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The start of school is just around the corner, but a leading pediatricians’ group warns that many kids entering kindergarten lack the skills they need to succeed in class. To help parents get their young ones ready to start school, the American Academy of Pediatrics has just released a report on what helps boost success as well as what factors may hinder kids’ school experience. “We’ve kind of focused on the acquisition of pre-academic skills, but that’s not what’s most important,” said report author Dr. P. Gail Williams. She’s an executive committee member of the AAP’s Council on Early Childhood. What is important, she said, is that parents “instill in children a love of learning, enjoyment of books, early literacy, appropriate play, learning to self-regulate, and interact with peers and adults.” Kids who love to learn and are resilient have a better chance at doing well in school both academically and socially. Williams said that parents should start teaching children these skills from birth. “In early brain development, neural connections are made on the basis of early experiences and relationships with parents, siblings and community members,” she said. And, don’t worry, she’s not recommending drilling your kids with flashcards. “Do things you enjoy with your children. Play with your kids. Read with your kids,” she suggested. One example, she said, is preparing dinner. “Talk to… read on >

The sugar substitute xylitol may help you lose weight, but it can be deadly for your dog, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. Xylitol is present in many human foods and other products, and the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has received a number of reports over the past several years of dogs being poisoned by xylitol. The most recently reported case involved sugar-free ice cream, said FDA veterinarian Dr. Martine Hartogensis. Other products that may contain xylitol include: sugar-free chewing gum; breath mints; baked goods; some peanut and nut butters, sugar-free desserts; cough syrup; children’s and adult chewable vitamins; mouthwash; toothpaste; over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements. When dogs eat something containing xylitol, the sweetener is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and can trigger a surge of insulin from the pancreas. This could lead to a rapid, severe drop in blood sugar levels that can be life-threatening, according to the FDA. Symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs include vomiting, decreased activity, weakness, staggering, lack of coordination, collapse and seizures. If you think your dog has eaten xylitol, take it to a veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital immediately, Hartogensis advised. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk that your dog will consume xylitol. “Check the label for xylitol in the ingredients of products, especially ones that advertise as… read on >

Sunglasses need to be more than just fashion accessories, an eye expert advises. “Think of sunglasses as sunscreen for your eyes,” said Dr. Dianna Seldomridge, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “Your eyes need protection from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays, just like your skin,” she explained. “Make sure your eyes are protected year-round. Harmful UV rays are present even on cloudy days.” You should choose sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB radiation from the sun. You may be confused by labels that say the sunglasses provide 100% protection from UVA/UVB radiation, while others offer 100% UV 400 protection. Both will block 100% of the sun’s harmful radiation, the academy said in a news release. If you’re skeptical of the UV protection label on sunglasses, take them to an optical shop or an ophthalmologist’s office, Seldomridge suggested. Most have a UV light meter that can test the sunglasses’ UV-blocking ability. Consider buying oversized or wraparound-style sunglasses. The more coverage they provide, the better they protect your eyes, she said. An important note: Dark lenses don’t block more UV rays than lighter lenses. And you don’t have to pay a lot to get sunglasses that provide good eye protection, Seldomridge said. Less expensive ones marked as 100% UV-blocking can be just as effective as those that cost more. Consider… read on >

In the quest to lighten up on carbs and refined grains, cauliflower rice is the hands-down favorite substitute. But you don’t have to buy pricy, pre-riced bags of cauliflower when a simple countertop appliance can do the job for you quickly and easily. Cauliflower is one of the healthiest vegetables around, high in vitamins C and K, fiber and folate, but not everyone loves it on its own. The beauty of cauliflower is that other ingredients can transform its taste into familiar dishes. For instance, when mashed and seasoned with chives and/or sauteed garlic, cauliflower can step in for potatoes. A ricer is the kitchen tool typically used to turn cooked cauliflower into fine, uniform shreds and works great to create a thick puree. But when you want to use cauliflower as a substitute for white rice and need to rice it raw, reach for the processor. Riced cauliflower can be used for many dishes that call for rice or pasta. This Asian fried “rice” is the perfect introduction to cauliflower cuisine. Cauliflower Fried Rice 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets 3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided 4 carrots, peeled and chopped 1 red or yellow onion, peeled and chopped 2 tablespoons ginger, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup corn kernels 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon hot sauce… read on >

You don’t have to go to the gym to get a great muscle-building workout. You don’t even need equipment. There are many bodyweight-only exercises for strength training that you can do anywhere — at home, when traveling, even at work if you’ve got a space you can exercise in. Here are two to try. The Advanced Leg Extension: For this move, stand up straight with feet together and your arms at your sides. Lift your right knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Hold briefly, then lower the leg and, with control, swing it behind you as you reach forward with your upper body. Your arms should be extended in front of you, in line with the leg extended behind you. Your body forms one straight line parallel with the ground. Return to the start position and repeat 10 to 15 times, then repeat the entire sequence with the left leg. The Tabletop Bridge With Arm Extensions: For this move, sit on the floor with knees bent, feet flat and hip-width apart. Your hands should be flat on the ground with your fingers facing forward, in the same direction as your feet. Squeeze glutes and core muscles and press hands into floor as you lift your torso and hips into the tabletop bridge. Head, back and thighs form a straight line. Now,… read on >

Music may be as powerful as drugs in calming patients before they undergo surgery, new research suggests. It worked just as well as a tranquilizer before patients received a peripheral nerve block prior to their procedure, the researchers said. Peripheral nerve block numbs a specific area of the body where surgery is being done. Many patients are anxious before surgery and have increased levels of stress hormones, which can affect recovery after surgery. Patients are often given benzodiazepine drugs, such as midazolam, to calm them before surgery. Unfortunately, the drugs can cause side effects such as breathing problems, blood flow disturbances, and even increased levels of agitation and hostility, the researchers noted. In this study, Dr. Veena Graff, from anesthesiology and critical care at the University of Pennsylvania, and colleagues compared the effectiveness of music and midazolam (Versed) in soothing patients before they received a peripheral nerve block. The study included 157 adult patients who received either 1 or 2 milligrams of midazolam (80 patients) injected three minutes before the use of a peripheral nerve block, or listened to Marconi Union’s Weightless series of music on noise-canceling headphones (77 patients) for the same length of time. The music track is believed to be one of the world’s most relaxing songs. Reductions in anxiety were similar in both groups of patients, but patients in the music… read on >

If you struggle with anxiety, you might want to skip that second cup of coffee, new research suggests. For some people, caffeine may help with concentration and provide an energy boost, but it can cause problems for those with general anxiety disorder, said Dr. Julie Radico, a clinical psychologist with Penn State Health. “Caffeine is not the enemy,” she said in a university news release. “But I encourage people to know healthy limits and consume it strategically because it is activating and can mimic or exacerbate the symptoms of anxiety.” Low doses of caffeine are in the range of 50 to 200 milligrams (mg). Consuming more than 400 mg at once may lead to feeling overstimulated and anxious, and bring on symptoms such as racing heart, nausea or abdominal pain. Anxiety is a common problem, but many patients and their doctors don’t think about caffeine as a potential contributing factor, said Dr. Matthew Silvis, vice chair of clinical operations in the division of family medicine at Penn State Health. “We want people to consider whether there may be a connection between their caffeine consumption and anxiety,” he said. As well as being a potential problem for people with anxiety, caffeine can interact negatively with medications for seizure disorders, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, certain heart conditions or thyroid disease, Silvis noted. “Medical disorders that a… read on >

People are getting the message about the dangers of sugar. Nearly 70% of Americans have cut back on foods high in added sugars, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. But there’s still a long way to go. One of the key ways to reduce your sugar intake is by drinking plain water or low- and no-calorie beverages instead of soda and flavored waters. Pre-sweetened beverages represent half of all the added sugars we eat. Note that while 100% juices have only natural sugars, they don’t have the fiber found in the whole fruit and could cause blood sugar spikes, so you need to be judicious about your intake. Top Sugary Drinks to Avoid Soft drinks, including soda Fruit-flavored drinks Sweetened coffee and teas Energy drinks Alcoholic beverages Flavored waters It’s also important to know the various names sugar goes by. There are at least 61 forms of added sweeteners used in processed foods, according to the University of California, San Francisco’s SugarScience. They include various types of sugars, syrups and other ingredients ending in “ose.” To uncover sources of sugar in your diet, read the ingredients label of every food you buy, including those you may not associate with sugar, like yogurt, protein bars, whole grain cereals and even some salty snacks. And just because a label says no “high-fructose… read on >

Financial rewards for quitting smoking do help smokers — including pregnant women — kick the habit and remain smoke-free, a new study confirms. “Rewards, such as money or vouchers, have been used to encourage smokers to quit, and to reward them if they stay stopped. Such schemes have been used in workplaces, in clinics and hospitals, and within community programs,” said study lead author Dr. Caitlin Notley. She’s with Norwich Medical School of the University of East Anglia in England. “We wanted to know whether these schemes actually work long term, as previously it was thought that perhaps incentives only worked for the time that they were given. We found that they do help people stay smoke-free, even after the incentive scheme ends,” Notley said in a university news release. For the new study, the investigators analyzed 33 randomized controlled trials. The studies included more than 21,600 people in eight countries and looked at whether financial incentives — such as cash payments, vouchers or the return of money deposited by participants — helped people quit smoking. Ten trials focused on pregnant smokers. There was significant variation in the amount of incentives used in the trials, ranging from zero (self-deposits) to between $45 and $1,185. The researchers found that after six months or more, people who received financial rewards were about 50% more likely to have… read on >

The heat is on. Across two-thirds of the United States, over 115 million Americans live where some level of heat alert is already in effect, and 290 million will see temperatures soar past 90 degrees at some point in the next week, USA Today reported Wednesday. As a dome of high pressure settles over much of the eastern and mid-Atlantic states, the heat indexes (the real-feel temperatures) in many places will top 100 and approach 110 degrees or higher, according to the U.S. National Weather Service. What to do when the temperatures soar so high that heat-related illnesses start to take their toll? One expert offers some sage advice. “Weekend athletes exercising in the heat need to remember to keep ahead of their fluids. It’s vital to stay ahead of your thirst during these heat extremes, not just to drink when you are thirsty,” said Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “Taking breaks is essential when intensely exercising in the heat for more than one hour. This includes rest, finding shade from the sun, and drinking water mixed with sugar and electrolytes. Salty pretzels, fruit and nuts are always a good option if you don’t have access to a drink with sugar and electrolytes,” Glatter noted. If you exercise in the heat, try to do so early… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Many Youngsters Aren’t Ready for Kindergarten

Keep Sugar Substitute Away From Fido

Sunglasses a Shield for the Eyes

Delicious, Do-It-Yourself Cauliflower Rice

Strength-Training Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Music Soothes the Stressed Soul Before Surgery

Is Caffeine Fueling Your Anxieties?

How to Eliminate Added Sugars From Your Diet

Money Motivates Smokers to Quit Long Term, Study Finds

As Heat Bakes the Nation, Expert Offers Tips to Stay Safe