WOW! To me this is like taking away some basic fundamental developmental skills that children need to obtain. The hand eye coordination and the artistic expressive nature that comes along with the skill of learning cursive writing is vital to brain development. Now I know some are out there saying that texting and typing involve hand eye coordination also, but I can not imagine that it is to the degree that actual writing involves. There are already studies coming out showing that computer screens/games are contributing to attention issues in children and adolescents. Let alone all the concerns of the sedentary activity of sitting at a computer and its contribution to childhood obesity. Lets also not forget to mention the studies that have come out showing that kids are lacking in the basic social skills needed to communicate face to face with another individual because they are texting or typing to friends instead of looking at them face to face. Kids no longer are capable of reading facial cues.

Keep a look out on this topic, as I am sure more will come out in the literature. My gut instinct though tells me this that this is another potential contributor to childhood obesity. If we as a society continue to support behaviors that promote sedentary behavior, poor childhood nutrition, lack of proper brain development then we only have ourselves to blame when our kids have shorter lifespans, have heart attacks as an obese adolescent or are suffering from diabetes or premature heart disease early in life.

I believe that Heather Quillen, my partner, and I are on the right track. We, as YoMedics, will continue to fight for the health of children, both mentally and physically. Keep an eye on www.yomedics.com.

So what does this mean? It means that healthy nutrition during pregnancy is the building block of healthy childhood nutrition. Women who are pregnant need to focus on a healthy diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, dairy, lean meats and whole grain.  Of course indulge in that occasional treat of pickles and ice cream, but make it a treat, not an every day occurrence. Drink lots of water and avoid the sweetened beverages. Try to get some form of exercise in daily. Even a simple walk in the evening will improve a pregnant mom’s overall health and assist with a  smooth delivery. Many gym’s now have exercise classes for pregnant women. Exercise and a healthy diet will also improve mood and help avoid those “baby blues” that sometimes occur after delivery.

Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise habits will be easier to continue on once the baby is born. Having a baby of normal birth weight starts your infant off on the road to health for their life. Childhood obesity needs to be prevented from day 1 and this is the best way to start fresh. What a great feeling for a mom to have knowing that she gave her unborn child the gift of health.

If you have a friend who is pregnant try these simple early baby shower gifts. Sign them up for an exercise class for pregnant women at a gym, buy them a fruit of the month gift basket or a yoga for pregnant women DVD. Let them know that you are purely trying to help them give their baby a healthy start to life.

So now you have it! Healthy childhood nutrition and preventing childhood obesity starts in the womb. YoMedics has been talking about this concept of early education for a while now. Start teaching your children when they are young the importance of a healthy lifestyle. YoPoweR! your child to have a healthy body. Sign up for our monthly newsletter at www.yomedics.com to learn more great tips for health.

The benefits of strength training are abundant including improvement of sports performance, prevention of injuries, rehabilitate injuries and enhance long-term health. The improvements in long-term health can include cardiovascular fitness, body composition, bone mineral density, blood lipid levels and mental health.

Strength training can be of great benefit for children and adolescents. This is a great mode of activity to improve our current childhood obesity epidemic. Done under direct supervision and with proper technique, strength training can easily be part of a fun family activity.

Before any strength program be started for your child make sure they have seen their pediatrician or family practice physician and are medically cleared to participate. Of utmost importance is to remind your child that strength training is only a small part of an overall fitness program. Healthy nutrition and lots of fluid intake is key to properly fueling muscles, energizing the body and helping muscles heal from strength training. Please also stress to your child the health risks of and discourage the use of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing substances.

So what are some basic guidelines to follow for strength training for your child or adolescent?

1.   Make sure they are medically cleared by their physician prior to the start of the program. Most children do not have the balance or postural control skills needed for proper strength training until after the age of 8 years, so wait until your child is developmentally ready.

2.   Look for places that have proper equipment for children and adolescents or consider working with elastic bands and small free weights at your home. ALWAYS make sure their is adequate supervision and use of proper technique. Instructors or personal trainers should have a certification reflecting training and qualifications in pediatric strength training. Never leave your child unattended with free weights or exercise machines.

3.   Make sure your child avoids explosive and rapid lifting of weights during routine strength training. This will only lead to poor technique and may cause stress on muscles. 

4.   Begin with no or low-resistance exercises until proper technique is mastered. When your child can perform 8 to 15 repetitions with good form then they can start to increase weight by 10% increments. Exercise should include all muscle groups, to include the core muscles (focusing on the trunk muscles such as the abdominal, low back and gluteal muscles), and should be completed through the full range of the joint involved.

5.    Exercise sessions need to be done for 20 to 30 minutes and take place 2 to 3 times per week while continuing to add weight or repetitions as strength improves. Strength training more than 4 times per week as not shown any added benefit.

6.   Make sure a 10 to 15 minute warm-up and cool-down period occurs with each session.

7.   A strength training program should be a minimum of 8 weeks in duration to achieve strength training benefits. Don’t forget to add some sort of aerobic, ie biking, jogging, swimming, training to improve general health benefits.

8.   Have your child evaluated by their physician immediately if any signs of illness or strain from strength training occurs before continuing program.

 Make sure you have fun with your child. Make this a fun family activity that all can enjoy. This will allow you to improve your own health while spending time with your child. YoMedics strives to continue to educate families on healthy lifestyle behaviors. Through proper childhood nutrition and exercise we can combat our current childhood obesity epidemic. If you feel you would like to learn more tips to improve the health of your family go to www.yomedics.comand sign up for our free monthly newsletter.

So what do we need to do? We need to start preventing childhood obesity very early in life. And believe me, when I say “we” I am not just talking to parents. “We” means all aspects of society from parents to educators, health care providors, community organizations and government agencies. Preventing childhood and adolescent obesity involves healthy childhood nutrition, getting enough exercise or active play  and making it fun so that kids want to continue  to do good things for their bodies.

This is what YoMedics is all about! Our programs for children focus on childhood nutrition, exercise, having positive thoughts and preventing childhood obesity. Sign up for our free monthly newsletter at www.yomedics.com to learn great healthy recipes or fun active things to do with your child or tips on being a great parent. What do you have to lose, except maybe your child’s ability to live a long and prosperous life. Don’t let your child become a statistic in the current childhood obesity epidemic. Visit www.yomedics.comtoday and start developing healthy lifestyle behaviors for your family tomorrow!

So, let’s fuel them with food that will nourish their bodies and brains! First off, breakfast is non-negotiable. You’ve heard it and it’s true, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, for many reasons. So, that’s a must! Be mindful of the quality of food, keep it healthy and easy. Talk to your kids about the importance of breakfast to supercharge their morning to make it a good day! For example, there are lots of good, healthy cereals, not the sugary, fake fruity tooty kind. Add low fat dairy milk or unsweetened soy or almond milk to a healthy cereal choice, with a serving of fruit and they’re off. As educators, you may not have the option to feed them their breakfast, but make sure your kids and parents know the importance of starting the day with a healthy breakfast. In the classroom, you could share with kids what you had for your healthy breakfast!

Some thoughts about lunch are as follows, send lunch from home!! It may not be the most convenient way to provide lunch, but it is probably THE most healthy. Our kids are worth it! Additionally, it saves money, we can cut down on waste by using recycleable containers and we get to add a big pinch of love to their lunch! You can do this for yourself too, for all the same reasons! Be a role model, our kids are watching what we do!!

Some quick ideas for a healthy lunch include veggie or chicken chili. You can find varieties of this in your local store, probably in the health food section. They really are tasty and can be a nice change from a sandwich. Add a low fat string cheese stick and an apple or carrots and you’re on you’re way to a healthy lunch. Another really yummy, different lunch option is hummus. This can be served with pita chips, veggies or even pretzels.

Initially, kids may not be very excited about these new food items, however, it is so beneficial for them to try different foods and seasonal fruits and veggies. Great opportunity to work it into discussions in the classroom and home. So, start integrating some of these food options, as well as regional and cultural favorites. You can do this at home or even in the classroom with current curriculum topics. Develop their knowledge, interests and palate….variety/diversity is the spice of life!

Let us know if you tried any of these ideas and how it’s working with your kids. Also, share any good suggestions for healthy snacks and lunches..we’re all in this together!!

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1.     Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in crushed cereal and then freeze.

2.     Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and Granny Smith apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon.

3.     Make snack kabobs. Put cubes of a white low-fat cheese and grapes or strawberries on pretzel sticks.

4.     Fill a waffle cone with cut-up fruit and top with low-fat yogurt. Drizzle with honey and cinnamon if desired.

5.     Dip graham crackers in applesauce.

These are just a few wonderful, fun and healthy treats for your child to enjoy. Allow them to be involved in the preparation and assembly. Have fun with it and try different variations. Sign up for YoMedics free monthly newsletter and learn more great healthy lifetsyle tips for your child.

It’s summer time!  Time for nature’s juicy sweets!  What a great time to achieve our Yomedics goal of enjoying 5 servings (at least) of fruits and veggies each and every day.

Shopping in the grocery store on a summer day can:

• Improve your heart health…
• Lower your risk of cancer…
• Boost your brain power…
• Help you lose weight…
• Help you live longer and… even prevent wrinkles!

The secrets are found in fresh summer fruits.  Look for bright, vibrant colors like reds, blues, purples, oranges and sunny yellows.  These fruits contain cancer preventing phytochemicals like Vitamin C, carotenoids like lycopene and beta-carotene and are great sources of soluble and insoluble fibers.

Children need 5 grams of fiber plus 1 gram for each year in age.  For example, a 10 year old needs 5+10= 15 grams of fiber each day.  An adult female needs 25 grams of fiber a day and adult males need 35 grams a day.  Most people get 30-50% of their needs.  Fiber quickly moves toxins through our gastrointestinal tract which helps our immune system and gastrointestinal health.

Red fruits contain carotenoids like lycopene and flavonoids like anthocyanins. Fill your basket with strawberries, raspberries, cherries, watermelon and tomatoes.

• Strawberries provide 3 grams of fiber in 1 cup.
• Raspberries provide 8 grams of fiber in 1 cup.  A fiber superstar!
• Cherries provide 3 grams of fiber in 1 cup. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  Wash berries and cherries just before serving to maintain freshness.
• Watermelon provides 1 gram of fiber in 1 cup.  Wash before cutting.
• Tomatoes provide 2 grams of fiber in 1 cup. For best taste, do not refrigerate.  More lycopene is released when tomatoes are cooked in small amounts of olive oil.  But there is nothing like a fresh summer tomato!

Blue and purple fruits contain flavonoids that help the brain and your memory.  So remember to buy blueberries, blackberries and plums.

• Blueberries provide 4 grams of fiber in 1 cup.
• Blackberries provide 7 grams of fiber in a cup- another yummy fiber superstar!  Wash berries just before serving.
• Plums provide 2 grams of fiber in 1 medium fruit- remember to eat the peel!

Yellow and orange fruits contain antioxidants, beta-carotene, flavonoids, zeaxanthin, Vitamins A and C.  Summer is the best time to buy cantaloupe, peaches, and apricots.

• Cantaloupe provides 2 grams of fiber in 1 cup and is high in Vitamin A.
• Peaches provide 2 grams of fiber in 1 medium sized fruit.  Eat the peel for the fiber.
• Apricots provide 3 grams of fiber in 1 cup.

Eating 3 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables each day couldn’t be easier- or sweeter this summer.  Enjoy!

Starting SOON!  YoMedics will be hosting a 12–week program at Oviedo Snap 24/7  locations.

The YoPower For Life program emphasizes healthy lifestyle practices, based on sound medical principles developed by a panel of leading experts.

YoPower for Life! covers nutrition, fitness and the power of a positive attitude. The program uses a unique method of tracking progress and journaling in a format that is fun and appealing to kids and easy for families to implement at home.

Special Fall Pricing of the Program is only $199 for all 12 weeks and includes:

• 12 Peer counseling classes,
• Kids Journey to Health Workbooks,
• Parent Guide,
• Nutrition Guide,
• Parent CD set,
• Progress poster,
• Tote bag and Water Bottle

Have Questions? Feel Free to Call: 407-314-8749

Classes will be held at the following locations:

Oviedo West (Monday Evenings)
2200 Winter Springs Blvd.
407-359-0519

Oviedo East (Thursday Evenings)
1791 E. Broadway Street
407-977-0505

Heather Quillen and Lisa R. Ramey, D.O., co-founders of YoMedics™, contribute to a blog on www.yomedics.com that offers helpful tips and insights for parents about healthy living for kids.

Orlando, Fla. – June 30, 2009 – Heather Quillen and Lisa R. Ramey, D.O., co-founders of YoMedics™, each contribute to a children’s wellness blog, found at http://www.yomedics.com/blog. The website also features, among other things, articles and special reports relating to the health and well being of children. YoMedics™ is a company committed to improving our children’s future health through our actions of prevention today via an educational, fun and innovative approach to healthy lifestyle choices.

The blog section on the website is one of the most popular. With Heather and Dr. Lisa both mothers of two, they offer invaluable insight and tips to help keep your kids healthy, educate them about the importance of healthy choices, and offer ideas for helping your kids lose weight, if needed.

Recently, Dr. Lisa and Heather Quillen wrote about the health benefits of walking, compared to running. The blog points out that According to Adventure Magazine you can get 90 to 95 percent of the benefits of running from walking briskly. Heather and Dr. Lisa offered the following tip about encouraging children to be more active: “Most kids are not going to run long distance by choice. However, they need to play and be used to going for a brisk walk. Go for a family walk in the evening. This also allows for a great opportunity to discuss the events of the day.”

“We are determined to get your kids, and you, moving! Start with little steps then increase from there. The more knowledge and advice that YoMedics™ can spread to kids and families across the world, the more useful and fulfilled we are,” remarked Dr. Ramey.

Make the most of your summer, take advantage of YoMedics™ special summer pricing of Kids Journey to YoPower for Life™ and get your kids started now. Give them the gift of health!

To read these blogs and get started on your journey to a Healthier Lifestyle, please visit http://www.YoMedics.com

About YoMedics™:

YoMedics™ is an innovative health and fitness organization founded by two mothers, health advocate and educator, Heather Quillen, and pediatric physician, Lisa R. Ramey, D.O. The dynamic health duo understands the key to fighting the growing health problems plaguing our society is through education. In the YoMedics™ child weight loss program and child optimal weight program, children are led through an entertaining journey for twelve weeks that uses characters and games to help them develop the tools they need to make healthy lifestyle choices now and later in life. The weight loss programs for children offer a way to be healthy and have fun at the same time. Through health and nutrition education today, YoMedics™ is building a brighter future for tomorrow’s leaders.

For more information, please visit http://www.Yomedics.com