HealthyWeek

Would you want your kid running on a treadmill to stay fit? More importantly, would your kid be interested in running in one place? One toy manufacturer says yes to both questions and has developed a couple of new fitness products designed with little ones in mind -- Fitness Fun's My Treadmil l and Glide-a-Stride . But the exercise machines are causing quite a stir, according to Boston.com . On one hand, something has to be done to combat childhood obesity and inactivity. On the other? Dr. David Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life Clinic at Children's Hospital Boston, says, "We have to remember that children are not just little adults. Kids' bodies and their minds are not designed to spend 20 minutes on a treadmill. [This] reflects, I think, a misguided mentality, where we're trying to make physical activity for children a commodity rather than a natural integrated part of their lives." (You can read more of the debate here .) A few decades ago, ki...

Some people might think we're a little nutty about our kids' early bedtime. I mean, we can be flexible. This summer, our boys enjoyed many a late night since they could sleep late in the morning. But mostly, and definitely when school is in session, Joey and Danny head for bed around 8 PM. That gives them 10.5 hours of sleep before we start the day with a rousing wake-up call. Research says we're not so nutty after all, because getting too little sleep or not spending enough time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is associated with overweight tendencies among children and teens. Compared to normal-weight children, one study found that overweight kids slept about 22 minutes less per night and had lower sleep efficiency, shorter REM sleep, less eye activity during REM sleep, and a longer wait before the first REM period. One hour less of total sleep was associated with a twofold increased risk of being overweight. One hour less of REM sleep was associated with a threefold inc...

Gold medal phenomenon Michael Phelps never stumbled at the 2008 Olympic Games, but what was he thinking when he signed the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes sponsorship agreement ? A cereal high in sugar, low in fiber, made with mostly refined grains. One of the last meals I'd feed my kids for breakfast. At least the deal also includes Kellogg's Corn Flakes, a better option. We've never bought a box of the Tiger's frosted cereal. Significantly lower in sugar, Cheerios and Rice Krispies are my kids' favorites. I've taught my eldest to consider 'grams of sugar per serving' as he peruses the toy-filled cereal aisle. "No, honey" isn't sliding off my lips so often in Aisle 2 - Cereal anymore. As a parent trying to teach my children solid nutritional habits, I'd rather see Phelps' inspirational butterfly stroke from the back of a box of Cheerios. At this point, maybe Phelps can scratch out Kellogg's Frosted Flakes on the contract and writ...

It's summertime. We all want to be outside as much as we can, because before you know it, the days will be short and the ground will be covered with snow. While getting about 20 minutes of sun each day is important for our vitamin D levels, too much sun can lead to painful burns and risks of skin cancer. One simple -- and fashionable -- way to protect yourself is by wearing a hat. Healthy Hats is a great place to start shopping for the perfect sun protection. Besides offering lifeguard hats and adventurer hats (think safari), they've got sun smart tips to help you enjoy the sun safely.

The debate over whether energy drinks have health implications usually centers around heart-related issues. But, a new study published in the journal General Dentistry reveals yet another compelling reason for oral argument. Citing the General Dentistry study, Women's Health reports that drinks like Red Bull and Amp have the same acidic effect on our teeth as sodas. The article states that these power-up drinks restrict our saliva's natural ability to neutralize acids-which thereby allows this acid to take up temporary residence in our mouths, where it is then able to penetrate our gums. To fight back against these tooth-tarnishing energy drink villains, the folks at Women's Health suggest using straws (aim your drink toward the back of the mouth), rinsing with water to dilute acids, and not brushing your pearlies for 30 minutes after downing energy drinks, for the scrubbing can remove enamel ­weakened by acidity.

Does your child have a sandbox? If so, do you worry much about what's in it? You know, aside from making sure the cat didn't use it for a litterbox, of course. Even if there's only sand in there, you might want to look into what kind of sand it is. According to a recent post at Green Daily , many sandboxes are filled with quarried quartz rocks and contains silica, all of which can give off dangerous dust. The State of California even requires a label on any sand that contains crystalline silica because it can cause lung problems. There are sources for safe sand, however, like the cleverly titled Safe Sand Company. Their feldspathic sand is safety approved by ASTM (USA), Corporate and Consumer Affairs Canada and EN-71 (Europe), and is supposed to be great for building sandcastles.

Summertime, and the livin' is easy... the kids are home, and the snackin' is high.... I know in my house, all of the outdoor activity promotes an insatiable hunger in my skinny three-year-old, and I want him to get the fuel he needs so he can enjoy riding his bike and playing in the sprinkler. Junk foods just aren't going to cut it. CBS News shares some healthy and fun snack ideas as seen on the Today Show. Frozen orange pops, turkey sliders, and peanut butter banana bites are just a sampling of the recipes you'll find. I like the idea of serving mini meals as snacks, since most kids are too busy to eat a complete meal much of the time. I know my little guy won't sit still for a well-rounded dinner! This sneaky snack trick ensures that your kids will get the nutrition they need by the end of the day. One criticism I have of the presented snacks, though, is that most of them take some prep time, so they aren't going to be snacks served by you every day. Some easi...

Trivial Pursuit Question: What's the most important meal of the day for athletes? If you answered 'breakfast,' then off to your nutrition tutor, you just flunked. According to Dr. Jose Antonio , the most important 'meal' of the day is what you consume before, during, and after exercise! Dr. Antonio gave a seminar to a packed house at the National Strength and Conditioning Association Conference at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas this week. He showed proof that if you consume a combination of protein and carbohydrate during the pre-, during, and post-workout period, you'll put on lean body mass better and lose body fat. Breakfast doesn't do that my friend. Dr. Antonio calls this the science of nutrient timing. So when you re-take that quiz, make sure you answer Before, During, and After exercise! Then you get to go to the head of the class To learn more about Nutrient Timing click here .

Joey took his first stab at indoor rock climbing the other day. He's seven. I tried the same feat when I was, oh, twenty-something, and I came barreling down from great heights (there was a rope involved, don't worry) as tears spilled from my eyes. It wasn't fear that started my water works. It was physical exhaustion and frustration. I kept trying to use my arms to pull me up, you see, unaware at the time that my legs harnessed the power to propel me upward. Joey figured this out in no time. I'm the slow one. I told Joey as he tackled the wall that he's stronger than me. "You're just saying that so I won't quit," he said. He's also smarter than me. He can detect psychological maneuvering in a second. Really, Joey is stronger than me. I'm not so weak now, at the advanced age of 38, but it took me quite some time to believe I possess the physical know-how to master major challenges -- like ropes courses, whitewater rafting, snow-skiing, para...

Breakfast is arguably the single-most important meal of the day. There exists voluminous research on the role breakfast plays on weight loss , maintaining healthy blood sugars , and even keeping cholesterol in check . But this very healthy meal can turn quite unhealthy if the wrong foods end up on your plate. Citing researchers from the World Cancer Research Fund, Men's Health reports that eating as few as one sausage or three pieces of bacon per day is enough to raise your risk of bowel cancer by as much as 20 percent. Evidently, the same risk also applies for ham, pastrami, or most other processed meats. On the flip side, there are foods you can add to your breakfast that can reduce your chances of this type of cancer. Mushrooms, soy meat, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and other dark leafy vegetables can cut the risk of bowel cancer by 40 percent.