By Denise Mann

Dec. 12, 2011 — When and why children blink may provide researchers some important clues about how children with autism process and take in information.

Although it may not feel like it, blinking interrupts what we are watching. If a story or scene is engrossing, we can keep our eyes peeled. This is called blink inhibition. There are key differences between toddlers with and without autism spectrum disorder and when they blink their eyes.

The new finding appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The CDC states that one in 110 children in the U.S. has an autism spectrum disorder. This is a range of developmental disorders that affect the ability to communicate and relate to others.

In the new study, 2-year-olds with or without autism watched a video of a boy and girl playing. The video included physical movements as well as children interacting with each other. For the typical children, the rate of blinking decreased more when watching the emotional part than during physical movements. This pattern was reversed among children with autism.

Blinking Patterns Shed Light on Autism

“When we blink and when we don’t can actually index how engaged people are with what we’re looking at, and how important they perceive that thing to be,” says Warren Jones, PhD. He is the director of research at the Marcus Autism Center at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Children without autism seem to be able to anticipate what is coming next based on facial expressions and wordplay. This is not the case among children with autism. “Without understanding the social context in which actions happen, children with autism may often be reacting, after the fact, to physical events that have already happened,” Jones says in an email.

The findings give “researchers a new tool for trying to understand how children with autism look at, engage with, and learn from what they see,” he says. “This might give us more information about cues that are distracting to children with autism, and it might also give us information about cues that are naturally engaging to [these] children.”

Study Findings May Help Diagnose, Treat Autism

Autism experts are excited about the implications of the study.

“This is a very well-done study that demonstrates the unique patterns of social attention in autism,” says Thomas Frazier II, PhD. He is the director of research at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital Center for Autism.

“In fact, if replicated, this information may become useful for developing earlier and more objective diagnostic tools,” he says in an email.

Geraldine Dawson, PhD, is the chief science officer for Autism Speaks, an autism advocacy and science group. She says the findings may help researchers develop effective therapies. “This is the first study to my knowledge that has used blinking to assess how engaged a child is with what he or she is viewing,” she says.

“These results suggest that therapy should focus on helping the child to become more emotionally engaged with the social world and to learn that people are important and rewarding,” Dawson says in an email. “The hope is that, as a result of therapy, the young child with autism will show higher levels of attention.”

What’s more, blinking rate could provide a way to measure social engagement, she says. This “could be used in clinical trials that are testing treatments that aim to increase the child’s interest and engagement with the social world.

A healthy body is acquired through a healthy lifestyle. There are a lot to consider when we talk about a healthy lifestyle. The food you eat, the activities you do, the stress or happiness in your life are some of the things to consider when healthy lifestyle is the topic.

First, we look at the food eaten every day. How often do you eat vegetable and fruits? If you answered the question with yes, then you are good. If your answer is once a week or barely once every two weeks, then we have a problem here. Fruits and vegetables consumption is healthy. But consuming fruits alone or vegetable alone is not healthy. Remember the food pyramid; your meal should contain a part of carbohydrate, protein, calcium and many other minerals. A healthy lifestyle means eating healthy foods. Overeating, skipping a meal or even eating incomplete meal are examples of eating habits which should not be maintained.

Second, we go over about activities you do every day. Are you the office buddy who takes the stairs instead of the elevator every morning and in the afternoon? Or are you the person who relies mostly on walking when going somewhere? Walking is a form of a light exercise. Light; yet very effective in helping the body burn excess and unwanted fats. Sparing at least thirty minutes of your time each day to dedicate into a simple physical activity will gain you a healthy body. Refrain from activities like sitting all day long just watching television or just staring on the computer for long hours. Move, move and move out your fat deposition instantly! Sometimes, laziness should be altered in order to live a healthy lifestyle.

Third, we will talk about how we live our life. Yes, it is true that life is full of stress. Stress is everywhere. Work, home chores, budget, assignment, or even love life can be stressful but if properly managed, then stress is worked out, and then you will surely be fine. When a person is stressed the tendency is he smokes, drinks alcoholic beverages or simple depressed. The best way to combat stress is to free your mind from the problem you are facing by doing something which you love to do. If you love to climb a mountain, then do so. An outlet to pour in your stress to be converted into energy is very important. It is to be remembered that stress is only fought best by another stress. Find for ways for you to relieve stress and then you will be fine.

Lastly, keep track of your health by consulting a physician regularly. Regular check-ups will tell you if you are still healthy or something is wrong with you. Regular routine tests should be done to make sure that the body is still working efficiently and effectively. Checkups will save you money because diseases are being diagnosed earlier and prevention and treatment are done earlier before the disease gets complicated. Healthy living means that your heart, liver, lungs and all the other body organs are working hand in hand to support your life.

All those mentioned above can be used as a determination to prove that healthy lifestyle is directly related to the achievement of a healthy body. It is always essential to remember the tips which were mentioned and applying them to your lifestyle will surely mean that your goal of achieving a healthy body will be fulfilled.

Drinking green tea is not an unusual sight in many Asian nations as it is already a part of the ancient culture that transcends to modern times. It is extremely popular and it is comparable to coffee in the sense that people also drink tea as a part of socialization or just plain culinary habit. Because of this, you can even find commercial products made of or containing green tea including bottled drinks, ice cream, yoghurt, and supplements in tablet form.

Green tea originally came from China more than 4000 years ago and is now widely consumed in different countries especially South Korea and Japan. It is made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis. (This should not be confused with black tea which is of a completely different type, though it is very popular as well.) Like the staple drink coffee, green tea also contains caffeine but only in small amounts.

There are lots of types of green tea especially in China and Japan that you can lose track simply by the names. The biggest producer of green tea is China, followed by Japan. It is a rich source of numerous minerals and essential nutrients that are really beneficial for the body. Compared to black tea it has more nutrients and antioxidant content. It also has ample amounts of vitamin C and E as well as zinc, manganese and chromium.

The process of making tea is called steeping. The temperature and length of steeping differ depending on the type of green tea and it is imperative that you get them right as they greatly affect the quality of taste. For instance, if the tea is steeped for too long or has been under temperature that is too high, the resulting taste will be bitter.

Epigallocatechin gallete, an antioxidant that can be found in high concentration in green tea, is found to have the ability to kill cancer cells and prevent some form of cancers. This is something that is being studied further as the potential of green tea as a cure for cancer can be a huge medical advancement if proven.

Green tea is traditionally used for medicinal purposes like healing wounds and alleviating digestive problems. It is also known to increase the rate of metabolism though not enough to result in significant loss of weight.

Lowering levels of blood sugar and cholesterol, while improving the state of cardiovascular system, is also one of its positive effects. Green tea has been tested to inhibit the occurrence of thrombosis or blood clots which is the cause of blood flow disruption. It also reduces the presence of bad cholesterol which is responsible for plaque buildup in the arteries. Such problems in the circulatory system can result to heart attack or stroke.

Because of all these health benefits, green tea is said to bring people, researchers are conducting studies on Japanese and Chinese people, who consume the most amount of green tea, to find a relation between life expectancy and regular intake of green tea.

Including cups of green tea in your everyday diet can certainly yield good effects the body’s general wellbeing. Just don’t treat it like some kind of medication, but rather as a complement for foods that you eat. Though it helps in filling the body with the right nutrients, it still cannot be a substitute for a balanced diet and enough sleep.

ADHD ( Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a disorder that has been affecting lots of children, these days and has hindered them to interact normally with others. Experts more often attributed the disorder to genetic, congenital reasons and the additives in food that are introduced in their earlier life.

If you are a parent of a child with ADHD, adjusting to your kid’s behavior must be very hard. But, have you ever known that diet plays an important role in the mood swings of your child? Studies said that the rise of sugar levels would generally increase these mood swings. This, however, is not true to persons with Type 3 ADHD as this disorder will react with a high carbohydrate-diet. How will you prepare a healthy and balanced diet then to your kid with ADHD? Here are a few things you can do:

1. Choose food groups with a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, especially those that help brain function. Like any other kid, a child with ADHD should be nourished with the right kinds of vitamins for his/her body. However, nutrients like Omega 3, a fatty acid that improves brain health, protein and carbohydrates should be highlighted. Omega 3 can be found in almost all fishes but is highly concentrated in salmon, sardines and herring. Try cooking it with flaxseed oil and garnish it with bright-colored vegetables like carrots. Experiment on homemade dips and sauces. Serving of carbohydrates and protein should be closely monitored. Ask your doctor of possible amounts or servings daily.
2. Go organic. Make sure that you buy fruits and vegetables that are not treated with pesticides and other chemicals. If possible, grow your own vegetables in pots or in a vacant spot in your house. When purchased in the market, fruits and vegetables should be washed properly. Also choose those that are grown within the community as they have a higher likelihood of freshness. Studies found out that artificial food color and preservatives have an adverse effect on kids with ADHD. Juices in tetra packs, express and fast foods are, therefore, strongly discouraged.
3. Try to limit food items with artificial high sugar and fat content. Junk foods with MSG, milk and sugar substitutes that claim to be healthy and organic should never be introduced during snack time. Try keeping these items in safe and less conspicuous food cabinets in the house. Instead, encourage your kid to eat organic whole-wheat grain bread and fruits. Let your kid watch TV programs showing the value of nutritious foods.
4. Never introduce health-threatening substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the house. These substances can tremendously alter a person’s behavior. They can either stimulate or make the person depressed. These rapid changes of behavior are just too much for a kid with ADHD. These instances may even heighten their impulsiveness and hyperactivity.
5. Let your kid have smaller meals in a day. Some kids with ADHD may tend to get tired easily after a very strenuous activity thus they need reinforcement from the food that they eat. It is okay to feed them several times a day as long as the served food is monitored in terms of calorie content. They will surely be happy to eat meals and snacks that improve their mood and rejuvenate them all day long.

Following these ideal suggestions, you will not only have a healthy child in the house, but you will also enjoy each other’s company all day long.

Summerfun is over and it is back to school again

Question: How can we help prevent our children getting runny noses,soar throats and/or the flu this school year?

The Importance of Nutrition for School-Aged Children!

FOOD IS FUEL, but the only the RIGHT FOOD!!! We don’t want our children”running on empty” Our kids need/require “Good Fuel” (nutrients) for their growing bodies and they are HARMED by “bad fuel” (highly processed empty calories) As parents and teachers, we want our children to have a successful school experience. Research shows children who have a healthy diet have better:

Attention spans, Academic success,Athletic success, and Better Self-esteem!!!! than children who don’t. They miss less school, see the doctor less and take fewer over the counter and prescription drugs.

New scientific studies are also linking poor nutrtion to Attention Deficit Order(A.D.D.)

The GOOD NEWS IS that you can make a big difference in your family’s health, by making Healthy Eating a PRIORITY in your household! Lots of fruits and Vegetables,fish, whole grain,fiber, nuts/seeds, low fat dairy,and less sugar!

If you offer kids more fruits and veggies before and during meals they’ll eat more of them.

Less sodas more WATER.

If you, as a parent approach food and food choices in a healthier manner yourself, your children will learn to make better choices too.

As the old saying goes: “Monkey see Monkey do”

The great news is a product called: Juice Plus+ that can make a big difference! Juice Plus+ is 17 fruits and vegetables in capsule form or chewables. The childs JP+ chewable serving contains only 4 grams of sugar! from tapioca syrup and organic cane syrup and 2 grams of fiber.

The JP+ chewables is also 100% vegetarian, the “chewiness” comes from natural fruit pectins,not gelatin as in most other “soft chew” products, and NO artificial flavors or artificial colors.

Here are some statistics what happens after 1 year taking Juice Plus+

	Children	Adults
They’re eating more fruits and veggies in addition to taking JP+	59%	69%
The’re consuming less fast food and drinking fewer soft drinks	71%	72%
The’re drinking more water	67%	79%
They’re more aware of their health in general	86%	88%

Ask me how you can get it for F-R-E-E for your child and/or college student for 3 YEARS!!!!

Here is a great quote by Dr. F.Matt Brown,Jr,.MD:

Juice Plus+ is the only whole food based nutritional product with solid evidence of safety,tolerability, andd efficacy. It functions as a catalyst toward lifestyle modification.