WEEK 11 - "I think that parents have a right to expect that their kids will be served fresh, healthy food that meets high nutritional standards." - Michelle Obama

The past few years I have been busy a full time job, volunteerism and life in general.  I felt like I did not have enough time to investigate the many changes in the field of nutrition and kinesiology.  With that in mind, one of the  main goals of my sabbatical was to gain current examples and bring them back to the classroom and community.  I just returned from a School Nutrition Association conference in South Carolina.  My sabbatical activities this week demonstrated that I had a lot that I needed to learn with respect to the powerful and positive changes that have occurred in the school lunch programs in the very recent past.  

The topic of school lunches hits close to home for me as I am mother of two children who participate in the school lunch program.  It has always been something that I have been passionate about and speak on the topic through the Parkland Speaker's Bureau.  In 2008 was when both my kids started eating school lunch.  I saw what they kids were eating in school cafeterias and was inspired to redesign my BIO 120 (Fundamentals of Nutrition) class at Parkland College to take on the challenge of making a healthy lunch for under $3 that elementary school students would gladly eat.  I provided my Parkland students with the nutrition guidelines, taught them healthy food handling, demonstrated calculations needed for them to determine if their meal met the guidelines and then created a forum for an Iron Chef type competition with the elementary school kids as the judges. 

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2008-11-19/parkland-students-try-make-healthy-lunches-kids.html

 From the News Gazette article highlighting the nutrition competition, "Finding something kids like is important", said Washington art teacher Shauna Carey.  "I can't believe how much food these kids throw away," Carey said. "They look at the plate and they may eat one thing and throw the rest away. Then they spend the rest of the day hungry. The whole idea of making stuff that's visually attractive to them and that they like is huge."

  
So it is more complex than just making a healthy lunch!  Individuals involved in the school lunch programs need to think about many things.  A short list of things to consider when introducing a new meal or snack at a school:

• student acceptance of the food (if they don't like it, they won't eat it)
• cost (even it it is healthy, if it costs too much, it can't be served)
• preparation time (some schools have very short lunches...less than 30 minutes)
• nutrition guidelines 

With respect to nutrition guidelines, Michelle Obama is one of many influential individuals pressing for positive change in the school lunch options available for children.  As posted on the USDA website, "Through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act championed by the First Lady and signed by President Obama, USDA made the first major changes in school meals in 15 years, which will help us raise a healthier generation of children.  The new standards align school meals with the latest nutrition science and the real world circumstances of America's schools.  These responsible reforms do what's right for children's health in a way that is achievable in schools across the Nation."  I am impressed at how quickly change has happened and I was excited to go to the conference to learn more! 

I had the unique pleasure of attending the School Nutrition Association conference with a friend who works for a food manufacturing company.  It was thought provoking to see the conference from both sides: as an attendee learning alongside school decision makers and helping on the showroom floor with the food production companies.  Although media hype sensationalizes school lunch options, honestly things have come a long way from when I was in school eating the rectangle pizza, french fries and a warm chocolate milk for lunch.  The conference was a wonderful forum for school officials, those interested in nutritional health of children and producers to gather and learn together.  I learned about the specific cost nutrition and other guidelines in place with schools for both meals and snacks.  For example, this academic year was huge as the USDA began requiring schools who were selling snacks a la carte to meet all Smart Snack guidelines.  In the past, students could easily purchase donuts, fruit flavored candies and regular colas to "fuel" their growing bodies.  Now that the new standards are in place, better choices such as roasted nuts, granola bars and fruit cups are readily available for students.  

http://www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschoolday/tools-schools-focusing-smart-snacks

But, the question still remains for some...will they like or even prefer the healthier food options?  I have the guts to say, YES THEY WILL!  That is if we get them involved and bring them to the table.  I have a presentation entitled: Fun With Food.  The target audience is children between 6 and 13 years old.  The presentation is in actuality a game show that gets kids involved on several levels.  I begin by sharing strange facts, poems, songs and more about the food they eat.  We move on to questions like, "what fruit juice contains fat?" where the kids have multiple choice options presented to them and they get to use iClickers to record in their answer.  Once we discuss the question and what their responses were, I explain that coconut juice is the correct answer and the kids get brought a small tasting cup with coconut juice.  When they get involved in the question, discuss the answer, curiosity peaks about a new food, they see me get excited about consuming the foodstuff (and sharing how delicious I think it is), they try it, and repeatedly I have observed over 90% acceptance of foods like soynuts, mangoes, coconut milk.  Kids even enjoy prunes if they are presented properly.  I have had kids say that prunes taste like cinnamon apple butter in an easy to eat package and many ask to have second helpings (I stop them at third helpings as I don't want a prune filled kid sent home and me getting a letter about their bowels the next day).   

Traditionally, I teach college nutrition in a standard classroom setting.  Many semesters I teach primarily using PPT presentations, videos, discussions and a white board....and that is what is happening in the elementary schools.  Nutrition is taught in health classes while the kids sit in a desk taking notes.  Teachers discuss the human body while watching videos about how it works.  But, what if we could instead challenge ourselves to think outside the box and look at how we make nutrition education fun and meaningful?  Could we teach about nutrition through experiential learning during lunch allowing students to try new foods at little or no cost to them?  What if kids were prompted to critically evaluate their lunch choices through discussion as they eat?  Why can't we use the new Smart Snack guidelines to introduce math during the lunch hour and demonstrate how to read a nutrition label?  These are critical skills in life.  Few subjects in school affect a person daily and have lifelong implications....nutrition is one of them.  Let's teach it as if it matters.  We should get into the lunch rooms of those kids at a young age and really make an impact.  Who is with me?   

WEEK 10 - "The difference between someone who is in shape, and someone who is not in shape, is the individual who is in shape works out even when they do not want to."

WHERE SHOULD I WORKOUT?  That is a question that is as personal as WHO SHOULD I DATE?   I don't have one blanket answer that fits all people.  Read the blog below to learn about some local facilities...maybe even go on a few speed dates by visiting them at least once! 

Upon graduation, I have many kinesiology students explain to me that they are applying for jobs at every fitness facility in the area.  I look at them inquisitively as I am not sure that is the best approach for them or the facility.  In the same vain, I have had managers of fitness facilities share with me that they hired someone, but quickly realized that it was not a good fit because the new hire did not share their philosophy.  Further, I have colleagues and community members regularly inquire as to which gym they should join.  I felt like information was missing out there.  I stepped back to reflect on how I could help in a small way.  My solution was to go to many of the facilities in the area, tour, interview the manager, workout on site, and get a feel for what they were all about.  What makes their facility unique?  What may make it an excellent fit for a prospective hire or client?  Below are some of my insights on a few places I visited the past couple weeks. Note the facilities are in alphabetical order, not order of preference or grouped in any way.  

CHARTER FITNESS: I was immediately impressed by the clean, comfortable and affordable facility.  I was greeted by Adam Dukes who met with me and explained to me that although they were amongst the most reasonably priced in the area (as low as $10 a month for the most basic membership) the facility is focused on a quality workout rather than getting people to sign up.  He showed me around the facility as I asked what makes this facility unique.  He brought me back to the High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Studio and explained that the people that pay a little extra for the HIIT training with a personal trainer really bond and it is a good time for all.  Adam encouraged people to stop by for a 1 week trial pass to see for yourself!  

HIT STUDIO AT CHARTER FITNESS IN CHAMPAIGN

CURVES: Jan Smith met me with a smile at the door at Curves in Mahomet.  She is not just an individual working the front desk, she is the owner and truly believes in Curves and has seen firsthand the benefits it has provided her, friends, clients and others around the world (yes, they are worldwide).  She shared with me the philosophy of the facility, "Curves is a Woman's Fitness Facility.  It is the only facility with exercise, meal planning and one-on-one coaching in one place fully customizable and personalized.  Plus, now we are a sister business with Jenny Craig for those needing a personalized prescribed structured menu plan.  In either case our weight management is based on behavior changes."  They have a circuit based system with machines that are appropriate for any physical ability.  Individuals working out at Curves get personalized attention from the staff using the three C's: Correct, Compel and Celebrate.  Members can use an electronic key as they workout that will track their progress and show them how they are doing.  I saw that it is a supportive atmosphere that could be a good fit for women of all ages...they even have mother/daughter discounts!  

OWNERS AND BELIEVERS WORKING OUT AT THE CURVES IN MAHOMET

FITNESS CENTER: As I walked into the door, there were a group of older individuals relaxing and having a cup of coffee prior to their upcoming group fitness class.  They were laughing as if this were a local hangout for them.  I approached the front desk where two trainers had smiles on their faces and were more than happy to share with me the many group fitness, personal training, martial arts and other options they offer (on top of a traditional gym facility).  Eight or more different group fitness classes are offered each weekday with a variety of classes focusing on strength, mind/body, cardio and a fusion of strength/cardio.  Ryan Jones oversees the personal trainers stating that there are so many options offered that it meets the needs of anyone from a teen through their late 90's!  He went on to say that they offer a family friendly environment that allows any level of experience to enjoy their workout and make a few friends along the way.  Whether it is your first time in a gym or you are a seasoned lifter, they offer a unique atmosphere where anybody and everybody can enjoy.  It is no wonder this gym has been open with success for over 37 years.  I decided to try something different and went to their Silver Sneakers 10:40am class.  It had 15+ members in the class.  Many of the older members actually get a gym membership for free through select insurance providers who encourage physical activity.  Although many of the exercises in the Silver Sneakers class were conducted while sitting or using a chair for balance, the instructor challenged all of us (even me)...I can say it was a good workout!  But, the Fitness Center does not cater to an older clientele alone.  They meet all needs with their many options shared above.  What stands out making this facility unique is The Grid which is a bootcamp style workout pushing individuals with challenging functional movement training exercises.

GRID TRAINING AT THE FITNESS CENTER

GRID TRAINING AT THE FITNESS CENTER

FitTek:  If a picture is worth 1000 words, a video must be worth more...right?  I had the pleasure of meeting the owner if Fit Tek and having her share a tour of the facility as well as what makes them unique (a focus on ergonomics and body balance).  She is one of the most knowledgeable individuals I have come in contact with in the field of Egoscue as a means of body posture therapy.  Truly educational!  Check out the videos: 

METTLER CENTER: It is a very diverse facility with high standards and a focus on customer services.  It is very professional yet comfortable to the clients and offers options that few fitness facilities do.  They have an educational kitchen, physical therapists and registered dieticians on staff, hot yoga, Jazzercise and more!  You could truly spend most of your day at the facility focusing on self-care and health.  The staff is caring and sincere while truly dedicated to fitness and living wellness...they practice what they preach!  Currently, they are celebrating physical therapy month.  They share in their October newsletter, "There is an understanding that each person who comes through our door has unique needs and potential limitations or health challenges we need to be mindful of." 


RAW FITNESS:  Danny Iniquez has a true passion for what he does and helping those around him.  That is what spurred him to open his own facility focusing on "fitness through fundamentals" where you can come to his facility to correct faulty movement patterns that may cause pain and/or energy leaks.  He agreed to have me visit his facility if I saw it firsthand and participated as a client.  I happily agreed as I love a good challenge...and that was what I got!  Throughout the workout, he pointed out where I may be tight and need improvement.  He focuses on each person with personal feedback correcting body posture while keeping track of his clients each step of the way writing their accomplishments up on the white board.  My muscles were sore for the next few days...the sign of a great workout!  Check out more about his facility: 

REFINERY:  Refinery is a private club that focuses on members first.  If you are into weight lifting and finding other like  minded lifters, they have more weights and equipment than any other private gym in town.  They offer many of the Les Mills workouts as well as many other challenging workout options with their group fitness classes.  As one of the few gyms that offers all of the following: childcare, a snack bar, and a wet sauna, you have few excuses not to workout if you are a member. 

I will be investigating more facilities throughout my sabbatical.  Feel free to e-mail me any suggested locations you think I should visit.  :-)  I am always looking to learn and share more with those around me.
  

WEEK 9 - "Epidemiologists prefer causal relationships."

The Mediterranean diet is based on epidemiological (population) studies.  The Nurse's Health Study is a longitudinal study looking at causal relationships between behavior and health.  And currently, there are many more studies at Tufts investigating populations such as the Baltimore Study on Aging and the Jackson Heart Study.  Nutritional epidemiology and chronic disease epidemiology have been studied for decades and help form hypotheses that mold our understanding of health and wellness.  But, I caution people not to take the results from such studies as Gospel truth.  In my classes, I make light of drawing too strong a conclusion when looking at epidemiological data alone.  For example, in my Fundamentals of Nutrition course, I challenge students' thinking by starting with the following question: Do all "population trends" have a cause and effect relationship?  

For the most part, the class can agree that the answer should be "no".  Although there is a correlation, there may not be causation.  I go on to joke about heart disease as it is correlated to fat and alcohol consumption.  Comparatively:

• Japanese eat less fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than British or Americans.
• French eat a higher % of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than British or Americans.
• Japanese drink less red wine but suffer fewer heart attacks than British or Americans. 
• French drink more red wine but suffer fewer heart attacks than British or Americans.
• Germans drink more beer, eat more high fat sausages and suffer fewer heart attacks than British or Americans.

If we were basing a conclusion on correlation alone, the conclusion could be: We can eat as much fat and drink alcohol as much or little as we like; it is speaking English that is apparently linked to heart disease.

 But, I also want to state that I believe that there is great value in epidemiological studies setting the foundation of further research and investigation or as a means for us to draw conclusions about a specific population under a specific set of circumstances.  It is an amazing first step to scientific discovery.  It is the basis for much of the nutrition and exercise physiology research today.  Scientists start by observing trends in populations.  The scientists then write grants to ask for funding.  If the grant is approved, the scientific researcher will design a study to look at a cause and effect relationship.  The more research is done on a topic, the more the body of evidence grows to support the hypothesis.  

This past week, I was fortunate enough to work with research teams and firefighters at the University of Illinois investigating cognition before and after a blaze (extreme physical exertion, heat stress, etc.).  The firefighters at the Illinois Fire Service Institute were chosen for this research as the results apply directly to their population as a whole.  It is of utmost importance that rapid and accurate decisions are made when fighting a fire....lives depend on it!  I watched as the subjects conducted several cognitive tasks prior to the blaze.

 Once they completed the pre-testing, they got in their gear, completed an hour long drill involving putting out a three story fire while saving the lives of dummies, and then returned to the classroom for cognitive post-testing.  The firefighters were spent.  Several men had to stop while returning to the classroom to vomit or heave.  Beads of sweat dripped off of their face and they looked like a horse that was rode hard and put away wet.  In short, they were exhausted.  

I continued the conversation with the researchers about their current research design, what they wanted to do with the findings of this study and more.  But, most interestingly to me was my reflection of the tangental conversation that resulted while we watched the building burn and the firefighters extinguish the blase.  We began to discuss the alarming rate of heart attacks among firefighters who are in the line of duty.   According to an article published in Cardiology in Review, "Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of on-duty death among firefighters (45% of on-duty fatalities) and a major cause of morbidity."  Surprisingly, heart attacks kill more firefighters on duty than fires!  The researchers and I went on to discuss chronic disease and how it is not diet alone, exercise alone, or a lack of stress that decrease your chances of suffering from a chronic disease like heart disease...but, you need pay attention to this trifecta and make positive life choices on all three fronts to decrease your chances of cardiovascular disease.  

It fascinates me to look at the path this sabbatical has taken me and the lessons I have learned.  They are all causing me great pause and each new experience I encounter can be shared with a lesson.  


 

WEEK 8 - "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." Mahatma Gandhi

I have a confession...my son lovingly teases me and calls my sabbatical a "paid vacation" as he sees me reading, journaling, interviewing people, reflecting, learning and growing as an individual.  He cannot wrap his brain around what I am doing and why I am getting paid to do this.  I tried to explain that I am gathering qualitative data through the interviews, researching topics in my field of study, and applying them to my life with rich experiential learning stories I can bring back to the classroom/community.  He looked at me with one eyebrow raised and said he wishes his school allowed him to learn this way.  To be honest, I believe this is the way that all learning should take place! 

This week, I received an e-mail asking me to apply for a conference where the focus is exchanging ideas in the realm of entrepreneurship.  Even reading the e-mail got me excited about the possible things I could share and learn.  When I think of business or social entrepreneurship in the classroom, I think of an experiential learning setting like the one I have the joy of participating in through my sabbatical.  Through the application process, I was excited to share what I had been doing the past 5 years and I hope to be accepted as a faculty exchange so I can see what others are doing as well.  In the application process they asked for me to outline what I have been doing.  I went on to share:

I believe it is best practice to engage the whole student in learning through experiences and discipline specific volunteerism in the community. A student who engages in their learning observing how the topic relates the world will walk away with a rich and rewarding educational experience.

In 2009 I was awarded a $10k grant from the UIUC Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Parkland Board of Trustees to redesign my courses with an entrepreneurial approach...learning through doing!

With the new curriculum in my nutrition course, students designed an innovative snack bar. As stated by a student, “I learned so much more from this one class than I did from all my other classes…it gets you involved and makes you proud of what you did.”

I continued designing curriculum with an entrepreneurial and experiential learning focus by working with Booker T Washington Elementary school, Provena Hospital, and my kinesiology students to implement a competitive walking curriculum.  This successful program was also covered by local media (Gift of pedometers has students stepping it up).   My nutrition students and I expanded our local school district collaboration with a challenge to produce healthy lunch options.  It created a lively discussion and news coverage (healthy lunch challenge) on nutritious school lunch programs.          

                                     

Through the above work, I realized students want more than academic knowledge; they need to be engaged.  Further, the community has a real need for positive change, and the students can be effective agents for change.  In response, I incorporated social entrepreneurship into the classroom by requiring my students to volunteer in the community.  In an effort to make data driven decisions, I evaluated the student experiences with the volunteer project using a survey.  I discovered that over 90% recommended that I continue the volunteer requirement, with several citing it as a great addition to their academic resume.  I presented the feedback results in 2013 at a national conference.  I was thrilled that students saw value in the experiential learning and look forward to seeing more classes implement volunteerism in their curriculum.

Social entrepreneurship education and experiential learning should not be limited to business and courses focusing specifically on entrepreneurship. It should cross all disciplines with few limits and reservations. Including community volunteerism as a graded portion in course curriculum allows students to actively engage in the community, participate in experiential learning in the field as well as grow their academic resume.

This past week I had the luxury of stepping back from the business of travel and reflecting at home.  I took great pause when my son shared about how he wants to learn and I am challenging myself through this sabbatical to think about ways I can bring more experiential learning into the classroom and community.  

WEEK 7 - "The concept of being a locavore, or one who chooses whenever possible to incorporate locally grown or locally produced food into one's nutrition plan, is of great importance." Chef - Tyler Florence

I love the quote above from Chef Tyler Florence, "The concept of being a locavore, or one who chooses whenever possible to incorporate locally grown or locally produced food into one's nutrition plan, is of great importance."

 And, when it comes to those who live in Portland OR there is no such thing as too close to home.  Many people own laying hens that they house in their back yard so they can have fresh eggs as local as possible.  The bed and breakfast I was staying at had laying hens living next door and I was told by the hostess that the hens may wake me up in the morning.  The hostess went on to share that she only wishes that she had some of the fresh eggs that the neighbor collected...but, alas, the neighbor ate all of the eggs herself (or found others to share them with).  I went downtown and it was interesting to talk with the man who was selling the laying hens.  He mentioned that different hens have different color shells.  The shell color does not dictate nutritional content at all.  Although many people have a perception that the brown eggs are healthier than the white eggs.  Note: there is little/no evidence to support that claim.  As sated in a fun article on the topic, the difference between the two is that "brown eggs are brown and white eggs are white" 

Even in mid to late September, customers were buying flats of produce to plant and grow for their meals.  Seasonal vegetables changed monthly as did the plates of the local meals.  If you check out a resource on finding fresh Oregon vegetables (link here), you will notice that you can have a plate full of brightly colored delicious fare every month of the year.  And as if the local vegetables weren't enough to satisfy your healthy cravings...they have amazing shops that provide the bacteria needed to make your own yogurt, breads and more!  It was such an experience going out there and thinking outside the box by thinking about what things you can make at home.  And, ultimately, it can save you a lot of money and time.  Let alone the joy in having a day like this one...you wake up in the morning to your hens greeting you.  You grab some feed for them and they come running to get fresh grains.  In exchange, you get their fresh eggs collected and brought into the house.

Picture this: You walk into the kitchen and grab your coconut oil from the cabinet placing a dollop into the skillet to melt  and blend with fresh garlic.  You wash off the outside of the eggs you just gathered and crack three of them into the skillet hearing what sounds like the faint applause as the albumin changes from clear to white.  You grab a loaf of the locally grown bread and you slice off a piece to put into the toaster oven.  It toasts as the kitchen fills with the smell of fresh bread.  You pull the hot toast out with your hands and throw it onto a plate just as the eggs need to be flipped (you love eggs easy over).  You stone ground mustard and spread it onto the toast as you sprinkle some fresh herbs from the garden onto the top of the eggs...this happens right before you have all the ingredients become one breakfast feast.  The fridge is then opened and a small jar of homemade plain yogurt is pulled out; blackberries from the counter are delicately placed on top and you bring your jar and plate to the table to eat.  The sights, sounds, smells and tastes associated with your breakfast satisfy you in a way that driving through McDonald's cannot. You are at one with your environment.  You feel accomplished.  You believe you have started your day in a healthy way.  Overall, you are happy.  And as I shared in my prior blogs, happiness coupled with good food choices and physical activity make for a very healthy individual.  

Watch this video as one local reflects on why Portland is known as one of the healthiest cities (despite the smoking and drinking).