Running Question..Curious if same feelings

post from Obesity Discussion Forums on 11 March 2011 06:43:41 PM. © Obesity Discussion Forums

Well anyways.. I was just curious if anyone else this happens to. So, past week I been doing my regular 3 mile run, and when I'm on my last lap...

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Unbelieveable. Major earthquake in Japan

post from Obesity Discussion Forums on 11 March 2011 02:25:04 PM. © Obesity Discussion Forums

Wow. Amazing photos. :( Massive earthquake hits Japan - The Big Picture - Boston.com...

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Telling Numbers: Putting a Surcharge on Junk
Food, the Added Weight Panic Point, and “Lifestyle” Cancer Cases Soar

post from CalorieLab on 11 March 2011 12:09:03 PM. © CalorieLab

(CC) puuikibeach/Flickr

New Hostess Bakeries Slogan: “Better Than Camels and Booze”

American Express, evidently curious, conducted a survey to find out which products the American public believes should have to cost more to counter their negative effects on the general health. The good news is that 62 percent cited cigarettes, the top vote-getter. The more ambiguous news is that junk food only finished third, with 36 percent in favor of a price rise.

That’s good in the sense that it’s just a few percent behind alcohol, which is number two at 41 percent, but only moderately good, in that people’s willingness to place a price penalty on unhealthy food products still polls at well below a majority. The bottom line, of course, is that the more people there are who aren’t personally hooked on a product, the more there are who approve of sticking it to people who are.

The Scale-Tipping Point

How much poundage do you have to put on above your normal weight to be motivated to go on some kind of diet? Herbalife commissioned a survey of dieters to find out, and the results were as follows: 15 percent needed just 5 pounds or less, 44 percent started dieting at around 10 pounds, 24 percent waited until they hit about 20 pounds, and 17 percent didn’t get serious until more than 20.

The Bad Habits Body Count

The American Institute for Cancer Research and World Cancer Research Fund estimate that 340,000 cancer cases could be prevented annually just in the U.S. if people simply ate better diets, kept their weight in the normal range, exercised and drank less alcohol. Right. And if pigs had wings… people would probably clip them and eat them as party foods.

(By Robert S. Wieder for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News):

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Telling Numbers: Putting a Surcharge on Junk Food, the Added Weight Panic Point, and “Lifestyle” Cancer Cases Soar is a post from: CalorieLab

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Lab Notes: Government Takes over Three Tylenol
Plants; Progress-Reporting Knee Bandage

post from CalorieLab on 11 March 2011 06:06:57 AM. © CalorieLab

On our Lab Notes page CalorieLab’s editors select and rank the day’s essential health news items in real time. Readers can suggest, vote and comment on items. Below are brief summaries of yesterday’s (March 10, 2011) Lab Notes items. To see today’s items, visit Lab Notes.

1. Government Takes over Three Tylenol Plants

McNeil PPC is in so much trouble with the FDA that they’ve lost control of three Tylenol plants.

2. Progress-Reporting Knee Bandage

Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart, Germany have developed a progress-reporting knee bandage designed to track the healing of injuries.

3. 1 in 5 Workers Particpate in NCAA Basketball Pool

CareerBuilder study concludes that 20 percent of office employees have participated in a NCAA basketball pool

4. Aspirin Reduces Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Some

People with a normally high level of an inflammatory factor linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer seem to benefit the most from taking aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

5. Coffee May Lower Stroke Risk for Women

One or more cups of coffee a day could reduce the risk of stroke for women, say researchers.

6. Second-Hand Smoke Dangerous for Pregnant Women

Pregnant women exposed to second-hand smoke may be increase the risk of still birth and having a child with birth defects according to a new study.

7. Blood Might Not Have to Be Typed for Transfusions

By coating red blood cells with a polymer shell, researchers in Canada hope to eliminate the need for donated blood to be type matched to the recipient?s for blood transfusions.

8. FDA Approves First New Lupus Drug Since 1955

The FDA has approved Benlysta, the first new drug to treat lupus in 56 years.

9. Man Running a Marathon on McDonald’s Diet

A 36-year-old man from Chicago is training for the 26.2 mile Los Angeles Marathon with a strict diet of food from McDonald’s.

10. Twelve Million Cancer Survivors in the U.S.

Because of better detection and treatment, there were almost 4 times as many cancer survivors in the United States in 2007 than in 1971 according to figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute.

11. Dog Walkers Likely to Meet Physical Activity Goals

Dog owners who walked their dogs were 34 percent more likely to reach federal benchmarks on getting enough physical activity, find researchers from Michigan State University.

12. Dalai Lama to Step Down from Political Role

Although he will no doubt remain the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama has asked the Tibetan parliament in exile to make arrangements for a new political leader to be elected.

13. Slim, Gates and Buffett Top Forbes List of Rich

The Forbes list of the most wealthy people in the world is out for your reading (dis)pleasure. You’ll find familiar names and faces back in the mix, as well as some surprising shake-ups inside the list of the world’s financial elite.

14. Kirstie Alley Hopes Dancing Will Aid Weight Loss

Could her stint on Dancing With The Stars help Kirstie Alley reach her weight loss goals? It?s worked for others.

15. Starbucks K-Cups Coming to Keurig Coffee Machines

This morning, Green Mountain announced that it will sell Starbucks K-Cups for Keurig coffee machines. The Starbucks K-Cups will be available later this year.

(By CalorieLab editors)

Lab Notes: Government Takes over Three Tylenol Plants; Progress-Reporting Knee Bandage is a post from: CalorieLab

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How to Teach Young Children About Their Food
Allergies

post from CalorieLab on 11 March 2011 01:08:27 PM. © CalorieLab

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Last week, our Food Allergy Friday interview series focused on methods to teach others about your child’s food allergies; this week’s edition zeroes in on how to teach young children about their food allergies. This age range is particularly prone to food allergies, but you’ll need to use different strategies than you might with older children to properly arm them with the tools they need to avoid food allergens. Last week’s Food Allergy Friday experts — Linda Coss, Elizabeth Goldenberg and Lynda Mitchell — return to offer their insights in today’s post; we’ll also hear from food allergy musician Kyle Dine and author Nicole Smith, who’s written three children’s books on food allergy.

Featured Food Allergy Experts

Linda Coss, a food allergy mom and one of the “pioneers” in the food-allergy world, has written three food allergy books, including two cookbooks. Her Twitter handle is @LindaCoss.
Elizabeth Goldenberg of Onespot Allergy is a food allergy expert who offers parent-to-parent advice for living safely with food allergy and anaphylaxis. Her Twitter handle is @Onespot_Allergy.
Lynda Mitchell is the founder of Kids With Food Allergies, a national charity that connects parents of food-allergic children. Her Twitter handle is @KFAtweets.
Nicole Smith of AllergicChild has published three children’s books on food allergy. Her Twitter handle is @AllergicChild.
Kyle Dine is a food allergy musician and blogger with two children’s CDs. His Twitter handle is @KyleDine.

Topics to Cover

When teaching young children about their food allergies, you can’t just tell them to avoid their allergen. Kids in this age range must understand far more than avoidance — they must learn how to navigate social situations and safely interact with friends, classmates and caretakers. Here are some of the key topics to cover while teaching a younger child about his or her own food allergies.

Tell the child about his or her allergy, using age-appropriate verbiage. Food allergy author Linda Coss recommends using simple language, such as, “You have food allergies, and if you eat something you’re allergic to you can get very sick and feel very icky.”

Lynda Mitchell of Kids With Food Allergies agrees: “Any kind of teaching would need to be age-appropriate for the child. I know when my son was a toddler, I’d just point to foods and say, ‘This will make you sick,’ or, ‘I need to check the ingredients to see if it is safe for you.’ I started simple, and then broadened the explanations as he got older.”

Show the child the tools that will help protect him. After laying this foundation, you can dive deeper into your child’s specific allergens and introduce him to the tools he’ll need to stay safe throughout his life. Here’s how Elizabeth Goldenberg of Onespot Allergy taught her son, Jacob, about his food allergies:

When Jacob was diagnosed as a toddler, I told him that he’s allergic to peanuts and all other nuts. That’s a fact he should know about himself and be able to repeat to others. I bought him a very simple and comfortable MedicAlert bracelet that he wore constantly instead of taking it off at night — that’s much easier than getting a child to cooperate every day when you put it on, and there’s also no chance you’ll forget it. I told Jacob what it said, which is “Allergic to peanuts & tree nuts. Needs EpiPen,” so he understood why wearing it was important. The bracelet fell off and was lost at daycare when Jacob was three years old, and he reported that to me as soon as I picked him up. By knowing its importance, he wanted to be sure I knew to replace it right away.

Only eat approved food. “Make sure your child understands that not all adults understand what is safe for them to eat. Even the teacher or Grandma might not be able to tell. The friendly mother at the park or birthday party doesn’t know about his food allergies, either,” says Coss. Goldenberg agrees: “I also taught Jacob only to eat food that his father or I had checked first, even if it’s a relative or someone else he trusts offering the food, and even if they say it’s nut free.”

Mitchell reinforced this message in her family by showing her son the approved foods she’d brought along: “I also showed and explained to [my son] to rely on the safe foods I usually brought with me if we went anywhere, and that his emergency medicines always needed to be with him wherever he went.”

Common and not-so-common names for allergens. “Teach your child the names of the foods he cannot eat, and show him pictures or use trips to the grocery store as ‘teaching moments’ to teach him what these foods look like,” says Coss.

Proper hygiene. “Wash your hands before you eat. Get your child into this habit as early as possible,” says Coss. Frequent hand-washing is essential throughout the day, especially if the child’s allergy is severe. “Since peanut residue is hard to clean off surfaces and a person can react even from invisible trace amounts, I taught Jacob to wash his hands every time he eats,” says Goldenberg. “He could easily have traces of his allergen on his hands from using shared craft materials and running his hands along countless other surfaces he encounters. Proper hand washing before every meal is a great idea generally for good hygiene, but it’s extremely important for people with food allergies. We carry compact hand wipes to do this when we’re away from home.”

Elizabeth Goldenberg’s Tipson Living Safely with Allergies

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Embrace the mantra “Think before you drink.” “I also wanted [Jacob] to think before he put anything to his mouth, like a sippy cup that looks like his and is sitting around. I wanted him to ask himself, ‘Is this mine? Is this safe for me?’ before putting anything to his mouth, so I used labels to mark his cup, bowl and plate, or his leftovers in the fridge. People with food allergies shouldn’t be drinking from someone else’s cup, and if their snack containers look the same, they need to be able to identify which one contains their safe food,” says Goldenberg. Opt for food-grade labels instead of office-supply labels; Goldenberg warns that the latter product can contain lead and solvents.

Say no to snacks. “I taught [my son] to say, ‘Did my mom check the ingredients?’ or ‘I can only eat foods when my mom has checked the ingredients,’” says Mitchell. Goldenberg adds, “I also taught Jacob how to say no if someone offers him something, which can be difficult for a child to say, especially when it’s to an adult. Jacob was once offered peanut butter toast by a grandparent who temporarily forgot he’s allergic, and he calmly said ‘No thank you, I have a peanut allergy.’ I was very pleased we had rehearsed scenarios like this before, and he was ready to speak up for himself.”

Coss echoes the need for children to become disciplined about the food they accept from others. “While other parents focus on teaching their child not to talk to strangers, a very important message for us to communicate is to not take food from strangers. In fact, a child should be taught not to eat or touch any food unless you (or whatever adults you have authorized to make that decision) have checked the ingredients and determined that the food is safe,” she warns.

Linda Coss: How a Child Might Describe an Allergic Reaction

Kids may express that they’re having an allergic reaction in several ways. Here are a few Linda Coss has heard from other parents. For more phrases, see this article from FAAN.

“I don’t feel good.”
“My tongue feels funny.”
“I can’t breathe.”
“I feel funny.”

“With Morgan, we practiced how to say ‘No, thank you’ to foods offered to him from well-meaning friends and adults. Then, when the situation arose, he was prepared. Basically, we wanted Morgan to feel power over his food allergies by having the means to keep himself from getting into confusing situations around food,” says children’s book author Nicole Smith.

Tell an adult if something feels wrong. “[Tell the child], ‘Speak up if you don’t feel right.’ If she ever feels sick, wrong, strange or ‘funny’ after or while she’s eating something, she should immediately tell you or the adult in charge about what she’s feeling,” says Coss.

When in doubt, spit it out. “This might be one of the most important things [to teach],” says Coss. “If your child accidentally takes a bite or sip of the wrong thing, [he should] spit it out. Right there. No matter what the social situation might be.”

Methods

Play to your child’s interests. Whether your child likes to play, read, sing or dance, leverage that hobby to create a connection to the information and enhance retention.

Read a food-allergy book together. Although there are several food-allergy books for children today, this wasn’t always the case. “My son, Morgan, enjoyed books tremendously at a young age. In 1999, when I was searching for children’s books about food allergies, there weren’t any available, so I decided to write one. Allie the Allergic Elephant: A Children’s Story of Peanut Allergies came out of my desire to teacher Morgan’s preschool classmates about his food allergies. Morgan enjoyed learning how to read and we began to read labels together. Learning how to spell ‘peanut’ or ‘nuts’ was a thrill,” says Smith.

“There are some good books out there to help teach children about their food allergies. One of them is Everyday Cool with Food Allergies by Dr. Mike Pistiner,” says Mitchell. “It teaches kids simple ways to stay safe, and also helps teach family and caregivers, with more detailed explanations just for them.”

Use an allergy placemat. “Even though my home had no traces of nuts, I believe that it’s a training ground for teaching Jacob how to function outside the home. I gave Jacob his own allergy placemat and taught him that he eats just what’s set out on his placemat. This helped him learn not to reach over to a classmate’s lunch and grab something for himself,” says Goldenberg.

Role play. “Role playing is an effective strategy at any age. For example, practice saying, ‘No thank you, I have food allergies,’ or ‘I have food allergies. Please ask my Mommy if that is safe for me,’” says Coss.

Use playtime to familiarize your child with epinephrine auto-injectors. “Buy your child a toy ‘doctor’s kit,’ and put an EpiPen or TwinJect trainer into it. Have your child practice using the EpiPen on his or her teddy bears, dolls or other toys. This will help her get comfortable with the device, and make her think of it as just another ‘doctor thing,’ just like a stethoscope or tongue depressor,” says Coss.

Kyle Dine’s Music Makes Food Allergies Fun

video details and more

Make it fun. Food allergy musician Kyle Dine used his own food allergies as a springboard to teach children about theirs. “I first started performing allergy awareness assemblies at schools as I thought it would be an effective delivery method to combine important messages about food allergies, with fun activities, games and zany puppets,” he says. “Children have been very receptive to this format, as it puts a positive spin on allergy awareness with empowering results.”

Keep it simple. Use repetition and simple, familiar graphics that kids understand to reinforce your message. Here’s how Dine does it at his shows:

I start with my main key messages and brainstorm how I can convey them in fun or creative ways. For instance, I have my EpiMan and EpiMan Jr. puppets explain epinephrine and why it must be carried at all times. To memorize symptoms of a reaction, I have volunteers stick different stickers on a poster with a cartoon girl named “Suzie Symptoms.” To emphasize “no sharing food” rules at schools, I perform a song titled “Stop! Please Don’t Feed Me!” where I hand out stop signs to students.
Knowledge retention occurs through several fundamental tools such as audience involvement, visuals and repetition. It’s always a great sign to see dozens of hands raised at the end of my shows because not only have students retained information, they seek more information on how to keep their friends safe.

Strategies

Proper preparation increases your child’s chances of reacting properly when you’re not around. “Because of the way my husband and I taught [Jacob], I think he felt prepared. He knew what to watch out for, he had his medication within reach, and he was ready to enjoy each day,” says Goldenberg. Telling your child that you’ve worked out strategies to keep her safe — and that she plays a vital role in these strategies — will help build a sense of responsibility. “Always stress that there’s a plan in place, and that everything will be all right. If [the child] has a reaction, you or the adult in charge will give her the appropriate medicine and take care of her,” says Coss. “But for this to happen, you need [the child's] help: you need them to speak up right away if they think something is wrong.”

Try not to create unnecessary anxiety. “The one thing you don’t want to do is to transfer your anxiety or fear on to the child,” advises Mitchell. Dine agrees: “Keep a balance of letting [children] know that allergies must be taken seriously while not creating unnecessary anxiety.”

Doing so entails fostering an environment that doesn’t assign negativity to reporting a reaction. “Teach your child that he or she will never get ‘in trouble’ for having a reaction, no matter what caused the reaction in the first place,” says Coss. “Sometimes a child can sneak a food that he or she knows Mommy didn’t say was okay to eat. Then when the reaction occurs, they may be too frightened by the thought of incurring Mommy’s wrath to speak up.

Filter your messages. “Remove your own fear and anxiety, and just stick to the facts, in an age-appropriate way,” advises Mitchell. “I kept the dialogue simple and said something like, ‘If you ate that, you’d get very sick and have to go to the hospital.’ I reinforced that a lot, whenever I had an opportunity. I avoided saying things like, ‘You could die,’ or ‘This could kill you,’ or ‘You’d need a shot.’ I think those types of messages could cause confusion or fear, and I didn’t want to cause either.”

Remain positive. “Whether you are teaching your child about food allergies through books, music, or dinnertime discussions, focus on the positives and emphasize that things will always turn out okay as long as you follow the key rules,” says Dine.

Smith’s books similarly focus on positivity. “My books don’t go into the details of breathing difficulties of an anaphylaxis episode, nor do I discuss the fact that some children die from anaphylaxis in my children’s books. I felt that helping children recognize other symptoms of an allergic reaction was most helpful. Children of a very young age enjoyed the interactive questions of ‘Allie’ and didn’t want to see her experience an allergic reaction,” says Smith.

Involve caretakers and educators. These individuals can help reinforce the food allergy messages you’ve given your child while he or she is under their care. “Parents and educators can reinforce the messages that my songs convey by keeping the discussion going once the music stops,” says Dine. “Children feel support from having songs that they can relate to. This can open up a door for children to share their feelings about their experiences with allergies, as well as for parents to reiterate key strategies to stay safe. If allergies are talked about openly with children without a focus on fear, there is a greater chance that they will accept them as a normal thing that they feel empowered over.”

Teachers and caretakers also play an essential role in any food-allergy parent’s safety plan. “I gave his daycare teacher EpiPens, and I taught Jacob that they needed to follow him everywhere. The daycare had the policy I prefer, which is that the staff wear the EpiPen in a medication belt to have it within reach at all times,” says Goldenberg. Be sure to meet with caretakers to ensure they understand how to identify and treat an allergic reaction. “Many adults have told me they have learned the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction by reading my books. It’s very helpful for a caregiver -? whether it be a family member, friend, teacher or daycare provider ?- to be able to notice symptoms of an allergic reaction as quickly as possible,” says Smith.

Food Allergy FridayInterview Series

If you’re new to our Food Allergy Friday interview series, read our experts’ top tips for school safety, cooking at home, traveling, dining out, finding a support network, and getting involved in food allergy advocacy. To read more about food allergies, see our comprehensive analysis of the “Big-8″ food allergies here.