Nutrition and Fitness Resources

happy students

The winning recipe for a healthy lifestyle includes a combination of both good nutrition and physical activity. Your body needs a variety of nutrient rich foods to grow and prevent illness. And your body also needs to move and exercise every day.

Well-nourished students have higher test scores, increased school attendance, improved concentration, and improved classroom behavior. Students, who are physically fit, sleep better and are better able to handle the physical and emotional challenges that they encounter during the day.

nutrition

Good Nutrition Leads to Great Academic Performance

Your body needs healthy fuel to perform, to grow and to ward off illness and disease. Would you feed a million dollar racehorse junk food & soda? Of course not, so think about what you eat...because you are worth far more than a horse!

Good nutrition has a positive and direct impact on your ability to do well in school. When your nutritional needs are met, you have the cognitive energy to learn and achieve. You will be better prepared to learn, more likely to attend school, and are more apt to take advantage of learning opportunities.

Kids often need snacks to help them get enough calories (ENERGY) throughout the day. Choosing healthy snacks that add nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, to their diets is essential. Smart snacking is a great way to meet daily nutrient requirements that may be missed at meal times.

Healthy Snack Calculator

students playing basketball

60 Minutes of Activity a Day...do it for life!

Fit "Fitness" into your busy day - It is important to your health and success. Whether it is walking the dog, running, or riding a bike... make physical activity one of the healthy habits in your daily life.

Get out and get active - limit sedentary activities. Student's lifestyles today are very different from their parents'. TV, video games, texting and online social networks are now replacing the neighborhood kickball game. Kids and teens are spending more time sitting and less time running, jumping and playing. Commit to staying active.

What are the Benefits? Students who are physically fit will...

  • Find it easier to maintain a healthy weight

  • Sleep better

  • Have higher self-esteem and self-confidence

  • Be more attentive in class and perform better in school

  • Have proper growth with stronger bones, muscles, and joints

  • Feel less stressed

  • Reduce their risk of chronic disease

  • Decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

  • Have lower blood pressure

  • Have lower LDL "bad" blood cholesterol levels, and raise HDL "good" cholesterol levels

  • Feel happier and have a better outlook on life!

Fitness Pyramid

Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator

10 Tips for Healthy Eating

Food Distribution Resources

fruits and veggies

CalFresh Benefits

CalFresh, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, provides monthly food benefits to individuals and families with low-income and provides economic benefits to communities. CalFresh is the largest food program in California and provides an essential hunger safety net. CalFresh is federally mandated and in California, is state-supervised and county-operated.

CalFresh benefits can help buy nutritious foods for a better diet. CalFresh benefits stretch food budgets, allowing individuals and families to afford nutritious food, including more fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods. The amount of benefits a household receives is dependent on household size countable income, and monthly expenses, such as housing and utilities. The program issues monthly benefits on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. Food may be purchased at any grocery store or farmers market that accepts EBT cards.

Click HERE to visit the BenefitsCal website to see if you qualify.

Click HERE to visit and apply for CalFresh benefits.

Links to Selected State and Federal Resources