December Calendar

5th - Concordia Parish Library - Recreating your Holiday Leftovers

7th - East Carroll Parish - Joint Advisory Leadership Council Meeting

8th - Catahoula Health Clinic - WIC Open House

9th - Sicily Island - Family Day

11th - Franklin Parish - TeenChef; Concordia - WIC Clinic Open House

13th-14th - LSU AgCenter Annual Conference

25th - Christmas Day

Kids' Corner

by Jocinda Jackson-Jones

Thanksgiving Activities for Kids

Encouraging children to get active and assist with Thanksgiving while promoting healthy habits can be a fun and rewarding experience. Here are some tips to achieve this:

• Cooking Together: Involve children in the cooking process by assigning them age-appropriate tasks. They can help wash vegetables, mix ingredients, or set the table. This promotes healthy eating habits and teaches them valuable cooking skills.
• Active Traditions: Create active Thanksgiving traditions that involve the whole family. Organize a friendly Thanksgiving Day sports tournament or a post-meal dance party. These activities keep children active and make the day more enjoyable for everyone.

Remember to adapt these tips based on the age and abilities of the children involved. By incorporating these activities, children can have an active and healthy Thanksgiving while contributing to the festivities.

Diabetes Awareness Month

Feature Article by Ana Gouge

November marks National Diabetes Awareness month. This is a month not only about awareness but also to shed light on the 30 million Americans who suffer with this chronic disease. Diabetes affects 1 in 3 people in the US. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose (blood sugar) becomes too high. When unmanaged, diabetes will damage your kidneys, liver, eyes, nerves, and heart.

Talking with your doctor about effective ways to manage your A1C is a great place to start. It is also beneficial to take small steps to manage your diet and weight. Pre-diabetes is often reversible through self-management and collaboration with your health care provider.

Are you at risk for prediabetes? Certain factors include:

• Being 45 years old or older
• Having a history of gestational diabetes
• Having a parent or sibling with diabetes
• Having high blood pressure, being overweight and participating in exercise fewer than three times per week

Recipe of the Month

by Cathy Agan

Pumpkin Fluff Dip

• 1 (1.5 oz.) box sugar free instant vanilla pudding
• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (16 oz.) container light whipped topping, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, mix the pudding, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the whipped topping and vanilla. Chill until serving. Serve with vanilla wafers or graham crackers.

Tensas Produce Market Falls into Place

by Joy K. Sims, Healthy Communities Program, Madison & Tensas

FMNP Vendor and Tensas Parish Resident, Mrs. Brenda Mize (Mize Produce) sells her offerings to members of the community at the Tensas Parish Market launch on July 13th.

On July 13th, the Tensas Healthy Communities Coalition (THCC) turned the community's desire for fresh and healthy produce into a reality! THCC, comprised of dedicated members from Newellton, St. Joseph, and Waterproof, has worked tirelessly for three years to establish the Tensas Produce Market, guaranteeing equitable access to fresh food for parish residents who receive SNAP Benefits and Senior Voucher.

The Tensas Produce Market signifies not just a marketplace but a symbol of community dedication and access to fresh, healthy food for all. It operates every Thursday starting at 3 pm, offering seasonal delights from local vendors. To join the ongoing effort to make Tensas Parish healthier, connect with the Tensas Healthy Communities Coalition via their Facebook group or contact the coalition at TensasHCC@gmail.com. You can also explore how you can support sustainable changes for healthier futures by connecting with your local LSU AgCenter Agent.