Hi everyone,

Select the link below for a flyer about Family Dinner Nights (FDN)  at Earthfare: 

IBB Ash Flier

With every adult $5 purchase up to SIX kids can eat for FREE.  FDN will continue over the summer and throughout the rest of the year. 

Earthfare also offers, “Healthy Kid’s Meals,” which are available all the time – not just on Thursdays – so swing through Earth Fare to pick up a kid’s meal!

Have a healthy week!

Kristen

“Let’s Move Buncombe!”  Women Elected Officials launch local public awareness campaign to raise awareness about Childhood Obesity:

Asheville, NC – Local women elected officials will be joining together for a 6-month public awareness campaign entitled “Let’s Move Buncombe!” to showcase many of the innovative solutions happening in Buncombe County that address childhood obesity. From fresh food in school cafeterias to child friendly farmers markets to preschools programs to family walking trails, these elected officials propose to get the word out to the community to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy.  Each month the officials will visit and participate in a local effort that promotes healthy living and works to reverse the childhood obesity trend.

            “Let’s Move Buncombe!” was inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama national invitation to join her national “Let’s Move!” Initiative. www.letsmove.com. Let’s Move! has an ambitious goal: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. Let’s Move! focuses on combating the epidemic of childhood obesity through a comprehensive approach which builds on effective strategies, and mobilizes public and private sector resources. .

            The “Let’s Move Buncombe!” campaign will focus on local initiatives in four arenas: helping parents make healthy choices; healthier schools; physical activity; and accessing healthy affordable schools. The campaign will occur May through October and currently has 10 women elected officials signed on. Participating elected officials to date include: NC State Representative Susan Fisher, NC State Representative Jane Whilden, Buncombe County Commissioner Holly Jones, Buncombe County Commissioner Carol Peterson, Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy, Asheville City Councilwoman Esther Manheimer, Black Mountain Vice Mayor Joan Brown, Montreat Mayor Letta Jean Taylor, Montreat Commissioner Mary McPhail Standaert, and  Eeaverville Vice Mayor Dottie Sherrill.

Holly Jones, convener of the group stated, “It was amazing how women leaders immediately responded to participating in this campaign. They each know that unless we make fundamental changes in our community and support parents and children leading a more healthy life, our obesity crisis will cripple our economy and decrease the future quality of life in our children.”

Select the link LMB May 7  for Let’s Move Buncombe’s kick-off at Emma Community Garden – May 7, 2010: 

 LMB_May 7

Have a great rest of the week and weekend!

Kristen Weaver

Have you been interested in joining a bike riding group but wondered how to get started? Have you had concerns of riding alone on a bicycle on the road?

Join the Novice Bike Rider Program Begins June 12th! Here is a note from Archer Yates with the group along with bicycle maintenance tips.
Our Novice Bike rider program will start on June 12th at 9:30 am at Fletcher Park and will continue on each Saturday morning at 9:30 unless changed. Each week we will announce start locations. Anyone who would like to be on the email list for ride announcements please send me an Email. Also, our

group is listed on Facebook Groups as BRBC Novice Bike rider group.

Information will be posted on the Facebook group as well as direct emails.

For more information contact Archer Yates e-mail: 42bp@charter.net
phone number: 828-320-8654
We will be riding about 2 hours on mostly flat to rolling roads. We will breakup in groups according to pace. If you have any questions about your ability, call me before the ride.
No one will be left behind and we have club members that act as ride guides to check on you and look out for problems. They will be wearing a reflective vest. They have cell phones for an emergency. We will hand out cell phone numbers before the ride. Bring your cell phone.

There will not be a motor vehicle following us. Any problem we have on the road, we will have to handle or wait for someone to get a vehicle. For example, We had one rider last year that had to wait for a vehicle because he did not have a tube to repair a puncture, and nor did we. He had a 26 inch wheel with a schrader valve and all our tubes were the more common presta valves so bring what you would need to repair bike.

Be sure your bike has at least one water bottle cage on it ( 2 is better). The type of water bottle they sell in bike shops larger is better because hese bottles can be handled with one hand. Not drinking enough water is a big issue when riding a bike and a hydration pack with the tube that clips on the strap is another option. The ride will be about two  hours and 40 ounces of liquid is about right .

Here are a few tips fromleague of American Bicyclist use the ABC’s for a pre ride check:
A. air in tires at proper inflation: Make sure the tires are inflated to the pressures marked on the tire. A Bicycle tire will only hold proper pressure for a few days. This requires that you have a good quality bike pump. The floor pumps are much easier to use and  little micro pumps are exhausting to use.
B. Brakes should stop efficiently and work smoothly without squealing.
C. Chain needs to be ubricated and should be tracking without dropping as you shift gears. C is also for cables that need to be lubed and at correct tension to shift your gears .
If all this sounds a bit much , you should have your bike checked over by a bike shop.
Last but not least these are some”must haves”:
As you know a helmet is required so make sure the padding is still good, and it fits snugly.
A small pack is strongly encouraged for a tube to fit your bike, a snack or energy bar, bandaids, and sunblock.
Also, wearing gloves will cushion your hands and offer protection if you fall. If you are riding a fat tire mountain bike, you can make it easier to keep up by using tires called ( town & Country tires) that have a smoother tread and are not as wide as a true mountain bike knobby tire.

Happy Riding!

Carol and Denise

http://www2.mcdowellnews.com/news/2010/may/25/make-healthy-choice-easy-choice-ar-172270/

Time to Give Your Taste Buds a Makeover this Spring?

Try some of our favorites in the Spring issue of American Institute of Cancer Research.

http://www.aicr.org/site/DocServer/AICR_NL_107-Web.pdf?docID=3621

Here are some tasty suggestions to make your meals more exciting:

Give you palate a fresh taste with green pea guacamole dip or red pepper and pecan salad!

Add a new salad green to your menu such as arugula, butter head or endive. Combine it with fresh herbs, like basil, and other vegetables of every color and texture – from steamed sweet potato cubes to crunchy radishes or jicama– similar to apples, but not sweet..

Add roasted bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, onions, turnips and other veggies with a small drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to bring out a rich, sweet taste.

Have a healthy spring!

Carol and Denise

Have you registered for Summer Day Camp yet?  Act now, spots are filling fast for a Summer full of swimming, hiking, group games, archery, field trips and much more!  Contact the Child Care Services Office at 210-CARE, or visit us online at http://www.ymcawnc.org/ (select the day camp widget) for information and registration about Summer Day Camps in Buncombe and McDowell Counties!

Have you ever wondered just how much protein you really need?  What exactly is the role that protein plays in maintaining our nutrition and good health? Here are just a few of protein’s functions:

-growth and maintenance (especially children, teens, pregnant women)

-tissue repair and building immunity

-to make essential hormones and enzymes in the body

-for energy if other energy sources, like carbohydrates, are not available

Extra protein in the diet isn’t usually necessary.  About 25% of your total calories you consume each day should be in the form of protein foods. Contrary to popular belief,eating more protein won’t give you more muscle. The only way to make your muscles larger is to exercise the muscles. If you eat excess protein over the body’s needs for growth and repair, it is just extra calories. Extra calories, whether they are from carbohydrate, protein or fat will be stored as body fat.

Here are a few of our favorite quick and easy portable proteins to eat on the go:

*Greek yogurt (double the protein!)

*Sports and protein Bars

*Protein shakes, sports shakes

*Pistachios, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, soy nuts

*Sunflower and pumpkin seeds

*Peanut butter sandwiches

*Instant breakfast drink packets (carnation instant breakfast)

*High protein cereals (special K, “Kashi” Go-Lean)

*Canned tuna, salmon, or chicken

*dehydrated bean soup mixes

*Individualized packets cheese cubes or string cheese

A balance of healthy carbohydrates, protein and fat are needed for good health!

“Healthy Kids Day 2010 was a fantastic success this year. We had over 2200 people come through the gates at Carrier Park on Saturday and take part in the wonderful Wellness community event! The amount of information and feedback that went out to our community was amazing! All venders and booths ran out of things to give out and by the end of the day were writing out information on sheets of paper for the attendees. The children as well as the parents thoroughly enjoyed this fun filled festive event and many folks wanted to know if we would be back next year!

It was great watching our community members get active and play together. Every family walked away with a smile and a sense of satisfactions of a family day well spent.”

Healthy Kids Day in McDowell County is back!  Kids and Families came to the Corpening Memorial YMCA for our famous Iron Baby Triathlon, early kindergarten registration, health education booths, screenings, performances, healthy snacks, and more!  They came, they learned, they played!