Energy for You and Your Kidneys

Whenever I drink cranberry juice, it's always with a hint of fear. I like it well enough, but there's always this thing hanging over me that if I don't drink it (or pick something like mango juice or guarapo over it), I'm missing a perfectly good chance to do something good for my body.

It's that silly guilt that permeates just about every aspect of my life, I guess. Either way, the only juice I buy at the store is cranberry (o.k., fine - and the totally unhealthy but oh-so-delicious mango as well), usually one of those that includes grape or apple juice.

Then I got an offer to try these new juices that help restore natural energy by Ocean Spray, and my attention was piqued. Given that I feel exhausted 80% of the time, I figured a juice drink like this would be a better option than Red Bull or any of its cousins.

So here's what's in this new product, Cranergy, a blend of Ocean Spray's cranberry juice natural energizers:

* Cranberry juice and green tea extract: both contain high levels of antioxidants that help the body fight free radicals and stay healthy, and green tea extract offers a natural source of caffeine
* B-vitamins: support healthy energy production
* Vitamin C: helps boost your immune system

It comes in two flavors, Cranberry Lift and Raspberry Cranberry Lift, and each contains only 35 calories per eight-ounce serving (another plus, no?)

I've tried both flavors, and liked them. If you find, like me, that cranberry juice leaves an after-taste, you'll find that these do, too. I think that's inevitable. Still, considering the benefits this provides over other products, you're not losing out in going with it.

What I actually care about when it comes to juices and juice drinks is the amount of sugar. A 12-oz. serving of Cranergy contains 13g of sugar, which is pretty low.

Ocean Spray is offering online coupons at the Cranergy website during May. Check it out and see for yourself.

Go Organic! for Earth Day

Let's continue the *green* theme here -- when I was asked to share the following with you, I thought it'd be a fun, healthy thing to participate in. So, here are the details:

Go Organic! for Earth Day is offering a chance to win a Grocery Makeover with celebrated Chef and Mom-a-licious® author Domenica Catelli.

Enter to Win

Simply send the following items to contest@organicearthday.org:

1. A photo of your family

2. Photos of the inside of your pantry, refrigerator and freezer

3. A brief (100 words or less) explanation of why YOUR family needs a grocery makeover

Prize

One lucky grand prize winning family will receive a day with Chef Catelli in their kitchen, a trip to the grocery store, and a full pantry, refrigerator and freezer makeover with FREE organic groceries and a cooking lesson! Five first prize winners will each receive a signed copy of Chef Catelli’s new cookbook, “Mom-a-licious,” and a $200 gift certificate, so that they, too, can have a fresh start!

Deadline

· All internet entries must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on May 1, 2008 May 1, 2008.

· All mail entries must be postmarked by May 1, 2008 and received by May 6, 2008.

Go here for additional information about the contest.

Pretty neat, huh? It sounds like the kind of thing that could give you a jump-start on making healthier food choices for your family, because afterwards you'd know what to look for and/or you could fall back on what you learned from the experience. I just might enter myself. But then, do you know how hard it is to keep my kicthen free of pastelitos and Cuban bread? Sigh. It would kill me. Maybe I could keep those and go organic on everything else.

Yes. That's it.

A Healthy World is Possible

I've been waiting for a book like Healthy Child Healthy World. Granted, something similar may have already existed and I just didn't know about it, but this book practically hit me on the head - and when I got the chance to read and review it, I knew I couldn't pass it up.

I think many parents have been waiting for a reference book like this. Written by Christopher Gavigan, Executive Director/CEO of Healthy Child Healthy World, an organization dedicated to protecting children from environmental hazards.

The book is a resource of useful information on a wide variety of topics that affect our health and well-being. It is educational in the facts it provides but uiseful because it tells you what you can do to lead a healthier life. From the water we drink to the products we use to clean to the energy we use - everything is covered here.

The book also features short articles by celebrities on topics close to them (like Tobey Maguire on finding safe, non-toxic interior paint for his house or Vanessa Williams sharing her mission to use chemical-free beauty products). There are also pieces by experts on more specific matters to expand on a point made in a given chapter.

There are a few thoughts about the content in this book I want to share. First, my advice to anyone who reads this is to NOT sit down and read it all at once, all the way through. Not if you're a parent, anyway. It's too overwhelming, and if you have any propensity towards anxiety, excessive worrying, etc., you'll end up freaked-out at some point. It's not the book itself is alarmist, it's just that there's so much in our lives that's affected by this matter that you can go crazy thinking of all the ways you're exposed to harmful toxins and chemicals and pesitcides, as well as how far our government and society have to go to foster a healthier world. I suggest skimming it first and then reading chapters as you need to or feel it pertinent to your current situation.

Another thought I had as I read the book is that for now, the world or organic food and natural, chemical-free products remains predominantly within reach of those higher on the economic ladder. Many of these suggestions and many of the food and products that are safe are out of reach of the working poor, and, to a large degree, minority communities. Not that this is the book's fault or that I want to get political about it, but I keep picturing families who live 10 miles north of me, and they are in no situation to spend $7 on a bathroom cleaner or $20 on an organic t-shirt.

What that means to me, then, is that something has to change so that producing these products is not so expensive so as to exclude the majority of the population. The idea of organic foods and chemical-free products remaining the privilege of the wealthy (or better-off) is unacceptable to me. We should all be able to create healthy, substainable lives.

All right, rant over. Back to the book.

The best, best feature of the book for me was the resource section at the end that lists the companies that provide these products and services. I don't think it's a comprehensive list, but it's a good start.

Most definitely, Healthy Child Healthy World sheds some much-needed light on the prevalence of harmful substances in our food and environment, and offers steps we can take to provide a healthier world for our children. It's a must on every conscious parent's bookshelf.

A Contest for Teachers

Due to the fact that there's just two weeks left in this contest, I'm going to share this info just as I received it:

Lands’ End is announcing the Teachers Light the Way Contest. The company will recognize outstanding teachers that have made a difference in the life of a student, a school or a community.

Forty-five teachers will receive the coveted Lands’ End Lighthouse Award – representing the company’s 45-year history.

Three Grand Prize winners that will receive between $4,000-$10,000 for the teachers to split with the winning school. Forty-two Honorable Mention winning teachers will receive a $100 Lands End gift card.

But that’s not all – readers who nominate a Grand Prize winning teacher will also receive a $250 Lands’ End gift card. Readers who nominate an Honorable Mention-winning teacher will get a $25 Lands End gift card.

If any of you would like to recognize an extraordinary teacher or get more information, you can submit an essay up to 500 words and fill out the online entry form here.

The contest will end at midnight, April 17, 2008.

Info and Tools from Turbo Tax

I received some information from Turbo Tax, and seeing as how we're running against the tax-season clock at this point, I thought it'd be helpful to share it with you:

Tax Rebate Calculator

130 million Americans will begin receiving tax rebates in May as a result of the economic stimulus package passed by Congress last month. This week, the IRS is sending those individuals a letter entitled "economic stimulus payment notice" alerting people that they may be eligible for $600 and most married couples will receive $1,200. Parents will receive an additional $300 for each eligible child younger than 17. The notice says that in order to get the rebate all one has to do is file a 2007 tax return. This letter also includes a set of instructions for calculating one's own return. TurboTax has simplified a way for these individuals to uncover their actual refund amount for free.

The new, free online Tax Rebate calculator at TurboTax.com will help people determine how big their tax rebate will be. Just by answering a few simple questions, any taxpayer can see how much money the economic stimulus plan will put into their pockets. You can use this calculator by visiting TurboTax.com and clicking on the icon in the lower right hand corner of the main page or by visiting this page:
turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/


Free Filing

Did you also know that some people can use TurboTax for free? If you earned $30,000 or less or were active military duty or qualify for the Earned Income Credit, you can use the resources at TaxFreedom.com to fill out your forms and e-file. Visit TaxFreedom.com to determine whether you qualify and how you can participate with TurboTax Freedom Edition.

Audit Tools

In 2007 the IRS cracked down, auditing more than 1.3 million individual tax returns. That’s a 7% increase over 2006 and the largest number of audits since 1998.

This year TurboTax is helping its customers to identify and reduce the risk of an audit with two audit support tools.

-Audit Risk Meter: This new tool helps taxpayers reduce their risk of an audit by identifying potential audit triggers before they file their return.
-Audit Support Center: Helps customers deal with, and prepare, in the unlikely event that they are audited.

Both of these tools give taxpayers the peace of mind to know they’re helping reduce their risk while also providing a life-line should they be contacted by the IRS. Additionally, taxpayers can help reduce their risk of an audit by being aware of common tax situations that could raise red flags with the IRS, such as:

-Child Tax Credit: With more and more children living with separated or divorced parents this is becoming a more common red flag. To receive the child tax credit you must enter the child’s social security number. If another parent has already claimed that social security number, the second return to be filed will trigger an audit.
-Home Office Deductions: The home office deduction is an area the IRS pays close attention to. Taxpayers claiming this deduction should make sure they are disciplined in what they deduct and how they use their home office.
-Rental Property: If a taxpayer owns a rental property, the IRS may be taking a closer look at their return. Owners of rental properties will want to make sure their home can be classified as a rental property and not a vacation home.

These tools are available here.

A Gay Guy Tells Me How to Parent Mah Baby

I took it as a propitious sign when I got an offer to read The Gay Uncle's Guide to Parenting, a new parenting book by Brett Berk, an educator who's been around kids and seen it all for more than 20 years. I say this because I've been putting off looking for a book that discusses some of the challenges I've been facing as the mom of a toddler. The thing is, I fear that if I start one book, I'll seek out another book, then another, and then next thing you know, I'm caught in this awful vortex of parenting books, none of which will ever answer all my questions or meet my expectations or empower me or make it all all right.

O.k., so I have some issues when it comes to the parenting genre; I admit it. So the fact that this book pretty much fell on my lap was a sign to me that I should just read it and see if I could glean anything from it. The fact that it promised some humor and snark didn't hurt, as that's how I prefer to take advice in.

The premise of the book is interesting: Berk has spent the last 20 years or so working with children - as a teacher, a preschool director and a consultant to toy/food/etc. companies. So basically, he's an expert on kids because he's been with them and seen them in action and worked with them and, and this might be the important part, has been able to do the same with parents. And as a gay man who has not had kids of his own, has been able to remain at enough distance to keep perspective, the kind we parents can lose sometimes.

I have to admit that it was mainly this premise - gay childless man who's spent most of his life surrounded by kids - that most got my attention. Because I could really use the perspective of someone who's neither parent nor doctor but can lay some claim to expertise, and I know a gay man's going to give it to me straight, no pun intended.

So how did Berk do? Pretty good, in my opinion. There were times when I found the humor and snark to be too bitchy and mean to really be funny, but otherwise, the advice and suggestions made total sense to me. There was no point where I felt like, "This guy's full of it and he has no clue what he's saying", which I have felt, surprisingly, with other parenting books authored by parents and/or doctors. It was obvious to me that Berk had really thought about a lot of these issues and that his experience had really taught him some valuable lessons.

My strongest criticism is that there were times when I wished for more concrete information. For example, in discussing food and eating, he states a few times, "lay out clear age-appropriate expectations" and goes on to list other to-do's. But I'm stuck at that first part, wondering, what are those clear age-appropriate expectations? Because that's where I need help, and that's what no book has yet to reveal to me. And I don't mean specifically about eating, but about anything: bedtime, sharing, behaving in public, etc. I'm doing pretty good at reading my child and taking his cues and figuring out what works with him and what doesn't, but I frequently find myself wondering if he's too old or too young for some of what I communicate to him, or what I expect of him, or what I think he should understand. A little more detail on that front would have helped tremendously.

This book was very helpful in laying out action plans for various parenting challenges, like finding babysitters and helping your child develop healthy eating habits. Perhaps I'm just similar to Berk in that so much of what he had to say seemed like common sense to me. I could totally see what he meant when he kept referring to the "parenting bubble" - maybe because I spent a decent amount of time observing people close to me become parents before I myself took that plunge. Or not. Maybe it's just that part of me always feels like an outsider no matter what.

Either way, it was a good read. Informative, useful, full of good sense. It came at the right time for me, and I'm glad for it!

Coffee Talk

Look, let me just admit this up front: I'm becoming more and more of a coffee snob. Or maybe not a snob, per se, since I'll drink Folgers if that's all there is, but more demanding, perhaps.

At work, I've taken to bringing in different packs of coffee - different brands and flavors - and mixing them up, creating every week some new concoction that includes something mild (Starbucks breakfast blend, let's say) and something bold (Jack Daniels Oak Barrel Roast).

And at home, well, this is almost embarrassing, but who cares: I've taken to importing my coffee from Costa Rica. I have found what I think is the most perfect coffee ever, and I'm willing pay $20 for 2 lbs. plus shipping to get it to my door. It is so damn delicious that I get teary-eyed over it.

So when I got an offer to try the Senseo coffee pod system, I have to admit, I was like, bring it on. Because if the Senseo coffee pods were crappy, I was going to know it. Having seen some commercials about the machine, I was interested in learning more.

After using the machine for a couple of weeks, here's my take: pretty damn good. I've only used the dark roast coffee, which is what I prefer anyway, and I like it. The machine works by brewing single servings of coffee (or two servings, if you use to coffee pods). You simply add water, secure the coffee pod, place your mug under the spigot and hit the button.

For someone like me, who's the only person in the house who drinks coffee, this kind of machine makes sense. Because of the nature of this machine, waste is minimal (no extra pot to clean, no filters to buy, no coffee to waste, which, I admit, sometimes happens to me). Because the single serving is 4 ounces (a small amount compared to what I drink each morning to awaken myself), it's becoming my afternoon hit - enough to pep me up but not too much that I can't sleep.

Of course, a machine like this doesn't allow for me to get creative and experimental, but that's o.k.

So here's where you get to benefit: Senseo is inviting people to take a quick survey (seriously, 7 questions), and if you do, you may be selected to receive a machine with coffee, coffee canister and some coupons to share - for just the $15 shipping/handling fee. Considering the machine alone is $70, that's a decent deal.

What's more - I myself have a few coupons for $20 off the Senseo machine. Leave a comment or send an email with your own unique coffee-flavor blend that you think I should try, and I'll send one out to you.