DAILY ANNOUNCEMENTS

FEBRUARY 8, 2010

Lacrosse...If you are interested in playing Lacrosse in the spring, sign ups will be held on February 10 in room F3A from 2:45pm - 8:00pm.

Boys Tennis...If you are interested in playing in the spring, signups will be held on February 18 in room F3A from 2:45pm - 4:00pm. If you have questions please call Mrs. Wiley 973-222-6860. Thank you!

HEALTH FACTS:

February 8...Control Your Calories

Controlling your weight isn't a magic trick, rather it's simple math. Maintaining your weight in a healthy range requires a balance between the calories you take in through food and drink and the calories you burn through physical activity.

• To lose weight: Consume fewer calories than you burn each day. Either cut back on the calories you consume, exercise more or do both.
• To gain weight: Tip the balance the other way. Take in more calories than your body uses. However, your body still needs physical activity to remain healthy, so keep moving.

Why focus on calorie balance? Your body stores most of the excess calories you consume as fat. Just 100 extra calories a day adds up to 10 pounds in a year.

February 9...Bear the Weight for Healthy Bones

Calcium and weight-bearing exercise are a winning combination for building and maintaining strong, healthy bones. Your goal should be to build up calcium stores early in life, then maintain that level to later minimize loss that comes with age.

Consuming enough calcium - at least 1,000 to 1,300 milligrams a day, depending on your age - offers protection against bone loss. Weight-bearing activity, such as running, cross-country skiing, tennis and soccer promotes the deposit of calcium into the structure of bones. To develop and maintain strong bones, get at least 30 minutes of weight-bearing activity each day.

February 10...Rethinking Rice

Rice is a versatile dish, both as a side dish and adding texture and flavor to main dishes as well. But if white rice bores your taste buds, there are many other tasty varieties that can provide a great compliment to your meals.

Jasmine and basmati rice have a fragrant flavor and aroma and are especially good with Thai and Indian food. Arborio rice, a short-grain rice, gives Italian risotto its creamy texture. Even brown rice can be a perfect substitute for white rice in Chinese and Mexican foods and is a better source of whole grains.

February 11...Soy for Your Health

Soybeans and soy products are showing up on more menus and grocery store shelves. This versatile and nutritious legume (bean) provides variety to dishes of all ethnicities. Even better is that soybean products may also contain several nutrients that promote a healthy lifestyle.

Soy products contain high levels of polyunsaturated fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals and low levels of saturated fat. This makes soy products a healthy replacement for meats and other foods high in saturated fats.

There are several tasty varieties of soy products that can make a great addition to any meal:

• Calcium-fortified soy milk
• Tofu
• Soy nuts
• Edamame
• Tempeh
• Miso
• Soy patties, cheese and yogurt
• Soy breakfast cereal
  

February 12...Valentine Chocolates Can Be Healthy

With every Valentines Day comes treats galore. This doesn't have to be a bad thing. When selecting from this year's sweets, consider the benefits of dark chocolates.

Enjoyed in moderation, dark chocolate is a satisfying treat that can provide nutritional value. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids that come from extracts of the cocoa bean. Choosing dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa gives your body more of these healthy antioxidants.

Some studies report small portions of dark chocolate can maintain heart health and maintain the health of blood vessels.