To develop the best language skills, children need to hear at least 30,000 words a day from birth to age three from their parents and caregivers—not TV or videos, reveals a recent Power of Talk study. Think you’ll have trouble fitting all that in? Believe it or not, it’s really just the equivalent of 18 and a half readings of Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat. But, don’t stop there! Parents of children who scored between the 90th to 99th percentile on language assessment tests spoke substantially more to their kids than did parents of children who were not as advanced.
[photo: Anissa Thompson]
Tired of begging your kids to do things that are good for them—such as brushing their teeth, taking their vitamins, buckling up in the car or drinking their milk? Tel Aviv University have found the problem—and the solution! In their recent study, they found that kids 
Have a moody teen? She or he may not be able to help it. A research team from SUNY Downstate Medical Center discovered that the hormone THP that your body releases in times of stress to relax you produces the opposite reaction in teens going through puberty. As a result, they feel even more anxious and irritable in tense situations.
Imagine you’re out on a mani/pedi date with your BFF when, in between coats of Lickable Pink, she suddenly slumps to the floor and stops breathing. Can you remember enough CPR training you learned from Girl Scouts mumble-mumble years ago to save her life?
No time to clean the house? That could be good news for your kid’s health, reveals a new Northwestern University study. “Ultra-clean, ultra-hygienic environments early in life may contribute to higher levels of 
Want your hubby to do the laundry? Your teen to do an after-school chore? Or your coworker to pitch in with a project? They’ll be more likely to agree—without grumbling!—if you give them easy to read written instructions, for instance, provide a bulleted, printed-out list instead of one big handwritten paragraph. In a recent University of Michigan study, volunteers who found instructions hard to read were much less willing to do tasks asked of them than folks given the same exact instructions in a simple step-by-step style!
Want to help your child to excel at the guitar, dance, sports or another activity? Researchers found the secret: leave them alone and let them explore it on their own! In a recent study 
Don’t like spinach? Your baby probably won’t like it either. Can’t get enough of peaches? Your baby will probably love them, too. The reason? Your likes and dislikes, especially for fruit and vegetables, are passed on to your infant through your breast milk, which gets flavored by the foods you eat, suggests a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics.
Heads up, pancakes lovers: On Tuesday, February 23, 
You’ve heard that flushed and thrown away medications end up in our drinking water. But, holding onto expired or unused prescription and OTC pills and liquids is a medicine mishap waiting to happen. Now many pharmacies and government agencies participate in take-back programs; simply drop off unwanted meds (your pet’s, too) and they’ll be sent to environmentally-safe disposal centers. Find your nearest participating program by logging on to 
A recent Harvard University study of 569 adults reveals that those who possessed three key traits—a strong attention span, positive attitude when facing problems and ability to socialize—as elementary school children had better health, a lower risk of serious illnesses (such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer) and a better outlook on life 30 years later. “Certain characteristics in the early years can contribute to developing healthier behaviors and better social relationships, and ultimately more resilience in mid-life,” explains lead study author Laura D. Kubzansky, Ph.D.
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I take 4
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with food keeps my blood sugar steady till the next mealtime. 
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