Archives for October 2013

7 Sneaky Steps to a Healthier Halloween

Halloween is here and tonight the sidewalks will be filled with little ghouls and goblins marching from one house to the next in search of treats. All Hallows’ Eve can be scary, especially when it comes to the amount of calories, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup children consume this time of year. Here are seven sneaky steps parents can take to make Halloween a bit healthier for their little monsters.

Trick or treat

6 Ways Parents Can Help Kids Manage Media Use

In an age where media plays a dominant role in the lives of American children, doctors are recommending that parents establish a media consumption plan for their families. A newly revised policy statement on children, adolescents and the media released on Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers guidance for managing kid’s use of media [1].

Kids consuming media

Study Suggests Sleep Detoxes the Brain

A good night’s rest may literally clear the mind. Using mice, researchers showed for the first time that the space between brain cells may increase during sleep, allowing the brain to flush out toxins that build up during waking hours. These results suggest a new role for sleep in health and disease. The study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the NIH.

Dye flow through the brain of a sleeping mouse

World Food Day 2013: Sustainable Food Systems

Today is World Food Day, an opportunity to celebrate the thousands of farmers and groups working in fields, kitchens, schools and laboratories around the world to raise yields, improve food and nutrition security, increase incomes, and protect biodiversity.

World Food Day 2013

What the U.S. Government Shutdown Means to Your Health

The United States government shutdown has slowed or halted federal efforts to protect Americans’ health and safety. Now in its 9th day, the shutdown has impacted food safety efforts, flu programs and disease-tracking, scientific research, and the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals and communities.

US is closed