CoastalBendMamas.com: Kids Health

Important H1N1 Information & Websites

It's no secret that swine flu is causing some serious anxiety.. It is recommended that you get the swine flu vaccine. The swine flu vaccine will not protect against the regular flu and you must get two shots three weeks apart to receive enough antigens to be protected - therefore twice as much is needed. Three total shots will be needed in order to be protected against both strains of flu.

The usual flu season for south Texas starts in November and ends in April. How do you protect yourself? According to Dr. William W. Burgin, Jr., M.D., "If you are sick do not go to work or school. Isolate yourself. Call your doctor and follow their advice. Tamiflu must be done early on.

Wash your hands frequently and have hand sanitizer available. Maintain a six foot barrier between yourself and a sick person. Sanitize desk tops, counter tops, hand rails, and door knobs. If the vaccine is available, take it." Please feel free to bookmark these websites so that you stay informed and ready for the flu season.

This has been a Public Service Message compliments of Nueces County Commissioner Chuck Cazalas.

10 Mindful and Healthy Snacks For Kids
By Catherine Whitcher 

Sometimes finding a quick healthy snack is tough, especially if you are raising your children to eat organic. The current generation of parents were raised on snack cakes and thought that individual sized pre-packed meals were fabulous. Now, we are learning that getting back to the basics, with some convenience is not as hard as it seems.

1. Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in crushed cereal and freeze.

2. Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or cream cheese. Top with raisins.

3. Make snack kabobs. Put cubes of cheese and grapes on pretzel sticks.

4. Blend low-fat milk, a scoop of protein powder, frozen strawberries, and a banana in a blender for a delicious smoothie.

5. Sprinkle grated Monterey jack cheese over a corn tortilla. Fold in half and microwave for 20 seconds. Top with mild salsa.

6. Toast a whole-grain waffle and top with low-fat vanilla yogurt and sliced peaches.

7. Make a mini pizza by drizzling tomato sauce on a toasted English muffin. Sprinkle with shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese.

8. Spread natural peanut butter on a fresh sliced apple.

9. Microwave a cup of tomato or vegetable soup and serve with whole-wheat crackers.

10. Mix together ready-to-eat cereal, raisins, and nuts and place in a sandwich bag for an on-the-go snack.

NOTE: These snacks are only toxin & chemical free if you read the labels of the snacks before buying. Of course, anything you can buy organic is preferred. I know, I know it seems like a lot of work, but really once you get in the habit of buying different brands than the mainstream, you will LOVE it!

7 Success Tips For Back to School Nutrition
By Robin De-Ivy Allen 

It's the end of August which means, back to school for most children. This is the perfect time to put new routines in place. As parents we are responsible for providing a foundation in which our children can thrive and achieve excellence. One important area we must pay close attention to is the nutritional needs of our children. We live in a time where the consumption of sugar and processed foods are on the rise. Our children are consuming far too many empty calories that do not support healthy growth and development.

Here are 7 Success Tips for "Back to School Nutrition"

Start the day with a power packed breakfast. Research shows that children who regularly eat breakfast have better test scores, better behavior and are less hyperactive than children who skip breakfast. Breakfast could include eggs, whole wheat toast and fruit or a protein smoothie with fruit and yogurt.

Find out what your child is eating at school. Many schools offer fast food and other poor-quality foods alongside the usual lunch selections. Pack nutritious lunches they will enjoy.

Limit the purchase of processed, packaged foods. Begin to read labels; you may be surprised by the sugar, sodium and other additives in the most common foods we bring into the kitchen.

Provide your child with balanced meals that include a protein, a vegetable and a starch.

Check your child's bowel pattern. It's critical that they are eliminating daily. If they are not, this is a signal that they are not consuming enough fiber.

Supplement their diet with a multivitamin and mineral.

Be the example. It's hard to ask our children to embrace eating for nutritional value if we as parents do not.