Halloween: Dealing with the Aftermath

Ok, last week I gave you some tips on how to prepare for and have a safe and healthier Halloween. But I think we all know that our kids are gonna come home with LOTS of sweets. So what to do in the aftermath of the Halloween candy frenzy?

Have no fear. My good friend Beth Thayer, a fellow dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association has offered up some great ideas that she uses with her kids to help keep the candy chaos in check. "Part of learning how to eat healthy is learning how to incorporate treats" says Beth and I couldn't agree more. It's ok to have treats and here's how Beth puts that whole moderation thing into practice:

1. "My big thing for parents is to use this as a teaching moment; let the kids sort out the candy they really want and throw the rest away." Kids will be less likely to eat empty calories that aren't their favorites anyway she says. And really, it's ok to throw candy away; it looks better in the trash can than on the hips.
2. Next Beth suggests we get out the art supplies; use markers, glitter, crayons, glue and the bright candy and M&Ms to make fun designs. "Getting out the art supplies was something we tried last year. The kids had fun and then didn't want to eat their creations - so it worked well."
3. Now here is something my sisters and I did as kids that I forgot about but Beth reminded me of the "play 'who can make the candy last the longest' game". This gets to kids competitive nature and it can stop them from overindulging in one (or more) sittings. (It worked on me as a kid.. I always won and had candy into February.)
4. Beth also advises parents to set reasonable limits, "I let my kids pick something to put in their lunch and then something for a snack or dessert at the end of the day".
5. She then recommends "keep the candy in the pantry behind closed doors, and (allow them to) only eat in the kitchen. After the first few days, that 'out of sight, out of mind' thing really slows down the requests for candy."

Another tactic is to trade candy for things that kids want. Offer to buy up their stash, or give them 20 extra minutes of play time or staying up past bedtime in exchange for candy (and then throw it away so you're not tempted either!). Find out what they want and use it to your advantage. And don't forget to check if your dentist will buy up candy from patients. Then it'll really be out of your house!

If you have more tips to slow down the candy eating onslaught, please send them along and I'll try to get them posted on Wednesday. Good luck tomorrow and try to have a fruit and veggie filled day (with a little candy treat in moderation).

Many many thanx Beth!!!!!!

(Photo courtesy of Crsytl)

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Recipe of the Week: Inside Out Taco

Don't ask me why this is called Inside Out Taco but that's what my husband, Jim, said it reminded him of the first time I made it. I guess cuz it has corn, I don't know, but it stuck.

I apologize for skipping the recipe last week.. I just got so excited about the sleep and childhood overweight connection I had to write about it. Please forgive me.

I am going to stray a little bit from salads this week as it is getting into fall and all with Halloween coming up. But veggies are always part of my MO with recipes (or fruits). My MO is also to make recipes that are really easy, often because I use convenience or premade products. This particular recipe uses premade polenta (I get mine from Trader Joe's and it comes in a tube. If you don't have a TJ's you can usually find something similar in your grocery, or you can make it from a mix) and makes good use of canned goods. So with that here is the Inside Out Taco:

Ingredients
*1 - 18-ounce package premade polenta, cut up in 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices
*1 - 15.25 ounce cans chili with beans (I use Smart Chili that is vegetarian with veggie ground round in it for some texture. It comes in 10 ounce pouches; I use two to three pouches)
*1 - 15.25 ounce can corn, rinsed
* 1/2 cup low fat cheese, soy or rice cheese, shredded

You will need:
* A glass Purex baking dish that is about 8 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches (or close to that size, doesn't have to be exact).
*Spray vegetable oil (I use olive oil but you use whatever you like. If you haven't seen these before you can find them in your grocery next to the bottles of oil. They come in a canister)

Instructions
1. Spray the bottom of the baking dish with the vegetable oil.
2. This dish is all about layering, so to start with one layer of polenta on the bottom of the pan.
3. Then cover that layer with chili
4. Cover the chili with corn (I actually use only about 1/2 a can. I throw the other half in a salad or save it for another recipe).
5. Place one more layer of polenta over the corn
6. Then a second layer of chili
7. Lastly sprinkle the top with cheese.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. I often bake it for 10 minutes first, then add the cheese and bake it for 10 more minutes so the cheese doesn't get dried out.

I use soy cheese or rice cheese to cut down on fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and calories. I use vegetarian chili for all those reasons too, and to add some fiber to the dish. Most people can't tell the difference, but you have to keep mum about it if they are 'health food haters'. What they don't know will not only NOT hurt them, but help them!

Have a fruit and veggie filled day all and enjoy :)

I hope you like it....

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Grand Rounds Strikes Again!

Many thanx to Bob at Health Care Law Blog for hosting this week's huge undertaking of Grand Rounds aptly titled Grand Rounds 3.5: A Visual Tour. WOW! Bob really presented a plethora of the best medical and healthcare blogs out there. You've got to visit his edition if you are at all interested in anything that has to do with healthcare and are a blog reader. (click above on the title)

And I must thank Bob for including my submission Candy Free Halloween Treats (and Tricks). Thank You Bob!

Take a breather Bob for a job well done, and give your fingers a much needed rest from the keyboard.

Enjoy and as always have a fruit and veggie filled day!

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More Health and Safety Tips for Halloweenie!

Thanx for the great response to Monday's post Candy Free Halloween Treats (and Tricks)! I thought I'd better do a quickie followup to share a couple of great tips and info that was passed on to me from readers.

First, a big thank you to Ruth who brought up the issue of food allergies our kids may have, and how Halloween can be a potential disaster for our unsuspecting little ones. She has referred us to another blog (Allergizer.com) detailing an incident last Halloween where a child unknowingly ate a candy bar with peanuts resulting in a severe allergic reaction. The author urges parents who have kids with food allergies to take necessary precautions before sending their child out trick or treating. She offers up a great website, The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network that lists safety tips for parents to heed on Halloween. To read about her incident, Allergy Safe Halloween Trick or Treating, click here. And to get the list of safety tips from The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network go to http://www.foodallergy.org/Support/Halloween/SafetyTips.html.

Now to the next piece of interesting info. This is something I hadn't heard of before. I teach Introduction to Human Nutrition at UCLA Extension, and last night in class we were having a discussion about Halloween (of course they wanted to know what I give out to trick or treaters). One of my students, Meredith, told the class about dentists who actually offer to buy kids' candy after Halloween. The dentists then discard it so no teeth get hurt. The kids become mini entrepreneurs in a way. Interesting concept. If you know of any dentists that do this pass it along or suggest it to yours. And let me know what you think of this practice.

If any of you have any more useful tips whether they are about having a healthy Halloween and/or a safe one, please pass them along before Ghouls-day and I'll make sure I get them up.

Have a healthy and safe Halloweenie!

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Candy Free Halloween Treats (and Tricks)

I just came from the grocery store and saw a Mom stuff her cart full of Halloween candy, I assume in preparation for next Tuesday night's trick-or-treaters. And of course all that candy was right there at the front of the store in a huge display. Wouldn't it be great if there was a huge display of non-candy alternatives we could get right there where everyone could see them? Hopefully that day will come but in the meantime I thought I'd give you some other ideas for treats you can give out this year guilt free.

If you want to go the non food route try:
· Temporary tattoos
· Stickers
· Small plastic spider rings
· Super balls
· Colorful pencils, crayons, erasers, pencil tops and pens
· Pencil sharpeners
· Plastic or wax fangs
· Bracelets and rings for the girls
· Hair accessories like barrettes, hair ties and bows (also for the girls)
· Spinning tops
· Plastic animals and characters
· Shoelaces
· Coloring books
· Shoelaces
· Key rings
· Marbles
· Various party favors like the little slide puzzles
· Notepads
· Magnets
· Whistles
· Bubbles
· Noisemakers like kazoos
· Jacks
· Yo-yos

If you want to do food type stuff try:
· Small raisin boxes
· Individually sized bags of nuts or trail mix
· Chewy or nutty granola bars
· Sugar-free gum
· Fruit cups
· Applesauce cups
· Pudding cups
· Individually sized cereal boxes
· Fruit leather (make sure it's 100% fruit with no added sugar like high fructose corn syrup)
· 100 calorie microwave popcorn bags

The options are really endless. If you've got some creative ideas or giveaways that you've done for past Halloweens that kids liked, pass 'em all along and I'll post them so everybody can take advantage.

Have a healthy and cavity free Halloweenie!

(Photo courtesy of Miala)

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Sleeping to Stay Slim?

Are you and your family getting enough sleep? I've recently been reading a lot about a lack of sleep being linked to overweight in adults. But apparently this connection is even stronger in kids. Personally I am very territorial of my zz's, but sleep deprivation is a problem for all of us including our kids. Yikes!

A researcher out of the University of Bristol (Britain), Dr. Sharad Taheri, is addressing this issue head on in his recent paper The link between short sleep duration and obesity: we should recommend more sleep to prevent obesity published in this months Archives of Disease in Childhood. Dr. Taheri reviews some of the emerging evidence linking sleep deprivation to overweight in kids. He suggests a variety of mechanisms are taking place that may in part be to blame for rising obesity rates in kids. A couple of the primary reasons are a lack of sleep may disrupt our metabolism, and also result in less physical activity overall because our kids are just too tired to exert a lot of energy. As for the metabolism, sleep seems to affect appetite hormones like leptin and ghrelin. Leptin decreases our appetite while ghrelin increases it. Sleep studies have shown that a deprivation results in a decrease in leptin and increase in ghrelin, not a good combination if you're trying to control your calories.

Dr. Taheri puts partial blame on the extensive use of computers, mobile phones and TV watching. I certainly agree that we need to limit our kids' computer and TV time as that encourages sedentary behavior. But watching television in bed or before bed also seems to interfere with quality of sleep, so it's a double edged sword. Yikes again!

And teens get it the worst. As they get older they stay up later but then have to get up early to go to school. This is such an important time for development and sleep is crucial to that development; and apparently crucial to decrease their risk of being overweight.

Dr. Taheri offers some recommendations for parents that I think are pretty good and sound familiar to some of the recommendations I make. In his British words (they always sound so articulate, I couldn't bear to edit)

* Ensure a regular bedtime routine
* Ensure strict bed and wake times
* Ensure a quiet, dark and relaxing bedroom environment that is neither too hot nor too cold
* Ensure a comfortable bed that is used only for sleeping and not for other activities (eg, reading, watching television or listening to music)
* Undertake physical activity but not within a few hours of bedtime
* Remove televisions, computers and gadgets from the bedroom
* Avoid large meals near bedtime

Dr. Taheri gives some additional recommendations for teens (again in British eloquence):

* Avoid caffeinated drinks after lunchtime
* Avoid nicotine, alcohol and drugs
* Avoid activities that may be arousing around bedtime (eg, computer games, texting on mobile phone or arguing)
* Ensure exposure to bright light on awakening in the morning
* Allow sleeping in during weekends, but no more than 2–3 hours beyond the usual wake time (as this disrupts the circadian clock)
* Avoid staying up all night (eg, to study)

With all of this in mind send yourself and the kids to bed early tonight! Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite. Sweet Dreams all :)

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Coffee, Kim and Grand Rounds

Many thanx to Kim at Emergiblog (she's an ER nurse-cute huh!) for hosting this week's clever run of Grand Rounds "Grab A Cuppa Ground Rounds". Check it out as Kim gets you connected to a variety of the most informative blogs out there in the health and medical arena for your perusing pleasure.

And I have to send out a huge thank you to Kim for featuring my post "Keeping the Cold and Flu at Bay". Thank You Kim!

Grand Rounds are hosted every week by a blogger in the health and/or medical field featuring noteworthy posts from the world of wellness blogging. If you're interested in hosting, Kim tells you how at So You Want to Host Grand Rounds?

Enjoy and as always have a fruit and veggie filled day!

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Disney Hops on the Healthy Kid Food Bandwagon

I told you this healthy food thing is catching on. The Walt Disney Company is the latest conglomerate to get in on the action. And I have to say good for them. Every little bit helps.

So what are they doing? The Company announced today nutritional guidelines that will govern any future food related endorsements and promotions; the guidelines will also help determine and improve many of the food and beverage offerings in their theme parks. This has the potential to be huge!

Disney has already started using some of their characters like 'Kim Possible' and 'The Incredibles' to promote healthier food items like instant oatmeal. So these guidelines do seem like a natural progression. Let's hope they stick and work!

Here's a rundown of what they came up with straight out of their news release:

*A cap on calories that results in appropriate kid-sized portions.
*Total fat will not exceed 30 percent of calories for main and side dishes and 35 percent for snacks.
*Saturated fat will not exceed 10 percent of calories for main dishes, side dishes and snacks.
*Added sugar will not exceed 10 percent of calories for main dishes and side dishes and 25 percent of calories for snacks. (This is much better than the guideline that California has mandated for school snack foods of "not more than 35% of sugar by weight". The Disney sugar guideline has more teeth.)

There is a small caveat to the guidelines:

*Disney will continue to license special-occasion sweets such as birthday cakes and seasonal candy as part of its product range but will limit the number of indulgence items in its licensed portfolio to 15 percent by 2010. In addition, most special-occasion sweets will be available in single-serving packets.

Actually, I think this is a pretty fair caveat. There is absolutely nothing wrong with our kids (and ourselves) enjoying a special occasion treat (emphasis on occasion-ally). So this seems reasonable especially if portion size is being controlled.

It's not completely clear to me however, what exactly will change in their theme parks. But starting this month kids' meals are automatically being served with lowfat milk (I hope it's 1% and not 2% but the news release doesn't say), or 100% fruit juice for a beverage instead of soda; and for side dishes apple sauce or carrots sticks are being served instead of French fries. The soda and fries are still available but parents have to ask for them at no additional cost (I think these items should cost a little extra to provide another disincentive dontcha think?!).

This is definitely a step in the right direction, but I am very curious to hear what else will be going on in the theme parks. If anyone else out there has more inside info let us in on it. Regardless, I am glad that a company with such an influence on our kids has taken these starting steps. Click here to see Disney's news release.

We are on our way! Have a fruit and veggie filled day (and I guess you can get some of those at Disneyland now too).

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Smoke Free Movies: Yes!

I just read an alarming statistic today that stated kids are more likely to start smoking the more often they see characters smoking in movies. This is alarming because there is ALOT of smoking going on in movies! I am so appalled by this that I just can't let it go. So bear with me while we take a minor detour.

I have always been bothered by the egregious and blatant display of smoking in movies and the lack of reason for it. I hear over and over again the argument that cigarette smoking helps define a character. Bad guys look 'bad' holding a cigarette. Really? So I started paying more attention to characters that smoked and why having a cigarette in their hands seemed to be so important to their character development.

What I observed is, it is not only the bad guys who are smoking. No sirree. All kinds of characters are smoking; good guys, romantic leads, moms, dads, teens, the cool 'guys', the funny guy, and so on. In fact, the number of people smoking in movies is totally unrepresentative of reality. There are many many more people smoking on screen than there are in real life. It's no wonder as the majority of movies contain some kind of smoking behavior. According to the recently released report, Trends in Top Box Office Tobacco Use, 1996-2004 73% of youth rated movies (G, PG, PG-13) and 88% of R rated movies in 2004 contained smoking behavior. That's crazy talk, but true.

So how does holding and smoking a lit cigarette help define a character? The answer: it doesn't!! To me if characters have to smoke to help define them, then that tells me the script writer is lazy and doesn't know how to do his job. Only a cigarette can enhance a character? Are we no more creative than that?

Writers should be anyway, but the fact is smoking in movies sells! Movie tobacco use is far more effective in getting kids to start smoking than conventional cigarette advertising. The prevailing theory is big tobacco is providing much of the financing for movies to be made. How else can this unrealistic prevalence and glamorization of smoking in movies be explained? Over and over again I watch movies and I see actors smoking and it has nothing to do with their character. Their characters would have been exactly the same without the cancer stick.

If this bothers you as much as it does me (and it should because this is the health of our kids we're talking about) check out the Smoke Free Movies website at http://smokefreemovies.ucsf.edu/index.html for more information. Of course there's lots of statistics but the site also offers tips on how you can take action to make a difference.

I'll be back to nutrition next week but I appreciate your ear.

Have a smoke-free day! (and don't forget your fruits and veggies)

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Recipe of the Week: Edamame Salad

This week's recipe comes from one of my trusted Healthline.com blog editors, Carrie Locke. Turns out the bosses are interested in eating healthy too! Seems to be a trend.

Carrie says this edamame salad is really easy to make and scores high on the yum scale. If you don't know what edamame are, they are actually soy beans. If you're a Japanese food or sushi fan no doubt you've snacked on them as an appetizer. They come in a green pea pod like shell, and after they've been boiled with a little salt you just pop the round beans out and eat 'em. They're a really fun snack for kids when they're tender and a tiny bit salty. Kids really dig popping out the beans.

You can buy edamame frozen in the shell or already shelled. In the shell they're great for a snack or appetizer. Shelled are best to use for salads because the work is cut down significantly. With that I give you Carrie's recipe:

Carrie's Edamame Salad
*1 - 1 lb. bag of frozen shelled edamame – thawed or boiled
*1 - 15 oz. (approx) can of corn (frozen corn works too) - drained and rinsed
*1 - 15 oz. (approx) can of black beans - drained and rinsed
*2-3 cloves of chopped garlic (if you're not a big garlic fan or it's a little sharp for the kids use less, experiment with it)
*½ onion, chopped (optional)
*1 - 12 oz. jar of salsa (your choice mild, medium or SPICY!)
*Garlic salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix. (Start with just a few shakes of garlic salt and add more if the salad needs it. It's easier to add than to take away).
Enjoy!

This salad is full of fiber, lean protein and heart healthy unsaturated fats (the good kind!). It's also vegan, meaning it contains no animal products.

The soy beans, black beans, salsa and onion all count toward your vegetables and the corn counts towards your whole grains. Furthermore, soy beans are the only plant food considered a complete protein.

Try it out and let me know how you like it. And if you want more information on soy (it's been in the news a lot lately) let me know and I'll dedicate a post to the subject.

Have a fruit and veggie filled day!

Image courtesy of Tom Harpel

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Keeping the Cold and Flu at Bay

Our kids have been back to school for over a month now. Any of them bring home a cold yet? Was that a silly question? It seems inevitable that our kids will contract a cold or the flu at least once each winter and pass it on to everyone else in the family. We are not completely vulnerable, however, and there are key steps we can take to help prevent them.

The first line of defense is of course hygiene hygiene hygiene! Wash your hands and often. Just swishing them under running water for a couple seconds isn't gonna do it. Soap and warm water are musts. And wash hands thoroughly-have your kids sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice while they're scrubbing. When they do get sick instruct them to always cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they sneeze or cough to keep them from spreading it to others. Hopefully all the other kids will do this too.

Keeping our immune system strong will help us fight colds and flus better. The most sure fire way to a healthy immune system is through balanced diet and exercise. A diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains is good for us overall but take note of just a few key nutrients below that are necessary to keep our immune system in shape and some of their food sources (this is not an exhaustive list of nutrients by any means but it's a start):

Vitamin A - Dark green vegetables like broccoli, and orange yellow vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes

Vitamin C -, Vitamin C is abundant in fruits and vegetables but some particularly good sources are dark green vegetables (again), citrus fruit, strawberries, kiwi, tomatoes, red bell peppers, even a baked potato

Vitamin E - almonds and other nuts, sunflower seeds, whole grains, wheat germ, vegetable oils, leafy greens (this 'green' things keeps popping up)

Iron - lean beef, poultry and seafood (clams especially) are the best sources but some good plant foods are beans, dried fruit, whole grains, fortified cereals

Zinc - shellfish (oysters are very high), lean beef, poultry, beans, whole grains (very similar to sources for iron)

Omega 3 fatty acids - salmon and other fatty fish, flax seed and products made with flax, walnuts

Yogurt has also been recommended as the live active cultures may help boost the immune system. Regular exercise is of prime importance to beef up immunity. So get out there and move your body!

Bottomline-wash your hands, eat a balanced diet and make sure you exercise regularly to keep colds and flu at bay.

To Your Health!

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This Weeks' Best of Health Matters

The Health Matters HealthBlog Network consists of a dozen independent and unfiltered medical professionals blogging about the topics that matter to you. Each week, Healthline's Editors select the three top posts from the network to share with all of our readers in one convenient post. We hope you'll enjoy them!

Infertility Stress Reduction Tips
If you, or someone you know, has struggled with infertility you know what a stressful time that can be. Visit The ART of Conception where expert Carl “Rusty” Herbert MD offers some tips for getting through these rough patches … read more

What Should Cancer Patients and Family Do About the Flu Vaccine?
Vaccinations can be a lifesaver. Most vaccines contain inactive viruses, but others contain a small amount of a live virus. Tune into Cyndy King’s Cancer Treatment and Survivorship blog to learn what people undergoing cancer treatment that can compromise their immunity should do…read more.

Throw a Stronger Punch (or Push a Car or Stroller)
People don’t always realize how many times a day they are hurting their backs. Read on to learn more about what Dr. Jolie Bookspan of the Fitness Fixer blog says is one of the most common misconceptions in fitness….read more.

Additionally, we're pleased to announce the launch of two new blogs this week! Freedom from Smoking with expert Lowell Kleinman, MD and Straight Talk from the ER with expert Robert L. Norris, MD.

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Clinton's Snack Food Deal

Bill Clinton is at it again. On Monday I mentioned in Thinking the Drink Again the recent deal the Clinton Foundation made with the beverage industry to limit sugary drinks on school campuses nationwide. Today, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation – a joint initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association - announced a collaboration with 5 of the top food companies who have agreed to support new nutrition guidelines for all foods sold outside of the school meals program. These foods are referred to as competitive foods and include anything in the vending machines, student store, a la carte foods, snack carts and fundraisers - basically whatever is not being sold as a full meal in the cafeteria.

Campbell Soup Company, Dannon, Kraft Foods, Mars and PepsiCo are the 5 who have committed to reformulating some of their products and creating new ones to meet the new guidelines.

Actually these guidelines are not at all new to me or California. They look very similar to the guidelines we wrote for LAUSD's Obesity Prevention Motion and the guidelines outlined in California Senate Bill 12 the "School Junk Food Ban".

The big news is that these 5 huge food companies have agreed to follow them, and they distribute food and snacks to schools nationwide. So the impact could be big. Or small. School districts aren't obligated to abide by these guidelines and may go to other food companies to buy junk food for the kids to purchase at school. The real outcome remains to be seen and the proof will be in the pudding (ironic choice of wording, I know, but how could I resist).

But it is a step in the right direction. The guidelines promote fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nutrient-rich foods, fat-free and low fat dairy foods and establish limits for calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and sodium. That's all good (but I didn't hear anything about fiber!! When will that nutrient come to the forefront? And I think the sugar guideline of measuring it by weight is next to useless. A frozen soda on a stick could qualify. You'll see what I mean when you read them).

As for what the big 5 are going to do to meet these guidelines, here's some of what they have committed to so far:
--Campbell will promote the benefits of its products that are lower in calories, fat and sodium.
--Dannon will reduce the sugar content of its Danimals yogurt cups for kids by 25 percent.
--Kraft will add the sodium and calorie guidelines to its current vending guidelines and extend them to all of its competitive foods sold in schools.
--Mars will create a new line of nutritious snacks that are formulated with the needs of children and teens in mind.
--PepsiCo will reformulate several products and also encourage schools, distributors and vending partners to offer products that meet the new guidelines.

So far so good, but again the proof will be in the proverbial pudding.

To see the guidelines and learn more about this latest Clinton endeavor go to http://www.healthiergeneration.org/engine/renderpage.asp?pid=s042.

What do you think of these guidelines and what the Alliance for a Healthier Generation is trying to do? Are they on the right track? What else can be done? Let's hear your opinions.

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Recipe of the Week

Ok, since we're on this salad kick for the moment here's a yummy one that not only gets in fruit and herbs, but some whole grains! Who woulda thunk it? This is a salad that I used to make for taste testing at Farmers' Markets and it was a winner. This recipe was graciously provided to me by the Ask the Dietitian program with the Los Angeles County Nutrition Program (Thanx Cindy and Joyce!). So with that I present to you:

Fall Herb Rice Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked brown rice, (use instant to save time and effort)
• 1 apple, diced (any variety)
• 3 cups seedless grapes
• 3 bunches green onions, chopped (optional)
• 3 Tbs. parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 Tbs. fresh dill weed, chopped (also optional-not everyone likes dill)

Toss all the above ingredients until well mixed. The recipe calls for a curry vinaigrette which I've given you the ingredients for below. But if that taste is too strong for the kids, sprinkle a little seasoned rice vinegar, a touch of olive oil (or other vegetable oil) and salt to taste before tossing. You can experiment with other store bought vinaigrettes too.

Curry Vinaigrette Dressing ingredients

• 1 Tbs. Olive oil2 tsp.
• Curry powder
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Black pepper

Mix all vinaigrette ingredients well before dressing the salad

As much as I can, I plan to post at least one recipe a week (unless there is just too much breaking news I feel compelled to tell you about!). You can help by sharing some of yours so we can keep the variety going and enjoy all the yummies you have to offer.

And recipes don't have to be complicated. As far as I'm concerned the easier the better. If you make good use of convenience and pre-packaged items send those ideas along too and share your tricks.

Enjoy and let me know how this recipe goes over.

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The Best of the Medical Blogosphere

If you read blogs you may already know that you can find other bloggers by visiting the links in a post. Every week a blogger out of a group of medical bloggers gathers interesting posts regarding healthcare in an online “Grand Rounds.” They all take turns. The host of one such blog has graciously included one of my posts “A Salad a Day Keeps the Doctor Away.” Thanks to this week's host. To read this week's favorite posts click here:
RDoctor Medical

To learn more about Grand Rounds click here: http://blogborygmi.blogspot.com/2004/09/grand-rounds-submission-guidelines.html

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Thinking the Drink Again

Remember my recent article "Time to Rethink Your Drink" from about two weeks ago? Well there's more to think about according to a recent study out of the Harvard School of Public Health. "School Vending Machines, Fast Food Restaurants and Sugar Intake Among Children" was published this month in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association and I bet you can just guess what the researchers found?

Kids are drinking lots of sugar sweetened beverages at school from vending machines and at fast food restaurants, bottom line. Sugary drinks include all the carbonated beverages plus the fruit flavored drinks, the sweetened ice teas and so on (remember diet drinks with no calorie sweeteners aren't in this category).

The researchers followed middle school kids in Massachussets and tracked their beverage consumption from school vending machines and fast food restaurants. The upshot is the more kids were exposed to school vending machines with sugar sweetened beverages and the more often they went to fast food restaurants the more of these beverages they bought and thus the more they drank. That's important because this can lead to over consumption of calories and under consumption of important vitamins and minerals.

As a parent or caregiver you think you've done right by your child because you've gotten those sugary drinks out of your house. You have, but how can you control what is available to them in the outside world?

First of all they need to be educated about the total calories and lack of nutrition in these beverages so they can learn to make better choices. But these beverages also need to be less accessible. They shouldn't be sold in schools. School needs to be a healthy place!

This message does seem to be getting out somewhat as several states and local school districts either have or are considering regulations to limit sugary drinks in our schools. If your state or school district doesn't already have something in place or is still in the consideration phase, get behind them and support change. Contact your state senator, assembly person, and local school board members to urge them to vote for change. Get parents and teachers together to advocate. Your support is very meaningful.

Use this as ammunition: The Clinton Foundation recently brokered a deal with the American Beverage Association and other soft drink companies to get them to voluntarily limit access to these drinks in schools. The writing is on the wall but more changes are needed.

As for the fast food issue, don't take your kids there and if you do either make it less often or don't order sugary sodas and drinks. Again educate your child so when she goes to a fast food restaurant without you she'll know how to make healthier choices.

To view the abstract of the beverage article go to http://www.adajournal.org/article/PIIS0002822306016956/abstract

To learn more about the deal with the Clinton Foundation go to http://www.clintonfoundation.org/pdf/062006-hs-hk-beverage-mou.pdf.

Let me know your thoughts on this issue, you may disagree with me or maybe not. Let's hear it.

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