Sugar and hyperactivity

Give a child a giant pixie stick and what happens?  Many people would say, watch out!  Refined (processed/added) sugars may have some effect on children’s activity, according to the National Institutes of Health. Refined sugars enter the bloodstream quickly, so they produce rapid fluctuations in blood glucose levels.  This might trigger adrenaline and make a child more active.  And falling adrenaline levels may bring on a period of decreased activity and/or a desire for more sugar to kick the level back up to high.

However, research is inconclusive as to whether or not sugar is linked to hyperactivity.  Some child may be genetically predisposed to hyperactivity after doses of sugar, while others may not respond in the same way.  Scientists also reason that if a special diet of foods with less sugar works for a child, it may be because that family has begun to interact with each other differently when they are following the special diet.  These behavioral changes, not the diet itself, may improve the child’s own behavior and activity level.

For every child, there are many reasons to eat whole grains and less sugar.  Sugar remains a key cause in tooth decay.  High-sugar foods tend to have fewer vitamins and minerals, and may replace more nutritious foods.  Also, high-sugar foods have many unnecessary calories that can lead to obesity.  Adding fiber to your child’s diet may help to keep adrenaline levels more constant.  Check out previous posts on identifying added sugars and improving fiber intake for ideas.

Cheers, Julie

Who pays attention to nutrition labels?

College students — according to a study by Ohio State University Extension’s Dr. Gail Kaye.  The findings published this month in the American Journal of Public Health suggest posting labels at the point of food selection change behavior.  The average energy (calorie) content of entrees purchased by patrons dropped immediately when nutrition labels were made available and increased gradually when nutrition information was removed.  And the food service operators didn’t mind because the number of entrees sold and the revenue remained the same.  A win-win situation! 

How about you? Would calorie information posted for the food choices at your favorite lunch or dinner location change your choice?

Cheers, Julie

Fruits and Vegetables Can Help Reduce Childhood Obesity

A new report the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation shows that Ohio ranks #15 in rates of Childhood Obesity. That means 33.3% of our children are obese.  How can we help change this statistic?

One way is to increase the number of fruits and vegetables served to our children each day.  Fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients like fiber, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C and low in fat, sugar, and calories.

Making fresh fruits and vegetables available daily is important.  Also, when making foods for family get-togethers replace at least one of the high calorie dishes with a lower calorie alternative.

Visit Ohioline to find ways to modify a recipe.

Author:  Linnette Mizer Goard, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension.

Coming Home at the End of the Day

How do you feel when you walk through the door at the end of the day?  Some days are better than others I’d venture to say, but those moments of re-connecting at the end of the day are so important to how the rest of the evening goes.  When you pick up your child at the end of the day, notice your child first and then talk to the provider about how the day has gone. This is a good way to show your child you are glad to see him and behavior problems may be avoided.

If the rest of your family is home when you arrive see if any of the following suggestions might make your evening go smoother:

Commuting Time. The time it takes to get from work to home can be very helpful in making the transition. Some people use this time to finish thinking about what’s been happening at work and to shift gears and make plans for responsibilities at home. When they get home, they are mentally organized to get started. Others use commuting time to listen to music or read a book. Commuting time can be an hour in traffic or a 10-minute walk to work. This time can be devoted to a pleasant activity without feeling guilty about home or work demands.

Helping Each Other.  Good communication is important between family members about what needs to be done and who needs to do it. An open discussion will help each member understand the other person’s roles and feelings. Having these posted so that everyone knows what chores need to be done, before TV or extracurricular activities, is good.  Children can also be given tasks that will help the family accomplish what needs to be done in a relatively short time. We’ve talked before about how children have roles, then they learn not only responsibility, but they feel important as a part of the family.  When this is consistently followed, it becomes a simple routine that could make evenings more pleasant.

Changing Clothes.  The simple action of changing clothes can make the transition from work to home easier. A different set of clothes can make you feel like you’re finally home since work and home often require different roles and behaviors. Being dressed for the job at hand makes the transition complete. Sometimes, you may need a few minutes to unwind.  Maybe have a soda or read the paper before tackling dinner.  It’s ok, just build it into your routine and let others know you need a break before you start again.

A Quick Snack. A nutritious snack will help relieve family members’ hunger. With a little planning, this snack could be the first course of your dinner — salad, soup, crackers and cheese. This snack will give you extra time to prepare a family meal.

Posted Meal Plan If you plan main meals ahead of time, then whoever gets home first can go ahead and get things started.  It also will save time as you won’t be wondering what to fix for dinner and save you money as the items have already been purchased because it was on the list. It’s also helpful to have an emergency meal, one that anyone can fix for those nights that don’t go as you have planned, and yes, we all have them.  Put this meal on a shelf and teach family member’s where it is and how to assemble it for a quick nutritious meal before continuing on with the evening plans.

Balancing work and family life is not easy and there’s always room for improvement.  Share with your co-workers what works for you and gather ideas for how they do it.  Start with small changes to make a big difference in how you use your family time.

Melinda Hill, Extension Educator Family and Consumer Sciences

Money Management “Tip Jar”

Tips for saving money are posted on an easy-to-use web site featuring ideas by members of the web community.  The topics are Finance, Eco, Health, Tech, Shopping, Kids & Family, Car & Transit, Food, Vacation, At Home, At Work, and Miscellaneous.  Read the set of popular tips that flash on the screen or click on a topic link and view the tips by topic.  Posts come from across the globe.  Viewers may also sign up to vote for their favorite tips and add their ideas to the list.

The link is:

http://moderator.appspot.com/#16/e=3cfc

What are your tips for blog viewers that can save them money in the months ahead?  Add a comment to suggest ideas.

Is My Food Safe?

Unsure about the correct temperature to cook chicken?  Or the safety of the eggs you left sitting out on the counter last night?   Call on the expertise of Ohio State’s Food Safety Hotline at 1-800-752-2751 (toll-free in Ohio) or email at foodsafety@osu.edu.  Questions e-mailed to the address will automatically go to the trained students answering hotline questions as well as a group of faculty members studying different aspects of food safety from the Department of Food Science and Technology, the Department of Human Nutrition, the Food Industries Center, and Ohio State University Extension.

The hotline is possible due to funding from The Kroger Co. and the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT).

Cheers, Julie

Using Physical Activity to Prevent the Flu

Flu season has started — and with the rates of the H1N1 virus increasing, people are looking for ways to boost their immunity.  Scientists have been examining the association between exercise and immunity for several decades.  Their theory so far is what they call a “J-shaped curve” for exericse and immunity.  The risk of catching a cold or the flu and of having a particularly severe form of the infection drop if you exercise moderately.  But, the risk of catching an illness and becoming very sick jumps when you exercise intensely (breathing especially hard) for a long duration (an hour or longer).  Interesting news for those running marathons in October at the start of the flu season.  If that is you, be sure to avoid sniffling friends and family and wash your hands often for several days post-event.

Moderate, consistent physical activity strengthens the immune system by temporarily boosting the macrophages, or cells that attack bacteria.  This holds true for those with young or aging immune systems.  In one research study, people who walked at 70-75 percent of their maximum effort for 40 minutes per day had half as many sick days due to colds or sore throats as those who didn’t exercise.  One more way to protect yourself this flu season!

More information, check out NY Times Health: Exercise and Immunity

Cheers, Julie

Family Day: A Day to Eat Dinner with your Children

September 28, 2009 is Family Day, a day for families to eat dinner together.  Why dinner? Research shows that family meals are almost magical.  Almost every benefit you could want for your child and your family has been shown to be related to the simple act of sitting down without the TV and eating a meal together.

What kind of benefits?

• In one study family meals were the largest predictor (more than sports, church or studying) of academic success and fewer behavioral problems for children 3-12.

• Family Meals are associated with vocabulary and sophisticated word use in children.

And the results just get better as the children get older…

• One study of adolescents found a strong correlation between regular family meals (five or more meals a week with at least one parent) and academic success, psychological adjustment and lower rates of alcohol use, drug use,  sexual activity, and suicide risk.
• Children 9-14 who had regular meals with their families also had more healthful eating patterns, consumed more fruits and vegetables, less trans and saturated fats and less sodas.
• Furthermore, one study found that college students with eating disorders engaged in less family meals as a child

But the benefit is not longer just for the children…

• a recent study found that more frequent family meals were correlated with adult life satisfaction.

Despite these huge benefits, we also know that families taking time for  meals together are declining- almost 1/3 of a decline since 1970.  Among the reason cited are TV, weeknight activities, and cleaning. Isn’t it ironic to you that in an age where we have sophisticated devices to communicate with people across the world, we find that one of the greatest predictors of so many good things for our families is actually to disconnect for a little while and tune in to the lives of those around us.  Family meal time does not have to be a fancy, laborious event.    Sometimes all that children need is for you to listen to them and pass the salt and pepper.

Take a night off from all the running around on Sept 28th and spend a night with your family. Make them their favorite meal and listen to them.  You never know what kind of impact it is having.

Fall Produce

Now is a great time of year to provide more fruits and vegetables for your children.  We are fortunate to have many farm markets in Ohio.  Or, you may have fruits and vegetables in your own back yard. Fruits and vegetables in season are inexpensive to provide for your family.

Fall is the perfect time to try the many varieties of Ohio apples.  Select firm apples, free of bruises, decay, broken or shriveled skin.  Apples contain small amounts of vitamins A and C, thiamin, iron and calcium.  A medium apple contains approximately 75 calories.

Homemade Applesauce

Make your own homemade applesauce by peeling, coring and slicing the apples.  Place them in a pan, cover with water.  Simmer until the apples are tender.  As they soften, add cinnamon candies to desired taste. Use one apple for every two people.

Author:  Linnette Mizer Goard, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension.

It’s off to college they go…….

It’s that time of year for many young people to spread their wings and test their independence by heading off to college.   This is a great transition time for both parents and young adults because the rules will change, the expectations are somewhat unknown and the responsibility factors can be overwhelming. As parents,  we are launching our children into adulthood and become more like coaches and advisers, helping them to make good decisions without telling them what to do or rescuing them. Here’s a few pointers from college handbooks and freshman counselors.

• Listen to their concerns- they need to know you are still there for support, don’t trivialize any of their emotions or concerns, let them talk and process the changes they are going through.
• Stay in touch- but not too much, be interested but not intrusive. Send notes or care packages or even pictures of special events. Expect that your student will not respond to all of your contact, but know that they appreciate hearing from you.
• Negotiate how often to expect a phone call or communication—-say Sunday evening at 7:00 we will touch base or whatever you decide–e-mail, IM, calls etc

Think about your parting words.  Know that your conversations may be short and so make a list of the most important things to share.  Choose your ending words carefully because that may be what they remember until the next time you talk.  Things like  “I’m proud of you,” or “ I’m here for you”  or if words don’s  come easy, write them  down and send it.

You will be excited to see them come home and to leave.   Remember they have been on “college” time and they will have new habits, especially with food and sleep.  Their routines may not follow yours any more, choose your battles carefully and enjoy the time you have together.

The recommendation is to keep your child’s room as their room at least the first year.  It’s their home base, a place they know they can come and have the security of home.  If after the first year, they have moved on to their own and have made it evident that they don’t plan to return, then you can talk with them about the changes that you might plan.

Encourage an appropriate level of independence and self responsibility for your teenager.   If they don’t already know how, make sure they learn how to do the laundry, set up and live on a budget, and manage their time.  All of these are life skills that will improve with practice.

Teens will  learn through the choices they make, thus they endure the consequences.  When a problem arises, they suggest to parents to  move slowly, move like your feet are stuck in molasses.  Don’t rush to the rescue, let them seek solsutions to the problems and work it out on their own.

Keep them informed of what’s going on at home, don’t  overburden them with issues out of their control, they have lots to handle away from home.

Expect Change,you student will change.   They are the same person, but they are developing the competence and independence that we want in a young responsible adult.

Don’t expect the same grades in college that the students got in high school, many straight A students are now in a different setting and find they can’t achieve that, at least their first year.

Don’t tell them, these are the best years of your life.  Especially the first year of college can be full of indecision, insecurities, disappointments and most of all mistakes. It’s also full of discovery, inspiration, good times and exciting people

As a parent of a college student, I can say we’ve experieinced (and survived) many of the above .  I hope you find this information helpful as we support our students through  the highs and lows of college life.

Written by Melinda Hill, Family & Consumer Sciences Educator, Wayne County