Biscuits from Kraft Food and Family

Comment: These are cheesy biscuits. Biscuits are an excellent and quick way to introduce new flavors to children and picky adults. Try adding bacon, herbs, spices, and different cheeses. Add bits of meat, vegetables and even fruit. Biscuits are always a favorite with kids.

“These biscuits are delicious! They are just like the biscuits served
at restaurants….”

Prep Time: 10 min. Total Time: 22 min.
Makes: 9 servings

1cup flour

2 tsp. Calumet Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut up

1 cup Kraft Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup (1/2 of 8-oz. tub) Philadelphia Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread

PREHEAT oven to 450°F.

Mix flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar and salt in medium bowl.

Cut in butter with pastry blender two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in Cheddar cheese.

Add milk; stir until mixture forms soft dough.

PLACE on lightly floured surface; knead eight to 10 times or until smooth.

Pat out dough into 6-inch square. Cut into nine squares. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until golden brown.

Spread each split warm biscuit with 2-1/2 tsp. of the cream cheese spread.

Nutrition (per serving): CAL 190, FAT 13 g (sat 8 g), CHOL 40 mg,
SODIUM 360 mg, CARB 13 g, FIBER 1 g, SUGARS 2 g,
PROTEIN 5 g, VIT A 10%DV, VIT C 0%DV, CALCIUM 15%DV,
IRON 4%DV

Early Weight Gain Can Mean Heart Trouble Later in Life

Children as young as 7 show signs of cardiovascular risk factors, study finds

MONDAY, Nov. 5 (HealthDay News) — Parents don’t let your children grow up to be fat — or even fat when they start grade school.

Children reach a low point in their body mass index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height) early in life, before the BMI rises in concert with childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

But the earlier a child reaches his or her low point and starts gaining weight (called BMI rebound), the greater the chances of developing cardiovascular risk factors as young as age 7, a new study found.

“Plump is not good. We’re seeing adverse cardiovascular risk factors developing in early childhood,” said Dr. Thomas R. Kimball, study senior author and a pediatric cardiologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. “The obesity epidemic of kids today is going to be the heart disease epidemic 20 years from now.”

Pediatricians need to scrupulously monitor their patients’ BMI, even their very young patients, said the authors of the study, which was presented Monday at the American Heart Association annual meeting, in Orlando, Fla.

“This goes to show you that it’s never too early to prevent heart disease,” said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, medical director of the Women’s Health Program at New York University Medical Center and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. “It’s really important given all that we know about kids not exercising as much as they used to and eating high-fat, high-calorie fast food meals. We really need to stop it.”

Previous research had shown that the earlier in childhood BMI rebound occurs, the greater the risk of obesity and obesity-related disease later in life. Overweight and obesity are growing problems for American children. U.S. figures estimate that 17 percent of children aged 2 to 19 years and 18.8 percent of children aged 6 to 11 are overweight.

For the new study, the researchers measured the BMI of 308 children (158 boys and 150 girls) every four months starting at the age of 3 and ending at age 7. The participants were mostly white and were recruited from the pediatric population of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, which led the study.

The children were divided into three groups depending on when they reached their BMI rebound age — early, middle and late. The BMI rebound age for children in the early group was 4.4 years for boys and 4.2 years for girls. In the oldest group, the rebound age was 6.6 years for boys and 5.7 years for girls.

By the time they turned 7, children with an earlier BMI rebound age had higher blood pressure, higher blood insulin and leptin levels, and larger left ventricular and left atrial size. The ventricle and the atrium are chambers of the heart.

“Girls’ rebound age was a little bit younger than boys, and that potentially can mean they are at an increased risk to be obese,” Kimball said.

The study authors also found that children today, overall, had younger rebound ages than a generation ago.

Why is BMI rebound age so critical? “I don’t know for sure, but it’s probably because you just have a longer period of time that you’re gaining weight,” Kimball said. “The earlier you start, the more you’re being exposed to being obese.”

It’s unclear if the problem is reversible, but teenagers who underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost large amounts of weight (60 to 70 pounds) saw their left ventricular size decrease, the researchers said.

“There needs to be education. I don’t think even pediatricians or physicians are necessarily even measuring BMI,” Kimball said. “We know what to do: Diet and exercise. It’s the same old thing, and it’s frustrating getting people to actually practice it.”

More information

Visit the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, for more on childhood obesity and wellness.

Comment: I think this sounds like fun. We need to teach this to the kids. They would absolutely love this. It’s from the Sparkpeople.

Jumping Rope for Fitness

Bring Out the Kid in You with this Serious Exercise

— By Jason Anderson, Certified Personal Trainer

I believe that most people would say jumping rope is for play, not for exercise. After all, you jumped rope as a kid on the playground and you probably forgot about it entirely after fourth grade. And it certainly isn’t touted as a benefit of joining the newest fitness center. “Join our facility! We have an excellent variety of jump ropes!” I doubt you hear that. Even if it isn’t very common as a workout tool, jumping rope fits right in with other forms of aerobic exercise (running, swimming, cycling, etc.). And as a matter of fact, it may be one of the best forms of cardio exercise out there.

For years, top athletes have been using the rope to condition for their sports. Boxers probably come to mind. But with other well-known jumpers like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (basketball), Arnold Schwarzenegger (bodybuilding), Jerry Rice (football), or Michael Chang (tennis) joining in, jumping rope is certainly not for “girly men!”

So is jumping rope for you? Here are several reasons why you might want to give it a try:

• It’s inexpensive. You probably have a jump rope somewhere in your house already. Otherwise, most ropes cost less than $10, while higher-quality ropes are around $20 and top-of-the-line models (made with the best materials) will set you back just $25.
• You can do it practically anywhere. A jumping surface like hardwood, rubberized flooring, or very thin carpet is preferred, but any hard surface works fine. Outside, inside, at the gym—anything goes.
• It burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time. It is estimated that 10 minutes of jumping rope (at 120 turns per minute) has the same benefit as jogging for 30 minutes. Those are great numbers for people short on time.
• It’s compact. A jump rope makes a great addition (or start) to your home gym. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a piece of equipment that takes up a lot of space. A jump rope can fit nicely in a drawer—just don’t forget it’s there!
• You’ll notice improvements. Jumping rope helps build agility, speed, balance, and coordination, while improving your overall fitness level.
• You can do it with your family. Because jumping rope is a fun activity that almost anyone can do, it’s also an easy way to get your whole family exercising with you. Try making a game out of it. How many jumps can you do in a minute? How many jumps can you do without stopping or messing up? What kind of cool tricks can you do while keeping the rope turning?

Before you get started, first make sure you have the right sized rope for you. When you step in the center of the rope, the handles should just reach your armpits. This chart will help you find the correct length rope for your height.

Now that you’ve got the perfect rope, it’s a good idea to spend a couple weeks perfecting your jumping technique—the basic bounce step. Remember that jumping rope is a skilled movement—it takes both coordination and timing to rope with each jump. Keep these pointers in mind:

1. Hold handles with a firm grip, elbows close to sides.
2. Make small circles with wrists while turning the rope.
3. Keep torso relaxed, head lifted, and gaze ahead for balance.
4. Jump only high enough to clear the rope, with light ankle-knee motion.
5. During jumping, the rope should skim the surface lightly and your feet should not kick back behind you.
6. Always land softly on the balls of your feet.
7. Never sacrifice good jumping form for speed!

Introductory Jump Rope Program
Now that you’ve mastered technique, this three-week program will help you build endurance. Always warm up before you start jumping, either by marching or jogging in place, for about five minutes. Finish each workout with a 5-minute cool down, and be sure to stretch the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and shoulders.

Week 1: Practice the basic bounce step, using an interval (work-rest) training method. Try to jump and rest at a 1:2 ratio (rest twice as long as you jump, such as 15 seconds jumping and 30 seconds resting). Depending on how quickly you pick it up and how conditioned you are, start with around five to 25 consecutive jumps each work period. Then stop, rest, and start jumping again for a total of about three to five minutes. Aim for three practice sessions each week.

Week 2: As you gain confidence and ability, try to increase the number of consecutive jumps you can do before resting. Use the same interval training method, but this time at a 1:1 ratio (your rest time to be equal to your jump time, such as one minute jumping and one minute resting). Repeat your intervals for a total of five to six minutes. Aim for four sessions each week. By the end of week two, you should be able to jump for two to three minutes non-stop.

Week 3 and beyond: By now, you’ve got the hang of it! You should be able to jump for a few minutes straight without needing a break, keeping a pace around 120 turns per minute (two jumps per second). The goal over the next few weeks is to gradually increase your jumping time (while decreasing your resting time) until you can go for 10 minutes non-stop. Keep jumping rope a part of your workout routine about every other day.

Mastering technique: Now that you’re fit to jump for several minutes, try some of the following speed and jumping techniques to keep challenging your body:

• Increase your speed. Aim for 180 turns per minute (3 jumps per second).
• Switch directions. Instead of turning the rope from back to front, switch its direction (forward to back) for more challenge.
• Crossovers. Cross the rope and your arms in front of your body as you jump through the rope.
• Scissor jumps. Turn the rope as you normally would, but scissor your legs forward and back (like skiing back and forth) to clear the rope.
• High stepping. Turn the rope as you normally would, but clear the rope with a high knee run (bringing one knee up high at a time).
• Jump straddles. Turn the rope as you normally would, but clear the rope with a jumping jack motion with your legs (straddle legs apart then together).
• Freestyle it! Get creative—invent your own jump!

Jumping rope is an intense, high-impact activity, so it’s not something you’d want to do every day—even though it can be addicting! For more workout ideas and techniques, check out the RopeSport workout DVDs, which are available at SparkFitness.com.

From the Sparkpeople!

Comment: we began introducing soup about a week ago. I’m a soup maker and enjoy different concoctions. Last week we had swamp soup made from a lot of leftovers, and we also had homemade chicken soup. It was received very well by the kids. So proud of them. Soup is a wonderful and very easy thing to make. Start with a pan of water and a tablespoon of either chicken or beef bouillon. Add anything you have left over from the fridge. Thicken with either flour and water mixed to a gruel or cornstarch and water mixed to a thin gruel.

Here’s an article about soup:

Super Healthy Soups

How to Make a Healthy Selection

— By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian

Take stock the next time you walk through the soup aisle at your local grocery store. Soup can be good and healthy food. It can be a tasty way to add healthy beans, legumes, grains and vegetables to your diet. It’s a convenient, yet inexpensive way to add protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber to your diet. And soup is both comforting and filling—a hot, savory bowl can help take the chill out of the fall and winter seasons. Want more reasons to ladle up?

• Soup may curb your appetite. Studies show that people who eat broth or vegetable-based soups (not creamy or high-fat ones) as the first course of a meal consume fewer total calories during their meal. In fact, study participants consumed 20% fewer calories when they started their meal with soup!
• Soup can help you slow down. Eating a bowl of soup involves spooning, slurping, smelling, tasting, chewing, and swallowing. This helps you slow down your eating time instead of inhaling your food. Slower eaters tend to notice signs of fullness sooner and consume fewer calories by better enjoying their food in the moment.
• Soup stimulates the senses. These warm concoctions have unique aromas, tastes, enjoyable temperatures and visual interest, which add to the pleasure you experience when eating.

But beware! Canned soups can be loaded with sodium and fat. But you can make healthy choices in the soup aisle by going straight for the nutrition label. Pay attention to serving size, as many cans contain two or more servings. Look for soups with the following nutrient levels per 1-cup serving:

• 250 calories (or less) per serving, to keep your diet in check.
• 3 grams of fat (or less) per serving, to protect your heart.
• 3 grams of fiber (or more) per serving, for filling power.
• 600 mg of sodium (or less) per serving, to help keep blood pressure in check.

In addition to these guidelines, you can boost the nutrition, flavor and filling power of your soup with the following additions:

• Add your favorite herbs and spices to boost the flavor of reduced-sodium soups. Experiment with pepper, basil, parsley, oregano, garlic, ginger, or salt-free seasoning blends like Mrs. Dash.
• Add calcium and protein (without extra fat) by reconstituting your soup with skim milk, evaporated skim milk, non-fat dry milk powder, or calcium-fortified soymilk instead of water, whole milk or cream.
• Add frozen or leftover veggies to increase the fiber, vitamins and minerals in your soup. Spinach, broccoli, corn, celery, carrots and potatoes work well in most soups.
• Add beans and whole grains for more fiber, protein and filling power. Try potatoes, beans, lentils, lima beans, brown rice, barley, or whole wheat pasta.

Curry molecule gets hotter in anti-cancer role

By Alex McNally

Comment: I was right, drinking a glass of soymilk and a teaspoon of curry is good for you. It’s also a great cough medicine!

11/5/2007 – Two variations of a molecule commonly found in curry have shown a greater potential than naturally occurring molecules to suppress colorectal cancer, scientists have found.

Researchers from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, synthesized and tested 90 variations of curcumin, the yellowish component of turmeric that gives curry its flavour, in a bid to boost its anti-cancer effect.

Curcumin has already been linked between having a positive effect on cancer as well as potential benefits for reducing cholesterol levels and improving cardiovascular health.

However, natural curcumin has low bioavailability and quickly loses its anti-cancer attributes when ingested. Out of the 90 variations of the molecules structure synthesized by the team, two (GO-Y030 and GO-Y031) proved to be more potent and bioavailable, the scientists said.

The work from Tohoku University adds even greater weight to the potential of the compound, and if further study on understanding the mechanism proves fruitful, then the analogues could be used to help target other cancers.

Hiroyuki Shibata, associate professor at Tohoku University said: “Our new analogues have enhanced growth suppressive abilities against colorectal cancer cell lines, up to 30 times greater than natural curcumin.”

In a mouse model for colorectal cancer, mice fed with five milligrams of GO-Y030 or GO-Y031 fared 42 and 51 percent better than it did in mice in the control group, he said.

Their results were announced at the Centennial Conference on Translational Cancer Medicine in Singapore this week.

In its natural form, the curcumin molecule is composed of two ring structures linked by a chain of seven carbon atoms.

The active ring structures of GO-Y030 and GO-Y031, however, are linked by a shorter, five-carbon chain, which Shibata says might – for reasons still under investigation -account for their enhanced potency.

Shibata added: “In addition to colorectal cancer, the catenin-degrading abilities of these molecules could apply to other forms of cancer, such as gastric cancer.

“In addition to their chemopreventative abilities, these molecules might also form the basis of a potent chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with other modes of therapy.”

Shibata and his team will now further examine the drug delivery mechanisms, toxicology and pharmacokinetics of these analogues, before extending the research to clinical trials.

Their studies were funded by the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science and the Miyagi Health Service Association.

Researchers from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, synthesized and tested 90 variations of curcumin, the yellowish component of turmeric that gives curry its flavour, in a bid to boost its anti-cancer effect.

Curcumin has already been linked between having a positive effect on cancer as well as potential benefits for reducing cholesterol levels and improving cardiovascular health.

However, natural curcumin has low bioavailability and quickly loses its anti-cancer attributes when ingested. Out of the 90 variations of the molecules structure synthesized by the team, two (GO-Y030 and GO-Y031) proved to be more potent and bioavailable, the scientists said.

The work from Tohoku University adds even greater weight to the potential of the compound, and if further study on understanding the mechanism proves fruitful, then the analogues could be used to help target other cancers.

Hiroyuki Shibata, associate professor at Tohoku University said: “Our new analogues have enhanced growth suppressive abilities against colorectal cancer cell lines, up to 30 times greater than natural curcumin.”

In a mouse model for colorectal cancer, mice fed with five milligrams of GO-Y030 or GO-Y031 fared 42 and 51 percent better than it did in mice in the control group, he said.

Their results were announced at the Centennial Conference on Translational Cancer Medicine in Singapore this week.

In its natural form, the curcumin molecule is composed of two ring structures linked by a chain of seven carbon atoms.

The active ring structures of GO-Y030 and GO-Y031, however, are linked by a shorter, five-carbon chain, which Shibata says might – for reasons still under investigation -account for their enhanced potency.

Shibata added: “In addition to colorectal cancer, the catenin-degrading abilities of these molecules could apply to other forms of cancer, such as gastric cancer.

“In addition to their chemopreventative abilities, these molecules might also form the basis of a potent chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with other modes of therapy.”

Shibata and his team will now further examine the drug delivery mechanisms, toxicology and pharmacokinetics of these analogues, before extending the research to clinical trials.

Their studies were funded by the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science and the Miyagi Health Service Association.

TV Bad for Obese Kids’ Blood Pressure?

Oct. 30, 2007 — A new childhood obesity study links watching lots of TV to high blood pressure in obese children.

The researchers advise parents to heed recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) about limiting kids’ TV time.

The AAP doesn’t recommend TV for children aged 2 or younger. The AAP recommends no more than one to two hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs for older children.

Other tips include removing TVs from children’s bedrooms and forbidding TV watching while eating, note the new study’s authors, who included Perrie Pardee and Jeffrey Schwimmer, MD, of the pediatrics department at the University of California, San Diego.

Television and Obese Children

Pardee, Schwimmer, and colleagues studied 546 obese kids and teens (average age: almost 12).

The children sought obesity treatment between 2003 and 2005 in San Diego, San Francisco, or Dayton, Ohio.

The kids had an average BMI (body mass index, which relates height to weight) of 35.5, putting them in the top 5% of BMI for their age and sex.

The kids’ parents reported how much TV their child watched on a typical day. Children aged 8 and older helped their parents report TV time.

More than three-quarters of the kids — 78% — reported watching at least two hours of TV per day.

The children got their blood pressure recorded once for the study. Nearly half of the children — 43% — had a blood pressure reading that was in the hypertension range.

The heaviest children were the most likely to have a high blood pressure reading — and to watch lots of TV.

Children who watched 2-4 hours of TV per day were 2.5 times as likely as kids who watch no more than two hours of daily TV to have high blood pressure.

Cause and Effect Unclear

The study, which is due to appear in December’s edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, has some limits.

As an observational study, it doesn’t prove cause and effect. That is, the findings don’t prove that watching TV raised the kids’ blood pressure; other factors may have been involved.

An editorial published with the study raises these questions for further research:

• Why is obesity increasing while TV viewing isn’t increasing?
• Why does obesity increase in adolescence, when TV viewing decreases?
• Why do boys, who watch more TV than girls, show less obesity and more physical activity?

“Focusing on just one set of behaviors may not be enough,” writes editorialist Stuart Biddle, PhD.

For instance, Biddle points out that turning off the TV doesn’t make for a more active child if that child just starts playing computer games.

Biddle works at the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England.

Lola Vartanian, whose autism was diagnosed two months ago, is already doing better with therapy, Mom says.

Lola didn’t smile. She didn’t laugh. When she and Lola took walks in the park, Vartanian noticed how the other babies loved to be held by their mothers. Lola hated being touched and even more being held. But there was something even more devastating to Vartanian, who lives in Ladera Ranch, California.

“Lola never looked at me — she looked through me. She had no idea who Mommy was,” Vartanian said. “And other kids love it when someone comes up to them and smiles. She’d freak out if someone approached her — even if it was me or my husband.”

Vartanian told her pediatrician she was worried, the doctor told her Lola was fine. “She kept telling me wait and see, wait and see, and that really annoyed me,” Vartanian said.

At first she took the took the doctor’s advice but then decided to seek a second opinion. A couple of months ago, when Lola was 14 months old, she saw a pediatric neurologist, who diagnosed autism. Lola immediately started receiving special therapy.

“You always wonder if it would have made a difference if they’d caught it earlier,” Vartanian said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is making a push to have every child screened for autism twice by age 2. The academy’s new report gives explicit instructions for the warning signs of autism at various ages.

Parents should watch for signs, including not making eye contact, not recognizing a parent’s voice, not babbling by age 9 months and not using pre-speech gestures such as waving, pointing and showing. Watch for other autism signs to look out for »

Autism encompasses a range of developmental disabilities that affects communication and social interaction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates as many as one in 150 8-year-olds has a form of autism.

Dr. Pauline Filipek, a child neurologist at the University of California-Irvine, said she hears much too often that even when parents push pediatricians, the doctors miss the signs of autism.

“I hear this from parents all the time, that the pediatrician said, ‘Don’t worry,’ or ‘You’re imagining things’ or ‘Let’s wait,’ ” Filipek said. “When I give lectures to pediatricians, I tell them, ‘Get these phrases out of your lexicon. Get them out of your vocabulary.’ “

Earlier diagnosis is crucial, she said, because it means earlier treatment.

“The research is very clear — the earlier a child is treated, the better,” according to Dr. Ami Klin, Harris associate professor of child psychology and psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center. “It’s never too early to start treatment.”

Usually autism is diagnosed at around 3, Klin said. The new American Academy of Pediatrics report tells pediatricians how to screen for the disorder in babies. For example, the report said a child at around 6 months should have a “to-and-fro pattern of vocalizations between infant and parent” instead of “vocalizing without regard for the parent’s speech.”

The academy’s Web site links to videos of children with autism alongside those of “typical” children. For example, one video shows a “typical” child at 20 months playing make-believe games with two adults and trying to feed a bottle to a Big Bird stuffed animal. The accompanying video shows a child of the same age with autism in the same setting, ignoring the adults and stuffed animal and becoming aggravated when someone reaches out to him. (The video, part of a visual autism “glossary” on the Web site of the advocacy and education group Autism Speaks, requires registration.)

Alison Singer, executive vice president of Autism Speaks, said she hopes the academy’s report will help families get an earlier diagnosis than the one she received for her daughter Jodie, 10.

“I often think Jodie’s life would be different right now if she’d been diagnosed earlier,” Singer said. “She was diagnosed when she was 2 years and 8 months old. What if she’d been able to have early intervention when she was 12 or 18 months old?”

Singer said she also missed the signs, including echolalia, a tendency to parrot back large chunks of words a child has heard. “She could recite entire lines from the ‘Madeline’ books, so we thought she was advanced,” Singer said. “So when the doctor asked if she could put two words together, I said, ‘She speaks in full sentences.’ “

Vartanian said she’ll always wonder whether Lola would be different if her autism been diagnosed at 6 months, when she first expressed concerns to her pediatrician, instead of more recently. But the child has had therapy for about two months, and Vartanian is thrilled with her progress.

At 16 months, Lola can crawl and hold a bottle by herself, Vartanian said. She doesn’t talk but is starting to coo and babble. And last month, for the first time, Lola looked at, rather than through, her mother.

Vartanian cried as she described how it happened: “She was in her highchair, and I asked her what she wanted to eat. She looked at me and smiled. It was so exciting. I said ‘Mommy, you see Mommy.’ She smiled, so I knew that she knew it was me.”

Costs Per Child for Early Childhood Education and Care: Comparing Head Start, CCDF Child Care, and Pre-Kindergarten/Preschool Programs

American Enterprise Institute

Comment: I thought this was interesting. Now compare costs!

Many U.S. politicians, academics, and policymakers are currently engaged in a nationwide debate about whether to expand child care, pre-kindergarten/preschool, or Head Start programs. Up to now, the deliberations have focused on which programs work best to close the achievement gap for disadvantaged children, and which programs better prepare all other children for school. Yet, as AEI scholar Douglas J. Besharov points out, the cost of these programs–an equally important factor–has been left out of the discussion.

In a just-released study, “Costs Per Child for Early Childhood Education and Care: Comparing Head Start, CCDF Child Care, and Pre-Kindergarten/Preschool Programs” (2003/2004), Besharov calculates the actual per-child costs of child care provided under the Child Care and Development Fund, pre-kindergarten/preschool programs, and Head Start (including Early Head Start).

The resulting cost estimates–based on all available government data–are dramatically different from most widely cited government and advocacy group estimates, which include neither the administrative and supplemental spending needed to raise care quality, nor the Child and Adult Care Food Program subsidy. Also ignored are the cost differences between part-time and full-time arrangements. Besharov estimates the full-time, full-year, costs per child to be:

• For center-based child care, about $8,908–not the widely cited $4,388 to $6,582.
• For pre-kindergarten/preschool programs, about $14,026–not the widely cited $3,551.
• For Head Start, about $21,305–not the widely cited $7,467.

Sweet Potatoes are in the peak of their season and are our food of the week. Did you know that, unlike other starchy vegetables, sweet potatoes are classified as an anti-diabetic food? Recent studies have shown that sweet potatoes help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance, a problem caused by cells not responding to the presence of insulin, which then prevents the transport of sugars from the blood into the cells. Some of sweet potatoes’ anti-diabetic properties are believed to come from their high concentration of carotenoids such as beta carotene (the redder varieties also contain lycopene), which, along with their vitamin A and vitamin C, act as powerful antioxidants to help combat free radical activity that would otherwise damage cells and cell membranes. Sweet potatoes also contain unique root storage proteins with potent antioxidant activity. These proteins, along with sweet potatoes high content of carotenoids and vitamin C, may also make them helpful in reducing inflammation, such as that involved in con! ! ditions like asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Read More …

So many parents are confused about illness in children. Here’s the answer:

If a child needs over the counter medication in the morning
so that he can make it to school. He’s ill.

Illness means a fever of 100 or more.

Illness means diarrhea within a twenty four hour period.

Illness means vomiting within a twenty four hour period.

Illness means profuse uncontrolable green drainage.

Illness means conjunctivitis.

Illness means a child has been sleep deprived – less than six hours the night before.

Illness means earache, stomach ache, constipation, hacking cough, open wounds and any thing that will keep a child from participating in the usual activities.

The state mandatory response to illness is to keep children home. For us it is to send children home.

Please keep ill children home the first day they are sick. it makes the whole process much easier and the children get better faster! Keeping children home prevents an epidemic.