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Before throwing out the meat and seeds of a carved Halloween pumpkin chew on this: Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and potassium, and the seeds are high in fiber, vitamin B12 and polyunsaturated fatty acids, one of the so-called good fats.

"The flesh of pumpkin and the seeds are abundant in many essential nutrients," says Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "Pumpkins are low in fat, calories and are loaded with vitamins."

If you are planning to use fresh pumpkin for baking, Sandon says, choose smaller, blemish- and bruise-free pumpkins. Smaller pumpkins have softer and tastier meat. To maintain freshness, pumpkins should be stored in a cool, dry place until ready to use.

And don't forget to oven roast the pumpkin seeds. They are ideal as snacks or as a salad topping.

Check out our Purely Pumpkin Recipe Collection!

(10-20-09)

Breast cancer is predicted to kill more than 40,000 U.S. women this year, while 192,000 more will be diagnosed with the disease. With early detection, however, nearly 90 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer will live at least five years.

The keys to early detection are getting an annual mammogram combined with regular self-exams of the breasts, says Dr. Phil Evans, associate vice president for imaging services at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "We recommend annual mammograms beginning at age 40," Dr Evans says. "For high-risk groups, including women who have a first-degree relative with breast cancer or women who had chest X-rays for Hodgkin's disease when they were younger, we recommend they consult with their doctor to determine if they need to start earlier."

Women whose mothers had breast cancer before they were 40 years old should start getting regular mammograms at age 30, Dr. Evans says.

(10-06-09)

Dr. Margaret Mitchell, DDS, owner of Mitchell Dental Spa, a dental spa facility in Chicago's Water Tower Place, offers the following tips to for protecting your kids' teeth at Halloween:

Avoid sticky candy such as taffy, gummy bears, caramel, etc. Sticky candy adheres to teeth and causes decay.

Kids can eat candy ANYTIME. There is not a good time of day/night to eat candy.

Brush immediately after eating candy, especially sticky candy.

Prior to Halloween, visit your dentist to have sealants put into the child's teeth grooves.

Have your child chew gum with zylitol sweetener, which prevents tooth decay. Orbit and Trident both have zylitol sweetener.

(10-06-09)

The first swine flu vaccinations will start to arrive this week in some parts of the country. Around 600,000 doses of FluMist, a vaccine that is squirted into the nose, will be distributed between 21 states and four larger cities, with more following later in the week. The larger shipments of the vaccine (around 40 million) will start shipping the second week of October.

This year, most people will need two different shots for influenza; one for the "normal" flu and one for H1N1, or the swine flu. Children under the age of 10 will need two doses of H1N1.

Learn more by reading Swine Flu and Pregnancy: How Does the Influenza H1N1 Strain Affect Mom-to-be? and Swine Flu and Babies: Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment for the Swine Flu. (10-06-09)

For young children, the home is a playground, and while many parents childproof to ensure that their home is a safe place, some may not be aware that unsecured TVs, furniture and appliances are hidden hazards lurking in every room. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents once again to take simple, low-cost steps to prevent deaths and injuries associated with furniture, TV and appliance tip-overs.

CPSC staff estimates that in 2006, 16,300 children 5 years old and younger were treated in emergency rooms because of injuries associated with TV, furniture and appliance tip-overs, and between 2000 and 2006, CPSC staff received reports of 134 tip-over related deaths. Additionally, CPSC staff is aware of at least 30 media reports of tip-over deaths since January 2007 involving this same age group.

"Many parents are unaware of the deadly danger of this hidden hazard. I urge parents to include securing TVs, furniture and appliances in their childproofing efforts," says CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Taking a few moments now can prevent a tip-over tragedy later."

"You may think your home is safe, but everyday things like a television can hurt your child. I was right there and it happened," says Sylvia Santiago, of West Haven, Conn., who lost her 2-year-old daughter in 2008.

Typically, injuries and deaths occur when children climb onto, fall against or pull themselves up on television stands, shelves, bookcases, dressers, desks, chests and appliances. In some cases, televisions placed on top of furniture tip over and cause a child to suffer traumatic and sometimes fatal injuries. "The most devastating injuries that we see resulting from furniture tipping on children are injuries to the brain and when a child is trapped under a heavy piece of furniture and suffocates," says Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Recent revisions to the voluntary safety standards for clothes storage units provide for the inclusion of warning labels and additional hardware to secure the furniture to the floor or wall. To help prevent tip-over hazards, CPSC offers the following safety tips:

Furniture should be stable on its own. For added security, anchor chests or dressers, TV stands, bookcases and entertainment units to the floor or attach them to a wall.

Place TVs on a sturdy, low-rise base. Avoid flimsy shelves.

Push the TV as far back as possible.

Place electrical cords out of a child's reach, and teach kids not to play with them.

Keep remote controls and other attractive items off the TV stand so kids won't be tempted to grab for them and risk knocking the TV over.

Make sure free-standing ranges and stoves are installed with anti-tip brackets.

Learn more by reading Toppling Televisions: Taking Precautions to Keep Babies Safe Around TVs.

(9-29-09)

The fascinating and inspiring story of Walt Disney will come to life on October 1, 2009, when The Walt Disney Family Museum opens in San Francisco.

Born in Chicago in 1901, Disney grew up on a failing farm in the rural Midwest, fell in love with drawing and animation and traveled, nearly penniless, to California in the early 1920s. Over the next 40 years, Disney elevated animation to an art form, created the first Academy Award-winning nature documentary, commissioned scores of songs that millions of people know by heart and oversaw the birth of the first theme park, Disneyland. Today, more than 40 years after his death, Disney's characters and creations remain an indelible part of popular culture around the world.

"The name 'Disney' calls to mind the vast company that bears my father's name, rather than my father himself," says Diane Disney Miller, daughter of Walt Disney and a director of the foundation that is funding the $110 million museum. "My father was a man of endless curiosity who loved to tinker and explore and entertain people. We look forward to sharing an honest and affectionate portrait of this amazing man."

Inside the Museum: An American Story
The Walt Disney Family Museum will contain hundreds of audio clips of Disney and his family and coworkers telling the stories of his creations, as well as over 1,600 objects and works of art, 200 monitors and interactive exhibits that will invite visitors to learn about Walt Disney and the industry he nurtured. Highlights of the museum include the following:

The earliest known drawings of Mickey Mouse

Animation cels of Disney's characters

Storyboards, a Disney innovation, that map out timeless film classics

The innovative Multiplane Camera that revolutionized animation

The unique Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Academy Award: one full-size Oscar and seven miniature castings

The one-eighth scale train he installed at his Hollywood home that spurred his vision for Disneyland

A model of the Disneyland of Walt's imagination.

Visit www.waltdisney.org for more information.

(9-22-09)

In recognition of national ADHD Awareness Day, Dancing with the Stars performer and professional dancer Karina Smirnoff is adding her voice to the growing attention about adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by sharing her personal experiences for the first time and advocating for others to seek evaluation and appropriate treatment.

Smirnoff is partnering with Shire plc , the global specialty biopharmaceutical company and a leader in ADHD treatment, in an effort to highlight the impact of ADHD on adults at work, at home and in social settings, and to educate people that ADHD symptom management is possible.

"As a professional dancer, I've become known for my moves and my career accomplishments, but most people don't know about another part of my life – I'm an adult with ADHD," says Smirnoff.

Smirnoff has struggled with the ADHD symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity throughout her life. She was diagnosed after a friend recognized how her symptoms were impacting her life, and urged her to see a doctor. With the hope that other adults with ADHD will benefit from her story, she is speaking out about her experiences with ADHD to reinforce that ADHD is a real, treatable medical disorder.

"My parents tried anything and everything just to address my inattention and provide an outlet for my hyperactivity," says Smirnoff. "They enrolled me in activities that held my interest like figure skating, ballet, gymnastics and playing the piano. Throughout my life, I have found ways to cope with my symptoms, because I thought they were just part of who I am."

"After speaking with my doctor and getting diagnosed with ADHD, I realized that having tools – such as medication and organizational strategies – would help manage my symptoms," says Smirnoff. "In addition to recommending strategies, such as taking breaks during rehearsals, my doctor prescribed Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) Capsules CII, as part of my ADHD treatment plan. Like most adults, my schedule is very busy. My day is filled with 10-hour dance rehearsals for my television show, teaching choreography, dancing in shows and constant travel. With improvement in my ADHD symptoms, I can focus on finishing what I start."

"My doctor did let me know about the possible side effects of Vyvanse, including possible heart problems, as well as more commonly associated side effects including decreased appetite, difficulty falling asleep and dry mouth," says Smirnoff. "Talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Because everyone is different, work with your doctor to find a treatment plan, which may include educational approaches, psychological or behavioral modification and/or medication, that may be right for you."

To learn more about Karina Smirnoff's story, visit www.vyvanseadult.com.

(9-22-09)

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE) has announced the launch of the new Diamond Collection at the D23 Expo. Diamond Collection is the definitive collection of the Walt Disney Studios' most historic and beloved animated classics that will debut on Blu-ray Hi-Def.

Beginning with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on October 6, the Diamond Collection comprises an additional 13 of Disney's most treasured titles, including Beauty and the Beast; Fantasia and Fantasia 2000; The Lion King; Bambi; Cinderella; Lady and the Tramp; The Little Mermaid; Peter Pan; The Jungle Book; 101 Dalmatians; Sleeping Beauty; and Pinocchio.

"Walt Disney's gift of telling captivating and engaging stories was matched only by his passion for presenting them in the most spectacular way," says The Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook. "We are proud to continue his pursuit of excellence with 'The Diamond Collection,' which brings the films that are the foundation of our Company to audiences of all ages across the globe."

As part of the new Diamond Collection criteria, each film will be thoroughly restored to the highest level of picture and sound, feature groundbreaking, state-of-the-art immersive bonus content, and include unprecedented levels of interactivity, personalization and customization only made possible by Blu-ray technology. The Disney Diamond Collection will represent a major transformation of the home entertainment industry providing families with more engaging, entertaining experiences than any other format.

(9-15-09)

Families Fighting Flu (FFF) reminds parents to get their children vaccinated against the seasonal flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children 6 months through 18 years of age get a seasonal flu vaccination each year. This is the first year that this full influenza vaccination recommendation for children will be implemented by all doctors.

"Every year we remind families about the importance of getting children vaccinated against the flu," says Richard Kanowitz, president of FFF. "This year, it is just as important as any other to get your kids vaccinated. The seasonal flu is very serious as it took the life of my healthy daughter who was only 4 years old when she died. I do not want what happened to my family to happen to any other family; therefore, I encourage everyone to call their doctor now and make an appointment to get your kids vaccinated."

FFF is also announcing the availability of a new public service announcement (PSA) that features soccer legend and mom, Mia Hamm, who talks about the importance of getting a seasonal flu vaccination this year and every year. The goal of the PSA is to encourage families to get their kids, and themselves, vaccinated against the seasonal flu, which is the single best way to stay healthy. The PSA was developed in partnership with FFF, the American Youth Soccer Organization and MedImmune.

"I am excited about this new PSA as it is another great tool to help educate families about the importance of seasonal influenza vaccination," says Joe Lastinger, board member of FFF who lost his healthy 3-year-old daughter to influenza in 2004. "As a dad who has kids that play sports, it is very important to my wife and me that we help keep our children healthy by getting them vaccinated every year so that they don't get sidelined by the flu. We've seen firsthand the devastation that can result from not getting children vaccinated. It's our responsibility as parents to protect our children, so please get them a seasonal flu vaccination this year and every year."

To view the new PSA, click here.

Learn more by reading the following:

Swine Flu and Pregnancy

Swine Flu and Babies

Tackling Influenza: Healthy Decisions This Flu Season

Pregnant Women and New Parents Urged to Get Swine Flu Vaccine

Swine Flu Vaccine: One Shot or Two?

CDC Answers Questions About Swine Flu and Breastfeeding

Expert Tips for Swine Flu Prevention

What Parents Should Know About Swine Flu

(9-15-09)

It may be trendy to carry bottled water – tap or otherwise – but it's just plain smart when the thermostat's inching toward 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says water is the best option for hydration, but opt for a sports drink if you are exercising or working in the heat for more than 90 minutes. Signs of dehydration include weakness, exhaustion and delirium.

"Just be sure to steer clear of alcohol and caffeinated drinks like tea and sodas," says Sandon, also a registered dietitian. "They may add to your fluid intake but may leave you feeling light headed and jittery, making it difficult to tell if you are well hydrated."

(9-08-09)