Family & Parenting » Children’s Health

Happy — and Healthy — New Year!

Jennifer — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:45:02 +0000

Tips to Ensure Your Family Has a Happy, Healthy and More Energized New Year

(ARA) – Every new year brings New Year’s resolutions — most of which are abandoned just a few weeks, and sometimes even days, into January! In 2008, skip resolutions that call for drastic measures. Instead, make a simple pledge that will be a cinch to keep — empower your family to get healthier and happier with easy nutrition tips that work effortlessly with your lifestyle.

“Families are busy — and it can certainly be a challenge to ensure all are as healthy and active as they should be,” says Ellie Krieger, registered dietitian and Food Network Host. “However, there are several ways for families to become healthy and fit together — and it can be fun! From cooking with the children to fun, family trips that keep everyone moving — it’s easier than most think to improve your health and spend quality time with your loved ones.”

The following helpful tips will make it fun and simple for your entire family to stay on track all year long!

* Promise to become healthy as a family
Research shows families who adopt better nutrition and fitness habits together have higher success rates in achieving an overall healthier lifestyle. For example, a good place to start is participating in the Just One More for Healthy Living pledge. The program encourages families to take simple steps each day to yield significant results towards a healthy lifestyle. Families simply pledge online (www.EatJustOneMore.com) to add just one more serving of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes daily, one more serving weekly of lean protein, such as tuna, and 30 more minutes of daily activity. Families can also track their progress online and learn additional easy tips to maintain a healthy, realistic lifestyle that works with even the busiest of family schedules.

* Little chefs
Research shows that when children have a role in meal planning, they are more inclined to eat it. Get them excited about the process. Try having the kids create their own menu of healthy snacks to enjoy. Additionally, keeping nutritious options on hand that your child is excited about means they may not be as inclined to reach for the salty or sugary snacks. A great sweet treat to keep stashed in the pantry is Del Monte Healthy Kids. Fortified with vitamins A and C as well as calcium, the peach and fruit cocktail varieties are the first fortified fruit cups on the market (DelMonte.com), and provide the essential vitamins kids need to live happier, healthier lives.

* Teach your kids to “Eat the Rainbow” every day
This is a fun way for kids — and adults — to get the balanced nutrition they need. Kids love to keep track of all the “colors” they eat during the day — even green! Add one additional serving of fruits and vegetables to your family’s diet each day to pump up energy levels. Research suggests that only 20 to 30 percent of Americans actually eat the recommended servings of fruits and veggies a day, which the FDA now advises is 9 to 13 servings for optimal health. Eating more fruits and vegetables daily will not only make you feel fuller and more energized, but the vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in them can help prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

* Bring back the family dinner
Studies indicate that children who eat with their family develop healthier habits than those who don’t. This could decrease risk of obesity and obesity-related diseases in your child’s future.

* Family fun day
Get up and get moving — as a family. Whether it is an evening ice skating or an extra long walk with the family dog, incorporate more activities into your routine. Try making this a weekly event and choose a different game or sport to enjoy every week! Consider purchasing a family membership at the community recreation center, YMCA or health club and plan weekly visits. Another alternative is to adopt a family sport. Take tennis or golf lessons together and practice, practice, practice!

* Family vacation
While plenty of relaxation is certainly important during vacations, one of the best ways to relieve stress is to get up and get moving. Plan vacations that will offer your entire family several physical activities that are fun and challenging. Opt for the bicycle tour instead of hours in the car. Try hiking, canoeing, or cross-country skiing instead of going to the movies.

For more information on how to take the pledge, and for more quick and healthy recipes, visit www.EatJustOneMore.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Avoid bringing germs home from school

Jennifer — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 21:28:48 +0000

(NC)-The bell rings. School is over for the day. Home come: coats, backpacks, textbooks, homework assignments. and lots of germs.

“Children don’t always practise good hygiene habits,” says Shannon Coombs, President of the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSPA). “They constantly touch their eyes, noses and mouths, forget to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, and they may not have the mindset or the opportunity to wash their hands frequently.”

CCSPA offers the following tips to help guard your family against germs:

. Keep your children at home when they are ill. The “Perfect Attendance Award” shouldn’t be earned at the expense of anyone’s health.

. Teach your children to wash their hands with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds, especially before eating lunch, after using the bathroom and after coming home from school.

. Remind your children to cover their noses and mouths with their sleeves instead of their hands when coughing or sneezing.

. Be sure your children’s flu vaccinations are up-to-date.

. Tuck small packs of tissues into backpacks, with an extra one for your children to store in their lockers or desks. Teach your children to deposit used tissues in the wastebasket.

. Pack hand wipes or a hand sanitizer in lunchboxes and book bags.

For more information about cleaning and health, or the CCSPA’s 15-second handwashing challenge, check out the CCSPA’s website at www.healthycleaning101.org.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

Dos and don’ts for treating your child’s fever

Jennifer — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 21:09:57 +0000

(NC)-In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Children’s Tylenol offers some hot tips to help cool your child down when he has a fever:

. Dress your child in loose, lightweight cotton clothing. Use only a sheet or light blanket for covering. Bundling a baby to “burn out” a fever can cause the fever to rise even higher.

. Keep your child’s room cool (between 19 and 21°C or 67 and 69°F).

. Provide a reliable fever reducing medication such as Children’s Tylenol. Always follow dosing instructions on the product label carefully.

. Make sure to provide plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, especially if the child is vomiting or has diarrhea. Electrolyte drinks are particularly beneficial.

. Sometimes a supervised splash in a comforting lukewarm bathtub will help to cool a hot child down. But if it makes them unhappy, then it’s probably not worth the effort.

What not to do:

. Never give your child acetylsalicylic acid, or ASA. ASA has been linked to Reye’s Syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal illness.

. Never give your child an alcohol sponge bath. The alcohol can be absorbed through the skin and can lead to more severe complications.

. Never follow the old wives tale about “starving a fever.” Your child needs plenty of calories and liquids to cope with an illness.

For many children, fevers are just a fact of life. Fevers are normal responses as a child’s body strives to “fight off” an infection. Most fevers will pass within a day or so of onset and the child will be none the worse for wear; however, it is important to watch any accompanying symptoms carefully and call your doctor if you are concerned.

Credit: www.newscanada.com