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The INDEPENDENT, March 1, 2007
Here’s help in raising young girls to have healthy body images
In a culture where appear-
ance weighs heavily on public
consciousness, parents are
confronted with the challenge
of raising children with healthy
body images and robust self
esteem. This is much easier
said than done as evidenced by
recent statistics:
— A study of American girls
indicated that as many as 65
percent had formed ideas
about dieting by age 5.
— A Swedish study found
that 25 percent of young fe-
males had dieted by age 7 and
were already estimating them-
selves to be larger than they re-
ally were.
— Harvard University re-
searchers report that at least
50 percent of girls are signifi-
cantly unhappy about the way
they look by age 13.
— By age 17, only three out
of 10 girls have not succumbed
to dieting, according to the Har-
vard study.
— Boys and young men are
not immune to the trend. Body
dissatisfaction in men has
nearly tripled over the last 30
years, according to Katharine
Phillips, M.D., professor of psy-
chiatry at Brown University
Medical School in Providence,
R.I.
So what’s a parent to do?
Experts offer the following tips
(which may very well help
boost your body image too!):
— Don’t talk about your own
weight or your child’s. Instead
steer your conversations to-
ward the importance of regular
physical activity and making
healthy food choices.
— Work on building self es-
teem through accomplishments
and recognizing personal tal-
ents. For example, help your
child train for and complete a
three-mile walk or run. Nurture
their gifts in music, art or athlet-
ics. Encourage them to value
what their bodies can do, as
opposed to how they look, and
revel in what makes them
unique as individuals.
— Be a role model. Don’t en-
gage in any verbal “self-bash-
ing” and lead by example when
it comes to nutrition, regular ex-
ercise and eating appropriate
portion sizes.
— Downplay media ideals.
Remind your children that
celebrities often achieve physi-
cal perfection through surgery
and air brushing. Help them
identify people in their own
lives whom they admire and
can emulate.
— Fight compartmentalizing
– a tendency to focus on just
one area of the body that is dis-
satisfying.
— Help your children to
identify things they like about
their bodies, such as pretty
eyes, strong legs, a nice smile,
etc.
Jazzercise CEO Judi Shep-
pard Missett says exercise is a
wonderful way to boost body
image because it shifts the fo-
cus from appearance to what
the body can achieve. Regular
workouts enhance mood and a
general sense of well being as
Shape up for spring with
this sunny offer...
No Joining Fee*
*with EFT or 2-month registration.
Vernonia Jazzercise 359 A Street
(503)429-0196
well. So gather up your children
and try the following Pilates ex-
ercise to improve core strength.
Because it targets “core”
(abdominal and back) muscles,
this exercise also improves
posture, which makes you look
and feel more confident. Many
good Pilates videos and books
are available and classes are
springing up everywhere in
health clubs, community cen-
ters, and dance studios.
Lie on your back on an exer-
cise mat or other soft surface.
Bend your knees and lift them
off the floor one at a time. Pull
them up toward your chest,
then curl your upper body off
the floor and hold onto your
knees in a tuck position. Check
to make sure your shoulders
are relaxed and your tailbone is
on the floor. Now place both
hands on your left leg and
straighten your right leg. Ex-
hale and change legs, holding
onto your right knee and ex-
tending your left leg. Continue
switching legs 10 to 20 times.
Keep your hips stable, your tail-
bone on the floor, your abs
pulled in, and your shoulders
relaxed. Make sure you contin-
ue breathing throughout the ex-
ercise!
Jazzercise, created by Judi
Sheppard Missett, is the
world’s leading dance-fitness
program with more than 6,000
instructors teaching 20,000
classes weekly in the U.S. and
around the globe. Since 1969,
millions of people of all ages
and fitness levels have reaped
the benefits of this comprehen-
sive program, designed to en-
hance cardiovascular en-
durance, strength, and flexibili-
ty. For more information on
Jazzercise go to jazzercise.
com or call 1(800) FIT-IS-IT or
(760) 476-1750.
Long term care advocates sought
Volunteer advocates and in-
vestigators are needed to
serve as ombudsmen for resi-
dents of nursing homes, resi-
dential care facilities, assisted
living facilities and adult foster
care homes. The Office of the
Long Term Care Ombudsman
will train the volunteers on the
aging process, communication
skills, problem-solving skills, in-
vestigation and other ombuds-
man skills. The certification
training will begin on Tuesday,
March 20, in Portland.
As Certified Ombudsmen,
the volunteers work to improve
the quality of residents’ lives,
by identifying and investigating
complaints and concerns on
behalf of the residents, then
working with the facilities to
make changes. The concerns
ombudsmen address cover a
broad range, and often include
resident care, residents’ rights,
such as privacy, respect and
dignity; and quality of life con-
cerns such as appropriate ac-
tivities and meals. “The volun-
teers make a tremendous dif-
ference in the lives of the resi-
dents,” says Kathy Walter, Pro-
gram Administrator, “They are
well-prepared and effective.
For information about the
program or to learn how to get
involved, contact Kathy Walter
at 1-800-522-2602.
Other restrictions may apply. Offer expires April 15, 2007.
Free presentation on Caregiving
Full Body Massage or Facial Cleansing
RELAX! REVITALIZE! ENJOY!
$40
1 Hour • Expires 4/10/07
No other discounts apply.
A soothing health, relaxing, youth promoting massage or facial cleansing!
ND physician support by trained skilled assistants! Ask for Karen or Cindy.
Dr. J. J. Dougherty, ND 268 SE 4th Ave., Hillsboro
Call 503-640-2411 for an appointment
May qualify for insurance coverage.
Caring for Caregivers will be
the topic of a Brown Bag (feel
free to bring your lunch) ses-
sion on Wednesday, March 7,
at 11:30 a.m. and an Evening
Chat discussion on Thursday,
March 8, starting at 6:00 p.m.
Learn practical tips on how
to maintain personal well-being
while providing quality care for
Daylight
Savings time
begins
March 11
a family member. Session is
taught by instructors and mas-
ter trainers for the periodic
Powerful Tools for Caregivers
Course.
The discussion will include
topics such as goal-setting,
problem-solving, tips for effec-
tive communication, and ways
to reduce stress, guilt and
anger.
These free sessions will be
held at Tuality Health Educa-
tion Center, 334 SE 8th Av-
enue, Hillsboro.
For more information, call
503-681-1700 or visit the web-
site at www.tuality.org.