Health & Food

Health and Food!

List of articles available in this section (Alphabetically)
read more »

The Autism Controversy

In case you have been following the controversy regarding children autism-related statements by Michael Savage, we are publishing a transcript of his audio comments regarding his opinions and beliefs.
read more »


Experts' Advice on Choosing and Using Sunscreens

A recent study has found that most of sunscreens available fail to provide the necessary protection. I have a few friends who prefer to forgo the sunblocks entirely out of fear for the dangerous chemicals that them might contain. How do you pick the sunscreen that actually works and that is not damaging?

Is it even necessary to use a sunblock?

UVB rays cause sunburn and skin cancer; UVA rays cause aging and likely skin cancer. Because both cause damage to the skin, Sutton says, it's important to pick a sunscreen with broad spectrum protection that shields out both types of rays.

Some ingredients work better for our skin protection:
read more »

Baby's Smile a Natural High for Mom

A mother looks at her smiling baby and every tune of her soul is singing a sweet and happy tune... we all know that. However new scientific research indicates there is more to it:

A new study shows seeing her baby's smile lights up the reward center in a mother's brain. Researchers say understanding that reaction may help explain that special mother-child bond and determine why it sometimes goes wrong...

Researchers found that when the mothers saw happy images of their own baby, activation increased in areas of the brain associated with reward and the neurotransmitter dopamine compared with seeing images of other babies.

"These are areas that have been activated in other experiments associated with drug addiction," says Strathearn. "It may be that seeing your own baby's smiling face is like a 'natural high.'"

read more »

Effectiveness of Sunscreens Hazy

"Going outside? Splash some sunscreen. On yourself, on your baby, on your cat..." Is it really effective? Which sunblocks to buy? New research indicates that just one of 103 products from the second-largest seller, Banana Boat, and the third largest seller, Neutrogena, were recommended to be safe and provide the necessary protection. With top-selling sunscreen brands being the poorest performers, which ones are safe?

An environmental research and advocacy group claims that four out of five brand-name sunscreens either provide inadequate sun protection or contain chemicals that may be unsafe, but industry representatives strongly dispute the charge....

Here are their (Environmental Working Group - EWG) top picks:

* Keys Soap Solar Rx Therapeutic Sunblock, SPF 30
* Trukid Sunny Days Facestick Mineral Sunscreen UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum, SPF 30+
* California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+
* Badger Sunscreen, SPF 30
read more »

Dry Drowning Facts

Can you believe that the child can get out of the water, and die from drowning hours later?! Yet, this is entirely possible. 4000 people die from dry drowning each year, 1400 whom are kids. What IS dry drowning?

Dry drowning is basically drowning without water. With dry drowning, you are not drowning from an immediate immersion in water; it is more of a delayed effect of a small amount of water in the lungs. This can cause result in laryngospasms, which minimize the amount of water aspirated into the lungs. Respiratory arrest may follow, leading to an inadequate supply of oxygen in the blood, cardiac arrest, and eventually brain death.

Are there any signs of dry drowning?
read more »

Top reasons my child should participate in a sports team

1. No matter how shy your kid is, he will always be welcomed and will always find good friends in a sport team.
2. Participating in sports will allow the child to discover previously unknown reserves of his or her body. When your whole team is behind the child, sky is the limit to what he or she can do.
3. By exercising regularly the child will get used to staying fit. Flab? What flab!
4. Child’s self esteem will get a huge boost. If the kid tries again and again, and finally succeeds, he becomes aware of what he is capable of and this feeling will stay with her for life!
5. The kids will learn things about themselves that no one may tell them. The better the child knows herself, the better chance he has to succeed in life.
6. Life is not always fair. The child needs to learn how to loose, make conclusions and come back victorious the next day.
read more »


Brain-Eating Amoeba Strikes in Summer

Don't you love the wonderful feel of a warm swimming pool or a warm lake during the summer? Yet, enjoying it can be dangerous. The threat seems more appropriate for a sci-fi story, then a scientific document, but since the events don't take place on some Martian plane, but actually have been recorded on our humble planet, it might seem curious enough:

Six young men died last year after swimming in lakes or pools infested with a brain-eating amoeba, the CDC reports.

The bad blobs -- known as Naegleria fowleri or N. fowleri -- thrive in warm, fresh water all over the world. But the key word here is warm. The amoeba loves heat. In the U.S., it inhabits the relatively hot waters of lakes, hot springs, and poorly maintained pools in Southern or Southwestern states.
read more »

Drug Labels May Revise Pregnancy Risks

Being pregnant, or breastfeeding, AND in pain, the most difficult part is choosing what medicine you can take, and which one can be dangerous for the developing baby. Avoiding drugs and going through pain? I don't know what's worse. Don't you just wish that most drugs contained a little more information on the label then just "consult a physician?" It seems that there will be a change for the better in that:
read more »

FDA Warning: Nipple Cream Hurts Babies

Breastfeeding can be daunting and painful in the beginning. Before the breasts get used to it, most of the moms experience cracked nipples, painful sensations, even bleeding. It's good we have a variety of nipple creams that can help us heal our breasts. Though, it appears that not all nipple creams are crated equal: some of them can even hurt our little ones.
read more »

Child/Teen Obesity Rate Bad, Not Worse

Childhood obesity is scary as it is. The good news is, that it's rate are not worsening, so many parents probably are taking precautionary measures. The bad news is, that it's rates are not improving either, so it is plausible that we have to try harder to prevent this happening to our kids:

May 27, 2008 -- For the first time in 20 years, America's child obesity rate hasn't gotten worse.

But it's not any better, according to the latest figures from the CDC.

* 31.9% of kids are overweight
* 16.3% of kids are obese
* 11.3% of kids are in the "heaviest of the heavy" category

"The numbers are still too high, but there is cause for cautious optimism. It may be leveling off after steady increases," CDC epidemiologist Cynthia L. Ogden, PhD, tells WebMD.
read more »

Safety of Antibacterial Soap Debated

Another great WebMD article that makes you think some things over: Safety of Antibacterial Soap Debated

Millions of Americans use antibacterial soaps and household cleaners every day, believing that their germ-killing ability will keep them and their families healthier.

But could these same chemicals that fight germs also be hazardous to your health?

That's a question being studied by a group of researchers at the University of California, Davis. In three separate studies, the researchers showed that the chemicals -- triclosan and triclocarban -- have potential to affect sex hormones and interfere with the nervous system.

They also may become suspects in the search for causes of autism.
read more »

Dyslexia resources

The following site has been recommended by a parent of a child with dyslexia: Diane Craft

Dianne has developed a unique diagnostic program that will reveal where the learning process is breaking down for your child and will train the parent in using the corrective steps that will help overcome the child's processing "glitch".

Dianne also offers educational and nutritional counseling that will dramatically improve your child's learning and behavior.

According to the parent who recommended this system, this author "addresses a lot of "electrical" problems in the brain causing the problem and has exercises that can be done to help correct them. She also agrees with the Doman philosophy of working with these children and correcting the problems so they can do better in life."

If you are familiar with this system or if you know another one to recommend, please comment below!

Vaccination - Keep track of your baby vaccination schedule.

Here is an interesting article about a study conducted by CDC. In short : 1 out 4 toddlers are improperly vaccinated and you better keep track of your baby's vaccination schedule to make sure he/she benefits 100% from it.


Picky Eater? Genes May Be to Blame

Study Shows Genetics May Play Role in Children's Food Preferences

Parents of picky eaters, take heart: It is not your cooking. A new study of twins shows that children who turn up their noses at certain foods may simply be "programmed" to do so.

Myles Faith, PhD and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia evaluated the eating patterns of more 792 twins aged 7 years old. The researchers found that genetics mostly dictates a child's picky palate and cravings for items like peanut butter and jelly. The findings support earlier animal experiments and adult twin studies that linked eating behaviors to genetics....

Read the rest of the article at WebMD: New Genetic connection on food preferences

Syndicate content