Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Navigating the Sugar-Coated Holiday Road.

The holidays start with Trick-or-Trick, meander past Happy Thanksgiving, sugar-plum skip by Christmas and drop heavily with a Happy New Year feast.  We send our children on a sixty day sugar high with family get togethers, school functions and community events.  According to the National Confectioners’ Association, Americans eat nearly four billion dollars in candy […]

WRITTEN BY: Yvette Graham, MSW, LISW-S, Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program, Program Specialist, Ohio State University Extension, Stark,

REVIEWED BY: Amy Habig, MPH, RDN, LD, Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program, Program Specialist, Ohio State University Extension, Green County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • www.meals.com

SOURCES:

  • https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tentips/DGTipsheet32MakeHealthierHolidayChoices.pdf
  • http://U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/

REFERENCES:

  • Mitka M. New Dietary Guidelines Place Added Sugars in the Crosshairs. JAMA. 2016;315(14):1440–1441. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.1321
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at tps://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.
  • https://www.candyusa.com/
  • www.choosemyplate.com

Lessen Your Stress This Holiday

As we begin December and the whirl of the holiday season, we may find that our schedules are full, our wallets are light, and our hearts are overflowing with joy. For some, however, holidays bring anxiety, stress and depression. For most of us, holidays are a mix of all these things. We are challenged by […]

WRITTEN BY: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County

REVIEWED BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Lucas County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Snowman photo taken by Shannon Carter

SOURCES:

  • Bono, G. August 2012. The American Psychological Association.
  • The Cleveland Clinic. 2016.

Holiday Stress Relief

Do you find yourself feeling stressed by the chaos and busy-ness that typically comes with the month of December? You’re not alone. Working Americans are stressed out to begin with working long hours, fighting traffic, caring for aging parents or young children and paying the bills. Then add holidays on top of all that! Juggling […]

WRITTEN BY: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County

REVIEWED BY: Candace Heer, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Morrow County

SOURCES:

  • National Institute of Health
  • https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stress
  • https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stress/relaxation.htm
  • https://nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation
  • American Psychological Association. “Holiday Stress.” Research Study by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner. December 2006.
  • http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2006/12/women-stress.aspx

Find Your Calm

In the midst of chaos and busy-ness that often surround the holidays, how do you find your calm? How can you go to that place where you feel at peace even in the midst of a “storm” of activity? Numerous research articles, including several by Dr. Maryanna Klatt of Ohio State University and one published […]

WRITTEN BY: Shannon Carter

REVIEWED BY: Pat Brinkman

Before You Buy Toys

Whether you plan to purchase toys for a holiday or another special occasion here are some things to consider before you buy: Age and Development of the Child Of course you want the child to enjoy the toy. Toys may be marked as to appropriate ages for that toy, but what if you are not […]

Less Stress Holidays

In our household, between the end of November and the beginning of January not only do we celebrate the national holidays like Thanksgiving and New Years’ we also celebrate five family birthdays!  As nice as it is to spend time with family and celebrate all these milestones, it adds a lot of extra planning, shopping […]

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