The Press-Dispatch
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Pike County 4-H grows here Nutrition Education Program News The Press-Dispatch Purdue Extension | Pike County Jan. 2016 C-3 It is the policy of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service that all persons have equal opportunity and access to its educational programs, services, activities, and facili- ties without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital sta- tus, parental status, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a veteran. Purdue University is an Affirmative Action institution. This material may be available in alternative formats. Purdue University and the Indiana 4-H Youth Development Program do not support, en- dorse, or encourage programming for children prior to Kindergarten. Extension staff mem- bers and 4-H volunteers may not offer, or encourage others to offer, programming for chil- dren prior to Kindergarten. Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Pike County Office Courthouse — 801 E Main Street Petersburg, IN 47567-1249 Phone 812-354-6838 Fax 812-354-8028 The deadline to enroll in 4-H is Jan. 15! There will be an open enrollment night on Wednesday, Jan. 13 begin- ning at 6 p.m. in the 4-H Building at the Pike County 4-H Fairgrounds. Computers and help will be available to get you enrolled! Last year, roughly 600 hundred youth in Pike County participated in 4-H Youth Development programs, and 272 youth en- rolled as 4-H members. So what is 4-H? The 4-H Youth Development program is the nation's larg- est youth de- velopment and empowerment organization, with more than 6 million members nationwide! The 4-H pro- gram cultivates confident youth who tack- le the issues that matter most in their com- munities right now. In the United States, 4-H programs operate through land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension in order to serve every county and parish in the country. In Indiana, the 4-H Youth De- velopment program is a component of Pur- due Extension. Research has proven that participation in 4-H has a significant positive impact on young people. Recent findings from the Tufts University 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicated that, when compared to their peers, young people in 4-H are: • Nearly four times more likely to con- tribute to their communities, • Two times more likely to pursue healthy behaviors, and • Two times more likely to engage in Sci- ence, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs outside of school time. How does 4-H work? 4-H teaches impor- tant life skills and attitudes like teamwork, problem-solving, responsibility, and posi- tive communication, to name a few. Ma- ny practical skills are learned through 4-H projects, such as woodworking, art, robot- ics, aerospace, quilting, dioramas, and ma- ny more! Youth are learning valuable social skills that are desired by employers as they work with certified 4-H adult volunteers to complete projects. 4-H members become part of a 4-H club, which gives them direct experience with democratic practices and electoral pro- cesses as club officers. Youth leaders learn to be accountable for their own leadership and are able to see the immediate effects of their club's decisions. 4-H club meetings be- gin with the 4-H pledge: " I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking, my HEART to greater loyalty, my HANDS to larger service, and my HEALTH to better liv- ing, for my club, my community, my country, and my world." The four Hs in 4-H represent the head, heart, hands, and health. The four Hs re- late to elements that are essential for pos- itive youth development – belonging, inde- pendence, generosity, and mastery. Pike County 4-H programs have over 60 adult volunteers who strive to create healthy en- vironments where youth have opportuni- ties to feel that they belong, to develop in- dependence, to show generosity, and devel- op mastery. Many of the opportunities come through 4-H projects, where youth learn and practice numerous life skills. With hundreds of 4-H projects to choose from, youth can try out a wide variety of experiences. The Pike Coun- ty 4-H projects with the most mem- bers in 2015 were shooting sports, rabbits, and poultry. 4-H members also have the opportunity to partici- pate in county events, statewide con- tests, national trips, or even interna- tional experiences. Pike County 4-H grows future leaders and thoughtful adults by transforming the lives of youth. Contact the Pike County Pur- due Extension office at 812-354-6838 to learn more about the Pike Coun- ty 4-H Youth Development program. You can also find Pike County Indi- ana 4-H on Facebook and check us out online at https://extension.pur- due.edu/Pike. HOW DO I JOIN 4-H? Becoming a 4-H member is a great opportunity for any youth in kinder- garten through 12th grade. Members in grades K-2 will be in "Mini" 4-H where they can be involved in vari- ous age appropriate learning activi- ties. Youth in grades 3-12 are eligible to en- gage in numerous 4-H projects, activities, contests, trips, camps, and more. Remember that adults can also be in- volved in 4-H as certified volunteers. 4-H work would not be possible without the ded- ication from community volunteers. To enroll a youth or adult in 4-H, go to the website http://in.4honline.com and follow the instructions. The deadline to enroll in 4-H is Jan. 15! If you do not have access to a computer or need assistance, please con- tact the Pike County Purdue Extension of- fice at 812-354-6838. Eat Right Tip: New Year's Resolutions By Jenny Ridao, NEP It's that time of year again where we think about lifestyle changes that will improve our lives. For many of us, this includes chang- es to the way we eat. Try these New Year's resolutions: 1. Get more sleep. Make sleep your number one goal in the New Year if you do not get at least 6 to 7 hours of sleep every night. Sleep helps to regulate hunger hor- mones and without enough of it, can lead to making less healthy meal and snack choic- es. 2. Make realistic goals. Take a stair step approach for increasing the number of fruits and vegetables you eat. If you only eat them 4 or 5 days a week, then aim for a fruit and vegetable daily and then increase from there. Use the same method for cutting cal- ories or increasing exercise. 3. Journal for weight loss. Get your pen and paper out or sign up for a free elec- tronic account (myfitnesspal.com or fitday. com are two good ones) to track what you eat. Journaling is one of the best ways to be accountable and see where calories come from. 4. Get support. Get a trusted friend or family member to support your goals. May- be it means an exercise buddy or help with preparing healthy meals. Support can real- ly increase your chances of success. 5. Give yourself time. Give yourself time to see the changes you desire and for- give yourself for small setbacks. Many of us feel we need to make huge changes to the way we eat in order for it to have much of an impact on our health. Eating should be enjoyable. When you en- joy the process, you are more likely to stick with your goals and healthy food choices past January. We wish you much success with your New Year's resolutions for healthy eating. Good luck! HEARTY SIDE OF OATMEAL Oatmeal may do more for your heart's health than lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Oat products are allowed to bear labels stat- ing that soluble fiber from whole oats, as part of a low in saturated fat and cholester- ol diet, may reduce the risk of heart disease. This health claim was approved in 1997 by the FDA. New research confirms that evidence plus some additional ones: • Oats help dieters' cholesterol. Weight loss lowers LDL cholesterol and oatmeal may lower it even further. • Oats improve LDL cholesterol profile. Oatmeal may curb small LDL cholesterol particles, which may be riskier than bigger LDL particles. • Oats may curb inflammation. Lab tests show that the antioxidants in oats have an- ti-inflammatory properties. • Oats help to reap whole-grain perks against high blood pressure, type 2 diabe- tes and weight gain. Oatmeal has a pretty bland taste, which makes it hard for the average person to consume every morning. Here are ways you can make it taste better: • Make the oatmeal with milk instead of water. This will also add calcium and more protein. • Add Stevia powder to the oatmeal. It will nat- urally sweeten up the taste without adding sugar. • Stir in your fa- vorite-flavored pro- tein powder to it after it's been cooked. This gives the oatmeal a pretty good taste plus it adds protein. Com- bine this with using milk and you'll have a meal that is high in fiber, calcium and protein! • Add fruit such as blue- berries to the oatmeal. You should aim to eat rough- ly one cooked cup of oatmeal each morning for optimal health benefits. And play around with the above prep- aration suggestions until you find a taste that you fall in love with. Your heart and body will thank you for it! Source: Ohio State University Money Saving Instant Oatmeal Packets Ingredents: 15 cups of quick oats, divided 2 tablespoons salt ¾ to 1 cup sweetener of your choice (e.g. granulated sugar, brown sugar, stevia, etc.) Add-ins of your choice Snack-sized plastic baggies Directions: Put 12 cups of the oats into a large bowl. Blend the remaining 3 cups of oats in a blender until powdery, then add to the 12 cups of oats. Mix in salt and sweetener, stir- ring until well combined. Measure 1/4 to 3/8 cup of oatmeal mix into each snack- sized plastic baggie. Then add your choice of add-ins to each packet and seal the bag- gie. To prepare, empty 1 packet of oatmeal in- to a bowl or mug and add ¼ to ½ cup wa- ter or milk. Microwave on high for 1-2 min- utes. (Microwaves vary, so add more time if necessary.) Add-In Options for One Packet: • Amish Style: 2 tablespoons raisins plus 2 tablespoons dried apples plus ¼ teaspoon cinnamon plus 2 tablespoons chopped pe- cans • Apples & Cinnamon: 1/4 cup dried ap- ples plus 1/4 tsp cinnamon • Apricot Hazelnut: 2 tablespoons diced dried apricots plus 1 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts • Banana Bread: 1/4 cup dried bananas plus 1/4 tsp cinnamon • Banana Walnut: 2 tablespoons dried bananas plus 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts plus a pinch of nutmeg • Blueberry Almond: 2 tablespoons dried blueberries plus 1 tablespoon sliced almonds • Caramel Cashew: 1 tablespoon chopped dates plus 1 tablespoon cashew pieces • Cranberry Pistachio: 2 tablespoons dried cranberries plus 1 tablespoon chopped raw or roasted pistachios • Ginger Apple: 2 tablespoons freeze- dried apples plus 2 teaspoons diced crys- tallized ginger • Maple Pecan: 1 tablespoon chopped pe- cans plus 2 teaspoons maple sugar • Raisins & Spice: 1/4 cup raisins plus 1/4 tsp cinnamon • Strawberries/Blueberries/Peaches and Cream: 2 tablespoons dried fruit plus 2 teaspoons powdered milk Oatmeal Breakfast Bars Ingredients: 4 cups quick-cooking oats 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1½ cups chopped walnuts 1 cup flaked coconut ¾ cup butter or margarine, melted ¾ cup orange marmalade Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar and salt. Stir in remain- ing ingredients and mix well. Press into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake at 425º for 15 -17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: about 2½ dozen. PIKE COUNT Y Local Faces. Countless Connections. January 2016 The Press-Dispatch