The YOU 101 focus for May is stroke awareness! Keep your eyes open for great tips via our blog, YOU 101 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/you101) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/you101tips). Do you have a healthy tip or a stroke story? Share with us by leaving a comment!

The YOU 101 focus for April is how to take care of your bones and joints! Keep your eyes open for great tips via our blog, YOU 101 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/you101) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/you101tips).

Do you have a healthy tip? Share with us by leaving a comment!

-Whether you have a toddler or a teen, here are five of the best strategies to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits:

• Have regular family meals.
• Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks.
• Be a role model by eating healthy yourself.
• Avoid battles over food.
• Involve kids in the process.

-Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what’s available at home. That’s why it’s important to control the supply lines — the foods that you serve for meals and have on hand healthy snacks.

-Helpful tips:

• Work fruits and vegetables into the daily routine
• Make it easy for kids to choose healthy snacks
• Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein
• Choose whole-grain breads and cereals

-Here are examples of the benefits of good nutrition in childhood:

• Healthy weight for height
• Mental well being—feeling good
• Clear thinking and school performance
• Strong bones and muscles
• Good energy level
• Ability to fight off sickness or disease
• Healthy healing of wounds
• Easy recovery from illness or injury
• Reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancers and bone diseases such as osteoporosis in the future
• Limit fast food and low-nutrient snacks
• Limit sugary drinks

-Food preferences are developed early in life, so offer variety. Likes and dislikes begin forming even when kids are babies. You may need to serve a new food on several different occasions for a child to accept it. Don’t force a child to eat, but offer a few bites. With older kids, ask them to try one bite.

-Make sure every bite your child eats is as nutrient dense as possible. Allowing them to fill up on non-nutritive calories (like too much juice for instance) can displace the nutritious foods they would have otherwise eaten.

-Discourage the habit of eating and watching television simultaneously. Consider limiting television, which has been linked with childhood and adolescent obesity.

Matt Williams, PA-C

PeaceHealth Medical Group Family Medicine

www.FindYourDoctorRight.com

The YOU 101 focus for March is how to prepare for baby! Keep your eyes open for great tips via our blog, YOU 101 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/you101) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/you101tips).

Do you have a tip of your own? Share with us by leaving a comment!

The YOU 101 focus for February is all about heart health! After all, February is American Heart Month! Keep your eyes open for great tips via our blog, YOU 101 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/you101) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/you101tips).

Do you have a heart healthy tip? Share with us by leaving a comment!

The YOU 101 focus for December is the importance of emotional health during a very stressful and hectic time of year and how to have a happier holiday. Keep your eyes open for great tips via our blog, YOU 101 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/you101) and Twitter page (www.twitter.com/you101tips).

Do you have a helpful, healthy tip on breast health? Please feel free to share by leaving us a comment!

The YOU 101 focus for November is how-to have a healthier holiday. Keep your eyes open for great tips via our blog, YOU 101 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/you101) and Twitter page (www.twitter.com/you101tips). Do you have a helpful tips to have a healthier holiday? Please feel free to share by leaving us a comment!

The YOU 101 focus for October is how-to protect your breast health. Remember, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Keep your eyes open for great tips via our blog, YOU 101 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/you101) and Twitter page (www.twitter.com/you101tips).

Do you have a helpful, healthy tip on breast health? Please feel free to share by leaving us a comment!

Answer:

By seeing your doctor for routine care, there is a greater chance of discovering and managing a disease you have now, or learning about the risks you carry. Preventive care is a vital part of your overall health care. You can reduce your risk, delay onset or even prevent these harmful diseases from occurring.   As physicians, we strive to find and control disease states before they become life-threatening. We want to educate patients about how important it is to be proactive about their health. After all, your body is the most precious thing you own. Come visit, and we can be your partner in protecting your good health.

~Matt Williams, PA-C

PeaceHealth Medical Group Family Medicine

The YOU 101 focus for September is how-to manage pain. Keep your eyes open for great tips via our blog, YOU 101 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/you101) and Twitter page (www.twitter.com/you101tips).

Do you have a helpful, healthy tip on how you manage your pain? Please feel free to share by leaving us a comment!