Providing researched based educational resources to meet the needs of Long Islanders
Recent news reports have shown a dramatic decrease in the obesity rates of children when healthful eating habits are introduced at a younger age. Statistics show that introducing healthy eating habits and encouraging activities from an earlier age, ideally with pre-school aged children, can help decrease obesity early on and possibly prevent it in the…
By Nancy Olsen-Harbich, MA Young children are enchanted by many animals close up, warm and snugly or even in a tank of water. After a happy experience with someone else’s pet, they often beg for one, whether it be a kitten, a bird, a fish or a pup. Depending on their own history of pet-ownership,…
By Dinah Torres Castro Snow days…what to do at home on a snow day? Out of the hundreds of things to do with your children on a miserable day you are probably not even considering…cooking. Cooking with your little ones can be quite the adventure. You don’t have to be very skilled or have fancy…
By Kerri Kreh Reda, M.P.H. You know that parenting can be a tough job requiring lots of stamina and patience. Life throws many challenges at us and keeping up with a family’s schedule can be exhausting. Parents who take good care of themselves feel better and have more energy to meet the needs of their…
By Nancy Olsen-Harbich, MA Children who read succeed and reading readiness begins in the preschool years. Beginning literacy means helping young children enjoy books and use language expressively, not urging them to memorize the alphabet or recognize words. When young children derive pleasure from reading and storytelling and are immersed in language activities, they will…
By Kerri Kreh Reda, M.P.H. Do you know that when you play with your baby, you are helping him or her to learn while their brain is growing and making important connections? Babies and toddlers love to play, but play isn’t just fun, babies’ brains grow during play especially when they are using all five…
By Nancy Olsen-Harbich “It doesn’t matter what I ask – she never obeys me.” “He’s impossible! I hate it that every day ends with me yelling and him crying.” “The simplest thing turns into a contest, and no one wins.” Sound familiar? What parent hasn’t been frustrated by trying to solicit cooperation from a child…
By CCE ESNY Staff What is quinoa? Quinoa (pronounced “keen wah”) is actually a small, round edible seed, rather than a grain. It originated in the Andes Mountains in South America, where it was a staple of the ancient Incas. The quinoa plant is closely related to spinach, chard, and beet plants. Quinoa can…
By Zahrine Bajwa, Ph.D. Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, chances are you take in more than your fair share of sugar each day. Sugars that occur naturally in whole, unprocessed foods such as fructose in fruits or lactose in dairy come with other nutrients such as fiber or protein. However, sugars that…
By Donna Moodie, RD, CDN, CDE Here is a simple 2014 health goal that can go a long way towards preventing cancer and heart disease. As a dietitian, one of the first steps I recommend you take to improve your health and prevent serious chronic diseases like colon cancer and heart disease would be to…