May 2008

Is your baby fussy outside when it is very bright and sunny? It may be more than the heat getting to your little one; it may be the sunshine.

Squinting is uncomfortable for infants and young toddlers and their eyes are much more sensitive than adult’s eyes to damage from bright sun.

Even shade will not protect eyes in bright sun, because it is the  brightness and reflected sunlight that are damaging. The cumulative effect of bright sunshine plays a role in a number of serious eye conditions, like macular degeneration (a cause of blindness in later life), cataracts and chronic irritation of the cornea.

Kids need sunglasses! It may not seem practical to introduce sunglasses to infants and young children, but Frubi Shades are different. The soft, spongy nosepiece and wrap-around design make these sunglasses stay in place comfortably. The little ones may need a short period to adapt, but the improved comfort in bright sun makes the adjustment quick. The trick is to acclimate children to sunglasses at an early age, so they will continue the habit throughout their lives.

And there’s more to this story. Frubi Shades has donated thousands of sunglasses to children’s organizations as part of their Protect Their Eyes Campaign.

It feels good to endorse a great product from a company that also gives back. Hmm…just like Noodle and Boo!

Look for Healthy Lifestyle every week for health tips, recipes, fun with gardening!

Photo courtesy of frubishades.com

Eva Longoria Parker doesn’t look like she spends much time at fast food restaurants, but she spent a day at a Corpus Cristi, Texas, Wendy’s serving up Frosties to benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption.

She signed also signed autographs to raise funds for the Father’s Day Frosty Weekend. Eva was a Wendy’s employee before her Desperate Housewives days, from 1991 to 1994.

In case you’re curious as to why Wendy’s and Dave Thomas are involved in adoption (because I certainly was), it might interest you to know that Dave Thomas (the founder of Wendy’s) was adopted as a child. According to the website, “the Foundation leads signature national service programs and works to streamline the adoption process and make adoption more affordable for families. As the only foundation dedicated exclusively to foster care adoption, we are driven by Dave’s simple value: Do what’s best for the child.”

While a burger and Frosty might not exactly be the best thing for children, I’m happy to see the company (and Eva) working so hard for such a good cause. Official reports set the goal at over $1.3 million, and I hope they make it with room to spare. Shoot, I might even have to get myself a Frosty. Ice cream for a good cause is practically good for you, right?

Photo courtesy of popsugar.com

You know he’s amazing on the soccer field, and you’ve seen how great he looks as an Armani underwear model, but would you ever have thought that David Beckham is also a mountain climber? Technically, he’s not, but he has agreed to become one to benefit UNICEF.

This all came about because of U2′s Bono, who asked David to take on the challenge. David agreed to the intense six-day climb up Mount Kilimanjaro in order to raise money for the charity UNICEF.

No date has been set just yet, but a source close to the Beckhams stated, “The 19,340 peak is a bit outside David‘s normal comfort zone but he is absolutely set on making the climb. Not date has been fixed yet because David is very busy with his LA Galaxy commitments, but he is absolutely set on doing it.” In addition to finding the time, he also needs to get some insurance issues finalized.

Apparently, David was hesitant at first (which is understandable), but he soon found out, like so many celebrities before him have learned, that Bono is extraordinarily persuasive.

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

I get excited every year for the Cannes Film Festival — everyone always dresses to the nines (or else they dress in something hideous, which is just as much fun), and, of course, the news starts trickling out about what films are must-sees. However, this year several celebrities gave me a new reason to love Cannes — George Clooney, Madonna, Sharon Stone, Natalie Portman, Mary J. Blige, Milla Jovovich, Harvey Weinstein, Kenneth Cole, and others got together at Cannes to raise over $10 million for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

Sharon Stone, as amfAR’s global fundraising chairman, acted as conductor of the auction and started things off with a request for support in honor of her fiftieth birthday after starting with her own pledge of $100,000. She asked the room match her pledge, and over $2 million was raised in just 10 minutes. Additionally, Sharon auctioned off her own vintage Porche 911 Targa for $810,000.

Madonna did her part as well, auctioning off a a private performance of two songs for $560,000, as well as a diamond-encrusted alligator skin Chanel purse including her personal lip gloss, compact mirror, and blotting papers for $486,000.

But the item I’m most disappointed in missing is George Clooney‘s — he auctioned off a kiss for $300,000. Next year, I’m totally going!

Photo courtesy of eonline.com

You are likely well aware that singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow had a bout with breast cancer. She was diagnosed in 2006 and has since made a full recovery. What you might not be aware of is that she had none of the risk factors normally associated with breast cancer, and absolutely no family history of the disease. This has made her all the more passionate about the importance of breast cancer research.

She recently testified to Congress on behalf of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, stating, “I don’t live in a political world, and while this might seem like a political discussion, until you are the one in seven women diagnosed with breast cancer, you will never know how NOT political this is. I want to know what causes this disease — for me, and for the 2.3 million other who share this diagnosis. We need more resources to figure out what the environment has to do with [it].”
“I want to know what causes this disease – for me, and for the 2.3 million others who share this diagnosis,” said Crow as she spoke on behalf of the National Breast Cancer Coalition. “We need more resources to figure out what the environment has to do with [it].”

The bill Sheryl is fighting for would authorize spending $200 million over the next five years to research possible environmental factors behind breast cancer as well as making insurance companies pay for a minimum two-day hospital stay following a mastectomy.

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

Got the kids involved in gardening yet? Start with the right tools for the little ones, and stay ahead of these gardening pitfalls with a little planning.

Sun. The sun may be good for plants, but not for your hair. Wear a hat with a brim, especially if you color your hair, or you may discover highlights you wish you didn’t have. The “apprentice gardeners” will look especially cute in their garden hats!

More Sun. A sunburn is no fun either, so don’t forget the Noodle and Boo Play-Day. This is the one sunscreen for the whole family; it is light, nearly unscented and moisturizes too.

Bee stings. Skip the perfume and the bees will seek out the flowers, not you.

Dirty fingernails. Here is where you and the little ones have different agendas. They will love digging in the dirt with bare hands, but of course that is part of the appeal! Apply Noodle and Boo’s Ultimate Ointment generously to little hands before you go out and those hands will clean up easily with soap and water later. I use ointment first even when using garden gloves, so I don’t go to work looking like I spent the weekend digging in the dirt (even if I did!).

Muddy shoes. I love my garden clogs, and not just so I don’t worry about tracking mud into the house. They also look and feel great!

And finally, take time while you are out there to enjoy the warmth of the sun, the smell of the flowers, and the buzz of the honey makers. It’s fun to be a gardener!

More Healthy Lifestyle…

Hatian-born hip-hop star Wyclef Jean has begun a food relief program called Together for Haiti. The country is experiencing a food shortage and this program will bring together his foundation, Yele Haiti, with the United Nations’ World Food Programme and the Pan American Development Foundation.

Wyclef was inspired to start Together for Haiti because of the recent food riots that have broken out in his home country. However, stopping the riots isn’t his only goal –he aims to help the people learn to help themselves, saying “The revolution has to start with the minds of the people. You can’t have a future without starting from the ground. We are not only interested in feeding people in response to the current crisis, but we want to offer them an alternative that can help them in a sustainable way.” Together for Haiti aims to feed 1.5 million people, employ 1,800 people daily, and provide fertilizers to 55,000 farmers.

Additionally, Wyclef is exploring the idea of microfinance, which would help families that want to set up businesses to be able to do so. The idea is to allow over 9,000 families to get themselves out of a state of poverty so that they can help themselves instead of relying on aid every time there’s a crisis. Wyclef knows what it’s like to grow up in poverty-ridden conditions. He said, “I grew up in a hut and went to school on a donkey.”

To find out more about Together for Haiti and to find out how you can help, check out their website.

Photo courtesy of ecorazzi.com

The Travelers Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament is right around the corner, and Luke Wilson and Steve Guttenberg are signed up to hit a few golf balls to benefit kids.

The Travelers Championship used to be called the Greater Hartford Open, and it’s the sole fundraiser for the Greater Hartford Jaycees. The organization is made up of men and women 21-40 years old and focuses on leadership development and community service, and the proceeds will allow the Jaycees do things like deliver Thanksgiving baskets and distributing scholarships and grants to deserving kids.

The tournament will also benefit Paul Newman‘s The Hole in the Wall Gang, which allows children with serious and life-threatening illnesses a chance to get away to camp (free of charge) and have the experience of just being a kid and being able to forget about their problems for a while.

The Travelers Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament will take place on June 18 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. For ticket information, check out the Travelers Championship website. I’m not sure about Steve Guttenberg, but I know Luke Wilson is considered one of the better golfers in all of Hollywood, so if you’re in the area, it seems like the tournament would be a fun way to pass a day. And it’s all for a good cause, so everybody wins!

Photo courtesy of pumatalk.com

I always love to see young stars get involved with causes. For one thing, they often have a contingent of teen- and tween-age fans who adore them and learn from them. Additionally, when stars begin working toward good causes when they’re kids, I think it gives them an appreciation for how important it is that they use their fame for good.

Aly & AJ, the teen duo whose music can be found absolutely all over the Disney Channel, obviously realize they’re in a position to make a difference. They modeled Tommy Hilfiger’s orange t-shirts to support the Nancy Davis Foundation for MS. May is MS Awareness Month, and the Nancy Davis Foundation is working with numerous retailers to sell items like the t-shirts to raise money.

Orange is the foundation’s signature color — it symbolizes hope. Proceeds from sales of the MS items will help community education and the funding of MS research.

The shirts are selling for $25, and you can purchase your own at the Nancy Davis Foundation for MS. While you’re there, you can shop for other items to support the foundation, such as an orange leather bracelet, orange wallet, lip gloss, nail polish, and more.

You might also want to read a little more about what the Nancy Davis Foundation for MS does and how you can get involved and help.

Photos courtesy of erasems.org

Lots of newlyweds can’t stop smiling, and Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are no exception — they seem really happy with their slightly rash decision to get hitched, so we’ll go ahead and be happy for them. We’re especially happy for them now that we see the couple is spending some of their honeymoon period at charity events.

Mariah and Nick spent an evening at the Skylight Studio in New York City at the 5th Annual Operation Smile event. Operation Smile is an organization through which volunteers work to “repair childhood facial deformities while building public and private partnerships that advocate for sustainable healthcare systems for children and families.”

The testimonials are truly touching. In just 45 minutes, for as little as $240, Operation Smile allows a child who otherwise could not afford to have surgery to correct a cleft lip to receive the surgery and treatment that will let them lead a normal life.

Mr. and Mrs. Cannon might not be spokespeople (yet), but other celebs have gotten on board with Operation Smile, including Jessica Simpson and Roma Downey. To learn more about the charity and to see how you can help, check out the Operation Smile website.

Photo courtesy of ecorazzi.com

Pasta night? This week make a savory chicken pasta dish using different varieties of flavored chicken sausage. You won’t have to fix two separate meals for dinner if you want to serve something that is too spicy for the kids… pasta makes it easy to improvise. 

The key ingredient here is flavored chicken sausage. Look for Aidell’s in stores or Sausages by Amylu  in stores and on line. They both have amazing combinations that pack a lot of flavor, like sun-dried tomato and basil or apple and gouda.

Sauté veggies in two pans and add simple ingredients to one pan and more spicy additions to the other. Serve both pasta dishes side by side and the younger set may surprise you with their preferences!

Pasta Duets: Savory Chicken and Pasta (Hot and Not)

Heat the water for the pasta. Saute a chopped onion in olive oil until translucent, then add a cup of chopped leftover veggies, like green beans or asparagus.

Split the veggies between two pans and in one, heat slices of precooked chicken sausage (try Aidell’s Habanero and Green Chili, or Amylu’s Andouille if you like heat ), add 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 cup of chicken broth, a splash of white wine, and a teaspoon of crushed dried herbs (Italian blend or sweet basil). In the other pan of veggies, add slices of mild chicken sausage or shredded cooked chicken, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 1 cup of chicken broth and a sprinkling of dried thyme.

Simmer both sauces while the pasta cooks. Cook bite-sized pieces of additional fresh vegetables (like broccoli) by just tossing them in to boil with the pasta during the last 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the pasta (along with the veggies you added to the cooking water).

Now remove the two sauces from the heat, and mix half of the pasta and veggies into each. Sprinkle with fresh minced parsley and plenty of grated cheese.

The sausages freeze well right in the package, so you can have a home cooked entrée in the time it takes to cook pasta.  Have fun sampling the different varieties to create an entirely new dish every week (or skip the meat and double the veggies for a classic vegetarian pasta). Have even more fun finishing up the extra sausage links on another night by making this recipe for Chicken Sausages with Onions, Peppers and Potatoes.

Coming soon…“kid pastas” that adults love.

Check out other recipes by Dr. Pat in Healthy Lifestyle…

Madonna adopted her son, David, from an orphanage in Malawi (where his father left him after his mother died in childbirth), and while she gave him a better life, she wasn’t done helping the people of that country. Her plans to build a girls’ school in Malawi are moving forward, with a task force of four prominent Malawians already on board.

Madonna‘s project is said to be on par with what Oprah Winfrey has done in South Africa. It will most definitely be a multi-million dollar project, but I don’t think any of us have any doubts as to whether Madge can foot the bill.

The pop superstar has been involved in other Malawian projects, as well. She produced and narrated a documentary called I Am Because We Are, highlighting the plight of several Malawian children whose mothers died of AIDS. The film was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival, where Madonna said the documentary carried the message that “We are responsible for each other and that if we can help in any way, shape or form, we should.”

Regarding Madonna‘s adoption of Malawian-born David Banda, the Malawian courts are expected to rule in her favor today.

Photo courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

I have yet to meet anyone, male or female, who doesn’t think Pierce Brosnan is a dashing, handsome man. And, I always feel a little less guilty about my gawking when the celebrity I’m daydreaming about is also a really good person, and let me tell you — I daydream about Pierce Brosnan without any pangs of guilt.

The former 007 has been a proponent of environmental action for over 10 years, and he and his wife have set up a trust to donate to environmental organizations. Not only has he done this and encouraged the public to donate what they can, but he has been a pretty hefty contributer himself, personally reaching the one million dollar donation mark. You’ve got to love a man who has no problem supporting the causes he’s passionate about by digging into his own pockets.

Pierce encourages his fans and fellow environmental activists to donate their money to causes that will offset carbon emissions by planting trees as well as paying carbon tax when traveling in environmentally sensitive areas. But the environment isn’t the only cause that gets this leading man to take action. He’s been a supporter of breast cancer research and replaced a playground near his home in Hawaii — a good guy through and through.

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

I don’t think anybody would argue that being a mom is a tough job — that’s why Mother’s Day is such a special time for celebration for so many families. And while many celebrity moms get some flack because they’re able to hire nannies and continue to work as actresses, there are lots of famous moms who make a concentrated effort to take on all the responsibilities that come with motherhood, sometimes at the expense of their careers.

Love Our Children USA has come out with their Third Annual “Mothers Who Make a Difference List,” and there are a bunch of well-known names on it — Cate Blanchett, Marcia Cross, Geena Davis, Salma Hayek, Holly Hunter, Naomi Watts, Kate Winslet, Ashleigh Banfield, Marcia Gay Harden, Jill Hennessey, Finola Hughes, Vanessa Mathison, Melania Trump, Nancy O’Dell, and Kim Raver all made the 2008 list.

The “Mothers Who Make a Difference List” is Love Our Children USA’s way of honoring mothers who, despite a heavy work schedule, find a way to balance their home and career lives so they can serve as solid parents and role models.

Love Our Children USA comes out with this list because there are over three million children in our country who are affected by violence, and bullying, cyberbullying, and a bevy of other internet-related dangers are all too prevalent for a large percentage of school-age children. It’s important to recognize the impact a loving, nurturing mother can have, not only on her own child, but on every mother and child with whom she comes into contact because she makes her family her priority.

Can you think of a mother who makes a difference? Tell us all about her in the comments!

Photo courtesy of theage.com.au

Glenn Close is a bonafied dog lover, and was recently recognized for her efforts by Look To The Stars. She received the Golden Bone for her work as co-founder of Fetchdog.com, an high-end online store selling dog and puppy supplies. That alone, while nice, isn’t such a big deal. What’s special about Fetchdog is that when Glenn and her husband started it last October, they decided to donate a percentage of every sale to a dog-related charity of the purchaser’s choice.

The store itself has some really cool items, ranging from training tools and leashes (I have my eye on the Not-a-long Coupler) to Earth friendly beds, toys, bath products, and more. But that’s not all the site has to offer.

Glenn also has a blog called Lively Licks, and I’m a huge fan. In it, she holds interviews with celebrity dog owners like Martha Stewart and Debra Messing as well as interviews with inspirational dog owners, like Tracy Christensen and his avalanche rescue dog, Mick. Additionally, she gives tips, tricks and advice on dealing with things like dog smell, hair, and accidents.

She might have played Cruella DeVil in 101 Dalmations, but Glenn Close is anything but cruel in real life. Congrats on your newest award, Glenn, and keep up the good work!

Close-up photo courtesy of starpulse.com. Photo with dogs courtesy of fetchdog.com.

Planting a garden is the perfect way to have some fun with the kids…and to get them more excited about vegetables!Your little gardener will delight in watching the tiniest seedlings grow into big super stars. The home grown versions of these favorites not only taste better because they ARE better, but they also create tremendous pride in the achievement.Try these winners for a kid-friendly garden:

• Tomatoes. If you only plant one tomato, choose a “Sweet 100″ cherry tomato. This is a small tomato with a big-tomato taste. It has an unbelievably sweet flavor; we love to rinse and eat them right from the bush. The most amazing thing is how much they produce; there are hundreds (thousands?) that just keep coming throughout the summer. Serve them in a bowl for snacking, slice them in half for salads, garnish pasta dishes. Yum!

• Cucumbers. My favorite is a burbless or seedless cucumber. These have a milder flavor, especially peeled. We eat one or two everyday, usually just sliced for munching before dinner. I have even sliced them to make sweet pickles, but we usually eat them too quickly for that!

• Green beans. Another “pick” for the kid-friendly garden is a row of pole beans. Pole beans are “indeterminate”, which is a fancy way of saying they produce for the entire growing season; the more you pick, the more you get. Pick them small, about 3 to 4 inches, for the most tender beans. Steam them lightly; a slight crunch preserves their flavor and you won’t lose vitamins to the cooking water.

• Zucchini. If you have room (and that is a big IF), then plant a yellow squash or zucchini. These are show-stoppers with their HUGE leaves and rapid growth. The kids will be impressed. The drawback here is that you certainly will have much more squash or zucchini than one family could possibly eat; that is, until you try fresh zucchini slaw, homemade zucchini bread, and even zucchini pickles! You will also be more popular in the neighborhood and at the office when you share your bounty. Pick them small (6 to 8 inches) for the best flavor.

Small yard? Use a large container on the patio for a single tomato or cucumber plant with a tomato cage to let it climb. Container gardening is a great way to get started, and it makes watering and weeding so much easier.Pick up a few small plants soon, because you won’t have a crop for another 70 days or so. Then just add soil, water, sun and love…and be sure to send me your photos! I want to see your biggest and best…Happiness is…my very own vegetable garden.More by Dr. Pat…

Social networks are all the rage — it seems like everyone is on MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, or some other version. And while these definitely have a lot of advantages, like staying in touch with friends or getting back in touch with long-lost acquaintances, they aren’t exactly used for “good” most of the time. There are a lot of creeps out there.

Jessica Biel is aware of this, and felt that the tools of online social networking could be put to better use. And so, she teamed up with her dad to start the Make The Difference Network, which aims to connect individuals and businesses with nonprofits to make caring and doing good things just a little easier.

People can use MTDN to search for nonprofit organizations, donate to their wishes (like literacy, women’s issues, holistic health, etc.), and then see how their donations help the organization. The nonprofits can join for free, and they keep every single bit of the donations made.

Jessica was inspired to do what she could to aid individuals and organizations in need after helping to raise money for a fan with muscular dystrophy. The fan has since passed away, but she continues to be inspired by his (and his family’s) courage, and knows that by providing MTDN, she’ll be helping others in similar situations.

If you have a specific cause you’d like to help fund, but don’t know what organization you should give your money to, check out the wish section of MTDN and find your cause!

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

Celebrities are raising their voices to support the U.S. Campaign for Burma. The people of Burma are being attacked by their own government, and many are unjustly imprisoned, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi (who is the leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma and the only Nobel Peace Prize winner currently imprisoned).

In addition to this, Burma was hit by a cyclone on May 2nd — a cyclone of which the government was aware but refused to warn its people — and the death toll could be as high as 60,000, with hundreds of thousands left homeless. Still, the Burmese government has blocking any international aid.

Fortunately, Hollywood is stepping up, hoping to get one million voices involved in Burma: It Can’t Wait over 30 days. This campaign is a part of the U.S. Campaign for Burma, and is using celebrity videos to help make people aware of the human rights being violated there and get people like you and me involved.

Will Ferrell‘s video was Day 1, and Day 2 consisted of a humorous skit involving Jennifer Aniston and Woody Harrelson. Other celebrities who already have videos up (and we’re only on Day 7) are Sarah Silverman, Eddie Izzard, and Jason Biggs.

So what are you waiting for? Go, check it out, watch their videos, and add your voice. I just did.

Photos courtesy of askmen.com

As I wrote about a couple of months ago, Reese Witherspoon is the Global Ambassador for Avon, and she’s working with the company to raise awareness and funds for a variety of women’s issue.

Reese was on hand for Avon once again this past weekend, this time at the sixth annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Washington, D.C., where she acted as a special guest. She cheered on walkers and spoke at the closing ceremony. However, this wasn’t the first time Reese was involved with a breast cancer walk.

In her speech at the closing ceremony, she said, “As the Honorary Chairman of the Avon Foundation, one of my first experiences last year was to meet Avon Walk walkers at at training walk in Los Angeles … [I] hope my presence can in some measure express my deep appreciation for all the women and men who participate in the Avon Walks, and for all of the people who dedicate their lives to breast cancer research and care.”

Is there anything not to love about this girl?

Photo courtesy of ecorazzi.com

Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, are celebrating the 20th anniversary of his rainforest charity, the Rainforest Foundation, by throwing a benefit concert through which they hope to raise $2 million.

The Rainforest Foundation has been quite successful — early on, it helped to legally set aside over 37,000 square miles of land in Brazil for the Kayapo Indians after the tribe’s chief asked for help in saving his people’s land from developers. This was just a start. The Foundation has offices in New York, London, and Oslo, and serves as much as a human rights organization as one that protects the rainforest.

Often, we think about plants and animals as the primary victims of deforestation in the rainforest, but indigenous people have lived in these areas for centuries, so they are affected by displacement as well.

Sting won’t be performing solo — he’ll be joined by Billy Joel, James Taylor, and Brian Wilson. The concert will take place next Thursday at Carnegie Hall, and tickets are priced between $175 and $400.

Photo courtesy of sting.com

Harrison Ford has been an environmentalist since his childhood days — a National Geographic interview reveals how the action hero made friends with a fox as a kid and gained an understanding of the impact that humans have on animals and the environment every day. The actor has lived for years in Jackson, Wyoming, and is vice chair for the environmental group Conservation International, which works in over 40 countries to fight climate change, protect plants and animals, and to assist communities that are indigenous to the area.

Recently, Harrison made a move that surprised many — the tough, gruff, manly man took off his shirt on Access Hollywood and got his chest waxed to highlight deforestation. By stripping down and getting his chest waxed on TV, he hoped to shock people into realizing the pain involved in deforestation.

The 65-year-old is certainly bringing attention to the problem of deforestation as well as to all the other good works he does, including flying on search and rescue missions to find stranded tourists in Jackson. If he hadn’t already been my hero before, he would be now!

Photo courtesy of askmen.com