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  • The pink slime controversy

    Pink Slime. Ever heard of it? The nickname originated between two scientists within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) who were concerned about the safety and lack of labeling of the beef additive. The term "pink slime” became increasingly popular when Jamie Oliver brought attention to the controversial product on his Food Revolution TV show, created to bring awareness to the foods Americans are consuming and the link to childhood obesity.

    I’ve heard of it. But what is pink slime?

    In short, it has been termed “lean, finely textured beef”, an additive used in ground beef and beef products to help reduce consumer cost. Pink slime consists of beef scraps and connective tissue that have been mechanically removed from fat through a high-pressure, high-temperature process. The beef mixture is then treated with ammonium hydroxide to help eliminate possible pathogens, such as E. Coli and Salmonella. It is then finely ground and frozen into blocks to be shipped out to suppliers to use in their beef products.

  • The best newborn sleep advice I've ever received: Part 2

    In , I shared some of the best advice I received when my daughter was an infant about getting a newborn to sleep. Of course, every family and every baby is different, but here are a few more things I learned that might be helpful to you if you’re struggling to sort out your baby’s sleep problems:

    Cry it out at increasing intervals

    You may have heard of the “cry-it-out” method. To be honest, I don’t know much about the official method that Dr. Richard Ferber developed. I’ve never read his book because that approach to parenting never appealed to me. Even the name “cry-it-out” just sounds kind of scary. The thought of leaving my baby screaming helplessly and miserably for what seems like an eternity just didn’t feel like the right approach. And, I was frightened by all of the people who told me that I would emotionally scar my baby if I didn’t comfort her immediately.

  • 10 Creative Ways to Keep Kids Active

    Many families are struggling to keep fit, especially with jobs and schoolwork increasingly taking place on screens at home. Because of physical distancing requirements, there aren’t as many opportunities for school team sports, and kids doing virtual learning aren’t getting PE classes at school. Think about how a brief walk to the school bus stop a few streets over and even walking between classes counts as daily exercise. Going from your bedroom to your computer hardly comes close as a substitute! 

  • Why I'm not riding the organic bandwagon

    On Fridays, my daughter and I participate in a playgroup. We have an informal group of moms and kids that get together to do fun activities. It’s a great way for the kids to socialize and learn to play well together, while having the opportunity to do something fun. Once in a while, the moms even have a chance to have a conversation, too.

  • Communicating with your child about the death of a family pet

    I am an animal lover. For years, my pets were my “furry kids.” I played with them, loved them, and took care of them. They were my babies, especially my favorite cat, Zip. Then, like many other parents, I had an actual baby, and my “furry children” sort of slipped off their high-status pedestals!  However, Zip was always special to me. She was a true member of our family.

  • Why I gave up eating French fries for a whole year.

    It was New Year’s Eve, 2012. My husband, son, and I were hanging out on the couch, waiting for the ball to drop. We started to talk about resolutions, which I usually don’t do. I took a deep breath and announced something that I had been thinking about for the last couple of days - my resolution for 2013. I WAS GIVING UP FRENCH FRIES. Probably not for forever, but at least for the year. This may or may not seem like an insurmountable feat to you, but I, in my mid-thirties, had never done anything like this. I had been eating (and loving) fries, on average, a few times per month (maybe more) my entire life. My husband and son looked at me like I was truly nuts. The expressions on their faces were priceless, and telling. I realized if they were that shocked by my plan, then from a health perspective, this was definitely something that I should do.

  • Is Co-Sleeping Or Bed-Sharing Safe For Your Newborn?

    So, you have a new baby on the way and are trying to decide where they will sleep. One friend says that in her home country, infants routinely sleep in their mothers’ beds. Another friend is sure that’s dangerous. And yet another insists that having a separate nurse is the only way to guarantee sleep for you or your partner. Who’s right, who’s wrong and what’s best for your baby?

  • A Blessing in Disguise: Maleah's Story

    It all started with a simple trip to the nearby walk-in clinic with what they thought was an infection. Maleah’s lymph nodes were swollen and her mom thought all she needed was some antibiotics. A few days later, Maleah’s lymph nodes were getting larger and the antibiotics didn’t seem to be working. It was the weekend, so Maleah’s mom took her to the closest emergency room where they ran a few tests. Her white blood cell count was three times its normal amount, but they were told to keep taking the antibiotics and that the elevated white blood cell count is a result of the infection. That next Monday, Maleah’s mom called their family doctor, concerned that her lymph nodes were still swollen. Her doctor told them to take her to the Arnold Palmer Hospital emergency room, knowing it was probably more than just an infection.  

  • Hearing the “A” word: autism

  • What you need to know about car seat safety for your kids

    This post was written with Amber Yampolsky, PT, ATP, CPST, Physical Therapist at Arnold Palmer Hospital