Kids health: Tips to avoid digital eye strain

We all want our kids to be tech-savvy, but there are risks that come with all that digital screen time: headaches, backaches, blurry vision and poor concentration. These symptoms can affect our children’s learning and productivity, but there are ways to prevent digital eye strain, commonly called computer vision syndrome (CVS).

Kids are wired starting at a young age

With PCs, hand-held video games, smartphones and e-readers at their disposal, kids are spending an exorbitant amount of time in front of digital screens. A 2010 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 7.5 hours a day or more of electronic media time is common among kids eight to 18, up one hour and 17 minutes from five years ago. Because they spend so much of that time “media multitasking” – using more than one medium at a time – they actually pack a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes worth of media content into those 7.5 hours!

Children suffering digital eye strain

VSP Vision Care optometrists report that nearly one-third of their patients suffer from CVS symptoms. The company has launched a webseries to help prevent CVS, including this video:

While digital eye strain is commonly regarded as an adult condition, children are suffering from the side effects of overuse, says Dr. Leanne Liddicoat, a VSP optometrist. “With children spending upwards of 1.5 hours texting day, it’s no wonder their eyes are causing them pain.”

Tips for children’s eye health

Easy steps parents and children can take to prevent digital eye strain.

Get regular eye exams

It’s important that a child has the best vision possible when using digital devices. This starts with an examination by an eye doctor, not just a school screening. Children should have their first eye exam at six months, again at three years, before starting kindergarten and every year after that.

Follow the 20/20/20 rule

To avoid fatigue and digital eye strain symptoms, eye doctors recommend the “20/20/20 rule.” Every 20 minutes, stop and look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

Ensure proper lighting

Poor lighting often causes eye strain. Ease strain by keeping bright lights overhead to a minimum and position a desk lamp to shine on your desk, not at you. Position the computer screen in a way that reduces reflections and glare from windows or overhead lights.

Limit electronic device use

Set time limits on the amount of screen time. Children under two years should have no screen time, and older children should have less than two hours per day. Be aware of how long children are using digital devices and look for digital eye strain symptoms such as squinting, rubbing of the eyes and complaints of back, neck or head pain.

Keep a working distance

The closer the eyes are to the object they’re looking at, the harder the eyes have to work. A good rule is to apply the Harmon Distance (the distance between the elbow and first knuckle) as a guide. If a child is holding video games and digital devices closer than their Harmon Distance, let their eye doctor know.

Go outside

Not only does outdoor play feel good, but research shows that it helps prevent the development of nearsightedness. Just remember to use sunglasses and sunscreen.

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Effects of cocoa on cardiovascular health

For several years, cocoa and chocolate have recommended for their health benefits. Nowadays, epidemiological and clinical reports showed that cocoa and chocolate could protect blood vessels, produce some aphrodisiac and mood-lifting effects.

Report of Brian et al which published on Archives of Internal Medicine in 2006 found that cocoa intake benefits for lowering blood pressure and reduction total cardiovascular mortality. This study followed cocoa intake, blood pressure and total cardiovascular mortality of 470 elderly men during 15 years. Researchers investigated elderly men who consumed highest cocoa (above 2.25 g per day) was reduced 42% risk of cardiovascular mortality compared with other consumed lowest (below 0.5 g per day). Furthermore, they also showed that the cocoa intake and the blood pressure are positive relationship. The systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure of highest cocoa consumption group (above 2.30 g per day) were lower than the lowest cocoa consumption (below 0.36 g per day)

The mechanism was indicated that cocoa is a rich source of flavan-3-ols, which plays important roles in reduction blood pressure and improvement the endothelial function. The procyanidins in cocoa increases endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in endothelial cells, so they improves the flexibility of blood vessels. In addition, cocoa includes antioxidants that protect LDL-cholesterol from oxidation, benefits for hyperlipidaemia patients.

Brian et al, 2006. Cocoa intake, blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality: The Zutphen Elderly Study. Arch Intern Med, 166: 411-417 

Afoak E. Et al, 2008. Cocoa and chocolate consumption-Are there aphrodisiac and other benefits for human health. S Afr J Clin Nutr, 21 (3): 107-113

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Foods That Promote Bone Growth

Your bones consist of a complex network of proteins, such as collagen, and minerals like calcium and phosphorus. Certain key nutrients such as vitamin D play a part in bone health. But a variety of vitamins and minerals in your diet help encourage bone growth, density and development. While you can’t actually grow longer bones once you reach adulthood, eating a well-balanced, whole-food-based diet helps you get the nutrients needed to support bone health and density.

Foods With Major Minerals

Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are the major minerals needed to encourage strong, healthy bones. Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, contain all three of these minerals. You also get dietary calcium from eating broccoli, dark green leafy vegetables, tofu and dried beans. Phosphorus is found in meat, poultry, seafood, nuts, seeds, whole grains, potatoes, corn and peas. Other sources of magnesium include lentils, tofu, peanuts, cashews, almonds, whole grains, beef, chicken and pork.

Trace Mineral Sources

Other minerals are needed in smaller amounts by your body; they encourage bone growth and strong bone collagen production. Zinc, copper and silicon are three of these trace minerals. You get zinc from eating protein-rich foods, such as beef, chicken, seafood, shellfish, beans, peas, nuts, seeds and dairy products. Copper is found in shellfish, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, potatoes, dark green leafy vegetables and prunes. Eating more whole grains and root vegetables helps boost your silicon intake.

Vitamins D and K in Food

Your bone density also relies on vitamin D to help regulate calcium absorption and vitamin K to promote bone protein formation and calcium binding. Eating dairy products, seafood such as salmon, tuna and shrimp, liver and eggs helps you get more vitamin D. Your body can also synthesize vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin K comes from green leafy vegetables, such as chard, kale, collard greens and spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, fish, meat and eggs.

Sources of Vitamins C and B-6

Getting an adequate amount of vitamins C and B-6 also helps promote bone repair and density by encouraging bone collagen formation and triggering bone cell activity. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, melons, strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts and potatoes. You’ll get vitamin B-6 from eating seafood, chicken, beef, pork, eggs, beans, peas, bananas, avocados, watermelon, potatoes and carrots.

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Protect cardiovascular system – new roles of vitamin D and vitamin K

Vitamin D and vitamin K are fatty soluble vitamins that are essential for various physiological functions.

According to report of epidemiological survey of American National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2000-2004, vitamin D insufficiency has been correlated with greater mortality from cardiovascular disease and stroke. They found out subjects whose 25(OH)D3 serum concentration below  20 ng/ml had the higher risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Giovannucci et al (2010) analyzed data on 18.225 men and found that individuals whose 25(OH)D3 serum concentration below 15 ng/ml had the risk of myocardial infarction 2,4 fold higher than those above 30 ng/ml.

Vitamin K was known as an essential factor for activating coagulation protein in blood. In past decade, many basic and clinical studies investigated various physiological functions of vitamin K. Nowadays; scientists proved vitamin K is not only important for preventing hemorrhage but also necessary for inhibiting vascular calcification.

The Rotterdam Study followed 4,807 men and women over 50 years old for 7-10 years. Scientists investigated the high vitamin K2 level intake could reduce risk of mortality cause by coronary heart diseases and coronary heart diseases mortality ratio.

In the past, vitamin D was usually known as an important factor for bone formation and prevention osteoporosis. Vitamin K was reputedly the nutrient that essential for blood clotting. In recent years, both vitamin D and vitamin K have found that are necessary for regulation cardiovascular health.

Parris M.K., 2010. Vitamin D and K as pleiotropic nutrients: clinical importance to the skeletal and cardiovascular systems and preliminary evidence for synergy. Alternative Medicine Review, 15 (3): 199-222

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Top 10 Foods for Clean Arteries

Your diet directly affects your health, including the health of your circulatory system. Over time, a diet high in fat and processed foods elevates your cholesterol levels. High LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, is one cause of atherosclerosis, a hard plaque that builds up in your arteries, narrowing them and impeding proper blood flow. Atherosclerosis increases your risk for developing heart disease and stroke. The good news is that a heart-healthy diet helps clean plaque from your arteries, improves blood flow and keeps your circulatory system working properly. Ask your doctor about Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or the DASH diet, to help improve your circulatory system’s health.

Whole Grains

The American Heart Association recommends at least six servings of whole grains daily. Steel-cut oatmeal, oat bran, barley and rice bran are whole grains containing soluble fiber, which binds to excess LDL cholesterol in your digestive tract and allows it to pass from your body. Whole grains also give you magnesium, which acts to dilate blood vessels, keeping your blood pressure healthy.

Fruits

An apple a day may keep the doctor away. Some fruits also contain soluble fiber to help to clean your arteries. Add four to five servings of apples, pears, bananas, prunes or oranges to your diet for their LDL cholesterol-lowering properties. These fruits also provide potassium, which can lessen the effects of dietary sodium on blood pressure.

Vegetables

Vegetables contain compounds called plant sterols, which work in the same way soluble fiber does to whisk away harmful LDL cholesterol from your body. Enjoy three to five servings per day of a variety of deeply colored vegetables, including sweet potatoes, broccoli and carrots. Vegetables contain potassium, which can counter salt’s ability to raise blood pressure. Dark leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, provide magnesium, which is important for blood pressure regulation.

Legumes

Soluble fiber is also found in legumes, a type of fruit grown in a pod. Have three to four servings of legumes each week. Include lentils, kidney beans, lima beans, chickpeas or soybeans in your diet to meet that requirement and help remove LDL cholesterol from your system.

Fish

Oily fish contain super-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation in your arteries. Inflammation is one of the causative factors of plaque formation in your arteries. Eat two servings of salmon, halibut, mackerel, albacore tuna or lake trout weekly.

Lean Meats

You require 3 ounces to 6 ounces of protein each day. Grill or bake lean meats, such as chicken and ground turkey, to avoid adding unhealthy saturated fats to your meals. Limit your intake of any red meats because they are high in saturated fat, which may contribute to plaque formation.

Low-Fat and Fat-Free Dairy

Select low-fat and fat-free dairy products instead of the full-fat varieties containing saturated fats. Dairy products provide calcium, which helps regulate your blood pressure and keeps your muscles functioning properly. Select skim milk, as well as low-fat and fat-free varieties of yogurt, cottage cheese or cheese, to fulfill the two to three dairy servings you need daily.

Nuts

Almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts count toward your three to four weekly servings of nuts, seeds and legumes recommended by the American Heart Association. Nuts contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which help keep your arteries healthy, as well as magnesium to help prevent plaque formation and keep your blood pressure steady. You only need about a handful at a time because nuts are high in calories.

Oils

Heart-healthy oils also contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which help prevent plaque formation. The healthy oils include olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil and canola oil. Olive oil also boosts your levels of HDL, the good cholesterol, which helps reduce plaque formation in your arteries. Substitute these oils for butter when cooking to get your two to three servings per day.

Beverages

Water is fine, but avoid all juices and processed drinks containing sugar. Black teas and red wine contain flavonoids, phytochemicals which protect your arteries, according to Merck Manuals. Have no more than one glass of red wine per day if you are a woman and two if you are a man.

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The Bad Guys: The Worst Foods and Drinks for Teeth

1) Carbonated Beverages & Other Drinks - Soft drinks are a perennial target of nutrition police, because they add so much sugar to the national diet. The sugar content in a soft drink – as much as a king-sized candy bar – is bad for both body and teeth. But even diet drinks aren’t safe for your teeth! Like their sugar-loaded cousins, artificially sweetened soft drinks contain tooth-damaging acids, such as phosphoric and citric. Even canned iced teas, which normally might be good for teeth, contain flavor-enhancing organic acids that can erode tooth enamel.

2) Not-So-Healthy Vitamins - Even so-called health drinks are brimming with danger for your kids’ teeth. Sports drinks are notoriously full of sugar and acids. And vitamin waters can contain as much sugar as a candy bar. Chewable vitamins – from multivitamins to large chewable vitamin C tablets – are especially bad, because they contain a concentrated acid that tends to cling to and between teeth.

3) Mouth-Drying Consumables – Your kids shouldn’t have to worry about the mouth-drying symptoms of a hangover, but many medications – including common psychiatric treatments – can also leave a dry month that endangers teeth and gums. One must to take extra care to keep the mouth hydrated, from deliberately washing with water or fluoridated rinses, to mouth hydration solutions.

4) Long-Lasting and Sticky Sweets - It’s not news that caramels and other gooey, sugary sweets are bad for teeth. It’s not just the sugar, though; it’s how long the teeth are exposed to sugar. So while those caramels stick and cling tenaciously to tooth surfaces and crevices, hard candies and lollipops are also very bad; they’re designed for a long, leisurely suck. This principle applies to any sweets, from candy to sweet drinks – sugar should stay in the mouth as briefly as possible.

5) Dried Fruits – While fresh grapes and plums are considered “good” foods, if they are dried, they go from hero to villain. Although often touted as healthy snacks, dried fruits like raisins, prunes and apricots, are similar to caramels. Already sweet when fresh, their sugars are highly concentrated as the water is dried away, and their gummy texture can cling to teeth as much as gooey candy. And worse, the fruit is packed with non-soluble cellulose fiber, which can bind and trap sugars on and around the tooth, making it worse than candy.

6) Starchy Foods - Many starchy foods, including white bread, potato chips and French fries and al dente pasta, can easily become lodged between teeth and in crevices. While they may not necessarily taste sweet, the starches can begin converting to sugar almost immediately, not only by the bacteria, but also by the pre-digestive process that begins in the mouth through the enzymes in saliva.

7) High-Acid Foods and Drinks - Citrus fruits and drinks contain powerful citric acid – in fact, such juice is often used as a cleaning agent. While oranges, lemons and grapefruit can be a healthy part of the diet, they should be consumed quickly, preferably as part of a meal, and the teeth should be rinsed afterward. Sucking on citrus fruits should be avoided; this especially applies to the “home remedy” practice sucking lemon wedges for tooth-whitening.

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Vitamin D in your child's diet

Vitamin D is crucial for children's good health and development. Read on to find out how much vitamin D your child needs, which sources are the best, and how to avoid getting too little or too much.

Find out more: Ten important nutrients for children

Why vitamin D is important

Vitamin D helps the body absorb minerals like calcium and builds strong teeth and bones. According to researcher Michael F. Holick, professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine, vitamin D deficiency can not only cause rickets (a disease that can lead to bone deformity and fractures), it can also keep a child from reaching her genetically programmed height and peak bone mass.

Vitamin D also functions as a hormone with many other jobs in the body, including regulation of the immune system, insulin production, and cell growth.

How much vitamin D does my child need?

Infants up to 12 months old need 400 international units (IU), or 10 micrograms (mcg), a day. Children older than 1 need 600 IU, or 15 mcg, a day.

Your child doesn't have to get enough vitamin D every day. Instead, aim to get the recommended amount as an average over the course of a few days or a week.

The best sources of vitamin D

Vitamin D is called the "sunshine vitamin" because the body can produce it when the skin is exposed to sunlight. But your child's body isn't able to make vitamin D when covered with clothing or sunscreen to block the sun's rays. Other obstacles to vitamin D production from sun exposure include smog, clouds, dark skin, and geographic location.

Though it's hard to estimate how much time a person needs to spend in the sun to make the recommended amount of vitamin D, some researchers say spending 5 to 30 minutes outside between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at least twice a week should do it.

But experts warn that UV radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer, and it's hard to judge whether you can get enough vitamin D from the sun without increasing your risk of a potentially deadly skin cancer. So consider finding other ways to get the vitamin D you need.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants, children, and teens take vitamin D supplements of 400 IU each day. Kids who are too young for chewable vitamins can take liquid supplements.

Some of the best food sources of vitamin D:

• 1 ounce salmon: 102 IU
• 6 ounces fortified yogurt: 80 IU
• 1 ounce canned tuna, drained and packed in oil: 66 IU
• 1/2 cup orange juice, fortified with 25 percent of daily value for vitamin D: 50 IU
• 1/2 cup fortified milk (whole, low-fat, or skim): 49 IU
• one slice fortified American cheese: 40 IU
• 1/2 cup fortified, ready-to-eat cereal: 19 IU
• 1 ounce mackerel: 11.6 IU
• 1/2 large egg yolk: 10 IU
• 1/2 teaspoon fortified margarine: 10 IU
• 1/2 ounce Swiss cheese: 6 IU

The amount of vitamin D in a food varies somewhat, depending on the brand of the product.

Kids may eat more or less than the amounts shown, given their age and appetite. Estimate the nutrient content accordingly.

Can my child get too much vitamin D?

It's unlikely but possible. On the contrary, many health experts are concerned that the current recommended amount is too low and that children actually need much more.

That said, vitamin D can be harmful if you get too much. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements (a department of the National Institutes of Health), the safe upper limit for infants up to 12 months old is 1,000 to 1,500 IU daily. For kids 1 to 8 years old, the safe upper limit is 2,500 to 3,000 IU each day.

Vitamin D is stored in body tissue, so it's best not to get more than what health experts recommend. (Vitamin C, by contrast, isn't stored in the body – any excess is simply eliminated in urine.) 

To be safe, if you have a very young child, stick to the 400 IUs recommended as an infant supplement. More than 400 IUs may be fine for an older child, but check with your child's doctor to be sure.

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7 Foods That Are Good For High Blood Pressure

Skim MilkThe DASH diet recommends increasing the amount of calcium-rich foods that you eat. Skim milk is an excellent source of calcium and is low in fat, another important element of a diet for lowering blood pressure.Swap out your higher-fat milk for skim milk, or if you don’t care for milk, eat more low-fat or non-fat yogurt. Just watch out for those that are high in sugar. Hypertension: The Silent Killer

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious health problem common among Americans. Over time, it causes blood vessel damage that can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and other problems.

Hypertension sometimes is called the silent killer because, by itself, it produces no symptoms. If you don’t get your blood pressure checked regularly, hypertension could go unnoticed, and untreated, for years.

High Blood Pressure and Diet

Your diet plays a big role in whether you have high or normal blood pressure. Dietary recommendations for lowering blood pressure, such as theDASH(Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, include reducing your intake of fat, sodium, and alcohol.

The DASH guidelines also suggest eating more foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium. In general, you should eat more low-fat protein sources, whole grains, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. The following slides present some of the best foods you can eat to lower your blood pressure.

Leafy Greens

Foods high in potassium give you a better ratio of potassium to sodium. Improvements in this ratio can help with lowering blood pressure. Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, arugula, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, and spinach are high in potassium.

Try to opt for fresh or frozen greens, as canned vegetables often have added sodium. Frozen vegetables, on the other hand, contain just as many nutrients as they do when fresh and are easy to store.

Berries

Berries, especially blueberries, are rich in natural compounds called flavonoids. One study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming these compounds may prevent hypertension, and possibly help to reduce high blood pressure as well.

Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are easy to add to your diet. Put them on your cereal every morning. Keep frozen berries on hand for a quick and healthful dessert.

Potatoes

Potatoes are high in both potassium and magnesium, two minerals that can help to lower your blood pressure. They are also high in fiber, which is necessary for an overall healthy diet. Enjoy a baked potato as the centerpiece of your dinner. Instead of fattening and salty butter and sour cream, try adding plain yogurt or salsa for flavor.

Beets

Researchers at the Queen Mary University of London found that patients with high blood pressure saw significant improvements in blood pressure from drinking beetroot juice. The study authors concluded that it was the nitrates in the juice that brought down the participants’ blood pressure within just 24 hours.

You can juice your own beets or simply cook and eat the whole root. Beetroot is delicious when roasted or when added to stir-fries and stews. Remember to use caution when handling beets—their deep red color will stain your hands and clothes

Oatmeal

High-fiber, low-fat, and low-sodium foods are just what you want for lowering your blood pressure, and oatmeal fits the bill. Oatmeal for your breakfast is a great way to charge up for the day.

On its own, oatmeal can be bland, but refrain from adding too much sugar. Instead, add fresh or frozen berries to sweeten it up, and maybe just a touch of honey.

Bananas

Bananas are a great way to add potassium to your diet. Adding foods that are rich in this mineral to your diet is better than taking supplements, and it’s easy. Slice a banana into your breakfast cereal or oatmeal, or take one to work every day for a quick, easy, and inexpensive snack.

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