Napa Valley Tours - Bothe Napa Valley State Park

If you are heading Napa Valley Tours, the Napa-Sonoma area, and you love finding those best-kept-secret places, then you will not want to miss this park. It is located in the heart of the Napa Valley, not far from the community of Calistoga. You will find it on any map of the area.

Here’s the setting to imagine. This park boasts a wide variety of trees including Douglas-fir, tanoak, madrone, and coastal redwoods. There is also a wide array of wildlife including raccoons, squirrels, deer, foxes, bobcats and coyotes. It is also home to six different kinds of woodpecker.

So now that you have purchased a bottle or two of your favorite wine, and you have that picnic lunch in the car, consider this park a great place to enjoy the wonders of this famous valley. There are picnic areas, a swimming pool and numerous trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. There are also 50 developed wooded campsites, nine of which are walk in only. The park has restrooms and showers along with group, family and “hike or bike” campsites. A visitor center is also available with a Native American garden next door. The plants in this garden are still used by the Wappo people.

Now let me give you a few tips for getting there and staying there. Maps and brochures are available at the visitor center as well as by mail. Campers with a maximum length of 31 feet and trailers with a maximum length of 24 feet are allowed. The park ranges in elevation from 300 to 2000 feet. The park is located 5 miles north of St. Helena and 4 miles south of Calistoga on Hwy 29/128.

For more information visit http://www.winecountrytourshuttle.com/

The Need for a Bone Density Test

A bone density test measures bone strength and mass -- indicators of a person's risk for developing osteoporosis.
New York-Presbyterian Hospital says these factors may indicate the need for a bone density test:

• Having had a bone fracture, perhaps stemming from loss of bone mass.

• Having a close relative -- notably a mother or grandmother -- who has been diagnosed with osteoporosis or who fractured a bone.

• Having taken over the long-term medications that can cause bone loss, including corticosteroids and certain anti-seizure drugs.

• Having physical risk factors, such as a slender build, low body weight or fair skin.

• Being a smoker or heavy drinker.

Ear Infections: New Thinking on What to Do

Parents who've ever suspected their youngster had an ear infection might have been inclined to call the doctor, schedule a visit and expect an antibiotics prescription.

That's been the ritual. But no more.

As a result, Tunkel said, guidelines issued in 2004 by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Otolaryngology began to encourage what doctors call an "observation option." That means that children 2 years and older who are otherwise healthy can be observed for a short period of time before being given antibiotics.

Ear infections are the most common illness among infants and young children, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, with an estimated three of every four kids having an ear infection before age 4. Usually infection occurs in the middle ear and is called otitis media. It's called otitis media with effusion when fluid and mucus build up in the tubes of the middle ear.

Ear infections often clear up on there own. But another pediatric otolaryngologist, Dr. Richard Rosenfeld, stressed that "observation is different than no treatment." Rosenfeld is chairman of otolaryngology at Long Island College Hospital and the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center and a consultant for the American Academy of Pediatrics on the ear infection guidelines.

When recommending observation before medication, he said, doctors might send parents home with a "safety net" prescription, one to have on hand in case the situation worsens. Parents should ask the doctor for specifics on the timeline for observation, which typically ranges from one to three days.And while watching and waiting, the focus would be on pain relief.

But observation isn't advised for all kids, even if they're healthy and 2 years or older, Tunkel said. For instance, a child with a fever of 102 or more would typically be treated.Rather, the guidelines are aimed to address concerns about resistance to antibiotics that can develop from overuse, he said.

Also, a study reported in the British journal BMJ in July found that ear infections come back more often in kids who've been treated with antibiotics. In the three years after being treated for an ear infection, 63 percent of the kids who were given the antibiotic amoxicillin had recurrent ear infections, compared with 43 percent of those not treated with an antibiotic.

Anesthetic ear drops, which usually require a prescription, can help but don't produce prolonged relief, Rosenfeld said. And the practice of putting warm compresses on the outside of the ear can't hurt, he said, but there's no real proof that it works, either.

Someday, kids might be able to be vaccinated against ear infections. Scientists are working on developing such a vaccine and testing ways to deliver it, including rubbing it on the skin rather than injecting it, according to a presentation at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Microbiology.

In the meantime, parents can take some simple measures to reduce the likelihood of their child developing an ear infection, Tunkel said. If parents smoke, stopping will reduce exposure to cigarette smoke, which is a risk factor for ear infections. And parents who choose a day-care setting with as few children as possible can, at least theoretically, reduce the pool of circulating germs, he said.

Tips for being active as a family

If you'd like your child to be healthy, start by looking at yourself and your family. Being active as a family allows you to be good role model, it helps everyone reduce stress, and it's a chance to have fun together. But it takes some organization to get going, and effort to maintain.
Building activity into daily life
Usually the biggest hurdle to family activity is finding time, but you don’t need to do everything all the time. Just try and fit a few activities into daily life in a balanced way:
• Walk or ride a bike with your child to the local shops or to and from school
• Encourage children to help with household chores such as walking the dog, washing the car or mowing the lawn
• Go for a family walk after dinner
• Keep a football, jump rope or bat and ball in your car at all times.
Being organized
Some activities take more organization. While this requires effort at the start, it can produce good results that really last:
• Plan ahead and schedule a regular time for physical activity that fits in with the whole family
• Take part in either organized sport or activities in the park – make it a feature of your weekend, e.g. football, bike rides, kite-flying
• Plan family holidays with a view to being active, e.g. somewhere near the beach or where there are good walks to do. Remember to take bikes, tennis rackets, balls and other equipment.
Keeping up the activity
It’s easy to get carried away with enthusiasm for family activity, then let it slip as time goes by. To avoid this happening:
• Choose activities the whole family will enjoy. Make a list of ideas from each family member and choose a few activities from the list
• Vary the activities to prevent boredom
• Don’t overspend – work out how much you can afford and choose activities based on that
• Choose convenient locations – if you need to travel for an activity (swimming pool, park) try to make it close to home
• Set goals so that your family’s progress can be tracked, then set new goals to keep interest up.

Choosing right snacks for kids

Chips, biscuits and chocolate bars give kids a pleasant taste 'hit'. But these foods are usually high in kilojoules, saturated fats, sugar and salt and provide few nutrients, so they need to be limited. Luckily, children can also enjoy fruit, vegetables, dairy and other cereal-based healthy snacks, though it can take a little coaxing and a few firm rules.

Tips for parents

* Set limits on the number of sugary snacks allowed and explain that they are treats and not for every day.
* Offer children a variety of healthy snacks as this will give them the opportunity to make their own choice and get them in the habit of choosing more healthy options.
* Always have healthy snacks in the home to decrease the temptation of having unhealthy ones.
* Don’t give snacks too close to meal times as this discourages children from eating their main meal, which leads to a desire for snacks later on.
* Avoid soft drinks and other sugary drinks, as they make fill children feel full and may therefore take the place of a healthier snack.
* Remember – snacks can be a great way to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into your child’s diet.

Give more of …

Fresh or canned fruit – try making fruit kebabs, or chopped fruit in a tub

Vegetable sticks (e.g. carrot, cucumber, capsicum) with low-fat dips

Raisin toast or bread, pikelets, pancakes or scones with a little polyunsaturated or monounsaturated margarine or fruit spread

Lightly spread muffins and crumpets

Rice cakes topped with vegetables and reduced-fat cheese, vegemite or sliced banana

Dried fruit and unsalted nuts (not suitable for children under 5)

Yoghurt (natural or fruit)

Healthy fruit muffins

Give less of …

Biscuits

Cakes, donuts and pastries

Chocolate bars and lollies

Potato chips, corn chips and cheesy snacks

Sweet drinks – fizzy drinks, cordials and fruit juices

Tips for Healthy vegetarian eating

There are three main types of vegetarians:

• Vegans eat only plant-based foods. They do not eat any meat or animal products, including dairy products or eggs.
• Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy products along with plant-based foods. They do not eat eggs.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs and dairy products, in addition to plant-based foods.

You can get all the nutrients you need from a vegetarian eating plan. But dairy products are good sources of calcium, vitamin D, and complete protein. And eggs are a good source of vitamin B12 and complete protein. So if you don't eat milk or eggs, you need to look elsewhere for these nutrients. Vegetarians also need to make sure that they get enough iron and zinc.

A registered dietitian can help you come up with a vegetarian eating plan that provides you with the nutrients you need for growth and development during your teen years. Here are some nonanimal sources of nutrients that vegetarians may not get enough of:

• Vitamin B12 – fortified soy beverages and cereals, brewer’s yeast, seaweed
• Vitamin D – fortified soy beverages and sunshine (vitamin D is made in your skin with the help of sunlight)
• Calcium – tofu (if made with calcium sulfate); soy-based beverages with added calcium; breakfast cereals with added calcium; fruit juice with added calcium; dark-green leafy vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, bok choy, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, and mustard greens. (Keep in mind that veggies are not as good a source of calcium as milk. You will have to eat many more veggies than you would have to drink milk to get enough calcium.)
• Iron – breakfast cereals with added iron; green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and turnip greens; cooked dry beans, such as kidney beans and pinto beans; peas, such as black-eyed peas; lentils; dried fruit, like apricots, prunes, and raisins; enriched and whole-grain breads
• Zinc – whole grain bread, legumes, nuts, oatmeal, and tofu.
• Protein – tofu and other soy-based products, beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, seeds, nuts, and grains. (Keep in mind that plants provide incomplete protein. In order to get all the amino acids your body needs, you have to eat a variety of plant foods. So, for instance, eating beans with brown rice will give you complete protein because each food contains the amino acids that the other food lacks.)

For people who follow vegetarian diets, the American Dietetic Association has these tips:

• Talk to a registered dietitian, especially during the teen years or if you are recovering from an illness.
• Limit sweets and fatty foods.
• Choose whole-grain or enriched breads, cereals, pasta, and rice.
• Eat a variety of nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
• Include good sources of vitamin C (such as grapefruit) to help you absorb iron.
• Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products, if they are included in the diet.
• Make sure you get enough calories.
• Eat at least three good food sources of vitamin B12 every day. If you don't regularly eat foods with vitamin B12, take a vitamin B12 supplement.

Tips to Overcome Your Fears and Anxiety

• Maintain control over those things that you can. For example, if you walk for exercise, continue to walk.

• Limit your television news viewing. Tragic things feed news coverage, but you don’t have to subject yourself or your family to repeated doses of it. Tune in for occasional updates, but limit your exposure if it adds to your anxiety or that of your family members.

• If it makes you feel better to keep family members close by, then do so. Being cautious about personal safety is good. But try not to overreact.

• Do something for someone else. Taking attention off our own worries and doing something nice for someone else can improve our own frame of mind.

• Volunteer. Contact area schools, hospitals or volunteer groups to ask how you can help. Taking action to be part of something positive is a very constructive way to reduce your anxiety.

• Talk to someone. If you start to feel overwhelmed by your emotions, talk with a friend, family member, doctor, religious advisor or mental health professional.

• Resources Are Available For further information and support you may wish to contact your Employee Assistance Program.

Do's and Don'ts on the Internet for kids

DO:
1. DO use the Internet to help with schoolwork. The Internet is a source of great volumes of information. It's like having the world's largest library at your fingertips!
2. DO use the Internet to "visit" museums in far away places. Some examples are:
3. DO use the Internet to meet children in other countries or to keep in touch with pen pals who live far away in this country or other countries.
Some on-line services host chat rooms especially for children, and monitor them periodically for safety. You can safely establish an international mail pen pal through an existing program sponsored by your school, and then expand your pen pal communications to the Internet if your pen pal has access to Internet e-mail at his or her school or a nearby university.
4. DO be careful about talking to "strangers" on a computer network. Who are these people anyway? Some people say and do things which are NOT NICE.
5. DO use the Internet to learn more about universities and colleges that you may be interested in attending. Almost all colleges post some information on the Internet. Many colleges let you take a "virtual tour" of the campus, or submit applications for admission or financial aid applications on line.
6. DO respect the privacy of other users on the Internet, just as you expect your privacy to be respected. How would you feel if someone read your private e-mail or your grades? 7. DO be careful when you "download" (copy) programs from the Internet. Use a virus scan program before loading it on your computer. Some programs on the Internet contain viruses that can harm your computer.

DON'T:
1. DON'T give your password to anyone. Passwords are intended to protect your computer and your files. It's like giving the key to your house away!
2. DON'T answer messages that make you feel uncomfortable because they seem improper, indecent, or threatening? TELL A GROWN-UP RIGHT AWAY.
3. DON'T give any personal information, such as your family's address, phone number, credit card or calling card numbers, your school's name, or your picture to anyone on a computer network that you don't personally know.
4. DON'T arrange to meet anyone you've met on the Internet without telling your parents. Some people on the Internet lie about who they are, how old they are, and why they want to meet you.
5. DON'T try to break into computers. It's not a game. It's a crime and it's an invasion of privacy. Computers often contain sensitive information. How would you feel if someone broke into a computer and changed your grades? Deleted your term paper? Cut off your telephone?
6. DON'T steal copyrighted computer programs ("software") by copying it from the Internet. This is the same as stealing it from a store. People work hard to develop new programs and deserve to be paid for them. If software designers don't get paid for their work, they can't continue creating new software, such as new educational games or tools that help with schoolwork.
7. DON'T make copies of any copyrighted material, like books, magazines, or music without the permission of the author, publisher or artist. Copyrighted works are available (usually illegally) on the Internet. You are committing a crime if you copy and distribute them.
8. DON'T copy material that you find on the Internet and pretend that it's your own work. It's the same as copying a book or magazine article and pretending that you wrote it. It's easy to get caught. Remember, your teacher and thousands of other students have access to the same material.