Let's Dance with Change4Life is getting children, families and teachers out of their seats and learn

Link: http://dance.change4life.com/Index.aspx

Check out Hereford's own Change4Life website for lots of tips on exercise and healthy eating.

Link: http://www.herefordshirechange4life.org/

Kids need to do at least 60 minutes of physical activity that gets their heart beating faster than usual. And they need to do it every day to burn off calories and prevent them storing up excess fat in the body which can lead to cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

It's what kids do best. Running around, having fun with their friends, and burning off energy is a great way of getting some (or all) of their 60 active minutes each day.

We tend to rely on cars and buses to ferry the kids around these days (particularly for short hops) when we could be using our feet. Think about walking together, rather than jumping in the car or on the bus. If the journey is too far, you could always stop a bit earlier, and put your best foot forward for the rest of the journey and hey you can even save money by walking too.

Activity doesnt have to cost anything. It neednt mean joining a gym or sports club (although thats great if thats what your children like). Going outside is free and fun is the best gym. So remember - any kind of activity counts towards your childrens 60 active minutes.

It doesn’t have to be at a dance class – you can dance to the radio, or in front of the TV - all you need is a great tune and you and your kids can have fun dancing anywhere.

Whether it’s lengths of the pool, or having a good splash about, kids love having fun in the water. When was the last time you took them to the pool?

Cycling is a great alternative to the car or bus, and can be much more convenient too – no waiting around, no traffic jams or parking problems, and no parking charges either. You don’t even need to have somewhere to get to, just getting the kids out for a bike ride is a great fun activity. Just make sure they are careful and wear a helmet.

Food - a fact of life provides a progressive approach to teaching about healthy eating, cooking, food and farming from 3 to 16 years.

This site provides a wealth of free resources to stimulate learning, ensuring that consistent and up-to-date messages are delivered.

Link: http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/index.aspx

• Fatty cuts of meat, poultry skin and red meat
  
• Meat products such as sausages and pies
  
• Whole milk and full fat dairy products such as cheese and cream
  
• Butter, ghee and lard
  
• Coconut oil and palm oil
  
• Pastry
  
• Cakes and biscuits
  
• Sweets and chocolate
  

• Read the label. Most food products state how much saturated fat is in the food. Look for 'sat fat' or 'fat of which saturates' and compare similar food items and choose the option that has less saturated fat.
  To help you to interpret the food label:
  If a product contains more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g, this is considered a lot.
  If a product contains less than 1g of saturated fat per 100g, this is considered a little.
  
  
• Choose lean cuts of meat, trim off any visible fat and remove the skin from poultry meat such as chicken or turkey.
  
• Choose leaner options of beef mince, or try using turkey mince which is even leaner.
  
• Choose lower-fat or reduced fat dairy products, such as 1% fat milk, low fat yogurts and reduced fat cheese.
  
• Choose a product that contains mostly unsaturated fats as your everyday oil or fat spread rather than one that is high in saturated fats.
  
• Choose sunflower, rapeseed or olive oil that are high in unsaturated fats for cooking and only use in small amounts.
  
• Grill your meat rather than frying it.
  
• Eat a balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables and starchy foods such as rice, pasta and potatoes, as these are lower in saturated fat.
  
• Choose healthy snacks when you are on the go such as fruit or dried fruit and nuts rather than cakes, biscuits and chocolate which are often high in saturated fat.
  

Remember, we all need some fat and so it doesnt need to be cut out of the diet completely. Some polyunsaturated fatty acids that you find in oily fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oil (rapeseed oil, sunflower oil), are essential for health and it is important that we get these fatty acids from our diet. These types of fatty acids can help protect against heart disease and, in general, unsaturated fatty acids can help to reduce our blood cholesterol levels. We should try to substitute polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats for saturated fats rather than eating them in addition.
British Nutrition Foundation 2009

Grow crops in pots

You may not have room for a vegetable patch or time for an allotment, but many delicious varieties of salad, vegetable and fruit will thrive in containers and don't take up much space. You can grow crops on patios, balconies, windowsills and roof gardens.

There's a massive choice of crops that can be grown in pots from strawberries to leafy salads.

It's best to try compact plants such as sweet peppers, chilli peppers, aubergine and tumbling varieties of tomatoes. Among the best for pots are courgettes, beetroot, carrots and potatoes. With lettuces, go for varieties that you pick a few leaves at a time rather than the whole head at once. Herbs can be planted on their own or try growing ten different varieties in a strawberry planter. Most plants are ideal in multi-purpose compost, but some have special needs, for instance thyme prefers well-drained soil and blueberries need acidic ericaceous compost.

Parent newsletter November 2009

Download: Right-click to download (.pdf 599.5 kb)
(Right-click to save)

Around 50% of school age children are likely to get threadworm so they are probably as common as head lice, but just not as easy to spot.
Take a look at the threadworm website by following the link attached for more information, help and advice.

Link: http://www.fredworm.co.uk

Take a look at our latest newsletter sent to schools to send home to parents.

Download: Newsletter Feb 2010 (.pdf 582.6 kb)
(Right-click to save)

Keep a bottle of antibacterial hand gel in the car for when you're out and about - always a good idea to rub it on children's hands
before eating your picnic !