October Time To Focus On Protecting Children

Writen by Joe Hickman

No one wants to hurt a child. Yet each year since 1928 our nation's leaders have felt it's important to stress how we can unwittingly allow our children to be harmed in and around our own homes.

Children are vulnerable. Pound for pound, they breathe more air, drink more water and eat more food than adults. They play close to the ground and put their hands in their mouths, increasing their exposure to toxins in the environment.

Their small bodies are still developing, often making a child less able than adults to metabolize, detoxify and excrete toxins they consume from air pollution, drinking water, food, secondhand smoke, or peeling paint.

National Child Health Day, October 3

In 1928, President Calvin Coolidge established May 1 as Child Health Day. In 1959, Congress changed National Child Health Day to the first Monday in October, where it remains. The American Academy of Pediatrics established October as Child Health Month in 1992.

Sixteen federal agencies observe October as Children's Health Month.

In 1928, President Coolidge declared, "The protection and development of the health of the children of today are fundamental necessities to the future progress and welfare of the nation."

Focusing on children's health today is as important as ever, maybe more. Asthma is a growing threat to children. With new chemicals introduced into the environment each year, children face a widening array of environmental hazards that can have a significant impact on their health and well-being.

A Great Month to Learn

The Children's Health Month ( http://www.childrenshealth.gov/index.html ) website provides great ideas to help parents and teachers learn more about a variety of child health topics: childhood illness prevention, education and child care, limiting environmental hazards, reducing risky behaviors, and safety.

For October, you'll find a daily calendar of ideas to protect children, ranging from preventing mercury exposure at school to protecting children from secondhand smoke and mold. Other days will focus on the safe use of pesticides, how to prevent lead, radon and carbon monoxide poisoning, and how to help children breathe easier and reduce asthma attacks.

Walk and Bike to School Week

Children Health Month also includes International Walk and Bike to School Week October 3 - 7 ( http://www.walktoschool-usa.org/ ). Children walking and biking to school offers real benefits for both the children and the environment. The week enhances children's health, cuts down on auto carbon monoxide around schools, and with parents involved, helps to create safer routes for walking and cycling.

Everyone Can Help

Children's Health Month is a tool to impress on everyone – health care professionals, teachers and parents – the importance of protecting children's health. Maybe we can absorb enough helpful ideas to last year round.

Because, let's face it, children need our protection every day, every month.

Why not click on the Children's Health Month Calendar ( http://www.childrenshealth.gov/calendar.html ) and learn how to protect a child today? Or better yet, print out the calendar and check it all month long. Maybe give copies to friends.

After all, children are 100 percent of our future.

©2005 by Joe Hickman, a retired EPA web writer, currently editor at http://HaLife.com

Memory Foam Mattress Buying Guide

Writen by David Z

What is "Memory Foam"?

Memory Foam was created by the American Organization, NASA, during the 1970's. The invention was not used for space missions due to some reasons of the closed environment atmosphere. However, some companies like Tempur Pedic, saw that their could be a future in this foam for consumers.

Memory foam was engineered to spread pressure and release the pressure points from the weight of the person or thing. However there were some fundamental flaws in the initial memory foam concerning durability and therefore they began to research heavily on new methods to create this Memory Foam to have what we see today.

How Many Brands Are There?

By doing a simple search for memory foam mattress, you will come up with around 200,000 results. Most of them are trying to sell you on their products, which are a lot to choose from.

Through our basic research, we have seen that the average online price for a memory foam mattress is between $700-$3000 on average. The first factor, size, the second will depend on the name brand and warranties associated with the mattresses. Some offer free delivery, others offer free frames, pillows, etc.

Which Is Best For Me?

There is only one comment or discouragement that I have ever heard about buying a memory foam or tempur pedic mattress. That is that it gets very hot, the way your body is snuggled in the mattress and the material which is thickly condensed and not very open causes a pocket of warmth to create around you. So if you detest sleeping hot, either turn up the air conditioning unit or research a different system.

My first suggestions, buy a memory foam pillow and mattress. This will help you feel the difference in your current sleeping arrangement and it will provide you with an idea if the product is right for you. It really does provide support and comfort. If you sleep uncomfortably at night and need a new solution, try it. Most places like Tempur-Pedic offer warranties and 30 day refund periods if you are not satisfied.

My second suggestion, never listen to anyone online unless they are a certified physician. So consult your doctor and he will help you determine the best sleeping arrangement to help your ailing back pains.

Lastly, most memory foam systems are the same. The only differences are that certain firms find new designs or technologies to include with their product that set them apart. But never buy a mattress online without some type of warranty and 30 day refund policy, just to be on the safe side.

When shopping online, check other feedbacks or testimonials. People generally list reasons why their mattress would work best for them depending on their health and situation, you can certainly use their feedbacks as reference for your shopping decision.

For more memory foam mattress buying guides, please visit Memory Foam Mattress

Having a good night sleep is essential and helps you feel rested, energized and prepared. This article will provide you buying guides about memory foam mattress so you can make a good decision when looking for your next mattress. For more memory foam mattress buying guides, please visit Memory Foam Mattress

Santas Workshop ~ Diary Of An Elf ~ Day 34

Writen by Ashlee Williams

Hi everyone!

We had a great day. Our bake sale was a real success. We made almost $2,000. Well, we actually only made $1,000 but Santa donated another $1,000. So we now have enough money to buy new decorations to decorate our entire town. The Christmas tree in our common will have a bright shining star now, when we get the new decorations. Probably will go shopping later this week! I can't wait!

Everyone liked the Gingerbread house that Crystal and I made. It turned out beautiful and everyone raved about it. We raffled it off to the highest bidder for $55.00.

Mrs. Claus bought all kinds of goodies at the bake sale. My favorite was the Peanut Butter cookies. We all ate so many snacks today that nobody was hungry at suppertime.

The best part of the bake sale was when Santa, Rudolph and Blitzen arrived with the sleigh. Santa let the children (even some grownups!) climb into the sleigh and have their pictures taken with him. You should of seen Rudolph, he is such a show-off, he loves to have his picture taken.

After the bake sale Mrs. Claus took a group of us girls shopping for Christmas decorations. We bought a lot of cool things. You should see the sparkling star we bought for the big tree on the common.

We didn't have time to buy all our decorations today so we are going shopping again on Saturday.

Well I better say goodnight. Mrs. Claus is calling us for our hot chocolate. Then we have to go to bed.

Talk to you tomorrow

Ashlee Williams writes a daily report from the North Pole, through a diary of an elf who works in the Toyshop. Why not visit http://santasworkshop.blog.com You'll find it interesting as all those problems arise while Santa is making all the toys.