Before throwing out the meat and seeds of a carved Halloween pumpkin chew on this:
Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and potassium, and the seeds are high in fiber, vitamin B12 and polyunsaturated fatty acids, one of the so-called good fats.
"The flesh of pumpkin and the seeds are abundant in many essential nutrients," says Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "Pumpkins are low in fat, calories and are loaded with vitamins."
If you are planning to use fresh pumpkin for baking, Sandon says, choose smaller, blemish- and bruise-free pumpkins. Smaller pumpkins have softer and tastier meat. To maintain freshness, pumpkins should be stored in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
And don't forget to oven roast the pumpkin seeds. They are ideal as snacks or as a salad topping.
Check out our Purely Pumpkin Recipe Collection!
(10-20-09)
Dr. Margaret Mitchell, DDS, owner of Mitchell Dental Spa, a dental spa facility in Chicago's Water Tower Place, offers the following tips to for protecting your kids' teeth at Halloween:
Avoid sticky candy such as taffy, gummy bears, caramel, etc. Sticky candy adheres to teeth and causes decay.
Kids can eat candy ANYTIME. There is not a good time of day/night to eat candy.
Brush immediately after eating candy, especially sticky candy.
Prior to Halloween, visit your dentist to have sealants put into the child's teeth grooves.
Have your child chew gum with zylitol sweetener, which prevents tooth decay. Orbit and Trident both have zylitol sweetener.
(10-06-09)
The first swine flu vaccinations will start to arrive this week in some parts of the country. Around 600,000 doses of FluMist, a vaccine that is squirted into the nose, will be distributed between 21 states and four larger cities, with more following later in the week. The larger shipments of the vaccine (around 40 million) will start shipping the second week of October.
This year, most people will need two different shots for influenza; one for the "normal" flu and one for H1N1, or the swine flu. Children under the age of 10 will need two doses of H1N1.
Learn more by reading Swine Flu and Pregnancy: How Does the Influenza H1N1 Strain Affect Mom-to-be? and Swine Flu and Babies: Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment for the Swine Flu. (10-06-09)
Many people who have died from 2009 H1N1 influenza in the United States had co-infections with a common bacteria (
Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus), which likely contributed to their death, according to a report published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC)
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC is reminding people of the importance of being vaccinated against this common bacterium.
"Our influenza season is off to a fast start and unfortunately there will be more cases of bacterial infections in people suffering from influenza," says CDC Epidemiologist Dr. Matthew Moore. "It's really important for people, especially those at high risk for the serious complications from influenza, to check with their provider when they get their influenza vaccine about being vaccinated against pneumococcus."
The CDC report included an analysis of specimens taken from 77 fatal cases of 2009 H1N1. Bacterial co-infections, including some caused by Streptococcus pneumonia, were noted in about a third of those cases. The following are CDC's recommendations for vaccination against Streptococcus pneumonia:
All children under 5 years of age should receive pneumococcal conjugate vaccine according to current recommendations.
In addition, the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) should be administered to all persons 2 to 64 years with high-risk conditions and everyone 65 years and older.
The entire MMWR report can be found at www.cdc.gov/mmwr.
Read the following for more information:
Pregnant Women Urged to Get Swine Flu Vaccine
Swine Flu and Pregnancy: How Does the Influenza H1N1 Strain Affect Mom-to-be?
Swine Flu and Babies: Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment for the Swine Flu
Swine Flu Vaccine: One Shot or Two? (10-06-09)
Most high school students are not getting their recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The government agency reports that less than 10 percent eat enough veggies and fruit each day. Thirteen percent do get at least three servings of vegetables a day, and only 32 percent get two servings of fruit. Less than one student in 10 got enough combined.
(9-29-09)
Families of low and modest incomes who are saving for college save as much or more as a percentage of income as families in higher income brackets, says a new study released from Sallie Mae and Gallup. On average, parents who save for college earmark 3.6 percent of annual income for their child's education, while households earning under $50,000 set aside 7.5 percent of their annual income. Based on a nationally representative survey of more than 1,200 parents of children under age 18, "How America Saves for College" identified savings habits and motivators to encourage more families to save.
However, only 29 percent of families are on track to reach their savings goal. The study estimates that parents would need to save an average of 5.7 percent of income annually to meet their self-defined goal by the time their child goes to college.
"The urgency of addressing college affordability has never been felt so strongly across the full spectrum of American families," said Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock. "We are fast approaching an era in which our retirees will be better educated than our workforce -backwards momentum that we must reverse in order to reclaim our leadership position on the world stage. These survey numbers suggest that saving for higher education has become a high priority for the nation, and we should encourage that commitment by providing creative solutions and support for families of all income levels."
Among the study's additional findings:
Parents of children 12 and under are more likely than parents of teens to have saved. On average, parents began saving when their oldest child was almost 3 years old.
Families saved an average of $2,676 for college annually, for an average total of $13,827.
Parents cited employer matching as the top motivator (66 percent) that would encourage them to save for college, followed by tax benefits (44 percent). In addition, 25 percent indicated that a shopping rewards program would motivate them to save for college.
529 college savings plans are gaining popularity, particularly among families with younger children. While the overall 529 usage rate for savers was 33 percent, parents with children under age seven are twice as likely to turn to 529 plans (43 percent) as parents of teens (20 percent).
Regardless of the parents' income level or child's age when parents began saving, the total amount saved increases steadily the longer that dedicated savings vehicles are used. Parents of any income level who had saved seven years or more accumulated two to three times the savings as parents in corresponding income levels who saved for shorter periods of time.
Families in the Northeast have saved the most with an average savings of $15,846 closely followed by the West with $15,589. The South has an average savings of $13,722 and the Midwest has the lowest with an average of $9,693.
"President Obama has set a goal of achieving the highest proportion of students graduating from college in the world by 2020," said Albert L. Lord, vice chairman and CEO, Sallie Mae, the nation's leading saving, planning, and paying for education company. "Students spend 12 years preparing academically, but too many families overlook the need to prepare financially. Even a little bit of savings set aside regularly over time can go a long way toward opening the doors to a college education."
"How America Saves for College" is part of a series conducted by Sallie Mae and Gallup on how families save and pay for college, and the full report is available at www.SallieMae.com/howAmericasaves.
(9-22-09)
Chlorine is effective at killing pathogens in swimming pools, but it also irritates the skin, eyes and upper respiratory tract of swimmers, according to a study in the journal
Pediatrics. Recent research has found swimming in outdoor or indoor chlorinated pools can increase asthma risks. The study found that children who swim in chlorinated pools have a higher risk of asthma, as well as other allergic diseases such as hay fever and allergic rhinitis.
Researchers in Belgium compared the health of adolescents who swim in chlorinated pools to adolescents who swim in pools sanitized with a concentration of copper and silver. In children with allergic sensitivities (atopy), exposure to chlorinated pools significantly increased the prevalence of asthma and respiratory allergies.
Study authors suggest the chlorine-based oxidants in the water or just above the water cause changes in the airway and promote the development of allergic diseases. The findings reinforce the need for further research and to enforce regulations on the level of these chemicals in the water and air of swimming pools.
(9-22-09)
Families Fighting Flu (FFF) reminds parents to get their children vaccinated against the seasonal flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children 6 months through 18 years of age get a seasonal flu vaccination each year. This is the first year that this full influenza vaccination recommendation for children will be implemented by all doctors.
"Every year we remind families about the importance of getting children vaccinated against the flu," says Richard Kanowitz, president of FFF. "This year, it is just as important as any other to get your kids vaccinated. The seasonal flu is very serious as it took the life of my healthy daughter who was only 4 years old when she died. I do not want what happened to my family to happen to any other family; therefore, I encourage everyone to call their doctor now and make an appointment to get your kids vaccinated."
FFF is also announcing the availability of a new public service announcement (PSA) that features soccer legend and mom, Mia Hamm, who talks about the importance of getting a seasonal flu vaccination this year and every year. The goal of the PSA is to encourage families to get their kids, and themselves, vaccinated against the seasonal flu, which is the single best way to stay healthy. The PSA was developed in partnership with FFF, the American Youth Soccer Organization and MedImmune.
"I am excited about this new PSA as it is another great tool to help educate families about the importance of seasonal influenza vaccination," says Joe Lastinger, board member of FFF who lost his healthy 3-year-old daughter to influenza in 2004. "As a dad who has kids that play sports, it is very important to my wife and me that we help keep our children healthy by getting them vaccinated every year so that they don't get sidelined by the flu. We've seen firsthand the devastation that can result from not getting children vaccinated. It's our responsibility as parents to protect our children, so please get them a seasonal flu vaccination this year and every year."
To view the new PSA, click here.
Learn more by reading the following:
Swine Flu and Pregnancy
Swine Flu and Babies
Tackling Influenza: Healthy Decisions This Flu Season
Pregnant Women and New Parents Urged to Get Swine Flu Vaccine
Swine Flu Vaccine: One Shot or Two?
CDC Answers Questions About Swine Flu and Breastfeeding
Expert Tips for Swine Flu Prevention
What Parents Should Know About Swine Flu
(9-15-09)
As a new school year gets underway, President Obama launched a major back-to-school campaign aimed at keeping kids in the classroom. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) new Chairman Inez Tenenbaum carried the President's message to South Carolina where she met with students and faculty at Rosewood Elementary School in Columbia.
Tenenbaum, a former South Carolina State Superintendant of Education, brings a strong focus to CPSC on educating and informing children and consumers across the nation about product safety. She released CPSC's "Back to School Safety Checklist" and urged parents and schools to use it to create a safer school environment for children.
"It just takes a moment for a child to be seriously injured or even killed riding a bicycle, playing on the playground, using a movable soccer goal, wearing a jacket with a drawstring or by a recalled product," says Tenenbaum. "Let's keep kids in the classroom and out of the emergency room. Parents and school officials should make it a priority to check for hazards at home and at school."
CPSC's "Back to School Safety Checklist"
Playgrounds:
I checked with my school's officials to make sure that the school's playground equipment has been inspected and maintained.
There are at least 9 inches of shock-absorbing surface material around my school's playground equipment.
Each year, more than 200,000 hospital emergency room visits are related to playground injuries. Most injuries involve falls onto the playground surface or playground equipment.
Bicycle Helmets:
My child wears a helmet that meets CPSC requirements every time he/she bikes or rides a scooter to and from school.
My child's helmet fits snuggly, level on top of the head, with a buckled chin strap.
CPSC staff has reports of an annual average of 80 children under 16 years of age who died in bicycle-related incidents in recent years. About half of the approximately 500,000 bicycle-related emergency-room-treated injuries in 2008 involved children under 16 years of age.
Drawstrings:
None of my child's outerwear clothing has drawstrings at the hood or neck area.
Since 1985, CPSC has received reports of 28 deaths and 71 non-fatal incidents involving the entanglement of children's clothing drawstrings.
Movable Soccer Goals:
All soccer goals are securely anchored while in use.
From 1998-2008, CPSC has reports of at least eight deaths and an estimated 2,000 emergency department visits by children younger than 16 years of age that are related to soccer goal tip-overs and structural failures.
Recalled Products:
I have checked CPSC's Web site, www.cpsc.gov, to make sure all back-to-school purchases and previously owned items have not been recalled.
I have signed up at www.cpsc.gov to have e-mail alerts of CPSC recall announcements that interest me sent directly to my e-mail inbox.
Keep track of recalls by bookmarking our Product Safety Recalls page.
(9-15-09)
It may be trendy to carry bottled water – tap or otherwise – but it's just plain smart when the thermostat's inching toward 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says water is the best option for hydration, but opt for a sports drink if you are exercising or working in the heat for more than 90 minutes. Signs of dehydration include weakness, exhaustion and delirium.
"Just be sure to steer clear of alcohol and caffeinated drinks like tea and sodas," says Sandon, also a registered dietitian. "They may add to your fluid intake but may leave you feeling light headed and jittery, making it difficult to tell if you are well hydrated."
(9-08-09)
See parents helping parents in action! 
