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!