You've probably heard alot about the "swine flu" lately, but since it DOESN'T come from pigs, pig farmers prefer we call it "H1N1." So, let's talk about the flu with the numbers and letters--H1N1.

There are many kinds of flu, and each year a new version circulates around. What makes this one so dangerous is it's strength, and POTENTIAL to morph into a new virus in the middle of the season. When that happens, the flu shot you got would be no good. It's kind of like when a new version of software comes out and the old one you have no longer works.

So, this is a good time to remind ourselves of the basic ways to reduce your risk of getting this NASTY bug:

1. Wash your hands regularly, at recess, lunch, after PE, and whenever you touch objects that are shared in the classroom. Our hands touch MANY things, and when we then touch our face (the place flu viruses love to enter), we are vulnerable to the virus. So, wash your hands! How long should you wash? Scrub HARD and sing the "Happy Birthday" song slowly. Seriously. . .

2. Get rest. Your body can defend itself better when it is rested. If you are tired, you are more likely to get sick.

3. Eat and drink well. Just like rest, a good diet keeps your immune system strong.

The H1N1 is here, so protect yourself! Happy, healthy living to you all!

Thanks to all of you who submitted answers to last week's question ("Water" is called "agua," "jur" and "mizu" in three other langauges. What are they?)

Correct answer: Spanish, Armenian, Japanese. My apologies for possibly misspelling the Armenian version! It should be "joor."

I mentioned last time the importance of water. Notice that I DIDN'T say to drink soda, juice or energy drinks. Why? Water has no calories, while the other drinks add unneeded calories, and calories can add up quickly into pounds.

Here's a simple example: one can of regular Coke has over 200 calories, while the same amount of water has 0 calories. If you drank water instead of one can of Coke every day for two weeks, you would lose 1 pound. That doesn't sound like much, but if you did that for one year, you would lose over 20 pounds!! All by changing just one thing: drinking water instead of soda.

So think about it. Do you really need high fructose corn syrup, caramel coloring, artificial flavoring, carbonation and phosphoric acid? YUCK!

p.s. Why do they put "high fructose corn syrup" in soda? Submit your answer!

Why Water?

You've heard your parents, coaches and (PE) teachers tell you, "Drink water!" and there are many good reasons why, especially with hot weather forecast for later this week.

For starters, your body is about 70% water. It is the single most important thing in your body! Without it, life would not be possible. In fact, you can survive over a MONTH without food, but only DAYS without water!

In addition, your brain is especially sensitive to drying out, which is why dehydration makes it so hard to do well in school. Have you ever been real thirsty? It's hard to concentrate on much else (like math, language arts or history) when all you want is a drink of water.

Lastly, drinking lots of water actually keeps you COOLER during hot weather. Here's how: water forms sweat on the surface of your skin, which whisks heat away from you, and cools you off like an air conditioner.

So, whether you call it "agua," "jur" or "mizu", drink water regularly, especially on HOT days!

p.s. can anyone tell me the 3 languages I used for the word "water" above? Post your guess! And don't forget to leave your name AND teacher.

School Has Begun!

I want to welcome you to the new school year, and to P.E!
I look forward to all we have planned for this year.
Hopefully, this blog will enrich your P.E. experience and help you take better care of your body.
I will be adding new posts soon, so stay tuned. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment.