Healthy Bones and Children

Helping children build healthy bones is an important job that all parents should know how to do. Children build half of their bone mass during adolescence and reach their peak bone mass by age twenty. The three most important factors for building healthy, strong bones in your children are calcium, vitamin D from exposure to sunlight and exercise.

Poor nutrition, lack of outdoor activities and lack of exercise have health experts very concerned as cases of Rickets in are rising fast in American children. Rickets is a childhood bone disease that is typically seen only in third world developing countries. It causes the bones to ache and to become deformed starting at a young age.

According to Dr. James Beaty, President of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, "There's some early data showing that even a 10 percent deficit in your bone mass when you finish your adolescent years can increase your potential risk of having osteoporosis and fractures as much as 50 percent”.

When it comes to American children, the experts believe that poor nutrition combined with too much TV, internet and computer game time is an issue that parents need to address immediately. "This potentially is a time-bomb," says Dr. Laura Tosi, bone health chief at Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C.

What’s the solution? Good nutrition, sunshine and exercise!
Calcium is the building block of healthy bones. Foods which are good sources of calcium include fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, canned fish with bones, nuts, fruits, vegetables, dried beans, rice beverages, molasses and some leafy greens.

The best source of vitamin D is natural sunlight, that’s why getting outdoors is so important for your children. When the kids are playing outdoors they are getting both exercise and vitamin D. If you would like to read more research regarding the health benefits of sunlight, please click these two links:

http://organicnutrition.wholefoodfarmacy.com/2005/wwa040506.asp
http://organicnutrition.wholefoodfarmacy.com/2005/wwa051607.asp

The Wholefood Farmacy can offer you some wonderfully healthy foods and snacks for you and your kids. These are the perfect snacks for outdoor activities at any time of the year.

What Can a Pedometer Do for You?

Pedometers, also called step counters, clip to a belt or waistband and count the steps the wearer takes during the day. They are available in the $5 to $60 range with simple, reliable models available for about $20.
Researchers, with a grant from the National Institute on Aging, put the pedometer to the test. Dr. Dena Bravata of Stanford University was the co-author of the study and the findings were published in the November 21st, 2007, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Bravata and her colleagues analyzed 20 studies from the United States and Canada and half a dozen from Japan, Europe and Australia. The average age of participants was 49, and 85 percent were female because some studies targeted women. The total number of volunteers overall was more than 2,700.
Overall, the pedometer stood up to multiple research studies, helping people walk an additional mile each day if they logged their steps and kept track from day to day. On average, the volunteers lost a few pounds and their blood pressure dropped enough to lower their risk for stroke and heart disease.
“Every night, you write down how many steps you walked that day,” said Bravata. “By flipping back through your diary, you’re able to see patterns: ’On the two days a week I took the stairs, I increased my steps.”’
The key seems to be keeping a diary of your pedometer readings and setting a daily goal to stay in step with. It’s inexpensive enough – it’s easy enough – why not give it a try? And while you’re doing more walking, don’t forget your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods which are the perfect snack while you’re on the go!
http://www.top-health-cafe.com/wholefood-farmacy/home.html

Soy Shakes on Sale -30% Off

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-What a great time to try our line of QUALITY Soy Shakes - Trimlogix.

Trimlogix shakes are the perfect low-fat, low-carbohydrate and cholesterol-free meal replacements. Incredibly rich and filling, each shake has 25 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, amino acids and soy fiber. Made from non-GMO whole soybeans, each serving has 10 grams of protein, which helps to reduce cravings and boost your energy. Most protein shakes contain “soy protein isolate” which is processed with potentially harmful chemical solvents. Trimlogix is soy-isolate-free with no chemical solvents. It's the healthy way to feel great and lose excess weight!

Young Children - Sleep and Obesity

Sleep & Obesity in Young Children
A new study published in the November 2007 issue of the journal Pediatrics shows that more sleep for youngsters may lower their risk of obesity significantly.
The researchers have found that every additional hour per night a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the child’s chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 percent. Dr. Julie Lumeng of the University of Michigan, who led the research, said that “the less sleep they got, the more likely the children were to be obese in sixth grade, no matter what the child’s weight was in third grade”. If there was a magic number for the third-graders, it was 9 hours, 45 minutes of sleep. Sleeping more than 9 hours, 45 minutes lowered the risk of obesity significantly. Of the children who slept 10 to 12 hours a day, only 12 percent were obese by sixth grade. If you think about it, the kids can’t eat while they’re sleeping – and – if well rested, they are less likely to be stressed or exhausted which is when many kids turn to unhealthy “comfort foods” (candy, sodas, burgers, fries, chips, energy drinks, etc).
If your children consume these all-to-common energy drinks, we encourage you to read the labels – the levels of caffeine are extremely high. In place of these unhealthy energy drinks, consider offering Farmacy Pro Power which is an all natural, delicious and very healthy energy drink. One serving is the equivalent of 8 servings of vegetables – that’s where the real energy comes from. But all in all, the study gives parents yet another reason to encourage regular bedtimes, restrict caffeine and remove the TV from the bedroom.
Experts offer these ideas for promoting good sleep habits in elementary school children:
WAKE TIME: The biological clock resets in the morning, so it’s just as important to have a consistent wake-up time as a consistent bedtime. Avoid over scheduling that interferes with sleep time.
WEEKENDS: Avoid letting children sleep extremely late on weekends, but be flexible enough to allow a little fun.
TEMPERATURE: A cool bedroom is better.
CAFFEINE: Soda or chocolate at lunch may keep some children awake at night, so limit or rule out caffeine. ELECTRONICS: Keep TVs, cell phones, computer games and other electronics out of the bedroom.
BEDTIME ROUTINE: Encourage reading, chatting about the day or other soothing activities in the 30 minutes before bed.
After a good night’s sleep, there’s no better way for your kids to start the day than with convenient Wholefood Farmacy foods. The kids love it when you add Phi Plus or Fruitalicious Plus to their oat meal, cream of wheat, or quality whole grain breakfast cereal. It adds new dimensions of taste and nutrition to these healthy, whole grain types of breakfast foods.

What is my Dog trying to tell me?

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks (courtesy of ehow.com)
Digging through trash can	Hunger, boredom, attracted to odor	Make trash inaccessible to dog; use can with sealed lid. Spray deterent on trash can or place shake cans on top of trash can to startle snooping dog and alert you.
Eating stools (called coprophagia)	Undernourishment, stress, boredom, poor hygienic conditions, residual puppy behavior	Clean up stool as soon as dog has eliminated it. Exercise and play with dog daily to relieve stress and boredom. Keep dog on leash during walks. Yank at leash and say "no" firmly if he tries to eat stools. Consult vet if you suspect malnourishment.
Fighting with other dogs	Improper socialization, natural territorial instinct to dominate	Keep dog on leash during walk. Yank leash and say "no" firmly if he growls at another dog. Never try to break up dog fight with your hands. Hose dogs off, throw jacket on them or try to distract them with loud noise. Enroll dog in obedience courses.
Jumping on people	Improper socialization or dog is eager to greet guest with a kiss	Tell dog to "sit" and reward her with affection and treats when she obeys. Exercise dog daily to reduce excess energy. Dog may need obedience training.
Mounting	High sex drive, nervousness, improper socialization	Neuter male dogs. Spray dog with water sprayer when he mounts and say "no" firmly. Give a positive reward when behavior stops. If all else fails, obedience school.
Separation anxiety	Fear of being alone, over- dependence on owner	Leave dog only for short intervals, then gradually increase intervals to allow her to adjust. Ignore your dog when you’re leaving; don’t coddle him. Provide doggy toys or put treat inside series of cardboard boxes so she can entertain herself by finding treat while you are gone. Don't punish dog for misbehaving (chewing, urinating, barking) in your absence. This will only increase anxiety. Exercise and play with dog daily to reduce anxiety and promote canine bliss.