Work Family Life

Work & Family Life Balancing job and personal responsibilities

NOVEMBER 2010 Vol. 24, No. 11 Practical solutions for family, workplace and health issues what’s insidE Elder Issues Alcohol and the aging process 4

parenting Sleepovers can be good for parents too 5

on the job How NOT to forget people’s names 6

a healthy you On breakfast cereals, dietary salt and foods for the heart and mind The human mind develops over a lifetime—and it’s never too late to make a positive change. 7

interchange Whose “house rules” The latest on how to keep your brain at grandparents? 3 healthy and sharp at every age Research review By Susan Ginsberg, Ed.D. example, if you used to play the piano or chess but you stopped years ago, those circuits can be revived. Another reason to turn growing body of research on how the mind ages is off your phone… encouraging. It challenges the conventional wisdom Making the heart-brain connection Happy people offer that the mind inevitably declines as we get older. It The benefits of an alert, challenged brain and an active more than chit chat A makes the connection between physical fitness and mental lifestyle can be found at every age, and the “use it or lose 3 alertness. Brain health is closely related to heart health— it” formula applies to all of us, no matter how old we are. in other words, stronger heart, sharper memory. And it Dr. Restak suggests these positive steps to help us get We recommend shows that children’s eating and exercise habits lay the smarter and stay sharper: “The Learning Tree” groundwork for a healthy life as they grow older. 8 We’ve learned that the human mind develops over a Think about thinking. This is called “metacognition” and lifetime, with some abilities peaking early and others kick- it involves becoming an expert on how your own mind Work & Family Life is ing in later. In practical terms, the new research means works. Analyze your memory patterns. What kinds of distributed by companies that no matter how old you may be at this moment, it’s things do you forget and what do you remember? Can and other organizations never too late to change your brain for the better, says neu- you rattle off your student number from college years ago to their employees and ropsychiatrist Richard Restak, M.D. He suggests thinking but can’t seem to remember your new cellphone number? clients. To see the Be your own best critic. Develop plans and strategies to online version, go to of the brain as a “work in progress that continues from workandfamilylife.com. birth till the day you die.” compensate for your specific problem areas. This insight—that the brain retains plasticity across Improve your recall. These days, if we miss a message, E-mail: [email protected] the entire life span—is fairly new. It has also been found Phone: (561) 818-3670 we can usually just click and play it again. But this may that the brain is resilient and has a lifetime memory. For Continued on page 2... The latest... explanation without Go beyond your comfort zone. Continued from page 1… carefully consider- While the brain is adaptive, it also encourage mental lazi- ing the facts in front tends to be lazy, particularly in rela- ness in other areas. We of us. Go to www. tion to intellectual activity. To stay need to pay attention puzz.com or www. sharp, we need to push ourselves to paying attention. For puzzles.com. Or and try things we’re not necessarily example, to remember search online for good at or comfortable with. where you parked your “brainteaser,” “puz- For example, if your training car or left your glasses, zle,” “anagram” or and career is in the arts, learn more take a deep breath and “logical challenge.” about science. Read challenging repeat one location de- These activities are books. Take courses. Travel if you tail out loud. good practice to can. And whatever you get inter- Write down a series help you keep an ested in, look for ways to share of random numbers, open mind. your new knowledge with others. starting with 5 digits. Without looking, repeat S tay (or get) inter- S tay active and eat healthy. In them aloud or in your ested in art and some ways, the healthy brain gets mind, one per second. music. Simply lis- even stronger with age. For exam- Work your way up to 9 tening to music can ple, studies confirm that accumu- digits. Do the same with sharpen your brain, lated knowledge and expert skills words, but spell them says Dr. Restak. He (a.k.a. wisdom) increase as we get backwards. Start with even suggests that older. A recent Duke University easy words and move on Mozart contributes study found that emotional savvy to more difficult ones. Studies show that active kids make better learners. to multilevel think- also appears to grow with age. Here’s another suggestion: move permarket, take a mental snapshot ing. Seeing and studying works Regular exercise helps keep your eyes from left to right for 30 of the people in the next line over. of fine art can also improve your the brain well oxygenated and en- seconds before learning a person’s Turn away and recall as many de- memory and other thinking pro- courages the creation of new brain name. This may sound a little odd tails as you can. Then look back cesses by creating new linkages and cells. Thirty minutes of aerobic ex- but it’s been found to increase one’s and see how well you did. networks within your brain. ercise three times a week have been found to enlarge the “hippocam- ability to recall names. (See On the Creative pursuits help too. Writ- Job on remembering names, page 6.) Make emotional connections. It’s pus,” the part of the brain that important to remember feelings ing poetry, painting a portrait or regulates emotion and memory. Use mental images. It can help that accompanied an experience as improvising on a musical instru- Strength training has been found your “prospective memory”—the well as the experience itself. One ment can strengthen one’s powers to improve “executive function,” ability to remember to do some- way to do this is to look at an old of association that play a key role the brain’s ability to focus, process thing in the future. For example, photo of yourself. Begin a written in remembering information and information and make decisions. every day after breakfast, visualize or mental “dialogue” between your finding solutions to problems. Lifestyle choices can make a yourself taking your vitamin D “former” and “current” selves. An- “Creative thinking gets both sides big difference too. Don’t smoke. supplement and checking your to- other way is to think about your of the brain working,” says neu- Drink moderately (no more than do list for the day. friendships from an earlier time. rologist Alice Flaherty. And it isn’t one a day is best), and eat a brain- To strengthen your visual limited to making art or music. To healthy diet with plenty of B vi- Develop a tolerance for uncer- memory, study the seating arrange- deal with challenges that demand tamins and omega-3 fats—and a tainty and ambiguity. The nor- ment at your next meeting. Then imagination and resourcefulness, minimum of processed foods. close your eyes or look away. See if mal human desire for clarity and it helps us find new strategies and closure often leads us to jump to combine different ideas into new See “Healthy foods for heart and you can recreate it in your mind. mind” on page 7. u Or, as you wait in line at the su- conclusions or accept a simplistic concepts.

W hat works for the adult brain works for children too hildren who are physically fit have been found to do better on tests of thinking than But the study found no correlation between muscular strength and IQ scores. And while Ckids who are less fit. Researchers at the University of Illinois have shown that two there’s no evidence that exercise alone leads to a higher IQ, researchers suggest that parts of the brain are larger among fitter kids. One is the “basal ganglia,” which helps aerobic exercise produces specific growth factors and proteins that stimulate the brain. maintain attention and “executive control,” the ability to coordinate actions and thoughts “More aerobic exercise!” for young people, suggests Professor Georg Kuhn of the crisply. The other is the “hippocampus,” which is associated with more complex memory. University of Gothenburg, senior author of the study. He encourages parents to get Working together, these two parts of the brain allow some of our most intricate thinking. kids moving, preferably away from Wiis. A long-term study in Sweden reported that, among more than a million 18-year-old boys A still-unpublished study from Dr. Kuhn’s lab compared the cognitive impact in young who joined the Swedish army, better fitness was correlated with higherI Qs, even among people of 20 minutes of running on a treadmill with 20 minutes of playing sports- identical twins. The fitter the twin, the higher his IQ. The fittest of the young men were style video games at a similar intensity. Running improved test scores immediately also more successful in their careers than the least fit. afterward. Playing the video games did not. u

2 WFL November 2010 w www.workandfamilylife.com Interchange Whose rules apply at grandparents’ house? My parents are great with our equipment that has gears. Station- them to restaurants where they’ll Qkids, but we don’t always agree ary bikes cause many hand and fin- try new things, that’s great. And Ellen Galinsky, M.S., S usan Ginsberg Ed.D., on childrearing issues. Is it unreal- ger injuries every year. if you’re lucky, grandparents will Executive Editor of Work Editor & Publisher of Work istic to expect grandparents to fol- Go over swimming, biking and also reinforce your attempts to & Family Life, is President & Family Life, was Associate of the Families and Work Dean at Bank Street College. low parents’ rules when our chil- seat belt rules. Review the Con- teach table manners, but in a re- Institute, a researcher on She is the author of “Family dren, who are 4 and 7, spend time sumer Product Safety guidelines laxed and fun way. national and international Wisdom: The 2000 Most studies, and author of more Important Things Ever Said at their house over the holidays? to make sure the house is child- There’s no harm in having than 40 books and reports about Parenting, Children proofed for kids of any age. This is different expectations in different including “Mind in the and Family Life” (Columbia —M.E., Yonkers, NY Making.“ important because a third of child- households. Children just need University Press). Parents and grandparents seem hood poisonings take place in the to know the groundrules. Some Ato disagree most in areas of safe- homes of grandparents. grandparents don’t allow feet on This is your column. We invite you to ty, discipline, food and manners. Eating is another area where the furniture or let kids leave the send questions about work and fam- Safety can be an issue because generations often clash. While table without permission. ily life or tell us how you solved a grandparents may be unfamiliar it’s fair to expect grandparents to And occasionally they’ll break problem that you think a lot of people with some potential hazards out abide by your overall approach, it’s parents’ rule on candy (with a face. Write: Dr. Susan Ginsberg, Work there now such as air bags and probably best to let them do their whisper, “Don’t tell your moth- & Family Life, 305 Madison Avenue, microwave ovens. Another is that own thing. If they introduce kids er”). This is the kind of secret Suite 1143, New York, NY 10165. E- children should not be allowed to different, even exotic, foods that bonding that every child will re- mail: [email protected]. to play around with any exercise you don’t serve at home or take member. u

research review Study finds happy Parents on the phone talk less to kids people more likely oes the constant use of smartphones and actions people do with screens that they wall out to skip the chit chat other technology interfere with parent- the world,” Dr. Turkle said. “I’ve talked to chil- study from the University of Arizona asserts child communications? So it would seem, dren who try to get their parents to stop texting Athat happy people tend to have more sub- says Dr. Dana L. Suskin, a University of while driving and they get resistance, ‘Oh, just stantive conversations than people who engage DChicago language researcher. She recorded the one, just one more quick one, honey.’ It’s like solely in small talk. The researchers don’t say use of language in six high-tech households: once ‘one more drink’.” whether a good conversation causes happiness with the devices on, once again with them off. Not all child-development experts agree that or vice versa. Maybe it’s a combination of the In four of the families, the difference was laptop and smartphone use by parents is a bad two. striking. When parents turned off their smart- thing, especially because interactive devices en- phones and laptops, verbal interactions with able some parents to spend more time at home, The ability to make small talk is still a useful their kids increased—and, with two of the fami- a good thing. social skill—and perhaps is a way to enter into lies, more than doubled. But we do know that engaged parenting— a deeper, more probing conversation. Matthais Granted, this was a small study, but oth- talking and explaining things to children, and Mehl, Ph.D., coauthor of the study, suggests four ers have produced similar findings. Dr. Sherry responding to their questions—is the bedrock ways to encourage meaningful conversations: Turkle of MIT has of early child- n You can talk about politics, technology, even been studying how pa- hood learning. what you watched on TV, but there needs to be rental use of technol- “Distracted time some personal disclosure. You have to reveal ogy affects children is not high-qual- something about yourself. and young adults. After ity time, whether n Give your full attention when you’re talking 300 interviews over five parents are check- to someone, instead of going through that list of years, she’s found that ing the news- to-do’s in your head. feelings of hurt, jealous- paper or their n ly and competition have BlackBerry,” says Find some common ground that offers a spread. She’ll publish Dr. Frederick J. ready path to more meaningful exchanges. her findings next year Zimmerman, of n The place counts too. It could be a corner in a new book Alone the UCLA School table in a busy coffee shop or a secluded park Together. of Public Health, bench—but wherever it is, it’s important to feel “There’s something who has studied relaxed and comfortable. And this is true for a that’s so engrossing how TV can dis- one-on-one talk or a group discussion. u about the kind of inter- tract parents. u

WFL November 2010 w www.workandfamilylife.com 3 elder issues Raising the alcohol issue with an older relative

f the more than three mil- it. Some have the attitude: “At their age, older relative about “drinking” or a “drinking lion older Americans who what’s the harm? Let them drink.” Or problem.” If alcohol abuse is a continuing rather have a drinking problem, if drinking has been a long-term prob- than a new problem, don’t dredge up unhappy many of them began to lem, family members may feel there’s incidences from the past. abuseO alcohol for the first after the nothing anyone can do to change the r age of 65. This may be surprising, situation. Get doctors involved. Check on any pos- but the reasons become clearer as sible adverse effects of mixing we learn more and more about the T reatment works alcohol and prescription aging process. It’s not true that older drugs. Since medical Alcohol becomes more potent people are unable to doctors seldom raise as the body ages, and the ill ef- overcome a drinking the subject of drink- fects of drinking are multiplied by problem. When they ing, simply asking many drugs commonly prescribed seek treatment, their this question is a good for older people. Others factors recovery rates are way to signal that your that can result in alcohol depen- as good as for any older relative may have dence include retirement, poor other age group. a problem. health, the loss of a loved one and In fact, 12-step r Talk about the feelings of isolation. programs have been dangers of drinking To make matters worse, older found to be particu- and driving. If this be- people tend to be more resis- larly successful when older comes a real problem tant to getting help for a drink- people are meeting with oth- with your older rela- ing problem. They are less likely ers of their own generation. tive or friend, you may to be affected by the constraints The challenge, of course, need to get tough. You faced by younger people, such is to get an older person to ac- may have to warn the as the prospect of losing a job, a knowledge that he or she has a person that you will drunk-driving arrest or rejection problem and then to agree to notify the Department by friends and loved ones. Older get some help. Here are some “ Dad, I’m concerned about your drinking.” of Motor Vehicles. drinkers may also fear being sent suggestions for ways to approach to a nursing home if they do seek this situation constructively: and will improve the quality of the r Don’t count on drastic mea- treatment. person’s life. sures to work. Throwing out r Lectures don’t work. Your someone’s liquor bottles is almost r Describe the effects of the Diagnosis can be difficult relative may already be feeling bad never the solution to a drinking about himself or herself, so a stern problem. Use terms that are most Unfortunately, alcohol abuse problem. Like all people with a lecture from you will probably important to your relative: for among older people is not that drinking problem, older people just make matters worse. Choose example: how the person’s drink- easy to diagnose. Many of the will get help when they are ready. your words carefully. Express your ing affects other members of the symptoms are the same or simi- interest in helping by saying, “I’m family or the health implications r Consider an intervention. lar to those associated with aging: concerned about you.” of drinking or what other people This involves a face-to-face meet- tiredness, loss of appetite, forget- might be saying. ing during which caring family fulness, losing things, frequent r Express some hope. Give your members, friends and profession- r falls, depression, dementia and older relative or friend the message Use less threatening terms. als state their concerns and offer a incontinence. And adult children that treatment can and will work Don’t label people. Talk to your plan for treatment such as going to who did not see a drinking prob- AA, checking into a hospital detox lem with a parent when they were unit, or entering a substance abuse growing up are less likely to recog- ‘As we age, we become cheaper drunks’ treatment facility. Counselors at nize one now. o says Dr. Rosanne Leipzig in her newsletter “Focus on Healthy Aging.” In other your local Council on Alcoholism For some older people, isola- words, as we get older, the concentration of alcohol in the blood when we drink a and Drug Dependence can help tion is a symptom. For others, S certain amount is greater than when we were younger, and our brains are more sensi- you plan an intervention. the reverse is more likely the case. tive to it. As a result, our coordination and attention may be affected. Drinking cocktails with friends is r Visit www.nia.nih.gov. It’s the an encouraged form of socializing For people 65 and older, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse recommends no more website of the National Institute at many retirement communities. than one drink a day: 12 ounces of beer, 1.5 ounces of hard liquor, or 5 ounces of on Aging. Type the words “alco- But even after a drinking prob- wine, sherry or an aperitif. Even less is better, says Dr. Judith Neugroschl, a neurolo- hol abuse” into the search window. gist. “I’ve found that elderly individuals who complain about their memory and drink lem is acknowledged, many fami- You’ll find a wide range of re- consistently do better when stopping or significantly decreasing their consumption.” u lies just don’t want to confront sources to help older people with a drinking problem. u

4 WFL November 2010 w www.workandfamilylife.com parenting G etting young kids ready for Kids’ sleepovers are good for parents too a sleepover By Marcia Y. Cantarella, Ph.D. ost children are not Mready for a sleepover know my son’s close friends at a friend’s house until they because they’ve slept over at are 6, 7 or even 8 years old. our house many times. We Sleeping over at grandparents’ enjoyed that special familiar- or the home of close family ityI that comes from seeing sleepy friends is good practice. faces around the breakfast table on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Here are some do’s and don’ts Some of my son’s friends are part that may be helpful: of our extended family—as he is Do not expect your child to of theirs, even now that they are sleep at someone else’s house grown. unless he or she has been Here are some of the benefits there before, knows the adults of sleepovers. and feels comfortable around them. u Parents can learn a lot about their children’s friends. Like who Birthday party sleepovers need more planning—and lots of popcorn. Listen closely to your child’s eat like a horse, who hates veg- concerns, and help him or her treat for older kids especially is get- parents are on the same page in etables, who is chatty, who is well- come up with a concrete plan ting together with buddies, presum- terms of what you allow your child mannered, who is a follower and for dealing with them—for ably to stay awake half the night— to see and use. who’s a leader. Often we find out example, a mid-evening talking, eating, watching TV and l If a sleepover was a favor to that our own first impressions of a check-in. making a mess of the bedroom. At you, be sure to call or email your child were wrong. Do not communicate your own our house, we were willing to close thanks to the other parents for giv- u anxiety by saying things like, Other parents get to know our the bedroom door on kids and let ing you a free evening and consider “Don’t be scared. You’ll be children. It was a source of great them make a mess. But we popped sending them a small gift too. all right.” joy to me that my son was wel- in from time to time through the comed at his friends’ homes. And evening—and the children knew Sleepover tips and cautions Don’t assume that a child’s why not? He was sweet, talkative that the room had to be back in or- u Ask about allergies. Find out if worries are simply about and always offered to help. Being der by the next afternoon. a child is allergic to foods, feather being away from home. One a guest sometimes brings out the We found that one-on-one pillows, pets or anything else. Have 8-year-old invited to a slumber best in our children. sleep-overs with a good friend emergency numbers and instruc- birthday party was worried worked the best, especially with tions from parents. about “being left out” by the u Sleepovers can help you find younger children. Threesomes other girls. things out about your own child. could be troubling and group u Establish clear groundrules. For a first sleepover, be acces- What kind of friends does he sleepovers for birthday parties and Cover noise, TV, video games, com- sible and be aware that it’s or she feel comfortable with for other special events require much puter use and any other concerns not uncommon for a child to an extended period? Who is not more planning and supervision. you may have. asked to sleep over? Children get call at 11 p.m. and say that he u Stock your refrigerator with or she wants to go home. a chance to show parents their Getting to know choice in friends—a test in your other parents foods you want the children to eat. Don’t force a child to “tough it approving their judgment. Have healthy snacks like popcorn or out.” Just say, “It’s okay. We’ll Sleepovers are also a good way to cut-up veggies on hand. try again next time.” u Kids see how other families get to know the parents of your children’s friends—people you u Remember that you too are on Do support your child’s desire live. This is especially important now, when more and more of our may just have nodded at on Parents display. And even if you’re on your to bring a blanket or stuffed Night at school. best behavior, don’t be surprised at animal to a sleepover. Even friends and neighbors—and our l Don’t leave sleepover arrange- being the brunt of barbs and giggles teenagers do this! children’s classmates—come from cultures with different customs ments to the kids alone. Stay in (One of our son’s friends does a “Ira Sleeps Over” by Bernard from our own. touch with parents to make sure great imitation of my husband.) Weber is a wonderful book the plans are as your child described Go for it. Sleepovers are a great about a little boy who goes to It’s inexpensive fun them and that the parents will be part of growing up. u a neighbor’s house to sleep For busy working parents, a sleep- home and will supervise. without his teddy bear.” l over can also be a way to barter With all the portable online —The author is a Consultant in —M. C. some time and space—and it is media out there, it’s a good idea to Higher Education, Diversity, economical entertainment. The make sure that you and the other Access and College Success.

WFL November 2010 w www.workandfamilylife.com 5 on the job ‘I recognize the face. What is his name ?’

By Anne Baber and a nice name. Sounds optimistic.” Separate and articulate. Pause in real estate in Kansas City who’s Lynee Waymond Just don’t try to be funny or say between your first and last names. a Mann.” emembering people’s names something too obvious. “I’m Bob. Bob (pause) Shafer.” More tips to try is something that’s expect- Now it’s time to Make your name memorable. Keep using the person’s name. ed of us constantly at the teach your name Say something to help the other As the conversation moves along, workplace. Why is it so dif- Notice we haven’t said anything person remember your name. say the other person’s name from ficultR to do? Spelling can help—we learn best yet about helping people remem- time to time (but not in overbear- For starters, we don’t try very ber your name? You can do three when we can see letters in our ing or obnoxious way). “Are you hard. Someone sticks out a hand simple things to make it easier. mind’s eye. Of course, it depends a new member, Fred?” and says, “Hi, I’m Jennifer Alls- on your name. Nancy Mann likes good.” The other person shakes Give ‘em a double dip. Say your to say, for example. “It’s Mann Look for a personal connection. “My college roommate’s name her hand and responds, “Bob first name twice. “Hi, I’m Bob. with two n’s. I’m the only woman was Adam.” Or “Nice to meet Shafer. Nice to meet you.” The Bob...Shafer.” you, Harriet. Did I hear your name exchange takes less than name mentioned as one of the five seconds—it’s no wonder new board members?” Or “I we don’t remember. We need think our kids may go to the to slow down a bit and linger a same school.” little longer over the name exchange. Here’s how. Say it again as you leave. Repeating the name one more Avoid a head-on time before you part will help name collision to reinforce your learning. When someone says his or her “Good to meet you, Rhoda.” name, do not immediately reply with your own. Focus Don’t make assumptions. initially on learning the other Previous generations of im- person’s name. You can ac- migrants tended to Anglicize complish this by doing three their names. The actress Anne simple things. Try them and Bancroft, born in the Bronx, they will help, even if they feel was Anna Maria Louisa Ital- a little awkward at first. iano. The German-born piano maker changed his name Repeat the first name. “Nice from Steinweg to Steinway. to meet you, Jennifer.” Then But this practice has declined. hang on to it long enough to Do not assume that someone introduce Jennifer to one other with a foreign-sounding name Name exchanges happen so quickly, no wonder we forget. person at the event. Focus on re- was not a native-born American. membering the first name only, When Ying Chie introduces her- using the “divide and conquer” Next time you have a memory lapse, try this self, she’s often asked: “Where are principle. you from?” She replies, with some e’ve all met a lot of people, so it’s easy to forget names. But don’t give Ask for the last name again or irritation, “San Francisco.” yourself a pass with the disclaimer: “I’m so bad with names.” Try these confirm it. You might say, for W options instead: If you’re the newbie in a group, example: “And your last name you can’t always control the is...?” or “Tell me your last name Walk up to the person, stick out your hand and say your name. You’re banking on name-exchange experience. If you again” or “And your last name is ritual. The other person will most likely do the same. are quickly introduced to a new Allsgood?” When people say their If you can remember where the two of you met or something you talked about, group of people, just smile and last name separately, they tend to refer to it. That way, you are acknowledging that your prior meeting was memo- say hello. Then go back to each speak it more clearly—instead of rable. “I remember we talked about the seminar you attended. I’m Todd Watson.” individual and introduce yourself running first and last names to- Since you have offered your name, the other person will usually follow your cue. one-on-one, using the new sys- gether as they so often do. Ask for help. Look around for a friend. “Jerry, I know I’ve met the man over there tem. u Ask a question or comment on with the red tie. Remind me of his name.” —Adapted from the authors’ book the person’s name. For example: Don’t Sweat it. Often, a person’s name will occur to you as the conversation goes “Making Your Contacts Count,” “Do you like to be called Jenny along. u 2nd ed. (Amacom). Used with or Jennifer?” Or “Allsgood. What permission. All rights reserved.

6 WFL November 2010 w www.workandfamilylife.com A HEALthy YOU 8 easy tips for reducing salt Will the real whole grains please stand up? in your diet reakfast cereals have come a long way since the Fiber content. Look for at least 3 grams of fiber per 100 D on’t sprinkle salt into days of “snap, crackle and pop.” The Cereal calories. It should be the “intact” fiber you get from the water you use to 1 Project, a database at www.mrbreakfast.com, whole grains, not a slew of “isolated” ingredients food cook pasta, rice, hot cereals lists more than 1,220 products. And, as we all companies count as fiber such as inulin. and vegetables. At the table, Bknow from TV commercials and a walk through our taste your food before you supermarket, cereals are a large and heavily marketed Fat and sugar content. Aim for no more than 1 gram add salt. sector of the U.S. food industry. of saturated fat per serving and Flavor foods with fresh The cereal business is complicated no artificial sweetener. And if 2and dried blends of herbs too, according to the book you see the words “cook- and spices rather than salt. Cerealizing America by Scott ies,” “honey,” “frost- These blends can be found in Bruce and Bill Crawford. ed,” “marshmallows” most grocery stores. The authors show how, over or “sweetened” on the the years, breakfast cereals package, chances are Eat fresh vegetables it’s loaded with sugar. whenever you can. If evolved from “health foods” 3 to not so healthy. The practi- Dried fruit also adds you use frozen or canned sugar. vegetables, make sure they cal challenge these days is to don’t have any added salt. get past the hype and figure out which products are Here are some more suggestions from CSPI: truly whole grain, high in fiber, and low in sugar and W hen you use canned fat. Keep it simple. Cereal spinoffs tend to be “junkier” 4tuna, rinse it to remove The Center for Science in the Public Interest versions of the originals. Beware especially of the “3 C’s: some of the salt. Use fresh (CSPI) says it’s important to check the ingredients in crisps, crunches and clusters.” Choose a cereal without rather than canned or cereals and to look especially for the following: a lot of extra ingredients. For example: bran flakes, rai- processed poultry, fish and sin bran, all bran, Cheerios and shredded wheat. If you lean meat. W hole grains. Read product labels. Whole grain or like fruit with your cereal, add it yourself. bran should be listed first. Ignore claims like “made W hen you buy prepared with whole wheat,” “whole grain guarantees” or “mul- Don’t be swayed by packaging. Claims on labels that foods, look for low-sodium 5 tigrain.” Be aware that rolled oats and oat flakes are a particular cereal will “balance,” “purify,” “strengthen,” options containing less than 5 whole grain but may not always say so. And it’s OK to is “heart-healthy,” provides “energy” or has “antioxi- percent of the Recommended count bran (wheat, corn or oat) because, even refined, dants” have very little meaning. Your best bet is to check Daily Value (RDV) of sodium. it keeps much of the good stuff. Soy, flax and sesame u Avoid high-sodium foods that your favorite cereal to make sure it measures up. seeds may be good for you but are not grains. contain 20 percent or more of the RDV of sodium. S nack on fruits and H ealthy foods for heart and mind 6vegetables. Steer clear of the chips and pretzels. Or try he Mediterranean diet has long been recognized as good T o make your diet healthy for both heart and mind, include the follow- a handful of salt-free nuts or Tfor your heart. Now, researchers are saying it’s good for ing foods as often as possible: a cup of plain popcorn. your brain too (see Front Page Feature). And while there’s no Fatty fish such as salmon (omega-3 fatty acids) W hen you eat in a “official” Mediterranean diet, it refers to a diet that is high in Oranges, strawberries, red peppers, tomatoes (vitamin C) 7restaurant, order your fish, fruits, legumes, nuts, vegetables and grains and low in salad with oil and vinegar on red meats, dairy products, saturated fats and sweets. Canola oil, olive oil, nuts (vitamin E) the side. Broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes (beta Processed seasonings such carotene) 8as soy sauce, Worcester- Blackberries, blueberries, cranberries (anthocyanin shire sauce, steak sauce and antioxidants) bouillon cubes are loaded Dried beans, fruits, vegetables, whole grains (antioxidants plus with sodium. Avoid prepared complex carbohydrates for energy) salad dressings, deli meats, canned or dried soups, sauces Bananas, chick peas, fortified cereals, organ meats, spinach and snack items. Go easy (vitamin B6) on the condiments such as Fortified cereals, whole-grain bread, leafy green vegetables ketchup, mustard, pickles and (folate) olives. u Eggs, fish, lean meat and skinless poultry (vitamin B12 and —Adapted from the niacin). u Harvard Health Letter —Adapted from Mind, Mood & Memory

WFL November 2010 w www.workandfamilylife.com 7 We recommend Helping kids overcome learning problems es, children who seem aca- tions: for example, how they de- identifying the building blocks ties, explaining their origins, of- demically bewildered or code what they hear, see, smell or that lead to following directions fering hope and supplying con- whose curiosity seems to touch. The trunk of the tree repre- and understanding science, his- crete solutions so that every child have shut down can awaken sents thinking skills and how they tory and social studies, he found can flourish in school and in life. theirY early joy and excitement, apply to academic subjects—and new methods for helping children Dr. Greenspan died shortly says Dr. Stanley Greenspan, re- also to kids’ friendships and fam- with learning difficulties. after finishing his work on this nowned professor of psychiatry ily relationships. The There’s practi- book. His coauthors were his and pediatrics and author whose branches represent cal advice about wife, Nancy Thorndike Green- work is familiar to a whole gen- the essential skills of children from in- span, who collaborated with him eration of parents. reading, mathemat- fancy through high on four previous books, and Dr. His research into the stages ics, speaking, writing school. Parents and Richard Lodish, Associate Head- through which infants, young and organizing. teachers especially master of the Sidwell Friends children and older children learn In The Learning will welcome the School. to think and problem-solve led Tree, Dr. Greenspan sections on find- The Learning Tree: Overcom- him to use the metaphor of a provides an overview ing and solving ing Learning Disabilities From learning tree to describe how kids of the learning prob- learning problems the Ground Up (DeCapo Press/ learn. The roots of the tree repre- lems children face early. The Learning Lifelong Books, hardcover, $26) sent the different ways kids take in their early years Tree covers myriad is available in bookstores and on- in information and plan their ac- and beyond. By learning difficul- line. u

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