Bulldogs Wellness

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) reports thousands of sports-related eye injuries every year and 90% of them are preventable. April is Sports Eye Safety Month to provide awareness for athletes and their parents on how to protect their eyes while playing their favorite sport(s) or just being outside.

According to the advocacy group Prevent Blindness, basketball is the leading cause of eye injuries, followed by pool and water sports, and non powder gun use (airsoft or pellet guns) being third. Contact sports such as boxing and martial arts carry a high risk of serious, even blinding eye injuries. Almost every sport carries some degree of risk, even fishing can lead to eye injuries. Protective eyewear is recommended to prevent eye injuries from occurring.

Some of most common and preventable injuries/ conditions are:

• Corneal abrasion
• Inflamed iris
• Hyphema
• Traumatic cataract
• Detached retina
• Fracture of the eye socket
• Photokeratitis

If you or your child complains of eye pain during or after a game or thinks they have sustained an eye injury it is important to seek care from an ophthalmologist or primary care physician; early intervention is important to prevent further damage.

This spring set some goals to improve your health and prevent chronic diseases. There are lots of ways to improve your overall health, but here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• Get Moving
• Physical activity improves overall health and quality of life, while also reducing your risk for chronic conditions (obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, many cancers, depression, anxiety, and dementia)
• Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week (try walking 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week)
• Kids (6-17) need an hour or more of physical activity every day
• Preschool (3-5) should be active throughout the day with plenty of time for active play
• Eat Healthier
• A healthy diet helps manage your weight. Creating a healthy eating plan can help and
• Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk, and milk products
• Include a variety of protein (seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs, etc.)
• Low in added sugars, sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol
• Stays within your daily calorie needs
• Re-Think Your Drink
• Sugar drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet (soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, flavored coffee, and even sweetened waters)
• People who frequently drink sugary drinks are more likely to have health problems (weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cavities, and gout)
• Drink more water (if you need more flavor - try adding fruit to the water)
• Get Enough Sleep
  
• 1 in 3 Adults do not get enough sleep which is linked to several chronic diseases including heart disease, obesity, depression, and type 2 diabetes
• Adults need 7 or more hours of sleep each night
• Teens (13-18) need 8-10 hours
• School age (6-12) need 9-12 hours
• PK (3-5) need 10-13 hours (may include a nap)
• Improve sleep by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, keeping the bedroom dark, quiet and comfortable temperature, removing electronic devises, avoiding large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bed, and being active during the day.
• Know Your Family History
  
• Discuss your family history with your doctor to protect your health

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 4 (6 oz) bone-in, center-cut pork chops
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 1/2 cups diagonally sliced carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed (about 6 oz)
• 2 tsp all purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sprinkle port chops with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Add pork to skillet; and cook until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove pork from skillet and set aside.
• Add carrots and onions to skillet; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, ab out 3 minutes. Add flour to skillet; cook, stirring often, 30 seconds. Add stock, peas and mustard to skillet; bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes.
• Return pork to skillet, nestling pork in the liquid. Sprinkle with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, pork is warmed through and carrots are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with butter and parsley.

Many of our student's report food allergies; but did you know there is a difference in true allergies vs sensitivity or intolerance? A true food allergy is an immune response - your body identifies something you ate as an invader and reacts by producing antibodies to fight the food protein. Symptoms can vary from mild to life threatening (dizziness, hives/ rash, swelling, coughing, wheezing, stomach ache, or diarrhea). A food intolerance is when your GI system has a hard time processing or digesting specific foods. Symptoms are typically not life threatening, but uncomfortable (gas, bloating, diarrhea/ constipation, cramping, stomach pain, nausea).

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease about 8% of children in the US have a food allergy (and 11% of adults) vs 20% of the population having a food intolerance. Ninety percent of allergic reactions are from the following 9 foods (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame).

While there is no cure for either food allergy or intolerance you can avoid reactions by avoiding the foods that trigger reactions, taking medications such as antihistamines, using an EpiPen if experiencing anaphylaxis, or immunotherapy to lessen the severity of reactions. An allergic reaction is considered an emergency when you have:

• sudden swelling of mouth, lips, throat, or tongue
• sudden rash
• shortness of breath, wheezing, or gasping for air
• very fast, rapid breathing
• sudden dizziness
• blue lips
• fainting/ unresponsiveness/ unconscious

In the even you would need to use an EpiPen remember - "Blue to the Sky, Orange to the Thigh."

Pop the blue top off, swing and firmly push orange tip against the outer thigh until you hear a click, hold for 10 seconds. remove and rub area and call 911. (Please see your school nurse for more training if you have students with allergies or need more education in this area.)