Let's Think About What We Eat!

In preparation for March’s Culinary Month here at St. Louis Public Library, we thought it would be a good idea to take a moment to look at what we eat. While we have all kinds of fun events planned, focusing on everything from candy sushi to beer to cupcakes, we’ve also got several programs coming up that are devoted to nutrition. For a full schedule of nutritious events, check out our Upcoming Events page.

On Saturday, March 29, Operation Food Search Nutrition Outreach and Cooking Matters Coordinator Mariella Funk will present a seminar on nutritional cooking. The seminar will focus on healthy eating on a budget, and will feature a cooking demonstration and recipe tasting. All attendees will go home with recipe cards and informational handouts. The seminar takes place at 4 p.m. March 29 at the Julia Davis Branch.

Also on March 29, Local Harvest co-owner Maddie Earnest will present a program about the benefits of eating locally grown food, which is generally more nutritious than food that’s been shipped across the country before it reaches the grocery store. “Local Harvest and Eating with the Seasons” will focus on harvesting local produce and the path it takes from farm to market. The event takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29 in the Central Library’s Carnegie Room.

There are also lots of opportunities for kids to learn about proper nutrition. On Saturdays in March, several branches will offer “Kids in the Library,” in which dietetic interns from St. Louis University will explain the importance of nutrition and exercise. Each child who participates will plant vegetable seeds in an egg carton to take home (and don’t worry, the plantings will come with instructions for grownups!). The program is aimed at elementary school-aged children and families. Click here for a list of times, dates, and locations.

And if you don’t have time to attend a program, next time you come by the Central Library for storytime, check out "You Are What You Eat," a month-long display in the children’s area. Using kids’ meals purchased from fast-food restaurants, as well as some more nutritious alternatives, this exhibit illustrates the nutritional value (or lack thereof) in these meals, as well as how many preservatives and additives are in them.

If all this talk of nutrition has you curious for more information, swing by any of the branches for books on healthy cooking. Look in the non-fiction section under the Dewey Decimal number 641.563 or search “healthy cooking” in our online catalog. You can also check out ChooseMyPlate.gov, Nutrition.gov, and, for teens, BAM! Body and Mind’s nutrition section for more information. Happy eating!

Cool News From One of Our Partners

According to a recent report, our partners at the Washington University School of Medicine have created a new technology that allows surgeons to "see" cancer cells. The new technology, used for the first time earlier this month during a surgery at the Siteman Cancer Center, combines video technology, special glasses, and an FDA-approved dye that makes tumors glow blue when seen through the glasses. The technology has yet to be named, but has been featured in a study published by the Journal of Biomedical Optics. For the full report from the Washington University School of Medicine, go here.

For more cancer information, stop by Central Library on Tuesday, March 25 for "Can I Catch That? Cancer: Risks, Intervention, and Prevention." This panel discussion, featuring local health experts including some from the Siteman Cancer Center, takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Central Library Auditorium. This is the first program in the 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series. Check back later for more details on this event!

Kids Can (and Should) Still Be Active, Even If the Weather's Nasty

According to the American Heart Association, kids need at least an hour of exercise every day. But with all

of the cold, snowy days we’ve had recently — and the slushy muddy ones that are sure to come — getting outside to play is not easy. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to make sure the kids get their exercise inside, without driving you mad or wrecking your house.

The American Heart Association has several suggestions, from a healthy scavenger hunt to getting kids involved with chores around the house. Check out PBS.org for this list of ways to keep kids active, even while watching TV. Ultimately, however, TV and other screen time should be limited too, according to KidsHealth.org; check out this list of ideas to help keep your toddler moving without the television on.

Another option is to try out yoga with your kids, which is recommended by several sources, including this article on Parents.com and this one from PBS. While it doesn’t have the aerobic activity that, say, playing tag offers, it does increase flexibility, balance, and concentration. St. Louis Public Library has lots of books about doing yoga with your kids, whether they’re toddlers, teens, or anything in between. Here are just a few:

• Yoga Exercises for Teens: Developing a Calmer Mind and a Stronger Body by Helen Purperhart
• Yoga for Kids by Liz Lark
• The Yoga Zoo Adventure: Animal Poses and Games for Little Kids by Helen Purperhart
• Little Flower Yoga for Kids: A Yoga and Mindfulness Program to Help Your Child Improve Attention and Emotional Balance by Jennifer Cohen Harper
• Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Toddlers and Preschoolers: 8-minute Routines to Help Your Child Grow Smarter, Be Happier, and Behave Better by Helen Garabedian
• Storytime Yoga: Teaching Yoga to Children Through Story by Sydney Solis
• Babar's Yoga for Elephants by Laurent de Brunhoff

We also have plenty of resources related to general fitness for kids, both for kids and their caregivers. Again, this is just a sample of what we have available:

• 35 Things to Know to Raise Active Kids by Adam Shafran and Lee Kantor
• Fitness for Young People: Step-by-Step by Antony Atha and Simon Frost
• The Fitness Fun Busy Book by Trish Kuffner
• Get Up and Go: Being Active by Amanda Doering 
• Dr. Rob's Guide to Raising Fit Kids: A Family-Centered Approach to Achieving Optimal Health by Robert S. Gotlin

For some online information about kids fitness, check out this page on general fitness info and this one on keeping your kids motivated from KidsHealth.org, as well as Let’s Move, an initiative started by First Lady Michelle Obama to help eliminate obesity.

Stop by the "So You Got Moves" Expo This Saturday to Learn About St. Louis' Health Resources

St. Louis Public Library is proud to participate in the "So You Got Moves" health expo, this Saturday, February 8. Sponsored by the City of St. Louis Department of Health's Let's Move STL initiative, the expo will be held at both the Carondelet and O'Fallon Park Recreation Complexes. The expos will feature plenty of information about living a healthy life, as well as activities including swimming, open gym time, dancing, double dutch, and group performances.

Visit either location between noon and 4 p.m., and make sure to stop by the St. Louis Public Library's booths and say hello. We'll have lots of health information, and we'll be able to talk about the exciting health-related events coming up at the library. Hope to see you there!