Jane Brody again has another immensely readable and helpful column in the New York Times that summarizes Michael Pollan’s newest book, Food Rules.

The article is worth a read once a week, or maybe even once a day, because our entire culture really is constantly reminding us to break those “rules” of good nutrition. “Have a syrupy drink. Munch a crunchy oily snack. Eat a sugary cookie. Maybe just one. You deserve it.” The best parent is fighting a continuous battle to teach good eating habits at least while the kids are at home, not too raise scrawny lactose-free vegans who can’t eat anything and look like it, but to raise kids who develop a taste for things that are good for them, rather than those that just fill them up fast.

I particularly liked Ms. Brody’s (and Pollan’s) suggestions on snacking, one of the worst of our daily habits.

Although the most wholesome eating pattern consists of three leisurely meals a day, and preferably a light meal at night, if you must have snacks, stick to fresh and dried fruits, vegetables and nuts, which are naturally loaded with healthful nutrients. I keep a dish of raisins and walnuts handy to satisfy the urge to nibble between meals. I also take them along for long car trips. Feel free to use the gas-station restroom, but never “get your fuel from the same place your car does,” Mr. Pollan writes.

Personal Health – Food Rules From Michael Pollan Worth Following

I have to say that I fall victim to a cliché we’ve seen over and over on TV. Kids come home from school. They are hungry. Of course, they should have cookies and milk. Because that’s what I’ve seen on TV hundreds of times and I think it’s what a good mom or dad does for their kids. That’s actually where my mind goes when they come home and complain that they are hungry. I literally have to stop and think twice and then suggest something else on some days.

Some suggestions for healthy snacking:

1. Freeze plain yogurt and frozen or fresh fruit in popsicles. It’s amazing how form factor affects young appetites. Avoid the yogurts that are filled with gelatin and extra sweeteners.

2. Buy different dip-friendly vegetables and leave out where kids can grab them. You might have to leave out 3-4 options like celery, carrots, pea pods and broccoli to see what gets eaten, but, if that’s what’s out, they might surprise you. Cream cheese, while still 50 calories for a tablespoon is still a kid-friendly lower-fat though it has a bit more fat than regular old cheddar cheese at about 35 calories for a tablespoon. We’ve had to develop a change of habit when it comes to vegetables. A little more gets thrown away, but a lot more gets eaten if I prepare a little bit in advance so I can often set out a bowl of cut up yellow or red peppers, some snow peas, some carrots and some celery. Give them lots of choices and find stuff they can use as dip, like peanut butter or….#3 next:

3. Try hummus, which often comes in different flavors. Some kids will eat a boatload of this healthy mixture of crushed chick peas, olive or canola oil, a little salt (100 mg. for 2 tablespoons), lemon juice, some spices, and garlic. We usually get our hummus from Trader Joe’s which makes a natural blend with olive oil. It has about 70 calories for a 2 TBS serving. We recently tried Tribe Hummus which is all-natural as well, and comes in flavors like extra garlic and red pepper. It’s made with canola oil which is an oil low in saturated fat and has only 50 calories per 2 TBS serving. Look for natural options in your neck of the woods. The only drawback of this healthy food is that your kids might start farting very odiferous farts. It’s a small price to pay for healthier eating, especially if you have a distant rec room with good ventilation.

4. Leave out dried fruit as a substitute for candy. We like plain old raisins, but now, almost all fruits are dried up to make healthier snacks. The one caveat here is that many, especially those with health claims all over the box, use added sugar to make them even that much better tasting. We also tried more novelty items like Frutabu, which is a kid-oriented brand that makes eating “smooshed” fruit rolls look fun. My kids gobbled them down and asked for more. All the ingredients are natural and there is no added sugar that doesn’t come from the fruit. Sadly, the kids prefer the bright packaging and form factor, but I have to admit to hoarding a few of them myself.

5. While nuts are a calorie-high snacking food for adults, they are great for nutrition and some nutritionists suggest eating 10-20 almonds every day (around 100 calories). If your kids like nuts, this is a far better option than a bag of chips (and they don’t crush in a lunch bag. As with other nuts, be aware of choking hazard for kids under three, as well as the possibility of life-threatening food allergies.

6. Another option in small quantities is olives. Olives are concentrated in monounsaturated fats and a good source of vitamin E. Each olive is five to six calories so should only be part of a mix of other healthy snacks, especially since the sodium content is high at about 60 mg. per medium size olive. The USDA suggests a sodium intake of less than 2300mg. for adults and some doctors think that number should be lower than 1000mg. Most medium size olives are around 10 calories and about 75 mg. of salt.

7. Let them have ice cream or other sweets on occasion. At our house, it’s ice cream Fridays. Sure the kids would love ice cream every day, but they know (mostly) not to expect that will happen.

Don’t demonize eating the “bad stuff” or you risk kids fetishizing the foods that mom and dad think are so baaaddddd. It’s better to provide more healthy options and educate kids why the stuff you are giving them is good for their growing bodies.

I’d love to hear more ideas. Write me at Paul AT GreatDad . com or leave a comment below.

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if your baby or child has any of the following 15 symptoms, go immediately to a hospital emergency room.

1. Possible broken bones.

2. Difficult breathing.

3. No reaction or response when you speak to him or her.

4. Possible swallowing of an object or poisoned or poison.

5. Large or deep cuts to the chest or stomach.

6. Blue or gray skin or lips.

7. Seizure or rhythmic jerking.

8. Continuous diarrhea or vomiting.

9. Severe or increasing pain.

10. Neck stiffness with fever.

11. Splotchy purple areas or little red dots accompanied by fever.

12. Burns to hands, feet, groin, chest or face, or larger than a child’s fist.

13. Loss of consciousness or confusion after a head injury

14. Swollen lips or tongue, or constriction in the throat

15. Bleeding that doesn’t stop after 10 minutes of pressure.

Since none of these symptoms are planned, it’s wise to know where the closest emergency room is. If the symptom is urgent but you have extra minutes, you might want to have a “first hospital” choice, depending on affilation with your pediatrician, child-friendly facilities, or higher ratings. Clearly, an emergency is not the right time to research the best hospital.

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We haven’t gotten any shots out here in far-flung San Francisco, so we’ve been waiting anxiously for a wave of swinish flu to break over our shores. So far, lot’s of other childhood coughs and sniffles, but no porcine fevers. However, to be on the safe side, and be four more defense links in the chain, I’d love to get us all innoculated. I doubt France is selling these through Amazon though.

France wants to sell millions of surplus flu shots
PARIS
Sun Jan 3, 2010

PARIS (Reuters) – France is looking to sell millions of surplus vaccines for the H1N1 flu strain after ordering many more shots than it actually needed, officials said on Sunday.

[From France wants to sell millions of surplus flu shots | Reuters]

What does everyone else think? Are you still worried about Swine Flu where you are?

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As an ongoing effort to figure out ways to kick the plastic out of our house, I’ve been testing other products. It’s hard and it’s always easy to sacrifice another plastic baggy, but with all the bad news about plastic, I’d like to completely eliminate it in 2010.

One option is glass, and we did a review on Pyrex bowls that work well in a lot of situations. Unfortunately, they are also breakable, which isn’t great for my five year-old.

Another option is a new line stainless steel containers from Thermos. They are called
Funtainers and come in different themes for little kids. On the positive side, they are strong and durable and stainless steel is about as safe as it gets. You can use them to store hot or cold foods.

Unfortunately, they are pretty expensive, which will be an obstacle for a lot of cost-conscious parents. Additionally, like a lot of options like this, there is still plastic involved, in this case in the sealed top.The lid for the Funtainer food jar is made from Polypropylene (PP) #5. This material was chosen because it is durable, safe and BPA free. However, it is still plastic and I wish it would have been eliminated in favor of silicon, especially since they will often be used with hot food that will come in contact with the plastic.

Use these and try to keep them upright, minimizing the contact with the food.

GreatDad.com Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to us, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. We do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. We only review products that we have personally tested and used in our own homes, and all opinions expressed are our own.

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Google recently launched a flu shot locator, which uses Google Maps to show you nearby locations offering seasonal and/or H1N1 flu vaccine: http://www.google.com/flushot

You can find this information on a standalone page as well as in Google search results when you search for terms like [flu], [flu shot], [h1n1 shot] and [flu vaccine].

Also, make sure to check out flu news and how to stay healthy at http://flu.gov.

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We’re doing a roundup of car seats unveiled at the 2009 ABC Kids show, the major annual convention for baby and kids products.

This year, the biggest story on car seats in general was in side impact head protection. While car seats have made major advances, this is still an area where more technology can save young lives. There were also at least 2 new seats developed to evolve with a child from 20 pounds to 100.

In this series, we will look at the following seats:

1. Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 (previously reviewed)

2. Britax Parkway SG

3. Safety 1^st Complete Air car seat with Air Protect

4. Evenflo Symphony 65

5. Clek Oobr

We’ve had the classic plaid Britax booster for years and have found it to be a simple and versatile booster seat. Face it, like the proverbial best camera, the best booster is one that gets used. If kids hate the booster or it doesn’t fit the car or can’t move from car to car, it has less value. That said, new improvements in car seat technology, including boosters makes it worth it to consider upgrading your seat since experts would love to see kids up to 100 lbs. sitting in boosters to prevent “submarining” (sliding under the seatbelt in a collision) as well as to improve side head protection.

The newParkway SG is a good choice for a moderately priced booster that can grow with your child.

Some basics:

Good for kids 40 -120 lbs

“True Side Impact Protection” to shield the head, as well as sides in a collision, as well as EPS (energy protective foam liner)

Retractable cup holders

Adjustable head restraint

Pros:

1. Simple to use. Throw it in the back seat and it’s ready for the child to belt over.

2. Slide guard is an improvement over old designs that is easy to use and prevents “submarining” sliding under the belt in an severe accident

3. Product details promise easy use for three across seating (we did not test this since we only had one seat).

Cons:

1. Back and booster harder to separate than previous models. Must be lined up and slid together. This might become frustrating if you have to do it a lot for two different kids.

2. Seat not tethered when kids not in seat. Seat can become a projectile if not belted down when not in use.

$119.95 at Amazon.

GreatDad.com Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to us, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. We do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. We only review products that we have personally tested and used in our own homes, and all opinions expressed are our own.

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Having lived in France and seeing how a nationalized insurance plan works, I’m a big advocate of universal coverage for all Americans, rich, poor, illegal immigrant or whatever. You may not agree for whatever reason and I can respect that since it’s a complicated issue. But I would think one thing all Americans could agree on is the need for universal coverage of children who, through no fault of their own, might not have coverage. While the country has real financial woes today, I can’t imagine how, as wealthy as we are, we can actually let American kids die for lack of insurance. Emergency rooms are not the answer. They need real care for chronic and serious ongoing ailments, not just for emergencies.

The Children’s Defense Fund, a non-profit child advocacy organization that has worked relentlessly since 1973 to ensure a level playing field for children, has launched an urgent digital campaign to mobilize thousands of supporters nationwide in Champions for Children’s Health Stroller Brigades to tell Congress that health care reform must provide all children with the care they need no matter where they live.

I want to help spread awareness about the inequity in the proposed health reform legislation and show supporters how to communicate directly with their Members of Congress. If you want to get involved, visit their site here: http://www.childrensdefense.org/strollerbrigade/

Thanks for considering joining this effort.

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Happy to help on this awareness campaign. All it takes is to just to remember to ask for the PSA test to be added to your blood workup next time you’re in for a physical. It’s no big deal.

Pints for Prostates is a grassroots effort to reach men with a critical message about prostate cancer screening using the universal language of beer.

Started by prostate cancer survivor and drinks journalist Rick Lyke, the goal of the program is to communicate with men in a friendly and non-threatening way about the need for regular prostate health screenings and PSA testing.

Recent studies have shown that PSA screening does a great job of discovering prostate cancer but doesn’t translate into many saved lives. Some prostate cancer is so slow growing, it does not cause death, but screening can’t predict how fast a man’s cancer will grow.

Without that knowledge, PSA screening can also lead to needless treatment that diminishes quality of life. Some men choose surgery or radiation treatment, and that can cause impotence and incontinence, at least temporarily. Others opt for “watchful waiting.”

The news is confusing to middle-age men who have been urged to get the test annually to reduce their chances of becoming a casualty of the No. 1 cancer killer of men.

Despite the American Cancer Society guideline that men start getting routine PSA screening at 50, Lyke thinks men ought to start at 40.

“If I had waited till I was 50, I would have been in serious trouble, he said. “The goal for Pints for Prostates is to make men aware. You at least need to know what your PSA is. What you do with that information is up to you. You have to talk to your family about it, and you have to talk to your doctor about it.”

[From Pints for Prostates » About]

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We recently tried the Homedics Restore Water Purifier and Sanitizer. Based on the included documentation, it’s a good choice if you have concerns about the cleanliness of the water in your area. At the same time, we found there was no discernible taste difference between water purified by the Biomedics model versus our old fashioned Brita filter.

The Homedics “machine” is a new water filter on the market and provides both Brita-style filtering of water as well as ultraviolet light sanitization. The Homedics unit is proven to kill 99.9999% of bacteria, 99.99% of viruses and 99.95% of microbial cysts every time with a special UV bulb that will always deliver the required kill rate and will not f ade over time. At the same time, water purification and sanitization are extra steps that require some dedication and may seem more bother than they are worth, again if your water supply is very safe. Purification requires pouring water into the reservoir and letting it go through the filter two times before the 8 cup container is full. Then, you need to flip a switch to allow the sanitization feature that cleans the water to work, after which you push another button to turn on the electric light which is plugged into the wall. All this is a bit of effort if you have a family drinking multiple quarts of water each day.

UV sanitization does have many advantages over chemical sanitization, as reported by the National Drinking Water Clearinghouse.

• Has no known toxic or significant nontoxic byproducts

• Has no danger of overdosing;

• Removes some organic contaminants;

• Has no volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions or toxic air emissions;

• Has no onsite smell and no smell in the final water product;

• Requires very little contact time (seconds versus minutes for chemical disinfection);

• Does not require storage of hazardous material;

• Improves the taste of water because of some organic contaminants and nuisance microorganisms are destroyed.

We found the system pretty easy to use and self-explanatory, with the following performance issues and questions:

1. The lid fell off onto the counter as we tried to pour the last few drops of water into our glass. This appears to be a design flaw.

2. While the manufacturer has gone way out their way to install a fail-safe system into the machine so it won’t appear to sanitize if the bulb mechanism is not working, there is no way to verify if each human operator has sanitized the water. If you did live where clean water is a significant issue, this would be cause of major concern.

3. The filter type is different than the Brita system with less distribution, so you’ll have harder time replacing the filters every few months. (Brita is sold by Clorox so has very wide distribution.)

At about three times more for the sanitizer feature (vs Brita) and the added hassle to make it worth it, you should weigh the value in your area.

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The start of a new school year also brings the start of cold and flu season, exacerbated by slimy fingers touching everything in sight. If your child is sick, how do you know when it’s time to rearrange your schedule and keep him or her home from school. Every situation is different, but you can start by asking these five questions

1. Groggy and listless? If your usually happy camper doesn’t seem like himself and it’s hard to get smile, let alone a giggle, this is a good indicator that this isn’t a normal day.

2. Lack of appetite or thirst? If your child really wants to eat or drink nothing at all after a full night’s sleep, this isn’t normal and it’s his body’s way of keeping food out.

3. Diarrhea of vomiting? While you might soldier on with a case of diarrhea, it isn’t normal for little kids and is a sign of something more serious. Ditto, vomiting.

4. Any symptoms of a contagious disease like strep, flu, pink eye, chicken pox, or the like? No matter what your other responsibilities for the day, you do not want to be responsible for infecting the rest of the class.

5. Fever over 100.4? This is a good indicator something more serious is going on.

All of these signs suggest that at the very least your child would be more comfortable hanging out with you for the day rather than struggling through a day of school. You should also consider a call to the doctor if get more serious.

In terms of trusting the school to watch over your sick child for the day, a final gut check might be whether you’d want another kid as sick as yours looks spending time with your child all day at school.

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