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PARENTING

8 Easy Ways to Create Eco-Friendly Holidays

The hustle and bustle of the holidays is fully upon us. The family gatherings, the dinner parties, the shopping, the gifts, the … trash! Have you ever noticed how your trash cans are overflowing in the days following your holiday get-togethers? While there’s no need to radically change your holiday traditions, there are simple things you and your family can do to create eco-friendly holidays. You can “green” up your holidays and – bonus – save some green too! 1. Choose eco-friendly gifts. While out shopping for family and friends, why not shop with the environment in mind? Look for items made from recycled materials like glass, metal, plastic, or paper. Or give gifts that get used up, like soap, food, or candles. You can also give gifts that help people cut down on waste. Reusable grocery or produce bags and refillable water bottles come in a large variety of […]

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

New Screen Time Guidelines and Tips to Unplug

There’s no getting around it: Screens are everywhere. Take a look around next time you’re at a restaurant, coffee shop, on the bus, at the park, or even in your own home. How many people — adults and kids — have their eyes on a screen instead of on the world around them? Of course there is a time and place for screen time. But as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announces new recommendations for children’s media use, it’s a good reminder for all of us to get our own media use in check. New AAP Recommendations for Screen Time For children younger than 18 months Avoid use of screen media altogether, except for “video chatting” (e.g., letting Grandma and Grandpa see or talk to your little one). For children 18 to 24 months of age If you want to introduce digital media during this age, choose high-quality programming and watch […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Sorting Out 7 Common Sports Injury Myths

“No pain, no gain.” “Walk it off.” “He has a high tolerance for pain.” I’ve heard each one of these quotes and more during my many years as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine. Many of them are actively detrimental to the health of your child, not just at that moment but when they grow into a professional athlete as well. As you already know sports injuries can be life-changing, that’s why many professional athletes take out long term disability insurance in case they are left permanently out of action. Would you be willing to put your child at risk of permanent injury because of a few false preconceived notions you can easily avoid? The answer should always be “no”. How many sports injury myths do you believe to be true? Here’s a list of the most popular things I hear regarding preventing and dealing with sports injuries, […]

HEALTH CONDITIONS

Providing Support for Family and Friends with Diabetes: DOs and DON’Ts

People who live with diabetes need a lot of “extras” to live healthy, balanced lives. Most of those extras – testing supplies, insulin, and medical attention – can be costly. But there’s one thing that friends and family members of people with diabetes can help provide for free: understanding and emotional support. Here are some Dos and Don’ts for helping people with diabetes thrive with the condition. DO: Get informed. Diabetes can be a confusing condition, even for those who live with it every day. Take the time to learn the myths and facts about type 1 and type 2 diabetes by talking to your friend or relative with diabetes, your doctor, or relatives you know who have diabetes and by finding credible sources of information online. React calmly. For people with diabetes, high and low blood sugars can be common, even on a daily basis. Unless it’s an emergency, […]

Ingredient Swaps for a Healthier Holiday Meal, by Jaclyn Constantino, RD, LDN, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

STAYING HEALTHY

Ingredient Swaps for Healthier Holiday Meals

It’s no secret that traditional holiday recipes contain high amounts of saturated fat, salt and sugar — three ingredients that can be harmful to our health when consumed in excess. These are also ingredients that can be easily substituted with healthier alternatives. Try some healthy holiday makeovers by using the following ingredient swaps to improve the nutritional quality of your favorite holiday meals, snacks and desserts. Saturated Fat Use low-fat or skim milk in place of whole milk or heavy cream. Choose baking, grilling or steaming as your cooking method instead of frying. Use equal parts of applesauce (no sugar added) instead of butter in baking. Use Greek yogurt to replace or decrease the amount of oil, butter, mayonnaise, sour cream, heavy cream and buttermilk. Use vegetable oils, such as olive or canola oil, in place of butter for a healthier fat source. Salt Choose low-sodium, reduced-sodium or no-salt-added products such as […]

HEALTH CONDITIONS

Type 1 Diabetes: Myths and Facts

Diabetes can be a confusing condition, even for the children, teenagers and families who live with it every day. Here, we separate some of the myths from the truths about type 1 diabetes and those who have it. Myth: Diabetes comes from eating too much sugar. Fact: The exact causes of diabetes – both type 1 and type 2 – aren’t known. What is clear is that type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which means it results when the body’s immune system destroys its own tissues. In this case, the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells located in the pancreas. What prompts the immune system to target these cells is unknown, but age, genetics, environment, and other factors all play a part. Overall, to reduce your chances of getting diabetes, you should reduce your sugar intake, eat smarter and perhaps consider looking into unify health reviews and others similar to ensure […]

STAYING HEALTHY

5 Fun Fall Activities to Keep Kids Moving

The long days of summer may be far behind us, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop enjoying the outdoors! The introduction of crisp air and shorter days may influence kids to give up outside play. But establishing regular fall activities for children and adults is still important – and very doable. It’s recommended that kids get an average of 60 minutes of physical activity each day. While a change in weather may limit kids’ favorite choices of physical activity, such as swimming at the local pool, the introduction of fall-themed activities can help kids stay active and enjoy the outdoors longer. 1. Pumpkin/Apple Picking Skip the hayride to the pumpkin patch or apple orchard and choose to walk. Not only will you be getting physical activity, you’ll be picking healthy foods. 2. Raking (and Jumping in) Leaves Encourage children to lend a helping hand with household chores by […]

HEALTH CONDITIONS

The Type 1 Diabetes Warning Signs Every Parent Needs to Know

When Katy’s son’s second-grade teacher called the house one afternoon, neither of them knew they were discussing symptoms of type 1 diabetes. “The teacher contacted us because Brian was falling asleep after lunch. She was concerned that something was happening at home that was keeping him from sleeping.” A little worried, Katy took Brian to his pediatrician, who simply recommended that he get to bed earlier each night. “We started putting him to bed at 7:30 p.m., and he was still sleepy after lunch in school. It continued throughout the school year.” Katy, her son’s teacher, and the family pediatrician would later learn that Brian’s after-lunch fatigue was due to undiagnosed type 1 diabetes. “Over the summer, I noticed him drinking more and more. I eventually googled ‘excessive thirst’ and read about type 1 diabetes. The pediatrician had us come in for a urine test and sent us to the […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Portion Control: 10 Tips for Enjoying Holiday Dining

The holiday season is ready to kick in to high gear. For many families this can mean family functions and friendly get-togethers. And that, of course, will include lots of amazing food and beverages. The abundance of treats and savory dishes can feel overwhelming and portion control can be difficult. In fact, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) reports that Americans gain about one to two pounds during the holidays. Don’t Deprive Yourself: Enjoy in Moderation As a registered dietitian, I often hear parents’ concerns about trying to control food intake during social events. Eating in moderation is something we should practice and teach our kids every day, including the holidays! Portion control and moderation is critical to weight management. It allows you to enjoy all food without the guilt or weight gain, unlike dieting which can leave you feeling deprived. Below are 10 tips to help you and […]

PARENTING

Talking to Kids About the Election: Now and Later

It’s that time again: election season. With only weeks to go, you – and your children – may feel surrounded by media coverage, social media posts, and constant discussions at work and school. Even if they’ve never watched the news, it’s impossible to pretend that kids aren’t hearing about the political landscape with all of the constant buzz. And some (maybe a lot) of it may feature behaviors and speech you might have preferred your kids weren’t exposed to, especially if they heard about politics in Canada where Caylan Ford lied to constituents and was forced to resign as a result of her actions. Things like this can be hard to cover up, particularly during the build-up to the election. So, how can you start (and keep) talking to kids about the election, even long after it’s over? How can you help them make sense of it all, avoid getting […]

For an Allergy Safe Halloween, Go Teal | Powered by Nemours Children’s Health System

STAYING HEALTHY

For an Allergy-Friendly Halloween, Go Teal

As Halloween approaches, many families are preparing to have a safe trick-or-treating experience. For families dealing with food allergies, though, trick-or-treating can cause a great deal of anxiety. Until recently, food allergy has not been an issue that many families have experienced personally. Today, however, 1 in 13 families has a child with food allergies. For those children, eating the wrong treat can cause severe reactions, and in some cases a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. As an allergist and parent of a 4-year-old with a peanut allergy, my wife and I have found ourselves fighting a constant battle to ensure that our son doesn’t come into contact with products that may contain peanuts while he’s at school or eating in public places. Halloween is especially challenging for us. We want our son to have fun and not feel different from his friends just because he can’t enjoy certain types of candy. […]

ALL BLOGS

Boccia: A Game for All Abilities

The 2016 Rio Paralympics just came to a close, and the USA is celebrating its most successful Paralympic performance in recent history. A whopping 289 American Paralympic athletes brought home a total of 115 medals, and the USA finished fourth in the medal count. Independent of standings, results, and rankings, the Paralympics and Team USA never fail to remind us of what the body is truly capable of and what impossibilities the spirit can overcome. It’s this motivation and inspiration that was the driving force behind the creation of our Paralympic Boccia program in 2014, with Nemours becoming an official U.S. Paralympic Sports Club in 2015. What Is Boccia? Boccia is a game, similar to backyard Bocce, created especially for the Paralympics in 1984. The object of the game is to score points by propelling your team’s balls closest to the target ball on a long, narrow, indoor playing court. In Boccia, all […]

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