YspaceSMC has moved to a new, easy-to-use site, to better meet the needs of youth in San Mateo County. The new site is:

http://community.yspacesmc.org

YspaceSMC is now an online community for youth who are leading the way to making San Mateo County a healthier place to live! You can post photos, videos, events, and stories, showing how you are making a difference for your family, neighborhood, school and communities! Connect with others around the county to inspire, connect, and support each other’s efforts to make sure everyone has access to fresh foods and safe places to be active outdoors. Share your ideas with other change-making youth around the County!

Join the YspaceSMC community — it's easy!

1. Visit community.yspacesmc.org
2. Click on the “Sign Up” link in the upper right corner
3. Fill in the requested information
4. Click “Sign Up”
5. You’ll get an e-mail verifying your profile
6. Start posting your photos, videos, stories, and events, and helping out others by sharing your insights and experience by commenting on their posts.

Thanks for being part of positive change in San Mateo County!

Check your nutrition labels.  Make sure there are no hydrogenated fats since they lower your good cholesterol and raise your bad cholesterol.  Each serving should have at least 3 grams of fiber.  Look for added sugar; anything ending in -ose and high fructose corn syrup.  Look at the amount of vitamins and minerals and make sure they are high percentages.

Try substituting lowfat or nonfat versions of your favorite foods, but make sure you check the calories!  Sometimes the lowfat or nonfat versions have just as many calories as the regular versions.  If you are eating at fast food restaurants look for the nutrition info which should be posted. If it's not, ask the manager to see a copy or look it up online, so you can make healthier choices.  Share some of the healthier choices you are making because you are looking at the nutrition labels.

Want to create something new that will impact the future? Here is your chance, with help from Lowe’s Foundation - Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grant. If you have an idea to create an awesome vegetable garden, a nature trail, or landscaping project at your school, you should encourage your parents and teachers to apply for the grant. You can get up to $5000.00 and you will only invest minutes!

Now that you are excited about the idea,  see if you are eligible. Bring any ideas that you have to build a stronger community, and get your parents involved. Remember, you come up with the ideas and Lowe’s Foundation puts up the cash!

Hurry! October 15th is the last day to apply!

Hey it’s Melissa again. Do you like to drink smoothies? Why not make your own instead of buying one at astore?

By creating your own smoothies, you decide what you put in your drink and how much sugar you want in it. Chance is that you are probably drinking something healthier if you make it yourself, than buying it elsewhere. All you need for a smoothie is a blender, some ice and the right amount of ingredients.

In my opinion, homemade smoothies have a better taste. Every day my mother makes my family and I smoothies so that we are able to drink the right amount of servings of fruits and vegetables that we don’t eat in the day.

Here are some options of healthy choices to put in your everyday smoothies. You can put any type of fruit or vegetable that you want in your smoothie. You can try adding bananas, mangoes, and strawberries for sweetness and you can always add alittle spinach and carrots here and there.

So try it and see what happens when you mix your own ingredients into your smoothie, and maybe next time you won’t have to go some place else and spend extra money. What would you put in your smoothie?

Hey all, Alan again, letting you know about a cool new program by San Mateo County called TryTransit. The program offers residents and employees of San Mateo County the opportunity to sign up for free transit tickets.

If more people used transit we would cut down the amount of cars in the county, which would reduce traffic and reduce our carbon footprint. Let’s minimize our carbon footprint now with this program.

If you don’t already take transit and are a resident of San Mateo County, you are eligible to mail in an application to receive redeemable coupons. Applicants must also have a regular destination that they visit at least twice a week, such as work,a youth program, etc.  

The coupons can be redeemed for Bart, Caltrain, AC Transit M Line, Dumbarton Express, SamTrans or VTA. For details on ticket info and services check out the county transit website, commute.org. Once you have tried the program, you will be asked to take a follow up survey, which will enter you in a raffle where you can win a prize.

This one-time incentive allows people to have a taste of public transit around the county and hopefully use it in the future. What do you do to reduce your carbon footprint? Tell us about it.

In this age, much of our time is spent indoors and most of our food travels hundreds, if not thousands of miles from the fields where it is grown,  to our kitchens and dining room tables where it is eaten. In the past, millions of Americans have grown their own food as a way to save money and conserve food resources in times of greater need

Today, the number of American vegetable gardens is on the rise. While many people are growing their own food, there are numerous misconceptions preventing others from doing thesame. The biggest being that vegetable gardening is expensive. Although a high cost can be associated with vegetable gardening, with a little effort, having a home vegetable garden can actually pay for itself after two or three years. I personally have a home garden that has produced hundreds of dollars of food over the past two years.

The other big misconception is that you need a lot of space to grow your own food. The truth is, all you need is a window sill to grow all sorts of interesting crops. In the past, I have managed to grow lettuce, chard and all sorts of herbs in the window sill above my kitchen sink. With a little effort, you too can grow your own healthy and fresh food.

The last misconception about vegetable gardening is that it takes a lot of time. Try starting your own vegetable garden and you will see that it takes as much time as you want it to.There are numerous resources to help you start out, just google vegetable gardening or go to the library and check out a book. You will soon see, once you've started,the possibilities are endless.

Alan here again. Have you checked out the video South Central Diet? It’s about Lae Schmidt of South Central Los Angeles, who is looking to buy healthy foods in a part of town over run by fast food chains. Shmidt knows it is unhealthy. “In my community there’s not a lot of healthy food choices,” she says.  The video chronicles her trip on two buses and more than an hour and a half of travel to find healthy fruits and vegetables.

In this section of LA, there is fast food on almost every block and virtually no supermarkets or grocery stores. The biggest problem is that in a low-income part of the city like South Central, fast food is the cheapest and most convenient thing to buy. Highly processed and cheap to make, fast food chains can afford to sell burgers and fries for just a dollar each whereas fruits and vegetables have to be grown and maintained to be sold for much more.

People in this area are left with a choice of eating a single fruit or vegetable from a high priced corner market or having a whole cheeseburger. The prices just don’t compare.

Fast food particularly targets these areas of low-income and minority communities where the only thing people can afford is cheap fast food. As a result, we see very high levels of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in these low income communities.

To make matters worse, because supermarkets are so scarce people have to go far to obtain healthy food, meaning they have to take time out of their day, which is not possible for most low-income families.

In the Bay Area, there is a similar situation in Daly City. Students from Jefferson High School asked their city council to ban any new fast food restaurants near the school. They claimed their school’s unhealthiness and obesity rate were much too high as a result of all the nearby fast food. As a result, city council agreed to bring new, healthier restaurants, and work with the fast food places to offer better alternatives.  

In the East Menlo Park, East Palo Alto area where I live, I notice a lot of fast food places, not just chains but local vendors, too. This all contributes to the fact that this area has one of the highest obesity rates in San Mateo County. On a positive note, the area now has a farmer’s market, and more grocery stores are opening.

Now ask yourselves, do you live in an area where cheap greasy food is easy to find? Let us know! See what you can do to help out. 

Hey it’s Melissa again. Obesity can have negative effects on your health. Obesity can lead to risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, infertility, cancer, joint problems and back pain.

Small changes in our lives can make a huge difference. I used to weigh around 160 pounds, but by changing my eating habits and doing a bit more physical activity, I was able to lose around 20 pounds in just three months. Some things that I changed were eating more fruits and vegetables throughout the day, and decreasing the portion sizes that I would eat each day. I also became a bit more active than before. Now I spend around 30 minutes running on a treadmill, just so that I can keep myself in shape. At first these changes made me feel that I would never be able to reach my goal of losing weight but after I succeeded I felt happy and confident in myself.

Changing does not mean changing every little habit that you have, but taking small steps to achieve your goal.

People nowadays find it easier to go to the local fast food place or local restaurant to eat than staying at home and cooking, without realizing that it can be a factor that contributes to an increase in their weight. If people are more careful in watching what they eat, they would not have to fear that they may develop health problems and obesity. By eating more fruits and vegetables, reducing portion sizes, and watching their calories, they can make a difference in their daily lives.

So, will you change youreating habits or will you wait?

Hi everyone, Alan here with some tips on how to eat and drink healthy over the summer. I know in these hot summer months it can be hard to stay cool, but you have to resist opening a can of sugar filled soda. It seems easier and better to just buy a can of soda. It’s sweet, cold and cheap, but you really shouldn't drink it – the sugar will just make you thirstier.

I spend a lot of time outside in the sun shooting hoops and playing soccer and when I get too hot there's nothing better than an ice cold glass of water. It's healthier, tastes great and it'll quench your thirst much better than a can of soda.

Another problem with trying to stay healthy over summer is satisfying your hunger without consuming too much fat or too many calories. After a long day in the sun, a burger and fries with a milkshake on the side sounds great, doesn't it?

Well yes, it may sound good, but this meal is horrendously unhealthy. According to the American Heart Association, this meal contains roughly 1700 calories and 70 grams of fat! That's almost a day’s worth of calories, and a lot of fat in just one meal that contains little nutritional value.

Instead of going out at all, eat at home. It’s cheaper and much healthier. As long as you prepare the right kind of meal, you can’t go wrong. Don’t have any ideas? Try these cool recipes, I’ll let you know how they are in my next blog. Get outside, have fun and have a healthy summer. 

Want to play sports but you just don’t have the time to join a League? Alan here, with some easy ways to set up your own informal sporting events. Sometimes, when I’ve slacked off on my exercise, I know its time to get outside, but exercising alone can be boring, right?

Well, it just so happens that in the 21st century, technology has made it easier than ever to communicate with friends to throw together a pickup game of basketball or soccer.

A couple days in advance I find a school or park to play at and text anyone who might be interested in playing. I then follow-up with an email to anyone who didn’t respond to the text.

You’d be surprised at how many people will show up to these gatherings, because people are bound to invite their own friends. One time, I decided to set up a game of basketball at a local school. I invited nine people on a Thursday to play Saturday, but when I got to the school that day, I found 16 other people ready to play! The original people I had invited told their friends, and more people showed up. We had such a good time we set up three more the next week.

If all of your friends are out of town, check out this directory to find events happening near you or find a park or school to play at.

Comment, tell us about your experiences, and how you set up your own event. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water because it can get pretty hot, especially over the summer.

My mother recently got a new membership to a gym and even at middle age, strives to be in the best shape of her life and exercise even for the smallest amount of time every single day. This brought about some questions in which I asked myself, “How much more different could her generation be from mine?” In modern times, everything is easily accessible through the internet, fast food and takeout (with free delivery) is only one phone call away and simply getting out for a nice walk or running errands is just something people seldom do these days.

While high schools make physical education a requirement for their school curriculum, a lot of students hardly exercise independently once that requirement is fulfilled. As I approach my college years, I dread the “Freshman 15” in which Freshmen in college gain weight their first year due to their inability to eat the right foods in addition to the amount of food available on or near college campuses. I hope to not fall victim to this “Freshman 15” and learn to make the right eating and exercise choices.

Although going out to be active may not sound too appealing to most people, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. No one expects you to run a triathlon or swim Olympic miles every day! Even the smallest of things can make a difference. Going out for a jog a few times a week, walking your dog, or enjoying the fun summer sun with friends is a great way to start! Opting for a walk to school instead of driving there is not only a healthy choice but helps to save the environment as well. There are literally countless ways for you to start being healthy right this very moment!

Here are some cool sites that you can visit with more information on how to be active and stay healthy starting right now:

You can always visit the "Get Moving" portion of Youth Space.

And you can visit the "Eat Healthy" portion of Youth Space aswell.

Some additional sites include:

http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/\

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/center/nutrition_center.html?gclid=CNz_g_jQp6ICFRNZiAod6CweRA

http://www.teengrowth.com/

http://www.hify.org/ 

Now, what are you waiting for? Stop reading and go outside and be active!

By: Sam  

How do you usually get to work? By car?  Walking?  Public transportation?  Hey everyone. Nimo here again.  Today, I'll be blogging about the 16th Annual San Francisco Bay Area's "Bike to Work Day" on Thursday, May 13, 2010.

On this day, you and many other participants will celebrate bicycling as a means to not only get healthier, but also to save our environment and reconnect with the community that you live in!  There are many activities for individual and group cyclists.  You are not alone on this day!

According to the website (http://www.youcanbikethere.com), there will be "incentives, raffles, challenges and energizer stations on Bike to Work Day."  Click here to view a map of Bay Area energizer stations.

If you don't feel comfortable riding your bike to work by yourself, why don't you gather up a group of people to participate in this activity with you?  For all those competitive cyclists, now's your chance!  You and your group can compete with other participating groups.  Whichever group travels the most days by bicycle wins the GRAND PRIZE!!  Appealing, is it not? For more information on the group cycling, click here. 

Are you ready for Bike to Work Day?  Mark your calendars, put on your helmets and hop on that bike!

For more biking information, go to http://bicycling.511.org/.  

I leave you all with one love and happiness.  Get out there and ride!  God bless.

By: Nimo 

Hi.  My name is Ana and this is my second blog.  In this blog, I will be writing about different spaces where you can exercise.  Exercise is a good habit to have.  Why?  Because it helps you to be more relaxed and can also help you release the daily stress that you may have.  There are many ways to exercise, but the question comes down to where you'll be exercising – indoors or outdoors. 

Are you interested in learning about a topic but never see it?  Let us know what you want to see on the blog or top stories, and enjoy exploring different sections in yspacesmc.org.  Thanks! 

A fishbowl is a way to get people’s opinion on a certain subject. The way a fishbowl works is there is an inner circle and an outer circle. The participants sit in the inner circle and the observers sit in the outer circle. The participants are asked questions and the observers listen and learn.

The supporters that attended our fishbowl included members of the school board, parents, teachers, community leaders, food services department, and students. From the discussions, a few themes emerged: food content and presentation; mealtime environment; student awareness/knowledge, involvement, and access; and budget issues. After this series of fishbowls, our hope is that most of these issues get improved.

To get involved in the food projects, you can contact Brian Lau at 650-369-1411 x6492 or brian.lau@yfes.

By Seema and Dolores, Sequoia Youth Advisory Board

Not many people give the word self-esteem much thought.  I know I don't.  Hi!  Nimo here again.  In this blog entry, I'll be talking about self-esteem, the down side of low self-esteem and the benefits of having high self-esteem.

The definition of self-esteem is how a person feels about his/herself.  According to a survey of 90,000 students (grades 7-12) from Family First Aid, self-esteem helps people deal with emotional stress.  Higher self-esteem also lead students to be more successful later on in life and make good choices.  Just imagine, higher self-esteem = full ride scholarship to the university of your choice!  Did you know, "teen pregnancy statistics show time and time again that girls who engage in unprotected sex often have lower self-esteem than their counterparts?" 

Lower self-esteem can also lead to depression or suicide.  According to Family First Aid, teens experience low self-esteem because of their appearance, peers, parents and having unrealistic expectations.  By appearance, I mean self image.  Teens tend to have low self-esteem because they are concerned about how they look.  Teens tend to feel bad about themselves when they see that there is an"irregularity" about their looks.  Teens, what I've learned from an issue of Essence (on the cover, it starred Gabrielle Union, Queen Latifah, and Angela Bassett) is that if you have an irregularity in your body, you have to learn how to embrace it and make it your strongest asset.  Don't let it bring you down. 

Low self-esteem can also be caused by a teen's peers.  If a peer is putting down another student or making that certain student feel like an outcast, the outcome of that student's distress will be even greater.  So please, stop teasing someone else who looks different from you.  We are all the same inside. 

To the parents - continuing to put down your child will make them feel unloved.  Parents, lay off on how your child looks.  We know that you are merely trying to help us, but you continuing to put us down makes us feel as if we're not worthy - like we don't ever do anything right.  Unrealistic expectations set for your child tends to put the child's self-esteem down.  An unrealistic expectation is when you expect your child to succeed in being a doctor when in reality, your child would rather just go to an art institute or some other place that their heart desires - other than Harvard, Yale, or Standford.  According to Family First Aid, if parents and teachers expect too much, the student feels that since they're not living up to expectations, they are a failure and thus causing them to have low self-esteem.

Youth, self-esteem is an important aspect of your life.  If you're feeling depressed, suicidal or down, try talking to someone, contact the local resources listed below or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline (it's anonymous).

Local resources:

YSpacesmc.org - Feelin' Good About Yourself section 

Youth & FamilyEnrichment Services (YFES)
Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF)
Puente de la CostaSur
Family & Children Services
Peninsula Family YMCA

Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1 (800) 273 - TALK

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Hello all, my name is Naftali and I recently wrote a Top Story on yspacesmc.org.  The Top Story I wrote talked about my garden and many other food-related issues the garden has lead me to.  One of the things my garden lead me to was a great place called Pie Ranch.  Over time, I have become more involved in Pie Ranch and have attended multiple conferences with them as a youth representative so to speak.  At one of the conferences I went to, I saw a truly inspiring presentation by a woman named Lily Yeh. 

Lily Yeh is the founder of an organization called Barefoot Artists.  Her organization’s goal is to work with poor people in communities around the world to help to make a better future for themselves and the world as a whole.  The organization does this by working with members of the community to produce artwork that transforms once rundown places into beautiful spaces for the community to enjoy.  One of their most recent projects was called the Rwanda Healing project. The project got the community members up, active and moving as they transformed their community one step at a time through art. 

Along with providing the community with beautiful art, the project allowed some of the emotional wounds brought about by the Rwandan genocide to be healed.  Many people often overlook the importance of emotional health but the project allowed many community members to overcome the emotional trauma of the experience.  Numerous studies have shown that it is much easier to obtain a higher level of physical health if you have good emotional health.  Likewise, art is often associated with improving emotional health and well being.  This project inspired me because it used art as a way to emotionally heal a community that has faced such immense hardship in the past.

Hi, Will here again to tell you about riding your bike to school.  I’m not in school anymore (I’m a class of ’07 graduate) but it hasn’t been too long since I was there. 

As a sophomore, I would ride my bicycle to school and had lots of fun doing it.  What I didn’t like, though, was that every now and then, I heard rumors about people’s bicycles getting stolen!  But if you use a lock properly, there is little to no chance that your bike will get stolen.  Also, sometimes there were not enough spaces to leave my bike in a rack. 

During my senior year, I changed schools and made an effort to ride my bike to school more often than before.  What encouraged me to bike to school was the fact that there were enough bike racks to park my vehicle safely without having to worry that it would get stolen or vandalized.  What I also liked about riding my bicycle to school was that the school encouraged the students to bike by giving stuff away to riders.  This one time, I won a movie ticket and another time I got some candy.  By riding my bicycle to school, I lost some weight and increased my stamina.  I became healthier than I had ever been. 

If your school is safe enough for you to ride a bicycle to, why not try it?  From my personal experience, I can assure you that it will be fun to bike.  If you don’t feel comfortable riding by yourself, try getting your friends to bike with you.  The more people that bike with you, the merrier.

Hey, this is Will again.  Today, I’ll be telling you about one of my favorite places to go hiking called Bayfront Park.  This place has everything: a jogging trail, a place to fly kites, a bike trail, historical facts about the site and bathroom and water drinking facilities.  On a warm, sunny day, you can go there and see lots of people doing various activities like the ones mentioned above and you can tell that they’re enjoying themselves.  If you decide to go on the various paths, you can enjoy the beautiful sights and the pretty animals of which there are many - such as squirrels, moles, rabbits, hawks, snails and other animals that I can’t remember at the moment.

Hiking is always an enjoyable experience, especially at this place.  When I was about 9-years-old, my father took me there to breathe some fresh air and to run around a little.  I saw the wildlife, heard nature and smelled all the pretty flowers.  Ever since that day, I knew that hiking out in a place like this could bring various benefits.  It can bring your stress level down, is good for your cardio and can give you everlasting memories.  Is there a place such as this in your neighborhood?  Try it out, and see for yourself all the great benefits of hiking.

Here's a link to find out about other parks in San Mateo County: http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/portal/site/parks

Hey everyone!  Nimo here, again.  When I was in school, when the words P.E. escaped from someone's lips, I writhed.  It was as if they were sentencing me to death.  In this blog entry, I will be talking about whether or not I got a lot of physical activity during my P.E. classes.  My freshman year in high school, P.E. wasn't torture or fun - it was just laid back.  The teacher was really laid back and chill.  It seemed as if, at times, he didn't care until we get to the basketball and football section of our class!

I didn't have P.E. my sophomore year, but by junior year I was back to dressing into the navy blue shirt and shorts.  I had the same teacher as I did my freshman year and to be honest, we did NOT do anything.  To make matters worse, it was a yoga class full of girls.  We sat around and talked for what seemed like hours.  Sounds like a perfect day for girls, right?  While in the warrior pose, I thought to myself, "I really want to go outside and play football again."  

My senior year, I got serious and joined the weight training class.  The teacher was funny, but was also very serious and concerned when it came to youth dealing with obesity - he was fit for a guy his age!  Most of the time, I goofed off - only because I didn't feel comfortable working out with numerous boys around and, I guess, you can say the past two years with the laid back teacher has taken its toll on me.

After reading this, you probably have already figured out that I did not get enough physical activity in my P.E. classes.  Maybe it's just my theory, but I have reason to believe that when it comes to physical activity in your P.E. classes, it all comes down to YOU and if your environment makes it easy for you to be active.  We can't blame it all on the teachers, school, or the distractions around us.  There are many factors (environmental) that make it hard for people to get active.  It's not always the fault of the individual, although it doesn't help if they are not motivated to try.  What do you think?  Do you get enough physical activity in your P.E. classes?  What can we do to ensure that youth actually get some physical activity in their P.E. class?  I'll leave that for you guys to decide and ponder.  I leave you all with one love and happiness.  God bless.

Hey there, it's Jenny.  Cold weather doesn't mean we have to stay at home to exercise.  Exercising can be safe even when it's 20 degrees below zero outside.  You just have to know the "rules" before starting.  Here are some tips I got from my doctor.

It's safe for everyone to exercise in cold weather even if you have asthma or heart problems.  However, it's always best to check with your doctor and get his/her okay before starting.  

It's also important how you dress.  Dress in layers that you can remove easily when you feel your body getting too warm, and that you can put back on when you feel you need to.  You can start with a thin layer of synthetic material such as polypropylene. This material helps draw sweat away from your body.  You should avoid cotton since this stays wet next to your body.  Next, try fleece for insulation and top this with a water-proof breathable outer layer.  A heavy jacket or vest can cause some people to overheat. 

If it's really cold or you have asthma, you should wear a face mask or a scarf to cover your mouth.  Your hands and feet should always be protected since they're most vulnerable to frostbite. You can try a thin pair of gloves under a heavier set of gloves with wool or fleece.

Also wear shoes that give you enough room to wear thick thermal socks or a second pair of regular socks.  Don't forget a hat or headband, 30-40 percent of your body heat is lost through your head. 

Sunscreen is as important in the winter as it is during the summer as well as chapstick, and remember to drink plenty of fluids like water. 

When it's cold outside, there's no need to go hit the couch.  So who's ready to go?!  What is your favorite activity during the winter?

Here are some resources from the Get Healthy website:

• Local Activity Resource Directory
• Physical Activity section contains info on local parks, trails, and recreation programs and info on how to incorporate physical activity in your life

Hey I'm Melissa and I was the author of the blog, Air Quality and Health in San Mateo County. Today I'll be blogging about staying healthy during the holidays.  I honestly think that trying to eat healthy throughout these days is a real challenge.  With all those delicious baked goods and greasy foods waiting for us on Christmas Day and New Years, it's a big temptation to eat them.  By moving aside these temptations, we can start eating healthier by simple acts; like eating a salad made out of different fruits or snacking away on delicious grilled pineapple kabobs.  You can even introduce these to your friends and family.  Trust me, they'll enjoy it.  For example, if you're going to a party and you're bringing something to eat, why don't you take something healthy but delicious at the same time?  Its a change in improving your health during the holidays.  Hey, maybe that's a good idea of a New Year's resolution!  Eating healthy!  Here are a few resources to get your resolution moving: eating healthy, get movin', and yum yum recipes.

Hey everyone!  My name is Nimo.  I wrote a blog before called To Whom It May Concern.  As the year comes to an end, it's time to say good-bye to '09 and say hello to '10!  Wow.  Who would've ever imagined that we would actually reach 2010?  I didn't.  As the new year comes in, everyone is talking about their New Year's resolution.

What is the definition of a New Year's resolution?  A New Year's resolution, according to a staff member of mine, Melissa, is, "a change in your life."  I believe that the definition of a New Year's resolution is a change that you are willing to make in your life and try to commit to.  What is your New Year's resolution?  What are you willing to change when it comes to your health?

2010, I greet you with open arms and challenge you to...BRING IT ON!  This year, my New Year's resolution is to work-out more and STOP making up excuses as to why I can't jog around the block.  To me, that is a mere sign of weakness - making up excuses to not work out.  I mean, come on?  It's baby steps that I'm taking here.  All I have to do is change into "jogging" clothes, change my sneakers into running shoes, and step out the door.  How hard can that be? Obviously, it must've been really hard for me because I didn't make it past the couch!  But please remember folks, when you're making a New Year's resolution, take baby steps.  One step at a time.  Don't try to take on the world in order to accomplish this New Year's resolution - that's stressful.  I advise you all to take one day and step at a time for a New Year's resolution involving your health.  I leave you all with one love and happiness.  Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!  

This is Jenny writing again to share a new experience at a recent Fishbowl meeting at Sequoia High School.

What's a Fishbowl?  It's a meeting where youth are asked to share their opinions about a certain topic. It's a chance for students to be carefully heard by adults and for adults to be carefully heard by students. The room is set up with chairs in a circle in the middle of the room. 

At the last meeting, which unfortunately I wasn't able to attend, students conversed about their school lunches.  This time adults with different roles in the district got the opportunity to elaborate on what they feel and hear from students about school lunches. The facilitator asked questions to get the discussion moving, and as it went on I discovered that district staff feel almost the same way as students do about their lunches. Staff want every student that eats lunch at school to get what they need out of their meals. And they want the meal to taste good and be fulfilling. 

Getting school lunches to be not only healthy but also affordable will be a long (hopefully not too long right?) but doable task. Many people are fighting to get healthier school lunches, and you can too. Ask your teachers and other school staff if they know when the next Fishbowl meeting is. And if your school has never had a Fishbowl, ask if you can have one.  Who knows, maybe your voice is the voice that pushes it all!

Hello, this is Will again.  I wrote a few of the blogs before and now I have a few more thoughts and a question: have you read the new Top Story on yspacesmc.org?  What an amazing and inspiring experience!  Where other youth are spending their time on Facebook or playing video games, Naftali is doing something that will not only benefit him in the future, but something that will benefit his community as well by planting fruits and vegetables and encouraging others to be healthy.  Hopefully, he can get support from his fellow students and faculty at his school so that he can get his project rolling.  You know what would be lots of fun?  Try starting your own garden with a friend or a parent, someone who you can encourage to keep going and vice versa.  I can promise you that when autumn comes, you will reap huge rewards (literally).  Can you start a project like Naftali’s at your school or even in your house or neighborhood?

Hey there, it's Jenny again.  On November 17th, I had the opportunity to participate in a meeting to update the Blueprint for the Prevention of Childhood Obesity.  This document (Blueprint) contains all the activities or objectives that need to be done in San Mateo County in order to prevent childhood obesity and other causes related to not eating healthy and not being physically active.  To be honest with all of you, it was a great experience.  I learned that preventing obesity in children is much more than just getting information out to the public.  The Get Healthy San Mateo County Task Force has been working on the objectives in this Blueprint since 2005, and has seen many challenges in trying to ensure that children in our county are healthy.  For example, changing school lunches to be healthier lunches isn't something that the county can just snap their fingers and do.  It takes time and a lot of commitment and support from many community partners. 

At the meeting, participants separated into four groups and talked about different topics.  The group topics were 1) increase opportunities for physical activity, 2) improve nutrition & physical activity in the school environment, 3) promote healthy foods/decrease availability of unhealthy foods, and 4) increase access to fruits & vegetables.  Each group discussed activities in the Blueprint that still needs to be completed, and any ideas that should be added that isn't included in the Blueprint.  One of the ideas that I brought up was poverty tax.  As many people notice, when we go buy groceries at a corner market, especially in a low-income neighborhood, they are more expensive than at a regular grocery store.  That extra cost is due to poverty tax - businesses charge more because they know people in poor neighborhoods don't have any other options.  So the idea we all got to solve this was to have multiple corner stores buy fresh fruit and vegetables together so that they can purchase them at a lower price and sell them at a lower price. 

At the end, two new ideas were voted to be presented to the entire group in the room.  We were all given a remote control look-alike device to rank each activity (what was already on the Blueprint and the new ideas) — from least important to the most important (not that they all weren't important).

After everyone voted we went back to our groups and discussed if what was voted the highest was easy to do or if it would be difficult to accomplish in the next five years. We also discussed why we think that the one voted on as least important was voted to be the least.  Did we agree or disagree with the vote?  After the discussion, the meeting was concluded.  There were three meetings held in San Mateo County - one in North County, Mid County, and the Coastside. This experience was a great one, and I'm glad I was able to be a part of it. 

Information for the Blueprint update meetings is still being gathered, and if you have any ideas or want to get involved you can contact Naida Pare at npare@co.sanmateo.ca.us.   

This is Alisha again - I wrote a previous blog called "Making Changes."  I was able to attend this workshop called "Creating and Using Active Public Spaces," which was about using outdoor public spaces to make your community healthier.  The keynote speaker, Gil (Guillermo) Penalosa, is originally from Bogota, Colombia. He is passionate about improving quality of life through the promotion of walking and bicycling in parks, trails, and other public spaces to have a healthier, happier community.  Gil led his team to design and build over 200 parks in Bogota, of which the best known is Simon Bolivar Park (360 hectares).  He says 1.5 million people come out to walk, run, skate, and bike in that park. Click here to see some pictures and information about Simon Bolivar Park. 

Gil Penalosa is now executive director of the Canadian non-profit Walk & Bike for Life and a successful worldwide speaker.  From the presentation and workshops, I got ideas on on how to create a better community, improve my personal and the public's health, and help enhance our transportation systems to provide a clean environment.

I also attended a workshop called "Thriving in Motion" by Dr. Betty Kung, a physician from Redwood City Kaiser Permanente.  In the workshop, Dr. Kung discussed what you can do to be healthy through normal, everyday physical activity and the importance of environments that support these activities.  Exercising helps with prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, obesity, and premature death.  The part I liked most is that Dr. Kung believes strongly in preventive care and in the health basics - proper nutrition, exercise, rest, and striving for balance between mind and body. 

Please tune back next time, as I will be talking more about Gil Penalosa and a video about World Health Day in 2010.  See you then!

On November 2, 2009 Collective Roots, Conexions, and the San Mateo Public Library hosted a panel discussion and introduced the movie Fresh.  Collective Roots is a non-profit organization, which focuses on improving health aspects in the community. The panel discussion took place in San Mateo at the library. It was nice to see Collective Roots go outside the community and try to make a difference. 

The main focus of the movie was the food system, the importance of fresh foods and how every community should have access to quality food. People spoke about their personal actions, what they do and what communities can do to get fresh, local food for themselves and their families.

The panel consisted of Pietro Parravano (moderator), Jennifer Gross, Robin Galas, Jered Lawson, Gail Raabe, and me, Janae. I had a wonderful experience hearing the other panelists' opinion. I, being the youngest panelist, was very nervous because of the other individuals and all the experience and knowledge they held; but they immediately made me feel comfortable and welcome. I am very grateful for the experience. I thank Collective Roots for all their efforts and hard work. 

Please take the time to visit the website for Collective Roots and add yourself to their monthly newsletter called The Root of the Matter.  The newsletter includes what is happening during the month and how YOU can get involved! 

Would you like to watch a trailer of the movie Fresh? There is a website for that too! Go to www.freshthemovie.com and watch it for yourself. You will not regret it! 

Jenny here again and with something very interesting.  Check out this link to a video on YouTube.  In the video, people make the stairs to the subway into a piano.  Yes, a piano.  Crazy, right? 

By Melissa

Each day, the air quality in San Mateo County changes both in healthy and unhealthy ways, depending on how much people drive their cars. The San Mateo County website commute.org provides commuters with opportunities to ride public transit all over the county for free.  Check it out - you might be able to take a free shuttle to school or work. 

Having clean air keeps us healthy, but polluted air negatively affects our health.  In my opinion, during these past few weeks, the air in San Mateo County has been more polluted than ever.  Many people don’t realize it but they are hurting themselves by driving cars, trucks, or other mobile transportation that emit hazardous chemicals in the environment. By using these modes of transportation, pollution is being spread through the air.

Some health risks associated with air pollution are asthma and cancer. Pollutants in the air can trigger an asthma attack in children. Cancer risks in San Mateo County are due to the many pollutants in the air such asbenzene and ethylene dibromide.  By just inhaling these pollutants, people have a higher risk of getting cancer.

Instead of hurting our environment and ourselves, we can change this by taking simple actions that are more beneficial. Some practices that people can add to their every day lives are walking, biking, or carpooling with others for transportation.  There are also programs such as Spare the Air Day, where Bay Area residents are encouraged to carpool, bike, and use public transportation in order to reduce the amount of pollutants put out into the air by driving automobiles.  By participating in this, we as a community can improve our own health by just helping to improve the quality of our air.

Hey, it's Jennifer again. I got a chance to go to the Redwood City "Dancing in the Square" mini-lessons on Tuesday. This week it was Mambo. My mother got a chance to go with me, and we both loved it. It was a different experience.  I forgot about everything in my mind and focused on the lessons. My mom said it relieved her stress. While I was there I learned about the second annual Salsa competition.There's supposed to be salsa tasting and a lot of Salsa music. You can always log onto http://www.ci.redwood-city.ca.us/calendar/ to see other events that are happening. I hope to see you there. 

Did you know about 6.8 million children in the U.S. have asthma? Most of these children don't get enough exercise because they're scared that it could trigger an asthma attack. I know I was.  When I had P.E. at school, I would just do small exercises or sit out because I didn't know if I could keep my asthma under control. 

Having asthma does not mean you can't exercise, and that's a known fact.  Exercise is greatly recommended for people with asthma because it helps strengthen your breathing muscles, boosts your immune system, and helps maintain a healthy body weight.

It is important to have your asthma under control before you start to exercise. Here are seven steps to keep in mind while exercising:

1. Keep your rescue inhaler on you (in a pocket, a fanny pack, etc.) at all times.

2. Check that your asthma is under control. If it's not under control, exercise could be dangerous.

3. Take your medications as directed.

If you're having trouble breathing, you should take your rescue medicine (blue inhaler such as Ventolin). Your doctor may also ask you to take your rescue inhaler or another bronchodilator fifteen minutes before you exercise. (This has helped me.)

4. Warm up and cool down properly

Before you exercise, warm up slowly by walking or stretching.  Cool down slowly for at least 10 minutes after you're done exercising. Don't stop exercising all of a sudden.

5. Protect yourself from other asthma triggers while you're exercising (cold air, smog, pollen,etc.)  

Pay attention to the temperature where you're planning to exercise. Use your good judgment.  You may have to move to a place with a better temperature.

If you are planning a run outside on a hot, humid, or smoggy day, your asthma is likely to be made worse by the air and by exercise. Try running indoors, in an air-conditioned gym instead.

If you are running on a grass field but are allergic to grass, your asthma may get worse. Try running in the woods or on a paved trail.

If cold air is a trigger, your asthma may get worse. Try breathing through your nose or through a scarf to warm the air up before it gets to your lungs. If your asthma symptoms are bad, wait until the temperature warms up before exercising.

6. If you have symptoms, stop exercising and take your rescue inhaler

Sit up. Wait a few minutes to see if your symptoms improve.

If your symptoms improve a lot, warm up again and slowly go back to exercising.

If your symptoms don't improve, take another dose of your rescue inhaler. Wait a few minutes to see if your symptoms improve.

7. If your symptoms still don't improve and you are having an asthma attack, follow these instructions:

STOP any activity

Take your rescue inhaler

Sit up

If the medicine is not working, call 911

If symptoms are not getting better, keep taking your blue rescue inhaler until the ambulance arrives

*Be sure to talk with your doctor before you try something new.  Check out this local resource guide to see places you can go to exercise and be active.   

Do you have asthma and do you exercise?  If so, what has worked for you?  Do you have any tips for anyone else who may be reading this?

Hey everyone, Jenny again. I wrote the past blogs, Let's Go and Work Out! and Dancing in the Square.  We have all been talking about being healthy and eating better, but what about what you eat at school? Students spend most of their day at school, so school lunches are very important. When I was a student, I never ate lunch. I just wasn't into frozen patties and pizzas, but lately I've been hearing of new changes in the school lunches around San Mateo County. For example, La Honda-Pescadero School District is making their school lunches from scratch. They're serving healthier lunches to students.

There's also a cool video about school lunch, made by Lowell High School students in San Francisco as well — you might want to take a look at this.

So my question to you is...have you noticed anything different about your school lunch? Also, I recently learned students can have input on what they would like to see in the menu. All you have to do is talk to whoever is in charge of the food at your school. To give you something else to think about, what would you want to see in the menu?

Being a Samoan, you’re basically known as “big” and on some rare occasions “big-boned”, but just being a Pacific Islander in general you’re known as “big”. But why must we live up to that stereotype? Is it the type of environment that we live in? The community? Or can we blame it on the ancestors from generations before us?  We, as Pacific Islanders, don’t have to live up to that stereotype. We can make a difference in not only our lives, but in the lives of generations after us. Like President Obama said, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”-BARACK OBAMA, speech, Feb. 5, 2008 (http://www.notable-quotes.com/o/obama_barack.html)

Pacific Islanders of the East Palo Alto and East Menlo community and… well all over the world… it is time for a CHANGE! We shouldn’t be bound by our weight. We are too young to be living with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or being short of breath just because we're walking a short distance. It’s time we take a fighting chance and break through all the stereotypes that are being said about Pacific Islanders being big. It’s time we start eating healthy and getting active!

Why must we, by the age of 17, be nearly 200 pounds? Is that really necessary for our race?  I dislike the fact that Samoans being big is looked at as a good thing-in order to benefit the football or rugby team! Why can’t we be healthy and still be looked at as benefiting the team?

I for one am a 17-year-old Samoan girl that resides in East Palo Alto and it saddens me when I see our youth nearly as big as their parents; not only the youth but the older folks as well. As a Pacific Islander it seems that we keep on proving everyone that all we’re good for is eating. Now I understand that we always joke around about us being hungry, but maybe we should approach that from a different angle.  All this joking around may be our insecurities that we wear on our sleeves; a burden that we carry around with us constantly.

To all my Polynesian brothers and sisters I write this because I am concerned about the direction our race is going and the food choices that we are making. I am not here to force you to eat healthy, however, I am trying to convince you all to try it. Fruits and vegetables can taste good. If you dislike the taste of a certain vegetable or fruit, maybe we need to try new ones and cook them in new and interesting ways that aren't high in saturated fat. It’ll grant you with a longer life and more energy. I honestly will admit that, yes, I don’t always make the best food choices but I am trying to make an impact-not only on the Polynesian community but on my younger siblings.

I hope you all would take in consideration what I said above and rethink about eating your problems away or buying that extra large popcorn from the movie theaters. Eat by portions and if you have a problem you could always go and play a game of football or basketball. I end this wishing you all one love and happiness. 

Hi my name is Alisha.  I’m here to talk about my personal story, about the changes I made in my life that led me to be more active.

Back in the days when I was younger, I used to ride my bike. I usually walked with my friends. Since middle school, I have walked all around my community. It was a lot of fun, but I noticed that I started to lose weight. I decided it was time to step up my game and get more active, so I started doing African Dance.

I discovered a class at a youth center, where I took lessons on Congolese Dancing, mostly known to many as African Dance. It’s a very active movement that is spiritual in my culture. It helped me gain more confidence and self-esteem within myself. It made me see the positives that outweighed the negativity in our community. 

I also started making the right choices on eating better. I used to eat a lot of fast food till I realized it was unhealthy. So I decided to start eating at home, cooking meals by boiling or baking my food and eating a lot of vegetables.

All this walking, dancing, and eating healthy has led me to feel good about myself. I gained self-confidence, high self-esteem and became more of an independent woman. From this day forward I am happy with who I am.

What's your experience? How do you stay healthy?

People in California and all over the United States seem to have very mixed feelings and opinions about the soda tax. While many argue that it should be up to people to decide what they want to drink and think that taxing drinks like sodas is extremely unfair, many others believe that this tax should go into place to discourage people from drinking unhealthy beverages. 

Sacramento Democrat Deborah Ortiz introduced the “California Soda Tax” proposal (Senate Bill 1520), in 2002 in high hopes of passing a bill that would increase tax on the purchases of still and carbonated drinks. This would include sodas and other drinks like juices that have 10 percent or less fruit and vegetable concentrates. If this bill was to pass it would have imposed a surtax of $2 per gallon of beverage syrup to distributors, wholesale dealers and manufactures of these beverages.  It would also impose a 21-cent per gallon increase for all drinks that can be mixed from powder.

As obesity and diabetes are major problems in the United States, the government is trying to find ways to improve health.  The soda tax would be one such initiative. Many people see this as positive step towards helping people lead healthier lives because it could lower the consumption of beverages like sodas, since their prices would rise.

Yet there are other people like the manufacturers of these products that are absolutely against this tax.They believe that soda should not be the only product blamed for such illnesses as diabetes and obesity; there are other products that contribute to poor health. They believe that a tax should not be imposed; it should be up to people to determine what to drink and how they go about it.

If this bill or something similar to it were passed, it would raise about $300-400 million each year that would be disbursed to schools and health programs. Some of the money would be given to schools that agree not to sell soda on their campuses; some would be allocated to the state Department of Health Services; and the rest would be given to clinics, emergency centers, trauma care centers and hospitals.  By focusing on the prevention of obesity and diabetes, our country would save millions of dollars, which would otherwise be spent on treating such health problems in the future; this thought is shared by many, including President Obama.   

So far this soda tax has been proposed in New York, amongst other cities. Currently, there is a lot of discussion around this tax being implemented in more and more places, including California. Although this bill was introduced in California in 2002, the battle will continue between people who believe that the tax is unfair and betweenT others who believe it’s time for the government to take responsibility and discourage people from drinking unhealthy beverages. 

Helpful Resources:

CCPHA Resources/ Soda tax

Soda Tax Weighed to Pay for Health Care

The Rudd Center Health Digest: Soda Tax Proposed in New York

Operators call Calif. soda tax proposal big, fat pain

Our names are Jennifer and Crystal.  We’re currently working with EPA.NET, and before we got here we didn’t know much about staying healthy or where we could go work out. Since we’ve been in this six-week program we’ve learned more about health and how to stay healthy.

We’ve also learned about many new places where we can work out such as: YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, the Lord's Gym, the East Palo Alto Boxing Club and the Cesar Chavez Elementary School track and field. Some people we know have excuses not to go, like, the equipment isn’t well kept, or they don’t like to work out on their own.

Well instead of making excuses for yourself, grab a buddy and get off your video games, computer, or television, grab a water bottle, and get to one of these places or whichever is closest to you.  It’s a better way to spend your time.

My name is Alex and I’m 18 years old. I graduated from Eastside College Prep. and will be attending Santa Clara University in the fall.  For my final senior project I had to research a topic and present it in front of the student body. I decided to focus on how sleep affects adolescent development because I lacked sleep a lot and wanted to find out how this affected my body.

I asked myself, “Does sleep really play a big role in your body?”

As I started my research, I was surprised to see how important sleep really is. I reviewed and analyzed charts that revealed how lack of sleep can increase the risk of someone developing type 2 diabetes. I was shocked. I did not know that all those times when I stayed up accumulating lack of sleep, I was actually increasing my risk of obtaining type 2 diabetes.

Not only does lack of sleep increase the risk of diabetes, but it also increases one’s appetite. I noticed that once one lacks sleep, a chain reaction occurs. If one has chronic sleep loss, the chain grows, causing one to have an increased appetite for calorie-dense foods with high carbohydrate content. As one eats more because of lack of sleep, they have a higher risk of weight gain. And if this weight gain is excessive, then it may lead to more severe health consequences such as type 2 diabetes. 

If you want to learn more about lack of sleep please visit these sites:

Lack of Deep Sleep May Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Sleep Tips: Get Your Teen Some Zzzzs

My name is Jennifer and I live in East Palo Alto.  I recently found out I’ve been missing out in an exciting and fun way to get active. Turns out there are mini dance classes in Redwood City at the Courthouse Square (2200 Broadway Ave., Redwood City) from 6pm-8pm every Tuesday. The best part about it? It's free and it's not repetitive. The type of dance being taught changes every time. Hip Hop, Funk, and Break-Dancing are this week’s lessons, so I'm definitely going with a group of friends. I'll let you know how it goes in my next blog.

Go to http://www.redwoodcity.org/calendar/ to see the Redwood City Event Calendar and get more info about this event.

How do you get fit, stay in shape and eat healthy?  Some of the youth around my community were more than eager to share their experiences.  It seems that more and more youth are starting to pay attention to their exercise and eating habits. 

One of those youth is Anthony, an East Palo Alto resident who plans to start a routine in which he will walk 30 minutes daily at his local park.  Not only is he going to start walking daily, but he will also cut down on his food rations and completely stop eating fast food.  Although he feels sad that he won’t be able to eat his favorite food (nachos), he is willing and determined to learn parkour, a sport in which people try to maneuver through their surroundings by climbing walls or ladders and even railings.

Silvia, a Menlo Park youth, has already begun her workout routine. She is now walking for about 15 minutes each day and eventually wants to move up to 30 minutes each day. Her workout does not leave any room for the taco truck that she once loved.  Silvia is determined to keep a healthy and active body, which in turn will help her to be stress free. 

Check out this link of San Mateo County youth making a change in their lifestyle and helping to make their environment healthier. 

Check out these links:

Tools to help people be healthy

Tools to help you be physically active

So you see, there definitely is proof that youth in San Mateo County are taking the lead in getting fit and eating properly.  These youth have set up goals for themselves and want to accomplish something that they can feel proud about and so can you!

Eating fruits and vegetables from your local Farmers’ Market is only the beginning to having good health.  Eating healthy is very important but we also have to do physical exercise.  Some people choose to join their local gyms and workout.  Others like to go to places away from the city to hike and enjoy nature.  What do you do to stay healthy?

There are many activities in which you can participate.  Not all have to be as rigorous as soccer, football, or even basketball.  Remember that little things go a long way.  A suggestion is to park your car a few feet away from the store as opposed to taking the parking spot right next to it. If you don’t drive, kudos to you!  Walking and riding a bike are beneficial for your health AND you will be aiding the environment by driving less.

What if your neighborhood doesn’t have parks that are accessible or safe or the recreation programs are expensive?  What can you do?

Check out this site for a local activity resource directory in San Mateo County, or for tips and general information on physical activity.  

Something you can do is to organize sporting events or games at your local park in which everyone can participate.  Lots of activities can be arranged so that people of all ages can partake in being active.  The point of the activity is to encourage people from around the community who usually don’t get out too often to engage in physical activity on a regular basis.

So get out there and enjoy the fresh air and share its delight with as many people as possible!  Show people that living a healthy lifestyle goes a long way towards a happy life and get involved in creating opportunities for more access to physical activity in your community.   

A way to encourage your neighbors to eat healthier is by starting or visiting a farmers’ market in your community.  At a farmers’ market, you can sell your own fruits and vegetables if you grow any or you can buy other farmers’ food.  This is a way to make friends and eat foods that you know will help your body fight diseases and illnesses.   

If you don’t know what a farmers’ market is or if you are interested in checking one out, come down to East Palo Alto (EPA) and see one for yourself.  The EPA Farmers’ Market started on Saturday, June 13^th.  The market is open on Saturdays from 2-5 p.m. to anyone interested in eating fruits and veggies from local farmers and growers.  The new location is at City Hall/the Library, across Bay Road and University Avenue.  A great new feature that this Farmers’ Market has is that they will now be taking EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer)/food stamps, WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) checks and Senior FMNP checks!  Also, if you qualify, you could get $5 to spend at the Farmers’ Market.  If you would like more information go to www.epafarmersmarket.org.   

EPA is just one of the many locations that people have for farmers’ market in the bay area.  By just clicking here, you can find out where the farmers’ markets are located throughout San Mateo County.  Aren’t technology and the Internet just great? 

Why not try something new?  Come to a farmers’ market near you and try out some of the food. Don’t forget that all the money that you spend there will circulate in the community. Get your friends or family members together and go to a farmers’ market.  You never know, it might just be the best food you have ever tasted!

My name is Will and I am a youth from East Palo Alto who is concerned about the health and wellbeing of the community around me.  What I see in my community is that as time goes on, not too many kids are interested in going out of their houses or putting their video games down.  I have friends who don’t like to go outside, but prefer to stay indoors, tapping buttons.  The environment doesn’t really encourage them to exercise.  With that in mind, does your health depend on where you live?  Does your community have an influence on your lifestyle in how you eat or exercise? 

In the film series “Unnatural Causes,” in the episode “Place Matters,” I learned about how our surroundings make an impact on our daily choices.  “Place determines what someone’s exposed to in terms of how it will affect health,” says James Krieger, MD, an Epidemiologist from Seattle.  “It determines what kind of physical or chemical agents you might be exposed to.”

It has been confirmed that children who live in areas that have little or no environmental support, such as parks, fresh foods or extra curricular activities tend to be diagnosed with asthma and diabetes twice as much as kids who live in more affluent areas.

People who are either obese, suffer from asthma or have diabetes are often told to change their lifestyles.  Often, that's hard to do because the environment doesn't provide the necessities.

Many people aren't able to contribute to their health due to environmental factors where they live.  They live in places where it is more affordable and accessible to buy food that is easy to eat on the go than it is for them to find a farmers' market or another place with fresh produce.  "And fast food is a bargain," says Dick Jackson, Professor of Environmental Health, U.C. Berkeley.  "You can get 1500 calories for a couple of bucks.  It's not a long-term bargain, but it's a short-term-bargain.  And people make that trade."   

By now, you may be wondering, “What can I do to prevent this from happening in my community?”  Well, there are various activities in which you can participate.  Come to the blog next week and find out some things that you can do to get your community to become active and healthy!