Wednesday's Theme of the Day: Eat a Rainbow!

Why are they so many songs about rainbows???  Because they are amazing and beautiful-not just in the sky, but also on the dining table!  "Eating a rainbow" helps your body get a complete range of nutrients.

What does it mean to "eat a rainbow"?

Choose a variety of different-colored whole foods throughout the day and week.  The more naturally occurring colors on your plate at each meal or snack, the better.   It DOES NOT mean making a rainbow with artificially colored foods like Gummy Snack, Popsicles, or Soda. 

Fruits and vegetables get their color from naturally occurring micronutrients-such as vitamins and phytonutrients-which are essential for good health. One key function of these nutrients is antioxidants, which include beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and vitamins A, C, and E.  Not all antioxidants have color, but eating a colorful range of food helps you get them all. 

Tuesday's Theme of the Day: Staying Hydrated

Tuesday, during Wellness Week, we focused on the importance of staying hydrated.
We tend not to drink as much water in the Winter.  We don't sweat as much and don't get as thirsty, but it is very important that we continue to drink between 5-8 glasses of water each day to stay hydrated.   Please review and reinforce the following with your children....

It seems like we're always hearing about how important it is to drink a lot of water.  Our bodies need water to preform the many jobs our bodies do every day.  Our bodies constantly lose water-when we breathe, sweat, and go to the bathroom-so we need to replace it.  When it's warm out, when you're exercising, or when you're sick, it's important to drink extra water. 

Some of the fluid we need comes from food other than water.  So the liquid we consume does not have to be water, but WATER IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS TO DRINK. For one thing, water contains no calories or sugar.  Orange and other 100% fruit juices can be a good source of vitamin C, but they also contain calories and sugar that you may not need.  It is very important to avoid drinks like Coke, Sprite, Mountain Dew, Gatorade and Sports Drinks.  They contain excess sugar and even added caffeine.  

Be sure to stop by the Nurse's office this month to view the Wellness Bulletin Board.  During the month of February, the theme is RETHINK YOUR DRINK.  It is a great visual that helps us all be more aware of the amount of sugar in the drinks we choose.

Monday's Theme of the Day: Exercise

We kicked off our Wellness Week here at Cozy with an exciting, interactive and informative visit from MR. SLIM GOODBODY.  Be sure to ask your children about the assembly and hear all the amazing things they learned about our wonderful bodies.

Today our theme is the importance of exercise.  Please reinforce the following with your children at home....


Kids exercise all the time without even thinking of it.  They run around outside, play kickball at school, play sports, dance...even walking the dog is considered exercise!

When we exercise and stay active, we make our bodies stronger. It feels good to have strong, flexible bodies that can do all the things we enjoy. 

Exercising can also put you in a better mood.  When we exercise, our brains release chemicals that make you feel happier.  It's just another reason why exercise is a good idea. 

Most importantly, when we exercise, we make our heart happy.  Your heart is a muscle.  It works hard pumping blood every day.  When you exercise, your heart has to work even harder.  This gives the heart a workout and your heart gets stronger. 

These are just some of the many reasons why it is important to exercise every day.  We should all aim to get at least 60 minutes of exercise each day. 

For more information about Cozy Lake Wellness Week Theme Days or our Wellness Week Challenge, be sure to check out the previous posts.

Stay tuned, tomorrow I will be posting information about Tuesday's Theme of the Day: Staying Hydrated!

As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535.

Cozy Lake's Wellness Week Challenge!

Below you will find our Cozy Lake Wellness Week Challenge! See the previous post for our Wellness Week Theme Day information.   Please consider participating in these activities to help promote and ensure you and your family stay happy and healthy all winter long!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535.

Wellness Week Challenge

o   Spend 30 minutes or more each day doing physical activity (walk, jog, bike, dance, ice skate, sleigh riding)    
     

                                 

o   Drink 5 glasses or more of water each day

         

                                                 

o   Eat 5 or more colorful foods each day

o   Count to 20 or sing your ABCs every time you scrub your

hands

o   Plan 10 hours of sleep or more every night

   

    

Wellness Week at Cozy Lake

COZY LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WELLNESS WEEK 2019

FEBRUARY 4^th-8^TH

Jefferson Township Public Schools' Wellness Week is scheduled for February 4^th -8^th.  We dedicate this week to supporting and encouraging healthy habits in our school communities and our homes.  

Here at Cozy, we will kick off our Wellness Week celebration with an entertaining & informative visit with “Mr. Slim Goodbody” on Monday morning.  In addition, I put together some exciting theme days (see below).  Please encourage your children to join in the fun! 

Stay Tuned...I will be posting our Wellness Week Challenge as well as additional information every day during Wellness Week so be sure to check it out!

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
Theme: Exercise	Theme: DRINK	Theme: EAT HEALTHY	Theme: WASH HANDS	Theme: REST
When you exercise, you make your body stronger. Be active every day.  Your body will thank you.	Stay Hydrated! Water is one of the best things to drink! .	Rainbows are amazing and beautiful-not just in the sky but on your plate. Eating a rainbow of colorful foods helps your body get the nutrition it needs.	Washing your hands is the best way to stop germs from spreading. Remember the 5 handwashing steps (wet, soap, scrub, rinse, dry)	School-age kids need 10-11 hrs of sleep per night.
Wear Your Favorite Sports Team Jersey or School Spirit Wear!	Water Day! Bring a water bottle to school and try to finish drinking it before the end of the day	Wear Rainbow Colors!	Give Me 5 Day! Do the  “Give Me 5” Activity in the classroom	PJ DAY!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me at                   (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535. 

Dental Health Program

Happy New Year, Cozy Families!!!

I am excited to report that the American Dental Foundation will again be supporting the Give Kids A Smile Program for 2019. 

This program helps to ensure that children, who may not otherwise have the means, can visit a participating dentist for emergency or preventative care for free. 

On February 1st, dentists throughout NJ offer free dental care for children ages 12 and younger.  There are over 100 participating dental offices!

If you or someone you know is interested, all they need to do is call the participating location of their choice and set up an appointment for February 1st.

For a list of participating locations or for more information, visit the GKAS (Give Kids a Smile) website at www.njda.org/gkas.

DO NOT DELAY, space fills up quickly!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535.

WELCOME WINTER!

With winter comes many wonderful things...the holidays, family gatherings, snow, sleigh riding, skiing, hot cocoa, and cozy fires, etc... :)

But winter is also, unfortunately, the prime time for GERMS and SICKNESS :(

There are plenty of preventative measures children can learn in order to ward off illness.  Here are three important things you can frequently remind your children to help keep them healthy the winter season. 

1.  WASH YOUR HANDS!  Washing hands with soap and water will help stop the spread of germs. Remind your children to frequently and effectively wash their hands.   Many students forget to srub for a full 20 seconds or as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" or the "ABCs". When soap and water are not available, disinfecting with hand sanitizer is the next best thing.  
2. DRINK UP!  We are not usually as thirsty in the winter because the temperature is cooler, but we still need to make sure we are drinking enough fluids.  Encourage your child to drink throughout the day. Be sure to provide water or healthy drink choices for your child during the school day. 
3. GET MOVING!  Try to make family time for some fun winter activities.  Staying active in the winter months will help maintain health and elevate serotonin, also known as the happy chemical in brains.   When the weather isn't cooperating, try some indoor yoga!  You'd be surprised at how calm and relaxed you feel afterward! 

Enjoy the Winter!  As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535.