lune 12, 2013 Fortiani» (Dbsemer Page 5 Feeling Good on Father’s Day and All Year Round Wellness tips for dads and families Keeping children healthy is a top a year-round process that is as im­ priority for parents. In recognition portant to your children as it is to of Father’s Day on Sunday, June 16, you. Fathers can accompany their the National Responsibility Father­ children on annual check-ups to hood Clearinghouse has some tips help reinforce key health messages on how fathers playing an active from the pediatrician. On occasion, role in their children’s lives, includ­ children may accompany their fa­ ing their health and safety, can make thers to their check-ups, too. Healthy a positive difference. fathers are more available to emo­ Setting a good example is the tionally and financially support their most important way to teach your children and families. children healthy behaviors. Even if To feel great and stay that way, you don’t share a home with your you need to take into account children, following healthy habits m ore than ju s t your p hysical when you are together encourages health. Your psychological and them to do the same. social needs also have an impact Modeling healthy behaviors is on your overall w ell-being and key for any parent seeking to teach your ability to be positively in­ their children healthy habits and volved with your children. behaviors. For example, if your chil­ If you are depressed, are abusing dren see you washing your hands drugs, or have other issues that often, they likely will too. Step in at affect your emotional and mental the sink to help the littlest ones health, they can cause problems wash thoroughly. Again, the earlier between you and your children. they experience this, the greater the There are many support and treat­ chances that they will retain and ment options available to help you continue these healthy practices. get past the barriers that could be Once you are done, be sure to dry holding you back from a better rela­ your hands completely after wash­ tionship with your children. ing them. Exercise regularly. Find an activ­ Fathers play an active role in their children’s lives. To prevent the spread of germs, ity that you enjoy so you are more cough or sneeze into your elbow so likely to maintain a routine. When germs are not spread to your hands. planning your workouts, discuss Also, show your children how to them with your children. Explain your turn their heads away from others exercise routine and how they can and use and toss tissues properly. join in too. Set realistic workout Be sure to exercise, eat foods that goals. Be sure to balance your work­ help you have a healthy weight and outs with proper sleep. energy, and get proper rest. When Eat healthy foods in moderate your body is in good physical shape, amounts. Drink water and snack on is well rested, and has appropriate fruits and vegetables. Discuss your nutrition, it is better able to fight off diet with your children. When in the germs and infections. grocery store point out healthy Taking care of your own health is choices. Read the labels on food items with your children and dis­ cuss nutrition information. You are what you eat, so be sure to encour­ age and model healthy eating habits for your children. How you conduct your adult re­ lationships has a direct effect on your children. Studies show that people who enjoy healthy relation­ ships have more happiness and less stress. If your relationships in the past were stormy or troubled, you can start now to undo attitudes and behaviors that might have contrib­ uted to an unsatisfying personal life. Dealing with past mistakes al­ lows you to move forward by estab­ lishing positive, fulfilling relation­ ships. Healthy interactions are often the most neglected component of well­ being. Healthy relationships take time and effort. Look for ways to add laughter to your activities with your children. Make sure your children know and understand your values by living them every day. Focus on your successes and not what you consider to be your failures. Let your children know that it is OK to fail and that no matter what, you’ll always love them. Keep smiling Promoting Family Planning Stacy James is the new president and chief executive officer for Planned Parenthood C olum bia Willamette. James comes to Oregon from Montana where she held a similar position for Planned Parent­ hood, a family planning and repro­ ductive rights organization. She takes the helm as the non­ profit embarks on several critical new initiatives, including prepara­ tions for implementing the Afford­ able Care Act and launching elec­ tronic health records, all while con­ tinuing to serve more than 60,000 patients in Oregon and southwest Washington each year. James is a proven leader who is committed to expanding access to affordable health care and educa­ tion, and advocating on behalf of w o m en 's h ealth . She has a W ith OHSU Need a dentist? At OHSU, our pre-doctoral clinic offers low-cost, high-quality comprehensive dental care. Our pre-doctoral dental students provide outstanding care under direct supervision of experienced faculty dentists. We welcome most insurance plans, including Oregon and Washington Medicaid. www.ohsuhealth.com/dentistry Stacy James bachelor’s degree in Allied Health Services from the University of North Florida and a masters of business administration degree from the Uni­ versity of Montana. OHSU School o f Dentistry, First floor 611 S.W. Campus Drive Portland, OR 97239 503 494-8867 OREGON HEALTH &SCIEr OHSU UN1VE OHSU Russell Street Dental Clinic 214 N. Russell Street Portland, OR 97227 503 494-6822 I