IRELAND’S ONE MILLIONTH parkrun happened last weekend
The free weekly 5-kilometre timed runs started in November 2012. There are now 75 parkruns and 13 junior parkruns across the country. Our local runs include Tymon park and Marlay park.

So far there have been almost 9,200 events in Ireland with an average of 104 runners at each run. Parkrun Ireland country manager Matt Shields said, “The milestone of one million parkruns is a great contribution to this vision and involves people of all ages and abilities".
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The park runs are absolutely free once you register and have proved to be a fantastic initiative to encourage physical activity in Ireland. Walk, jog or run, that's entirely up to you! I love to take part myself and as the weather improves I aim to get there every Saturday. Maybe you will too.

Shane

Experts recommend that children should consume approximately 20g of sugar per day, that is about 5 tea spoons. The pictures illustrate the sugar content of simple every day foods like cereal, jam and yogurts. 

Shane

According to the experts the foods children eat are important for brain development. "The foods children eat can affect focus and cognitive skills" says psychiatrist Drew Ramsey, MD, co-author of The Happiness Diet and Fifty Shades of Kale.
These 6 foods can help kids stay sharp and affect how their brains develop well into the future.



1. Eggs. The protein and nutrients in eggs help kids concentrate.



2. Greek Yogurt. Fat is important to brain health, says Laura Lagano, RD. A full-fat Greek yogurt (which has more protein that other yogurts) can help keep brain cells in good form for sending and receiving information.



3. Greens. Full of folate and vitamins and packed with antioxidants that help the brain cells grow.



4. Fish. Fish is a good source of vitamin d and omega-3s, which protect the brain from declining mental skills and memory loss.



5. Nuts and Seeds. Packed with protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, nuts and seeds may boost mood and keep your nervous system  in check.



6. Apples and Plums. Kids often crave sweets, especially when they're feeling sluggish. Apples and plums are lunchbox-friendly and contain quercetin, an antioxidant that may fight decline in mental skills.

The research indicates that the foods our children eat can have a positive impact on brain development and concentration. An interesting concept.

​Shane

Spring time has arrived and the evenings are getting that little brighter. What better way to spend those brighter evenings than playing a sport that you love! In encouraging every child to be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day this photograph will hopefully offer a variety of sport and exercise to suit every child. Just like us adults, every child will have a favourite sport or past time that they love. I hope this photo will give you some ideas of the variety of sport and physical activity that children can enjoy. There really is something for everyone, we just need to help our children find it! 

​Shane

Preparing the lunch box

• A healthy lunch boosts children’s energy and helps them concentrate and learn throughout their day
• Involve your children in preparing their lunch
• Use reusable bags and containers that are easy to manage for your children
• Pick the healthiest options for your children
• Limit sweet treats in their lunch box
• Vary the food so children don’t become bored

Lunch box ideas

• Sandwiches –     Wholemeal, granary bread, pitta bread, wraps, bagels, crackers, rolls
• Fillings – Chicken, ham, turkey, chicken, bacon, cheese, jam. 
• Snacks - Portion of cubed cheddar cheese, cheese stick or triangles, container of raisins, dried fruit, mixed berries, fruit salad, sliced cucumber, thin carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes
• Fresh Fruit - cut apples, mango, pineapple, bananas, oranges, seedless grapes, watermelon, and mandarins 
• Drinks – Water or milk

Shane
 

The recommendations for children to be physically active are 60 minutes of moderate to high intensity daily. And children love to be active! As parents there are so many different types of physical activity that we can do with our children, the secret is to find something that you both enjoy and can do together. That may be simply walking or cycling or any of the other sports in this picture. There is something for everyone, we just have to find it!  Shane

We have started this page as a way of giving bite-size tips towards healthy living! Whether you are already living as a super-healthy family or you are just starting to think about how to get healthier, we hope that you will find some motivation and ideas to make one small change in your daily or weekly life to leave a health-focussed legacy for your child(ren)!

If you have any tips of your own that you would like to share with our community, just reply to any email from us to pass it on - please mark it "FAO Shane" so that it can be easily directed to Shane, who will be doing most of the blogging here!

We would also appreciate feedback on whether this page is useful and whether we should continue it, stop bothering or even take it up a notch!