As for the pregnant Glouster girls, any sane adult has to wonder, “WHY would they do that?” I wondered, too. Where did those girls get the idea that being a teen mom would be like…awesome?

Maybe we could blame the media. Recently, it’s been shining awfully bright lights on pregnancy, depicting it as glamorous and trendy. In the hugely popular movie Juno, the lead character is a very hip, smart, and pregnant 16-year-old. Coincidentally, the day the Glouster story broke, media outlets blasted the news of the birth of a baby to Brittany Spears’ little sister, Jamie Lynn, who is 17. For months, paparazzi photographed her growing “bump,” as teens around the nation watched Jamie smiling, waving, and wearing totally But could media coverage cause an otherwise mentally stable 15-year-old to believe that getting pregnant now is a great idea? I don’t think so. Not any more than playing violent video games is going to turn an emotionally healthy 15-year-old into a mass murderer.

Develop the pattern of the Higher Carb eating style from the POINTSpie Action Sheet by following this menu model:

• The Guide provides a POINTS value of 20 for the day and will maximize your weight loss without sacrificing nutrition. If you’re not satisfied with the amount of food it provides or are losing weight too rapidly, adjust it by: 1) Adding foods to meet your POINTS Target. 2) Using your 35 FlexPoints
• As you add foods to the model, focus on carb-rich foods like whole grains, fruits, milk, and vegetables.
• Don’t forget to follow the eight “Good Health Habits” to optimize your health and weight loss†.

If managing the portions of carbs you eat – foods like bread, pasta, and rice – is a challenge for you, use this special edition of the Quick and Easy Guide to Higher Protein Eating (along with the general information on the reverse side):

What is the Weight Watchers benefit?
The Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB) has negotiated with the 2010 medical plan carriers to continue to provide a weight management program at no cost to covered employees. The carriers contracted with Weight Watchers to provide this benefit.

Who is eligible?
No-cost participation applies only to PEBB-covered employees enrolled in a PEBB-sponsored medical plan from Providence Health or Kaiser.

• Dependents are not eligible for the no-cost participation.
• If you opt out of medical coverage, you are not eligible for the no-cost participation, even if you are enrolled in a PEBB-sponsored medical plan through your spouse or domestic partner.

How do I enroll?
FIRST STEP: Select the Weight Watchers program option that is most convenient to your weight-loss efforts and lifestyle. The choice is yours!

How much does the program cost?
The cost is $180.00 per 15-week session (Rice will subsidize ½ the cost of the program, so your cost is $90). Our member fees can be paid using our split payment option to ease family finances. We accept personal checks, cash, Visa and MasterCard. If paying by credit card, the split payment option is not available.

When are the fees due?
The full fee, either one check for the full amount, or 3 checks of $30.00 each or credit card information must be collected from all members by Rice at least one full week prior to the scheduled start of the meeting series.

When are the meetings held?
The meetings will be in the 2nd Floor Conference Room of the RMC/Ley Student Center on Mondays starting on March 14th at 11:30 am – weigh-in will start at 11:15 am. The program is a 15-week program – because of the Memorial Day holiday, the last session is Monday, June 27th.

DILUTING THE BENEFITS OF TEA

Tea is getting a lot of good press these days. Many studies have linked regular tea drinking to a lowered risk of cancer, heart disease and hypertension. But when it comes to calories, all teas are not created equal, said Lisa R. Young, a nutritionist at New York University.

A 16-ounce bottle of the popular Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey, for instance, contains 140 calories and 34 grams of sugar. A grande Tazo chai tea latte at Starbucks packs 240 calories and 41 grams of sugar.

“I see so many educated people who, when I tell them it has calories, look at me and say, ‘It does?’” Dr. Young said. “These are people who wouldn’t get the whole-milk cappuccino, but they get the venti chai because it’s only tea.”

Methods of Use:
Foliar Spray
VermiGrow Castings Tea foliar spray can be used to supply supplemental doses of minor and major nutrients, plant hormones, stimulants, and other beneficial substances. Benefits of this foliar spray include yield increases, resistance to diseases and insect pests, improved drought tolerance, and enhanced crop quality.

Foliar applications are timed to coincide with specific vegetative or fruiting stages of growth. Applications are used to aid plants in recovery from transplant shock, hail damage, or the results of other weather extremes.

Soil Drench
When applied as a drench, VermiGrow Castings Tea promotes good soil structure. The microorganisms found in organic teas excrete organic gums and resins that, together with fungal hyphae, bind soil particles into structural aggregates, improving both soil structure and water-holding capacity.

How to Apply It?
Plan ahead – it is important that you apply the tea the SAME DAY that you purchase it because the tea will become less oxygenated over time. Remember, the tea is alive!