Tips for Sleepy Teens

Let's face it - teenagers stay up until the crack of dawn and sleep until noon every day, right? OK, so maybe we're exaggerating slightly, but there's a case to be made. A recent survey by the National Sleep Foundation found only 20 percent of teens got the recommended nine hours of sleep a night.

Furthermore, more than a quarter of the teens surveyed (28 percent) reported falling asleep in class and more than half (51 percent) reported driving while drowsy. Lack of sleep also affected academic performance: Teens who didn't get enough sleep were more likely than their peers to get lower grades, while 80 percent of those who got an optimal amount of sleep reported achieving A's and B's in school.

So, how do you help your sleepyheaded adolescent prepare for the added stress of college, particularly if you won't be around to serve as their alarm clock? Here are some tips, courtesy of US News & World Report, to help your college-bound kid get adequate sleep:

Be consistent.
Tempting as it might be to sleep in on weekends, try and keep to as regular a schedule as possible. Sleep researchers suggest a bedtime of somewhere between 11 pm and midnight, but if you find yourself getting up later once college begins, try and keep to that schedule.

Become a morning person.
Painful as it might be, one of the best ways to retrain your body to a better sleep schedule is to be more alert earlier in the day. Starting at least three weeks before the school year begins, wake yourself up progressively earlier several days in a row and get out in the sun. The sunlight helps your internal body clock reset itself to your new schedule.

Schedule classes carefully.
If you are naturally a night owl, don't schedule an 8 a.m. class three days a week. Just because you had to be up that early in high school doesn't mean you have to do so in college.

Compensate.
If being a morning person is just out of the question, but you get stuck with that 8 a.m. physics class, try and shift your schedule to study in the afternoons. But don't pull an all-nighter of
studying - you'll just be even more exhausted in class the next day.

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The Whole Grain and Nothing But...

Wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley and other cereal grains start off as whole grains - but far too often, by the time they reach the supermarket shelves as ingredients in various foods, most grains have been refined to the point most of their health value is lost. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel; examples include whole-wheat flour, oatmeal and brown rice. Refined grains have a finer texture and a longer shelf life, which makes them more appealing to manufacturers and stores, but the dietary fiber, iron and many of the B vitamins have been removed. Examples of refined grain products include white flour and white rice. Many manufacturers then "enrich" the grains by adding back certain B vitamins and iron after processing - but it's just not the same, health-wise, as keeping the whole grain intact. The amount of grains you need to eat each day depends on a number of variables including age, gender and level of physical activity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says most Americans consume adequate grains - but not whole grains. The USDA recommends at least half of the grains you consume daily should take the form of whole grains. The USDA offers the following tips on how to incorporate more whole grains into your daily diet. For information on the health benefits of whole grains and other foods, visit www.mypyramid.gov.

1. Substitute whole-grain products for refined products. This is as easy as eating whole-wheat bread or brown rice instead of white bread or white rice.

2. Use whole grains in mixed dishes such as soup and casseroles, or make spaghetti with whole-wheat pasta.

3. Use whole-grain bread or cracker crumbs in meatloaf or on dishes that require breading (eggplant Parmesan, baked chicken or fish).

4. Substitute whole-wheat or oat flour for up to half of the flour in pancake, waffle or muffin recipes.

5. Snack on whole-grain cereals or popcorn (with little or no added salt or butter) rather than potato chips.

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Teach Your Children About Heart Health

It's hard to turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper these days without hearing about the epidemic that is childhood obesity. Let's face it, the statistics are grim: According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the rate of obesity among children ages 6 to 11 has more than doubled in the past 25 years, from 6.5 percent in 1980, to 17 percent in 2006. And the obesity rate among adolescents ages 12 to 19 has more than tripled, increasing from 5 percent to 17.6 percent.

In light of these sobering statistics, it might be tempting to have the family doctor prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins. After all, pharmaceutical companies go to considerable lengths to promote cholesterol-lowering drugs to doctors and the public. However, except for a very few children who are genetically predisposed toward high cholesterol, drugs are not the answer. Instead, it comes down to changes in lifestyle, according to Jennifer Li, a pediatric cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center.

Here are some of Dr. Li's suggestions to help your kids improve their heart health and avoid the perils of high cholesterol:

Exercise as a family. Kids need motivation to exercise and who better than mom or dad to show them the way? Dust off those sneakers and start playing catch, kicking a soccer ball or just taking the dog for a brisk walk or run.

Shop and cook healthy. Say goodbye to junk food and sweetened beverages (including sports drinks). Instead, incorporate more fruits and veggies into the family diet, along with whole grains and lean sources of protein, such as chicken and fish.

Don't eat on the run. Limit your drive-though meals and don't let your kids grab and go, either. Try to eat meals at home as a family whenever possible. Offer fruits, vegetables and other healthy snacks to beat those midday hunger pangs.

Reduce TV time. The average child watches television for a whopping six hours a day. That's six hours doing nothing except staring at the screen - and probably eating unhealthy snacks. Television and video games should be a reward for eating right and exercising, not a daily ritual.

Know your numbers. Get the whole family's blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels tested periodically. If there's a problem, catch it before it becomes a bigger one. Abnormal lab tests also help establish attainable goals for everyone.

Get organized. If your child already is overweight or obese, consider getting them into a formal weight-management program. Nutritional counseling and supervised exercise sessions can give a child the support and motivation they need to lose weight.

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Make No Bones About It

Vitamin D, otherwise known as the "sunshine vitamin," serves many functions including helping boost the immune system, fight certain kinds of cancer and build healthy, strong bones. Bone strength and density are important considerations as people age, particularly those at risk for or suffering from osteoporosis, a condition that causes abnormally thin, brittle bones.

What about the estimated 10 million-plus people already suffering from osteoporosis? Can they derive any benefit from increasing their vitamin D intake? Yes, suggests research presented at the recent American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 17th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress.

Researchers evaluated charts of 328 patients with osteoporosis to determine their vitamin D levels. They found those levels to be woefully inadequate - almost 41 percent of patients had either deficient or insufficient vitamin D levels. Even more alarming was that patients were taking 800 IU of vitamin D and 1,200 IU calcium per day (well above the recommended daily allowance).

Despite vitamin D and calcium intake, these patients still were at extreme risk of fractures associated with osteoporosis. The researchers said: "Many patients with osteoporosis who were on vitamin D and calcium had low vitamin D levels, which in turn contributes to increased risk of fractures. Therefore, all patients with osteoporosis should have vitamin D levels measured, and replaced adequately."

So make no bones about it - vitamin D is an important part of your daily health regimen, whether or not you have osteoporosis. Ask your doctor for more information about how a balanced diet and proper supplementation can deliver the nutrition your body needs.

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Foods to Fight Inflammation

The new view of inflammation, developed over the past 10 years, is that it is a generalized state within the circulatory and immune system perpetuated by poor diet. The outcome of this is the dietary promotion of arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and most other chronic diseases. We should call this "dietary trauma," as it leads to the development of biochemical changes similar to physical injury. The difference is that, for most people, dietary trauma occurs every time they eat, three or more times each day, every day.

In most cases the outcome of dietary trauma is not noticed for years. It takes years to develop arthritis and other chronic diseases, so we don't usually associate a poor diet with disease expression. This allows us to easily deny such an association between diet, inflammation and disease. Thus, developing an awareness or mindfulness about eating is very important to help influence a behavioral change in our eating habits.

Foods That Promote Inflammation

Refined carbohydrates in the form of sugar, sweeteners and flour produce inflammatory responses, as do refined oils, and obese (fatty) meat. A surprise to many is that even whole grains and legumes (beans) can promote inflammation.

With the above in mind, consider that the average American consumes about 10 percent of calories from dairy products, 20 percent from refined sugar, 20 percent from refined grains, 20 percent from refined oils and 2 percent from alcohol. The biggest problems clearly are the sugar, grains and oils. Approximately another 20 percent of calories come from obese meat, which is the fatty meat from domestic animals that live a sedentary life in feedlots where they are fed a tonnage of grains/corn instead of grass/pasture. The remaining 10 percent of calories might be fruits and vegetables.

Foods That Prevent Inflammation

A reasonable recommendation is for 80 percent to 100 percent of our calories to come from vegetables, fruit, raw nuts, potatoes, and either lean or omega-3 protein sources including fish, lean meat, skinless chicken, wild game, grass-fed animals and omega-3 eggs. Spices such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, oregano, and the other popular spices are all anti-inflammatory. The best oils/fats to use in moderation are extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil and butter.

Our focus should be on correcting the 80 percent of calories that come from sugar, refined grains, oils and obese meat. Worrying about yogurt, the occasional bran muffin, a cup of coffee, etc., has little influence compared to the tsunami of inflammation created by the 80 percent of calories derived from inflammatory foods. Another key to reducing dietary trauma and inflammation is to eat appropriate amounts for your body. In general, overeating leads to an inflammatory response.

If you currently snack on bags of inflammation and regularly do "drive-through self-shootings" at fast-food restaurants, you likely will view a life of eating anti-inflammatory foods as somewhat extreme. In actuality, the anti-inflammatory foods described above are not extreme at all and are completely consistent with our biochemical and physiological needs.

Assuming 85 percent to 90 percent of your calories are anti-inflammatory, have fun with the remaining 10 percent to 15 percent of calories borne of foods from the dark side. Don't become an anti-inflammatory diet extremist and make eating healthy a stressful event.

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Mix and Match: The Do's and Don'ts of Pairing Foods

Certain foods become even healthier when mixed with other certain foods. Conversely, other food pairing may become less healthy and even endanger your health. Follow these simple rules from CNN.com to get the most out of your food choices:

DO mix grilled steak and brussel sprouts: Certain compounds in brussel sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, may help rid the body of carcinogens that can form on meat during high-heat cooking. Nevertheless, charring meat on the barbecue is not the best preparation method. Instead, cook your meat or fish at low temperatures until done.

DO mix avocado and tomato: Tomatoes, which contain the antioxidantlycopene, are a superfood. If you eat some avocado at the same time,you've just made it even more super. The fat in the avocado helps the body absorb seven times more lycopene. Also, add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to your zucchini, spinach and other dark green vegetables to unleash the lutein, an antioxidant that may help protect against age-related macular degeneration.

DO mix spinach and oranges: Although spinach has lots of iron, your body doesn't absorb it well when spinach is eaten alone. Add in some vitamin C and spinach becomes a veggie Popeye would be proud to eat. That's because vitamin C converts the iron in spinach into a form that is more available to the body. This is also true for other foods that are sources of iron, such as broccoli and tofu. It doesn't take a lot of vitamin C - one medium orange will do.

DON'T mix alcohol and energy drinks: Vodka mixed with an energy drink might be popular on the party circuit, but this combo can cause heart palpitations and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, it could contribute to a heart attack or a stroke. Overloading the body with stimulants such as caffeine (which is found in many energy drinks) and alcohol, which is a depressant and a diuretic, puts tremendous stress on the central nervous system and heart.

DON'T mix alcohol and diet soda: You might cut calories but you also might get drunk faster. In a recent study, it took just 21 minutes for half a diet cocktail to leave the stomach and reach the small intestine, where most alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, while the same amount of a non-diet cocktail took 36 minutes.

DON'T mix coffee and breakfast cereal: Most cereals sold in U.S. are fortified with iron. The problem is that polyphenols, an antioxidant in coffee, can hamper the body's ability to absorb iron. Black tea and some herbal teas (including peppermint and chamomile), which also contain polyphenols, also may reduce iron absorption - by as much as 94 percent - and hot cocoa cuts it by 71 percent.

The solution is to have your java before or after your cereal. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a cup of coffee consumed one hour before an iron-rich meal didn't affect absorption. If you choose to get your fix after breakfast, wait at least an hour or more.

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