Health and Wealth from Delicious Chocolate

Hello Santa Barbara residents! Welcome to my children’s health blog, Santa Barbara edition. I came across an interesting article in Children’s Health Magazine that got me thinking about children’s health factors in Santa Barbara.

Have you considered how your CA community influences your child’s health? In a recent study, independent experts compiled statistics on more than 30 factors that are important to a child’s development including: crime and safety, education, economics, housing, education, cultural attractions, and health.¹

Burlington, Vermont came out on top, receiving high marks in all areas of study. Burlington has the fewest fast food restaurants per capita and experts believe this is linked to the low rate of obesity. Clearly, the rate of obesity in Santa Maria and Camarillo is partially due to the ready availability of Big Macs and Whoppers.

While moving to Burlington isn’t necessary for your Santa Barbara child to thrive, ask yourself how your own CA neighborhood ranks. If you think it could improve, attend Santa Barbara city meetings or make changes within your own home.

You could encourage more participation in sports, start a crime-preventing Santa Barbara neighborhood watch group, cook as a family, or seek out Santa Maria museums and Santa Barbara cultural events. Whatever you choose, your children will reap the health benefits of your efforts.

If you want to improve your Santa Barbara child’s nutrition, contact me today to learn about a nutritional supplement packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Tony Longo
Santa Barbara, CA zip code 93101
800.609.5837 xpowerchocolate@gmail.com
Power Squars

¹Jaclyn Colletti, Joel Weber, ‘The 100 Best Places To Raise Kids,’ Children’s Health, Oct. 20, 2009, http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33385798/ns/today-parenting/t/best-places-raise-kids/#.Tnjjb7_H5, accessed on July 6, 2011.

In the past century, the rates of many serious diseases in the United States have significantly declined, in some cases, they have been virtually eradicated.

Many Santa Maria people have never met a person with measles, polio, small pox, rubella, tetanus, or diphtheria; though these diseases killed thousands of CA children in past generations.

One of the main reasons many dangerous communicable childhood diseases have been minimized in our area is due to Santa Barbara children’s immunizations. The increase in immunization use has gone a long way to improve health in our CA communities.

Recently, I have noticed that many Santa Maria parents are questioning the children’s immunization schedule. I came across an informative American Academy of Pediatrics FAQ sheet that addresses most of the common concerns.

The AAP document entitled ‘The Vaccine Schedule, Why Is It Like That?,’ can be downloaded at http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/immunizations.cfm

I certainly learned a lot after reading the FAQ sheet and thought I would tell you about it here in my Santa Maria children’s health blog.

I think it is important for all Santa Maria parents like myself to be reminded of the scientific evidence that supports the use of the immunization schedule.

I am Santa Maria children’s health advocate Tony Longo. Call me at 800.609.5837 to learn about my favorite healthy snack for CA kids.

If your Santa Barbara kids are active on the field, the court, or in your own backyard, chances are you have dealt with many bumps, bruises, and sprains. Prompt medical care can make all the difference when it comes to how quickly an injury heals.

Despite medical advancements, when it comes to a sprain, strain, break, or bruise, the best way to reduce pain and swelling is the same as when you were a kid: apply ice.

For the best DIY ice bag, fill a zip-top bag with ice cubes or crushed ice and a little water. The liquid will help the bag conform to the body and distribute the cold evenly. You can also use the frozen peas trick, which does essentially the same thing.

Don’t apply the bag to bare skin, however. This could cause frostbite or even a burn. Wrap the pack in a thin towel or article of clothing.

Don’t take the ice off too soon. Removing it after just a few minutes, when the skin is cold to the touch, won’t have a lasting effect. Leave ice on the injury until the area goes numb, but not more than 20 minutes. Repeat this once an hour for up to four hours.

Remember to get the ice on as soon as possible. Preventing and reducing inflammation speeds up the healing process. The sooner you get ice on it, the sooner your Santa Barbara child will be back in action.

For more information on children’s health, or to learn about Power Squares, a nutritious snack, contact me today!

Tony Longo, Tony
xocai-mxi.com
800.609.5837
xpowerchocolate@gmail.com

Santa Barbara parents want to make sure that their kids spend time doing things that will help them be healthy and successful. Because of this, juggling the family schedule and prioritizing activities are a major part of parenting in the Santa Maria, Camarillo, and Porter Ranch areas.

With all this competition for your child’s time, you may be surprised to learn of the advantages Santa Barbara kids receive when families make time to eat dinner together.

Studies have shown that kids who have frequent family dinners benefit in the following ways:

Improved grades
Eating healthier meals
Less likely to try cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana
Increase in family communication
Less likely to become overweight or obese

If you want to help establish a more regular dinner time for your family, here are some tips for Santa Barbara families. Start by setting a small goal, like sitting down for dinner twice a week, and then add days on after that. Next, involve the kids by letting them help plan and prepare the meals and set the table. Lastly, always make mealtime a technology-free zone: no TV or phones allowed!

And remember, even if you’re in a rush and have to pick up dinner at a local Santa Maria, Camarillo, or Porter Ranch restaurant, take the time to sit down together to eat. Your family will still enjoy many of these benefits.

My name is Tony Longo and I want to help Santa Barbara families to raise healthy, happy kids. I am the owner of a Santa Barbara area home business that sells Power Squares. If you are interested in learning more, visit my web site at xocai-mxi.com or give me a call at 800.609.5837.

The following online article was used as source material for this blog:
Lerche Davis, Jeanie, “Family Dinners Are Important”, WebMD, http://children.webmd.com/guide/family-dinners-are-important, accessed on Oct. 22, 2011

Anyone in Santa Barbara who transports kids in their car should regularly review the child safety seat regulations. CA and federal laws are periodically updated. Santa Barbara parents who think their six year-old doesn’t need to be in a booster seat may be surprised to learn that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that children stay in a booster seat until their height and weight exceed the manufacturer’s limits.

Complete recommendations can be found at http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS

Here are some quick facts for Santa Barbara parents:

• Keep infants and toddlers rear-facing as long as possible.
• Upgrade child safety seat when child reaches max height and weight for each particular model.
• Most CA Wal-Mart, Target, and Babies-R-Us stores carry safety seats for all ages.
• Santa Barbara children are ALWAYS safer in the back seat and those under twelve should never ride in the front seat.

I am Power Squars distributor Tony Longo. Thanks for visiting my Santa Barbara children’s health site. If you would like information about a terrific nutritional product available in Santa Barbara, call, text, or email me today.

Tony Longo
800.609.5837 xpowerchocolate@gmail.com
Santa Barbara Power Squars

Hello! Welcome to the Santa Barbara children’s health blog. I am Tony Tony Longo. At this site, I publish information on nutrition and health issues that affect Santa Barbara children and families. My goal is to improve the state of children’s health in the Santa Barbara area.

Despite decades of increased awareness in Santa Barbara about the dangers of a distorted body image and extreme dieting, eating disorders are still a serious problem.

A recent American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) study revealed disturbing facts about eating disorders among children.¹ According to the report, 0.5 percent of teenage girls in the country are estimated to have anorexia. The bulimia rate among adolescent girls is estimated at more than double that at 1 to 2 percent. Though anorexia and bulimia are usually thought of as a problem for adolescents, Santa Barbara parents should be aware that even young Santa Barbara children are at risk, as well as males, though the rates are lower.

CA pediatricians can help Santa Barbara parents with children affected by an eating disorder. The AAP recommends a combination approach for the treatment of eating disorders in children. Treatment plans usually include nutritional guidance and psychiatric counseling along with the appropriate medical care.

For information about my Santa Barbara wellness business, call me today!

Tony Longo
Santa Barbara, CA zip code 93101
800.609.5837
xpowerchocolate@gmail.com

¹‘News Highlights,’ American Academy of Pediatrics, November, 22, 2010, http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/november2910studies.htm, accessed on Oct 14, 2011

If your Porter Ranch children are like mine, they love sweets. It seems like it takes a few years for children to appreciate flavors more sophisticated than Hubba Bubba and Fruity Pebbles. If my kids were in charge of the grocery list, we would eat popsicles for breakfast and gummy bears for dinner.

If you are trying to wean your kids (or yourself) off sugar, I suggest you reduce it in phases. Radical changes rarely succeed for Porter Ranch children.

Here are 3 ways to reduce the sugar in your kid’s diets.

1) Drink less soda: they are loaded with sugar and empty calories.
2) Use whole grains: complex carbs provide long-term energy. Brown rice, whole wheat bread, and whole-grain pasta are all readily available at Porter Ranch grocery stores.
3) Substitute natural sweeteners like stevia, honey, and 100% fruit juice. The more subtle sweetness provided by natural sweeteners helps taste buds adjust gradually to less sugar.

Xocai offers many low-glycemic healthy chocolate products that kids love. See http://www.mxicorp.com/ for more information.

Check back here next week for more timely tips on improving your children’s health or call 800.609.5837 today. Here’s to a healthy week!