed positive attitudes towards the healthy marketing checkout lanes and ...

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