From Our Team

Food and Quality of Life

When it comes to health and quality of life, food plays a central role. Yet quality of life conversations more often are associated with recreational events, arts and culture, libraries, medical services, schools, jobs, housing, weather, and other topics. Food may only be considered as a factor in cost of living calculations.

Air, water, shelter, and food are essential for life. Urban plans, government agencies, and private developments frequently have long-range plans for clean air, water, and housing. But master planning for food, although not absent, seems to be a smaller piece of the…

Recess before Lunch

Parents, caregivers, and educators inherently seek ways in which we can improve our children’s lives. When it comes to physical activity and nutrition, I am optimistic that we are on the precipice of a period in which new approaches to eating well and being active are discovered that can profoundly improve our children’s quality of life.

For example, emerging research suggests that children eat better at school if they have recess before lunch. My elementary lunchtime memories include visions of a cavernous lunchroom and lime green cafeteria trays. Throughout my elementary years, my…

E-cigarettes and vaping

On March 20th, the City of Socorro tweaked its municipal clean indoor air ordinance, by changing the definition of smoking to include “electronic cigarette or e-cigarette or liquid nicotine.” By doing so, Socorro now prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes in restaurants, bars, and other indoor work environments. This decision makes

Socorro the first municipality in the region to join Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and other cities to treat electronic cigarettes like conventional cigarettes. While many cities are considering this type of change to their existing ordinances, the…

Keep friends and family safe from food poisoning

Spring is in the air and time for picnics and cookouts. While hamburgers, potato salad, grilled meats, and fresh vegetables may all be part of a fun-filled meal, they have something else in common. They can spread bacteria that cause food poisoning, making you, your family, and friends sick. From backyard cookouts and large celebrations to sack lunches and office snacks, make sure you plan well for food safety.

You are able to help keep food and your family safe by following four simple rules: Clean, Separate, Cook and, Chill.

Clean your hands with warm water and soap often….

Regional Cooperation for Your Health

I recall, years ago, participating in a teambuilding workshop. We played an activity, with which you may be familiar. Each of us took a single stick and easily broke it; then we bundled the sticks and could not break them. The moral was something like, “we are stronger together than we are apart.”

Like the bundling of sticks, regional agencies are binding together for stronger health and human services. That’s good news for anyone who needs to visit a doctor, or who is trying to eat better, exercise more, quit smoking, or teach a child about healthy relationships. The following are a…

Concern over the concept of 'Food Deserts'

Over the last few years, there’s been significant concern over the concept of ‘food deserts.’ The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines these as “communities, particularly low-income areas, in which residents do not live in close proximity to affordable and healthy food retailers. Healthy food options in these communities are hard to find or are unaffordable.” In the vernacular, food deserts are neighborhoods without grocery stores, particularly stores that sell fresh produce. Researchers have found an association between low access to grocery stores and poor…

Parenting and Bully Prevention

As the 2014-2015 school year begins, kids are starting off fresh with new opportunities to develop friendships and social networks. This is a special time when life-long connections can form. It can also be an emotionally challenging time. In addition to getting to know teachers and getting familiar with school assignments, parents must be vigilant to prevent childhood bullying.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, bullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the…

Online Safety Tips

My daughter asks “Dad, what time is dinner?” “In about half an hour, I respond.” This sounds like a common home exchange. One major difference is that today I’m using my smart phone to respond to my daughter’s question even though she is in the next room. As parents it is hard to make decisions on how much access to technology children should have. While we may fear the unknown online world, we must overcome and educate ourselves to maintain a healthful connection with our kids. School groups, band and athletic programs, even the National Honor Society all have connections through social…

Inspiring the Next Generation of Leaders

Last month, the Board of Directors of the Foundation approved a new initiative titled “REALIZE.”

REALIZE is a cutting edge leadership development experience. The purpose is to inspire good leaders to become transformational leaders for the benefit of the region’s health. From mid-sized health and human service agencies to large government agencies and school districts to private clinical businesses, leaders are key to improving policy, providing services, and promoting wellness for the Paso del Norte region.

The Foundation’s plans for REALIZE to be the most outstanding leadership…

Tobacco Use Among Youth

Taking those first few puffs, I felt like my insides were on fire. But after trying smoking a few more times, the feeling turned from bad to good…so I thought. Today, I smoke at least a pack of cigarettes a day and can’t stop. I have tried several time to quit, but just can’t.

These are familiar words that teens are expressing about their experience with smoking. Smoking is addictive and causes serious health problems. Three-quarters of young people who use tobacco daily continue to do so because they find it hard to quit. The American Lung Association estimates that every minute…