Halloween Weakness Anyone?

Halloween is indeed a favorite for many, and kids in particular, generally love it. Free candy, fun costumes, what is not to love? But what is a Mom to do during this month when chocolate and candy corn seem to be all over the grocery store and there is nowhere to hide? Don't buy it! Just not yet. I can't tell you how many times I have bought Halloween candy in advance only to see it all eaten before the day actually arrives. If you are trying to be healthier this year, try waiting until the last possible moment (the day of perhaps) to buy candy. That way its not sitting around tempting you. And on Halloween, make sure to give it all out. The kids are going to come home with bags full anyway, don't keep any extra laying around that you don't need.

A Victory for Breastfeeding Moms

Moms juggle all kinds of things on a daily basis, but taking a 9 hour medical exam and breastfeeding a 4-month old at the same time? That's tough.

So I applaud Sophie C. Currier, 33, of Brookline, Mass. who sued the National Board of Medical Examiners for more time during her medical licensing exam to pump or feed. She got an extra 60 minutes added to the standard 45 minute break time she would have normally had, aruging that she shouldn't have to choose between using her break time to "incompletely express breast milk and ignore her bodily functions, or abdicate her decision to express breast milk, resulting in significant pain.” Way to keep at your dream of medical school and being a good mom.

Downward Dog, Healthy Baby

For those of us that have enjoyed the benefits of yoga, the desire to continue practicing during pregnancy may lead to many questions. Be assured that yoga practice during pregnancy will help you breathe, relax and stretch and can be done without putting stress on the developing baby. In fact, yoga during pregnancy may help relief from back pain and nausea and increase stamina.



Things to remember:

Make sure you tell your instructor that you are pregnant and how far along you are.

Certain poses where you lay on your back or stomach should be avoided, as well as extreme twists and headstand/shoulder stands. Lying on your back during the 1st trimester may cause Vena Cava Syndrome, a lowering of blood pressure due to baby pressing on the vena cava artery. Your instructor should let you know which poses to avoid, and show you ways to modify them to be appropriate for you or show you an alternative pose.

Standing poses may become tricky with balance- as you weight is now differently distributed. Keep that in mind and if you need to use the wall for stability.

In general, make sure you listen to your body, you will know what feels like a good stretch and what feels like too much. Don't practice yoga (or any excerise) to the point of exhaustion.

Cupcake Follow Up

NYTimes Sunday, wrote about the cupcake ban that has been making news lately.

As I am on the cupcakes-are-heavenly-blame-TV-instead side of the argument, I found the following quote a tad humorous:

Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, "cupcakes are deal breakers... It sounds like a joke, but it’s a very serious problem on a number of levels. You have to control it."

I still think cupcakes are just the victim here. We don't have to control cupcakes, we have to control lifestyle- which is much bigger.

Banning Cupcakes and Peanut Butter

I learned recently of two equally peculiar bans that have been catching on in elementary schools: cupcakes and peanut butter. They aren't the only food item being banned either, whole milk, white bread and soda have been slashed recently as well. Regulations for health concerns are generally good practice, but how far will they go and how far should they be allowed to go?

The ban on whole milk, white bread, and soda stems from the increase in childhood obesity in the last thirty years. Since the 1970s the number of overweight children has doubled for among ages 2-5 and teens 12-19, while for children aged 6 to 11 the number has tripled. Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) of Illinois said, "We know that better nutrition helps children attend school more regularly, behave better when they're in school, and score better on tests". And therefore many states and school districts are doing something about it. Replacing whole milk with 2% or skim, and replacing white bread with wheat will greatly improve the diet of our children, but cutting out good old healthy peanut butter?

Peanut butter is a good staple. It has protein and good fats, and still tastes good after sitting in lunch box for several hours. I think that people should look at the numbers and likelihood of serious cases before banning this healthy, cheap, and easy to prepare food. Dr. Max van Gilder, a Manhattan pediatrician, who was interviewed on this topic by the NYTimes said that in 25 years of practicing and seeing over 2,500 patients, only one had the most severe form of peanut allergy.

Banning peanut butter is missing the point the doctor claims; ''There's peanut butter in the world... I think the issue is that food should be properly labeled.'' In the few cases where the rare allergy is present, those children should already be carrying an Epipen and all the teachers and lunchroom staff should be alerted to this allergy. The allergy can be managed wisely without having to cause an entire school district to ban it. The likelihood of a child dying at school from being exposed to peanut butter is just so rare. The CDC reported that in a recent year 2,880 children died in car accidents, while only 5 died from all types of food allergies.

As for cupcakes, it seems that if you are going to ban sweets, why pick one out amongst all the others? Chocolate is ok, cheese puffs, cookies, brownies, Halloween candy... the list goes on of possible junk kids may bring to school. Why do cupcakes get singled out? In Texas, parents were so upset and vocal that legislators passed the "Safe Cupcake Amendment" which allows individual districts to decide their policy on cupcakes, so long as it does not conflict with the policies of the Texas or US Dept. of Agriculture. I understand the dilemma, health versus tradition and a little fun-- but I think if parents are good about smart meals at home and healthy lunches, a birthday cupcake one or twice a month never really hurt anyone.

One Baby Photo Too Many

Researchers at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business discovered that your professional image may suffer if you have too many family photos or trinkets in your office space. They warn that if more than 5 items in the workspace are personal, it may affect how co-workers think of you.

The research was done by surveying managers and corporate recruiters. They also report that the idea of too many personal items in the workplace is an American notion. Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, assistant professor of management and organizations at the Ross School of Business says, "Americans are expected to put aside personal matters and focus almost exclusively on work-specific concerns upon entering the office". Recruiters also judged candidates more preferably when they mentioned less about their personal life.

Conclusion? Maybe take down some of those photos from last year. Keep only the current ones up. But you know your work place best, if it is more or less accepted at your work (check out managers offices) then go with the flow.

The Buzz on Burt and His Bees

The NYTimes featured Burt's Bees this summer in their small business section and somehow I missed it, but it is not too late to read it now. Having a good review in a national paper, and now being introduced in big chains like Target, Burt must be pleased.

John Replogle, chief executive of Burt’s Bees, said “The rapid shift on the consumer landscape toward natural and environmentally friendly products is the single greatest consumer change our industry has seen in probably 50 years”.

And that is exactly what Burt's Bees is all about natural (most products are made from ingredients like milk, honey, beeswax and almond oil) and environmentally friendly (they have a team, the ECOBEES- Environmentally Conscious Organization Bringing Environmentally Empowered Solutions- to pioneer environmentally friendly business practices).

I have loved Burt's Bees lip balms for years, and then I found out they make baby products that are absolutely divine. What more can you ask for?