February 9th marked the first anniversary of the launch of the “Let’s Move!” campaign, spearheaded by First Lady Michelle Obama.  This national initiative is dedicated to fighting the childhood obesity epidemic.  The campaign is focused on improving access to healthy and affordable foods, especially in schools, increasing child and parent awareness of health and nutrition, and increasing physical activity.  So far, many changes have already been made in schools to promote good nutritious foods and to get kids more physically active by playing and exploring outside.

This advice is great for adults to!  The American Colleges of Sports Medicine has been working through their own initiative, “Exercise is Medicine”, to encourage adults to increase physical activity and  structured exercise to combat many chronic diseases, such as obesity, high blood pressure, cancer, depression and anxiety, and osteoporosis.

Each of these two initiatives brings us all back to the basics: Nutrition and Exercise are the fundamentals of good health.  Check out the websites at:  www.letsmove.gov and www.exerciseismedicine.org for more information for you and your family!

• Laura Eddy, Clinical Exercise Specialist
  Industrial Rehabilitation - AdvanceMed Hanford