Considering OptionsThat Don’t Involve a CPAPMachine No CPAP Necessary Dr. Jelinek here again! Every day, I see patients who slog through life with frequent headaches, upset partners who can’t sleep, and exhausting days. I get it; I used to be one of them. Years ago, it was common for me to hear complaints from my wife that my snoring was keeping her awake, but I didn’t believe her. I had never heard such complaints when I shared a room with others in the military. Despite my education and knowledge, I ignored the fact that I needed coffee every day, napped daily, and was tired by lunch. But four years ago, my results from an at-home sleep test were shocking: I stopped breathing 17 times per hour. I decided to get serious and treat the moderate sleep apnea the test found. Since then, I haven’t had coffee, and I no longer need naps. I’ve spent the past two years getting more out of sleep than I ever did before — and I’ve done this without a CPAP machine. CPAPs can be a wonderful solution for many patients. The machines push air safely into the back of the throat, mitigating the airway blockage sleep apnea sufferers have. However, the awkward combination of machine, hose, and nose strap can leave users feeling constrained, while the noise can keep their partners awake. I prefer to use an oral appliance , which is similar to an anti-snoring device. It is a custom-made device that brings my jaw forward and hence the tongue comes out of the back of the throat and into my mouth. This creates an open airway. I can’t imagine sleeping without this appliance, and I never will again. In a perfect world, we would all sleep in peace, but that’s not a reality for sleep apnea sufferers. If you’re curious about your sleep habits and are interested in waking up rested, I can help. Visit NorthernVirginiaDental. com to learn more.
3 TIPS TO PREVENT RAISING A PICKY EATER
When you’re trying to feed your child, keep them healthy, and prevent them from becoming one of those weird adults with the stunted palate of a 2-year-old, it may feel like you’re faced with an uphill climb. Research shows that fussy eating may be as linked to genetics as it is to upbringing, not to mention the tangle of other psychosocial factors that can fuel a child’s inscrutable food preferences.
That said, there are ways to help your child foster a healthy relationship with food and encourage them to be adventurous eaters.
1. Keep your expectations in check. When a child first encounters a new food, they’re going to give it the side-eye. That’s natural. In fact, according to a 2003 study, it may take as many as 12 “exposures” to a new food for it to become familiar, much less something they want to eat. If you put too much pressure on them to eat every last bit of the new food, that particular food won’t fare well in their memories and you’ll have to fight those negative associations from then on. Instead, talk about the new food as you’re preparing it, involve your child in the preparation, and have them check it out on their own terms. Normalizing those Brussels sprouts is half the battle. 2. Avoid turning vegetables into chores. You might think that offering your child a reward in return for finishing their green beans is a good way to make sure your child gets their nutrients, but it causes more problems than it’s worth. It just reinforces your child’s perception that the green beans are the “bad” food they have to choke down before getting to the good stuff. 3. Make a variety of dishes. The more monotonous your nightly menu is, the fewer new foods your child will be exposed to, and the harder it will become to introduce healthy newcomers to the table. If your kids like green beans, great, but don’t start serving green beans with every meal just because you know those are the only veggies they’ll eat. Keep it varied and fun, and your kid’s palate will follow. You shouldn’t force your kid to eat food they don’t want to eat, but you shouldn’t cater too closely to their fussy habits either. Present them with a wide variety of the healthy options you want them to eat, and let them discover the joys of taste and texture as they grow.
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