SLUSD's Monthly Employee Wellness Newsletter
Brought to you by the Employee Wellness Committee  
SLUSD EMPLOYEE WELLNESS NEWSLETTER
October 2018
  As we continue to implement the district’s wellness policy, our goal is to continue to demonstrate support for health and wellness opportunities across our organization
QuikRisk TM Assessment: Breast Cancer
Ongoing research links several factors to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Check the factors below that apply to you. The degree of risk with some factors can be quite small. And having 1 or 2 risks, or even many, does not mean you will get breast cancer.

Factors that can’t be changed:
*Female gender. *Age. *Race and ethnicity. *Periods before age 12. *Family history of breast, ovarian or prostate cancer. *Personal history of breast cancer. *Inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. *Hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). *Radiation therapy to chest at a young age. *High breast density on a mammogram.

Factors that can be changed:
*More than 1 alcoholic drink a day. *Overweight, especially after menopause. *Lack of regular exercise. *Not giving birth or having a first child after age 30. *Use of birth control pills (current or recent). *Postmenopausal estrogen therapy. *Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (containing estrogen plus progestin).

This assessment is just a starting point for discussing your risks and healthy habits with your health care provider. For example, maintaining a proper weight and avoiding alcohol may help protect you. Or more screening tests might be useful if you’re in a high-risk group, based on gene mutations or if you have a strong family history.
Sources: American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen
Celebrate Red Ribbon Week October 23-31

The Red Ribbon Campaign® is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week®, October 23rd - October 31st each year. Show your personal commitment to a drug-free lifestyle through the symbol of the Red Ribbon, October 23 - 31st.

On Tuesday, October 11th, the SLUSD Board of Trustees approved  Resolution 18-43  recognizing October 23-31 as Red Ribbon Week for all SLUSD schools. Visit http://redribbon.org/ for more ideas to recognize this important campaign, and see below for ways you can win money for your school.
Dance Challenge Rocked
The October 5th PD Dance challenge was a blast. It was great seeing all the movement, smiles and laughter. Thank you to everyone who participated. The Health and Wellness Committee is looking forward to seeing what moves will be shared next year. Let's keep this district moving!
Monroe Eagles
Monroe Eagles ready to rock!
Garfield Gliders
Garfield Gliders
Madison Mustangs
Madison Mustangs and Clifford
Jefferson Jaguars
Jefferson Jaguars
Jefferson Jaguars
Food Services
City Hall Steppers
Clell Hoffman
Welcome New Family to Food Services

We are pleased to welcome Mr. Clell Hoffman to SLUSD as the new Director of Food Services starting November 1. Mr. Hoffman comes to us from the Albany Unified School District where he currently serves as the Food Services Director. He also currently serves as the chairman of the State Child Nutrition Advisory Council and is a credentialed teacher of Culinary Arts. With a career in food service spanning the past 38 years, Hoffman brings a host of interesting experiences to San Leandro, including a stint living and working the British Virgin Islands in restaurants and private yachts. Perhaps most intriguing is his time traveling and cooking for the Grateful Dead.

Hoffman’s family includes his two daughters, aged 7 and 25, and a 21-year-old son. The family also welcomed a grandson within the past year. He enjoys gardening and tinkering in his garage, as well as hiking in Yosemite, particularly on the Mist Trail. “I am extremely excited to join the SLUSD community,” said Hoffman. “I know I will have a lot to contribute to a district so obviously committed to building a culture of excellence.”

Although we are excited to have Clell join the group, we are deeply saddened to bid farewell to the wonderful DeeAnne Cortes, who retired several weeks ago. Food Services experienced exponential growth and innovation under her tireless leadership. "DeeAnne has been an integral part of the success this district has experienced over the past several years," said Dr. Kevin Collins, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations, "We all owe her a debt of gratitude." Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement DeeAnne.
Tips and Tricks for Halloween
This Halloween, don't scare the dentist! Follow these tips to keep kids' teeth health and strong.
  1. Think outside the box. Instead of candy, offer trick-or-treaters sugar-free gum or mints, crayons, stickers, temporary tattoos or spider rings.
  2. Be selective. Choose treats that cause the least damage to teeth. Instead of caramels and hard candies, choose chocolates, which are swallowed quickly and don't stick to the teeth. Avoid any candies that are acidic or chewy. Don't forget that even "healthy" snacks like pretzels and crackers can promote decay.
  3. Go trick-or-treating on a full stomach. Staying full can limit the urge to gorge on Halloween treats.
  4. Start a candy bank. Allow your child to make daily withdrawals from the bank. Like a real bank, you can set a daily limit for withdrawals to make sure you child doesn't overload on candy.
  5. Designate candy time. Choose a specific time for eating candy and follow it up with brushing and flossing. The shorter the exposure to sugar, the better.

Interested in seeing how sweets stack up, click on the following link:

Source: Delta Dental of California
Get a Move On and Quit Sitting Your Life Away
With 206 bones and more than 600 muscles, our bodies are made to move.  Of course, modern trends and technology have led to a lifestyle of sitting. We now spend the majority of our waking time seated in a constricted posture that prevents our bodies from functioning well.

How serious is too much sitting? Any extended sitting (e.g., more than 8 hours daily) can be harmful. It’s now considered a health risk leading to several diseases, including heart ailments, type 2 diabetes, obesity, arthritis and some cancers — even when we meet the minimum exercise guidelines.

Make sitting less a fitness goal. Besides getting 150 minutes weekly of moderate- intensity exercise (such as brisk walking), the American College of Sports Medicine recommends we stay active throughout each day. For example:

Walk whenever you can — around your workplace, home and neighborhood.
Walk your dog or someone else’s.
While most cats aren’t into going for a walk, you can still get on your feet and play with your little lion.
Do more chores.
Walk after meals and during work breaks.
Get up and move about while viewing TV or eating lunch.
• Stand as you read or use your smartphone.

You’ll find that moving more feels good.

Sources: American College of Sports Medicine, Mayo Clinic
Gain More from Exercise
Finding time to fit in fitness isn’t always easy. So how can we maximize our exercise results to gain energy, muscle tone and weight control? Consider these 3 steps:

1. Add strength training . Its many benefits include improved blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels and bone mineral density. It may also help with pain control, depression and sleep.

A moderate strength routine is 2 to 3 brief workouts a week. If you’re a beginner, get your health care provider’s advice in planning a routine based on your fitness level.

2. Alternate your activities . When we do the same physical activity for long periods, the body becomes efficient with less demand but little change in overall fitness. Introduce a variety of activities to help prevent boredom and over-use injuries, as well as challenge new muscles.

3. Mix it up: Try weekend hikes or bike rides or join a dance class. Always watch for ways to add physical activity every day. Make it a lifetime habit.

Sources: American Heart Association, ACE Fitness, American College of Sports Medicine
Recipe of the Month
Apple Pecan Muffins
Ingredients
Topping Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts would work too
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Muffins Ingredients
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 apple peeled, cored, and chopped
Instructions
  1. Position an oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Coat a standard (2-12-inch) 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl mix together topping ingredients and set aside.
  3. Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  4. Whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, applesauce, vanilla, and buttermilk in a large bowl until well combined. Stir the flour mixture into the liquid mixture just until combined. Gently stir in apple chunks.
  5. Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups. (I like to use an OXO Good Grips Cookie Scoop ) Sprinkle with nut mixture.
Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, about 15-20 minutes.
Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes and remove them to a wire rack to cool completely or enjoy while still warm.
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