Cindy Cernohous, B2B Marketing Manager:   I am a new a parent, the mother to a 6-month-old little boy. When I read this, it hit me between the eyes. The article begins, “You would never give a child a cigarette. Or a drink, or a snort of cocaine. But every day we American parents are giving our children something almost as addictive—meals laden with sugar, salt and fat. That mac n’cheese we all think is the only thing our child will eat is priming them for a lifetime of ... [More]

Beth Shepard, MS, Exercise Physiologist, Contributing Writer:   A new study released by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine links obesity in teenagers to reduced sleep caused by excessive use of technology and caffeine. Researchers studied a group of 320 children, gathering data on nutrition and physical activity habits. Results showed that those who slept less consumed more caffeine and spent more time on screen-based activities ― like television, video games, Internet, and co... [More]

Ken Wassum, Senior Product Manager, Tobacco:   Today President Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, giving the FDA increased regulatory responsibility over the way tobacco is manufactured, labeled, and sold in the US. This was truly a historic moment and a meaningful first step to control the devastation caused by smoking in this country. While many tobacco control advocates wanted stronger regulatory oversight by the FDA, the vast majority see this ... [More]

Sandi Kaplan, Associate Director, Clinical Development and Support:     A new nutritional term caught my eye as it hit the headlines last week – an ‘Eco-Atkins’ diet. This is what researchers are calling a diet which was tested in a small, four week randomized controlled clinical trial. Half of the participants were put on the ‘Eco-Atkins’ high-protein, low carbohydrate and entirely vegan diet which excluded all animal products. The other half were put on a high-carbohydrate, low-fat, veg... [More]

Ken Wassum, Senior Product Manager, Tobacco:   Last week’s 79 to 17 vote enabling the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products was a historic moment. Forty-five years after the Surgeon General Report in 1964, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives in America. Notice I said “potential to save lives" rather than “will save lives.” We will have to keep an eye on the man behind the screen to make ... [More]

Jennifer Lovejoy, PhD, Vice President, Clinical Development and Support:   The latest in a long list of reasons to avoid soft drinks and “super-sizing,” a recent report indicates that people who drink large amounts of cola (more than 2 liters per day) are at risk of low potassium, a medical condition called “hypokalemia.” Potassium performs many functions in the body and, as such, is normally tightly regulated. Our cells have been referred to as “little bags of potassium salts” and that... [More]

Lauren Holt, Human Resources Associate:   June is Great Outdoors Month! Considering the weather we have been having lately, we shouldn't need much convincing to get outside. However, if you are looking for some fun and healthy outdoor ideas, check out some our exciting options in the Seattle area: Hiking www.localhikes.com/MSA/MSA_7602.asp www.washington-hiking-advisor.com/seattle-hikes.html Biking http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/b... [More]