Are you expecting a new grandbaby or know someone who is?  We’ve found a really great gift that is both functional and fun.  We absolutely love these cute pastel bath wraps for baby’s bath.   Made from thick cotton terry cloth, they are ultra soft and absorbent.

You can even get your grandchild’s name stitched onto the towel, so this is also a perfect baby gift or baby shower gift. Each little animal towel is cuter than the next with little ears and eyes. Choose from a bunny, a giraffe, a hippo, an elephant or a frog. Your grandbaby will look so cute wrapped up in one of these little animal towels.

From Pottery Barn $24

Our family has been buying Breyers ice cream for some time now, thinking that it was “all natural” as they state on the packaging.  How wrong we were.  Apparently many of the big ice cream makers in the U.S., specifically Haagen Dazs, Breyers and Baskin-Robbins, continue to use milk from cows injected with rBGH, a hormone that’s been banned in Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Australia and all 27 nations of the European Union.  What on earth is wrong with our country?  The USDA needs to step up to the plate here.

We have Monsanto to thank for rBGH. Monsanto developed the artificial hormone and marketed it aggressively for years, before selling it in 2008 to Elanco, a division of the Eli Lilly drug company.  Starbucks now guarantees that all their milk, cream and other dairy products are rBGH-free. So do Yoplait and Dannon yogurts, Tillamook cheese, Chipotle restaurants, and many others. But ice cream giants Haagen Dazs, Breyers and Baskin-Robbins continue to use milk from cows injected with rBGH.

For more info, check out this Huffington Post article.

It’s a different trip each time you go.  Sometimes you get to see the seals swimming around and being fed.  Other times we catch the giraffes up close and personal.  And it is so relaxing watching the animals.  But we sure do get some good walking exercise in.  Just be sure to check the weather before you go, as it isn’t as enjoyable if you encounter a thunderstorm or a very hot day.

Pack some snacks, water and maybe a lunch.  Most zoos have an area where you can eat your own food, even if it is in the parking area where they have picnic areas.  So, don’t forget about all the animals and the fun time to be had at your local or big city zoo.

Sharon Pierce McCullough

1.  Cook and freeze whole grains.  While some grains like bulgur (cracked wheat) are ready in a flash, others like whole grain rice take far longer to cook.  This doesn’t work for a quick weekday dinner, so I often cook up a batch of whole grains – like quinoa or rice – and simply freeze it in Tupperware after it cools.  When I need it for a meal, I just heat it up for a few minutes and it’s all set!

2.  Portion out dairy products.  It’s usually cheaper to buy larger amounts of yogurt and cheese, but it’s important to be able to fit it into your lunch bag!  Taking the time to portion out your Greek yogurt (my fave!) into plastic containers and slice or cube cheese means that it’s easy to grab as a quick snack or to round out your lunch.  Keep in mind that a serving of yogurt is ¾ of a cup (175 g) and a serving of cheese is 1½ ounces.  Put a small bag of berries with your yogurt and you’ve got yourself a homemade parfait come lunch time!

3.  Chop up fruits and veggies.  I’m sure you’ve all heard this one before, but have you actually tried doing it?  It truly makes it easier to get in all kinds of fruit and veggie servings each day.  Slice up bell peppers into sticks, broccoli & cauliflower into little “trees” for the kids, and juicy pineapple into wedges for a sweet afternoon treat.  Keep hummus or bean dip in the fridge beside them for a great pairing, or use your chopped veggies in a quick weeknight stir-fry!

4.  Grill your favorite lean proteins.  Whether it’s lean chicken, pork, salmon, turkey or beef, cooking multiple portions one day a week gives you meals for the next couple of days.  Have you tried my Latin Rubbed Pork Tenderloin recipe yet?  It’s a family favorite!  Flavor the meat with any combination of super spices you’d like, and then get to grillin’!  Use the proteins for slicing on top of salads, adding to pasta or other whole grains, or as the filling for a sandwich!

5.  Prepare beans for the week.  Whether you cook up dried beans or simply pop open a can of beans and rinse them, either method will save you some time during the week.  If you still haven’t tried beans yet, they’re one of my favorite protein superstars, and great for vegetarians AND meat-eaters alike!  Simply cook a batch or rinse some canned beans and store in the fridge for convenient access all week long.  You can toss some in your pasta, on your salads, in a wrap or quesadilla, or just with your favorite sauce and veggies!

By Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD,  America’s Nutrition Expert

Head lice are incredibly common, especially among school-aged children. There aren’t any good numbers on infestations, but it’s somewhere in the millions every year (just in the U.S.)—and these tiny bugs end up costing the country millions of dollars, if you include not just treatments but lost wages. The American Academy of Pediatrics just issued a clinical report on head lice to educate parents about what should—and should not—be done while battling lice in the home.

In some parts of the world, it’s normal to always have a few lice on your head (now that makes me itch!) It’s not a hygiene thing—washing more just gives you cleaner lice. They are hardy little buggers, and in some places people just get used to them. Here in the U.S. we get freaked out. We’ll try anything to get rid of them—and we don’t want to be near anyone who has them.

The diagnosis and treatment of head lice has moved away from doctors over the years. It’s mostly school or daycare staff, parents, friends, neighbors and other assorted people who are deciding if children are infested—and what to do about it. This worries the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), who just issued a clinical report on head lice. They have three main concerns:

Children are being diagnosed with lice when they don’t have them. This happens in two ways:

• People think that stuff in the hair is nits (lice eggs) when it’s actually dandruff or debris or something else. Nits are grayish-white and look like a tiny leaf coming off the hair shaft. They are stuck on tight; if you can brush it off easily, it’s not a nit.
• Having nits doesn’t mean someone has lice. Lice feed on the scalp, and lay their eggs on hairs very close to the scalp (within a quarter inch). The eggs hatch a week or two later. This means that any nit found more than a half-inch or so away from the scalp is likely hatched and dead. The only way to know that a person has lice is to see the actual live lice (are you itching yet?). No creepy-crawlies, no infestation. Which leads to the second main concern of the AAP…

Children are being kept out of school unnecessarily.

• Many schools have “No-Nit” policies. This means that if the school staff finds a single nit on a child’s head, they are sent home. Doesn’t matter if it’s six inches out and there isn’t a creepy-crawlie anywhere on the head.
• Even if a child does have lice, they aren’t as contagious as people think. Lice don’t fly, or jump. They can live on hairbrushes and hats—but very briefly. It’s really head-to-head contact that spreads them. Just because one kid in a class has lice doesn’t mean that everyone else will get them. But the mere rumor of lice sends parents to the store. Which brings us to the third main concern of the AAP…

Children are being over- and under-treated for lice.

• Clearly, insecticides are not necessary for dandruff. No child should be treated for head lice unless it’s certain that they have them.
• There are lots of remedies marketed for the treatment of head lice, with limited evidence that they actually work.
• Many families turn to home remedies. Some can be dangerous (like gasoline!). Some can be really messy (like petroleum jelly). And there’s no good evidence that any of them work either.

Here’s what the AAP recommends for treatment (if you’ve seen live lice):

• Use a permethrin (1 percent) or pyrethrin creme rinse (available without a prescription). Shampoo first, using a shampoo without conditioner, and follow package instructions carefully. Rinse it out over the sink, not in the tub or shower (so the chemicals don’t touch the rest of the body).
• Repeat the treatment in 7 to 10 days. This is important, as there is resistance, and the treatments may not kill all the unhatched lice.
• Do some basic home cleanup. You don’t have to go crazy. It’s really pillowcases that need washing (in hot water), but go ahead and throw all the bedding in. Stick whatever can’t be washed into the dryer at a hot setting (or bag it in plastic for two weeks). Same goes for clothes, hats, and coats that come in contact with the head. Clean hairbrushes and combs really well (get all the hairs out, and use really hot water). While you’re at it, make sure everyone has their own. Don’t use anti-lice sprays for furniture—vacuuming does the trick.

The AAP doesn’t recommend combing alone as a treatment.  But from both professional and personal experience (we had lice once), I think it can be very helpful to do along with the creme rinse (and getting rid of nits makes school nurses happy). Here are some tips:

• Look for a lice comb with long metal tines that are very close together
• Always wet the hair first. It slows the live lice down, and makes it easier to get a comb through. Use conditioner if your child is in the tub, or a detangling spray if they aren’t.
• Divide the hair into small sections (hair clips help).
• Have good light.
• After each pass, inspect the comb for bugs or nits. Have a cup of water handy for rinsing it.
• Have entertainment handy too—this takes a while.
• Do it every single day until you don’t find anything for a few days.

In some cases, a prescription treatment is necessary. Your doctor is the one who can help with that decision. In fact, a call to the doctor is a really good idea if you think your child has lice. That way you can be sure—and be sure you are doing everything right. Most of all, don’t panic. Having lice isn’t the end of the world—and with patience and perseverance, you’ll get rid of every last one.

Claire McCarthy, MD, is a primary care physician and the medical director of Children’s Hospital Boston’s Martha Eliot Health Center.

For more great parenting tips and pediatric information please check out Thrive, the pediatric blog of Children’s Hospital Boston

I am so sick of the words “green” and “frugal” and all of their derivatives. I am no
longer just a conscious consumer, I am a frugalista, according to the media. I am
not just aware of how much I consume or waste, I am practicing eco-nomics.
But, here’s the real secret. I was raised in a family with one parent, seven
children, and a legacy of a parent and grandparents who survived the Great
Depression and several wars, where saving, scrimping, and sacrificing weren’t
media-inspired, vogue choices. It was necessary. I grew up with a home
garden, a compost pile, hand-me-down clothing (not vintage, not re-designer),
and pay-with-cash mentality. Although I rebelled against all things earthy in my
teens, I returned to these roots as an adult. As my version of that country song
goes, “I was composting before composting was cool!”
I made a few simple changes this past year, and I am just quantifying what I
already know. Although I am ‘green’ with envy over those people who can turn
a $300 grocery trip into one that costs $32.50, I haven’t quite mastered their
coupon prowess, nor have I had solar panels installed (another dream). I made
little changes that were painless, and I netted some really big results:
1. Although the term waste-free is tossed around, I actually eliminated the
use of reusable plastic bags, drink pouches, and paper napkins. I used
inexpensive small plastic containers with lids for all of my daughter’s
lunches.
a. 180 school days x 2 ziploc bags (sandwich and snacks) = 360 bags
not used.
b. 180 napkins saved
c. 180 juice pouches not used
d. 180 plastic water bottles not used
e. We bought one sturdy insulated lunch bag and used it all year long
which saved on paper bags, too.  We used cloth napkins.
2. I bought a manual mower. Now, this may seem extreme to many people,
but I rationalized that I was hiring a lawn service for $50/cut while I drove
to the gym and worked out. Hmmm.
a. So far this summer, I have cut the lawn 12 times. That saved me
$600. I bought the mower last summer and cut the lawn 14 times
which more than paid for the mower ($180). Not to mention, there
are no emissions except an occasional burp.
b. I get a killer workout. Mowing the lawn is not pretty business, but I
sweated more than 60 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill.
c. I really got to know my lawn and all of the plants. I use white
vinegar to kill weeds, soapy water to deter bugs, and hanging soap
to discourage deer and other critters. I also have saved the lives of
dozens of toads!
3. I switched all of my cleansers to baking soda and all of my sprays to white
vinegar.
a. I donated all of the other cleansers to a local women’s shelter.
b. I refill all spray bottles with white vinegar and find that the cleaning
power is far superior. I use it on everything except wood (I use
olive oil for wood).
c. Baking soda is an awesome cleaner and it’s super cheap.
d. I estimate that I have saved at least $80 on cleaners and I don’t
worry about toxins in my home now.
4.
5. Last but not least, I compost like it’s my day job.
a. I didn’t buy any fancy equipment. I selected a spot in my yard
which is away from the house and inaccessible to the dogs and use
that to toss scraps. Every so often, I take a shovel and mix dirt,
leaves, newspaper shreds, and other organic materials.
b. I have managed to keep at least 2 lbs of organic food matter, per week, out of
the trash/landfill and reap the benefits of extra-rich soil.
I think I have saved about $400 in one year with these very minor changes and I
even get a little bit of good karma to boot!

by Mary Talalay

Mary Talalay MS, MPH writes for family magazines and works as a consultant in environmental sustainability, public health and vaccines. She is an avid travel writer, specializing in family travel.

By Joanna Dolgoff, M.D.
Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right
Child and Adolescent Weight Management

If you are not already taking advantage of time with your granddaughters, now is the time to jump right in.  Whether you see them only once or twice a year or on a weekly basis,  treasure the time that you do have with them.  Even fun little activities like walking in the park, catching fireflies or blowing bubbles made from dish detergent, will create magical memories for your grandchildren.  Simple things like a summer picnic, a splash in a local creek or baking cookies together are such memorable moments.

Relish your time together … I know I do.

Scientists say they have shown “proof of principle” for the technique which could replace hips

It was the first time an entire joint surface had been regenerated with the return of functions, they said.

The research could benefit patients with damaged hips, shoulders or knees.

The team removed the limbs from 10 rabbits and replaced them with an artificial limb-shaped skeleton.

This was soaked with chemicals which attract bone and cartilage stem cells.

Four weeks later the rabbits had regrown their joints and were able to move normally.

“This is the first time an entire joint surface was regenerated with return of functions including weight bearing and locomotion,” said Professor Jeremy Mao of Columbia University Medical Center, New York.

“Regeneration of cartilage and bone both from the host’s own stem cells, rather than taking stem cells out of the body, may ultimately lead to clinical applications. In patients who need the knee, shoulder, hip or finger joints regenerated, the rabbit model provides a proof of principle,” he said.

Researchers have artificially grown a range of tissue on scaffolding using stem cells for many years, but these have been grown in laboratories. The lab grown tissue has been quite small and has had no veins or arteries to supply them with blood.

More recently, however, several groups of researchers have successfully grown tissue inside animals, where blood vessels naturally form as the tissue grows.

The US group is the latest to have shown that this is a promising technique – and is the first to have grown a large amount of good quality bone and cartilage into successful working joints.

‘Too old’

According to Professor Patrick Warnke, a stem cell researcher and plastic surgeon at Bond University in Australia, there is technically no reason why trials should not begin on human patients, for example as an alternative to hip replacements.

But he said there were ethical issues to be considered before beginning clinical trials.

“A hip replacement would definitely cure any potential recruit to any clinical trial. On the other hand you have an experimental treatment that may turn out to be a better option – but may not work at all,” he said.

If human trials were to be approved they would not be suitable for very old patients, according to Professor Warnke.

“It would take months of movement, physiotherapy and bed rest for the joint to grow which would be much too long for older people. They would be better off with a normal hip replacement when they can walk out of the hospital after the procedure.”

Professor Molly Stevens of Imperial College London said: “Growing large areas of tissue is a massively important clinical goal.

“This is the latest study to have shown that there are stem cells in the body that can be harnessed to grow bone and tissue if they are given the right sort of signals.”

From BBC News