Prenatal Nutrition
by Jess Snyder
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During pregnancy, certain aspects of your nutrition become increasingly important not only for your health, but for your baby’s as well. You will very likely find that new concerns over what, when, and how to eat are often at the center of your attention. Your doctor should give you plenty of advice about what is best for you and your specific pregnancy, but here are a few of the main areas of concern that women generally have about their nutrition while pregnant.
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Nutrients
It is vital that pregnant women get sufficient amounts of protein, folic acid, calcium, and micronutrients, including iron. Additionally, pregnant women should drink 8 or more large glasses of water daily. Protein should comprise about 20% (which is about 60 grams) of a normal pregnancy diet. Most Americans already consume more than enough protein, however, animal sources of protein are very high in fat. These extra fats can build up and create additional weight gain, so be aware of the fat in your meat!
Supplements
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Many women will decide to take prenatal supplements throughout their pregnancy, as they can help to ensure that you’re getting all the nutrients you need each day. In addition to the benefits that you receive from taking supplements, many foods also contain high levels of folic acid, which helps to prevent birth defects. Foods such as leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, dried beans, and peas are good sources of naturally occurring folate.
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Fish & Shellfish
While most foods are perfectly fine for pregnant women to eat, there are some that require a little extra caution. If you frequently eat fish in your regular diet, it’s a very good idea to talk with your physician about which types are OK for your pregnancy and which are not. Certain kinds of fish can be very high in mercury and should be avoided, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. However, other kinds of fish can be great sources of omega 3s and lean protein. Keep in mind that eating raw fish like sushi is generally off limits during pregnancy, due to risks that include bacteria that can cause food-borne illnesses and parasites that live in uncooked fish and can cause parasitic infections.
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Caffeine
For caffeine junkies, pregnancy might present an extra challenge. Pediatricians usually recommend that most women cut back significantly or even eliminate caffeine altogether. Some studies have shown that women who consume 200 milligrams or more of caffeine per day (which is roughly the amount of caffeine in a 12-ounce cup of coffee) are twice as likely to miscarry as women who consume no caffeine. Here is an interesting article about consuming caffeine during pregnancy, which includes a list of the caffeine content in several common beverages.
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As always, your first step toward a healthy pregnancy is consulting with your doctor about which dietary choices are best for you and your baby. Positive decisions about diet and nutrition that are made during pregnancy are some of the most important decisions you will ever make!
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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Meet Moira McCarthy
by Jess Snyder with Moira McCarthy
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Moira McCarthy is a DMom, speaker, author, blogger and diabetes advocate, just to name a few of her many occupations. Moira is working with us on a book called “Raising Teens with Diabetes” , which will be coming out in June. She was kind enough to let me ask her a few questions so that we could all get to know what makes her tick, what inspired this book, and what she does in her free time (if she can find any!).
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What is your favorite piece of information that you share in your book and why?
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Probably the running themes of “this too shall pass” and “it’s going to be okay.” I say all the time—I wish I had realized when Lauren was going through the teen years’ struggles that what she went through is pretty “normal” and that it was all going to be okay. I might have less gray hair now, and I know I would not have cried as many tears. I am so thankful to the doctor who FINALLY helped me not to just hear that, but to embrace it. I think if I had realized that with some adjustment in my expectations things might be smoother, we could have avoided some of the angst. Not all of it, but some of it.
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Why did you feel you had to share the information in your book?
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As Lauren went through the teen years, I found there was a big gap in information available out there. There’s a lot about raising kids, and a lot about adults with type 1 diabetes, but not so much about the teen years. Even in the care world, there is a lack of true understanding and support in those years. I wanted to gather up all I learned, research what more there is to know, and put it all in one place. But most of all, I wanted a book that a parent dealing with a teen with type 1 could open and feel like, “Ah! I have a friend who gets it.” I am trying to be conversational and supportive while sharing information. I think that feeling of “someone is with me in this” can really help. I hope I accomplish that. I also hoped to bring the challenge of the teen years “out of the shame closet.” So many parents are ashamed to admit their teen is struggling. Guess what? Most of them are. Knowing that could help folks a lot, I think.
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What was your favorite part of the book to write and why?
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A lot of this dredged up some rough memories for me. Our experience during teen years was … challenging. But even in the toughest of topics, I found myself feeling proud—proud of me and my daughter because, even though we faced some hard times, we always found a way to face them together and to continue to care for and love one another. I’d like to say the last chapters, about moving on and doing well, are my favorites. But really, it’s all pretty wonderful when you consider how she is thriving today and how we still are so very close.
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How does your family feel about the book, especially your daughter?
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Lauren has really been my coauthor in this book, and readers will find actual sections written by her. It’s been fun for the two of us to put our heads together and think about what we’ve learned and how it can help others. We’ve laughed a lot, too—even the toughest of times can have humor in them in hindsight, and that’s pretty great. My family—Lauren, my husband Sean, my other daughter Leigh, and my soon-to-be son-in-law Michael—all think it’s pretty great that I’ve found a way to use my career to help others. (I was a writer before diabetes was in our lives.) I’ve written books on skiing and golf and even life with a teen without diabetes, but the diabetes books give my family a special pride, I think. It’s taking our challenges and reworking them into something that hopefully helps others avoid some of those challenges. And that’s something for a family to be proud of. Of course, the kids laugh at me when I feel the need to show my books to strangers—even the cashier in the convenience store. They’re like babies, you know?
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What trends are you seeing in teen’s management techniques right now?
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The new tools can be helpful. Something like a CGM can really help a person get through hard times. But the big challenge with teens is getting them to actually USE the tools more. I am very excited about pumps and CGMs getting less invasive and becoming something teens can embrace more. The trend I’d LIKE to see is more practices adding “transitional care” units—endocrinologists and CDEs and social workers who are experts on teens and diabetes. It’s just so needed.
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What tips or advice would you share with your readers?
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Encourage your teen to be open and honest. Don’t punish for diabetes. Try to work with them and your medical team to adapt your expectations for a while. The more you can embrace “nonperfection” for a bit of time, the sooner your teen might move toward wanting to work harder at diabetes again.
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Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
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In my real life, I am one of the best-known ski and adventure writers in—this is embarrassing—the world. I stood up on career day in fifth grade and announced I’d be an editor at SKI Magazine when I grew up. Guess what? I’m an editor at SKI and the ski and outdoor sports columnist for the Boston Herald newspaper. I also used to be a crime reporter for years. In those days I helped solve a serial murder and also almost went to jail for refusing to reveal my sources. If I had life to do over again I’d consider improv comedy as a career (because it might be fun to have a career that pays even LESS that writing!).
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What do you do when you are not writing?
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I ski every chance I can get. I am also an avid tennis player and I play as often as every day at times. I read three books a week, at least. And right now I am in wedding planning mode for my eldest daughter, Leigh.
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What made you want to become so involved with JDRF, and now with writing once again?
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Lauren was diagnosed back in the dark days of almost no Internet, so I spent the first year almost alone in this world. Then I literally stumbled upon the JDRF Walk in Boston and all that changed. While I’ve given much to JDRF (I was their International Volunteer of the Year), I’ve received so much more. I have friends who get it. I am up-to-the-minute on research and advocacy issues. I feel empowered every single day. I just completed the JDRF Ride to Cure in Death Valley where I raised almost $40,000—one of the top fundraisers in the country. That means I got to feel just how much so many, many people care about Lauren’s future. Being a part of the JDRF Volunteer family is an amazing gift. JDRF gives us a feeling of power and progress in a world that can sometimes lack that. I know Lauren feels the same way.
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What else would you be if you weren’t working with people with diabetes?
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Well, I am a ski writer still, and that’s really my main life. There is little I love more than being on a chairlift on a winter day and feeling the sun on my face. I look around at the mountain peaks, the trees, the vista, and breathe in the crisp air and think, “I’m in my office right now.” It’s pretty awesome. I will say though—I do have one other thing lingering on my “should I do this?” list and that’s to run for Congress or the US Senate. I have learned so much about advocacy and public service through my JDRF work, and the idea of serving the public on that level is intriguing. Of course, that’s Lauren’s goal, too. What if we were the first mother-daughter elected team on the hill? But in the end, I’ll probably end up just supporting her goals. That’s what moms do. My other “to do” is to write a memoir. I really want to make that one happen.
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What do you wish people would ask you about more?
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About how I deal with the absolute cuteness of Louie the Super Cat, my constant companion in my home office. Ha! For real, the best thing people can ever ask me is this—”Why should I care about a cure for type 1 diabetes and how can I help?” That’s music to my ears, and I never can hear those words enough.
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If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your book or the writing process that you would change?
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Not much. I’m very, very, very hard on myself as a writer, so I’m still at the “man, I hope this helps” phase of writing it. I have this system of fake deadlines that I have used for decades. It works like this: the editor gives me deadlines and then I set up “fake ones” that come in way ahead of those the editor gave me. They become, very much, my REAL deadlines and I do all I can to make them. (And sometimes, I make fake fake deadlines!) That kind of determination can make you cranky and stressed, but the end justifies the means. Being done ahead of time means I have more time to tweak, and it also means my editor will be happy. Which is all good.
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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Moira McCarthy is a well-known author, public speaker, diabetes mom, and volunteer who was recently honored on the floor of the US Senate for her advocacy on behalf of diabetes research, fundraising, and general awareness. She was also recently recognized as International Volunteer of the Year by Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. In her new book, Raising Teens with Diabetes, she shares her tips, experiences, and inspiration to parents of teenagers with diabetes.
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Hand Washing
by Jess Snyder
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Now that winter is in full force, bringing with it a whole onslaught of new germs, the sniffles and sneezes inevitably start showing up. Even though you’ve heard it a million times before, it’s always beneficial to get a reminder on not only when, but how to wash your hands—it’s one of the best ways to keep the cold and flu at bay.
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When should you wash your hands? Anytime you’re around food: before you prepare it, after you prepare it, before you eat, and after you eat. Keep this in mind especially if you handle raw meat and the utensils, cookware, and surfaces that have come in contact with it. Hands should be washed after you use any kind of cleaning supplies or chemicals around the house. If you’re caring for a sick person, you should always wash before and afterward to avoid giving them new germs or taking any of theirs with you. Did you just take Sparky for a walk, or your little pet Snowball? Time to scrub up! Also, only 32 percent of people report that they wash their hands after coughing or sneezing, but this is one of the most direct ways that many flu and cold germs are spread, so it’s important to clean then too!
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The Mayo Clinic and the CDC both have great web pages that provide some helpful, basic facts about hand washing. Though the CDC recommends washing over using hand sanitizer (particularly when hands are visibly dirty), both methods can remove a large amount of bacteria from your hands. Contrary to popular belief, using hot water out of a tap will not kill more bacteria on your hands than using cooler water. However, the hot water is able to remove dirt and oils from the hands’ surfaces that can harbor bacteria. Also, drying your hands with a paper towel can reduce the amount of bacteria on them by up to 75 percent. Hand sanitizers don’t necessarily clean hands; they do sanitize them, but they can leave organic material behind. However, if soap and water are not available, hand sanitizers are a fine alternative, killing up to 99.99 percent of bacteria.
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Keep these simple tips in mind, and be sure to remind the little ones, too. Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of the nasty cold and flu germs this winter.
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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Read other articles by Jess Snyder
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Ask the Doctor: Influenza
by John Zettelmaier, MD
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Several students in my dorm have the flu. What should I do?
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Living in close quarters like a dorm room increases the chances that you may get the flu. Your chances should decrease if you received the flu vaccine (flu shot). Wash your hands often and buy some over-the-counter medications like Tylenol®, Advil®, etc. If you do get the flu, the Tylenol or Advil or other analgesics will help with the aches, pains, and fever.
Continue Reading…
DHero Interview: Scott Benner
by Jess Snyder with Scott Benner
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This month, to commemorate American Diabetes Month, we will be featuring interviews with several different people involved in the diabetes community and we’ll hear more about their DHeroes. This week Scott Benner, author of Life is Short, Laundry is Eternal and the blog Arden’s Day, talks to us about his DHero.
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“There are so many heroes in the diabetes community. Bloggers who share so that others can be comforted, parents who don’t sleep, and people who lead by example. Every person living with type 1 diabetes is a hero. These people do something brave in the name of their health every second of every day.
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But if I had to pick just one person…that’s easy. I pick my daughter.
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My daughter Arden was diagnosed with type 1 just after her second birthday. She is eight years old now and I see her live courageously in a way that I doubt I could match if I were put in the same situation.
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It would be easy to talk about the finger sticks, needles and constant insulin considerations. I could make the point that people who live with type 1 diabetes have a tough go of it with those examples, but they don’t tell the real story. Those examples are just the ways that we’ve found to explain diabetes to people living without it in their lives.
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I’m going to tell you why every person who makes their way through a day dependent to insulin deserves all of our respect. Dosing insulin is more of an art form than a science and it happens throughout the day and night. Too much insulin can end you. You have to be certain that you are making the proper decision each and every time that you introduce man-made insulin into your body. It’s a lot of pressure, and the effects of those decisions don’t end after the insulin is out of the needle. People with type 1 spend hours after each insulin infusion wondering, testing and hoping. There is little time in a day when they don’t have to think about diabetes.
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Imagine having to remember to breathe. Consider what it would be like to have to consciously remember to breathe in, breathe out. Christmas morning, two AM, in the middle of a sporting event, before you eat, sleep, bathe, walk, watch television…breathe in, breathe out.
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A person who lives with diabetes always lives with diabetes. My daughter does it in a way that my wife and I are heartened by. If you saw her or any of the people who live with type 1, even for just a few minutes, they’d be your heroes too.”
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Scott Benner has been a stay-at-home father since 2000. As a diabetes advocate and author, Scott shares his daughter’s life with type 1 diabetes from his perspective on his website, Arden’s Day. Scott’s writing is honest, transparent, and a great resource for parents of children with, as well as people with, type 1 diabetes.
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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Meet Scott Benner
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I recently had a chance to interview Scott Benner, who writes for his blog Ardens Day whose first book Life Is Short, Laundry Is Eternal will be hitting shelves in April. Here are some of his thoughts on why he chose to write a book, how he meets the unique challenges of his family, and who he is offline.
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What is your story that you share in your book and why?
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Life Is Short, Laundry Is Eternal is a collection of stories that may at first seem a bit disjointed, but they aren’t. The stories are a representation of the journey that I’ve been on during my many years as a stay-at-home dad. It’s a journey that has taught me far more about life than I ever hoped that I could know.
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I tried to strip away the seemingly mundane moments of family life and reveal their true meaning. The lessons that I’ve learned, the ones that have enriched my life, came from the pauses in between those moments.
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Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
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I’m 41 years old. I have two great kids and one amazing wife. I’ve been a stay-at-home dad for more than 12 years and I write a type 1 diabetes caregiver blog of which I’m rather proud. I like baseball, but I love baseball when my son is with me. I like to think about things. I’m fascinated by my limits, and I love taking a thought to the very end of my ability to understand it, and then push to imagine the parts beyond my grasp. I’m not quite as handsome, tall, or fit as I wish I was, but I don’t seem to mind too much. I love to talk to strangers. Girls in their twenties and little kids who have seen the movie Fred Claus say I sound like Vince Vaughn. Writing means a lot to me. I unapologetically love curvy women, my floor steamer, and taking photos. I dream of taking pictures in the Galapagos Islands for weeks on end and I want a cure for type I diabetes.
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What do you do when you are not writing?
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Cook, clean, shop, vacuum, make beds, bug my wife, repeat myself to my kids a million times, but you don’t mean that, do you? We love going to the movies together. That could be my answer but … mainly, I just like watching my family live, love, and grow. Show me where that’s happening and that’s where I want to be and what I want to be doing.
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What’s in your DVD collection?
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Seriously, do people still buy DVDs? We stream in our house. You really want to know what movies I love, right? Too many to list. I just love a good story; I don’t care about the genre. We just watched Finding Nemo the other day. It was released in theaters for a limited run and my family went. WOW! Albert Brooks gives a great voice performance—makes me cry every time.
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Movies are one of my genuine loves. There’s nothing better than sitting in the dark with friends, loved ones, and strangers, sharing an emotional experience. There’s almost nothing else like it.
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Why did you feel you had to share the stories in your book?
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I wanted to write this book for a few reasons. I see so many fathers missing out on the joy that being a dad can bring to you if you just let it. Knowing firsthand how amazing life feels when you can absorb the energy that your family creates through the prism of knowledge that only being a parent can offer is a gift, and it’s unfair for me not to share it.
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I hope that mothers are heartened by the knowledge that there is a dad out there that gets it, but most of all, I wrote this book in the hopes that even one child won’t have to grow up disconnected from a parent the way that I did. Maybe I can reach someone who doesn’t know or believe how fulfilling parenthood is and change a life.
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How does your family feel about the book?
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Proud. Everyone is getting excited to be able to see the book in its finished form. I think I’ll probably cry when I first see Kelly, Cole, and Arden reach out and pull it from the bookstore shelf in our town. I hope that my wife and kids leave this moment in our life feeling like anything is possible.
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How have concepts of work and gender roles changed?
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They are morphing to where they should be just like all social issues that start out on unequal footing. As women penetrate further and further into the workplace, the old norm adjusts. I think these reversals are more widely accepted today, but I’m not sure that means hearts and minds have been rewired. It takes a long, long time for prejudice of any type or severity to dissipate from our collective consciousness.
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What trends are you seeing in glucose monitoring for children?
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I get excited every time I see a child with type 1 diabetes wearing a continuous glucose monitor. The next generation of sensors from DexCom is coming closer to reaching patients. If the improvements in accuracy are near what is rumored, well, I wish everyone who wanted one could have one. There is, in my mind, no more useful tool available right now than the one that gives the wearer the power to see where and how fast their blood glucose value is trending.
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What else would you be if you weren’t a stay-at-home dad?
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I want to help children who can’t afford to get insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors. I’d very much like it if every family that wanted one could feel the comfort and guiding hand that these technologies provide. I’m launching a charity to do just this, but its formation is still in the beginning stages. If you know a lawyer that can help with 501(c)3 filing please let me know. #ArdensDayGives
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What tips or advice would you share with your readers?
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This is an open-ended question! I don’t know … don’t take any wooden nickels. Measure twice, cut once. Drink more water. Be kind, laugh, and brush regularly. That’s how I do it.
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What do you wish people would ask you about more often?
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How to pre-order my book … I’m kidding. (No I’m not.)
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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Sports and Exercise for Children with Diabetes
by Jess Snyder
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As any mom knows, keeping up with your kids is a full-time challenge. Leighann Calentine, health blogger and author of the book Kids First, Diabetes Second, helps her daughter Q stay active and involved year round. Leighann has found a system to manage Q’s diabetes during physical activities, and here she shares some of her tips for helping to keep Q’s blood sugar managed while she’s on the move:
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“Q is very active in sports, and I have come to understand that not all sports are created equally when it comes to diabetes management. The strategies that work for one sport might have the opposite effect for another. Although it’s intuitive that you need less insulin during exercise because the body uses glucose for fuel, this hasn’t always been the case for us.
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When Q goes to dance and gymnastics, we follow the oft-given advice to have a snack of 15 carbs before beginning the exercise. These classes are one hour long. Sometimes this is enough to get her through the class, and sometimes she still goes low. I have also found that even if Q’s blood sugar is in range after her late afternoon gymnastics class, and she’s in range at dinner and again at bedtime, sometimes she’s low in the middle of the night. I now know that on gymnastics nights, I need to do a couple of overnight blood sugar checks.
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Some days during soccer camp in 100-degree heat, Q was sucking down Gatorade and popping grapes in her mouth as if she had a working pancreas, barely keeping her blood sugar at the low end of her range. Yet other days, she didn’t go low. Since there was no way to know how her body would react to a three-hour-a-day soccer camp in July heat, I checked her blood sugar often and reacted as needed.
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And then we have the six weeks of daily swim lessons that my kids take in the early evening each summer. As I had always been instructed to do, I would give Q 15 grams of carbs before swimming, only to be shocked and horrified that as she toweled off a number in the 300s would pop up on her meter! For some kids, swimming makes blood sugar tank—but not for my child. The endocrinologist suggested that instead of giving Q 15 grams of uncovered carbs before swimming, we give her 20 carbs and bolus for half. The doctor explained that swimming uses large muscle groups and that her body may not have been effectively using her glucose stores during the activity. Giving her a little larger snack with a small amount of insulin would enable the body to use the glucose. This strategy seems to work well for us.
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The key to dealing with sports is to figure out how your child’s body reacts to each sport they play and develop a proactive game plan. But you need to be flexible, because the body may not react to exercise the same way each time. Other factors, such as insulin that is still working from the most recent bolus, rebound from high blood sugar earlier in the day, and even weather can affect your little athlete’s body.”
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Leighann Calentine is the parent of Q, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 3. She writes the blog D-mom.com where she shares a variety of things including useful tips on diabetes and anecdotes from her life as a d-mom.
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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Read other articles by Jess Snyder
5 Ways to Avoid Phishing Scams
Internet Bullying
Pancreatic Hope
Sweet Treats
Exploding Safely
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Sweets Aren’t the Point
by Jess Snyder
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Halloween can be hectic, with decorations, parties, and costumes consuming a huge amount of time. How do you negotiate keeping a child with diabetes included amidst the chaos? And, how can you make sure that your child with diabetes isn’t bummed about missing out on certain aspects of this notoriously sugar-centric holiday? Author and d-mom Leighann Calentine offers some suggestions in her new book:
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“Halloween is one of our family’s favorite holidays. We begin scoping out the decorations the minute they appear on store shelves. We visit multiple pumpkin patches to buy pumpkins and gourds, and attend several parties. We go trick-or-treating in our neighborhood, and even at a nearby zoo. Sometimes we even have more than one costume per person because the kids invent them from clothes in their closets and our dress-up stash.
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So what’s our trick to dealing with treats? Don’t make the treats the focus.
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At one of our yearly parties, the tradition is for kids to decorate large cupcakes with mounds of frosting and sugar sprinkles. When our daughter was on multiple daily injections, we didn’t want her eating this right before her bedtime blood sugar check, and we didn’t want yet another injection. So, we let her partake in the decorating to her heart’s content, and then we popped the creation in a container we had brought with us for her to consume the next day at mealtime. The point is that the fun is often in the process. Decorating the cupcake is the fun activity, and once she was finished with it, she ran off to the next station.
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Long before the diagnosis, we began handing out small containers of Play-Doh and various trinkets such as pencils, spider rings, bouncy balls, and plastic skeletons to trick-or-treaters. Kids love these goodies. Setting an example that treats don’t have to be candy might catch on with the neighbors. And the best part is, if there are leftovers, you can stash them away for next year.
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But don’t tell your child with diabetes that they can’t eat the mound of candy that was collected on All Hallow’s Eve. Instead, decide on the number of pieces that can be eaten each day as dessert after a meal so there isn’t an extra injection. Of course they can indulge in a piece or two on Halloween night. It’s also a good idea to have the same rules for all your family members. If everyone is limited, then your diabetic child won’t feel like they are being singled out.
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One Halloween, my daughter went low while we were out haunting the neighborhood. She asked if she could have a piece of candy, and I figured why not. Later, I read the labels and realized that both Smarties and glucose tabs have the same first ingredient: dextrose. Now I keep a supply of Smarties in our pantry because they are cheaper and a lot more fun! I go through the kids’ candy stash and pull out items that are good for treating lows, such as Smarties and Skittles.”
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Do you have a child with diabetes? How does your family manage sweet treats and holidays?
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Leighann Calentine is the parent of Q, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 3. She writes the blog D-mom.com where she shares a variety of things including useful tips on diabetes and anecdotes from her life as a d-mom.
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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Read other articles by Jess Snyder
5 Ways to Avoid Phishing Scams
Internet Bullying
Pancreatic Hope
Sweet Treats
Exploding Safely
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Caramel Corn: An American Tradition
by Jess Snyder
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Two foods celebrated in October are caramel and popcorn. Separately, each is tasty, but when combined, they become absolutely delicious.
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Caramel corn is a uniquely American tradition. In the 1870s two German immigrants named Frederick and Louis Rueckheim moved to Chicago. They started a candy business and made an appearance at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago where they sold “candied popcorn and peanuts,” which were made with molasses. This first attempt wasn’t well received, as customers complained that the treat was too sticky and hard. The two returned to their store and created a new molasses coating that was crispy and dry, and more importantly, they found a way to keep the popcorn pieces from sticking together. Their new slogan was, “The more you eat, the more you want.” Can you guess what they named their product? Continue Reading…
Five Things to Remember in Your Child’s 504 Plan
by Jess Snyder
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For parents of a child with physical or mental impairments, the beginning of the new school year can be a good time to review and update their child’s 504 plan with his or her school. For other parents, this may be a time to draft their first 504 plan for a child who has been recently diagnosed with a condition that requires special support or accommodations. (For more information about whether a 504 plan would be appropriate for your child, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s FAQ.)
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By writing a 504 plan, parents are able to ensure that their child is supported and provided for at school in a way that is most beneficial to his or her education. While Section 504 covers any student with a physical or mental impairment, children with diabetes have a unique set of needs that impact not only their ability to be productive at school, but also their health and safety to the greatest possible degree. Author and diabetes advocate Leighann Calentine discusses her experiences with writing a 504 plan for her daughter after she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes:
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“Putting the 504 in Place
Either before your child enrolls in school, or shortly after diagnosis if she or he is already in school, you will sit down with the school personnel who oversee 504 plans and begin the process. While many families want the 504 plan in place the instant their child walks through the school doors, in reality it often takes months to get the plan in place. In fact, we chose to put guidelines for Q’s care in place and not formalize her 504 plan until several months into the school year because we wanted to see what issues might arise that should be addressed.
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504 Plan Considerations
1. Location for Pre-Lunch Testing: School will provide an appropriate location for daily pre-lunch blood sugar testing and for lunchtime insulin by injection or pump.
2. Access to Bathroom and Water: Child will be allowed unrestricted access to the bathroom, water fountain/ water bottle, snack, and the office when she is not feeling well. Child may carry water and extra glucose sources.
3. Testing: Glycemic conditions can have an effect on the child’s testing, therefore: 1) blood sugar should be tested before important tests; 2) child needs to eat her regularly scheduled snacks even if they are during a test; 3) if diabetes-related activity (testing blood, snack, water, bathroom) must take place during a timed test, child will be given equivalent extension of time at the end of the test.
4. Lockdown Situations: Child will have blood sugar meter and snacks in an additional location that is accessible during a lockdown.
5. Attendance: Absences for diabetes-related medical appointments will not count against the child’s attendance record.
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It is easier to add items when you first set up the 504 plan rather than try to add them later. A 504 plan is a fluid document, and you should be able to make changes at any time. If you have a change in care routine, such as changing from MDI to a pump, it is important to modify your 504.”
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For more information on 504 Plans and children with diabetes, sample plans and plenty of great resources can be found on the following websites:
• American Diabetes Association Safe at School
• JDRF Type 1 Diabetes in School (including their School Advisory Kit)
• Children With Diabetes (includes numerous sample plans)
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Read other articles by Jess Snyder
5 Ways to Avoid Phishing Scams
Internet Bullying
Pancreatic Hope
Sweet Treats
Exploding Safely
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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Meet Leighann Calentine
by Jess Snyder
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I recently had the opportunity to talk with Leighann Calentine, author of Kids First, Diabetes Second: Tips for Parenting a Child with Type 1 Diabetes, which we released earlier this summer. Leighann is a mother of two who dedicates much of her time to writing, whether that is on her blog, d-mom.com, or working on Kids First, Diabetes Second. Many people are familiar with Leighann’s writing, but we wanted to talk to her a bit about who she is offline and find out more about her motivation for putting the pen to the paper.
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What do you do when you are not writing?
We have an incredibly busy family life with two active children. Our family enjoys camping, but unfortunately this summer has been too busy to camp as often as we like. We traveled quite a bit this summer, both for fun and for diabetes-related events. I’m active in the kids’ schools, including being a room parent in Q’s class. I just finished a five-year term as a board member for the preschool. I work as an archaeologist, which sounds more glamorous than it really is.
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Why did you feel you had to tell this story?
I’m always torn because I wonder if it’s my story to tell. But the reality is that even though my daughter is the one with diabetes, it affects every single family member. I feel like we have struck a good balance of dealing with diabetes, yet putting it in the background. I often hear other parents’ frustrations and I wanted to help show them that it doesn’t have to dominate their lives.
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When did you first start writing your blog?
I actually began writing a “mommy blog” in 2006, while I was pregnant with our son. When Quinn was diagnosed, I sat in the hospital and wrote about her diagnosis, but I didn’t hit publish. Once the storm had passed and things settled down, I published the post and was surprised at the reaction and support I received. Because diabetes was such a big part of this new life and because I saw that I was making a difference for other families also affect by type 1 diabetes, I transitioned from being a mommy blogger to focusing primarily on diabetes. This is when D-Mom Blog was born.
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What was your favorite chapter to write and why?
Oddly enough, I think the diagnosis story is my favorite section. It was the most difficult to write and the hardest to read. (I still cry EVERY time I reread it!) But I think that other families who are dealing with the recent diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in their own child will read it and realize that their feelings are validated and normal.
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If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your book or getting it published that you would change?
I was a little nervous as I took on what seemed like a daunting task. I remember saying with confidence that I could absolutely balance family life, work, and writing and still meet my deadline, even if I wasn’t 100% sure I could pull it off. As a family, we decided that Sundays would be my day to write and often my husband shoved me out the door. Every Sunday, my Facebook friends saw me update either, “This book isn’t going to write itself!” or, “If it’s Sunday, I’m writing.”
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Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
There is always a way. If you are motivated to write a book or a blog, you will find the time and energy to complete the task.
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Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I appreciate the incredible amount of support that I have been shown over the years, whether it is another parent commiserating with me at 2:00 am over horrible blood sugars and lack of sleep or the virtual high fives when I get it right. Many of my online friends and readers were great cheerleaders as I put the book together and it definitely made the process more fun.
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How does Kids First, Diabetes Second differ from your blog?
While there are definitely some of the same themes and topics in both the book and on my blog, I think the book delves into more detail in some areas. It also includes a lot of topics that I don’t normally write about. I think the most exciting difference is the contributions of many other parents of kids with diabetes and adults who have been living with diabetes since childhood. Each brought in his or her own expertise, which rounds it out as a great resource.
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Leighann Calentine is the parent of Q, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 3. She writes the blog D-mom.com where she shares a variety of useful tips on diabetes and anecdotes from her life as a d-mom.
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Cyber Bullying
by Jess Snyder
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My little sister frowned as she leaned over her laptop. “That’s weird. Jenn doesn’t usually talk like that.”
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I leaned over to see a chat message quickly filling up with profanity and insults. “Text her and see what’s up,” I suggested.
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A few moments later, Jenn called my sister in a panic. “My account must have been hacked. What’s happening? I hope not everyone can see this!” Fortunately for Jenn, her problem was quickly resolved–several boys from school had wanted to pull a prank. Many other teens are bullied in much more hurtful and damaging ways than Jenn, however.
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Cyber bullying comes in a variety of forms, many of which are similar to physical bullying, and others are only possible because of the internet and cell phones. People who are cyber bullied could receive threats of all kinds, inappropriate or threatening sexual remarks, derogatory labels, or be ganged up on in a public space such as a chat room or a Facebook wall. A teen may also be impersonated in ways that could be humiliating.
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Twenty percent of teens from 12-17 feel that people are “mostly unkind” on social networks. Between 32 and 43 percent of teens report being bullied online. Thirteen percent of teens have reported having an experience online that made them nervous to go to school the next day.
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Interestingly, when teens see someone being unkind online, 55% of the time they report that other users just ignore what is going on, 27% of the time they report seeing someone defending the victim, 20% of the time they see someone telling the offender to stop, and 19% of the time people join in the bullying.
Just because teens don’t speak up to bullies directly doesn’t mean that they aren’t concerned by what they see on social websites. Thirty-six percent of all teens who have witnessed online bullying have gone to another resource to get help about what to do. Teens that have a history of being bullied are more likely to seek advice about how to handle a cyber bullying situation than teens who have not been bullied.
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Parents and caregivers should be ready to respond to cyber bullying as online social networking becomes increasingly popular. OnGuardOnline.gov has some tips for parents on how to advise their children to use the internet safely and wisely. The site recommends reminding teens that once something is posted or sent, it cannot be taken back.
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Keep communication open with your children about how they spend their time on the internet and encourage them to respond responsibly to bullying situations that they may experience. With a little more education and awareness, it may be possible to reduce the number of children hurt by bullying each year and to equip students to intervene sooner when it does happen.
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Has your child ever experienced cyber bullying? How did they react?
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Read other articles by Jess Snyder
Pancreatic Hope
Sweet Treats
Exploding Safely
Teenie Weenie Size Ten to Fourteenie?
Green Machines
Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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Five Ways to Avoid Phishing Scams
by Jess Snyder
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Here at Spry Publishing we are usually concerned with your physical health and well-being, but in this piece we are going to look at maintaining a peace of mind by keeping your information safe on the internet.
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Let’s face it, the internet is everywhere. It’s in your pocket, on your desk, in your purse, in your child’s room, waiting at your office. Sound a little creepy? The internet is used by nearly two billion people, and while most of them are kind, there are others who have one goal in mind–scamming you.
Many online scams are created in order to take your personal information or money, which is called phishing. The FBI’s internet crime complaint center estimates that 560 million dollars have been scammed from innocent, trusting people.
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While there are thousands of online scams, many fall into the same categories. These scams may come in the form of emails, pop-ups, advertisements on a sidebar of a website, or through entire fake websites. Many of these scams advertise offers to work from home, diet pills for incredibly low prices, international lottery winnings, mystery shopper jobs, fake apartment rentals, debt relief, and of course, the “Nigerian” individual asking for your help.
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While many people are becoming more aware of internet scams, the number of people getting scammed is still increasing. This is because scammers are getting better at looking like legitimate companies and profiting off of the victim’s altruism, hope for a healthier lifestyle, or desire to leave financial insecurity behind. OnGuardOnline cautions:
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1. Delete email and text messages that ask you to confirm or provide personal information (credit card and bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, etc.). Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email or text. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information.
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2. The messages may appear to be from organizations you do business with–banks, for example. Don’t reply, and don’t click on links or call phone numbers provided in the message. These messages direct you to spoof sites–sites that look real but whose purpose is to steal your information so a scammer can run up bills or commit crimes in your name.
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3. Only provide personal or financial information through an organization’s website if you typed in the web address yourself and you see signals that the site is secure, like a URL that begins “https.” The “s” stands for secure.
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4. Area codes can be misleading too. Some scammers ask you to call a phone number to update your account or access a “refund.” But a local area code doesn’t guarantee that the caller is local.
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5. If you’re concerned about your account or need to reach an organization that you do business with, call the number on your financial statements or on the back of your credit card.
Be aware of what is legal in your country. Always verify the website and remember not to give out personal information via email, no matter who the sender appears to be.
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If you think that you have received a phishing email, forward it to spam@uce.gov and to the company, bank, or organization impersonated in the email. Another website which you could report suspicious emails to is reportphishing@antiphishing.org . If you believe you have been duped by a phisher or scam artist, you can file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.
Read other articles by Jess Snyder
Cyber Bullying
Pancreatic Hope
Sweet Treats
Exploding Safely
Teenie Weenie Size Ten to Fourteenie?
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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How to Pack a Gold Metal Lunch
by Julie Feldman
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I don’t know about you, but I was completely enthralled by the 2012 Olympic Games. The level of athleticism, discipline, and skill needed to make it to such a platform is truly mind-boggling. When I look at each athlete, I cannot help but think of the sheer number of practices and competitions each of their parents had to get them to. How many lunches and dinners and early morning breakfasts those parents must have prepared for them in order to reach such heights. While most of us are not fueling the next Michael Phelps, there still exists a tremendous responsibility on all of us as parents to fuel our children properly, and this responsibility is never greater than when our kids are at school.
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The lunch you provide for your kids is potentially the most important parenting move you will make each day. Creativity and planning can make this process fun and effective. In order to create a balanced meal that will satisfy your school-aged child, three main things must be present. These are: 4 grams of fiber, 10 grams of protein and 8 ounces of water. Sure, it sounds awfully scientific, but this magical combination provides the minimum amount of nutrition most kids will need to succeed in feeling satisfied and focused for the afternoon at school. In real life, these numbers are easily convertible into real food that kids will like.
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Fiber naturally occurs in whole grain bread, pasta, cereal and crackers, fruits, vegetables, beans, and popcorn. By choosing something from this grouping, you are ensuring that your child’s blood sugar will stay nice and steady for roughly 3–4 hours after eating. A steady blood sugar equals an attentive, well-behaved, and happy child.
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Ten grams of protein is the equivalent of 1.5 ounces of protein, or one yogurt, 2 slices of low fat cheese, 2 slices of turkey, or 2 egg whites.
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Hydrating your student is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of packing lunches. When kids become dehydrated their coordination, attention span, and ability to make healthful food choices is negatively impacted.
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Once you have chosen the basic ingredients, orchestrating a school lunch worthy of an Olympic gold medal is not that challenging. I find an interesting presentation makes even the most mundane food fun to eat. A popular item in our lunch boxes is mock-sushi. Simply take a whole grain tortilla (fiber), spread something sticky onto it (hummus, peanut butter, guacamole, refried beans), include some protein down the middle of the tortilla (1 string cheese, 2 slices of turkey rolled up, tuna salad), add in any other tasty toppings (salsa, mustard, lite sour cream, banana slices, cut up vegetables), and roll. Once the tortilla is rolled, slice it into 1-inch pieces and lay them flat so that they resemble a sushi roll. These keep surprisingly well in a shallow Tupperware containers, and most importantly, kids love to eat them. I also love to use coffee stirrers as kabob skewers to encourage my kids to eat fruit. Cubes of cheese, pieces of fruit, individual whole grain penne noodles, lean deli meat, cubed chicken, and cooked vegetables make great kabob ingredients. Lastly, use the rim of a shot glass or champagne flute to carve out mini sliders from a regular sandwich. These bite-size treats always receive a standing ovation.
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Olympic athletes don’t just end up standing on the podium without a tremendous amount of hard work, preparation, and planning. As parents we owe it to our kids to prioritize their nutrition. Providing them with balanced, colorful, tasty, and nourishing meals can make you feel as though your parenting performance is gold-medal worthy too.
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Julie Feldman, MPH, RD, works in her own private practice based in Farmington Hills, Michigan, where she provides counseling and consulting services to individuals, families, teams, and corporations. She thoroughly enjoys spreading the message of sound nutrition, appearing frequently on television and in print as a nutrition expert.
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Energy Drinks: What’s in Them, Anyway?
by Jess Snyder
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In my previous article I discussed the caffeine content of energy drinks, and also the standard serving sizes that they are sold in. While many energy drinks have the same amount of caffeine as their competitors, and less caffeine than coffee, they do have a blend of sugar and herbal supplements which reputedly also supply energy.
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Soda and high-sugar energy drinks can present an addictive jolt of energy for children. Center for Science in the Public Interest Executive Director Michael Jacobson has confirmed caffeine’s addictive properties. “Twenty years ago, teens drank twice as much milk as soda pop. Now they drink twice as much soda pop as milk.”
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In addition to high quantities of sugar and caffeine, many energy drinks contain herbal supplements often labeled on the nutrition facts as a mysterious “Energy Blend.” The most common of these supplements are Taurine, Guarana, Ginseng and Vitamin B.
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Taurine is an amino acid which is found naturally in the human body. Tests have indicated that it may enhance endurance performance and help keep lactic acid build-up at a minimum after exercise. While energy drinks often contain a very high concentration of synthetic Taurine (an average of 753 mg/8 ounces), studies have not yet found it to have any severe adverse side effects.
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Guarana is a seed from South America that contains caffeine. This can be misleading, since energy drink nutrition labels often to not include this extra dose of caffeine (up to 40 mg) in their listed values. Though there are some claims that Guarana is metabolized more slowly than pure caffeine, thereby prolonging the effects of the caffeine, studies have not shown any significant difference between how Guarana and pure caffeine are absorbed. Guarana is suggested to improve cognitive performance, mental fatigue, and mood. Studies have not yet shown any severe adverse effects when Guarana is consumed in brief high doses or chronic low doses.
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Ginseng is a root from Asia that is popular for its many health benefits. However, it is inconclusive whether it truly affects physical performance, psychomotor performance, or cognitive function. One study found that Ginseng has no beneficial effects on mood or memory, but another study showed reductions in mental fatigue if over 200 mg were taken. Ginseng is considered “generally safe,” as high doses can result in hypertension, diarrhea, and sleep disturbance.
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B vitamins are often advertised on energy drink labels. Many drinks far exceed the recommended daily value of vitamin B; 5 Hour Energy has more than 8000%, for example. Vitamin B is a water-soluble vitamin. When the body receives any extra vitamin B beyond the 100% that it needs to function normally, it is secreted from the body as waste. This makes the logic behind including such extreme doses of it in energy drinks a little difficult to grasp.
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So when you’re perusing the different varieties of energy drinks available, check the sugar content and the herbal supplements. You may be surprised how much energy you’re actually getting.
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Read other articles by Jess Snyder
Energy Drinks: How Much Caffeine is Too Much?
What Triggers a Headache?
Five Things to Remember in Your Child’s 504 Plan
5 Ways to Avoid Phishing Scams
Internet Bullying
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Jessica Snyder joined the Spry Wellness Blog as a contributor in 2012. She is currently working to obtain an undergraduate degree in English and Communications at the University of Michigan.
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