In the modern era of toxic chemicals in baby products and the threat of carcinogens everywhere, many parents are concerned about the potential dangers lurking in common, everyday items. Even superstar mom Kelly Preston has joined forces with the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition to start her own crusade against chemicals that are harmful to children’s health after her own child (with husband John Travolta) was put into the hospital with Kawasaki’s syndrome–an unfortunate illness brought on by fumes let off from the family’s new carpet. You can read all about it on Celebrity Parents, a great site that also links to other sites that list the safe products Kelly and John now use in their home.

All parents want to keep their kids safe, so why not follow in Kelly’s footsteps? If you are looking for a way to provide your family with a safer environment, check out sites like Amenity, which offers gorgeous, organic home furnishings for eco-educated parents. In addition to furniture, sites like Nimli also feature clothing, beauty supplies, accessories, jewelry and more.

You can also look for great resources like the San Francisco Bay’s Natural Resources, a pregnancy, childbirth and early resource center that offers classes, support and an eco-conscious store for expectant couples and new parents. If you have any great, eco-friendly tips for parents, please post them to help our readers keep their families healthy, happy and a little greener!

If you’ve watched any television in the past month, you’ve undoubtedly seen a slew of commercials from the Corn Refiners Association that attempt to salvage the damaged reputation of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). One features two brothers arguing over whether or not HFCS is bad for you in cereal, and another highlights two moms discussing the effects of the HFCS found in store-bought punch. There’s also a commercial where a couple lounges in a park eating popsicles laced with HFCS:

Some Tiny Talk readers might know that I’m allergic to corn. As a result, HFCS has been my enemy for years because (as this series of commercials demonstrates with a variety of foods) it hides in EVERYTHING! After a decade of scouring food labels, I can confidently tell you that a vast majority of foods on the shelves in your local grocery store are packed with it. But is it really bad for you?

The Corn Refiners offer their take–that HFCS is no different from sugar or honey–while certain medical sites offer another–that HFCS is directly linked to the development of diabetes. For a more balanced take on the topic, I think this article from Diabetes Self-Management does a great job of summarizing both sides.

What do you think? Knowing the prevalence of HFCS in the foods you and your family eat, are you concerned about the amount you consume, or the potential effects? Have these commercials changed your mind? You tell us!

For many families, the back-to-school season also means back-to-sports. Organized team activities like soccer, baseball and softball can be great ways for kids to make friends, learn about teamwork and develop a passion for physical activity. Plus, the 2008 Olympic Games offer great inspiration for kids and parents alike to pursue fun sports and fitness activities during this time of year.

But, if your kids are slacking on the soccer field, don’t be too quick to count them out as natural athletes just yet!

Family Education has an interesting article explaining that many kids quit sports simply because they aren’t having fun. When I was in school, I was always the girl sitting in the outfield making daisy necklaces while the other kids played kickball. I wasn’t even vaguely interested in team sports until I started playing tennis in the eighth grade and fell in love.

So, if your kids don’t seem excited by sports these days, why not give some of these alternative sport ideas from PBS a try? They are a fun way to keep your kids entertained and energized all school year long!

• Badminton
• Baton twirling
• Fencing
• Figure skating
• Karate
• Kayaking
• Mountain biking
• Rock climbing
• Sculling (rowing)
• Skateboarding
• Surfing
• Synchronized swimming
• Tennis
• Triathlons
• Wakeboarding
• Water skiing

If your kids still insist that they don’t like sports, have them take a look at this helpful article from Kids Health. You can also start including them in activities you enjoy, taking short hikes or playing a few holes of golf with the kids in tow. Before you know it, your whole family will be happy, healthy and enjoying the beautiful fall weather together!

Pass these links along to any new moms you know who are looking for a lift!

• BabyZone offers their readers’ best advice for new moms, from letting friends and family help out to how to talk to your new baby.
• Feel overwhelmed by all the new changes in your life? Everyday Health proves that you aren’t alone.
• Ban the post-baby diet! BabyCenter lists the best energy-boosting foods for new moms looking to regain their shape.
• If you’ve been cleared by your doctor and you’re ready to start a workout regime, check out SheKnows‘ top five fitness tips for new moms.
• Read through Showing’s list of quick tips to make mom feel fabulous with baby in tow!

I know a little two year old who absolutely loves to eat. She’s happiest when she has both hands stuffed with food, and the adorable thing is that she loves fruit and vegetables more than anything else–she would rather eat avocados than pudding, and spinach souffle always wins over macaroni and cheese.

On a recent trip to a local amusement park, I asked this little muncher’s mom how she packs healthy food for such a big appetite when she’s out and about. Here’s her advice for keeping your kids healthy and happy when you are on the go:

-Certain fruits travel better than others. Grapes are great because there’s no peel, core or pit to deal with–just the stems, which aren’t messy at all!

-Bring individually portioned snack packs, like prepackaged Goldfish, raisins, cheese snacks or Teddy Grahams. These let you keep track of how much your kids are eating, and they are super easy to toss into your bag before you head out the door.

-If your kids are little, The Snack Trap is a must-have for traveling. The cups are designed so that your kids can shake them, toss them around and turn them upside down without anything falling out. But the ingenuous little lids still allow them to stick their hands inside to get the food out without any help.

-Always include variety in your kids’ food choices. You wouldn’t want to eat the same thing over and over again, so don’t force your kids to! Mix it up once in a while to make sure they are healthy and happy no matter where you are.

For at least a month now, my house has been plagued by ants. I find them on the tile, in the cracks of the sofa and climbing my bathroom walls. They never find any scraps of food or bits of grease to latch on to, but still they persist.

Desperate to get rid of these pests, I started searching for alternatives to  that horrible, toxic and smelly ant spray. Here’s what I found:

-Environment, Health and Safety Online recommends vinegar, cayenne pepper, salt and perfume placed at points of entry and at various points along the ants’ path.

-The Frugal Life has similar advice, with a huge list of testimonials from readers who add cinnamon, black pepper and bay leaves to the list of natural ant-deterrents.

-There’s even a WikiHow article recommending a whole onion or some drops of 100% orange oil to keep your house ant-free.

-Some of the best advice I found comes from the NCAP, an organization committed to reducing the use of harmful pesticides. If you can spot a colony by following the trail of ants until it disappears, the NCAP recommends pouring a pot of boiling water on it–what could be easier than that?

With a puppy in the house and several friendly neighborhood squirrels running around, there’s no way I was turning to pesticides before trying out these safer remedies. And with such great advice on the web, those ants won’t even know what hit ‘em!