Over the last two decades anxiety in children has been on the rise. According to the CDC, 7.1% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 4.4 million) have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. In many ways, the modern world is the perfect storm for anxiety, so it’s important parents understand how best to respond to anxious kids.
In episode 27 of The Healthy Family Podcast, we have Dawn Huebner, Ph.D., a Clinical Psychologist, and Parent Coach specializing in anxiety. She is the author of 9 books for children including the perennial bestseller, What to Do When You Worry Too Much and more recent, Outsmarting Worry. Dr. Huebner’s newest book, Something Bad Happened provides support for children learning about ‘bad things’ happening in the world.
In this episode, Dr. Huebner explains why anxiety is on the rise, what is really going on inside an anxious child’s brain, and how parents can help support their child in overcoming anxiety.
When a woman considers her health, she doesn't automatically think about her menstrual cycle. Yet a woman's menstrual cycle can tell a great deal about her health, well being, and what stage of reproduction she in. Understanding one's menstrual cycle helps during puberty, the reproductive years, and perimenopause.
As I experienced cycle changes in my forties, I looked around and found the work by Jerilynn Prior. Jerilynn C. Prior BA, MD, FRCPC (former ABIM, ABEM) is a Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. She has spent her career studying menstrual cycles and the effects of the cycle’s changing estrogen and progesterone hormone levels on women’s health. She is the founder (2002) and Scientific Director of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR). She is coauthor of The Estrogen Errors and author of Estrogen's Storm Season. CeMCOR acknowledges -- and defines -- “very early perimenopause,” symptoms that occur when cycles are regular but hormones begin to shift.
As part of my midlife ongoing series, I wanted to ask Dr. Prior some questions. So in this podcast interview, we talk about the menstrual cycle and health starting at puberty through menopause.
Feeding advice is everywhere. Eat together. Check. Expose children to nutritious foods. Check. Live happily ever after.
No way!
Here’s what no one talks about. Feeding kids is not always fun or easy. And not all kids respond the same way to the same strategies. There is a need to get real about expectations and what it really feels like to feed a family. Not a make-believe family but a real one.
On episode 25 of the Healthy Family Podcast, we have on Sally Kuzemchak. She is a registered dietitian and creator of the popular blog Real Mom Nutrition, named Best Blog for Parents by Health magazine in 2015. Sally is the author of the new book 101 of the Healthiest Food for Kids. She is also an award-winning reporter and writer specializing in nutrition who currently blogs for Parents magazine and WebMD. Sally shares with us her stories, advice, challenges, and triumphs in the feeding realm. She also outlines best practices for introducing nutritious foods kids which is what her new book is all about.