By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Get started on your health lifestyle
Health advice
Placeholder Image
Last week, Jan. 18-24, was healthy weight week, but it’s never too late to stop, evaluate your current health and resolve to improve it. So, why not make this the week you adopt a healthy lifestyle that will become part of your daily routine? Such a routine will also prevent eating and weight problems.
Everyone can learn to eat well, live actively and feel good about themselves.This is especially important because of the nation’s obesity problems.  Most often  caused by too many calories and too little physical activity, obesity can lead to several serious and sometimes fatal diseases. During the past three decades, obesity has tripled for children and teenagers, increasing to the point where 15 percent are overweight and another 15 percent are at risk. Youth obesity is associated with increases in high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Today’s obese youth are more likely to become obese adults. Data in 1999 showed that 61 percent of adults in the United States were overweight or obese. Those increases cut across all ages, racial and ethnic groups, and both genders.
Maintaining a healthy weight can increase life expectancy, quality of life, and physical and mental well-being. As an individual, you can help maintain a healthy weight by eating the recommended number of calories each day and getting regular exercise. Communities can promote healthy weight by establishing safe areas for children to play, ensuring that school lunches are healthy, and encouraging physical activity for its residents.
If you are overweight, losing as little as 5 percent of your body weight may lower your risk for several diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. Slow and steady weight loss of one-half to two pounds per week is the safest way to go.
To lose weight and keep it off over time, try to make long-term changes in your eating and physical activity habits. Choose healthy foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat meat and dairy products. Eat more often and eat just enough food to satisfy you. Try to do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week. To lose weight or to maintain weight loss, you may need to do more than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily.

Ratcliffe is a consultant to the Coastal Health District. You can call her at 876-6399.
Sign up for our e-newsletters
Visit with children a real eye-opener
Placeholder Image

One of my favorite activities as a state senator is when I get to speak to students at our local schools. This year, I spoke to third-grade students at May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary in Chatham County and Button Gwinnett Elementary in Liberty County.
The students from each of the schools had been studying civics and were familiar with the three branches of government — executive, judicial and legislative. I explained my role as a senator in the legislative process and told the children how the citizen legislature in the state of Georgia works.
Presenting each of the schools with a Georgia state flag, I explained the three principles for which the state flag stands — wisdom, justice and moderation — and had them recite the pledge to the flag with me. 
The students at all three schools were bright, respectful and well-disciplined — a tribute to their families and especially to their teachers, who had prepared the students for my visit with ideas for great questions.
The students in Ms. Hutchinson’s class at Marshpoint Elementary were impressive in singing the preamble to the Constitution during my visit. What a great way to learn such an important part of our nation’s history — another wonderful example of the great job our teachers are doing.
I was delighted last week to receive thank-you letters from some of the students. Here are excerpts from a few of their letters:
 
Dear Mr. Carter,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come speak to us. I learned so much! I learned that there are two kinds of Pledge of Allegiances. That is pretty cool.
Do you travel all over the world do you? I really like that you taught me more about the three branches of government.
— Megan
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
Thank you for telling us about your job and your favorite thing about your job. I liked the Georgia state flag. I still have more questions. Do you have to work on Saturday and Sunday? Are you the only one who makes the laws?
Yours truly,
Ryleigh 


Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and letting us have a little bit of your time. I want you to know that I learned something new. The Georgia pledge! Justice, wisdom and modesty! Thanks again!
— Liam
 
Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and helping us learn more about the government and some of your job. Thank you for giving us a Georgia flag. It was fun when you came. Thank you for giving us some questions so we could answer them.
P.S. Did you ride in a limousine? I was going to ask you a question but then I forgot. But now I remember. How many rooms are there where you work? You can send me a note if you can.
Your friend,
Erin
 
I’m uncertain whether the students learned as much from me during my visit as I learned from them. One thing that I was reminded of was the honesty that comes from the innocence of childhood. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret some of the questions, such as the one asked in this letter:
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
I loved your speech. Thanks for coming to our school. I think my favorite part was when we held the flag. It was so fun! I have a question: How many people voted for you?
Sincerely,
Shelly
 
I also was more than a little concerned about a recurring question in the thank-you notes that was posed to me during one of my visits by a beautiful, brown-eyed girl who, with a very serious look on her face, asked “Did you ever get re-elected be-fore?”


What a great group of young people! My faith and hope in our future has been reassured. What an amazing job our families and teachers are doing on a daily basis to support and encourage our next generation. Thank you for your dedication to teaching our leaders of tomor-row.

Sen. Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334. His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109

Latest Obituaries