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Back-to-School Physical: 3 Questions to Ask Your Child’s Doctor

(NEW YORK) August 10, 2010 – You help your child stay physically active. You set a good example by serving and eating nutritious foods. And you make sure there are healthy lifestyle choices at home and at school. But even as the quarterback for your child’s health, you still need some coaching. By talking with your child’s doctor, you can make an age-appropriate plan that’s a perfect fit for your child.

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Wellness Workbook

How to Achieve Enduring Health and Vitality

by John W. Travis, M.D., Regina Sara R

For more than 30 years, John W. Travis, M.D., and Regina Sara Ryan have introduced thousands to the concept of wellness, a practical whole-self approach to healthy living. From how you breathe to how you view the world, the 12 interconnected elements of the Wellness Energy System affect all aspects of your life: your disposition toward injury and illness, your relationships, your general level of happiness, and beyond. In an optimal state of wellness, you are less prone to disease, stress, and other life-depleting factors.


Madlynn is Kid of the Month

Top 10 Food Mistakes

Food Mistake #1: You reach for multigrain bread or cereal

Foods labeled 7-grain or multigrain may seem like the healthiest choices—especially with new findings showing that a diet rich in whole grains protects against heart disease, cancer, and other ills.

The famed Nurses' Health Study documented lower rates of heart disease and stroke among whole grain eaters. Experts don't know all the reasons behind the benefits, but they do know that intact grains are rich in fiber and nutrients—including vitamin E, B vitamins, and magnesium—that are stripped away when grains are refined into flour.

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Tips for a Healthier Holiday

The holiday season is a magnificent time of year, but it can also be challenging for families trying to eat healthy and stay physically active. Between family gatherings, parties, lots of food and traveling, healthy habits can get left in the cold. But the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, has tools and tips to help families stay healthy and physically active while still enjoying the holiday season.

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Ten Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving provides the perfect opportunity to make healthier choices for your family meal. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, suggests the following tips to ensure a healthy and delicious Thanksgiving meal:

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Where the Bugs Are

Is there a more potent symbol of purity than the fluffy white snowflake, wafting from heaven and landing--ping!--on the tip of your tongue? Well, along comes the journal Science to spoil the fun, noting that bacteria called Pseudomonas syringe are lurking at the dark heart of many an earthbound crystal of frozen water. And if Frosty the Snowman is a target, what chance do the rest of us have?

A pretty good one, actually-- if you make note of the places where the bugs lie and swat them before they can do harm. Here's an updated to-disinfect list for all the surprising places (and people) contagion clings to.

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More Than a Fridge Filler: Clever Uses for Baking Soda

By Olivia Kuhn-Lloyd of Intent

As elements of spring start to peak through, I’m inspired to freshen up my beauty routine, which has always been minimal. Winter has taken its toll on my skin and hair and enough is enough! It’s time to peal back the curtain. Influenced by these ten beauty essentials totaling seventy-five dollars, I started to think about glow- and shine-inducing products that I already have on-hand and, my favorite of the bunch, baking soda.

How can my favorite multi-purpose (beauty) product enhance your grooming routines? Read on. (More than a dusted off Redbook list, these applications for baking soda are a compilation of research, polls, and personal use.)

Where to buy? For how much?
Baking Soda is ubiquitous. It does not vary by brand nor fall into different price brackets. It’s reliable and will always come to the siren call of your beauty needs.
It’s available. You can purchase it at supermarkets, bodegas, drug stores, and gas station mini-marts.
The price is right. The average drugstore sells baking soda for less than three dollars.

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10 things your hospital won't tell you

by SmartMoney

"Oops, wrong kidney."

Treatment errors are common, finding someone in charge can seem impossible, and patients sometimes wind up sicker than when they arrived. And here's a tip: Try to avoid hospitals late at night and in July.


In recent years, errors in treatment have become a serious problem for hospitals, ranging from operations on wrong body parts to medication mix-ups.

At least 1.5 million patients are harmed every year from being given the wrong drugs, according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. That's an average of one person per U.S. hospital per day.

One reason these mistakes persist: Only 10% of hospitals are fully computerized and have a central database to track allergies and diagnoses, says Robert Wachter, the chief of medical service at UC San Francisco Medical Center.

But signs of change are emerging. More than 3,000 U.S. hospitals, or 75% of the country's beds, have signed on for a campaign by the not-for-profit Institute for Healthcare Improvement to implement prevention measures such as multiple checks on drugs.

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Diets around the world

TODAY diet and nutrition editor Madelyn Fernstorm looks at some of the diet secrets from around the world.

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Obesity and alternative medicine

TODAY nutrition and diet editor Madelyn Fernstrom discusses whether some unconventional methods can help to win the battle of the bulge.

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Consumer: fitness news
 

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Single Moms - find here resources on financial aid, scholarships, help with basic needs, food, prescription drugs, health care, housing, legal info, and much more...


Pregnancy DOs and DON'Ts

Eat this. Don't eat that. Do this. Don't do that. Pregnant women are bombarded with DOs and DON'Ts. It's tough to keep it all straight.

 

Pregnancy DOs

 

See your doctor regularly. Prenatal care can help keep you and your baby healthy and spot problems if they occur.

 

Get 400 micrograms (= 0.4 mg) of folic acid every day before and during pregnancy. Getting enough folic acid lowers the risk of some birth defects. Taking a vitamin with folic acid will help you to be sure you are getting enough.

 

Eat a variety of healthy foods. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, calcium-rich foods, and lean meats.

 

Get all essential nutrients, including iron, every day. Getting enough iron prevents anemia, which is linked to preterm birth and low-birth weight babies. Ask your doctor about taking a daily prenatal vitamin or iron supplement.

 

Drink extra fluids, especially water.

 

Get moving! Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, physical activity is good for you and your baby.

 

Gain a healthy amount of weight. Gaining more than the recommended amount during pregnancy increases a woman’s risk for pregnancy complications. It also makes it harder to lose the extra pounds after childbirth. Check with your doctor to find out how much weight you should gain during pregnancy.

 

Wash hands, especially after handling raw meat or using the bathroom.

 

Get enough sleep. Aim for 7 to 9 hours every night. Resting on your left side helps blood flow to you and your baby and prevents swelling. Using pillows between your legs and under your belly will help you get comfortable.

 

Set limits. If you can, control the stress in your life and set limits. Don't be afraid to say no to requests for your time and energy. Ask for help from others.

 

Make sure health problems are treated and kept under control. If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar levels. If you have high blood pressure, monitor it closely.

 

Ask your doctor before stopping any medicines you take or taking any new medicines. Prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medicine all can harm your baby.

 

Get a flu shot if your baby’s due date is between March and July. Pregnant women can get very sick from the flu and may need hospital care. Ask your doctor about the flu vaccine.

 

Always wear a seatbelt. The lap strap should go under your belly, across your hips. The shoulder strap should go between your breasts and to the side of your belly. Make sure it fits snuggly.

 

Join a childbirth or parenting class.

 

Steer clear of these pregnancy no-nos to help keep you and your baby safe and healthy.

 

Pregnancy DON'Ts

 

Don't smoke tobacco. Quitting is hard, but you can do it! Ask your doctor for help. Smoking during pregnancy passes nicotine and cancer-causing drugs to your baby. Smoking also keeps your baby from getting needed nourishment and raises the risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, and infant death.

 

Avoid exposure to toxic substances and chemicals, such as cleaning solvents, lead and mercury, some insecticides, and paint. Pregnant women should avoid exposure to paint fumes.

 

Protect yourself and your baby from food-borne illness, which can cause serious health problems and even death. Handle, clean, cook, eat, and store food properly.

 

Don't drink alcohol. There is no known safe amount of alcohol a woman can drink while pregnant. Both drinking every day and drinking a lot of alcohol once in a while during pregnancy can harm the baby.

 

Don't use illegal drugs. Tell your doctor if you are using drugs. Marijuana, cocaine, heroin, speed (amphetamines), barbiturates, and LSD are very dangerous for you and your baby.

 

Don't clean or change a cat's litter box. This could put you at risk for toxoplasmosis, an infection that can be very harmful to the fetus.

 

Don't eat fish with lots of mercury, including swordfish, king mackerel, shark, and tilefish.

 

Avoid contact with rodents and with their urine, droppings, or nesting material. This includes household pests and pet rodents, such as guinea pigs and hamsters. Rodents can carry a virus that can be harmful or even deadly to your unborn baby.

 

Don't take very hot baths or use hot tubs or saunas. High temperatures can be harmful to the fetus, or cause you to faint.

 

Don't use scented feminine hygiene products. Pregnant women should avoid scented sprays, sanitary napkins, and bubble bath. These products might irritate your vaginal area, and increase your risk of a urinary tract infection or yeast infection.

 

Don't douche. Douching can irritate the vagina, force air into the birth canal and increase the increase the risk of infection.

 

Avoid x-rays. If you must have dental work or diagnostic tests, tell your dentist or physician that you are pregnant so that extra care can be taken.

 

Pregnant Women - Food DON'Ts

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

 

There are 3 main dangers lurking in the food pregnant women eat. These things can cause serious illness or even death to you or your unborn baby.


They are:

 

Listeria – a dangerous bacterium that can grow even in cold refrigerators.

 

Mercury – a harmful metal found in high levels in some fish.

 

Toxoplasma – a risky parasite found in undercooked meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables.


Food facts to help keep you and your baby healthy:

 

DON’T eat raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish or shellfish (sushi or sashimi).

 

DON’T eat swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and shark.

 

DON’T eat refrigerated smoked seafood like whitefish, salmon, and mackerel. These are usually labeled nova-style, lox, kippered, smoked, or jerky.

 

DON’T eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads.

 

DON’T eat hot dogs and luncheon meats — unless they’re reheated until steaming hot.

 

DON’T eat soft cheeses like feta, brie, camembert, “blue-veined cheeses,” “queso blanco,” “queso fresco,” and Panela unless the label says they are pasteurized or made from pasteurized milk.

 

DON’T drink raw or unpasteurized milk or juice or eat foods that contain unpasteurized milk.

 

DON’T eat unwashed fruits and vegetables.

 

DON’T eat raw sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean).

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Utility Prices are Significant Expenses

by Randi Lynn Millward

I don't know about you, but my electric bill is sky-high. I've been running around the house unplugging everything in sight so as not to incur charges from my appliances using "phantom energy".

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Because you are somebody special!

by Annette Bridges

Since my trip to Italy, my husband and I have enjoyed a delicious breakfast routine that often includes French toast, fresh fruit and a yummy cup of cappuccino.

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Our Friendships

by Laurie Cesario-Overton

We all have those days when we get overwhelmed and it seems like every time we turn around there is another problem.

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3 Money Rules for Stay-at-Home Moms

As we all know, life is unpredictable. We lose jobs, get divorced and even become widowed...
Here are three steps stay-at-home parents should take to better manage their own and the family’s finances.

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You May Have Too Much Debt But You Also Have Options

How Life Works

If you feel like you're in over your head with personal debt, you're not alone. Millions of Americans have become overextended, many as a result of easy credit and the recessions. Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and raising interest rates do not make a good financial mix.

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Could fat babies mean fat toddlers?

A new study from Harvard Medical School found that babies who gained weight quickly had a sharply higher risk of obesity. The study followed close to 600 babies and found those in the top quarter of weight for their length at 6 months had a 40 percent higher risk of obesity by age 3 than smaller babies.

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Offer to barter

Dr. Marie - Advice for Pet Owners

A vetʼs office is a business that requires a lot of services. In many cases your vet may be willing to barter in exchange for veterinary services.

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How to Find the Best Car Loans for Single Moms

Financial Advice for Single Moms

The best car loans for single mothers might be just around the corner at your local car lot.

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Crystal Bowersox - A Single Mom And A Real American Idol

Read how the amazing Crystal Bowersox. the runner-up of American Idol Season 9, handles fame and life as a single mom, raising her 17 month old son.

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5 Ways for Single Moms to Save Money

Single moms are always looking for ways to save money, and for good reason... It’s important to find ways to cut corners on the little things that perhaps you don’t think about too often, because those are usually where your biggest money drains are.

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Suze Orman's Recession Rescue Plan - helps you survive in times of financial crisis

OPRAH.com

Do you know what your family would do if you lost your job - or worse, your home? Financial expert Suze Orman is ready to help you devise a recession rescue plan to survive - and possibly thrive - during this deepening financial crisis...

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Your Just-in-Case Emergency Plan

by RealSimple

Who do you call if you can't make it home in time to meet the kids' bus? Who do you trust to take in your mail when you're on vacation? Who do you trust with the extra set of keys to your house?

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How to save $10,000

By Liz Pulliam Weston

If you were hoping for a list of small tweaks you could make in your spending to save $10,000 a year, sorry. The reality is that $10,000 is a lot of money. And saving big money usually means making big changes in the areas where we spend the most, such as: Housing, Transportation, Food.

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The Super, Sexy, Single Mom on a Budget

by Renee Rayles

A quick reference guide designed for the busy, single mom who has

little time to read while running the mom taxi, cooking dinner, helping with homework, and trying to fit in a date night every now and then.

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Single Mothers &
Male Role-Models / Mentors

Single mothers carry an enormous load of responsibility, especially those having sole and/or primary custody of minor children. They nourish, they nurture, they teach, they discipline, they shelter, they protect, and they provide… all without the assistance of another equally-invested adult.

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Mom's Obesity Raises Newborn's Heart Risk

from the National Institute of Health

The more obese a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the greater the likelihood that her newborn baby will have a congenital heart defect, a new study suggests. The finding raises concerns because 1 in 5 women are obese at the start of pregnancy in the United States.

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The 10-Ingredient Shopping Trip

By Tara Parker-Pope and Mark Bittman

... In his latest “How to Cook Everything” segment on the Today Show, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman makes it surprisingly easy to cook a week’s worth of dinners with just a 10-ingredient shopping trip.

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Your 5-minute guide to protecting your identity

20 steps to protect yourself from identity theft, and seven ways to clean up things if you become a victim.

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Single Moms in the News

6 Best Celebrity Single Moms
Read about Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Michelle Williams, Reese Witherspoon, Kimora Lee Simmons, Mary-Louise Parker... read more

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

by Jeff Kinney

For those wondering why tween boys don’t read very much, the answer is that more books aren’t like this...

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Dangerous Supplements

What you don't know about these 12 ingredients could hurt you

by Consumer Reports

We Americans do love our dietary supplements. More than half of the adult population have taken them to stay healthy, lose weight, gain an edge in sports or in the bedroom, and avoid using prescription drugs.

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10 Superfoods That Should Be in Your Daily Diet

Supercharge your diet with these doctor-approved upgrades

As Told to Max Alexander, Best Life

My interest in what is now known as integrative medicine began many years ago when I was a teenager and witnessed my grandmother battle a breast-cancer recurrence. In those days, it was typical for patients receiving chemotherapy to be confined to a hospital bed. Nothing was done to stop her decline—not nutritionally, not physically, not really medically—and she eventually wasted away and died in her bed.

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The Twenty Healthiest Foods for Under $1

By: Brie Cadman

Food prices are climbing, and some might be looking to fast foods and packaged foods for their cheap bites.

But low cost doesn’t have to mean low quality. In fact, some of the most inexpensive things you can buy are the best things for you. At the grocery store, getting the most nutrition for the least amount of money means hanging out on the peripheries—near the fruits and veggies, the meat and dairy, and the bulk grains—while avoiding the expensive packaged interior. By doing so, not only will your kitchen be stocked with excellent foods, your wallet won’t be empty.


Read more about the great nutritional value of these twenty healthiest foods under $1: Oats, Eggs, Kale, Potatoes, Apples, Nuts, Bananas, Garbanzo Beans, Brocolli, Watermelon, Wild Rice, Beets, Butternut Squash, Whole Grain Pasta, Sardines, Spinach, Tofu, Lowfat Milk, Pumpkin Seeks, Coffee...

How to eat healthy on the cheap

TODAY diet and nutrition editor Madelyn Fernstrom talks with TODAY host Meredith Vieira about some ways to cut down your grocery bill, while still buying nutritious foods.

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Take Your Licks

Icy treats for 160 calories or less — how cool is that?

by Loren Chidoni, Women's Health

When you're squeezing into last year's tankini, the dessert end of the freezer aisle seems taboo. But what would summer be without popsicles and fro-yo? Sucky, that's what. To find frosty goodies that won't test the limits of Lycra, we sampled 27 kinds. The result: these eight amazing, guilt-free indulgences — and one mother of an ice-cream headache.

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10 Reasons You're Not Losing That Weight

If losing weight were simple, Spanx would be just a screen name in an S&M chat room. But dieting is complicated: There are even ways to screw up without realizing it. For instance, who would ever think that working out in the a.m. or cranking the AC might be the reason you're not slimming down? Luckily, once you've ID'd these flubs, fixing them is nowhere near as hard as pulling on a pair of control-top hose.

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How to Be a Budget Organic

What's worth the extra cost, what's not, and how to save in other ways

by Cynthia Sass, RD, Prevention

With all the news about rising food costs, you may be wondering if the organic milk you've been putting in your cart is worth the extra cash. It is. Organic food is more expensive, but when it comes to the staples of your diet, organics are a worthwhile investment, with payoffs that might surprise you. The benefits influence your health today—and long-term.

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Eat your way to less stress

Whether you're anxious, irritable, angry or suffering from insomnia, Dr. David Simon discusses which foods can help.

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The truth about chocolate

Can this sweet treat be beneficial to your health? TODAY diet and nutrition editor Madelyn Fernstrom has the answer.

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