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12-The Canadian Champion, Friday, May 2, 2003 Sometimes giving moms forget about themselves By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion With Mothers Day approaching, kids and dads will soon shower their favourite lady with love and affection - be it in the form of a night out or a peanut butter-smeared kiss. But how ofien do busy moms, especially those witb young chul- dren, pay special attention 1t temselves and treat themnselves with extra care? Not often enough, says Sara Sanchez, a healtit promnoter witit Halton Regions I-eart Healtit and Cancer Prevention Prograrn. Tbat's why the Halton Heaithy Momrs Web site was launched by the Heart Health and Cancer Prevention Prograrn. Farm Spring la- AY -D4. * Over 120 juried crafts people ln te Great Gambrel Bam, The Aberfoyle Town Hall and Individual Ehibitor ent * Handmade quality sa"u a * Superior workmanship y WIa * Great gift ideas for Mom a.LL 4 P.my * Country decorating at it's besi * Live entertainment * Beautiful Spring location * Food Available t COUNTRY HERITAGE PARK 8560 Tremaine Road, Milton, ON Cali 1888.3073276 Mvusic at Wjoon presents... Sound the 'Trumpet - M~usic from the Baro que to W[ow featuring The Women of Note wittJ Special Guest Judy Iunter, piano fI(n resIbteria- Churcli, Ma~i Stre et, -)titn Admiss o t the Door $10.00; $8.00 Seniors I Students Member 0f M Ils aimed at moms, t0 allow them to have time to learn heart healtity behaviour," explained Ms Sanchez, who added il's easy for some moms to get so busy taking care of the others that they for- gel themselves. Since it starled two years ago, te site has received positive feed- back and theres no belter reminder titan the approach of Mothers Day of the importance of caring for moms- and the part moms play in that Ms Sanchez said women are often seen as the "gatekeepers" of their households, often being the ones to make doctors' appoint- ments, and pay partîcular attention 10 the hcaith of family mcm- bers. Thats one of the reasons the Web site is specificaily aimed at moms, althougit any aduit will pick up useful information, Ms Sanchez noted. Thte site inciudcs information on four key heani-healîhy ways oi' liiè: being active, limiting stress, being smoke-free and eating healthy. Thte goal is (o give moms quick tips on how to make itealthy choices amidsî itectic lifestyles and to show moms that some of the smallest decisions can make the biggest difféerence. 'Moms want fast information thaïs easy to implement. flot a big book they have to read through," site said. Indludes tests to assess v " (holesterol/IDI. Blood Pressure " Diabetes Check *ObesityAnalysis gn % *Physical Acivity Analysis A_ *Effects of Smoking & Stress 7w* GET YOUR HEART HEALTH PASSPORT! ONLY $20 WITH SHOW ADMISSION ponsored by: 5~ea1thyLfstye AndiTravel S how; Intrn tinalCe tr Healtit Canadas Physical Actîvity Guide recommends that adults be physically active most days, doing 30 minutes of vigor- (lus activity or 60 minutes of moderate activity. Some moins think their pitysical activity has to be donc ail at once- and ihis is one of lte mytits the site expels, Ms Sanchez said. Il can actually be broken into 10 minute increments, making il casier to work into busy sehedules. Ms Sanchez suggested tbat moins start tbe day off witb five minutes of stretching after wak- ing and a 10 minute walk ai break-time- or during nap lime înstead of remaining scated. Some of the exercise ideas on the site include cbildren. For example, moins can put on music and dance witb titeir kids or allow titeir kids to itelp themr cook, Ms Sancitez said. In tite food portion of tite Web site, recipes titat are quick and iteaity- whal evcry momn wants - are given. Altitougit most information is for moins, Ms Sanchtez said il wili also benefit kids for one simple reason: Kids model witat they sec -particularly in tite arca of physical activity. "Rolc modeling is an important part of parenling." Ms Sanchez said. In tact, if a mom is pitysically activc, ber cbildren arc 22 per cent more likely to bc active îhemselves, site saîd. Thte Intemet bas proven 10 be a particularly useful way of get- ting information oui to momns, Ms Sancitez said. ln Halton, 77 per cent oif residents witit Intemet access bave cbildren under tite age of 16 in tite bouse. Titat staîisîîc was one oftite main reasons for tite creation of tite site. Ms Sanchez saîd. Tite f îrst step to living a itealtitier, more balanced life is wanting t<o change, Ms Sanchez said. adding that aller tbat coîres setling realistic goals. Once a mom bas made lifestyle changes, il's impor- tant for ber to know il's okay to relapse every so often as long as site gels bAck on track. "Once sites adoptcd a beitaviour for a long lime, il becomes easy to mainlain titat for a liletime." Ms Sancbez said. To vîsit tbe Web site, go to w ww.reg ion.hballon. on.ca/itealth, click on 'Heart Healtb and Cancer Prevention' and then click on lte Halton Heality Moinsiscon. Steplîanic e tîsen e -ail6ereaclîed at .t/tîc,55cCaniltoteatiadi. Maybe I should eall everybody the name Steve Witat's your namne again? 1 have a terrible lime remembering Âw people's names. j r And I don't like il O h witen people don't- remember mine. -lo s I've iteard il said ltai people wito___________________ can t remember your namne are self-cenîered. Geez, nobody wants 10 be known as self-cenîered, even if they are. 1 just can't assimilate te naine quickly enougit in my head. 1 migitl remember everytbing about you, but your namne. Consequenîly, I've bad to, develop strategies to combat ltat braîn inefficiency. I generally won't say: "i, Billy Bob." l'Il say: "Hey titere, how are you doing.- A citeerful greeling, but 1 leave out lite namne. Tbal's even wben I know thte naine, so you can't assume al lte lime that I don't. I know, bowever, wlien somebody says hello 10 me and don't include my naine in te greeting, ltaItbey don'î remnember il. Iî's flot a nice feeling, sort of like lhey'rc saying I don't realîy care about you, or ltaI you're flot memorable enougit for me tc, remem- ber. Somelimes, l'Il mention my naine, just 10 let temn off te itook, and 10 let tem know I know lbey don't remember it. Introducing people can bc a nigitîmare. 1 migit tell somebody in advance taI if 1 don'î introduce tem 10 people, il'sflot because Fim rude, it's because I don't remember lte naines. -see DON on page 13 0 Mi m mq 1 1 1