News You Can Use From The Owen County Family YMCA
Find time for “unstructured” creative play this month. As the warmer months often bring busier schedules, these last few weeks of winter might provide a good opportunity to set aside time to spend together as a family. While waiting for spring to arrive have a family huddle and share ideas for creative (imaginative) play time together. Talk about what creative play can look like and how everyone has a creative side to them. Allow each other to use materials or “props” in a variety of methods. For example, set up a grocery store or a place of work (if a grown-up “goes to the office” every day) and have fun creating the space. The family can imitate healthy grocery shopping (writing a list, following a list, identifying healthy food choices from the perimeter of the store, etc.)
Did you catch any of the Olympic Games last month? Were there events you had never heard of or have no idea what they are – Bobsleigh, Nordic Combined, Moguls, Curling, and Biathlon? Ask your family what they know about the different events. Do you know what year the next Olympic Games will be held? What city will they be in? Do a little research and find when you might next see Olympic athletes. Hint: the summer Olympics will be in two years in a city that begins with the letter “L”. Until the games return you can create mini games in your home for the whole family to compete in.
Fun With Fruits & Vegetables
Mangos are considered a wonderful tropical fruit that may sound exotic to many of us, but really deserves to be tasted. Mangos are oval or kidney shaped and can range in color from a light yellow to green. Like other fruit and vegetables, mangos are a good source of fiber, and vitamin B6, and an excellent source of vitamin A and C. Mangos may provide health benefits related to improved heart health, protection against cancer, and improve iron absorption (prevent anemia).
Select firm plump mangos and avoid those with bruised or dry and shriveled skin. Determine a mango’s ripeness by smelling – yes take a whiff and enjoy a full, fruity aroma. If you can’t smell it’s wonderful scent, the mango may not be ripe. When mangoes are picked to green they may never fully ripen, so find a fruity smelling mango this month. Mangos can be stored at room temperature and have a shelf life of one to two weeks allowing for some flexibility within a family’s meal planning. For a tropical taste during the winter months, add mango to your favorite fruit shake or smoothie, top off salads or a bowl of cereal with mango chunks. Try mango slices on top of a whole wheat bagel with low-fat cream cheese. Hey kids this is a great fruit for you to help prepare. Getting the flesh off a mango is not easy and can be a little messy, but absolutely delicious.
Ask The Food Dude
As a family we have the tendency to have high fat and high sugar desserts with most meals, how can we begin to reduce our intake of these treats?
Begin by using the word “treats” for special occasions. Instead of every day being dessert day reserve treats to the events they were intended for – birthdays, anniversaries, retirement parties, holidays, etc. Something that happens less than once a year can be a good rule of thumb when it comes to helping to determine what you could consider a special occasion. Another idea is to return to making (baking) your own desserts, this will definitely reduce the number of days treats are eaten. Involve the whole family in the preparation process. The next time the children ask for cookies, sign them up to help with the mixing and baking process. A few hours later the “treats” can be enjoyed and the extras placed in the freezer for another day. Baking as a family, rather than buying at the grocery store, will reduce the frequency of treats and help us to stay away from the expensive convenient solutions. Remember heavily processed treats are high in fat and sugar while at home your family can control the amounts. Take a family stand this month and stick to “treats” only for special occasions and make the food yourself from scratch. The final product will be enjoyed that much more if it is a “treat” in the true sense of the word in terms of the frequency it is served and the preparation time involves the entire family.
First, jazz up a can of black beans or refried beans with salsa, diced green pepper, or other veggies. Next, broil corn tortillas in the oven (or toaster oven) until warm. Scoop bean mixture on top of the tortilla; sprinkle low-fat cheese, shredded lettuce and some hot sauce on top.
Ask The Playground Guru
We are stuck inside a lot this winter, how can we burn off some energy while indoors?
The weather can be challenging for out of door activities all year long – rain, snow, and high or low temperatures can really impact the amount of time a family spends outside. Planning ahead for the weather is always helpful. Prepare layers for the colder months, and keep an eye on the weather forecast to take advantage of the warmest time of day to get out of doors. Everyone will feel better if you can get out of doors for even a 5 – 10 minute walk. Dress in layers and enjoy the process of bundling up, and moving quickly to generate extra heat once you are outside. In addition to these mini brisk cool walks outside, get those legs and arms pumping while indoors. Play a game that involves jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups and lunges to increase your heart rates.
If you need help building your Healthy Family Home check out the Owen County Family YMCA. Participate one of our many group exercise classes, walk on our trail or have one of our trainers design a personal exercise plan to fit your goals and needs. Our mission is to help everyone achieve a healthy spirit, mind and body. For more information contact the YMCA at (812) 828-9622 or visit: www.owen countyymca.org.
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