Be prepared

Help your kids be prepared for any school project that comes their way with pencil crayons, pens, paper, a three-ring binder, access to a computer, and a good printer. Avoid pricey ink replacements with the Kodak ESP 5 all-in-one printer, which can save the average household more than $150 a year on ink.

Eat breakfast

We’ve all heard it before: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Proper nutrition affects the behaviour of children and their performance at school. A good balanced breakfast should include grains, fruit, and dairy. A breakfast of champions will help kids get the day started on the right foot, and to keep them going throughout the day, be sure to pack healthy snacks along with a well balanced lunch.

Stay organized

With homework and project due dates, soccer games and ballet practice, there is no doubt that families experience increased stress when the shift of summer-time to back-to-school happens. Keep everyone on the same page by posting a family calendar on the kitchen fridge. Everyone will know what is going on at all times, despite busy schedules.

-News Canada

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Because people are spending more time around their homes, there is a renewed emphasis on the health, maintenance and vitality of grass, trees, flowers, shrubs and other plants and natural areas in the yard. Rising sales at garden centers for items like shrubbery, decorative accessories, fertilizers and pesticides show that consumers are creating inviting, usable lawn and landscape environments.

The benefits of healthy lawns and landscapes are numerous. Trees, shrubbery and plants can create a private and tranquil personal retreat. Well-maintained green spaces have been proven to lower blood pressure, reduce muscle tension related to stress, and reduce feelings of fear, anger and aggression. Lush lawns act as a soft cushion for play areas, remove dust, dirt and allergens from the air, and can significantly decrease carbon dioxide levels. Lawns also act as a filter to help improve water quality by reducing erosion and absorbing runoff so it doesn’t find its way into the gutter and eventually into public drinking water and other sources.

“When healthy and functioning at their best, lawns and natural areas provide a limitless array of benefits for individuals, communities and the environment,” says Allen James, president of RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) — a national organization representing the manufacturers, formulators and distributors of pesticide and fertilizer products. “To reach their full potential and keep them free from harmful pests, many lawns and landscapes require the judicious and responsible use of fertilizer and pesticide products. Especially as people are spending more time in their yards, using these products as directed to grow healthy plants and protect against potential pest threats is increasingly important.”

While this is the time of year when people can enjoy their lawns and other outdoor settings with pets, family and friends, it is also important to remember that encounters with certain common pests are more frequent during warmer weather. Tick activity and the prevalence of Lyme disease, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is especially high during summer months. According to information from the CDC Web site, approximately 75 percent of all reported cases are acquired from ticks picked up during activities in back yards and around home. Lyme disease is an increasingly common problem, now documented in 49 states as well as parts of Canada, Europe and Asia, and the number of positive cases here in the United States is on the rise. In the 15 year span from 1992 to 2007, CDC reports of Lyme disease across the nation have steadily increased from approximately 10,000 cases per year to more than 27,000 cases nationally.

Though Lyme disease and similar pest-related health risks are a problem, paying attention and taking a few simple, preventative steps can help homeowners and their families reduce the risk of these pest dangers that affect millions of Americans each year.

“Human health conditions like Lyme disease, West Nile virus and others are spread and transmitted through the bites of ticks, mosquitoes and other pests we encounter in our backyards almost every day,” James says. “Taking the time to eliminate high grass, standing water and other potential pest habitats is a very simple, very effective measure for reducing the prevalence of these unwelcome and unhealthy annoyances.

“Also, insecticide sprays can be applied to turf, plantings and natural areas,” he adds. “As for personal protection, applying insect repellents and inspecting ourselves and our children regularly and thoroughly after having been outside are some simple precautions that go a long way toward preventing many of these common, but serious health risks.”

By taking the proper precautions and a few easy steps to maintain a healthy, vibrant and pest-free yard, it is easy to create an enjoyable, usable backyard oasis for outdoor fun all year long.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Today’s shoppers can print coupons from the Web, add electronic coupons to their store savings cards and even use their cell phones to select coupons to be redeemed at check out. It’s easier than ever to cut that food bill in half thanks to coupons, and here are three easy ways to get started saving money in new ways.

1) Click-and-Print Coupons: There are several Web sites that compile grocery coupons so you simply click on the ones you want, then print and cut them out to take to the grocery store. You can also find printable coupons on the Web sites of your favorite brands, like Pillsbury.com and BettyCrocker.com.

2) Electronic Coupons: Online coupon sites like Shortcuts.com allow you to load electronic coupons onto your store savings cards. No need to print or clip. Just click on the coupons you need and they’ll be automatically redeemed at check out when you use your store savings card.

3) Mobile Coupons: You can now get coupons right from your constant companion, your cell phone. One service to check out is Shortcuts.com Mobile (go to www.shortcuts.com on any cell phone with a Web browser). Just click the coupons you want and within five minutes they’ll be loaded up on your store savings card and ready to use at check out.

It’s easy to save money at the grocery store, especially when you have the right tools, like your computer and your cell phone. In no time you’ll be saving serious dollars in the check out line.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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You can find information about how to keep your kids eating healthy at http://wwwmedtronic.com/healthykids. Raising Healthy Kids also is available in a four-page translated version for parents whose first language is not English; translations are available in Hmong, Spanish and Somali.

Following are a few simple tips to get you started.

1. Make healthy eating fun!

Nutritious foods can be enjoyable when mixed with a little planning and creativity. Try serving frozen grapes, popcorn with seasoning salt instead of butter, carrot sticks with peanut butter or fresh fruit kabobs. Or involve your kids in the experimentation. Your kids will forget that they’re eating something healthy, and you’ll have fun, too!

 2. Invest in healthy, portable meals or snacks for days on-the-go.

Pack a bag lunch on days when you know you will be away from the house during meal or snack times. Convenient, nutritious foods such as grapes, raisins or mozzarella cheese sticks make perfect snacks and help ward off the temptation to snack on sweets or fatty foods.

3. The availability of good foods and the absence of bad foods is key.

Your children will eat what’s in front of them, especially when they’re hungry, so make sure the good stuff is accessible. That means cutting up fruits and vegetables ahead of time and leaving them in plain sight. No time? Buy the pre-cut veggies and fruit platters.

4. Encourage your child to drink water instead of juice or soda.

Both juice and soda are full of processed sugar and unnecessary calories – a whopping 250 calories in a 20 ounce bottle of soda. If your child has a sweet tooth, try quenching their thirst with sugar-free lemonade or fresh fruit instead.

5. If possible, go to the supermarket without your children.

These days, aggressive advertising and marketing techniques are directed at your kids that may cause them to pester you in to buying unhealthy foods. Although it may be difficult with kids at home, shopping alone makes it easier to resist the temptation to surrender to your child’s whining. On those occasions when you do need to bring your children with you, don’t be afraid to say “no.”

For more information on raising healthy kids, go to http://wwwmedtronic.com/healthykids.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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