Ulcers. Migraines. Panic attacks. Are today’s pressures slowly killing our children?

Tara Parker-Pope, in her New York Times “Well” column, recently profiled the phenomenon of “back-to-school” headaches.

“For kids around the country it’s back-to-school time. But for many of them, it’s also the return of headache season,” laments Parker-Pope.

While going back to school is nerve-racking for many kids (and their parents), it’s not the only time of year I hear complaints about headaches and stomachaches severe enough to cause families to bring their kids in to see me. Every day in my practice, I see at least one child suffering from physical symptoms of stress. Teens with chronic headaches, eight year-olds with recurrent abdominal pain, a three year-old with a bleeding ulcer. What’s going on?

Some have blamed our society’s new obsession with over-scheduling young ones. Judith Warner’s treatise on turbo-charged moms, “Perfect Madness,” takes parents to task for pushing their children too hard as a side-effect of martyred motherhood. School and travel sports teams have year-long seasons now, kids are booked several weeks ahead for play-dates, and kindergarteners have homework every night. While we work on addressing these societal ills – see my piece last month on the value of “free play” – we’ve got to find ways to help our kids build their virtual toolbox of mind-body skills to help them cope with life’s worries.

A few of my favorite mind-body relaxation therapies for kids? One of the most promising and appealing modalities is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Jon and his wife Myla have also published a wonderful book to teach parents how to work with their kids from this perspective: “Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting.” Yoga, guided imagery, biofeedback, music therapy - these too have solid evidence supporting their use in the pediatric population to help children cope with stress. Another favorite resource is Dr. Amy Saltzman’s CD, “Still Quiet Place.” Amy does a wonderful job creating a variety of mind-body experiences for children and families, and the recording is a terrific tool to engage youngsters in the practice of mindfulness.

One of my favorite ways to bring the concept of mindfulness into my kids’ lives has been through reading stories. Since they were very young, my children have loved listening to stories we tell them about “the old days.” Though they’re getting older now, we still try and make time to read stories together before bed. There is magic in telling and listening to stories.

Hans Christian Andersen, the bard of Copenhagen, was immortalized as a master storyteller, played by Danny Kaye, in my wife’s favorite movie of all time. I’d like to think we’ve all been mesmerized from time to time by storytellers. Stories are a way many of us pass on tales of our past, our culture, and moral lessons to our children. Native American storytelling, an integral part of American history, teaches children about the ways we interact with nature and about the importance of ancient wisdom. There are modern-day storytellers as well. Jim Weiss is one - I heard him a few years ago at a children’s health fair; he had the kids in the palm of his hand after two minutes. I also had the privilege of meeting Vered Hankin at an integrative pediatrics conference. If you think there’s no one around today weaving tales “like they used to” - you’ve got to listen to Vered’s work. Her stories come alive - they’re almost 3D. The power to me is the hypnotizing transportation to other places. This is truly mind-body therapy. And it is a very useful tool to help young children (and us old kids too!) cope with stress.

And what better way to help our children learn about mindfulness than through stories? Not just via the act of storytelling and listening but through the telling of specific stories that weave in messages about mindfulness. Jon Muth’s “Zen Shorts“ is one of my all-time favorites. On the surface, the author introduces three contemporary Western children to a decidedly-Buddhist giant panda, Stillwater, but along the way, he gracefully weaves in three Zen philosophy tales. My personal favorite (though not my kids, of course!) is about letting go. Karl, the youngest child, goes to visit Stillwater, but he’s quite mad at his older brother, Michael. Karl spends the day being mad at Michael, as Stillwater tries to educate him about enjoying the moment and releasing his anger. The parable Stillwater shares with Karl to illustrate the point goes something like this:

Two monks are walking along a country path. They soon are met by a caravan, a group of attendants carrying their wealthy and not-so-kindly mistress and her possessions. They come to a muddy river, and cannot cross with both mistress and packages - they must put one down and cannot figure out how to do so. So the elder monk volunteers to carry the woman across the river, on his back, allowing the attendants to carry her things, and then all can go on their way. The woman does not thank him, and rudely pushes him aside to get back to her caravan. After traveling some way on their own, the younger monk turns to his master, and says, “I cannot believe that old woman! You kindly carried her across the muddy river, on your very own back, and not only did she not offer thanks, but she actually was quite rude to you!” The master calmly and quietly turned to his student, and offered this observation: “I put the women down some time ago. Why are you still carrying her?”

The story resonated with me as I read it, and both kids asked many questions about the literal events and about their meaning. We spoke about different religions - Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. They understood at a basic level the similarities and differences - though they interestingly both focused on the similarities. But it was the very nature of questioning that struck me as so apropos. I was reminded of a verse (15) from the Tao Te Ching:

Do you have the patience to wait

till your mud settles and the water is clear?

Can you remain unmoving

till the right action arises by itself?

This concept of mindfulness, of being in the present, is so important to both children and adults. I think children mainly do live in the moment. Both the past and future are strange concepts until they age a bit. Perhaps we should learn to keep more of this “now” with us as we age. It would serve us all well.

-KIWI columnist, Dr. Lawrence Rosen

Here’s the latest and greatest of what’s going on in the mom blogosphere. Interested in having your blog featured? Let us know in the comments!

• Yum! The Improvised Life shares tips for whipping up easy tarts on the fly—perfect for those need-to-be-used-now peaches.
• Are you a conscious shopper (or do you want to be one?)? Take the Green Phone Booth’s Conscious Shopper Challenge and join a swap network.
• Sometimes, more is less. Natural as Possible Mom agrees, which is why she’s giving a lot of her family’s stuff away to friends.
• Line-drying your laundry in the summer’s a no-brainer, but you can do it year-round, Crunchy Chicken says.
• Why on Earth are some people still using plastic water bottles? Green SAHM offers some theories on why some people don’t buy earth-friendly products.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Recently, my friend sent me on an errand to pick up food for her six month old, who’s being raised on an organic diet.  While wandering through Whole Foods, I cam across Sprout—a baby food brand that I’d heard of before but didn’t know a whole lot about. To say the least, I was impressed.

Sprout’s foods are certified organic. For babies 6 months or older, they offer simple, single flavors like butternut squash, roasted apples, sweet peas, and roasted bananas. Tots over 7 months get tasty combinations like roasted apples and blueberries, oatmeal with roasted cinnamon applesauce, pasta with lentil bolognese, roasted bananas and brown rice, and sweet peas and green beans (mushy puree texture aside, these all sound pretty darn good!). What’s more, the meals come in pouches instead of jars, which are BPA-free and super easy to tote around in your diaper bag..

Find Sprout at Wegmans, Publix, or (of course) Whole Foods, or check ‘em out online at sproutbabyfood.com.

-Brittany KIWI staffer

I find grocery shopping totally overwhelming. For every one word on my list, there are fifty brands on the shelf competing for my business, trying to differentiate themselves with signifiers that don’t seem to have anything to do with why I need it. It helps to know that my mustard is Dijon or Yellow, but I don’t have the energy to decide whether I want my mustard to be in the tradition of Poland, Ireland, Holland, or India, whether I want it to contain Champagne or Chardonnay, be organic or just all-natural, be “One Mean Mustard” or a “Crazy Mother Pucker Maniacal Mustard.”  I don’t have the time, either. Actually, my barbecue starts in a half hour.

What’s worse, is that while navigating the complexities of branding, I now have to process more symbols cropping up on the packages of some of staple foods, like cereals and crackers and yogurts. They’re not exactly brand names—these small, colorful ovals and checks look like endorsements or seals of approval. Instinctually, they make me feel better about reaching for those products, but it’s unclear who’s giving me permission to feel good about them. Paranoid that I’m being manipulated by Big Food, I did some research into what these markings are all about. Of course, I’m not just being paranoid, all of these labels are industry-backed in some way. Here’s what I found out:

Smart Choices
This green check of distinction comes from the Smart Choices Program, in which companies pay to have their products reviewed for selection. Among the companies who signed up are Kraft, General Mills, and Pepsi; companies best known for polluting grocery store shelves with really terrible nutritional choices are footing the bill for a nutritional labeling program.

The good news? The program voluntarily stopped certifying products, after a lot of bad publicity, including criticism from the FDA, whose neutral, slightly complicated back-of-package labeling was compromised by the quick approval of a front-of-package check mark). Smart Choices’ criteria for selection was based on sheer nutrients, not the vehicle for those nutrients, which meant sugary cereals, vitamin enriched white bread, low-fat and regular mayonnaise all qualified.

Best Life

The green oval is the seal of approval of Best Life, a diet plan by Bob Greene and endorsed by Oprah Winfrey. The Best Life criteria are vague: “They contain one or more of the following nutritious ingredients: whole grains, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and other essential nutrients.”

Although it doesn’t say if companies pay for review by Best Life, the site calls the brands they approve of “partners,” and, with such expansive criteria, it’s impossible to imagine Oprah’s diet guru would have time to check every time on the shelf fairly. The list is hit or miss: offering healthy staples like Muir Glen organic canned veggies and Cascadian Farms cereals, but it also has dubious choices like artifically sweetened Slim Fasts, artificially-colored  yogurts. Also suspicious: Many of the brands listed—Progresso, Green Giant, Yoplait and more—are part of the General Mills family. Even if the General Mills products are healthy, it’s one company who is decidedly not involved in the Best Life plan for this planet.

Heart Check Mark

The red heart on your cereal box means that the American Heart Association has certified it a heart-healthy food. That means that the food is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, which is good, but even the certification note admits it’s only one aspect of reducing your risk of heart disease. Heart Check does not take sugar, calories, glycemic index into account—all of which can contribute to obesity and, in effect, heart disease. What’s the cost of this faint praise? To participate in the AHA’s certification program, manufacturers pay $7,500 per product the first year, and $4,500 every year after that.

Chalk it up to more proof that the real healthy foods don’t have boxes and wrappers to stick labels on. Next time I’m feeling stressed in the supermarket, I’ll stick to the perimeter.

-Kat, Editorial Intern

It’s been one hot summer. Here in Austin, Friday was the first day I can remember where the temp’s dropped below 100 degrees (earlier that week, it was 107!), and it was all the locals could do but marvel at how wonderfully cool it felt. Heck, 96 degrees might constitute a heat advisory in most parts of the country—but around here, we were picnicking outside. And I know central Texas isn’t the only place that’s been sizzling. My friends and family in the Northeast were constantly talking about the heatwave that never seemed to end. And whenever I watched Al Roker talk about what’s going on across the country, the words I heard most often were “heat advisory”.

Phew, I’m hot just thinking about it.

While I’d give anything to take my dog for a walk without breaking a sweat right now,(or to even be able to comfortably wear pants, or a shirt with sleeves!) I know I’ll be kicking myself come winter. If you’re in the same boat, I encourage you to enter the YoKids Real Food, Real Fun Sweepstakes for a chance to win a luxury-included family vacation to the warm, sunny Beaches Resort of your choice in Turks & Caicos or Jamaica. Come February when everyone else is trudging through the wind and slush, you could be lounging on the beach while working on your tan. And then you can thank me.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Biking is such a great, healthy, eco-friendly, family activity, but how do you know you’re buying the right bike gear?

Bikes are a big deal at my house. My husband Marc has three (in various states of ride-ability), and I have one (currently mainly collecting dust, which I blame on the dog, because I spend most of my outside time running with her). Because Marc is such a serious cyclist (he has the spandex and shaved legs to prove it), he/we get asked all the time for advice in picking out bikes and bike gear.

His number one rule is: Get a bike that fits. Go to a shop, get measured, and don’t be tempted by deals on ebay for bikes that would be just a little too big or small. Fit is key to happy, healthy riding. Also, he is anti-training wheels—says they don’t help kids learn balance. And as someone who didn’t learn to ride a bike until age 9, after many years with pink training wheels, I think he’s right.

One question that has stumped us in the past, though, is when parents ask us what kind of trailer or seat they should get for their kids. But now I have a solution. The Kangaroo bike is a safe, stylish way to ride around town with your kids (without having to look over your shoulder—dangerous!—to make sure they’re okay back there). Just wear a helmet, please, unlike the model in this picture! I love this review of it, too—lots of great detail.

I haven’t tried this out myself, but I trust that it’s great: The first U.S. importer of these bikes is J.C.Lind Bike Co. in Chicago—owned by the little (now all grown up) brother of one of my best grade school friends. Trust me: The Linds would never steer us wrong!

—Sarah, KIWI editorial director

By nature, weekends are indulgent, or at least more indulgent than the average work week. After all, it’s your family’s free time to do what you love, whether that means sleeping in, spending the entire afternoon at the park, or enjoying some extra delicious food. This weekend, I did all of the above–especially when it came to the food. Let’s see…Friday night I thoroughly enjoyed some homemade oatmeal raisin cookies crumbled over ice cream. Saturday night I thoroughly enjoyed a feast complete with wine, appetizers, and bread at a local Indian restaurant. Sunday afternoon I very much enjoyed sampling tons of different salsas at the annual Austin Hot Sauce Festival (to sample salsa, you need lots of tortilla chips) plus a snow cone to cool me down. Needless to say, I was not feeling my best by yesterday evening, and the only thing I wanted for dinner was refreshing, healthy fare.

And so, this light but satisfying noodle bowl was born. I used eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, and purslane (a wild green) because I had them on hand, but equal amounts of other summer vegetables would do just as well. Maybe zucchini, spinach, and green beans? Or summer squash and peppers? No matter the veggie combination, I guarantee you’ll thoroughly enjoy it.

Soba noodle bowl with summer veggies and miso tahini sauce
Prep time: 30 minutes (largely unattended)
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

1 large or 4 small eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 small bunch purslane or other greens
1 cup shelled edamame
1-2 hot peppers (optional)
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup yellow miso paste
8 ounces soba noodles
Salt, to taste

1. Place the eggplant pieces on a towel-lined pan or wire rack. Sprinkle liberally with salt. (This draws excess moisture out of the eggplant, and will make it taste smooth and creamy instead of spongy.) Don’t be afraid to use a lot of salt, as you’ll be rinsing it off. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
2. Place the eggplant pieces in a colander and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with a towel.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
4. Over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon canola oil in a saute pan. Add the eggplant, stirring every few minutes, until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a bowl and set aside.
5. Add the other tablespoon of canola oil to the pan, then add the mushrooms. Let cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the purslane, edamame, and hot peppers and cook 2-3 minutes more. Add to the eggplant.
6. Add the soba noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
7. In a bowl, combine the tahini and miso paste with 1/4 cup water and mix well.
8. Drain noodles and combine with vegetables and miso tahini sauce. Serve hot.

Serves 4
Per serving: Calories 360, fat 21 g, protein 14 g, carbohydrates 35 g, dietary fiber 6 g

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Once upon a time, I was a third grader who only ate grilled cheese (okay, I probably ate some cookies, too). But broccoli? Sick. Bananas? Gag! Hummus? NO WAY, what the heck is that? It wasn’t until the tail end of high school that I started trying new, healthy foods—and it turned out I really loved all of the above. Especially hummus.

At first, I thought you could only get the stuff from a plastic tub in the grocery store. In a pinch, this is still a welcome option, but once I learned that hummus was super easy to make mysekf, I started doing it all the time. And the results spoke for themselves (and still do!): When I lived at home, my sister would devour the entire batch (with a side of baby carrots) upon arriving back from work late at night, famished. Now, if my husband knows there’s a batch of fresh hummus in the fridge, it’s sure not to last very long. He’ll pile it on top of a piece of toast with some avocado and happily munch (while I silently mutter that he’s not going to have any room left for the dinner I’m preparing).

The bottom line: Fresh hummus doesn’t hold a candle to the prepackaged stuff, and with cooked or canned chickpeas, you can whip up the versatile spread in about 3 minutes.  Here’s my version.

My favorite hummus

4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 2 16-ounce cans, drained and rinsed
1 large clove garlic
4 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 large lemon
2 tablespoons water
Big pinch of salt

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and mix until smooth and creamy. Hummus will keep covered, in the refrigerator, for 4 days (if you don’t eat it all before that).

Serves many, depending on how you eat it.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

My first response to this question was a resounding Yes!…though it would be incredibly, incredibly difficult and I wouldn’t really want to. But the concept is an admirable one, and certainly something to get us all thinking about the massive role petroleum plays in our lives—and how we might be able to reduce our consumption.

That’s the goal of Molly Eagen’s blog, 100 Days Without Oil, where she’s chronicling her three-month journey living petroleum-free. A graduate student at the University of Minneapolis, Eagen’s project seeks to “identify the dramatic design changes which will take place in our society as oil becomes more expensive/depleted.”

She’s tracking oil use (or rather, her lack of oil use) in seven areas: Transportation, food, waste, water, electricity, health/hygiene, and communication/entertainment. This means avoiding obvious oil-users like cars in favor of bicycling or walking, plus sticking to a strictly local, organic diet, but also using only the water she collects when it rains on her roof and using only electric energy from renewable resources. (Even though oil doesn’t play a huge role in electricity, Eagen points out that residents in her part of the country get most of their power from coal, which she sees as a younger form of oil.)

Going 100 days without oil is an enormous undertaking, to be sure, but given Eagen’s determination as well as her thorough research and planning, I think she’ll be able to do it. And we’re routing for her!

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Have you ever really thought about adhesives? (I know I never had!) Not craft glue for art projects, but the heavy-duty stuff used to hold wood furniture together. Like most glues, the average wood adhesive contains formaldehyde-emitting petroleum, which has been shown to cause water eyes, plus nose, mouth, and throat irritation, as may be related to cancer. This isn’t stuff you want to have in your house, to be sure, and a healthier solution may be on the horizon: Say hello to soy!

From food to housing insulation, people have been using soy for centuries. Now, soy flour is being used in wood glue, too. The new sticky soy stuff works just as well as it’s petroleum-based counterparts, say scientists at the USDA, who have been testing the new formula under a variety of conditions. Currently, soy glue for wood makes up only 5 percent of the wood adhesive market, but this number could rise to nearly 20 percent by 2014, says the United Soy Board.

-Jillian, KIWI intern

It’s summer, and baby showers are in full swing. Another invitation means another organic gift—and this time, I’m choosing Lafe’s. I heard about the company through a friend who swears by their natural deodorant, and after checking out their website for myself, I was super impressed by their selection of natural and organic products. Lafe’s is the first organic, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free baby care line free of BPA, phthalates, parabens, propylene glycol, pesticides, and SLS.

Offerings include a foaming shampoo and wash, baby oil, insect repellent, baby lotion, plus an aloe vera-infused deodorant for moms-to-be. Best of all, Lafe’s donates 1 percent of company profits to support breast cancer awareness and prevention. “What goes on your body goes in your body—so it’s important to use products made from natural ingredients,” says founder, Lafe Larson.

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

Think back to the superheroes that saved the world when you were a kid. Imagine their crazy colored costumes, witty catchphrases, and desire to promote peace for the good of all mankind. Now, take a look at today’s superheroes, with their semi-automatic machine guns and their “blinged out” lifestyles. A little different, wouldn’t you agree? Some psychologists at the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association think so, and have begun to blame stereotypical male behaviors boys today tend to exhibit on these super different, yet still super prominent, modern superheroes.

The cartoon characters are affecting boys’ abilities to distinguish between right and wrong, and are negatively affecting family relationships and friendships, says a study from Arizona State University. Researchers observed 426 boys in grades six through eight for stereotypical, “macho” male behaviors, like acting physically tough or autonomous, in their relationships. They also studied whether ethnicity was a factor, and if resisting these behaviors and stereotypes affected the boys’ psychological health. The results? Ethnicity doesn’t make a difference—but boys who have close relationships with their mothers acted less tough and were more open with their friends, siblings and peers. On the other hand, boys who were closer with their fathers were more self-directed and detached from friends.

Boys who didn’t exhibit a “macho” attitude in relationships had better psychological health, especially in middle school, the study says. However, their ability to resist acting like the “tough guys” they see on TV or in comic books weakens as boys reach adolescence. So, encouraging boys to be kind and empathetic early on is one key to improved psychological health and social relationships. Fathers should explain the importance of close relationships to their sons and let them know that having emotions is not a sign of weakness, but instead, a sign of being human, researchers conclude.

-Angela, KIWI intern

Here’s the latest and greatest of what’s going on in the mom blogosphere. Interested in having your blog featured? Let us know in the comments!

• Fresh off the heels of Meatless Monday, the Tranquil Parent shares tips for packing a vegetarian lunch for kids and adults.
• A staple-free stapler? It really works and is a safe, waste-free option for students, says the Green Mom Review.
• Hooray, you’re using cloth diapers! But now your baby’s clothes don’t fit right. Green Baby Guide knows how to make it work.
• Painting with watercolors is super fun—but it can also be super messy. Find out how to keep it organized via Make and Takes.
• Warm days spent outdoors means lots of dirt tracked inside, but Green SAHM says there are plenty of ways to keep your indoor air cleaner.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Last week, my husband and I picked up our first CSA share from Johnson’s Backyard Garden, a certified-organic farm right outside of Austin. You might think it’s a little late in the year to just be joining a CSA, but here in central Texas, the growing season runs year round. (Lucky, I know—but we pay for it in other ways, like three months straight of triple-digit temperatures outside.) In fact, while August is peak harvesting time for fresh fruits and veggies in most parts of the country, the brutal sun and super hot weather make late summer the leanest produce months ’round these parts. The tomatoes, corn, and squash will be back next month once things start to cool off a bit, but right now, we’ve got peppers. I added them to a bunch of different dishes (have to use them up before we get more this week!), but putting them in this black bean bowl was by far our favorite.

This dish is delicious hot or cold. We ate it with cornmeal biscuits, but wheat or corn tortillas would be another good choice.

Black bean and pepper bowl
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 bell peppers, sliced into matchsticks (we had one red, one green, and one purple, but any color combination will do)
2 long sweet peppers, sliced into matchsticks
1 serrano chile, diced (if your family isn’t a fan of heat, leave this out!)
2 teaspoons cumin
4 cups cooked black beans (or 2 16-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
Salt, to taste
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into cubes

1. In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring every few minutes, until browned, 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the bell pepper and sweet pepper slices and cook another 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the chile and cumin and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add the black beans and stir the mixture a few times to combine well. Add 1/4 cup water and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Remove from heat.
5. Serve the beans and peppers in a bowl, garnished with chopped avocado. If you’d like, you can stir and lightly mash the mixture so the avocado forms a sort of dressing.

Serves 6
Per serving: Calories 280, fat 10 g, protein 12 g, carbohydrates 39 g, dietary fiber 14 g

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

With the school year starting (my little brother in Illinois starts tomorrow: hi Thomas!), I’m hearing a lot about milk when it comes to keeping kids on a healthy eating track. Milk in your breakfast oatmeal (packs an added protein punch you don’t get from water), to send in lunches (vitamin D for these recess-deprived kids), to serve with dinner (guaranteed calcium for those who pick over their broccoli).

So yes, milk can do a lot for you, nutritionally, and yes, I personally love it. (Organic, of course, and with omega-3s, like Horizon and Organic Valley.) But not all our KIWI readers are milk-loving households. Allergies and other concerns mean a lot of you are passing by the milk and trying to figure out what to buy instead. Besides soy, one of the most common alternatives, here are a few options:

* Goat milk. For those allergic to cow’s milk but not opposed to drinking animal milk, goat milk is a great choice. Actually, it’s a great choice anyway: It has more calcium than cow’s milk, and can be easier for some people to digest. Check out Meyenberg, which you can get in whole or low fat.

* Coconut milk. Your kid might not be into drinking this straight or in cereal, but it’s perfect in cooking and desserts—like ice cream. Ever tried Coconut Bliss (it’s organic!)? School may be starting, but it’s always a good time for ice cream.

*B.R.A.T drink. You may have heard of the Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast diet for kids who aren’t feeling well (though the AAP doesn’t recommend it instead of a normal diet, long-term), and the Organic B.R.A.T drink is perfect for kids with a tummy ache or the flu. But it’s also a good alternative to milk for calcium, and kids can drink it any day with their meals, not just when they’re sick (I’ve tried it and it tastes good, don’t worry).

What do you use instead of milk?

—Sarah, KIWI editorial director

Yoga and I have never been friends. I have a natural, um, gift of waking up as though I’ve already had 10 cups of coffee, which means BAM! I’m off—racing around with to-do lists of to-do lists of lists I-really-have-to-do….Let’s just say more than one person over the years has suggested that I try yoga to help me relax. Or, as my mom put it: “Yoga could help you be less of a high-strung nut-job.” That’s a compliment, right? Thanks, mom.

So fine, I can take a hint. I bought myself a yoga DVD a couple years back, and gave myself a pep talk that yes, I can bend it like Gumby. Right. I’ll spare you the entire story, but my first try was my last try: During a particularly delicate pose where my foot somehow made it up near my head, I looked over just in time to see an airborne blur of black and white fur barreling towards me, landing full-force on my stomach. The hairball with feet was Sniffles, my ridiculous cat, who’d been in hot pursuit of an imaginary mouse. And so my yoga session ended with fur flying, bad words being uttered, and Sniffles and I not speaking to each other for the rest of the day.

Which brings me to this morning when I was sitting at my desk, busily drafting the third version of today’s to-do list, when I saw an article headline, “New study finds connection between yoga and mood.” Eh? If it means a bad not-loving-my-cat kinda mood, I can relate. On further investigation (don’t worry, I added “further investigate yoga and mood” to my to-do list), it turns out that a new study from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) shows a link between yoga, increased GABA levels, (a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps create a calm state—of which I seem to be lacking entirely) and decreased anxiety. Now we’re talking. I contacted the lead study author, Chris Streeter, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at BUSM to see what’s up with the study (i.e., what’s in it for me).

Here’s the gist of the findings:

· Study participants—random, healthy, yoga rookies—who practiced yoga three times a week for one hour, reported a more significant decrease in anxiety and greater improvements in mood than those who walked for the same period of time.

· This is the first study to demonstrate an association between yoga, increased GABA levels, (low GABA levels have been linked with depression and anxiety) and decreased anxiety.

· Regularly practicing yoga could be a potential therapy for certain anxiety issues due to yoga’s positive effect on  GABA levels.

Okay, but what if, oh, I don’t know, there’s someone who’s had a poor yoga experience in her past, meaning the thought of doing it three times a week for an hour each time sounds about as fun as cleaning out a litter box—even though this person could, perhaps, benefit from a little relaxing? Well, while there’s no specific data on different doses of yoga, says Dr. Streeter, bottom line: Any yoga is better than none—that is, as long as it’s done under the instruction of a trained professional, and preferably without any imaginary mice that need pursuing. And so for people with anxiety (and really, who doesn’t have anxiety?), it may be time to start getting familiar with some serious downward dogging.

That’s it, Sniffles. You, me, and the yoga DVD have a date tonight. Wish me luck.

-Amy, KIWI articles editor

A series of salmonella outbreaks across the country have prompted Iowa egg producer, Wright County Egg, to recall 380 million products. Eggs under the brands Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farm, and Kemps should be returned to the store in which they were purchased for a refund. The recall is for shelf-eggs only, meaning that products containing eggs are not affected.

Prior to the recall, Wright County Egg was being targeted by government regulators for environmental violations, unsafe working conditions, plus worker harassment, reports the New York Times. In fact, recalls like this one are very often the result of giant food factories operating under unsanitary conditions—and a great reason why we should buy from small, local farms whenever possible. Sometimes, doing so is more expensive and less convenient, but the price paid in dollars or an extra trip to the farmer’s market is worth it to support a food production system that cares about people, animals, and the planet.

While some consumers will choose sustainability whenever possible, many more will require some sort of threat to their personal health or lifestyle as motivation to reject unethical food. Where do you fall?

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Ever wish you could do something to help those sweet dogs and cats looking to be adopted at the pet store? Here’s your chance, because August 21st is International Homeless Animals Day! Here, ideas for helping our furry friends:

• Volunteer at a shelter Cleaning cages and crates are one job—but it’s not the only one. Shelters often need volunteers to help with office work, take photos of pets that are up for adoption, and even update their website. Find a local shelter at petfinder.com.
• Collect donations Set up a lemonade stand and announce that proceeds will go to a local shelter or animal organization, like the ASPCA. You can also collect blankets, towels, food, or toys to give to a shelter.
• Open your home A parent’s worst nightmare, right? Adopting a pet can be a boatload of work, but think about it this way: if everyone chips in, then it’s not just your pet, but a family pet. Animals can be a great comfort, not just a terror, and adoption or foster care is a way to teach responsibility to kids.

-Jillian, KIWI intern

Each year, billions of pads and tampons are sent to landfills, and hundreds of thousands of applicators are found on beaches. Not only is the waste unnecessary, the chlorine bleach used to whiten tampons breaks down into a carcinogen called dioxin, which can leach into drinking water. And then there are all the pesticides used to grow the cotton. Next month, consider these options for a greener period:

Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free Organic Cotton Tampons
20-count box: $6
These tampons contain only organic cotton, certified by Quality Assurance International, Inc. No rayon (found in most tampons, its fibers can cause ulcerations linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome), no fragrance, and no bleach.

Moonpads:
Medium flow starter kit: $33.50
This Etsy seller makes reusable panty liners and maxi pads from with organic cotton in super cute patterns. They’re as absorbent as disposable pads and washer- and dryer-friendly.

DivaCup
1 cup and storage pouch: $35
The FDA-approved Diva cup collects menstrual flow internally. It’s made from medical-grade silicone, is easy to wash, and only needs to be emptied once every twelve hours. Plus, since you’ll never have to buy another tampon or maxi pad (or ruin another pair of undies), it pays for itself fast.

—Kat, KIWI intern

Ever since Al Gore’s 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, the polar bear (stranded on a tiny piece of ice) has become the unofficial symbol of global warming. But climate change doesn’t just hurt the world above water—it also affects what’s happening down below, something marine ecologists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, James Cook University, and Syiah Kuala University have recently found.
Because of a harsh temperature rise in Indonesian waters, there has been a large scale coral bleaching that may not grow back. Coral bleaching occurs when the algae that live in the coral tissues die. Over time the bleached coral may recover, however, this area doesn’t look so promising: The bleaching in Aceh (an Indonesian province) is an indication of temperature stress in the Andaman Sea. In late May, the temperature of the water reached 34 degrees Celsius, which is 4 degrees higher than average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Hotspots website.
Since 2005, The WCS and JCU have been working to helping to recover the coral reefs that were destroyed in the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, the temperature rise is causing their efforts to be undermined: Scientists who have studied the reefs found that 80 percent of some species have died since the initial assessment in May, making this one of the most deadly coral bleaching ever recorded.

-Angela, KIWI intern

Hooray! The latest issue of KIWI hits newsstands today, and it’s packed with great, green back to school content we know you’ll love. Three of our favorite stories:

Happy School Year! Forget New Year’s for making resolutions: The start of a new school year is the perfect time to set—and keep—easy goals for your family’s good health.

Adventures in Learning Get outside for some fun (and educational!) thrills. Bonus: They’re super-cheap!

Daycare’s Going Green With such innovations as plastic-free dining and nontoxic play spaces, these five daycares are paving the way for eco-friendly early education.

Trying to use less paper? We salute you! Access the digital version of KIWI’s August/September issue at zinio.com.

Some people have a rotation of standards meals they cook, making it really easy to figure out what’s for dinner. I’m not one of them. With a way too big collection of cookbooks and an unhealthy obsession with food blogs, I’m constantly finding new recipes to try (tomato cobbler, anyone?). Sometimes they’re good and sometimes they aren’t, but no matter what they taste like, I usually never remember to make them again. Except for these peanut noodles.

When it comes to not having a list of standards or stand-bys, this dish is the exception. It comes together in about a half hour, I always have the ingredients on hand, and when I’m staring off into space trying to decide what on earth I feel like eating for dinner—always fits the bill. Try peanut noodles with tofu and vegetables hot or cold, I promise you’ll love it!

Peanut noodles with tofu and vegetables
Prep + cook time: 35 minutes

1 pound extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil, divided
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
1 pound broccoli, cut into florets
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup warm water
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti

1. Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 425F. Grease a baking sheet with 1 teaspoon canola oil.
2. Slice tofu into 8 pieces and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, flip the pieces, and sprinkle the other side with salt. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and cut into 1-2″ pieces.
3. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the onion and canola oil. Saute 5-7 minutes, until translucent, then add the mushrooms. Saute 5-7 minutes more, and transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
4. Place the saute pan back over the heat and saute the cabbage until crunchy-tender, 3-5 minutes. Add to the onion-mushroom mixture.
5. Set a large pot of water to boil.
6. Make the peanut sauce: In a medium container, add the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, and warm water. Put the lid on the container and shake until combined.
7. Once the water is boiling, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. 1 minute before the spaghetti is ready to drain, add the broccoli to the boiling water. Drain.
8. Combine the spaghetti and broccoli with the onions, mushrooms, and cabbage. Add the tofu pieces and the peanut sauce, and toss to combine. Serve.

Serves 8
Per serving: Calories 432, fat 19 g, protein 23 g, carbohydrates 55 g, dietary fiber 12 g

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Which lunch choices will re-energize your child for an afternoon in the classroom—and which ones will put her in a sleepy slump? What are the best snacks to offer when she comes home starving at the end of a busy day? Learn how to kick this school year off to a nutritious start with Elizabeth Ward, a registered dietician, author of Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy, and an expert in healthy food for kids. She’ll explain nutrition basics for kids (plus how they affect school performance!), tips for packing lunches your child will love, plus smart after school snack strategies. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask her questions, too!

Lunches, Snacks, and More: Healthy Eating for Back to School Tuesday, August 17th at 8 P.M. EST

Hurry, this free event is almost full!

Feeding Fido or Kitty might require a bit more than just filling a bowl with kibble. “Most pet foods are made for adequate—not optimal—performance, and can be lacking in important nutrients,” says Jean Hofve, DVM, a holistic veterinarian in Denver, Colorado. Help your dog or cat get the most out of his meals with these two add-ins:

• Omega-3s They ease inflammation on the inside while making your pet’s coat shinier on the outside. Mix in 2 tablespoons of fish oil per five pounds of chow for bigger dogs, or poke a hole in a fish oil capsule and squeeze the oil over food for cats and smaller pooches.

• Extra protein Many pet foods skimp on meat to keep costs low, but dogs’ and cats’ bodies were designed to take in lots of protein. Make up for what he’s missing by supplementing your pet’s diet with up to 15 percent of lightly cooked ground chicken or turkey, says Hofve.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Believe it or not, summer’s winding down. If your kids are finally tired of lazy days spent by the pool—never fear! August is chock-full of wacky (and fun!) ‘holidays’ (remember International Clown Day?). Archaeology Day is August 17th, and archaeologists the world over want you to celebrate human artifacts. Instead of busting the piggy bank for a trip to the museum, why not throw an Ancient Dig Party? Here, what you’ll need to make yours fossil-rific:

• Sandbox You don’t need to live near the pyramids in order to have an archaeological adventure. The dig site for your little scientist can be right in your backyard. No sandbox? Hit a local park, or make your own by putting craft store sand in a cardboard box.

• Bones What’s a fossil dig without bones? Make some out of all-natural Aroma Dough, borrow some from Fido, or save some of the leftovers from last night’s chicken dinner (don’t forget to clean them off, first!).

• Artifacts What kind of items do you think our ancient ancestors had on hand? Find costume gems at a craft store, or break up an old flower pot to create new ancient finds.
• Tools Your kid can dig with a small trowel, garden hoe, or even a sandbox shovel. And don’t forget the tape measure and notepad to measure artifacts and record data!
• Certificate After he’s collected all his fossils, your child is officially a Kid Archaeologist. Hooray!

-Jillian, KIWI intern

This summer, my mother decided to re-do our kitchen (oh, the joys of still living at home!). I don’t have enough fingers on my hands to count  how many kitchen showrooms I visited in search of the most eco-friendly (yet still reasonably-priced) appliances for our new room. Just to put it out there, this is not my cup of tea: I enjoy cooking from time to time, but the thought, “Wow, what a beautiful microwave!” just never crossed my mind before. Suffice it to say, the only thing I pay attention to in the kitchen is food.

On one of our 10,000 trips, we went to Miele’s showroom in Princeton, and for the first time ever, I understood the joys of kitchen shopping. The place was filled with stainless steel appliances galore, and being surrounded by so much gorgeous stuff was actually a little overwhelming. Dishwashers? Check. Cook tops? Check. Conventional ovens? Check.  This was a four-hour excursion that I actually enjoyed (but if you ever run into my mom, please don’t tell her!). Miele’s products are beautiful, durable, unique, and user-friendly. Best of all, they’re easy on the environment, since all of their wares are recyclable and are free of toxic materials.

The ending to this story? I can proudly say that our new kitchen is home to plenty of new Miele appliances–and my mother could not be happier!

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

We’ve been thinking about indoor air quality a lot lately at KIWI. (See Editorial Director Sarah Smith on Greenguard and Miele.) When trying to get rid of indoor air pollutants, we tend to think in terms of human behavior—How can we adjust the way we construct and inhabit our indoor environments to avoid polluting them?—but it turns out part of the solution is simply to bring the outdoors in.

Common houseplants can help remove pollutants from the air, according to a study published by NASA in the late 80s. Yes, that NASA. Even before the 70s energy crisis spawned the construction of low-ventilation, cheap to heat, and eventually, very polluted buildings, NASA was leading the world in indoor air quality research because they were particularly interested in the health effects of living in a sealed environment made of synthetic materials. Just as we were beginning to understand “sick building” syndrome, NASA was preparing for  “sick space station” syndrome.

The basic premise of the finding is that plants ‘inhale’ some of the pollutants in the air, along with the carbon dioxide needed for photosynthesis, and ‘exhale’ clean oxygen, acting as a filter. The houseplants NASA studied had the advantage of being tropical plants, which evolved in low-light environments and are therefore extra efficient at trapping gases. The astronauts put it best:

“Since man’s existence on Earth depends on a life support system involving an intricate relationship with plants and their associated microorganisms, it should be obvious that when he attempts to isolate himself in tightly sealed buildings away from this ecological system, problems will arise. [...] If man is to move into closed environments, on Earth or in space, he must take along nature’s life support system.”

The study is admittedly a little vintage, and has yet to be followed up or replicated. However, those of us who talk to our orchids can confirm that houseplants will improve your indoor quality of life overall.

Shopping for a new houseplant? Check out The New Ecologist’s “Top 10 Natural, Eco-Friendly, and Anti-Pollutant Houseplants” for inspiration.

-Kat, KIWI intern

Here’s some exciting news: KIWI has been nominated as one of the top parenting publications in the SheKnows Parenting Awards 2010! We really want to be #1, but we need your help.

SheKnows.com is an online community for women, and their annual awards seek to recognize the best in all things parenting, including kids books, clothes, entertainment, and more. Help us get noticed by casting your vote online for KIWI (you can vote multiple times!)—with your support, we could be named the top magazine for parents!

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Finished your latest issue of KIWI and  just can’t wait for the next one to arrive? Now you can get a little taste of KIWI in between issues with our interactive publication, KIWI Slice. The summer issue, available now, is all about pregnancy and babies. If you’re a KIWI mom or dad who’s trying to live greener and healthier with a baby, you won’t want to miss:

• The best kinds of exercise during pregnancy 
• What to eat when you’re nursing
• How to protect your baby from toxins

There’s more—and it’s all free! Once you’ve checked out the baby issue, don’t miss the food edition of KIWI Slice, either: lots of yummy recipes you can call up quickly on your computer (or print, as long as you promise to keep or recycle your print-out!).

—Sarah, editorial director

Over the weekend, my husband and I had some friends over for dinner (barbecue tofu, corn on the cob, potato salad with avocado dressing, and homemade ice cream sandwiches—yum!). When we invite people over to share a meal they usually bring wine or an appetizer, a gesture that’s much appreciated. Instead, these friends brought a bag of farm-fresh okra from their weekly CSA box, and we were thrilled.

I’d only eaten okra prepared by other people a handful of times and had never made it myself. In fact, as someone who considers herself an experienced home cook, I was a little embarrassed that I’d never even tried preparing okra. It just looks so strange, I always walk right past it at the market. But last night, I had to use that okra—and use it I did. 

As the name implies, this dish is a little soup-y, so it’s great served over quinoa, brown rice, or alongside some crusty bread to sop up the juices. Add a side of bean salad, and you’ve got yourself a tasty, summertime meat-free meal.

Stewed okra with tomatoes

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour, largely unattended

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 onion, sliced into rings

1 1/2 pounds okra, tops removed, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 cup vegetable stock (water is fine, too)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt, to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until they start to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Add okra and the remaining olive oil, and saute another 5 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste, and cook 1 minute more.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock or water. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 45 minutes, or until okra is tender. Remove from heat and serve.

Serves 4 to 6

Per serving: Calories 88, fat 5 g, protein 3 g, carbohydrates 11 g, dietary fiber 4 g

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Fridays are special, magical days that, much like federal holidays, should be celebrated with a chipper, laid-back, not-terribly-industrious kind of attitude. So when small details like having to go to work crop up, I like to mentally reward myself for all the achievements I accomplish throughout the day. Made it to work on time? Gold star for me! Wore jeans instead of pjs to the office? That’s one more star! Managed to edit a page without wondering what I should do with my cat Sniffles this weekend? Another gold star for yours truly.

My favorite Friday double-star-worthy achievement is the good I do by clicking on random things online while planted at my desk—hypothetically speaking, of course. Ahem. Anyway, the other day (a Wednesday, or as I like to think of it, one of the six non-Fridays), a book came across my desk that caught my attention. I can admit that my initial interest was snagged by the vivid yellow color of the cover (hey, some baby stages, like being attracted to brightly-colored objects, don’t need to be grown out of), but when I started flipping though How to Be an Everyday Philanthropist: 330 Ways to Make a Difference in Your Home, Community, and World—at No Cost and came to the chapter on doing good by using your computer (i.e., using very little effort or brainpower while kicked back in a comfy seated position), I was hooked. But really, the phrase “goof off for good” is all I needed to see to keep reading.

So in honor of this laissez-faire Friday, let me share with you a couple of author Nicole Bouchard Boles’ genius do-good ideas:

Click-to-Donate

All you have to do is point and click and you can make some fabulous philanthropic waves. Click on HungryChildren.com (where one click helps provide food, medication, and other necessities to a child), TheChildHealthSite.com (which helps get children the healthcare they need), or the Tarahumara Children’s Hospital Fund (one click donates one minute of medical care to a child)—all sites that are set up to receive donations from advertisers and sponsors on a per-click basis. Check out CharityClickDonation.com for more charity click-happy locales.

Play for a Cause

For those of you looking for more of a clicking challenge, check out FreeRice.com. You can show off your vocabulary skills with a free quiz, and every answer you get right means the site’s sponsors will donate enough money to purchase twenty grains of rice for the UN World Food Program. Positively ambrosial! Some other trivia clickers: HelpThirst.com and FreePoverty.com.

Did you click yet? Well, gold star for you for even considering it. Happy Friday!

-Amy, KIWI articles editor

I’m a nut and seed butter fanatic: I devour whole wheat peanut noodles, toss salads with tahini dressing, stir globs of walnut butter into my morning oatmeal, and even eat almond butter straight off the spoon for a snack. High in healthy fat, nut and seed butters are creamy, satisfying, and will add bulk to a meal so you’ll stay full for hours. And since they’re a plant-based protein, they’re easy on the environment.

One thing that’s not so awesome about nut and seed butters? The price. With the exception of peanut butter, these spreads cost a pretty penny. My local co-op sells almond butter and tahini at around $9 a pound, and walnut butter at a whopping $15 a pound (hempseed, pumpkin seed, and pistachio butters cost even more. Yikes!). As a vegetarian, it’s easier for me to justify the cost—hormone-free, humanely raised meat would, per pound, cost a whole lot more, and since I’m not eating that, I can splurge on the nut butters instead. Still, I don’t always feel like spending half my grocery budget on the stuff, so I make my own.

DIY nut butter is simple: Toss at least a cup’s worth of nuts or seeds into your food processor, and whirl away. You might think it’s not working at first, but after a few minutes (and maybe a good scrape or two down the side of the processor with a spatula), you’ll end up with a rich nut or seed butter. Add a pinch of salt, if you’d like, or additional flavoring like maple sugar or cinnamon, and you’ve got some seriously tasty stuff. Happy eating!

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

August is one of my favorite months of the year—and for good reason: The first week of August is International Clown Week. First celebrated in 1971, President Nixon started International Clown Week to recognize the joy clowns bring to children’s hospitals, charities, and everyday people looking for a laugh. When I was younger I always loved the circus, but specifically the funny clowns (Grandma from the Big Apple Circus was my favorite!). So this week, I’m celebrating with an at-home circus of my own—and I encourage you and your kids to do the same! Here’s how:

Pick a name Find silly clown names of your own (Dr. Taffy or Zippery, anyone?) at clown-names.com. Or, try this online name generator, which gave me the clown name Lady Jillarooni Butter-Bee! 

Dress up Whether you’re a clown, acrobat, or lion tamer, all members of the circus need to wear a costume. Best of all, you probably have all the gear you need on hand. Dad’s old work shoes can be transformed into oversized clown feet, and Mom’s red lipstick will make a great clown lips and nose!

Make some snacks Homemade snow cones are the best way to create a snack-tastic circus. Crush ice cubes in a blender or by putting it in a towel and crushing with a hammer or rolling pin. Put the crushed ice in cups and pour fruit juice (or flavored syrup, if you want to go all-out) over top. Yum!

Invite the animals It’s not a circus without animals, right? You might not be able to bring an elephant into your living room, but you can make balloon critters (and did you know latex balloons are biodegradable?). See these easy instructions for miniature pooches, elephants, giraffe, and more. 

Pitch your tent The most important piece of a circus can be made from any large household cloth, like a sheet, curtain, or tablecloth. Drape over a few chairs and get ready to perform!   

-Jillian, KIWI intern

We’re lucky, here at KIWI’s editorial office in New York, to have a sample closet overflowing with tasty treats. Of all the genres of snack food represented in the closet, my favorite is the Healthy Version of the Junk Food Staple. Even when chips, cookies and candies are purged of ‘bad’ ingredients like trans fats and refined carbs, they still appeal to the allure of forbidden food. They satisfy my impulse to use junk foods as a reward, but save me the nutritional hangover. Here’s what I can’t get enough of this month:

Chips: Snikiddy Baked Fries, Classic Ketchup flavor.

These potato and cornmeal chips have the dimensions of McDonald’s french fries, the texture of cheese puffs, and the distinct flavor of ketchup. It sounds gross, but they are addictively tangy and have just the right amount of sweetness—they may even be better than the real 57. One KIWI intern, for whom french fries are a particular weakness, said they reminded her of summer and being at the shore—minus seagulls trying to scam her fries.

Bonus: Even though the Baked Fries look like a highly-processed laboratory food, I recognize all of the ingredients as real food in my pantry. No nuts, gluten or corn syrup, either.

Cookies: Bear Naked Soft-Baked Granola Cookies, Fruit and Nut flavor

We recently came to the consensus that cookies are pointless unless they’re home-baked, yet these are quickly disappearing. Dense with organic oats, nuts and dried fruit, they are more of a hybrid food—healthier than a cookie but tastier than a granola bar. I didn’t feel ashamed to have one for breakfast.

Bonus: They improve greatly with a few seconds in the microwave.

Candy: Q.bel All Natural Wafer Bars, Double Dark flavor

I know some people satisfy their chocolate cravings with austere square inches of fine dark chocolate. I’m not that person. I’ve got to have the complete candy bar experience, colorful wrapper and all. A Q.bel bar fits the bill, and contains less sugar than a Luna bar. The Double Dark flavor has airy dark chocolate mousse wedged between crisp wheat wafer cookies and dipped in Belgian dark chocolate. Best, each pocket-sized pouch comes with two bars. They are light, not too sweet, and—by the same psychology that made Twix and Almond Joys my childhood favorites—totally satisfying.

Bonus: Nothing hydrogenated or artificial. The Double Dark flavor is vegan!

—Kat, KIWI intern

KIWI is proud to announce that our friends at Truly Organic Baking have won a 2010 sofi(tm) Gold Award! Truly Organic Baking was founded in 2006 by Kari Ani Shiozawa in efforts to raise her daughter in a holistic and organic lifestyle.  Kari Ani’s mission was to provide people with true organic goodness through her baking.  She makes it her effort to create a product line that is affordable, organic and super tasty (I’ve tried her banana bread and pancakes mixes, and can definitely vouch!)  Truly Organic Baking’s Bakers Basics(tm) Banana Bread was named Outstanding USDA Organic Product of 2010 in the 38th Annual sofi(tm) Awards from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. The sofi(tm) Awards recognize the top specialty food and beverages and stands for Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation.  Truly Organic Baking was one of 140 silver finalists and beat out 2,257 contenders.  Congratulations, Truly Organic Baking!

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

Many of us are moving towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle and the mantra “reduce, reuse and recycle” is becoming more popular than ever. Unfortunately, Americans still have a long way to go when it comes to reducing their plastic consumption. The good news: Single-use plastic grocery bags could see the end of the tunnel very soon, starting on the West coast. Soon, California may be the first state to ban the bags. 

In a 41 to 27 vote, California’s state assembly recently passed a bill to stop grocery stores from offering plastic bags starting in January 2012. If it’s passed by the state senate, customers would have to use their own reusable bags or pay five cents for a paper bag made from recycled materials. 

San Francisco and Washington D.C. have already started charging customers for disposable bags, and for good reason. It’s estimated that Americans use 100 billion plastic bags each year—and only .6 percent are recycled properly. 

Here in New York, there are tons of bags strewn across streets and parks, so I think enforcing resusable bag use is a great idea. Usually I bring reusable bags to the grocery store and end up saving money, since many stores give a discount if you bring your own bags. I do forget occasionally, but I wouldn’t mind forking over a few cents in those instances since this is something I’m passionate about. 

What do you think? Would you be willing to switch to reusable bags only or would you be okay with paying a nickel for every new bag you used? 

-Victoria, KIWI intern

Earlier this summer, my best and and I visited the stunning Zion National Park in southern Utah. We didn’t camp in the park itself, instead staying at a cabin on a buffalo preserve closeby. I brought along my cell phone to keep in touch with my family, but as it turned out, I was only able to talk to them a couple of times because I couldn’t get a signal in Zion or even at the preserve. Not having to bother checking my phone for missed calls or texts every 10 minutes was a little strange, but it also felt great. 

The point is, I didn’t really need a cell phone on my vacation. My friend and I were with a guide, so we weren’t worried about getting lost. And if my family needed to reach me (or I, them) we could still get in touch via landline. Considering this, it probably comes as no surprise that I definitely didn’t need a laptop. I was on vacation, so I wasn’t planning to check e-mail. And I was hiking and biking through some of the most beautiful forests and canyons I’ve ever seen, so I definitely didn’t need the internet to keep my entertained.

Yesterday, NPR had a feature on campgrounds and parks that now offer free wi-fi. I wasn’t really sure how to react: The internet has become a basic necessity, and people expect to have access to it anywhere and everywhere—so if they want to spend time on their Google reader while sitting around the campfire, I guess they should be able to do that. But on the other hand, hearing a family boast delightfully about how they watched Big Brother streaming from their laptop while on their camping trip (because they always watch it) seemed truly ridiculous. To me—and I hope, to others, too—it almost goes without saying that the point of spending time outdoors (and not just a national park or campground, but the local playground or nature trail, too) is to spend time outdoors, not spend time on the internet.

Most Americans already have a serious disconnect to the natural world, and I’m not sure whether offering wi-fi access in our parks and campgrounds is simply making that disconnection even worse, or is actually a product of that disconnect. What do you think?

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Once upon a time, back-to-school shopping was simply a matter of letting kids choose a lunchbox with their favorite character. Over the last few years, though, so much information has come out about lunch boxes and other school supplies containing lead, phthalates, BPA, and other dangerous chemicals that shopping is no longer just a process of checking things off the list. Nowadays, it’s about checking things on the label—and about being environmentally conscious.

As a mother of three school-age children, I focus on how lunch boxes are made and methods for packing lunches with less waste. The Obentec Laptop Lunch System, a school lunch kit inspired by the Japanese bento box, is one of my favorites: it features a hinged outer container, four inner food containers, a dip container, and a set of stainless steel utensils. The box comes in an assortment of fun colors and designs, and kids love the compartments because they fit together like a puzzle. The containers are reusable, recyclable, and dishwasher safe—plus free of any materials that are suspected carcinogens or hormone disrupters—making it easy for families to use less disposable packaging.  You can even purchase a full lunch system with a carrying case. An added bonus: The lunch boxes also come with a guide for making healthy lunches that kids love, including creative tips for dealing with picky eaters (and I definitely have one of those!). 

Once you’ve crossed the lunchbox off your list, it’s time to turn to drink containers. Make sure any reusable bottle your child uses is made with clear, shatter-resistant #7 plastic. Previous-generation, Nalgene-type water bottles and baby bottles were the first to get a bad rap for containing BPA (which can mimic estrogen and act as a hormone disruptor), but now it’s being found in everything from food packaging to the inner lining of metal food and drink cans. A safer option? Stainless steel water bottles, such as those made by Klean Kanteen, which are made from 100 percent recyclable, high-quality, food-grade stainless steel. They are lightweight, durable, non-leaching, and come in lots of kid-friendly colors. They even have polypropylene tops with sippy adapters for your little ones.

Last but not least: the stuff inside your kid’s backpack. More green products are hitting the market all the time, making it easier than ever to find eco-friendly back-to-school supplies. When looking for pencils, pens, paper, and binders, think outside the box – or rather, the tree. “Tree-free” mango, banana, coffee, and lemon paper is made from recycled agricultural waste and is used to make greener notebooks and stationary. Find pencils made from recycled newspaper, biodegradable crayons made from soybeans, paper and binders made from recycled post-consumer content, and pencil cases, backpacks & binders made from recycled drink pouches (kids flip over recycled Capri Sun and Kool-Aid Jammer lunchboxes, backpacks and pencil case holders). 

Eco-conscious parents create environmentally-conscious kids by teaching their children about how the products they purchase are made. (Did you know that for each 2 ½ foot stack of newspapers that gets recycled, a 20 ft. pine tree can be saved?)  Little facts go a long way to empower your children and make them feel like they are doing something to make a difference– and it all starts with a simple shopping list!

-Laura Meyer is the founder and CEO of The Ultimate Green Store, and the mother of three school-age children. Visit their Kids Department to find all the products mentioned above as well as an array of other fantastic eco-friendly school supplies and gear. The Ultimate Green Store donates a portion of sales to providing eco-friendly school supplies to school in need. Visit their site to see how your school can earn money through their Save the Planet, Sustain a School program! 

I never really understood the fascination with NASCAR. Even after a visit from a cousin who grew up in North Carolina and is obsessed, my opinion didn’t change much (he sat me down and forced me to watch—but I still couldn’t see what all the hype was about). Now, my attitude is changing towards the South’s most popular sport.

After getting fed up with a pretty pricey electric bill ($700,000!) Pocono Raceway president, Brandon Igdalsky, decided to take his track down a greener path. This weekend, the raceway unveiled it’s own 25-acre solar farm, kicking off the event with visits from NASCAR’s top racing circuit, the Sprint Cup Series, the Camping World Truck Series and ARCA circuits. 

With nearly 40,000 solar panels, Pocono Raceway is now the largest solar plant in Pennsylvania (not to mention the tenth largest in the country and the largest renewable energy project in any stadium in the world!). Even better: the solar energy won’t just power the racetrack, it’ll also power almost a thousand local homes. 

The average racing car gets an astonishingly meager 5 mpg, making NASCAR a prime target for environmentalists. While they might not be able to solve their gas problems anytime soon, Pocono Raceway’s solar panels are just one environmental initiative the sports organization has taken on. Recently, they hired their first director of green innovation, and Roush Fenway Racing has renovated its race shop to become LEED-certified. 

-Angela, KIWI intern

That's me, doing the half-moon pose on my summer vacation in Utah!

There’s lots of reasons I love practicing yoga: the loose stretchiness from pigeon pose, the sense of strength and balance from half-moon, and the feeling of calm contentment from sitting up after laying in savasana. Another thing I love? Being in a room with five, ten, or twenty other people moving in perfect sync together. It’s not something I often get a chance to see in the real world—so oftentimes during a yoga class, I’ll stop for a quick minute to take a look at the impromptu group performance going on around me. 

When I heard about Salutation Nation, a free outdoor yoga event by athletic apparel retailer Lululemon, I got pretty excited. I like to attend the free Saturday morning classes they offer at their store here in Austin, and I bet their outside practice will be even more fun. It takes place at parks and other outdoor spaces in cities all across the country this Saturday from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M., and everyone is invited. 

An hour of nationwide yoga might not change the world, but it’s a fun way to spend time with family and friends (or meet new ones!). Find a Salutation Nation event near you at Lululemon’s blog. 

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Imagine a treatment that would improve your mood, make you smarter, keep you healthier and improve your relationships.  How much would you invest in that therapy? 

Turns out there is such a thing, and best of all – it’s free.  It’s called “nature.”

How many of you were told as youngsters by a parent or grandparent – “Just go out and play”?  And then you did just that.  You’d go out for hours after school, just exploring the backyard, or the woods, or the playground, with your friends until it was dinnertime. 

I am afraid we have lost touch with the value of free time and play, especially for our children.  What better time than summer to re-focus on the lost art of simply playing outside?

We have overscheduled children frantically trying to keep up with their overscheduled parents in our 21st century world where relaxation time must be planned as well.  Play-dates have replaced free play, often booked weeks in advance as parents link up their PDA’s to ensure kids can hang out together.

I know, I know, it’s a different world now.  The ability to pay “partial continuous attention” is a highly valued skill these days. Parents feel the pressure to prepare their children for the “real world” they’ll face. Globalization forces us to compare our educational systems not only to those of neighboring towns but to those of other countries half-way across the world. I am not so naive as to believe we can turn back the clock and remove all stress from life. Indeed, as researcher Hans Selye noted, stress is not necessarily a bad thing; it is simply “the nonspecific response of the body to any demand.” So we must focus on teaching our children not how to avoid demands per se but how to develop better coping mechanisms.  One of the best ways, it seems, is to promote free, unstructured play – especially in natural, outdoor settings.

[Read more →]

MyLifetime.com

Let’s talk about Project Runway, because for the first time, one of the contestants is an eco-friendly designer. Gretchen Jones said on the first episode last week that she believes in using sustainable materials, and even though her page on the Lifetime site doesn’t get into that, I sat up and took notice when she said it. Hooray for sustainable! Boo for the possibility that it could turn into some weird little “quirk”!

I’ll admit: When I saw her dress go down the runway, I thought, “Ugh. Too bad the sustainable designer didn’t do something great.” And then, well, she won. So what do I know? Nothing, obviously, but I’m glad she’ll be around longer, if only so we can see whether her commitment to sustainability can last (probably not her fault if it doesn’t–the show has crazy constraints), and see how the show and the judges respond to her “point of view,” as they like to say. 

Are you a Project Runway fan? What did you think of Gretchen? Will you root for her because she’s eco?

—Sarah, editorial director

Here’s the latest and greatest of what’s going on in the mom blogosphere. Interested in having your blog featured? Let us know in the comments!

• Baby Potential stopped going to church as a young adult, but now she wonders whether raising kids without religion is a good idea.
• All month long, Motherhood Uncensored is challenging herself to be a better parent, starting with being present with her kids. 
• Family road trip? Your kids could see some inappropriate billboards, says Mommy Instincts.
• Mom-101 shares her experience taking her daughter to work. 
• Being a parent is hard work—especially when you have to parent in public, says Ask Moxie.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Alex & Ani is an eco-friendly fashion line who designs based on the philosophy of enlightening the mind and empowering the spirit.  They believe that what is pure and natural is the most beautiful and that by creating jewelry from recycled materials, they enrich the beauty of each piece.  Founder and creator Carolyn Rafaelian’s purchases metals from local mills and creates pieces which she then sells the scraps back to the refineries who sell back to the Mills to continue a cycle of reusing and recycling.  Her collections are encouraging eco-conscious practices and helping to support the environment by recycling.  Alex & Ani also allows consumers to make and purchase items to reflect each individual’s uniqueness and authenticity. They want customers to feel inspired by their jewelry by creating and picking out items that truly capture the essence of who they are.  They feature beautiful lines of gold and silver bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings, hair accessories, bridal items, men’s pieces and limited edition jewelry collections.  They recently started a “Bangle Bar” where you are able to create your own set of bangles. They provide you with five steps on how to create your own beautiful custom bangle set with a variety of choices between metals, beads, charms, etc.  They also love their customers so much that they are running a promotion for all customers who visit the website to receive 10% off their entire purhcase with promo code IC2010.  Enter this code at checkout and receive the discount.  (Be sure to check them out on Facebook and Twitter, too!)

-Brittany, KIWI staffer

I’m not what you’d call a natural athlete. I have the flexibility of a pencil, as demonstrated during gymnastics classes as a kid, and I have the coordination of a puppy, as proven by my early attempts to ride a bike. I grew up in a house that had a long driveway in front, meaning there was plenty of room to practice biking, which I did. But there was one problem: A highway at the end of the driveway. Sounds scary, right? It wasn’t. At least not for anyone else. My parents made sure there was never any real threat that my siblings and I would end up zooming into traffic— something both my brother and sister seemed to grasp. But not me. Not being terribly coordinated to begin with, and lacking the fundamental understanding of anything as highly mechanical as making a bike stop, my way of keeping safe was to throw myself sideways into the bushes halfway down the driveway, much to the shrieking delight of my brother and sister. One day, I finally decided that I’d picked enough branches out of my hair, and thus ended my cycling career.

It’s not without some irony that many years later, I realize that I’ve ended up with a man who loves cycling. Loves as in let’s-watch-every-second-of-the-three-week-Tour-de-France-every-year, which, while exciting at some points, is, let’s face it, a lot of time spent watching skinny men decked out in unattractive spandex, pedal, pedal, and pedal some more. For three entire weeks.

But along the way of our marathon bike watching, I have managed to pick up a thing or two:

One: People who choose to race up mountains on tiny little seats are crazy, yes, but unbelievably talented, too.

Two: No one should wear spandex. Really, ever.

Three: There are a lot of bikes out there. Not only in the race (even I picked up on that one), but in garages, basements, landfills…lots of bikes that people have outgrown or abandoned for real sports like scrapbooking. Oh, wait, that’s just me. Anyway, there are lots of bikes and lots of people who need bikes—not for sport, but rather, for something as basic as getting water for their families.

So maybe you’re like me with a really old bike sitting in a garage, or like my boyfriend who just upgraded his ride and now has an extra one, or perhaps your kids are growing at warp speed and leaving a trail of too-small bikes in their wake, but if you have an unused bike, consider donating it to organizations that bring them to countries in need. Check out Bicycles for Humanity, a nonprofit that works to empower poor, women, children, and HIV positive people in Africa by giving them the opportunity to bike—instead of walk—to get water, medical help, or go to school. Or consider Village Bicycle Project, a group that supplies bikes, spare parts, tools, and bike maintenance training classes for people in Africa, as well. We may not all be Tour de France-worthy cyclists, or even, ahem, be able to stay upright on two wheels, but we may be able to help provide those who need it most with basic transportation. And that’s a great victory.

-Amy, articles editor

The Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010 isn’t the government’s first attempt to protect consumers from harmful substances, but if passed, it could be the most effective. Introduced to Congress earlier this month, the new bill seeks to overhaul the 1976 Toxic Substance Control Act, which legislators say fails to regulate asthma- and cancer-causing chemicals found in consumer products.

The burden currently falls to the Environmental Protection Agency to prove chemicals are unsafe, but the new law would put the chemical industry on the defensive, requiring it to prove that chemicals are safe. What’s more, chemical manufacturers would be required to publish basic health and safety information for all new or existing chemicals on the EPA’s website.

Details are still in the works, but here’s the bottom line: The bill’s improved standards would reduce the environment’s exposure to toxic chemicals and allow American families to make better-informed purchasing choices. Show your support today at saferchemicals.org and by asking your Congressional representative to co-sponsor the legislation. 

-Victoria, KIWI intern

I discovered that regular crayons, like Crayola, are made from petroleum wax. As an alternative to petroleum, earth-friendly crayons are be made from biodegradable, renewable sources like soy and beeswax. Recently, I found a set of eco crayons from Prang in the office, and set to work doing some serious product testing in the name of KIWI (read: coloring!). I wasn’t sure how these crayons would stack up against the familiar, conventional brands I used as a kid, but they turned out to be great. Prang crayons produce a bright color and glide smoothly across the paper. So go ahead—color outside the lines with some green crayons! ($1-$5.50, prang.com)

While babysitting this past weekend, the three boys were jumping and shouting about movie night—and all the popcorn they’d eat—before their parents had even walked out the door. As I made a mental checklist in my mind (control portions, don’t serve any unpopped pieces, and have water available), their dad pulled me aside, reminding me to watch four-year-old Andrew extra carefully.  

Popcorn might be the most popular movie treat, but it’s not the only dangerous food for kids: Hot dogs, gobstoppers, jelly candies, and peanuts can also pose a choking hazard to small children. Kids under the age of four are at the highest risk because their airways are small and their ability to chew properly is still developing, says Nisha Kapadia, MD, a pediatric resident at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. In fact, 17,500 children 14 and younger were treated for choking, 60 percent of which was caused by food, found a 2001 survey. Many pediatrics groups say vigilance is important, but parents can’t always watch their child’s every move while eating. 

Cautionary labels are on some products, but in hard-to-see spots, such as bottoms of boxes. Do you think choking hazards can be more clearly marked—and how? Do you have any recommendations for when kids should eat certain foods? Let us know. 

-Victoria, KIWI intern

When it comes to bringing a new dog or cat into the family, I’m a strong advocate of supporting local animal shelters or rescue organizations. Pet adoption not only saves countless dogs and cats from euthanasia, it’s also a stance against the puppy mills and kitten factories that supply pet shops across the country. 

That said, you can imagine my excitement when I learned that San Francisco is considering new legislation that would ban the sale of dogs, cats, birds, and other small animals. Instead, residents looking for a pet would have to adopt, thereby reducing the city’s shelter population while eliminating support for large-scale breeding operations that typically favor inbreeding and force animals to live in squalid conditions.

Opponents say the initiative takes choice away from consumers and could negatively impact the pet shop industry—to which I say, who cares? Pet shops that earn the majority of their profits from selling factory pets can find new, more humane ways to make money, while more local citizens will begin to consider the importance of animal welfare. If the proposed legislation becomes law, everyone in San Francisco (furry or not!) will benefit.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

We think of summer as the time to go to the beach, play in the grass, and have barbecues on the porch. But the truth is we spend a lot of time inside, too, what with all the heat and rain. That’s why it’s important to think about indoor air quality, even in summer.

Indoor air is two to five times as polluted as outdoor air, and kids are more susceptible to the pollutants: They’re smaller, still developing, and they breathe faster than adults, so they take in more pollutants. Greenguard is a great go-to resource for air quality information and products that they’ve certified with strict standards, and the EPA has a part of their site devoted to it too. Here’s one easy tip: If it’s SO hot that you’re not going to open windows to ventilate, then run your air conditioner with the vent control open. And be sure to keep the filter clean, since that’s what traps the dust particles. 

I also went to an event recently that was sponsored by Miele, the appliance company, and learned that they’re very concerned with indoor air quality, too. Miele vacuums have HEPA filters, the type that’s recommended by the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology for removing very fine particles from the air, but they also emit fewer particles into the air than other vacuums.

Enjoy your summer, and stay cool and healthy!

-Sarah, editorial director