10 Ways To Have A Healthy Child

No, I did not write this and yes, I copied it from somewhere. The information needs to be passed on so I decided to post it here on my blog. It is good stuff.

Top Ten Ways to Help Children Develop Healthy Habits

1. Be a positive role model. If you’re practicing healthy habits, it’s a lot easier to convince children to do the same.

2. Get the whole family active. Plan times for everyone to get moving together. Take walks, ride bikes, go swimming, garden or just play hide-and-seek outside. Everyone will benefit from the exercise and the time together.

3. Limit TV, video game and computer time. These habits lead to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive snacking, which increase risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease.

4. Encourage physical activities that children really enjoy. Every child is unique. Let children experiment with different activities until each finds something that he or she really loves doing. They’ll stick with it longer if they love it.

5. Be supportive. Focus on the positive instead of the negative. Everyone likes to be praised for a job well done. Celebrate successes and help children and teens develop a good self-image.

6. Set specific goals and limits, such as one hour of physical activity a day or two desserts per week other than fruit. When goals are too abstract or limits too restrictive, the chance for success decreases.

7. Don’t reward children with food. Candy and snacks as a reward encourage bad habits. Find other ways to celebrate good behavior.

8. Make dinnertime a family time. When everyone sits down together to eat, there’s less chance of children eating the wrong foods or snacking too much. Get the kids involved in cooking and planning meals. Everyone develops good eating habits together and the quality time with the family will be an added bonus.

9. Make a game of reading food labels. The whole family will learn what’s good for their health and be more conscious of what they eat. It’s a habit that helps change behavior for a lifetime.

10. Stay involved. Be an advocate for healthier children. Insist on good food choices at school. Make sure your children’s healthcare providers are monitoring cardiovascular indicators like BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol. Contact public officials on matters of the heart. Make your voice heard. Go to www.yourethecure.org

For more information go to www.americanheart.org

Secret Message

When NASA was preparing for the Apollo project, they did some astronaut training on a Navajo Indian Reservation.

One day a Navajo elder and his son were herding sheep and came across the space crew.

The old man, who only spoke Navajo, asked a question, to which his son translated. "What are the guys in the big suits doing?"

A member of the crew said they were practicing for their trip to the moon.

The old man got really excited and asked if he could send a message to the moon.

Recognizing a promotional opportunity, the NASA crew found a tape recorder. After the old man recorded his message, they asked the son to translate. He refused. So the NASA reps brought the tape to the reservation, where the rest of residents listened and laughed, but they too refused to translate the elder's message to the moon.

Finally, NASA called in an official government translator.

He reported that the moon messages said, "Watch out for these guys; they've come to steal your land!"

Boarding School Journey For Healing

I don't usually pass things like this on but I believe this is important enough to let you know what is going on. I personally know this organization and believe in what they are doing. I know that they would not send this out unless it was absolutely necessary and that the money will be used for what they say it will.

We all have said at one time or another I wish I could help change things or bring about healing and here is your chance.

Wellbriety Journey for Forgiveness – Urgent Funding Appeal

The Wellbriety Journey for Forgiveness, a 40-day, 6,800-mile cross-country journey to 23 present and former Indian school sites, is scheduled to begin very soon onMay 16, 2009. It will be led by the Sacred Hoop of 100 Eagle Feathers and it will carry the message that historical trauma can be healed - and prevented from being passed on to yet another generation - through a willingness to “forgive the unforgivable.” Daylong workshops are planned at the school sites to share educational information about the schools, encourage open discussion in a facilitated talking circle format and to conduct healing ceremonies involving local tribal elders and mental health professionals to release the unresolved grief that school survivors and/or their descendants may still be carrying from trauma experienced at one of the schools.

An increasing body of evidence shows that intergenerational trauma is connected to suicides, substance abuse, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, family break-ups and diabetes which continue to plague Native American communities today. The Wellbriety Journey for Forgiveness will help begin the healing process in Native communities around the country.

Despite vigorous fund raising efforts, we find ourselves well below the mark that we had hoped to achieve in terms of donations required to complete this journey. Many Native Americans have sent letters and comments sharing first-hand experience in terms of historical trauma and how critically important this journey is to them. Perhaps you have experienced the devastating effects of unresolved grief yourself, or have seen one of your loved ones affected by trauma.

Please take a moment to imagine how your support of at least one mile will assist White Bison in promoting healing and forgiveness among Native Americans across the country. Will you please help by donating $18.79 for one mile? If funding a mile isn’t within your means, even a small donation of $5.00 will help tremendously.

It is not too late to help, if only you act now. Your support of this historic Native American healing journey is greatly appreciated! Please make at least a small contribution and let the healing begin!! Your tax deductible donation can be easily made one of several ways:

Check or money order payable to:

White Bison, Inc.
6145 Lehman Drive, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, CO 80918.

Call our toll-free number, 877-871-1495 and we will be happy to take your donation over the phone via Mastercard, Visa or American Express.

Visit our secure website at www.whitebison.org for donation via PayPal

Thank you very much for your consideration of this request.

In Wellbriety,
Don Coyhis
President – White Bison, Inc.

No Understanding of Sacred Matters

Elder's Meditation of the Day - April 30

"Modern civilization has no understanding of sacred matters. Everything is backwards."
--Thomas Yellowtail, CROW

Modern civilization says, don't pray in school; don't pray at work; only go to church on Sunday. If you don't believe what I believe, you'll go to hell. Deviancy is normal. Our role models cheat, drink and run around; these are the people in the news. The news sells bad news; no one wants to hear good news. Kids are killing kids. Victims have little protection. Violence is normal. Leaders cheat and lie. Everything is backwards. We need to pray for spiritual intervention. We need to have guidance from the Creator to help us rebuild our families, our communities and ourselves. Today, I will pray for spiritual intervention from the Great Spirit.

Grandfather, we pray for your help in a pitiful way.

These come from Whitebison.org to subscribe to them go to

http://www.whitebison.org/meditation/index.php