Give the Gift of Getting Along.

By Jessica Williams
The holidays can be a time of precious memories and great stress. This season, in addition to the presents that light up the faces of your children, you have the opportunity to create peace in your home that will last a lifetime.

What if the best of today’s progressive parenting experts sat in your living room and gave you the advice, comfort and solutions you have been looking for? I have spent the last months conducting video and audio interviews and collecting written contributions from best-selling authors, psychotherapists, educators, PhD and MDs. I designed a program with eight essential parenting themes, and have created eight video compilations from the interviews, so that expert research, science, experience and expertise lies within your grasp in one cohesive program. There is also a downloadable handbook, highlighting action steps you can take with your children to manage day-to-day conflict with new awareness, and to lay the foundation of a healthy connection and attachment that will inform the rest of your days.

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By Dr. Susanne Bennett
As parents, we all want to ensure that our children and loved ones eat healthy, unadulterated food, free of hormones, pesticides and chemicals. But are we as vigilant about the liquids and drinks we ingest? Did you know that there is a hidden chemical in most beverages and liquids we consume, including tap water, the iced tea served by most restaurants, your child’s favorite soup from the local deli, even your glass of red wine? A vast majority of beverages and foods that are made with municipal drinking water in the US will contain a chemical additive called fluoride. If ingested in large amounts, fluoride may be harmful to the body, particularly in children. (more…)

By Dr. Maria DiMeglio
In your arms is the most precious, beautiful bundle of joy you could ever have imagined. You know your heart should be filled with loving warmth, jubilee, and sheer wonder at the little miracle in front of you; BUT, instead, you’re a wreck! You haven’t slept in weeks and you’ve lost your brain and a few other things you can’t remember at the moment. The deep, dark bags under your eyes are reminiscent of the Bride of Frankenstein. You’re completely overwhelmed and leaking from every orifice in your body, especially your eyes…uncontrollable tears are streaming down your face.

Postpartum depression is a very real and all too often overlooked condition that can affect up to 25 percent of new moms. It can range in severity from a mild case of the “baby blues” to the rare, and often tragic, psychotic break, and can impact the whole family. Chronic sleep deprivation coupled with huge hormonal shifts take their toll on even the strongest individuals, let alone someone who may already be prone to depression.

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Are your children prepared to return to school?

By Peter S. Waldstein, M.D., F.A.A.P and Julia A. White, M.D., F.A.A.P
Back to school time is upon us, which is a great opportunity to make sure your child is ready from a health perspective. There are new requirements this year for adolescents for vaccines. It is also a great time to refresh on illness prevention while being at school.

Staying Healthy
Maintaining proper health begins at home. Back to school time is a good excuse to refamiliarize your children on the importance of hand washing at home and school. Most illness is spread through contact, and hand washing has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent your child from becoming ill while at school. Washing before eating, after playtime, and anytime before touching the face, mouth, or eyes is key. If you are not able to wash, you may use hand sanitizer instead. You can consider packing a small travel-sized Purell bottle in your child’s bag to encourage proper hygeine. Also remind your child to cover coughs with the arm. Should your child become ill, he or she should stay home to prevent others from becoming ill. Check with your pediatrician if you are unsure if they should stay home.

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Tips from an expert on treatment and prevention of head lice.

By Amy Goldreyer
Just the thought of head lice can make your head itch. Unfortunately, we all know that head lice happens and if or when you do experience it first hand as a parent, you will want to have some basic head lice knowledge.

Head lice impacts millions of clean heads each year. Head lice should be discussed openly not only to reduce the stigma often associated with it, but also to reduce the spread, through knowledge and a quick response to outbreaks. (more…)

By Dr. Trevor Holly Cates
We all want our children to be safe, but research and case studies show more and more substances that were created to protect our children are actually toxic. The question we have at the moment is not if chemicals are a problem for our children’s health, but how. Pediatric health problems caused by environmental toxins and air pollution cost the U.S. $76.6 billion annually, that’s 3.5% of our country’s total health care costs, according to the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. (more…)

How to read suncreen labels

By Rachelle Dupree
If you spend any time in the sun, you might be familiar with an old sun protector called Zinc Oxide. Recognized widely in the 80’s on the noses of lifeguards and sun babies, zinc has come a long way since then.

Micro-fine Zinc Oxide used in today’s skincare and sun protection are far improved from the old, thick, white predecessor. While this is a fairly new trend, many natural skincare fans may have already known about the benefits of Zinc in their skin care.

Today’s zinc creams have been specially formulated to blend in almost invisibly and are barely noticeable. Because of this new micro-formulation, many natural skincare products have now introduced Zinc (also known as Zinc Oxide) into their product lines. (more…)

By Dr. Payman Danielpour and Dr. John Layke
In order to get a jumpstart on the skin-revealing days of summer, many of us begin long range planning to watching those calories, working out on treadmills and lifting weights to tone our bodies. Yet for many others, it may mean even considering breast augmentation, a breast lift or liposuction (also known as liposculpture) which can help create a more youthful physique. (more…)

By Andrea Gross
The tween/father relationship is one of the most important in a female life. At this age in particular, young girls are setting the tone for their future. When a girl grows up with the love and support of her dad, she will undoubtedly emulate this relationship with the men in her future and have higher expectations and standards for all relationships.

Let’s be honest, kids repeat what they know. Coming from a loving environment creates a sense of confidence and self esteem for a tween and that is the basis of ALL of her future relationships. In addition, it will largely determine how she relates to guys later on. (more…)

By Rebecca Casper
Question:What special skin-care recommendations do you have for women ages 35 and older? How is their skin different from younger women’s and why would you recommend these practices?
Answer: By the mid 30s accumulated damage that has been done to the skin begins to rear its ugly head and we can literally wake up one morning and feel as though we’ve gained these changes overnight! Lines and wrinkles around the eyes, on the forehead, dark spots, dissipated redness and irritation are among common complaints. The truth is, you’ve had 30 plus years to gain this damage, but there is no time like the present to start repairing and protecting. As everyone has a unique set of circumstances and experiences that have gotten them to where they are today, it is wise to seek professional, individualized advice from a skin care therapist (Esthetician, not dermatologist) to address your specific needs. This way you can start saving money by getting on the right program and stop wasting your hard earned cash by trying every new skin care fad out there. (more…)