Obesity - you will not WIN!!

No one wants to think that their child is overweight, but, the truth is according to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation that about 25 million kids and teens in the US are overweight or at risk for being overweight. That is nearly one in every three young people! (Ages 2-19)

These are scary stats folks and we as parents need to step up and help out our children as well as educate those around us. How can we do this?

First, the facts:

Obese and overweight children are at risk for serious health problems.
a. Diabetes (type 2)
b. Higher risk of asthma
c. Increased risk of heart failure

Access to healthy food and physical activity is disappearing.
a. Poor nutrition
b. Unregulated nutrition
c. Less physical activity - did you know that 92% of elementary schools DO NOT have physical education classes year-round:0
d. Disappearing recess

Different Economic, Racial, and Ethnic Groups are more at risk.
a. Poor health care
b. Limited access
c. Skyrocketing diabetes risk

How can we help our children to learn and become more active and healthy?

At School
Parents, community members and students are making a huge difference in schools by making sure there are plenty of healthy foods and physical activity opportunities at school.

At Home
This is HUGE - parents we do make a difference!
Our kids require 1 hour or more of physical activity each day.

At the Doctor
The goal of the Alliance Healthcare Initiative is for more that 6.2 million children to have access to this healthcare benefit.

In the Community
After-school programs, community centers and the like play, an essential role in encouraging youth to live healthier lives. Encourage youth to join www.empowerme2b.org to make their commitment to eat healthier and move more.

In Business
The Alliance is working with leading companies in the industries that touch the lives of kids and families.

**Credit for the above info goes to the "Alliance for a Healthier Generation". www.healthiergeneration.org

WOW - what a task we have, but it is so worth the time, energy, and effort this will continue to take as we strive for more active and healthier children.

Here is a book I want to recommend that I use in my daycare. I find this book fun, fun, fun and hey, if you don't like to sing, so what - just go with it:))


**"What Will We Play Today" by Veronica Larkin and Louie Suthers
also, try "Cooking up a Story" by Carol Catron and Barbara Parks

Let's give childhood obesity a piece of our mind. Our children are precious and we control their lifestyles, not the media, commercials and other people or outside stimulus.

Whimsy and Chaos with a touch of "Obesity - you will not win"!!

YUMMY!

SWEET, Simple, Succulent,sublime,and so stunning - STRAWBERRIES. You have to love these this Vit. C packed, rojo colored, smart snack in a eatable package.

So the adventure began with a little trip to the Anoka Berry Farm. I had yet to pick strawberries with my three girls and after a suggestion from a friend thought it was about time. The girls were very excited to go strawberry picking. So, for about an hour we went up and down the rows and picked our strawberries. The girls ate more than they picked but who cares, we were outside in the fresh air eating goodness right? The whole berry picking experience was really fun and I enjoyed watching the girls try to decide which berry was the biggest. This was a no win as they each thought theirs was the biggest:)

As we drove home the girls were trying to decide what yummy treats they (me) should make. Let's see, there was strawberry pie, strawberry ice cream, strawberry muffins, strawberry bars and strawberry jam. OHHHH - I can make strawberry jam. Let's go with that one.

Here is what that set-up looked like:

Here is our Strawberry Jam Recipe:

3 Cups strawberries

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

5 tsp. powdered fruit pectin

1/2 tsp. butter

1 cup + 1/4 cup sugar

1. In a 12-inch skillet, combine strawberries, lemon juice, pectin, and butter. Heat to boiling on high, blending and mashing with a potato masher or the back of a spoon; boil 1 minute. Boil jam 2 minutes longer, until syrupy, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cool at room temp for 15 minutes.

2. Pour jam into two clean 1/2 pint jars with tight-fitting lids. Refrigerate until jam sets, about 8 hours. ENJOY!!

Whimsy with a touch of strawberry goodness:)

Chaos with a dash of mosquito spit:)

More Bugs:)

Due to a mosquito insisting that it take some yummy, fresh blood from my self-proclaimed "baby of the family", and the fact that the "baby of the family" must scratch every tiny bump, sore, cut, you name it, we ended up in the hospital with a nasty bacterial infection. To top it off we were put in "ISOLATION" as no one really knew what was up with the "baby of the family".

So, let's review some summer safety bug tips!
From the AAP - American Academy of Pediatrics comes this advise:

Don't use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child.

Avoid dressing your child in clothing with bright colors or flowery prints.

Combination sunscreen/insect repellent should be avoided as sunscreen needs to be applied every 2 hours and repellent should not be reapplied.

The current CDC and AAP recommendation for children over 2 months old is to use 30 percent DEET. DEET should not be used on children under 2 months of age.

For for more into on DEET go to http://www.aapnews.org/cgi/content/full/e200399v1

So....why do bites become infected? According to MadSci Network Assistant Scientist June Wingert ,RM (NRM) your body contains cells called mast cells. When scratched they release histamine. Histamine causes tiny blood vessels to release blood into surrounding tissues. This causes the area to look red, feel hot and become swollen. Besides causing swelling, histamines sensitize nerves, making sensations such as pain or itching more intense.


***A trick is to use your fingernail to press into the center of the bite several times, making a star pattern, This helps disperse the mosquito spit without releasing to much histamine:)

Let's keep our 'babies of the families" free from "isolation" and show those bugs a thing or two!

Chaos with a dash of mosquito spit:))

MOM!!!

MOMMY! Mom where are you? MOM!!!! Ok - this may not be the best bit of chaos to start out this blog, but, can a mom just go to the bathroom? Anyone have this perilious, pesky problem? It is bad enough that I have to make a reservation to even get to the bathroom throughout the day, but to finally sit my bottom down and release a half day's worth of held liquid is sheer bliss. I though it was going to be sheer bliss. Oh- well, let's just hold the pee until we can figure out what the MOM!!!! is all about. Oh-my goodness there is a bug on the window. Call the fire-department, no, call the "there is a bug on the window patrol" they aren't to busy today:)

The shining moment of the day, is that I did get to go to the bathroom, as the dreaded bug on the window felt a twinge of sadness that the mommy was doing the famous pee dance. Thank you beautiful bug!! Chaos and Whimsy with a touch of BUG:)