Reading, Writing and ... Pumping Iron?

Visit any local gym – albeit overcrowded this time of year – and you’re likely to be sharing equipment with middle and high school students as well. Strength training for kids was once thought to damage young growth plates, the areas of cartilage that have not yet turned to bone. Experts now realize that with good technique and the right amount of resistance, strengthening exercises can set teens on a life-long path to better health and fitness.

And, today’s teens are taking advantage: teen strength training programs offered by schools as part of a fitness regimen are seeing increased participation. Coaches are telling student athletes that the weight training not only improves performance in other sports, but that good strength training and fitness, like their math and reading skills, last well into adulthood.

More Teens Battling Acne – at the Spa!

A growing number of teenagers – both boys and girls – are getting facials as part of a healthy approach to skin care. According to the International Spa Association, more teens are heading to spas than ever before: about 4 million teens made the trip in 2006.

Spa clinicians say that while adults often book facials for a relaxing experience, teens come in for spa treatments wanting “results.” While a teen facial can’t cure teen acne, good skin care and a healthy diet and lifestyle can help control it. Facials generally offer a deep cleansing of the skin, leaving the skin soft, clean, hydrated and free of blackheads and other impurities.

Some spa clinicians also offer teens lessons in proper skin care, daily cleansing and moisturizing routines, plus information about their skin type and foods that can trigger acne. Causes of teen breakouts aren’t always what you think: sweaty athletic helmets and jerseys, grimy cell phones, oily hair products and even shared makeup and brushes can be culprits.

A Cyber-Generation Gap?

While email in-boxes may be overflowing for most adults, only 14 percent of teens recently surveyed reported sending emails to their friends every day, making it their least popular form of daily communication for this group. Surprised?

A study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that when it comes to online communication, a majority of teens prefer social networking sites to communicate instead of e-mail. What isn’t surprising is that the findings show teens leading the pack when it comes to creating content on the web, with 28 percent of online teens having blogs – growth driven almost entirely by teenage girls. In fact, girls dominate most elements of content creation.

 And when it comes to comparing today’s adult and teen online behavior, study authors state the real question is how the landscape for online communication will change once teens enter the workforce (or “email-centric working environment”) where email communication is a standard business practice.

Is Your Medicine Cabinet Teen Proof?

When today’s teens were toddlers, parents cautiously placed safety latches and locks to prevent wandering little hands from dangers lurking in household cabinets. Is it time to employ those same safety tactics for your teen when it comes to the family’s prescription drugs?

Misuse of prescriptions drugs is on the rise even though the use of illicit drugs among this group is on the decline. The source for these prescription drugs?  71 percent of young adults say it is their parents’ home medicine cabinets.

According to recent findings, prescription drug abuse remains at high and very concerning levels, possibly because teens seem to assume that drugs made by pharmaceutical companies are safe. One of the most potent painkillers being misused by teenagers is Oxycontin – one out of 20 teens admitted misusing the drug in a recent survey. The important message for teens is that drugs – whether illicit, prescription or over-the-counter – can be dangerous, even lethal.

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