Bedtime for Toddlers Ten Steps to Sleep Without Tears By Dr. Laura Markham www.yourparentingsolutions.com Toddlers don't seem to have an off switch. Often, when they're tired, they just reverberate faster, like an overwound toy, until they crash. The bad news is that some kids seem to be born good sleepers, and some don't. The good news is that falling asleep is a matter of habit, and all kids can learn it. It may take some time to develop that habit, but your busy toddler can learn to put himself to sleep, and to stay asleep, eventually. Here#146;s how: Start the wind-down process early in the evening. Toddlers who've been racing around can#146;t simply switch gears and decompress at bedtime. If dad comes home during the bedtime routine, make sure he reads a quiet story with the kids, rather than tossing them in the air as a welcome. Follow the same evening routine every night, if possible. Dinner, bath, stories, then kissing and tucking in all the stuffed animals who share the toddler's bed, then prayers or blessings, then lights out while you sing to your little one, is common and effective. Beware of too elaborate a routine, because they have a way of expanding to take more time. Your goal is a sense of calm, safe, predictability. Toddlers who are showing oppositional behavior may resist moving along with the bedtime routine. The best way to sidestep this is to have the clock, rather than you, be the bad guy. #147;Look, it#146;s 7:15! If we can get out of the tub now and brush your teeth, we#146;ll have time for an extra story before lights out at 7:30!#148; That way, you#146;re on his side, and he doesn#146;t need to rebel against you. He also begins to learn about responsibility and making smart choices. Help your toddler set his "biological clock." Toddlers need a set time to go to bed every night. Most toddlers do better with an early bedtime (around 7pm), because it seems to fit their biological rhythm. When they stay up later, their adrenalin kicks in, and they actually have a harder time falling asleep. Dim lights in the hour before bedtime, as well as slow, calm routines, help kids' bodies know that it's time to sleep. And watch for those dinner-time yawns that signal he's tired. If he kicks into "overdrive" mode, getting him into bed will be much harder. Set up a cozy bed. Your goal is to ensure that discomfort doesn't exacerbate the normal cycles of slight waking into real waking. Quiet matters -- make sure she can't hear the TV. Consider a "white noise" machine if necessary. Darkness matters -- make sure the curtains keep the streetlights out. Room-darkening shades are invaluable, especially in the summer months when your toddler will be going to sleep while it's still light out. Warmth matters -- if she kicks her covers off, make sure she sleeps in warm pjs with feet. And of course, once she's out of diapers, be sure she uses the bathroom last thing. Many toddlers need a bedtime snack to hold them through the night, especially during growth spurts. Warm milk, a piece of toast with peanut butter (not hydrogenated oil, though), something calming and predictable, not too interesting, and without sugar, usually works best. If they can eat it at a snack table in their room while you read a bedtime story, before brushing teeth, you can move efficiently through the bedtime routine. Don't give up naps too early. Although every child has individual sleep needs, most kids aren#146;t ready to give up naps till age 3. For many kids, going napless can make them cranky and adrenalized, which makes relaxing at bedtime harder. Make sure they get enough fresh air and exercise during the day. Your grandmother was right: kids really do sleep more soundly when they get more outdoor play. Just not in the hour before bedtime, which re-energizes them! Most toddlers fall asleep easily if you lie down with them, and many parents do this. Other parents resist the temptation, because they too often fall asleep themselves, and lose their evenings. This is an individual call, and there is no shame in waiting till your child is a little older before expecting her to put herself to sleep -- it does get easier for kids as they get older. Many working moms, particularly, treasure this time with their kids, and love being able to go to sleep early, then get up rested at the crack of dawn. One downside of this habit is that if the child is not in your bed, you#146;ll need to move, which wakes you up. The other downside is that when he awakens slightly in the middle of the night, during normal sleep cycles, he may well protest your absence. All humans wake slightly at night during normal sleep cycles. Statistically, toddlers who sleep by themselves often wake fully looking for mom, since sleeping alone isn#146;t a natural biological state for them. If you don#146;t want your toddler appearing by your bed at night, you#146;ll need to teach new sleep habits so he can put himself back to sleep during the night. If you've been nursing or rocking your child to sleep, he#146;s likely to wake during the night looking for you, and will need to be nursed or rocked again to fall back asleep. Your goal now is to help him fall asleep in his own crib or bed, comfortably. That means putting him in bed when he's awake, so he gets used to falling asleep there himself. Breaking habits can be challenging #150; he can#146;t understand why you won't nurse or rock him now. You can expect him to need your close physical proximity to settle down. In the beginning, it can also help to reward him with star charts and prizes. Start slow. Begin (after your bedtime routine) by holding your child until he falls asleep -- not lying down, which puts you in danger of falling asleep. Use the time to meditate, if you can, or think of something delightful that you can look forward to. The next phase is to touch, but not hold, your child. Then, begin to sit next to your child while he falls asleep, without touching him. Finally, sit further and further away (with a good book and a flashlight if he can handle the light), until you#146;re outside the bedroom door. Another variation on this process is to move quietly around the room, straightening up or folding laundry, while your toddler falls asleep. This provides a sense of security, without him depending on your physical proximity. Eventually, you#146;ll find that your toddler is asleep almost as soon as his head settles on the pillow #150; and you#146;ll be amazed to find you actually have an evening! Dr. Laura Markham is the editor of the parenting web site www.YourParentingSolutions.com , offering real-life solutions you can use every day to create the family of your dreams. She specializes in helping families nurture the parent-child relationships that protect today's kids. Dr. Markham lives in New York with her husband, eleven year old daughter, and fifteen year old son. More >>

Make Daily Physical Activity Part of Your Child's Life By Rae Pica www.movingandlearning.com Here's some of the bad news about sedentary lifestyles: Forty percent of children ages 5 to 8 show at least one heart disease risk factor, including hypertension and obesity, which among children has doubled over the past two decades. The first signs of arteriosclerosis are appearing at age 5 - something never before seen in anyone under the age of 30. American children born in 2000 face a one-in-three chance of developing Type 2 diabetes - what used to be called adult-onset diabetes! This is thought to be the first generation of children with a shorter lifespan than their parents'. The good news is that it doesn't take much to turn things around. We just have to make sure our kids are physically active! Following are some tips for making that happen: Turn off the TV! Research shows children are being electronically entertained an average of five to six hours a week. Without electronics, they'll have to find other ways to keep themselves entertained. Encourage your children to engage in active play. Research has demonstrated that the most active children are those whose parents have encouraged them to be active. Play with your children! Blow bubbles for them to chase, play tag and hide-and-seek, put on an up-tempo song and boogie in the living room, or break out the pots and pans and hold a parade around the house! Serve as a role model, taking part in physical activity yourself - cheerfully! Take the children to parks, playgrounds, or beaches; on hikes, bowling, or skating during vacations and weekends. Don't send the wrong message about physical activity by endlessly circling the parking lot for the spot closest to the door. Instead, make a game out of parking as far as possible from the door and finding different ways to get to it (walking backward, tiptoeing, jogging, or skipping). When it's time for gift giving, select items like hula hoops; balls in a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures; roller skates; or a wading pool or swing set. When shopping for games, Twister has more to offer than a board game. And CDs with lively music are a better choice than movie videos. Don't expect organized sports to take care of your child's physical activity needs. There's more waiting than moving in most structured, adult-directed games. Rae Pica is a children's physical activity specialist and the author of A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity, and Free Time Create a Successful Child (Marlowe Co., 2006) and Great Games for Young Children (Gryphon House, 2006). She has shared her expertise with such clients as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Centers for Disease Control, Gymboree Play Music, and the President's Council on Physical Fitness Sports. You can visit Rae at www.movingandlearning.com Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Eating for Weight Loss By Elizabeth Yarnell www.gloriousonepotmeals.com Healthy weight is just one part of an overall healthy lifestyle. The conclusion of all the research conducted by so many respected organizations is that people are overweight because not only do they intake more calories than they burn, but overweight people also tend to eat too many rich foods high in fat and sugar and devoid of nutritional value. I'll bet this sounds familiar. The most surefire way to lose weight is the one that people in our immediate-gratification society hate most to hear: eat less and exercise more. Eat less and exercise more. Sounds simple, doesn't it? We won't discuss an exercise routine here, but please remember to discuss plans with a doctor before undertaking any exercise program. What we should know, however, is that the dictate to "eat less" doesn't have to be synonymous with "starve" or "feel deprived." The dieter's rule of "eat less" should really be rephrased to "eat more fruits and vegetables!" Mostly composed of fiber and water, fruits and vegetables help us feel full while keeping our digestive system flowing smoothly and working efficiently. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, fruits and vegetables give you a nutritional bang in each bite. And according to the Mayo Clinic, dieters can eat virtually unlimited amounts fruits and vegetables and still achieve their weight-loss and maintenance goals. Healthy bodies need protein to build muscles, carbohydrates for energy, and vitamins, minerals and nutrients for good health. Beware of radical diet programs offering weight loss through elimination of one of these fundamental food groups. Some low-carb diets are often high in artery-clogging saturated fat, and since some of them advocate reducing your fruit and vegetable intake, you lose many nutrients essential to health. Robbing your body of its fuel source of carbohydrates forces it to mine other body tissues for energy. While this may result in a temporary weight loss, the pounds often return upon reverting to normal eating habits. However, you should choose carbohydrate sources carefully. Packaged rice and noodle mixes not only cost more than the ingredients themselves, but also include more sodium, artificial preservatives, and saturated fat than we might want. That slice of white bread won't provide half of the nutrition we receive from a slice of whole grain bread. Whole grain breads and cereals include both the fibrous outer bran layer and the nutrient-rich inner core containing vitamins E and B6 and folate. Whole grains also offer soluble fiber that remove bile acids from your intestines. In a similar vein, a no-fat diet cripples the body in its attempts to cushion joints, insulate nerves, and pad organs. A government review of diet research released in 2001 found that moderate-fat programs are the healthiest for dieters and a proven way to keep pounds off. Of course, not all fats are the same and healthy eaters try to eliminate saturated fats like those found in many commercially-prepared foods. Good sources of fat include avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds and their oils, and fish. Red meat should be well-trimmed to reduce the fat concentration, and leaner meats such as poultry or fish should be substituted more often. Adherents of food combining believe that the complete digestion experienced by eating proteins and carbohydrates separately encourages clean and efficient excretion of excess calories. According to the theory, allowing the body's natural enzymes to function properly breaks down the acids and bases of foods more completely, allowing fuller assimilation of nutrients as the food travels through the intestines. Not only is this believed to be healthier, but it also enables the intestines to separate out excess matter more easily and move it on through, as they say. Since excess matter is stored as fat, dieters hoping for weight loss may see a benefit by practicing food combining at times. Even eating only one meal a week of either starch and vegetables or protein and vegetables may make a difference in how you look and feel. Since a healthy body seeks its own equilibrium of weight, the most beneficial diet you can feed your body is the one that supplies all of the elements essential for cellular functions. These elements are easy to find in whole, unprocessed foods: grains, produce, nuts and seeds, and lean meats. Stick to whole foods and balanced meals, try to get some exercise, and your weight will fall into place the way you really want it to: slowly, gradually, safely, and permanently. Here's a great, balanced meal of whole foods in an easy to prepare one-pot meal. Divinely Rosemary Chicken with Quinoa Serves 2 Ingredients 3/4 cup quinoa 1 cup water or broth 1/4 onion, 1" slices, separated 2 pieces chicken, boned or de-boned, fresh or frozen solid Salt and pepper, to taste 1 small yellow summer squash, sliced 1 cup broccoli, cut into florets 3-4 mushrooms, sliced thickly 2 sprigs rosemary Instructions Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray inside of 2-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with olive or canola oil. Rinse quinoa in a strainer and place in pot with water. Smooth out the layer and add onion strips. Rinse the chicken and place the pieces in the pot. Salt and pepper to taste. Create a layer of squash, lightly season with salt and pepper, and drop broccoli in on top. Arrange mushroom slices and tuck rosemary sprigs into crevices between the foods. Sprinkle lightly with the final salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Do not lift the lid before you smell the aroma of a fully-cooked meal escape the oven, and then wait three more minutes before opening the Dutch oven. Tips Don't forget to remove the rosemary sprigs before eating! This recipe will work in both an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven and one of raw, uncoated cast iron. Be sure your conventional oven is correctly adjusted and is fully pre-heated to 450 degrees F before putting the meal inside. Pronounced "keen-wa", quinoa is one of the only grains that is a complete protein. The staple grain of the Incans, it has a unique, appealing texture. Find it near the rice in your grocery store. About the author: Elizabeth Yarnell is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and the author of Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking , a guide to a guide to preparing quick, healthy and balanced one-pot meals. Visit Elizabeth online at www.gloriousonepotmeals.com to subscribe to her free newsletter. The Glorious One-Pot Meal cooking method is unique and holds US patent 6,846,504. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

6 Things You Can Do To Get A Better Night Sleep Tonight By Jesse Cannone www.losethebackpain.com Let's face it. We live in a "go-go" world! Our lifestyle is harried, our food is fast and statistics now show it's taking a toll on one of the most important parts of our life--our sleep. The 2002 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) Sleep in America poll found that 74 percent of American adults are experiencing a sleeping problem a few nights a week or more, 39 percent get less than seven hours of sleep each weeknight, and more than one in three (37 percent) are so sleepy during the day that it interferes with daily activities. Our fast paced way of life is getting the best of us. What about you? Answer True or False? Five hours of sleep at night is good enough. It's ok to skimp on sleep during the work week as long as you make up the time over the weekends. The effects of sleep deprivation are short-term (e.g., darkness under the eyes and dull and/or splotchy skin after a bad night's sleep) and has no effect on long-term health. Drinking caffeine early in the evening does not affect sleep. Keeping a TV or computer in the bedroom has no effect on sleep. The amount of sleep I get has nothing to do with my weight, chronic pain, or overall health. If you answered "true" to two or more questions you may need to make a few changes in order to achieve the highly coveted "good" night's sleep and keep yourself in optimal health. Experts suggest that most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night but that doesn't apply to everyone. Some people only require six hours while those who are more active or have an illness may require more. So how do you know if you are getting enough quality sleep? Those who are sleep deprived often look the part. Dark circles and the "sleepy" look are common, but they also can have unpredictable moods, drowsiness during the day, have difficulty concentrating, weak immune systems and recover poorly from injury. Sounding a little too familiar? In fact, poor sleep has been found to impair the ability to perform tasks involving memory, learning and logical reasoning. This may contribute to mistakes or unfulfilled potential at school or on the job as well as strained relationships at home. Even more disturbing, inadequate amounts of sleep have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, weight gain, obesity, heart disease and depression, to name just a few. But what if you go to bed early, have every intention on logging in your seven to nine hours but only to lie awake watching the clock...eyes wide open? Well, there are several simple adjustments you can make to stack the cards in favor of a better night's sleep. Avoid watching TV before bed...especially in bed! The bed should be reserved for two things...sleep and romance...not Desperate Housewives or football! Research shows that those who experienced the most sleep disturbances had televisions in their bedrooms and used the TV to fall asleep. Try a different pillow or mattress. It's scary to think how long some of us have been sleeping on the same pillows and mattresses for years and years. Does your mattress provide the support you like? Do you wake with your back aching? Is there enough room for you and your sleep partner? Do you sleep better, or worse, when you sleep away from home? These are all things to ask yourself to determine if your mattress could be the "sabotager" of your good night's sleep. Or more simply, just replacing your pillow with a new, fresh, higher quality version could be all that you need. Avoid caffeine late in the day. Did you know that even a small amount of caffeine even 10-12 hours before bedtime can cause problems falling asleep! Try eliminating the tea, soda and even chocolate and see if sleep improves. Listen to relaxing music. Establishing a relaxing bedtime routine, such as listening to music, could be just the thing you need to signal your body it is time to sleep. So, dim the lights and throw some slow jazz or purchase a "relaxing sounds" CD to help slow your mind and body down for an evening of peaceful sleep. Try mind-body techniques. After an action-packed day, your brain and body need to unwind and detox before sleep can occur (a.k.a. you need to chill!) Create a "ritual" for bedtime - take a bath, meditate, do some easy stretches or yoga. Try to do your "ritual" in the same way, in the same place, at the same time each night. The repetition will trigger your mind and body that it is time to relax and sleep. Try a natural sleep aid. For many people, while the above tips and suggestions may help, it often isn't enough. if you are one of those people who really have a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep, you may want to try a natural sleep aid. While over the counter sleep medications may help you fall asleep, they cannot be taken long-term and many have risky side effects. A sleep aid that uses natural ingredients is a better approach to getting a solid night's sleep. About the author: Fitness expert and best-selling author, Jesse Cannone, CFT, is the co-owner of www.losethebackpain.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Healthy Habits: Make the Most of Your Child's Day By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers www.FreshBaby.com It's a fact - eating and good eating habits makes you and your children brighter and better throughout the day. Here are a few tips that will help you and your family make the most out of each day: Breakfast: Eating a good breakfast can do a lot more for your children than you may realize. Studies show that eating breakfast both reduces risk of obesity, and boosts school performance - both learning and behavior. With the early morning havoc of getting ready for work and school, breakfast runs the risk of being short changed. Don't let this happen, here are few tips for breakfast success: A healthy breakfast is just like any other meal; it should consist of protein, whole grains, fruits or vegetables and calcium. Keep the TV off and avoid other distractions. Pack backpacks, lay out clothes, and get your children ready for school before bedtime - don't wait until morning. Prepare breakfast foods in advance, and freeze them in single servings. They'll quickly defrost in the microwave or the toaster oven. Have "on the go" breakfast items, such as small boxes of whole grain cereals, fresh fruits, yogurt in the tube, granola bars, etc. on hand. Just in case someone sleeps through the alarm clock. Lunch: An uneaten lunch coming home from school, may not be a sign of dislike, but maybe a sign of too much talking and not enough chewing. School lunch periods are short. Encourage your child not to dawdle and get to the lunch room quickly. When it comes to drinks, encourage your child to stick with milk or water. Many schools have eliminated soda and juices from their lunchroom, but no all have done so yet. If you are packing your child's lunch: Offer small servings, many choices - variety is a key to healthy eating. Providing your child with plenty of variety is not hard or time consuming. Many lunch foods can be purchased or prepared, in advance, in large quantities. Each morning, simply fill up small containers with different foods. Buy a small Thermos, and include soups in the list of lunch choices. If your child's classroom does not have a refrigerator, you'll need an insulated lunch bag with freezer pack to keep foods cool until lunch time. If your child is buying lunch at school: Unless your child's school is piloting a special healthy or organic lunch program, don't expect too much in the way of healthy choices in the school's cafeteria. Encourage your child to get on line quickly, and if given a choice, avoid chips and sugary items and choose a fresh fruit and a vegetable. If you are disappointed with cafeteria's lunch options, consider limiting buying lunch to once per week and pack a lunch for your child on other days. For a longer term solution, raise your issues at school board meetings. Snacks: Don't be surprised to find that your kids arrive home from school starving. Be prepared with plenty of healthy snack choices on hand. Snacks provide the body with a boost of energy between meals. Snacks and junk food are not the same thing. Healthy snack ideas include: Fresh fruit such as apples, pears, grapes or a container of cantaloupe chunks in the fridge Cut up veggies with dipping sauces like fat-free ranch dressing or cucumber yogurt sauce Dried fruits like raisins, apricots, dates and cherries Nuts, sunflower seeds or trail mix Celery sticks with cream cheese or peanut butter Hard boiled eggs Cheese slices, cubes or string cheese logs Hummus or white bean dip and pita bread Whole-grain crackers, baked snack chips or rice cakes Yogurt Dinner: Dinner time is a great time of the day to get to know your child! So turn off the TVs, videogames, Gameboys, MP3s, put down the newspapers, books, and magazines, and sit down at the dinner table to enjoy a great meal with your family. During the meal, talk to your children about their day at school. For conversation fun, ask everyone to share something good and bad about their day. Enjoy the time learning about what's going on in your child's life when you are not around. About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby. Creators of products that include the So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats; Fresh Baby offers parents convenient and practical support in raising healthy children. Visit them online at www.FreshBaby.com and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Fresh Baby products are available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods Markets. Permission Granted for Use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Flu Fighting Foods By Elizabeth Yarnell www.gloriousonepotmeals.com Winter doesn't have to mean the misery of colds, flu and other viral infections if you feed your body what it needs to fight them off. A run-down body that is out of balance internally and externally provides an inviting environment for viruses to come in and stay for a while. While it is difficult to live in a society and not come into contact with the multitude of germs that are literally everywhere during the winter months, you can reduce your own susceptibility and strengthen your immune system by simply choosing the right foods to put on your plate. Eat leafy greens every day. Kale, spinach, seaweed and algae are excellent sources of vitamin D, the immunity-booster we usually get from sunshine in the summertime. Along with contributing to a stronger defense against coughing colleagues, recent studies indicate that higher vitamin D levels can benefit ailments as diverse as osteoporosis and multiple sclerosis. Include kiwis, grapefruit or orange juice in your daily routine. All are great sources of vitamin C, the antioxidant we've known for decades to be powerful in fighting colds and flu. It's also found in cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, cayenne pepper and broccoli. Snack on almonds and sunflower seeds. Not only do they supply vitamin E, an antioxidant that fights off free radicals and keeps skin soft and young-looking, but they are a great source of essential fatty acids to keep body systems running smoothly. Enjoy your garlic! The stinky bulb was once worn in a garland to ward off disease, a superstition that actually has scientific basis as eating garlic can provide a variety of health benefits, including a boost to the immune system that can help ward off nasty bugs. Besides, eating garlic usually ensures that people keep a bit of distance - always a desirable action for avoiding contagion with a flu virus! Spike it with ginger. Ginger, long used as a folk remedy, can open nasal passages, soothe nausea and help the immune system work. Finally, don't overlook the power of complex carbohydrates from whole grains, sweet potatoes and beans. Our bodies need complex carbs for energy, and when not enough are present it begins cannibalizing other tissues for the power needed to function. This creates a deficit somewhere else in the body, weakening the defenses along the line and opening a toehold for invading germs. Try this easy, immunity-boosting one-pot meal full of cold- and flu-fighting foods. Eat it in good health! Cajun Fish with Spinach Serves 4. Ingredients 2 med. sweet potatoes frac12; onion, peeled and sliced thinly frac12; - frac34;lb. white fish (catfish, sole, cod, halibut, tilapia...) Creole or Cajun seasoning 3-5 whole garlic cloves, peeled 4 cups spinach or kale leaves, chopped roughly 8 small Roma tomatoes, washed quartered Instructions Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray inside of 4-quart cast iron Dutch oven and underside of lid with olive oil or canola oil spray. Scrub sweet potato well and cut out any bad spots or eyes. Slice into frac12;" rounds. Line base of pot with onions. Wash fish and pat dry with paper towels. Lay the fish over the onions in the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle the top side liberally with Cajun seasoning mix according to taste. Layer potatoes, garlic, onions, and tomatoes, interspersing sprinkles of spices as desired. Top with spinach. Pack in as many vegetables as possible without compromising the seal when the lid is closed. Cover and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until fish flakes easily. You should smell the aroma wafting from the oven that tells you everything is done. Wait 3 minutes until it is more of a full-bodied, finished meal aroma. Serve immediately. Elizabeth Yarnell is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, MS patient, inventor and author of the award-winning cookbook, Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking. Her recipes are protected by US patent 6,846,504. Visit Elizabeth online and subscribe to her free newsletter at www.gloriousonepotmeals.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Diet with Your Girlfriends: A Key to Successful Weight Loss By Kenneth Schwarz, Ph.D, and Julie Schwarz www.mariaslastdiet.com Do you talk with other women about food and weight? Do you really talk, or do you only speak about it superficially?what diet you are currently on, what you ate today, how you cheated, how much you've lost or not lost? Do you ever really talk about what you go through in relation to your eating and your weight? Do you think you could share your secrets as you diet with another woman? If you haven't done this, it could be a great support system for you. When you team up with another woman, you can bounce things off one another. You can check out your thinking. You can look to your diet buddy for new ideas. You can give one another added strength, confidence, and hope. Here's how to partner up when you diet. Decide how you will meet?on the phone, through email, in person. Decide how often you will talk. It's good to set up a special time at least once a week and keep to it. Pick a question of the day to discuss from the following: Do we feel safe enough with one another to really open up? You can share your apprehensions about discussing very personal matters and make each other feel comfortable enough to talk about real issues. How much do we want to fix our weight problems? You can confirm your desire to lose weight and discuss what things about the problem are most troubling. How critical are we of ourselves and others? Being self-critical is an important issue for women. You can help by supporting one another and not being critical of one another. What has really been keeping us overweight? You can encourage one another to find true answers. How can we best help one another? You can ask each other for what you really need. What are our biggest secrets about our eating? Sharing those things you are most ashamed of gets rid of a big burden. What's the hardest part of dieting for us? You can help one another over all the rough spots. Do we have confidence in our ability to lose weight? Through mutual support, you can greatly boost your confidence. How can we stay motivated? Together you can create strategies to help you stick to it. These are conversation openers for you. It is around issues such as these that women can really bond, really support and inspire one another. As you become a stronger dieting team, you will come up with other important questions to add to this list. You will find a deep well of knowledge and strategies to dip into when you pool your resources with another woman in this way. It can't be stressed enough how important it is to pick a diet partner who won't let you down. Many times women go on diets together, and too often one will do well, one is making a serious effort, and one is not. That is hard on the diet effort and it can also be very hard on a friendship. This is a serious endeavor and it won't help you at all if the woman you team up with takes it lightly and is not brave enough to explore the issues at hand. Pick someone you truly like, someone you are comfortable with, someone you think will have the utmost respect for your innermost thoughts and feelings. Choose a woman whom you consider honest and straightforward, someone who will take this journey to permanent weight loss as seriously as you do. Establish this relationship with a partner who is worthy of you, someone who won't judge you, someone who will have sensitivity to what you feel, what you think, and who you are. Choose someone to whom you can say things directly, someone who will be direct with you as well. Choose a partner who is just as interested as you are in having meaningful discussions. Find another woman who is up to your standards in every way. Dr. Kenneth Schwarz, a psychologist and psychoanalyst practicing in Connecticut, and his wife Julie are the founders of www.mariaslastdiet.com , a website offering strategies and support for diet success. Dr. Schwarz provides tools to help women succeed regardless of which diet they choose. Sign up for their free newsletter and receive ongoing support for total diet success. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

3 Tips For A Seductively Healthy Valentine's Dinner by Elizabeth Yarnell What can you do to make a special Valentine's Day Dinner for your sweetie? Make it hot, make it healthy, and make it easy! First, make it hot! Studies show that spicy foods can raise your heart rate, cause flushing, and generally mimic some of the effects of sexual stimulation. For centuries, chiles and other heat-inducing ingredients have been added to love potions and other sensual aids to increase desire. What's a better aphrodisiac than showing someone that you love them enough to prepare deliciously healthy foods? Pomegranates, those exotic fruits containing a multitude of sensual, fleshy seeds inside a thick rind, not only offer the luscious crimson color but also come packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals to keep you in top lovin' form. Brown rice offers all the benefits of a whole grain, and the parboiled "quick cooking" kinds make preparing it quick and easy as all of these strategies will come to naught if you're spending all evening in the kitchen making supper instead of spooning morsels into each other's mouths. And, come to think of it, facing a train-wrecked kitchen after dinner can be a surefire mood killer as well. Try this fabulously different recipe on your honey for Valentine's Day. It's sweetly spicy, inherently healthy, and couldn't be easier to prepare or clean up. Piri-Piri is an African term for hot and spicy. Control the amount of fire by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper. This recipe is presented as mild-to-medium heat. Piri-Piri Pomegranate Chicken Serves 2 Ingredients 1 cup parboiled brown rice 1 cup water or broth 2-3 pieces chicken frac12; cup ketchup 2 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, chopped frac14; tsp. cayenne Salt, to taste 18-20 Brussels sprouts, trimmed with shallow "x" cut into stem end 1 frac12; cup baby carrots, halved 1 cup oyster mushrooms, sliced thickly frac12; pomegranate, seeded Parsley Instructions Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray inside of 2-quart Dutch oven and lid with olive oil. Pour rice into pot and add liquid. Stir gently to coat grains and smooth into an even layer. Set chicken pieces in next in a single layer. In a small bowl, mix together ketchup, honey, molasses, lemon juice, garlic and cayenne pepper. Drizzle 1/2 mixture over top of chicken. Drop in Brussels sprouts and carrots. Pour rest of mixture over all. Top with mushrooms and pomegranate seeds. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, or about 3 minutes after the aroma wafts from the oven. Notes You can use any combination of boneless, bone-in, skinless, or skin-on chicken pieces in this recipe. Look for pomegranate molasses in specialty or health food groceries. Elizabeth Yarnell is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, MS patient, inventor and author of the award-winning cookbook, Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking. Her recipes are protected by US patent 6,846,504. Visit Elizabeth online and subscribe to her free newsletter at www.gloriousonepotmeals.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com More >>

Makeover Your Child's Reaction to Stress By Patti Teel www.pattiteel.com MAKEOVER your child's reaction to stress; the benefits will last a lifetime! "Modern over stimulation rocks the children of our nation.Too much, too soon, too loud, too quick-the din is making our kids sick.But rested bodies and relaxed minds can be attained in modern times.And though the din won't go away, we can help kids thrive today." (P Teel) Many, if not most of our children's problems come from their inability to deal with stress in a healthy way. But a child is unlikely to know when he or she is overstressed and it's up to the parents to watch for tell-tale signs which may include: difficulties with sleep, health, mood and learning. Physical symptoms of stress or anxiety in children may include: recurring headaches, stomach pain and nausea, sleep disturbances, nightmares, bedwetting, decreased appetite and stuttering. Emotional symptoms of stress or anxiety in children may include: moodiness, difficulty with concentration (spaciness), scary thoughts, a tendency to worry a lot, low self-esteem, restlessness, clinging, aggression, stubbornness, not wanting to participate in family or school activities, being easily upset: crying, whining or excessive anger. If parents suspect that their child is over-stressed or anxious, they would be wise to simplify their child's life by cutting back on extracurricular activities and creating a home environment that is a sanctuary from the outside world. Each child is unique and even in the same family the number of activities that could be overwhelming for one child, might be quite comfortable for another. However, it's never possible to eliminate stress completely and we cannot (and should not) protect our children from every difficult experience. We can though, help our children to recognize and face their anxious feelings and react to them in a healthy way. Ways to Help Kids De-Stress Teach them to relax. Practice the 3 R's: teach kids to rest their bodies, relax their minds and refresh their spirits. Take a few minutes each day to practice self-soothing relaxation techniques such as progressive relaxation, attending to the breath, and visualization. Anticipate problems that are likely to occur and give your children a chance use their self-calming skills. Have a cue that quickly and privately signals a child to use his relaxation skills to become calm or to focus. It could be a word, or a physical cue. Teach them to be active. Try to ensure that your child has at least thirty minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each day. Be a role model for an active lifestyle. Find fun, outdoor activities that you can do together as a family. Do slow sustained stretches in the evening before bed. Teach them to turn it off. Limit television and video viewing time, as well as time spent playing video or computer games. Monitor TV shows, avoiding violent shows, those that are fast paced, and material that is inappropriate for your child's age and level of maturity. Turn all electronic equipment off at least an hour before bed. Dubbed "The Dream Maker" by People magazine, Patti Teel is a former teacher. She has created an award winning children's audio series and is the author of The Floppy Sleep Game Book , which gives parents techniques to help their children relax, deal with stress or fall asleep. To learn more and to subscribe to Patti's newsletter, visit her online at www.pattiteel.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

How You Can Help Your Child Form Their Own Identity By Sally Sacks www.sallysacks.com Children develop their identity by learning to know what they like about their environment, their way of dressing, their way of relating to others and the world. In order for children to develop an identity of their own, parents, the children's earliest programmers, must sponsor this development of identity by being aware of your child's actions and behaviors, and what those tell you about him/her. For example if your child has a cluttered room, and has to save everything, you probably have a sentimental child that doesn't like to part with things. If you cleaned your child's room and threw away "the junk" that they had too much of, you might be ignoring who your child is as a person. Children, not unlike adults, show their identity in many ways They show it through their pictures in their room, through the friends they like to associate with, through their dress, food choices, activity choices etc. They are giving us the clues about who they are, as well as taking from us certain things they admire, and incorporating those into their identity. Many parents, due to a lack of awareness, forget to ask children important questions that can give clues to their child's belief system, and value system, and really help them to sponsor a healthy sense of self in their child. For example, Miriam didn't like her daughter's taste in clothing, because it was different than hers, and she wasn't taught in her family to have her own identity. Every holiday she would buy her daughter what she liked, and the daughter wouldn't wear it. Mom would be disappointed and her daughter felt guilty. Leigh, the child, read magazines that mom disapproved of. Mom would get angry that her daughter was reading the magazine. However Mom never thought to ask her daughter what she liked about the magazine. That would give a clue as to why she was reading it, Mom simply didn't know to do this. I asked my son the other day what he liked so much about sports, and got such clues to his personality. It was great. He liked the teamwork, the goal setting, the movement, the success. This not only tells you about sports, it tells you about the child. Emotional awareness is becoming aware of who your child is, and offering them support in growing that self into a very well formed identity that will offer them the ability to make positive choices and decisions in their lives. To sponsor this healthy identity you need to: Be aware of your child's actions and behaviors and what that tells you about them. Ask questions about why they chose a topic, or picked an outfit, or read a certain book or magazine. Ask objectively without judgment. Give them choices about activities they would like to participate in. Offer them food and clothes choices, within reason of course. Compliment them on their personal style. Listen to their ideas openly, and don't force your ideas on them. Offer them suggestions, without controlling their ideas and behaviors. Make sure you know your identity, and have the confidence to let your child have theirs without criticism and judgment. Create activities that help them identify who they are. Recently my daughters made collages. They cut out pictures of everything that symbolized them, and then reviewed each others. Then they personalized it even more and hung them over their bed. Have them create a family party .or one with some friends. Ask them to plan it and design what they want. What kind of food, music atmosphere would they like? The healthy identity of a child is their key to knowing and seeking what they want in life. Sally Sacks, M.Ed is a licensed psychotherapist, with 20 years of experience, counseling individuals, children, families and couples. Sally is the author of How to Raise the Next President , a groundbreaking parents' guide to teaching and instilling in their kids the qualities they'll need to be happy, successful and productive, no matter which path they choose in life. Sally offers personal and group coaching and can be reached through her website at www.sallysacks.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>