Martin the Unhealthy

By:

Story: Martin, an unhealthy, hedgehogey sort of man, is vistited by a strange man named Ben who encourages him to leave his lazy lifestyle behind and become healthier. 

Objective: Complete each level (each of which has a different message about becoming healthy)

Audience:  Everyone who interested in becoming healthy

Team Members: Ashlyn B and Deirdre S

Lesson: Two of the best ways to become healthier are to go outside and exercise and to choose your food wisely, avoiding foods with high amounts of soduim and sugar specifically. 

Level One: Sitting in front of the television isn't healthy. 

Level Two: You should choose your food wisely, eating more foods such as apples over unhealthy foods such as french fries.

Level Three: Exercising impacts health and mood most prominently. 

• EXERCISE
  Millions of Americans suffer from illnesses that could be prevented or improved through regular physical activity.

  Exercising helps with many things including...

- Reducing the risk of dying prematurely from heart diseases

- Reducing the risk of developing diabetes

- Reducing the risk of developing high blood pressure

- Helping to reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure

- Reducing the risk of developing certain types of cancer

- Reducing feelings of depression and anxiety

- Helping to control and maintain weight

- Helping to build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints

- Helping older adults to become stronger and better able to move about without falling

- Promoting psychological well-being

- Preventing back pain

- Improving mood

DIET
Along with exercising it is recommended that people watch their diets. It is recommended that the average human takes in about 1,500 mg of sodium a day. In our game, we use French fries as an example for the unhealthy food. French fries from a popular fast food restaurants contain from 350 mg to 710 mg of sodium. By eating a small serving of fries, you are consuming anywhere from one fifth to one half of your daily recommended amount of sodium. 

If sodium intake is higher than the kidneys can process, it can have a toxic effect and can cause kidney failure and increases risk of kidney diseases. About 97 percent of American children and adolescents consume too much sodium. Sodium can also increase the risk of heart failure, stroke and osteoporosis. Several studies link high salt diets with increased incidents of gastric cancer, which is a bad stomach cancer. 

On the opposite side in our game, we'll use apples as an example for a healthy food. Apples are often thought of first as a healthy snack because of all of the good things they can do for your body, hence the common phrase "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!" Here are many of the reasons, listed here:

- Apples contain Vitamin C, which helps to strengthen the immune system. 

- The flavanoids present in apples help to prevent heart disease.

- Apples are low in calories, each containing an average of about 85 calories. 

- Several forms of cancer can be prevented by eating apples. 

- Apples contain phenols, which reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. 

- Apples prevent tooth decay. 

- Apples protect your brain from diseases. Apples have substances called phytonutrients which prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers. 

- Healthier lungs can be attained by consuming apples. 

- Apples have natural sugar. Your body needs sugar but it can't consume too much or it will turn the sugar into fat or it could cause kidney failure, similar to sodium.

 

Created by Ashlyn B. in  Microsoft Excel

  

 Created in Photoshop by Ashlyn

Created in Photo Booth by Ashlyn and Deirdre