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 #2663 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Franchise A Shipping Shop Keep Your Energy Up (NAPSA)—The next time you feel your energy flagging, consider this advice from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other experts: Getting a balance of protein and nutrients in your diet is the key to keeping your energy up all day. That means making sure you eat a variety of whole grains, fruit, veggies and protein at each meal. •For starters, have a good breakfast. After many hours of fasting, a nutritious breakfast helps provide energy for an active day. A breakfast filled with a balance of nutrients—protein, grains, fruit and dairy—will give your brain as well as your body what it needs to get you through the morning at your best. •Next, get moving. Getting a little physical activity each day, activities like taking a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood or mowing the lawn, can help you build strong bones and muscles, reduce body fat and feel great. Being active uses energy, and you’ll feel invigorated. •Finally, snack smart. Rather than empty calories, enjoy something like this: 24-7 Energy Snack Mix 2 cups roasted peanuts 1 cup toasted sunflower seeds cup dried mango, diced cup dried apples, diced cup M&Ms Toss ingredients together in large bowl. Portion -cup servings into plastic snack bags. Makes: 16 servings (NAPSA)—You can provide an important benefit to the neighborhood—and make money at the same time. How? By running your own franchised package-shipping service. You don’t have to have a lot of retail or entrepreneurial experience to run a thriving, competitive and highly successful business that can flourish even in uncertain economic times. Nutrition in a nutshell: A balanced diet, including plenty of peanuts and other plant-based protein foods, can help keep you energized all day. An important part of that snack is the protein you get from the peanuts. Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RD, LD, says, “Peanuts are a powerhouse of protein. With seven grams per serving, peanuts contain more protein than any nut. Protein is one of the essential nutrients in life. It is important not only for growing children but also for maintaining muscles, bones and skin throughout life.” Moreover, peanuts are a natural source of plant-based protein. Collins recommends choosing more plant-based proteins as part of a healthy lifestyle. The government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans specifically point out the need for a shift in food intake to a more plant-based diet; one that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts. Whether you’re a vegetarian or looking to cut down on saturated fat levels, peanuts can be a smart choice when looking for a boost of protein in any meal. Learn More For further peanut facts, tips and recipes, go to the National Peanut Board website at http://nationalpeanutboard.org. Running a shipping-service store can be a smart way to help your community while helping yourself to success. More than just a pack-and-ship store, your shop can be a local service center with a basket of needed services for the community. Postal Connections of America franchise stores make life easier for people on the go, as well as small businesses, by offering shipping alternatives; packaging; freight; printing and copies; mail receiving; ink-jet, toner and laser cartridges; notary; fax; and a unique variety of online buying and selling services. For example, there’s Media Trader, a unique and proprietary software that lets customers sell old CDs, DVDs, video games and textbooks for cash. The store resells the items through Amazon.com. Learn more at www.postalcon nections.com, info@postalconnec tions.com and (800) 767-8257. Dyslexia: Warning Signs And Solutions (NAPSA)—One in five people in the U.S. has some sort of learning disability like dyslexia, yet experts say that for many children, the problem remains undiagnosed far longer than it should. Recognizing the early signals of such learning differences can be extremely important for a child’s success in school and life. Pediatric neuropsychologist Nichole Dawson, Ph.D., has a son with dyslexia, and has teamed up with Learning Ally, a national nonprofit, to inform the public about dyslexia’s early warning signs, advising parents on what to look for. Dr. Dawson recommends watching your child to see if he or she has difficulty with: •learning the alphabet, identifying letters, and/or processing letter-sound relationships; •learning nursery rhymes, preschool songs, the days of the week, the months of the year; •learning to count and recognize numbers; •reading out loud (slow, “choppy” and error prone); •learning vocabulary, names of people and places. Get An Expert Evaluation If a child is exhibiting some of these symptoms, an evaluation by an expert in dyslexia and reading impairments may be helpful. School psychologists, pediatric neuropsychologists, educational therapists and speech language pathologists are among the professionals who are qualified to provide a diagnosis. Dr. Dawson advises parents not to delay testing. “Studies show that a child’s reading skill level at the end of kindergarten is predictive of where his or her reading Experts have found that early detection and intervention can be extremely beneficial for children who are showing signs of dyslexia. skills will be in third grade,” she says. “After diagnosis, supports and accommodations can help children with learning differences succeed academically.” One proven accommodation she points to is Learning Ally, which provides struggling readers with access to their curriculum via audio textbooks. “Learning Ally is remarkably effective for individuals with dyslexia as well as other reading or learning challenges,” Dawson says. “Its library of 75,000 digital titles—the largest of its kind in the world—can be played on everyday devices including PCs, Macs, iPhones and iPads.” Learning Ally’s website offers robust support to parents and even provides a directory for finding specialists near your home. Happily, successful intervention can reduce academic frustration and minimize the negative impact of dyslexia on a child’s learning success. All it takes is the right tools. To learn more, visit www. LearningAlly.org/DyslexiaSigns.