Good nutrition and a balanced diet help kids grow up healthy. Whether you have a toddler or a teen, here are some strategies to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits:
Have regular family meals.
Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks.
Be a role model by eating healthy yourself.
Avoid battles over food.
Involve kids in the process.
But it's not easy to take these steps when everyone is juggling busy schedules and convenience food, such as fast food, is so readily available.
Here are some ways to incorporate all five strategies into your routine.
Family Meals
Family meals are a comforting ritual for both parents and kids. Children like the predictability of family meals and parents get a chance to catch up with their kids. Kids who take part in regular family meals are also:
more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains
less likely to snack on unhealthy foods
less likely to smoke, use marijuana, or drink alcohol
In addition, family meals offer the chance to introduce your child to new foods and to act as a role model for healthy eating.
Teens may turn up their noses at the prospect of a family meal — not surprising because they're trying to establish independence. Yet studies find that teens still want their parents' advice and counsel, so use mealtime as a chance to reconnect. Also, consider trying these strategies:
Allow your teen to invite a friend to dinner.
Involve your teen in meal planning and preparation.
Keep mealtime calm and congenial — no lectures or arguing.
What counts as a family meal? Any time you and your family eat together — whether it's takeout food or a home-cooked meal with all the trimmings. Strive for nutritious food and a time when everyone can be there. This may mean eating dinner a little later to accommodate a child who's at sports practice. It can also mean setting aside time on the weekends, such as Sunday brunch, when it may be more convenient to gather as a group.
Stocking Up on Healthy Foods
Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what's available at home. That's why it's important to control the supply lines — the foods that you serve for meals and have on hand for snacks. Follow these basic guidelines:
Work fruits and vegetables into the daily routine, aiming for the goal of at least five servings a day. Be sure you serve fruit or vegetables at every meal.
Make it easy for your child to choose healthy snacks by keeping fruits and vegetables on hand and ready to eat. Other good snacks include low-fat yogurt, peanut butter and celery, or whole-grain crackers and cheese.
Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein, such as fish, eggs, beans, and nuts.
Choose whole-grain breads and cereals so kids get more fiber.
Limit fat intake by avoiding deep-fried foods and choosing healthier cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products.
Limit fast food and other low-nutrient snacks, such as chips and candy. But don't completely ban favorite snacks from your home. Instead, make them "once-in-a-while" foods, so kids don't feel deprived.
Limit sugary drinks, such as soda and fruit-flavored drinks. Serve water and low-fat milk instead.
How to Be a Role Model
The best way for you to encourage healthy eating is to eat well yourself. Kids will follow the lead of the adults they see every day. By eating fruits and vegetables and not overindulging in the less nutritious stuff, you'll be sending the right message.
Another way to be a good role model is to limit portions and not overeat. Talk about your feelings of fullness, especially with younger children. You might say, "This is delicious, but I'm full, so I'm going to stop eating." Similarly, parents who are always dieting or complaining about their bodies may foster these same negative feelings in their kids. Try to keep a positive approach about food.
Don't Battle Over Food
It's easy for food to become a source of conflict. Well-intentioned parents might find themselves bargaining or bribing kids so they eat the healthy food in front of them. A better strategy is to give kids some control, but to also limit the kind of foods available at home.
Kids should decide if they're hungry, what they will eat from the foods served, and when they're full. Parents control which foods are available to the child, both at mealtime and between meals. Here are some guidelines to follow:
Establish a predictable schedule of meals and snacks. It's OK to choose not to eat when both parents and kids know when to expect the next meal or snack.
Don't force kids to clean their plates. Doing so teaches kids to override feelings of fullness.
Don't bribe or reward kids with food. Avoid using dessert as the prize for eating the meal.
Don't use food as a way of showing love. When you want to show love, give kids a hug, some of your time, or praise.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
No white shoes!
One thing you DON'T want to buy at an After-Labor Day Sale is white clothes because of the "No white after Labor Day" rule. But where did that rule come from? We turned to AskYahoo.com and here's what they said:
Originally, the rule was more along the lines of "Only wear white shoes between Memorial Day and Labor Day." Furthermore, it mainly applied to white pumps or dress shoes. White tennis shoes and off-white boots seem exempt, as are any shoes worn by a winter bride. "Winter white" clothing (e.g., cream-colored wool) is acceptable between Labor Day and Memorial Day too.
The only logical reasoning we could find cited temperature. Image consultant Nancy Penn suggests that because white reflects light and heat, wearing white would make you cooler in winter, and thus should be avoided.
But others suggest the rule stems from a class issue. Acting Director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology Valerie Steele notes that in the late 19th century and the 1950s, more people were entering the middle classes. These nouveau-riche folks were often unaware of the standards of high society, so they were given specific codified rules to follow in order to fit in.
Several sites quoted a charming refrain about G.R.I.T.S. -- girls raised in the South. This bit of folklore states, "Southern girls know bad manners when they see them," and a clear sign of bad manners is wearing white shoes before Easter or after Labor Day. Because fashions in the American South can be a little more formal than elsewhere, perhaps the no-white-shoes rule came from south of the Mason-Dixon Line? Even Star Jones (an otherwise fashion-forward Southern lady) admits that white shoes "are for Easter Sunday and not the dead of winter."
We can only surmise that the point of this rule is to ensure that people only wear summer fashions during the actual summer months. The opposite probably applies as well, but people generally don't need to be reminded to avoid wearing a goose-down parka in 100-degree weather.
But if you live in a locale with summer temperatures year-round, we can't see the harm in wearing white shoes or a head-to-toe white outfit in October. And we promise not to tell Miss Manners.
Originally, the rule was more along the lines of "Only wear white shoes between Memorial Day and Labor Day." Furthermore, it mainly applied to white pumps or dress shoes. White tennis shoes and off-white boots seem exempt, as are any shoes worn by a winter bride. "Winter white" clothing (e.g., cream-colored wool) is acceptable between Labor Day and Memorial Day too.
The only logical reasoning we could find cited temperature. Image consultant Nancy Penn suggests that because white reflects light and heat, wearing white would make you cooler in winter, and thus should be avoided.
But others suggest the rule stems from a class issue. Acting Director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology Valerie Steele notes that in the late 19th century and the 1950s, more people were entering the middle classes. These nouveau-riche folks were often unaware of the standards of high society, so they were given specific codified rules to follow in order to fit in.
Several sites quoted a charming refrain about G.R.I.T.S. -- girls raised in the South. This bit of folklore states, "Southern girls know bad manners when they see them," and a clear sign of bad manners is wearing white shoes before Easter or after Labor Day. Because fashions in the American South can be a little more formal than elsewhere, perhaps the no-white-shoes rule came from south of the Mason-Dixon Line? Even Star Jones (an otherwise fashion-forward Southern lady) admits that white shoes "are for Easter Sunday and not the dead of winter."
We can only surmise that the point of this rule is to ensure that people only wear summer fashions during the actual summer months. The opposite probably applies as well, but people generally don't need to be reminded to avoid wearing a goose-down parka in 100-degree weather.
But if you live in a locale with summer temperatures year-round, we can't see the harm in wearing white shoes or a head-to-toe white outfit in October. And we promise not to tell Miss Manners.
Early storm prep
Hurricane Preparation Tips
If you live in an area that has the potential of being affected by a hurricane, the key to remaining safe is early planning.
Before the storm strikes --
Stock up on non-perishable food, medicine, baby supplies and pet food.
Purchase bottled water; 1 gallon of water per person per day.
Check emergency equipment (flashlights, battery-operated radios, extension cords, emergency generators, etc.) and purchase extra batteries.
Consider the installation of shutters over windows and doors. Depending on the design of your home, plywood works well, but stock up early.
Monitor official weather bulletins.
Keep extra cash on hand, as automatic teller machines or banks don't operate without power.
Review evacuation routes.
Arrange for safe sheltering for your pet if you must evacuate. Public shelters don't accept pets.
Keep your vehicle's fuel tank full.
Move yard items inside, such as patio furniture.
Read more tips on hurricanes, and learn about flash floods.
If you live in an area that has the potential of being affected by a hurricane, the key to remaining safe is early planning.
Before the storm strikes --
Stock up on non-perishable food, medicine, baby supplies and pet food.
Purchase bottled water; 1 gallon of water per person per day.
Check emergency equipment (flashlights, battery-operated radios, extension cords, emergency generators, etc.) and purchase extra batteries.
Consider the installation of shutters over windows and doors. Depending on the design of your home, plywood works well, but stock up early.
Monitor official weather bulletins.
Keep extra cash on hand, as automatic teller machines or banks don't operate without power.
Review evacuation routes.
Arrange for safe sheltering for your pet if you must evacuate. Public shelters don't accept pets.
Keep your vehicle's fuel tank full.
Move yard items inside, such as patio furniture.
Read more tips on hurricanes, and learn about flash floods.
Hurricane fears
The 5 Worst Hurricane Fears
By Andrea Thompson
1. New Orleans Could Get Hit Again
With the city still limping from the effects of Katrina, New Orleans residents get no rest. City and state officials have already kicked new evacuation plans into gear with the threat from Gustav. "They've learned a few lessons," said National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen.
Katrina was the costliest and one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history, killing at least 1,500 people. But while the public may focus on New Orleans, forecasters are just as worried about hurricanes hitting any coastal U.S. city. "A landfall is a landfall," Feltgen said.
Tampa, Fla., which hasn't had a major hurricane since the 1920s, is one of the cites forecasters worry about. Before Hurricane Charley suddenly changed course in August 2004, Tampa was in its crosshairs, waking up residents to the risk that hurricanes poses there, Feltgen said.
2. Oil Drilling and Gas Production Could Be Impeded
Katrina's waves and flood waters damaged some offshore oil rigs, refineries and pipelines that supply large portions of the country with fuel, and as a result, gas prices went up. With fuel prices already reaching record highs in the past year, many are concerned that any hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico could drive prices up even further.
Any offshore rigs that lie in the projected path of a storm are evacuated several days in advance and production is halted to prevent spills — rigs in the path of Gustav have already been cleared, said Cathy Landry, a spokeswoman for the American Petroleum Institute. Most of the rigs damaged during Katrina were older models and were retired after the storm, Landry said, adding that newer models are built to withstand very high winds and waves. "The weak links are probably out of the system," she told LiveScience.
The main causes of the Katrina-related price increases were not damaged rigs, but flooded refineries, floating pipelines pulled off their moorings, and power failures to offshore pipelines, Landry said. Since the monster 2005 season, oil companies have worked to shore up refineries and pipelines and install back-up generators to keep fuel flowing, Landry added.
While a slight drop in fuel supply, a "blip" as Landry called it, could be expected while the rigs in the path of the storm are shut down, once the storm is gone, production should resume.
3. Global Warming Could Be Making Things Worse
As Earth's oceans absorb some of the heat generated by climbing greenhouse gas levels, some scientists predict these warmer waters will fuel more, and stronger, storms.
Hurricanes feed off of the warm, moist air over tropical waters, and warmer waters can produce more intense storms, with faster winds and bigger waves. Studies suggest that warmer waters can also increase the frequency of storms, though some scientists have argued just the opposite, with projections that global warming will change wind circulation in such a way that it stifles the development of hurricanes.
Some researchers are also predicting that the hurricane season will become longer in a warming world because ocean waters are warming up earlier in the season, which officially begins on June 1 and ends on Nov. 30. While most hurricanes tend to form in August and September, when water temperatures peak, earlier warming is bringing bigger storms to the early months of the season, the research suggests.
4. A Category 5 Storm Could Make Landfall
With the threat of more intense storms produced by global warming, some scientists are concerned that this could mean more Category 5 storms, the highest ranking on the Saffir-Simpson strength scale, with potentially greater impact to coasts.
These storms have wind speeds in excess of 156 mph and can produce storm surges of more than 18 feet.
Only three Category 5 storms have ever made landfall in the United States: Hurricane Andrew, which hit Homestead, Fla., in 1992; Hurricane Camille, which came ashore near the mouth of the Mississippi River in 1969; and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, which struck the Florida Keys. (Katrina was a Category 5 while offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, but weakened just before landfall).
There is, however, no way to predict just how many Category 5 storms a given season will produce, when the next one will develop or whether or not it will make landfall.
5. People Won't Leave
More than half of the U.S. population lives on the country's coastline, and the vast majority have never experienced even a weak hurricane, Feltgen said. Many populations along the Northeast coast haven't experienced a hurricane in several generations, though the area is still vulnerable to storms.
Having little exposure to hurricanes can lead to an "It won't happen to me" mentality that means people in vulnerable areas don't have plans in place for what they will do when a hurricane strikes. In a Mason-Dixon poll taken earlier this year, more than half of coastal residents responded that they didn't have a personal hurricane plan. "And that is alarming," Felgen said in a telephone interview yesterday.
Coastal residents should plan ahead where they will go if they decide to evacuate, how to get there and what critical things they need to take with them. If they decide to stay, they need to have provisions they can live off of alone in their home for 3 to 7 days, Feltgen advised.
The call to evacuate can often lie with government emergency managers, who can face a tough decision because of the uncertainty in hurricane forecasts. Michael Metzger, an MIT graduate student has developed a computer model to aide these decisions. The model promotes evacuations done in stages to avoid congestion on evacuation routes, which was a problem in the eventual evacuation of New Orleans.
By Andrea Thompson
1. New Orleans Could Get Hit Again
With the city still limping from the effects of Katrina, New Orleans residents get no rest. City and state officials have already kicked new evacuation plans into gear with the threat from Gustav. "They've learned a few lessons," said National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen.
Katrina was the costliest and one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history, killing at least 1,500 people. But while the public may focus on New Orleans, forecasters are just as worried about hurricanes hitting any coastal U.S. city. "A landfall is a landfall," Feltgen said.
Tampa, Fla., which hasn't had a major hurricane since the 1920s, is one of the cites forecasters worry about. Before Hurricane Charley suddenly changed course in August 2004, Tampa was in its crosshairs, waking up residents to the risk that hurricanes poses there, Feltgen said.
2. Oil Drilling and Gas Production Could Be Impeded
Katrina's waves and flood waters damaged some offshore oil rigs, refineries and pipelines that supply large portions of the country with fuel, and as a result, gas prices went up. With fuel prices already reaching record highs in the past year, many are concerned that any hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico could drive prices up even further.
Any offshore rigs that lie in the projected path of a storm are evacuated several days in advance and production is halted to prevent spills — rigs in the path of Gustav have already been cleared, said Cathy Landry, a spokeswoman for the American Petroleum Institute. Most of the rigs damaged during Katrina were older models and were retired after the storm, Landry said, adding that newer models are built to withstand very high winds and waves. "The weak links are probably out of the system," she told LiveScience.
The main causes of the Katrina-related price increases were not damaged rigs, but flooded refineries, floating pipelines pulled off their moorings, and power failures to offshore pipelines, Landry said. Since the monster 2005 season, oil companies have worked to shore up refineries and pipelines and install back-up generators to keep fuel flowing, Landry added.
While a slight drop in fuel supply, a "blip" as Landry called it, could be expected while the rigs in the path of the storm are shut down, once the storm is gone, production should resume.
3. Global Warming Could Be Making Things Worse
As Earth's oceans absorb some of the heat generated by climbing greenhouse gas levels, some scientists predict these warmer waters will fuel more, and stronger, storms.
Hurricanes feed off of the warm, moist air over tropical waters, and warmer waters can produce more intense storms, with faster winds and bigger waves. Studies suggest that warmer waters can also increase the frequency of storms, though some scientists have argued just the opposite, with projections that global warming will change wind circulation in such a way that it stifles the development of hurricanes.
Some researchers are also predicting that the hurricane season will become longer in a warming world because ocean waters are warming up earlier in the season, which officially begins on June 1 and ends on Nov. 30. While most hurricanes tend to form in August and September, when water temperatures peak, earlier warming is bringing bigger storms to the early months of the season, the research suggests.
4. A Category 5 Storm Could Make Landfall
With the threat of more intense storms produced by global warming, some scientists are concerned that this could mean more Category 5 storms, the highest ranking on the Saffir-Simpson strength scale, with potentially greater impact to coasts.
These storms have wind speeds in excess of 156 mph and can produce storm surges of more than 18 feet.
Only three Category 5 storms have ever made landfall in the United States: Hurricane Andrew, which hit Homestead, Fla., in 1992; Hurricane Camille, which came ashore near the mouth of the Mississippi River in 1969; and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, which struck the Florida Keys. (Katrina was a Category 5 while offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, but weakened just before landfall).
There is, however, no way to predict just how many Category 5 storms a given season will produce, when the next one will develop or whether or not it will make landfall.
5. People Won't Leave
More than half of the U.S. population lives on the country's coastline, and the vast majority have never experienced even a weak hurricane, Feltgen said. Many populations along the Northeast coast haven't experienced a hurricane in several generations, though the area is still vulnerable to storms.
Having little exposure to hurricanes can lead to an "It won't happen to me" mentality that means people in vulnerable areas don't have plans in place for what they will do when a hurricane strikes. In a Mason-Dixon poll taken earlier this year, more than half of coastal residents responded that they didn't have a personal hurricane plan. "And that is alarming," Felgen said in a telephone interview yesterday.
Coastal residents should plan ahead where they will go if they decide to evacuate, how to get there and what critical things they need to take with them. If they decide to stay, they need to have provisions they can live off of alone in their home for 3 to 7 days, Feltgen advised.
The call to evacuate can often lie with government emergency managers, who can face a tough decision because of the uncertainty in hurricane forecasts. Michael Metzger, an MIT graduate student has developed a computer model to aide these decisions. The model promotes evacuations done in stages to avoid congestion on evacuation routes, which was a problem in the eventual evacuation of New Orleans.
Gustav-how you can help
HURRICANE RECOVERY INFORMATION:
HOW YOU CAN HELP
DONATIONS
·The best way you can help victims of Hurricane Gustav is to donate money to an organization such as the ones listed below that specializes in disaster response.
·Most charities do not accept individual donations of food, clothing and supplies, because of the cost and logistics of sorting the goods and getting them to the disaster site. Also, some families affected by the disaster feel more comfortable using a voucher to buy new clothes than wearing donated -- particularly second-hand -- clothing.
·If you are in an area that has been directly affected by the storm or is sheltering victims, contact local charities who may be accepting donated goods. Many states far from the disaster area may open shelters. Also, check with local houses of worship, because many may be funneling donated goods to sister congregations in areas where there are shelters.
VOLUNTEERING
·Do not go directly to the disaster area to offer your help. Organizations like the Red Cross are sending only volunteers who have had extensive training in emergency response and disaster recovery.
·Contact the local chapter of one of the organizations listed below to find out how you can volunteer locally. There are many ways to support the recovery effort even if you're not at the actual disaster site.
1.AMERICAN RED CROSS
To donate or volunteer online, log on to redcross.org
For Donations: 1-800-HELP-NOW
2.SALVATION ARMY
To donate online or volunteer, log on to salvationarmyusa.org
To donate by phone, call: 1-800-SAL-ARMY
3.CATHOLIC CHARITIES
To donate online, log on to catholiccharitiesusa.org
To donate by phone, call (800) 919-9338
To volunteer contact your local Catholic Diocese which you can find in your phone book or online at catholiccharitiesusa.org.
4.USA FREEDOM CORPS
USA Freedom Corps is working with partners in the non-profit and national service community to inform Americans how they can help. To find out about volunteer opportunities, log on to usafreedomcorps.gov
5.Check networkforgood.org for many more opportunities to volunteer or donate.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
DONATIONS
·The best way you can help victims of Hurricane Gustav is to donate money to an organization such as the ones listed below that specializes in disaster response.
·Most charities do not accept individual donations of food, clothing and supplies, because of the cost and logistics of sorting the goods and getting them to the disaster site. Also, some families affected by the disaster feel more comfortable using a voucher to buy new clothes than wearing donated -- particularly second-hand -- clothing.
·If you are in an area that has been directly affected by the storm or is sheltering victims, contact local charities who may be accepting donated goods. Many states far from the disaster area may open shelters. Also, check with local houses of worship, because many may be funneling donated goods to sister congregations in areas where there are shelters.
VOLUNTEERING
·Do not go directly to the disaster area to offer your help. Organizations like the Red Cross are sending only volunteers who have had extensive training in emergency response and disaster recovery.
·Contact the local chapter of one of the organizations listed below to find out how you can volunteer locally. There are many ways to support the recovery effort even if you're not at the actual disaster site.
1.AMERICAN RED CROSS
To donate or volunteer online, log on to redcross.org
For Donations: 1-800-HELP-NOW
2.SALVATION ARMY
To donate online or volunteer, log on to salvationarmyusa.org
To donate by phone, call: 1-800-SAL-ARMY
3.CATHOLIC CHARITIES
To donate online, log on to catholiccharitiesusa.org
To donate by phone, call (800) 919-9338
To volunteer contact your local Catholic Diocese which you can find in your phone book or online at catholiccharitiesusa.org.
4.USA FREEDOM CORPS
USA Freedom Corps is working with partners in the non-profit and national service community to inform Americans how they can help. To find out about volunteer opportunities, log on to usafreedomcorps.gov
5.Check networkforgood.org for many more opportunities to volunteer or donate.
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