A Hurricane is a real happening in many parts of the U.S. The season is here and we need to be prepared.

Some of the measures the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends taking before a hurricane hits your area are:

• Put together a kit with emergency supplies and a family communications plan
• Learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to find higher ground. Determine where you would go and how you would get there if you needed to evacuate.

• Make plans to secure your property in preparation for a hurricane:

• Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8” marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.
• Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
• Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed so they are more wind resistant.
• Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
• Reinforce your garage doors; if wind enters a garage it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage.
• Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.
• Determine how and where to secure your boat.
• Install a generator for emergencies.
• If in a high-rise building, be prepared to take shelter on or below the 10th floor.
• Consider building a safe room.

To learn more about your flooding risk and how to protect yourself and your business, visit the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (NFIP) Web site,www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-800-427-2419. For more detailed information on how you can protect your property, view NFIP’s printer-friendly handout Avoiding Hurricane Damage.

During a hurricane, FEMA advises you to:

• Listen to the radio or TV for information.
• Secure your home, close storm shutters and secure outdoor objects or bring them indoors.
• Turn off utilities if instructed to do so. Otherwise, turn the refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.
• Turn off propane tanks
• Avoid using the phone, except for serious emergencies.
• Moor your boat if time permits.
• Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purpose such as cleaning and flushing toilets. Fill the bathtub and other larger containers with water.
• Find out how to keep food safe during and after and emergency.

You should evacuate if you are directed by local authorities to do so. Be sure to follow their instructions for hurricane evacuation.

Source: fema.gov.

The Norwegian Jade is all about family friendly cruising, offering activities for each member of the family as well as family activities.

Imagine several days of cruising during which you get up each morning, and you and your family head to the dining room where all of you choose from a variety of breakfast foods prepared to order. After breakfast, you accompany your children to the complementary youth programs in the Splash Academy.

In Splash Academy’s, well equipped, modern, comfortable recreation areas children participate in age appropriate activities led by a professional staff, each of whom speaks a minimum of 3 languages, and has an educational background in child development and recreation services.

Groups include:

Guppies –Ages 6 months to 3 years. Parents can bring their children to the Guppies Playroom, which is equipped with books and toys that parents can use to interact with their children for sensory play, music and movement, ball play and building with blocks.

Children 3-17 can participate in staff led and supervised activities appropriate for their age group:

• Turtles-Ages 3-5 years. Programs take place in the main Splash Academy recreation areas and include: Arts and crafts, painting, games, sensory play, storytelling, developmental activities, parades and treasure hunts.
• Seals–Ages 6-9 years. Programs are held in the Splash Academy recreation areas and include: Circus Skills and Show (Scarf Juggling, Plate Spinning, Devil Sticks, and Rope Spinning) theme nights, painting, sports and games, parades, treasure hunts, and video games.
• Dolphins-Ages 10-12 years. Programs are in Splash Academy recreation areas and include: Entourage Takeover, Circus skills and Show (Stilts, Ball Juggling, Chinese Yo-Yo, Plate Spinner and Devil Sticks) scavenger hunts, sports and team building, theme nights, and video games.
• Entourage-Ages 13-17 years. Teens socialize with other teens their age, in supervised teen centers around the ship playing video games, seeing movies, enjoying  music, and sports.

Children with special needs are integrated into daily programs at Splash Academy. Children can bring iPads and other learning aids as needed.

A late Night Fun Zone is available from 10:30 PM to 1:30 AM. The Fun Zone is a fee based program at the rate of $6 per hour for the first child, and $4 for each additional child, per hour.

When the ship is in port, complimentary programming in Splash Academy is available. A small fee of $6 per child covers the cost of supervision during meal times. If your children prefer to remain on board and not participate in one of the many shore excursions offered by Norwegian, they can remain in Splash Academy, and have lunch and dinner with other campers and staff. This service enables parents to take a several hour shore excursion knowing that their children are being well cared for and having an enjoyable day.

While your children participate in activities and are making new friends at the Splash Academy, you and your husband can enjoy one of the many daily activities on board that make cruising such a unique occasion. When you return to your cabin, beds are made, the bathroom is clean, and the room is neat.

Each day that your children participate in Splash Academy they can join you for lunch and family activities from noon to 2 PM.  You can choose to eat in the dining room with waiter service, or at the buffet in the Garden Cafe, or have hamburgers and hot dogs poolside.

At 2 PM, when Splash Academy opens for the afternoon session, you can choose to pamper yourself in the spa, or you and your husband can attend one of the many activities being offered throughout the ship such as an art exhibit, lectures, dance classes, or poolside games.

From 5-7 PM, the family can come together for dinner and make an evening of family activities including shuffleboard, volleyball, board games and table tennis, or the children can return to  the Splash Academy and stay from  7 to 10:30 PM. Splash Academy evening activities include movies, group games, and video games. While they are enjoying being out with new friends,  you and your husband can catch a show in the theater, listen to live music in any one of the several lounge areas, or enjoying a romantic dinner for 2 at one of the several specialty restaurants which include an Asian and a Brazilian restaurant, as well as a  French Bistro, a Steak House, and an Italian Cucina.

When you return to your cabin, at the end of the day, there will be chocolates on your pillow and a towel in the shape of zoo animal on the bed.  You can put your laundry outside your cabin door and it will be picked up, washed and pressed and returned to your cabin within 2 days.

Enjoying family friendly cruising starts with choosing a ship that offers a lifestyle while on board that is comfortable for parents and offers interesting, fun activities for each member of the family.

Cruising from Tampa, Florida to ports in Europe, on the Norwegian Jade, I got to see, first hand, what family friendly cruising is all about. As a parent, a former preschool teacher and camp director, I was anxious to see how the Jade staff made cruising an adventure for children and a much appreciated time out for parents. As someone who chooses cruising over land vacations 3 times a year, I can report cruising is a dream vacation. From the time you step on the ship till the time you disembark most activities of daily living are done for you.

Cruising is a cost effective way to travel, less expensive than staying at a land resort. All meals, with the exception of specialty dining, are complimentary. Coffee, tea, and juices are available throughout the day and evening at no cost, as is soft serve ice cream by the cup or cone. There is a charge for soda and alcohol.

Every dining room has high chairs and booster seats. Children can order from a child friendly menu and they are served first. After they eat, while parents enjoy their meals, the children are given coloring materials. They can also use any handheld devices, they might have at the dining table.The dining room wait staff can and will accommodate the needs of adults and children with special dietary needs, and those that have food allergies.

Should any member of the family require medical attention while cruising, the medical department is open daily, and staff are available by phone in the off hours.

Cribs are available for parents with infants. All cabins are equipped with refrigerators where parents can store infant bottles as well as other items that need refrigeration.

When I spoke to some of the families cruising on the Jade, they had high praise for the Splash Academy. They appreciated the attention that wait staff paid their children at each meal. Those with young children found it easy to care for and keep them contented on board. Teens shared that the Entourage programs  gave them the opportunity to do their own thing, independent of the family, with new friends. All agreed that the Jade provided them with a family friendly cruising experience that exceeded their expectations. 

Sources: Elizabeth Lytle, Public Relations Coordinator, Norwegian Cruise Line; Norwegian Jade: Roberto De Pasquale, Cruise Director;  Janette Augustin, Shore Excursion Director; Cholette Hayag, Group Service Director, Shunyu Huang Joel, Group Service Director; Sharon Viljoen, Splash Academy Manager, Iulia Vlad, Assistant Maitre D; Boris Kojic, Maitre D Hotel; Omar O’Besso, Concierge, and Swaroop Bannange, Asst. Maitre D at Alizar restaurant;Alfren Cruz, wait staff; Anil Chennadasar, wait staff.

Photos: All photos are courtesy of NCL

According to a study by the American Chemical Society in San Diego, if you want a healthy, whole grain treat make it popcorn.

Their Researchers found that popcorn has more healthy for you antioxidants called polyphenols than some fruits or vegetables. In every serving of popcorn there are 300 milligrams of polyphenols compared to 114 mg per serving of sweet corn and 160 mg per serving for all fruits. A big difference!

The study demonstrated that the levels of polyphenols in popcorn are higher than previously thought. The levels are similar to those levels found in a serving of  nuts and 15 times higher that the levels found in whole-grain tortilla chips.

The highest concentrations of polyphenols and fiber are found in the hulls of the popcorn; you know…those annoying little bits that get caught in teeth.

“Of course adding butter, salt and other calorie-laden flavorings can turn this snack from healthy into unhealthy. Air-popped popcorn has the lowest number of calories,” one of the researchers reported. He added, “Microwave popcorn has twice as many calories as air-popped, and if you pop your own with oil, this has twice as many calories as air-popped popcorn. About 43 percent of microwave popcorn is fat, compared to 28 percent if you pop the corn in oil yourself.”

The study makes a point of stressing that one is not suggesting eating popcorn instead of fruits and vegetables, as popcorn lacks the vitamins and other nutrients found in fruits and vegetables that are essential for good health.

The study continues to promote popcorn as a snack as it is the only snack that is 100 percent unprocessed whole grain. One serving of popcorn will provide more than 70 percent of the daily intake of whole grain. The average person only gets about half a serving of whole grains a day. Eating popcorn could fill that gap in a way that most of us would enjoy.

The study was not funded by the food industry.

SOURCE: American Chemical Society

We know that a diet high in fast foods tend to put weight on children and teens, but did you know that fast food consumption is also tied to an increased risk of certain health conditions?

A study coming out of New Zealand found that:

• Children and teens eating fast foods a number of times each week are at an increased risk for severe asthma, rhino-conjunctivitis, and eczema.

• Fruit eaten three or more times a week provide children and teens with a protective effect against severe asthma.

According to Philippa Ellwood, DDN, DPH, of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and her colleagues, eating fast foods three or more times a week is associated with a 39% increased risk of severe asthma and a 70% increased risk of severe eczema among teens.In addition, children who eat fast foods with the same frequency have an increased risk of rhino-conjunctivitis and severe eczema.

The study article, published in journal Thorax, went on to report that reducing consumption of fast foods to two times a week, or less, reduced the incidence of wheezing and severe asthma in children. Ellwood and colleagues also found that eating fruit three or more times a week, among children and teens, offered a protective effect against severe asthma.

The authors stated,  “If the associations found in this study are causal, the findings have major public health significance owing to the rising consumption of fast foods globally,”

The authors noted that earlier research had found diets with high intake of cereal, rice, and nut and cereal protein showed decreased prevalence of the allergic conditions and a protective effect against the conditions with elevated fruit consumption. Similarly, other research has shown a harmful effect of linolenic acid and trans fatty acid consumption.

The researchers gathered symptom prevalence data on types of food intake and symptom prevalence of asthma, rhino-conjunctivitis, wheezing, and eczema from 319,196 teens, ages 13 and 14, from 51 countries, and 181,631 children, ages 6 and 7, from 31 countries through the third phase of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). The latter is a multi-center, multi-country, multiphase cross-sectional study.

Teen participants, or parents of young children, were administered questionnaires that looked at symptoms and symptom frequency over the 12 months prior to the study. Questions about food intake looked at types of foods and whether foods were eaten once, twice, or three or more times weekly.

Milk consumption was inversely associated with current wheeze at once or twice weekly, severe asthma three or more times weekly, and severe rhino-conjunctivitis and severe eczema once or twice a week in teens.

Consumptions of eggs, fruit, meat, and milk three or more times a week protected against “all three conditions, current or severe” among children.

“The positive associations with severe disease suggest that fast foods are a predictor of disease severity rather than disease occurrence, although it is difficult to separate out the two in this study,” researchers concluded.

Study researchers also shared that the protective association between fruit and vegetables and the three conditions need to  be further explored at country and regional levels.

The researchers found the study was limited by a number of factors, including self-report biases or classification errors, socioeconomic status’ effect on food consumption, and missing temporal data on disease outcome relative to diet.

Soccer Players

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons offers these health tips for soccer players:

• Stay in good physical shape, even in the off-season, with regular exercise and strength training.
• Always warm up and stretch before playing.
• Always cool down and stretch after playing.
• Be sure to drink enough water before and during play.
• Always wear proper safety gear, including shin guards and shoes with ribbed soles or molded cleats.
• When the field is wet, use soccer balls made of synthetic, nonabsorbent materials, instead of leather.

Obese Youth and Gallstones

According to health information from the U.S Dept of Health and Human Services obese youth are an eight times higher risk of gallstones than youth who are not obese.

Young people should only rarely have gallstones. But doctors are treating more teens for the buildup of the hardened cholesterol-laden lumps in the gallbladder. Research finds that the risk of gallstones was higher in obese young people.

At Kaiser Permanente Southern California in Pasadena, research scientist Corinna Koebnick looked at medical records of 766 10- to 19-year-olds with gallstones, “Obese youths have a much higher risk – up to 8 times higher – than their normal-weight counterparts.” Koebnick shared that parents and kids should get together on eating right and being moreactive.

This health study in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition was supported by the National Institutes of Health.