For those of us who resolved to eat healthier in 2015, here is a recipe that looks interesting, tastes good, is inexpensive to make, doesn’t take much time to prepare and is good for you.

The recipe is courtesy of What’s  Cooking, a program of the United States Department of Agriculture.

A modern twist on a Southern classic, this recipe for a baked breakfast dish features eggs and grits with sweet potatoes and kale.

After Christmas comes holiday vacation time, a time for outdoor fun activities for children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the following tips for keeping children safe while outdoors in the winter.

What to Wear

Dress infants and children warmly for outdoor activities. Several thin layers will keep them dry and warm. Don’t forget warm boots, gloves or mittens, and a hat. The rule of thumb for older babies and young children is to dress them in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions.

When participating in activities such as ice skating, sledding, snow skiing and snowboarding, consider having your child wear a helmet.

Sun Protection

The sun’s rays can still cause sunburn in the winter, especially when they reflect off snow. Make sure to cover your child’s exposed skin with sunscreen.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia develops when a child’s temperature falls below normal due to exposure to colder temperatures. It often happens when a youngster is playing outdoors in extremely cold weather without wearing proper clothing or when clothes get wet. It can occur more quickly in children than in adults.

As hypothermia sets in, the child may shiver and become lethargic and clumsy. Speech may become slurred and body temperature will decline in more severe cases. If you suspect your child is hypothermic, call 911 at once. Until help arrives, take the child indoors, remove any wet clothing, and wrap him in blankets or warm clothes.

Frostbite

Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen. This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears and nose. They may become pale, gray and blistered. At the same time, the child may complain that his/her skin burns or has become numb.

If frostbite occurs, bring the child indoors and place the frostbitten parts of her body in warm (not hot) water. Warm washcloths may be applied to frostbitten nose, ears and lips. Do not rub the frozen areas. After a few minutes, dry and cover the child with clothing or blankets. Give him/her something warm to drink.

If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your doctor.

Frostbite facts from Rhode Island Hospital’s Burn Center.

Supervision

Children should be supervised while participating in all winter outdoor activities. Older children’s need for adult supervision depends on their maturity and skill. If older children are not with an adult, they should always at least be accompanied by a friend. Never let your child sled, skate, ski or snowboard alone.

Ice Skating

Allow children to skate only on approved surfaces. Check for signs posted by local police or recreation departments, or call your local police department to find out which areas have been approved. Advise your child to:

• Skate in the same direction as the crowd.
• Avoid darting across the ice.
• Never skate alone.
• Not chew gum or eat candy while skating.

Sledding

• Keep sledders away from motor vehicles.
• Keep young children separated from older children.
• Sledding feet first or sitting up, instead of lying down head-first, may prevent head injuries.
• Use steerable sleds, not snow disks or inner tubes.
• Sleds should be structurally sound and free of sharp edges and splinters, and the steering mechanism should be well lubricated.
• Sled slopes should be free of obstructions like trees or fences, be covered in snow not ice, not be too steep (slope of less than 30º), and end with a flat runoff.
• Avoid sledding in crowded areas.

 Snow Skiing and Snowboarding

• Children should be taught to ski or snowboard by a qualified instructor in a program designed for children.
• Equipment should fit the child. Skiers should wear safety bindings that are adjusted at least every year. Snowboarders should wear gloves with built-in wrist guards. Eye protection or goggles should also be used.
• Slopes should fit the ability and experience of the skier or snowboarder.
• Avoid crowded slopes. Avoid skiing in areas with trees and other obstacles.

 Snowmobiling

• The AAP recommends that children under age 16 not operate snowmobiles and that children under age 6 never ride on snowmobiles.

• Do not use a snowmobile to pull a sled or skiers.
• Wear goggles and a safety helmet approved for use on motorized vehicles like motorcycles.
• Travel at safe speeds.
• Never use alcohol or other drugs before or during snowmobiling.
• Stay on marked trails, away from roads, water, railroads and pedestrians.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education shares the following links to information on Thanksgiving safety tips.

Handling_Ingredients

www.holidayfoodsafety.org/food-safety/turkey

Click to enlarge the Infographics below

Busy moms are often operating in a sleep deprivation mode.

So, on those occasions when they have trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep they chalk it up to stress, a sick child or working long hours. But it could be something more than that; it could be a sleep problem or a sleep disorder.

Most adults need at least eight hours of sleep every night to be well rested. Not everyone gets the sleep they need.

About 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from sleep problems every year. Not getting enough sleep for a long time can cause health problems.

Many of us suffer from insomnia which includes:

• Trouble falling asleep

• Having trouble getting back to sleep

• Waking up too early

Insomnia is called chronic when it lasts most nights for a few weeks or more. When this happens it may be time to see your doctor.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers the following tips for better sleep:

• Go to bed and get up at the same times each day.

• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, beer, wine, and liquor four to six hours before bedtime.

• Don’t exercise within two hours of bedtime.

• Don’t eat large meals within two hours of bedtime.

• Don’t nap later than 3 p.m.

• Sleep in a dark, quiet room that isn’t too hot or cold for you.

• If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something quiet.

• Wind down in the 30 minutes before bedtime by doing something relaxing.

 How long should it take to fall asleep? It is normal to take between 10 and 20 minutes to fall asleep. People who fall asleep in less than five minutes may have a serious sleep disorder.

 Feeling sleepy during the day

According to the FDA, feeling tired every now and then is normal. It is not normal for sleepiness to interfere with your daily life. Watch for signs like:

• Slowed thinking • Feeling cranky

• Trouble paying attention

• Heavy eyelids

Several sleep disorders can make you sleepy during the day. One of these is narcolepsy. People with narcolepsy feel very sleepy even after a full night’s sleep.

 Snoring

Snoring is noisy breathing during sleep. It is caused by vibrating in the throat. Some people can make changes that will stop snoring. These include:

• Losing weight

• Cutting down on smoking and alcohol

• Sleeping on your side instead of on your back

 Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

http://www.fda.gov

 The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine.

The CDC states that children should be vaccinated every flu season for the best protection against flu. For children who will need two doses of flu vaccine, the first dose should be given as early in the season as possible. For other children, it is good practice to get them vaccinated soon after flu vaccine becomes available, ideally by October. However, getting vaccinated even later can be protective, as long as flu viruses are circulating.

While seasonal influenza outbreaks can happen as early as October, most of the time influenza activity peaks in January or later. Since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body that protect against influenza virus infection, it is best that people get vaccinated so they are protected before influenza begins spreading in their community.

The CDC warns that Influenza (“the flu”) is more dangerous than the common cold for children. Each year, many children get sick with seasonal influenza; some of those illnesses result in death.

• Children commonly need medical care because of influenza, especially before they turn 5 years old.
• Severe influenza complications are most common in children younger than 2 years old.
• Children with chronic health problems like asthma, diabetes and disorders of the brain or nervous system are at especially high risk of developing serious flu complications.
• Each year an average of 20,000 children under the age of 5 are hospitalized because of influenza complications.
• Flu seasons vary in severity, however some children die from flu each year. During the 2013-2014 influenza season, more than 100 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported..

The vaccination is especially important for certain people who are high risk or who are in close contact with high risk persons. This includes those at high risk for developing complications from the flu and adults who are close contacts of those children.

Starting in 2014-2015, CDC recommends use of the nasal spray vaccine (LAIV) for healthy* children 2 through 8 years of age, when it is immediately available and if the child has no contraindications or precautions to that vaccine. Recent studies suggest that the nasal spray flu vaccine may work better than the flu shot in younger children. However, if the nasal spray vaccine is not immediately available and the flu shot is, children 2 years through 8 years old should get the flu shot. Don’t delay vaccination to find the nasal spray flu vaccine. For more information about the new CDC recommendation, see Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine in Children 2 through 8 Years Old