Life’s sweets and spices

Surprisingly, there are worse things your child will touch than the toilet seat.  Here are some of them, and you’ll want to thoroughly clean your kid’s hands after he comes in contact with them.

PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT – Kids always have the most fecal bacteria on their hands when they return from the playground.  In one study, 20% of playground equipment was infested with this contaminant.

SHOPPING CARTS – About 70% have fecal bacteria on them, largely because of kids sitting in those little seats that carts have.

HIGH CHAIRS – Out of 30 restaurant high chairs, 17% were contaminated with E. coli and 10% with methicillin-resistant staph.

RESTAURANT TABLES -”Cleaning” a table can actually make it dirtier.  In an analysis of 10 restaurants, tabletops have 45 times more bacteria, including E. coli on them after they had been wiped: towels used to sponge off tables are not always thoroughly washed.

ELEVATOR BUTTONS – The 1st floor button is always the germiest because everybody has to touch it to get out.

PHONES -  In homes with sick kids, 80% of phones were contaminated with the flu virus.

Rigorous exercise and calorie restriction are not the only things proven to help children maintain a healthy weight.  There are some tricks you can use to get them slim down without even knowing they are on a plan.  Nagging them about their weight and making them feel self-conscious won’t help, it will only frsutrate them.  Here are some easy tricks you can use.

Give them milk instead of juice.  Kids burn 50 extra calories every day when their daily diet includes three cups of low-fat milk.  The credit goes to milk’s calcium and amino acids that slow internal production of parathyroid hormone and calcitriol, chemical messengers that speed the formation of body fat.  If your child dislikes taking plain milk, stir in a teaspoon of chocolate or strawberry syrup.  Researchers also found that drinking flavored milk spurs kids to subconsciously cut back on their sweets.

Make sure they get the sleep they need.  Sleeping less than eight hours per night triples the child’s risk of developing weight problems.  Sleep deprivation disrupts blood sugar, triggering powerful cravings.

It’s not only us (adults) who get stressed.  Our kids get stressed too especially when things get tough in school.  To ease tension and calm frayed nerves, have your child press the crease of her wrist directly below the pinkie.  It is an acupressure point known as Shen Men or Spirit Gate.

Let her do it for a count of three, then release.  Instruct your child to repeat it three times, once or twice a day.  According to experts, acupressure appears to positively affect involuntary brain functions like heart rate, as well as cognitive abilities like perception and thinking.  This will significantly help your child relax.  Stimulating this point also help boost your child’s resilience, so the next time stress looms, she can deftly dealt with it.

How do you know when your child is suffering from nasal congestion or sinusitis?  Often, we take cold just as a cold, but identifying some telltale signs can ensure proper diagnosis.  If your child’s  runny nose has lasted for more than a week, she may have sinusitis.  Try to press the sides of her nose, an “ouch” response indicates inflamed sinuses.

Saline nasal sprays are too harsh for kids, so it’s better if you make your own spray by dissolving 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt in 8 0z. water.  Make your child lie down and place two drops in each nostril, then ask her to sit up after three minutes to let her sinuses drain.  Do this four times daily.  If symptoms don’t improve after a week, visit your pediatrician.

Here’s a remedy I found that will ease congestion without giving your kids medication.  Put an onion pouch near his bed at night to soothe his stuffiness.  Just chop an ordinary onion (about a cup), stuff it inside a clean sock, tie it closed and hang near his bed.  Inhaling the bulb’s potent antibacterial vapors kills congestion-causing microbes and helps break up mucus.  If the odor is too much for your little one’s sensitive nose, you can weaken the scent by sauteing the onions for two minutes in water beforehand, then strain.  The process dilutes the odor but provides the same great benefits.

You know that limiting the amount of sugar your child eats will help prevent tooth decay.  But this one is really surprising, feeding your child from a bottle for an hour may do more harm to his teeth than eating a dish of ice cream.  Why?  Because every time your child consumes something that contains sugar or starch, the bacteria in his mouth produce an acid that eats away at tooth enamel.  The longer his teeth are in contact with the food, more harm is done.  Some pediatricians recommend not to put your child to sleep with a bottle and avoid nighttime breast feeding.

To further reduce the risk of cavities, experts suggest feeding your child nutritious snacks (fruits and veggies) instead of sweets.  If he is thirsty between meals, encourage him to drink water or juice.  Sharing utensils with your child is not advisable, you could easily pass on to him cavity-causing bacteria through your saliva.  Use separate spoons if you need to taste his food or you want him to try yours.

Following these simple steps will help protect your child’s teeth.