Summer is finally here and it’s time to hit the beach. But summer doesn’t give us the right to eat poorly. It’s important to stay healthy all year round. Relaxing at the beach is a great way to spend the day, but make sure you bring some healthy treats to share.

Before you set out for a day at the beach, it’s always smart to plan ahead and pack some yummy food to bring along.   Instead of bringing junk food, this year try something new and healthy. I love to freeze different foods the night before my beach escape.  Frozen fruits, like grapes and blueberries, are especially refreshing in the heat, taste great, and provide you with healthy nutrients. Freezing yogurt the night before can also make for a great beach snack. By the time you’re ready to eat, the yogurt won’t be frozen but will be nice and cold.  You can also bring along some granola or make your own trail mix. These snacks provide energy and can be added to the yogurt and fruit to make your own parfait.

Try to avoid salty foods though, like salted pretzels or salted nuts. It’s important to stay hydrated and keep your energy level up when spending the day in the sun.  Salty foods will do just the opposite by dehydrating you.  Foods like fruit and veggies are high in water content which will provide you with a little extra hydration. Making sure you have lots of water is extremely important as well. For those who don’t love to drink plain water, bring along some flavor packets to keep everyone happy.  Drinking is the key to making it through a day at the beach and in the sun.

Plan on eating a meal at the beach? Don’t spend all your money on greasy cheeseburgers and pizza; instead, bring a healthy lunch that everyone will enjoy. Reduced fat peanut butter and cut up apple pieces on a whole-wheat sandwich will be popular, especially with the kids. Besides being easy to prepare, the peanut butter will provide some protein and the apples will add some extra water content. To make the sandwich even more enticing for the kids, try putting the peanut butter and apples in small whole-wheat tortillas to make eating more fun. It tastes extra-yummy when the peanut butter melts in the sun and gets all gooey.  Don’t forget extra napkins!  Feel free to add some of that granola or some banana.

Making a normal sandwich into a wrap not only makes eating more exciting but also makes them cleaner; wraps are easier to hold so you don’t have to worry about your sandwich contents falling into the sand.

If your kids insist on eating at the snack bar, let them choose between a grilled chicken sandwich and grilled chicken fingers.  Most snack bars will be happy to substitute grilled chicken for the fried chicken on the kids’ menu.  Forego the fries and get baked potato chips instead.  If your kids are clamoring for the ice cream truck, have them choose ices over ice cream for a lot less fat.

With all these healthy choices, everyone will be satisfied and you are guaranteed to enjoy a great day at the beach. Your friends and family with thank you, as will your body. And don’t forget the sunscreen.

By Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, pediatrician and child obesity specialist
Author, Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right!
For more information: e-mail info@drweigh.com or call 516-801-0022.
www.drweigh.com

 

CBS Sunday Morning 7-18-10, featured multiple segments on the various aspects of obesity: it affects and prevention. To read the featured stories, go to http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/sunday/main3445.shtml

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has approved GetSweaty.com to be included in the resource database used by schools enrolled in their Healthy Schools Program. The site was “found to be in alignment with one or more of the Healthy Schools Program Framework Criteria and consistent with American Heart Association standards for scientific validity and accuracy.”

Information about GetSweaty is now included on the Alliance’s online searchable database and is available to their member schools to view.

About the Alliance
The American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation joined forces in May of 2005 to create a healthier generation by addressing one of the nation's leading public health threats -- childhood obesity. Along with our co-leader Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, the Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child's health: homes, schools, restaurants, doctor's offices and communities. www.healthiergeneration.org
 

According to a report  by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released in April, 2010, there is substantial evidence that physical activity can help improve academic achievement .

The study, which compiled and analyzed all studies conducted on the topic, drew the following conclusions:

      Physical activity can help improve academic achievement  (including grades and  
      standardized test scores).

      Physical activity can have an ipact on cognative skills and attitude and academic
      behavior, all of which are inportnat components of improved academic
      performance These include enhanced concentration and attention as well as
      improved classroom  behavior.

These studies also show that recess and in-class activities in 5-20 minute increments can have positive outcomes.

According to the study, the results of this review support several strategies that schools can use to help students meet national physical activity recommendations without detracting from academic performance:

School-based physical education
To maximize the potential benefits of student participation in physical education class, schools and physical education teachers can consider increasing the amount of time students spend in physical education or adding components to increase the quality of physical education class. Articles in the review examined increased physical education time (achieved by increasing the number of days physical education was provided each week or lengthening class time) and/or improved quality of physical education (achieved through strategies such as using trained instructors and increasing the amount of active time during physical education class).

Recess
School boards, superintendents, principals, and teachers can feel confident that providing recess to students on a regular basis may benefit academic behaviors,while also facilitating social development11 and contributing to overall physical activity12 and its associated health benefits. There was no evidence that time spent in recess had a negative association with cognitive skills, attitudes, or academic behavior.

Classroom-based physical activity
Classroom teachers can incorporate movement activities and physical activity breaks into the classroom setting that may improve student performance and the classroom environment. Most interventions reviewed here used short breaks (5–20 minutes) that required little or no teacher preparation, special equipment or resources.

Extracurricular physical activities
The evidence suggests that superintendents, principals, and athletic directors can develop or continue school-based sports programs without concern that these activities have a detrimental impact on students’ academic performance. School administrators and teachers also can encourage after-school organizations, clubs, student groups, and parent groups to incorporate physical activities into their programs and events.

To read the complete study, click here.