The ActNow B.C. Road to Health: Aboriginal Community Tour
wrapped up its work in Mount Currie on Dec. 10 after paying a visit to teach
the community about healthy living.
ActNow B.C. is a provincial campaign that wants to make B.C.
the healthiest place ever to host the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Part
and parcel of the whole campaign is a pledge that binds you to do healthy
things such as walking to work, talking to your kids about tobacco and eating
smaller servings. No super-sizing allowed.
Fifty children from the Xit’olacw Community School in Grades 4
through 7 took part in the festivities, which included health-based learning
activities led by ActNow, as well as diabetes and heart health screenings led
by local health professionals.
Jeanette Green, principal of Xit’olacw Community School, said
in a news release that she’s excited about the ways that her school has adopted
healthier eating and physical practices.
The school, registered as an Action School, only offers healthy
foods for breakfast and lunch and school vending machines only have healthy
drinks. Fruit and vegetables form part of every meal and iced tea has been
replaced by water and milk.
“For the most part parents are really good at sending healthy
lunches,” Green said in the release. “They are learning. Kids are bringing less
packaged foods now.”
The school also has a stringent “naked snack” policy to help
reinforce healthy eating. In the elementary school kids have to unwrap and show
their snacks to teachers before they leave for recess. Students are asked to
save their snacks for the end of the day if they’re too sweet. In March,
nutrition month at Xit’olacw, no pop or junk food is allowed at school.
Students get an hour and a half of physical education every week and have mini-exercise breaks throughout the day.