Family Health and Wellness

A Mediaplanet Guide to Healthy Living

Family Health & Wellness

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Katie Lee The host of Food Network’s “The Kitchen” discusses how her career influences her personal life Learn how you can help prevent American children from going hungry with Feeding America Find out what you need to do to fuel up and stay hydrated for your workout

SEPTEMBER 2020 | MODERNWELLNESSGUIDE.COM

An Independent Supplement by Mediaplanet to USA Today

Taking Action Against Hunger, One Helping Hand at a Time

In the wake of the pandemic, 1 in 4 children will face hunger in America.

Here’s how you can help.

At the outset of the pandemic, food banks nationwide were hit with a “triple whammy.”

There was an unprecedented demand for food assistance, a dramatic decline in food donations, and a need to adapt our distribution model due to shortage of volunteers overnight. It truly was the perfect storm.

Before the pandemic, 37 million Americans were thought to be food-insecure. @MEDIAPLANETUSA

Today, researchers estimate that there could be as many as 54 million people at risk of hunger in the United States in 2020 — a 46 percent increase.

This includes 1 in 4 children, who may be at greater risk for health, social, and behavioral challenges as a result.

That’s why the Feeding America network of 200 food banks has worked tirelessly to innovate and address this crisis, to help ensure adults and children facing hunger have the food they need. With support from the public, non-profits, faithbased organizations, private MPMODERNWELLNESSGUIDE

Kathryn Strickland Chief Network Officer, Feeding America

industries, federal, state, and local government agencies, food banks — despite these challenges — distributed over 1.3 billion meals to people facing hunger in America in the first four months.

Today, researchers estimate that there could be as many as 54 million people at risk of hunger in the United States in 2020 — a 46 percent increase.

A month for helping And while we are thrilled to have made these gains, the scale of the challenge ahead of us is enormous. Food banks need support now more than ever.

That’s why, for the 13th year in a row, Feeding America is designating September as Hunger Action Month to

raise awareness and inspire people to take action in the fight to end hunger.

Our 2020 campaign theme, “End Hunger One Helping at a Time,” is a play on the word “helping” to encourage action, whether you are helping by volunteering, donating, spreading awareness on social media, or sharing a ”helping” of food with a neighbor in need. Together, we can help ensure people facing hunger have access to the food and nutrition they need to live a healthy life — during this pandemic and beyond. n

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Publishers Katie Konfino, Abigail Hanania, Brianna Roberts, Nellie Dubin, Eliana Marzullo Business Developers Gretchen Pancak, Joelle Hernandez Managing Director Luciana Olson Lead Designer Tiffany Pryor Designer Marie Coons Lead Editor Mina Fanous Copy Editor Luigi Leonardo, Dustin Brennan Director of Sales Stephanie King Director of Product Faye Godfrey Cover Photo Erica Hampton All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.

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How Sleep Consistency Makes for a Happier Baby and Happier You

started, Nanit has created a Sleep Schedule Generator, which gives you a personalized schedule, taking into account your child’s sleep and wake times. Adjusting to new routines and schedules can take days or even weeks, but the reward will be well worth it.

While being a work-from-home parent comes with a whole set of stressors, you can still use this extra time with your baby to your advantage. Pediatric sleep expert Dr. Natalie Barnett, Ph.D., Nanit’s director of clinical research, has outlined some actionable steps you can take to set your baby up for sleep success.

Develop a consistent feeding and sleeping schedule to ensure your baby is getting all the sleep and nutrition they need.

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repare a safe sleep environment. Follow the guidelines of the American Academy of pediatrics and create a safe sleep environment for your baby. This will reduce the risk of injur y and

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sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Have a consistent parent response to your baby. Nanit’s research has shown that more families are focusing on sleep training. Whichever method of sleep training you choose, you should be consis-

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tent with your approach and response to your baby.

Blue light Reduce your baby’s exposure to screen time. A recent Nanit research study shows young infants may be more vulnerable to the effects of

screens, and they may cause a disruption to their sleepwake rhythms.

Consistency is key. Develop a consistent feeding and sleeping schedule to ensure your baby is getting all the sleep and nutrition they need during the day. To get

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to your baby’s sleep, but as you learn their sleep and feeding cues, you can adapt those to a routine that best suits your family. n This has been paid for by Nanit.

Dr. Natalie Barnett, Ph.D., Director of Clinical Research, Nanit

How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep During a Pandemic As stress and social isolation become the norm, sleeping well becomes harder, which is why we have to learn how to get restful sleep, even during a pandemic.

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rying to get good sleep while you’re stressed out is like trying to make a halfcourt shot while blindfolded.

You can do it, but it’s really tough to pull off.

There’s a biological reason for this. When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, the main stress hormone. This coincides with sugar, or glucose, entering the bloodstream, which elevates your blood pressure.

Soon, your muscles are tensing up, your heart is pumping, and your brain is working overtime. This reaction is best known as the “fight or flight” response our bodies activate when we’re in trouble. That does not sound like “setting the mood” for sleep!

Our bodies are simply hardwired to keep us awake when we’re stressed. A 2017 survey revealed that 45 percent of U.S. citizens had a hard time sleeping within the previous month due to stress.

When stress lingers for several weeks, that’s when it becomes chronic. This can be brought on by high-pressure jobs, money worries, divorce, the death of a family member, or anxiety over situations like the COVID-19 pandemic.

At that point, the body starts to get used to higher cortisol levels, which is not good. This not only continues to get in the way of getting quality sleep, but can lead to more serious health issues, including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and depression.

All by ourselves Can loneliness make stress worse? Absolutely.

One downside of social distancing is that you feel less connected to your family and friends. It turns out that researchers have found loneliness is a key source of both acute and chronic stress.

In their study from 2014, they found loneliness is closely linked to poor sleep quality, as well as daytime fatigue, which can throw off your usual sleep schedule.

To safeguard against this — especially if you’re living on your own — make sure you find time to talk to your friends and relatives. Phone calls are great, or you can set up a video call to catch up with people you haven’t seen in a while.

A vicious cycle There’s one last thing to know about sleep and stress: it’s not just a one-way street where stress leads to poor sleep. Poor sleep can also lead to increased stress and anxiety, making this a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break out of.

Researchers from UC Berkeley last year found that a single sleepless night can lead to a 30 percent surge in emotional stress levels. Sleep plays a critical role in regulating our mood and helping us work effectively. When we don’t get enough of it, it’s harder for our bodies to properly manage stress.

I know it’s not the easiest time right now, but finding a way to relax and detach from the day’s stress should be a

priority. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet are two great ways to both release tension and set yourself up for quality sleep.

Two other simple steps to consider: taking magnesium, and reducing your exposure to blue light at night. I am a huge fan of magnesium for relaxation, and if you have to stare at your phone or computer right before bed, consider getting a pair of blue-light blocking glasses, which are specially designed to block out blue light.

It may be a stressful time, but that doesn’t mean we need to let it ruin our sleep. For more tips, go to www.thesleepdoctor.com/sleep-pandemic and check out my podcast “Sleep Success” to learn more. n Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., The Sleep Doctor MEDIAPLANET

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How Remote AMD Monitoring Could Save Your Eyesight For those with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a question I often hear is “What can I do?”

Reinventing an Old Idea to Prevent Infant Sleep Deaths

Hopefully, if you are in this camp, you have heard about the importance of eating a healthy diet with green leafy vegetables and less refined carbohydrates, not smoking, exercising and maintaining a normal body weight, taking care of systemic issues like high blood pressure, and taking the appropriate vitamins prescribed by your eye doctor. All these things are important and may help to prevent the onset of wet AMD, which can cause legal blindness.

Self monitoring Even after taking all the necessary steps, some people will progress to wet AMD and need treatment. A crucial fact here is that the vision you have when treatment is initiated may be the most important factor in how good your vision ultimately gets. This means that identifying wet AMD early may offer better visual outcomes, and the best way to do this is monitoring your vision between your eye doctor visits.

Many of you have probably been told about an Amsler grid, which, when used correctly, is a reasonable tool to catch changes in vision. However, much more accurate than the Amsler grid is an at-home digital monitoring system that is FDAcleared and covered by Medicare.

The ForeseeHome AMD Monitoring Program is an easy-to-use, home-based monitoring program for intermediate dry AMD patients that has been proven to be more likely to pick up the earliest symptoms of wet AMD before you even notice them.

Available by referral from your eye doctor, the program includes a device that you use daily to test your vision. If the test detects a change from normal, an alert will be generated and your doctor will call you into the office as quickly as possible to see if treatment is needed.

The clinical study for the device worked so well that it was terminated early. Patients in the study were more likely to end up with vision good enough to drive and read if they monitored their AMD with the device.

ForeseeHome is not approved for all dry AMD patients, so ask your eye doctor if the program is right for you. You can learn more by going to www.foreseehome.com.

This has been paid for by Notal Vision.

Jeffry Gerson, OD, FAAO

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Since 1998, there’s been a 400 percent increase in suffocation deaths due to unsafe sleeping habits. If you’re a new parent, you’ll do everything in your power to keep your baby safe. You research the best car seats and strollers, and you vow never to let your baby sleep on their stomach.

That last point is important because a shocking 3,700 babies die in their sleep each year. And, despite a national safe sleep campaign, we’ve been unable to reduce that death rate — in almost 20 years.

Why are thousands still dying?​​​​​​​ I am concerned that many of these deaths are the unintended consequence of our own advice. In the early 1990s, we discovered that stomach sleeping increased Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). We launched a “Back to Sleep” campaign and reduced SIDS by 40 per-

cent in five years. But since then, we’ve failed to make further progress. Why? Part of the problem may be bed sharing. About 70 percent of sleep deaths now occur in risky locations.

Grandmothers have known for thousands of years that rocking, shushing, and cuddling babies helps them sleep.

You’d think all parents would practice the ABCs of safe sleep: Alone. On the Back.

In a Crib. But many babies just don’t sleep well on the back, alone, in a crib, and their tired parents intentionally or inadvertently bed-share because they’re exhausted and desperate for sleep. (Currently, 60 percent of breastfeeding moms bed-share at some time each night.)

A new (old) idea If unsafe sleeping is a major risk, and if it’s a result of frequent infant waking, then by improving baby sleep it may be possible to reduce the temptation to bed-share and reduce these tragic deaths.

Grandmothers have known for thousands of years that rocking, shushing, and cuddling babies helps them sleep. Well, the good news is that today’s parents have three tools that deliver these sensations and immediately improve sleep: swaddling, white noise, and rhythmic motion (sleeping in rockers and swings is not safe, but totally flat motion — like a “smart sleeper” — is perfectly safe).

By encouraging parents to use these sleep-boosting techniques, there’s an excellent chance that we can dramatically reduce the risk of infant sleep death today. n Harvey Karp, M.D., FAAP Author, “The Happiest Baby on the Block” MEDIAPLANET

As obesity and diabetes continue to be leading health crises in our country, the time is now to consider more plant-forward eating. Plant-based nutrition shakes, like the ones Kate Farms makes, can ease that transition.

Three in 4 U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Nearly half the population has pre-diabetes or diabetes, and poor diet is a leading cause of mortality in the country.

The science is clear: food is medicine. Adding plants to your diet can heal and prevent disease. But making the change to plant-forward eating can feel like a challenge.

You can take small steps to incorporate more plants into your family’s diet, and it’s easier than ever to find delicious alternatives to your favorite foods at your grocery store and neighborhood take-out restaurants.

You can also use a plant-based nutrition shake like the ones we make at Kate Farms. Our Nutrition Shake is delicious and can be enjoyed as a meal or snack. Like everything we make, there isn’t any dairy, soy, gluten, corn, or artificial ingredients.

Our shakes are made from the finest natural plant-based and non-GMO ingredients to provide a balanced, protein- and nutrient-rich meal.

Whether you’re dealing with a busy morning, a picky eater, or precious little time to cook, Kate Farms Nutrition Shakes are a delicious and easy plant-based snack or meal for you and your family on your journey to healthier eating.

This has been paid for by Kate Farms.

What Made Chloe Coscarelli Decide to Go Vegan Vegan chef and author Chloe Coscarelli made the decision to go vegan 17 years ago and has since been a leading influencer for the lifestyle.We asked her about that decision, and some tips for how to live a healthy and delicious vegan life.

How has plant-based protein evolved over the past few years?

Back in the day, plant-based protein pretty much consisted of tofu or soy protein powder.

Now there are infinite sources of plant-based protein out there. From pea protein to brown rice protein to hemp protein, there are many different protein powder sources.

And there are also plenty of ways to get protein straight from the food you eat! I love lentils, black beans, quinoa, and tempeh, to name a few awesome sources of protein.

What advice do you have for someone looking to transition to a vegan lifestyle?

My advice to anyone interested in trying out a vegan diet would be to start incorporating vegan food into your diet right away. Don’t get caught up in the all-ornothing labels, or wait for that perfect time to dive in 100 percent. Instead, simply start enjoying vegan food and see how you feel. The more meatless meals you eat, the more you’ll get used to it. And suddenly, you’ll start noticing all the benefits and deliciousness of a plant-based lifestyle fall into your life.

What is your favorite vegan dish?

Cynthia Ambres, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Kate Farms

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PHOTO: CHRISTINA HOLMES

This Plant-Based Shake Makes Eating Vegan Healthy, Tasty, and Easy

Hands down, vegan mac and cheese! Whether it’s a white cauliflower mac, a butternut mac, or a spicy

jalapeño mac, there is nothing more cravable and comforting than elbow noodles swimming in a luscious vegan cheese sauce!

How do you make sure you get all of the nutrients you need in a day?

One tip to keeping a balanced diet is to eat the rainbow. I find that when I focus on eating a bright, colorful assortment of fruits and veggies, from red apples to oranges to yellow corn to green curly kale to blue spirulina, I feel more balanced and energized. Plus, it’s a pretty way to eat. n MEDIAPLANET

A Better Breakfast for Better Health With one simple switch, you can upgrade your breakfast to maximize your health.

If you want to eat better this fall but are unsure of where to start, try swapping animal protein for plant-based options a few times a week. This small change can have significant payoffs when it comes to health and longevity. In a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found that when it comes to protein, replacing just 3 percent of animal protein for plant protein led to a 10 percent lower risk of death from heart disease.

Another key finding: swapping different animal proteins led to greater reductions in risk. The biggest risk reduction came from replacing eggs for plant protein (20 percent reduction), followed by beef (13 percent reduction). While this is just a single study, it builds on a well-established body of evidence showing the power of plant-based diets to promote health and longevity.

There are plenty of nourishing and delicious ways you can reimagine your first, most important meal of the day. One of my favorites is to stock the fridge with fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, allnatural nut butters, hearty whole grains, and plant-based eggs (a new but fastgrowing category).

One widely available product, that’s in both the egg case and the freezer section of your local supermarket, is JUST Egg. Packing seven grams of sustainable plant protein per serving, it looks, cooks, and tastes just like the real thing. On busy mornings, the toaster-ready folded JUST Egg is perfect for tucking in a whole grain tortilla with fresh salsa and avocado, or creating a better-foryou breakfast sandwich.

As a culture filled with many who covet the meat, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich, how can we create a better one? Brands like JUST Egg show us how easy it is to eat better. A nutritious, plantbased breakfast for our bodies and for the planet never tasted so good.

This has been paid for by JUST Egg. Kate Geagan, MS, RD; Advisor, Eat JUST, Inc.

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Fuel Up Before and After Your Workout

To get the most out of your workout, you need to keep your body fueled and hydrated before and after working out. Here’s why.

One of the best ways to include physical activity in your busy schedule is to do it in the morning. But before you slip on your gym shoes to start your routine, don’t forget to fuel your body with healthful food.

Eating breakfast before exercise provides you with the fuel you’ll need to function at your best. Eat a snack at least one hour before exercising — or a meal two to three hours before — to give your body enough time to process your food. Experiment with different timeframes to see what works best for you.

Before the workout Your pre-workout food should support your planned physical activity. A high-intensity workout, such as kickboxing or running, will require more fuel than a moderate-intensity activity, such as a brisk walk.

Any pre-exercise breakfast should include at least 16 ounces of water one to two hours before training to hydrate your body.

Your meal should be high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat. Carbohydrates fuel your activity, so the harder and longer you plan to exercise, the more carbs you’ll need before training. During this time, a small portion of protein can help to sustain energy before training.

After the workout Some pre-workout breakfast ideas include a peanut (or almond) butter and jelly sandwich on whole-grain bread, or oatmeal with berries and nuts.

Within an hour after exercising, if you do not plan to eat a meal within a few hours, eat a snack of carbs and protein to help rebuild and repair your muscles and restore energy. Some snack ideas include a whole-grain turkey wrap with vegetables and a cup of low-fat milk.

If you have just completed a high-intensity workout, your body might need more of a post-work-

out meal such as a sandwich on whole grain bread. Keep drinking water to hydrate your body before, during, and after exercising.

How to use supplements Most people can get enough protein through food to help the body repair itself after a workout.

However, if you are considering using protein powder for its convenience, discuss this with a registered dietitian nutritionist.

They will assess your specific nutritional goals and needs to recommend protein supplements with high-quality ingredients that are right for you.

Eating nutritious foods and getting enough physical activity can make a significant difference in your health. Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics online “Find an Expert” service to find a registered dietitian nutritionist to help you create a personalized eating plan tailored to your lifestyle, food preferences, and physical activity goals. n Yasi Ansari, MS, RD, CSSD, National Spokesperson, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics MEDIAPLANET

A better egg.

Made from plants.

JUST Egg cooks and tastes like eggs, but has zero cholesterol and uses less water and carbon emissions than conventional eggs. Visit ju.st

Now more than ever, millions of people struggle to reduce the amount of added sugar that they, and their families, consume daily in an effort to maintain a healthy weight, a strong immune system, or as part of a necessary pre-diabetic or diabetic diet plan.

We’ve also become increasingly aware of the long-lasting effects added sugars may have on the health and wellness of young children.

Not to mention, traditional sugars and sweeteners are produced with petroleumdependent manufacturing processes and bleaching agents, with byproducts dangerous for people and the earth.

What if there was a way for healthconscious families and individuals to satisfy their sweet tooth with a natural, zero-calorie option that still tastes like sugar? What if there was an all-natural sugar alternative that depends entirely on natural processes, meaning virtually zero waste and no toxic health risks?

Purecane™ is an all-natural sweetener that’s actually made from sugarcane, grown sustainably in Brazil, requiring only one-tenth the agricultural acreage of other leading natural leaf products. Growers use existing farmland far from the Amazon rainforest — meaning there is no deforestation or adverse environmental changes introduced.

Purecane products are also zero-glycemic (Packets and Spoonable Family Canister), low-glycemic (Baking Sweetener), nonGMO, vegan, keto-friendly, gluten-free, halal, and kosher.

Purecane is also a proud sponsor of the virtual 2020 Wine Country Tour de Cure, an annual signature event for the American Diabetes Association, which raises millions of dollars for diabetes research, education, and advocacy initiatives.

To learn more about Purecane, visit www.purecane.com. To sign up for the Tour de Cure, visit www.diabetes.org/ winecountrytourdecure.

This has been paid for by Amyris, Inc. Tami Sisson, Amyris, Inc.

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Talking Food and Family With Katie Lee Katie Lee is a cookbook author and a TV host. How has food influenced her personal and family life?

What jumpstarted your career in the food industry?

What was your first experience in this career like?

I was always into food when I was growing up, but I didn’t think of it as a career option until I was in my junior year of college. I was a journalism major and I loved reading food magazines and books. I was working in restaurants and started taking food science; I decided I wanted to be a food writer. After I graduated, I moved to New York, got a job in a fish market, and started a food blog with a friend. Opportunities grew from that.

Who do you look up to in the food industry and how have they impacted your cooking style?

Bobby Flay has been a mentor of sorts for me throughout my career. He is the OG of the Food Network. I really admire all that he has accomplished. I feel fortunate to call him a friend and ask him questions or for advice. We have had many fun times in the kitchen cooking together. I always learn something new from him.

PHOTO: ERICA HAMPTON

A Sweet Way to Reduce Sugar From Your Family’s Diet — That’s Also Better for the Planet

As a new mother, why is family time in the kitchen so vital?

Time in the kitchen, both cooking and around the table, was such an important part of my childhood. I am so beyond excited to create new memories with our little one. Food brings the family together.

My husband and I can’t wait to share our passion with our daughter. We always talk about how excited we are to watch her try new foods, try all of the things we will cook with her, and see all the places we will travel to in the future.

How should a family go about finding food substitutes when dealing with an allergy?

First of all, talk to your doctor about requirements, then start researching alternatives. There will be some trial and error for

finding substitutes that please the palate. Some people love almond milk, some love oat milk. You just have to try different options and find what works for your tastebuds. There are so many great cookbooks and blogs out there nowadays with great, inventive ideas.

What do you eat in a day, starting with the most important meal — breakfast?

I start each day with a big bowl of fruit, either as a frozen smoothie bowl or fresh with some yogurt and granola. I like to start with all of those antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber.

For lunch, I almost always have a big salad so I can load up on all my veggies. I will top it with some canned salmon or boiled eggs for protein. For dinner, I like to make pastas, stir-fries, or experiment with new recipe ideas. n MEDIAPLANET

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When Treating Illness, One Size Doesn’t Need to Fit All When a patient visits the doctor — perhaps for back pain, fatigue, or depression — the best treatment for their symptom isn’t always immediately clear.

“We need to disrupt the way we manage our well-being,” says Karina W. Davidson, Ph.D., M.A. Sc., professor and senior vice president of research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health. “We plan to revolutionize healthcare through Personalized Trials.”

What are Personalized Trials?

Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) common fund, Personalized Trials are a new way for patients and their doctors to determine the best treatment that fits their individual needs.

The Personalized Trial platform guides a patient through a virtual scientific study; text message prompts and wearable devices collect data which will then help the patient and clinician develop a custom wellness plan.

Helping patients with chronic low back pain One of the first tests of this approach was conducted by the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, the research arm of Northwell Health. A Personalized Trial was started to look at treatment options for back pain using the at-home wellness service, Zeel® to see if yoga or massage was most effective. Initial results support the idea that each patient will respond differently to the same treatment.

“No two single experiences have been alike, and that is exactly the point. We are building the tools needed to change the delivery of healthcare to meet our patient’s unique needs.”

Stefani D’Angelo, CHES®, Project Manager, Northwell Health

For more information, please email personalizedtrials@northwell.edu.

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The Importance of Prenatal Care for Maternal and Infant Health As a public health and primary care physician, I find it troubling that across our nation, virtually every measure of the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and infants is going in the wrong direction.

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ccording to the latest statistics, about 1 in 10 babies is born too soon (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) each year. Premature birth and its complications are the largest contributors to death in the first year of life for babies in the United States and the leading cause of death of children under age 5 worldwide.

Maternal and infant health The state of maternal health mirrors that of infants born too soon. Every 12 hours in the United States, a woman dies from pregnancy complications.

For every maternal death, another 70 women suffer life-threatening health challenges. These startling statistics make the United States one of the most dangerous places in the developed world to give birth.

Historically, maternal and infant health has served as a barometer for civilizations. To save the lives and the health of moms and babies, our nation needs more robust health policies, better access to quality care for women, and greater support for women before, during, and after pregnancy. One way to achieve these goals is by expanding proven programs and innovative solutions such as group prenatal care.

The importance of prenatal care The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Pediatrics state that group prenatal care can improve the health of pregnant women and babies, reduce prematurity, and provide greater patient satisfaction with their care services.

Group prenatal care matches pregnant women with similar due dates together in small groups for prenatal care. Unlike traditional one-on-one care, sessions usually last two hours, during which women receive a physical assessment, share support with each other, and gain knowledge and skills related to pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting.

Sessions are typically offered in hospitals or community centers, and participant costs are covered by most insurance and Medicaid in most states.

March of Dimes When compared to women receiving individual prenatal care, participants in a form of group care called March of Dimes Supportive Pregnancy Care (SPC) were 68 percent more likely to attend their postpartum visits, 84 percent more likely to initiate breastfeeding at delivery, and almost three times as likely to still breastfeed at the time of their postpartum visit. Postpartum visits and breastfeeding are proven methods to promote the health of the baby and mother.

Today, March of Dimes has more than 40 SPC sites in various stages of implementation in 19 states across the country. It is critical that we deepen our investments in programs such as SPC in order to deliver integrated, evidence-based, and cost-effective care for mothers and babies during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Learn more about best practices in prenatal care and other ways to improve the health of America’s moms and babies by visiting www.marchofdimes.org. n Rahul Gupta, M.D., MPH, MBA, FACP Senior Vice President and Chief Medical and Health Officer, March of Dimes

In Favor of Flavor Training It’s no secret. In the United States, our childhood obesity rates continue to soar.

You can prevent childhood overeating with this one simple trick.

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hy is the United States getting more obese, when we are fortunate enough to live in a land where fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and quality proteins are widely available?

The answer may lie in a key period of an individual’s development when we can influence their lifelong acceptance of a healthy diet. This period includes a window of opportunity to

“flavor train,” creating a preference for nutrient-rich vegetables before cravings for chicken nuggets kick in!

What is flavor training?

Studies indicate this “flavor training” window lies within the first 1,000 days of life, between 4 and 7 months.

This is a time when infants appear to be receptive to almost anything which, if introduced in the appropriate way, appears to have a significant

impact on molding preferences into childhood and even into adulthood.

From 4 to 5 months, a taste is all that’s required, a dab on the lips with a clean finger or teaspoon, as this is not about providing nutrition. However, from 5 months with the start of complementary feeding, it’s important to provide veggie-forward, nutrient-dense meals.

Flavor training is a super exciting opportunity when parents can

really make a difference in setting healthy trajectories, without the fear and stress of meeting nutritional demands. It presents an opportunity where parents can establish healthy eating habits and the lifelong benefits these bring. n This has been paid for by Good Feeding.

Frances McGrath, B.Nurs., B.App.Sc., Dip.Nut., Co-Founder, Good Feeding

MEDIAPLANET

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Beyond Handwashing: Promoting Child Wellness During COVID-19 Keeping your children safe today involves more than just handwashing. Here are four tips on how you can keep your family healthy.

reports that during the first six months of 2020, exposure to bleach increased by 39 percent, to disinfectants by 58 percent, and to hand sanitizers by 59 percent. Always store cleaning and other toxic products out of children’s reach. You can reach your local poison control center by calling the Poison Help hotline: 1-800-222-1222. To save the number in your mobile phone, text POISON to 797979.

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Talk with your child about their feelings These can be sad and confusing times for children. Give your child lots of opportunities to express how they are feeling. Your job isn’t to fix the situation, just to listen. It’s okay to say that sometimes you have the feelings they’re experiencing, too. Reassure children that you are doing everything you can to keep you and them healthy and safe. Answer questions in a developmentally appropriate manner but honestly, even if the answer is, “I don’t know.” Children who don’t get the information they are looking for often develop their own explanations that may be even scarier.

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hese are challenging times for families. A recent survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that nearly half of parents of children under age 18 reported high stress levels related to COVID-19. One major source of concern is how to protect the health and well-being of young children. Teaching good hand hygiene and showing children how to thoroughly wash their hands is one key step. But there are many other simple things you can do to promote your child’s wellness. Here are four actions you can take every day 16

to keep your child safe and encourage their healthy development.

1

Stay up to date with well-child visits Preventive care, including screenings and vaccines, is vital for your child.

A review of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention from 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019 confirms that fewer children are receiving recommended vaccines.

Vaccines work with and strengthen a child’s immune system. We don’t have a vaccine yet for COVID-19, but we do have vaccines that protect infants and

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children from serious and dangerous diseases. Many healthcare offices have set up systems to see children safely during the pandemic. This may include scheduling well-child and sick visits at different times and locations, and limiting the number of families in a waiting area.

2

Lock away all cleaning materials With everyone disinfecting their homes so often, and being very busy and distracted, it can be easy to forget to put products away. The American Association of Poison Control Centers

Remember to take care of yourself One of the very best things you can do is attend to your own feelings and health.

Model wellness for your child, just as you show them how to wash their hands. Carve out time to do things that relax you, make you laugh, and give you joy. Share these things with your child.

Don’t expect yourself to be perfect, cut yourself slack, and lower your expectations. Children notice when adults are stressed, so be patient with yourself as well as with your child.

One piece of encouraging data from a follow-up APA survey is that while most parents (71 percent) report they are worried about the impact the pandemic has had on their children’s social development, more than 4 in 5 parents (82 percent) agree they are grateful for the additional time they’ve had with their children. This is a gift to celebrate during these uncertain times. n Nancy Topping-Tailby, MSW, Education Development Center MEDIAPLANET

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Why You Need Oats in Your Peanut Butter Did you know that you can improve your child’s weight and nutrition by simply using a peanut butter with oats?

For the past two decades, Project Peanut Butter has treated more than a million children for malnutrition using their breakthrough treatment of RUTF (ready-touse therapeutic food). Now, Project Peanut Butter continues to revolutionize therapy for malnutrition with the incorporation of a new ingredient — oats.

Oat-RUTF is 18 percent oat by weight, with oat replacing some, but not all, of the sugar and peanut. Oat-RUTF is superior because the oat replaces the hydrogenated vegetable oil additive (emulsifier) that helps to control oil separation. Emulsifiers are detrimental to gut health as they deplete the mucus lining of the gut, reducing the capacity to properly absorb nutrients.

On average a child needs 100 sachets of traditional RUTF in order to fully recover, whereas only 86 sachets of the oat-RUTF are needed to achieve the same weight gain and recovery. Compared to using a traditional RUTF recipe, which is primarily peanut, feeding severely malnourished children with Oat-RUTF results in a 25 percent increase in recovery and a 40 percent reduction in deaths. These data come from a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial conducted in Sierra Leone among over 1,500 children.

Additionally, the ingredients in OatRUTF cost 15 percent less than standard RUTF. This new recipe is truly an example of empowering the community with new technology. Distribution of Oat-RUTF on a larger scale begins in 2021.

This has been paid for by Project Peanut Butter.

Dr. Mark Manary, Founder & CEO, Project Peanut Butter

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Child Poverty and the Need for Radical Transformation Poverty and race are still intertwined in the United States. The Children’s Defense Fund - California wants to change the policies that make this so.

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or decades, America has sold the working poor and poor children the same mantra: if you work hard enough, get an education, and stay out of trouble, you will be able to achieve the same luxuries of your well-off counterparts. However, the truth is, that trajectory only happens for very few. In America, if you are born into poverty, you are likely to die in poverty. And that which is owed to every child — safe shelter, nutritious food, free quality education, and healthcare — is consistently underfunded, bargained away, or made the task of the child’s family to obtain through hard work. As America continues to reckon with itself and awaken to overt and subtle violence against Black people, I ask, “Will America see, hear, and protect its children from the impact of structural racism in poverty?”

Racism and poverty About 12 million children in the United States — 16 percent of all children — live in families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold — annual income below $25,465 for a family of four (less than $2,122 a month). Children of color are disproportionately impacted with 30 percent of Black children, 23.7 percent of Latino children, and 29 percent of indigenous children living in poverty. It is beyond shameful that the richest country in the world invests the least in the very people upon whom its future depends.

My childhood was like that of so many Black children in America. I had hardworking parents who struggled to make ends meet in the rural South where living wage jobs were hard to find and often out of reach for people of color due to insidious racism and economic depression. And while feeding and clothing me and my siblings were my parents’ highest priorities, there was also actual racism to confront.

It was structural racism that kept Blacks on the side of town with inadequate schools; it was structural

racism that kept Black parents from getting employment with higher wages and benefits; and, it was structural racism that caused Blacks to be arrested more for petty infractions. Unfortunately, not much has changed during my lifetime. That structural racism still exists and affects not only Blacks but other people of color. It is why Black children, like Tamir Rice, and Black adults, like George Floyd, continue to get killed by police; it is why immigrant children have been torn from their mothers’ arms and locked in cages; and, it is why millions of children sleep on the street and go hungry every night.

Children’s Defense Fund - California and others have fought for policies that address the needs of children and families. But more than 50 years after Lyndon Johnson declared a “war on poverty,” the economic wealth gap for Blacks is as wide now as it was in 1950. We’re still fighting for sound policies to tackle poverty head-on. Eradicating the stain of poverty from every corner of our country — from city blocks to the deep South — requires nothing less than a radical transformation of the American psyche. Poverty, like race, is a social construct; it will not be undone until every person assumes the responsibility of alleviating this social harm and moral stain on our society.

We need change But this transformation will also require collective resolve and action. We must focus on the root causes of intergenerational poverty beyond just strengthening the social safety net. We need to implement innovative approaches, such as baby bonds, a child allowance, and a guaranteed basic income. And, yes, we need reparations for Black children now and for the generations to come. n Shimica Gaskins, Executive Director, Children’s Defense Fund - California MEDIAPLANET

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