A big part of our work here at Pinnacle Prevention is ensuring that all Arizonans have access to safe places to stay active, connect with their communities and soak up the benefits of open and public areas. That’s why we’re taking a deeper look into the benefits of public spaces this month, and spending some time to share inspiring discussions, resources and projects across our state and country.
Increasingly, public spaces are being recognized as crucial ingredients for developing successful cities. They can generate economic and social development opportunities, and developing these places is a great way to cultivate a community’s identity through positive change. A city or town that provides its communities with public spaces is providing its residents with places to meet new people and see old friends, places to have events, places to encourage culture, and ultimately, places to stay active and enjoy themselves!
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Springtime is officially here! Sunshine is abundant, flowers are in bloom, and cool breezes fill the air. While Arizona in the spring is difficult to beat, springtime in the desert seems to come and go in the blink of an eye. In just a couple of months, triple digit temperatures will make it nearly impossible to exercise for very long outside. As the weather here hits a comfortable balance between hot and cold, now is an excellent time to get out and be active outdoors. Celebrate the last week of National Nutrition Month with a healthy dose of physical activity!
Regular exercise and a balanced diet do wonders for mental and physical well-being, but did you know that simply spending time in the great outdoors touts many of the same benefits? It’s true: nature offers boosts to mood, energy levels, and immunity. This spring, add an extra boost of wellness to your workout with some open-air fun, and be sure to fuel that fun with nutritious snacks. We all remember what it was like to be a teenager. Most of us can also appreciate the roles our parents, teachers, and other important figures played in helping us get through those sometimes-awkward transition years. Along with puberty, pressure to fit in with peers, and school-related stress that teenagers experience, today’s teens face some new challenges. They’re far more connected to their social networks via social media, and they’re privy to the seemingly endless storm of information and advice (both good and bad) on the web.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by advertisements that make it seem imperative for us to express our love for friends and family with purchased goods. From staples like flowers and candy to bank-breaking jewelry and five-star restaurant reservations, decades of Valentine’s Day marketing have effectively equated love with flashy gifts and showy displays of affection.
Valentine’s Day as we know it in the United States primarily focuses on romantic love, often downplaying or outright excluding the relationships we have with family and friends. Alternatively, the Valentine’s Day equivalent celebrated in many Latin-American countries is “El Día de Amor y Amistad,” or “The Day of Love and Friendship.” In countries such as Colombia and Bolivia, the focus on both love and friendship encourages the celebration of our relationships with families and friends alongside relationships with significant others. Here are some ideas for how to celebrate this Valentine’s Day as your own personal day of love and friendship: It’s tough to overstate the benefits of being physically active. Regular exercise lowers the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and more. Research suggests that it also helps fight and prevent depression by releasing endorphins (our brains’ stress-fighters). However, working out often feels like a chore, and getting yours kids to participate can be an even bigger challenge. Inspire a positive attitude toward staying active in your family and show them exercise doesn’t have to be a drag!
Let’s face it: family mealtimes can be a battle.
Everyone knows how important it is to eat our fair share of greens — everyone, that is, except your child who is scrunching her nose at that side of asparagus, hoping her determined distaste can make it disappear into thin air. It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re having a hard time convincing your children to dig in to their healthy and not-quite-favorable helpings. By making the following practices part of your dinnertime routines, you can make your mealtimes — and picky eaters — happier and healthier. |
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