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Cold
Weather Fitness Fun
Many
areas of the country have been hit with cold, icy and generally miserable
weather this year. Here are some suggestions for keeping kids active,
fit and happy even on the most blustery days.
• Check
to see if there's an "indoor park" in your neighborhood. Indoor parks
typically feature a large space where young children can run around, navigate
on wheeled toys and climb on play equipment. If your neighborhood doesn't
have one, consider starting a cooperative program in a church basement,
community center or other public space.
• Clear
a space somewhere in your house, basement or garage where children can
dance, move and play.
• Play
"animal" relays. Children travel across the room and back while they act
like an animal. You can play it as a guessing game (which animal am I?)
or one person can call out different animals for the others to imitate.
Kids are great at thinking up different animals (hop like a kangaroo,
leap like a frog, slither like a snake, swim like a fish, etc).
• Play
"marching band" with pots, pans kitchen utensils, bells, whistles and
any other "noisy" items you find around the house.
• If
you have a safe, uncluttered area in your basement or garage, allow kids
to wheel around on their scooters or roller blades (protective equipment
still needed!).
• For
older kids and teens, encourage them to dance, do aerobics or follow along
with exercise videos. If you have a video camera, encourage them to put
on their favorite music and produce their own exercise video!
• Encourage
older kids to develop an indoor "par course." Encourage them to be creative
and feature "stations" for aerobic activity (e.g. Jump roping, running
in place for 5 minutes, or aerobic dancing), strength training (canned
goods work well as "weights"), and stretching.
• On
snowy days, encourage kids to bundle up and go outside! Sledding, sliding,
building and other snow play is great exercise and great fun!
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In the March/April
2001
issue
of the Feeding Kids newsletter, Nutrition 101
will focus on Water
The
following four groups are at particular risk for iron-deficiency anemia:
1.
Children from six months to four years of age are at risk because of rapid
growth and sometimes limited food choices.
2.
Adolescents during their growth spurt may have difficulty keeping up with
their body's high iron needs.
3. Women in their childbearing years require more iron due to monthly
iron losses caused by menstruation. Women typically do not consume the
RDA for iron.
4. Pregnant women have an especially high requirement for iron because
of increased blood volume, the demands of the baby, and blood losses during
childbirth.
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NUTRITION
101: Minerals
Fifth in a series of six nutrition primers
Minerals
are essential nutrients needed in small amounts. Minerals are classified
as major or trace, based on the weight of the mineral present in the body.
Each of the seven major minerals in the body weigh at least 5 grams (about
a teaspoon) while trace minerals are present in amounts less than 5 grams.
There are seven major minerals and a dozen or so trace minerals. While
some of the trace minerals are well understood, many are still being studied.
THE MAJOR MINERALS
The
seven major minerals include calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride, potassium,
magnesium and sulfur.
CALCIUM
Best known for its contribution to the formation and maintenance of bone,
99% of the body's calcium is present in bones and teeth. Because the bones
continually grow and develop throughout childhood and young adulthood,
it is important to have adequate dietary calcium in these bone-formative
years. It is believed that peak bone mass is reached at about age 24.
After that, bones will not get much stronger and denser, but continued
high calcium intake will help to maintain them.
The
disease osteoporosis is characterized by mineral loss from the bones,
resulting in porous, fragile bones that break easily. Although low calcium
intake is a major risk factor for the disease, other factors also make
individuals susceptible. Age, race, gender, family history, exercise habits,
smoking, excesses of alcohol, protein, caffeine and fiber, and a lack
of calcium and vitamin D all contribute to adult bone loss. Elderly white
women are the group at the highest risk for osteoporosis. It is important
to prevent this disease by stressing positive, lifelong nutrition and
health habits, especially for women.
The
remaining 1% of the body's calcium is present in the blood and body fluids.
Calcium plays vital roles in nerve transmission, muscle contractions,
blood clotting, maintenance of normal blood pressure and as part of the
"glue" that holds cells together.
Food
sources of calcium include milk and dairy products, fish with bones (i.e.
canned sardines and salmon), dark green vegetables such as broccoli and
kale, and calcium fortified foods and beverages.
PHOSPHORUS
Eighty-five percent of the body's phosphorus is combined with calcium
in the bones and teeth. The remaining 15% aids the cells in the use of
energy nutrients, and is part of the genetic material. Phosphorus is widespread
in the food supply so deficiency is rare. Dietary excess is common due
to the high phosphorus content of soft drinks (particularly cola beverages).
SODIUM
This mineral regulates fluid balance inside and outside of the body's
cells. Since sodium particles attract water, too much sodium can cause
fluid retention. Sodium can also aggravate hypertension (high blood pressure)
in susceptible people. A common recommendation for those diagnosed with
hypertension is to reduce the amount of dietary sodium. (Obesity and alcohol
also worsen hypertension. There is also evidence that potassium, calcium,
and magnesium protect against high blood pressure. Thus, a balanced diet
with plenty of fruits, vegetables and dairy is important in the management
of high blood pressure).
A deficiency
of dietary sodium is rare, since high amounts of this mineral pervade
the food supply. Instead, health experts worry about excesses of sodium.
Many experts recommend an upper limit of 2400 milligrams of sodium per
day.
Salt
(chemical name: sodium chloride) is 40% sodium. A teaspoon of salt provides
about 2000 milligrams of sodium. But even without a salt shaker, most
people greatly exceed 2400 milligrams each day due to the widespread use
of salt and other sodium compounds in the food supply. Careful label reading
is important to compare the sodium content of foods.
CHLORIDE
Chloride functions as part of the acid in the stomach (hydrochloric acid).
The major source is table salt. Although deficiency is rare, an isolated
incident happened several years ago when a infant formula manufacturer
inadvertently omitted chloride. Because babies receiving the formula failed
to grow and develop properly, legislation was passed which more strictly
regulates the manufacture of infant formula.
POTASSIUM
This critical element is responsible for maintaining the heart beat, regulating
fluid balance, and is important for proper nerve transmission and muscle
contractions. Potassium is lost in sweat so heavy exercisers need to replace
it through food or drink. Certain diuretics also cause potassium loss
from the body. Fruits, vegetables and dairy foods are the best food sources
of potassium. Especially rich sources are bananas, tomatoes, potatoes,
sweet potatoes and oranges.
MAGNESIUM
Like calcium and phosphorus, most of the body's magnesium is present in
the bones. The small amount present in the rest of the body is needed
for the release of energy from the energy nutrients, relaxation of muscle
fibers following contractions and the conduction of nerve impulses. Deficiency
is most commonly seen in chronic alcoholism, where dietary habits and
absorption of nutrients tend to be poor. Food sources include nuts, legumes,
cereals, dark green vegetables, seafood, and chocolate.
SULFUR
Sulfur is present in all body and dietary proteins. There is no RDA for
sulfur, since a diet adequate in protein will also contain ample sulfur.
THE TRACE MINERALS
Known
trace minerals include iodine, iron, fluoride, zinc, selenium, chromium,
copper, manganese, cobalt and molybdenum.
There
are a number of elements that are suspected of being essential minerals,
needed by the body in minute amounts. There is evidence that suggests
a beneficial role of the elements arsenic, boron, nickel, silicon and
vanadium in human health. Scientists continue to study these elements
and have set an upper limit (UL) for toxicity for boron, nickel and vanadium.
While
trace minerals are essential for life, they are extremely toxic
when taken in large doses. The latest DRI report has set an upper limit
for many of the following minerals.
IODINE
Iodine is part of thyroxin, a thyroid hormone that regulates the
body's metabolic rate. The iodine of food reflects the soil it was grown
in. The great plains region, for instance, has little iodine in the soil
and goiters (enlargement of the thyroid gland) were once prevalent. Thanks
to "iodized" salt, the goiter caused by iodine deficiency is very rare
in the U.S.
IRON
Iron is an important part of two oxygen-carrying molecules in the body,
hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin is the oxygen carrier in red blood
cells while myoglobin provides the oxygen reservoir for muscle cells.
In iron-deficiency anemia, the red blood cells contain less hemoglobin
and lose their ability to carry oxygen. A shortage of oxygen results in
fatigue, apathy, pale skin and the inability to concentrate. A simple
blood test that measures the amount of hemoglobin in the blood can detect
iron-deficiency anemia. (There are also more complex tests that can detect
iron depletion in the early stages).
The
best food sources of iron are lean meat, fish and poultry. They contain
a form of iron known as heme iron, which is easily absorbed by the body.
Non-heme sources of iron are found in soybeans, lima beans, almonds, peanut
butter, dried apricots, raisins, spinach, potato, peas, winter squash
and fortified cereals. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of non-heme iron.
To get the most iron from plant-based foods, include a vitamin C source
such as citrus, broccoli, kiwi, strawberries, peppers or potatoes with
meals.
Iron
overload is a condition caused by over-supplementation (and rarely, as
the result of an inherited disease). In most cases, men should avoid supplements
which contain iron. Keep all vitamin/mineral supplements out of the reach
of children in order to prevent iron (and other nutrient) toxicity.
FLUORIDE
This mineral plays an important role in the formation of teeth and bones.
When fluoride intake is adequate, the crystalline deposits in bones and
teeth are larger and more perfectly formed. Children in communities with
adequate fluoride in the water have much lower rates of tooth decay than
those without access to fluoride.
For
those communities with a low fluoride concentration in the water, supplementation
is recommended for infants and children. Supplements are not warranted
in areas with fluoridated water since high intakes can result in mottling
of the tooth enamel, which causes discoloration and brown spots on teeth.
ZINC
This amazingly diverse mineral is needed for wound healing, normal taste
perception, sperm formation, fetal development, and proper growth and
sexual maturation. Zinc is needed to properly utilize vitamin A and helps
the reactions of over 70 enzymes in the body. Present in whole grains
and animal products, the RDA for zinc can be difficult to achieve. Zinc
is extremely toxic in high doses.
SELENIUM
An antioxidant that works with vitamin E to protect body cells from oxidation,
selenium is also being studied for its possible role in cancer prevention.
Selenium is widespread in foods and deficiency in the US is rare.
The
remaining trace minerals all play vital, if not always well understood,
roles in the body. Chromium works with the hormone insulin to control
blood sugar, copper is important for the formation of hemoglobin,
connective tissue, nerve coverings and skin pigment, cobalt is
a component of vitamin B-12, and both manganese and molybdenum
function as part of various enzymes in the body.
RECOMMENDED
INTAKE OF MINERALS
Panels of nutrition scientists are given the task of devising recommended
levels for essential nutrients. The last official compilation of the Recommended
Dietary Allowances (RDA) was published in 1989. A major revision is currently
underway to replace the RDA. The revised recommendations are called Dietary
Reference Intakes (DRI) and reflect the collaborative efforts of both
the US and Canada. For the most up-to-date reports and recommendations
on minerals and other nutrients, see http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/etext/000105.html
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