Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, RN, EdD
I hate to say it, but back in the good old days, when it was safe to go from house-to-house trick or treating, I could get quite a workout trying to fill my huge bag with goodies. I also got to commune with nature, a very spiritual thing. It was also safe to accept apples and oranges and other more healthy treats. Now, a less bewitching form of Halloween is popular. Halloween parties take place in large residential complexes, schools, churches and wherever parents believe kids will be safely inside.
Is there anything you can do to contribute to healthy living on Halloween?
Don't think you can have a positive effect by selecting an energy bar. Do you know that Americans spend an estimated $1.25 billion annually to purchase energy bars. And they don't even give you extra energy. At least that's what David Pearson, director of Ball State's Strength Research Laboratory found. His study of cyclists found that those who used energy bars for breakfast had no advantage over those who ate bagels. I guess I'm not that surprised. Energy bars are overly-processed and over-priced candy bars.
What can be done to put a little health into Halloween?
A couple of years ago, my husband and I decided we didn't want to contribute to cavities, high blood pressure and overweight. We went out and bought handfuls of ballpoint pens. My husband, who loves to fish, saw a plastic pumpkin floating by in the water off the pier one day and grabbed it. We cleaned the pumpkin and stuffed the pens inside and set it by the door.
When we opened up to the first trick-or-treaters, we were nervous. What if the kids don't want the pens and demand candy? We didn't have any, so it was pens or nothing.
To our surprise, the kids were intrigued. At first they looked confused. Their confusion soon turned to smiles. "Neat. I'm always losing my pens," said a young man in a batman suit. "I can really use these," told me a little girl dressed like a witch.
The pens were a big hit. Kids need them to do their homework and they're one treat that won't hurt their teeth or add unnecessary pounds. Who knows, we might even be encouraging a new generation of authors.
Think about it...
Happy Halloween!
