Healthy Food Options for Kids

I think a lot of us will benefit from this question by newsanchormom reader Jennifer. I am excited to say I got some specific recommendations on brands from two dieticians. (often times people don't want to mention brands.)

Jennifer wrote:

"I work really hard to feed my family healthy meals and try to rely as little as possible on convenience foods. However, working full time and having two kids, I do rely on a few products to make my life easier, things like tortilla shells, frozen vegetables, rice mixes, etc. I always look at the labels but find myself questioning which data is the most relevant. Calories? Fat grams per serving? Sodium? For example, one product may be lower in fat, but higher in calories and salt. How do you know which is really the healthier option? (BTW, we don't have any health issues, so it's more about prevention than, for example, avoiding salt due to high blood pressure)."

Karen Hutton, the Patient Services Manager at Methodist Medical Center in Peoria and Julie Fehrenbacher, a Registered Dietician at Methodist, gave me some great insight on this topic.

Julie said she thinks Jennifer is on the right track. She said, "With the tortilla shells go for whole grain and make sure there's at least three grams of fiber in there. The frozen veggies are great as long as they don't have a pre-made sauce on them. The rice mixes, I would encourage a whole grain rice mix or brown rice that you could add seasoning to. " Karen said "rice mixes" usually have a lot of salt in them. "If you add your own seasoning, you wouldn't have as much salt. " She suggests using half of a seasoning packet so you aren't getting as much salt.

I wanted to know about the pre-packaged foods. Are those just absolutely horrible for my kids?Julie said, "There are some good prepackaged choices. I like Morning Star. It's a little more expensive, but they have veggie burgers that only take about 15 minutes to make and they taste good. I also like the whole grain Lean Pockets. " Karen said, "Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine are also fairly good options. The portions are smaller than other frozen meals and it would be better than going to McDonald's."

Both dieticians agree frozen vegetables are one of the best options. Use the microwave to cook them and add seasoning like Molly Mcbutter. You can also add garlic powder like Mrs. Dash. Add frozen veggies to whole grain rice for a quick meal.

What do dieticians feed their kids/grandkids?

Here's one I haven't heard. Karens say to try making a pizza using Light Flat Out bread. She says it is high in fiber, low in calories and easy. She just puts pizza sauce on top, some low-fat cheese and veggies. Karen said, "The cheese doesn't have to be fat free, it can be low fat and you don't have to use a lot to make the pizza taste good. The Flat Out Bread comes with different crust. It's usually in the bakery isle or deli area. But make sure you read the package because some stores don't sell the "light" version. "Karen has seen them at Wal-mart, Schnucks and Kroger.

Julie suggests Vandekamp breaded fish for kids. She said, "It's baked so the fish sticks are healthier and they're approved by the Heart Health Association."

So what should you keep in mind when you're looking at the back of a package?

Calories, Fiber and Fat content are the main things to look at when you turn the package over. Julie says to compare like products. See which ones has the least amount of calories and fat and the most fiber.

What about the foods in the health food section?

Karen said, "The health food section has more organic and soy products. They don't have to come from there to be healthy options, but there are definitely healthy food products in that area."

What about little snacks to throw in the diaper bag? What would be your choice?

Karen said, "Julie and my favorite bars are Fiber One bars. I keep them in my purse, 140 calories, 4 g fat, 9 g of fiber. They have peanut butter, not just chocolate flavors."

Karen and Julie say to encourage kids to drink more water when making these choices because they can get bloated and constipated. "Water is so important."

Mypyramid.gov will let you type in your personal information to give you a better idea of exactly what you should be buying at the grocery store.

What are your favorite food choices for kids?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Salt, Soda and Obesity

I keep finding stories on sodium this week and I feel like I should pass along the information. Here's the latest:

Researchers say there is a connection between too much sodium and obesity, especially in kids. I know sodium makes me look and feel swollen, but I never thought it made me gain weight. The study was done in Britain and published this week in an American Heart Association Journal.

Basically, the research showed kids who eat meals and snacks with a lot of salt don't tend to drink water to quench their thirst. They tend to drink soda and a lot of it. One of the co-authors of the study says salt is a hidden culprit in the obesity epidemic.

Researchers suggest by limited salt intake, kids will drink fewer sodas and, therefore, gain less weight. Of course, there are other benefits to limiting salt like lowering blood pressure and keeping hearts healthy.

The researchers would like manufacturers to gradually start lowering the amount of salt in foods. As one newsanchormom.com reader stated earlier this week, " Eventually foods that you liked the flavor of before will start to taste salty."

Between this story and the Campbell's soup story that came out earlier this week, I think someone is trying to tell me I eat too much salt!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Police say Starvation Killed Baby

The death of Peoria baby Benjamin Sargent is making national news. I have talked to three people today who started crying while I explained what police are saying happened. The idea of this happening to a child is horrific.

Here's the story:

Disturbing new information came out in court this afternoon about the infant who was found dead in Peoria last Tuesday. 21-year old Tracey Hermann and 23-year old James Sargent were denied bond today. They both face first-degree murder charges for the death of their son, Benjamin Sargent.

Prosecutors say for eight days 5 month old Benjamin was left in the same clothes, and had not been moved from his car seat that was placed in a crib.

He died of sepsis and starvation.

Police say Hermann left Benjamin with his father when she went out of state to meet a man she met on the internet. Police say James Sargent has a criminal record and did not take care of his son. He called police when he discovered the baby stopped breathing.

Public defenders were assigned for both Hermann and Sargent. Prosecutors say they have a two-year old daughter who is living with Hermann's brother and his wife. State's Attorney Kevin Lyons says he plans to file a case to make sure Hermann no longer has custody of that child.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Lead Paint on Toys

Great News! If you live in the Peoria area, HOI 19 News is offering a FREE toy safety check next week, February 26th from 3:30-6:30p.m. at Ridgeview Elementary School (off Radnor Road in Peoria). You have to sign up to attend because the company (Oxford Instruments) testing the toys will only be in town for a few hours. I tried to get them to stay longer, but they are doing this for free and are coming from Chicago. So, I totally understand where they are coming from. The company will be using an XRF machine to test the toys. That is what the Consumer Product Safety Commission uses to screen toys it has labeled as suspicious.

I also had a long conversation today with someone at the CPSC and an interview with a local pubic health department nurse. I have a one-year-old, so I have been having an issue with determining how to keep him safe from lead. He puts just about everything in his mouth! This has been a very eye-opening investigation. The report will air on Monday, February 25th (my son's birthday) at 10p.m. I will, of course, post the story on this site and put it on You Tube sometime after that.

If you want to get some of your child's toys tested ( I am picking a few of my son's favorites) go to HOI News and click on Toy Test.
It's in an orange box on the top. Again, space is very limited and I am nervous we will have to turn people away. So, please sign up early if you want to come.

Please send me any questions you have about lead in toys and I will make sure I include those answers on-line.

By the way, Toys 'R' Us just released it is increasing testing for lead paint and phthalates in its toys.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Autism Breakthrough on Computer

Did any of you see the Autism report on ABC on Tuesday? It is about a fabulous teenager who does not have the ability to speak due to her autism. Carly Fleishman is using a new computer program that allows her to speak through the computer. What she says is simply amazing. She says people treat her like she's dumb and it's obvious from her writing she is not. If you know anyone who has a child with autism, you have got to read this story.

Just go to this ABC News link.
Miss Carly is an inspiration! She is even answering people's questions on-line.

Let me know what you think of the story after you take a look.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Soup with less Salt for Kids

Campbell's announced this week the company is going to reduce the amount of sodium in kid's soups like Dora and Batman.

According to ABC News:

The 12 soups for kids will have 480 milligrams per serving, which means the company can legally label them as healthy foods for the first time. "Your kids can enjoy Dora the Explorer even more," said Douglas R. Conant, Campbell's president and chief executive, said in an interview. "They'll be down to heart-healthy levels."

The sodium will be reduced by about 20 percent. Why is the company doing this? There is a push to make the soup healthier and it's a money making opportunity.

In 2003, it sold $100 million worth of reduced-sodium soups. Now, Campbell's says, the lower-salt soups are bringing in $650 million a year in retail sales.

I am feeling guilty right now because I never buy the reduced sodium soups. I tried one a few years ago and thought it tasted horrible. I really need to get over it and try some of the new reduced sodium soups. I don't need all that salt and my kids definitely don't. They won't even know the difference.

Do you buy low sodium soups? Which ones taste good?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Fire Safety Pajamas

Fire safety is a topic we cover on the news each year when space heaters and old furnaces tend to catch fire. This got me thinking about the fire safety warnings on my sons' pajamas. Some of their jammies are tight and some are loose.

So what are the fire safety requirements for P.J.s and why do they exist? Here's what I found:

Kid's sleepwear is required to be either snug fitting or made out of fire-resistant material, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. There are three different types of acceptable sleepwear for kids:

1. Flame-Resistant loose-fitting sleepwear made of polyester
2. Snug-fitting sleepwear out of natural fabrics like cotton
3. Chemically Treated sleepwear that's loose-fitting and cotton

The flame-resistant sleepwear is supposed to stop burning once it's removed from a flame. Snug fitting clothing is too tight against the skin to provide enough oxygen to feed a flame.

Q: Which type of sleepwear is best? (Ebay of all places has this list of questions/answers that are very helpful)

A: Each solution has its pros and cons: Loose-fitting polyester fabric may fit more comfortably, but does not “breathe” against warm little bodies the way natural fabrics do. Snug-fitting natural fabric can breathe well but may be too tight to be comfortable. And loose-fitting natural fabric treated with flame retardants is comfortable and breathes well, but is typically more expensive because of the costs associated with treating the fabric.

Q: Does all children’s sleepwear meet safety requirements?

A: Children’s sleepwear from Infant size 9 months to Children size 14 must meet these safety requirements if the manufacturer does not wish to receive a hefty penalty. Items marketed as sleepwear that are not made of flame-resistant materials and do not contain flame retardant chemicals must include a brightly-colored tag with the statement: "Wear Snug-fitting, Not Flame Resistant."

Q: Do pajamas or nighties sold as “loungewear” have to meet the same safety requirements?

A: No. This is a loophole that some manufacturers use to avoid the extra costs associated with providing safe-fitting sleepwear. As long as the “loungewear” (or “underwear”) designs look different from their sleepwear product and is kept in a separate location of the store, they are permitted to classify the items under other categories.

Q: It sounds as though finding comfortable and safe sleepwear is nearly impossible unless I want to pay an arm and a leg for it.

A: That is true, but only in some cases. During the cooler months, or if your child’s bedroom is cool at night, he or she will be perfectly comfortable in loose-fitting, flame-resistant polyester. If you prefer a natural fabric that breathes, you can always go up a size or two so that their sleepwear isn’t so tight. (Note: the CPSC does not recommend doing so, as it presents an increased risk of injury caused by fire.)

Q: If I can buy a larger size in the more comfortable cotton sleepwear, why would I even consider spending more on fabrics treated with flame-retardant chemicals?

A: Because it’s ultimately the safest alternative. The companies that invest the time and money into producing flame-retardant natural sleepwear fabrics generally also produce higher quality clothing, which means it will fit better and last longer than some of the less expensive options.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Acupuncture for Conception

This ABC News article is something I've heard many women talk about. Most of them already have one baby, but are having trouble getting pregnant a second or third time. This article looks at adding acupuncture to in vitro fertilization procedures, but I know people who have just tried acupuncture by itself to get pregnant. After the article, there is an interview I did with an acupuncturist.

It sounds far-fetched -- sticking needles in women to help them become pregnant -- but a scientific review suggests that acupuncture might improve the odds of conceiving if done right before or after embryos are placed in the womb.

A pregnant Dr. Ann Trevino had trouble getting pregnant with intrauterine insemination before trying acupuncture.

The surprising finding is far from proven, and there are only theories for how and why acupuncture might work. However, some fertility specialists say they are hopeful that this relatively inexpensive and simple treatment might ultimately prove to be a useful add-on to traditional methods.

"It is being taken more seriously across our specialty," and more doctors are training in it, said Dr. William Gibbons, who runs a fertility clinic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is past president of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.

"I have not seen proof ... but we wouldn't mind at all" if it turned out to work, he said.

The analysis was led by Eric Manheimer, a researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and paid for by a federal agency, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Results were published Friday in the British medical journal, BMJ.

Acupuncture involves placing very thin needles at specific points on the body to try to control pain and reduce stress. In fertility treatment, it is thought to increase blood flow to the uterus, relax the cervix and inhibit "fight or flight" stress hormones that can make it tougher for an embryo to implant, Manheimer said.

The analysis pools results from seven studies on 1,366 women in the United States, Germany, Australia and Denmark who are having in vitro fertilization, or IVF. It involves mixing sperm and eggs in a lab dish to create embryos that are placed in the womb.

Women were randomly assigned to receive IVF alone, IVF with acupuncture within a day of embryo transfer, or IVF plus sham acupuncture, in which needles were placed too shallowly or in spots not thought to matter.

Individually, only three of the studies found acupuncture beneficial, three found a trend toward benefit and one found no benefit. When results of these smaller studies were pooled, researchers found that the odds of conceiving went up about 65 percent for women given acupuncture.

Experts warn against focusing on that number, because this type of analysis with pooled results is not proof that acupuncture helps at all, let alone by how much. IVF results in pregnancy about 35 percent of the time. Adding acupuncture might boost that to around 45 percent, the researchers said.

The authors include doctors from the Netherlands and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. One is an acupuncturist but had no role in any studies that were analyzed.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine has no policy on acupuncture. "There's been a lot of conflicting research" on its usefulness, said spokeswoman Eleanor Nicoll.

"It looks like, from the body of evidence out there, that some patients benefit," said Dr. James Grifo, head of the infertility program at New York University.

However, Dr. Zev Rosenwaks, director of infertility treatment at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said other studies, reported at recent medical meetings and not included in the published analysis, did not find it helped.

"The jury is still out," he said, but added, "It's unlikely that acupuncture does any harm."

Dr. Ann Trevino, a 37-year-old family physician who recently moved to Houston, is pregnant, and a believer. She had three unsuccessful pregnancy attempts with intrauterine insemination before trying acupuncture with IVF at a fertility clinic in San Antonio where she used to live.

"I had been reading about acupuncture, probably like every other patient on the Internet. I was just willing to do anything possible to improve our chances," she said. With acupuncture, "I just felt very warm and relaxed" when the embryos were placed.

Dr. Francisco Arredondo, who runs Reproductive Medicine Associates of Texas where Trevino was treated, said he started offering acupuncture in October, after patients requested it and because some studies suggested it helped.

Acupuncturist Kirsten Karchmer said she places about a dozen needles in the ears, hands, feet, lower legs, abdomen and sometimes the lower back. It costs $500 a month for treatments twice a week, and patients typically go for three months, she said.

IVF costs around $12,000 per attempt, so a treatment that improves its effectiveness might save money in the long run, Manheimer said.

I called Dr. Keith Kramer from Kramer Chiropractic and Acupuncture Center in Peoria, IL to get his take on this article. He said he does offer acupuncture for infertility. He sees women at all stages of infertility, but he most often treats women who have had several failed in vitro attempts. Infertility Specialists at the Sheer Institute in Peoria, IL often refer patients to Dr. Kramer. He has been acupuncture for conception for that last 7-8 years.

My first question was how does acupuncture help women get pregnant? Dr. Kramer said there are several points on the human body that increase fertility in women AND in men. He said acupuncture works by balancing the person's energy system "to make sure you are functioning the best you can, taking the stress off your body." Dr. Kramer said, "I'm sure you've heard stories before when people try and try to get pregnant and as soon as they give up, they get pregnant. Sometimes the planning stresses people out too much."

If a woman is trying to get pregnant, Dr. Kramer has her come in once a week for a half hour session. If the woman has had a miscarriage, he usually continues the sessions until the woman is 20 weeks pregnant. If the woman is undergoing in vitro fertilization, he has her come in twice a week until conception, then once a week until 20 weeks. Dr. Kramer said, "I have just had success with that. I don't like cutting them loose as soon as they get pregnant. I like to make sure they're as healthy as possible and make sure their energy is balanced through the 20 week point, just to support the body."

The Cost is $65 for a half hour session. Acupuncture is not covered by all insurance companies. Dr. Kramer said it's about 50/50. Caterpillar does cover it.

I asked him what he tells skeptics. Kramer responded, "Skeptics, of course. Half the treatment option is having an open mind. Nothing is 100 percent. My success rate is 50-60 percent. I'm getting the tough ones. I'm getting the ones with adhesions around their fallopian tubes and cysts."

Kramer said acupuncture does not hurt. The needles are very tiny, about the diameter of a hair shaft. Acupuncture for conception is performed on a woman's stomach, a man and woman's lower back and sometimes around the ankles.

I know there are a whole slew of people who think acupuncture is a waste of money. Personally, I have no idea whether the treatment is beneficial, but it is interesting. So, I thought I would pass on the information to you so you can make your own decision.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Don't Like Your Friend's Kid?

The title of this story on CNN caught my eye:"Love Your Friends, Hate their Kid." What in the world is this?

Here's the article:

If you secretly think your friend's child is a monster, is your only option to grit your teeth for the next 10 years?

Even parents find some other children less than adorable.

For one woman from Philadelphia, speaking up meant losing the friendship."One Thanksgiving, we decided to go away with close friends for the holiday," says the nurse, who asked that her name not be used because the subject is still a sensitive one. "Their daughter was very demanding and fresh with them; at one point, she even hit her mother." The nurse's husband made a comment about the incident, which their friends didn't appreciate it. "Our friendship has never been the same since."

Oriana Schooley, on the other hand, says she'd want a friend to come to her with any problems. One woman was "openly disrespectful to my 5-year-old son," recalls Schooley, 29, a real-estate professional in Buckeye, Arizona. "I have purposely avoided that woman since. If she had spoken to me first, it would probably be a different situation."

Clearly, it's a touchy subject. Even touchier: What if it's not a certain behavior you don't like, but the kid himself?

Jeff Burnor, 47, simply stays away."We definitely have friends whose kids I don't like," says the Phoenix ice-sports retailer. "I figure out other ways to occupy my time when they're around."But maybe that's not an option for you, and the child is creating a roadblock in your relationship. If you can't pinpoint a specific behavior that you'd want the child's parents to correct but just have a general negative feeling about the child, you should also "look at yourself first" before you give up on the friendship, says behavioral-health consultant Keith Lee, author of "Addicted to Chaos: The Journey From Extreme to Serene."

Lee contends that typically bad behavior in a child might irritate people more than normal because it reminds them of a difficult period in their own childhood, a personality trait of their own or someone else who conjures up negative feelings. As a result, you may need to let go of some emotional baggage of your own to preserve the friendship.

If the conflict seems unresolvable, though, perhaps it's time to move on. The Philadelphia nurse says losing a friendship taught her that. "We are people who don't play games," she says. "If you like us, you like us. If not, we don't really care. In the past, I have bent over backward to get along with people. I don't go out of my way anymore."

She has, on occasion, extended this lesson to her own children. One friend's child was mean to her son, and the friend didn't follow through after reprimanding his behavior.

"I used to tell my children that they have to be friends with everybody," she says. "But I don't tell them that anymore. If someone is mean to them, I don't expect them to go out of their way to remain friends."

If the problem really is just a specific behavior, Lee suggests a "feedback sandwich" -- stacking compliments on either side of the problem when you bring it up with your friend.

Another nonconfrontational approach is not mentioning the child as you bring up the problem; for example, asking the parent: "Does it bother you when people interrupt you in the middle of a conversation?" If your friend agrees, Lee says, you could continue with something like, "You know, I've been noticing that little Mikey has been interrupting us, and it's starting to bother me. Do you think we could find a way to stop that behavior?"

Don't mention more than three problems at a time so that the list isn't overwhelming to your friend. Most importantly, Lee says, identify a specific behavior to avoid falling into a blame game: "Problem-solving is much more concrete and allows you an opportunity to preserve your friendship." Of course, there's always room for compromise, as Jessica Ullman, 29, has found. "(My friends) know that I don't have kids, and I think they make adjustments for that," says the bookstore employee in Goodyear, Arizona. "Still, even though we may be in different places in our lives, I can't imagine not being friends because of a child."

First of all, I love my friends' kids. But if I didn't, I can't imagine having any of these conversations. Maybe I'm in the wrong, but WOW that would be shocking if someone told me they think my "Mikey" is acting badly. Doesn't every child behave badly sometimes? I guess it's important to be friends will people who have similar parenting styles. I never really thought about it.

Has anyone had this problem? You don't have to give me your name.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen