Health Collaborative News

The Health Collaborative is recruiting community volunteers for the Project Measure Up Volunteer Corps.

A program of the Health Collaborative, Project Measure Up is a youth obesity prevention program aimed at decreasing the prevalence of youth overweight and obesity in Bexar County. The Project Measure Up Volunteer Corps will be instrumental in working with local school districts to conduct health and general fitness assessments recently mandated by the Texas Legislature. Assessments are scheduled to begin this fall.

Training sessions will be from 9 a.m. to noon at the downtown YMCA at 903 N. St. Mary’s Street. Members of the Project Measure Up Volunteer Corps are asked to be available to volunteer during daytime hours. A background or interest in health and fitness is helpful, but not required. A free background check and CPR training will be provided.

“This is a good way for area residents to support their schools in helping children succeed in leading healthier lifestyles and decreasing the number of children suffering from Diabetes Type II due to obesity,” said Nicole Rogers, executive director of The Health Collaborative. “Volunteers will be able to earn community service hours for themselves and their club or organization, and college students can use the time to complete internship requirements.”

Funders of Project Measure Up are Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation, Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio, and the San Antonio Area Foundation.

For more information, phone Marcy Andrade-Krasiewski 210-481-2573.

By Nicole Rogers, MPH, CHES, Executive Director of The Health Collaborative

Mother is the person who takes care of everyone. Too often she is so busy taking care of family and friends that she gives taking care of herself a low priority. Mother’s Day, which is May 11, is a great time to take care of mom with gifts that pamper her and encourage a healthy lifestyle. A fitness-oriented gift can help mom physically and mentally. Not only can it help her look better and have more energy, but it also lays the foundation for staying healthy, living longer and having more time to enjoy her family.

The Gift of Fitness
A membership to a fitness club is always good, as is time with a personal trainer. A fun approach is to commit to working out with your mom for a set period of time. Not only will both of you reap fitness benefits, but you and your mom will be spending time together and sharing a special experience.

Fitness gifts fall in all price ranges. If your mom is just beginning to exercise, consider an exercise mat, jump rope, resistance band or dumbbells. For a mom who already exercises, consider a home exercise video or a heart rate monitor and scale to monitor her progress. If your mom already has made a personal commitment to fitness, it may be time for a treadmill or an elliptical trainer.

A Taste of Good Health
Restaurant gift certificates are always popular for moms. Give your gift a fitness emphasis with a gift certificate that encourages her to try sushi or a local vegetarian restaurant.

Walking for a Cause
Charity walks are a great way to spend healthy time with Mom and support the charity of your mom’s choice. Pay the entry fee for both of you. Spend some time walking with her in advance for conditioning. Just before the walk, do some warm up exercises together. Most walks include T-shirts and goody bags, which everyone likes!

Encourage Mom to Take a Hike
If your mom enjoys photography, birding or just being outdoors, treat her to a new pair of walking shoes and a hike through the nearest nature preserve or botanical gardens. It’s a good way to combine fitness with her personal hobbies.

Pamper Her
A day of pampering at the local spa is a great way to help Mom relax and de-stress. Or just get a manicure and pedicure together. It’s a great way to spend time with Mom.

Cook Something Up
Treat your mom to a cooking class, or better yet, take it with her! Most grocery stores and continuing education programs offer classes on various aspects of healthy cooking, such as ideas for great salads, tips on how to cook fish and ways to use herbs and spices to flavor your food without the calories.

Go Gourmet
Instead of giving traditional flowers and candy, give healthy alternatives such as a fruit basket, a basket of unusual herbs and spices or a cookbook with healthy recipes. A gift certificate to a grocery store that specializes in organic produce or specialty produce may also encourage her to add new, healthy fruits and veggies to her meals.

April in San Antonio means Fiesta, and with just a little planning, you can enjoy the fun of Fiesta and stay fit, too. Fiesta offers many events that involve a lot of physical activity plus plenty of healthy, tasty food choices. The Health Collaborative offers these suggestions for planning your fit Fiesta:

• Walk It Off. Many people stay fit by walking every day. Fiesta offers some great ways to continue your walking routine or to walk off extra Fiesta calories. A 150-pound person who participates in a 5K walk at a leisurely pace can burn between 250 and 300 calories. If they pick up the pace, they will burn even more. For example, on Saturday, April 19, Fort Sam Houston offers Caminada de Fiesta, a 10K (6.2 mile) walk. Or, on the same day, enjoy the beauty of Texas flora during Walk Across Texas at the 11-acre San Antonio Botanical Garden or bring the kids to Mission County Park to participate in the Fiesta Mission 10K and Kids’ Runs. If you’re a history buff, tour the historic Jefferson High School neighborhood on foot during the Monticello Park Historic District Tour of Homes. The next weekend put a costume on Fido and become part of the 3-mile Fiesta Pooch Parade at the Alamo Heights swimming pool.

• Shake Your Booty. The sounds of Fiesta are unforgettable. Make the most of them! Depending on your weight and the intensity of your moves, 30 minutes of dancing can burn anywhere from 150 to more than 300 calories. Join the “Second Line” New Orleans-style dancing and promenade behind the band during A Taste of New Orleans at Sunken Gardens in Brackenridge Park. Or boot scoot to one of the great western bands on the stage at Night in Old San Antonio or at the Tejano Explosion at Cattleman’s Square.

• Feast With Fitness In Mind. Fiesta events offer many low-calorie, low-fat options that are tasty as well. Go for grilled meats–anticuchos, chicken and shrimp kabobs. One grilled shrimp, depending on the marinade, is only 28 calories per shrimp. You’ll find all the oysters you can eat at the Fiesta Oyster Bake. Remember that one medium raw oyster is only 55 calories and just 1.5 grams of fat. One medium ear of roasted corn on the cob is just 31 calories. Butter adds 100 calories per tablespoon. Choose chips and spicy salsa instead of queso. Quantity matters. Even if you have to wait all year to visit Marie’s Tortillas at NIOSA, limit yourself to one serving. Pizza is a good choice, too, if you limit your servings. Fruit kabobs and fruit cups are low-calorie, sweet treats. And remember to drink plenty of water–it prevents dehydration in hot weather and helps you feel full.