When kids or teenagers tell adults they’re stressed, adults tend to take it with a grain of salt. After all, how stressed can they be? They don’t pay the bills, they’re not planning for retirement, and they don’t have to deal with overbearing bosses, annoying coworkers, or paying taxes. However. Here’s a dose of science-based fact: stress – and the resulting anxiety – doesn’t know or care how old you

Cortisol and Stress: A Quick Primer Cortisol is something we can’t live without. It’s a hormone produced by our endocrine system, essential to both our daily functioning and our long-term survival. It has three primary functioons in our body: it helps us eat, sleep, and handle stress. It’s more complex than that, of course. It’s possible to spend years in graduate school studying the action of cortisol and other hormones

Movement and Children Children love to move. Take them to the playground and just watch. They run, jump, climb, swing, hop, twirl, roll and fling their bodies around in any way they can think of. They always seem to be creating fun ways to exercise their bodies. Anyone who has any experience working with children knows that they rarely take the simplest path between point A and point B. A

The National Report Card: Hard Facts In 2016, the non-profit organization The National Physical Activity Plan Alliance  published a comprehensive report on the current state of children’s health in the U.S. called “The United States 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.” The goal of the report was to offer an objective take on how the United States, as a country, is doing in its effort to keep

A Brief History of Lead and Humans Human beings have a long relationship with lead. Historical evidence shows we first mined lead around 6,500 B.C.E. in the area of modern-day Turkey. Because of its low melting point and workability, lead has been used for countless purposes since ancient times. We use it as a food preservative and condiment. It’s an ingredient in makeup and pigment in paints. It’s also a

A recent article from Reuters led with the following headline: “Teen night owls more prone to emotional and behavioral problems.” This piqued our interest. Let’s get something out of the way immediately. Although the information in the article is based on a scientific survey of almost 5,000 students age 12-18, the data is correlative, rather than causative. Here’s a quick refresher on the difference between correlation and causation, from a

E-Cigarettes and Vaping: Harmful or Harmless? We’re writing this article in reaction to an increase in the number of news stories cropping up in the media recently about E-Cigarettes. They range from shocking, vehemently anti-e-cigarette articles, such as Pennsylvania teen develops lung problems after only three weeks of vaping (May 17th, 2018),  to more measured efforts such as Concerns over health effects of vaping – and rising use among teens

It’s a well-known fact that young people need exercise and plenty of it. Research shows that a consistent routine of regular exercise for forty-five minutes to an hour every day helps kids in a wide variety of ways. Generally speaking, parents are aware of the basic benefits of exercise, such as increased fitness, weight control, and aerobic conditioning. Most parents also know that exercise and/or participation in group sports boosts

The comprehensive health benefits of a regular exercise routine are well-documented. The importance of staying active, keeping fit, and participating in some type of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity several times a week has been repeated so often by health professionals and media figures over the past twenty years it’s almost become white noise. We’ve heard it so much that by now it’s basic common sense. Everyone knows you’re supposed to work