Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Healthy Eating @Work

Special Learning Event: Health Links® Webinar - Food@Work: A Total Worker Health® Approach to Healthy Eating


**Date**: Wednesday, November 20, 2024  

**Time**: 1:00 PM 

**Host**: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

 

### The Importance of Healthy Eating at Work


What we eat significantly impacts our health, well-being, and performance as employees. Healthy eating may lead to increased productivity, reduced absenteeism due to illness, and a lower risk of chronic diseases. With focusing on the food environment at work, we may create a healthier and more vibrant workforce.

- **Evaluate the Food Environment**: Evaluate the nutritional value, accessibility, and employee preferences regarding food and beverages offered at your workplace.

- **Implement Nutritional Strategies**: Apply evidence-based nutritional strategies to support employee well-being and promote healthier food choices.

- **Build a Healthier Workforce**: Understand the benefits of a healthy diet to lead to a more productive and satisfied workforce.

Preparing for the "Food@Work: A Total Worker Health® Approach to Healthy Eating" webinar may help you make the most of the experience. Here are choices:


### 1. Register for the Event

Ensure you've registered for the webinar by visiting the [registration page](https://www.colorado.edu/healthlinks/events). This will confirm your spot and provide you with any necessary details or reminders.


### 2. Mark Your Calendar

Add the webinar to your calendar to make sure you remember the date and time. Set a reminder a day before and an hour before the event.


### 3. Familiarize Yourself with the Topic

I learn the importance to evaluate some basics about the topic. Here are a few resources to get you started:

- **Healthy Eating**: Learn about the principles of a balanced diet, the benefits of healthy eating, and common dietary recommendations.

- **Total Worker Health® Approach**: Understand the concept and benefits of integrating worker health, safety, and well-being into workplace policies and practices.


### 4. Prepare Your Workspace

Set up a comfortable and distraction-free space where you can focus on the webinar. Ensure you have:

- A reliable internet connection.

- A comfortable chair and desk.

- Necessary devices (computer, tablet, or smartphone) with speakers or headphones.


### 5. Gather Materials

Have a notebook and pen ready to take notes during the webinar. This will help you remember key points and actions you might want to take afterward.


### 6. Prepare Questions

Think about any questions you might have related to the topic. Writing them down beforehand ensures you won't forget them during the Q&A session.


### 7. Evaluate the Agenda

If the agenda is available, evaluate the ideas to get a sense of what will be covered. This may help you focus on the parts of the webinar most relevant to you.


### 8. Engage and Participate

During the webinar:

- **Ask Questions**: You may wish to participate in the Q&A session. Engaging with the presenters may provide deeper insights.

- **Take Notes**: ideas and action items.


### 9. Follow Up

After the webinar, you may wish to evaluate learning and how to apply the information to your workplace or personal life.


### 10. Connect with Others

If the webinar offers networking opportunities, connect with other participants. Sharing experiences and ideas may enhance your learning and foster new professional relationships.


With these steps, you may prepare for the webinar and ensure you gain the most from this special learning event.


Resources

The challenge of evaluating one's physical function, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional, and mental health is an integrative task. The body scan meditation offers a method for individuals to connect with their bodies, promoting mindfulness and awareness of physical sensations and emotional states. This practice may lead to a deeper understanding of one's physical and mental state, allowing for a more informed evaluation of overall health.

Balancing risk factors with the development of protective factors is crucial in the quest for well-being. With research, we may learn how a combination of multiple protective factors may mitigate the impact of risk factors, leading to improved behavioral health outcomes. With fostering protective factors such as supportive relationships, access to education, and positive community environments, individuals may build resilience against potential health challenges.

The integration of physical activity into learning environments is another innovative strategy to promote health. Schools and districts are increasingly recognizing the benefits of incorporating movement into the curriculum, with programs to blend physical activity with academic instruction. Initiatives of walking programs, school gardening, and the use of teaching kitchens may encourage healthy behaviors to enhance the learning experience with engaging students in a dynamic and interactive manner.

Promoting healthy eating through evidence-based practices is essential in shaping nutritional habits. The implementation of nutrition standards for school meals, for example, ensures children have access to balanced and nutritious food options. With setting policies to encourage taste tests, the inclusion of fruits and vegetables, and physical activity before meals, schools may create an environment to nurture healthy eating behaviors.

The journey to optimal health is a dynamic process with the integration of technology, mindfulness practices, balanced risk management, and active learning. With these strategies, individuals and communities may learn how to successfully navigate the path to well-being with confidence and support from both science and technology.

The pursuit of optimal health is a multifaceted endeavor and encompasses physical well-being with emotional, mental, and social health. In today's digital era, technology plays an important role in this journey, offering tools and resources to enhance our ability to manage and improve our health.


Health-related apps on smartphones are revolutionizing the way we approach nutrition, providing personalized experiences. These apps serve as digital companions, guiding users through the complexities of nutritional science and offering actionable insights to foster healthier eating habits. With smartphones, health-related apps are designed to help individuals track, manage, and improve nutritional habits with personalized experiences to cater to our unique dietary needs and goals.

How do you recommend to integrate smartphone technology with CDC validated checklists and rubrics with blog posts, Twitter / X and email with school nutrition programs involving USDA's Team Nutrition learning labs and Farm to Table support of local sustainable farming practices including school and home gardens with Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital where I live?

Six Week Wellness programs with Cleveland Clinic: Go! Well Online Options (clevelandclinic.org)(clevelandclinicwellness.com), Go! to Sleep Online Program — Cleveland Clinic Wellness, Eating Well for Optimal Health six week learning opportunities: EatWell SMA Audio Files (clevelandclinic.org)

Other Wellness Tools:

The Art of Body Scan Meditation: A Path to Enhanced Well-being


In the realm of mindfulness practices, Body Scan Meditation is a powerful technique to enhance one's well-being. This form of meditation is a relaxation exercise and a profound learning journey, inviting a deep connection with the physical self and an awareness of subtle sensations.


The practice involves a gradual progression of attention through different parts of the body, starting from the toes and moving upwards to the crown of the head. As one mentally scans, one may notice areas of tension, discomfort, or even neutrality. The key is to observe with acceptance, allowing each sensation to be a learning opportunity of discovery and understanding to help counteract the stress response and promote relaxation and may increase self-compassion with encouragement of a kind and curious evaluation towards one's own experiences, improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety, and even alleviate bodily pain. The practice offers a respite from the relentless pace of life, providing a space to breathe, relax, and release the accumulated stress of the day. Moreover, Body Scan Meditation may enhance breathing patterns. With bringing attention to the breath during the meditation, one may learn to breathe more deeply and efficiently to further support stress reduction and relaxation. The rhythmic nature of the breath serves as an anchor, keeping the mind focused and grounded in the present moment. I learn the relaxation achieved through Body Scan Meditation has the potential to improve overall mental health with better emotional regulation, increased self-awareness, and more ability to manage pain. These outcomes contribute to a more resilient and balanced state of mind, equipping individuals to navigate life's challenges with grace and composure.


To embark on the journey of Body Scan Meditation, this accessible tool may be practiced anywhere, at any time. Whether before sleep to encourage restfulness or during a break to recharge, this meditation serves as a versatile mindfulness practice in the pursuit of well-being for optimal health.


For those interested in exploring Body Scan Meditation, there are numerous resources available, including guided sessions on platforms with YouTube and meditation apps such as Headspace. These guides offer step-by-step instructions, making this mindfulness practice easy for beginners to start and for seasoned practitioners to deepen their experience. Body Scan Meditation is a technique and pathway to a more mindful, relaxed, and healthy life and empowers individuals to become attuned to their bodies, to recognize and respond to stress in constructive ways, and to cultivate a sense of peace to permeate all aspects of their being. As we continue to seek balance in our lives, Body Scan Meditation emerges as a valuable practice for anyone looking to enhance their well-being and embrace a life of mindfulness.

Exploring the Virtual Healthy School: A Model for Integrating Health and Education for Each of Us

In the digital age, the intersection of health and education has never been more pertinent. With the rise of virtual learning environments, the opportunity to integrate health-conscious strategies into the educational framework is an innovative approach to foster student development. The Virtual Healthy School (VHS), pioneered by Jefferson School under the leadership of Principal Paul, stands as a testament to this progressive educational model.

The VHS is a tool and a dynamic, interactive platform to bring the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model to life. This model is an integrative approach and extends beyond the traditional focus on academic achievement to include the health and wellbeing of students. With navigating through the School Map, educators, parents, and students may witness how Jefferson School has transformed the virtual environment into learning opportunities for each of us to integrate protective factors into health and wellness with people with neurodevelopmental conditions encompassing a broad range of developmental risk factors because of how different protective factors work differently for each of us.

At the center of the map is the Health Center to help each of us navigate our journey from a central starting point of identifying health goals to evaluate how to balance protective factors from the range of neurodevelopmental risk factors for each of us. The Health Center features an Exam Table to evaluate specific protective and developmental risk factors, health videos offering healthy choices and another map of specific health services available with multiple organizations. 

Map of Specific Health Services Available With Multiple Organizations to Develop Protective Factors to Reduce Risk Factors: A Community Effort

CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health on X: "Creating a safe and supportive school environment that fosters connectedness helps students. When youth feel connected to peers and adults in their school, they’re less likely to experience poor mental health. #BackToSchool https://t.co/2fL2e7pHHS https://t.co/QOPasV7xxL" / X. This post highlights the importance of the roles of people involved with health services, counseling, facilitating, referring, leading, nutrition, coaching of students' development of protective factors to reduce risk factors, fair and accessible to everyone, addressing the needs of students, adults, parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, and the whole community. Their efforts are organized with community organizations to offer talks and demonstrations, answer questions, and provide informational materials. 

Health Education CDC Virtual Healthy School 

Health Education on Communication

Health Education on Collaboration

Health Education in Public Parks

Health Education with Healing

Community Organizational Events


Gymnasium To Integrate Physical Activity into Academic Environments with Mindfulness, Well-being Optimal Health with Cleveland Clinic webinar

### Challenge of Love: Embracing the Winter Season with Love and Appreciation As the days grow shorter and the light dwindles, we find ourselves enveloped in the gray clouds of love. This time of year, when the southern elliptical tilt of the earth brings more darkness and cold to Florida, where I live, is a perfect opportunity to evaluate love, affection, and appreciation to navigate the winter season with grace and positivity. #### The Constancy of Light and the Changing Seasons Despite the changing seasons, the constancy of light's speed remains a comforting reminder of stability. As we move faster towards the winter solstice, the days become shorter, and the nights longer. This shift in light and temperature may impact our mood and well-being and may lead to different risk factors with the development of different protective factors to maintain a healthy balance. #### The Importance of Northern Winter Feng Shui In the northern winter, feng shui principles teach us to focus on relationships and healing. The elements of metal, water, wood, and sunlight play crucial roles in this process. Metals rising from the earth symbolize strength and resilience, while water nurtures growth and renewal. Sunlight, even in limited winter presence, is vital for our physical and emotional health. #### Creating an Action Plan with SMART Goals To carry us through to the springtime in May, I learn to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. These goals may help to stay focused and motivated to make the most of the winter season's protective factors. 1. **Specific**: Identify clear and specific goals to address your needs and aspirations. For example, aim to spend 30 minutes outside each day to soak up natural sunlight. 2. **Measurable**: Set measurable targets to track your progress. Keep a journal to record your daily activities and how they impact your mood and energy levels. 3. **Achievable**: Ensure your goals are realistic and attainable. Start with small steps, such as incorporating a short walk into your daily routine. 4. **Relevant**: Align your goals with your overall well-being and personal growth. Focus on activities to bring you joy and fulfillment, such as giving time with loved ones or engaging in creative hobbies. 5. **Time-bound**: Set a timeline for achieving your goals. Break down your objectives into manageable milestones, and celebrate your progress along the way. #### Embracing Love and Appreciation As we navigate the winter season, I learn to embrace love and appreciation. This includes expressing thankfulness for the people and experiences in our lives. With fostering a mindset of love and appreciation, we may create a positive and supportive environment for ourselves and those around us. The winter season, with dwindling light and colder temperatures, offers a unique opportunity to evaluate love, affection, and appreciation. With balancing risk factors with the development of protective factors, and setting SMART goals, we may navigate this season with grace and positivity. Let us embrace the Challenge of Love and carry warmth and light into the springtime and beyond. --- This blog post aims to provide a respectful evaluation of how to embrace the winter season with love and appreciation, highlighting the importance of balancing risk factors with protective factors and setting SMART goals for personal growth and well-being.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on X: "Your mental health matters. Good mental health helps you cope with stress and can improve your quality of life. During Mental Illness Awareness Week, get tips and resources from NIMH to help take care of your mental health. https://t.co/OgB1XjxZkP #MIAW" / X. This post links to a website with specific protective factors to reduce risk factors with prioritizing physical exercise. I have identified bullying as an important risk factor to reduce with the development of protective factors and wish to evaluate how to prioritize physical exercise to reduce bullying through texting and social media. CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health on X: "New CDC data: 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey results are now available in the YRBS Explorer and YRBS Analysis Tool. #CDCYRBS https://t.co/4vJvrGiX2q https://t.co/N5gxA03Eom" / X

The NIMH emphasizes the importance of community involvement and the creation of a safe, respectful environment to foster positive activities, kindness, and diversity acceptance. Role modeling respectful behavior is important in promoting well-being within the community.

Physical exercise is highlighted as important to mental health, with numerous studies supporting benefits in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving mood, and enhancing cognitive function. The #FarmToSchool program is an excellent initiative to align with these goals, celebrating partnerships between schools and regional producers to provide students with healthy, fresh foods. This program supports local agriculture and also reinforces the connection between physical and mental health, encouraging the joy of nature and the exploration of ideas to help individuals thrive. https://x.com/USDANutrition/status/1841924934618251301

Sleep, meditation, and muscle relaxation are also integral components of an integrative approach to mental health. These practices have been shown to alleviate stress, promote calm, and improve sleep quality and may have a positive impact on emotional and psychological resilience. Incorporating breathing exercises into daily routines may further enhance the relaxation response, contributing to a more balanced and stress-resilient lifestyle.

Music and social connections play a vital role in emotional support and well-being. Engaging in joyful activities such as music, expressing thankfulness, and fostering positive social connections with friends and family may provide essential emotional support. Keeping a journal to share thoughts and feelings, evaluate progress, and track healing is a therapeutic practice to aid in self evaluation and personal growth.



In recent years, the conversation around education has expanded beyond traditional academic learning to include the well-being of students. School administrators play an important role in shaping the educational environment to foster intellectual growth with physical health and emotional resilience. The #MoveYourWay Toolkit for Schools, supported with the White House's National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health provides K-12 professionals with innovative strategies to promote physical activity and nutrition among students, aligning with the broader goal of ending hunger and fostering healthy lifestyles for 2030. Health.gov on X: "The new #MoveYourWay Toolkit for Schools supports the @WhiteHouse National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health by offering K-12 professionals, like teachers and school administrators, ways to encourage students to be more active. Learn more here https://t.co/MgCVjAPRcp" / X. The toolkit encourages educators to integrate physical activity into the school curriculum as an integral part of the learning experience. 

Mindfulness and meditation, particularly the practice of Body Scan Meditation, have also gained traction as effective tools for navigating the journey to optimal health. These practices aid in balancing protective factors and reducing risk factors, contributing to an individual's overall well-being. The Body Scan Meditation encourages awareness and relaxation to positively affect physical function, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional, and mental health.

Incorporating technology into health and wellness initiatives, such as using SMART Boards with computers to display real-time heart rate data, may further engage students and provide immediate feedback on their physical state during activities. This integration of technology and health education may make the learning experience more interactive and informative.

As we continue to explore the connections between physical activity, mindfulness, and academic performance, I learn an integrative approach to education with movement, meditation, and health literacy are important for nurturing well-rounded, healthy individuals who are equipped to lead fulfilling lives to cater to different skill levels and interests, inclusive and accessible to all students with integrating physical activity with social interaction and team-building exercises and adjusting goals related to personal physical fitness plans, promoting self-expression and joy in physical activity with school health team discussions to provide recommendations.


This post highlights the importance of the roles of people involved with health services, counseling, facilitating, referring, leading, nutrition, coaching of students' development of protective factors to reduce risk factors, fair and accessible to everyone, addressing the needs of students to achieve health goals in the gymnasium.  

I learn the importance of regular physical activity, such as 30 minutes of social exercise, and may be as simple as a paced walk to raise and lower my heart rate with measurement of my pulse rate before exercise and with Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps and Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play. The benefits of such activities extend beyond physical health, fostering social interactions and emotional support. I learn the importance of 8 hours of restful slumber. Hydration and nutrition are important to physical well-being with balanced diets to fuel the body and mind. The walk could be a learning opportunity to evaluate student success to optimal health with https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/pdf/18_300595-A_PECAT_042619_508tagged.pdf with https://drive.google.com/file/d/18kFnAPlIGAC3SgrumCRFezlnga8JfiJn/view?usp=sharing, Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) | DASH | CDCCommunity Health Planning | Florida Department of Health in Indian River (floridahealth.gov) with School District of Indian River County.
 
With the School District of Indian River County, I learn the job goal of a health and physical education teacher is multifaceted, aiming to develop a deep understanding of nutrition, fitness, and exercise among students, and to motivate the cultivation of lifelong habits to benefit students with evaluation of each student's cultural background, learning styles, special needs, and socio-economic status when planning and preparing learning activities. This inclusive approach ensures students are provided with an equal opportunity to engage actively in the learning process to foster active involvement, catering to the varied learning styles and special needs of the student body. This may involve modifying existing materials or creating new ones more accessible and engaging for all students. Additionally, the educator plays a crucial role in evaluating and responding to changing curricular needs, contributing to the continuous improvement of the educational program to maintain a positive, organized, and safe learning environment with sharing skills of time management, material and equipment handling, and the ability to manage large groups of students with evaluation of behavior management choices, reinforcement of school guiding policies, and efficient health data tracking procedures  with technology are important components.

With setting clear health goals with behavioral outcomes and utilizing research-based, theory-driven tools, I wish to foster an environment to value health promotion and disease prevention. This proactive stance on health education may lead to a more informed and health-literate student population, capable of making better decisions for their personal and community health.

The integration of physical activity into school lesson plans is a strategic move towards enhancing the well-being of students. I support health promotion, disease prevention, and encourage lifelong healthy habits. As educators and administrators continue to explore and implement these strategies, the potential for positive change in our schools and communities is immense. Let us walk this path together, one step at a time, towards a healthier future for our youth with learning how to achieve mindfulness, well-being optimal health goals.

I engage in mindful walks with evaluating my learning experiences with the Indian River County School District. Our health goals are centered around peer-led modeling and includes walks and coaching sessions, providing therapeutic resources for problem-solving, and fostering relationships to build a positive community through constructive interactions. I am happy to report I have successfully modeled positive behaviors with integrating healthy, research-based, and theory-driven physical activities into our routine. This includes paced walking, documented through my updated blog posts, social media interactions on Twitter / X, and email communications. With the Physical Activity | Florida Department of Health (floridahealth.gov) website ideas of wellness, I evaluate how my paced walking plan helps me to reduce stress, enhance energy and focus on positive interactions with others and sleep important to achieve mindfulness, well-being optimal health goals.

Challenge of Love with Paced Walking 10/17/2024
learning with paced walking around my neighborhood
how to connect with my neighbors with respect
birds, sunlight, clouds with crosswinds NE and SW
with spiraling wispy white clouds
my movements focus on the act of walking with heart rate monitoring
with mindful evaluation of health goals with body scan meditation
learning opportunities to reduce risk factors with the development of protective factors
with blog posts, Twitter / X and email
with Challenge of Love poetry learning opportunities
to evaluate different movement patterns for different grade levels https://drive.google.com/file/d/18kFnAPlIGAC3SgrumCRFezlnga8JfiJn/view?usp=sharing
with my smartphone heart rate monitoring how to lower heart rate with the pace of walking
with Google Fit app with Cleveland Clinic webinars social validity
to encourage peer modeling, relationship building and offering therapeutic resources

Challenge of Love with Scorpio 10/20/2024
How to navigate optimal health with passions of love
where love is leading
Love, affection and appreciation
for our multiple intelligences with chakra energies
with empathy and joy for successful learning

Gymnasium SMART BOARD to Integrate Wellness and Education for Student Development

10/27/2024 to 11/9/2024 Heart rate data for paced walking is obtainable with

75 pulse rate before exercise, 71 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

65 pulse rate before exercise, 70/74/77/82/77 after 5 30 minutes paced walks,
90/80/85/77/71/79 with Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps,
59/59/76/79/88/78 with Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play 11/11/2024

77 pulse rate before exercise, 77/68 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,

80 pulse rate before exercise, 71 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

71 pulse rate before exercise, 70 after 1 83 minutes paced walk,

65 pulse rate before exercise, 56 after 1 25 minutes paced walk,

66 pulse rate before exercise, 65 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

76 pulse rate before exercise, 77/70 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,

72 pulse rate before exercise, 72/60 after 2 30 minutes paced walks
80/68 with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=heartratemonitor.heartrate.pulse.pulseapp Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps,
85/65 with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blood.pressure.bptrackerBlood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play 11/20/2024


Healthy Eating Cafeteria with Health Goals To Integrate Physical Activity into Nutritional Environments with Academic Environments with Mindfulness, Well-being Optimal Health

 With health goals organized, the cafeteria may be an extension of the Gymnasium with opportunities to learn how to integrate physical activity into the practice of healthy eating through available foods and beverages with nutrition education integrated into student health goals with role-modeling healthy eating behaviors.

Healthy eating goal choices:

1.Integrate healthy eating into health goals with physical activity with mindfulness, well-being, optimal health with protective factors of nutritional foods.

2. Evaluate food and beverage choices for breakfast and lunch with school monthly menus, evaluate food likes and dislikes, balance meals in portions with healing themes to respect the challenge of sustainability with the life energies of food and beverages DisplayFile.aspx (indianriverschools.org)DisplayFile.aspx (indianriverschools.org)USDA Nutrition on X: "School meals do more than nourish kids, they also support local farmers! This #FarmToSchoolMonth, we're celebrating our partnership with schools and regional producers that help put healthy, fresh foods on student's plates. Let's lift up local! #FarmToSchool https://t.co/7cr6zT9JUX" / X This program reinforces the connection between physical and mental health, encouraging the joy of nature and the exploration of ideas to help individuals thrive with the development of the protective factor of nutritious foods with physical exercise to reduce risk factors. School gardens become living classrooms where math and science flourish in the soil and sun. Cooking classes turn into delicious lessons on chemistry and cultural diversity. And farm field trips offer a glimpse into the hard work and dedication into growing nutritious food as a protective factor to reduce risk factors. With my school garden experience, I learned the importance of doing three simple steps:
1. Brainstorm ideas of what people enjoy and what is realistic for a garden or farm area.
2. Identify SMART goals of specific, measurable, achievable, realistic time duration goals.
3. Choose one small step to do and evaluate success.

Fresh fruits and vegetables help reduce childhood obesity and diet-related diseases and encourages young people to make healthier food choices, habits to last a lifetime.

Moreover, Farm to School initiatives foster a sense of community and connection to the land with respect for the farmers who feed us and the earth to sustain us with equitable access to nature's gifts.

3. Hydration stations to encourage drinking water with ice and cups and reusable water bottles and computers to evaluate health goals involving hydration and hygiene.

4. Fresh fruit baskets Offering baskets of fresh fruit provides healthy snack options and also exposes students to a variety of natural flavors and textures.

5. With 10 minutes for breakfast and 20 minutes for lunch, schools are encouraging students to eat mindfully, savoring their food, and listening to their hunger cues

6. With Florida Department of Health in Indian River County hosting Nutrition Garden Class, participants had the chance to take home plants, seeds, rootlings and garden supplies, empowering them to start or enhance their own gardens at home at the Department of Health in Indian River Satellite Site, located at 8445 64th Ave, Wabasso, FL 32970. 

Before attending the class, I learn the importance to evaluate my understanding of gardening and nutrition with my knowledge of research basics at this time. 

Challenge of Love with Nutrition Garden 10/23/24
I learn to let love lead the way
With learning to brainstorm what people want
Evaluate realistic choices
To focus on one small step and evaluate success
With health science support

 I learn the importance of container gardening with 2/3 old potting soil mixed with compost and 1/3 professionally mixed compost. I wish to grow optimal health with myself, friends and family and community with my home garden, the Nutrition Garden in Wabasso, Florida and community with blog posts, Twitter / X and email with multi-tiered support of large group learning, small group learning and individualized learning. Although the event may provide some materials, I learned to come prepared with gardening gloves, a notebook for taking notes, and a water bottle to stay hydrated. I familiarized myself with basic safety practices to prevent injuries, such as proper lifting techniques and how to use gardening tools safe and careful of hazards with eliminate, substitute, barrier, change work habits and PPE hazard analysis monitoring.

**Mindset for Growth**: I learned to approach the class with an open mind and readiness to learn. Gardening is a continuous learning process new to discover.


Preparing for Hurricane Milton: A Comprehensive 3-Day Food Storage Checklist


As Hurricane Milton approached and if you are on hurricane alert due to hurricane warning, I learn the importance to ensure you have a well-prepared food storage plan to sustain you and your family for at least three days. Here is a checklist to help you prepare:


1. **Water**: Store at least one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation for 3 days.


2. **Non-perishable Food Items**:

   - Canned meats, fruits, and vegetables

   - Protein or fruit bars

   - Dry cereal or granola

   - Peanut butter

   - Dried fruit

   - Nuts

   - Crackers

   - Canned juices

   - Non-perishable pasteurized milk

   - High-energy foods

   - Food for infants

   - Comfort/stress foods


3. **Cooking Supplies**:

   - A manual can opener

   - Cooking tools and fuel

   - Disposable plates, cups, and utensils

   - Paper towels


4. **Specialty Foods**: Consider any special dietary needs for family members with allergies or medical conditions.


5. **Pet Supplies**: Don't forget food and water for your pets.


6. **Storage**: Use airtight, waterproof containers to store food and keep it protected from pests and the elements.


7. **Regular Checks**: Regularly check your food supply for expiration dates and replace as needed.


8. **Medications and Baby Supplies**: If you have a baby or someone with special medication needs, ensure you have a sufficient supply.


9. **Sanitation and Hygiene Items**: Including soap, hand sanitizer, and wet wipes.


10. **First Aid Kit**: Keep a well-stocked first aid kit with any necessary medications and medical items.


I learn to be over-prepared than under-prepared. For more detailed information and additional items to evaluate, check out resources provided by local or state emergency management departments. Stay safe and make sure to follow evacuation orders if issued by local authorities. Preparedness is key to weathering Hurricane Milton safely.

The webinar Eating for Optimal Health helped me to focus on how to be successful with the challenge of eating well for optimal health. I learned ways food interacts and communicates with our solid body state with inflammatory or noninflammatory responses and may affect mental health and sleep. 

1. Carbohydrates support energy. Optimal health may be encouraged with the noninflammatory energies of 2 fruits per day with small apple, pear, berries, cherries, kiwi, grapefruit, 1/2 cup to 1 cup. Whole grains provide starch with oatmeal, quinoa, whole wheat, brown rice. I learned how to read food labels and to look for the idea of "whole" at the beginning of the ingredients list on a food item at the grocery store. 

2. For optimal health, the energy of carbohydrates may be balanced into a healthy plate with 3 c nonstarch vegetables/day with protein and healthy fats. Protein sources include beans, lentils, soy, tofu, calcium with milk, cheese, yogurt, e.g. Edamame frozen, protein shakes and soups. Healthy fats include avocado, olive oil, hummus, nuts/seeds and eggs. Ground seeds may be stored in the refrigerator. I learn to be mindful of the energy challenges of starch. A healthy plate may include beverages of water, fruit juice, unsweetened tea or coffee.

3. For optimal health, start to learn with small steps of one wellness goal at a time.


The pursuit of health is a multifaceted one, encompassing the physical, emotional and mental realms with finding balance, understanding the body's needs, and learning how to fulfill them with nourishment to fuel and heal. I learned how dietary choices may influence overall well-being, and how one may align eating habits with the body's intrinsic requirements for optimal functioning. I learn a personalized approach respects individual differences and preferences and creating a sustainable and enjoyable relationship with food to support health goals with taste or satisfaction with nutrient dense whole foods to navigate the modern food landscape with the myriad of choices and challenges, nurturing oneself with kindness and compassion with self-love and the desire to care for one's well-being, and an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and support in the quest for health and living a healthier, more vibrant life and to a healthier you with open minds and hearts ready to learn and grow.


**Mindset**:  The field of nutrition is vast and evolving and may offer new information to challenge your current beliefs.

Desha Baker on X: "@CDC_DASH Thank you for encouraging evaluation of my current eating habits with wellness goals. …https://t.co/8XlJWwY2sj" / X

SMART Boards with Healthy Eating Cafeteria with Health Goals To Integrate Physical Activity into Nutritional Environments with Academic Environments with Mindfulness, Well-being Optimal Health

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for positive impact on heart health with #FarmtoTable program learning opportunities with measurement of each day and where from

11/19/2024 potato, orange bell pepper, spinach, tomatos, garlic, mango, pineapple, orange from United Against Poverty Center Indian River County, Florida

  


Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Nutrition Garden

With Florida Department of Health in Indian River County hosting Nutrition Garden Class, participants had the chance to take home plants, seeds, rootlings and garden supplies, empowering them to start or enhance their own gardens at home at the Department of Health in Indian River Satellite Site, located at 8445 64th Ave, Wabasso, FL 32970. 

Before attending the class, I learn the importance to evaluate my understanding of gardening and nutrition with my knowledge of research basics at this time. 

Challenge of Love with Nutrition Garden 10/23/24
I learn to let love lead the way
With learning to brainstorm what people want
Evaluate realistic choices
To focus on one small step and evaluate success
With health science support

 I learn the importance of container gardening with 2/3 old potting soil mixed with compost and 1/3 professionally mixed compost. I wish to grow optimal health with myself, friends and family and community with my home garden, the Nutrition Garden in Wabasso, Florida and community with blog posts, Twitter / X and email with multi-tiered support of large group learning, small group learning and individualized learning. Although the event may provide some materials, I learned to come prepared with gardening gloves, a notebook for taking notes, and a water bottle to stay hydrated. I familiarized myself with basic safety practices to prevent injuries, such as proper lifting techniques and how to use gardening tools safe and careful of hazards with eliminate, substitute, barrier, change work habits and PPE hazard analysis monitoring.

**Mindset for Growth**: I learned to approach the class with an open mind and readiness to learn. Gardening is a continuous learning process new to discover.

The challenge of evaluating one's physical function, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional, and mental health is an integrative task. The body scan meditation offers a method for individuals to connect with their bodies, promoting mindfulness and awareness of physical sensations and emotional states. This practice may lead to a deeper understanding of one's physical and mental state, allowing for a more informed evaluation of overall health.

Balancing risk factors with the development of protective factors is crucial in the quest for well-being. With research, we may learn how a combination of multiple protective factors may mitigate the impact of risk factors, leading to improved behavioral health outcomes. With fostering protective factors such as supportive relationships, access to education, and positive community environments, individuals may build resilience against potential health challenges.

The integration of physical activity into learning environments is another innovative strategy to promote health. Schools and districts are increasingly recognizing the benefits of incorporating movement into the curriculum, with programs to blend physical activity with academic instruction. Initiatives of walking programs, school gardening, and the use of teaching kitchens may encourage healthy behaviors to enhance the learning experience with engaging students in a dynamic and interactive manner.

Promoting healthy eating through evidence-based practices is essential in shaping nutritional habits. The implementation of nutrition standards for school meals, for example, ensures children have access to balanced and nutritious food options. With setting policies to encourage taste tests, the inclusion of fruits and vegetables, and physical activity before meals, schools may create an environment to nurture healthy eating behaviors.

The journey to optimal health is a dynamic process with the integration of technology, mindfulness practices, balanced risk management, and active learning. With these strategies, individuals and communities may learn how to successfully navigate the path to well-being with confidence and support from both science and technology.

The pursuit of optimal health is a multifaceted endeavor and encompasses physical well-being with emotional, mental, and social health. In today's digital era, technology plays an important role in this journey, offering tools and resources to enhance our ability to manage and improve our health.


Health-related apps on smartphones are revolutionizing the way we approach nutrition, providing personalized experiences. These apps serve as digital companions, guiding users through the complexities of nutritional science and offering actionable insights to foster healthier eating habits. With smartphones, health-related apps are designed to help individuals track, manage, and improve nutritional habits with personalized experiences to cater to our unique dietary needs and goals.

How do you recommend to integrate smartphone technology with CDC validated checklists and rubrics with blog posts, Twitter / X and email with school nutrition programs involving USDA's Team Nutrition learning labs and Farm to Table support of local sustainable farming practices including school and home gardens with Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital where I live?

Six Week Wellness programs with Cleveland Clinic: Go! Well Online Options (clevelandclinic.org)(clevelandclinicwellness.com), Go! to Sleep Online Program — Cleveland Clinic Wellness, Eating Well for Optimal Health six week learning opportunities: EatWell SMA Audio Files (clevelandclinic.org)

Other Wellness Tools:

The Art of Body Scan Meditation: A Path to Enhanced Well-being


In the realm of mindfulness practices, Body Scan Meditation is a powerful technique to enhance one's well-being. This form of meditation is a relaxation exercise and a profound learning journey, inviting a deep connection with the physical self and an awareness of subtle sensations.


The practice involves a gradual progression of attention through different parts of the body, starting from the toes and moving upwards to the crown of the head. As one mentally scans, one may notice areas of tension, discomfort, or even neutrality. The key is to observe with acceptance, allowing each sensation to be a learning opportunity of discovery and understanding to help counteract the stress response and promote relaxation and may increase self-compassion with encouragement of a kind and curious evaluation towards one's own experiences, improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety, and even alleviate bodily pain. The practice offers a respite from the relentless pace of life, providing a space to breathe, relax, and release the accumulated stress of the day. Moreover, Body Scan Meditation may enhance breathing patterns. With bringing attention to the breath during the meditation, one may learn to breathe more deeply and efficiently to further support stress reduction and relaxation. The rhythmic nature of the breath serves as an anchor, keeping the mind focused and grounded in the present moment. I learn the relaxation achieved through Body Scan Meditation has the potential to improve overall mental health with better emotional regulation, increased self-awareness, and more ability to manage pain. These outcomes contribute to a more resilient and balanced state of mind, equipping individuals to navigate life's challenges with grace and composure.


To embark on the journey of Body Scan Meditation, this accessible tool may be practiced anywhere, at any time. Whether before sleep to encourage restfulness or during a break to recharge, this meditation serves as a versatile mindfulness practice in the pursuit of well-being for optimal health.


For those interested in exploring Body Scan Meditation, there are numerous resources available, including guided sessions on platforms with YouTube and meditation apps such as Headspace. These guides offer step-by-step instructions, making this mindfulness practice easy for beginners to start and for seasoned practitioners to deepen their experience. Body Scan Meditation is a technique and pathway to a more mindful, relaxed, and healthy life and empowers individuals to become attuned to their bodies, to recognize and respond to stress in constructive ways, and to cultivate a sense of peace to permeate all aspects of their being. As we continue to seek balance in our lives, Body Scan Meditation emerges as a valuable practice for anyone looking to enhance their well-being and embrace a life of mindfulness.

Exploring the Virtual Healthy School: A Model for Integrating Health and Education for Each of Us

In the digital age, the intersection of health and education has never been more pertinent. With the rise of virtual learning environments, the opportunity to integrate health-conscious strategies into the educational framework is an innovative approach to foster student development. The Virtual Healthy School (VHS), pioneered by Jefferson School under the leadership of Principal Paul, stands as a testament to this progressive educational model.

The VHS is a tool and a dynamic, interactive platform to bring the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model to life. This model is an integrative approach and extends beyond the traditional focus on academic achievement to include the health and wellbeing of students. With navigating through the School Map, educators, parents, and students may witness how Jefferson School has transformed the virtual environment into learning opportunities for each of us to integrate protective factors into health and wellness with people with neurodevelopmental conditions encompassing a broad range of developmental risk factors because of how different protective factors work differently for each of us.

At the center of the map is the Health Center to help each of us navigate our journey from a central starting point of identifying health goals to evaluate how to balance protective factors from the range of neurodevelopmental risk factors for each of us. The Health Center features an Exam Table to evaluate specific protective and developmental risk factors, health videos offering healthy choices and another map of specific health services available with multiple organizations. 

Map of Specific Health Services Available With Multiple Organizations to Develop Protective Factors to Reduce Risk Factors: A Community Effort

CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health on X: "Creating a safe and supportive school environment that fosters connectedness helps students. When youth feel connected to peers and adults in their school, they’re less likely to experience poor mental health. #BackToSchool https://t.co/2fL2e7pHHS https://t.co/QOPasV7xxL" / X. This post highlights the importance of the roles of people involved with health services, counseling, facilitating, referring, leading, nutrition, coaching of students' development of protective factors to reduce risk factors, fair and accessible to everyone, addressing the needs of students, adults, parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, and the whole community. Their efforts are organized with community organizations to offer talks and demonstrations, answer questions, and provide informational materials. 

Health Education CDC Virtual Healthy School 

Health Education on Communication

Health Education on Collaboration

Health Education in Public Parks

Health Education with Healing

Community Organizational Events


Gymnasium To Integrate Physical Activity into Academic Environments with Mindfulness, Well-being Optimal Health with Cleveland Clinic webinar

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on X: "Your mental health matters. Good mental health helps you cope with stress and can improve your quality of life. During Mental Illness Awareness Week, get tips and resources from NIMH to help take care of your mental health. https://t.co/OgB1XjxZkP #MIAW" / X. This post links to a website with specific protective factors to reduce risk factors with prioritizing physical exercise. I have identified bullying as an important risk factor to reduce with the development of protective factors and wish to evaluate how to prioritize physical exercise to reduce bullying through texting and social media. CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health on X: "New CDC data: 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey results are now available in the YRBS Explorer and YRBS Analysis Tool. #CDCYRBS https://t.co/4vJvrGiX2q https://t.co/N5gxA03Eom" / X

The NIMH emphasizes the importance of community involvement and the creation of a safe, respectful environment to foster positive activities, kindness, and diversity acceptance. Role modeling respectful behavior is important in promoting well-being within the community.

Physical exercise is highlighted as important to mental health, with numerous studies supporting benefits in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving mood, and enhancing cognitive function. The #FarmToSchool program is an excellent initiative to align with these goals, celebrating partnerships between schools and regional producers to provide students with healthy, fresh foods. This program supports local agriculture and also reinforces the connection between physical and mental health, encouraging the joy of nature and the exploration of ideas to help individuals thrive. https://x.com/USDANutrition/status/1841924934618251301

Sleep, meditation, and muscle relaxation are also integral components of an integrative approach to mental health. These practices have been shown to alleviate stress, promote calm, and improve sleep quality and may have a positive impact on emotional and psychological resilience. Incorporating breathing exercises into daily routines may further enhance the relaxation response, contributing to a more balanced and stress-resilient lifestyle.

Music and social connections play a vital role in emotional support and well-being. Engaging in joyful activities such as music, expressing thankfulness, and fostering positive social connections with friends and family may provide essential emotional support. Keeping a journal to share thoughts and feelings, evaluate progress, and track healing is a therapeutic practice to aid in self evaluation and personal growth.



In recent years, the conversation around education has expanded beyond traditional academic learning to include the well-being of students. School administrators play an important role in shaping the educational environment to foster intellectual growth with physical health and emotional resilience. The #MoveYourWay Toolkit for Schools, supported with the White House's National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health provides K-12 professionals with innovative strategies to promote physical activity and nutrition among students, aligning with the broader goal of ending hunger and fostering healthy lifestyles for 2030. Health.gov on X: "The new #MoveYourWay Toolkit for Schools supports the @WhiteHouse National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health by offering K-12 professionals, like teachers and school administrators, ways to encourage students to be more active. Learn more here https://t.co/MgCVjAPRcp" / X. The toolkit encourages educators to integrate physical activity into the school curriculum as an integral part of the learning experience. 

Mindfulness and meditation, particularly the practice of Body Scan Meditation, have also gained traction as effective tools for navigating the journey to optimal health. These practices aid in balancing protective factors and reducing risk factors, contributing to an individual's overall well-being. The Body Scan Meditation encourages awareness and relaxation to positively affect physical function, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional, and mental health.

Incorporating technology into health and wellness initiatives, such as using SMART Boards with computers to display real-time heart rate data, may further engage students and provide immediate feedback on their physical state during activities. This integration of technology and health education may make the learning experience more interactive and informative.

As we continue to explore the connections between physical activity, mindfulness, and academic performance, I learn an integrative approach to education with movement, meditation, and health literacy are important for nurturing well-rounded, healthy individuals who are equipped to lead fulfilling lives to cater to different skill levels and interests, inclusive and accessible to all students with integrating physical activity with social interaction and team-building exercises and adjusting goals related to personal physical fitness plans, promoting self-expression and joy in physical activity with school health team discussions to provide recommendations.


This post highlights the importance of the roles of people involved with health services, counseling, facilitating, referring, leading, nutrition, coaching of students' development of protective factors to reduce risk factors, fair and accessible to everyone, addressing the needs of students to achieve health goals in the gymnasium.  

I learn the importance of regular physical activity, such as 30 minutes of social exercise, and may be as simple as a paced walk to raise and lower my heart rate with measurement of my pulse rate before exercise and with Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps and Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play. The benefits of such activities extend beyond physical health, fostering social interactions and emotional support. I learn the importance of 8 hours of restful slumber. Hydration and nutrition are important to physical well-being with balanced diets to fuel the body and mind. The walk could be a learning opportunity to evaluate student success to optimal health with https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/pdf/18_300595-A_PECAT_042619_508tagged.pdf with https://drive.google.com/file/d/18kFnAPlIGAC3SgrumCRFezlnga8JfiJn/view?usp=sharing, Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) | DASH | CDCCommunity Health Planning | Florida Department of Health in Indian River (floridahealth.gov) with School District of Indian River County.
 
With the School District of Indian River County, I learn the job goal of a health and physical education teacher is multifaceted, aiming to develop a deep understanding of nutrition, fitness, and exercise among students, and to motivate the cultivation of lifelong habits to benefit students with evaluation of each student's cultural background, learning styles, special needs, and socio-economic status when planning and preparing learning activities. This inclusive approach ensures students are provided with an equal opportunity to engage actively in the learning process to foster active involvement, catering to the varied learning styles and special needs of the student body. This may involve modifying existing materials or creating new ones more accessible and engaging for all students. Additionally, the educator plays a crucial role in evaluating and responding to changing curricular needs, contributing to the continuous improvement of the educational program to maintain a positive, organized, and safe learning environment with sharing skills of time management, material and equipment handling, and the ability to manage large groups of students with evaluation of behavior management choices, reinforcement of school guiding policies, and efficient health data tracking procedures  with technology are important components.

With setting clear health goals with behavioral outcomes and utilizing research-based, theory-driven tools, I wish to foster an environment to value health promotion and disease prevention. This proactive stance on health education may lead to a more informed and health-literate student population, capable of making better decisions for their personal and community health.

The integration of physical activity into school lesson plans is a strategic move towards enhancing the well-being of students. I support health promotion, disease prevention, and encourage lifelong healthy habits. As educators and administrators continue to explore and implement these strategies, the potential for positive change in our schools and communities is immense. Let us walk this path together, one step at a time, towards a healthier future for our youth with learning how to achieve mindfulness, well-being optimal health goals.


Gymnasium SMART BOARD to Integrate Wellness and Education for Student Development

I measured 82 pulse rate before exercise and 82/72 after 2 30 minutes paced walks, 82/81/79 with Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps and 79/82/69 with Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play. 10/1/2024 

I engaged in a mindful walk with evaluating my learning experiences with the Indian River County School District. Our health goals are centered around peer-led modeling and includes walks and coaching sessions, providing therapeutic resources for problem-solving, and fostering relationships to build a positive community through constructive interactions. I am happy to report I have successfully modeled positive behaviors with integrating healthy, research-based, and theory-driven physical activities into our routine. This includes paced walking, documented through my updated blog posts, social media interactions on Twitter / X, and email communications. I measured 85 pulse rate before exercise, 82 after 1 30 minutes paced walk, 87/80 with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=heartratemonitor.heartrate.pulse.pulseapp&pcampaignid=web_share84/79 with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blood.pressure.bptracker&pcampaignid=web_share. 10/2/ 2024

80 pulse rate before exercise, 80/73 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,

With the Physical Activity | Florida Department of Health (floridahealth.gov) website ideas of wellness, I evaluate how my paced walking plan helps me to reduce stress, enhance energy and focus on positive interactions with others and sleep important to achieve mindfulness, well-being optimal health goals.

83 pulse rate before exercise, 82 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

69 pulse rate before exercise, 70/68 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,

76 pulse rate before exercise, 71 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

80 pulse rate before exercise, 75 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

75 pulse rate before exercise, 67 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

75 pulse rate before exercise, 78/77 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,

77 pulse rate before exercise, 83/78 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,

73 pulse rate before exercise, 73 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

Challenge of Love with Paced Walking 10/17/2024
learning with paced walking around my neighborhood
how to connect with my neighbors with respect
birds, sunlight, clouds with crosswinds NE and SW
with spiraling wispy white clouds
my movements focus on the act of walking with heart rate monitoring
with mindful evaluation of health goals with body scan meditation
learning opportunities to reduce risk factors with the development of protective factors
with blog posts, Twitter / X and email
with Challenge of Love poetry learning opportunities
to evaluate different movement patterns for different grade levels https://drive.google.com/file/d/18kFnAPlIGAC3SgrumCRFezlnga8JfiJn/view?usp=sharing
with my smartphone heart rate monitoring how to lower heart rate with the pace of walking
with Google Fit app with Cleveland Clinic webinars social validity
to encourage peer modeling, relationship building and offering therapeutic resources

Challenge of Love with Scorpio 10/20/2024
How to navigate optimal health with passions of love
where love is leading
Love, affection and appreciation
for our multiple intelligences with chakra energies
with empathy and joy for successful learning

75 pulse rate before exercise, 87/79 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,
75 pulse rate before exercise, 72 after 1 41 minutes paced walk,

79 pulse rate before exercise, 77 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

10/27/2024 to 11/9/2024 Heart rate data for paced walking is obtainable with

75 pulse rate before exercise, 71 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

65 pulse rate before exercise, 70/74/77/82/77 after 5 30 minutes paced walks,
90/80/85/77/71/79 with Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps,
59/59/76/79/88/78 with Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play 11/11/2024

77 pulse rate before exercise, 77/68 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,

80 pulse rate before exercise, 71 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

71 pulse rate before exercise, 70 after 1 83 minutes paced walk,

72 pulse rate before exercise, 72/60 after 2 30 minutes paced walks
80/68 with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=heartratemonitor.heartrate.pulse.pulseapp HRMwith Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps,
61/76/52 with Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Appshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blood.pressure.bptracker on Google Play 11/17/2024

85/65 BP


Healthy Eating Cafeteria with Health Goals To Integrate Physical Activity into Nutritional Environments with Academic Environments with Mindfulness, Well-being Optimal Health

 With health goals organized, the cafeteria may be an extension of the Gymnasium with opportunities to learn how to integrate physical activity into the practice of healthy eating through available foods and beverages with nutrition education integrated into student health goals with role-modeling healthy eating behaviors.

Healthy eating goal choices:

1.Integrate healthy eating into health goals with physical activity with mindfulness, well-being, optimal health with protective factors of nutritional foods.

2. Evaluate food and beverage choices for breakfast and lunch with school monthly menus, evaluate food likes and dislikes, balance meals in portions with healing themes to respect the challenge of sustainability with the life energies of food and beverages DisplayFile.aspx (indianriverschools.org)DisplayFile.aspx (indianriverschools.org)USDA Nutrition on X: "School meals do more than nourish kids, they also support local farmers! This #FarmToSchoolMonth, we're celebrating our partnership with schools and regional producers that help put healthy, fresh foods on student's plates. Let's lift up local! #FarmToSchool https://t.co/7cr6zT9JUX" / X This program reinforces the connection between physical and mental health, encouraging the joy of nature and the exploration of ideas to help individuals thrive with the development of the protective factor of nutritious foods with physical exercise to reduce risk factors. School gardens become living classrooms where math and science flourish in the soil and sun. Cooking classes turn into delicious lessons on chemistry and cultural diversity. And farm field trips offer a glimpse into the hard work and dedication into growing nutritious food as a protective factor to reduce risk factors. With my school garden experience, I learned the importance of doing three simple steps:
1. Brainstorm ideas of what people enjoy and what is realistic for a garden or farm area.
2. Identify SMART goals of specific, measurable, achievable, realistic time duration goals.
3. Choose one small step to do and evaluate success.

Fresh fruits and vegetables help reduce childhood obesity and diet-related diseases and encourages young people to make healthier food choices, habits to last a lifetime.

Moreover, Farm to School initiatives foster a sense of community and connection to the land with respect for the farmers who feed us and the earth to sustain us with equitable access to nature's gifts.

3. Hydration stations to encourage drinking water with ice and cups and reusable water bottles and computers to evaluate health goals involving hydration and hygiene.

4. Fresh fruit baskets Offering baskets of fresh fruit provides healthy snack options and also exposes students to a variety of natural flavors and textures.

5. With 10 minutes for breakfast and 20 minutes for lunch, schools are encouraging students to eat mindfully, savoring their food, and listening to their hunger cues

6. Preparing for Hurricane Milton: A Comprehensive 3-Day Food Storage Checklist


As Hurricane Milton approaches and if you are on hurricane alert due to hurricane warning, I learn the importance to ensure you have a well-prepared food storage plan to sustain you and your family for at least three days. Here is a checklist to help you prepare:


1. **Water**: Store at least one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation for 3 days.


2. **Non-perishable Food Items**:

   - Canned meats, fruits, and vegetables

   - Protein or fruit bars

   - Dry cereal or granola

   - Peanut butter

   - Dried fruit

   - Nuts

   - Crackers

   - Canned juices

   - Non-perishable pasteurized milk

   - High-energy foods

   - Food for infants

   - Comfort/stress foods


3. **Cooking Supplies**:

   - A manual can opener

   - Cooking tools and fuel

   - Disposable plates, cups, and utensils

   - Paper towels


4. **Specialty Foods**: Consider any special dietary needs for family members with allergies or medical conditions.


5. **Pet Supplies**: Don't forget food and water for your pets.


6. **Storage**: Use airtight, waterproof containers to store food and keep it protected from pests and the elements.


7. **Regular Checks**: Regularly check your food supply for expiration dates and replace as needed.


8. **Medications and Baby Supplies**: If you have a baby or someone with special medication needs, ensure you have a sufficient supply.


9. **Sanitation and Hygiene Items**: Including soap, hand sanitizer, and wet wipes.


10. **First Aid Kit**: Keep a well-stocked first aid kit with any necessary medications and medical items.


I learn to be over-prepared than under-prepared. For more detailed information and additional items to evaluate, check out resources provided by local or state emergency management departments. Stay safe and make sure to follow evacuation orders if issued by local authorities. Preparedness is key to weathering Hurricane Milton safely.

The webinar Eating for Optimal Health helped me to focus on how to be successful with the challenge of eating well for optimal health. I learned ways food interacts and communicates with our solid body state with inflammatory or noninflammatory responses and may affect mental health and sleep. 

1. Carbohydrates support energy. Optimal health may be encouraged with the noninflammatory energies of 2 fruits per day with small apple, pear, berries, cherries, kiwi, grapefruit, 1/2 cup to 1 cup. Whole grains provide starch with oatmeal, quinoa, whole wheat, brown rice. I learned how to read food labels and to look for the idea of "whole" at the beginning of the ingredients list on a food item at the grocery store. 

2. For optimal health, the energy of carbohydrates may be balanced into a healthy plate with 3 c nonstarch vegetables/day with protein and healthy fats. Protein sources include beans, lentils, soy, tofu, calcium with milk, cheese, yogurt, e.g. Edamame frozen, protein shakes and soups. Healthy fats include avocado, olive oil, hummus, nuts/seeds and eggs. Ground seeds may be stored in the refrigerator. I learn to be mindful of the energy challenges of starch. A healthy plate may include beverages of water, fruit juice, unsweetened tea or coffee.

3. For optimal health, start to learn with small steps of one wellness goal at a time.


The pursuit of health is a multifaceted one, encompassing the physical, emotional and mental realms with finding balance, understanding the body's needs, and learning how to fulfill them with nourishment to fuel and heal. I learned how dietary choices may influence overall well-being, and how one may align eating habits with the body's intrinsic requirements for optimal functioning. I learn a personalized approach respects individual differences and preferences and creating a sustainable and enjoyable relationship with food to support health goals with taste or satisfaction with nutrient dense whole foods to navigate the modern food landscape with the myriad of choices and challenges, nurturing oneself with kindness and compassion with self-love and the desire to care for one's well-being, and an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and support in the quest for health and living a healthier, more vibrant life and to a healthier you with open minds and hearts ready to learn and grow.


**Mindset**:  The field of nutrition is vast and evolving and may offer new information to challenge your current beliefs.

Desha Baker on X: "@CDC_DASH Thank you for encouraging evaluation of my current eating habits with wellness goals. …https://t.co/8XlJWwY2sj" / X




Saturday, November 9, 2024

Exploring the Challenge of Love Through Art and Nature

 Challenge of Love 11/9/2024

with roadside evaluations 
with Vero Beach Museum of Art 
Love, affection and appreciation 
Chiaroscuro to people 
with neighboring connections 
with the light of love 
The road gleams from new rain
in Saturday sunlight 
with people darkened from the night
With time lightening up
to 10 am with the Open Studios 
I learn with a video with the 
Corning Museum of Glass
glass formed with heat
spinning on a metal rod
with raging flames
emerges colors of harmony
celebrating the birth of life 
with a cupcake with a candle
A dark bronzed sculpture
connect to energies of the gorilla
cools in the rotunda
sunlight glowing in 
why?
Outside with trees
tai chi balances beginnings
with wild horses 
with the waving of clouds
I learn awareness of life
how glass forms to support food
How art may humanize
with empathy for 
successful learning together 
United with space and time with love
how love leads the way 
Love energy of social connection 



Historical ancestral energies 
Formed art

Love
with energies of gorilla
bronze rocky stature
looking for big picture thinking
sizing love sagacity
heart healing
VBMA










Challenge of Love 6/2/2024

                                                                                                                                         

Divine mystery of Love
Beams from sunshine 
Into art
In June light
Crows swirling around
Cawing then calling in the trees
A squirrel peaks out 
with warm chatter
Friendliness
Palm trees waving in the breeze 
I feel empathy for successful learning 
love with sunlight
understanding the importance of safety with art chemistry
Joy of life 






Palm trees waving in the breeze evoke a sense of calm and resilience, qualities vital in the face of love's challenges. Love, like the palm trees, must be flexible yet strong, able to withstand the storms and still stand tall.


The concept of 'successful learning' in the context of love suggests a journey of personal growth and development. Through the trials and tribulations of relationships, individuals learn about themselves and others, gaining insight into the nature of love and how to foster love.

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

The Intersection of Data and Community Health: A New Paradigm

With public health, data has become important to understanding and improving community well-being. I learn with County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R), a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute at the School of Medicine and Public Health, how with comparing health outcomes across counties, CHR&R aims to foster a deep understanding of the disparities and commonalities in the nation to evaluate best roadmaps to a healthier, more equitable society with values of collaboration, innovation, integrity, courage and inclusion. A first step is to share successes with lessons learned, then offer resources, next build knowledge with listening to understand multiple perspectives. 

Resources

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Improving Mental Health Equity

Living with or supporting someone with a neurodevelopmental condition (NDC) involving risk factors may be a journey to integrate protective factors into health and wellness. Do you need help with your mental health? If you do not know where to start, this infographic may help guide you. https://go.usa.gov/xGfxz #shareNIMH


### Understanding Neurodevelopmental Conditions


Neurodevelopmental conditions encompass a broad range of developmental risk factors and may affect learning, speech, language, behavior, and social skills. I learn to recognize how each individual's experience with an NDC is unique, and therefore, different protective factors work differently for each of us. 


Exploring the Virtual Healthy School: A Model for Integrating Health and Education for Each of Us


In the digital age, the intersection of health and education has never been more pertinent. With the rise of virtual learning environments, the opportunity to integrate health-conscious strategies into the educational framework is an innovative approach to foster student development. The Virtual Healthy School (VHS), pioneered by Jefferson School under the leadership of Principal Paul, stands as a testament to this progressive educational model.


The VHS is a tool and a dynamic, interactive platform to bring the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model to life. This model is an integrative approach and extends beyond the traditional focus on academic achievement to include the health and wellbeing of students. With navigating through the School Map, educators, parents, and students may witness how Jefferson School has transformed the virtual environment into learning opportunities for each of us to integrate protective factors into health and wellness with people with neurodevelopmental conditions encompassing a broad range of developmental risk factors because of how different protective factors work differently for each of us.


At the center of the map is the Health Center to help each of us navigate our journey from a central starting point of identifying health goals to evaluate how to balance protective factors from the range of neurodevelopmental risk factors for each of us. The Health Center features an Exam Table to evaluate specific protective and developmental risk factors, health videos offering healthy choices and another map of specific health services available with multiple organizations. 

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on X: "If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, use these resources to find help for yourself, a friend, or a family member: https://t.co/r2tTEzRPoD #MIAW #MentalIllnessAwarenessWeek" / X

SAMHSA on X: "If you or someone you know is struggling to cope emotionally with #HurricaneHelene #HurricaneMilton you're not alone. 💙 Call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 for immediate, 24/7 emotional support. Help is just a call or text away. #Helene #Milton https://t.co/LjMSbJ3xuN" / X

NCATS on X: "View our #TranslationalScience Principles that guide our work and could help you reach your own research goals. Learn more about the principles, which were identified after a review of the strategies used in successful NCATS programs: https://t.co/Hw35luUyob https://t.co/7i7gVwiht6" / X 


Challenge of Love with Interacting with People with Neurodevelopmental Conditions

If observe suicidal symptoms, I learn the importance of 5 Action Steps to Help Someone Having Thoughts of Suicide - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (nih.gov) with encouragement to focus on ask, help keep safe, connect and follow up.

OSHA_DOL on X: "💬 Talking about mental health at work can be tough, but it’s crucial. Reach out to a co-worker today and let them know you care. Use our resource on how to discuss mental health. ⤵️ https://t.co/V895jyWog5 #SuicidePrevention https://t.co/pwcdAvLQUv" / X with encouragement to focus on ask if observe suicidal symptoms, ok to ask several times, listen with compassion and try to help, calling 911 if immediate danger.

Veterans Health on X: "Asking a Veteran if they are having thoughts of suicide might be daunting, but it won’t give them the idea. Be the one to start the conversation — it might save a life. Looking for the words to say? Start here: https://t.co/euGMIedMO0 https://t.co/my8XNfyWPZ" / X with crisis signs, call 911 and keep safe, with warning signs, ok to just give care and concern yet with encouragement ok to ask if observe suicidal symptoms with focus on asking about feelings, when suicidal symptoms began and what happened. Be careful to focus on supportive and encouraging comments instead of invasive questions. 

Love, affection and appreciation for empathy and joy for successful learning with technology with Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (nih.gov) with Student Family Community Agenda Lesson plan

To help keep people with suicidal symptoms with neurodevelopmental conditions safe, connect and follow up, I wish to follow up with Twitter / X social media and email with blog posts. 

Follow Up Learning Opportunities

.How do we develop accountability with technology with people with neurodevelopmental conditions with suicidal symptoms with NIMH's action steps to encourage focus on ask, help keep safe, connect and follow up with Student Family Community Agenda Lesson plan?

How to cultivate my healthiest self with people with neurodevelopmental conditions? Do you recommend the protective factors offered in CDC's Virtual Healthy School to navigate the protective factors offered in the social-wellness-checklist-3.pdf (nih.gov)Physical Wellness Checklist (nih.gov)My Activity Tracker - Move Your Way _ health.govemotional-wellness-checklist-2022-7.pdf (nih.gov)CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health on X: "There are many benefits to participating in school meal programs. In fact, research shows that eating breakfast at school helps with academic achievement. Learn more about the benefits of school meals: https://t.co/Hj7QRfwu0h #BackToSchool https://t.co/J2UiJmaYj2" / X?

How to prioritize physical exercise to reduce bullying both in cyber space and school property? SAMHSA on X: "Addressing and preventing bullying is something that everyone can do, every day. This #BullyingPreventionMonth visit https://t.co/n7YXWNveK2 and learn how to help #StopBullying for good. https://t.co/hJ5MAURB9Z" / X I have identified bullying as an important risk factor to reduce with the development of protective factors and wish to evaluate how to prioritize physical exercise to reduce bullying through texting and social media. CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health on X: "New CDC data: 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey results are now available in the YRBS Explorer and YRBS Analysis Tool. #CDCYRBS https://t.co/4vJvrGiX2q https://t.co/N5gxA03Eom" / XNational Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on X: "Your mental health matters. Good mental health helps you cope with stress and can improve your quality of life. During Mental Illness Awareness Week, get tips and resources from NIMH to help take care of your mental health. https://t.co/OgB1XjxZkP #MIAW" / X. This post links to a website with specific protective factors to reduce risk factors with prioritizing physical exercise.


Map of Specific Health Services Available With Multiple Organizations to Develop Protective Factors to Reduce Risk Factors: A Community Effort

CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health on X: "Creating a safe and supportive school environment that fosters connectedness helps students. When youth feel connected to peers and adults in their school, they’re less likely to experience poor mental health. #BackToSchool https://t.co/2fL2e7pHHS https://t.co/QOPasV7xxL" / X. This post highlights the importance of the roles of people involved with health services, counseling, facilitating, referring, leading, nutrition, coaching of students' development of protective factors to reduce risk factors, fair and accessible to everyone, addressing the needs of students, adults, parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, and the whole community. Their efforts are organized with community organizations to offer talks and demonstrations, answer questions, and provide informational materials. 

Health Education CDC Virtual Healthy School 

Health Education on Communication

Health Education on Collaboration

Health Education in Public Parks

Health Education with Healing

Community Organizational Events


Gymnasium To Integrate Physical Activity into Academic Environments with Mindfulness, Well-being Optimal Health with NIMH webinar



The NIMH emphasizes the importance of community involvement and the creation of a safe, respectful environment to foster positive activities, kindness, and diversity acceptance. Role modeling respectful behavior is important in promoting well-being within the community.

Physical exercise is highlighted as important to mental health, with numerous studies supporting benefits in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving mood, and enhancing cognitive function. The #FarmToSchool program is an excellent initiative to align with these goals, celebrating partnerships between schools and regional producers to provide students with healthy, fresh foods. This program supports local agriculture and also reinforces the connection between physical and mental health, encouraging the joy of nature and the exploration of ideas to help individuals thrive. https://x.com/USDANutrition/status/1841924934618251301

Sleep, meditation, and muscle relaxation are also integral components of an integrative approach to mental health. These practices have been shown to alleviate stress, promote calm, and improve sleep quality and may have a positive impact on emotional and psychological resilience. Incorporating breathing exercises into daily routines may further enhance the relaxation response, contributing to a more balanced and stress-resilient lifestyle.

Music and social connections play a vital role in emotional support and well-being. Engaging in joyful activities such as music, expressing thankfulness, and fostering positive social connections with friends and family may provide essential emotional support. Keeping a journal to share thoughts and feelings, evaluate progress, and track healing is a therapeutic practice to aid in self evaluation and personal growth.


In recent years, the conversation around education has expanded beyond traditional academic learning to include the well-being of students. School administrators play an important role in shaping the educational environment to foster intellectual growth with physical health and emotional resilience. The #MoveYourWay Toolkit for Schools, supported with the White House's National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health provides K-12 professionals with innovative strategies to promote physical activity and nutrition among students, aligning with the broader goal of ending hunger and fostering healthy lifestyles for 2030. Health.gov on X: "The new #MoveYourWay Toolkit for Schools supports the @WhiteHouse National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health by offering K-12 professionals, like teachers and school administrators, ways to encourage students to be more active. Learn more here https://t.co/MgCVjAPRcp" / XThe toolkit encourages educators to integrate physical activity into the school curriculum as an integral part of the learning experience. 

Mindfulness and meditation, particularly the practice of Body Scan Meditation, have also gained traction as effective tools for navigating the journey to optimal health. These practices aid in balancing protective factors and reducing risk factors, contributing to an individual's overall well-being. The Body Scan Meditation encourages awareness and relaxation to positively affect physical function, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional, and mental health.

Incorporating technology into health and wellness initiatives, such as using SMART Boards with computers to display real-time heart rate data, may further engage students and provide immediate feedback on their physical state during activities. This integration of technology and health education may make the learning experience more interactive and informative.

As we continue to explore the connections between physical activity, mindfulness, and academic performance, I learn an integrative approach to education with movement, meditation, and health literacy are important for nurturing well-rounded, healthy individuals who are equipped to lead fulfilling lives to cater to different skill levels and interests, inclusive and accessible to all students with integrating physical activity with social interaction and team-building exercises and adjusting goals related to personal physical fitness plans, promoting self-expression and joy in physical activity with school health team discussions to provide recommendations.


This post highlights the importance of the roles of people involved with health services, counseling, facilitating, referring, leading, nutrition, coaching of students' development of protective factors to reduce risk factors, fair and accessible to everyone, addressing the needs of students to achieve health goals in the gymnasium.  

I learn the importance of regular physical activity, such as 30 minutes of social exercise, and may be as simple as a paced walk to raise and lower my heart rate with measurement of my pulse rate before exercise and with Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps and Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play. The benefits of such activities extend beyond physical health, fostering social interactions and emotional support. I learn the importance of 8 hours of restful slumber. Hydration and nutrition are important to physical well-being with balanced diets to fuel the body and mind. The walk could be a learning opportunity to evaluate student success to optimal health with Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) | DASH | CDCCommunity Health Planning | Florida Department of Health in Indian River (floridahealth.gov) with School District of Indian River County.

With setting clear health goals with behavioral outcomes and utilizing research-based, theory-driven tools, I wish to foster an environment to value health promotion and disease prevention. This proactive stance on health education may lead to a more informed and health-literate student population, capable of making better decisions for their personal and community health.

The integration of physical activity into school lesson plans is a strategic move towards enhancing the well-being of students. I support health promotion, disease prevention, and encourage lifelong healthy habits. As educators and administrators continue to explore and implement these strategies, the potential for positive change in our schools and communities is immense. Let us walk this path together, one step at a time, towards a healthier future for our youth with learning how to achieve mindfulness, well-being optimal health goals.


Gymnasium SMART BOARD to Integrate Wellness and Education for Student Development

I measured 82 pulse rate before exercise and 82/72 after 2 30 minutes paced walks, 82/81/79 with Heart Rate Monitor - Pulse App - Apps and 79/82/69 with Blood Pressure App: BP Monitor - Apps on Google Play. 10/1/2024 

I engaged in a mindful walk with evaluating my learning experiences with the Indian River County School District. Our health goals are centered around peer-led modeling and includes walks and coaching sessions, providing therapeutic resources for problem-solving, and fostering relationships to build a positive community through constructive interactions. I am happy to report I have successfully modeled positive behaviors with integrating healthy, research-based, and theory-driven physical activities into our routine. This includes paced walking, documented through my updated blog posts, social media interactions on Twitter / X, and email communications. I measured 85 pulse rate before exercise, 82 after 1 30 minutes paced walk, 87/80 with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=heartratemonitor.heartrate.pulse.pulseapp&pcampaignid=web_share84/79 with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blood.pressure.bptracker&pcampaignid=web_share. 10/2/ 2024

80 pulse rate before exercise, 80/73 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,

With the Physical Activity | Florida Department of Health (floridahealth.gov) website ideas of wellness, I evaluate how my paced walking plan helps me to reduce stress, enhance energy and focus on positive interactions with others and sleep important to achieve mindfulness, well-being optimal health goals.

83 pulse rate before exercise, 82 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

69 pulse rate before exercise, 70/68 after 2 30 minutes paced walks,

76 pulse rate before exercise, 71 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

80 before exercise, 75 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

75 before exercise, 67 after 1 30 minutes paced walk,

Healthy Eating Cafeteria with Health Goals To Integrate Physical Activity into Nutritional Environments with Academic Environments with Mindfulness, Well-being Optimal Health

 With health goals organized, the cafeteria may be an extension of the Gymnasium with opportunities to learn how to integrate physical activity into the practice of healthy eating through available foods and beverages with nutrition education integrated into student health goals with role-modeling healthy eating behaviors.

Healthy eating goal choices:

1.Integrate healthy eating into health goals with physical activity with mindfulness, well-being, optimal health with protective factors of nutritional foods.

2. Evaluate food and beverage choices for breakfast and lunch with school monthly menus, evaluate food likes and dislikes, balance meals in portions with healing themes to respect the challenge of sustainability with the life energies of food and beverages DisplayFile.aspx (indianriverschools.org)DisplayFile.aspx (indianriverschools.org)USDA Nutrition on X: "School meals do more than nourish kids, they also support local farmers! This #FarmToSchoolMonth, we're celebrating our partnership with schools and regional producers that help put healthy, fresh foods on student's plates. Let's lift up local! #FarmToSchool https://t.co/7cr6zT9JUX" / X This program reinforces the connection between physical and mental health, encouraging the joy of nature and the exploration of ideas to help individuals thrive with the development of the protective factor of nutritious foods with physical exercise to reduce risk factors. School gardens become living classrooms where math and science flourish in the soil and sun. Cooking classes turn into delicious lessons on chemistry and cultural diversity. And farm field trips offer a glimpse into the hard work and dedication into growing nutritious food as a protective factor to reduce risk factors. With my school garden experience, I learned the importance of doing three simple steps:
1. Brainstorm ideas of what people enjoy and what is realistic for a garden or farm area.
2. Identify SMART goals of specific, measurable, achievable, realistic time duration goals.
3. Choose one small step to do and evaluate success.

Fresh fruits and vegetables help reduce childhood obesity and diet-related diseases and encourages young people to make healthier food choices, habits to last a lifetime.

Moreover, Farm to School initiatives foster a sense of community and connection to the land with respect for the farmers who feed us and the earth to sustain us with equitable access to nature's gifts.

3. Hydration stations to encourage drinking water with ice and cups and reusable water bottles and computers to evaluate health goals involving hydration and hygiene.

4. Fresh fruit baskets Offering baskets of fresh fruit provides healthy snack options and also exposes students to a variety of natural flavors and textures.

5. With 10 minutes for breakfast and 20 minutes for lunch, schools are encouraging students to eat mindfully, savoring their food, and listening to their hunger cues

6. Preparing for Hurricane Milton: A Comprehensive 3-Day Food Storage Checklist


As Hurricane Milton approaches and if you are on hurricane alert due to hurricane warning, I learn the importance to ensure you have a well-prepared food storage plan to sustain you and your family for at least three days. Here is a checklist to help you prepare:


1. **Water**: Store at least one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation for 3 days.


2. **Non-perishable Food Items**:

   - Canned meats, fruits, and vegetables

   - Protein or fruit bars

   - Dry cereal or granola

   - Peanut butter

   - Dried fruit

   - Nuts

   - Crackers

   - Canned juices

   - Non-perishable pasteurized milk

   - High-energy foods

   - Food for infants

   - Comfort/stress foods


3. **Cooking Supplies**:

   - A manual can opener

   - Cooking tools and fuel

   - Disposable plates, cups, and utensils

   - Paper towels


4. **Specialty Foods**: Consider any special dietary needs for family members with allergies or medical conditions.


5. **Pet Supplies**: Don't forget food and water for your pets.


6. **Storage**: Use airtight, waterproof containers to store food and keep it protected from pests and the elements.


7. **Regular Checks**: Regularly check your food supply for expiration dates and replace as needed.


8. **Medications and Baby Supplies**: If you have a baby or someone with special medication needs, ensure you have a sufficient supply.


9. **Sanitation and Hygiene Items**: Including soap, hand sanitizer, and wet wipes.


10. **First Aid Kit**: Keep a well-stocked first aid kit with any necessary medications and medical items.


I learn to be over-prepared than under-prepared. For more detailed information and additional items to evaluate, check out resources provided by local or state emergency management departments. Stay safe and make sure to follow evacuation orders if issued by local authorities. Preparedness is key to weathering Hurricane Milton safely.

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

The Importance of Compassionate Mental Health Conversations

Mental health is an important aspect of our overall well-being. I learn the importance of addressing mental health openly and effectively with Effective Mental Health Conversations


The approach of "love leads the way" is a powerful reminder of the importance of compassion and understanding for effective mental health conversations. With leading with love, we may learn how to create a safe space for individuals to express themselves and seek support. Let us embrace the opportunity to learn, grow, and lead with love in our mental health conversations.


I learn to evaluate the impact our words and actions have on those around us. Let us learn to listen with the intent to understand. Let us grow in our ability to offer meaningful and respectful support. And most importantly, let us lead with love, embracing the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of those who struggle with mental health challenges.


1. **Start Small and Build Up**

Begin your preparations with focusing on the resources already at your disposal with integrating mental health topics into existing frameworks with financial planning. Determine the amount of support your organization may provide and get creative with resources. 


2. **Take an Integrative Approach**

Mental health is deeply connected to overall well-being. Introduce the concept gradually with incorporating wellness activities of yoga, meditation, or Zumba. Educate participants about the link between physical and mental health and the importance of an integrative health perspective. I learned how to recognize mental health: control over emotions, able to focus, good cognitive functioning with positive interactions around you. I also have learned to recognize mental illness: struggle with disrupting mental health with thinking, emotions, behavior, tasks with relationships and identity. With these difficulties, I learn the importance of focusing on seeing whole person, ask if ok, and help to evaluate needs, facts and evidence with respectful language with triage of resources for support.


3. **Get Inspiration from Employees**

Survey your employees to understand their health interests and stress-management hobbies with the event's purpose and activities clearly communicated. I learn to advocate for mental health with work with encouragement and help with engagement and performance. If overwhelmed with work, improve the to do list.


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