At the May 15th SMART KIDS SMA, the SMArt Kids came together to learn about healthy grocery shopping. Here are some great, simple rules to follow as you and your family head out to the supermarket:

• Be Prepared (have a list and plan recipes for the week)
• Don’t go hungry (you’ll avoid being tempted by free samples, freshly baked muffins or treats in the check out aisle)
• Look at labels (remember,

Ah, Spring!  With the arrival of warmer temperatures, gardeners across the country are back outside and nurturing their gardens once again. Most of us think of gardening as a relaxing and enjoyable activity – and of course, it usually is – but sometimes, gardening can be hazardous without proper precaution, as repetitive stress injuries, tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can develop from this pastime.  Additionally, simple scrapes, blisters, and bites can turn into serious problems if not treated appropriately.

Pregnancy can be an exciting time, and the birth of a baby is often thrilling and joyful. This time in your life can also be stressful, involving many life changes. Hormonal changes and planning and caring for a new baby can take a toll on a mother’s well-being. It is quite common for a new mother’s mood to be low after the birth of a baby, but if it develops into symptoms of depression,

National Nurses Week is a time to celebrate and thank all of our nursing colleagues for their dedication. We recognize the significant contributions nurses make in keeping our patients healthy.

Nurses play a critical role in improving patient outcomes, coordinating care and decreasing costs. The Affordable Care Act and the Institute of Medicine’s “Future of Nursing” Report have placed nurses in the center of health care transformation, strengthening prevention and wellness efforts which are reflected in our work at Harvard Vanguard.

Many of us spend hours in front of a computer screen every day, and that can take a toll on your vision.  Generally speaking, viewing objects farther away from us is easier on our eyes; conversely, the muscles in our eyes must work harder to view things at close range.  Staring at a computer screen for long periods of time, therefore, can cause you to strain the muscles in your eyes and may result in headaches,

Because asthma varies over time (sometimes symptoms are absent, sometimes symptoms are minimal, and at other times, asthma symptoms are bad), asthma action plans are very important.  When a child has an asthma action plan, he or his parents and care givers are able to increase or decrease his treatment based on his symptoms with the guidance of that plan.  Studies indicate that when children with asthma have an asthma action plan, they and their parents are better able to manage the ups and downs of their asthma.