School lunch vs. bag lunch: What's best for your kids?

New school lunch initiatives

Much attention has been paid to children's health and there's an increased awareness that lunch at school is a critical source of nutrition for students. New federal guidelines have been introduced to ensure that menus provide more whole grains, more fruits and vegetables and less fat and sodium. Thanks to dedicated efforts driven by schools, parents and the federal government, many positive changes are occurring.

"There's a lot happening in the lunch line," says Dr. Brian Wansink, researcher and professor at Cornell University. Wansink and Dr. David Just, researcher and associate professor at Cornell University, created Smarter Lunchrooms, a multi-faceted program that provides schools with tools that can improve children's eating behaviors in the cafeteria.

"It's a common misconception that kids won't eat healthy foods, but our work shows that not to be the case. We can encourage healthy choices in the way we present foods to kids," says Wansink. He and his team have carefully studied the cafeteria line and how kids choose foods. The placement of foods on the lunch line, how foods are named on the menu and offering choices significantly affect which foods kids select.

For example, moving fruit from a commercial bin to an attractive fruit bowl near the end of the line is proven to increase selection. "Banning favorite foods such as tacos and pizza from a cafeteria can backfire," adds Wansink. "When kids feel restricted or forced into a decision, they rebel and may choose not to eat. Nobody wins in that scenario. We know a healthy lunch is necessary for good school performance."

Companies have stepped up to improve nutrition by creating new versions of kid-favorite foods that meet the new USDA school meal rules. Stir-fry, tacos, pastas and pizzas have become healthy fare as lower fat, lower sodium, whole grain versions have been introduced. For example, Schwan's Food Service created Big Daddy's(R) Cheese Pizza with a 51 percent whole-grain crust. It contains 25 percent Daily Value (DV) of calcium, as well as healthy amounts of potassium and protein, for less than 320 calories. Spicier sauces and more ethnic food choices are meeting students' expanded flavor palates, too.

As of this fall, school lunches will also offer more produce, including dark green, red and orange vegetables, dry beans and legumes, all of which are nutrient-rich. More farm-to-school programs add the option of locally grown produce for portions of the school year.

Bag lunch betterments

Much like the cafeteria, the quality of a bag lunch hinges on what's been chosen and eaten. To paraphrase Wansink, it's not nutrition until it's eaten.

One easy step to improve the quality of a bag lunch and the chance it will be enjoyed is to increase your kids' involvement in the process. Have them help shop for foods and talk to them about which food categories make a lunch that makes a difference. Then have them help bag it up.

Remember that drinks matter at lunchtime. Soda, fruit drinks, and popular energy drinks and sports drinks lack calcium and often contain added sugars. That's a problem. Up to 90 percent of a person's bone density is formed by age 18 and those school years are crucial for building bone strength to last a lifetime. Be sure to pack a calcium-rich drink.

New grains and new ways of making bread mean better whole grain bread choices are available for sandwiches. Breads can be soft and moist yet still deliver whole grain goodness plus, in some cases, enough nutrients to rival fruits and vegetables.

Food safety is a big concern for bag lunches. Perishable foods need to be eaten within two hours if they're left at room temperature and most brown bag lunches sit in a desk or locker for longer than that, turning them into bacteria havens and making them risky to eat. Home-packed meals need to be put in insulated, chilled bags that will keep foods in a safe temperature zone, sometimes for four or five hours. If your child isn't keen on carrying an insulated bag (many older kids aren't), or to reduce overall food safety risks, school lunches are an easy, nutritious fix.

Lunchtime is a highlight of many school days and an essential part of a productive one. Talk with your kids about what they eat and how lunch can help or hold them back from learning, running faster at recess or performing their best in after school activities. A healthful lunch will keep them fully fueled for the rest of their day.

Aging-in-place upgrades that look great and make sense

(BPT) - Do the words "aging in place" and "home improvement" conjure images of institutional-looking grab bars in bathrooms and overhead kitchen lights that could illuminate an airport runway? Many people eschew certain types of home improvements for the same reason others refuse to wear hearing aids - the negative connotations of age.



Changes in mobility, vision, hearing and stability are a reality of growing older for many Americans. Certain types of home improvements can make your home safer and more comfortable as you age, allowing you to live there longer. From lovely skylights that fill rooms with vision-friendly natural light and fresh air to slip-resistant flooring in designer colors, those "aging in place" home improvements can be beautiful as well as functional.



Here are a handful of aging-in-place upgrades that shout "fabulous" instead of "fogey":



In the kitchen



We all spend a great deal of time in the kitchen, and it's the room where we also do the most work. Upgrades that improve your ability to reach important appliances, enhance vision and boost safety will help you use your kitchen more efficiently for as long as possible.



Age-related vision changes can necessitate increasing the amount of light in your kitchen. Task lights and under-cabinet lighting can focus illumination where you need it most, and hide discretely out of sight without disrupting the clean lines and unmarked beauty of kitchen cabinets.



Overhead lighting is also important, but rather than opting for industrial-type lights that may cause harsh glare, consider introducing natural light. Research published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology suggests that natural light may be better for aging eyes than artificial light. A skylight is an upscale, beautiful home improvement that can benefit boomers with natural light.



Skylights can also help improve indoor air quality. Most exposure to environmental pollution occurs by breathing indoor air, according to research by the Greenguard Environmental Institute. No leak solar powered fresh air skylights, like those made by Velux America, not only provide healthful natural light, they also provide passive ventilation to reduce fumes, humidity and stale air - improving overall indoor air quality.



You can increase a skylight's energy efficiency with solar powered blinds. The complete daylighting system, plus installation, is eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit. To learn more about these Energy Star-qualified skylights, visit www.veluxusa.com. The website offers a skylight planner app to show you exactly how skylights and blinds will look in your home, as well as a tax credit calculator to figure your savings.



In the bath



Falls are a leading cause of injuries that result in hospitalization of older people. Most falls in the home occur in the bathroom, so taking precautions in this much-used room makes sense. Like them or not, grab bars improve safety in the bathroom. Fortunately, bathroom fixture manufacturers seem to understand the need for products that blend safety and beauty. It's now easy to find grab bars in a variety of attractive finishes and designs that complement your interior decor.



Lighting is also important in the bath, and a fresh air skylight can be beneficial in this room. Skylights provide natural light and passive ventilation while ensuring privacy in the bath. If your bathroom is on the ground floor, without direct roof access, you can still enjoy natural light by installing a Sun Tunnel tubular skylight.



Flooring is another opportunity to blend beauty and practicality in the bathroom. Replacing slick, traditional ceramic tiles with slip-resistant flooring such as stone, vinyl or textured ceramic tile, can be visually pleasing and safety-enhancing at the same time.



Outside the house



Navigating from the car to the front door can be fraught with peril for older folks, yet many people dislike the way certain assistive devices, like ramps, look in front of their home. If you're not ready to add a ramp, a decorative railing for outdoor stairs is a great alternative. It's easy to find good-looking options and virtually any home contractor can help you create a railing that meets your safety needs and meshes well with your home's exterior design.



Outdoor lighting is also important for safety. Make sure walkways are well lit with low lamps that put illumination directly at your feet. New high-output solar lights are a great way to effectively light a path while minimizing energy costs. Finally, keep concrete sidewalks and brick pavements in good repair. Take care of uneven spots or loose pavers right away, to reduce the risk of falling outside.

7 real estate investing lessons we can learn from Steve Jobs

I recently read the book "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson. As brilliant as Steve Jobs was, I came away from the book not with a sense of awe about the man who Steve Jobs was, but how despite his incredible success, how idiosyncratic and deeply flawed a human being he really was.



Yes, he was a certifiable genius, although in some ways "certifiable" as well.



Yes, we'll never see anyone else exactly like him, although Apple's stock price has done quite well since his death



Yes, in American business, he will live in the pantheon of Edison, Einstein, and Ford, and he really thought he belonged there.



Yes, he did leave an indelible mark on our society – in fact, totally revolutionizing five separate industries nearly simultaneously...but he deeply hurt many people on the way in his rise to near mythic status.



Despite his greatness, he made tons of mistakes, cruelly alienated lots of people including his own daughter, and did some curiously unethical things in his relatively brief time on this earth. No doubt, the further you probe into the true personal lives of your "heroes" oftentimes the more you find, the less you like.



I came away from reading the book in a word - exhausted, but exhilarated at the same time. In fact, it was refreshing in a way to know that although Jobs was "Steve Jobs the icon", he's just a guy like you and me. I realized that you don't have to be perfect to be great. And although there are many traits of Jobs I would never emulate in my own life, I felt like there were so many brilliant lessons that can be learned from him not only as a businessman and real estate investor, but as many lessons in what not to do as a father, a husband and a human being.



The bottom line is this: you, I and anyone can be great. There are multiple paths to ultimate success in life and in real estate investing, and there are multiple lessons Steve Jobs can teach the real estate investor and which can be learned by you.



The Top Seven Real Estate Investing Lessons Steve Jobs Taught Us



1. Fear Not



Jobs was plagued by strange idiosyncrasies. His diet, his odd personal habits, his driving without a license plate, his parking in handicapped zones just to name a few. But one thing he was blessed with was a total and utter lack of fear. Lack of fear comes from many things; self-confidence, optimism, even delusions of grandeur (checkmarks on all three for Jobs here). One thing's for sure, he had enormous amounts of self-confidence. He felt he was special and that he was put on this earth to do great things by creating the technical marvels which ultimately influenced and bettered the lives of millions of people. Those innovations still affect us all each and every day.



Even in the face of terminal pancreatic cancer, he seemed to have an almost irrational sense of self-confidence and lack of fear. His self-confidence was so great; he actually thought that he could cure himself with oddball diets and rituals, while shunning traditional medicine – medicine that just may have saved his life. Incredibly, he seemed to have a complete absence of fear of the one thing that most of us are deathly afraid of...death itself.



It's terrifying to buy your first house flip, for sure. But is it as fearful as death? Keep things in perspective in order to control fear. Think of the worst case scenario if you do what you're fearful of. If you can handle the worst case pain and aggravation, then do it. If Steve Jobs could fearlessly stare down death, you can do the same.



If you're just starting, then make your first real estate purchase. If you've been around the block a few times, try a new investment strategy you've never done before. When you face your fears and do what you fear most, you end up controlling your fears.



2. Pick Yourself Up Even After Your Failures



Can you imagine the humiliation of being fired by the guy you picked to run your company? In one of the most public firings in corporate history, Steve Jobs was fired. This was big news when it happened, sending shockwaves throughout Silicon Valley and the rest of the corporate world. Jobs did wallow for a short period of time, sure. But he picked himself up and created a new company that was ultimate bought by the company and the successor he was fired by.



If you are new to real estate investing and you lose a few thousand on your first deal because you overestimate your ARV, didn't stick by the 70% Rule or failed to tightly manage your general contractors, then provided the few thousand didn't bankrupt you, pick yourself up and try again.



It's not how many times we fail; it's how many times we get back up after failure that counts most.



3. Marry Art and Functionality



Many of us have iPhones. If you have one nearby while reading this or on the desktop beside you, pick it up. Feel the weight, notice the elegant stainless steel wrapping, the Gorilla glass screen, the smooth back. Swipe a few apps from side to side, browse the Internet, touch an app and see how they all gently jiggle to be deleted or modified. If you think all these enhancements and subtle artistic nuances of the device (since copied by the Google platform) are random, think again.



Jobs dissected each of these features and weighed them for weeks and months prior to being introduced by Apple. And each feature indelibly bears his thumbprint - his signature. He married art and functionality to create everlasting products and innovation that will affect generations to come.



There are lots of posts on this website that discuss the "steps" to real estate investing, house flipping, wholesaling, you name it. Follow these steps here and learn as much as you can. But then, put your own thumbprint on each of them – just like Steve Jobs did with each of his creations.



Is there only one way to rehab a house for maximum resale? No way.



Is there only one way to round up funding for your next apartment building? Not a chance.



Virtually anyone can become a real estate investor as long as they have the desire and the ambition, but to become a massive success, it's going to take more than just what you learn from others. Its going to require you to put your own indelible stamp on every deal you do. Think like Steve jobs in how you can make your flip or rental a little bit different, enhanced or beautiful...marry art with functionality.



4. Listen to Your Inner Voice



When you are new to real estate investing, you have no voice in your head. If you do have one, that voice is usually screaming to you "don't do it!"



However, the more deals you do, a different inner voice starts to appear. This is the voice of experience.



Maybe you are thinking about becoming a real estate investor and there's something that has stopped you from doing it. You went to school, you got a good job in finance or sales or maybe you're a doctor or a dentist - but there's something missing. When we don't listen to our inner voice, we mail it in, we do what we do on autopilot.



You're reading this blog most likely because you want something more. You want to create the life you've always wanted. THAT is the inner voice calling you.



Ignore it at your own peril.



Jobs' inner voice screamed "change the world" - a pretty dramatic vision and a pretty big voice. He built computers to do it. That was his plan.



What's yours?



One thing that's abundantly clear with Jobs is that despite his many imperfections, he lived his life with very few regrets. He followed his inner voice. Whatever that voice is telling you, it would be smart to listen to it. Even if it tells you to quit your job, become a full-time real estate investor, move to Tibet or become a gourmet sushi chef, listen to it.



Live life with no regrets.



5. Expect More from Yourself and From Others



Jobs was a real prick sometimes. He would berate people. He would yell at people. He would throw little temper tantrums. He was a totally obsessive control freak.



And of course, he was an absolute perfectionist.



He demanded this from himself and he demanded the same from everyone who worked for him. I am not saying that the WAY Jobs did it was right, far from it. He seemed like a real jerk to work for.



But one thing's for sure, he pushed people to places where they never thought they were capable of going. He expected this of himself and he expected it from everyone who worked for him.



Do it in your own way and do the same thing in your real estate investment career. If you need to get upset, do it. Don't overdo it or you will find nobody will want to work with you, so be careful. But shoot for perfection and settle for excellence at the very least.



Jobs built products that revolutionized the world using this philosophy and he did it in his own way...so you do it in your own way. But don't try to be him. Be yourself and expect a lot from everyone and most importantly expect the absolute most from yourself.



6. Surround Yourself with the Most Talented People You Can Find



Steve Jobs gets all the credit when you think of the legacy of greatness at Apple. Sounds good, but it's simply not true.



Yes, Jobs made the ultimate decisions in all matters Apple from the type of sandstone used in Apple stores to the kind of glass used on iPhone screens. But what's less known is that he surrounded himself with some brilliant minds that simply made him and Apple better.



Jobs surrounded himself with serious talent: the true mastermind behind the iPhone and iPad design Jony Ive, now CEO Steve Cook, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Toy Story creator John Lesseter, just to name a few. These super-talented people (not the faceless minions kowtowing to Jobs every whim as we may want to believe) don't get the credit they rightfully deserve.



In real estate investing, surrounding yourself with an incredibly talented and knowledgeable team, including lawyers, real estate agents, general contractors, etc. – people in many cases who know far more than you – is just as important in real estate investing as it was in building one of the great companies of our generation. Steve Jobs realized that he couldn't do anything without great talent around him.



How about you?



7. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish



Success in anything in life is consistently looking to improve, to grow, to build and also to have fun. If you're going to do it for the majority of the time you have in any given day, shouldn't it be fun too? Jobs summed up this philosophy of innovation, creativity and fun in his memorable 2005 Stanford commencement address (check it out on YouTube if you haven't):



"When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960′s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and Polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.



Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.



Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."



We can be just as special as he was and although we may not all build the next Apple; we can build excellence in what we do every day as real estate investors. As was previously reported on this blog, we as real estate investors not only enrich the lives of thousands of people every year with quality housing, but we create jobs and opportunities to the tune of $9.2 billion per year as well.



What we do as real estate investors matters. Jobs would agree that is a worthy dream to pursue. And we all can learn much from him – both the good and the bad. But best of all, you don't have to be perfect in to be wildly successful like Steve Jobs.



In fact, anything's possible in life if you continue to follow the simple lessons laid out above.



Author: Mike LaCava



Mike's Website: http://www.houseflippingschool.com

10 questions for the builder of your energy efficient home

(NC)-Do you want to know if your new home is energy-efficient? Here are some questions to ask your builder:

1. How do I know your homes are truly energy efficient?

2. Since all builders must meet the requirements of the building code, what makes your homes different from other builders' homes?

3. How do your building techniques reflect the latest developments in housing technology?

4. What steps do you take to improve the energy efficiency of the homes you build?

5. Can you predict what my energy costs will be?

6. What makes your homes more environmentally friendly than others?

7. Do you participate in the Government's energy efficiency initiatives for new homes?

8. Do you affix a government-backed energy label to your home?

9. Do independent, licensed professionals inspect the energy efficiency of your homes?

10. Do you build homes that receive an EnerGuide rating of 83 or higher or its equivalent?

If you aren't getting the answers you want, then you better think twice about your builder.

Life insurance for kids: Long term benefits come from early investment

Being protective goes hand-in-hand with being a parent. From hand sanitizer gel to bike helmets to high-tech car seats, moms and dads will go to the ends of the earth to keep their little ones safe, sound and happy. But eventually, the scrapes and bruises no longer need a healing kiss, the training wheels come off the bike and the day comes when they're driving to school - not just high school, but college. You might be surprised, but there are actions you can take now that will protect them then - and even beyond.



It's not uncommon for new parents to consider adding life insurance coverage to the other policies that they carry, like car and health insurance. It can be a difficult thing to think about, but it's an added protection that will ensure that kids and the surviving spouse will be taken care of in the event that one parent dies. However, there are other ways in which a life insurance policy can make a difference for your child.

It might not be something that immediately comes to mind, but taking out a life insurance policy for your children could have lasting benefits for their financial future. However, doing so when they are still young could not only add up to cost savings over the long term, but better protection of their assets as they themselves get to an age at which they'll consider a family of their own.

In practical terms, giving your children the gift of a life insurance policy protects them from medical underwriting and high costs. You'll be establishing the coverage early enough that costs will be lower, particularly in the initial stage, and it can help to keep them manageable further down the road, depending on the plan.

Over the years, a life insurance policy can become an important part of your children's financial protection. And once they're at the right age to have the discussion about how to be financially responsible, it can be a helpful example, among other lessons like establishing good credit and smart spending habits.

Some insurance plans will allow your child to make changes as their life progresses, giving them the chance to increase coverage as they go through life's milestone events, like getting married, taking out a mortgage to buy a house and having children of their own. Premiums will naturally increase with added coverage, but the added costs associated with medical underwriting will be eliminated.

Looking out for your kids is an instinct that will never fade. As they grow, you'll help guide them on the right path in life, but at some point, they'll be off on their own. Giving them long-term protection when they're young will ensure that you're helping to watch out for them, long after they've left the nest.

Fibroids and polyps: What women should know about a common health problem

So what is a fibroid or polyp and how do you know if you have them?



Fibroids and polyps



Fibroids and polyps are growths in a woman's uterus that are usually benign but can be malignant in some cases. While they are mostly be benign, some of the most substantial problems they cause for women result in infertility, trouble with getting pregnant and suffering recurring miscarriages.



Polyps are small growths on the surface of the uterine wall, an overgrowth of the lining that is easy for the ob-gyn to remove. Fibroids are larger and are usually imbedded in the smooth muscle of the uterine wall.



Fibroids vary in type, size, and where they grow in the uterus. Two types of fibroids can grow inside the uterus on a stalk or outside the womb.- Others can grow just below the lining of the uterus. Some fibroids grow in the middle of the uterine wall and some develop under the outer covering of the uterus. Heredity and race can increase your risk of developing fibroids.



Uterine polyps usually occur in women in their 40s and 50s. Factors that can put you at risk for fibroids are obesity, high blood pressure and a history of cervical polyps. Endometrial polyps - or those that grow in the lining of the uterus - occur in 10 percent to 25 percent of women, and are present in 25 percent of women with abnormal uterine bleeding, or heavy periods.



What are the symptoms?



While some fibroids and polyps can go undetected based on size and where they are located, there are a number of symptoms that women should be aware of.- Many will suddenly suffer from heavier periods than usual (lasting seven days or longer), sensations of abdominal or pelvic-area bloating, belly or pelvic pain, constipation, or pain during sexual intercourse. While none of these symptoms are life-threatening, they can detract from a woman's quality of life.



If you've been diagnosed with fibroids or polyps, you should talk with your health care provider about your treatment options.



Treatment options



There's no single best treatment approach. For uterine fibroids and polyps, your doctor might recommend "watchful waiting," where active treatment is unnecessary unless the fibroid or polyp changes or if you're at risk for development of cancer.



Certain hormonal medications, including progestins, may shrink polyps and lessen symptoms. But such medications are short-term solutions at best-- symptoms typically recur once you stop taking the medicine.



Fibroids usually grow slowly-- or not at all-- and tend to shrink after menopause when levels of reproductive hormones drop. Medications for fibroids target hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle, treating symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding and pelvic pressure. They don't eliminate fibroids, but may shrink them.



As recently as 20 years ago, hysterectomy was the standard treatment for fibroids and polyps. In addition to the complete loss of fertility that comes with a hysterectomy, patients routinely faced long, painful recuperation times - six weeks or more. New procedures for laparoscopic hysterectomies may have reduced recovery time for some women, but did nothing to prevent the loss of fertility and hormonal changes associated with a hysterectomy.



Today, alternatives exist that are less invasive and can be performed on an out-patient basis. These procedures, such as the MyoSure tissue removal system, can eliminate fibroids and uterine polyps without having to cut or remove any part of the uterus. The MyoSure System works for fibroids located within the uterus, is a short procedure which allows you to go home the same day. The procedure can help eliminate fibroids and polyps as well as the heavy periods that may be associated with them. To learn more, or to find a doctor who can perform the procedure, visit www.changethecycle.com or Facebook.com/ChangetheCycle.

Driving with dogs: Tips to keep everyone in the car safe

Distracted driving is a growing concern and a loose pet in the car certainly numbers among the potential hazards that can take your eyes - and mind - off the road and lead to accidents. While older drivers might not be as likely to be distracted by texting or smartphone surfing, even those who have spent many years navigating the roads need to honestly assess how having a pet in the car can divert their attention away from the road.



To stay safe on the road when Fido is with you, remember these tips:



* Don't allow pets in the front seats. Having a pet sit on your lap is obviously distracting, but if he's in the front passenger seat, the problem can be just as bad. In the front seats, your pet is more likely to be within your line of sight and obstruct your view of the road. An unrestrained dog in the front seats could also be easily injured if you have to slam on the brakes or swerve, or are hit from behind. The force with which airbags deploy also poses a safety hazard for dogs in the front seat - if you're in an accident and they inflate and hit your dog, he could easily sustain an injury.



* Create separation. There are a variety of pet barriers on the market that can keep your pet from moving between the front and back seats of your car. Installing a barrier will help keep your pet out of your way and diminish concerns about him being propelled forward in case you have to make a sudden stop.



* Restrain your pet. There are a number of options for pet restraints in your vehicle. Pet seatbelts and car seats will help keep a dog safely in place. Keeping a crate in the car is also a good option. Make sure it's secured and large enough so that he can stand up, turn around and comfortably sit or lay down. Add a soft pad in the bottom of the crate and it might just become your pet's favorite new way to travel.



* Brush up on your driving skills. Today's driving environment is probably very different than it was when you first got your license. A refresher course, like those offered by AARP Driver Safety, is an ideal way to ensure that your skills are up to date. Brushing up on defensive driving techniques and the essential rules of the road will help keep everyone in your car safe - and you may even qualify for a multi-year automobile insurance discount from your insurance company (check with your agent for details). AARP Driver Safety courses are available in a classroom or online setting, in both English and Spanish.



Pets are important members of the family, so it's only right that drivers consider their safety, just as they would for any other passenger. For more safe driving tips and information about AARP Driver Safety, visit www.aarp.org/drive.