Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
This blog is not mine. It is paraphrased from a magazine I read called The Week (July 1-8 issue, 2011).
Watching a lot of TV can kill you. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed data from 175,000 people & found that every additional two hours of daily T.V. increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20% & heart disease by 15%.
People who watch T.V. 5 hours a day (U.S. average) are 13% more likely to die prematurely. Heightened risk are similar to what is seen with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or smoking.
Watching T.V. ups your odds of early death even if you also spend hours exercising each week; conversely, cutting down makes you lose weight even if you don’t exercise.
Two hours of T.V. per day – the maximum recommended for children, is generous, even for adults.
Friday, June 17th, 2011
Tell us about the coalition you are in and the work you are doing.
I am in the Stockbridge Area Wellness Coalition. We are a newly-formed group committed to improving the health of those living in the Stockbridge Community School District. We are almost finished with the Civic Assessment provided by the Chelsea Area Wellness Foundation and we are sponsoring a 5K Run/Walk at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 18 at Stockbridge High School as part of A Day in the Village festivities.
Why did you choose to join the CWF committee?
I work for the Stockbridge School District and saw the good work being done by the Chelsea Area Wellness Foundation and saw the potential for improving the health and lives of people in our community, so I joined up.
What do you like best about being on the CWF coalition so far?
Meeting up with people working throughout the school district on their own projects for improving our communities and being able to share resources and ideas.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I have a twin brother and my husband has a twin sister.
Interested in joining one of our Wellness Coalitions? Let us know here on Facebook or email Matt Pegouskie at matt@5healthytowns.org and let him know if you live in Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester or Stockbridge.
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011
Tell us about the coalition you are in and the work you are doing.
I have been a member of the Grass Lake coalition since January 2011, serving as the Nutrition Subcommittee chairperson. Although we are still trying to get organized as a group, some areas we have identified as potential projects are: healthy concession stands, exploring the feasibility of a farmer’s market in Grass Lake, exploring the potential interest in a community garden in Grass Lake, and improving the quality of foods offered throughout the school system. We recognize that there are many other potential projects, and look forward to the release of the community assessment survey results in the near future so that we can move forward with programs that will make the greatest impact on the health of our community.
Why did you choose to join the CWF committee?
I was excited to be invited to participate in the coalition. As a registered dietitian for 20 years, I have a true appreciation for the impact healthy lifestyles can make in a person’s life. I have personally felt for many years that our “food culture” would need to change before we, as a society, could expect to really see a reversal of the high rates of chronic diseases that we are currently experiencing in this country. The support of the CWF gives us just that opportunity! I hope that I can help facilitate bringing about changes that result in greater access to fresh, plant-based, minimally processed foods, and appropriate educational opportunities, to all who wish to experience this.
What do you like best about being on the CWF coalition so far?
I enjoy being a part of the coalition because it is at a ‘grass roots’ level. I am so impressed with the commitment and support of the CWF so far, and it gives me great hope that we can make very meaningful changes in our community over the next several years.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I like to travel, cycle, do triathlons, and spend time with my 11, 6, and 4 year old children, my husband, and our 8 week old black lab “Raven”.
Interested in joining one of our Wellness Coalitions? Let us know here on Facebook or email Matt Pegouskie at matt@5healthytowns.org and let him know if you live in Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester or Stockbridge.
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
Tell us about the coalition you work with.
I’m a part of the Stockbridge Wellness Coalition. We are in the early stages of the process of determining the greatest needs for Stockbridge as it relates to being a more healthy community.
Why did you choose to join the CWF Stockbridge Coalition?
I decided to join because I believe it’s easier to make a point than it is to make a difference. Anybody can make a point that the greater Stockbridge area has issues of being unhealthy(like any community does) but that doesn’t really help anybody. I want to make a difference and improve the quality of people’s health in the community by providing alternatives to unhealthy practices.
What do you like best about being on the coalition?
What I’ve enjoyed the most so far about being on the wellness coalition is getting to know a diverse group of people in a way that I would not have. It’s exciting to be on a journey with these people towards really making a difference for our community. I appreciate their experiences, their opinions, and their enthusiasm. I really think at the end of this process that I’ll treasure the journey more than the destination.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I’m am an over the top crazy North Carolina Basketball fan. When my daughter was born, I put her in a cheerleading uniform for the big game against Duke. Some call that brainwashing, I call that good parenting!
Interested in joining one of our Wellness Coalitions? Let us know here on Facebook or email Matt Pegouskie at matt@5healthytowns.org and let him know if you live in Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester or Stockbridge.
Thursday, February 10th, 2011
Yesterday someone tossed most of a perfectly good liverwurst sandwich because someone else in the room started talking about the down side of liverwurst (fat, calories…).
Condemning liverwurst may be in the CWF spirit of ‘eat better’, but it sure isn’t in the CWF spirit of ‘connect with others’. There’s plenty enough guilt around the food selections we make. There is no need for us to heap it on one another at every turn.
Enjoy the darn liverwurst on occasion. Make a healthier choice at dinner.
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
I made it to the gym only once this week! The (potentially) good news is that I have not weighed myself, so weight in and of itself, cannot be my wellness focus this upcoming week…
Some high points: No walk in the woods, but a nice loop around the fields with my 4 year old son on a lovely spring evening. Now what could be better than that? In other words, I’ll chalk that one up to WELLNESS…How nice to connect with family, children, nature, fresh air and sunshine all in one shot. It was free and no bother (no trip to gym, equipment, etc.) at all. Though I offered the older two kids the chance to walk too, they declined. I’m trying to model enjoyment of wellness and not mandate it (as tough as THAT is…).
Still off the wheat products, though I have slipped a bit from time to time. Battling back the sinus infection with herbs, tinctures, vitamins and other gross things that I won’t mention in pleasant company. Slow going but no steroidal rage to visit on my family (which is good). I’ll weigh in next week when I make my THIRD visit to the gym. Until then…
