You probably didn’t know, at least I didn’t, that January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Being that  HPV is on the rise and that Chicago is one sexually irresponsible city we should learn how such a disease affects us. So in order to scare you into making the right decision I am going to tell you my story.  

I didn’t start getting pap smears until the age of 22 when I actually became sexually active. I didn’t really know the meaning or significance of getting checked yearly until around 25 or 26 years of age when I was told I had stage 3 HPV. When I was told what I had I was unaware what it even meant, but I knew it was something bad. 

So just so you know, there are three stages of HPV before it starts becoming cervical cancer. First grade being the lowest grade and farthest away from cancer and third grade meaning that the cells in your uterus are becoming cancerous. So I was knocking at the door of cervical cancer. I quickly became frightened; especially when I was told I needed to go through a procedure call LEEP that would burn the top layer of the cells in your uterus to prevent cancer. Not knowing there were other options I went ahead with the procedure.

I remember that day clearly and in fact after that day I told myself that I would never put myself through it again. I asked my best friend to come with me. It took 45 minutes to get to the doctors office where they waited for me in a larger than normal room with apparatuses I have never seen in a gynecologist office. My friend sat next to me and I can remember her scared facial expressions as the doctor readied her tools. When the anesthesia was being administered she grabbed my hand tightly and asked if I was ok. Trying to not show fear I told her I was fine. Little did I know that they put in a
needle the length from the tip of my fingers all the way to my elbow into my uterus. I felt a huge pinch, I closed my eyes and all of a sudden I felt this heat spread throughout my body. My heart starting pumping hard and fast in my chest. My friend kept on asking me if I was ok because she said I was turning pale. I started seeing little spots everywhere. What was happening? Well I was about to faint because of the anesthesia, but I was able to pull myself together to stay awake. The doctor said I was ok. Patients have passed out on her before. I wish she would have told me that before. 

After that injection we waited for the anesthesia to take effect.  She then turned on her apparatus which was connected to a sort of wand that was shaped into a loop. She went to work and started burning off the first layers of my uterus. Each
time she burnt a piece of flesh I saw a cloud of smoke go up into the air. My friend sat quietly next to me, not sure what to say, but the fear in her face was evident. When the procedure was done I didn’t feel much of anything. In fact, we even went shopping after to wait out the traffic. The next few days after weren’t too good though. I felt tired, sick, I was pale, but I wasn’t in pain. It was odd.  I did have some crazy looking discharge and it literally took forever for me to heal. Of course I healed with scars.

From this experience you learn to take care of yourself. You can’t just trust anyone when it comes to your health, no matter how much you feel you love them. As you get older you need to take care of yourself more. You need to be careful of not only who you sleep with, but also of the doctors you choose. And when something like this does happen do not stay quiet. Find other options. Ask questions. Educate and inform yourself about what you have. Your health and your life are important. Always make sure that the decisions you make puts your well-being at the top of the priority list. Since that
procedure I have battled with the virus. Depending on your body it does not go away right away. It took my body about three years to rid of it. I am finally relieved to be completely healthy now and never again will I put myself at risk. Remember 80% of women get HPV in their lifetime, which means a lot of women are at risk of getting cervical cancer. What’s worse is that there are usually no symptoms. So you may have it and not even know it. So please take
care of yourself. Nothing matters more than your health. 

So in my battle to try to lose the rest of my “lonjas” one of my crazy friends, who by the way has two kids and is super fit, advised that I should eat tons and tons of kale. Me being the cheeseburger, beer drinker, more cheese with that type of chica was a little afraid. Actually, now that I have read that previous sentence, why am I not afraid of my current diet? Either way, I went and bought some of that leafy green, which is currently sitting in the fridge at work, and have now decided that perhaps I should so some research before I indulge into those crispy green leaves. 

So guess what I found? Kale is in fact the healthiest vegetables on our planet and is a good source to fight cancer (in particular bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer) and lower cholesterol. So why is kale so great? Well one cup of Kale is 36 calories, contains 5 grams of fiber, 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6, 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1020% of vitamin K. Kale is also a good source for copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorous.

As mentioned above, kale is extremely rich in vitamin K. This vitamin is important in reduce the risk of developing or dying from cancer. In addition, this vitamin helps with normal blood clotting, antioxidant activity, and bone health. It is also mentioned that vitamin K has anti-inflammatory health benefits.

It is suggested that at minimum you should consume kale and other similar vegetables 2-3 times per week at 1-1/2 cup serving sizes. To get the most out of it though it is recommended to eat kale and similar vegetables 4-5 times per week at 2 cup serving sizes. That’s a lot of veggies!!! It leaves no room for those unhealthy foods we all love to eat.

So I guess at this point I will go get my kale-filled salad from the fridge. I have been really missing out! It seems like it is the answer to many of our worries.

For ways to prepare kale please check out the following examples from www.webmd.com

Easy Ways to Prepare Kale

Quick cooking preserves kale's nutrients, texture, color, and flavor. Rinse kale, chop it finely, and add it soups, stews, stir-frys, salads, egg dishes, or casseroles. Or top pizzas with kale for added nutritional goodness. Steam kale for five minutes to make it more tender or eat it raw. You can also substitute it for spinach or collard greens in recipes.

Other fast and easy ways to prepare kale:

Make a simple salad with a bunch of thinly sliced kale, red pepper, onion, raisins, and your favorite salad dressing.

Braise chopped kale and apples, garnish with chopped walnuts, and add a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Toss whole-grain pasta with chopped kale, pine nuts, feta cheese, and a little olive oil.

Cover and cook a pound of chopped kale with a few garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes; season with salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar.

Make kale chips by slicing kale into bite-size pieces, toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees in the oven.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-kale?page=2

The best thing about attending networking events is meeting interesting and outgoing people and learning how they contribute to the community. This is exactly why I love attending these types of events. The speakers and the people around you are truly inspirational. 

At the 1st Annual Mujeres de HACE Holiday Luncheon I met Alexandria Elvira, who has put together an organization called Mujeres on the Run. Of course I had to sign up. I kill two birds with one stone; I am both getting shape and able to network with even more inspirational and professional women. Please read the interview below for more information on Mujeres on the Run.

* When was the group/organization founded/what is the history?

 Mujeres on the Run was an idea that I had a few months ago while going through the Mujeres de HACE (Hispanic Alliance of Career Enhancement) leadership program. I was a part of a group of outstanding professional Latinas that wanted to make a difference not only in their life’s but in other peoples’ life’s. At this point, I knew that I wanted to form a group for professional Latinas that promotes education, health and community stewardship. So, Mujeres on the Run allows Mujeres de HACE and any interested professional Latina who wants to make a difference in their life’s and others to sign up for 5k runs in Chicago together. The nice thing about joining this group is it allows all the mujeres to stay connected at least once a month, become health conscious, give back to a causes that is near and dear to their hearts and promote education. Not only do we become more aware of our own health but we become aware of other health issues that impact our community. Therefore, the idea of Mujeres on the Run came full circle when I woke up one morning and I lost complete vision in my right eye due to Optic Neuritis on November 1st and while in the hospital I had my “Aha! moment”. This moment in my life made me come to reality with my truth and it entailed a re-examination of whom and what is important in my life and how I can give back to the world that I live in. I consider myself a walking example of the saying, “You don’t know what tomorrow brings.” After getting out of the hospital the following week I was determined to attend the final Mujeres de HACE group session regardless of the fact that I was working with one functioning eye. I had to show support to my classmates as they showed support to me throughout the program. And with the support of my classmates, Mujeres on the Run was revealed and gained even more support at the 1stannual Mujeres de HACE luncheon in late November

.* What is Mujeres on the Run mission/purpose/goals?

The mission of Mujeres on the Run is Education, Health and Community Stewardship. Our mission is to build a bond of outstanding professional Latinas through education, health awareness and community stewardship at least once a month by joining a 5k run in Chicago. This allows us to educate each other on professional development, become more health conscious and give back to a cause that is near and dear to our hearts. As we come together, we are developing lifelong learners, mentors and role models. Condoleezza Rice once quoted, “You can’t wait for role models that look like you”, this is true in many ways but by creating Mujeres on the Run, this is my way of developing role models that believe in my mission like me and look like me for all the Latinas who thought they couldn’t find role models that look like them. The 2012 goal for Mujeres on the Run is to establish a large support base in Chicago in order to launch a group in every major city.

* How can women sign up or join?

As of right now, I’m working on a facebook fan page but we can be followed through an email blast by contacting me at alexandriaelvira@gmail.com. Women can also join Mujeres on the Run by emailing me at the same email address, alexandriaelvira@gmail.com

* How many members do you have now and how many would you like to reach to?

We have 30 members and counting right now. We would like to reach over 100 members in 2012.

* Is there an age limit?

There is no age limit! We encourage our young Latinas to join and be part of an amazing group of Latina role models!

* What are the benefits?

By joining Mujeres on the Run, you will benefit from networking and mentoring opportunities, involvement with HACE (Hispanic Alliance of Career Enhancement), becoming physically fit and community stewardship.

*Special membership fees?

 It’s free to join! We just want your time!


I will be running with Mujeres on the Run on January 14th in the Polar Dash. Please let Alexandria know if you would like to join us for the run. Remember, in a community where we are fighting against obesity, diabetes, depression, and so many other ailments this is one way to beat all of those diseases while meeting a great group of women.

A couple of months ago, I posted an article about some of the complications of diabetes. As we all know, Latinos are at high risk of getting this disease. I guess our diet of churros, chocolate abuelita, tamales, carnitas, and mole isn’t really cutting it for us. The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) has contacted me and they have been extremely generous in providing additional information to keep us aware of other complications that may result from having diabetes. As I have always said, please inform yourself. The more you know, the better you can take care of yourself, and the less you will suffer.  

First, if you are diagnosed with diabetes it is very important that you either make regular visits to the following doctors or at least be aware of them in case there are complications.

-         Primary Care Physician
-         Endocrinologist
-         Podiatrist (foot doctor)
-         Dentist
-         Optometrist (eye doctor)
-         Vascular Surgeon
-         Pharmacist

In regards to the APMA, in November they were promoting their campaign “Knock Your Socks Off” to inform the Latino community to get their feet checked if they have diabetes. Now I did not know this, but diabetes is the leading culprit of non-traumatic, lower-limb amputation. Per the APMA, 12% of the Hispanic population has diabetes and even more alarming is that an additional 66% is at risk. That’s a lot of feet being at risk for amputation!!

If at the moment you believe you know exactly how to take care of your feet there is a quiz that the APMA has on their website to find out how much you know. In addition, because the APMA is very adamant on the fight against diabetes they provide a number of articles, resources, and even experts to help answer your questions. What’s even more helpful is that many of these articles are both in Spanish and English.

In my very honest opinion, I believe that this is vital information that must be spread. If you have diabetes or know someone who has it please take a look at the APMA website to become better informed to help yourself and/or your loved ones.

Now, just to make sure that you get yourself informed I am going to throw out a few statistics to scare the heck out of you (they scared me anyway). These are found on the APMA website.

Ø      60 – 70% of people with diabetes have mild to sever forms of diabetic nerve damage, which include:
    o       Impaired sensation/pain in the feet or hands. 
    o       Slow digestion of food in the stomach

Ø      60%+ of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations in the US occur among people with diabetes!!

Ø      After an amputation, the chance of another amputation within 3 to 5 years is as high as 50%!

Thank you Mike for providing the information for this article!!

As you very well know I am an advocate of eating healthy to be beautiful both inside and outside. As many of you, even though I like to cook, I don’t have very much time to do it and therefore reverted to eating fast food in an effort to do all my activities and chores. My mom, who has been selling Herbalife for years, knew that I was not eating right. She could tell not only by my weight gain, but from my skin, hair, and the fact that I was ALWAYS tired. I also had a friend that was addicted to Herbalife. Between her and my mom, 4 years later, hehe, they finally convinced me to try it. 

I opted to buy the protein powder, because according to my mom it helps you not be as sore when you work out and it gives you a feeling of fullness. Also, because of my limited time to cook I chose to buy the Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake.

So here are the pros and cons if you ever decide to buy any of these items. First, I do have to admit that drinking these shakes have cleared up the hell out of my skin. I must have been missing some vitamins in my body or something. So that is a huge plus for me. Also, the amount of energy that I have now is completely unbelievable compared to when I ate Wendy’s and Panera all the time. Lol. Again, because of my lack of time and running in and out of fast food places I am sure I was lacking a large number of nutrients that I need to live a normal healthy life. So those are the things that I noticed right off the bat. Alright the cons, first these items are not cheap, which is the one thing that bugged me the most since I am poor. BUT, because you do use the shakes in place of meals I did save on groceries in the long-run. Also, I am not sure if the protein did anything for me. I definitely wasn’t as sore as I thought I would be, but boy I could still eat a horse. Yet, I have managed to lose a few pounds and actually keep them off.

Now the biggest downside to this is consistency. If you don’t have the will power to eat healthy, you probably won’t have the will power to drink these shakes everyday. Yet, it is easier to drink the shakes while your running late for a lunch meeting than trying to catch the salad bar before it closes. So far for me, these items have definitely surprised me. I didn’t expect any type of results from anywhere. So at the moment they get the thumbs up.

If you want to check out the other Herbalife products or try out the ones that I mentioned please check them out at the following website. www.annutritionmall.com. The passcode is liftoff.  

Plain and simple, I say yes! I understand that the safety of the vaccination may be of concern and perhaps taking prevention on a sexually transmitted virus may give the message that it’s ok to have unprotected sex. Yet our entire society promotes sex.  It’s cultivated within all industries. It’s what sells and attracts people. As a
result of this type of marketing, which has fed off of human weakness; 80% of
sexually active people have contracted the virus. That’s 80% that are at risk of getting cancer.  80% in which some don’t even know they have the virus because it usually has no symptoms. STD’s are still on the rise, which obviously means that people are being more careless than responsible. So why not bite the bullet and take care of our children before they even become sexually active.

I am sure many of us wish not to know about our children’s sexual activity. We may even turn our heads and make ourselves believe that they are too innocent to become sexually active.  BUT, “nearly 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur each year, and almost half of those affect 15 to 24 years olds”(CNNHealth). That could potentially be one of your children.

There has been much work done to try to reverse these statistics, but it’s not working and it will not work until society changes as a whole. Until then we must take other measures to take care of each other. If that means having our children get vaccinations to possibly prevent a tragedy so be it. In fact, I wish this vaccination was available when I was younger. Perhaps if my ex-boyfriend would have had the vaccination I would not be part of that 80%. Remember, do not rely on the idea that you think other people are responsible because humans are goofy. We make mistakes all the time and one of those mistakes is having unprotected sex because we think we are immortal for some reason. Administering this vaccination to our children helps reduce the consequences of that goofiness that we all have. 

As many Mexican young women, I grew up being instilled with very strong Catholic values. Yet, as you grow up in this modern western world, many of us lose that religion base. When I started college is when I stopped going to church. The ironic part is that I actually went to a Catholic school. After I graduated all I wanted to do was accomplish my goals and enjoy life. I completely lost or forgot about my faith and my spirituality became non-existent. For many, having that sense of spirituality isn’t necessary, which is fine. Yet, my life was out of balance and for about four years I could not get it back.

This weekend I went to the Baha’I House of Worship. I had no clue about the type of religion that this house of worship praised. The only reason I went was because it is one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois. I had the idea of learning about my state’s tourist attractions before I traveled and learned about the rest of the world.

The temple itself can be seen a couple of miles away. It sits close to the beach. It’s white and tall, and has awesome designs that were carved into white cement. The temple is surrounded by gardens and different types of adorning fountains. Inside is the auditorium for meditation. The auditorium is not meant for sermons and preaching. It is instead for singing to God and for meditating on your own.

I will not go into depth about the Baha’I religion, but the main idea is that this particular faith is meant to unite all religions and races to meditate to whoever they believe in. At least this is what I grasped. We are all under one umbrella because we are all under one God just with different messengers. The bottom line is that all religions have some type of similar base that unites us all. Either way, this temple is one of the most serene places I have visited. After walking around in the gardens, sitting in the temple for meditation, and visiting their mini museum and bookstore I felt refreshed and at ease. Something I haven’t felt in a long time. 

Spirituality is something that is very much needed in my life. It’s a type of faith that lets you know that things will be ok. It’s a type of meditation that clears your mind and helps you refocus on what life means to you and the goals that you should accomplish. Religion, similar to politics, can spark huge debates. The idea though, is to find a sense of spirituality that will take you out of everyday life and re-center and humble you as to why we are on this planet. It does in fact help you relieve stress, which is what many of us suffer from. This is why I have included this topic in the health section. Stress can destroy you, maybe even be fatal. Meditation, spirituality, faith, can help take some of that tension off of your shoulders and may even motivate you to become stronger and get through those hard times that you deemed as impossible to get through.

More than anything, we have to understand that the mind is extremely powerful. What we put into it can make us or break us. Therefore, a little meditation and
spirituality to center yourself can go a long way in helping you lead a more
healthier and focused life-style.

As the school season starts and the summer season ends, we all know that the brink of the cold air also brings along the flu season. The flu season begins every Fall and ceases at the beginning of every Spring. As we all know if people are not very resistant to a certain type of flu it can spread around the world very easily. This type of flu is called the “pandemic flu”. A certain type of “pandemic flu” is the swine flu. Whatever kind of flu that you may have though they all have similar symptoms. Below is a list of symptoms of the flu. 

Fever                                      Headache
Sore throat                             Muscle Aches and pains
Cough                                    Stomach problems, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea                                  Extreme tiredness
Runny/Stuffy Nose               

Not to alarm anyone, but people from a pandemic flu may not be able to recover and those that are usually of concern are those that are very young, old, or sick. The risk of getting a pandemic flu is the same as getting the seasonal flu.

Here are a few tips to prevent the flu (seasonal & pandemic)

-  Get your yearly flu shot
-  Wash your hands with soap and water frequently (Especially if you go to the bathroom people!)
- When using an alcohol based sanitizer rub thoroughly over all surfaces of the hands, including nail areas and between fingers. Rub until it dries
-  Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and clean your hands afterwards
-  Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth to keep flu germs from entering your body.
-  Stay home if you’re feeling sick (even if that means feeling bad for not going to work!!!)
-  If you do feel sick get plenty of rest and drinks lots of fluids.
-  Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
-  Avoid sharing objects (utensils, cups, bottles, telephones, etc)
-  Keep your living and work areas clean.

Now, the awesome treat that I have for my followers. For those who comment on any of the articles between now through tomorrow 2pm Central time will have the opportunity to win advance screening passes to the movie CONTAGION!

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT YOU CANNOT RUN ON MEXICAN TIME THE DAY OF THE SCREENING! Because a pass does not guarantee entry. So you MUST get their EARLY! Entry is done on a first come first serve basis. Tickets will be available for the following cities:

San Diego                            San Jose                El Paso

Los Angeles                         Houston    

Chicago                                Miami

 

CONTAGION

Academy Award® winner Steven Soderbergh (“Traffic”) directs the global thriller “Contagion.” The film brings together a stellar international ensemble cast, including Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose,” “Inception”); Academy Award® winner Matt Damon (“Good Will Hunting,” the “Bourne” films); Oscar® nominee Laurence Fishburne (“What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “The Matrix”); Oscar® nominee Jude Law (“Cold Mountain,” “Sherlock Holmes”); Academy Award® winner Gwyneth Paltrow (“Shakespeare in Love,” “Iron Man”); and Academy Award® winner Kate Winslet (“The Reader,” “Titanic”). 

“Contagion” follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days.  As the fast-moving pandemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself.  At the same time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh from an original screenplay by Scott Z. Burns (“The Bourne Ultimatum,” “The Informant!”), the film also stars Bryan Cranston (AMC’s “Breaking Bad”) and Sanaa Lathan (“Alien Versus Predator”).  It is produced by Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher (“World Trade Center”), and Gregory Jacobs (“The Informant!”), with Jeff Skoll, Michael Polaire and Jonathan King serving as executive producers.

Soderbergh’s creative team includes production designer Howard Cummings (“Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”), Oscar®-winning editor Stephen Mirrione (“Traffic”) and costume designer Louise Frogley (“Quantum of Solace,” “Ocean’s Thirteen”).  Cliff Martinez (“Traffic”) will compose the score.

“Contagion” was filmed on locations around the world, including sites in Hong Kong, Macao, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, London and Geneva.

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Participant Media and Imagenation Abu Dhabi, a Double Feature Films/Gregory Jacobs Production, “Contagion” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company. 

www.contagionmovie.com 

I have to apologize to Zach at PreventObesity.net for posting this article so late. 

On July 19th, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) joined with PreventObesity.net and hosted a webinar titled “Nutrition in Communities and Schools: What is at Stake for Latino Children”.

Obesity is an issue that I take to heart. My mother and two younger siblings are all over weight and not very active. My mother who now suffers from diabetes will probably pass down this trait to my brother and sister. My sister is still in high school and regularly misses school due to headaches and stomach aches, which most likely is a result of poor nutrition. My brother who unfortunately dropped out of school had similar issues and as a result had a significant number of absences which eventually led to his withdrawal from school. My siblings are now old enough to make their own decisions, but it has difficult for them to change their old unhealthy habits. Therefore, it is extremely important that we educate ourselves to make sure our children learn to be healthy at an early age to prevent the diseases that have been rattling the Latino community.

This particular webinar focused on the impacts of the Healthy-Hunger-Free Kids act, the SNAP program, Federal and Nutrition Service Resources in the Latino community. As I have always mentioned, it is beneficial not only for your community, but for the entire society that we live in to spread useful information so we can be prepared to make better decisions to live a higher quality life. Health is one thing that has fallen of our agendas because of heavy work schedules intermingled with family and details.

One of the first points made in the webinar are the health and socioeconomic disparities that lead to hunger or obesity. We have all seen the news reports in which there are certain neighborhoods that do not have easy accessible stores that sell fruits and vegetables. In addition, eating healthier is more expensive than eating junk food. Also, within these neighborhoods there are people who are underinsured or have no insurance at all. Of course misery loves company. Therefore, it is difficult to break these types of habits and extremely difficult to change neighborhoods when income is so sparse.

Just to give you a few statistics. In Illinois, 20.7% of children age 10-17 are obese, which is so mind boggling to me. Yet, the days of playing out in the yard have been taken over by technology and we find our children wither glued to the TV playing high tech video games or hypnotized to the computer as they surf the internet. Indiana is much lower at 14.7% and Michigan even lower at 12.4%. In regards to food insecurity, which was defined as the access and availability to healthy foods, nationally 34.9% live in food insecure homes. 26.9% being Latinos.

As a result, programs have begun to appear that will help reduce this food insecurity and also obesity such as the following:

Healthy-Hunger-Free Kids Act

-  Will ensure that water is available at all meal times in school. (Which you would think is a given, but now that I think about it I never had water while I was in school.
-  Both low fat and fat free milk will be served now in schools
-  The USDA must revise school meals to be consistent with U.S. Dietary Guidelines
-  Performance based incentive: Adds 6 cents per child per meal performance-based increase to lunch reimbursement rate. (For us paisas who didn’t get it the first time, schools will be rewarded an extra 6 cents per lunch if they meet the new dietary standards)
- Requires USDA to establish national nutrition standard for all foods sold on the schools campus throughout the school day.

FNS Programs

In regards to WIC (2008 info)
-   42.1% of WIC participants are Hispanic (which is consistent since they are the highest growing demographic in the country)
-   Improved WIC packages reflect culturally sensitive and ethnic foods.
-   Healthy-Hunger-Free Kids Act now allows WIC state agencies the option to certify child participants for up to one year, provided the child receives health and nutrition assessments, rather than 6 months.

In regards to the SNAP program (used to be the food stamp program)
-  The goal here is to expand the information and access of this program so that all those that are eligible can participate.
-  This is the only program that requires citizenship requirements.
-  5.1 million Latinos on average participate every month.

The paradox here is that Latinos are battling both hunger and obesity and the only way you can really make sense of it is like this: Do you remember that as a child you could have eaten tons of candy all day until your stomach hurt, but still actually want a full blown meal because you still felt hungry (or maybe this would only happen to me). That is the issue though. The foods or non-foods that are being consumed are not the meals that satisfy our stomachs. Yet, since we only eat those bad foods we still gain tons of weight. Therefore, we need to remove those foods or eat them sparingly to ensure that we have a healthier community and what better way than to start at schools where children spend most of their time.

Now that you know some of the changes that will be coming, please make sure that your school is following them. Your child is the best resource to find out if these changes are occurring.

Below are some resources in case you have questions:

Food and Nutrition Service – www.fns.usda.gov

SNAP Toll Free # 800-221-5689

National hunger hotline for other food resources 866-348-64793

Also please attend the next webinar on Wednesday, September 14th at 2pm Eastern time. Physical Activity in Communities and Schools:  The Impact on Latino Childhood Obesity - http://bit.ly/qTGOIS  

I have always hated the taste of water. I avoided it as much as I could, but my family was constantly making sure I did drink some since I was so active. As I grew older I began to appreciate water as a beverage, but I don’t think I ever realized how much I needed until July 5th. The July 4th weekend was pretty active. I had a four day weekend and I was out enjoying the sun all four days.  By the time Tuesday came I was extremely tired. Around noon I got a horrible headache. It was so bad I lost the sight in my right eye, I was extremely dizzy, nauseous, thirsty, and had extremely dry lips and dry eyes. At first I didn’t think I was dehydrated. I thought I was just exhausted from the long and active weekend. As my symptoms worsened  it became harder and harder to quench my thirst I realized that I was stepping on dangerous grounds. I eventually had to leave work to rest and rehydrate.

The next few days are going to be extremely hot in Chicago and with that storm hitting this morning many of us don’t have power. So make sure to drink your water!!!  Below are the symptoms of dehydration, from www.mayoclinic.com, just in case you’re feeling a little weird.

Symptoms for Mild to Moderate Dehydration

Dry, sticky mouth

Sleepiness or tiredness

Thirst

Decreased urine output

Dry Skin

Headache

Constipation

Dizziness or light headiness

Severe Dehydration (medical emergency)

Extreme Thirst

Irritability/confusion

Very dry mouth/skin

Lack of sweating

Little/no urination

Sunken eyes (I guess this can explain my raccoon eyes)

Low Blood Pressure

Rapid heartbeat/breathing

Fever

Delirium/unconsciousness