Living Well In Yalobusha County

Time is getting close– have you rented your booth for the 4-H Yard Sale and Arts and Crafts Sale?
The 4-H FCS clubs (Yalobusha Buddies and Clover Buds) will host a county-wide yard sale and arts and crafts sale on Saturday, April 5 from 7 a.m. until noon as a fundraiser to help them pay for educational activities that they participate in such as cooking, sewing, and art classes.  
You can reserve your 10 x 10 space by calling the Extension office at 675-2730.  Spaces are $15 each. Get rid of your old stuff, make some money and support Yalobusha 4-H all at the same time! For more information please call Pamela or Lisa at the Extension Office 675-2730
The Yalobusha Buddies and the Yalobusha Clover Buds will meet Thursday, March 27 at 4 p.m. We will be preparing for our spring fashion show. Members will need to bring the outfit and accessories (shoes, jewelry, purse etc) they plan to model.  The outfit should be a spring outfit.  
The members will present their spring fashion show at the nursing home in Water Valley this Saturday at 10 a.m.  Parents are responsible for getting their child to the nursing home by 9:45 a.m.  Parents are invited to stay for the fashion show.
Our crochet group meets twice a month. The next meeting dates are Thursday, March 27 and Thursday, April 3 at 10 a.m. in the conference room of the extension office. The group is free, but you may want to bring your own yarn and needle. Mrs. Karol Jarmon is our volunteer crochet leader.
The interest meeting last week for the Adult Sewing Group went well. We have over 13 people interested in participating to “Sew for Service.” We decided to meet twice a month. Our meeting dates for April will be Monday, April 7 and Monday April 21 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Extension Office. Our first project will be to make dresses to send with Missionaries to places such as Nicaragua and Haiti.
 
Banish the Belly Bulge
Belly fat is dangerous fat to carry because it makes it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar, blood fats, and blood pressure.  Plus, the deeper the fat, the more danger it poses to your organs and your health over time. Research has shown that belly fat does not just hang around your belly without consequences. On the contrary, belly fat is highly active and secretes both hormones and toxins. It can even elevate LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels.
With all this activity, it should come as no surprise that belly fat is a big risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.
The good news is that belly fat is highly responsive to lifestyle changes, especially physical activity.  Exercise appears to hit the abdomen first by shedding belly fat – prior to shaping up hips or thighs. So, the first line of defense is movement.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that we get active for at least 150 minutes per week. That’s about 30 minutes on five days a week. Combine aerobic exercise like walking or jogging with anaerobic exercise like strength training.
 
Eating for a Svelte Tummy
Want to get rid of that belly fat? Managing stress is a big factor in reducing belly fat because cortisol, a stress hormone, causes fat to accumulate around your middle. Also, inflammation is kept at bay with a flatter belly.
So choose foods that fend off stress and inflammation, such as unsaturated fats like avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds and fish. Unsaturated, omega-3 fats can reduce internal stress, as well as inflammation. Omega-3-rich foods include cold-water fish, like salmon, halibut, trout, and tuna. Don’t like fish? Then get an ounce of omega-3 nuts and seeds everyday – like walnuts, flax, chia, and hemp seeds.  Protein-rich foods may boost metabolism too, because it takes a bit more energy to burn them.
Remember, fatty red meats and full-fat dairy products contain more calories and saturated fat, which defeats the purpose of eating protein to get rid of that extra fat. Instead, choose lean protein sources like chicken or turkey breast, pork loin, buffalo, or even ostrich meats.
Also, choose low-fat dairy. Better yet – eat more plant-based proteins like beans, legumes, tofu, and whole grains like quinoa and amaranth. In general, add more fruits and vegetables to your diet for lower-calorie, fiber-filled meals and snacks that will keep your tummy flat and happy!

Article Source: http://www.communicatingfoodforhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/minutes-agendasnewsletters/Newsletter_2014-04-01.pdf