There are more games, six new games to be exact, in the “Can Do” Club House courtesy of Grey Olltwit Educational Software, a nonprofit charitable organization in the UK.

The new games help the user develop mouse skills, tell time, use the alphabet, do basic math activities, learn the US states through putting together a jigsaw puzzle and improve eye hand coordination by playing air hockey.

Simon Hensby founded Grey Olltwit Educational Software in the 1990’s to provide free educational software to those on low incomes, especially in developing countries. Those who can afford to pay for membership and advertising revenue helps the organization to provide free memberships to those who cannot afford to pay.

Grey Olltwit Educational Software is used in schools and homes around the world. Large corporations like the BBC and Olympus USA use it as well as many education authorities in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

Grey Olltwit programs are suitable for Whiteboards, Touch Screens and VLE’s (Virtual Learning Environments).

To access the games go to the “Can Do” Club House (click on the cloud that says club house  on the www.candostreet.com home page and click on the balloon that says More Games.)

To visit and enjoy the other programs and games on Grey Olltwit Education Software site go to www.greyolltwit.com

Every healthy diet endorses eating lots of fresh produce. But, even fresh produce carries a health risk…pesticides.The answer…buy organic, if you can, as produce grown organically is grown without synthetic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.

The Environmental Work Group ( EWG), a nonprofit organization that uses the power of public information to protect public health and the environment put together a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, which identifies those fruits and vegetables that carry the highest risk of pesticides and those that are considered less of a pesticide risk.

What follows is their list of the “Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 of Produce.” EWG suggests that you buy organic for produce appearing on the Dirty Dozen list as these fruits and vegetables have the highest levels of pesticides.

The Dirty Dozen of Produce:

1. Apples

2. Celery

3. Strawberries

4. Peaches

5. Spinach

6. Nectarines ( imported)

7. Grapes

8. Bell Peppers

9. Potatoes

10. Blueberries

11. Lettuce

12. Kale/Collard Greens

The Clean 15 of Produce:

1. Onions

2. Sweet Corn

3. Pineapple

4. Avocado

5. Asparagus

6. Sweet Peas

7. Mangoes

8. Eggplant

9. Cantaloupe (domestic)

10. Kiwi

11. Cabbage

12. Watermelon

13. Sweet Potatoes

14. Grapefruit

15. Mushrooms

Most children need help learning to be a good sport.

Being a good sport means being a gracious winner as well as a gracious loser. Losing is no fun and many children have a hard time losing. Some even demonstrate unacceptable behaviors such as throwing things and stomping off the game area.

Being a good sport  is a life skill as well as a social skill that children need to develop early in life as it will help them in so many life situations.

According to the United States Olympic Committee’s education program of 2007  on sportsmanship, a real athlete is a good sport. In the education materials the Olympic Committee gives the following definition of what it means to be a good sport:

An athlete who is a good sport is someone whose conduct and attitude demonstrate gracious behavior before, during, and after competition.  In fact, good sportsmanship demands that nothing be done before, during, or after a game to cheapen or detract from victory.

In yesterday’s “Can Do” Kids’ blog, Coach Campbell speaks with Hector about his behavior after losing a ping pong match and explains good sportsmanship.

The following resources can help a parent, teacher or coach help a child to understand the need for good sportsmanship and the ability to develop the attitude of a good sport.

Real Athletes are Good Sports:

http://www.teamusa.org/resources/u-s-olympic-education/real-athletes-are-good-sports

Kids’ Poster: “Being a good sport makes you a winner.”

http://assets.usoc.org/assets/documents/attached_file/filename/4977/USOCKids2007.pdf

Lesson Materials for Teachers from:

http://www.edgate.com/summergames/

“Olympic Spirit,” slideshow

http://www.teamusa.org/multimedia/photo_gallery/2449

Source: Ned Campbell, History Teacher, Head Wrestling Coach, James Madison High School, Brooklyn, NY

Energy drinks…what are they? Who should and shouldn’t be drinking them and why?

Supermarkets, gas station quick marts, even vending machines now offer a variety of energy drinks. Adults, teens, even children are now drinking them on a regular basis.

Athletes are scooping them up to get that extra boost thinking it will  help them do better in sports.

Adults are drinking them hoping to be more alert during meetings or just to get through a day following a poor night’s sleep. Children are drinking them to be cool!

Just because something is popular, doesn’t make it good for you. There is controversy over the  safety and suitability of energy drinks, especially when used daily.

According to Dr. Lori Bestervelt, NSF International Senior Vice President & Chief Technical Officer, there is  limited scientific evidence available that the consumption of energy drinks can significantly improve physical and mental performance.

Dr. Bestervelt states,”Energy drinks should not be confused with sports drinks, such as Gatorade or Powerade that are intended to re-hydrate the body. Sports drinks provide sugars, which the body burns to create energy and replenish electrolytes, helping to maintain salt and potassium balances in the body.

Energy drinks are formulated to deliver high concentrations of caffeine and other stimulants to give the drinker a rush of energy. Athletes use energy drinks to keep up their energy during intense physical activity and for an added edge during competition.

To provide a comparison, 8 ounces of coffee has about 108 milligrams of caffeine, brewed tea has 50 milligrams and 12 ounces of coke has 34 milligrams. Eight ounces of Red Bull, which is part of our certified for sport program, has 75 milligrams of caffeine. However, very highly caffeinated energy drinks have between 150-500 milligrams in 8 ounces.”

Dr.  Bestervelt cautions that consuming caffeine at these rates can lead to caffeine intoxication, and, at these high levels caffeine is a stimulant drug. For athletes, rather than re-hydrating their bodies, energy drinks may actually lead to dehydration. They are not formulated or designed to replace lost fluids during exercise.

Because of energy drinks’ high levels of caffeine and other stimulant ingredients, such as, green tea, yerba mate, yohimbine, bitter orange (synephrine or octopamine),vinpocetine, 5- hydroxyl trypophan, methylphenylethylamine (5-HTP) and ginseng, either alone or in combination, athletes could be putting their health at risk by consuming them.

To make matters worse, when these stimulants are used in combination with each other and mixed into one beverage they can also be associated with serious cardiovascular issues.

The bottom line is not enough is known yet about the combination of ingredients in energy drinks and their effects.

Source:

NSF International, a testing and certification organization committed to improving and protecting public health –  www.nsf.org

The following post comes from Fern K. Ingber, MEd, President and CEO of the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation.

Where has the summer gone?  Back-to-school is upon us again.  Keeping children healthy is a top priority for both parents and educators.  Help your child start the school year off right by establishing positive oral health habits that will contribute to a lifetime of good health.

Pediatric dental disease, more commonly known as tooth decay, is the #1 chronic childhood disease.  It may seem absurd to you that tooth decay has reached epidemic proportions, but a 2007 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control determined that one in every five three-year-olds suffers from tooth decay.  You will be even more surprised to learn that more than 40 percent of children have tooth decay by the time they start kindergarten!

Many fail to realize that oral health is integral to overall systemic health.

The mouth is the gateway to the body and serves as a portal for nutritional intake as well as a potential site for microbial infections that can adversely affect general health status. According to the Academy of Pediatrics, lack of proper oral health care can lead to the development of rampant tooth decay, which can cause pain, infection, difficulty speaking and concentrating, malnutrition and sleep deprivation.  Not surprisingly, these factors can negatively impact a child’s growth and ability to learn.

In fact, over 51 million hours of school are missed annually due to dental disease, contributing to increased educational disparities.  In addition, untreated dental disease can contribute to low self-esteem, a key factor in a child’s quality of life and ability to succeed.  However, tooth decay is preventable as is the destruction it leaves in its wake.

Instilling good oral health habits in children is a crucial step in fighting tooth decay. A common misconception is that the primary teeth, what we often refer to as baby teeth, are not important.  Primary teeth play an important role speech development, a child’s appearance and facial structure, nutrition and ensuring that permanent teeth erupt in their normal positions. Although baby teeth are eventually replaced with permanent teeth, it is essential to keep them healthy.  Decay and infection in baby teeth can cause damage to developing permanent teeth.

Here are a few tips to help you maintain your child’s oral health and give them the building blocks they need for happy, healthy futures.

• Invest in a new toothbrush at least every three months and after every illness to avoid lingering bacteria and germs.
• Encourage your child to eat healthy snacks such as fruit, vegetables, cheese and yogurt.  Avoid starchy and sticky snacks that can cling to teeth and cause decay.
• Brush and floss at least twice a day.  (Parents should supervise these activities until children are 8 or 9 years of age as most younger children do not possess the manual dexterity necessary to brush every tooth surface.)
• Children should visit their dentist once every six months.

To learn more about how you can save children from preventable pain and eliminate the devastating effects of tooth decay, visit www.AmericasToothfairy.org.

About Fern K. Ingber, MEd – Fern Ingber is founding President and CEO of the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: America’s Toothfairy^® (NCOHF), established in 2006 by a group of concerned dental professionals to address the nation’s most common chronic childhood illness – pediatric dental disease.  Under Ms. Ingber’s leadership, NCOHF has delivered over $9 million in financial and product support to affiliate nonprofit oral health programs, reaching more than 1 million children with comprehensive care.