You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. 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 #2594 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 Are You At Risk? Feeding Your Family Good Food Fast (NAPSA)—Even when your family is rushing off to school, practice, meetings or what have you, you can still enjoy wholesome meals and snacks. Here are some suggestions from celebrity chef and spokesperson George Duran, the author of “Take This Dish And Twist It” and the host of “The Ultimate Cake Off” on TLC and “Ham on the Street” and “Secret Life of…” on Food Network. • Quick Morning Pancakes: Make the batter the night before and put it in an empty, cleaned Hunt’s plastic ketchup bottle. In the morning, shake the bottle (add more liquid if needed) and squeeze onto a hot skillet. Cook until done, turning only once. • Unsmushable Sandwiches: Put a sandwich in a resealable plastic bag, zip it until near the very end, blow it up like a balloon and then seal it. The extra air cushions the sandwich so other items in the lunch box won’t crush it. • For a quick and tasty treat or a surprisingly original dessert, make these Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Pops in advance. Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Pops 4 bananas, slightly firm and not overripe, peeled 8 popsicle sticks 1 cup Creamy Peter Pan peanut butter 1 cup jelly of your choice Pam nonstick spray Toppings such as minichocolate chips, crushed granola cereal/or crushed peanuts, optional Cut each banana in half and gently insert a popsicle stick Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Pops are quick and easy snacks for kids of any age. into the center. Put the bananas on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze. Heat peanut butter on low in a small saucepan. Mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Remove from heat. Generously brush each frozen banana with peanut butter. Roll in topping and cover with plastic wrap, if desired. Spray a parchmentlined cookie sheet with Pam nonstick spray and place banana pops on sheet. Freeze for at least 2 hours. Gently heat jelly in a small saucepan and mix until smooth. Serve frozen pops with warm jelly or chocolate sauce in small shot glasses or ramekins. Makes 8. Ingredients are important. Peter Pan peanut butter is available in eight flavors that the whole family can enjoy. Pam nonstick spray can make everything from stovetop cooking to baking and grilling just plain easier. It even works on spatulas and mixing bowls. Visit www.conagrafoods.com for more recipe ideas. (NAPSA)—There’s news for the millions of Americans currently taking aspirin, Plavix or other antiplatelet therapy designed to prevent blood cells from “sticking together.” This treatment, which is generally prescribed for patients who have had open-heart surgery or a stent placed, affects different people in different ways. For the approximately 30 percent of patients whose platelets may not respond adequately, studies show that their risk doubles for another heart attack, stroke or other serious cardiovascular incident. Up to one in three patients may not be responding appropriately to antiplatelet therapy. A new test allows you to measure the effect of these drugs. How do you know the degree of protection from your antiplatelet medications? Fortunately, doctors and hospitals now have access to easy-to-administer tests called the Ve r i f y N o w A s p i r i n Te s t a n d VerifyNow P2Y12 Test (for Plavix or Effient users). To find a physician who can offer you the test or for more information, visit www.verifynow. com/requestthetest or call (800) 643-1640. Bridging The Gap Between Oral And Overall Health (NAPSA)—Oral health is important at any age, yet we do not always make it a priority. To help, here’s advice on maintaining a healthy smile for life. Regular dental care is critical. A growing body of research indicates that gum disease, which affects as many as three in four Americans, is linked with the incidence of common health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Just recently, a study in the British Medical Journal found that poor oral hygiene is associated with higher levels of risk of cardiovascular disease and low-grade inflammation, while researchers at New York University found that gum disease may increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Have your mouth examined twice a year for signs of gum disease or infection. “Twice-annual visits to the dentist should be just as much of a priority for adults as they are for children,” said Dr. Arwinder Judge of Aspen Dental Management, Inc. Aging affects your mouth, gums and teeth. “Maintaining oral health for life is critical to our overall health and well-being,” said Beth Truett, president and CEO of Oral Health America. “As we age, we encounter new issues that affect our mouths, and poor oral health is linked to other significant health problems.” Receding gum tissue, which exposes the roots of the teeth and leaves them vulnerable to decay and infection, is a common problem associated with aging. Another challenge is dry mouth—a reduction in the flow of saliva that increases the risk for oral disease. More than 400 commonly used medications for health problems ranging from high blood pressure to depression, can cause dry mouth, so tell your dentist about any medications you take, whether prescription or over the counter. Good oral hygiene habits make a difference. Brush at least twice a day to help remove food and plaque on both natural teeth and dentures and floss to remove plaque between teeth and below the gumline. Denture wearers should clean their gums to avoid plaque buildup that can irritate the tissue under dentures. Thoroughly clean dentures at night to avoid bacteria growth. Dentures need replacement every five to seven years. The tissues in the mouth change over time, and bone and gum ridges shrink, which can result in ill-fitting dentures that make eating uncomfortable or downright painful. One sign that it might be time for a replacement is the overuse of denture adhesive cream—if you use more than one tube of denture cream every three weeks, your dentures may not fit properly and should be evaluated. To learn more, visit www.aspendental.com/smileforlife/.