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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 #2533 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 New Weight-Loss Hope For People With Diabetes Kids’ Vision Problems Parents Might Miss Tips For A Rosy Oasis (NAPSA)—It can be easier than many realize to make your garden an inviting retreat for family and friends. There are few more rewarding plants than roses. These tips can help to turn your garden into a flowery oasis: • A sweet spot. Roses like six or more hours of sunshine a day and they need air to circulate around them to keep disease at bay. So find a sunny spot that’s not too crowded. Ravioli, shrimp alfredo and ice cream can be both delicious and diabetic friendly. (NAPSA)—The numbers are staggering. Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes and 57 million more are at risk for developing the disease. According to a recent Gallup survey, about 80 percent of people with diabetes are overweight. Shedding excess weight can help bring diabetes under control and reduce the risk of complications such as heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and blindness. But according to Dr. Gary Foster, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education of the Temple University School of Medicine, losing weight is often difficult for people with diabetes. “Balancing macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats and protein with overall calories, all while keeping their blood sugar in check, can be difficult,” he says. “A structured plan makes weight loss easier.” A new, commercially available weight-loss program, Nutrisystem D, aims to specifically address the challenges of losing weight with diabetes. In a clinical study conducted by Dr. Foster at Temple University School of Medicine, people with type 2 diabetes on the program lost as much as 16 times more weight while lowering their A1C test scores (a 90-day measure of blood sugar control) by 0.9 greater than those following a hospital-based diabetes education program. Weight loss was also associated with significant reductions in triglycerides, cholesterol and waist circumference. The program features more than 140 gourmet-style selections and is based on a low-glycemic-index diet that emphasizes good carbohydrates and is low in fat and high in fiber. Nutrisystem D meals and snacks are scientifically developed to maintain blood sugar levels throughout the day and maintain satiety, while promoting weight loss without counting calories or carbohydrates. You can register for the program online or by phone. Meals are shipped for free and membership includes access to an array of weight-loss tools and support programs, including weight-loss coaches and educational programs. To learn more or to sign up, visit www.nutrisystem.com/nsd or call (877) 793-6551. Julia Child rose, All-America Rose Selections (AARS)–winning rose 2006. • Stay hydrated. A new plant needs plenty of water to get situated in its new home. Give the plant a good soaking once or twice a week, depending on how hot it is. • The right rose. The AllAmerica Rose Selections (AARS) awards its annual red rose logo only to new roses that pass years of testing in all climates. Get the ones most suited to your soil and you can enjoy a proven performer year after year. For rose care tips and to find a nearby garden center, visit www.rose.org. (NAPSA)—Parents generally know when their children are coming down with an illness, feeling anxious or in need of a nap...but may not always know for sure if their kids can see normally. This can be particularly true when it comes to such silent vision issues as amblyopia (commonly known as “lazy eye”), which can affect an estimated 200,000 children born each year. A child with poor or uneven vision may not know he can’t see properly or may be too young to verbalize a problem, but there are indicators parents can look out for. To gain some insight on the state of their child’s vision, parents can now take an online vision assessment quiz at w w w. f r e e v i s i o n q u i z . c o m . Developed by the vision experts at Diopsys, the physicianreviewed, informational quiz takes only a few minutes to complete. It’s comprised of multiplechoice questions covering several areas that can red-flag signs of a potential vision problem in children of various ages. Some examples of behavorial cues that parents should watch for are: • Child blinks or rubs his or her eyes a lot; • Child does not make steady eye contact or eyes wander; • Child’s eyes look crossed or one seems to be going the wrong way; • Child holds things very close to his or her eyes when looking at them; • Child shuts or covers up one eye when trying to see something; New technologies can help pediatricians spot vision problems as early as possible, making successful treatment easier. • Child squints or frowns while looking at objects; • Child complains of nausea, dizziness or headaches after close work; • Child is extra clumsy; bumps into things or falls more than other children; • Child exhibits developmental lag: It is estimated that 75 percent of learning in young children is via sight. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children be routinely screened for vision starting at six months of age, and there are now new technologies to screen young children who cannot yet speak. One is the Enfant Pediatric VEP Vision Testing System, which can be found in a growing number of pediatric offices across the U.S. and can be administered as part of a routine well visit. If you feel your child may be having vision problems, speak to your pediatrician. For more information, visit www.enfantvision.com.