BTIG Charity Day, which took place this year on May 8, has raised over $45 million since its initiation in 2003 and benefits hundreds of nonprofit organizations that are critical to America’s youth, including the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation and Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation. The charitable event includes an impressively long list of all-star athletes, film and television figures, top recording artists, business leaders and cultural icons that come together to raise funds. Some of America’s idols had some powerful words to share at BTIG Charity Day that stressed fitness, diet and technology’s effect on heart and psychological health.
Shoudout! to Shaq Giving Back: This Thing Called Gym
Shaquille O’Neal had some great comments on kids’ heart health and fitness. “I think the government needs to stop taking away school programs. Kids need to stay active and eat right. They’re in school most of the day and … while they’re at school, we definitely should raise their physical activity. You know, while I was growing up, it was called gym. We need to continue that.”
Lifestyle has changed drastically over the years. With TV, phones, computers and other technology, kids are staying cooped up more often when they go home. The educational environment is meant to foster well-being, development and improvement. This growth need not be limited to the cognitive capacity. Physical activity actually fosters mental well-being and academic performance.
Exercise causes the brain to release endorphins, dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin, all chemicals in the brain linked to mood. Exercise can aid in combating depression and reducing stress. As for boosting academic performance, studies show that physical activity in adolescence may not only predict academic success during compulsory basic education, but also boost educational outcomes later in life.
Additionally, schools could try to prevent misunderstanding in America’s children. “I don’t have to go to the gym because I ate very healthy today” isn’t quite copacetic. One study assessed diet-related health beliefs in response to nutritional interventions. Schools can help teach students the facts about diet and exercise to prevent misconceptions about diet-related compensation to prevent obesity and in turn, prevent heart disease.
Bottom line: Kids need their exercise and schools can help facilitate. Shaq finished with a great point: “There’s a lot of heart health problems in youngsters that shouldn’t be.”
[Read: 3 Ways to Raise Kids Who Will Be Active for Life.]
Listen to Ludacris and Eat Your Veggies, Kids
At BTIG Charity Day, hip-hop artist Ludacris represented The Ludacris Foundation. Hip-hop and R&B is now the most popular music genre and carries with it an abundant influence. The Ludacris Foundation inspires youth through education and memorable experience to live their dreams by uplifting families, communities and fostering economic development. It focuses on three key areas: leadership and education, living healthy lifestyles and a community outreach program called LudaCares.
Ludacris cares about helping youth help themselves. He passionately spoke about his thoughts regarding heart health. Here is his message: “Part of what we do is about teaching children about healthy lifestyles. So, we try to teach kids about growing their own vegetables and having their own garden, [making sure food is] antibiotic free. No matter their diet, [they should] eat clean and drink a lot of water.”
Studies show when a diet consisting of significantly more calories from complex carbohydrates, vegetable proteins, polyunsaturated fats, fiber, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C (things from vegetables and fruits) and fewer calories in saturated fat and cholesterol, there’s a significant decrease in heart disease total risk factors. There’s also a significant decrease in total complications, such as high LDL-C and blood pressure, and cardiovascular endpoints, such as heart failure.
Ludacris closed with a very powerful statement that resonates with our article, ” Patients and Clinicians Unite Part Two: Tailored Treatment Is the Best Fit.” (Give it a read, if you haven’t!) Ludacris tells us to “research as much as you can about what you put into your body and how it affects you.” You hear that, kids? Be knowledgeable about what you consume and understand its effects on your body and health. Knowledge is power and you only get one body, so treat it right. Eating clean helps makes you healthy.
Wise Words from Walt “Clyde” Frazier: Discipline and Confidence Is Key
Legendary New York Knick Walter “Clyde” Frazier was at BTIG Charity Day on behalf of Walt Frazier Youth Foundation, which is concerned with education, being a good person, having a game plan for life and succeeding. He’s all about educating and believing in yourself. The more you enrich your body and mind, the more successful you’ll be in life. He said, “Diet is everything. Exercise. You know, I’m 73. People don’t think I’m 73, but I am. I weigh the same as I did 40 years ago, 205 pounds, when I played for the Knicks. I’m always watching my diet and working out. A lot of [it is] discipline and pride in the way I look.” Wow. It’s jaw dropping that he maintained the same weight as when he was a young sprout killing the game on the court.
Frazier is definitely onto something. Studies have shown that heart failure has been related to cerebral dysfunction, with a high prevalence of cognitive impairment. Such impairment may be related to cognitive loss, such as a decrease in the brain’s blood flow, decreases in brain cell size, loss of gray matter of the brain and autonomic nervous system function, which is critical to keep a person breathing and alive. Even in patients with heart failure, exercise is associated with an improvement in cognitive function and cardiac autonomic regulation. There’s a strong synergy between the brain and the heart. It’s one body; it’s all connected. Treat it right and have faith in yourself.
Children and adults should heed Frazier’s advice and maybe we can all look as good as he does when we reach his age. He’ll also need to give us some style tips, because when Clyde Frazier steps on the scene, his ensemble stands out.
[See: 10 Fun Kid Activities for Adult Bodies and Minds.]
Curtis Martin’s Comprehensive Insight
The great former NFL player Curtis Martin’s doctors told him something that “really stuck out to him” and inspired him to “put in the work at his age to preserve his life and his future.” He said, “It’s very important to get your heart rate up at least three times a week through exercise. It could literally prolong the years that you live. I’ve always been a believer in heart health, and fitness is the best thing that you could do for your entire body.” Do you see the common trend yet? Get moving!
Martin emphasized the negative effects of technology on America’s youth. “I think the attraction to that technology is becoming so significant that it’s robbing kids of their youth. I have two little girls. We hardly ever let them watch a whole lot of TV and be on computers and cell phones. We find that they create their own fun. They are always playing, doing artwork.”
Curtis further highlighted that the paralleling rise between technology and sedentary lifestyle in children is not only detrimental to heart and physical health, but mental and psychosocial health as well. “I think it’s bad for your emotional, psychological and sociological skills. Kids don’t have to interact with people face-to-face anymore. We’re in a world that is really about how efficient and quickly things get done. Getting things done fast isn’t always about getting things done right.”
We encourage children to do right by their health and put the phones down for a bit. Curtis’ words are motivational and inspirational. Parents should take note of this and can try to help their kids find time away from technology to enjoy the world and people around them. Their hearts and minds will surely be grateful.
Didi Gregorius’ Advice to Youngsters
Didi Gregorius gives us his outlook on heart health and fitness: “You’ve always got to work on it, try to get better and stay in shape. It helps everything if you do everything the right way and keep it simple.” We really hope it’s clear how imperative exercise is for your health at this point in the article!
When asked to give advice to kids about how to stay in shape, he vivaciously smiled. “I mean, stop playing video games. That’s one thing. When I was growing up, I was always outside in New York doing something. We’ve got to go out and enjoy ourselves.” Didi and Curtis Martin seem to be in agreement. We are with them, too, as is the rest of the medical community.
Studies have shown that research and interventions should focus on strategies to facilitate time outdoors during unstructured leisure time to maximize moderate to vigorous physical activity in children. Unstructured outdoor leisure time was associated with almost double the amount in total daily moderate to vigorous physical activity compared with unstructured indoor leisure time. The association was even stronger when comparing unstructured outdoor time to structured indoor time. Increasing the proportion of youth engaging in structured activity may also be similarly beneficial. Structured activity involving physical exertion? Sounds like Shaq was right about gym class.
[See: How to Be the New Kid in Fitness Class.]
Moral of the Story
Doctors, media and now celebrities are encouraging us to all make moves. Get moving, eat right and enjoy life and people around you. Pink Floyd’s lyrics, “All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be,” come to mind while hearing some of these celebrity figures’ prudent comments. America’s adults and especially its youth should strive to eat healthy, exercise and get outdoors. You have one body, one life. Make it last long and well. Or as Spock says, “live long and prosper.”
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Keep Kids’ Hearts Healthy: What the Celebs Have to Say originally appeared on usnews.com
