AAP Recommends No Juice Before Age 1

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued a recommendation about the amount of juice children should consume. In general, the recommendations might be less than what you are currently giving your child. An AAP policy statement issued in 2001 (and reaffirmed in 2006) recommended no juice for children younger than 6 months of age. The same statement recommended 4-6 ounces of juice daily for children ages 1-6, and 8-12 ounces for children 7 or older. Those recommendations have now been revised. Part of the reason for the change is due to considerable concern about increasing obesity rates and risks … Continue reading →

5 Quick Activities for Self Care

Many parents are looking forward to the start of a new school year. Keep in mind that back-to-school comes with hectic mornings, help with homework, and the enforcement of a bedtime routine (that may have lapsed over the summer). It is important for parents to take a little time for self care while the kids are at school. Here are a few simple ideas to start with. The Living Self-Care website says that moms and dads that take care of themselves first will have more to offer to their children (and to the rest of the world). Self-care doesn’t have … Continue reading →

Things You Should Do For Yourself Right Now

Are you someone who makes an effort to help, comfort, and pamper your loved ones? It has been said that many people take much better care of their friends and family than they do of themselves. Typically, there are more women than men that have this tendency, but it does include both genders. Now is the time to start taking good care of yourself, too! Here are some things you can start with right this minute. LifeBuzz posted an article that contained 30 things that everyone should start doing for themselves. You can view it as a guide to better … Continue reading →

Habits of Happy People Could Make You Happier

Have you got a case of the blues? Are you feeling frustrated and upset by stories in the news? Try adopting some of the habits of happy people. Doing so could make you feel more connected to your life, give you a sense of purpose, and make your overall outlook a happier one. An article at MindBodyGreen points out seven of the habits that are practiced by the happiest people. You might not be doing them. That isn’t really your fault, though, because few people talk about how they manage to stay so happy all the time. The main idea … Continue reading →

What’s in Your Water?

Being born and raised in Memphis, I took our water supply for granted. Over the years, I heard we had wonderful water because it came from artesian wells, whatever that was. Then, I moved to California. I noticed that when I’d wash dishes, a film would remain on them. I wondered what was being left inside when I drank the water. Moving to Arkansas didn’t prove much better. We still had film on dishes. Then, we moved to Jacksonville, North Carolina. Camp Lejeune, found in Jacksonville, had water contamination problems from 1953 through 1987. Sigh. Now, I am finally back … Continue reading →

The Mediterranean Diet and Protecting Your Heart By Protecting Your Olive Oil

In the news recently is some research that many of us may have already suspected, consuming the typical Mediterranean Diet can lower one’s risk of heart-related issues, including heart attack, stroke, or heart disease. One big component of the Mediterranean diet is olive oil, a rich fat that is monounsaturated and found to help lower cholesterol and control insulin levels. Scientists are now researching even more benefits of olive oil, such as positive effects on both bone and digestive health. Before you go gun-ho on the Mediterranean diet and start using olive oil on everything in sight, you should know … Continue reading →

Small Meals Are Best

I don’t really need another study to tell me that eating frequent small meals is best…but here’s another one anyhow. A several French researchers, including Xavier Allirot, knew that if you ate smaller meals frequently throughout the day, rather than the traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it was easier to keep weight off. But, there were no studies to prove it. Allirot said, “There is no scientific consensus as to the optimum number of meals we should have for weight management and speculations regarding this are often contradictory.” So, he and his colleagues set out to do their own. The … Continue reading →

A Hug a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

If this past year has taught us anything, it should be that we need to hug our kids more. Actually, we should hug anyone who means anything to us or needs encouragement. Studies have shown that hugs can improve both our physical and mental health. I challenge us all to get in at least one hug a day, if not more. For extra credit, hug so much that others think that you are a little eccentric. Isn’t it funny, how the world works. While I was typing this, my husband interrupted to tell me that there was an ambulance across … Continue reading →

4 Tips to Help You Keep Your Resolution

As I blogged yesterday, my New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight – again. The thing about making weight loss a resolution is that so many people do it (especially after all those holiday pounds!), but many fail to follow through. What can you do to keep your resolution? There are a few hints from psychologist John Norcross on how to keep those resolutions: Believe it can be done. That’s right – don’t let the haters keep you down, saying “You can’t do that.” Believe in yourself that you can succeed. Be realistic. I am never going to weigh 120 … Continue reading →

Staying Safe During Hurricane Sandy

The wind is howling outside, the rain is pouring down in sheets, trees are whipping around, and during this brief time when the power has been restored, I wanted to reach out to everyone who may be in the path of this “Frankenstorm,” as it is being called. We too are in its path, and have prepared as well as we could. Whether you have to evacuate or shelter in place, it is important to keep your health and safety in mind. I’ve witnessed some who prioritize comfort and entertainment over health and safety, and this is never a good … Continue reading →