We hope you have enjoyed this month’s extensive breakdown of healthy eating across the lifespan.  While you may still be searching for the perfect nutrition plan that fits with your preferred tastes, flavors, and foods, it is out there.  Once you build a plan around nourishing your body (and not just satisfying your taste buds), you will be on course for a healthier overall lifestyle.

Of course, the other half of a healthy lifestyle comes from being physically active, and we will return next month with a full slate of new resources to help you stay or become more active.  With winter slowly receding in the rearview mirror and summer fast approaching, you may be ready to shake things up and move from the gym or fitness center to the outdoors for some new types of activities to shake up your routine.  To find outdoor recreation opportunities near you, such as accessible parks and trails, sports leagues, and playgrounds to name a few, check out our Directories, or contact our team of information specialists, who will be glad to help you find an option that is the perfect fit for you.  They can be reached via phone (800-900-8086), email, or the live chat option on our website.

Finally, for those of you with kids out there, now is the prime time to begin planning for summer camps and other fun physical activities to fill the hours during those months off from school.  If you need help locating accessible camps and other programs, please let us know and we will be glad to help you find the best fit for you and your children.  An important aspect of youth sports and summer camps is the role of a trained volunteer.  This role can be the foundation of creating a holistic approach in youth sports with benefits spreading beyond physical fitness to well-being.  Learn more about this concept in our latest blog post and how grassroots programs such as Exceptional Kids Athletics are making an impact for youth with disabilities and their families.

Updates and Upcoming Events

Conferences

• North American Federation of Adapted Physical Activity 2014 Symposium
  • https://sites.google.com/site/nafapaorg/conference
  • October 16-18
  • University of Michigan—Ann Arbor, MI
  • This year’s NAFAPA Symposium will be centered around the concept of “Generating New Scientific Knowledge in Adapted Physical Activity to Benefit Individuals with Disabilities.” If you are a practitioner or programmer, the vast number of sessions should provide you with invaluable information to bolster your programs and other efforts going forward. If you are a researcher contributing to the field, this represents an excellent opportunity to get your knowledge into the hands of those who need it and will put it into practice the most.  Registration and submission information is available through the website.  Abstracts are due by June 1.
• American College of Sports Medicine Health & Fitness Summit
  • http://www.acsmsummit.org/
  • April 1-4
  • The Hilton Atlanta—Atlanta, GA
  • Come see us at the Health & Fitness Summit next month!  We will be there in the midst of thousands of fitness professionals and researchers, promoting inclusive physical activity and learning about the most cutting edge developments in the fields of sports science and medicine.  Hope to see you there!
• Disability Policy Seminar
  • http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2173
  • April 7-9
  • Grand Hyatt Washington—Washington, D C
  • Hosted by The Arc, United Cerebral Palsy, the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disability, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, and Self Advocates Becoming Empowered, this Seminar will provide attendees with extensive information on such topics as employment, education, health care, and community living.

Webinars

• Bringing it All Together:  Transition Plans, Barrier Removal Plans and Action Plans
  • Tuesday, March 18
  • 2-3.30pm EST
  • http://www.adasoutheast.org/eventscalendar.php?eventid=829
• Dialogues in Disability Pride and Culture:  The ADA Legacy Project
  • Wednesday, March 19
  • 1-2pm EST
  • http://disabilityorganizing.net/training-events/
• Getting the Right Mobility Equipment and Services
  • Thursday, March 27
  • 2-3pm EST
  • https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/865178746
• Self-Employment:  A Customized Career Strategy for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
  • Tuesday, April 8
  • 2-3pm EST
  • http://adasoutheast.org/eventscalendar.php?eventid=841
• Can I Walk Again? The Latest Technology on Motion Therapy
  • Thursday, April 10
  • 2-4pm EST
  • https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/282064562