One big question when it comes to having another child is "when?" Turns out the answer could impact their academic success.
Is it better to have children closer together so they can play, or further apart so the first child can become more independent. It seems like when it comes to the future academic success of your kids, the greater age gap the better. At least that's the conclusion of a study just published in the Journal of Human Resources. Economic researchers looked at more than 12,000 siblings between the ages of 14 and 22. They found that when there was a bigger age gap, the older child was more likely to do better on math and reading tests.
The magic age gap, according to these researchers, appeared to be 2 years. They speculate that part of the reason this is happening is because it's easier for a parent to spend more productive time with the older child when he or she is still in the crucial 1- to 2-year-old language development stage. If the second baby comes along during that time period, the older child might not get the same language exposure.
But if you do have children closer together, don't lose hope. The key here is to make sure you read to your children as much as possible, especially the older one and constantly talk to them.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Lose Weight, Eat Slower
When it comes to losing weight, one key might be in just how fast or slow you eat.
It turns out that slow eating might be one key to keeping slim. But one group of us doesn't do a very good job of that---guys! So, you are probably packing on more unwanted pounds over the holidays.
New research out of the University of Rhode Island discovered a couple of things about our eating habits. First off, probably not a surprise to anyone, men eat significantly faster than women. In their study they saw that men consumed about 80 calories per minute. Women, on the other hand, only ate 52 calories per minute. But they also found that heavier people eat faster than slimmer ones.
The importance behind the eating time difference is that it takes our body time to catch up to itself and tell our minds that we are full. If you're a fast eater, you tend to eat more than your body needs and that packs on the pounds. Slower eaters give their body more time to put out it's "fullness" signal so they won't take in as many calories.
So the secret to keeping weight off this holiday season, and all year long for that matter, is to slow down while eating. That will also give you more time to enjoy your company or surroundings.
It turns out that slow eating might be one key to keeping slim. But one group of us doesn't do a very good job of that---guys! So, you are probably packing on more unwanted pounds over the holidays.
New research out of the University of Rhode Island discovered a couple of things about our eating habits. First off, probably not a surprise to anyone, men eat significantly faster than women. In their study they saw that men consumed about 80 calories per minute. Women, on the other hand, only ate 52 calories per minute. But they also found that heavier people eat faster than slimmer ones.
The importance behind the eating time difference is that it takes our body time to catch up to itself and tell our minds that we are full. If you're a fast eater, you tend to eat more than your body needs and that packs on the pounds. Slower eaters give their body more time to put out it's "fullness" signal so they won't take in as many calories.
So the secret to keeping weight off this holiday season, and all year long for that matter, is to slow down while eating. That will also give you more time to enjoy your company or surroundings.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Avoiding The Holiday Blues
The holidays are a wonderful time, but not everyone can enjoy them.
They call it the holiday blues because for some people they can get sad and depressed this time of year. But there are ways to avoid it.
Here's the main problem:
It looks like everyone else is enjoying the holiday season, but you just feel lonely and depressed. You might have family or job issues or you can't afford that special gift a loved one wants. These "holiday blues" can be intense and unsettling. But the good news is they are usually very short-lived and they tend to go away after the holiday rush is over and daily routines are resumed.
These "blues" are a normal response to a very stressful time of year. Everyone gets a little frazzled right about now, but those with the "holiday blues" experience more intense symptoms ranging from headaches, to sleep problems and maybe even full blown depression.
Some things can help you avoid this. Keep your expectations of yourself and others realistic. Not everyone's home is going to look like a magazine home and you don't have to buy that expensive gift someone is eyeing. Share your time by volunteering this time of the year, that will help you put things into perspective. Let go of past issues, spend time with people you care about, and try to make new friends. Also, look for activities like caroling, these are usually the ones that remind us of our carefree childhood days. Of course, getting plenty of rest and exercise during this stressful season can also help you feel you're best.
They call it the holiday blues because for some people they can get sad and depressed this time of year. But there are ways to avoid it.
Here's the main problem:
It looks like everyone else is enjoying the holiday season, but you just feel lonely and depressed. You might have family or job issues or you can't afford that special gift a loved one wants. These "holiday blues" can be intense and unsettling. But the good news is they are usually very short-lived and they tend to go away after the holiday rush is over and daily routines are resumed.
These "blues" are a normal response to a very stressful time of year. Everyone gets a little frazzled right about now, but those with the "holiday blues" experience more intense symptoms ranging from headaches, to sleep problems and maybe even full blown depression.
Some things can help you avoid this. Keep your expectations of yourself and others realistic. Not everyone's home is going to look like a magazine home and you don't have to buy that expensive gift someone is eyeing. Share your time by volunteering this time of the year, that will help you put things into perspective. Let go of past issues, spend time with people you care about, and try to make new friends. Also, look for activities like caroling, these are usually the ones that remind us of our carefree childhood days. Of course, getting plenty of rest and exercise during this stressful season can also help you feel you're best.
Avoiding Holiday Heartburn
This week is the start of the holiday season, but it can also mean time for your heartburn to return.
It's that dreaded holiday heartburn any of us can get from simply eating way too much of certain foods this time of year.
Just picture what you'll be eating this Thanksgiving and at all the other holiday meals. That plate piled high with great food might taste wonderful, but you also might end up paying the price with heartburn. This happens when acid flows back up your esophagus, or feeding tube, that can cause not only heartburn, but also wheezing, coughing and a sore throat.
If this happens to you around this time of year, it's probably because you are eating large amounts of so-called "trigger" foods, foods that set off your heartburn. But you can help yourself by avoiding, as best you can, the foods that do this. For most of us that means limiting fatty cheeses, peppermint and peppermint flavored drinks and desserts, eggnog, hot chocolate and alcohol. For others it means limiting tomato based products and citrus type drinks. And if this tends to affect you on a regular basis, medicines, some available over the counter, can help as well, but these usually have to be taken on a regular basis.
The goal here is to have you still enjoy all this holiday has to offer, but to slow down just a bit when it comes to the overindulging most of us do.
It's that dreaded holiday heartburn any of us can get from simply eating way too much of certain foods this time of year.
Just picture what you'll be eating this Thanksgiving and at all the other holiday meals. That plate piled high with great food might taste wonderful, but you also might end up paying the price with heartburn. This happens when acid flows back up your esophagus, or feeding tube, that can cause not only heartburn, but also wheezing, coughing and a sore throat.
If this happens to you around this time of year, it's probably because you are eating large amounts of so-called "trigger" foods, foods that set off your heartburn. But you can help yourself by avoiding, as best you can, the foods that do this. For most of us that means limiting fatty cheeses, peppermint and peppermint flavored drinks and desserts, eggnog, hot chocolate and alcohol. For others it means limiting tomato based products and citrus type drinks. And if this tends to affect you on a regular basis, medicines, some available over the counter, can help as well, but these usually have to be taken on a regular basis.
The goal here is to have you still enjoy all this holiday has to offer, but to slow down just a bit when it comes to the overindulging most of us do.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Hearing Loss
More of us are having troubles with our hearing than you'd probably think.
A first of its kind national analysis found that almost one-our-of-five of us have significant hearing loss. But it's not just happening as we get older, but even kids as young as 12 are having permanent hearing problems. That puts the number of those having hearing impairment at about 48 million. In some cases the problem is so severe that it's tough to make out normal conversation even just sitting down in a restaurant. This number is surprising since prior estimates were around 29 million.
Part of the concern is that a decline in hearing can also mean a higher risk of getting dementia. A lot of times this happens, the hearing loss, to older adults and occurs so gradually that they often don't realize it's happening. And that's why experts are pushing for more regular hearing tests, to catch a problem when it's still early on.
For younger adults and children, hearing loss often occurs because of our plugged-in society. Ear phones and ear buds, with music turned up loud, can take their toll on young hearing.
So the bottom line is for all of us to pay a bit more attention to not only our hearing but also the hearing of those around us. If you're constantly having to repeat yourself, or are frequently getting misunderstood, then maybe suggesting a simple hearing test might be just what the doctor ordered.
A first of its kind national analysis found that almost one-our-of-five of us have significant hearing loss. But it's not just happening as we get older, but even kids as young as 12 are having permanent hearing problems. That puts the number of those having hearing impairment at about 48 million. In some cases the problem is so severe that it's tough to make out normal conversation even just sitting down in a restaurant. This number is surprising since prior estimates were around 29 million.
Part of the concern is that a decline in hearing can also mean a higher risk of getting dementia. A lot of times this happens, the hearing loss, to older adults and occurs so gradually that they often don't realize it's happening. And that's why experts are pushing for more regular hearing tests, to catch a problem when it's still early on.
For younger adults and children, hearing loss often occurs because of our plugged-in society. Ear phones and ear buds, with music turned up loud, can take their toll on young hearing.
So the bottom line is for all of us to pay a bit more attention to not only our hearing but also the hearing of those around us. If you're constantly having to repeat yourself, or are frequently getting misunderstood, then maybe suggesting a simple hearing test might be just what the doctor ordered.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Tooth Decay & Heart Disease
One way to fight heart disease could also leave you with healthy teeth.
As strange as this sounds, getting regular dental cleaning could also lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
We've known for years that there is a connection between how healthy your teeth are and your chances of having heart disease. That's because having tooth decay and periodontal disease leads to an increase in inflammation around the mouth. That inflammation can spread to other parts of the body including the heart, causing the risk of having a heart attack to rise.
So, keeping teeth clean is important, but two new studies show just how much needs to be done. In one study, following more than 100,000 Taiwanese for 7 years, those who had their teeth cleaned by a dentist at least twice a year cut their risk of having either a heart attack or stroke.
In a separate Swedish study, researchers found that different types of gum disease lead to different problems. People who fewer teeth and more infections at the base of the teeth they had left, also had a greater risk of a heart attack or congestive heart failure. On the other hand, those with more gum bleeding also had a bigger risk of having a stroke.
So, the bottom line is to take care of your teeth and they will help you take care of your heart.
As strange as this sounds, getting regular dental cleaning could also lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
We've known for years that there is a connection between how healthy your teeth are and your chances of having heart disease. That's because having tooth decay and periodontal disease leads to an increase in inflammation around the mouth. That inflammation can spread to other parts of the body including the heart, causing the risk of having a heart attack to rise.
So, keeping teeth clean is important, but two new studies show just how much needs to be done. In one study, following more than 100,000 Taiwanese for 7 years, those who had their teeth cleaned by a dentist at least twice a year cut their risk of having either a heart attack or stroke.
In a separate Swedish study, researchers found that different types of gum disease lead to different problems. People who fewer teeth and more infections at the base of the teeth they had left, also had a greater risk of a heart attack or congestive heart failure. On the other hand, those with more gum bleeding also had a bigger risk of having a stroke.
So, the bottom line is to take care of your teeth and they will help you take care of your heart.
Getting Your Kids' Cholesterol Checked
It's pretty common to know your cholesterol numbers, but how about your kids?
There is a new recommendation to get cholesterol checked at a younger age than you'd probably think. How about as early as 9?
Although that might be a bit of a surprise for most parents, guidelines just released by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute call for cholesterol screening of children between the ages of 9 and 11. This recommendation is also being endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. And because cholesterol naturally dips a bit during puberty, but can rise right after, they also recommend children get retested between 17 and 21.
The panel of experts that came up with the recommendations is also suggesting diabetes screening every two years for certain children. In particular, starting at age 9, those that are overweight or have a family history of type 2 diabetes should get tested regularly tested for this disease.
The reason behind these new recommendations are because of the increasing number of children with what used to be adult-only problems, high cholesterol and blood sugars. And since around 10% of the 4th graders already have high cholesterol, if we wait until they are in their 20s it can already start taking its toll on their body.
There is a new recommendation to get cholesterol checked at a younger age than you'd probably think. How about as early as 9?
Although that might be a bit of a surprise for most parents, guidelines just released by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute call for cholesterol screening of children between the ages of 9 and 11. This recommendation is also being endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. And because cholesterol naturally dips a bit during puberty, but can rise right after, they also recommend children get retested between 17 and 21.
The panel of experts that came up with the recommendations is also suggesting diabetes screening every two years for certain children. In particular, starting at age 9, those that are overweight or have a family history of type 2 diabetes should get tested regularly tested for this disease.
The reason behind these new recommendations are because of the increasing number of children with what used to be adult-only problems, high cholesterol and blood sugars. And since around 10% of the 4th graders already have high cholesterol, if we wait until they are in their 20s it can already start taking its toll on their body.
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