October 2003 Newsletter

This Newsletter is published monthly on this website to offer information and motivation to our readers.

Happy Halloween!
Good Reasons to Keep Your Child Training in the Martial Art

by Joseph Galea and Bert Casiano

There are many reasons to enroll your children and keep them training in the martial arts. Martial arts builds self-confidence and teaches discipline which will provide a solid foundation from which your children will develop strong character. While studying the martial arts is fun, children will be learning important lessons in values and respect that will shape how they view the world around them. And even though we teach to avoid confrontations, if the need arises, your children can be secure in their knowledge of how to defend themselves from physical harm. This is the power derived from the martial arts.

Martial arts builds self-confidence. It is a physical and demanding “sport.” Children who participate and progress in the martial arts will develop a positive attitude that they can take with them to help accomplish other important tasks and face other challenges in their lives. Our school is dedicated to making your children feel accepted as well as motivated.

We focus on providing children with a positive atmosphere where they can build their confidence, even after a bad day at school or playing a sport. It’s a place where they’ll find support when they feel down or discouraged. We are ready and able to give your children the additional support to face life’s challenges and stay on the right path.

In addition to the structure you provide at home, martial arts also provides your child with discipline. This involves coming to class on time and following school rules and policy. It also concerns learning to respect themselves and others, which is an important goal that we strive to instill in our students. We teach children not to feel that they can’t complete a task because it’s too hard or because they’ve failed the first time. Instead we teach them to relax, regroup and give a100-percent effort again. The discipline that they learn helps them to stay focused and work hard to accomplish their goals.

Martial arts is a tool that can help your children in other sports, as well as keeping them in shape and healthy. Many drills that we practice enhance skills they will need in other extracurricular activities. For example, proper balance and hand-eye coordination are skills that are essential in sports such as baseball, football, gymnastics and soccer. Martial arts training can give your children the competitive edge.

Knowing that they can defend themselves if a problem arises is another benefit that your children derive from martial arts training. Martial arts does not just teach kids how to defend themselves physically, but more importantly, how to avoid dangerous situations. Avoiding the situation rather than being in a physical confrontation is an important concept that instructors teach both indirectly and directly.

Through the martial arts, your children will learn many valuable lessons that will help them throughout their lives and the best thing about it is that it’s fun. They may not even realize that they are learning all these “values.” It’s not only enjoyable for the kids, it’s also enjoyable for the parents. To watch your children learn new skills and watch them improve will fill you with pride. Why stay on the sidelines? Martial arts is an activity that you can do as a family. It’s a way of spending more quality time with your children, and that’s invaluable in today’s hectic world.

Martial arts is an art form that has existed for many centuries and is taught around the world today. It’s teachings are inspiring and unique. The values and lessons of martial arts can assist your children in becoming better citizens and becoming better equipped to handle the many situations that they will face in their academic and personal lives.

by Jennifer G. Galea MS RD

All candies are not created equal, or are they? These days, candies are even loaded with health claims. Some proclaim that they are “low-fat foods;” others are “30% less fat;” others contain “100% vitamin C.” What does this all mean? While these types of claims are governed by the Food and Drug Administration, do they really translate into the food being healthful? Well, 30% less than “way too much” is probably still much more than you want.

While you should be looking for lower-fat candy when choosing a candy, the best way to do this is probably to choose a candy that is fat-free to begin with. Then you are just dealing with calories, rather than fat calories. Chocolate is the real topper when it comes to fat calories. For example, one average chocolate bar contains a fifth of your day’s allowance for fat. Just as importantly, the fat it contains is saturated fat, so it uses up half your saturated fat for the day.

Fat-free candies are a much better alternative. When you compare many non-chocolate candies ounce for ounce, they are all pretty much the same. This actually isn’t too surprising considering that most candies are made of sugar, gums, and artificial colors and flavors. Of course, you can choose the ones that are lower in artificial ingredients, but this doesn’t change the nutrient content of the candy itself. And what about adding Vitamin C or another healthy sounding ingredient. Unfortunately, this is just fortifying sugar with a vitamin, so you aren’t getting anything except what it says. You are much better off eating whatever kind of candy appeals to you and taking a vitamin supplement.

Another “healthy” snack to be critical of is a granola bar. The first ingredient to scrutinize is the fat. Opt for fat-free, or at least low-fat. When there are added ingredients that sound healthy, be sure to read the label. For example, consider Quaker Chewy Low Fat Fruit & Yogurt Chip Strawberry Blast Granola Bars. The “fruit” is the strawberry flavored fruit bits, which are made of a touch of strawberry and apple puree, along with sugar, oil and red dye. The “yogurt chips” are mostly sugar and oil, with a touch of yogurt powder.

Even low-fat granola bars are mostly sugar, with some oats. Better than straight sugar, but still not a nutrient-loaded snack. To optimize the nutrition, select one that is low or no-fat, with one or two grams of fiber. The more fiber, the more grains, which is where the nutrients are. Granola bars are definitely more nutritious than most “candy,” but definitely not as nutrient-dense as “food.”

To cut down on the risk of tooth decay associated with eating candy, select candies that aren’t “gooey,” ones that aren’t prone to getting stuck between your teeth. Eat sugary foods with meals, or follow up with a piece of cheese which neutralizes the cavity-causing effect of the sugar. And of course, nothing beats brushing and flossing your teeth regularly.

Finally, here are some tips to battle the enormous amounts of candy your children may be bringing into the house this Halloween season. Most parents ration out candy, which is probably the best plan from a nutritional standpoint. There is room in your diet for a piece of candy, as long as the other food groups are consumed adequately to provide all the needed nutrients. In addition, parents may want to establish a deadline for how long the candy will be in the house. After that time, the remaining candy should be discarded. Or have your children choose which candies are their favorites and discard the others. Most importantly, put the candy out of sight, so they have to ask for it if they want it. Out of sight, especially with children, is very often out of mind.

To limit your own consumption, try giving out candy that you don’t care for, to decrease your temptation. And if you feel the urge, try a “snack size” so the craving is fulfilled with minimal damage to your overall diet.

To do your part in limiting the amount of candy, try giving out something other than candy for Halloween. Try individual boxes of raisins or other dried fruits, packages of pretzels, animal crackers, or graham crackers. Try a non-food item, such as stickers, bubbles, bouncing balls, pens, or anything else that is age-appropriate. Halloween can be about getting dressed up, having a party, and having a great time, rather than about eating candy for the next month.

How to Make the Most of After-School Time

Parents: Don't let your child waste precious after-school time surfing the net or hanging out. Instead, keep them learning and growing with our special martial arts program for kids.

What better treat for your child than self-discipline, respect, focus and confidence? That's exactly what your son or daughter will gain by taking martial arts lessons at ASDFC. Martial arts are a blast for children. Our classes are fun, safe, and high-energy. Plus, we specialize in teaching powerful character development skills in a positive environment. As a parent, you know how important this is for your child and we do too!