October, National Down Syndrome Awareness Month Joan E. Guthrie Medlen, RD and Down Syndrome Nutrition

Every October, the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) reminds the world in a big way about the gifts that people with Down syndrome bring to their communities through a special video presentation on a jumbo screen in the heart of the Times Square.
 

The Times Square Video presentation kicked off Down Syndrome Awareness Month on the morning of the New York City Buddy Walk. This year, our third-party volunteers chose over 200 photos from over 1,000 submissions for the Times Square Video. The featured photographs highlight children, teens and adults with Down syndrome working, playing and learning alongside friends and family. These collective images promote acceptance and inclusion, which is the foundation of NDSS and the National Buddy Walk Program.

Joan Guthrie Medlen, M.Ed, RD and
the Down Syndrome Nutrition Handbook

Joan E. Guthrie Medlen, a mother of a child with Down syndrome, a registered dietitian, and the author of “The Down Syndrome Nutrition Handbook: A Guide to Promoting Healthy Lifestyles,” encourages parents to start teaching healthy habits early but stresses that it's never too late to start, no matter what age.

Joan became involved in issues related to people with Down syndrome after the birth of her son. “As we all know, parents of kids with disabilities are involved in the big picture immediately – like it or not! I chose to work in the field of nutrition/health promotion for people with Down syndrome over 16 years ago. It’s a choice I've not regretted.”

Introducing Cooking By Color:

Recipes for Independence by 

Joan E. Guthrie Medlen, RD

Meet a family who shares their
amazing story of love and living.

About Buddy Walk

The Buddy Walk® was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. Today, the Buddy Walk program is supported nationally by NDSS and organized at the local level by parent support groups, schools and other organizations and individuals.

World Pasta Day

Pasta is a type of noodle and commonly referred to a variety of pasta dishes. It is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine. Usually, pasta is made from unleavened dough of durum wheat flour mixed with water and formed into sheets or various shapes, then cooked and served in any number of dishes. It can be made with flour from other cereals or grains, and eggs may be used instead of water. Kinds of pasta are divided into two broad categories, dried (pasta secca) and fresh (pasta fresca). 

Both dried and fresh pasta come in a number of shapes and varieties. Common forms of pasta include long shapes, short shapes, tubes, flat shapes, and sheets, filled or stuffed, and decorative shapes.

How to Make Pasta | Jamie & Buddy Oliver

Shapes

Recipe: Artichoke and Lemon Pasta
Taste of Home

Resources and References

1. Wikipedia: Pasta   This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License
2. Cooking Light: Pasta Recipes

October 17, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

2020 Theme 

“Acting together to achieve social and
environmental justice for all”

The theme for the Day this year addresses the challenge of achieving social and environmental justice for all. The growing recognition of the multi-dimensionality of poverty means that these two issues are inseparably intertwined and that social justice cannot be fully realized without aggressively rectifying environmental injustices at the same time. Whereas progress has been made in addressing income poverty, there has been less success in addressing the other important dimensions of poverty, including the rapidly growing impact of the environment, within a more holistic approach.

People living in extreme poverty, often through sheer necessity, are the first to act decisively within their communities in response to poverty, climate change, and environmental challenges. However, their efforts and experience often go unnoticed and unappreciated; their ability to contribute positively to solutions has been overlooked; they are not recognized as drivers of change, and their voices are not heard, especially in international bodies.

This must change. The participation, knowledge, contributions, and experience of people living in poverty and those left behind must be valued, respected, and reflected in our efforts to build an equitable and sustainable world in which there is social and environmental justice for all. Governments must act decisively—in partnership and in solidarity with people living in poverty —to effectively address the impending global economic downturn that now threatens to erase part of the gains in reducing poverty and stall efforts to fight climate change and environmental degradation. The United Nations’ measures to ensure Member States can achieve the SGDs by 2030, including its proposed socio-economic responses to the global pandemic, must be robustly pro-poor and fully focused on establishing green pathways to recovery.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted on 20 November 1989. This landmark human rights treaty sets out the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion, or abilities.

In particular, the Convention recognizes the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral, and social development. Poverty hurts children’s development and, in turn, leads to lower-income and health in adulthood. When child poverty is recognized as a denial of children’s human rights then people in positions of responsibility and power are legally bound to promote, protect, and fulfill children’s rights.

Join the #EndPoverty global campaign

Everyone can join the campaign on social media by using hashtag #EndPoverty and promoting the call to action to connect with people from around the world who have joined the fight to overcome poverty.

In addition to the commemorative event to be held in New York on 17 October, commemorations of the international day are being organized worldwide. The online community is asked to use #EndPoverty to share messages about the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty via social media.

International Day of the Girl Child End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

UN Women Statement: International Day of the Girl Child

“Some people say that it is shameful for girls to go to work or go to school. These are old traditions and conventions.”

The International Day of the Girl Child focuses on how to ‘Empower Girls: Before, during and after crises’. There has been a growing conflict, instability, and inequality, with 128.6 million people expected to need humanitarian assistance due to security threats, climate change, and poverty. More than three-quarters of those who have become refugees or who are displaced from their homes are women and children. Among these, women and girls are among the most vulnerable in times of crisis.

Displaced and vulnerable women and girls face higher risks of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as damage to their livelihoods; girls are 2.5 times more likely than boys to miss school during disasters, and displaced girls are often married off as children in an effort to ensure their security. A 2013 assessment estimated a rise in the percentage of Syrian girl refugees in Jordan being married before age 18 from below 17 percent before the conflict, to more than 50 percent afterward.

At UN Women, they are working to ensure that girls experiencing crises have positive options that allow them to grow and develop social and economic skills. Along with local women’s organizations, we support women and girl refugees through our Global Flagship Initiative, on Women’s Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection in Crisis Response (LEAP), which boosts civic engagement and leadership by advocating for women’s political and social participation at the local, national and international levels. LEAP also establishes Empowerment Hubs where women can network and access critical services and training and provides job placements, cash-for-work initiatives, and training for businesses.

Programs like these can turn situations of displacement into opportunities for empowerment for girls and young women, remove them from potentially violent situations, and serve as a path to economic security so that they are not forced to marry older men to provide for their physical and financial well-being.

On the International Day of the Girl Child, let us commit to investing in skills training and education for girls and livelihood activities for young women around the world who are facing crises. Far from being passive recipients of assistance, these girls are leaders who will use the skills that they develop today to rebuild their communities, and create a better future for all of us.

End hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition
and Promote Sustainable Agriculture

Women prepare up to 90 percent of meals in households around the world, yet when times are tough, women and girls may be the first to eat less. Households headed by women may not eat enough simply because women earn at lower levels, and are less prepared to cope with a sudden crisis.

Inequities in food consumption stand in contrast to women’s significant role in agricultural production. They comprise on average 43 percent of the agricultural labor force in developing countries and over 50 percent in parts of Asia and Africa. Yet their potential contribution to food security remains constrained by unequal access to land and other productive assets. Nourishment is not just about the quantity of food, but its quality. In poor households, women can be less likely to get the nutrients they need, including to manage the physical demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding. Gender inequality intersects with inadequate health care, insufficient education and limited income to drive these deprivations.

Ending hunger means that all women can consume enough food with adequate nutrients. All women working in agriculture, if unshackled from discrimination, can contribute to greater global food security.

UN Women acts to stop hunger by supporting women’s role in food security, as the cornerstones of food production and utilization. We provide training for women farmers and access to information and technology, to help women can achieve significantly higher agricultural productivity. UN Women also raises awareness among rural women and decision-makers alike, on the need for legal changes to allow more equitable distribution of assets, such as land and credit. The entity also steers the online global knowledge hub Empower.org, where women can share practical knowledge around food production and technology.

Empowering Girls 

Resource

1.  UN Women statement: International Day of the Girl Child, UN Women

October 5, World Teachers' Day

World Teachers Day is held annually on October 5 to celebrate the vital role teachers provide in quality education at all levels. World Teacher’s Day also commemorates the anniversary of the 1966 signature of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers with guidelines concerning educational policies, curricula, training, employment, work conditions, and teacher's participation in decision-making. 

World Teachers’ Day 2020 will celebrate teachers with the theme “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future”. The day provides the occasion to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide, take stock of achievements, and draw attention to the voices of teachers, who are at the heart of efforts to attain the global education target of leaving no one behind.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly added to the challenges faced by already over-extended education systems throughout the world. It is no exaggeration to say that the world is at a crossroads and, now more than ever, we must work with teachers to protect the right to education and guide it into the unfolding landscape brought about by the pandemic.

The issue of teacher leadership in relation to crisis responses is not just timely, but critical in terms of the contributions teachers have made to provide remote learning, support vulnerable populations, re-open schools, and ensure that learning gaps have been mitigated. The discussions surrounding WTD will also address the role of teachers in building resilience and shaping the future of education and the teaching profession. 

History.
UNESCO’s principal field of activities is education. Since its creation in 1945, the Organization has worked to improve education worldwide believing it is the key to social and economic development. The Organization aims to help build a sustainable world with just societies that value knowledge, promote peace, celebrate diversity, and defend human rights.

World Teachers’ Day marks the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) that recognizes education as a key fundamental right and establishes an entitlement to free compulsory education, ensuring inclusive and equitable access for all children. 

Thank a Teacher

Teachers Make a Difference

October, National Spinach Lovers Month

Nutrition Information

Spinach is fat-free; saturated fat-free; cholesterol free; low calorie; high in dietary fiber; high in vitamin A; high in vitamin C; high in iron, high in folate; and a good source of magnesium.

Selecting and Storing Spinach 

1. Choose fresh, crisp, green bunches with no evidence of insect damage.
2. Store spinach loosely wrapped in a damp paper towel.
3. Refrigerate in a plastic bag and use within 3 to 5 days.

Oxalic acid and Spinach

The oxalic acid in spinach binds with iron, which inhibits iron absorption. You can improve the absorption of iron from spinach by eating it with foods that enhance iron absorption; such as foods rich in vitamin C.

Serving Suggestions

1. Add spinach to a pasta or rice recipe.
2. Enjoy a spinach salad with a variety of ingredients.

References

1. Spinach - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2. Top 10 ways to enjoy Spinach, Fruits and Veggies more matters 
3. Spinach: Nutrition . Selection . Storage. Fruits and Veggies more matters
4. 40 Flavor-Packed Ways to Use Fresh Spinach, Cooking Light

October 4, National Taco Day - Taco in a Cup

Taco in a Cup

1 serving

Ingredients/Directions
Layer the following ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Guacamole
2 Tablespoon Salsa
1 Tablespoon Black Bean Dip
3 Tortilla Chip, salt-free, crushed
1 Tablespoon Shredded Cheese, low fat

Nutrition Information

National Menopause Month How to Avoid Menopausal Weight Gain

Every woman will go through the “change of life,” around 50 years of age plus or minus. This is the time of her last period (or menstruation). Symptoms of menopause vary with every woman. Common symptoms include hot flashes; night sweats; sleep irregularity; mood changes; and possible weight gain around the middle. Some women go through menopause without symptoms.

Due to a decrease in hormone levels and the aging process, many women find themselves gaining weight in their forties and fifties. There is a loss of muscle, which decreases the metabolism; and a gain of fat, mainly in the belly area. Lifestyle factors will play an important role in how you handle menopause. Menopausal women tend to be less active and eat more calories than they need.

Nutrition, Eating and
Wellness Guidelines for Menopause

1. Maintain a healthy weight; it will decrease your risk of heart disease and other problems. 
2. Meet your calcium and vitamin D needs. This is important to maintain healthy bones and prevent bone loss that may occur after menopause. Good food sources of calcium include dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese; fortified soy and rice beverages; fortified juices; and canned fish with bones. Good food sources of vitamin D include milk, fortified soy and rice beverages, fortified juices, and fatty fish. 
3. Be physically active every day. Physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight, keep bones strong and energy levels up, and decrease the risk of heart disease and other age-related complications.
4. Some women will try soy and flax in food to help relieve the side effects of menopause. Currently, studies have not proven that soy and flax help.
5. Wear lightweight and layered clothes. Body temperature fluctuates from hot to cold.
6. Keep a cold glass of water by your side. Due to hot flashes and excessive sweating, it is important to stay hydrated.
7. Relax.
8. Take time to laugh.

How to Avoid Menopausal Weight Gain

You don't have to gain weight as a result of menopause.
Elizabeth Somer, RD explains how to avoid weight gain after menopause.

The Menopause Blues

I Will Not Age

Is It Hot In Here, Or Is It Me?

Resources and References

Menopause Awareness Month (MAM), we have a vision that women all over the world will one day be able to embrace menopause rather than suffer from its symptoms.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Eating Right during Menopause

National Fruits and Veggies Month – The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and Vegetables Key Consumer Message:

Dietary Recommendations 

for Americans, 2015 - 2020 

Fruits and Vegetables 

There are three reasons to eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables.

1. Most vegetables and fruits contribute a wide variety of nutrients, including folate, magnesium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, C, and K. 

2. Consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.

3. Most fruits and vegetables have no cholesterol and are low in calories and fat. Eating more will help maintain a healthy weight.

From MyPlate.gov
What Foods Are in the Fruit and Vegetable Groups?

Fruits. Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit Group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed.

In general, 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the Fruit Group. The following link lists specific fruits and amounts that count as one cup of fruit (or in some cases equivalents for ½ cup are noted.) MyPlate Fruits. 

Vegetables. Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed.  Vegetables are organized into 5 subgroups, based on their nutrient content. Dark-green vegetables; Red and orange vegetables; Beans and peas (legumes); Starchy vegetables; and Others. 

In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens is considered as 1 cup from the Vegetable Group. The following link lists specific vegetables and amounts that count as 1 cup of vegetables (or in some cases equivalents for ½ cup are noted).  MyPlate Vegetables. 

Safety with Fruits and Vegetables

* Rinse and wash fruits and vegetables before preparing or eating them. Under clean, running water, rub fruits and vegetables briskly with your hands to remove dirt and surface microorganisms. Dry with a clean cloth towel or paper towel after rinsing.
* Keep fruits and vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood while shopping, preparing and storing.

Teaching Kids to Eat Their
Fruits and Vegetables


Healthy Kids PSA: Color of Life

Presented by Fruits and Veggies, More Matters

Bring color to your life, and your plate, with nutritious, delicious vegetables.
Visit Fruits and Veggies, More Matters
for healthy recipes, menus,
fruit and vegetable nutrition information,
tips on healthy meal planning and
how to get your
kids involved in healthy cooking!



Fruits and Vegetables Song

Resources

1. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

2. Fruits and Veggies, More Matters

3. MyPlate.gov

International Coastal Cleanup

Ocean Conservancy was founded in 1972, with goals to promote healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems and to oppose practices that threaten oceanic and human life.

Ocean Conservancy believes it's time to look beneath the surface to see where the health of our planet really begins. It’s time to recognize the source that sustains us day to day with the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe...to discover that all living things are connected to the ocean. It’s time to understand that going green starts with living blue. It’s time to start a sea change.

Mission: Ocean Conservancy promotes healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems and opposes practices that threaten ocean life and human life. Through research, education, and science-based advocacy, Ocean Conservancy informs, inspires, and empowers people to speak and act on behalf of the oceans. In all its work, Ocean Conservancy strives to be the world's foremost advocate for the oceans.

Nearly three-quarters of the Earth's surface is covered by water. The oceans have played a crucial role in the history and sustenance of all life.

The World's Oceans...
* Generates most of the oxygen we breathe

* Helps feed us

* Regulates our climate

It's up to each one of us to help ensure that our ocean is protected and conserved for future generations. Please don't just leave memories of the wonders of the Oceans.

To learn more about the Ocean Conservancy and to get involved, visit:
Website:  Ocean Conservancy
Twitter: @ourocean
YouTube: Ocean Conservancy
Facebook. Ocean Conservancy

The following videos show the beauty of the oceans, life under the sea, and the effects humans and industry have had on the ocean.

Disney describes the beauty and
the important role the ocean plays in our lives.
Oceans - Disney Nature Trailer

The "Little Mermaid Under the Sea"

From "As Purchased to "Edible Portion": Papaya

Purchasing nutrient analysis software and learning how to use the program is only useful if you have the knowledge to convert “as purchased” ingredients to the “edible portion.” Recipes are usually written based on what the consumer needs to purchase. The individual analyzing the recipe must evaluate the recipe based on the actual food-ready-to-eat (unless the food is meant to be eaten whole.) This book describes how to read a recipe and enter the correct ingredients and amounts, in order to provide an accurate nutrient analysis.

Click this link to learn more about the book and purchase.

Nutrient Analysis Services 

Ensure accurate nutrient analysis for your recipes utilizing an extensive research database and over 25 years experience. A valuable service for the Recipe Blogger, Media, Cookbook Publishers, Writers, Chefs, and Recipe Websites. Your readers will benefit from the Nutrient information and a Registered Dietitian. Contact: Dietitians-Online.com; Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RDN, LN, FAND at recipenews@gmail.com

Quiz: Do you have the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze a recipe? 

Below are a series of questions to determine your knowledge of foods and recipes in order to perform a nutrient analysis. The answers can be found at the following link.

1. How much does one cup of cheerios weigh in ounces and grams?

2. How many apples should you purchase to yield 2.75 cups, peeled, cored, and chopped?

3. The recipe states to purchase one pound potatoes. Directions: Bake potatoes and peel. How many ounces will you analyze?

4. How many ounces of lobster would you analyze, if provided with a 1-1/2 pound lobster in a shell?

5. Recipe states to purchase one pound chicken breast with bone and skin. Directions: Broil, remove skin. How many ounces of cooked chicken would you analyze?

6. How many cups of cooked kidney beans would one pound dried kidney beans yield?

7. Recipe states to purchase one pound lean ground beef and broil. Drain fat. How many ounces of cooked ground beef would you analyze?

8. Recipe states to marinade chicken in refrigerator overnight. Prior to cooking, the marinade is drained and discarded. What percentage of the marinade should be included in the analysis?

Follow the link for the answers - Answers to Quiz

September is Hunger Action Month

To learn more how you can help, visit http://hungeractionmonth.org/

The following is a summary of the information found on the Feeding America Website. 

September is Hunger Action Month™, when Feeding America and member food banks ask everyone in America to take action to fight hunger in their community, all month long. Hunger Action Month is your opportunity to join a movement that has a real and lasting impact on our effort to feed more Americans than ever before. Whether it’s by advocating and raising awareness, making donations, or volunteering, you can find the way that’s right for you to make a difference during Hunger Action Month. Together, we can solve hunger.

Feeding America is a nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs that provide food and services to people each year. Together, we are the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief organization. Our network serves virtually every community in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.

The process of getting food to hungry Americans requires a dynamic infrastructure and sophisticated management. Feeding America secures donations from national food and grocery manufacturers, retailers, shippers, packers and growers and from government agencies and other organizations. Feeding America then moves donated food and grocery product to member food banks.

The food banks, in turn, distribute food and grocery items through food pantries and meal programs that serve families, children, seniors, and others at risk of hunger. Last year alone, the Feeding America network distributed more than 3 billion meals to people in need.

Feeding America nationwide network of food banks also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses, and government all have a role in ending hunger.
Hunger can affect anyone. Feeding America has identified groups at risk, including young children, hunger in the suburbs, rural hunger, senior hunger, and the working poor.

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Special on Childhood Hunger
Kate is a fictional character who represents the very situation in which many children find themselves when their parents lose their jobs. Find out how you can help this Hunger Action Month http://hungeractionmonth.org/

Childhood hunger hinders a young person's ability to learn. They are more likely to suffer from poverty as an adult. Scientific evidence suggests that hungry children are less likely to become productive citizens. Insufficient nutrition puts children at risk for illness and weakens their immune system. The immature immune systems of young children, ages 0 – 5, make them especially vulnerable to nutritional deprivation and as a result, the ability to learn, grow, and fight infections are adversely affected.

Please find out how you can help during Hunger Action Month http://hungeractionmonth.org/