Family meals promote healthier eating

Life gets hectic, we work late and kids have activities (ballgames in the summer, after school activities during the school year).  This keeps the family in the car, driving from place to place.

We grab food at our favorite drive-thru.   We cope as best we can with a crazy busy schedule. 

What’s a family meal time? It seems like a great idea but is it worth the effort?  Yes,
researchers find that making meal time a time for family gives great benefits.  According to research by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, family meals encourage healthier eating. 

More fruits and vegetables while less calories and fried foods.  Parents can be good role models for healthy eating.  Another huge benefit of family meals comes from the talking, listening and building relationships for family members.     

 If you want to add family meals into your busy life, these suggestions may help you:

      ·       Begin slowly.  Add one more family meal than you currently have to your schedule.  Schedule this event like you would an appointment.  Let your family members know about the family meal.
      ·       Plan your menus as a group.  Let everyone make suggestions for the menu. 
      ·       Turn off distractions such as the TV, cell phones and other noise distractions. 
      ·       Talk.  One suggestion is to begin with positive topics such as, “what’s your favorite color?” or “what made you laugh today?”

Backpack Safety

Summer is slipping away.  Many families are preparing for school which means buying school supplies.  Does your child/children use a backpack to carry books and supplies? 

If you go to a store searching for backpacks, you will find many choices, in lots of colors and sizes.  What is the best choice for your child?  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guides us in our backpack purchases at  http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Backpack-Safety.aspx

Here are their recommendations:

·       Get a backpack with two wide, well-padded shoulder straps.  Narrow straps can cause pain and one strap cannot distribute the weight evenly.

·       Look for a lightweight backpack to minimize the weight.  Books and supplies can get heavy so begin with a lightweight backpack. 

·       A padded back on the backpack will be more comfortable and protect your child’s back from any sharp objects in the pack. 

·       A rolling backpack may be helpful if your child must tote a heavy load.  However, this rolling backpack will need to be carried up steps and may not roll well in snow.

 There are behaviors which the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends to prevent injuries when using a back pack:

·       Tighten straps to fit the child.  The backpack should rest close to the body and sit two inches above the waist. 

·       Go light.  Keep the back pack as light as possible.  The contents should never weigh more than 10 to 20 % of the child’s body weight. 

·       Organize the contents.  Put the heavier items closest to center of back.

·       Teach your child that when he is wearing a backpack, it’s best to bend down (stoop) at the knees, not bend over at the waist.  The AAP suggests some back strengthening exercises for backpack wearers at http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/sports-injuries/Pages/Lower-Back-Pain-in-Athletes.aspx

·       Wear the backpack using both straps.  Slinging the backpack over one arm could strain muscles and cause pressure on the shoulder and spine.  

·       Tell your child to let you know if pain or discomfort begins.  Consult your pediatrician or family doctor about pain from backpacks. 

Last year I decided I wanted a backpack to use as my carry-on for travel.  We went shopping at a local store.  I was quickly overwhelmed by the many choices, colors, sizes and brands.  Wow.  I looked at my husband and said, ‘help me find one.’  I did not have these recommendations but the backpack we bought fits these recommendations.  I have used my new backpack several trips now and it has worked well.  My backpack is lightweight, comfortable and I can fit a change of clothes (in case my luggage goes astray), and essentials into my backpack. 

The End of the Beginning video

I’ve been busy the last several weeks visiting family and I have missed attending church.  Today I plan to be there, listening to Pastor Jason (who is a great speaker by the way.) 

This week a friend recommended that I listen to a (new to me) gospel song and I loved it.  Please join me as I listen again to David Phelps sing “The End of the Beginning” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrhSjP5988E

What a blessing this song has been to my heart and soul this week.  I hope you enjoy and have a blessed week. 

Do you need antibiotics for that cold?

You have probably heard about antibiotics being prescribed or overprescribed when not needed.  The experts recognize that germs mutant and become resistant to antibiotics.  Then when we need antibiotics, the drugs are not effective.  These bacteria have been named to designate this issue, such as methicillin-resistant staph aureus. 

What should we be doing about antibiotic resistance?  Use them appropriately and don’t push your healthcare provider to give you an antibiotic prescription unless he recommends it. 

A recent study reported that patients ask for an antibiotic prescription 23% of the time.  The main reasons people request antibiotics were that the patient thinks an antibiotic will cure the illness and help them feel better faster. 

How do you know when you need an antibiotic for an upper respiratory infection?  The Get Smart website for CDC provides information at http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/index.html

 

 

Family time 2014

Please excuse me.  I missed posting this past Sunday because we were enjoying family time. 

Our two granddaughters came to visit for a week.  Then we had hubby’s side of the family at our home for the weekend.  Brother-in-law brought 300 fish filets and fried them Friday night.  We enjoyed the video/old picture presentation another brother-in-law shared with us.  Saturday morning we drove-in-convoy around town, visiting graves of parents and grandparents while recognizing the value of our family roots.  

 

When I listen to people talk, I recognize that family can be a complicated issue for some folks.

We are blessed; we enjoy our family members and feel fortunate that they travel many miles to gather and spend a weekend together.  We’ve all returned safely home and look forward to our next family time weekend. 

Yes, the kids spent hours on this slip and slide this year.  It was a huge hit. 

 

Take care of Yourself This Summer: 7 Simple Tips from the Positivity Blog

The summer is almost half over.  How is it going for you?  Are you ‘chillin (relaxing)?  Are you finding yourself too busy?  Are you working all day and racing from ball field to ball field as you chauffeur your kids/grandkids to their ball games and activities?

 

If you find yourself wishing for more relaxing summer days, check out the Positivity Blog as Henrik tells us all how to “take care of yourself this summer:  7 simple tips”  He gives some great suggestions for relaxing and taking care of you. 

http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2014/06/26/take-care-of-yourself/

 

Those Dreaded Ticks

Do you like these flowers from my gardens?  I bet you don’t immediately think of ticks when you see these pretty flowers.  However, ticks are what I want to talk about on this blog post. 

Ticks live outdoors so we are at risk for being tick-food whenever we are outside. Ticks can carry viruses, germs and parasites which cause ten different diseases (including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever). 

Recognize how to protect yourself and your loved ones from tick bites: 

Ticks live in moist, humid places so grassy places and woods are their habitat.  However, remember that deer and animals can carry ticks into your yard.  Last year I found a tick behind my ear after I spent time working in my flower beds.  We treat our yard routinely to discourage ticks so where did that tick come from?  Probably off the deer who often walk through our yard at night. 

According to the CDC website, we can protect ourselves by using DEET repellent on our skin and permethrin products which kill ticks on our boots, clothing and camping gear.  (Don’t use permethrin on skin).  For details on how to properly use these products, check out http://www.cdc.gov/Features/StopTicks/

Tick Check

My husband and I joke about doing a tick check on each other, but it’s a good practice.  As you come in, check your clothing for ticks.  Shower as soon as you can.  A shower within 2 hours is recommended as one way to find and wash away any unattached ticks.  Physically look and check for ticks.  If you are doing this tick check on yourself, use a mirror to examine hard-to-see areas.  Body areas that you should check include:  under the arms, in and around ears, between legs, in and around your hair, inside belly button, at the waist and backs of knees. 

What if you find a tick? 

If you find a tick attached, the CDC recommends, “grasping with tweezers, as close to the skin as possible, and pulling it straight out.”  http://www.cdc.gov/Features/StopTicks/

Other preventive actions

Treat your yard to create “tick-safe zones”.   More information about this topic can be found at http://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/special_features/tickhandbook.pdf

Discourage deer (My personal opinion is good luck on this one.  When our subdivision was built on what was original farm land that deer wandered through, that’s probably not going to change.) The suggested actions involve removing plants that deer like to feed on and constructing physical barriers to keep deer out. 

Protect your family pets (which also protects your family) http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_pets.html

If you do get tick bit, watch the wound carefully and seek medical help if a fever or rash develops.  More information can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/StopTicks/