by John Wells | Jul 1, 2011
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Melanie G. Taylor
Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H Agent
Gulf County
metaylor@ufl.edu
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The importance of volunteerism has always been strong, but in these tough times of economic hardship, natural disasters, and wartime, the number of volunteers helping those in need are not only helping others, but themselves, too. Upon entering office, President Obama began a campaign-United We Serve. This program is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative.
Gulf County 4-H volunteer assists with a 4-H lesson on healthy ocean life. Photo Credits: Melanie Taylor, Gulf County
An unexpected benefit through this initiative is that volunteers are helping themselves to better health while helping others. According to the CNCS, over the past 20 years, there has been more and more research showing that volunteering provides health benefits in addition to social benefits. The reports show that volunteers have greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates of depression, and less incidence of heart disease. “Volunteering makes the heart grow stronger,” said David Eisner, CEO of the CNCS. “More than 61 million Americans volunteer to improve conditions for people in need and to unselfishly give of themselves. While the motivation is altruistic, it is gratifying to learn that their efforts are returning considerable health benefits.”
The studies, which were controlled for other factors, found that volunteering leads to improved physical and mental health. The research suggests that volunteering is particularly beneficial to the health of older adults and those serving 100 hours annually.
The rewards go beyond better health. Other benefits reported by volunteers:
- Being happier
- Having better self esteem
- Having a sense of control over their life
When questioned, some of the more common reasons that people give for giving of their time include:
- It makes them feel better about themselves.
- It helps them gain a better understanding of other people, places, and cultures.
- It helps them meet new people, make new friends, or further their careers.
- It is a good means of giving back to their communities and to supporting humanitarian causes.
So, if you have thought about volunteering, but have not, here is your reason to begin; if you already are, keep up the dedication. With so many stressors in our lives these days, it’s important for us to find healthy ways to cope. Volunteerism may be just the remedy you’re looking for. Aim to make positive changes in your life and health today – VOLUNTEER and feel the benefits of giving to others.
To find local volunteer programs in your community, be sure to contact your local Extension Office, non-profit agencies, and other local community organizations. For more information on the CNCS, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov.
Sources: Corporation for National and Community Service (http://www.nationalservice.gov) and Diabetes Education Voices Blog by American Association of Diabetes Educators (http://www.diabeteseducationblog.org/).
by John Wells | Jul 1, 2011
How can I encourage my children to be healthy eaters? When parents ask for parenting advice, my response usually starts like this, “Well, it depends…..” However, my reply to the healthy eating question is straightforward. Set a good example, have healthy foods available, and make mealtimes fun.
Make snack time fun and healthy. Photo Credits: Heidi Copeland, Leon County
Set a good example for healthy eating. What we do seems to carry a stronger message to our children than what we say. Our actions do speak louder than our words. Let your children see you eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with meals or as snacks. Try new foods and describe how they taste, the texture, and the smell. Only offer one new food at a time and serve something your child likes along with the new food. Offer a small serving of the new food at the beginning of the meal, when your child is very hungry. Avoid forcing your child to eat and realize that the new food may need to be offered at several different meals before your child acquires a taste for it.
Have healthy foods available in your home. Cut raw vegetables into fun and easy shapes with cookie cutters. Back to setting a good example, let your children see that you like to munch on raw vegetables. Make your own trail mixes from dry whole-grain, low-sugar cereal and dried fruit. Prepare healthy snacks in advance before everyone is starving and ready to grab the first thing they see. Then store those snacks in small see-through packages that are handy to grab and go.
Dr. Karla P. Shelnutt, a Registered Dietitian with University of Florida IFAS Extension, reminds us that healthy snacks are an important part of a child’s diet because children have small stomachs and it is difficult for them to meet all their nutritional needs in three meals. Snacking can be part of a well-balanced diet if the foods selected for snacks are healthy and nutritious rather than high in fat and added sugar.
Make mealtime fun. The next time tacos are on the menu, gather everyone in the kitchen. Divide up the responsibilities for preparation. Put on some Mariachi music and encourage everyone to get moving. Dance, enjoy, and the laughter will come naturally. Turn the music volume down during the meal to encourage conversation and then plan your family’s next theme night. Following the meal, turn up the music and dance the night away while everyone helps with the clean up.
Trying to get everyone together for a meal can be a challenge. However, it is a challenge worth accepting. Families benefit from sitting down with one another over food to discuss the events of the day, relax, and nourish their bodies. Our attitudes and traditions concerning food are based on family experiences. Make meals enjoyable and help your children become healthy eaters while creating cherished family memories.
by John Wells | Jul 1, 2011
Kristin Jackson
Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H Agent
Jefferson County
kris88@ufl.edu
Financial Literacy is having the knowledge you need to make wise financial decisions. Recent research has found that financial literacy is related to retirement savings and retirement readiness. As America shifts from pension plans seen in the 1980s to defined contribution plans (ex. personal accounts or 401(k)s), financial literacy is becoming more important. Today, most people must successfully set aside the amount of money needed for retirement with little to no help from their employers. Hence, it is easy to get off track and wait too long to start saving for retirement.
Check with your employer to see if they offer retirement planning assistance. Photo Credits: Kristin Jackson, Jefferson County
Individuals who do not plan for retirement retire with 50% less wealth than those who do plan for retirement. In order to plan for retirement successfully, you must calculate and save the amount of money needed to maintain your lifestyle after you stop working. As a rule of thumb, the amount of money received from Social Security is not enough to live comfortably during retirement. The average monthly payment for a retired worker is $1,178.10 a month or $14,137.20 annually. However, not all retirees receive the amount above; some people receive less money. For this reason, it is necessary to plan ahead.
Some questions you can ask yourself to determine if you are prepared for retirement are:
1.Will I be debt-free?
2.What will my living expenses look like after I retire?
3.Will I receive a pension?
4.How much will I get from Social Security?
5.How much savings will I need?
6.Is my portfolio diversified?
A reputable financial planner can help find answers to the questions above and alert you to other things of which you should be aware.
Sources for locating a financial advisor include:
•Your employer’s Human Resources Department
•The Financial Planning Association, 1-800-647-6340, www.fpanet.org
•National Association of Personal Financial Advisors,1-800-366-2732, www.napfa.org
•Society of Financial Service Professionals, 1-888-243-2258, www.financialpro.org
For more in-depth articles on specific retirement preparedness topics, visit the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension EDIS site, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_retirement. As Dr. Michael Gutter, University of Florida Family, Youth, and Community Sciences Department, emphasizes when discussing savings, “some is better than none.” So stop waiting and start saving today!
References:
Jump$tart. (2011). Jump$tart Coalition Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved 5 April 2011 from http://www.jumpstart.org/faq.html
Rooij, Maarten van, Lusardi, Annamaria and Alessie, Rob, (2009), Financial Literacy and Retirement Planning in the Netherlands, DNB Working Papers, Netherlands Central Bank, Research, Department, http://econpapers.repec.org/RePEc:dnb:dnbwpp:231
Social Security Administration. (2011). Monthly Statistical Snapshot, February 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011 from http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/quickfacts/stat_snapshot/
Are you ready to retire? (2008). ConsumerReports.org. Retrieved 5 April 2011 from http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/retirement-planning/retirement-readiness-quiz/overview/retirement-readiness-quiz.htm
by John Wells | Jul 1, 2011
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Marjorie Moore
County Extension Director
Bay County
mreem@ufl.edu
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Melons are one of nature’s greatest gifts. But, did you know that this precious food commodity can pose a risk if not handled and stored properly? Melons are exposed to microorganisms from the soil as well as pests because they are grown on the ground. That’s why it is very important to wash them thoroughly before they are cut. This applies whether you purchase them from a supermarket, local farm, or grow them in your garden.
Scrub melons with a produce brush to remove surface dirt before cutting them. Photo Credits: Marjorie Moore, Bay County
Many people have become ill from eating unwashed or poorly washed melons. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that over 1 million cases of Salmonella occur annually in the United States. Of these cases, approximately 20,000 result in hospitalization and 378 result in death.
Although anyone can develop a foodborne illness, certain groups of people such as the elderly, infants and preschool-age children, pregnant women, and those whose immune systems are compromised (people with cancer or on chemotherapy, people with HIV/AIDS, and transplant recipients) are at greater risk.
Following some simple guidelines will help keep your melons safe. Before cutting, wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling the melons. Wash the outer surface of the melon thoroughly with cool running tap water to remove surface dirt. You may want to scrub the melon with a produce brush to get rid of any trapped dirt.
Wash all equipment and utensils that will come in contact with cut melons with hot soapy water. Rinse, sanitize, and air dry. It’s okay for you to use your clean bare hands to touch the melons at home. You can further protect yourself and your family if you use plastic gloves. Gloves do not replace hand washing. You will still need to wash your hands.
When you buy cut melons, be sure they have been buried in ice or displayed in a refrigerated case, not just displayed on top of ice. Cut melons must be refrigerated at 41º F or below. Uncut melons do not need to be refrigerated. Store cut melons in a clean container and label container with the date. Eat within the next week and discard after seven days.
Cut melons may be served without refrigeration for a maximum of 4 hours (such as at a brunch, picnic, or buffet). At the end of that time, any leftover melon must be thrown away.
by John Wells | Jul 1, 2011
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Shelley Swenson
Family and Consumer Sciences/EFNEP Agent
Wakulla County
sswenson@ufl.edu
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Sustainable Big Bend and the UF/IFAS Wakulla County Extension Office have dedicated programming time this year to assist with the University’s Sustainable Floridians program. Our approach has been to establish community-based sustainability discussion groups and to show quality movies to further citizens’ understanding of the challenges our world faces if we continue to deny changes that are happening globally. One movie of special interest that has been shown, followed by excellent discussion, is Blue Gold World Water Wars, a film by Sam Bozzo. Mr. Bozzo contends that the wars of the future will be fought over water, as they are today over oil, as the source of all life enters the global marketplace and political arena. Mr. Bozzo asks “Past civilizations have collapsed from poor water management. Will ours, too?” If you have not viewed it, I would encourage you to do so. Our local library has a copy and you might find one in yours as well. You will want to see it more than once to absorb all of the information contained.
Washing Machine: 22%; Toilets: 28%; Baths: 9%; Showers: 21%; Toilet Leakage: 8%; Faucets: 9%; Dishwashing: 3% Photo Credits: UF/IFAS Living Green Solutions for your LIFE
Did you know that although 75% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, only 0.6% of it is fresh water (the rest is salt water) and available to be used in the home? Are we a society that wastes water? Do you have any idea how much water is used around your house?
Small changes in water use habits can make a big difference. Photo Credits: Judy Corbus, Washington and Holmes Counties
Here are some Quick Tips on Water Conservation offered on the UF/IFAS Living Green website, www.livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu.
- Verify your home is leak-free—read your water meter before and after a one-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak somewhere.
- Repair leaky faucets and pipes.
- Install a faucet aerator to reduce your faucet water use by 50%. Shower water use can be reduced 50% with a low-flow showerhead and can save up to 20,000 gallons of water per year!
- Check toilet tanks-add a few drops of food coloring into the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the water in the bowl within 30 minutes.
- Install a displacement device in the toilet tank. This will cut down on the amount of water needed per flush. This device can cut water use by 40%.
- Operate the dishwasher and washing machine only when you have a full load.
- Connect a shut-off nozzle to your hose.
- Use a broom and dustpan instead of a hose to clean debris off the patio, sidewalk, and driveway.
- Calculate how much water you use.
- Become an involved citizen—report all significant water losses (broken pipes, errant sprinklers, open hydrants, etc.)
DISCLAIMER: Please remember that UF/IFAS does recommend a TYPE of product that may help you conserve water and energy; however, this is NOT an endorsement for a particular brand.
