Nutrition Education Program

 

What we do at LWDA is integral and distinctive. The facets we provide all interconnect and support the Youth in vast and diverse capacities. The direct partner program to our I.A.E. (Innovative Arts Education) Programs is our LWDA Rules of Healthy Practice© Nutrition Education Program. We educate students and clients of all ages on the importance of "healthy in, healthy out." The body, being the primary instrument being cultivated, absolutely must function at a healthy and optimum level, both physically and mentally. It is the very machine that wholly experiences trained etiquette in Dance Artistry throughout our Programs. The foods and beverages that enter the human body are directly connected to the thoughts, actions and abilities of that body, aside from pre-existing conditions and other circumstances. LWDA utilizes simple yet effective modalities that move the education about nourishment into a remarkable sphere of fun, enlightenment and accountability, that changes lives for the better.

Let us show you the ROHPs!


At LWDA, we show Students the amazing transformation that takes place when tools and strategies are made easy and palatable for the youth, and they begin to take accountability for their diet, spread the word to their families and friends, and communities begin to act as strongholds for the physical and mental well-being of the youth and neighbors. Some of the subjects we teach are:


-The Importance of Healthy Food and Proper Hydration.

-Positive Life Long Impact of Healthy Food Education on Dancer's bodies.

-Understanding Side Effects of Chemical Additives and Fillers.

-Ingredient Literacy.

-Caloric Balance, Food Compliments and Portion Size.

We understand that many schools and school districts offer free and reduced lunches, but may need or desire an extra component of nutrition education, which is crucial for the decisions that students and families make outside of school or the workplace. Many of the families we serve are unaware of the names and side effects of additives, harmful chemicals and artificial ingredients, that often go unnoticed in snacks and meals. We provide a link and support to remedy that.

LWDA works with local businesses, parents and partner organizations to support and provide the best food possible for the LWDA Rules of Healthy Practice© Nutrition Education Program. Some of the organizations we partner with -OR- purchase from are: Trader Joe’s, Target, Whole Foods Market, Schnucks and Aldi. The parameters by which donations, foods and beverages are accepted follow these guidelines, but are not by any means limited to this list. All food and beverages, whether purchased or donated must be approved before they are accepted.

 

Dance, Re-Fuel Dance!

The implementation of the ROHP program works with our Dancers' technique training in coherent synergy. At the mid point of each Dance Technique class, Dancers receive a healthy meal, composed of nutrient-dense, calorically balanced, and energy efficient snacks and beverages, that fulfill an array of the major important food groups. During the 30-minute meal period, our Dancers are educated on:
  • The positive ingredients and components comprised in their snack meal.
  • The lasting, healthful benefits of each food being consumed.
  • The proper portion size for the meal being eaten-this snack meal is for re-fueling, and is therefore light. NOT a heavy meal.
  • Some of the nutritively devastating counterparts sold in some grocery stores.
  • Names of harmful food chemicals, additives, preservatives and artificial ingredients to avoid consuming.
  • Harmful side-effects that the body will experience by consuming destructive, artificial, calorically empty foods.
  • Students learn how to read, pronounce and recognize harmful ingredients, and are given encouraging words and nutritional research for family members and friends, to help their loved ones gradually move away from purchasing items that contain them.

Foods and Beverages MUST contain and/or include:

100% Natural or purified ingredients (vitamins, minerals and naturally occurring and/or organic ingredients). Non-GMO preferred.
Pre packaged and professionally manufactured, individually wrapped portions. Examples include:

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Granola Bars
  • Snack Packs
  • Veggie Chips
  • 100% Juice
  • Bottled Water
  • Nuts/Trail Mix
  • Yogurt
  • Green Tea
  • Cheez-it Crackers
  • Whole Grain Cereal Bars
  • Non-GMO Popcorn
  • Energy Breakfast Biscuits/Cookies
  • Yogurt Smoothies
  • Fruit and Vegetable Juice
  • Protein Bars
  • Fiber One Bars

A study conducted by the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, concluded that “Afternoon snacking, particularly on high protein soy foods, improves appetite, satiety, and diet quality in adolescents, while beneficially influencing aspects of mood and cognition.” This research was conducted through the Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, leidyh@health.missouri.edu, as well as DuPont Nutrition & Health, St. Louis, MO.

According to U.S. News & World Report, research continues to show the direct links between nutrition and mental well-being.

“What we eat and how we eat it are closely associated with our emotions and mental health. A growing body of research is revealing not only the power of particular nutrients to increase well-being, but also the multifaceted ways in which our attitude and choices regarding food impact our state of mind. Science is increasingly validating the amazing impact of food on our mood. A 2013 study found that the risk of depression is 25 to 35 percent lower in those who eat a diet high in vegetables, fruits, grains and fish, while avoiding processed foods and sugar. In another study, the percentage was even higher. In fact, teens in the study who ate a low-quality diet had an 80 percent higher risk of depression in comparison to those who ate a higher-quality, whole-foods diet.” (Heather Monroe, MSW, LCSW How Nutrition Affects Teens' Mental Health).

 

Foods and Beverages MUST NOT contain:

  • Artificial colors.

  • Artificial flavors.

  • Artificial preservatives or additives.

  • Artificial or chemical ingredients or conditioners (ex. mono-and-diglycerides, aspartame etc).

  • Fast Food chain food or beverages.

  • Made from home foods (unless from a professional business, licensed and approved by the Board of Health).

 

Knowing what constitutes as FOOD in the first place, sheds an undimmable light on the direction and decisions of the youth for their entire life. Education on Food versus Fillers is crucial. Food = REAL nutrition, and the gaining of nutritive benefits of that food. Fillers = substitute foods with no nutritive value, that have very adverse effects on the body. These Fillers are often labeled on Ingredient Lists as: Artificial Colors, Artificial Flavors, chemical names such as High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Blue Lake 1, Yellow 5 or Yellow Lake 5, Red 40, Mono -and- Diglycerides, aspartame, Polysorbate 60 etc. At LWDA, we assist our Students and Families with the tools and resources to make educated, mindful and enjoyable real Food selections, both on and off our Program Sites, so that the physical and mental health of all, are maintained and preserved.

“High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) adds unnatural amounts of fructose to your diet, which the human body has not evolved to handle properly. High-fructose corn syrup is easily converted to fat when consumed in excess. This is because the fructose is metabolized in the liver. The liver can turn the fructose into glycogen (stored carbs), but it has limited storage capacity. In the long term, this fat accumulation can lead to serious health problems, such as fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes. In one 3-week study, researchers found that the overconsumption of sugar and fructose led to a drastic 27% increase in liver fat.

HFCS and sugar have been shown to drive inflammation, which is associated with an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The high insulin levels caused by sugar could also fuel tumor growth. Several long-term studies have found a link between HFCS intake and cancer risk.”

(Rudy Mawer, MSc, CISSN 6 Reasons Why High-Fructose Corn Syrup Is Bad for You).

High-Fructose Corn Syrup is absolutely rampant, and is being poured into nearly every snack, bread loaf, drink, and food option at nearly all major grocery stores and in almost every vending machine. This is just one of many harmful ingredients that are detrimental to brain and muscle function, as well as cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and respiratory health. It is imperative that Students and Families educate themselves and READ EVERY Ingredient List before spending money on food items, in order to prevent harmful Fillers and chemicals from entering the home.

 

 

LWDA looks forward to serving the youth for time to come, and empowering the next generations, by climbing their own “ROHP” up to their summit to enjoy an amazing and unimaginable future. With the help of energized, like-minded mentors, advisors, counselors, businesses, parents, organizations, donors and community members, we will be one step closer to fulfilling part of our Mission, which is to eradicate childhood and adolescent obesity, as well as help cultivate healthy citizens.