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Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2534 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 Advice For Home Cooks That Makes Healthy Eating Easy Tips To Minimize Colds And Flu (NAPSA)—The Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 22 million school days are lost to the common cold every year. This is no surprise to moms, according to a survey conducted by Braun Research. Nine in 10 moms agree that other children who go to school with cold or flu viruses have caused their child to get sick. To share some easy strategies for minimizing exposure to cold and flu bugs, the Kleenex brand has teamed up with school nurse Jean Grabeel. A mother of two with over 30 years of experience in the health care field, Grabeel sees thousands of students each year. “While it’s true that cold and flu viruses are their worst from October through March, it’s important to remember that bugs are out there all year,” said Grabeel. “In fact, the National Association of School Nurses found that nearly 70 percent of 2008 student illnesses didn’t happen during the ‘typical’ cold and flu season.” Here are some tips Jean recommends practicing year-round: • Wash your hands often and for a minimum of 15 seconds, especially before eating, after playing outside or using the restroom. • Sneezes can spray 100,000 infectious droplets into the air at 200 miles per hour and land three feet forward! Whenever possible, use a disposable facial tissue and then throw it away. • Cold and flu viruses are around all year long, so it’s impor- Nine in 10 moms agree that other children who go to school with cold or flu viruses have caused their child to get sick. tant to get on an effective sleep cycle and drink plenty of fluids to help boost your immune system. • Sixty-five percent of moms admit that their child has been sent home from school sick. Help avoid this by keeping your loved ones home when they’re under the weather. • Cold and flu viruses can live up to 24 hours on regular tissues—noteworthy, since threequarters of moms admit to handling their family’s used facial tissues. Kleenex brand Anti-Viral—an essential part of Mom’s virus-fighting toolkit—is the only tissue that kills 99.9 percent of cold and flu bugs in the tissue. To learn more about ways to battle cold and flu, visit www.BattletheBug.com. Saving On School Clothes (NAPSA)—Schoolwear— including uniforms and clothes for dress codes and spirit days—is helping students dress for academic success while costing parents less. That’s an important consideration in a tough economy. Schoolwear builds confidence and self-esteem, improves behavior and encourages feelings of belonging, raises student and teacher expectations and increases school spirit. JCPenney, a retailer selling IZOD brand schoolwear, has created an after-school fund to support programs that inspire children to be smart, strong and socially responsible. Schoolwear that can be worn both to school and after-school activities can save parents money. From August 6 through 15 and at other times throughout the year, its “Round-up” program lets shoppers round up the cost of their purchases to the nearest dollar. The difference will be donated to the fund, which has given more than $70 million to local afterschool programs in every JCPenney community through partnerships with the YMCA of the USA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National 4-H and United Way of America. For more information, visit www.jcpenney.com/uniforms. by Elizabeth Pivonka, President, Produce for Better Health Foundation (NAPSA)—There’s been a renewed interest in cooking at home, and getting a home-cooked meal on the table night after night doesn’t have to be a challenge, though even experienced cooks need a little help now and then. People need easy-to-understand, healthy recipes that are quick to fix and that their kids will eat. The good news is that cooking at home can save money and brings the family together for dinner. It can also contribute to healthy eating. Eating fruits and vegetables matters so much in maintaining a healthy weight and may reduce the risk of many diseases. It’s easy to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet when you remember that all forms count; fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100 percent fruit and vegetable juice. Keeping a variety of fruits and vegetables on hand makes fixing healthy last-minute meals a breeze. Some of the items I keep on hand include bell peppers, carrots and celery, which can be added to dishes to boost their color, taste and nutrition. Another fun way to boost flavor is to squeeze fresh lime juice over meat or fish on the grill to add flavor without adding salt. Tuna Pasta Salad with Avocado is a tasty, one-dish meal that can be prepared in minutes, even by a novice cook. Tuna Pasta Salad With Avocado Preparation time: 30-60 minutes 2 cups pasta shells cup bottled fat-free Italian dressing cup fresh basil, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed 1 6-oz. can water-packed tuna, drained and flaked cup diced tomato ripe avocado, diced cup red onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons black olives, chopped 4 green leaf lettuce leaves In a large saucepan, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, then rinse briefly under cold water. Drain. In a small bowl, combine the Italian dressing, basil, garlic and crushed red pepper. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tuna, tomato, avocado, red onion and olives. Add the dressing and toss until evenly coated. Line plates with the lettuce leaves and spoon the salad on top. Serves: 4, cup of vegetables per serving Nutrition Information per Serving: calories: 295, total fat: 6.4g, saturated fat: 1.1g, % calories from fat: 19%, % calories from saturated fat: 3%, protein: 18g, carbohydrates: 41g, cholesterol: 18mg, dietary fiber: 5g, sodium: 363mg You will find several healthful, easy-to-prepare recipes online at www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters. org. There is even an entire section of recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less. You’ll also find a healthy meal-planning guide with advice on making a weekly menu and shopping list. Note to Editors: Latest in a series of columns by Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation. More stories at napsnet.com—pdf archive keyword: “Pivonka.”