Teens Are Dying to Look Good

By Dani Ben-Ari

With the approach of summer and “swimsuit season” we all become more body conscious. Not only do people worry about losing those extra pounds before hitting the beach, but many become obsessed about how “pale” they may look. This is especially true for millions of American teens who crave a “bronzed glow” all year long, and those who can’t achieve this outdoors have become increasingly obsessed with the use of tanning salons. In fact, it has been reported that approximately 2.3 million teenagers (as well as people in their twenties) use tanning beds on a regular basis, putting themselves at great risk of dying just to look good.

As a result, the Federal Government is now considering stronger restrictions including warning labels as well as a possible ban on the use of tanning beds for teens under the age of 18 following a report last month by a Food and Drug Administration advisory board which showed a rise skin cancer among young people who use them. This is because the beds concentrate ultraviolet radiation directly to the skin, unlike like natural sunlight.
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Women and Car Racing

By Dani Ben-Ari

In some respects, it is still difficult for young women to enter into the top ranks of motorsports. There is no question that it takes a tremendous amount of both skill and dogged determination to be successful. As young women move forward in their quest for respect, an equal chance and a competitive ride, they often require a level of resilience capable of shaking off any barriers or resistance.

Despite the odds these young women may encounter, it is important to take note that there are strong, high profile women supporting them. Not only are past drivers such as Lyn St. James and Janet Guthrie encouraging and mentoring aspiring female racers, so are current drivers like Danica Patrick, Sarah Fisher, Kathryn Legge and Ashley Force Hood. These women, along with others, have raised the world’s awareness of professional racing, not for who they are as much as what they have been and will continue to accomplish.

“Women racers bring fans out to the races,” reports a study by the University of Indianapolis, in collaboration with the center for Research on Physical Activity, Sport & Health at D’Youville College. Women athletes in all fields, notes the study, have developed strong fan bases, thus becoming an important part of the United States sports industry.

Since motorsports’ beginnings, notes Lyn St. James, women have been in the driver’s seat. In 2007, there were more than 200 women drivers licensed to race in NASCAR sanctioned races; 41 women have earned NHRA national event victories, while 39 women have competed in pro racing in NHRA. According to St. James’ 2007 Guide to Racing in Indy, there has been a 100 percent increase in young girls racing in the All American Soap Box Derby World Championships since 1985, representing a little over 40 percent of the total number of competitors ages 7-17.
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Protecting Your Children from Lead Poisoning

By Dani Ben-Ari

Lead is an extremely toxic metal and is a cumulative poison that is retained in the central nervous system, brain, bones, hair and glands once ingested. Children exposed to it may experience liver and kidney damage, brain damage and lower intelligence, behavior and learning problems, hyperactivity, impaired speech and language development, as well as hearing damage. It can also impede their normal growth rate.

Signs of lead poisoning are not always easy to detect. Many children with lead poisoning appear and act healthy, while some symptoms may be mistaken for other illnesses such as stomach upset or flu. Because of this, lead poisoning may go undiagnosed until it is too late. However, if your children exhibit any of the following symptoms, it may be wise to have their doctor administer a blood test to be sure: hyperactivity, listlessness or loss of energy, extreme crankiness or are very fussy, lower attention spans, lack of appetite and weight loss, trouble sleeping, unexplained stomach pains, and/or constipation.

Fortunately, lead poisoning is preventable. Parents/guardians need to be vigilant in examining their children’s general environments and habits. For instance it is important for adults to regularly inspect their homes for peeling paint and clean up any loose chips immediately (especially if the paint was put on the walls before 1978). It is also important to keep the areas where children play clean and dust free. Regularly wet-wipe floors, window sills and frames, porches and other surfaces to remove lead dust. Make sure that children wash their hands often, especially after playing outside and before they eat. Wash toys, stuffed animals, bottles and pacifiers often to remove lead dust. It is also important to make sure that shoes are cleaned often to prevent bringing contaminants into the home. Playground equipment should also be examined for peeling paints, and parents are advised not to purchase cheap toys and toy jewelry imported from overseas that are sold in many dollar stores as they often contain high amounts of lead paint.

Don’t bring lead dust from hobbies or work places into the home. Adults who work in construction, certain manufacturing plants and even landscaping, etc should try to shower and change clothes and shoes before going home or getting into their car. In addition, be sure to wash work clothes separately from the rest of the family laundry.

Making sure your children are well fed is another way to combat lead poisoning. Empty stomachs absorb more lead. Foods high in iron, Vitamin C and calcium have been proven to help prevent its absorption, while diets high in fiber and pectin (found in apples) can help the body eliminate it. Other foods that help flush lead from the system include eggs, onions, garlic and beans.

About the Author
Dani is an eclectic writer who specializes in promoting wellness in mind, body and spirit, as well as an acclaimed expert on the topic of car care for women. She served as the associate editor and primary writer for Auto Trim & Restyling News for ten years, and produced The Driving Range column for Women With Wheels for several years as well. She is the author of Car Ownership for Mommies, and Girls Go Racing: Driving to Esteems (with Susan Frissell Ph.D). In addition, Dani (aka Diana Duel) writes a regular wellness column for the Hartford Examiner. Check out her website at www.musesandmeditations.com.

© 2010. This article was reprinted with permission from Dani Ben-Ari.All reprints must state, “Reprinted with permission by Diana Duel from her wellness column for the Hartford Examiner originally published Oct. 21 2009.

Steering Clear of Hazardous Driving Conditions

By Dani Ben-Ari

This has been a particularly brutal winter for most of the United States, with many areas getting record snowfalls, especially in the Midwest and Deep South. While there is nothing we can do about the weather, there are measures that we can all take to make sure we can cope with it to the best of our ability, particularly when traveling.

There may come a time in every driver’s life when the unexpected happens due to some hazard caused by conditions on the road beyond your control. In questionable weather, the safest behavior is to avoid driving. However, if you must be out on the road decrease your speed and leave plenty of room between you and the car in front of you, and be sure to brake gently to avoid skidding on slick roads. If you feel the wheels begin to lock up, ease off the brake carefully.

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Teaching Your Teen to Drive Takes Patience

By Dani Ben-Ari

Teenage drivers can pose big threats to highway safety. Whereas it is impossible to be with our teenagers every time they get behind the wheel, there are a number of sensible ways to try and keep them safer.

The first is to set a good example with your own driving skills from the very beginning. Little ones are extremely aware of the things their parents do and will eventually copy what they see, If you are reckless behind the wheel, chances are that they will grow up thinking that is the way everyone drives. Begin by showing your children good driving habits early. Always use your seatbelts, signal when making turns, check mirrors regularly and be sure to give yourself plenty of room between you and other vehicles. You can also explain the importance of why you do these things when operating a vehicle. They may not always act like they are listening, but it will sink in.

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Are Your Parents Becoming Too Old to Drive?

By Dani Ben-Ari

There comes a time in life when most people need to decide when it is time to give up their driver’s license. Unfortunately, many seniors often refuse to do so willingly. Some just don’t want to admit their failing abilities, while others are afraid to give up the freedom and independence driving affords them. Many people are able to drive safely well into their 80’s and even their 90’s. Others, however, may need to stop driving far younger. Everyone ages differently, and there are a great many factors that can impair someone’s driving ability.

As people get older, their depth perception and ability to judge traffic speed accurately declines. Night vision worsens and many older individuals become increasingly sensitive to sunlight and glare. Hearing loss is another factor. In addition, chronic ailments such as diabetes and arthritis, as well as side effects from medications can diminish a driver’s ability to react quickly enough, and may also include drowsiness.

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When Baby’s On Board: Keeping Your Kids Safe While Driving

While it has been proven that baby seats save lives, thousands of small children continue to die or are badly injured in car crashes each year because their parents were not sufficiently taught how to use them properly. In fact, the AAA reported that as many as three out of four parents are using the wrong kind of seat for their children.

All infants need to be placed in rear-facing seats until they are one year old and weight more than 20 lbs. While some parents may thing it is okay to change over to front facing seats earlier if the baby is over 20 lbs, they may be making a grave error. It is not so much the weight that counts, but the infant’s overall physical development. A baby’s neck is simply not developed sufficiently before its first birthday to support its head. Similarly, toddlers over 20 lbs should not ride in booster seats until they have outgrown the height and weight limits of forward facing seats as specified by each individual manufacturer.

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Motoring One’s Way to Self-Esteem

Every one needs some sort of compass in the search for self; something to give direction and guide them from where they are in life to where they want to be. Without a compass many people may believe it is safer to stay with what is familiar, or to just accept what image others have of them, rather than risk rejection by following their own path. This fear is most often caused by a lack of self-esteem and generally leads to an identity crisis, or a feeling of uncertainty about how they feel about themselves. It can also result in a loss of one’s values, goals and purpose.

Self-esteem is the value a person places on herself. It is having a good opinion of oneself and includes having a realistic understanding of one’s strengths as well as weaknesses, and realizing that one’s positive qualities outweigh the negative qualities. It means believing that one is attractive and worthwhile. That one is a “good” person. Most importantly, having a high self-esteem (yet not being egotistical) means feeling that one is doing a good job and “measuring up” to personal expectations, re: behavior, appearance and character. If a teen believes she is a worthwhile person, she is more likely to make healthy decisions regarding her life.

How does one develop self-esteem? In many ways our accomplishments are what help us develop our self-worth. More than a “feel good” thing, self-esteem is about who we are, who we can potentially be. Self-esteem is also about getting balance in life. It is about learning to deal with life’s ups and downs, and to be prepared for the hard times that inevitably will come to all of us.
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