12 Tips to Get Your Kids Eating Healthy

With childhood obesity in North America tripling over the past 20 years, what kids are eating has become a major concern. Learn the Do's and Don'ts to get your kids eating healthy. 

Adapted from: Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal, Reader's Digest Canada
Establishing patterns for a healthy lifestyle begins with eating well. Ease into a healthy diet with these easy to follow tips:

1. Do set a good example for your child to copy. Share mealtimes and eat the same healthy foods.
2. Do discourage snacking on sweets and fatty foods. Keep plenty of healthy foods, such as fruits, raw vegetables, low-fat crackers and yogurt, around for children to eat between meals.
3. Do allow children to follow their natural appetites when deciding how much to eat.
4. Do encourage children to enjoy fruits and vegetables by giving them a variety from an early age.
5. Don't give skim or 1-percent-fat milk to children under the age of five, unless your doctor prescribes it; at this stage, children need the extra calories in whole milk.
6. Do ask children to help prepare meals. If parents rely mostly on convenience foods, children may not learn to enjoy cooking.
7. Don't add unnecessary sugar to drinks and foods.
8. Don't accustom children to extra salt by adding it to food or placing the shaker on the table.
9. Don't give whole nuts to children under the age of five. They may choke on them. Peanut butter and chopped nuts are fine as long as the child is not allergic to them.
10. Don't force children to eat more than they want.
11. Don't use food as a bribe.
12. Don't make children feel guilty about eating any type of food.

Healthful Snacks

Stock up on healthful snacks that children and teenagers can nibble on throughout the day:

• Breads and crackers with spreads such as peanut butter, low-fat cheese, canned tuna or sardines and lean cold cuts.
• Rice cakes and whole-grain crackers or breadsticks.
• Fresh and dried fruits.
• Yogourt.
• Carrot and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes or other raw vegetables with nutritious dips.
• Plain popcorn.
• Breakfast cereals.
• Water, milk or fruit juice.

8 Ways to Stay Close to Your Child

You remember when they took naps. You recall their first words. You cherish the days when they were innocent, loving and eager for your hugs. The tips that follow can help you continue to bond with your children if they are no longer children. Nothing can make your heart soar as much as watching their lives prosper – and them wanting you to be part of it.

From: 5-Minute Health Boosters / Reader's Digest

1 . Set Dinner Time
There’s something comforting about the family gathered around the dinner table, perhaps because that tradition is disappearing. Yet the evening meal is often the one time of day when the family can get together in one place. So make dinner a family affair. Use the time to share news of your day, make weekend plans and enjoy one another’s company. Research shows that adolescents who dine with their family at least several times a week are less likely to smoke and use drugs and they tend to get better exam results.

2. Back Off, But Stay Close
It’s normal for teens to want to spend more time with friends than parents. But don’t take this to mean your job as a parent id diminished. Find ways to remain involved in your child’s life. For example, while tea parties may be a thing of the past, you can still get to know your children’s friends by making them welcome after school. Staying involved may be more challenging, but it’s an important way of enhancing your relationship with your child.

3. Share Your Feelings

Of course, spare the intimate details of very personal subjects, but confiding that you, too, occasionally feel angry, insecure or awkward shows your teenager that you’re not just a parent — you’re human. Not only will your child feel closer to you, but he or she may feel safe enough to disclose uncomfortable issues when they arise.

4. Ask for Their Opinions
Teenagers have opinions about, well, everything, and they aren’t shy about sharing them. So allow them to make more independent decisions. For instance, let them decide when and where to study, what to wear, what after-school activity to pursue. However, keep in mind that some decisions are non-negotiable. Parents need to set limits that protect their child’s health, safety and well-being – at every age. These might include curfews, decisions about drinking and sexual activity, issues around study and university.

 
5. Trust Your Children to Make Smart Choices
Of course, they’ll make the wrong ones occasionally. But especially if they’re over 18, give them the chance to work out solutions to problems on their own. Didn’t you want the same from your parents at that age?

6. Call Before Going Over
If you have an adult child, always call before you go to his or her home, unless it is absolutely necessary. If you’re the parent of a teen, knock before you enter his or her room.

7. Respect Their Privacy

Don’t read his or her diary, eavesdrop on phone conversations or badger him or her with questions. If any behaviour is troubling you, address it directly, using five little words: ‘Can we talk about it?’ Here’s an example: ‘You seem to be very quiet lately, and I’m worried about you. Can we talk about it?’

 8. Be Honest
Many parents offer praise when they shouldn’t, as well as when they should. That just undermines trust. If both your praise and criticism are heartfelt and valid, your children will learn to trust you.

Diet For a Longer Life

by Janis Graham From: Reader's Digest USA, July 2009

The advice to dial back on burgers, steaks, and cold cuts just took on a bit more oomph: A ten-year study of 545,000 Americans found that people who eat about four ounces of beef or pork a day (the amount in an average-sized burger) are at least 30 percent more likely to die early, compared with those who consume an ounce or less daily. Though previous research has linked a diet heavy in red meat to a greater risk of heart disease and colon cancer, this is the first big study to look at how it affects your life expectancy.

The results don’t mean you have to completely eliminate beef and pork, says Paula Quatro­moni, DSc, an assistant professor of nutrition at Boston University, who wasn’t involved in the study. “You just need to eat much less.” Read on to find out how.

Don’t Quit — Switch

People who ate more fish, chicken, and turkey had a slightly lower risk of dying during this study, so use turkey for your meat loaf and shrimp when you make a stir-fry. Skewer chicken for shish kebabs—or, if you prefer, use a few chunks of beef along with plenty of veggies.



 

Keep Rules Simple

If you eat lots of red meat, start by banning it from two meals. Skip bacon at breakfast; substitute turkey for ham in your deli sandwich. Then declare one day of the week “red-meat-less.”

                




               Indulge, But Not Every Day

When you hanker for a big burger, a sizzling T-bone, or a rack of barbecued ribs, go for it! Then build the rest of your week’s meals around fish, beans, and other healthier sources of protein.

Simple Switch, Big Results

Instead of: Ranch salad dressing
Use: Oil and vinegar

To get: Protection against cancer and, for diabetes, help in managing blood sugar. Vinaigrette has long been recognized as better for you than creamy dressings. But in a recent test-tube study from Spain, compounds in extra-virgin olive oil blocked the growth of human breast cancer cells.
  In other new research, people who regularly consumed vinegar had healthier blood sugar levels. “Any type of vinegar—red wine, balsamic, cider—appears to be beneficial, as long as it’s 5 percent acid,” says researcher Carol S. Johnston, PhD, of Arizona State University.
  To make a first-rate vinaigrette, use three times as much oil as vinegar. Add a pinch of salt and pepper; for variety, throw in shallots, garlic, Dijon mustard, or fresh herbs.

The 7 Stages of Marriage

                            Stage One: Passion

This is the honeymoon stage, when romance and intense attraction bond a couple together and lead to commitment. In retrospect, it often seems as short-lived as springtime – by two years, most couples have usually lost that initial magic, though this can vary by couple. But when it is happening, the passion stage is very strong and significant. It is a wave of feel-good brain chemicals orchestrated by Mother Nature to make the two of you forsake all others and take action to ensure the survival of the species.

Even if you’re marrying later in life, or for the second time, nature supplies these delicious bursts of neurotransmitters to make you bond. Couples not only frolic and fall madly in love in the passion stage – they begin to establish the trust, respect and emotional intimacy that will support their relationship forever.

Stage Two: Realization

In this stage, the honeymoon ends, and a more real vision of the rest of your life begins. In this stage, you discover your spouse is not only human, he also doesn’t load the dishwasher or lower the toilet seat. Disappointment and early conflicts are the hallmarks of this difficult, unavoidable period, as the two of you make the first steps toward accepting each other for who you really are.

The mission and challenge? No less than laying the groundwork for a long future together based on acceptance, respect and openness to change. You’ll need to assertively discuss and emphatically listen as you both introduce your deepest personal needs and wants. This creates a foundation for being truly known, understood and supported in the years ahead.

                       Stage Three: Rebellion

She misses her friends; he misses his cool toys. She wants to travel; he wants to play weekly softball. She wants to build her career; he wants to build his career. Even for couples who successfully navigate the realization stage of marriage and lay the foundation for a happy, respectful coexistence together, a time inevitably emerges when self-interest often overtakes the interests of the marriage. And when this happens, be ready for the battles.

Love amid the power struggles of the rebellion stage is tricky business. You both believe you’re right, so of course your partner’s wrong. That means you’re simultaneously offended at being called wrong and claiming the moral high ground. Is this any way to run a marriage?

Experts say the drama of the rebellion stage are unavoidable. Learning the art of the good fight is the mission now – often it is the nature of the battles, rather than the substance of the discussion, that leads to trouble. Why? Rebellious thoughts, when met with anger and frustration, often lead to rebellious actions, such as infidelity, outlandish spending, or saying yes to the sudden offer from work to transfer to a new city. Any of these can spell disaster for a marriage.

Stage Four: Cooperation

As marriages progress over time, they inevitably become more complicated. Careers grow, houses get bigger, personal commitments grow deeper, and children arrive. In the cooperation stage, marriage takes on a business-like personality. Set aside all that love and emotion and personal-realization stuff: There are mortgages to be paid, investments to be handled, careers to be directed, health to be managed, and – first and foremost – children to be raised.

                           Step Five: Reunion

If you have children, the cooperation stage often lasts 10 to 20 years – then suddenly it is gone. Your parenting commitments are lessened, your finances established, your career set, your mortgage paid. What then? For happy couples, it is a time to appreciate each other again, not as parents and providers but as lovers and friends, thinkers and seekers. Achieve this and there’s peace, happiness and reconciliation.

That all sounds wonderful but this ideal is often hard to achieve. The embers of passion need stoking; the disillusionment and distance of middle age need to be managed; the roles and expectations of the marriage need recalibrating.

Step Six: Explosion

Job loss, major health problems, a move to a new city, financial troubles, the illness or death of a parent – as you pass through midlife and into the golden years, major life developments seem to come one upon the other. In the explosion phase, either you, your spouse, or both of you are dealing with major, life-shaking events that could affect your relationship for a day, a year, or the rest of your lives. While the other six stages tend to occur in order, the Explosion stage can happen at any time in a marriage though it happens most as we pass through our 40s and 50s.

Confronted by a personal crisis, your marriage can be a source of solace or be sorely tried by the unexpected pressure of new roles, new limitations and new fears. The mission of the explosion stage: Deal the best you can with life’s challenges and changes, but at the same time, keep yourself happy and healthy. Letting your marriage see you through can be as simple as sharing daily joys, provided you sometimes practice the Zen-like art of putting aside fear and stress.

Step Seven: Completion

It’s no coincidence: Lots of surveys find that marital happiness soars after several decades of a shared life. Experts say simply that it’s because the kids are grown, and couples know each other very, very well. But there’s more to it than that. Knowing each other isn’t merely about tolerating each other’s habits, quirks and needs. In the completion stage, “knowing” each other has a far deeper meaning – and a bigger payoff as well.

Part of being a happy man is to never lose the boy within; the same goes for women – there is the spirit of a young girl inside, no matter how many wrinkles edge the eyes. Maintaining a childlike love of life, laughter, nature, and each other is the real secret to a perpetually blessed relationship. It is also living in the present, not the past. In the completion stage of marriage, there is never a belief that the best times are over – they should always be today and tomorrow.

Building a successful marriage is a lifelong challenge. Understanding the different phases a marriage goes through may help you build a stronger and better relationship. Read on to learn more about the seven stages of marriage.

-------------------------------
Article from : Reader's Digest
-------------------------------

Strawberries Shown To Protect Stomach Against Ulcers

Yahoo News .....

People who suffer from stomach ulcers should consider tucking into a pint of fresh strawberries, particularly if the inflammation is related to excessive alcohol consumption, suggests a new study.

The new research, published in the journal PLoS One (Public Library of Science) and announced Tuesday, found that the powerful antioxidant properties of strawberries can act as a protective barrier to stomach ulcers.

In their study, a team of scientists from Italy, Serbia and Spain put a group of rats on a diet that included strawberry extracts for 10 days, before inducing gastric damage by giving the animals ethanol.

Rats that ate strawberry extract were found to have less ulcerations by about 40 mg/day per kilo of weight, compared to those that didn't.

Not only did the strawberries' antioxidant capacity help strengthen the stomach lining, but they were also found to activate the body's own defenses and enzymes, researchers said. Eating strawberries can also help alleviate damage either before or after the onset of inflammation.

The new findings could pave the way for new protective ulcer treatments.

Ulcers can be caused by alcohol consumption, viral infections or medications like aspirin.

Researchers pointed out, however, that their study was not conceived to mitigate the effects of getting drunk, but to discover new ways of protecting the stomach against damage.

Previous studies have also shown that strawberries can strengthen red blood cells' response to oxidative stress, which is often a precursor to cancer and other chronic diseases.

13 Surprising Causes of Constipation

By Amanda Gardner

What causes constipation? Well, the obvious culprits include a low fiber diet, repeatedly ignoring the urge to go, not drinking enough water, or a lack of exercise. But constipation also has other, less-well-known causes, including certain medications and supplements, as well as potentially serious medical conditions. What’s causing your gut trouble?

Here are 13 possible causes of constipation you may not have considered.

Possible Cause No. 01 : Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, slows the body’s metabolic processes—even the gut. Not everyone with an underactive thyroid has constipation, nor do all cases of constipation mean that the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck is underperforming. Still, "when I see a young person who’s constipated more than normal and really complaining, I do tend to get a thyroid level," says Carla H. Ginsburg, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Possible Cause No. 02 : Painkillers

Painkillers, specifically narcotics, can cause constipation. "A lot of receptors for the narcotic class of drugs are in the digestive tract, so it tends to bring everything to a halt," says Thomas Park, MD, a gastroenterologist with the University of Rochester Medical Center Park in New York. "In general, it?s a good idea for everyone who?s placed on one of these drugs to also place them on a gentle laxative like a stool softener." Some studies (but not all) have suggested that there might be a higher risk of constipation for people who are chronic users of pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen.

Possible Cause No. 03 : Chocolate

There’s some evidence that chocolate can cause constipation, though other studies show chocolate may actually help some people, Dr. Park says. In one 2005 study, people with chronic constipation or irritable bowel syndrome were more likely than people without those problems to say that chocolate caused constipation (as did bananas and black tea). Eliminate or cut back on chocolate if you think it could be causing your constipation.

Possible Cause No. 04 : Vitamins

Vitamins in general won’t cause constipation, but certain components, such as calcium and iron, can be a problem. "I would tell a patient to stop taking the iron [or calcium] unless they really need it and, if they do need it, I would put them on a stool softener to counteract that," says Dr. Ginsburg, who is a spokesperson for the American Gastroenterological Association.

Possible Cause No. 05 : Laxative Overuse

Some laxatives work by stimulating bowel activity. Such stimulant laxatives should be taken only as directed. If used for long periods of time, stimulant laxatives can lead to dependence, meaning your body simply won’t function properly without them. Stimulant laxatives include Dulcolax, Ex-Lax, Senna, and others. Don’t take any medication—including laxatives—for longer than instructed by either the product’s label or your doctor.

Possible Cause No. 06 : Too Much Dairy

A diet high in cheese and other low-fiber/high-fat foods such as eggs and meat can slow down your digestion. The obvious solution? Cut down on your intake of such foods, and increase fiber intake to 20 to 35 grams a day. "If you?re going to have cheeses and red meat and eggs, mix in some salads or other foods that have fiber," Dr. Park advises. And avoid fast foods and processed foods, which are generally low in fiber.

Possible Cause No. 07 : Antidepressants

Constipation can be associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants such as Prozac (fluoxetine). However, constipation is more of a problem with older tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil (amitriptyline), says Dr. Park. Why any of these drugs have this effect isn’t clear, though. If you’re taking an antidepressant and have this side effect, think about using a gentle stool softener.

Possible Cause No. 08 : Depression

Ironically, the very condition that antidepressants are meant to treat—depression—can also cause constipation. Like hypothyroidism, depression causes a general slowdown of the body’s normal processes, which can also affect the bowel. People with irritable bowel syndrome, which can be closely linked to depression, are also prone to constipation, Dr. Park says.

Possible Cause No. 09 : Antacids

Antacids are great for fighting heartburn, but some can cause constipation, particularly those containing calcium or aluminum, Dr. Park says. Fortunately, the drugstore aisles are crammed with options, so if one medication is a problem you can try something else. You can also cut down on your risk of heartburn by not overstuffing at meals. And consuming fewer fatty foods and more fiber will help prevent both problems.

Possible Cause No. 10 : Blood Pressure and Allergy Medicines

Constipation can be a side effect of some common drugs used to treat high blood pressure, such as calcium channel blockers and diuretics. Diuretics, for instance, lower blood pressure by increasing urine output, which flushes water from your system. However, water is needed to keep stools soft and get them out of the body. Antihistamines used to treat allergy symptoms can be a problem too.

Possible Cause No. 11 : Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes two chronic conditions—Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Both can cause cramping, weight loss, bloody stools, and other health problems. Chronic diarrhea is a common symptom of both. However constipation can be a problem too. In ulcerative colitis, constipation can be a sign of inflammation in the rectum and in Crohn's disease it can be a sign of an obstruction in the small intestine. However if you have constipation alone, without other symptoms, it's unlikely to be due to IBD.

Possible Cause No. 12 : Childbirth

Constipation is common during pregnancy, but childbirth itself can be a problem, possibly due to sluggish abdominal muscles or perhaps the use of pain relievers or an anesthetic during the delivery. Also, "there may be some perineal soreness right after the delivery, so the fear of causing more discomfort may be an important factor in the constipation," says Dr. Park. Although stretch injuries during childbirth can sometimes cause nerve damage that leads to constipation, this is less common.

Possible Cause No. 13 : Diabetes and Neurological Conditions

Diabetes can cause nerve damage that can affect a person’s ability to digest food, says Dr. Park. Most people with advanced diabetes know they have it. Still, it’s reasonable to do a blood sugar test on someone who is regularly constipated, says Dr. Ginsburg. Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease can cause constipation. Usually, though, "this goes with another symptom such as trouble urinating, double vision, or a gait problem," Dr. Ginsburg says.

-----------------------
http://health.com
-----------------------

More Evidence Obesity Tied To Colon Cancer : Study

(Reuters) - Older adults who are heavy, especially around the middle, seem to have a higher risk of developing colon cancer than their thinner peers -- and exercise may lower the incidence of the disease, especially for women, a European study said.

More than 120,000 adults in the Netherlands aged 55 to 69 were followed for 16 years by the study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

During that time, about two percent developed colorectal cancer, tumors of the colon and/or rectum, though most were diagnosed with colon cancer.

The risk was 25 percent higher for men who were significantly overweight or obese at the outset, versus normal-weight men.

"The study provides further evidence that excess body fat may contribute to a higher risk of colorectal cancer," said lead researcher Laura Hughes, at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, in an email.

For men, waist size seemed to matter most. Men with the biggest bellies, gauged by their self-reported trouser size, had a 63 percent greater risk of colorectal cancer than men who were trimmest around the middle.

Among women, though, a large waistline was only linked to a higher cancer risk in women who also got little exercise, defined as less than 30 minutes a day.

Women who topped a "44" in pants size -- about a size 16 in the United States -- and got little exercise were 83 percent more likely to develop colon cancer than women who had smaller waistlines and exercised more than 90 minutes a day.

Studies have tied abdominal obesity to other health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, and belly fat seems to be particularly linked to chronic, low-level inflammation in the body, Hughes added.

"One of our most intriguing observations was that abdominal fat was associated with colorectal cancer in women only when combined with low exercise levels," she said.

It's not clear why that might be, or why the pattern was seen only in women, Hughes added. Calorie balance, or how much you take in through food versus how much you burn through exercise, may be important.

"Women should focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle rather than simply paying attention to what the scale says," Hughes added.

Risk factors for colorectal disease include older age, a history of colitis or Crohn's disease, a family history of the cancer, and smoking. Some studies have also linked diets high in animal fat, and low in fruits, vegetables and fibre to an increased risk. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/rTElMb

(Reporting from New York by Amy Norton at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies and Sanjeev Miglani)