Similar Posts
Kids thrive at every size so here is what you should know about their health, experts say
Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being . CNN — Do you ever find yourself comparing the size of your child with those of their classmates and worrying about their health? Just as you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you can’t judge a person’s health solely by the way their body looks, said Jill Castle, a pediatric dietitian in Massachusetts. In her new book, “Kids Thrive at Every Size,” Castle aims to offer a new model for assessing and addressing kids’ health. Kids with bodies either larger or smaller than average are at higher risk for psychological harm related to their size than their average-size counterparts, Castle said. And some of the tactics that adults use to influence their child’s size can have consequences on their health and relationship with food for the rest of their lives, said Jennifer Rollin, founder of The Eating Disorder Center in Rockville, Maryland. With a new school year ahead, kids with larger or smaller bodies face the potential for difficulties at school, but the adults who care for them have an opportunity to reset the family’s approach to health and size, Castle said. If you want to reset your child’s healthy habits as you kick off the academic year, here’s what Castle wants you to know — and what you may need to rethink. The way children’s health has been assessed has often centered greatly on their size and shape, Castle said. “We’ve been operating under the fixed weight model or the fixed size model, which is a model that looks at a child that’s too small and says, ‘Hey, we need to fix that child’s body size and make it larger,’” she said. “Or we look at a child with a larger body and say, ‘Hey, that doesn’t fit our norm.’” There are a few problems with this approach. One is that weight and size rarely tell the full story, said pediatrician Dr. Nimali Fernando, founder of the Dr. Yum Project, a Virginia-based nonprofit helping communities overcome obstacles to eating well. “There are a lot of social determinants of health that we need to consider when we’re looking at a child’s overall health, and it’s very easy to get laser focused into the things that we can measure, instead of really taking time to understand what’s going on in a child’s life,” she said. Another issue is that the ways to address size directly often aren’t helpful. “Pressuring children to eat more or to eat less, restricting children from having seconds — we know those feeding practices don’t work very well in the long run, and can disturb that developing relationship with food,” Castle said. Instead, Castle developed a model called “whole child healthy,” which emphasizes a balance of physical health and emotional well-being. “(The factors) include things like sleep and movement and screen time and food, but it also includes family culture and self-love as a pillar,” she added. Strict health rules aren’t the way to have a hale and hearty child — instead, Castle said, “every child needs good, healthy lifestyle habits to grow up healthy and happy.” Family culture: The first pillar of health Castle emphasizes isn’t about a child’s diet or exercise. It’s about the family culture surrounding them. “A family culture is who your family is,” she said. “As a family, it’s what you believe in, your core values, your attitudes, what you spend your time doing. And for children who may grow up with a larger body or a smaller body, they need families with a strong, positive family culture.” She recommends really investigating the way in which your family talks about food, your own bodies, other people’s bodies and the other things that are important to you. Having family meetings, family mantras and activities that support those values can help reinforce the environment you want to create for your children, she said. Food: “The goal of the food pillar is really to embrace flexibility with food and to emphasize foods that are highly nutritious and … to allow foods also that might be minimally nutritious within the diet in ways that can be fully enjoyed and flexible,” Castle said. That flexibility doesn’t mean there are no boundaries and structure, however. Instead, Castle recommended focusing on things such as having mealtimes at around the same time every day, having predictable snacks, eating with mindfulness and sitting to share a meal as a family as often as possible during the week. “And really doing the job of parenting, which is buying the food, preparing the meals, getting it on the table, and then releasing yourself as a parent from any further job of trying to get your child to eat,” Castle said. Lastly, try to move toward understanding food as more or less nutritious and away from branding food “good” or “bad,” Castle said. “The clean club or rewarding with sweets — they might work in the moment, but they don’t do a good job of establishing the self-trust and an intuitive, good relationship with food as kids grow up,” Castle said. Sleep: Getting quality sleep is crucial for both your kid’s physical and emotional well-being, so practicing good sleep hygiene should be on your list of priorities, Castle said. That means building habits such
Could Coffee Help Protect Your Liver From Alcohol
Another noteworthy benefit has been added to the list of perks that coffee may have for your health. New research has found that drinking your daily java may help protect your liver from alcohol-related cirrhosis. While a little bit of alcohol may actually be healthy, we all know that overdoing it on the spirits is extremely dangerous…
Peach Chutney
Grace Parisi’s gingery peach chutney is terrific on a grilled cheddar-cheese sandwich or brushed on pork chops during the last few minutes of cooking. To make removing the pits easier, look for freestone peaches, rather than clingstone. More Fruit Recipes Photo: Photo by Adam Friedlander / Food Styling by Pearl Jones Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 4 pounds firm, ripe peaches 1 2/3 cups light brown sugar 1 cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons minced fresh peeled ginger 1 small red onion, slivered 12 cardamom pods, lightly cracked 2 to 4 dried hot red chiles, such as cayenne—stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced Salt Directions Bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. Using a paring knife, score the bottom of each peach with a small X. Add the peaches to the boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer them to the ice water with a slotted spoon. Peel the peaches, then halve them and remove the pits. Cut the peaches into 3/4-inch dice. In a medium, enameled cast-iron casserole, combine the brown sugar with the vinegar, ginger, onion and cardamom; stir to dissolve the sugar. Simmer over moderately low heat until the onion is slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Add the peaches, chiles and a pinch of salt and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are very soft and translucent, about 1 hour. Ladle the chutney into five 1/2-pint canning jars, tapping lightly on a flat surface to release any air bubbles. Seal the jars and refrigerate for up to 6 months. Originally appeared: August 2010
Food | Health | Mediterranean
Mediterranean diet found to improve childrens heart health, study finds
Sign up for CNN’s Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life . CNN — The Mediterranean diet has been linked to many health benefits for adults. Now, a new study suggests it could be beneficial to children’s heart health as well. An analysis of nine earlier studies including 577 participants from the ages of 3 to 18 has found incorporating the Mediterranean diet for at least eight weeks had a significant association with lowering blood pressure and total cholesterol, according to the study published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open. The research further supports that incorporating healthy dietary habits early in life can help prevent cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, which often originate in childhood, researchers say. “Early dietary habits significantly influence long-term health outcomes,” said lead study author Dr. José Francisco López-Gil, a senior researcher with One Health Research Group at the University of the Americas in Quito, Ecuador, in an email. “The key takeaway for parents is the importance of promoting a diet rich in whole foods and healthy fats to optimize their children’s health and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases.” Knowing the benefits the Mediterranean diet has for adults’ cardiometabolic health, the findings are not surprising but provide further emphasis on the importance of having a diet of unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish for all stages of life, said Dr. Stuart Berger, division head of pediatric cardiology at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Berger was not involved with the study. Here’s how parents and guardians could help their children benefit from the Mediterranean eating plan, according to experts. The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating that includes plant-based cooking with an emphasis on healthy fats. Fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, nuts, whole grains, lean meats and fish are all contributors to the dietary plan. Not every child needs to adopt a Mediterranean diet, but it is important to increase “real foods” in children’s diets and decrease highly processed foods that have added sugars and sodium, said Dr. Natalie Muth, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, who was not involved with the research. “We know that calories from ultraprocessed foods make up about 70% of a typical teenager’s intake. Any change that can lower intake of things like chips, cookies, and sodas and increase intake of fruits and vegetables is a big win,” said Muth, a pediatrician and registered dietitian at the WELL Clinic at Children’s Primary Care Medical Group in San Diego, in an email. But it is always important to keep in mind a child’s preferences and to incorporate cultural traditions into any guidance around food choices, Muth added. For those looking to shift to the Mediterranean eating plan, following age-appropriate dietary plans and exercise recommended by a child’s pediatrician is also key, said Berger, who is a professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. Gathering together as a family over a meal as a way to connect also plays a major role in the Mediterranean diet, said Dr. Tamara Hannon, director of the clinical pediatric diabetes program at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. “Parents need to lead by example by eating using this pattern, offering structured meals and snacks (scheduled), and exercising daily,” she added in an email. Hannon, who is also a professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, was not involved with the research. Hannon also recommends parents and guardians limit their children’s eating between structured meals and snacks as well as eliminating sugary beverages and juices to improve blood glucose and weight management. The authors of the new report found a variation in results across the earlier studies analyzed, which can be attributed to the differing factors of diet and physical activity each study displayed. Despite the variations, the Mediterranean diet consistently improved blood pressure levels and lipid profiles, López-Gil said, which can lower the risk of cardiometabolic problems later in life such as heart attacks, strokes and diabetes. The researchers were surprised they didn’t find evidence of any effects on glucose and insulin levels, López-Gil said. The impact the Mediterranean diet has on these health factors could be less pronounced, or could require a longer time frame to have an effect, he added. The study looked at the results of kids adopting the dietary plan from eight to 40 weeks. “We’ll need to do more studies on kids in particular,” Berger said, “but reviewing these studies suggest the … beneficial effects of the so-called Mediterranean diet and everything associated with it.” Further research should include larger sample sizes and more diverse populations as well as longitudinal studies to assess the long-term effects of the Mediterranean diet on kids’ cardiometabolic health, López-Gil said. “The growing research shows the value (in the Mediterranean diet) to be the same for children and adolescents (as in adults),” Muth said. “One of the most impactful steps a parent can take to help improve kids’ nutrition is to commit to regular family meals and try to prepare foods at home, as often as possible. The more kids are exposed to fruits, vegetables, and fish, the more likely they will try them and like them eventually.”
Perfect storm to hit B.C. health-care system this fall: local doctor warns
Posted September 16, 2024 7:37 am. With COVID-19 cases currently rising in B.C., one Burnaby-based family doctor warns the health-care system could be shaken this fall and winter with a lot of people getting sick. Dr. Davidicus Wong says in addition to that virus, RSV is also circulating in communities on the cusp of cold and flu season. He explains COVID-19 didn’t disappear this summer, and believes people aren’t following the directions given earlier in the pandemic, like masking or washing your hands consistently. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE! “We are seeing COVID carry through all the way through the summer,” said Wong. “It was off their radar. They thought they had a cold. And I knew things were going to get worse because people weren’t aware of the last spring vaccine boosters that they could get.” “People weren’t talking about COVID anymore, but they were getting it and they weren’t testing for it.” Wong points out he’s hearing from patients who can’t find test kits and says recently expired ones aren’t as reliable. He says as people move indoors more when the temperatures drop, the risk increases. “We can acquire colds, flu, RSV, and, of course, COVID,” said Wong. “It’s just going to get worse. It’s almost a perfect storm.” The updated COVID-19 booster shot is expected to be made available next month, along with the flu shot, which is free for most people in this province. “Wait until the new vaccine comes out, so not much protection for those who haven’t had a booster or haven’t had COVID recently, but at least we can get our flu shots to help reduce the risk. We expect to be a lot busier. We expect our patients to be a lot sicker.” Wong thinks it’s time people consider wearing masks again and suggests they do so as soon as they start to feel sick. “The masking is not comfortable, it is kind of tiring wearing a mask all day long, but we have to do what we have to do, especially if we have vulnerable people at home.” He says the other risk this fall is getting sick with back-to-back illnesses. Having one virus or infection, feeling recovered, and then getting sick again right away. “That’s why we want to prevent the flu. If you have influenza, you’re vulnerable, your immune system is stressed and you’re liable to get exposed to other infections, like bacteria and you might come down with bacterial pneumonia after getting exposed to a second [illness].” The provincial government says flu shots should start to roll out in October, however, a set date for availability has yet to be announced.
Organic and regular dark chocolate contaminated by lead and cadmium, study finds
CNN — Dark chocolate and similar cocoa products are contaminated with lead and cadmium, two neurotoxic metals that are linked to cancer, chronic disease, or reproductive and developmental issues, especially in children, a new study found. As natural elements in the Earth’s crust, lead, cadmium and other heavy metals are in the soil in which crops are grown and thus can’t be avoided. Some crop fields and regions, however, contain more toxic levels than others, partly due to the overuse of metal-containing fertilizers and ongoing industrial pollution . However, despite growing on land with fewer pesticides and other contaminants, organic versions of dark chocolate had some of the highest levels, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition. Dark chocolate is known for being rich in plant nutrients called flavonoids, antioxidants and beneficial minerals and has been linked to improved cardiovascular health, cognitive performance and less chronic inflammation. The research team examined only pure dark chocolate products as they contain the highest amount of cacao, the raw, unprocessed part of the cacao bean. Candies or baking chocolates with other ingredients were eliminated. The study did not disclose the names or manufacturers of the tested products. “The average levels of lead and cadmium in cocoa-containing products in the new study are at or above the average amounts the US Food and Drug Administration finds for lead and cadmium in the most highly contaminated foods they test,” said Jane Houlihan, the national director of science and health for Healthy Babies Bright Futures, a coalition of advocates committed to reducing babies’ exposures to neurotoxic chemicals. Baby food sweet potatoes, baby food teething biscuits, sandwich cookies, white wine and ranch dressing top the FDA’s list of foods most contaminated with lead, while sunflower seeds, spinach, potato chips, leaf lettuce and french fries contain the highest levels of cadmium, Houlihan said. “If typical health risks from eating chocolate fall below the federal government’s official safe thresholds, it is because people normally eat fairly small amounts,” said Houlihan, who was not involved in the study. “We’d expect heightened risks for young children, pregnant women, and people who eat chocolate regularly, especially dark chocolate.” The National Confectioners Association, which represents the chocolate industry, told CNN via email that “chocolate and cocoa are safe to eat and can be enjoyed as treats as they have been for centuries. Food safety and product quality remain our highest priorities, and we remain dedicated to being transparent and socially responsible.” Lead and cadmium found, but no arsenic The new study analyzed 72 consumer cocoa products for levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic. Compared with prior studies, which have looked at heavy metals in chocolate during a snapshot of time, the latest study tested the products over an eight-year period, in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020. Testing was done by Consumer Labs, a nonprofit that provides third-party testing on health and nutrition products. It sent samples out to various laboratories to maximize accuracy. Of the six dozen chocolate products tested over the course of the study, 43% exceeded the maximum allowable dose level for lead as established by California’s Proposition 65, while 35% exceeded the Prop 65 maximum allowable level for cadmium, researchers found. The study found no significant levels of arsenic. Prop 65 limits are lower than those established by the federal government. The maximum allowable level of lead in children’s candy is 0.1 parts per million, according to the FDA. California’s Prop 65 sets a safety standard of .05 parts per million for chocolate, about half as much. “Prop 65 sets a protective level which allows consumers to make a rational choice and say, ‘OK, how much do I want?’” said Danielle Fugere, president and chief counsel for As You Sow, a nonprofit specializing in shareholder advocacy, who was not involved in the new study. “There are many sources of lead, for example: There’s lead in water, there’s lead in vegetables and fruits, there’s lead in our soil, dust and air,” Fugere said. “Do I feel good about eating a piece of chocolate that may also contain lead? Each person can make their own decision.” Healthy adults who limit their intake to small amounts should not be afraid of eating chocolate, said senior study author Leigh Frame, executive director of the Office of Integrative Medicine and Health at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. “A typical serving of dark chocolate is 1 ounce, so eating 1 ounce every day or so is a pretty small risk in the grand scheme of things,” Frame said. “But it’s something we need to be aware of in case we are also around other sources of lead exposure, such as lead paint in an old home.” That risk of heavy metal exposure rises, however, if a person is medically comprised, pregnant, or a small child, said Tewodros Godebo, an assistant professor of environmental geochemistry at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans. He authored a July study which analyzed 155 samples of chocolate and found higher levels of cadmium but little lead in dark chocolates. Over time, consuming low levels of cadmium can damage the kidneys. The Environmental Protection Agency calls the metal a probable human carcinogen. “There are sensitive individuals, medically compromised, such as people with kidney disease who might not be able to efficiently excrete metals out of their body. And of course, a pregnant woman