February: Healthy Living

 

Hey everyone!

 

This month is all about healthy living! Healthy living is really something that can completely change your life.

 

I have a hard time going to the gym and working out. I love to stay active in other ways, like playing football with my brothers or going for walks and hikes. You don’t necessarily have to kill yourself having a very strict routine with the gym.

 

There are so many outlets for a good workout. Rock climbing, swimming and just laughing can produce strong muscles and a more toned body.

 

Doing laundry is something that can help you stay active, walking up and down the stairs, carrying groceries in. I think taking classes at the gym like kick boxing, zumba and palates is a great way to have an easier work out.

 

I am very fortunate that I have a mom who loves to cook healthy. She makes a very healthy dinner each night and especially Sunday night. All of the food groups are there and it’s very nutritious.

 

During the day I try and not eat when I am not hungry. Most people eat when they are bored, which is terrible. My sister-in-law recently reminded me how bad it is to eat after 9:00pm. The food just sits in your stomach and turns to fat. No one needs that.

 

Staying healthy also means making healthy choices. Making sure to not put yourself in a position that could be unhealthy is key. That also means, the people you surround yourself with. I believe that everyone knows right from wrong. So you are very capable in knowing when there is a situation going on and it is not right, or it is the wrong one to put yourself in.

 

We have one life to live, and we can’t screw it up but involving ourselves in the wrong crowd. 

January: Marijuana

Happy New Year everyone!

With a new year come new experiences and new challenges. Each day we are faced with opportunities, good and bad, that will test who you are. It is good to start the New Year off on the right foot. Making New Year’s Resolutions are good because it helps you stayed focused on your goals.

Each year I say that I am going to be nicer, healthier and exercise more. That only lasts for a week usually so I decided to come up with a resolution that I would really stick with…

Making myself a better person.

It may sound simple, but it has a little of everything in it. I want to be healthy, whether it be eating or staying away from drugs, exercise so that I feel good about myself and I look good and be kind to everyone. I think that it takes to much energy to be mean to someone.

This month is all about Marijuana. There are new laws that have come out about marijuana in the state of CT. People are being charged a lot more money for first time offenses. In some cases you have to pay for your own Drug Education Program.

Beyond reasonable doubt, is no longer what a law enforcement officer needs to catch you in possession of marijuana. Although possession of a small amount of marijuana has been decriminalized and the penalty for it has been reduced, less evidence is required for the police to cite you if they suspect you have marijuana. (ctpn)

In 2009, 18% of drivers killed in a crash tested positive for drugs (US DOT.NHTSA)

~Research shows that drugs affect a driver’s concentration, perception, coordination and reaction time.

There is no need to start the New Year off going down the wrong path. Smoking is unattractive and dirty. Be healthy this year and do it for you!

December: Underage Drinking & Drunk Driving Prevention

HAPPY DECEMBER!

I cannot believe that 2011 is almost over, I feel like this year FLEW by! This month is all about underage drinking and preventing drunk driving. 

I have a younger brother and I think the scariest part for me is that he is going to be around alcohol a lot more. He is a senior in high school and in less than 8 months he goes off to college. I think the biggest problem with underage drinking is that they feel they need to pound shots and crush beers in like 5 minutes. There basic goal is to get wasted. But they aren’t old enough to know when they feel tipsy or drunk and how to help yourself. They don’t recognize the signs of alcohol poisoning yet. I could not imagine losing a child to alcohol poisoning at such a young life. 

Young people need to recognize when something is not right and to just call the police instead of letting something even worse happen.

-People who start drinking before the age of 15 are 4 times more likely to develop an alcohol dependency.  (drugfactsalcohol)

-Alcohol use among adolescents has been associated with planning, attempting and completing suicide.(drugfactalcohol)

Alcohol is not something that should be taken lightly. Its a very serious matter and people die from alcohol poisoning and liver damage all the time. 

 

http://www.aetv.com/intervention/video/ (This is an episode from one of my favorite shows, Intervention. Just look at how she acts and how upset her family truly is.)

November: Tobacco/National Smoke-Out

Hope everyone is enjoying the fall, but get ready because winter is almost here! This month is about Tobacco and National Smoke-Out.

 

Tobacco remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature deaths in the U.S. -www.cancer.org

When reading that fact, it seems so obvious what not to do. Smoking is preventable, yet many people choose to smoke. Knowing that they are hurting themselves and others around them. 

Smoking is a gross habit to begin with. Many people find it very unattractive. Your breath stinks, your fingers stink, your hair stinks, your teeth get yellow, your nails become brittle and yellow, it cause wrinkles. It is very unflattering. You are given one life, why ruin it? Some people are born with diseases that make it impossible for them to live very long, they would love to have a chance at life like you, yet you smoke. 

Never take your life for granted. It may seem fun or cool for an instant, but then it quickly catches up with you and can ruin your life. 

http://www.nosnuff.com/1.html (This website is about a former baseball player who used chewing tobacco, and the struggle he went through) 

 

Try this smoker calculator to see how much money could have been saved if not spent on cigarettes.

http://www.costofsmoking.com/

smoking

Perfect picture to describe what smoking is like. A waste of money, so much money

October

I am so excited that October is here and Halloween is just around the corner! I think Halloween is my favorite holiday! I just need to come up with a costume that’s real original this year.. Im having a hard time though!

 

So October is Rx Drug Prevention/Safe Disposal month! The bottom line is, if a drug is not prescribed to you, you do not take it. Simple as that. But there are so many young people today who are experimenting with prescription drugs. Kids and young people are experimenting with cold medications, amphetamines, stimulants and a variety of other drugs that are easily available to them.

 

Luckily there is a way to safely dispose of any old prescriptions that you may have. National Drug Take Back Day is on October 29^th, usually held at pharmacies in your area.

This is a great time to get rid of any unused drugs in your house.  Here is a way to get rid of the drugs in case you miss the Rx Drug Take Back

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_4854831_rid-expired-prescription-drugs.html

If the drug is not yours, you don’t know what it would do to your body. You’re risking your life even trying it one time. It’s not worth it. You could also become addicted and  I know from friends I have had, I lost a lot of friends because of prescription drugs.

So be smart! Don’t touch what isn’t yours

September, Family Day!

Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children^TM was launched in 2001 by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Family Day is a national movement that informs parents that the engagement fostered during frequent family dinners is an effective tool to help keep America’s kids substance free. Dinner Makes A Difference! (casafamilyday.org).

 This month focuses on families eating meals together; whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner. The idea behind this is organizations want families to keep a certain structure with their kids. On the website http://casafamilyday.org/familyday/ they have these steps to becoming a ‘Family Day Star’. It starts with, ‘I commit to, “S” spend time with my kids by having dinner together, “T” talk to them about their friends, interests, and the dangers of drug and alcohol, “A” answer their questions and listen to what they say, and “R” recognize that parents have the power to keep their kids substance free.

I really appreciate this month and this whole idea of Family Day. It really does make a huge difference in the relationship between parent and child. When I was growing up my mom made a point to always have a large Sunday night dinner. We sat in the dining room, used the nice dishes and she made a meal that took all day to cook. It is something that I value and will pass down to my kids. It has made her more aware of what my siblings and I are doing, what is going around our town and things that bother us. She was always prepared to answer any question we had and the thing that really stuck with me growing up, was how honest she was about things. In turn, because she was so honest, my brothers and I were honest. I think the biggest lie my brothers and I have ever told was something silly like who broke the window.

My mom made it possible for us to have a comfortable relationship with her. It made everything easier. I was fortunate enough to have not only Sunday night dinner, but during the school week we sat down and had a family dinner. Another thing my mom did which kept a close bond between all of us kids and her was during every holiday, Easter, St.Pattys Day, Valentine’s Day, ect. She would do something special. For example, on Valentine’s Day we would get a card and a little box of heart chocolates. It is the little things like that in life that kept us together so well.

There are a large number of broken homes nowadays, and the thing to remember is it doesn’t matter how many people are in your family and that your parents are still married; the time you spend with the people in your family is what matters. Even if it’s as simple as going out for ice cream or baking a cake. Get the family involved and cherish the time you have with them. Life is short, appreciate what you have.

August: Parents are Prevention

Hi everyone!

This month is all about how Parents are Prevention. As young people we forget to realize how important our parents really are. We always just think they are in our way and trying to ‘ruin our lives’. We never take the time to sit back and look at all they do for us. They are truly here for us.

As I was growing up I was very lucky because I was able to have my Mom all the time. Although my Dad was never apart of my life, my Mom managed to teach me a lot of things and help to show me the path I would want to take in life.

Now that I am older, we have a very close bond. I was able to go to her for anything I was going through in my life. I trusted her; in return, she trusted me. I think you have to keep a solid trust between your parents and yourself. They need to know you’re responsible and you will make the right choices.

It is so hard to gain respect and trust back from your parents. I feel like a lot of people are scared to talk to their parents about certain things, but it will only help you in the long run. I have friends even now that still can’t talk to their parents; and they are hiding things from them.

Be open and honest with your parents; listen to them about things, because they really do know what they are talking about. They have been there and done that, and have a lot more experience than we do!

They are here to help and protect us. I am still saying, “gesh, my mom was right about that”. 

June

June is all about helping and volunteering your time and resources to others. One of the greatest movies ever made was “Pay it Forward”. This movie was about how people are born into different situations and have different obstacles they have to go over to survive, but along the way if you are able to help others out (pay it forward), you are living a life of admiration. 

 

No one can do things by themselves. Asking for help doesn’t mean you failed it just means you have someone that is willing to help you out. There is not enough kindness going around in the world anymore. People believe that everyone is bad and no one can be trusted, we cant go around the world like that. We have to have some faith in people. 

Take a few minutes out of your day to see if there is a chance for you to make a change. Take the opportunity, pay it forward because then good things will come your way. Karma doesn’t have to be a bitch if you are good to others. Be kind to each other and help out whenever possible. 

May: Graduation & Lifes Transitions

Happy May!!

“All our dreams can come true…if we have the courage to pursue them”- Walt Disney

May is the time when a lot of college students graduate and high school students are ready to get out! It is a time of change, not only in schools, but weather and attitudes as well. May always seems like the perfect month for celebrations and parties! Everyone has to stay aware of the situations that can occur in times of change.

One of the greatest things I learned in my 4 years of college, is that everything I do now, good or bad, is going to effect me later in life. To some people that could get a little scary and to others it can land them a high paying job! Ive also learned to be kind to people, it takes so much more effort to be mean to someone.

One of my goals for after graduating, besides getting a job, is to reonnect with lost relationships. My life is changing, I want the people who mean a lot to me, that I may have forgotten about in college, to be with me in my next chapter in life. I am ashamed that I spent so much time on people who were toxic to my life, rather than taking time to spend with the people I know will always be there. I guess after all of these years, I have finally realized who my real friends are. The beauty of that is it doesnt have to be 14 BEST friends, but three.

Always think about things before you do them, really take time to say “am I going to be proud of this in a few years?” You cant live your life with regrets so, at the time you did something you did it because you believed in it-so you have to own up to the consequences. No one can make you do something. You are your own person.
Remember: laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live