It’s those uncomfortable and awkward conversations that typically occur at the dinner table surrounded by family and friends.

While there are probably many topics you have learned to avoid at the holiday dinner table, there is one subject that you should discuss — your family’s health history.

blogger Sally Squires said that the idea is more than a decade old and comes from the U.S. surgeon general who declared Thanksgiving as National Family History Day.

“You can learn a lot about your older relatives through this, but more importantly, you can learn about your family’s medical history and ultimately save lives by identifying diseases that run in families that many family members may not know about,” Squires said.

She noted that starting some of these conversations may not be easy and you may want to enlist the help of a few other relatives. But the benefits of this discussion could be invaluable.

Health experts say that by knowing what medical issues other relatives have had, you can begin to learn more about those conditions and what you can do to prevent from developing them.

Squires said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created to help you organize your questions and the information you learn.

Admittedly, it may be tough to bring up these matters as you pass the yams and stuffing because health issues can be very personal and private. So Squires suggested sharing some of your own health information as an ice breaker.

“Maybe you discuss the results of your last physical exam and you share that you’ve discovered you may have pre-diabetes and you want to know if diabetes runs in the family. Or you can share that you’ve been having migraine headaches and you want to know if that runs in the family,” she said.

And Squires noted that the conversation doesn’t necessarily need to happen at the dinner table. There will be many opportunities during the day for the discussion to occur — including during the football games or following dinner when everyone is relaxing after enjoying their meal.

Squires said one tragic example of how important this information can be to your health is the story of the late comedian and Saturday Night Live star Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer.

Squires said Radner didn’t learn until after her own diagnosis that a number of other female family members also had died of ovarian cancer. If doctors had known this information sooner, they may have taken a different approach with Radner.

Source

The campaign dates back to 1891 to raise funds to support a wide range of community needs from providing food, coats, and toys to assisting with utility bills and transitional housing. The money raised during the holiday season funds initiatives throughout the year.

“We look at it as a holistic approach to helping people get back on their feet — from the street to their feet,” said Salvation Army Commander Major Chip Hall. “We have a broad spectrum of programs that we use the money for — everything from helping kids in our after-school program to an addiction specialty program for men,” he said.

Hall said the Salvation Army finds that one of the greatest needs is helping struggling families with their utility bills.

“This is important so that we can keep families from going on the streets. Because for many people, if your utilities are cut off, you are evicted from your housing. So we help them to stay warm, stay in their homes and we also help them with food,” he said.

Hall said the Salvation Army last year identified another need that wasn’t being adequately met in the D.C. region — short-term emergency housing for women who escape human trafficking.

“We saw that and have begun to address that need and will be opening up our new anti-human trafficking shelter soon,” he said.

Hall said unfortunately human trafficking — either for labor or sex — remains active in the D.C. region.

The goal for this year’s Red Kettle campaign is $1.4 million. That was also the fundraising goal last year — a goal that was met. But Hall points out that they will have one less day to ring those bells because Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday and kettles are not set out on Sundays.

Hall reminded donors that money given here remains in the region, and funds that are donated within each community remain in that specific community.

Hall said there are many ways to help and volunteers are critical to the success of the campaign. Learn more about volunteering as a Red Kettle campaign bell ringer at .

Source

blogger Sally Squires says the time change can also affect your eating habits and your waistline.

While it may be easier for many people to make the switch in the fall, Squires said it still causes problems — from reports of more traffic accidents and more heart attacks — to already sleep-deprived teenagers experiencing more difficulty in school.

While we’ve heard that we’re supposed to get eight hours of sleep per night, many people have a difficult time figuring out how to do that. Squires recommends from the American Academy for Sleep Medicine that helps calculate when you should go to bed based on your age and the time you need to wake up.

There’s more to worry about from a lack of sleep than just being tired all day. Researchers have found that losing just one hour of sleep on one night negatively affects insulin and cortisol levels in the body as well as leptin and ghrelin, the hormones that help to regulate hunger and eating.

“It’s why some people are a little more cranky — they’re feeling hungry, they’re tired and they’re feeling more stressed because everything is out of whack,” Squires said.

What’s worse, she added, is when you are feeling this way you tend to want higher-calorie foods — foods with added sugar and fat. Researchers have also found that people who had poor quality sleep were also more likely to have a higher body mass index — which means they were adding weight.

“It can set off a vicious cycle,” Squires said. “As the quality of your sleep declines, the more hungry you are likely to get. And this kind of eating ultimately affects the quality of sleep you get at night.”

To break this cycle, try a number of changes to improve your sleep. Squires suggested setting a schedule for sleep, so that you are going to bed at the same time every night. Try taking hot showers or a hot bath before bed. Experts say as your body cools, you are more likely to fall asleep more easily. Reduce or avoid caffeine after noon. Turn off phones, tablets, computers and TVs at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Cut back on alcohol. Booze can help you fall asleep faster, but you’ll wake up just a few hours later. And be sure to get enough exercise. People who exercise regularly tend to report better sleep habits.

Source

Admittedly, there are many definitions to be found. But mindfulness — at its simplest — is a focus on the moment or on one’s awareness without distraction. Lean Plate Club blogger Sally Squires explains that you can be mindful of what you’re thinking, of what you’re doing and of how you’re moving, and it can take many forms including meditation, yoga and Tai Chi, for example.

Squires said there are estimates that nearly 2.5 million people in the U.S. and about 250 million people worldwide are actively practicing Tai Chi. And health experts are starting to notice health benefits.

“It’s low impact … you’re shifting your weight as you slowly move your arms … it’s almost ballet-like, but in slow motion,” Squires said. “We know that this is good for older people in maintaining balance because that is something that declines with age.”

In 2017 alone, there have been at least 60 studies published on and its effects on a host of medical conditions. Some of the top take-aways from the research, according to Squires: group Tai Chi classes were found to be most effective for patients with Parkinson’s disease; women with fibromyalgia experienced improved heart function after practicing Tai Chi for 12 weeks; elderly women experiencing knee pain improved their sleep; people struggling with anxiety improved their stress levels; obese older women experienced cognitive function improvements after practicing Tai Chi and adding weight training.

Squires said you can find examples of Tai Chi on YouTube and on many on-demand videos on cable television systems.

Source

While it may seem risky, blogger Sally Squires said researchers have tested kids’ trick-or-treat preferences. And they found that trick-or-treaters have been willing to accept other options — such as toys for example.

“About 15 years ago, a group of Yale researchers looked at this question and found that for kids between the ages of 4 and 15, when offered a choice of a toy or a candy treat, they would take the toy about as often as they took the candy,” Squires said.

Squires said she thinks there may be one slight flaw in that study because the candy that researchers offered did not include chocolate.

“There were lollipops, Sweet Tarts and many other kinds of candy … but there was no chocolate in there. And I do wonder if there had been chocolate, if the kids would have chosen the toys as much,” she said.

Related Gallery

No sweet tooth, no problem: Halloween treats that aren’t candy

Here are some goodies to add into trick or treater’s swag bags instead of, or addition to, the typical sugary sweets this Halloween.

She also reminded parents to consider blending what they offer. For example, dark chocolate isn’t as sweet as milk chocolate, and kids tend not to eat as much of it. So if you want to cut down on both consumption and calories, mix in more dark chocolate with your Halloween candy.

For kids and for parents, there’s an increased risk of overindulging on candy and other sweet treats. So Squires recommended relying on advice used for other high-calorie days.

“In many respects, this is a really high-energy day for kids, so you have to make sure that they eat regular balanced meals,” Squires said. “They’ve probably been celebrating during the day at school and then they’ve got a big night coming, too, so make sure they get a good dinner.”

She also said it’s important to remind your kids (and yourself) that it’s a one-night celebration -— with limitations.

“Don’t let your kids eat all they want Halloween night; decide ahead of time how much they get to eat,” she said.

“Then, allow them to pick three things they want to eat over the next three days. Put the rest in a bag in the back of the freezer and let it sit there for another time,” she said.

Squires said the remaining candy can be pulled out for other special occasions.

Source

Ěýblogger Sally Squires says the 10-year-old National Farm to School Network reaches 23 million students in all 50 states and the District through nearly 43,000 schools. Its goal is to improve children’s health and strengthen family farms.

She said the program is helping to provide fresh locally-grown food to be served more often in schools. A study conducted by Colorado State University is analyzing the possible economic impact of this program. Preliminary evidence suggests that students are benefiting from having more locally grown produce in schools.

In addition, the “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” program, which was started by former First Lady Michelle Obama and donated equipment to schools to offer salad bars, reports that 78 percent of schools are now purchasing more fruits and vegetables for salad bars that are used daily.

“All of the results are not yet in, but for farmers and local communities there seems to be a multiplier effect,” Squires said.

“We are helping farmers to have access to new markets for their produce. And when you help farmers, then you help others in that community as well.”

Squires says that each day the National School Lunch Program is feeding 30 million children and spending nearly 13 billion dollars annually. So it’s important to find cost efficiencies to deliver quality food to students in schools.

Source

Wearable devices that track your movements and information displayed on exercise equipment indicating calories burned can be helpful tools, saidĚýĚýblogger Sally Squires. But don’t take that information too literally.

That’s because for some people, their eating habits are directly influenced by that information, Squires said.

Squires said that researchers at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom have studied this and found that people who were told that they had burned many more calories during a workout ate significantly more than those who thought they had burned a lot less during their workout.

“We have to remember that how many calories we burn during a workout depends on your weight, gender, how much muscle you have and the intensity of the activity,” she said. “And we also have to remember how little it takes to add up those calories later. For example, walking 1 mile burns about 100 calories, in general. If we have a basic latte, that’s 150 calories. And a small bag of potato chips is also 150 calories.”

Squires said the good news is that most people don’t fall into the trap of eating more because they think they’ve burned more calories. But it does happen. And it can affect more men than women.

Researchers have found that about two-thirds of people who exercise show no increased food intake after their workouts. However, about 20 percent of people do eat more afterward.

And apparently how the activity is labeled makes a difference. Squires said research suggests if you label an activity as “fat-burning,” people tend to react by eating more than if you were to characterize the activity as “endurance.”

So how do you know if the information about calories-burned is accurate?

Squires said nothing is going to be exactly accurate, so she suggested using multiple resources. Compare the information from the wearable device on your wrist with activity and calorie information on your smartphone.

She also suggested checking out as well as . These sites have calculators to help you determine how many calories you may be burning based on your activity and your weight.

Source

blogger Sally Squires says research has found that people in romantic relationships tend to like the same kinds of food. In fact, the longer a couple is together, the more their taste preferences will start to match.

“The latest evidence can be found in the scientific journal Appetite which studied 100 couples who had been together anywhere from just a few months to decades, and it’s fascinating that the longer that these couples were together, the more likely their taste preferences had merged,” Squires said.

The research is published in the September 2017 issue of Appetite and included couples ranging in age from 18 to 68 years. Squires said that researchers tested a range of flavors and aromas and determined that longevity in relationships shaped the likes and dislikes of these couples.

But there was a surprise, Squires noted.

“While their taste and smell preferences merged the longer the couples had been together, the researchers found that this tendency did not necessarily reflect satisfaction with the relationship,” she said.

Of course, not all couples like all of the same food. But Squires noted that as many couples share the same household budgets and meals, they tend to find ways to prepare and eat meals that they can agree upon.

Squires said there are external influences on our tastes and food preferences as well — such as advertising. Recognizing that, she said researchers have been studying if there are ways to inoculate people against cravings for certain foods. It is similar to work that’s been done to help people avoid smoking or drinking alcohol.

“The most recent study looked at a food that some people really love and tend to overeat, such as chocolate,” Squires said. “In one group, they showed people lots of pictures of chocolate and told them to pay attention to it while another group was told to ignore it. Then both groups were given foods to eat — including chocolate. Those who were told to ignore it, actually ate significantly less chocolate.”

Squires noted that it’s not just a one-time experiment and it would need to be repeated in order to keep the inoculation active and functioning. But she said it is indication of one way that we can control our cravings despite our taste preferences.

Source

Sally Squires says if you have a larger waist, you may be at a higher risk for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and premature cardiovascular diseases. She says this applies to men who have waist sizes of 40 inches or larger and to women with waist sizes of 35 inches or larger.

Squires says waistlines do more than reflect the amount body fat around your midsection. There is recent research that points to an increased risk for some types of cancer in older women who have larger waist sizes.

Diet and exercise can help to reduce your waist size. New studies also suggest that internet-based programs can produce results as well.

An analysis of 31 studies involving more than 8,000 participants found significant reduction in waist size by people participating in online social support programs. Many lost an inch in their waist size—a statistically significant reduction.

“One of the things that the researchers suggests is that the ease of checking-in online and having others supporting you in this community adds to the weight loss success,” Squires said.

To assess what your weight and waistline risk may be, use .

Source

Sally Squires, who writes , says it’s no easier today to solve this mystery than it was decades ago when today’s parents were kids.

Squires said even researchers who want this information have a difficult time getting it.

“Food records even among adults are notoriously inaccurate,” she said.

Researchers have to do firsthand observations in school cafeterias because they can’t depend on young children to give accurate information about what they’ve really eaten.

“They essentially measure food before its served to kids and then they measure what’s left to see what they really ate … but it’s not an exact science,” Squires said.

She suggested for the rest of us, in order to accurately track what we eat, we need to write down what we’re eating when we eat it.

We’ve certainly heard a lot about improving the food served to students at schools. But research is showing that school lunches are generally more nutritious than lunches packed at home. Studies suggest that home-packed lunches fall short of key nutrients compared with food in the school lunch program. Also, home-packed meals tend to be heavier on snacks and treats than what is served at school. So, that means it’s time for mom and dad to step up their game.

Squires says the secret to improving the likelihood of your child eating the lunch you’re making while also teaching them about the importance of a nutritious lunch is to get your child involved in the process. Research shows that the more kids learn about food, the more they are apt to try it.

“Give them choices for their lunch … two healthy options. For example, do you want the hummus and carrots or the black bean dip and carrots? Do you want grapes, apple slices or maybe a banana? The idea is to keep them in the lane they need to be in so that they don’t make really bad choices,” Squires said.

If kids want snack foods, Squires said give them a choice between Goldfish or crackers — and make sure that both are whole grain options.

Source

WASHINGTON — Parents may not be packing school lunches in the summertime, but that doesn’t mean they’re off the hook.

There are lunches for the pool and camp and summer jobs, and for those long rides in the car while heading on vacation. How can parents make these everyday meals interesting and survive the hot summer temperatures?

Sally Squires, who writes the Lean Plate Club blog, offers a few considerations.

No. 1 is to think “shelf-stable.” That means foods that don’t necessary have to be heated or refrigerated before they’re opened.

“So you’re going to want to choose some foods that aren’t going to taste awful if they get somewhat heated just by sitting out,” Squires said.

Lunch is a great time to make sure your kids are getting enough whole grains, Squires said. Sandwiches are a lunch staple, but you could also consider whole-grain crackers or other snack foods, such as whole-grain Goldfish crackers.

Try pairing the crackers with an individual serving container of hummus or guacamole. “They’re “just right for a child,” Squires said. “They won’t eat too much, and you’re not going to have a lot of food waste. So that’s a good thing.”

Don’t be afraid to get creative with wild concoctions such as “ants on a stick”: celery filled with cream cheese topped with raisins or other dried fruit.

“If you get the kids involved, they’re more likely to also eat what you’re offering them,” Squires said.

What about meals on the go while traveling this summer?

Make sure you have plenty of bottled water so everyone stays hydrated, Squires said. Also, consider easy snacks such as granola bars and 100-calorie packs of pretzels and crackers.

“You really want to think kind of sweet and savory and, of course, fresh fruit is always a good thing if you can have it in a place where it’s going to stay somewhat cool.”

Trail mix and different flavors of jerky are also good options.

And don’t forget at least a few sweet treats — such as a single-serving chocolate bar or Fruit Roll-Up — “to make the trip go a little easier,” Squires said.

Source

But there’s no need to turn on the stove when there are so many healthy options in summer soups, said Lean Plate Club blogger Sally Squires.

No cooking is required. And for many of these summer soups, you’ll only need a blender.

“This is the best time of the year to eat fruits and vegetables, and that means we can make many delicious cold soups,” Squires said. “They are loaded with water and can help with hydration and also can help to keep you cool.”

Squires said one of her favorite soups is gazpacho, because it is packed with flavor, and if you are preparing it for others, it should fit for nearly everyone’s food preferences and tastes. It’s gluten-free, it works for vegetarians and, in most cases, also works for vegans — and it’s low in calories.

Gazpacho recipes are plentiful, she said, and they offer great flexibility for adding fresh ingredients from stores or farmers markets. Many use tomatoes and/or tomato juice as a base, and you simply just add peppers, cucumbers, an onion and seasonings.

, for instance, features a watermelon gazpacho with feta cream. Squires also found recipes for a cold cucumber soup with buttermilk and a pea soup that can be made with fresh or frozen peas, mint and yogurt. She also recommended trying vichyssoise — a French recipe made from boiled and pureed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream and chicken stock.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that soups are just a cold weather food or that you need a heavy soup to feel full, Squires said. These summer soups can really do the job.

“Whether you choose summer soups as your first course or your main meal, you have so many refreshing options that will fill you up,” she said.

“They are loaded with fluids, and you are going to feel full on fewer calories, so this is the way to go if you are trying to cut back this summer.”

Source

Before you’re terrified by thoughts of your kids making a mess of your kitchen, Lean Plate ClubĚýblogger Sally Squires said teaching your kids to cook provides many benefits for the entire family.

“Experts have found that not only do kids learn good cooking skills, but they also increase their preference for vegetables, and they become more confident about choosing the right foods,” Squires said. “Those findings come from a Colorado program called Cooking with Kids involving more than 250 fourth-graders in four schools which taught kids how to cook.”

Squires said that even very young kids can be exposed to cooking knowledge — nothing potentially dangerous, of course, but preschoolers can participate in many aspects of food preparation, and they’ll get a better understanding of what it takes to make a meal, the joys of doing it and how they can help control some of the tastes and flavors in the foods they want to eat.

You wouldn’t give toddlers a knife or a fork to handle by themselves, Squires said, but you might consider handing them a wooden spoon and teaching them how to stir ingredients together for pudding or brownies or cookies, for example.

“It’s also easy for kids of all ages to wash produce. And most kids love playing with water … so why not involve them in this,” Squires added. “And it provides another opportunity to remind kids about washing their hands before food prep.”

Preparing meals helps develop other skills. Squires noted that there’s a bit of critical thinking and creativity, and a little bit of chemistry and math, involved in cooking.

“So you’re teaching kids about measurements and about cooking times, and, for younger kids, about reading and interpreting recipes and adapting them to their tastes and this whole concept of self-efficacy, which is really important for kids to feel like they’ve mastered something,” she said.

And as kids learn how to prepare certain meals, it will take some of the pressure off mom and dad at times, and perhaps kids can prepare meals for younger siblings.

She said these early cooking lessons can develop into skills — and hopefully a love of food — that can benefit your child throughout their entire life.

Source

A recent study by researchers at the University of Georgia and Texas Tech looked at people who went on vacation for one to three weeks and found that the vacationers gained about a pound. The problem is that six weeks later, they still hadn’t shed that added weight.

When combined with other periods of added weight usually not shed (such as the holidays), these become pounds people keep.

Lean Plate Club blogger Sally Squires said researchers have concluded that vacation weight gain could be fueling obesity. What’s more, the pattern extends to children who tend to gain weight during the summer months when they are not in school.

Squires said even on vacation, people need to plan their meals. “Pace yourself!” she urged. “No one wants to take the fun out of vacation … but only splurge on the foods that will make the vacation memorable. Something that’s special from that area or a special cocktail, for example. But don’t waste your calories on something you can get anywhere, any time.”

Squires recommended eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, having a lighter breakfast and lunch, eating a first course such as a cold soup for dinner and finding healthy snacks.

“The weight gain among kids during summer vacations is especially concerning now because there was a time when kids were very active during the summer — they either lost weight or stayed at the same weight,” Squires said. “But now, there’s a fair number of weeks with a lot of down time. There may be more screen time, playing video games, watching television and that means that they are not burning calories. Plus, they may have more access to food at home for chronic snacking.”

Squires recommended using vacation time to try a new exercise or a new sport, or taking a new class. Do something that involves extra activity, she said.

“Don’t give in to the temptation of spending all your time by the pool and don’t fall into the trap of thinking you can eat as much as you want because it’s vacation time. Do some extra walking, biking or hiking because most people overestimate the amount of calories that are burned during exercise and they underestimate what they’ve consumed,” Squires said.

When you return home from vacation, it is recommended that you make an assessment of where you stand. And yes, that means getting on the scale.

“Give yourself a day or two once you get back … to kind of let things recalibrate. But then you need to know where you are, just like you would do with your bank account. You’ll want to know if you put on some weight,” she said.

If you did gain weight on vacation, Squires advised against panicking. She suggested getting back on track with your regular eating and exercise habits — but scaling back on calories for a while and boosting physical activity. That combination should help you to lose those extra vacation pounds.

Source

The island has been closed until further notice by National Park Service officials, following a recent survey of trees that turned up extensive damage along the island’s trail. Such diseased or dead ash trees are at an increased risk of falling, especially during storms.

(Officials closed the island in anticipation of Monday’s severe weather.)

Roosevelt Island is one of many area parks that have been hit hard by the invasive beetle. Many ash trees throughout the island’s 88 acres have been infected.

“The emerald ash borer is one of the most destructive insects to have ever invaded the United States,” said ĂŰĚŇĘÓƵapp garden editor Mike McGrath. “Once a tree is infested, it cannot be cured.”

Its impact has even been felt by the national pastime: Damage to ash trees has resulted in more major leaguers using inferior maple, which breaks more frequently.

The beetle is native to northeastern Asia. It came to North America, he said, via wooden shipping pallets and wooden shipping containers.

“If the trees on Roosevelt Island are as contaminated as the news reports would lead us to believe,” he said, “the Park Service has a fiduciary duty to go in and cut those trees down and get them out of there and burn the wood.

“Otherwise, you’re just spreading typhoid.”

Some experts, in fact, believe that disaster for the tree is inevitable, and that the pest will wipe it out in a matter of decades.

The only way to protect healthy trees is through pesticide treatments every few years, McGrath said. One method involves injecting insecticide into the tree’s root system, but that method has raised concern about its effect on pollinating insects.

Another method involves injecting insecticide into the bark. Such treatments can run into the thousands, but the alternative is worse, McGrath said.

“If you have an ash tree and you do not treat it, it will eventually be felled by these creatures,” he said.

Source