Healthy Nutrition

We have invited the students of the Westhill High School’s Go Healthy Early Club to be the guest writers for the Health Department Web Site Health Nutrition topic. As documented on CBS’s “The Early Show,” these students have demonstrated a commitment to issues of health and nutrition and are working within their school community to bring about meaningful change in this area.

Many small steps can be taken to improve one’s health. Though they may seem insignificant, the implementation of these steps can drastically change one’s lifestyle in a positive manner. For example:

		Eating fruit, rather than drinking fruit juice, will allow for the consumption of less sugar and more healthy fiber
		Eating whole grain breads and pastas can be very beneficial, increasing the intake of fiber
		Daily consumption of 3-4 glasses of milk, or the taking of calcium supplements, can increase bone strength; however, the adequate intake of vitamin D is also crucial to assist in the absorption of calcium
		Daily exercise is vital in maintaining one’s health; aerobic exercise (walking, running), as well as weightlifting, can be effective in improving cardiovascular well-being and muscular endurance
		It is important to intake an adequate amount of fluids (preferably water) in order to ensure proper hydration; 8-10 glasses a day are recommended. During exercise, the drinking of Gatorade can be beneficial to replace lost electrolytes
		Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it provides fuel and energy for the coming hours

In addition, there has recently been a surge of discussion across the nation regarding the negative consequences of trans fats. Also known as partially hydrogenated oils, these trans fats clog arteries and have been proven to raise the risk of coronary heart disease and strokes. In fact, the downsides of this fatty acid are so severe that measures have been taken in various America cities to prevent its use in restaurants.

Perhaps the most notable of these actions was taken by Mayor Michael Blumberg in nearby New York City. In December of 2006, the City's Board of Health passed a bill mandating that restaurants not use artificial trans fats above 0.5 g per serving in their foods.

While such a measure may appear drastic at first, here at Westhill's health and nutrition club, GHE (Go Healthy Early), we fully support such actions. Moreover, we feel that similar measures should be taken in school cafeterias, as this would keep the danger of trans fats at quite a distance from America's vulnerable youth.