Healthy eating, exercise, and moderate screen time.

1. MAKING LIFE CHOICES
November 2016 Character Education

2. LEARNING TARGET
 Learning Target: I can identify ways to be mentally and physically
healthy by making good life choices.

3. THE CHOICES MENU…
 Choices… choices… choices!!! So many choices to make, and does it
actually make a difference if I choose a salad or a burger? If I only
exercise when I have to in PE? If I have a soda every day? If I don’t get
enough sleep? If I spend several hours every day on social media???
 What’s the big deal?

4. YES, INDEED! YOUR CHOICES
MATTER TODAY!
 The little (and big) choices you are making today are shaping your
future. Simplistically speaking, that which you repeatedly do forms a
strong pathway in your brain. Each time you repeat something, it
reinforces the neural pathway and establishes habits. It doesn’t mean
you can’t change them, but it is difficult after it has been strengthened
over time. Depending on the choices… it can also have long-term
effects on your physical health and mental well-being.
 For example… if you have already formed a pattern of bad eating
habits, it is more difficult to create a new pathway or retrain your brain
to make better choices in the future.

5. SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS!
 However, the more you practice the “new” or improved habit or
behavior, the easier it becomes as that new pathway is reinforced and
strengthened.

6. IS EXERCISE YOUR FRENEMY?
MAKE IT YOUR FRIEND!
 No matter what your age or shape, you should exercise daily. Not only
does exercise tone your body, it strengthens your muscles, keeps your
bones strong, and improves your skin. And there are more benefits of
exercise -- increased relaxation, better sleep and mood, strong immune
function, and more.

7. FEELING MOODY? LEAVE THE
DRAMA IN DRAMA CLASS!
 Research shows that regular exercise reduces symptoms of moderate
depression and enhances psychological fitness. Exercise can even help
increase a positive psychological state.
 Endorphins are hormones in the brain associated with a happy, positive
feeling. A low level of endorphins is associated with depression. During
exercise, endorphins increase, which may help to ease symptoms of
depression. Research has found that physically active people were half as
likely to be depressed.
 Exercise also boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. This
neurotransmitter is thought to play a key role in keeping your mood calm.

8. IS YOUR CELL PHONE
PERMANENTLY CONNECTED TO
YOU?

9. THE TECHNOLOGY TAKE-OVER
 Shaky hands. Sweaty palms. Seventeen-year-old Oliver is restless,
can’t focus, and keeps reaching into his empty pockets as his heart
pounds with panic. But why—is he on the run from zombies?
Vampires? Werewolves? Or all three? Actually, it’s a much more
ordinary situation: Oliver accidentally left his phone at home.
 Oliver isn’t proud of it, but he’s the first to admit his dependence: Even
a five-minute trip to the store without his device is enough to fill him with
unease, paranoia, and fear. But he’s not alone in this feeling—the
stress and separation anxiety of going phone-free is so common, it’s
been given a name: nomophobia (short for no-mobile-phone phobia).

10. ADDICTED TO APPS…
 Yes, technology helps us stay connected and informed. Who can even
imagine life without the Internet in their hands or being able to text mom
to say “running late, don’t worry”? When technology does everything,
however, it’s easy to become dependent on it. And now, scientists are
beginning to wonder if our tech addiction is giving us a leg up, or putting
obstacles (in many cases invisible ones!) in our path.

11. CHECK OUT THE FACTS… YIKES!!!
 The average teen’s screen time per day: 7 hours
 96% of teens consider cell phones vital to their lives (compared to 92%
who consider their toothbrush to be vital!
 Texting while driving is 6X more dangerous than driving while drunk.
 4 out of 5 teens sleep with their phone
 90% of texts are read within 3 minutes
 The number of times an average person checks their phone each day is
150!
 Teens send approximately 3,339 texts per month

12. THE POINT IS… YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF
THE PHONE! DON’T LET IT CONTROL
YOU AND TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE.
 We’ve all heard it… moderation in all things. There are so many great
things in life that don’t involve technology and it’s important to tap into
those things.

13. STAY HEALTHY & HAPPY!
 Information adapted from CHOICES the current health life-skills
magazine for teens.
 http://teens.webmd.com/benefits-of-exercise?