“New health data is something you should pay attention to, but it is almost never something you should build your life around” -Steven Sander Ross, Associate Professor, Columbia University As promised, I am following up on my Family Table Tuesday column with some information on choosing what to believe and what not to believe. What… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Food 4 Thought
Every Little Girl Should Know a Belly Dancer
I’m hoping the title piques your interest enough to question my motives as a mother, an educator and a health professional and to read the story behind the title. A couple weeks ago, I attended an Eating Disorders Awareness event at a local college campus. The annual event features testimonials, performing art and visual art… Read more »
Has Obesity Gone Viral?
As a nation we have simplified the causes of obesity: too much food, not enough exercise. Scientists, however, are not willing to explain this epidemic away without digging a little deeper. After all, we are seeing obesity in very young children who seldom sit still and really haven’t had enough time to saturate their fat… Read more »
Advocating for Activity
Many of you commented on my article Recess for All, so I thought I would follow up with some ideas about advocating for more physical activity. Although I was pushing for more recess, physical education also has plenty of benefits for our kids and promotes their academic success. Unfortunately, few states see the value in… Read more »
Should Sugar Be A Controlled Substance?
After reading this article, I was angry enough to spit nails! Then I decided maybe I was a bit hasty; perhaps the researchers were misquoted or their information was misrepresented by Fox News. So I read the news article on UCSF’s very own website, no misinterpretation. In fact, I think Fox actually toned it down. Not only… Read more »
Nipping Disordered Eating in the Bud
When a teenager is hospitalized with anorexia or bulimia, the condition is serious and parents are often left to wonder, “Why didn’t we see the signs?” Before anyone starts placing blame, they should consider the answer to that question: “Eating disorders are not easy to spot.” Their victims are secretive and sensitive. However, there are… Read more »
Getting Serious About Eating Disorders
Every time I teach my students about eating disorders, I end by sharing the memorial wall on this site. The wall displays over 600 candles lit in memory of men and women who have died from an eating disorder. A name is printed beneath each candle and you can click on any of those names… Read more »
Chocolate: Gift of the Heart for the Heart
From the time I can remember until I married, on Valentine’s Day, my father gave my sisters and me a small heart-shaped box of chocolates. I doubt that there were more than eight pieces in the box, but we knew he must have really loved us to sacrifice hard-earned money and time to buy us… Read more »
Recess for All
It might just be a coincidence that I sat down at my computer to blog about recess, opened my facebook, and found this wonderful article about play. The article talks about the how little free playtime children have compared to just a decade or two ago and how valuable play is to development. The earlier… Read more »
Teaching Kids to be Wise Consumers
While I pumped gas a few days ago, Claire took my 11-year-old niece in to pick up a beverage for the trip home from my house to hers. When my niece selected an energy drink, Claire explained that it wasn’t a good choice and found her some juice instead. My niece’s comment was, “But it… Read more »