Soccer’s a Winner for Building Bone Health in Girls

The sport of soccer gets an A plus when it comes to helping girls prevent low bone density when they get older.

Sports like soccer, which has a combination of weight-bearing exercise and repetitive “impact-loading” activities including jumping and running, help build bone density better than some other sports.

To read the complete HealthDay story and find out other things kids can do to build strong bones, go to the Medlineplus website.

Lip Products May Increase Cancer Risk

Lip glosses may be fashionable, but they don’t provide much in the way of sun protection for lips, and they may do just the opposite.

Dr. Christine Brown, of the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, says those who regularly use lip balm or lip gloss may have a greater risk of developing skin cancer because the products attract sun rays to the lips. Those who use these products should apply a layer of sun protection under lip gloss or lip balm, she said.

Click here to read the complete Medical News Today story.

TV Turnoff Week Good for the Whole Family

Too much TV isn’t good for anyone, especially children and teens who spend more than a couple of hours each day in front of TV and computer screens. That’s why organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are supporting national TV Turnoff Week, April 21-27.

“We know that the more time a child spends in front of the TV or computer, the more likely he or she is to be overweight,” said Acting U.S. Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H. “Kids are spending more time sitting in front of screens every day than they do anything else except perhaps sleeping. For Turnoff Week, we are asking parents to turn off the scrreens and get active with their kids.”

Read more on the NIH website.

Childhood Migraines Linked to Sleep Disorders

It’s bad enough to be plagued by migraine headaches, but children who suffer from them are also likely to be troubled by sleep disorders and a lack of sleep, according to new research.

“Sleeping problems can exacerbate the problems migraine causes on a child’s health and may hinder a child’s performance at school,” study author Dr. Martina Vendrame of Temple University in Philadelphia, said in a prepared statement. “Parents and doctors need to be aware of the strong likelihood of sleep disorders in children with migraine and seek appropriate preventions and treatments.”

Read more at the Healthscout website.

It’s National Infant Immunization Week

The Orange County Health Department, in recognition of National Infant Immunization Week, is working to raise awareness of the importance of childhood immunizations.

Each year, thousands of children become ill from diseases that could have been prevented by basic childhood immunizations, and the health department wants to remind parents to check their children’s shot record to make sure it is up-to-date.

For more information, go to the Orange County Health Department website.

Giving is a Key to Happiness

It IS better to give than receive when it comes to personal happiness.

Researchers involved in a study published in the March 21 issue of “Science” magazine concluded that people found it more satisfying to spend money on others than on themselves. And this was something most people didn’t recognize, according to study authors.

Read more about this story by clicking on the Healthfinder website.

Need Help Paying For Medicine? Visit “Help Is Here Express”

Low-income residents can find out if they qualify for free or nearly free medicines by visiting the “Help Is Here Express” bus from 10 a.m. to noon on March 26 at Florida Hospital East, 7727 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando.

The bus is equipped with computer terminals and phones so people can find out if they may be eligible for help. Trained specialists will be on board to make sure the process is quick and easy.

14 Ways to Show Love for Your Child on Valentine’s Day

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has 14 suggestions for ways to show your kids you love them, and none involve chocolate. Here are two.

Use plenty of positive words with your child. Try to avoid using sarcasm with your child. They often don’t understand it, and if they do, it creates a negative interaction.

Respond promptly and lovingly to your child’s physical and emotional needs and banish put-downs from your parenting vocabulary.

To read all 14, go to the AAP website.

Tips for a Healthy New Year

Good health is at or near the top of most families’ wish lists for the new year.  The trick is finding new and interesting ways to achieve it.

The Des Moines Register newspaper has a list of 52 useful suggestions, ranging from divvying up snacks into smaller portions and giving boring lunches a healthy boost to making a grocery store trip an adventure or using friends as resources for new, healthy recipes.

Click here to read the complete story.

How to Check Out Toy Recalls Involving Lead

If you’re in the midst of holiday shopping and want to know which toys to avoid when it comes to lead content, the Florida Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (FLCLPPP) can help.

The group’s website provides a list, including pictures and descriptions, of products recalled because of high levels of lead. It warns that lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in the body and frequently goes unrecognized.

Click here to check out the recall list.