The Right Start: Tools to Help Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

It's that time of the year when we can reflect on the changes we've made and renew our commitments to ourselves. Popular New Year's Resolutions include spending more time with family and friends, getting fit, and improving our organizational skills. What should also be included on this list should be sticking to these resolutions. To help out, here are some helpful tools to keep your resolutions on track. Happy 2009!

• To help you reach your fitness goals, Traineo can give a boost of self confidence and motivation needed for those last few pounds.
  

• Look up and track calorie and fat intake on Daily Plate.
  

• If improving your finances is your goal, software such as Mint can easily be download onto you cellphone to help manage your money.

• Also available for your cellphone is a virtual to-do list. Remember The Milk makes managing your tasks effortless.

New Kids On The Block: Predictions for Top 2009 Baby Names

The results are in for the most popular baby names of 2008, but who wants to tag onto last year's trends? Here are a few unique suggestions if Emma, Sophia, Madison, Aiden, Jayden, or Ethan weren't on your list:

Girls

• Allegra
• Savannah
• Tatum
• Halcyon
• Poppy

Boys

• Rahm
• Zane
• Saul
• Jack
• River

Lighten Up Your Holiday: Healthy Holiday Recipes

The holidays are a time of good friends, family, and traditions. And many holiday traditions center around food. In an effort to keep the calories down and stay trim, here are a few healthy holiday recipes to make festive eating less of a challenge:

• Lightly drizzled chocolate-covered nuts. The health benefits of nuts and antioxidants in chocolate (if using dark chocolate) can make one forget they are eating a healthy snack.

• Grilled Peach Sundaes. A great way to sneak in your daily servings of fruit!

• Shredded Root Vegetable Pancakes. A nice alternative to potato pancakes and a good way to get your serving of veggies.

• Crunchy Pear and Celery Salad. High in calcium, low in calories and another way to get your serving of fruit.

• Mango Brûlée. Slices of mango broiled in the oven will look like an elegant dessert you spent all day in the kitchen whipping up.

Merry Fitness: Winter Exercise Tips to Keep You Moving

The dark, cold weather outside may make it hard for us to wake up in the mornings let alone motivate us to step up our exercise routines. But with all the extra calories consumed, winter workouts should be part of our weekly if not daily schedule. Here are a few great winter workout tips to help keep us in shape:

• Window shop. This is a good workout for new moms living in chilly climates that prevent them from strolling outdoors. Its also a great way for new moms to socialize in a safe environment with others in their community.

• Yoga. Yoga is obviously beneficial all year round but is especially nice during winter as it keeps us warm and limber. There is also prenatal yoga to keep moms-to-be in shape.

• Making Waves. Swimming and water aerobics are excellent cardio workouts. Indoor pools provide a great place to escape the cold.

• Walk it out. If possible, take the stairs at work; take a couple of extra laps around the office. Doing only 15 extra minutes of intermediate walking activity can burn up to 50 calories or more.

• Keep moving. Just because you don't own a gym membership doesn't mean you are not fit. Any activity counts towards a workout. So shovel that snow, vacuum that house, and wrap those packages!

ECO Ways to Save Energy: Winterize Your Home

Oh the weather outside is frightful... and so are our utility bills! As the winter season brings in the chill, most of us will use more electricity in heating our homes causing our utility bills to increase and generate up to twice as much pollution as the average car.

But with some few easy tips, we can reduce our bills and the environmental impact:

• Run fans in reverse. Counterclockwise rotation shoots a breeze while a clockwise rotation pulls warm air upward and evenly disperses it, cutting heating costs up to 10%.

• Wash clothes in cold water.

• Adjust your water heater. Turning it down from 140 degrees F to 120 degrees F can reduce your bills from 6 to 10%.

• Upgrade to efficient appliances. Energy star models can save up to 10 to 50% energy depending on the model.
  

• Keep an eye on the thermostat. Lowering it each degree can save you 1 to 3% of your heating bill.

• Download a copy of the Cool Citizens Guide for suggestions on how to cut energy costs while keeping an eye on your environmental impact.
  

It's A Wrap: Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas

Part of the holiday gift giving fun is the pleasure of giving and receiving a beautifully wrapped present. The creativity behind an imaginatively wrapped gift can make a simple stocking stuffer look like a personally chosen unique gift. Here are some great, creative ways to wrap your holiday presents:

• Embellish your gift with a ribbon weave.

• Wrap the present with hints of what the inside gift may be.

• Use one of a kind wrapping paper- old newspapers, comics, dictionaries, wallpapers... Creative, unique, and ECO-friendly!

• Gifts don't have to be extravagant. A couple of stocking stuffers wrapped in a common theme make a great present!

• And last but not least, a great way to display gift cards, tickets, even cash are with gift card holders!

The Gift That Keeps On Giving: Happiness

Feeling especially giddy lately? You can have your friends to thank for that. Inadvertently, your good mood can be affecting your other friends, and your friends' friends. Studies show that happiness can be contagious like the flu, and spread through social networks up to three degrees removed from one another.

Although research shows that this emotional contagion is more dependent on proximity (the closer we are to the friend, the happier we feel) than behavior, the happy bug can last up to 12 months! So this holiday season, give the gift that keeps giving!

A Breath Of Fresh Air: Improving Indoor Air Quality

Now that the colder winter temperatures are here, many are finding refuge indoors. But less open windows and natural ventilation can mean poorer air quality. Indoor air quality can be up to 10 times worse than outdoor air due to pollutants such as oil, gas, household cleaning products, mold, pressed wood products, central heating/ cooling systems, malfunctioning stoves, asbestos-containing insulation, etc.

But there are a few ways to improve indoor air quality in your home for this holiday season:

• Clean and vacuum regularly

• Clean with natural cleaning products, which contain no volatile organic compounds or toxic chemicals.

• Remove your shoes before coming indoors to prevent dirt and germs from entering your house

• Keep your air filters clean

• Use houseplants as natural air filters

• Never smoke indoors

Gift Giving Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

As the holidays approach and we all rush to do our last minute shopping, feelings of love and joy may soon be replaced by feelings of stress. The holiday season however can be a very enjoyable time, even up to the very last minute, if enough planning is done ahead of time. Some handy, if not strategic, tips to gift giving might help ease the stress of shopping with the masses this time of year:

• Stick to your holiday budget ; there's nothing more stressful than paying off holiday bills!

• Buy appropriate gifts. Chances are your colleague will not find that gift your best friend thought was hilarious even remotely funny.

• Try to shop early to avoid the holiday crowds and to stock up on good inventory. If you see a great gift during the summer, buy it because it won't be there a few months later.

• Shop online to beat the crowds, find the best deals, and avoid the parking lots.

• Ask friends and family for their wish list .

Post Thanksgiving Workouts to Trim The Fat

For all of you that celebrated a greener Thanksgiving by following the 100 mile diet but perhaps consumed the entire 100 mile radius, here are a few great tips to shed those extra calories:

• Eat smaller meals throughout the day
  

• Drink extra water (10-12 glasses a day)
  

• For those on a regular exercise routine, time to increase the intensity

• For those not on a regular exercise routine, here are some beginner cardio blasts

• Last but not least, burn off those calories the old fashion way- Black Friday Shopping!
  

A Taste of the Nation: Regional Thanksgiving Recipes

Following the 100 mile diet, a radius large enough to reach beyond a big city and small enough to feel truly local, we've found great recipes for each region based on their local ingredients:

• Pacific Northwest
• Southern
• New England
• Midwest
• Southwest
• California
  

Time to give thanks and see what's cookin' across America! Happy Thanksgiving!

Think Local, Eat Local: Ways to Have A Healthier, Greener Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has long been an American tradition of good eating and giving thanks. But somewhere between football, parades, and take-outs, traditions got reworked to adapt to our lives. This Thanksgiving, why not start a new tradition of having an ECO-friendly Thanksgiving by thinking locally and eating locally.

Thinking locally and eating locally can help us eat healthier by consuming less processed foods. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are easily accessible at farmers markets thus helping us sample a wider variety of fresh food at its nutritional peak. Supporting local farmers market can also help the environment by cutting oil and gas on food shipped across country, creating a smaller carbon footprint. Celebrating Thanksgiving by eating local harvest can give us tastier, fresher food and give thanks to local farmers- killing two birds with one stone!

What's Hot This Season: Google Flu Trends

Another yet interesting tool Google launched this week may prove helpful for moms this upcoming season. Google Flu Trends can help cautious moms decide when to keep their kids in or when and where to get those last minute flu shots.

Google Flu Trends uses data collected from searches from each state and tracks this information accordingly. This program, created with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, can detect flu outbreaks up to 2 weeks faster than traditional methods. Putting this aggregated information into graphs and maps, Google hopes it can provide early warnings of flu outbreaks in the near future... An interesting tool not just for epidemiologists but for overprotective moms as well!

Ways to Go Green Spending Your Greens

The extra spending during the holidays can make our wallets tighter. But with a few smart tips (or reminders), it's easy to save and go green on spending the greens!

• Recycle! And that means not just the end product but buying recycled goods as well
• Consume less
• Stay conscious (locally, socially, environmentally)
• Buy fair trade
• Give to non-profits and charities ...'tis the season!

Honeydew Skin Care Gives Expectant Moms 'A Leg Up'

The latest in lush all-natural skin care is getting even better. Honeydew Skin Care is expanding its line of prenatal pampering currently available at Nordstrom.com!

Available mid-November, just in time for the holidays, will be A Leg Up foot lotion for those swollen pregnancy tootsies. This all-natural lotion is formulated with cucumber and aloe, with a hint of mint – perfect for those times when pregnancy takes a toll on those over worked soles. A Leg Up is a lightweight foot lotion that cools and detoxifies tired and swollen feet during pregnancy. All-natural plant extracts help reduce swelling, encourage fluid draining, and stimulate circulation.

Proudly made in the USA, Honeydew Skin Care is committed to using natural ingredients free of irritants such as parabens, petrolatum, synthetic colors, dyes and fragrances. Already available at Nordstrom online are Balmy Mommy, a convenient take anywhere belly balm that replenishes elasticity using 10 soothing moisturizers, and Bun in the Oven, a lightly scented belly butter formulated to moisturize, soothe and guard against stretch marks.

The Glow-Getter: Tips to Beat Dry, Winter Skin

The winter season around the corner can bring a misery of sniffles and other illnesses, as well as wreak havoc on healthy skin. The low humidity in cold winters can pull moisture from the air, causing skin to experience what is known as the winter itch . But with a few easy tips, skin can remain glowing even in the dead of winter:

• avoid sugar
• drink plenty of water
  
• load up on Essential Fatty Acids
• remember your vitamins and minerals
• exfoliate dead skin cells
• apply sunscreen
  
• humidify with indoor plants
• moisturize skin often (especially after bathing)
• exercise
  

Your Garden Variety : The Many Benefits of Quercetin

With colder weather here, many are taking precautionary measures in preventing the flu by doubling up on vitamin C. But a better way in fighting off those sniffles is with your fall fruit...and veggie! Your everyday apple and onion may prove to be your best defense against the flu, allergies, asthma, fatigue, pain, and even aid in the prevention of cancer and heart disease.

Quercetin, the flavanoid found in apples and onions, may boost the immune system and fend off illnesses. If apples and onion aren't your favorite, other popular fruits and veggies high in quercetin are: broccoli, red grapes, citrus fruits, organically grown tomatoes, raspberry, cranberry, leafy green vegetables- all which should be easily accessible! This season, try to keep your medicine cabinet shut and eat your way to a healthier you.

Happy Halloween: Tips for a less Freaky Friday

The spookiest time of year is here! For parents taking their kids out trick or treating, here are some great tips from the Department of Health and Human Services CDC on help keeping everyone safe:

S Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
A Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
F Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
E Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

H Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
A Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
L Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
L Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
O Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
W Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
E Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.
E Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.
N Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

Trick or Treat: Healthy Halloween Recipes

Halloween is a scarier time for some more than for others. Not only does one worry about devilish ghosts haunting their presence or pranksters causing trouble, but with all the high fructose corn syrupy treats surrounding them, moms are also plagued with the concern of extra fat and calories entering their kids' diet.

But with a little planning ahead of time, moms can make sure that their kids get plenty of treats without compromising the spirit of the holiday. Some great Halloween recipes include:

• Witches Teeth
• Ants On A Log
• Gluten-Free Animal Cookies
• Night Crawlers
• Ants On A Log
• Vampire's Blood Shake

She's Crafty: Creative Homemade Halloween Costumes

Let's face it, Halloween is as much about the costumes as it is about the candies. But who wants to be the same old boring witch year after year? Part of the fun of Halloween is coming up with a creative costume, either store bought or homemade. For all you with a knack for sewing, gluing, or taping, here are some interesting ideas for a Halloween costume (for your kids...or you!):

• Costumes made entirely of cardboard boxes (chances are, you'll have a one of a kind costume!)
  
• Colonel Sanders and a Bucket of Chicken (a costume for both parents and kids)
  
• A Sandwich (why not?)
  
• Costumes that do not require sewing
• And last but not least, fast and simple outfits for last-minute costumes!

How to Green Your Kids' Halloween

Halloween has always been a night of conspicuous consumption- from over the top party props to excessive high fructose corn syrup treats. But there are tips for moms to easily green their kids' Halloween.

Some tips for an overall healthier, earth-friendlier Halloween include: serving healthier treats instead of traditional candy, using email to invite parties rather than snail mail, replacing inefficient bulbs with fluorescent or LED bulbs, choosing a reusable canvas bag over a plastic bag... For more information on how to add green to your night of black and orange, check out Green Halloween !

Let's Get Physical: Moderate Physical Activity Encouraged During Pregnancy

Moms-to-be have long been discouraged from exercise to avoid harm to the fetus. It used to be thought that exercise during pregnancy contributed to low birth weight, premature birth, and even miscarriage. Researchers, however, are now finding that moderate physical activity may actually reduce the risk of birth complications.

Studies show that expectant moms who get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week may prevent gestational diabetes, relieve stress, and build enough stamina needed for labor and delivery. For more information on exercise routines during and after pregnancy, a complete copy of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is available for moms to download here.

Doubling Up on Vitamin D, Makes You Strong and Healthy

There has been growing concern among pediatricians that newborns to teens are not getting enough vitamin D, which has proven to help prevent serious diseases. Vitamin D intake has shown to not only promotes calcium absorption and bone health but also stave off diseases playing a critical role in the prevention of diabetes, multiple sclerosis and certain cancers.

While vitamin D is found in everyday things such as common foods like fortified milk, orange juice, fatty fish, and even sunlight, doctors know these means of intake is not always the most convenient. They recommend a daily kids' multivitamin in a minimum dose of 400 IU per day for infants, children and teens (twice the amount once suggested). Doctors hope the vitamin D increase will cut any deficiency risks due to malnutrition. Give them more D- to keep them healthy!

How Your School Measures Up: America's Healthiest Schools

Fall's back and that means back to school for the kids. But bad health habits can easily be developed during your child's time in school- and away from your sight. Recognizing the benefits of a healthy head start, many schools have taken an initiative of coming up with programs such as healthy meal replacements, fitness routines, and all around nutritional education. Health Magazine tallied up our nation's healthist schools and below are some of the results:

• West Babylon Senior High School (West Babylon, New York)
  
• Amory Middle (Amory, Mississippi)
• Rawhide Elementary (Gillette, Wyoming)
• Anthony Elementary (Leavenworth, Kansas)
• Richmond Elementary (Appleton, Wisconsin)
• Mountain Valley Middle (Mexico, Maine)
• Miami Springs Middle (Miami Springs, Florida)
• Lakewood Elementary (Cecilia, Kentucky)
• W.C. Britt Elementary (Snellville, Georgia)
• South Elementary (Pinson, Tennessee)

Congrats to the top-10 schools on passing the rigorous criteria and framework!

Pregnant Bellies Rejoice: Honeydew Skin Care Available at Nordstrom.com

Pregnant women everywhere can now rejoice as Nordstrom sets to offer two of Honeydew Skin Care’s pregnancy products to its online customers. Available online at Nordstrom.com, Honeydew Skin Care’s line promises to bring great expectations to pregnant women’s nine month stretch!

Balmy Mommy, a soothing belly balm that uses natural botanicals to soothe itchy bellies, and Bun in the Oven , a super-rich belly butter that moisturizes, soothes and guards against stretch marks, will both be available at Nordstrom.com starting in October 2008.

Nordstrom’s interest in green products coincides with Honeydew Skin Care’s line which focuses on all natural ingredients while meeting the special challenges of pregnancy skin. Honeydew Skin Care’s line is free of parabens, petrolatum, synthetic colors, dyes and fragrances. Moms will love the lightweight feel of the products and take comfort in knowing that the products are all natural. What better way to glow than nine months of pure pampering?

Coming Clean on Antibacterials: The Dangers of Triclosan

New parents and moms-to-be are often germophobes when it comes to cleaning- using unnecessary means to disinfect with antibacterial lotions, soaps, hand gels, and wipes. But reports have shown that Triclosan, an ingredient used widely as an antibiotic and preservative in personal care and cleaning products, may cause more harm than good.

Studies show that the use of Triclosan may act as an endocrine disruptor and mimic the effects of hormones and testosterone. Antibacterials such as Triclosan may also lead to bacterial resistance to antibodies.

The Environmental Protection Agency is still determining whether to regulate antibacterials such as Triclosan, but in the meantime a simple ingredients check is all we need to get the dirt on what we are buying!

Don't Panic, It's Organic: Top Foods to Buy Organic

When it comes to grocery shopping, not only are nutritious foods a priority but organic foods are becoming more important. While foods contaminated with pesticides, chemicals, hormones, and additives often do not exceed safety tolerances for a single dose of pesticide, most contain multiple pesticide residues- a concern for children and expectant moms.

Since most of us probably cannot afford to buy everything organic, below is a list of top produce that should always be bought organic:

• baby food
• milk
• strawberries
• meat
• apples
• peaches
• celery
• grapes
• lettuce
• potatoes
• tomatoes
• coffee
• rice
• nuts
• raspberries
• bell peppers
  

Fishy Diets Not Just For The Halibut: Babies Who Eat Fish Cut Eczema Risk

Babies with eczema have traditionally been withheld from various foods until they were older, in fear of allergic diseases however recent studies now show that an introduction to fish before the age of nine months can lower the risk of developing eczema.

Although Researchers did not specify the types of fish to be consumed, suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids are not as beneficial in protecting against eczema as once thought, studies show that the introduction of fish into babies' diet can cut the risk of eczema by 25%. With one in five babies having experienced eczema by the age of 12 months, a fishy diet may be a dish worth serving!

Green Genes

Do my genes make me look fat? According to studies, yes and no. Genes in our DNA only account for about 30% of our health problems, meaning that 70% of our susceptibility is due to environmental factors- what we eat, whether we exercise, how much toxins are around us. The lifestyle choices we make can play a bigger role in our health than predisposed genes.

Furthermore, a transition to a healthier, greener lifestyle can possibly alter our given DNA. The study of epigenetics proposes that DNA isn't destiny, and that environmental alterations in genes can possibly be passed down to future generations. So eat your veggies. Do it for your grandkids.

Who Needs Pilates When You Have Surfing: PC Magazine's Top 100 Undiscovered Websites

For all you tech-savvy moms (and dads!) who want to be in the know about the latest and greatest out there in the cyberworld, PC Magazine recently came out with their top 100 undiscovered websites.

Their list ranges from a calorie counting website , to an online book club (installments sent via email), to a personal bill advisor ....and everything in between! This is a great list of sites for moms, providing excellent resources or perhaps just plain entertainment when junior is napping.

Not The Supplement You Had In Mind: Lead Found In Most Women's and Children's Vitamins

A multivitamin would the be last thing you would think would cause harm but recent tests prove otherwise. The FDA has just announced that they found lead in 9 out of 10 brands of vitamins for children and women (including prenatal vitamins). Although the FDA does not consider any of the concentrations to exceed what is safe or tolerable levels, experts on this issue claim there is really no safe level of lead exposure.

Lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in the body. Because lead poisoning often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized. Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and, at very high levels, seizures, coma, and even death- giving this heavy metal its deservingly bad name.

You can find a full list of the products tested on the FDA's Web site.

Moody Mamas and Sleepless Babes

If there’s one thing that everyone knows about newborn babies, it’s that they don’t sleep through the night, and neither do their parents. But in fact, those first few months are crucial to developing the regular sleeping and waking patterns, known as circadian rhythms, that a child will need for a healthy future.

Some children may start life with the sleep odds stacked against them, though, say Researchers. Babies whose mothers experienced depression any time before they became pregnant, or developed mood problems while they were pregnant, are much more prone to having chaotic sleep patterns in the first half-year of life than babies born to non-depressed moms, studies have found . This disruption of the baby body clock may help set these children up for their own depression later in life.

Although depression does run in families, not all babies born to depressed mothers are doomed with the gene. Parents can encourage a healthier pattern by putting babies to bed and waking them up at the same time every day. Creating rituals around bedtime also help their bodies develop rhythms tied to light. Better yet, sleep when your baby sleeps, nap when your baby naps- all is happy.

A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Veggies Go Down

A Fig Salad or Sautéed Squab with a side of Baby Red Chard? Neither, if Junior can help it. Researchers are now showing that children who turn their noses up to veggies may be doing so due to an identified gene, dubbed TAS2R38, that controls a receptor for bitter flavor. The studies found that children with certain variations of this gene are particularly sensitive tasters.

Bitter-sensitive tykes, however, are not destined to shun vegetables their whole lives. Food preferences can change over time due to nature and nurture. Time to start experimenting with those Brussels sprout recipes!

A Clean Sweep: PVC-free Yoga Mats

There's no better way for new moms to get back in shape than with yoga. But did you know that most sticky slip-free mats are made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a toxic petroleum by-product that sets off carcinogenic fumes throughout its lifetime? Nor is it good to throw them out, because they are not biodegradable!

Good news for all you eco-conscious fit moms! There are non-toxic yoga mats out there made from jute, a natural rubber tapped from trees. These yoga mats are also machine washable and promises to be biodegradable. Another way to do good, feel good, look good!

Ecoflip.org: The Green Craigslist

Being touted as the green Craigslist , Ecoflip.org is slowly gaining a reputation amongst eco-friendly users as the cleaner, greener online classifieds. It provides a local forum for finding reused/ recycled goods, green living tips, and even local green companies.

When you search with their classifieds, you help individuals selling a service or product with a green focus. It offers ecopreneurs a huge community of services, products, and networking. The site is also helpful for moms with recommendations for local yoga centers, baby/ kid products, farmer’s markets- anything your tiny footprint desires!

The Second Happiest Place On Earth: Disney Children’s Hospital

Officials at Florida Hospital announced on Wednesday their plans to change the future of children’s health , beginning with a planned Disney-themed children’s hospital.

Plans for the new hospital include video games in patients’ rooms and familiar Disney characters, such as Baloo the bear, in the lobby. Tranquil beach or mountain scenery will appear on a wall inside the ER exam rooms with a flip of a switch. Kids in need of a CAT scan can learn more by sliding a stuffed alligator into a toy version to learn what to expect. But officials said the new hospital is not all about entertainment . They're adding more intensive-care beds for newborns and focusing on minimally invasive procedures to fix birth defects, remove appendixes and carry out other surgeries on children.

The expected $100 million hospital is planned to open in 2010 for all you rowdy parents. I might just feign an injury just to check out the new hospital.

Oh Boy, It’s A Girl!: Which Gender is Easier to Raise?

Most parents would attest that raising a child is a difficult, though rewarding, job. But is raising one gender more difficult than another? According to recent studies , it seems so:

• Discipline: Who's harder to raise? Boys

• Physical Safety: Who's harder to raise? Boys

• Communication: Who's harder to raise? Boys in the early years; girls around age 8 and older.

• Self-Esteem: Who's harder to raise? Girls

• School: Who's harder to raise? Boys

The final verdict? The general consensus seems to be that boys are more of a handful early on, and girls more challenging beginning in the preteen years. Hmmm sounds about right…

Baby, What's Your Sign?: A Look At Baby Horoscopes

A fun part of pregnancy is imagining what your baby's personality will be like. Will he be a charmer, a chatterbox, a Chargers fan? Will she be sensitive, serious, or sassy? There's no certain way to tell, but some astrological analysis of the stars may give you an idea of what's to come...

The Baby Aries
The Baby Taurus
The Baby Gemini
The Baby Cancer
The Baby Leo
The Baby Virgo
The Baby Libra
The Baby Scorpio
The Baby Sagittarius
The Baby Capricorn
The Baby Aquarius
The Baby Pisces

Nuts Over Peanuts

Childhood lunches are often associated with the ubiquitous staple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but this meal may prove deadly to some. Peanut allergies is one of the fastest growing allergies worldwide and exposure to this nut can trigger an anaphylactic reaction, causing airways to swell and blood pressure to drop dangerously low.

The first line of defense has always been a strict and vigilant dietary management- avoidance of the peanut. Recent studies, however, are showing that a form of immunotherapy may help get rid of allergy to peanuts within 5 years.

One approach is to gradually increase the dose of peanut to train the immune system to cope, eventually tolerating the allergic trigger. Another approach is genetically modifying peanut proteins, rendering the new peanut no longer a peanut, to change one’s immune response.

How promising these treatments will be is still unclear, though the research is interesting …as nutty as it sounds!

The Breast Medicine For Stress

Moms have always been encouraged to breastfeed for the nutritional advantages over formula milk as well as the bonding experience they have with their child. Researchers now are showing another advantage to breastfeeding: children who are breastfed respond more favorably to stress and have more reduced stress levels overall than their non-breastfed counterparts.

Though it is still unclear whether the reduced stress levels are a result of the breast milk itself, the maternal bond formed while breastfeeding or the supportive social network the breastfeeding moms often have, these findings still enhance the already extensive literature showing the benefits of breastfeeding. As these studies show, breast is best in reducing stress.

A Case of The Scuppies

A telltale sign that times are changing is when a generation gets coined a new name. From the ‘60s Hippies to the ‘80s Yuppies now comes a hybrid of the two, the Scuppies. A Scuppie is a socially conscious upwardly-mobile person who has the environmental values of a Hippie and the economic drive of a Yuppie.

Scuppies desire all the best life can offer and strive for those goals in a socially conscious manner. Their eco-bragging rights are who left a smaller carbon footprint. This new generation’s ethos has evolved from “greed is good” to “green is good”. They understand that the love of money does not preclude the love of nature…and vice-versa.

In other words, they can have their Lexus-Hybrids, and drive it too.

All Work and No Play, Makes Jack a Dull and Nearsighted Boy…

Although genetic inheritance plays a role, studies are now showing that children spending less time in the great outdoors playing lead a greater chance of myopia than their counterparts who are more frequently exposed to outdoor light. Children sitting indoors, such as in front of a computer or TV or reading, have the greatest chance of being nearsighted (...shocking!).

Researchers now believe it's the intensity of outdoor light that may be an important factor in shaping myopic eyes. The higher exposure to intense outdoor light may explain the lower prevalence of myopia in children in Australia , compared with ethnically matched peers in other countries.

Whatever the reason is for allowing children more time in the great outdoors, I am all for it! Now only if this study came out when I was growing up...

OMG Where Did You Find That? I Found It on EcoSearch.Org!

EcoSearch.Org is the first non-profit search engine dedicated to preserving the environment! (It’s about time!) Users log onto EcoSearch.Org and simply “google” just as they would any other search engine. The search results are populated from Google itself, so users get the same high quality search results that they get from Google’s website.

EcoSearch.Org generates ad revenue, and then generously donates 100%, yes all, of its profits to various non-profits that focus on the environment. Since Google pays billions of dollars to advertising partners every year, EcoSearch.Org was built as a way to redirect some of those funds back towards the environment. Kudos to companies making a difference! Now help spread the word!

All I Want For Christmas Are Phthalate Free Toys

Disturbing to think that prior to yesterday's Safe Toy Bill, the amount of lead and phthalates (a chemical used to make plastics softer) in children's toys have not been as regulated as once thought.

Alarmed by the number of recalls this past year, the House voted to ban lead and phthalates from items such as rubber duckys and other toys that might end up in children's mouths. Part of the new federal ruling requires manufacturers to have independent labs test products for toxic chemicals before they are sold.

The new rules, assuming Bush approves of them, will not affect toy sales this holiday season. Perhaps its time to start making a new Xmas list...

The Name Game: Baby Name Voyager

"So you named her Nivea.... after the moisturizer?" Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy can make you do silly things. So why not add a little analytics to naming your baby rather than relying entirely on emotions. A great tool for expecting parents is the NameVoyager from the Baby Name Wizard.

It's a nice little Java application that let's you graphically surf through the last 100 years of name popularity, letter by letter. You can compare the Brittany's with the Bertha's throughout the century.

Trendy moms will find this site addictive in choosing the next "it" name while "Freakonomic" dads can use this site to scout out the next powerhouse name.