Wanted: Bike-to-School leaders

Bike to School Flyer

Join us!

Do you want to help make Festus and neighboring communities healthier and more active? Join Get Fit Festus at our next meeting on Thursday, March 4 from 3:45-5:00pm. We need volunteers to help plan activities, represent GFF at health fairs and community events, and promote healthy and active lifestyles.

Contact melissa.brown@jeffcohealth.org for meeting location and details.

Walk out winter

The days are getting longer (and a bit warmer)! How will you use this extra daylight? Beat cabin fever and take healthy steps by getting outside and walking. Try a 10-15 minute walk in the morning or evening (or both!).

Too cold? A little bundling goes a long way:

1) Wear a hat to keep the heat in and protect your ears, which may be extra sensitive to the cold.
2) Wear gloves or mittens to keep your hands warm. Try to keep your arms moving as you walk to increase blood flow.
3) Keep moving -- once you get going, you'll generate heat and start feeling warmer.
4) Still cold? Add a scarf or extra layers.

Make healthy behavior contagious: Encourage your family, friends, or neighbors to join you on your walks.

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M.B.

Heart healthy minestrone

There are many great, healthy recipe resources on the internet, such as the American Heart Association's Delicious Decisions, which is the source for the following recipe:

Thirty-Minute Minestrone

Serves 6; 1 2/3 cups per serving

You can make this classic Italian soup in about a half hour from start to finish.

Ingredients

4 cups water
2 cups miniature peeled carrots
15-ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
14-ounce can peeled Italian plum tomatoes, cut up
1 cup chopped onion
4 teaspoons low-sodium beef bouillon granules or 2 teaspoons regular beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
9-ounce package frozen no-salt-added Italian green beans
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/2 cup elbow macaroni, alphabet macaroni, or broken spaghetti, uncooked
1/4 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions

In a large saucepan, combine water, carrots, beans, tomatoes, onion, bouillon granules, garlic, basil, oregano, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add green beans, zucchini, and pasta. Return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until pasta is done.

Spoon into bowls and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)

168 Calories

1.5 g Total Fat

0.5 g Saturated Fat

0.0 g Trans Fat

0.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat

0.5 g Monounsaturated Fat

3 mg Cholesterol

270 mg Sodium

30 g Carbohydrates

6 g Fiber

9 g Sugar

8 g Protein

Dietary Exchanges

1 starch, 3 vegetable

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M.B.

Heart Month! Support the American Heart Association Heart Walk

May 15, 2010 will be the next American Heart Association Heart Walk in St. Louis and at Busch Stadium to fight heart disease.

Heart disease touches all of us in some way. I lost my father to heart disease in 1991 and have committed myself personally as well as professionally to help prevent and treat this disease.

I lead the Rehab team at Jefferson Regional Medical Center to raise critical funds for heart disease and stroke research and education. Also, I am looking for other team members that want to help make our team grow and be successful.

As an adult, we have so few opportunities to celebrate successes we are a part of, and I would like you to be a part of that success.

Please go to the Jefferson Regional Medical Center Cardiopulmonary Rehab Department website to make a donation, join our team, or just find out more information about this event.

Cardiopulmonary Rehab American Heart Association Site

Thanks in advance for all your support.

____________________________________________

Andrew Held

Jefferson Regional Medical Center

Wellness Coordinator

aheld@jhsmo.com

Help your heart

It's February, which means American Heart Month is here again. Your heart is a muscle -- it needs exercise to stay healthy. What are you doing to help your heart?

The American Heart Association offers two free programs to get you moving down the road to heart health. Check out the Start! program and the BetterU program to learn more.

Stay tuned to Get Fit Festus for heart healthy recipes and exercise tips.


Jogging hearts image courtesy of http://www.healthybeautifullife.com/labels/Eating%20for%20a%20Healthy%20Heart.html

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M.B.

Inspiration

One of our Get Fit Festus readers recommended a recent AARP article about the health transformation in the town of Albert Lea, Minnesota. Click here to read about how the people of Albert Lea worked together to create a healthier community.

The article talks about a longevity calculator that will estimate your "age" and life expectancy based on your current health habits. You may be older (or younger) than you think!

Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner gives the following tips, which he calls, "The Power 9," for living a long, healthy life:

1) Keep Moving
Find ways to move naturally, such as walking, gardening, using fewer labor-saving devices.


2) Find Purpose
And pursue it with passion.


3) Slow Down
Work less, rest, take vacations.


4) Stop Eating...
...when you're 80 percent full.


5) Dine on Plants
Eat more veggies, and less meat and processed foods.


6) Drink Red Wine
Do it consistently but in moderation.


7) Join a group
Create a healthy social network.


8) Feed your soul
Engage in spiritual activities.


9) Love your tribe
Make family a high priority.


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M.B.