Auburn, March 24, 2003 --- Many American children, especially those with parents stationed in or near Iraq, will be coping with a sense of insecurity and fear now that the war has begun.

This is natural, says one expert, though she stresses that many of these children will need help from parents and adults to work through these emotions.  (More...)

Urban Affairs Gearing Up for Urban-Rural Interface Conference

Normal, AL, March 22 – On Thursday, April 24, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Urban  Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs unit will host the Urban-Rural Interface Conference in the  Dawson Building & Auditorium on the campus of Alabama A&M University in Normal, AL from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This year’s theme is "Research & Education Respond to Current Community Issues.”  (More...)

Poor Lifestyle Habits May Soon Contribute to Life-Span Decline

Auburn, March 24, 2003 --- American life expectancy has recently reached an all-time high, but this upward trend may not last.

Several factors, most notably the appallingly bad eating and exercise habits of millions of Americans, are likely to contribute to a reversal of this trend within the next few decades.  (More...)

New Drug Can Limit Potentially Fatal Peanut Allergies

Auburn, March 21, 2003 --- Help may soon be available for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who live in constant fear of a potentially deadly exposure to a common snack food — peanuts.  (More...)

HEALTHY EATING ON THE RUN: A MONTH OF TIPS

Auburn, March 17, 2003---Increasingly, consumers want fast, easy and good-tasting foods to fit a busy lifestyle. Whether it’s fast-food, take-out or a sit-down restaurant, eating out has become part of the American lifestyle. 

Today, food is available almost everywhere we go – schools, businesses, convenience stores, bookstores, supermarkets, vending machines, sports and cultural events and recreation centers.  Even fitness centers offer food and drink. (More...)

A Healthy Eating Plan Can Include Snacks 

Auburn, March 17, 2003---Snacks help optimize your energy and mental power, control your weight, reduce the load on your heart and prevent heartburn. Food and nutrition experts at the American Dietetic Association say snacking habits should help balance your diet, not add unneeded calories or fat to it. (More...)

Homeowners Adjusting to New Pesticide Era

Auburn, March 17, 2003 --- Dealing with common home and garden pests will require consumers to learn more and fight smarter, especially now that they no longer can rely on the broad-spectrum pesticides many took for granted just a few years ago.  (More...)

Carefully Checking the Nutrition Label Will Help You Make Smarter Choices at the Supermarket

Auburn, March 12---How much attention do you pay to the Nutrition Facts labels on the packages of food you buy? 

Learning to read and understand the information on the label or food package can help you cut calories, among many other benefits, says Dr. Evelyn Crayton, a foods and nutrition specialist and registered dietitian with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. (More...)

Energy Star Appliances Help Consumers and Environment

Auburn, March 15,2003---Energy Star-labeled appliances save consumers money and use less electricity and water than other appliances, says Barbara Mobley, an Extension money management specialist.  (More...)

March is National Nutritional Month

Auburn, March 11, 2003 ---March is National Nutrition Month.

Sponsored by the National Dietetic Association, the monthlong observance began in 1980 in response to growing public interest in nutrition. (More...)

More Alabama Retail Outlets Carrying Irradiated Foods

Auburn, March 12, 2003 -- More and more retail grocery stores throughout Alabama are carrying irradiated products. And as far as one food safety expert is concerned, "it's about time."

During her career as an Alabama Cooperative Extension System food
scientist and Auburn University researcher, Dr. Jean Weese has tested hundreds of irradiated food products. She's also eaten her share of "irradiated hamburgers, lettuce, apples, tomatoes, strawberries — you name it."  (More...)

Experts Now Say, "It's the Sugar, Stupid"

Auburn, March 12, 2003 --- For years, dietary experts -- some with the zeal reminiscent of Temperance Union Crusaders -- pointed at fat as the root of all obesity. 

As it turned out, cutting the fat did not prove to be the magic bullet experts hoped it would be. (More...)

The Quest for the Great Pumpkin

Auburn, Mar 3, 2003 --- It's no wonder that Linus waits for The Great Pumpkin in the pumpkin patch every year at Halloween. Apparently Linus knows the same thing that Dr. Joe Kemble knows about growing pumpkins: with enough attention, a pumpkin patch can be quite profitable. (More...)