Brookhaven students heard from a very distinguished visitorTuesday when Miss Mississippi Anna Tadlock went to area schools totalk about healthy living.

Tadlock visited the schools to promote her “RU N2 Hlth” program,which teaches the tenets of keeping a sound mind and body byespousing good eating, exercising and living practices.

“For instance, physical activity is important when we’re talkingabout healthy lifestyles and healthy choices,” Tadlock told thestudents. “It makes you stronger, it’s good for your bones andmuscles, it makes for a better heart and lungs.”

Tadlock told the group that an hour of activity each day is nottoo much time to devote to being active, whether it’s throughsports, dancing, skateboarding or some other physical activity.

“Sixty minutes is what to shoot for during the course of the dayin order to be healthier,” she told the children.

The children also got to see a visual display of how they shoulddivide out their eating. Tadlock showed them by pulling food from acooler how foods break down into good categories and badcategories, and how to distribute them throughout the day.

“We just want to make sure the majority of what we eat ishealthy,” she said. “The chips, the candy bar, the coke, these areall things we can have, but only every once in a while.”

And the key to getting friendly with the vegetables, Tadlocksaid, is finding the ones you like and sticking to them.

“Your body is like a car, a car won’t go very far on an emptygas tank,” she said. “And you’re not going to want to do anystrenuous activity until you have some good food in you.”

Tadlock said there are other basic needs to keeping a bodyhealthy, like plenty of sleep to help the body recharge, finding anactivity or hobby to keep the mind occupied, and keeping goodfriends and trusted confidants.

“Make sure you have someone, a trusted friend or family member,just make sure there is someone you can go to if you’re having agood day or a bad day, and just tell them about it,” she said.”These are things that make us happier and healthier.”

Meanwhile, school officials said the visits were special becauseTadlock, a former Brookhaven resident, attended Mamie MartinElementary, Brookhaven Elementary, and Lipsey Middle School whileshe was growing up.

“I think that’s impressive that someone who went through ourschool system is now Miss Mississippi,” said Lipsey Principal RobMcCreary.