Happy New Year!!!!

Welcome to 2021! Last year was a year of struggles from the Coronavirus. This year let us try to get back on track and follow the directions of the Governor so that we can end this struggle and get back to a new normal of getting out to visit our families.I know that it is hard, but if we want to get out to visit our families, we must follow the rules so that this can happen.Come on St. John Parish, we can do this!!!!

Okay, for starters, make a list of the things that you LOVE to do and enjoy doing them.Your list may include some of the following:

• Riding a bike
• Jumping rope
• Running a 5-mile dash
• Playing hopscotch
• Playing tag
• Bouncing a ball off the wall
• Drawing on the sidewalk with chalk
• Walking the dog
• Dancing
• Playing basketball/football/baseball/softball/volleyball

If these are fun things that you love to do, then try doing them at least once a week or more if you feel energized.They are good for your heart and your life.

Want to play HEARTBREAK?

Here is how it goes: draw an outline of a large heart and draw several small hearts inside.Post your large heart on the wall or door and draw a start line to stand behind to throw darts.Take turns with a couple of friends throwing your darts, hoping that someone is making contact and the darts are sticking to the hearts.When your dart lands on a heart, mark it with your name and after all the hearts are taken, count the amount that you have collected.If you have the most hearts, you win, but make sure that your darts do not land on another person’s heart, because then you lose your turn.This is a fun game for children and adults to play to see how many HEARTS they can BREAK.

According to statistics, your heart beats over 100,000 times a day.It beats more when you exercise, get excited or something scares you.

Everyone let us eat right so that our heart keeps beating to the MAX!!!!Eat a healthy breakfast every day and get a smart start for your heart.

Resources: Smart Choices – Lesson 5: Youth Fact Sheet.

Healthy Recipe

Strawberry Banana Split

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1 cup of strawberries
• 4 oz (1/2 cup) vanilla yogurt
• 1 tbsp. chopped nuts

Instructions:

• Peel and split banana.
• Place banana halves in serving bowl.
• Top with strawberries, yogurt, and nuts.

Nutrition analysis per serving:

• 312 Calories
• 7 g fat
• 5 milligrams cholesterol
• 5 g fiber
• 75 milligrams sodium
• 19 percent calories from fat

Nutritional Educational Classes offered in 2021 through LSU AgCenter

Dining with Diabetes – a program to help adults at risk or with Type 2 diabetes, who are pre-diabetic or who have diabetes and their families/caregivers are interested in learning how to manage their condition through meal planning, label reading, carbohydrate counting and portion control.

Smart Snacking – choosing healthful snacks that keep you from getting too hungry and overeating.

MyPlate (Nutrition Program) – focuses on lifestyle changes and portion sizes to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.The MyPlate is divided into fruits, grains, vegetables, proteins, and dairy.

Small Changes, Healthy Habits – this four-part series is to help the participants re-organize their lifestyle.The program includes: Habit Formation and Physical Activity; Healthy Kitchen Makeover; Grocery Store Tour and Cooking and Knife Skills.

Smart Portions Program – focuses on lifestyle changes to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Let us Eat for The Health of It – developed in Louisiana with approved recipes and activities for adults.Participants learn to identify the importance of establishing healthful nutrition practices and incorporating physical activities into their daily lives.

Eat Smart Portion – will help you to better understand the Nutrition Facts Label.You will learn how to use it to make healthier choices in the supermarket.

Make Half Your Grains Whole Grains – help you to understand why grains are an important part of a healthful diet.

Wellness: Eat Smart, Get Active, Live Well – taking care of our bodies by eating smart, getting active, and living well by taking care of our bodies.

Break Up with Salt – Learning how to eat healthy without adding salt but adding other spices and herbs.

Individuals or groups that are interested in attending nutrition lessons or scheduling nutrition lessons for a group can contact Cynthia Clifton, Nutrition Extension Agent, LSU AgCenter at 985-497-3261 or cclifton@agcenter.lsu.edu to register. Visit our parish Facebook page at http://facebook.com/lsuagcenterstjohnparish

The LSU AgCenter is a statewide campus of the LSU System and provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.