Kay

Canadian Mom Gives Birth To 18th Child

2008-07-29T14:34:00.000-05:00

I used to live in British Columbia, Canada. For seven years, from 1978 to 1985. I lived in Vancouver, which is perhaps one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
I still have family there, and I do miss it from time to time. Especially when the temperatures climbs over 90 degrees here.
But today, I read this story on the Associated Press wire and had to pass it along. Not just because it's about a community near Vancouver, but because of the subject matter.
Moms who read this blog, enjoy! And to the Ionces, congratulations on number 18!

Canadian woman gives birth to 18th child

ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia (AP) -- A Romanian immigrant has given birth to her 18th child in British Columbia, making her the province's most prolific mother in 20 years.

Proud dad Alexandru Ionce said Saturday that his 44-year-old wife, Livia, gave birth on July 22. Their daughter Abigail weighed in at 7 pounds, 12 ounces (3.5 kilograms).

"We never planned how many children to have. We just let God guide our lives, you know, because we strongly believe life comes from God and that's the reason we did not stop the life," Alexandru Ionce said.

The couple immigrated to Canada from Romania in 1990 and now live in Abbotsford. Their 17 other children range in age from 20 months to 23 years.

Ionce said he did not know if the couple would have more children. The family now has 10 girls and eight boys.

"We would have liked a boy to be even," he said. "We thank God all of them are healthy and happy."

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Ballwin Teen Plans Race For Alopecia

2008-07-26T07:56:00.000-05:00

Imagine being 14 years old, in the middle of your freshman year in high school, and you notice a bald spot in your hair. You think your hat might be rubbing the wrong way, so you move it, but then another one pops up.
That's what happened to CJ Livesay two years ago. He'll be a senior in high school this fall, and he's been living with alopecia areata, the medical term for a patchy loss of hair.
"I just started wearing a hat from then on out, and pretty much 24/7 I've worn a hat," says CJ.
Four million men and women a year in this country suffer the embarrassment of this type of hair loss. Most of the cases happen within families known to have alopecia. No one in CJ's family has it. It affects men, women and children.
"The cause is unknown. We do know that the body's own immune cells start attacking the hair follicles for some unknown reason," says Dr. Helen Kim-James, a dermatologist with Chesterfield Valley Dermatology.
Steroid injections can help the hair re-grow. That's what worked for CJ. As he researched alopecia, he discovered the Tortoise and Hair Project that sponsors races to raise awareness for a national foundation
On Sunday August 3, he'll sponsor his version of the Tortoise and Hair 5-K race/walk to raise awareness. It's also his Eagle Scout project, and he needs 50 people to sign up for it to be successful.
I was very impressed with CJ's confidence and maturity when I met him for this story. He's going public with a diagnosis most adults wouldn't tell anyone about.
Here's a link to CJ's web site. You can register for the race here and help a young man who wants to be an Eagle Scout, but who already has the bravery of someone twice his age.
To register for the Tortoise and Hair race CJ's is organizing, visit the link on this web page, or call (314) 749-3909.
http://tortoiseandhair-stl.com/

Humane Society Warning For Pet Owners

2008-07-22T16:52:00.002-05:00

Temperatures have been much cooler today. After spending much of the day outside yesterday, it's a tremendous relief.
But the Humane Society of Missouri issued a warning for pet owners today, in spite of the cool-down.
And it's a reminder I'd like to pass on to you.
Anytime temperatures climb into the upper 80s and 90s, get your pets indoors as much as possible, or at least into the shade with plenty of water.
Pets should never be left unattended in a parked car, where the temperature can climb above 100 degrees in minutes.
My poodle, Ginger, and I try to take a run every morning. I get out before the temperatures climb. But any kind of exertion in high temperatures can be dangerous not only for you, but for pets.
I'll take this opportunity to share a photo of Ginger with you again. Enjoy summer safely!

Staying Healthy In The Heat

2008-07-20T21:19:00.002-05:00

It's a no-brainer, you say. We hear these tips every summer, others may say.
Yes, the heat St. Louis is famous for during this time of year has arrived, and with it, the tips we faithfully pass along every year to help you stay healthy.
It may sound repetitive to you. But if you're not careful, you could end up in the emergency room.
So, don't exercise or work outside during the hottest part of the day. Drink plenty of water, and read these tips from the St. Louis County health department that may help you stay healthy in the heat.
- Remember, the very young and the very old are most susceptible to heat-related illness.
- Stay in the coolest environment available.
- Spend time in air-conditioned place if no air conditioning is available in your home.
- Drink plenty of water, and preferably non-alcoholic and non-caffienated beverages.
- Eat light, easily digested food, and avoid heavy meals.
- Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light colored clothing.
- Wear a hat when outdoors.
- If you feel unusually weak, dizzy or confused call your doctor or 9-1-1.

Local Children's Hospital To Offer Free HIV Screening

2008-07-17T15:19:00.002-05:00

Teens and young adults make up the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases in the country, including HIV.
That's one of the reasons St. Louis Children's Hospital is beginning a new policy by the end of the month.
Patients 15 and older admitted to the emergency room will be offered a free HIV screening test.
And it will also be confidential.
Their parent or guardian will be asked to step out of the room before the nurse asks the teen if they want the test.
"The goal isn't to keep the diagnosis a secret from the parent," Dr. Ericka Hayes, co-medical director of the pediatric HIV and pediatric infectious disease department at St. Louis Children's Hospital. "The goal is to get them tested and once we do have that diagnosis have the teen disclose to their parents or the person who is a support person to help them get through."
By instituting this policy, Children's Hospital becomes the third hospital in the country and the first pediatric hospital nationally to make the move.
But some family-based organizations call the policy outrageous.
"I think its a real violation of parents rights and parental responsibility for the health and care of their children," says Peter Sprigg, vice president for police at the Family Research Council based in Washington DC. "Certainly I think both parts of the policy are inappropriate; to offer the testing without the parents knowledge and to keep the results secret from the parents both of those are a violation of parental rights."
But one local young man who is HIV positive says many teens will only consent to the test if it is confidential.
"I just think that this is really great," says Arthur, 19, who learned he was HIV positive in his mid-teens. "Because there's some teens who know that they're being involved in risky sexual behavior that won't get tested knowing that they should just because their parents are present."
I'll have more on the policy and both the public health argument supporting it and the family value group that opposes it tonight on Cover Story on Newschannel Five at 10.
Here's a link to the Children's Hospital web site explaining the new policy
http://www.stlouischildrens.org/tabid/91/itemid/5067/Universal-HIV-Testing-to-Begin-in-SLCH-EU.aspx

Keeping Kids Active: A Call To Action

2008-07-16T12:31:00.004-05:00

Have you ever watched a six, seven or eight year old play? Most don't stop moving. Many go from riding their bikes, to swimming, to playing on a swing set. I have personal experience: an active six year old.
Chances are if you watch a teenager, you'll see them text messaging on a cell phone, then tapping on a computer keyboard and then watching TV. I know I'm generalizing. Some teenagers I know play lacrosse and tennis, and my six year old watches his share of TV.
But one of the largest studies of its kind just came out showing that once kids hit the teen years, their physical activity slows down a lot.
The study was published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association. It tracked 1,000 U.S. kids of various ages from 2000 to 2006.
It shows 90 percent of nine-year-olds get a couple of hours of exercise a day and only three percent of 15 year-olds do.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Philip Nader, a pediatrician at the University of California at San Diego calls the finding a crisis for kids.
I agree, but it should be a call to action for parents. Whether its organized sports or going out for regular family bike rides, physical activity should be a part of our day just like brushing our teeth.
I ran track, took ballet classes, and played soccer in my teens and early 20's. It wasn't always pretty. I certainly didn't win awards or get picked for select teams. And I know I would have been distracted by texting friends and playing on a computer had it been available when I was younger.
But it's important to keep active through all stages of life.
It sounds easy, and in reality, I know it's hard to achieve. But I'm a fan of doing things in moderation. You don't have to train for a marathon, but you can certainly jog or walk around the block a couple of times a week.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/300/3/295

Cutting Calories For Science

2008-07-15T12:01:00.001-05:00

Could the fountain of youth be found in the number of calories you eat every day? Check out my Cover Story tonight at 10 p.m. and find out.
For the past 80 years, scientists have proven over and over again that small animals who get the fewest calories live the longest, healthiest lives.
Now, they're studying humans who restrict calories to see if they get the same physical effects.
The study is called "CALERIE," which stands for Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy..
Volunteers are put into one of two groups: a control group that tries to keep food and activity levels relatively stable for two years. And a group that restrict calories: basically cutting 25 percent of the calories they'd usually consume a day with the goal of losing 15 to 18 percent of body weight.
Interested? Be sure to check out my Cover Story.
And if you're interested in becoming a volunteer, call (314) 747-3182 or find out more on line at http://calerie.dcri.duke.edu

End Of An Era

2008-07-14T11:16:00.003-05:00

From a pure business point-of-view, the merger of brewing giants Anheuser-Busch and In-Bev will mean the arrival of a global company with its North American headquarters in St. Louis. That's exciting news, with the promise of an exciting future.
But this morning, I can't help feeling a little sad about the loss of the A-B brand and the identity it had here. St. Louis may have never made a lot of "best-cities" lists, and we know we have some shortcomings. But A-B has always been a major source of community pride.
When you watched television commercials, the tag-line was always "Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Missouri." You had to feel proud.
When people talked about the brewery, it was with respect and almost reverence.
I hope that won't change. There's still a lot to respect and revere about a company that remained faithful to St. Louis for as long as A-B did.
But there's also that feeling of loss. This is the end of an era; the end of a simpler time when you could open a family brewery on Pestalozzi Street in St. Louis and grow it into one of the brewing giants of the world.

Local Gem Shining This Summer

2008-07-13T18:08:00.004-05:00

We made a visit to the Missouri Botanical Garden over the weekend. If I had to sum the Garden up in one word, it would be stunning. From the rose garden to the children's garden, each and every corner was more beautiful than the next. On the left is a picture I took of an arch decorated Chihuly-style near the rose garden.

Niki In The Garden, the exhibition of pop art now on display in the Garden, adds an interesting bonus to the trip. Below is a picture I took of Niki's work titled Buddha.

The artist is Niki de Saint Phalle, a woman who was born near Paris and raised in New York. She also lived and traveled extensively in Europe. Her specialty is monumental sculpture art and that's what you'll see around the Garden.

Niki died in 2002, at the age of 72, in San Diego, California. Her life was as interesting as her art. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think! Niki In The Garden is on display through October 31, 2008 at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

11 Best Foods You're Not Eating!

2008-07-10T11:40:00.003-05:00

I hope you'll watch Newschannel Five at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 11. I'll show you the 11 best foods you're probably not eating!
I won't give them all away here. But I consider myself a pretty healthy eater, and there are a few on the list I've never tried.
The list comes from a book written by Dr. Jonny Bowden called The 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth. I took the list of the 11 foods to a local dietitian and had her evaluate them for me.
I'll give you a little "taste" of the story.
Pomegranate juice is one of the 11 foods. I've heard of it, and even seen it in the grocery store, but I generally stay away from juices because of the high sugar content.
Well, according to Jennifer Ebelhar, a registered dietitian at St. Louis University School of Medicine, you don't need much more than two or three ounces of the pomegranate juice to get a big benefit.
"You're really going to get the most bang for your buck if you choose the one that's 100 percent pomegranate juice," said Ebelhar. "It is expensive, so it's an expensive way to get those antioxidants. But they are very powerful."
So, I hope you'll tune in tomorrow to Newschannel Five at 5, or check out my column in Monday's Healthy and Fit section of the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Why don't you try a few and let me know if you like them, or think they could become a staple of your diet.

Getting Students To School, Feeding Them, Among Challenges For New School Year

2008-07-09T15:16:00.002-05:00

The high price of gas is has school districts and administrators across the country worried about how to pay for the fuel school buses will need to bring students to classes in the fall.
Now, add the rising cost of food to the concerns faced by school districts as students enjoy their summer break.
The national school lunch program has long put healthy meals on cafeteria tables for children during the school year.
But today, the president-elect of the School Nutrition Association told members of the House Education and Labor Committee, meeting in Washington, that the organization is struggling to make ends meet.
"We simply don't have the funds to continue on with this," said Katie Wilson.
Free and reduced-price lunches are provided for more than half of our country's 60 million public school children.
Because the government subsidizes those meals, schools have to follow guidelines for healthy eating by providing lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
The government reimburses schools $2.57 for each meal, but the costs can run well over $3 a meal.
It's a reminder that, as food prices increase, our schools will feel the pinch too. Not just in the cost of getting student to class, but in making sure they're fed while they're there.

The Eyes Have It

2008-07-08T15:37:00.003-05:00

Two ophthalmic groups recently released some interesting data about eye injuries. More than half of them happen at home, and 40 percent during what we would consider everyday activities like cooking or yard work.
According to the "Eye Injury Snapshot" released by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) and the American Society of Ocular Trauma (ASOT) the injuries can stem from something as innocent as a pan of frying bacon or something you may know to be careful around, like lawn chemicals.
2.5 million Americans experience a significant eye injury every year, and the most common settings for suffering those injuries in the home include the garden, kitchen and garage.
As a result, the Academy and ASOT are recommending every household in America have at least one pair of approved, protective eyewear available. It's something I've never considered. But in light of these statistics, I'll give it some serious thought.
Apparently, 90 percent of all eye injuries can be prevented if this safety step is taken. And ophthalmologists say preventing an eye injury is much easier than treating one.

Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs For Children?

2008-07-07T11:12:00.003-05:00

A recommendation to screen and medicate young children for high cholesterol has parents talking, and is sure to spark discussion among physicians about yet another screening and the use of yet another prescription drug for kids.
In what's being called the strongest guidance ever given "on this issue," the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is recommending cholesterol screening for children as young as 2, but no later than age 10.
For the first time, the influential doctors group is also recommending some children as young as 8 be given cholesterol-fighting drugs to prevent future heart problems.
According to Dr. Stephen Daniels who sits on the academy's nutrition committee, the new advice is based on mounting evidence showing that damage
leading to heart disease, the nation's leading killer, begins early in life.
The AAP also cites recent research showing the drugs are generally safe in children.
I checked the physician prescribing information for Lipitor, one of the most commonly prescribed cholesterol lowering drugs in adults. The prescribing information clearly states that Lipitor hasn't been studied in patients younger than ten years of age.
Doses over 20 milligrams haven't been studies in children 10 to 17 years of age. The same is true of another cholesterol-lowering drug, Zocor.
I share the concerns of physicians who are worried about the health effects of the obesity epidemic in children. The current dietary habits of children could lead to the development of heart disease decades earlier that in the past.
But I'm also concerned when a prominent physicians group advocates the use of drugs that have been only tested extensively in adults for the youngest among us.

Blessed To Be A Mom In America

2008-07-03T13:49:00.004-05:00

What does Independence Day mean to you? Take a few minutes to think about it this holiday weekend.
I was born in this country, but spent seven years living in a foreign country. While that was a great experience, I think it heightened the value I put on being an American. I got to see America through the eyes of people born in a country with a separate and distinct identity to the one I had been born into. And while the reviews on the U.S. weren't always positive from some people, I felt then, and still feel, great pride in being from the land of the free and home of the brave.
I had a patriotic conversation with my friend Laura Villa the other day who, like me, is a working mom. She talked about those who have fought to secure and preserve the freedoms many of us take for granted. We continued the conversation in an e-mail. She wrote:
"We have a lot to be thankful for in America. When things aren't so perfect here, we can be thankful that we have a democratic process to allow us to be heard, make changes and challenge the decisions with which we may disagree... I also think about all these moms all over the world that I know love their kids just as much as I love mine. However, I get to know mine are safe, well fed, educated and healthy. I therefore feel incredibly blessed to be a mom in America."
I agree with those words. While our country isn't perfect, I can truly say I too feel blessed to be an American.

Who Stands To Gain From High Gas Prices

2008-07-02T10:59:00.001-05:00

I filled up the tank on the way home last night. Even with about a quarter of a tank left, and it still cost me $53 dollars. That's a picture of my pump above.
Local economists have recommended we get used to these high prices for the long-haul. We recently aired an interview with Dan Henrichs, a wealth planner with Merrill Lynch in Clayton.
He's advising anyone on a budget to simply build in high gas prices to their plan. Henrichs says the price of gas won't be falling anytime soon and anyone struggling to fill their tank needs to take a serious look at long term options. For many, that means cutting back on other expenses. But Henrichs also recommends carpooling and public transit.
Prices aren't going down as we head toward the Independence Day weekend. The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas hit a new high overnight at $4.08. Since the last Fourth of July weekend, the price of gas has risen over one dollar a gallon.
Truckers and others protested the high cost of gas in India and Britain today. I wonder if it's just a matter of time before we see protests here. Frankly, I'm surprised there haven't been any locally.
I also found an interesting story on the positive effects of high gas. I know, it sounds impossible. But I found a story on the Associated Press wire that quoted the outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. The company sees high gas prices as a gold mine for office supply stores, because of the prediction that more Americans will be telecommuting.
Companies that sell bikes and motorized scooters are looking forward to an increase in sales. Online retailers, alternative energy companies and makers of home entertainment systems all potentially stand to gain as people choose to stay home more.
Are you changing the way you live because of gas prices?

Should You Wash Bananas?

2008-07-01T14:10:00.003-05:00

As federal inspectors look for the tainted tomatoes that are being linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul, I'm preparing a health story on how safely handle produce that will air July 4 on Newschannel Five at 5 p.m.
I asked Michelle Preston, a registered dietitian with Christian Hospital, for the best ways to wash and prepare uncooked fruits and vegetables with the goal of keeping you and your family healthy and safe from germs.

And yes, it's true, even your bananas should be washed under running water before eating. That's Preston in the picture, washing a banana as photojournalist Jeff Wilson shot video for my story.
Preston says you shouldn't soak produce, wash it days before you use it, and you don't even need those special produce sprays of cleaners to get foods ready to eat.
"You just need a lot of elbow grease," recommends Preston. She says rubbing produce while holding it under running water is usually the best way to remove any germs or bacteria.
She says certain fruits, like melons, can be scrubbed with a brush.
And don't forget to wash your hands before and after washing produce!
Check out the food safety web site www.fightbac.org and be sure to watch Newschannel Five at 5 p.m. Friday!

Things I Learned Watching WALL-E

2008-06-30T13:53:00.001-05:00

I saw the movie WALL-E over the weekend and really liked it. It's one of those movies that appeals to the whole family, which studios seem to be getting the hang of lately.
If you haven't seen WALL-E, I won't ruin it for you. But it's safe to say it may leave you feeling like taking a run around the block and picking up trash as you go.
I know it's just a movie, but by taking some current societal trends to extremes, the animated feature makes some excellent points:
-Take care of the things you have, including your health and your body.
-Be an avid learner with the goal of not relying on computers to answer every question for you.
-Never underestimate the power of love.
Happy movie watching and let me know what you thought of WALL-E.

Transistor Versus I-Pod

2008-06-30T00:00:00.003-05:00

I've saved a few boxes of things I loved as a kid. I still have my old pointe shoes from when I took ballet classes, my track cleats from when I ran sprints in high school, and an autograph baseball from the Hawaii Islanders, a Pacific Coast League baseball team my Dad used to run in the 1960s and '70s.

I've been waiting to share some of these things with my son, and that moment came over the weekend. He loved picking out treasures from long ago that have been stored in the attic for years. An old wallet of mine, my first transistor radio, one of the first watches I was ever given.

But along with his excitement, what really struck me is how the world has changed in the years since I was six years old, the age of my son now. Most kids today carry I-Pods, not little AM-FM radios. My old wrist watch needs to be wound, and most kids today wear one that needs a battery.

Don't get me wrong. I think the majority of the advances in technology have been wonderful. But I wonder if something is being lost in our world of rapid technological change, and cell phones for kids in grade school.

One of my son's favorite discoveries from the box was my old microscope and glass slides. He's spent parts of the last few days looking at animal blood and tiny creatures on the slides. They still hold the same fascination for me today as they did when I was a child. And I was thrilled to find my son loved them just as much.

That got me thinking: Have our children lost some of that sense of discovery that I remember so well from when I was a child? Are they so used to accessing information and staying connected that they're no longer really exploring the possibilities and the world around them?

I think that may be happening. It may not be all bad. But I want to make sure that when my son is my age, he'll have an eclectic box of treasures to go through that will contain more than just old electronics. My hope for him is that he'll have the imagination to want to try a wide variety of activities that involve more than just acquiring the gadget-of-the-moment.

I found an old Jim Croce tape in my box, along with my first tape recorder that my parents gave me for Christmas when I was about 12 years old. So, I apparently was listening to the I-Pod of the day. But the rest of the things in the box remind me that a child's world should contain more than music, or the current, hot pop-culture item.

It should also include things like stamps, old coins, maybe even an old microscope; simple treasures that will still fascinate kids decades from now, just as my old treasures from years ago fascinated my son.

Gardening: Health and Hazards

2008-06-28T08:57:00.005-05:00

Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies, and it just so happens, it's also good for your health.

Here's a picture of my impatients this year. This pot of flowers is on my deck. I went with bright pinks on the backyard deck this year and a red and yellow geranium and marigold theme in the front yard.

Numerous studies have proven that just working in the yard can contribute to your overall fitness.

One study in 2000 showed just gazing on a pretty landscape can improve your health.

With all of the overwhelming evidence of how it's good for you, I was interested to find a CDC web page that talked about the hazards of gardening.

Here are some of the dangers and how to avoid them:

LAWN MOWERS: In 2004, about 67,000 people went to the emergency room with injuries caused by push mowers, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. 14,600 were hurt on riding lawn mowers and garden tractors. Be asure to wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and even consider protective glasses and something to protect your hearing.

SUNBURN: It's one of those things you don't think about. Maybe you bent down to pick a weed or two, and then two hours go by without you realizing how long you'd been in the sun. The best advice I've heard about sunscreen is from SLU dermatologist Dr. Dee Anna Glaser. She says she puts sunscreen on first thing in the morning, say after brushing your tetth. Then if you unexpectedly find yourself outside for a longer period of time than you had planned, you're protected. And find a good hat and wear it. I got one with SPF protection for a trip to Hawaii a few years ago, and still wear it.

INSECTICIDES AND WEED KILLERS: They come in such easy-to-handle spray bottles now, but you have to remember that's not glass cleaner in there. Wear gloves to keep chemicals off your hands and don't breathe in fumes.

BUGS: MOSQUITOES AND TICKS: Last week on several Newschannel Five newscasts we reported the discovery of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus. No human cases have been reported yet, but with the discovery of the virus in mosquitoes, it's just a matter of time. Protect yourself by wearing insect repellant or long sleeves and long pants. I've gotten in the habit of doing this, and I'm sure the neighbors are wondering why I'm all covered up in the heat of summer. Keep in mind, last year, the state of Illinois reported 101 human cases of West Nile virus, four of them fatal. Repellant can also keep ticks from biting. They also carry diseases that can make you sick.

With all of this said, get out in the garden and enjoy! Summer has just begun, but it will be gone before you know it.

Here's that CDC web page on gardening safety.
http://www.cdc.gov/family/gardening/

Mini Food: Pros and Cons

2008-06-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

I love those little 100 calorie food packages. I think it's a great way to sometimes get a sinful treat in moderation. You can't go wrong with 100 calories, right?

Here's a little picture of some of the snacks in my desk. Two are 100 calorie products: Doritos and blueberry muffins. So you can see, I really do enjoy these kinds of snacks from time to time.
The idea was sparked by an interview with a dietitian. Samantha Comte with St. Anthony's Medical Center brought a number of snacks to an interview we did on healthy snacks in schools in 2007.
Among those she recommended, even in place of a birthday cake? Caramel apples, caramel or chocolate dip for fruit, even low-fat pudding in 100 calorie packs.
"You know, you can bring in 100 calorie snack packs of cookies or chips or different things and really just being creative with your ideas and talking to people involved is probably going to be the best bet."
I am on-board with this idea. A few Doritos have always tasted better than the whole bag.
But apparently, that's where the trouble can start.
Rita Rubin, medical reporter for USA Today newspaper, writes in her blog at http://blogs.usatoday.com/betterlife/ about research done on those little bags.
It seems dieters like the idea of the mini foods too, but tend to eat all of the little bags in one sitting. It's an interesting column, and interesting research.
Dieters appear to be more vigilant about serving sizes when they come from bigger bags because they know the hazards of all of those calories.

Four-Legged Stress Busters

2008-06-26T11:05:00.003-05:00

According to a story published exclusively on Newsweek magazine's web site, research shows owning a pet can reduce stress, high blood pressure and even help those who've had heart attacks live longer.
For once, here's a simple way to improve your health that doesn't mean changing what you consume or how you move. It's also one of the reasons we got a new addition to our family eight months ago.
Meet Ginger. She's our family's standard Poodle and she just turned one on Tuesday.

She looks full grown, (all 60 pounds of her) but she's still very much of a puppy. Her top choices for a toy: a loaf of bread, socks, my sons Legos, and any leash she can get her paws on.
In October of last year, we brought Ginger home. She's named after the first dog I ever had, a mutt who my parents brought home when I was four years old.
And while she's certainly brought us companionship and love, I was glad to read an update about the many health benefits that can come with owning a pet. It's additional evidence that pets can add so much to our lives.
Ginger's become my running partner, exercise I rarely got before her arrival. So, I'm definitely seeing a health benefit there.
But after not owning a dog for about five years, I am also rediscovering the human-pet bond that somehow does seem to lift your spirits. Ginger keeps us laughing, and reminds us about how the simple acts of a walk or a treat really can ease stress and take us outside of ourselves.
Send me a comment about your pet and whether you think your pet impacts your health.
Here's a link to the Newsweek web story: http://www.newsweek.com/id/91445

Happy Birthday Forest Park!

2008-06-25T10:58:00.004-05:00

Forest Park is 132 years old. It was officially dedicated on June 24, 1876.
Here is some Forest Park history from Forest Park Forever that may enhance your enjoyment of this jewel of St. Louis.
A large public ceremony was held the day the park was dedicated. 1876 was also the year our nation celebrated it's 100th anniversary.
A survey in 1874 showed Forest Park spanned 1,371 acres. Today, it's one of the largest urban parks in the country, 500 acres larger than New York's Central Park.
The park is famous for hosting the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, officially known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The fair used the western half of Forest Park.
Interestingly, the World's Fair Pavilion was built after the fair. The Missouri State building, built specifically for the fair, once stood on the site. But it burned down on November 18, 1876, and since the fair was almost over it was not rebuilt.

Above is a picture of the World's Fair Pavilion from the City of St. Louis web site.

In 1986, Forest Park Forever was formed. The private, non-profit organization's goal is to make Forest Park one of the finest urban parks in the country.
The first phase of the master plan to rehabilitate the park cost $94 million. Forest Park Forever raised more than half of the money needed and the City of St. Louis provided the balance through public funding.
Today, Forest Park Forever focuses on Park maintenance, education and outreach. You can find more fascinating history on the park and more about Forest Park Forever by visiting the web link below.

http://www.forestparkforever.org/HTML/index.html

Pregnancy Pact?

2008-06-24T11:45:00.001-05:00

I find it interesting that there is so much controversy about whether there truly was a "pregnancy pact" in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
The Gloucester High School principal was quoted in Time magazine as saying 17 girls at the school who got pregnant this year planned to do it together. Now, the mayor of the town denies there was ever any "pregnancy pact" and even one of the pregnant high school girls told Good Morning America today that there was no agreement among the girls to all get pregnant at the same time. The principal is no longer talking.
The dissection of these events will likely go on for weeks, as it probably should. But where was the effort to address the problem of teen pregnancy at the school, regardless of whether there was a pact?
If 17 girls in one high school are pregnant, school leaders, parents, and community health experts should be working on addressing the emotions and attitudes that led to those pregnancies.
The former medical director of the health clinic at Gloucester High School and the former head nurse there say they had never heard of a pact. But they were well aware of the pregnancies among students. And it seems they were well aware of some of the aspects of the girl's daily lives that might put them at risk for pregnancy.
According to a news report in the New York Times, Dr. Brian Orr and Kim Daly said use of alcohol by the students, media influences, a lack of sex education and the weak economy were all contributing factors.
Shouldn't our attention, including media attention, focus more on teaching young women and men about leading healthy lives, both mentally and physically? We need to do a better job of teaching teens how to prepare for a future that gives them the best opportunity for success. And we shouldn't wait until 17 girls are pregnant at a single school before doing that.

Back To School...As Summer Begins

2008-06-23T11:14:00.002-05:00

You may be working, raising kids, busy with your favorite charity, or all of the above. As busy as you are, this may also be the best time to consider goals you've always wanted to reach in life.
If you've thought about taking a class, finishing a degree or even starting one, I strongly urge you to look into it.
When I graduated from high school in Canada, I immediately enrolled in what they call "post-secondary education" north of the border. In the summer after my first year, I got a job at a radio station.
At the end of the summer, I was offered a full-time job in the news room if I stayed on. I was able to convince my parents that taking the job would be better for my broadcasting career plans than any "post-secondary education" could ever be.
So, I left school with the plan to finish my degree down the road. Many years passed, and I was fortunate to have many opportunities for advances in my career along the way.
But, in the mid 1990s, I yearned for that degree I'd never finished. So, while working full time, I went back to school.
Maryville University offered (and still does) a weekend college program that allowed me to complete my Communications degree.
I was one of the best things I've ever done. It was hard work. But I learned more, and got more out of learning, than I think I ever would have when I was 18 or 19 years old.
I wouldn't recommend any soon-to-be high school graduates follow my example. Young people need a degree to compete in today's world.
But if you've always wanted to go back to school, or start from scratch for that matter, don't let age or your schedule hold you back.
Many schools, including Maryville and even Washington University, offer educational opportunities that are affordable and flexible.
Don't worry about being the oldest in the class (I was many times) or that you haven't taken a test in years (believe me, it builds character.)
You can research many of these programs on-line. Or check out University College at Washington University this Wednesday.
University College will be serving free food at The Grind at 4239 Lindell Boulevard from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at an event called "Party With A Purpose." You can learn more about starting a degree, finishing one, or just taking courses.
Dream big, and learn. Two of the best things you'll ever do.
You can also visit www.ucollege.wustl.edu. for more on the Washington U. program, or http://www.maryville.edu/admissions/weekend.asp for more on Maryville's Weekend and Evening College.

Missing A Friend I Never Met

2008-06-19T11:45:00.001-05:00

It will be one week ago tomorrow that I turned the key in my car, triggering the power to my satellite radio (tuned to CNN), and heard the announcement from Tom Brokaw that Tim Russert had died.
I felt like I'd lost a friend.
My son sitting in the back seat asked who had died.
Even as I said I told him who Tim Russert was, I couldn't comprehend not ever seeing him moderate N-B-C's Meet The Press again.
I never met Tim Russert, but I could tell through his insightful on-air analysis this presidential primary season that he was smart, funny, and a voice you could trust. That's a combination that can be difficult to find anywhere these days.
In the week since then, so many of us have wondered how someone so talented, full of life, and on top of his profession, but seemingly all aspects of his life, could be gone in just a moment.
His doctors and those who were with Tim the day he died say paramedics tried to shock his heart back into rhythm three times before he arrived at the hospital, but the defibrillation didn't work.
As the health reporter, I like to say I know just enough to scare you. So I hear the clinical aspects of Tim's death and I go through all of the scary things I've learned about heart disease: half of all people who have one die before getting to a hospital. A heart attack is the first symptom of heart disease in the majority of people who have one.
These are all statistics well documented on the American Heart Association and other health web sites.
But until it actually happens to someone like Tim Russert, you tend push it out of your mind. Now, for many of us, that is impossible.
He's left behind a son just starting his adult life, and a wife. He's left behind a career most of us can only dream of. And to hear it told, he was one of those people who approached each day with a positive, can-do attitude.
So while we wonder, and maybe even miss, a person we've never met, maybe we can also learn from Tim Russert's life. Learn more about how to face each day with a positive attitude, learn more about our risk factors for disease and how we can manage those under our control. And ultimately, learn how to show the people around us that we care for them so that when we are gone, they will remember us even half as fondly as Tim Russert is being remembered.