Category — Health & Wellness

Flickr user snehroy under CCL

I never thought of myself as an emotional eater. That is, until last spring, when for one afternoon it seemed like the various pressures of being a grownup just might throw me over the edge of sanity and into the land of nervous breakdowns. Looking back, I can’t even remember the events the nearly pushed me to the brink, but I do remember the intense feeling of wanting to eat a brownie. Never before being the type of person who’d been driven to indulge in those feel-good foods from stress or anxiety, I marveled at this new type of craving. And that night after dinner, I ate the brownie, and it was intensely pleasurable. For a brief while, I forgot about all of the day’s problems and concentrated instead on the rich chocolate flavors and dense, chewy textures. Even after finishing, I was able simply to sit back and pat my belly contentedly.

But even though I’d really enjoyed the brownie, all the while as I ate it there was a tiny voice in my head saying, It’s fine to do this once, but you can’t make it a habit. In other words, I could not start eating brownies every time life felt a little overwhelming—for the sake of my health and my waistline. I knew this because stress eating is something we hear about all the time. My harried-woman-craving-chocolate scenario was pretty classic, but it’s certainly not the only one: What about the woman who downs a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in an attempt to console herself over a bad breakup? The guy who just wants to unwind after a grueling day at work by vegging out in front of the TV beer and a pizza? Even kids turn to unhealthy foods when they want to take their minds off something unpleasant—why else would doctors offices hand out post-shot lollipops?

And now, new Belgian research confirms what most of us already know to be true, at least anecdotally: Rich, fatty foods cheer us up. More specifically, the chemicals found in the foods actually alter our bodies’ hormone and nerve cell responses in the gut and brain, making us feel happier. To some, high fat foods can actually act as a sort of drug to help us—albeit temporarily—forget our troubles.

Which really just leads to more trouble, since as I came to realize, reaching for a brownie whenever times got tough is a great way to gain weight. While I think enjoying treats in moderation during special times—say, ice cream cones to celebrate your child’s winning jump shot—is probably healthiest, it’s also important to acknowledge reality: Even during the most mundane, un-special days, adults and kids sometimes need a little boost. A few minutes of yoga or meditative breathing might be ideal, but eating a mood-enhancing, portion-controlled snack is far less offensive than some of the other ways people might choose to relieve tension.

Still, even a portion-controlled brownie is still a brownie, so it might be a good idea to acknowledge your cravings with slightly healthier higher fat foods when life gets crazy (at least, most of the time). Some better-for-you swaps:

-Marygrace, staff writer

Image via Flickr user andrevanb under a Creative Commons license

Summer’s my favorite season, so it’s pretty easy for me to come up with about a million reasons why this time of year is great (sunshine! the beach! ice cream cones! running through sprinklers!). But it’s also easy for me to come up with one reason why this time of year is not-so-great: bugs. When the warm weather rolls around, the creepy critters are everywhere to be found—and here in Texas, we’re not just talking ants and fruit flies.

Free pest control services are frequently offered in my building, but since that means pumping my apartment full of nasty chemical spray, I always say no. Fortunately, my dog does a pretty good job nixing bugs naturally—whenever she sees one, she hunts it down in a jiffy. Still, I feel bad making her do all the work, so I asked some of our readers to share their favorite earth-friendly methods for getting rid of summer pests on Facebook. Some of their top tips:

Sugar ants: Tea Tree Oil. Also, simply weeding around the house helps immensely. As for mosquitos: California Baby 30+SPF is a natural bug repellent! -Anna R.

Neem oil eucalyptus and rosemary with some water in a spray bottle. -Janine V.

We just had a flea problem…sprinkled salt and baking soda all over the house, vacuumed up the next day. -Dayna L.

Peppermint oil! Ants, spiders, ect hate the stuff! I mix it into my normal cleaning spray (vinegar, water and a squirt of 7th gen dish soap) and critters stay out of the house all summer! And vitamin b-1 patches for when we’re camping .. they last 2-3 days and keep the bugs off! safe for the kids too! -Rebekah M.

I use coffee grounds around the house. It keeps the ants at bay and is great for plants that thrive in acidic soil. For mosquitoes, I use Tom’s of Maine Lemongrass deodorant, eat lots of garlic and wear oils like sandalwood, patchouli, ylang ylang, etc… For the kids, I use Burt’s Bees bug repellent. -Laura M.

Crushed cinnamon sticks keep the ants away, and makes the house smell nice! -Maria C.

Considering that conventional pest treatments usually smell pretty gross, I especially love the fact that most of these remedies will actually make your living space (and you) smell better. What about you—have you tried any of these? Got any bug zapping tricks of your own?

-Marygrace, staff writer

Summer is the time for green, plush lawns and impressive home gardens. Kids play outside in the grass and dirt and pets enjoy the outside sun. A pristine lawn is often achieved through the use of synthetic lawn chemicals, but is the use of these products worth the problems these chemicals cause the environment, your pets, and your family?

One of the most well-known problems lawn chemicals create is the environmental damage caused by synthetic pesticide and fertilizer runoff into our water systems. The fertilizers cause algae to grow faster while the pesticides cause it to die and decompose at increased rates, consuming too-large amounts of the water’s oxygen supply. The result: Fish and other aquatic life have a hard time surviving in the oxygen-deprived water.

As if this environmental damage alone isn’t enough to stop the use of synthetic lawn boosters, these chemicals can also harm pets and people. Synthetic lawn chemicals can easily get into a dog or cat’s system by direct contact when playing in the yard or by breathing them in, potentially increasing the risk for developing lymphoma and bladder cancer. Even scarier? Synthetic lawn chemicals are linked to increased risk of behavioral disorders, asthma, child leukemia, birth defects, liver and kidney damage, and lowered immunity—especially in kids, since they have more skin surface compared to their weight and take more breaths per minute than adults. Their developing organs are also less able to detoxify toxins that enter their bodies.

Organic lawn products do not contain the harmful chemicals that cause the increased rate of growth, death, and decomposition of algae so using them instead of synthetic chemicals could be one step of many to help our aquatic life. They also lack the harmful chemicals that cause the health problems in both people and pets. It is important to know that changing your lawn care techniques will not completely eliminate the risk of these harmful effects from your life as these synthetic chemicals can be carried into your home from other yards, so spread the word! As you’re watching your little ones enjoy the summer weather playing in your lawn or garden consider using organic lawn products like from Arbico Organics, my personal favorite, or hiring an organic lawn care provider, which you can find at safelawns.org. Whether it’s for the environment, your pets, your family or yourself remember to go green on your lawn this summer!

- Violet, Kiwi intern

At around 3 o’clock I normally get the afternoon yawns and run to grab a coffee to help me get through the rest of my day. Of course my afternoon fatigue is worse on days when I haven’t gotten a good nights sleep—but a lack of sleep can cause much more serious problems than yawning at work. Ideally children should be receiving ten to twelve hours of sleep each night and adults should be receiving at least seven to eight. A lack of adequate sleep can lead to health problems such as lowered immunity, depression, and obesity, as well as heart disease and diabetes. Adequate sleep is of even more importance for children who are still developing. Here are some natural remedies from The Herbal Resource, an online guide to herbal remedies, and their uses that can help improve your sleep and lead to a healthier life:

Valerian The plant’s root has long been used as a sleep aid by people in ancient Greece and Rome. It is one of the most popular herbs used to help insomnia by relieving nerve and muscle tension and anxiety, but is more effective if used over extended periods of time because the active compounds require consistent use to be most effective. Safe in small doses, too-large amounts can cause nausea, headaches and dizziness—so be sure to check with your doctor to determine the right dose for you or your child. Valerian root can be taken in a capsule, tea, tablet, or a liquid extract.

Chamomile is a flowering plant that can be taken as a tea or liquid to reduce restlessness and improve digestion. It is a mild herb that has no chance of dependency, but may cause reactions in people who are allergic to ragweed or daisies because it is in the same family of plants. When taken in a tea form it has a mild and pleasant taste, making it a great remedy for kids!

Kava The root of this herb helps relax the body and calm the mind, in turn helping people fall asleep faster. It is most often taken in a liquid extract form. Kava should not be used for extended periods of time because it has the potential to cause liver damage, and so isn’t recommended for kids.

Lemon Balm is a plant in the mint family that’s leaves can be dried and used as a tea for a sleep aid. The essential oils found in lemon balm helps protect against ulcers making, it very useful for those having trouble sleeping because of a nervous stomach. It would be a great sleep remedy for children the night before a big game or test!

Passion Flower The dried leaves can be taken in a tea form or a liquid extract to relieve body tension and relax the mind. The only side effect? Drowsiness–exactly what you want in a sleep aid!

All of these remedies can be purchased in most drug stores or online at MotherNature.com. Remember to talk with your doctor before starting any sleep aid regimen.
- Violet, Kiwi intern

Summertime in New York City is no joke—it’s hot, humid, and there is virtually no breeze. Top all that off with roughly 8 million people jammed onto one very small island and you’ve got a recipe for one sticky, sweaty summer. These days, most buildings come with central air, but what if you don’t have air conditioning or simply don’t want to run it as often? Here, a few eco-friendly (and economic) ways to keep the whole family cool—without cranking up the A/C.

Get outside early The morning can be a great time to get out and get some exercise—and the earlier the better. Have your child help you pack a picnic of breakfast foods to take to the park, or take your bikes out and ride around the neighborhood—getting kids outside before the temperatures start to rise will keep them active during the summer months and help avoid the inevitable crankiness and discomfort that the late-afternoon hot weather can dredge up.

Keep your house as cool as possible It may seem counterintuitive, but keep shades drawn and windows closed during the day, since sunlight streaming through your windows can create a mini greenhouse effect in your home, and leaving windows open lets warm air in and cool air out. At night, keep your windows wide open—as long as the nighttime air is cooler than the air inside your home—this will allow cool air to circulate and help keep your house cool during the day. Another tip? Plant a tree—or place a big potted plant—along the side of the house or in front of the windows to absorb some of the sun’s rays.

Eat cold snacks Just like drinking cold beverages, eating cold foods can help cool your body from the inside out on a hot day. Frozen grapes are still one of my favorite summertime snacks, or have your child help make lemonade pops or a cold soup. If you do cook, try to avoid using the stove or oven, as they’ll only heat your home up more. In fact, try to keep most electronics and appliances off and unplugged (even when in standby mode, they tend to stay hot).

Keep plenty of water on hand It may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s definitely worth repeating—water is the easiest way to stay cool. Whether taking the kids for a dip at the pool or downing an icy beverage, you’ll feel immediate relief. Not up for swimming, but still want to get your child outside? Soak his t-shirt in water before going outdoors—just make sure it’s lukewarm, as cold water can sometimes be too chilly. At night, give kids a cool bath before putting them in cotton or linen jammies—these natural fabrics tend to be more lightweight and breathable than fabrics made from synthetic fibers like nylon or polyester.

What about you? How do you keep your family cool in the summer?

-Dana, KIWI Intern

One of my favorite tips from last week’s KIWI College webinar with Paige Wolf (author of Spit That Out!) was when she said that while she’d love to buy only wooden toys, that’s just not practical for her. So instead, she tries to avoid colorful plastic toys  when it comes to things that kids will put in their mouths. That’s a great goal, not only to limit kids’ exposure to plastic, but to avoid artificial colors! We think about them in food, but not always in the other things kids put in their mouths.

It reminded me of a product we learned about recently here at KIWI: Hevea bath toys. These rubber bath toys have a cool translucent color, because they’re totally dye-free. So, wood is not your only source of dye-free baby products. (Another great option? The water-based dyes used by Plan Toys on their cute wooden toys.)

What are your favorite eco toys?

—Sarah, editorial director

I’ve been an allergy-sufferer for almost my entire life. Dogs, dust mites, grass—you name it, I’m probably allergic to it. (As my allergist put it to me at the tender age of five: “You probably shouldn’t have any animals in the house… But you can still hug the trees!” I was devastated.) So I can relate to parents who may be hesitant to introduce a pet to their young child—especially if they themselves have ever suffered from being around animals (itchy eyes, itchy nose, itchy throat—so much itching.)

However, you may want to think twice before deciding against that four-legged companion completely. A recent study suggests that not only is it unlikely that being around a dog or a cat for most of the childhood years will increase a child’s chances of developing allergies as some studies have shown, but early exposure could actually lower the risk.

Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit studied 565 18-year-olds who had been followed from birth. They found that teens who had cats during their first year of life had 50 percent less chance of developing pet allergies later, compared to babies born into cat-free homes. Boys who lived with a dog during the first year of life had about half the risk of developing allergies as compared to those without a dog in the house, though, oddly, this wasn’t true for girls—a fact that researchers were unable to explain.

In fact, being exposed to pets anytime after the first year of life seemed to have no effect on allergy risk at all, which, researchers feel indicates that a baby’s first year is a critical time when it comes to the possibility of a child developing pet allergies. The reason for this? Researchers believe it may lie in the “hygiene theory”—the idea that early exposure to certain environmental factors, like dust or animal dander, might trigger the immune system to develop a tolerance for common allergens, therefore reducing the likelihood of a child developing sensitivities.

Still, researchers are quick to point out that even though the study indicates that having pets early in life could help protect kids from allergies, this doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship—meaning you probably shouldn’t rush out to get a pet in the hopes that it’ll make your child immune to pet allergies. However, if you’re planning on getting a pet, it might be better to get one sooner rather than later.

Fortunately for me, my allergies have never been life threatening, and my mom agreed to keeping pets in the house, so long as my symptoms didn’t get out of hand. To this day, I live quite happily with a cat of my own, and though I still take a pill everyday to help relieve some of that awful itching, I’m an animal lover and a pet owner, and I wouldn’t have grown up any other way.

What about you? Did you grow up with animals and allergies? Do you think exposing your child early in life to common allergens could prevent them from developing allergy symptoms later in life?

-Dana, KIWI Intern

Today’s KIWI College webinar featured Paige Wolf, author of Spit That Out: The Overly Informed Parent’s Guide to Raising Children in the Age of Environmental Guilt. We had a great discussion with the audience about good ways to deal with friends and relatives who aren’t so into being green, how to make cloth diapering work for you, finding deals on organic foods, and more. Paige suggested a number of deal and coupon sites, so in case you missed them:

Mighty Nest (eco-friendly dishware, toys, and more)

Rosie Hippo (green toys and products for kids)

Pure Citizen (“flash sales with a heart”)

GreenBabyBargains.com (daily deals on green goods)

Eco Baby Buys (daily deals for baby items)

YourGreenHelper.com (coupons and deals for green moms)

Organic Deals (organic coupons and deals)

Visit Paige’s site and Facebook page for more, and share your own favorites there or on KIWI’s Facebook page!

—Sarah, editorial director

If you’re trying to raise kids the KIWI way, TV and movies can feel like a problem: How do they fit into a wholesome, holistic life? There are so many programs that claim to be educational, or appropriate for kids under 13, but are they? That’s why I’m thrilled to announce that KIWI is partnering with Common Sense Media to bring you a few of their age-specific, super-helpful reviews in each issue of the magazine, starting this fall. You can incorporate screen time into a healthy life if you want–and if you know where to find the best stuff. Can’t wait till fall? Their site will keep you updated on all the “must-see” summer movies, and much more.

While you’re figuring out what to see in a theater, I have two DVDs for preschoolers that stand out among the pack vying for your child’s attention. A lot of videos cross my desk, but these are special–you’ll have no guilt popping one of these in the DVD player this summer:

Ruby’s Studio: The Feelings Show. I’m pretty confident that you and your kids will fall in love with Ruby, the host of this Mr.-Rogers-for-a-new-generation show (produced by moms!). She’s upbeat and engaging without being annoying, and the show has a wonderful leisurely pace that perfectly matches what kids need as they grow and learn. There’s still a lot for kids to see and do, just minus the frantic pace of too many shows. The Feelings Show episode is all about helping kids understand social and emotional lessons, and there’s a neat “pop-up parenting” feature you can turn on to get little tips to help you reinforce the show’s message once it’s over.

Juno Jr: The Day the Music Stopped. The Juno Baby and Juno Jr. series do an excellent job bringing real (ie, not cheesy) music to little kids. There’s a whole series of videos and CDs, so if you’re as charmed by Juno her little brother Rai Rai as I am, there’s lots more fun out there. In this episode, the beautifully animated world of Harmonia Springs goes silent (little mix-up with a Shush Machine), so Juno and friends have to make their own music. Plus, there’s an app for The Day the Music Stopped, so you can go all multimedia and still know your kids are having fun and learning.

—Sarah, editorial director

Last month, we heard about an elementary school in Chicago that had banned students from bringing home-packed lunches in an effort to monitor and improve what kids were eating. Now, cafeteria cameras are photographing kids’ lunch tray choices? At least, that’s what’s happening in five San Antonio elementary schools, thanks to a a $2 million federally-funded research project.

Here’s how it works: Students whose parents have given consent for them to participate will be identified by a barcode placed on their lunch trays. After the child has loaded his plate, a camera above the cafeteria cashier will snap a photo of each tray to record his lunch choices. Once lunch is over, and trays are returned to the kitchen, another camera in the trash area will photograph what foods were actually eaten. A computer program will then analyze the photo to identify every piece of food left on the plate, and calculate the number of calories and nutrients the child consumed.

At a glance, the idea seems intrusive, but the researchers think that getting a better idea of what kids are (and aren’t) eating, can help them to develop and improve programs to prevent childhood obesity. And, as parents will be receiving reports of what their child chooses to eat, health officials also hope this will motivate moms and dads to encourage healthy eating habits at home. Meanwhile the schools are anticipating that the technology will help them to create healthier lunches based on foods kids actually like to eat.

Though only children whose parents allow them to participate will be monitored, and they will remain anonymous (students won’t be photographed and their tray barcodes will be used to match the before-and-after photos), the program has stirred up some controversy. Some skeptics claim that it will only confirm what parents already know: that kids like high-fat, sugary foods and eat too much of them. Other critics say that the $2 million going towards the project would be better spent on nutrition education, or on reforming the school lunches themselves.

The San Antonio project starts next school year and is being conducted by The Social and Health Research Center, a San Antonio-based nonprofit organization. The program has funding for four years and researchers are still improving the software, but if it proves successful in the five pilot schools, they hope to take the system nationwide.

What do you think? Would you consent to your child’s school photographing what he eats? There’s no doubt that school lunches should be healthier, but it’s also true that, when given a choice, kids tend to skimp on healthier foods in favor of something they consider more appealing. Do you think programs like this one will help students, parents, and schools make healthier choices?

-Dana, KIWI Intern

Every year in May, the League of American Bicyclists sponsors National Bike Month—giving riders a chance to celebrate an activity that’s good for the body and the planet. And with warm weather starting to arrive, now’s the perfect time for the whole family to dust off their bikes and hit the pavement. But before you head out, you and your child might want to freshen up on safety and riding skills first. So whether your little one is setting out to learn on her first set of training wheels, or your big kid’s gearing up to try out his brand new 10-speed, we’ve got tips for parents of riders of all ages.

Give your bike a proper tune up Just like a car that hasn’t been used in several months, you want to make sure your bike is in good working order before hitting the road. Have your child help pump air into the tires, check reflectors and headlights (or attach them if you haven’t already), and check the brakes and handlebars. You also want to make sure the seat is properly secured and that the chains are oiled and good to go. The League of American Bicyclists offers easy-to-understand tips and instructions for bike upkeep at bikeleague.org/resources/better/maintenance.php.

Wear a helmet This may seem obvious, but it’s certainly a safety rule worth repeating, since according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 91 percent of bicyclists killed in 2009 reportedly weren’t wearing helmets. If you establish–and enforce–a helmet rule as soon as your child starts riding, it will become a habit for life. And if she seems resistant to the idea because she thinks helmets are ugly or uncomfortable, talk to her about why you want her to protect her head. While there’s not much on the market in terms of eco-friendly helmets, you can find helmet-buying tips and advice, as well as a list of the Consumer Reports top rated bike helmets for kids at and adults, at squidoo.com/kids-bike-helmets. And if your child chooses a helmet himself, it might be more likely he’ll want to wear it.

Follow the rules of the road Explain to your child that even if they’re on two wheels instead of four, bicycle riders have to follow the same rules as cars and buses, and then some! Make your child feel like she’s part of a special club now that she’s big enough to ride a bike (riding on the right side of the road and following traffic signs are for everyone—wearing bright colored clothes and a helmet are special rules for kids in the Bike Riding Club only!). Need to brush up on your bike safety rules? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a list of riding tips for parents and kids.

Practice, practice, practice! Take your younger child to a school or church parking lot to get a handle on the basics, like starting and stopping, and looking both ways before crossing a street. Even if your little one is still on training wheels, this is good practice for when she decides to take them off. If your child is on two wheels, have him ride in a circle, as well as a straight line, to master balance; and then along a painted line while looking back at you without swerving, to get the hang of straight-riding. Remind him to keep an eye out for possible dangers, like potholes or broken pavement.

Plan a neighborhood ride Once your child seems comfortable and ready to ride, map out a neighborhood ride to take together. Encourage her to take the lead, finding the best routes to take to get to school or a friend’s house—this will enable her to put the new rules she’s learned to use. Or check out websites like traillink.com or maps.google.com to find nearby bike trails you can hit together.

Bike riding can be a fun and healthy activity for the whole family, and the safer and more prepared everyone is, the better! For more bicycle safety and maintenance advice, during National Bike Month and all year along, visit bikeleague.org.

 
-Dana, KIWI Intern

It got above 70° this weekend, and that means it’s time for ice cream. A few weeks ago, we had a visit in the KIWI offices from the folks at Yonanas. They wanted to come by, they said, because they could make a frozen dessert that looked and tasted just like soft serve but was filled with healthy vitamins and minerals. Sure, I thought, try me.

Well, I’ve been anxiously waiting for them to tell me that the product has officially launched, so that I could tell you about it without having to say, “oh, but you have to wait to get it.” That’s because I guarantee you will be shocked—shocked!—at the completely ice-creamy flavor and texture you’ll get from…bananas.

That’s right: Bananas. Nothing else, just bananas. I promise you it doesn’t taste like cold, mashed bananas. It tastes like ice cream. (There’s some secret thing the machine does—and it isn’t adding dairy, really.) You can actually use any frozen fruit, so go ahead: Hand it to your kids for breakfast. Coolest mom ever.

Enjoy!
—Sarah, editorial director

For me, there’s nothing quite like that wonderful feeling in early spring when the sun finally starts to make its way through all the gray, and you’re filled with the anticipation and excitement of knowing that long, sun-filled days spent outside are just around the corner. And recent research has found that this happiness most of us experience from being outdoors isn’t only in our minds—turns out, nature is an essential component for good health, too.

According to University of Illinois environment and behavior researcher Frances “Ming” Kuo, a closer look at research done throughout the past decade has repeatedly shown that access to nature and green spaces actually improves health—physically and mentally—regardless of factors like age or income. “In greener settings, we find that people are more generous and more sociable. We find stronger neighborhood social ties and greater sense of community, more mutual trust and willingness to help others,” Kuo said in a news release.

Kuo’s research has found studies that show that more time spent outside can result in everything from a speedier recovery after surgery to better cognitive functioning, whereas a lack of access to nature has been linked to higher rates of anxiety, clinical depression and childhood obesity. So the next time your child’s ready to settle down in front of the TV or computer, suggest heading outdoors to play instead. Getting outside will improve your family’s overall wellbeing, and might even inspire a lifelong appreciation of wildlife and nature in your child. A few fun activities to try:

Start a collection When I was growing up, I had what I thought was the world’s coolest rock collection. Granted, most of them were pebbles I’d found on the playground at school, but that hobby definitely got me outside looking for potential new additions. Whether it’s rocks, bugs, or leaves, starting a collection of some of nature’s finest goodies will not only get your child outside, it will make her want to be there.

Play good old-fashioned games Classic outdoor games like red rover, red light-green light, and flashlight tag are not only tons of fun, they’re a great way to get families outside and moving together. If you’re feeling really inspired, help your child plan a neighborhood scavenger or treasure hunt with friends.

Write a book Whether it’s a pretty plant at a nearby park, or that cute squirrel in your backyard your child has adopted as his own, Mother Nature offers plenty of story ideas to creative minds. Next time your child wants to go outside, have him print this wildlife watch journaling activity from the National Wildlife Federation’s website—little nature lovers can write down the different animals and plants they see and write a story about them, then they can upload stories and photos to share with other outdoor enthusiasts.

Turn nature into works of art Even if your child isn’t necessarily on his way to becoming the next Monet, suggest he take his next art project to the great outdoors. You can collect and press dry flowers, make leaf prints with all-natural ink and foam stamps, or even make watercolors with fresh-picked berries—all you need are some mashed up berries and a paint brush (plus plenty of newspaper, to avoid major messes!).

What about you? Now that the weather’s (finally) taken a turn for the better, how do you and your family plan on spending time outside?

-Dana, KIWI Intern

Here’s a scary number: Nearly 10 percent of all U.S. babies are born prematurely, before the 37^th week of pregnancy. In addition to being a lot smaller than their full-term counterparts, preemies’ organs are often underdeveloped, creating the risk for health problems including jaundice, internal bleeding, and difficulty breathing.

Heartbreaking as the problem is, there’s a way we can work to reduce the number of pre-term births and help more babies who are born prematurely grow up to be healthy kids. Nonprofit organization, March of Dimes Foundation, works to improve the health of babies and moms-to-be in communities in America and around the world. Their national March for Babies initiative aims to help preemies through local walks that promote awareness about premature birth, plus raise money for research and healthcare.

This year, more than 7 million people in 900 communities across the country are participating. The 3-6 mile walks consist largely of family and corporate fundraising teams; you can join an existing team or learn how to start your own at the March for Babies website. Plenty of March for Babies walks are happening this month, though, and individual sign-ups and fundraising pledges are also available if there isn’t much time left to connect with a team.

There’s a March for Babies walk taking place here in Austin this weekend, and if I can muster the funds in time, would really like to go. Find an event near you at marchforbabies.org—and tell me if you’re planning to walk!

-Marygrace, staff writer

I recently read a really scary book.

It wasn’t written by Stephen King or James Patterson. It wasn’t even fiction. But the tales of necrotizing pneumonia and pus filled abscesses caused by a virulent strain of antibiotic resistant bacteria made my hair stand on end.

Maryn McKenna, an award-winning medical writer, created a terrifying and vivid portrayal of drug-resistant staph in Superbug: The Fatal Menace of MRSA. The book has the style of a crisply written detective novel from its first paragraph, comprised of one line:

“Tony Love’s knee ached.”

This ordinary knee ache resulted from a collision on the volleyball court where he scraped his elbow. From this ordinary childhood injury, came a knee so swollen that this healthy teenager could not put weight on it. The first ER visit resulted in a prescription for Motrin and hot towels. A few days later, the teen was in so much pain that he could not walk or even eat. Within minutes of the family’s arrival at the ER, Tony crashed into septic shock. His body was wracked with infection – a voracious antibiotic resistant staph known as MRS (methicillan-resistant Staphyloccus areus). Tony ultimately recovered, but the story of how a little bit of bacteria felled an otherwise healthy kid is only the beginning of McKenna’s nightmarish portrayal of the infection that could hit any one of us at any time.

The backstory: The antibiotic era began during World War II, when penicillin was released to the public in 1944. While it was heralded as a wonder drug, even its creator, Sir Alexander Fleming, was beginning to fear the ability of the bacteria to circumvent the drug’s protection.

Given the wont of Americans to overdo, this fear was justified. Penicillin was added to face soaps and body creams and was prescribed to excess. The nimble bug it was supposed to cure evolved, getting stronger. Appearing first mainly in hospitals where the patient’s resistance is weak, the bacteria then developed a community strain, infecting individuals with no connection to hospitals, either patients or workers, killing, in some instances, healthy children within hours.

The current problem: The real story, however, is not the spread of this Superbug, but the system that we constructed to give it life. The over prescribing of antibiotics by busy doctors, overcrowded prisons, and poor hygiene are part of this perfect storm that we’ve created. While these are large contributors, we must not forget the livestock industry. Between 70 and 80 percent of the antibiotics used in this country are given to animals raised for food. The lion’s share of this percentage is provided either preventatively (i.e. so that otherwise healthy animals will not get ill under the wretched confinement system that they are forced into) or as sub-therapeutic doses to help the animals gain weight so that they can reach slaughter sooner. Despite connections made between the antibiotics used in livestock production and resistant bacteria that infects individuals working with these animals, the livestock industry has claimed that this relationship is not proven with absolute certainty. Their case is growing weaker by the day.

Why this matters for families: Before reading Superbug, the question of confinement raised animals was an ethical one for me – whether the misery inflicted upon animals and, for that matter, the humans working in those facilities by the putrid conditions outweighed the need to eat cheap meat. Even the environmental degradation resulting from the inevitable careless management of CAFOs seemed a distant and intangible casualty. For me, Superbug has changed the argument from one of ethics to a moral imperative. In every hamburger of unknown origin, I see Tony Love’s face–or even worse, that of Carlos Don IV.

Carlos was another healthy kid who left on a school trip and returned with a 104°F fever. The first doctor diagnosed Carlos with walking pneumonia so his mother kept him home bundled and hydrated until she realized that he was beginning to hallucinate. She rushed Carlos to the hospital and the doctor’s ultimately diagnosed his condition as MRSA. A long slow death march ensued during which Carlos’s lungs dissolved and clotting choked off the blood to his lower intestines, legs and arms. In two weeks, he was dead.

After reading Carlos’s story late in the evening, I woke my son from a dead sleep to scrub his hands clean. I hugged him as tightly as I could.

What we can do: Since the government has been slow to respond to this growing menace, we moms need to take action. Pew Charitable Trust is launching a Mom’s Campaign to Save Antibiotics. If we don’t, we may soon reach the end of antibiotics and the 20th century wonder drug will be powerless to protect us and our children.

To learn more about this issue or to join the campaign, visit Save Antibiotics.org. They also have a Facebook page and a twitter feed @saveantibiotics.

—Guest blogger Melissa Graham is the founder of Purple Asparagus.

Whether you are a parent, teacher, school staff member, student, or community volunteer, you want your school to provide a healthy, welcoming place to learn. Green schools aren’t just important on Earth Day, so the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council came up with 11 simple ways you can help make your school greener year-round!

1. Ready, set – wait, where do we start?

It’s hard to know what to fix if you don’t know where you stand. If you want to kick off a recycling or composting program at your school, it’s helpful to know how much of each kind of waste your school produces so you target the right items. If you want to help your school save energy, you need to know how much energy it uses today and where the biggest energy inefficiencies are. There are a lot of reasons to find out where your starting point is—the celebration of your school’s success will be so much sweeter if you can measure how far you’ve come. And showing measurable success is the best way to get others on board to help out.

2. Go behind the scenes

Speaking of figuring out where your school stands—why not ask the real experts? When is the last time you talked to your school’s custodians? The men and women who take care of school buildings are the best source for knowledge about how to make schools more efficient, healthier, and more environmentally responsible. They have often been trained on green cleaning methods or energy efficiency initiatives. Where can the lights be turned off more often? Why is there a strange smell in that corner room? They know their buildings inside and out, and asking them for ideas is a great way to appreciate their work and bring them onto the team.

3. Put the kids in charge

If you are a parent or you work with kids, you know that no group is better able or more willing to speak up about why being smart about the environment is important than kids–they get it! Students across the country are starting green clubs in their schools, with the help and support of teachers and parents. These students plant gardens on school property, calculate carbon footprints, advocate for environmentally preferable purchasing, assess school energy use, enforce the school’s recycling program with their peers, encourage teachers to bring sustainability curriculum into the classroom, and much more. Help start a club at your school, and let the kids run with it!

4. “Hey, what’s this thing do?”

Your school might already be a green school. Heck, your school might be the greenest school in the world. But how would you know? There is a simple way to find out (and share) this information: SIGNS! We’ve seen some fantastic examples of schools that use signs to help tell their buildings’ stories. Take a look at this video about Manassas Park Elementary in Virginia, where you can see all of the various ways the school tells its occupants what’s going on around them. The more you find out about your school and how it works, the more you will gain to share with all of the students, faculty and staff in the building. If you want to green your school, everyone needs to feel like they’re part of the team—and people don’t get behind something they don’t understand.

5. You are what you eat…and recycle, throw away and compost…

The attention that school lunch food has been getting lately—through programs like Alice Water’s Edible Schoolyard and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution—is beginning to change the way Americans look at the food we give our kids. You can get the movement started at your school in a number of ways. You can plant a school vegetable garden to help students understand where food comes from. You can work with kids to prepare fresh meals or snacks that they can enjoy on the spot. And don’t forget about the opposite end of the lunch period—what about hosting a waste-free lunch day?

6. Let the Sun Shine In

If you’ve ever had to spend a few hours in a windowless office or conference room, no one needs to tell you much about the relationship between daylight and productivity (and happiness!). But in case there is any doubt, several studies have connected the two in adults as well as children. So open the blinds! Take that student artwork off the windows and hang it somewhere else. No windows or small windows in your kids’ classroom? Move class outdoors every once in a while or to a room with more access to the sunshine.

7. You know it’s dust, but what IS it?

We don’t always think about it, but dust is not just magically-appearing gray clouds. It comes from our clothes, our skin, and various other items we use during the day. It also, importantly, contains dust mites and cockroach dander (yes, it’s true!) that can be very harmful to breathe, especially to kids with asthma or other respiratory problems. The EPA’s Tools for Schools Indoor Air Quality program gives tips for keeping a healthy classroom—one of the simplest and most crucial is to clean out the clutter. Those corner piles of paper and decorations and science experiments serve as great collection areas for dust—not to mention their tendency to block daylight from windows and get in the way of air conditioning and heating vents. Clean them out and your classroom will be automatically easier to keep clean and healthy.

8. No really, what is that smell?

We know schools can really smell—whether it’s someone’s day-old snack, the students’ recess sweat, or the closet full of who-knows-what. The temptation is to mask all those smells with plug-in or spray air fresheners, but please don’t! The problem is that those smells could also be coming from mildew under the sink, cleaners or sealants used by the custodian, mold above the ceiling tiles, or any number of other sources. If you mask the smell with something additional (like the air freshener), you’re not only NOT getting rid of the problem, you’re also ADDING to the asthma triggers within the classroom. Air fresheners and bleach-based cleaners do not make air better for students and teachers; they only add other smells on top of an already bad situation. Learn more about air quality in classrooms by exploring the Green Cleaning and Indoor Air Quality resources from the Healthy Schools Campaign and by taking a virtual walkthrough developed by Greenguard.

9. Lights out!

Did you know that lighting typically uses over 25% of the energy used in a school? A school-wide lighting retrofit is an easy way to save on electricity bills—the payback time from the decrease in energy costs is typically less than two years. But if a retrofit isn’t in the cards for your school, a good old-fashioned “Turn Out the Lights” campaign can go a long way. Your student green team (see #3) and your excellent signage (see #4) will forge the way, and a chat with your custodian (see #2) will ensure you’re hitting all of the bases. If you’re looking for more ways to save energy at school, you can find great tips from Alliance to Save Energy, SchoolDude, and EPA’s EnergyStar program.

10. Carpooling – jump in, the water’s fine!

You can start small, but a school carpooling program can have a big effect. The more kids or teachers in a car on the way to school, the less fossil fuel used per person and the less pollution emitted per person. Start in one or two classes to see if parents seem interested in reducing the number of times they need to drive back and forth from school. There are several ways to scale it up from there—from a simple bulletin board by the office to a paid service for online carpool coordination. You could also start a campaign to get kids and families walking or biking to school (as a group), and see who will stick with it for the year.

11. Stand up on your (fragrance-free) soap box!

The more excited you get about greening your school, the more comfortable you’ll be talking about it with others. Present what you’ve discovered to your school or school district leadership. They’ll likely be impressed by your service to your school, and your voice can add to the encouragement they are getting from their peers and leaders. Encourage them to join the Coalition for Green Schools—a group that includes the National School Boards Association, National PTA, American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, American Association of School Administrators, Association of School Business Officials, Council of Educational Facility Planners and other leading education and school building organizations. Use examples from the PBS Special Growing Greener Schools, from actions of state legislators around the country, and from inspiring schools such as Environmental Charter High School in LA and the School District of Philadelphia.

If you need more inspiration to keep going, check back with us often—when we set the mission to achieve green schools for everyone within this generation, we meant it!

-Anisa Baldwin Metzger, Center for Green Schools Fellows Manager

Good news for parents whose child has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a few dietary changes might help to reduce their symptoms, according to a recent study from the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands. A restricted elimination diet can work, researchers say, because they believe ADHD symptoms in some children might be affected by eating specific foods.

Researchers recruited 100 children from Belgium and the Netherlands between the ages of 4 and 8 who had been diagnosed with ADHD and divided them into two groups. One group was placed on the restrictive elimination diet, and parents of the rest of the kids were simply told to feed their children a healthy diet.

The “few foods diet,” included mainly rice, white meat such as turkey, water, and some fruits and vegetables that are generally considered hypoallergenic, like pears and carrots. Foods such as wheat, tomatoes, oranges, eggs, and dairy products were eliminated, as they are often linked with allergies or food intolerances.

After five weeks, children who reacted well to the restricted diet entered a second phase of the study where different foods were slowly introduced to see if the children’s symptoms worsened. Amazingly, 64 percent of the children on the restricted diet in the first phase exhibited fewer ADHD symptoms than kids who didn’t eat the restricted diet. When elimination foods were reintroduced, the symptoms returned.

The news may come as a relief for parents who would like to avoid the many possible side effects associated with common stimulant drugs used to treat ADHD—like sleeplessness, headaches, decreased appetite, and even depression. The study indicates that up to two-thirds—or 2 of the 3 million children currently medicated for ADHD—may not need medication at all, says its lead author, Lidy Pelsser, PhD, of the ADHD Centre in the Netherlands. “If a child is diagnosed ADHD, we should say, ‘OK, we have got those symptoms, now let’s start looking for a cause,’” Pelsser said in an interview with National Public Radio. “With all children, we should start with diet research.”

However, the study has been met with some criticism: Some say a period of five weeks isn’t long enough to determine whether or not the elimination diet reduces symptoms long-term. Conversely, following such a strict diet for more than five weeks could lead to bigger health problems, like malnutrition. Some experts are also skeptical of how realistic it would be for parents to enforce such a regimented diet, especially on older children.

Still, parents who are reluctant to put their kids on medication might find the prospect of an elimination diet appealing. If you think dietary changes might enable your child to go off her ADHD meds, consider keeping a diary tracking her daily food intake and behavior to see if you notice any particular patterns, like irritability after drinking milk. Then, talk with your child’s doctor about whether gradually eliminating certain foods might work for your family.

-Dana, KIWI Intern

As most people who know me could tell you, I’m a pretty big fan of Diet Coke. And by fan, I mean full-fledged addict. However, due to the possible risks some researchers associate with artificial sweeteners, as well as diet soda’s high sodium content, I’ve always suspected that it probably wasn’t the best thing to consume in large quantities. So I’ve made numerous attempts over the years to cut back or quit, with some success (one time I stopped drinking it for close to a year!), but I always wind up falling off the wagon eventually; all it takes is one sip to get right back into a three-can-a-day habit. However, a recent study might have finally found the research necessary to convince me to quit for good.

Adults who drank diet soda every day have a 61 percent higher risk for heart attack and stroke compared to those who avoided diet drinks altogether, finds new research by Hannah Gardener, an epidemiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Gardener followed over 2,500 New Yorkers for nine years, and kept tabs on their diets, exercise, and cigarette and alcohol consumption. Subjects were also given physical check-ups to measure other factors that could increase their risk for heart attack and stroke, like high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Still, the risks associated with diet sodas existed even when these factors were taken into account. There was no increased risk in regular soda drinkers.

Researchers aren’t sure yet whether this means there’s actually something in diet soda that could cause clogged arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The increased risk could stem from people replacing calories saved from drinking diet sodas with fattier, less-healthy choices, Gardener said at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference last month.

And nobody’s suggesting people cut out diet soda just yet. “I don’t think that anyone should be changing their behaviors based on one study,” she said. “Hopefully this will motivate other researchers to do more studies.” Though that may come as a relief for addicts like myself, Gardener’s research does serve as a reminder that it wouldn’t hurt to try cutting back on that Magical Elixir of Life, as I like to call it. So back on the wagon I go… Again.

-Dana, KIWI Intern

Want to win $75,000 worth of goodies to make your home healthier for your family? Of course you do! KIWI’s friends at Ecomom.com are launching an amazing contest: One lucky family will win a custom home makeover (Ecomom’s team of experts will actually find out what YOU need and make it happen).

Here’s how it works: On Ecomom’s Facebook page, you upload a picture of your family and a 100-word description of why you deserve to win. Then, you need to get votes: Ask your friends, neighbors, the people you wave hello to at drop-off, anyone. The 20 families with the most votes will be finalists, and the big winner will be chosen by Ecomom’s team of experts.

And if you tell people and they want to enter, too? That’s good, because when you share the contest with someone and she enters, too, YOU get entered to win a $1,000 prize. Nice, right?

Have fun, and good luck!

—Sarah, editorial director

Image: Image via Flickr user Lawrence Whittemore under a Creative Commons license

Here’s a sobering stat: Each year, 1,500 kids under age 16 die in car crashes in the United States, according to a new statement published in the journal Pediatrics. Many experts believe the scary number of fatalities are the result of improper car seat usage, since correctly-used car seats have been shown to reduce car accident-related deaths in babies and children nearly 30 percent more than seat belts. Thing is, we all believe we’re using the car seats correctly—but it turns out that many parents have misinterpreted the 2002 American Academy of Pediatrics car seat guidelines.

Today, the AAP is clearing things up with a comprehensive set of updated recommendations to help parents choose the best car seats for their children—and use them correctly. The most important message? Infants and babies should ride in rear-facing car seats until age two, or until they reach they highest height and weight allowed by the car seat manufacturer. (According to the AAP, many parents believed babies only needed to ride in rear-facing car seats until they turned one.)

Some of the other big recommendations:

• After age two, little kids should ride in forward-facing seats with harnesses until they turn four or have outgrown the seat.
• Once a child reaches 4’9″, she should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until she’s able to use the seat belt alone.
• Kids under 13 who can use a seat belt alone still need to sit in the back seat.

Parents can purchase Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families 2011 online for $22, or download a free sample at the AAP Bookstore website.

-Marygrace, staff writer

I’ve had oranges on the brain these days.

In Purple Asparagus’ school programs, we teach parents and children about delicious, nutritious, local and sustainable foods; a complicated task during the winter. While we have several root vegetable curriculums that we pull out in February’s dark days, I like to start the year out with the sparkly seasonal flavors of citrus. Throughout January, I’m hauling blood oranges, Meyer lemons, satsumas, and kumquats for students to taste all over Chicago.

Kids love to learn that what they’ve always seen as the fruit bowl perennial actually has a season. They also are intrigued to discover that the standard naval orange (named for its resemblance to our belly) is only one kind of orange. We talk about the long strange trip of oranges, originating in China, brought by Arab traders to Europe, and then travelling as a seed with Christopher Columbus on a second journey to the Americas in 1493. We highlight the differences in color, cutting into the delicate pink fleshed Cara Cara and the brilliantly hued Moro.
We also examine external differences in color. For example, Florida oranges can be greenish on the exterior. Because the Sunshine State has a subtropical climate where nighttime temperatures are warmer, oranges often retain some green or yellow color, even though the fruit inside is fully ripe. This latter fact may come as a surprise to you. To and meet consumer expectations, according the Florida Department of Citrus, state law “allows the use of ‘color-add’ (Citrus Red No. 2) on early season fruit, when the inside of the fruit is completely mature, but orange and red pigments have not developed in the peel.” The dye is used only on oranges sold whole, not those intended for processing.

When we see a brightly colored cupcake strewn with sprinkles, we know that we’re consuming food dyes. Even when we give our kids Children’s’ Tylenol and its ilk, we can probably guess given its bright hue that it’s not colored naturally. But an orange?

The sad thing about this situation is that we, as consumers, have done our part to create it. The citrus industry is only trying to meet our perceptions on how our food should appear. Apples should be shiny, red and heart shaped; tomatoes, unblemished and ruby in shade (pay no attention to their lack of flavor). How many kids (and adults for that matter) are more familiar with the flavor grape than the actual flavor of a grape?

This is why our Purple Asparagus programs introduce a broad variety of ingredients to the kids we teach. First and foremost, doing so gets kids excited. Imagine their horror and delight when introduced face to face with the red flesh of a blood orange. (Eww, blood, ooh, blood!). But now, I’ve found another justification. We need to show children what real food looks like. If they do, perhaps they’ll do what older generations have not, embrace the beautiful and delicious imperfection of real food. Because if our kids understand that an orange may not always be orange, perhaps we won’t need Citrus Red # 2.

How do you avoid Citrus Red #2?

• Buy organic oranges. The USDA certification process does not allow food dyes.
• Don’t buy conventional Florida oranges early in the season. In practice, Citrus Red No. 2 is rarely used and only in the beginning of the season before the nights have turned cold. If your conventional orange is bright orange in the fall, it’s probably been dyed.
• Buy California or Arizona citrus. These states prohibit the use of Citrus Red No. 2.

Cranberry-Orange Muffins with Chocolate Chips and Streusel Topping

Here’s a terrific use for orange zest. I use organic oranges from California thus avoiding Citrus Red #2.

Muffin Batter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
½ stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoon orange zest

Streusel Topping
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Fill 12 regular muffin cups with silicone or paper liners. Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, butter, and lemon juice in another bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones. Stir to combine. Gently mix in the cranberries, chocolate chips and orange zest. Scoop the batter equally into the lined cups.

Stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and orange zest in a small bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the muffins.

Bake for 20 minutes in the center of the oven or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. The muffins are best eaten the day that they’re made.

—Guest blogger Melissa Graham, founder of Purple Asparagus and blogger at Little Locavores

I live in New York City–home to some of the best restaurants and attractions in the world, as well as nearly 8.4 million people. I’ve never considered myself much of a germophobe, however, when I moved here last August, it took only one week of morning commutes on the city’s subway to invest in a travel-size hand sanitizer to store in my purse. What I didn’t realize was that the product likely contained triclosan, a pesticide found in numerous antibacterial household and personal care products including liquid hand soaps and sanitizers, toothpastes, and cleaning products. What’s worse, this toxin could be harming our bodies as well as the environment.

Some studies have shown that, in pregnant women, triclosan can limit the amount of estrogen being supplied to the fetus, disrupting the flow of oxygen to the baby and negatively affecting brain development.  The pesticide has been found in rivers and streams, and it breaks down into methyl triclosan, a chemical extremely toxic to aquatic life. The use of antibacterials with triclosan has also been linked to increased allergies in children. What’s more, antibacterial soap containing the chemical aren’t actually any more effective than regular soap and water in fighting infections, according to a 2005 FDA advisory panel—and it may actually lead to bacterial resistance, says the American Medical Association.

Due to these findings, the FDA and the EPA are currently reviewing evidence on triclosan’s safety in consumer products. According to the FDA’s website, they will present their findings this spring–but it could take years before any sort of regulatory measures are taken. For now, your best bet is to avoid products containing the pesticide altogether. Check the labels of the product you’re buying—if it’s a cosmetic or an over-the-counter drug (such as toothpaste or antibacterial soap), triclosan will be listed as an ingredient on the label. However, triclosan can also be found in some not-so-obvious household items, such as trash bags, sponges, or even toys. The key here is to remember that triclosan is used to kill bacteria, so if you see the words “antibacterial,” or “fights germs,” skip it, as it probably means the item contains triclosan . Here are a few eco-friendly and healthy alternatives for products that typically contain this potentially harmful pesticide:

• Hand soap and sanitizers Try Clean Well’s All-Natural Antibacterial Hand Soap—not only is it free of toxins and kid-safe, it’s also  readily biodegradable . ($9.99 for a hand-sanitizer and soap starter pack, cleanwelltoday.com)

• Household cleaners Seventh Generation offers everything from multi-surface to toilet bowl cleaners (each are $4.99 for 32 ounces); they even have hypoallergenic laundry detergent ($19.99 for 150 ounces) and trash bags made from recycled plastics ($5.99 for a box of 20 30-gallon bags). But the best part about this eco-friendly brand? They donate 10 percent of their profits to various nonprofit environmental and health organizations. (seventhgeneration.com)

• Cosmetics and facial care Not only does LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics make many of their products by hand, using fresh, organic fruits and vegetables—they also have a Green Policy, dedicated to minimal packaging, using recycled and biodegradable materials to eliminate waste, and sourcing their raw materials in a sustainable manner. Offering everything from Henna hair dye ($23 for 11.4 ounces) to vegan lip balm ($7 for 10 grams), this cruelty-free cosmetic company is sure to have something to make both you and the planet feel good. (lushusa.com)

• Toothpaste Who would have thought the very stuff you use to keep your mouth clean could actually be harming you? Luckily, Tom’s of Maine offers a line of natural care products ranging from toothpaste ($5 for a 4.7 ounce tube) to dental floss and deodorant ($5.50 for 2.25 ounces). The company also donates 10 percent of their pre-tax profit to numerous charitable organizations, like The Nature Conservancy and River Tree Arts. (tomsofmaine.com)

For more information about antibacterial products and triclosan, be sure to check out Dr. Rosen’s Ask the Doctor column in the latest issue of KIWI!

-Dana, KIWI Intern

Image: Flickr user shannonkringen under a Creative Commons license

In the growing battle against childhood allergies, part of the answer might come in the form of a simple dietary supplement. Vitamin D is already known to help build strong bones (by aiding the body’s absorption of calcium), promote healthy cell growth, and reduce inflammation—but it might also play a role in keeping kids’ allergies at bay, finds a new study from Yeshiva University in New York City.

Researchers studied blood samples from 3,100 kids and adolescents and found that children with low levels of vitamin D were more sensitive to several allergens than kids with normal D levels. Many of the offenders were environmental–like ragweed, oak, and dog hair–but peanuts were also on the list: Children with a vitamin D deficiency were 2.4 times more likely to be allergic to the legume. Adults with low vitamin D levels (the study looked at 3,400) were no more likely to have allergies than adults with sufficient vitamin D levels.

While the findings show a definite association between low vitamin D and allergies, study authors caution that there’s still no proof that allergies are caused by low vitamin D–but they do recommend parents work to make sure their kids get adequate vitamin D every day: Babies and kids over the age of one need 600 international units of vitamin D each day, according to the National Institutes of Health (infants under one should get 400 international units). The body produces vitamin D when skin on the face and hands is exposed to midday sun, and good food sources include salmon, tuna, eggs, and fortified foods like milk, orange juice, and cereal. Still, most experts agree that the majority of Americans don’t get as much D as they need, so talk with your child’s pediatrician to find out whether supplements are a good choice for your family.

-Marygrace, staff writer

Though we already know the physical benefits that exercise can provide overweight kids, researchers now think it might also improve their mental health, according to a recent Georgia Health Sciences University study.

Researchers studied 171 overweight, inactive kids between the ages of 7 and 11 and found that vigorous exercise–like running games and jumping rope–improved kids’ ability to think, plan, and do math, according to a report on the university’s web site.

MRI results showed that children who exercised experienced more brain activity in the pre-frontal cortex–the part of the brain associated with complex thinking, decision-making, and correct social behavior. And the more they exercised, the better the results: intelligence scores increased an average of 3.8 points in those who exercised 40 minutes a day for three months versus those who exercised only 20 minutes daily. Researchers believe that this sort of vigorous physical activity promotes the development of the parts of the brain that affect cognition and behavior.

With about one-third of U.S. children being overweight, researchers hope that the findings give educators the evidence they need to make physical activity in schools a daily priority, writes Dr. Catherine Davis, corresponding author on the study and clinical health psychologist at GHSU’s Georgia Prevention Institute.

“I hope these findings will help reestablish physical activity’s important place in the schools in helping kids stay physically well and mentally sharp,” Davis said. “For children to reach their potential, they need to be active.”

-Dana, KIWI Intern

February is Heart Health Month, and I have discovered the absolute best way of lowering everyone’s stress (especially mine): I brought my dog Penny to work. Seriously, studies have shown that dogs can lower blood pressure and reduce stress, which are linked to heart disease. And Penny is doing a great job improving everyone’s heart health: She makes sure to visit all the staff members, even when they aren’t eating lunch. She is also available to be called over for a stress-reducing petting session at any moment. She’s very agreeable that way.

So to all of you with a furry friend and a lot on your plate: Give your pet a hug today! Penny says to.

—Sarah, editorial director

Does your child regularly buy lunch at school? If so, she may have an increased risk for gaining weight, according to new research from the University of Michigan. In a study of over 1,000 sixth graders in southeastern Michigan, kids who regularly ate cafeteria lunches were 29 percent more likely to be obese than kids who regularly brought lunch from home. The results are a little scary—but not necessarily surprising, considering that most school lunch programs offer fare that has too much fat and too many calories, and not enough fruits, vegetables, or whole grains.

Fortunately, not every school offers unhealthy fare. In fact, last spring I had the chance to speak with three chefs who’ve made big changes for some cafeteria menus—without sacrificing flavor. “When you change a school’s menu, the last thing you want to do is take out the stuff that tastes good,” says Tim Love, the owner and executive chef at Lonesome Dove Western Bistro in Fort Worth, Texas, and who revamped the menu at the nearby All Saints’ Episcopal School. Love, along with Chef Jenny Gensterblum of Claremont Preparatory School in New York City and Chef Adri Garcia of St. Patrick School in Miami Beach, Florida shared with us their favorite healthy (and delicious) recipes for you to recreate at home: Make the main recipe for dinner tonight, then see how to dress up the leftovers to pack in your child’s lunchbox for tomorrow.

What’s more, we know these three chefs aren’t the only ones whipping cafeteria menus into shape. The KIWI Crusaders awards are our annual search for the schools and school systems that have made a commitment to serving healthy foods—and each year, we’re flooded with applicants. If you know a school with a stellar food and nutrition program, enter it in the 2011 KIWI Crusaders awards for the school’s chance to win $2,500 towards further improving their cafeteria offerings, plus a feature in KIWI Magazine. Let’s work together to make school lunches a healthy option for kids all across the country!

-Marygrace, staff writer

Last week, it was -46 degrees in Minnesota. Today, New York City’s in the single digits. Even in my cactus- and palm tree-filled Austin, the mercury dropped to 28 degrees overnight on Friday. Couple these unbearable temps with the piles upon piles of snow that have fallen over most parts of the country this season, and we’ve got one frigid winter. And whether your children live for spending the day outside making snowmen or just have to deal with standing outside to wait for the school bus, they’ve got to stay warm. Babies and young kids should wear one more layer than adults when going out in the cold, recommends the American Academy of Pediatrics. Here, some additional winter safety tips:

Hypothermia
Hypothermia develops when a child’s temperature falls below normal due to exposure to cold temperatures. It can occur more quickly in children than in adults, and often happens when a child is playing outdoors in extremely cold weather without wearing proper clothing or when clothes get wet.

Recognize it Your child may shiver and become lethargic or clumsy. Her speech may become slurred and body temperature will decline in more severe cases.

What to do If you suspect your child is hypothermic, call 911 at once. Until help arrives, take your child indoors, remove any wet clothing, and wrap him in blankets or warm clothes.

Frostbite
Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen. This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears, and nose.

Recognize it Your child’s skin may become pale, gray, and blistered. At the same time, your child may complain that her skin burns or has become numb

What to do Bring your child indoors and place the frostbitten parts of her body in warm (not hot, about 104 degrees) water (do not rub the frozen areas). For noses, ears, and lips, apply a warm washcloth. After a few minutes, dry and cover your child with clothing or blankets and give her a warm drink. If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your pediatrician.

-Marygrace, staff writer

Nobody likes the chills, sweating, and general feeling of ickiness that comes from a fever, so it probably comes as a surprise that the ailment is actually the body’s way of trying to make you healthy after you’ve caught a bug. According to KIWI contributing editor and integrative pediatrician, Dr. Lawrence Rosen, fever is the result of the body trying to battle infection and inflammation, which is a good thing.

A good thing? Try telling that to a parent who’s been up all night tending to—and worrying about—their sick kid. Fevers aren’t just uncomfortable; when they get high enough, they can become downright scary, sometimes even warranting a trip to the hospital.

But with the right knowledge and tools, managing a temperature doesn’t have to be intimidating. That’s where KIWI College’s free upcoming webinar, Overcoming the Fever Fear Factor, comes in: Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, a pediatrician and the author of Good Kids, Bad Habits will discuss the best ways to deal with the winter ailment. She’ll also set the facts straight on the best way to take your child’s temperature, plus the age-old myth of whether to feed a cold and starve a fever. Of course, there’ll be time for you to ask your burning (sorry!) questions, too.

Overcoming the Fever Fear Factor
with Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Wednesday, January 26th
11:00 A.M. EST/8 A.M. PST

Register today at kiwimagonline.com/college. Hurry, spaces are limited for this free event!

-Marygrace, staff writer

Around here, we’re always looking for ways to live a little bit greener or healthier—but the start of a new year tends to inspire a more serious attitude for change. Over the weekend, I asked some of KIWI’s Facebook fans about their family’s earth-friendly resolutions for 2011. What they said:

“I’m going to make a better effort to buy used and to freecycle, to buy products with less packaging, and to keep switching our foods to organic ones.” -Becky C.

“to cut my diet coke habit down!” -Sarah E.

“To get my reusable shopping bags in the car and actually use them! To park at the first spot I come to- even if I have to walk a bit. To conserve energy by actually going to sleep at a reasonable time instead of staying up all night with the lights and TV on. To buy a bus pass and use it. To shop at my local butcher and green grocer-they carry more local and organic varieties.” -Morgana T.

“To eat less beef! Greener for the planet. Better for our bodies.” -Nihemia O.

I, too, have goals: I want to make sure I take my dog for a 45-minute walk at least five nights a week, and to deepen my yoga practice. Also, to eat fruit with my breakfast as often as possible. And while I’m confident I can achieve all of these things, I know none of them will come without setbacks. Case in point: I’ve been swamped with work, and haven’t made time for yoga in over a week. And yesterday, I ate a scone for breakfast—not a bit of produce in sight. Still, I don’t plan to abandon my goals altogether, and I hope you don’t, either, despite whatever speed bumps you hit. Here, a three-step plan that’ll help you stay on track and achieve your goals:

1. Be specific. “It’s not how big or small the resolution is—it’s how concrete,” says Robin Goodman, a family psychologist. If you want to get more exercise, figure out exactly how to make that happen. Does “more” mean working out five days a week for 45 minutes?

2. Be realistic. If you want your family to start eating a completely natural, organic diet, that’s great! But if your kids are currently used to eating packaged and/or processed foods the majority of the time, the transition could take a lot of work. That doesn’t mean it isn’t doable, but consider creating mini goals. Strive for an all-organic meal one day a week, and go from there.

3. Establish rewards. Acknowledge the small victories along the way, says Goodman—it’ll help you stay focused after the initial motivation has worn off. Did you pass by the brownie platter at work as part of your quest to eat less sugar? Find a way to celebrate.

How are you sticking to your resolutions? Share your tips in the comments.

-Marygrace, staff writer

Your kid may be getting more caffeine than you realize—and the results could be harmful. Monitoring your child’s caffeine intake can be more beneficial than you think.

The minimal research that’s been conducted has shown that caffeine consumption in children can often be linked to sleep problems and even bed-wetting, since the stimulant is a diuretic. However, a new study published in The Journal of Pediatrics found that 75 percent of the children surveyed consumed caffeine on a daily basis, and the more they drank, the fewer hours they slept

Lead author of the study, Dr. William Warzark, and his colleagues from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, studied over 200 children ages five to 12 years old during routine clinical visits. The researchers asked parents to report any snacks and beverages the children consumed on a regular day-to-day basis.

The study showed that children as young as five years old were consuming the caffeine equivalent of a can a soda a day, from chocolate, energy drinks, and various other foods and beverages. Children between the ages of eight and 12 consumed 109 milligrams of caffeine a day—which is an equivalent of three 12-ounce cans of soda.

Warzak reports that more research still needs to be done on this subject, but in the meantime, parents should monitor their children’s caffeine levels. He also notes that if children have sleep and behavioral problems, they should keep their caffeine intake to a minimum. Children between the ages of four and six should consume less than 45 milligrams of caffeine a day; children ages seven to nine, 62 milligrams; and children 10 to 12, 85 milligrams.

Warzak states that parents should be aware of the potentially harmful effects of caffeine, and urges parents to speak with their child’s pediatrician about this matter.

-Amanda, KIWI Intern

Short of outfitting your toddler with gloves, a face mask, and a mini bottle of hand sanitizer, she’s virtually guaranteed to catch some kind of bug during her time spent at daycare. Frustrating as it might be in the short term, the viruses your child gets as a preschooler may protect her against colds, flu viruses, and ear infections in elementary school, according to a new study from the University of Montreal in Quebec.

After following more than 1,200 children from birth to eight years, researchers came to a somewhat obvious conclusion: Kids who attended daycare or preschool before age 2 1/2 were much more likely (61 percent!) to get sick than ones who stayed home. The surprise? Once the daycare-attending kids reached elementary school, they developed 21 percent fewer respiratory infections and 43 percent fewer ear infections than their classmates who hadn’t attended daycare as toddlers.

“Children contract infections around the time they initiate large structured group activities,” the study authors write. Participation in large daycare settings before age 2 1/2 “seems to protect against infections during the elementary school years.” What’s more, fewer illnesses during the elementary years equals fewer missed school days—meaning kids won’t fall behind on important lessons.

Of course, that’s no reason to stop trying to help your toddler beat the sniffles now. Find our favorite ways to keep cold and flu at bay (plus how to soothe symptoms when sickness does strike), visit kiwimagonline.com/coldandflu.

-Marygrace, staff writer

KIWI’s December/January issue hits newsstands on Tuesday, and I’m super excited: We’re sharing our top green gift picks, loads of yummy recipes, plus some inspiring stories from families who’ve made healthy changes (and their advice on how yours can do the same!). What I really think you’ll love most of all? Our natural cold and flu solutions, that’ll help your family get through sniffle season the green and healthy way. Of course, I might be biased—I did write the article, after all—but when your whole family comes down with a nasty bug, all you want is for everyone to get better. And if you’re like me, you want to do it with as little help from conventional medicine as possible.

And since we know staying healthy is a top priority for families (especially this time of year—who wants to get sick during the holidays?), we packed even more great cold and flu advice online. Did you know chicken noodle soup really can soothe your symptoms? It’s because of all the anti-inflammatory properties found in onions and garlic, as well as a health-boosting amino acid that’s released from cooked chicken. Find plenty more natural helpers at kiwimagonline.com/coldandflu—and kick those sniffles to the curb!

-Marygrace, staff writer

For a while my aunt has been looking for a good natural medicine for her kids that doesn’t make them want to spit it right out.  While I was browsing the aisles of Whole Foods, I came across a medicine I had never seen before: Homeolab Kids Relief.  There was a different medicine for every type of symptom and they came in all different flavors that even made it appealing to me!

As I read the label, I found that the medicines were made from all natural ingredients, had no side effects, and were dye and sugar free.  There was no way I couldn’t get this for my cousins!

Homeolab is one of the leading distributors of homeopathic products.  They make medicines for kids and adults that are manufactured from the finest natural ingredients.  The founder and president of Homeolab, Michele Boisvert, was one of the first women pharmacy owners in Quebec.  She not only sells homeopathic products, but she now manufactures her own!

Homeolab products can be found at your local natural health food stores.  Learn more at homeolab.com or kidsrelief.com.

-Shelby, KIWI staffer

I was working on a natural skincare story last week, and was lucky enough to spend some time talking with Kim Walls, founder of Episencial, a natural skin product line for kids and babies. She offered some great advice on managing dry, itchy winter skin—but since you’ll have to wait until KIWI’s February/March issue hits newsstands to read about it, I wanted to offer another tool that’ll help skin stay soft and smooth: Episencial’s Better Body Butter.

The cold weather’s barely gotten started, but I’m a fan of being proactive. Instead of waiting until your skin starts flaking and cracking, start pumping it full of all-natural moisture—now. Made from organic olive oil, shea butter, and sunflower seed oil, the Better Body Butter works to restore skin’s natural lipids, while oat extract boosts skin immunity (the organic lavender oil makes it smell nice, too!). Yes, it’s formulated for babies, but I’m not sure that will stop me from using some of it myself. Want a chance to try it for yourself? Episencial is giving away one $50 gift basket filled with all sorts of skincare goodies—check out KIWI’s Facebook page for more.

As it turns out, Episencial does more than make fantastic skincare products. They’ve recently teamed up with EcoMom.com, CleanWell, EcoKids, and Revolution Foods for the Green Your School Grant program for class projects promoting a healthy environment to learn and play. Green Your School is awarding over $2,000 in cash and healthy products to fund green curriculum in 12 preschools across the U.S—and there’s plenty of time to apply.

-Marygrace, staff writer

Actively and positively participating in your child’s life may be even more beneficial than you think. A child who learns a hobby or other challenging and stimulating activities from an adult may be less likely to develop personality later on in life, reports a new study in Development and Psychopathology.

The report, which spanned over two decades, showed that spending time with your child by reading to them, teaching them organizational skills, or helping them with homework may produce better psychological health in a child. Mark F. Lenzenweger, lead author of the study, and professor of clinical science at Binghamton University, State University of New York says that the most significant realization from his study is that actively engaging a child during their formative years is essential—especially in an age of TV, video games and web-based material.

Lenzenweger says that without building an affiliation system, children lose their connection to other human beings, and this can formulate the beginnings of schizoid personality disorder symptoms in early adulthood.

For years, researchers have questioned whether certain factors created or elevated risks of PD—such as childhood trauma. Lenzenweger says that no other research has ever indicated any options to prevent or protect against symptoms of this disease—until his study. Lenzenweger and his team also evaluated children with high levels of anger, fear and distress, which could make connecting with other people difficult. However, research still found that despite these factors, having a strong relationship with an adult impacted their development.

The study stresses that the relationship doesn’t necessarily have to be with a parent—it can also be with a caregiver or role model—someone who can provide a meaningful and richer psychological experience.

-Amanda, KIWI Intern

Moms-to-be, what are you craving? If it’s a big spoonful of peanut butter (or maybe some chocolate peanut butter candies, or ice cream with peanut butter sauce, or…), you may want to consider seeking out an alternative. Infants at an increased risk for allergies—such as those with a family history, those who have eczema, or those who have already tested positive for egg or milk allergies—are more likely to develop a peanut allergy if their moms ate the legume during pregnancy, finds a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Researchers in five locations across the U.S. tested 503 infants who exhibited general signs of allergies, and found 140 of them to have a strong sensitivity to peanuts. The biggest predictor of risk: Consumption of peanuts during pregnancy. Study authors caution that the findings aren’t definitive enough as to encourage pregnant women to avoid peanuts, but they do indicate the need for further research.

Peanuts and peanut butter are pretty tasty (cheap and filling, too!), but nine months without them seems worth it, if doing so could give a child a better chance at not having to deal with a lifetime of severe allergies. Plus, there are tons of alternatives: Soynut butter, tahini, and seeds like pumpkin or sunflower. What do you think? Is it worth eschewing peanuts during pregnancy if it means your child might be less likely to develop an allergy?

-Marygrace, staff writer

By now, most of us in the green-minded community (and beyond!) are well-versed in the mental and physical health benefits of yoga: A regular practice increases flexibility, strength, posture, and even lung capacity (thanks to the emphasis on deep breathing), and decreases feelings of stress, irritability, anxiety, and depression. When done mindfully and with the proper alignment, getting into a few downward-facing dogs every day can only help you.

The same, of course, is true for kids—and San Francisco-based Headstand is spreading the benefits to students throughout the Bay Area with their yoga curriculum. The program helps teachers integrate yoga tools into their classrooms to help improve behavior, raise self-esteem, enhance physical health, and even boost grades. And it’s working: Headstand’s pilot program found that 98 percent of participating students experienced a decrease in stressful feelings and felt more ready to learn after yoga.

For now, the program is only available to select schools in San Francisco and Houston—but it’s easy for teachers and parents alike to incorporate simple yoga poses in the classroom and at home. Here, three from Kelly Wood, a Los Angeles-based yoga instructor and creator of Hi Yoga, a yoga training program for parents and kids:

Stirring in a bowl Children sit cross-legged with hands on their knees, then rotate their spines in circles. “Kids get to imagine they’re spoons stirring healthy food in a bowl and make suggestions of what foods are in the bowl,” Wood says.

Washing machine Children sit their hands on their shoulders and turn the shoulders left and right to mimic a washing machine’s movement. Each turn produces an imaginary bubble, which kids can count, and even describe by shape or color.

Heart meditation Children sit cross-legged with their hands at their chest in the shape of a heart. With eyes closed, they repeat “heart”.

-Marygrace, staff writer

We spend about one-third of our lives in bed, so it’s important to make it a clean, healthy place. Conventional cotton, which accounts for 25 percent of all pesticide use in the world, is one of the most commonly used textiles for bedding. To manufacture just one sheet set, pounds of pesticide are used to grow the cotton from which it is made. The phrase “all natural” cotton is actually very misleading. This is why it’s so important to go organic!

In addition to the cotton itself, conventional textiles are often dyed using toxic processes. Another benefit to buying organic cotton bedding is that the dying process used to color the fabric is usually a low impact one – especially if the manufacturer is certified.

The Ultimate Green Store carries one of the largest selections of organic bedding made by some of the top certified organic bedding manufacturers. From soft and luxurious organic cotton sheet sets, duvets and mattress pads to eco-wool comforters, pillows and mattress toppers, green your family’s sleep environment! Receive FREE SHIPPING this holiday season on orders over $99 with code: KIWIHOLIDAY.

Just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness month: Eating whole soy products may reduce breast cancer survivors’ risks of developing new tumors, finds a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Most breast tumors are produced by the hormone estrogen, which is typically found in some types of dairy and soy products, making soy a controversial food for breast cancer survivors. However, new research shows that breast cancer patients and survivors who consume soy foods can actually reap major health benefits.

The report also concluded that women who consumed soy products, such as, soymilk, tofu, or edamame reduced their risk of relapse by 32 percent. The same study found that postmenopausal women who consumed soy, along with fruits and vegetables, also had a 30 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer. While the results are certainly exciting, more research is needed, and experts say that currently, soy products should continue to be eaten in moderation (2 to 4 servings a week).

-Amanda, KIWI intern

Here at the KIWI offices, we know a lot about a lot of things—but we don’t know everything! That’s why as part of our KIWI family we have a trusty advisory board, a group of experts in green, health, and family issues. We turn to them for advice, for help answering your questions, and for insight into what’s going on in their corners of the green world.

I’m thrilled to welcome to our advisory board Dr. Fred Pockrass. He’s an eco-friendly dentist who (like pediatrician and advisory board member Dr. Larry Rosen) considers himself integrative. I think his approach is very KIWI: He includes alternative approaches to dental care in his practice, while staying up-to-date on technology and the other latest issues and practices in his field. His practice, Transcendentist, is in the first green dental practice in the country, and he’s one of the founders of the Eco Dentistry Association. And perhaps most importantly, he’s exactly the kind of open-minded and interesting guy you’d really want to see every time you go to the dentist!

I think you’ll all enjoy hearing from Dr. Pockrass in future issues and right here online, too. You can e-mail your dental questions anytime to info@kiwimagonline.com, or leave a comment here.

—Sarah, KIWI editorial director

Each fall, I get excited about pumpkin. Of course, because I love it’s taste and bright orange color, but also, I think, because I only ever eat pumpkin in October and November. So it always reminds me of wholesome fall days, complete with sweaters, crisp blue skies, and blustery winds. It also reminds me of being warm and cozy at home with my family, since we always eat pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. What’s more, I’m willing to bet you feel the same, because pumpkin seems to be one of those foods that evokes universal feelings and memories. Kind of like corn on the cob or watermelon.

For the last couple weeks, I’ve seen huge piles of pumpkins (plus gourds and squash) sitting outside of nearly every market around town. It really made me want pumpkin pie, but deep down I know it’s not quite time yet. Instead, I left the cinnamon and nutmeg in the spice cabinet, and made this savory stir fry. Served over rice, it’s a light meal, but you can bulk it up with cubed tofu or tempeh, too. What’s more, it’s cozy, invigorating, and satisfying—sort of like fall itself.

Pumpkin broccoli stir-fry
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ of a medium sugar pumpkin*, peeled, seeded, and chopped into ½-inch cubes
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. Stir and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over high heat, warm the canola oil until shimmery. Add the pumpkin cubes and sauté, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and sauté 5-7 minutes more.
3. Add the garlic and jalapeno pepper, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce mixture, stir again, and remove from heat.
4. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve.

Serves 4
Per serving: Calories 163, fat 8 g, protein 3 g, carbohydrates 22 g, dietary fiber 5 g

*You can use the rest of the pumpkin to make a puree for use in pie, muffins, or pancakes. Peel, seed, and chop the other half of the pumpkin into 1-inch cubes and roast for 20-25 minutes. Remove the oven to cool. Once cooled, process in a food processor or blender until smooth, adding water to thin if necessary. The puree will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or up to six months in the freezer.

Want even more yummy ways to enjoy the orange squash? Check out our top five pumpkin recipes at kiwimagonline.com/pumpkin.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

If you’re a KIWI fan (and I’m willing to bet that you are, since you’re reading this blog!), you probably already do at least a few earth-friendly things to promote your family’s health and wellness, like seeking out natural or organic foods, or choosing personal care and cleaning products made without toxic chemicals. Just a couple of years ago, little efforts like these might’ve been seen as extreme—but not today. And as green continues to grow, there are more and more ways for families to support total, whole-person health while supporting the planet at the same time.

You might already by familiar with integrative medicine: Our own contributing editor (and author of KiwiLog’s monthly Whole Child blog posts), Dr. Lawrence Rosen, is an integrative pediatrician who offers advice on parents’ biggest health questions in KIWI’s Ask the Doctor column. His approach combines modern medicine with complementary therapies (such as homeopathic medicine, yoga, and acupuncture) to help children achieve balanced, overall wellness. The result? Health care that’s greener, more mindful, and completely fitting with the KIWI mission.

To help parents learn even more about greener health care, we created a new resource page: The Green Pediatrician. There, you’ll find a collection of kids’ health Q&As answered by Dr. Rosen (everything from mercury in fillings to pool chemicals), resources on integrative medicine, plus some of our favorite articles on (naturally) improving your family’s health and environment.

In addition to exploring all of our resources, I invite you to share your thoughts and experiences with green health care. How does your family maintain a balance between modern medicine and greener, more natural remedies?

-Marygrace, KIWI staffer

The season’s barely gotten started, but I know plenty of people who’ve already been plagued with a nasty case of the cold or flu. Fortunately, there’s a boatload of natural remedies that’ll soothe a range of symptoms in kids and adults—everything from garlick-y chicken soup to echinacea to peppermint oil—but as it turns out, the very simplest fix might be the most potent.

I’m talking about salt water. Gargling with a saline solution not only eases inflamed throat tissue, but can actually whisk away mucus containing bacteria and fungus that can cause infection and irritation. In fact, one study found that people who gargled salt water throughout the cold and flu season had 40 percent fewer upper respiratory infections than people who didn’t gargle at all. Bring on the salt!

To reap the benefits, mix half a teaspoon of salt (any kind will do) with a cup of warm water, then gargle for a few seconds and spit out, says the Mayo Clinic. For kids over 1 (and grown-ups!) who aren’t fans of the salty taste, add a spoonful of honey–it’ll not only improve the taste of the mixture, but will work to coat sore throats.

Has gargling with salt water ever helped your child’s cough or sore throat? When sickness strikes, what other natural remedies does your family turn to?

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Does it seem like everybody’s talking about how to get kids to eat healthier? From Michelle Obama to the blogger down the block, there are a lot of people trying to make changes in home, schools, and beyond. Here are three initiatives I thought you KIWI readers would be particularly interested in:

KIWI Crusaders: Our own contest! If your child’s school is doing a great job promoting nutrition and making sure kids’ meals and snacks are healthy, it could win $2500. We love to celebrate what’s going right in schools, so tell us!

Annie’s Root 4 Kids: Annie’s is partnering with Farm to School to encourage parents and schools to get kids learning about and growing their own vegetables. Take the Root 4 Kids pledge and commit to completing at least one activity, such as learning about, eating, and planting new veggies, or working to get more fresh foods into schools. (Plus, for every 1,000 pledges Annie’s gets, they’ll contribute funds toward a garden or a Farm to School program in an underprivileged school.)

Hershey’s Moderation Nation: I know what you’re thinking: Hershey’s? And I thought that too. What’s the behemoth chocolate company doing telling us about healthy eating? Well, they have a message I agree with: Moderation. Life wouldn’t be the same without chocolate (and Hershey does own Dagoba, the organic chocolate company), and even better, there’s something FREE in for you in their new campaign: Schedule a dietitian visit through the site, and Hershey’s will reimburse you for it.

Happy, healthy eating!
—Sarah, KIWI editorial director

When’s the first time you heard about organic food? Sometime in the late ’90s or very early 2000s, I remember my mom going to a little-known store called Fresh Fields (which, a year or two later became Whole Foods) bringing home organic wheat grass, apples, beets, and more to make fresh juice. Have you ever tried vegetable and fruit juice with a shot of wheat grass? Health-conscious eater though I am, I could never get behind that stuff (and to this day, still can’t!).

My mom said that organic food was better for us—though I don’t remember ever getting an explanation why. To her credit, I bet a lot of other early buyers of organic didn’t have all the answers they have today, either. But the stuff seemed healthier, so they tried it.

In 2004, I learned for myself what organic meant. I was a senior in high school, and had begun taking charge of my health with a vegetarian diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. When I decided to apply for a part-time job, I naturally (no pun intended!) turned to Whole Foods—the once small and sort of strange health food store whose popularity was on the brink of exploding. At my job orientation, one of the WF team leaders explained the company’s core values, which included—among other principles—selling the highest quality natural and organic products available. There, I learned the difference between natural and organic (something many people still aren’t clear on—but it’s getting better!), and what organic products mean for the health of people and the planet (sustainable methods of production that are gentler on the environment, plus no artificial chemicals). I was hooked.

Despite the fact that I no longer have a 20 percent discount card for Whole Foods (just one of the many perks of working there), I still support organic. My husband and I live on a small budget, but supporting health and sustainability is something we refuse to skimp on. We belong to an organic CSA where, for $32 a week, we receive an enormous box of fresh, local vegetables. And if the organic apples cost $3 per pound at my co-op, that’s okay with me—I’ll just buy fewer and space them out throughout the week. To me, the price is justified, because buying organic reflects the true costs of what it takes for a farmer—and his land—to produce real, wholesome food.

So, think back five or 10 years ago—was buying organic something that was important to you? Did you even know what organic meant? For many of us, the answer is no, which in my mind is a good thing, since it shows just how far the movement has come in such a short time. Best of all, there’s so much more room for education and growth: September is Organic Harvest Month, so I’m taking the opportunity to promote sustainbly-produced food, clothing, personal care products, and more as much as possible. I encourage you to do the same.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Heading back to school signals lots of great opportunities: Learning new things, making new friends, trying new activities, and instilling new life into organization and routine (okay, that last one is probably more exciting for parents than kids). Something that’s not so great? The opportunity for tons of homework, which usually means bringing home a rock-heavy backpack full of books. Ouch.

Of course, students need to bring some materials home to reinforce what they learn in the classroom each day—but when it comes to their back and shoulder health, how much weight is too much? Backpacks should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body weight, says the American Academy of Pediatrics, though some believe that closer to 10 percent is ideal. As school bags get heavier, students’ risks for back pain, poor posture, and bruising (!) increase, so we asked some of our Facebook fans how they help their kids lighten the load. Some of our favorite responses:

“My daughter’s school issues laptops to everyone and the books are basically e-books. All she has to carry is the laptop and a few notebooks.” -Dana B.

“My son is in high school taking AP classes which require huge college textbooks. He is going to take his books to Kinkos to have the books split in half and rebound into two books so he only needs to carry the part of the book he’s currently using.” -Elsa G.

“I deliberately bought a half-sized backpack for my kindergarten starter this year. It’s really bad for a growing body and spine to lug around an overweight, oversized pack! I bought it at the Childrens Place, and it doesn’t look any different in style from the big kids’ packs so he doesn’t stand out. If anything, he looks better with it fitting his frame.” -Renee R.

“L.L. Bean backpack on wheels.” -Gina Marie D.

In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids use a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps plus a padded back, packing the heaviest items in the center of the bag (to distribute weight evenly), and wear both shoulder straps to avoid muscle strains.

How are you helping your child avoid bookbag-related back pain?

-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

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

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

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