Welcome to the official Harrisburg Area YMCA Blog! Here, we offer tips, tricks, testimonials, and more related to our areas of focus: youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. To stay up to date on all the latest posts, subscribe to our blog by using the form on the right!
Five Essential Water Safety Tips to Know
As temperatures rise, kids want to cool off, whether that’s in a pool, pond, lake, river, stream, or ocean. That means the risk of drowning is ever-present. With May being National Water Safety Month, now is the time for parents and caregivers to reinforce the importance of water safety and equip their kids with the […]
Recipes and Tips to Increase Nutrient Absorption
Many of us know that we get energy directly from macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) in our food, but vitamins and minerals are also essential for the production and storage of energy in the body. Absorption refers to the act or process of absorbing or assimilating something. When we talk about nutrient absorption, we’re referring […]
How to Increase Your Vegetable Consumption
The current research on vegetables and fruits still stands: a higher intake of fruit and vegetables is associated with lower total and cause-specific mortality. Based on a recent peer-reviewed evidence-based study, the lowest risk of mortality was observed for ~5 servings per day of fruit and vegetables. Most of us know that vegetables are one […]
A Successful Life with Autism
When I was four years old I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. This would later be classified as a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum, which can encompass a number of disabilities. I would not learn what this disorder was until many years later and was not entirely aware of how much I would struggle […]
Eating Seasonally to Improve Your Nutrition and Health
Being able to eat seasonally is not a new concept, but it is one that has been made more complex by our increasingly globalized food system. For this reason, the UK Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has come up with a definition of seasonality based on where the food was grown versus where […]
Celebrating National Nutrition Month at the Y
According to a 2016 study using data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Survey, less than 3% of Americans live a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle constitutes eating well, exercising regularly, managing body fat, and not smoking. This means that the other 97% of American adults get a failing grade on healthy habits. There […]
Nutrition Genius
Of all your organs, your brain uses the most energy. Did you know your brain uses 25% of all of the energy you consume through food and beverages? That is ¼ of our energy use on one organ! Your body requires healthy food with certain nutrients and vitamins to fuel your brain. These nutrients help […]
My Love/Hate Relationship With Coffee
How many people do you know that are trying to cut back on their coffee consumption? It’s a lifelong battle for some. Let’s talk about why this is a reality for so many people, what makes it difficult, and how we can find practical ways to reduce caffeine consumption. Coffee, Coffee, Coffee Caffeine is a […]
Y Summer Camp Registration
The Benefits of Summer Camp Going to summer camp can have many benefits for your child. According to Our Kids, summer camp can allow kids to grow and have new experiences in a safe environment, which is especially important for sheltered or “bubbled” youth. For example, summer camp can help kids gain lifelong friendships and […]
Mindful Eating with Hunger and Cravings
Mindfulness is being present. We are aware of what we’re doing and what we’re not doing, without interpretation or judgment. You could say it is the mind observing and labeling thoughts and feelings in the body in an unbiased manner. Research has shown how mindfulness benefits patients with cardiovascular disease, depression, chronic pain, and cancer. […]
