National Drug Council targets youth in virtual campaign

(CMR) The National Drug Council (NDC) has launched its second annual Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds (HBHM) virtual campaign for the month of November.

“Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds was developed from a need to reach our youngest citizens with important information about how to develop healthy habits,” explains Delisa Hernandez, NDC’s Prevention and Education Officer.

“In order to ensure that we could reach as many children and families as possible, the entire month-long calendar is available free of cost on the NDC website to teachers, parents, caregivers, youth-serving organizations, and even young people themselves,” she adds.

The daily activities offer participants information that helps to promote healthy nutrition, movement, mindfulness, and awareness.  By doing these activities daily, children and families help to develop healthier habits.

“What struck me about this virtual campaign is the fact that it is an important precursor to drug prevention education programs,” the Hon. Sabrina Turner, Minister for Health and Wellness, noted.

“In teaching children how their bodies are supposed to function, you are also equipping them with the information to better understand how drugs and alcohol impair those very functions.  Making this connection is necessary in helping them to see the harm that these substances cause the human body,” she added.

Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds is the first in a series of building blocks that tackle drug prevention education and programming more holistically.

“Our aim at the NDC is to ensure that our prevention messages reach the intended audiences,” explains Brenda Watson, Acting Director of the NDC.

“As younger and younger children are exposed to harmful messages, it is important that we do our part in helping to equip schools, families, and communities with fun, factual, relevant and accessible tools to help build drug prevention knowledge and resilience from a young age,” Watson stated.

Cookbook competition

The 2022 HBHM Campaign will also feature a cookbook competition.  Participants are encouraged to submit healthy recipes for consideration.

“Cooking and eating together provide such important opportunities for bonding as a family.  By encouraging not only children but the families to participate in this challenge, we are hoping to encourage that bonding, creativity, and perhaps even spark new family traditions that last long after this year’s campaign is done,” Ms. Hernandez added.

There will be prizes for winning recipes, and all recipes will be featured in the virtual HBHM Cookbook, which will be released by the National Drug Council early 2023.

For more information on Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds, or to register for the campaign, log on to www.ndc.ky.