Ideas from Parents April 2011

5 Easy Ways to Go Green (And get your kids involved too)

1. Pre-cycle- Consider the product and it's container before you purchase it. Does it really need that much packaging? Can you reuse the container?
2. Bring Your Own Bag- Make your kids the "bag police", and have them remind you to bring your reusable bag with you when you go to the store.
3. Conserve Water- Have each person use one water glass per day and mark it in some way.  (The author used decorated clothes pins.) Fewer half glasses of water thrown in the sink and fewer dishes to be done.
4. Eat Better- Fresh vegetables generally come with less packaging and are better for you.
5. Turn Off The Lights- Teach your kids about the importance of conserving energy and get them in on the act.

 Parent's Magazine 10 Best Restaurant Chains- Healthy Food and Family Friendly
(I particularly wanted to remember this because whenever we travel I am faced with the dilemma of deciding where to eat. I want something healthy and delicious that also offers something our kids will enjoy too.)

1. Jason's Deli
2. Cosi Cafe
3. Souplantation/ Sweet Tomatoes
4. Red Lobster
5. Chipotle
6. Noodles & Company
7. Red Robin
8. Mimi's Cafe
9. Panera Bread
10. P.F. Chang's China Bistro

The Importance of Straight Teeth

As I may I have mentioned before, I am somewhat of a hoarder. I have stacks of magazines and newspaper articles that are piling up, because at some point I want to refer back to them or there is some recipe that I want to try. I have made a new resolve to sort through these piles, put the useful info on my blog every Thursday and recycle the rest. Today's article, Straight to the point-Why straight teeth are so important was written by Dr. Jacqueline Fulop-Goodling, an orthodontist in New York and published in The Costco Connection in March 2011. I thought it would be a helpful reminder for when I'm paying for braces for Thing 1 and Thing 2. (Given what my teeth and my husband's teeth looked like before braces, there is no if involved here. Our kids don't stand a chance.)

• Well-aligned teeth are the mark of a healthy mouth
• Straight teeth make it easier to brush and floss efficiently, as well as improve speech and digestion
• Straight teeth trap fewer particles, leading to fewer areas of tooth and gum decay
• People who chew longer and eat slower, digest their food better and tend to be slimmer.
   Straight teeth help in this process.
• Managing periodontal disease reduces the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

And this one is from my own personal experience, before I had braces I had frequent migraines. After braces I stopped getting them. I think my migraines were caused from the pressure of very crooked teeth. Even now if I go several months without wearing my retainer, I start getting them again as my teeth slip out of place.