Blueberries for the Family

July 5th, 2008 by admin

By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com

Blueberries are available in many forms: fresh, frozen, juice, puree, concentrate and dried. Fresh blueberries should be firm, dry, plump and smooth-skinned. Ripe berries are deep purple blue to blue-black. Stay away from containers of berries with juice stains, or that contain moldy, soft, watery or wrinkled fruit. Read the rest of this entry »

Why Is America So Fat?

July 3rd, 2008 by admin

Excerpted from: The South Beach Diet Supercharged: Faster Weight Loss and Better Health for Life © 2008 by Arthur Agatston, MD. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold.

In this country, our epidemic of obesity and diabetes really took off over the past three decades and has continued at a fast clip right up to the present. Coincidentally, the 1980s was when the federal government, along with medical groups such as the American Heart Association, began to aggressively promote the benefits of a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. This was eventually reflected by the first USDA Food Pyramid, published in 1992, which emphasized bread, rice, pasta, and cereals as the basis of a healthy diet. Fats and oils were to be used sparingly. Was this the wrong advice? Did it have a role in the fattening of America? I believe the answers to these two questions are yes and yes.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Who is This Kid?”

July 3rd, 2008 by admin

Partnership for a Drug-Free America Launches Digital Effort to Help Parents Grasp Teen Behavior and Connect with their Kids

New Study Shows Parents Need the Most Help Talking
About Drugs and Alcohol as Kids Enter Teen Years

NEW YORK, NY,– For every parent of a teenager who has ever wondered “who is this kid?” a new web destination, launched today by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, aims to make answering the question a little bit easier.  Designed to help parents navigate the confusing, often frustrating teen years, “A Parent’s Guide to the Teen Brain” translates recent scientific findings that shed light on how brain development shapes teens’ behavior and personalities into easy-to-understand tips and tools for parents. Read the rest of this entry »

Jelly Mom™:Navigating Commercial Landmines

July 2nd, 2008 by admin

©Lisa Barker

I’m waiting for one of the kids to ask me what reptile dysfunction is.  There’s no escaping the ads on television.  I imagine how the talk will go so that I’m prepared:

“What er-reptile dysfunction, Momma?” Read the rest of this entry »

Assassins in Toyland

July 1st, 2008 by admin

Apparently when you tickle Elmo he’s not laughing, he’s having a seizure.

–Jay Leno

In an attempt to assure the world’s children that millions of Chinese-made toys currently being recalled for containing toxic lead paint and tiny choking hazards can no longer hurt them, high-level Chinese officials announced Tuesday that millions of playthings are being rounded up and immediately put to death . . . According to the Xinhua News Agency, in the past three days alone, factory owners roused an estimated 365,000 Barbie dolls from their dream homes in a violent series of raids. During these raids, the Barbies were separated from their Kens, stripped naked, and had their heads shaved. They were then taken to an undisclosed area, leaned against the wall and shot by a firing squad as toy soldiers were forced to watch. Read the rest of this entry »

Essential Parenting Tips for Raising Kids with Medical Issues

July 1st, 2008 by admin

By Lisa C. Greene and Foster W. Cline MD

I knew I was in trouble. She ripped the oxygen sensor off her finger and refused to put it back on.

Recovering from surgery isn’t easy for anyone but it’s especially challenging when the patient is only seven. My daughter was grumpy and uncooperative. That was understandable but not helping the situation. Coming out of surgery, she needed to be monitored; the medical sensors weren’t optional.  Kasey was not responding well to the doses of loving kindness and patience shown by those around her. There was nothing anyone could do to satisfy her. She was simply cranky. Read the rest of this entry »