Teen Health: Keep Fighting





As you may have already guessed from the other posts of my fellow CW writers, this blog is coming to an end. Thanks to limited resources, information, and other factors, this will be my last blog. While writing this blog, I have found that there are a lot ways that teens can stay healthy. Exorcising, eating healthy, and even getting a new pet can keep away the pounds and health risks. There are other ways to stay in movement, like dancing, playing kickball with friends, or just taking a nice walk. Teens have decisions that they can make that will keep their health in good condition. Hopefully this blog site reached someone.

~Chan

Teen Health: The Computer Is Our Enemy, Not Food



Videos games: What ever happened to riding a bike?

 I just had an epiphany today.  It is now 6:35 and I have realized that I have wasted almost three hours of my life sitting at my desktop computer. Don't give me those judgemental looks people. I know I can't be the only person alive who has gotten on the computer for "just a minute" only to look up and see that hours have passed by without even noticing. The problem is that there is just so much to do and it's all at the tip of your fingers. YouTube is there for music videos, TV shows, movies and even work out videos if you want to take it that far. Facebook is there for updates on friends. Even Twitter has taken the physical aspects of stalking away thanks to the good old follow button. The problem that we face today is not with what we put in our mouths,but what we waste our time doing! The more time you spend on the computer, the less time you're outside walking, excising, or spending any real time with real people. The computer, along with videos games, are the main reason we don't see little kids outside riding their bikes, playing hopscotch, or all those other things kids used to do. If you want to stay in shape, and value your health, stay away from the PC.
~Chan

Dancing on the riverwalk

A few weeks ago, a few friends and I volunteered at the Run/Walk for Caner event held at the riverwalk downtown . In the morning many women, children, and men of all ages participated in a half mile and five mile run. Later on there was a performance by Maya's Dance School. A few older women, shook and jigged on the stage for the audience. After the ladies were done, the dance instructor, Maya, took the stage and began to teach give a free class to anyone interested. First, she invited children to come dance with her on stage.

Then it was our turn. We got as close to the stage as we could and followed her movements as we danced (in my case, tried) to the sound of reggeat-tone . By the third song my friends and I were feeling the burn and laughing at ourselves as we tried to keep up.
Dancing is a great way to stay active and also fun. Zumba is a great new dancing work out trend that is qucikly spreading across the nation. Instead of buying a video from online, take part of a real class and strut your stuff!
If you want a taste of what Zumba is, just check Maya out at the holiday market coming up. She's going to give another free lesson there, or just check her out at her studio.
mayasbellydancing.multiply.com/
~Chan

Teen Health: Why Dogs Are Good For Your Health

We got a new puppy! Her name is Biscuit and she's grown quite a bit these last two weeks we've had her, and she is just so adorable! Except when she runs around your legs biting at your heels or chases you around the house. I once played around with her realized I was actually getting being more active with her than I ever have with our other pets, who just happened to be cats. It made me wonder, "So are dog owners more active than pet owners?" I think we are. Dog owners have to walk their dogs, play games of fetch, and actually have to go out with their pets every once in a while. This is something I'm sure cat owners don't do, since felines love reclining and only walk when they want to walk. I even found this article from the BBC that supports my claim. This is only one more reason why dogs are way better than cats. It is also another way to get active. If you have a dog, then take it out for a nice walk in the morning if you can handle it, or just play a nice game of fetch. It'll get you moving and away from the house, not mention strenghthen the bond you share with Fido.
~Chan

Teen Health: Let Them Eat Cake

Well today is my birthday and my mom asked me if I wanted to get a cake or anything else to celebrate. I accepted the offer and now there is a cake on the table waiting to be cut. But it made me wonder- how many calories are in cakes? Well my first reaction to this was "Who cares? They don't even put that kind of information on the box. It's a cake," but I looked online anyway and found that on average birthday cakes have 310 calories. The website never really explained if that amount was in one complete serving of cake or in the entire cake. Another site I went to listed the cake I have has over 200 calories in one slice, but I don't think this is an accurate estimation. My idea of a slice is most likely a lot bigger than whoever posted this information so in other words, void. I estimate that one slice is between 200-400 calories. Now that's a lot for only one serving of food.  So am I going to eat it? Heck yes! My Birthday comes around once a year and it's time for me to celebrate. I'll just work off the calories later, besides, a little self indulgence never hurt anyone. All this cake talk is making me hungry. See ya!

~Chan
PS: Look at these cool birthday cakes I've found!

Cool huh? I don't own any of these cakes by the way.

Teen Health: My weakness

I hate snack cakes, I'm cautious around fried food, but the one thing I can't resist is ice cream! I absolutely positively LOVE IT! Well, any kind of frozen desert actually. It doesn't matter if it's frozen yogurt, frozen juice, a slushy, or whatever, I love it and always have to get one when I'm out! But is it healthy? Well according to an article released by News Week, that all depends on which brand of frozen treats I eat. Not all ice creams are made the same and the calorie intake could be different depending on what type of cold treat you get, portion size, and even flavor. So here are a few things you should watch out for.

Pecans, and Nuts-

Don't be fooled! Just because your flavor has pecans and nuts inside doesn't mean it's healthy to eat! That butter pecan or black walnut ice cream won't give you any points on the health side.  the article reports that  Häagen-Dazs Butter Pecan has 310 calories and 23 grams of fat.
 Fruit toppings
See Pecans and Nuts.
Shake It Up
Sundaes are better than milkshakes because they have fewer portion sizes and fewer calories.
Alternatives
 Go easy on the serving sizes and don't over do the topics and other additives.The article also recommends eating sorbet or frozen yogurt as healthier alternatives. Eating slow churned ice cream is also a better choice as it contains fewer calories than regular ice cream. Frozen fruit juices made from real fruit juice is better than all other frozen snacks because they don't have any preservatives or added flavors. Don't swear off ice cream just because of this report either, like all sweets, it's best when eaten in moderation.
 ~Chan

ps.  Doesn't that picture at the top look delicious?Yum!