Month: August 2017

Nosh

7 Most Popular Food Items That Aren't Actually Food

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date August 9, 2017

There are some real favorites on this list, and we are sorry.

Quick! Define the word “food” without thinking about it.

Done? We can’t hear you, of course, but we’re guessing you blurted out something along the lines of, “It’s stuff that you eat.”

We’re comfortable with this guess, because it’s what we said when someone tried this experiment on us. It’s what everyone says. Unfortunately, this knee-jerk definition starts to break down under scrutiny.

Geophagia, or the practice of

HealthyWay — That’s closer, but consider the items on this list. They’re completely socially acceptable. In some households, it would be weird if you *didn’t* eat these things. But look a little bit closer at the ingredient lists on these products. You can eat them; they are edible. But are they really “food”?

We’ll revisit this question at the end of the list. First, the imposters:

1. Virtually All “Cream” Centers

Snack cakes are a staple of American cuisine. They’re there at Little League games, at Scouting activities, and you might find them in limited doses at school holiday parties.

Notice, however, that no self-respecting mass-market snack cake lists “cream” as an ingredient.

You might see “creme.” You might just see “filling.” But there’s no “cream,” because “cream” implies dairy, and dairy goes bad.

Instead, the gunk inside your favorite snack cake or sandwich cookie is probably some blend of oil solids and sugar. There might even be some beef fat thrown in for good measure. Basically, it’s sugared lard, which does not sound as all-American as “creme.”

2. Pancake Sauce

Real maple syrup is expensive. Real maple syrup is rare. Real, honest-to-goodness maple syrup requires 40 gallons of maple sap to the gallon. That’s it. No other ingredients.

Odds are, you didn’t grow up on real maple syrup. The top brands don’t sell it. The country’s favorite pancake sauce is depressingly mundane.

It’s about as far from the long-boiled blood of a distant tree as you can get: It’s just boring old corn syrup with a little food coloring.

Corn syrup is “food,” we guess, but you can’t make it in your home kitchen. Only scientists can make high-fructose corn syrup, because only scientists know how to render a bunch of glucose molecules from a kernel of corn. Are pancakes “science food”?

3. Dessert Sauce

Actually, if you saw a product called “frozen whipped cream” in the grocery store, it’s probably fine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) won’t let companies call something “cream” unless it’s made of actual dairy.

That’s why the most popular frozen whipped-cream–like products call themselves “toppings,” which is technically accurate, because who eats whipped cream on its own?

So, if that stuff isn’t actual cream, what is it? You won’t be surprised to learn that it’s made mostly from hydrogenated vegetable oils, high-fructose corn syrup, and other ingredients like xanthan and guar gums.

Oh, and if you didn’t follow that source link, note that it’s from *The Eagle,* a trustworthy newspaper out of Bryan, Texas. But *The* *Eagle’s* discussion of frozen whipped topping is a response to a reader’s question about a recipe…for tuna salad. Tuna and guar gum go pretty great together, after all.

4. Nightmare Powder

You might be surprised at all the places gelatin turns up. It’s in gelatin desserts, of course, but it’s also in lots of pudding.

It’s probably in your marshmallows. It even shows up in cosmetics. There’s no getting away from gelatin.

That’d be fine if the stuff weren’t produced in the most ghastly way imaginable. You think the butcher shop is bad? The gelatin factory must look like a real horror show.

Gelatin, you see, is made from the boiled carcasses of pigs and cows once the butcher has extracted everything “edible.” Hands up if you just went vegan.

5. Supposedly Healthy Sweet Treats

All this hubbub about gelatin reminds us of an ingredient we’re always happy to see on a fruit snack package: carnauba wax. Carnauba wax comes from a Brazilian palm tree that just makes the stuff all on its own, completely natural-like.

The leaves excrete a waxy coating for their own purposes. Although carnauba wax is not “science food,” it is highly processed by the time it reaches the food laboratory. But it’s all natural in its original form.

What does this have to do with fruit snacks? Well, the ones that don’t use gelatin to get that spongy softness usually have carnauba wax. Those of you who just converted to veganism will get to know carnauba wax well. It is a friend.

6. Sort-of Cheese With a Different Name

We hate to be obvious, but you can’t write about “fake-food” food without mentioning this stuff. You know it. You probably grew up eating sandwiches like this: two slices of cheap white bread. One slice of “American” pasteurized/prepared cheese-food product. One healthy squirt of ketchup. Ah, the flavors of youth.

Of course that stuff’s not cheese. Is meatloaf fresh off the bone? The FDA is very clear about what is cheese and what *isn’t*, and you’d better believe they won’t tolerate mislabeling. Pasteurized processed cheese food is just Wikimedia Commons/Tacarijus

“the food prepared by comminuting [pulverizing] and mixing, with the aid of heat, one or more of the optional cheese ingredients described in paragraph (c) of this section…”

Those ingredients? Types of cheese. Oh, you can also add “cream, milk, skim milk,” and emulsifying agents, water, salt, and flavorings. The point is that pasteurized processed cheese food product is made out of cheese—and also other stuff.

7. This Common Coffee Add-in

We’ve learned one thing about “cream” by now: It’s no good in processed foods. Even those jugs of flavored coffee “creamers” are mostly dairy-free.

Unless you’re buying straight-up cream for your coffee, you’re probably veering into territory that’s depressingly familiar by now.

Most top-brand coffee additives are made of trans fat–rich oils and corn syrup. Apparently everything that doesn’t grow on a tree is actually just hydrogenated oil and corn syrup. We could be hydrogenated oil and corn syrup for all you know.

The ever-useful health site Eat This, Not That! recommends using regular old milk in your coffee. You can also make your own creamer with condensed milk, regular milk, and honey.

Defining “Food” Once and for All

At the outset of this piece, we promised we’d get back to the question of what “food” really is. Is hydrogenated oil food? Is carrageenan?

We were raised to trust Webster’s dictionary, and that venerable source takes a broad view of the subject. According to that dictionary, food is “any substance taken into and assimilated by a plant or animal to keep it alive and enable it to grow and repair tissue; nourishment; nutriment.”

Well, we’re not sure hydrogenated oils and corn syrup keep us alive and enable us to grow and repair tissue. So the items on this list are not food?

Except that the dictionary’s second definition calls food “solid substance of this sort.” We guess edible science chunks are sort of like food.

So maybe they are food after all. We’re confused. Guess we’ll go eat dirt.

Tags 50032586, fuel, hemingway

Lifestyle

9 Ways To Avoid Gross Germs On Vacation

Post author By Lisa Douglas
Post date August 9, 2017

We all go on vacation for different reasons. Some of us like to play golf, others like to tan, and most of us like to catch up on sleep. Even though vacation goals differ, we can all agree that no one wants to come back from our holiday sick from being bombarded by not-so-everyday viruses and bacteria. Unfortunately, most of us are unknowingly putting ourselves at high risk when we hit the road for fun and relaxation.

Studies show that planes are teeming with bacteria, and hotel rooms are even worse—infested with more icky stuff than planes, homes, and even schools. The good news is that with a little knowledge and a little more care, you can protect yourself from the microscopic beasts that can make you and your loved ones ill while you’re trying to live it up. Here are the top ways you can protect yourself while you’re away from home.

1. So Fresh and So…Clean?

We know baths can be relaxing and make for the perfect end to a sightseeing-packed or sandy beach day, but unless your idea of relaxation includes immersing yourself in a big bowl of bacterial and chemicals, we suggest you avoid hotel bathtubs altogether.

A 2012 study published by the American Society for Microbiology found that a hotel housekeeper’s cleaning implements (e.g., sponges, mops, and rags) had the highest level of contamination of any objects or areas in the hotel industry.
The same objects are used on all different fixtures in your hotel bathroom, including the tub, toilet bowl, sink, and even the tile floors. This means germs from all those high-traffic places are spread from surface to surface and between hotel guests. (Do you really want to think about who used your hotel bathroom before you?)

Additionally, experts say the surfaces of tubs are regularly covered in a biofilm, a visually undetectable layer of bacteria that has to be tackled with an abrasive brush or sponge and soap. Unless you commit to spending precious vacation time cleaning, this film will be keeping you (unwanted) company while you bathe.

2. Reality Check

Think the only place you can catch a nasty foot virus is at a sweaty gym or public pool? Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Stand in line at the airport for 20 minutes, and you’ll be able to count hundreds of people waiting without their shoes on. Imagine how many people are standing in those spots—shoeless—in a typical day, week, or month.

The floors of the security line withstand constant traffic and aren’t cleaned often or well, leaving the bacteria, fungi, and viruses of all an airport’s travelers to reside happily beneath your soles too.
From athlete’s foot to plantar warts and worse, it’s in your best interest to be footwear free for the shortest time possible and to avoid ever being barefoot. In this situation, socks are your first line of defense.

Think you’re safe once you arrive at your destination and make it to your hotel room? Guess again. Sanitation experts warn that although the soft carpet may feel wonderful beneath your feet, it’s a breeding ground for unwelcome organisms that can cause infection. Be sure to keep slippers or socks on as you walk around your hotel room.

3. Think before you drink.

It’s no secret that a quick junket to some other countries can leave you pounds lighter, dehydrated, and sore from belly pains. Why does this happen? It’s severe gastrointestinal distress.

When you drink local water or eat local fruits and veggies, you leave yourself vulnerable to contaminants that live in the untreated or less-treated water of some areas. The water can contain bacteria, parasites, and viruses that can cause serious illness.
Experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition suggest that you avoid eating raw fruits and vegetables; raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs; unpasteurized milk and milk products; and food sold by street vendors when vacationing abroad.

Avoid sink and tap water as well, since it is usually connected to municipal stores that can contain further contaminants such as lead, excessive chlorine, and E. coli. Stick with bottled water when abroad, and if you know in advance that you’ll be drinking tap water, bring along a travel purifier.

4. Good Circulation

Most people think that the air circulated around planes is filled with germs and bacteria, but it’s actually the surfaces on planes that people come in contact with that harbor the most harmful microorganisms. When you fly, keep yourself safe by avoiding contact with too many surfaces.

While on the plane, keep your hands away from your face and keep the vent over your airplane seat open. This air vent creates a current that blows germs away from you—keeping you healthier.

5. The Dirty Truth Contained in Those Security Bins

Everyone’s “everything” gets thrown in a security bin during airport security—bags, shoes, phones, laptops, jackets. Ever notice anyone cleaning the insides of the bins? We haven’t either. Just imagine—by placing your phone in a bin, you’re exposing yourself to whatever germs were on the bottoms of the shoes that came out of that same bin just minutes ago.

A study done by TODAY involved swabbing two random bins used at security. Dangerous levels of bacteria and high levels of fecal matter were found in the bins.
We know that you don’t have a choice when you fly, but you can protect yourself and your belongings by using antibacterial hand sanitizer and wipes to disinfect your valuables after making it through security.

6. Skip the chip.

So you pull up by the pool to relax and chat with the new friends you’ve made while sharing a bowl of snacks.

Little do you know, you’re sharing more than just conversation with your newfound chums.
You’re mixing in with your chips or popcorn whatever germs you’ve all got on your hands from using the bathroom, sneezing, or holding on to the subway pole.

When you’re in this atmosphere, it’s best to stick to your personal drink and skip the communal snacks.

7. Cleanliness is key.

It may seem really convenient to have a computer available for your use at the hotel cafe or business center, but when you sign on to the internet, you may be signing up for more than you bargained for.

Studies show that the average shared desk can have up to 400 times more bacteria than a recently flushed toilet. In terms of everyday office items, keyboards and telephones fared the worst.
The reason keyboards are so dirty is that they’re either not cleaned well or not cleaned at all.

This is a problem because viruses can survive up to three days on computer keyboards. Considering that the average person touches their face once every three minutes, the probability of these germs getting on you (or in you) is pretty high.

8. Bottoms Up

You may be saving the environment by refilling your water bottle at a public water fountain, but apparently you’re not doing much for your stomach or your health.

A study conducted by the Toronto Star involved randomly testing 20 public water fountains around Toronto, Canada.
It found that half of the spouts tested contained bacteria levels that were “too high to count.”

E. coli and legionella are just two of the many harmful microorganisms that were found on the fountains and are known to cause serious gastrointestinal problems and pneumonia-like symptoms. Experts warn that pregnant women, children, and people with compromised immune systems are most vulnerable.

9. Coffee Break(down)

While coffee in your hotel room may sound like a perfect start to your morning, unfortunately, brewing your morning joe in the machine that’s provided may leave you with a day of bellyaches instead of vacation fun.

ABC News investigated the coffee devices provided in hotel rooms and found that the machines were improperly cleaned, allowing bacteria to build up and leach into your coffee as it’s dispensed.

Tags 50028241, care, hemingway

Motherhood

5 Of The Craziest Places That Women Have Given Birth

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date August 9, 2017

No matter how much you plan for a new baby, you’re bound to encounter a few surprises.

In the United States, 98.8 percent of births take place in hospital labor and delivery units, and about 0.3 percent of births take place in birth centers.

Of the remaining 0.9 percent, some women give birth at home, and a very small fraction of the remaining percentage give birth…well, pretty much wherever they’re standing when they go into labor.

That leads to some uncomfortable and amazing scenarios. For instance, mothers have given birth…

1. On a New York Sidewalk

Polly McCourt, 39, went into labor at home. Her doorman helped her hail a taxi, but a woman jumped in front of her and stole her cab.

The doorman “was trying desperately to hail a cab and a lady walked out five meters in front of him and hailed a cab and got into it,” McCourt told The Daily Mail.

“And I went ‘that’s my cab, I want that cab!”’

McCourt couldn’t wait for another ride. “I asked her what was wrong,” doorman Anton Rudovic recounted. “She said, ‘I’m having the baby! I’m having the baby right now!’ It happened so quickly, just like 1,2,3!”

She fell to the sidewalk, and several Good Samaritans stopped to help her. One woman gave McCourt her coat to cradle the baby; McCourt showed her appreciation by naming the infant after the kind stranger.

“She was meant to be Ila Polly,” McCourt explained, “but now she’s Ila Isabelle. We’re very happy with [the name].”

2. In an Ambulance Surrounded by 12 Lions

According to Indian news outlet NDTV, 32-year-old Manguben Makwana gave birth in an ambulance in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The ambulance was speeding toward the nearest hospital, but when Makwana began giving birth, the vehicle pulled over in a wildlife sanctuary.

“When the ambulance was on its way to Jafarabad with Makwana, the on-duty emergency management technician (EMT) Ashok Makwana realised that she would give birth anytime, as the head of the baby was protruding out,” said Chetan Gaadhe, the ambulance’s emergency management executive.

A curious pride of lions reportedly surrounded the ambulance while it was stopped.

“Though Jadav [the driver], who is a local and understood the behaviour of lions, tried to scare them away, the lions refused to budge,” said Gaadhe. “Some of them even sat in front of the vehicle, blocking its passage.”

The pride dispersed when the vehicle’s engine started, and both mother and child safely arrived at the nearby hospital.

Apparently, this wasn’t an unusual birth for Gaadhe.

“In some situations our staff has to walk for kilometres, as there is no road for the ambulance. The staff is well trained to tackle such situations,” he said.

3. In an Uber

Erica Davidovich was leaving a Whole Foods in Los Angeles when she realized that she was going into labor. She quickly called an Uber to take her to the hospital (yes, this is the most California story ever).

Sure, an ambulance might have been a less unusual choice. But 31-year-old Erica was already a mother of three, and her other children had taken hours to arrive.

“Usually for our other three girls, water breaks, it’s still another 6, 7, or 12 hours, so we thought we had time,” her husband, Niv, told Daily Mail. “This was the advice we had received from Erica’s doctor. He told us not to come to the hospital until she was in pain and having regular contractions.”

But as soon as the Uber started moving, she realized that the baby wasn’t going to wait. Fortunately, she quickly gave birth to a healthy baby boy, much to the relief of the nervous Uber driver.

“It was crazy! It was my last trip of the evening and it all happened so quickly. It felt like I was in a movie,” the driver told The Daily Mail.

“Erica was in a lot of pain and told me to pull over and call 911. We hadn’t gone very far down the road when I was told to stop the car. Within a minute of pulling over, her waters broke and the baby just slid right out! Niv, her husband, caught it!”

No word on what the Davidoviches tipped the driver, but he did bring the baby an Uber onesie.

4. On a Spirit Airlines Flight

Spirit Airlines is a budget airline that is known for charging extra for just about everything. Hey, if you’re going to offer cheap flights, you’ve got to make up the money somewhere. Cristina Penton found a way around one of the fees: She avoided paying for an extra ticket by waiting until her plane was en route to go into labor.

In fairness, she wasn’t actually trying to cheat the airline. At 36 weeks pregnant, she was weeks away from her due date, and she’d carried her two other children to full term.

“Within 10 to 15 minutes of takeoff, I began to feel like something was not fine,” she told reporters at a press conference.

Spirit crewmembers kept Penton calm, bringing her damp towels and bottled water (no, they didn’t charge her for the extras).

“Everything started happening very quickly,” Penton said. “I didn’t think I was having the baby because it was too soon, but after a few minutes, I knew I needed medical attention. The flight attendants contacted doctors on the ground and they advised the flight attendants to see if there were any medical personnel on board. As it turned out, there was a pediatrician and a nurse. Soon after that, it was clear I was having my baby, and I was in pure panic.”

The crew diverted the flight, but Penton gave birth to her son, Christoph Lezcano, while the plane was still in the air. Penton’s fellow passengers broke into applause when they heard the news.

“It was what he wanted,” Penton said of her son’s unusual birth. “We were all just along for the ride.”

5. In a Tree

When flood waters ravaged Mozambique in 2000, Carolina Chirindza and her family members climbed a tree to escape the crocodile-infested waters. Chirindza was heavily pregnant at the time, and she realized that she’d have to give birth while awaiting rescue.

“I was not prepared for this, but that’s what God wanted,” Chirindza said.

When rescuers came, they took pictures of the new mother and her baby, which spread through Western media. The press quickly propelled Chirindza to international stardom, which helped to gather donations to assist other families recover from the crisis. Seventeen years later, Chirindza and her daughter, Rosita Mabuiango, are doing well.

Chirindza says that the dramatic birth changed everything for her family.

“It changed my life, because now I have a house, I also have a job,” she said. She works as a cleaner, and thanks to a donation from the local municipality, she lives in her own three-bedroom house.

Rosita is also flourishing. She plays soccer at her Catholic school, and she wants to study petrochemical engineering. While she’s thankful for the circumstances of her birth, she doesn’t want them to define her.

“I’m normal,” the 17-year-old told The Guardian, “It’s just a different way of being born.”

Tags 50032931, hemingway, parenting

Motherhood

Zika Virus: Everything Pregnant Women Should Know

Post author By Lisa Douglas
Post date August 9, 2017

For years, Zika was a virus that was not very well known because it was contained to a narrow equatorial belt from Africa to Asia. More recently, news about Zika has flooded U.S. media outlets as the spread of the virus across the Pacific Ocean has turned epidemic.

Since Zika popped up in Brazil in 2015, infections have been reported in dozens of countries and territories in the Americas and the Caribbean—and even more recently, cases have been reported in the hundreds in the United States.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most recent statistics show that there have been 756 cases of Zika in the U.S., and 234 of them were pregnant women.

Unfortunately, the future of the fight against Zika isn’t looking very bright. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the virus will continue to spread, and scientists warn that the virus has “explosive pandemic potential.”
If this news has you concerned, you’re not alone. Are you pregnant and thinking about traveling? Are you worried about your baby and possibly contracting the Zika virus?

Here is everything you need to know to keep yourself, your family, and your baby protected.

What is the Zika virus?

The Zika virus was originally discovered in monkeys in 1947 in the Zika forest of Uganda. The virus—which is related to dengue, yellow fever, and West Nile virus—stayed contained in the equatorial belt between Africa and Asia for more than 50 years, then began to spread, making its way across the Pacific Ocean to the Americas in 2007.

How is the virus spread?

When a mosquito bites and draws blood from an infected person, it contracts the virus. Then the mosquito can carry the virus to another person, infecting them when it bites and draws blood again.
Recently, it’s also been discovered that Zika can be transmitted through sexual contact with an infected individual.

The virus can also be spread from mother to unborn baby in utero or around the time of birth. Fortunately, even though the virus stays in the mother’s blood for a few days to a week, future pregnancies don’t seem to be affected by previous infection—so a baby conceived after the virus has left the mother’s body won’t contract or be affected by Zika.

What are the symptoms?

The good news is that in healthy adults, infection with Zika typically causes no symptoms or only results in very mild ones.

Sometimes infected people experience symptoms similar to those associated with contraction of dengue fever, including a low-grade fever, headache, rash, muscle and joint pain, and sometimes pink eye. Infection symptoms can last several days to a week.
Studies show that only 20 percent of people infected with the Zika virus will actually become ill, but unfortunately more serious cases (although rare) can get pretty bad and result in an illness known as Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Even though infection with Zika in adults is typically benign, problems arise when a pregnant woman contracts the virus, as it can spread to her unborn baby. The results and complications associated with this situation can be devastating.
The most common complications of contracting Zika during pregnancy are miscarriage and severe deformity of the unborn child in the form of microcephaly (an abnormally small head and brain). Children born with this deformity often suffer developmental delays, seizures, and mental retardation.

New cases have also presented with children who have additional symptoms including glaucoma, hearing loss, vision problems, and impaired growth.
Zika still has experts guessing, though. Scientists remain unclear as to how likely it is that the infection in a pregnant woman will be passed on to her unborn child, whether the fetus will show symptoms in utero, and whether pregnancy makes women more susceptible to the virus.

Furthermore, they still don’t know why Zika causes some women to miscarry a pregnancy.

How is Zika treated?

Currently, there is no specific treatment for Zika, but the CDC recommends rest and fluids to prevent dehydration.

How can you protect yourself and your unborn baby from Zika?

Unfortunately, there are no medications or vaccines that prevent or cure Zika. The best way to protect yourself from contracting the virus is to avoid travel to areas of the world that are affected.
Travel warnings have been issued by health agencies and governments globally, and Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Jamaica have gone as far as to advise women to postpone getting pregnant until more is known about the risks.

If you have to travel to Zika-affected areas, experts recommend that you take every possible precaution to avoid getting bitten by a mosquito.
Try to limit exposed skin by wearing long sleeves or pants (rather than shorts, tanks, or t-shirts). Use a bug spray that contains DEET, which is safe for pregnant and nursing women.

Make sure there is no standing water in or around your home or where you’re staying, because wet areas can be breeding grounds for mosquitos.
Finally, consider treating your clothes with an insecticide like permethrin.

If your partner has traveled to an area that has been affected by Zika, it’s very important to protect yourself during sexual intercourse. Experts recommend abstinence or the use of condoms for six months if a male partner has shown symptoms (or traveled to an area where local mosquitos transmit Zika). Abstinence or safe sex are advised for eight weeks if a female partner might be infected.

Can you get tested for the Zika virus?

If you have traveled to a known Zika-affected area, or have been exposed to Zika by a partner who has traveled to one of these areas, your doctor may choose to run blood or urine tests.

Unfortunately, the FDA hasn’t approved a commercially available test for the virus, but the CDC does recommend all pregnant women be assessed for Zika during their prenatal visits.
It’s important to remember that you don’t have to be experiencing symptoms to test positive for the virus.
In fact, CDC guidelines urge women who have traveled to countries affected by Zika to be tested, whether they are symptomatic or not.

They also recommend that women who live in Zika-affected areas be tested for the virus twice during pregnancy: once when their pregnancy is confirmed by their doctor and again in the middle of the second trimester. The unborn baby should be examined via ultrasound as well.

What does the future hold for the fight against Zika?

Even though there’s currently no vaccine for Zika, recent research indicates breakthroughs could be coming soon.

Scientists from Florida State University, Johns Hopkins University, and the National Institutes of Health have found certain drugs that show promise in preventing the virus from replicating in the body and also from affecting fetal cells. Additionally, the same researchers may have discovered an antibody that has the ability to fight the virus.

Tags 50026951, hemingway, parenting

Motherhood

This Is The Stroller Mistake Most Parents Make Without Realizing

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date August 9, 2017

Have you ever covered your child’s stroller with a blanket to block the sun?

While it might seem like a good idea to shade your baby from the sun, it turns out this strategy likely does more harm than good. According to pediatrician Svante Norgren, this practice could even be deadly.

Even a thin blanket can trap heat, creating conditions that put your child at risk of heatstroke.

“It gets extremely hot down in the pram (stroller), something like a thermos. There is also bad circulation of the air and it is hard to see the baby with a cover over the pram,” he told Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.

As part of the same piece, Svenska Dagbladet conducted their own experiment. First, the paper left an uncovered stroller out in the sun. Without any sort of covering, the temperature in the stroller reached 72 degrees.

They then covered the stroller with a thin cloth and continued to keep track of the temperature. Within 30 minutes, the temperature reached 90 degrees. After an hour, it had increased to 100 degrees.

To make matters worse, Dr. Christian Nechyba, who practices at Carolina Kids Pediatrics, told ABC News affiliate WTVD, “Babies do not dissipate heat or get rid of excess body heat as easy as older children because they don’t sweat as much.

So how can you safely shield your baby from the sun?

According to Nechyba, the first step is to make sure you’ve got the right stroller. Specifically, he recommended strollers that are light in color. Additionally, he told WTVD parents should “avoid excess cushioning that might keep a lot of [baby’s] skin from breathing normally.”

Other suggestions include choosing a stroller with a removable back panel and a large canopy to provide shade without impeding air circulation. Aside from stroller choice, Nechyba recommends purchasing a small, battery-powered fan with a clamp to attach to the stroller’s handlebars and checking your baby regularly for signs of heat exhaustion.

In order to keep baby safe, parents need to know the signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

According to the Women’s and Children’s Health Network, early signs of heat exhaustion include being unusually irritable, having drier-than-normal skin, refusing to drink, and having fewer wet diapers than usual.

If you suspect your child might be suffering from heat exhaustion, arrange to visit your general practitioner or pediatrician immediately. If you’re unable to get in on short notice, take your baby to the emergency room.

In the event that your child’s condition progresses beyond heat exhaustion to heatstroke, symptoms may include:

–A temperature at or above 103 degrees (but a lack of sweating)

–Hot, dry, red skin

–High pulse rate

–Restlessness

–Confusion

–Dizziness

–Headache

–Vomiting

–Quick, shallow breaths

–Lethargy

–Unconsciousness

If your baby is experiencing heatstroke, seek medical assistance immediately. While waiting for help, completely undress your baby and find a cool area to lay them down.

Use a washcloth or rag to sponge them down with cool water, then fan them.

Of course, choosing the right stroller, using proper care, and avoiding too much outside time can help parents keep their young children safe.

Tags 50032996, hemingway, parenting

Wellbeing

9 Ways Your Smartphone Is Destroying Your Health

Post author By Mary Sauer
Post date August 9, 2017

As smartphone technology has improved, my use has steadily increased. What I once used to check in with my parents while I was out with friends is now a personal computer, in a way. I work from my phone, I take pictures of my kids, and I keep up with my friends. To be perfectly honest, I wish I used my phone less. I know it distracts me from more important parts of my life.

It’s more than a distraction, though. I have always suspected my phone was negatively affecting me in some ways. I notice I feel a bit jittery before bed if I have been using my phone too much late in the evening. At times it makes it difficult for me to fall asleep.
There was a time when I assumed I was simply hypersensitive to technology, but lately I have learned that most people experience negative side effects from overuse of their smartphones. In some cases, they don’t realize that their symptoms are connected to the device in their hands. Don’t believe me when I say it would do you good to cut back on your smartphone use?
Keep reading to find out how our society’s state of hyperconnectedness can negatively influence both our bodies and our minds.

1. Smartphones are killing thousands each year.

In 2015 alone, 3,477 deaths were attributed to texting and driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That means every day, nearly 10 people die because someone was too distracted by their phone to give driving their full attention.

We’ve all been guilty of letting our devices keep us from making safe driving our top priority, but distracted driving is deadly driving. We can’t neglect our duty to put down the phone and drive safely.
If you are struggling to stay off of your phone while driving, it is best to remove the temptation altogether. Throw your phone in your purse or bag and put your bag in your back seat. Put on some music or a podcast if you’re bored with driving. It’s worth the lives you could save by staying away from your phone’s screen.

2. Your smartphone is giving you CVS.

When you spend several hours a day looking at a screen—and most of us do—it can negatively influence the health of your eyes. The American Optometric Association warns against extended use of tech, especially without breaks, because it could cause a wide range of symptoms from eyestrain and headaches to dry eyes and blurred vision.
Environmental factors such as bad lighting and glare on screens can worsen the eyestrain caused by routine screen use. Additionally, if you already have poor vision, you may be more susceptible to experiencing computer vision syndrome or CVS.

To lessen the effect screens have on your eyes, don’t use screens as much. When you can’t cut back, make sure you are taking at least a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something far away.

3. Your smartphone can’t fix this common symptom.

If you suspect that your smartphone use is negatively affecting your mood, it definitely isn’t all in your head. Excessive smartphone use is directly tied with poor moods, according to the journal Personality and Individual Differences. People who check their phone constantly are likely trying to “fix” their depressive symptoms, but the habit they’re relying on doesn’t work.

In fact, frequent use of social media has been found to play a role in depression, since users are apt to compare their own lives to the highlights being posted by others online, according to the Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology. For many, their smartphone is their connection to social media.
If you are experiencing feelings like jealousy, decreased self-esteem, or good old-fashioned FOMO, it might be time to take a step back and re-evaluate your smartphone use.

4. Your smartphone is sabotaging your diet.

If you’ve been trying to lose some weight but haven’t had a lot of luck reaching your goals, consider how your phone might be sabotaging your diet. In the simplest terms, the key to losing weight is consuming fewer calories than you are burning each day. This requires mindfulness of what goes into our bodies.

When you bring your phone to the table, it distracts you from the task at hand—eating. For many, focusing on the wrong thing at mealtime might mean they don’t realize when they have had enough. They end up overeating. Overeating regularly will cause weight gain in most people, so put your phone away and pay attention to what you’re putting in your body.

5. Your smartphone can’t be your friend.

Smartphones are tricky little devils; they can lead heavy users to believe they are connected with their friends, when in reality they actually make people lonelier. Some people are prone to shyness or struggle with certain social interactions, and the key to feeling more socially competent is practice.

Unfortunately, smartphones have provided an escape for those who feel discomfort in social settings, according to the journal Social Science Computer Review.
Before you write this off as something only the socially awkward experience, you should know that using smartphones to avoid social situations has becoming increasingly common.

In fact, 89 percent of adults reported using their phone while at a social function, and 82 percent said they knew their habit of looking at their phone was keeping them from having meaningful conversations with others.

6. Your smartphone is turning you into an insomniac.

Sleep is essential to good health, and not getting enough of it has been linked to all kinds of long-term health conditions, including cancer, diabetes, and obesity. With as much as 35 percent of the adult population reporting experiences of short-term insomnia, it is easy to believe the research that suggests screens have something do with our sleep troubles.

The body’s circadian rhythms are influenced in part by the hormone melatonin. How much melatonin the body makes and when it makes it is strongly influenced by the light we expose ourselves to late into the evening.
Blue light—the artificial light emitted by screened devices—has been found to be disruptive to sleep, according to the Harvard Health Letter. If you want to manage the effect that blue light has on your health, start cutting back on your phone use before bed.

Experts recommend powering down as early as three hours before you plan to switch off the lights, which means it is probably time to head to the library and pick up a few good books.

7. Your smartphone is a pain in the neck.

It is no coincidence that more doctors are reporting treating young patients complaining of neck and upper back pain than they have in the past. These symptoms have been coined “text neck,” and it is exactly what it sounds like.

When we lean over devices to send a text or check social media, the specific angle of our neck makes our head feel way heavier than it actually is. In fact, at texting angle, our 10- to 12-pound head actually puts 60 pounds of pressure on the neck, according to Health Essentials, a publication of the Cleveland Clinic.
This is causing a lot of pain for regular smartphone users. The primary symptom of text neck is strain and pain in the neck. Additionally, hunching over your phone can compress your lungs, limiting your breathing capacity and forcing your body to work harder to pump blood to your organs.

8. Your smartphone is giving you cell phone elbow.

The invention of the smartphone brought with it the advent of some brand-new health conditions that have been given pretty catchy names. Of course, the symptoms of cell phone elbow, texting claw, or Tinder thumb are anything but cute for those experiencing them.

Repetitive motions can be hard on the body, especially if improper form and awkward movements are involved. More people are experiencing pain unique to how and how often they use their smartphones.
Heavy users who spend a lot of time texting or swiping are more likely to experience the symptoms of tendinitis, a condition characterized by joint pain and inflammation in the wrists and fingers.

Want to avoid these uncomfortable symptoms? Text less, turn off Tinder, or just put down your phone for a while.

9. Your cell phone is playing tricks on your brain.

Have you ever felt your cell phone vibrate only to pick it up and see that no one has called or texted you? There is a name for this sensation, and you’re not the only one imagining things.

Ringxiety is the name the internet has assigned to this incredibly strange phenomenon. The belief is that our extreme attachment to smartphones has created a sense of hypervigilance in regular users. According to The New York Times, the brain is making connections when you hear a sound that resembles your phone even a little bit.
Whether it is something similar in terms of vibration or a note in a song that sounds like a chime on your phone, you’ve got your phone on your mind, so your brain fills in the rest.
One suggestion for dealing with ringxiety is challenging yourself to check your phone less often. Try setting a timer on your phone, and force yourself to stay off it completely until the alarms sounds. Then slowly increase your phone-free time over several days. Adopting this habit is one way to fight back against the hypervigilant connection to smartphones that so many of us experience.

Of course there is nothing wrong with using and liking technology. Smartphones allow us to remain connected to the people we care about, no matter where they are located—a few blocks over or halfway around the globe.
The internet is an exceptional source of information, and for many (me included) it is a source of livelihood for our families that is easily accessible from our phones. Like anything else in life, finding balance is the key to responsible use of technology.

You don’t need to throw out your phone to decrease your risk of health complications. You simply need to cut back, take extended breaks during the day, and find other ways to fill your time. You’ll be glad you did. We promise.

Tags 50032966, balance, hemingway

Nosh

Here's What Queen Elizabeth II Actually Eats, According To Her Chef

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date August 8, 2017

Recently, Queen Elizabeth’s eating habits have come under close scrutiny.

Why? Well, she’s the queen—her subjects and others around the world are interested in every last detail of her life.

CNN

“It has to be the dark chocolate, the darker the better. She wasn’t keen on milk chocolate or white chocolate.”

For what it’s worth, that habit might help to explain the queen’s extraordinary health. Cocoa is rich in flavanols, which help to protect the heart and could reduce the risk of diabetes.

As for exercise, McGrady says the queen’s habits help her keep fit.

“I don’t think she has a weight room at Buckingham Palace, but she loves horse-riding and walking the dogs,” he told CNN.

“She’s 91 years young, and she still goes horse riding. She’ll walk for miles with the dogs or just around the gardens at Buckingham Palace.”

“It always made me laugh that, you know, one day, the Queen would be at an estate banquet, and she’d be eating off Meissen china from the late 1800s, beautiful hand-painted Meissen china, with gold and silver gilt knives and forks,” McGrady said.

He followed up: “The next day, she’d be at Balmoral, and she’d be on the estate out in the hills, and she’d be eating lunch out of a Tupperware container. One day they’re normal; one day they’re royal.”

Tags 50032906, fuel, hemingway

Motherhood

Three Kids Is The Most Stressful Number (And Two Other Times Parenthood Is Just Plain Hard)

Post author By Mary Sauer
Post date August 7, 2017

The first time I ventured out of the house with three kids, I tried to plan for anything that could possibly go wrong. I brought extra clothes for my newly potty-trained toddler and the newborn who was prone to blowouts, and I had a lengthy pep talk with my preschooler about being Mommy’s big helper.

Honestly, the whole outing went surprisingly well. No one had a tantrum, we made it out of the store and back home before the newborn wanted to nurse again, and I never had to break out the spare clothes I had packed.

Even though things went as well as I could have hoped, I still returned home completely worn out. I had spent so much time stressing out about potential worst-case scenarios that I had put myself through more stress than any of my kids had.

Nearly a year later, I have a 5-year-old, a 3-year-old, and a baby who will turn 1 in and month. I still haven’t stopped getting slightly worked up every time we have to leave the house.

The truth is, having three kids has been a huge adjustment for our family. My husband and I no longer have a 1:1 ratio going on in our home. And when it’s just me, well, I don’t even have enough hands to hang on to each kid.

I’m not alone in my feelings that having three kids is hard. Moms just like me, who are juggling three little ones, are the most stressed-out moms, according to a survey by TODAY Moms.

After surveying over 7,000 moms, TODAY Moms was able to glean some important information about stressed-out parents. Moms who have three kids seem to reach the peak of being totally strung out.

Moms with fewer kids have less stress, and moms with more have the experience that helps them to relax about new phases and stages.

This study was also able to come up with an average stress level for mothers using the data they pulled from the 7,000 mothers they surveyed. On a scale of 1 to 10, the average mom reports a stress level of 8.5. That is a high number considering it is the baseline for many moms, but I’m honestly not all that surprised. Being a parent is plain hard, even if you don’t have three kids.

Middle School Melodrama

If you think parenting toddlers is hard, just wait until they reach middle school. As children approach early teen years, parents report that caring for them gets more stressful than ever before, according to the journal Developmental Psychology.

Apparently, this is one of those age groups that brings uniquely stressful challenges. I’m not there yet. My oldest is a preschooler, and some days I have a hard time imagining there is anything more challenging than juggling newborn naps and toddler daredevil antics.

When you think about what middle schoolers experience, the related parenting stress completely makes sense. Those few years right before high school are characterized by a strong desire for autonomy.

Typically preteen development drives them to push away from their parents and establish their own identity, according to EurekAlert!, a publication by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Naturally, it can be difficult for parents to loosen the reins, especially at an age when kids want independence but are still struggling to make responsible decisions.

Additionally, middle school is the height of puberty. A flux of hormones ushers in changes to personality, moodiness, and extreme self-consciousness about their changing bodies. For some families, this means their new teen is unpredictable or hard to be around at times.

Some middle schoolers may even start engaging in risky behaviors, lashing out, or struggling with depression or anxiety for the first time. It is difficult to watch your child struggle, especially when they don’t really want to involve you in their biggest challenges.

At this age, children are also transitioning into a tougher social environment. For starters, middle school is markedly more difficult than elementary school, due in part to more demanding school schedules and increased homework.

Add to that the peer pressure that typically starts right around this age, and it makes sense that so many kids are having such a hard time during this big life change.

Lastly, the middle schoolers aren’t the only ones changing in the family. It isn’t uncommon for parents to be in the midst of their own changes, according to the study’s authors. In fact, this is often when parents begin to experience more marked symptoms of their own aging as they grow older. This can increase the emotional impact of this phase of their children’s life.

Parenting When Your Child Has Exceptional Needs

For some families, parenting is always more challenging because their child has exceptional needs. For the parents of these children, being a mother or father is often characterized by times of fear and anxiety, according to Psychology Today.

Parents may worry about their child’s future, wondering if their developmental or physical differences will limit their opportunities. They may also find themselves consumed by worries for their physical health, especially if their child has differences that require continuous medical care.

Caring for a child who has special needs also requires parents to take on a caregiver role for much longer than they would if they were raising typically developing children.

Caregiving is associated with a high level of burnout and feelings of depression and loneliness. It can take a toll on marriages too, according to the Child Mind Institute.

How Stressed-Out Parents Should Deal

In ideal world, stressed-out parents would be able to reduce their source of stress, but if you fall into one of the categories listed above, you know that simply isn’t possible. So parents facing unique challenges have to get creative when it comes to coping with their circumstances.

For most families, talking openly about the challenges being faced will spur helpful discourse for everyone involved, according to Developmental Psychology.

Whether you are entering into that middle school phase of life, adding another child to the family, or learning to care for children who have special needs, try to make time to have regular talks with your partner and your children.

These talks don’t have to be complicated; just be honest about what everyone should expect from the next few months or years of your family life and allow everyone involved to express their feelings on the changes.

Next, stressed-out parents need to find outside support for themselves whenever possible. The good news is there are plenty of support groups out there. Moms who have young kids and are preparing to add another baby might find the solidarity they need most from a group like Mothers of Preschoolers.

For parents who are feeling unprepared to transition their child into middle school, their child’s school counselor may be able to suggest resources and support groups that can address their fears.

When parenting kids with special needs is what is causing parents stress, local children’s hospitals typically have a database of area support groups, and private social media groups have become a great source of community for parents as well.

When it comes down to it, if parents facing hard situations really want to feel equipped to parent well, they need to care for themselves first. In some cases, this might be asking for a little extra help, getting some time alone, or making a weekly visit with a therapist their top priority.

Tags 50032911, hemingway, parenting

Wellbeing

How To Remove Ear Wax Safely (Without Using Cotton Swabs)

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date August 7, 2017

Ear wax is disgusting, and many people assume that they need to clear it out as part of their everyday hygiene regimen. If you regularly clean your ears with cotton swabs, however, you’re taking an unnecessary risk. Here’s why.

Wax On, Wax Off

Our bodies produce earwax to help trap dust and keep other particles from reaching our eardrums. The amount of earwax someone produces is genetically determined, and normally it should dry up and fall out of the ear on its own.
However, sometimes wax can’t find its way out naturally due to the shape or size of a person’s ear canals. This is when most people turn to cotton swabs, cotton balls, or bobby pins to go after the wax themselves. Doctors recommend against this practice for the following reasons.

“We always say, ‘Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear,’” Dr. Martin Burton, a professor of otolaryngology at the University of Oxford in England, told Time.

Understanding the Risks

While cotton swabs might seem to clear out your ears, they’re usually doing more harm than good. The cotton tips can only clear out superficial wax, and if you push too hard, you can compact the rest of the wax into the ear canal.

After repeated home cleanings, wax can become impacted, blocking the eardrum. This puts you at risk for a variety of health issues that require professional treatment. Symptoms of impacted ear wax are dizziness, ear pain, decreased hearing, itching, ringing sensations, and a plugged or full feeling in the ear.
Impaction isn’t the only problem caused by cotton swabs. You can also seriously damage the bones in your ear. Erika Woodson, a neurotologist at the Cleveland Clinic, described her experience with a patient who aggressively used cotton swabs.
“I had a patient who actually knocked her hearing bones out of place with a cotton swab,” Woodson said. “As a result, she lost significant hearing and needed two surgeries to rebuild those bones.”

Safe Methods for Wax Removal

You should seek help from a healthcare professional right away if you experience any of the symptoms of earwax impaction. If you wait too long to contact a doctor, you risk infection and even permanent hearing loss.
Luckily, there are ways to safely manage your earwax levels at home that don’t involve sticking anything in your ears. You can purchase over the counter wax-softening drops like Debrox or Murine that liquify wax, allowing it to drain from the canal. After applying, simply tilt your head from side to side to clear out the wax.

Another popular solution is the irrigation method, which involves dropping mineral or baby oil in your ear, then using a syringe full of warm water to flush everything out. However, cleanliness is key, and this can be a bad idea if you have signs of impaction already.
Doctors do not recommend ear candling, a process in which a person places a hollow cone made of paraffin into the ear canal, then lights the other end on fire. The heat is supposed to create a vacuum that will pull wax out of the ear canal, but no studies have proven the effectiveness of this method. In fact, it has caused numerous injuries.
Unless your body creates an excess amount of wax, a once-a-year cleaning at your doctor’s office should be sufficient for keeping your ear canal clear. Cotton swabs are effective for cleaning the outside of the ear, but don’t go deeper.

Use liquid drops if you absolutely need to clear out ear wax deeper in the ear canal. If you have recurring issues, talk to your doctor about potential treatments to keep your ears clean and hearing well.

Tags 50032576, body, hemingway

Motherhood

5 Strategies For Preparing Your Child To Head Back To School

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date August 7, 2017

The first day of school is bittersweet for both kids and parents.

For kids, the first few days of the school year are full of exciting possibilities—along with embarrassing encounters, frustrating schoolwork, and long hours outside of their comfort zones.

As a parent, you can help your child adjust to the shock of the new school year. However, you’ll have to conquer your own anxieties first. Here are our tips for getting started by planning ahead.

1. Realize that your child will pick up on your attitude.

If you’re worrying and fretting over every little detail, your child will naturally become apprehensive. After all, don’t we all pick up on one another’s worries?

Kids pick up on quite a bit, too, so be confident and optimistic. Talk about your first days of school, focusing on positive experiences. Discuss the tangible, controllable aspects of your child’s school day: what they will take for lunch, where they’ll go for class, which of their friends will be there.

2. Talk to your child—but use the right approach.

Avoid promises like “Nothing bad will happen” or “Everything will go perfectly.” Those kinds of affirmations are disingenuous, and we know it because every adult has a few horror stories from their first days of school.

When something does go wrong, your child might feel more anxious than before if they weren’t prepared to react. While you want to stay positive, you don’t want to act like the first day isn’t a big deal.

Tell your child that it’s perfectly normal to be a little scared or nervous. For the first few weeks of school, block out special time for your child to talk about their day when you can dedicate a listening ear. Stay positive and optimistic, but don’t treat legitimate concerns as “silly.”

3. Talk about problem-solving strategies.

Your child will want constant reassurance, but that’s not necessarily the best way to approach their fears. Instead, talk about how to deal with potential problems in a constructive way.

What should your child do if she forgets about her homework? How can she approach the teacher if she doesn’t understand a lesson? What if she misses her stop on the school bus? By addressing these hypotheticals, you’ll help your child feel more confident, and you’ll probably feel less nervous, too.

4. Ease into the first few days of school.

Help make your child comfortable in the new environment. A few days before summer vacation ends, plan to visit or at least go by the school (call to check with the school’s office before actually walking onto the campus, though).

Most schools arrange for tours in the weeks leading up to the new year. Take advantage! A quick tour can help to alleviate a lot of your child’s anxiety.

You should also look into activities such as sports and academic clubs that will start up during the first weeks of the school year. For young kids, these might not be an option, but you can at least arrange for one of your child’s friends to meet at the school grounds or bus stop before the first day.

5. Finally, don’t forget about the basics.

Make sure your child has a good breakfast before the first day of school. Pack a great lunch (perhaps with a reassuring note) and set a firm bedtime for the last few days of summer vacation.

Take care of as many of the little things as you can, and you’ll be well on your way to ensuring those first days are much less intimidating.

And one final note: Take plenty of pictures!

Tags 50032546, hemingway, parenting

1. Virtually All “Cream” Centers

2. Pancake Sauce

3. Dessert Sauce

4. Nightmare Powder

5. Supposedly Healthy Sweet Treats

6. Sort-of Cheese With a Different Name

The other members of the royal family generally share the queen’s preferences for lean, light food.

Apparently, the Princess’s habits influenced the rest of the Royal Family, too.