Family Fitness: Benefits Beyond the Body
Family Fit Night @ Candlebrook Elementary School
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. This is a great time to look and see if you and your family are living up to the recommendations to exercise for one hour each day. I know, everybody is very busy these days. It takes time to drive our kids to all of those sporting events. Keep in mind that a family that exercises together is forming habits that last a lifetime. It should also be noted that many children and adolescents participating in sporting events may be spending more time watching then actually moving on the field. Continue reading
Generation OVERWEIGHT!!
The Overweight Generation
The first National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month was proclaimed in September 2010 and endorsed again by President Obama this year. Public Health experts describe the childhood obesity epidemic as one of the greatest health and economic challenges of the 21st century. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has called for personal responsibility. Public health officials are asking schools to intensify their efforts to promote increased levels of exercise and healthy eating habits. Continue reading
Can Perfume Cause Birth Defects?
There has been talk among some scientists over the years that phthalates may be linked to reduced sperm, DNA damage, and hormonal changes. You may ask, “What are Phthalates?” Phthalates are chemicals added to shower curtains, rubber ducks and toys, air fresheners, cosmetics, perfumes, and the list goes on and on. They help cosmetics and perfumes feel silky and smooth. According to The American Chemistry Council, phthalates have become essential to scented products since they help fragrances last longer. According to Stacey Malkan, author of Just not Another Pretty Face The Ugly side of the Beauty industry, loopholes in federal law allow the cosmetics industry to put phthalates into beauty products without testing and no required labeling. The report www.NotToopretty.org found undisclosed phthalates in 72 products that were tested. The perfume Poison by Dior contained the most. Continue reading
Natural Paint
I have always been sensitive to odors. My husband states that I have a “dog” nose.
When we decided to build a home office 3 years ago, I researched the subject of low or no voc paints. VOC refers to Volatile Organic Compounds which may be harmful to health, and can be more serious for pregnant women, small children, and those with chemical sensitivities or respiratory issue such as asthma. According to www.greenbuilder.com, VOC refers to chemicals which evaporate at room temperature. VOC’s are present in all oil-based paints and many latex paints. Continue reading
BPA and Heart Disease
BPA or Bisphenol A is found in many plastic products labeled #7 on the bottom of the bottle or plastic container. I was also suprised to find that BPA is used for lining metal food and beverage containers. By now most moms have read about toxic baby bottles. Many of us have switched to BPA free baby bottles such as Born Free (sold at Whole Foods) or a klean canteen stainless steel sippy cups. http://www.kleankanteen.com/
Now we may have to worry about high BPA levels causing heart disease. This week The Journal of the American Medical Association published a report involving 1,455 men and woman. The researchers looked at urine levels of BPA. Subjects with the higest concentration of the chemical were three times more likely to have cardiovascular disease and 2.4 times more likely to have diabetes. Continue reading
Natural Remedies for Eczema
My daughter started her life with itchy red patches of inflamed skin. When I took her to the pediatrician, she gave me a prescription for a topical steroid cream even stronger than the one you can buy over the counter. I was not ready to use a pharmaceutical that had never been tested on human infants. The doctor also instructed me to use a cream that contained mineral oil, petroleum,lanolin alcohol,and panthenol. No thanks!
Eczema is described as dry, itchy irritated skin. My daughter would scratch until she was bleeding. Although contact with a substance such as soap or laundry detergent is often blamed, the real culprit may be a food allergy. According to Dr Robert Wood from the Allergy department at John Hopkins, egg is usually the offender. Continue reading
Heart Disease Awareness
February is the month of sweethearts and love. We eat candy, give valentines and think of red roses. But have you thought about loving your own heart this month?
I first thought about heart disease 24 years ago.
My dad was being admitted to the hospital for triple bypass surgery. He was 46 years old.
A few years later I started nursing school. To make ends meet and score a free membership to the gym, I began teaching weekly aerobic and weight training classes.
Several years after working as a nurse, I landed a job in cardiology at The University of Pennsylvania Hospital. I saw men and women who were no longer able to take a shower without getting short of breath. Continue reading
Honey for Suppressing Coughs
A study featured in the Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine(2007;161:1140-6) found that honey may be an effective cough suppressant. A single dose of buckwheat honey was given at night time to children 2 to 18 years of age. According to the principal investigator,Ian Paul,the following doses are considered appropriate: NO honey for children under the age of 2 for fear of botulism, for those 2 to 5 years,1/2 teaspoon; for those 6 to 11years; 1 teaspoon; for those who are 12 or older; 2 teaspoons per dose. Doses may be administered every 3-4 hours as needed, though in the actual trial ,doses were limited to once per evening.
Researchers assessed cough frequency and severity, and sleep quality of both child and parent as assessed by surveys completed by parents. For most symptoms, honey scored 15 to 39% better than Dextromethorphan(DM). Continue reading
Delicious and Healthy Apricot Bars
The start of fall has me getting back on the school schedule. One of my duties is to find healthy snacks to pack in the lunch box or to offer for a quick breakfast when we are running just a little bit late in the morning.
I read the other day about the healing benefits of Apricots and wanted to share that information along with any easy recipe with you.
Apricots contain vitamin A, a nutrient that promotes healthy skin and good vision. They are a good source of fiber and contain the cancer fighting nutrient Lycopene.
20 dried apricots serve up 7.5mg of Iron, that’s 42% of the recommended daily allowance.
When selecting dried apricots consider choosing organic; conventional apricots are usually preserved with sulfites which may cause adverse reactions in some individuals. Continue reading