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Breakfast * Prescriptions *  P.E. Excuses *
Flu Season

Start your Day out Right-Wake up your brain with Breakfast!

Many students come into the nurse’s office in the early am complaining of stomach and head aches, both of which are usually related to not eating breakfast. Today’s fast-paced society has many convenience foods, such as granola (breakfast bars) or drinks that can easily be grabbed before a student leaves the house in the morning. 

Nutritionist say skipping meals, especially breakfast, isn't the right way to start the day.  Failing to eat in the morning can affect a student's health and their performance at school.  Eating a good breakfast is critical, since the body hasn't had food for long hours and needs energy to start the day.

Glucose enters the bloodstream when food is digested. The sugar later fuels the brain.  Poor nutrition, including not eating breakfast can alter a student’s academic performance as well as the immune system; thus, increasing one’s risk for poor grades as well as illness.

Please make sure students have had something to eat before coming to school. 

Eating Disorders

Did you know?  8,000,000 or more people in the US have an eating disorder.  90% of these people are women.  Eating disorders usually start in the teens, but may begin as early as age 8.  Teenagers need to be educated early that ‘dieting’ involves healthy eating and living habits. 

Not all teens that go on ‘diets’ need to lose weight. Pressure from friends--and sometimes parents or other adults--to be very slim may create a hazy body image. Having a distorted body image is like looking into a funhouse mirror: You see yourself in an unhealthy way. 

As with most everything else, there's a right way and a wrong way to lose weight. The wrong way is to skip meals, resolve to eat almost nothing, or take diet pills.  Diet pills can be very dangerous to the teens growing body.  The FDA has not approved most of these products and the lack of regulation provides no safeguard for consumers.  Moreover, these products often contain ephedrine-like products, which increase the heart rate, blood pressure and poses danger for those who may be at risk for mental illness. 

The teenage years are a period of rapid growth and development.  Fad dieting can keep teenagers from getting the calories and nutrients they need to grow properly, thus promoting potential problems later in life.  Promote a healthy lifestyle with your teens, encourage one that includes all foods from the food pyramid, exercise, and limited sweets and fats.

More About the Flu

It is that time of the year – the FLU season is here.  As you are probably aware there is a severe shortage of flu vaccine this year.  The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

Every year in the United States, on average:

• 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu;
• more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications; and
• approximately 36,000 people die from flu.

Some people are at high risk for serious flu complications, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, including pregnancy.

The best way to protect ourselves and the community is to use common sense precautions.  The basics include hand-washing, covering our mouths when we cough or sneeze, and eating nutritiously. 

If we all work together it is believed that we can get through this vaccine shortage with relatively few problems. 

Included in this note is information to help you identify the difference between the common cold and the flu…

The flu is in general worse than the common cold – symptoms of the flu include abrupt onset of fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and a dry cough, and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  Colds are usually milder than the flu, including a milder fever.  People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.  The flu can lead to serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, and hospitalizations. 

The flu spreads in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing.  Occasionally, a person may become infected by touching something with a virus on it. 

Ways to keep healthy…

Eating 5 fruits or vegetables a day helps to keep the immune system healthy, as well as including enough protein.

Vitamin C is a healthy immune booster – foods rich in vitamin C include:  Orange Juice- one of the highest sources (there are brands in stores that are for immune health),  Brussels sprouts, snap beans, green peppers, tomato juice, broccoli, papaya, grapefruits and juice, pineapple, kiwi, and most fruits and vegetables containing more than 30mg of Vitamin C.

Zinc is thought to aid the immune system- Zinc is actually plentiful in foods. Meats, seafood (especially oysters), and liver are the richest sources; brewer’s yeast, milk and other dairy products, beans, and wheat germ also supply some zinc. Water contains small amounts, as well.  There’s no reason to exceed the amount of zinc found in most multivitamins (15 milligrams). If you have a MD, talk with your doctor about supplements.

Other ways to fight the flu…

Cough reminder – encourage students to cover their mouth and nose with a handkerchief, tissue, and turn their head away from others. 

Hand washing – This is the single most effective method to reduce your chances of picking up a germ.  Hands should be washed after coughing or sneezing, after using a tissue, before eating and after going to the bathroom.  Antibacterial wipes and alcohol based hand sanitizers would be a good addition to classrooms. 

Cleanliness- be sure to clean doorknobs, countertops and other surfaces on a regular basis and after being used by an ill person. 

Healthy lifestyle – be sure to get adequate rest (7-8 hours per night for adults and 8-10 hours for middle school age students), proper nutrition and moderate exercise to keep your body fit and healthy.