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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 #2673 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Shopping And Menus For Those With Diabetes Creating A Safer Home Environment For Your Children (NAPSA)—Having small children in your home means appropriate measures need to be taken to ensure they grow up in a safe environment. While childproofing different areas of your home such as cabinets and electrical sockets, don’t forget to review your window coverings. Access to windows and dangling window covering cords can pose a safety hazard to curious children and even small pets. “Although nothing replaces the watchful eye of a loving parent, there are certain steps you can take to reduce the risk of injury around windows,” said Tracy Christman, window coverings expert and Vice President of Vendor Alliance at Budget Blinds. “Window safety is often overlooked and it’s important for parents to be fully aware of all the potential dangers.” Tracy offers the following useful tips to help parents get started: 1. Arrange furniture away from windows. Always set up furniture—such as cribs, chairs and toy chests—away from window areas so that they cannot be used to access window treatment cords. In addition to installing window screens, placing furniture away from the window area also minimizes the risk of the child accidentally falling out of an open window. 2. Choose cordless window coverings. The Window Covering Safety Council recommends cordless window treatments in homes where children are present. Shutters and roller shades are inherently cordless and come in a wide variety of playful colors for your children’s rooms. You can also select cordless cellular shades that provide insulation to (NAPSA)—A new book shows readers how to incorporate new and convenient fresh and shelfstable foods from nearly any grocery store into amazingly easy meals that meet diabetes nutrition guidelines. “The Smart Shopper Diabetes Cookbook: Strategies for StressFree Meals from the Deli Counter, Freezer, Salad Bar, and Grocery Shelves,” by award-winning cookbook author, nutritionist, and food Motorized window coverings are convenient and can increase safety by eliminating cords. help keep your kids warm in the winter. 3. Add safety features to existing window covering cords. It’s sometimes easier to add safety features to existing window covering cords than to purchase new treatments altogether. Options include breakaway tassels that are designed to break apart under minimal stress, and cord cleats, which allow you to safely tie cords up and away from your toddler’s reach. A growing trend in the window coverings industry is motorization. Motorized window coverings provide convenience since they can be opened and closed using a handheld remote and also increase safety by eliminating the need for cords. Virtually any window covering can be motorized. For more information on window covering safety, visit www. budgetblinds.com/safety or call (866) 590-6341. Budget Blinds offers free in-home consultations and its products meet or exceed the American National Standard for Safety of Corded Window Covering Products set forth by the Window Covering Manufacturers Association. A new book is designed to help readers feel at home with diabetes meal planning. editor of Diabetes Forecast, Robyn Webb, MS, is packed with 125 new recipes. They’re designed to be quick and easy and are based on a simple concept—let fresh, packaged and minimally processed foods, such as those found in the deli, freezer or salad bar sections of the grocery store, do the work for you. There’s also a complete five-day menu planner for three different calorie levels: 1,500 calories per day, 1,800 calories per day and 2,000 calories per day, including all nutritional information. With healthful cooking suggestions, recipes, menus, and grocery shopping tips, “The Smart Shopper” gives readers the tools they need to finally feel completely at home with diabetes meal planning. It’s available at bookstores or at www.ShopDiabetes.org. Pairing Kids And Pets To Promote Learning (NAPSA)—A new educational program is building on children’s natural affinity for animals to encourage kids to be more calm, confident and caring. The program promotes the virtues of shelter pets—Mutt-igrees —and uses them to teach children social and emotional skills. Developed by North Shore Animal League America’s (NSALA) Pet Savers Foundation in collaboration with Yale University School of the 21st Century and funded by the Cesar Millan Foundation, the program is called the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum. Based on the emerging field of social and emotional learning, it is designed to help kids manage their emotions, get along with others, acquire empathy and compassion, and discover essential decision-making and teamwork skills. Recently, actress Rene Felice Smith loaned her time and talent to co-direct and film a Public Service Announcement (PSA) for the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum. Smith, who appears on the CBS series “NCIS: Los Angeles,” was joined by a cast made up of 35 pre-K, elementary, middle and high school student volunteers. In addition to the human cast, the PSA features several Mutt-i-grees. Recently, actress Rene Felice Smith loaned her time and talent to film a PSA that promotes a program that uses pets to teach kids social skills. The program is now in operation in over 2,000 schools nationwide and NSALA hopes that the PSA will bring the benefits of the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum to the attention of other school administrators. Said Smith, “The Mutt-i-grees Curriculum leads change by using children’s innate love for animals to teach a very simple lesson: Give love and you shall receive love.” To view the PSA or to learn more about the program and North Shore Animal League America, visit www.education. muttigrees.org or www.animal league.org.
