The Future Is Bright for UthMpact Leaders!

 

Special thanks to 3 UthMpact Leaders who served as interns in our InnerAct Alliance office over the summer. Meet Serena, Angelly, and Tristan - three extremely bright lights😎for the future of Polk County and wherever their journeys may take them!

Hit the Pause Button for Think-About-It Thursday

 

Self-reflection can be an important step in our quest to become the best version of ourselves. It enables us to move from just experiencing into understanding. It also encourages a level of self-awareness and consciousness which can guide us to being able to identify areas that are strengths as well as areas for improvement. 

Reflection lends itself to emotional intelligence - the ability to understand and remain in control of our emotions. Many times, frustration, stress, and pain can be avoided if you simply reflect on your behaviors and thoughts. Having a defined process for thinking things through can be a useful skill for our own personal growth and wellbeing, as well as when working with others. 

As the Greek philosopher Aristotle once said "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." Why not start with some of these simple self-reflection prompts from our friends at Positively Present that appear in the graphic above.  

UthMpact Teen Leaders Attend Their 2024 Class XIV Retreat

 

UthMpact's Leadership Class XIV attended a summer planning retreat yesterday. This energetic group of youth leaders came in inspired to give their all to everything they accomplished! The first item on the busy agenda for the morning was to dive deeper into their Clifton Strengths Test Results. With assistance from leadership coach, Elena Pastore, they learned more about their individual personal strengths and how to enhance them to the next level.💪

During the afternoon activities, the group met with motivational speaker and leadership trainer, Patrick Grady, completed their planned Team Tasks, and had fun presenting their very creative and professional Team Banners.🎨

So proud of all our youth leaders! Special thanks to Angelly Hernandez-Martinez for sharing some great photos of our teen leaders at work!😊

Prevent Impaired Driving: Talk with Your Kids

 

InnerAct Alliance joins with our prevention partners at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to remind parents that it's always the right time to talk with your kids about the dangers of impaired driving, especially with teens driving more often during the summer months. Communication is key to keeping your kids safe as well as those who they share the road with.

About 1-in-4 teen car crashes involve an impaired driver. The most effective way to stop impaired driving is to prevent it from ever happening. Before they hit the road with friends, talk with your kids and remind them to drive safely and steer clear of underage drinking and other substance use.

Some common situations you can use to reinforce expectations are: when your child asks to borrow the car - when you're at the dinner table together - when your child asks to ride with a friend to school or to a party - when you're running errands or in the car together. 

Need ideas?💡Get tips on how to talk to your teens about impaired driving with SAMHSA's "Impaired Driving: Talk with Your Kids" fact sheet -

 https://www.samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you/parent-resources/impaired-driving

Today is World Brain Day for Brain Health & Prevention

 

Today is World Brain Day - an annual event observed on July 22 aimed at promoting awareness and education for neurological disorders that affect individuals worldwide. World Brain Day 2024 is an initiative led by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) to advocate for the importance of brain health and prevention measures.

The human brain is the most complex organ in the body - it controls basic body functions and shapes thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Prevention is key for brain health. It is important to exercise regularly (physical activity increases blood flow to the brain) - protect your head (wear a helmet & seat belts) - prioritize sleep (aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep) - stay hydrated (drink plenty of water) - prioritize mental wellbeing (self-care) - eat a balanced diet (fruit, veggies, whole grains, lean protein) - manage stress (practice relaxation) - stay socially connected (strong ties to family & friends) - and avoid tobacco and alcohol use. 

Our brains are programmed to do things that feel good. Addictive drugs tap into our brain's reward system and flood it with dopamine, which causes the user to repeat behavior that triggers extreme pleasure to feel good in the moment. Over time, this effect wears off and so do other "feel good" activities - this may put users at greater risk of harm. With prolonged use, changes to other brain chemical systems occur and this can negatively affect your judgment, decision-making, memory, and ability to learn.

Once the brain adapts to drug use by developing tolerance, it begins to require more and more of a drug to feel the same result. This decreases the brain's ability to resist temptation and can affect the amount of pleasure a person receives from normal everyday activities like enjoying food, experiences, or relationships.

So, on this World Brain Day, make sure to take care of your brain so that your brain can take care of you. Choose not to try or use other drugs and educate yourself about why drugs are harmful. When you learn about what substance use can do to your brain and your body, it can help you make healthier decisions - knowledge saves lives!

This Sunday, July 21, is National Ice Cream Day

🍦National Ice Cream Day is this Sunday, July 21🍧

If you love ice cream - and let's be honest, who doesn't? - 

make plans to enjoy all the yummy deals & freebies this Sunday🍦

Note: These are "in-app" purchases, so take time to download the

 apps ahead of time to take advantage of these delicious desserts! 🍨

More Info for Parents About Delta-8 aka Weed Light

 

Delta-8 has been in the headlines lately - adults may not know what it is, but unfortunately our kids do! As we learned in yesterday's post, statistics from the 2023 Monitoring the Future survey show that approximately 11% of 12th graders across the U.S. reported using Delta-8 THC in the past year.

Such stats highlight why it is important for parents to be aware of current drug trends and communicate with their children so they can establish themselves as a trusted source of information about substance use.

When people talk about marijuana, they’re likely referring to Delta-9 THC, the ingredient in marijuana responsible for the “high.” While both Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC are cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, Delta-8 is distinct from Delta-9 THC in both its chemical structure and effects. 

Delta-8 THC is the lesser-known yet increasingly popular form of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive substance found in the Cannabis sativa plant. It is often marketed as a “milder” version of THC and nicknamed “weed light” or “diet weed” because it isn’t quite as strong or potent. But that doesn't mean you can’t feel the effects. Some people report taking double the amount of Delta-8 to get the same high.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that Delta-8 THC products have not been evaluated or approved for safe use in any form. Since most delta-8 is not made directly from the marijuana plant, there are concerns about contamination because CBD is often synthesized with other potentially harmful chemicals not fit to consume. Users may be exposed to much higher levels of the substance than what naturally occurs in hemp cannabis raw extracts leading to adverse health effects and poisonings.

Another serious concern is that manufacturers often package and label delta-8 THC products in ways that appeal to children such as drinks, gummies, cookies, candy, vapes, blunts, and more. Products are sold online, as well as in convenience stores and gas stations where there may not be age limits on who can purchase them.

Poison control centers nationwide have reported a sharp increase in accidental exposure involving children and pets. The FDA is actively working with federal and state partners to further address these and other concerns related to delta-8 THC products that threaten public health and safety. Stay informed to keep our children safe!