McDonald's in California Has the Right Idea for Halloween: Free Apple Slices

Participating Southern California McDonald's restaurants will offer one free bag of apple slices to costumed customers under the age of 12 on Halloween. This one-day offer is available at participating McDonald's restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties from 4 to 7 p.m. on October 31.

In September, California was one of the first states to unveil the new Happy Meal which automatically includes Apple Slices (1/4 cup or 1/2 serving) and new smaller size French Fries (approximately 1.1 ounces) as a side to the choice of Chicken McNuggets®, a Hamburger, or Cheeseburger.  The meal also includes a choice of beverage in which 1% white milk or fat-free chocolate milk are options.  The new Happy Meal is now available at all Southern California McDonald's and nationwide by the first quarter of 2012.

The new Happy Meal aims to address a challenge kids face in meeting the recommended daily consumption of produce. The new Happy Meal is anticipated to introduce about 100 million cups of produce annually into the diets of McDonald's youngest customers.

The new Happy Meal is part of McDonald's USA "Commitment to Offer Improved Nutrition Choices", a comprehensive plan which aims to help customers–especially children and families – make nutrition-minded choices whether visiting McDonald's or eating elsewhere. In addition to adding a produce or low-fat dairy option to every Happy Meal, McDonald's will reduce added sugars, saturated fat and calories through varied portion sizes, reformulations and innovations by 2020.  Furthermore, the company will reduce sodium an average of 15 percent across its national menu of food choices by 2015.

Okay so apples are on top of the Environmental Working Group's list of Dirty Dozen for pesticides but hey, you've got to admit this is great news.

For more information about the new Happy Meal and McDonald's "Commitments to Offer Improved Nutrition Choices", visit www.McDonalds.com/changing.

5 Safety Tips to Avoid the Boo-Boos This Halloween

Halloween can be thrilling and fun, but also potentially dangerous. Pumpkin carving, costumes, unfamiliar homes, and young children traveling in darkness all provide possible scenarios for accidents and injuries.

  

A nine-year study examining holiday-related pediatric emergency room visits between 1997 and 2006 showed Halloween among the top three holidays for ER visits with finger/hand injuries accounting for the greatest proportion of injuries - mainly lacerations and fractures.  And ages 10-14 sustained most of these injuries.

 So here are  5 HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS:

1.     Safe Costumes: Costumes should be flame-resistant and fit properly. Costumes that are too long may cause kids to trip and fall, so trim or hem them as necessary. Be sure that your or your child's vision is not obstructed by masks, face paint or hats. Go ahead and make mask eye and breathing holes larger.  Wear sturdy, comfortable, slip-resistant shoes to avoid falls.  If you make your costume, use flame-resistant fabrics such as polyester or nylon. If you wear make up test it a few days before to rule out an allergic reaction. And those glow in the dark cat eyes? Well the FDA & Opthamologists are discouraging them because of the long term risks they pose.

2.     Be Bright at Night - Add reflective plastic tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags to make yourself and your kids more visible. Also carry a flashlight (use fresh batteries!) to see and be seen – or a glow stick or little flashing decorations, at least.

3.     Have a Careful Contact Strategy – If your child doesn't carry an I.D., simply jot down name/ address/contact info, place it a small plastic zipper bag and slide it into a pocket.  A cell phone that has been preset with home and parent cell numbers in the phone adds another layer of protection.

4.     Protected Pumpkin Carving: In general, children should not carve pumpkins. However, some Halloween carving devices, designed especially for children, may be safe for use with parental supervision. Children also can empty the seeds out of the pumpkin, or use a pumpkin decorating sticker kit that does not involve carving to stay safely involved.

5.     Be Inspector Gadget: Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious or any chocking hazards for small children such as gum peanuts or hard candy.  It’s a good idea to eat a snack before heading out, so you won’t be tempted to nibble on treats that haven’t been inspected. And, hey why not lead by example and give out fun inspirational stickers and pencils rather than candy!

Have a fun safe time as you light the night!

Sources: The FDA, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and  the American Chemistry Council

5 Easy Ways to De-stress Anytime Anywhere

STRESS – We all get it but how we manage it and deal with it is key, especially now that it is fall, we are headed in the fourth and final quarter of the year and the beginning of multiple holidays amidst school and fall sports, work deadlines, traffic, etc... It’s a busy time of year and that can mean stress.

            So the next time you are having a bad day try these 5 anytime, anywhere techniques that researchers have found to be effective de-stressors: 

1.     Give yourself a quick foot massage - it can have almost the same stress-lowering benefit as a full-body rubdown, according to Roberta Lee, MD, author of The SuperStress Solution. That means rubbing your toes, heel, ankle up to your calves. Easy to do in your office chair in the break room or in the car before you get out for that next meeting.

2.     Chew Gum -  According to research, chewing a stick of gum seems to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve mental performance during tasks. In one study, gum chewers report they were less stressed, less depressed and less likely to see a doctor for high blood pressure or high cholesterol. And they had fresh breath!

3.     Take a Deep Breath - No matter where you are, taking a deep whiff of lavender or rosemary can put you into a more relaxed state. Inhaling those aromas can lower your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. But just the act of breathing deeply is also a stress buster. Deep breathing sends oxygen surging through your bloodstream, helping to calm your entire body.

4.     Take a Walk - Exercise is a great way to ease stress. It helps your body produce endorphins -- the neurotransmitters in your brain that make you feel good. Exercising in warm, sunny weather can boost your mood.

HERE’S MY FAVORITE:

5.     Sing a Song - Turn up the radio in the car or start crooning in the shower. No matter how out of tune you are, singing can make you feel happier. Choral members who were surveyed said singing put them in a better mood and made them feel less stressed. Singing also can be good for your breathing and posture, as well as your heart and immune system.  

There you have it. FIVE easy any-time anywhere de-stressors.  This is a plan that will help turn those bad days around.  

Are You A Part of Generation ZERO?

Ever heard of Generation Zero?  Well, it is going to be the first generation of men free from prostate cancer.  With Zero prostate cancer deaths. Zero prostate cancer cases. Zero tolerance for prostate cancer.

September is National Prostate Awareness Month.  Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men.

ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer, is committed to not only to reducing prostate cancer or alleviating the pain from the disease but to ending it.

So here’s the deal, every man has some level of risk for getting prostate cancer, yet many other factors make some men more susceptible to prostate cancer than others.

·      Age is the strongest risk factor for getting prostate cancer. But other risk factors include

·      Race

·      family history

·      diet and obesity

·      cholesterol

·      chemical exposure

·      genetics

·      exercise and

·      smoking. 

One in every six men gets prostate cancer at some point.  But the good news is that the survival rate is nearly 100 percent when prostate cancer is detected early.

So getting the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test  is key.

In general, men should begin testing for prostate cancer at age 45. If you have one ore more of the risk factors you should begin annual prostate cancer testing at age 40.

Prostate cancer doesn't show its face early on making it nearly impossible to detect in the early stages.

So men, before National Prostate Cancer Awareness month ends schedule your PSA test.  And women, encourage the men in your life to schedule their test.  

Visit www.zerocancer.org for more information.

Laugh Yourself Healthy

            

If you like to laugh as much as I do then you will be happy to know that new research has discovered that laughing with friends releases the feel-good brain chemicals and increases pain tolerance.

Laughter is regularly promoted as a source of health and well being, but it has been hard to pin down exactly why laughing until it hurts feels so good. Until now... Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist at Oxford, found that it is not the intellectual pleasure of cerebral humor, but the physical act of laughing that makes us feel good.  The simple muscular exertions involved in producing the familiar "ha, ha, ha," he said, trigger an increase in endorphins, the brain chemicals known for their feel-good effect.

The findings fit well with a growing sense that laughter contributes to group bonding and may have been important in the evolution of highly social humans.

The results, when analyzed, showed that laughing increased pain resistance, whereas simple good feeling in a group setting did not. Pain resistance is used as an indicator of endorphin levels

            So make your weekend better by not taking things too seriously.  Laugh a little, no laugh a lot and be contagious…falling out laughing! Laughter is the best medicine!

Are You Trusting BUT First?

Okay so you've got to admit that "But First" can really bring up some funny imagery - especially when we are talking about healthy and fitness.  But the reality is, when God tells us to trust Him completely there is no "if" "and" or "but" about it.  However, we tend to put a "but first" before we give it up to God.

Trusting God is easier said than done for those of us who like to be in control and know the plan and exactly when things are going to happen and when we will get results.  Not to mention when and if we do decide that we want to surrender and let God help us with our problems Satan starts to encourage impatience.  So we start to think I want God to act by a certain time or in a certain way.  We want it our way and we want it now.  We want to see instant changes.  That’s probably why we are so drawn to the 30 day plans or the quick weight loss programs that give us results that either won’t last or are not typical.

We say we trust God yet we take it to him and say “God help me, ‘but first’ I’m going to order this food plan”  or “but first I am going to take these weight loss supplements and drink this over priced miracle juice” or "but first I am going to try what my friend told me about" or “but first I have to figure out how it will fit into my budget and schedule”  and then we say we will give it to Him.  As if we want to help Him get started on our plan rather than being led by Him and following the word.

If we are truly trusting God, He does not want our ‘but first!’  He wants our complete surrender.  Proverbs 3:5 says trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding.  Now if it said “some of your heart” or “most of your heart” and then went on to say and “use your own logic and understanding to start off then I will pick it up from there,” then we might be on the right track.  But that’s not what’s in there.  Check your Bible and tell me what you see too.

When we trust we can rest assured that he will not tempt us beyond what we can bear and will always give us a way out (1 Cor. 10:13).  We just have to look for it.  We can trust that He has a plan and will work out our schedule with out us having to know how or when (Jer 29:11).  We can trust that he loves us more than we love ourselves and wants what is best for us (1 John 4:9-10).  That if we delight ourselves in Him he will give us the desires of our heart (Psalms 37:3-4).

So our actions when trusting and surrendering are to acknowledge Him, delight in Him and Commit to Him.  No more ‘but firsts!’

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed – Proverbs 16:3

Back To School Game Plan

The wave of children heading back to school as begun along with football practice, cross country, piano lesson, etc. I don't know about you, but I am thrilled that we get to go back to a steady routine. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVED having my kids around all summer and the lack of schedule, but I appreciate God's wisdom in having us live life in seasons.  No one season lasts forever but it's there for us to enjoy then move on to the next.  So since we enjoyed summer, just wanted to share a "Back to School Game Plan" to help us help our kids have an incredible school year:

o   Pray for the School Year:  This can be the most amazing school year for your children if you give it to the Lord right from the start.  Create a prayer journal just for school related prayers and keep track of how God comes through as the year progresses.  Also, commit to praying in the car, before the kids catch the bus or before your homeschool session starts every morning.  

o   Plan and Prioritize: Purchase a family calendar and write down all school and extra curricular activities for the rest of the year.  Mark busy days and nights and think about what meals will work well on those days and set up your grocery list accordingly. Call family and friends ahead of time for the support you may need.

o   Connect Healthy Food to Great Grades:  Discuss the importance and connection between healthy eating and ability to focus and concentrate and get good grades. Check out www.laptoplunches.com for a few quick easy tips and ideas for lunch.  Purchase a stainless steel water bottle and set water drinking goals during the day. Hydration is especially important now in the heat.

o   Rest:  If you have started school, make sure that you are no longer keeping summer hours, even on the weekends.  Sleeping and waking come very easily when our bodies are in rhythm so get up early and get to bed on time on the weekends too, even if you have nowhere to go.  It will make Monday morning easier.  If you have not yet begun school start mimicking your school schedules a week or so before school starts.  See what time they naturally get up on their own and implement a set plan on how you intend to “settle down” for the night.

Have a Healthy & Happy School Year!!