APRIL HEALTH BLOG

It’s April and most are still engaged in their New Year resolution of healthy eating and weight loss.  How are you doing?  I have to admit, I’ve slowed up a bit, but the thought of summer is really making me get serious again.  So let’s stay healthy!!

EVERY KID HEALTHY WEEK

Every Kid Healthy™ Week is an annual observance, April 24 – 28, created to celebrate school health, wellness achievements and to improve the relationship between nutrition, physical activity and learning.  Why??  Because healthy kids are better prepared to learn!

At Complete Health, an excellent choice in vitamin is Natural Vitality Kids Calm Multi.  Not only does it contain 24 fruits and veggies, it contains Omega-3, vitamins, minerals, calcium, amino acids and “natural calm magnesium!”  You actually had me at the fruits and veggies!

How can you get involved?  Here are a couple ideas:

• Host healthy foods taste test featuring fruits, vegetables, whole grains & low-fat dairy products.
• Create a school garden or refresh an existing one – invite parent volunteers to help.
• Plan a school-wide Field Day, Walk-a-Thon or Fun Run – engage parent volunteers to help with organization.

The Complete Health Store had the unique opportunity to sponsor Healthy Yummy for My Tummy, demonstrating how healthy eating can be fun for children under 5 years of age.  The kids were introduced to the importance of taking their vitamins and eating healthy fresh fruits and vegetables.  It was a fun filled day for the kids, their parents, teachers and the Complete Health staff.

http://www.everykidhealthyweek.org/

Women’s Eye Health

Women's Eye Health was formed in response to these eye opening facts:

• 2/3 of blindness and visual impairment occurs in women
• More than 3/4 of visual impairment is estimated to be preventable or correctable
• 1/3 of age-related macular disease and cataract may be due to smoking
• 4/5 of blindness and visual impairment occurs in developing countries
• The leading cause of low vision is uncorrected refractive error, cataract, and macular degeneration.
• Worldwide, more women than men were blind or had low vision due to cataract and macular degeneration.
• Of the common eye diseases, dry eye disease and autoimmune diseases are intrinsically more prevalent in women than in men.

Eye health is more prevalent in women because women live longer than men!   Eye health is

exacerbated by nutritional habits, smoking and/or the environment, but three-quarters of blindness and vision loss is preventable or treatable. 

Knowledge is Key!  Did you know the risk of death due to heart disease or cancer is basically the same as that for blindness and vision impairment?  These factors include smoking, excess weight, an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and exposure to UV rays.  How do you get healthy - by practicing a healthy lifestyle, having regular eye exams, and protecting your eyes from injury. 

• Lutein, “the eye vitamin,” is a carotenoid excellent for eye health by absorbing excess sunlight that may cause damage to the eye.  Foods rich in Lutein are broccoli, spinach, kale, corn, kiwi, grapes zucchini and squash.  Lutein is also used in the prevention of colon and breast cancers, Type-2 diabetes and heart disease.

• Bilberry, a relative of the cranberry, huckleberry and blueberry is also an excellent choice for eye health because of its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  It is used for improving eyesight including night vision, treating cataracts and retina disorders. 

As always, do not make changes to your medication regime without your doctor’s approval.   When found early, many sight-threatening diseases can be treated.  Here are some additional things to think about. 

• Do you know your family health history? 
• Do you know the warning signs of eye disease in adults and children?
• Is your family history prone to diseases such as glaucoma or macular degeneration? 

http://w-e-h.org/amd.html

http://w-e-h.org/cataract.html

http://w-e-h.org/diabetic-retinopathy.html

http://w-e-h.org/dry-eye-disease.html

WORLD HEALTH DAY     

World Health Day is celebrated April 7th each year to draw attention to current world health issues.  The World Health Organization (WHO), an agency of the United Nations, focusing on the world health.  Through its efforts, the eradication of small pox, communicable diseases and a particular focus on tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS were heightened.

The WHO has a constitution that countries involved in the United Nations had an opportunity to sign, and unanimously did, agreeing to the tenets laid out within to promote the general health of the globe.  Everyone should focus on improving overall health in the world, starting with you, your family and your community.  Consider blood banks, which are always in need of volunteers and efforts to keep healthy, fresh blood available for life savings endeavors.  

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-health-day/