Watch out for salt! There are many reasons why. But just to remind you - when kids eat salty snacks they get thirsty they usually reach out for sugary beverages loaded with empty calories. What you may not be aware of is that putting away the salt shaker does not help much. People get 80% of their salt from manufactured foods. It’s everywhere - not just that MSG in Chinese takeaways. Campbell’s has just announced that they are reducing the sodium content in about 50 of their soups. That is one small step in the right direction. But we all need to be aware of how much sodium we have each day.

So how much do you need per day? An adult requires 500mg per day. They should not exceed 2,400mg/day. And unfortunately, the average American consumes 4,000-5,000mg/day. I did a bit of net searching, and much to my dismay my favorite fast food meal - a McDonald;s Quarter Pounder with Cheese - is one of the worst offenders with 3,200mg of sodium. Yikes!

Stay in school to reduce Alzheimers risk. Studies indicate that people with higher levels of education may have reduced risk of contracting Alzheimers when they get older. They are not sure why, but they believe that highly educated people just might have some “reserve” brain power that they can use when memory begins to fail.

A study of seniors over the past decade has shown that their average level of education has increased by one year, now at 12 years and we can expect that to go even higher for the next generations. They also are wealthier, which suggests that they held more mentally stimulating jobs.

There are other things that can contribute to Alzheimers - cardiovascular disease (including high blood pressure and clogged arteries) can cause periods of time when blood does not flow properly to the brain, as well as obesity with complications such as type 2 diabetes and again those clogged arteries.

I guess the lesson is - get yourself educated, keep yourself stimulated and watch your general health. I am sure it will provide benefits beyond Alzheimers prevention!

Air pollution lowers kids IQ’s. We know that pollution that impacts breathing and cardio health is bad (think second hand smoke), but now doctors are trying to figure out the link to the brain. So far they can say that the effects of air pollution can lowers children’s IQ, in a similar way to a mother smoking in-utero. But unfortunately, many people cannot easily move and there is less that can be done about pollution.

Tips for your fussy eater. My 2 year old is still stuck in her “white” phase. She will only eat white foods… pasta, rice, potatoes, milk, bananas, apples… you get what I mean. I know I am not alone in my frustrations. It is important to encourage your picky eater to eat more foods, not only because they will be healthier, but because they might grow up to be an adult with limited food preferences. And don’t forget - children will learn from your own examples, so set a good one for them! Here are some tips - click on the link to get them all.

Tips for picky eaters:

- Don’t make a fuss at mealtimes. Make sure meals are sociable, friendly occasions with no fighting.

- Be calm if your children refuse to eat something. Don’t insist on a clean plate.

- Children might eat better when the portions are smaller.

- Serve fun-shaped pasta with a vegetable sauce.

- Fussy toddlers often eat better if they’re allowed to feed themselves with fingers.

- Don’t offer foods as rewards.

- Children enjoy eating with other children and may be tempted to try something new because their peers are eating it.

- Don’t spoil their appetite by offering too many snacks.

Say what?

A new study shows that kids who were given proper nutrition during the first two years of life out-earned their nutritionally-deprived peers by 50 percent as adults. That’s surprising, even though earlier studies reported that kids who ate better early on were more productive in adulthood.

This is the first direct evidence that eating well as an infant and toddler translates into greater earning potential as an adult, according to the study, published in the British medical journal The Lancet.

Iron and iodine deficiencies, for example, can lead to stunted growth, poor cognitive development and energy-sapping anaemia. Such handicaps prevents children from realising their full potential.

This study was conducted in Guatemala, and the results only seemed to apply for men - but consider that there aren’t as many economic opportunities for women in that area. Also, the men with better nutrition as young children didn’t outscore their peers academically as adults, so nutrition didn’t seem to play as large a role in actual cognitive ability. I just thought this study was interesting, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.

Posted by Sunshine.

Need help for your pelvic floor muscles? Perhaps you are like me - having children has wrecked havoc on my pelvic floor muscles. And I constantly forget to do my kegel exercises, only being reminded of this after a big sneeze. Well… wearing heels can help this! Good news it, you don’t have to wear stilettos! Apparently, having the feet at a 15% angle provides women with a good a posture as flat shoes while providing the best exercise for those special muscles. Do you think this is a valid survey, or just a bunch of men trying to convince us to wear sexier shoes? (btw - the shoes in the pic are Louboutins, my dream shoe! someday…)

Acupuncture can help those who are TTC. There are no scientific tests to this non-traditional practice, although they did run some tests with different groups of women undergoing fertility treatment and it seems as though acupuncture can help the chances of conceiving. It is one of those “It can’t hurt, it is relatively easy enough and inexpensive, so why not try it”

I had acupuncture treatments when my third child went overdue. It was amazing how fast and hard my contractions came when they put these needles in the webs of my hand and twisted them. She arrived the evening of the third daily treatment, but unfortunately I cannot say it was the treatment or the fact that she was 6 days overdue. It did put my mind at ease that I at least was doing something (short of castor oil) to get her out!

Genetics over environment for obesity. In researching twins, doctors have determined that genetics have a much greater impact on children’s weight than environmental factors. They weigh it at 77% genetics, 23% environment. This does not mean that some people are doomed from birth to be obese, but it can explain why some people have a harder time with their weight. And all that tempting fatty food surely does not help. “Genetics” should never be used as an excuse for bad lifestyle decisions. In the end, it is still the responsibility of the parent to instill good eating habits in their children to give them the best start at life, whatever their weight is.

Baby shampoo caution. Studies show that those baby shampoos, lotions and powders contain phthalates. This is found in many products, including cosmetics, toys, vinyl floors - they stabilize fragrances and make plastic flexible. But, they also can cause reproductive problems (and early puberty for girls).

Concerned parents can look to purchase products that are specifically labeled “phthalate free”, however, beware - this is one chemical that is not required to be mentioned on the label. So even if you don’t see it on the ingredients list, it could still be there.

Be careful with those sippy cups! Especially in the summertime. Heat can cause the plastic to release a dangerous chemical, bisphenol A. Bisphenol A is also known as “environmental estrogen” and is like sex hormones. It is relatively safe when the liquid is cold or room temperature, but when heated over 50 times more of this chemical is released. So mom can find herself facing the dilemma of sippy cups v. breakable glasses.

And you know, today I am beginning to wonder if anything is safe anymore…

The impacts of famine on unborn children. Studies show that pregnant women who lived in famine their first trimester give birth to children with an increased chance of addiction as they grow up. Addiction is related to the brain’s “reward system” and this new conclusion shows that the brain’s reward system is formed very early on.

Children born from malnourished mothers also have increased risk of having other psychiatric disorders, like schizophrenia, as well as obesity, high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. You probably shouldn’t worry as doctors caution that these results will probably not be the same as those in developed countries (you and me). My main reason for posting this is to increase awareness of what people in most of the rest of the world are facing. Quite “Angelina Jolie” of me, eh?

A little over a year ago, I had my first real health scare when I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. I didn’t panic at the echocardiogram report until I Googled and found out that people with this condition are at risk for heart failure or sudden cardiac death. I was horrified. Here I’d been gearing up for my midlife crisis, and I was learning that I might have grossly miscalculated. And I had two toddlers to raise.

I was extremely lucky, more so than I can express. My condition was apparently the result of thyroid disorder. Once my medication was adjusted, my heart self-corrected. All tests since then have come back normal.

But I’m a changed woman. I think differently about my heart. I cherish it. And I ask you, if you do not do so already, to cherish your own heart as well.

Tomorrow, February 1st, is National Go Red for Women Day. We’re asked to get educated about heart disease. For starters, consider these facts and statistics from First Lady Laura Bush’s web site:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death of American women, accounting for 32 percent of all deaths per year. Nearly 366,000 women in America die every year of heart disease.
• 8 million American women are currently living with heart disease and of those, 6 million have a family history of heart disease.
• Fewer than half of all women are aware that heart disease is the number 1 killer of American women. Most women identify cancer as the leading cause of death.
• In the United States, all cardiovascular diseases combined claim the lives of more women’s every year than the next 16 causes of death combined — and almost twice as many as all forms of cancer.
• One in three women will die from heart disease, while one in 25 women die from breast cancer.
• Every year since 1984, more women than men have died of cardiovascular disease.
• There is no previous evidence of coronary heart disease in 63 percent of the women who suddenly die from the disease.
• Smoking is the most prevalent and preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women younger than 45.
• 40 percent to 50 percent of women older than 45 have high blood pressure and an elevated total cholesterol level — both well-documented risk factors.
• Heart disease is often preventable.

According to the Mayo Clinic, these are the five important steps we can take to help protect ourselves from heart disease:

• Don’t smoke, or quit if you do.
• Be physically active.
• Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fats (and skip the trans fats altogether - these are the worst for the heart).
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Get regular health screenings. (May I add, ask for a blood test to look at thyroid function.)

We need to be our own advocates. When I told my doctor I was afraid something was wrong with my heart and described my symptoms, she wrote it off as “holiday stress” and gave me a prescription for a tranquilizer. The only reason I was tested was because, even though I was painfully self-conscious about it, I was persistent.

And my story is not unusual. As far as heart disease goes:

“Research shows that women may not be diagnosed or treated as aggressively as men,” says the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Since my brush with heart disease, I’ve not been perfect. I let some weight creep back on me (which I’m kicking with the Biggest Loser moms over on the Health and Fitness board), and I’ve scarfed my share of Milk Duds without checking the label first for saturated fat content (3.5 grams per 13 comforting duds). So I’m grateful to the Go Red campaign for reminding me that our hearts serve us well so long as they are treated well. They are resilient - I’m living proof - but they are not invincible.

Wear red tomorrow and help educate other women about heart disease. Look at your little ones and remember that one day you’ll be advising them on how to take care of their own children, so long as your heart is healthy and strong.

Posted by MommaSteph.

If you’re like me, you try (or tried) to eat a healthier array of foods while pregnant, for the unborn baby’s health and well-being. Did you know this, though? Pregnant women who eat a Mediterranean diet rich in fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, dairy products and olive oil may help protect their children against asthma and allergies.

So says a new study of over 400 mothers and their children. Of the seventeen percent of kids who had asthma-like symptoms, allergies, or both, most of their moms did not eat a high-quality Mediterranean diet.

Pregnant women who ate vegetables more than eight times a week, fish more than three times a week, and legumes more than once a week seemed to protect their children the most from asthma and allergies. Mothers who ate red meat more than three to four times a week seemed to increase their children’s risk.

I didn’t know that about red meat…let’s hope it doesn’t come back to haunt my kids later. The Mediterranean diet doesn’t sound like a bad idea for anyone wishing to improve his or her eating habits anyway, and with this new information, I would definitely try to follow it if I were to become pregnant again (after I fainted from shock).

Posted by Sunshine.

White bread has nutritional value. Yeah, I meant to type white. That soft, marshmallowy, oh so yummy bread that your mom always felt guilty about making your sandwiches with because it was supposed to have no nutritional value. Well, it does. It contains folic acid. And the past decades of eating Wonderbread and all of those white hamburger and hot dog buns have one positive aspect - it has contributed to the decline in cases of Spina Bifida in America. The March of Dimes is now going to put a special label on bread containing at least 40 micrograms of folic acid. They are doing this to increase awareness of the benefits of folic acid, and are not suggesting that a woman needs to eat 10 slices of white bread per day to get the recommended daily allowance of 400mg. There are many “healthier” sources of folic acid found in other foods as well, such as leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas and nuts.

Childhood obesity not related to poverty. It was thought by some that childhood obesity was higher in poorer areas where the families has lesser access to healthy foods. A new study that just came out challenges this idea.

Previous research has suggested that poor children weren’t getting nutritious food and instead ate junk food, such as hot dogs. Or that children may have eaten well when money was available, but would skip meals when cash was short, a cycle that could slow their metabolism and cause them to gain weight.

The new research indicated that this is not necessarily the case, and that it could be possible for the government to move ahead with possible plans to increase food assistance programs without being worried about additional obesity problems.

Top kids websites. While browsing the net, I happened on a fun little site called GeekParenting.com. They have listed their top 10 favorite kid’s web sites. Their number one site, BrainPOP, is a cool educational site that I will be showing my bigger kids tonight!

I’ll admit it: I love it when my kids are old enough to eat solids (I’m talking about Stage 1-3 baby food here, to be clear). It’s messy and it’s extra work compared to just preparing bottles, but it’s so much fun to introduce them to new foods and to really feel as though we’re having meals together!

At seven months, my son is firmly entrenched in Stage 2 foods. He loves almost everything, and I found that introducing him to solids was far, far easier than it was when my daughter started them. I owe that to a few tips and tricks I learned along the way (and my little future linebacker loves to eat!):

Wait until your baby is in a receptive mood to attempt introducing a new food. Twenty minutes before naptime is not the best time to break out the carrot puree and expect Junior to attack it with gusto. Try to offer solids when the baby is alert and should be moderately hungry (too full, and she won’t want anything else - too hungry, and she won’t be able to focus on accepting food from the spoon). My son also doesn’t eat well if he’s just had shots, so be mindful of cranky-making factors like that.

Come to the table with reasonable expectations. Your baby and the neighbor’s baby may not eat the same amount of food in a given day. Don’t sweat it if your little guy doesn’t finish every meal, and don’t try to force him to eat more than he wants. (He will give you cues that he’s done - spitting out food, turning his head away, or clamping his mouth shut when the spoon comes close!) If you’re tense during baby’s mealtime, he will pick up on it, and the experience will likely be miserable for both of you. I learned that the hard way.

That “Eww! Yuck!” face might not mean much. Babies tend to react to unfamiliar tastes by screwing up their faces in a classic “Blech!” expression. What your darling is actually saying might be more like “I have no idea what this is!” Don’t give up. Once she relaxes, offer her a second small spoonful. She may very well be receptive after the first few bites. My son made that super-icky face a week or so ago, when I introduced him to a new fruit combo - now it’s his favorite food!

If at first you don’t succeed… Sometimes your baby will turn his nose up at a new food and will absolutely refuse to eat it no matter how gently and consistently you coax him. In that case, don’t write the food off as “Oh, he doesn’t like peas” - just give him a few days (or weeks) and try again. Sometimes it takes several introductions for a baby to accept a new food. One rejection doesn’t mean that he’ll never eat peas!

Posted by Sunshine.

In our health-conscious postmodern society, why are children breaking their arms more often? Why are they developing rickets, the 19th century “soft bone” disease? And why might they be at greater risk of osteoporosis than our own parents and grandparents?

The answer: a lack of this critical bone-friendly trio: sunlight, calcium, and exercise.

Almost half of peak bone mass develops during adolescence, and the concern is that missing out on the strongest possible bones in childhood could haunt people decades later. By the 30s, bone is broken down faster than it’s rebuilt. Then it’s a race to maintain bone and avoid the thin bones of osteoporosis in old age.

“There’s some early data showing that even a 10 percent deficit in your bone mass when you finish your adolescent years can increase your potential risk of having osteoporosis and fractures as much as 50 percent,” says Dr. James Beaty, president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Less than 25% of all adolescents get the recommended amount of calcium.

I thought that calcium was the most important factor by far in bone density and bone growth, but I was wrong: Strong bones require more than calcium alone. Exercise is at least as important. Consider: The dominant arm of a tennis player has 35 percent more bone than the non-dominant arm.

We already know that our children get less exercise than kids in generations past. But what does sunlight have to do with it?

Vitamin D (which the body absorbs from sunlight) is crucial to calcium absorption. If kids aren’t getting outside often, their bodies probably aren’t getting enough vitamin D, which in turn ratchets down how much calcium their bodies are absorbing.

It sounds to me like the best remedy for this disturbing trend is to get outside with the kids, have some good old-fashioned winter fun, and then come in for hot chocolate made with vitamin D-fortified milk. I can handle that!

Posted by Sunshine.