Mental health
is equally important
Back to school health checklist
Mind and body:
If these symptoms persist for several weeks and have no known
medical cause, you should discuss them with your doctor. |
When you are stressed, anxious or upset, your body tries to tell you that something is not quite right. The following are physical symptoms that your emotional health may be off kilter:Mind and body: Your emotions can affect your health
Health
screenings |
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Another good reason to visit the dentist |
Source: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research |
Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week is May 8 – 14. |
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Get screened for head and neck
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Get the right number
|
Blood Pressure
• Normal Less than 120/80 • Pre-hypertension 120 to 139 / 80 to 89 |
• Stage 1 hypertension 140 to 159 / 90 to 99 • Stage 2 hypertension 160/100 and above |
Cholesterol • Total — Less than 200 • HDL — “Good” Cholesterol Greater than 40 |
• LDL — “Bad” Cholesterol Less than 100 |
Triglycerides |
Less than 150 |
Blood Glucose • Fasting Less than 100 |
• Random (after eating) Less than 140 |
Waist
Circumference • Women under 35 inches |
• Men under 40 inches |
Body Mass Index (BMI) |
18.5 - 24.9 |
When you send your children off to school this fall,
make sure healthy habits are part of their daily curriculum.
“Parents are great teachers,” said Dr. Jan Cook, medical director at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. “Help your children develop lifelong healthy habits by reinforcing a simple message: 5-2-1. Eat five or more servings of vegetables and fruit a day. Limit screen time to two hours a day. Get one hour of physical activity every day.”
Our back-to-school checklist expands on these tips to help children stay healthy and grow strong.
For a healthy body
• Schedule checkups
A yearly exam by a pediatrician and twice yearly dental visits help children stay healthy. Call today for appointments if needed. Ask the doctor’s office whether your child’s vaccinations and booster shots are up to date. That’s important. Earlier this year, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported numerous outbreaks of measles, a disease that can be prevented through vaccines. Yearly flu vaccines are now recommended for children six months and older.
• Be active
An hour of moderate activity a day, such as brisk walking, helps children stay within a healthy weight range and wards off diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which are becoming more common in children and may lead to later heart disease. Encourage your child to join school sports teams or clubs and activities designed to burn energy. Remind children to stay safe during sports by drinking plenty of water before, during and afterward — especially on hot days — and wearing protective gear like helmets, padding and footwear appropriate for the sport. Call a doctor for advice following any head injury.
Shop fall farmers’ markets for fresh veggies and fruits. Hold taste tests at home featuring new choices and old standbys: winners claim a spot in school lunch bags. Boston residents who use SNAP benefits (previously called food stamps) can get 50 percent off farmers’ market purchases up to $20 through the Boston Bounty Bucks Program. Learn more at the market information table or www.thefoodproject.org/bountybucks.
Along with a sandwich or yogurt, pack a handful of grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, baby carrots, celery, crunchy salad greens or farmers’ market favorites. Pair with a protein-packed dip like hummus or bean dip or a small amount of salad dressing. Apple slices dusted with cinnamon, orange slices, seedless grapes (preferably red) and berries are easy, healthy fruit choices. Water, skim milk or low-fat milk are great choices for beverages.
Why stop at lunch? Try sprinkling fruit on yogurt or whole grain cereal for breakfast. Beware breakfast bars and toaster pastries, which pack a wallop of sugar. Cut back on sugary cereals by alternating days with healthier breakfast foods or allowing children to sprinkle a handful of sweeter cereals, raisins or other dried fruit on unsweetened or very lightly sweetened cereal. At dinner, liven up plates with one or more colorful servings of vegetables and fruit.
• Curb screen time
Limit screen time — that’s TV, texting, video games, surfing the web or chatting on social networking sites — to two hours daily. Excess weight, unhealthy snacking, less activity and more exposure to ads for fast foods, sugary cereals and unhealthy snacks are associated with more than two hours of TV per day. Move TVs and computers out of the bedroom (park cell phones outside bedrooms at night, too). Decide with your child where and when to spend screen time and whether chores and homework must be finished first.
• Lighten the load
Heavy backpacks can injure backs. First, lighten up. Teachers sometimes have extra texts that students can leave at home. If you have Internet access, ask teachers if any textbooks are available free online with a school password. Libraries offer free fiction and nonfiction books as well as online texts and services.
Next, look for back-saving options. Buy a rolling backpack or one with wide, well-padded shoulder straps, a padded back and preferably a waist strap that helps support some weight. Adjust straps snugly.
• Sidestep germs
Schools are an excellent breeding ground for germs. Teach your children to cough or sneeze into an elbow. Remind them to wash hands after using the bathroom, before eating and after coughing or sneezing into hands. Hand sanitizer helps when washing up isn’t possible.
• Stay home when necessary
Sick days happen, so make backup plans now. Can you make up sick time or work from home? Can a relative or responsible neighbor step in when a child is sick? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, good reasons to keep a child home include persistent fever (above 100.4° F by mouth); severe sore throat lasting at least 48 hours or severe headache, especially coupled with a fever; a significant rash; diarrhea; uncontrolled coughing; or lots of discolored nasal discharge. You should check with your child’s doctor if symptoms persist or worsen. Remember, sending children to school sick exposes others to your child’s illness and can make school an unhealthy place.