Lois Lee, MD, MPH, FAAP | (TNS) American Academy of Pediatrics

When the weather’s nice, many families love spending time near the water. Whether your favorite spot is near the ocean or the edge of a river or lake, it’s always best to prepare for your surroundings and make sure that health hazards don’t spoil your good time.

I encourage families to look for beaches where lifeguards are on duty and watch for any postings about water quality, rip currents or shore break, which can make swimming and water unsafe. It’s always important to designate an adult as a water-watcher to keep an eye on children playing in or near the water at all times.

You will also want to apply sunscreen every two hours at minimum or more often after children come out of the water.

Here are 12 tips for families to enjoy a safe and fun outdoors experience for everyone:

Check the water temperature. Generally, water between 82 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (28 to 30 Celsius) will be safe and comfortable for young swimmers. Scan the sand. Before spreading out your beach blanket, look for debris that may have washed up, including sharp sticks, bottles or even jellyfish.
Watch for sand holes. Making sandcastles and sculptures can be a blast. But the hole your child digs in the sand should never be deeper than their own knee. Children can fall in and get trapped and buried in the sand. This can even lead to suffocation and death. Have kids dig where you can watch them—and don’t allow digging in sand dunes, where loose sand can collapse around them. For everyone’s safety, always fill the holes your crew digs before you leave. Sometimes holes that children can fall into aren’t always obvious or clearly visible.
Lightning strikes pose real dangers, so when you hear that familiar rumble, head indoors. The safest place during a thunderstorm is a substantial building or a hard-topped vehicle. Wait at least 30 minutes after the storm passes before heading back to the beach.
Teach kids to respect the water. At the seaside or lake, they should always face the water so they can see new waves coming in. Teach them to wade in feet-first so they can check the water’s temperature and depth. Make sure they never dive or jump from high points such as a bridge, boat or dock, where shallow depths or underwater debris can cause serious head and spine injuries.
Appoint a water watcher. This should be an adult with good swimming skills who keeps a consistent eye on the water and shoreline. When it’s your turn, put away your smartphone, book or any other distractions, and skip the alcohol to help you stay alert. If you’re in a big group, choose more than one watcher to rotate duties.
Small children and those without strong swimming skills should wear a certified life jacket in or near the water, the Red Cross says. Families should also don certified life jackets whenever they’re boating, paddling, waterskiing or skimming along on Jet Skis.
Require adult permission before kids go in any kind of water. Make sure they always check in with a parent or trusted adult before entering the water.
Use the buddy system. For young children, this means having an adult beside them whenever they’re in the water, keeping one hand on them while they float, paddle or play. As kids gain water safety skills and show they can be trusted to stick together) they can swim and splash in groups. The forever-and-always rule is that no one goes in the water alone.
Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen labeled SPF 30 or higher. Mineral sunscreens can be especially effective. Put sunscreen on at least 30 minutes before hitting the beach, using the equivalent of a full shot glass to protect your child. (Don’t forget the tops of feet, hands and ears.) Reapply every 2 hours or right after your child leaves the water, since no sunscreen is 100% waterproof or sweatproof.
Sunscreen often causes skin reactions in babies under 6 months, so it’s best to protect little ones with a wide-brimmed hat and lightweight clothing that covers their arms and legs. Stake out a shady spot where they can play or nap safely. And try to keep them out of the sun in the middle of the day when UV rays are the strongest (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
Rash guards, long-sleeved tops and other beachwear offer extra protection for toddlers and older kids, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV rays are strongest. You may also want to shield feet with water shoes, flip flops or sneakers on very hot days, since the sand’s surface can climb as high as 100 degrees.
Keep everyone cool and hydrated. Avoid heat illness by having plenty of water on hand, offering children frequent sips and calling for occasional shade breaks. If you use a  beach umbrella, be sure it is anchored securely in the sand. Umbrellas that fly away in the wind have caused serious injuries.

Whether you’re at the beach or a pool, families want to have fun and these precautions can prevent against injuries and drowning. Ask your pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns about safety during an upcoming outing or vacation in the sun and water.

____

Lois Lee, MD, MPH, FAAP, Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention, is a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Boston Children’s Hospital and Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Lee has published seminal research on pediatric emergency medicine, health disparities and injury prevention, including related to firearms. Dr. Lee’s expertise was recognized with her election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2023.

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

“Firebrand” is the first English-language film by Brazilian-Algerian director Karim Aïnouz, and he infuses this portrait of mid-1500s Tudor England figure Katherine Parr with an entrancing fluidity with which you cannot help but be impressed.

In theaters this week, “Firebrand” also benefits from an understated performance by Alicia Vikander, as the English queen and regent and a bolder turn by Jude Law as her tyrannical husband, King Henry VIII.

In all, though, this adaptation of Elizabeth Fremantle’s 2012 historical novel, “The Queen’s Gambit,” feels like at least a slight missed opportunity, a tale that instead of building momentum to its climax loses a bit of narrative momentum in its third act, even as the stakes for Katherine are of the life-or-death variety.

In his director’s statement, Aïnouz — whose credits include “Invisible Life,” “Mariner of the Mountains” and the documentary “Central Airport THF” — talks of “reimagining of a ‘period’ film, closer to a psychological horror film, or a political thriller,” which is how “Firebrand” plays. (Later in the film production notes, it is stated he is not a fan of the term “biopic,” and so what we get here is but a sketch of a brief time in its main subject’s life.)

Parr was the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII — in recent years, she, Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves and Catherine Howard have been the heroines of the award-winning stage musical “SIX” — and early on in “Firebrand,” Katherine seems to believe she can influence Henry for the betterment of England. She says as much to old friend Anne Askew (Erin Doherty of “The Crown”), who is making waves in the countryside a Protestant preacher, aka “a radical.”

After all, Henry has appointed Katherine regent as he’s gone off to war, she points out to Anne, with whom she secretly meets.

“He puts a woman on the throne so a man cannot take it while he’s gone,” Anne counters.

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(Opening on-screen text also reminds us that “history tells us a few things, largely about men and war.”)

Thus, it is not surprising that when Henry arrives home — earlier than expected, as a worsening leg condition made it embarrassingly difficult for him to mount his horse in front of his men — he pushes her aside, along with her concerns about the plague and the the possibility of revolution.

“I’m home,” he says, “and you don’t need to worry your head about it anymore.”

As “Firebrand” progresses, however, Katherine will need to worry about her head, literally, as Henry grows suspicious of her for one potentially life-threatening reason or another. Fortunately for her, she becomes pregnant with his child, which, of course, he hopes to be a son.

Jude Law, left, and Alicia Vikander in “Firebrand.” (MBK Productions/Zuma Press/TNS)

Katherine is painted as a loving mother to Henry’s three existing children, all the products of previous wives, and is especially adored by Princess Elizabeth (Junia Rees), who, down the line a bit, will rule England and Ireland for nearly 50 years as Elizabeth I. They certainly are closer to her than to their biological father.

Vikander, an Academy Award winner for her work in 2015’s “The Danish Girl” whose credits also include terrific performances in “Ex Machina” and “The Light Between Oceans,” seems determined to give a less-is-more performance here. It’s fine work, but “Firebrand” may have benefited from a, well, more fiery moment or two from Katherine, who is, understandably, increasingly preoccupied with her mere survival.

No such concerns with the work of the similarly skilled Law (“The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”), whose moments of intensity are responsible for much of the film’s tension. Henry is a man to be feared, greatly, even as his health worsens.

While Law reportedly wore weights under his baggy royal garb to convey the growing size of this ruler with a big appetite, more noteworthy is that he found someone to create on-set scents to help sell the idea that the “filth and rotting of his body” were creating horrible odors, according to the film’s press notes.

‘You can see people having a visceral reaction to the environment — that is something that really helped in terms of the performances,” says producer Gaby Tana.

Jude Law, left, portrays English King Henry VIII in “Firebrand.” (MBK Productions/Zuma Press/TNS)

As we can’t actually smell the movie even in the most technologically advanced cineplexes, we are left with the aforementioned acting and direction, along with the screenplay by sisters Henrietta and Jessica Ashworth (“Tell It to the Bees”), with “additional writing” by Rosanne Flynn (“Military Wives”). Like the other elements, the writing boasts more good than bad but is unremarkable.

“Firebrand” also benefits — if only so much — from solid supporting onscreen work by Simon Russell Beale, as politicking Catholic bishop Stephen Gardiner, and Eddie Marsan and Sam Riley, as brothers Edward and Thomas Seymour, respectively, who are noblemen and allies of Katherine,

Parr, who also is referred to as Catherine and Kateryn in writing, was said to have been vivacious and witty, and we get a glimpse of that in a well-executed scene in which Henry insists Katherine be the person to test his food to ensure it hasn’t been poisened. Her handling of this tense situation provides the film with one of its finest moments.

It’s also an example of how a decent film could have been stronger with a few choices having been made differently.

‘Firebrand’

Where: Theaters.

When: June 14.

Rated: R for some violent content, brief gore and sexuality/nudity.

Runtime: 2 hours.

Stars (of four): 2.5.

Avery Newmark | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

Bone broth has been making waves in the wellness world, with influencers touting its benefits for gut health and weight loss. But what exactly is involved with this trendy diet, and does it live up to the hype?

A quick Google search for “bone broth diet” yields quite a few results, but one of the most popularized diets is by naturopathic doctor Kellyann Petrucci, according to Women’s Health. It combines intermittent fasting, bone broth consumption and an anti-inflammatory paleo diet. Proponents say this 21-day plan can boost weight loss, improve gut and joint health, and reduce inflammation.

While incorporating bone broth into a balanced diet may offer improved joint health and skin elasticity thanks to its high collagen content, minerals and amino acids, the diet’s restrictive nature raises some red flags. On fasting days, followers consume only bone broth, which can lead to calorie deficits and potential nutrient imbalances.

“Sure, you could see weight loss during the 21 days of dieting, but once those 21 days are over, you may feel deprived from eliminating so many foods that you result to binge eating which can then lead to weight gain,” Rebecca Russell, RD and founder of the Social Nutritionist, explained to the magazine. “This can then lead to a vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting which is detrimental to metabolism, weight gain, and gut health, and can lead to an increased risk of chronic disease.”

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Moreover, the diet’s low-carb approach may leave you feeling tired and constipated because of a lack of fiber-rich foods like grains, legumes and starchy vegetables, Women’s Health reported. These food groups are crucial for maintaining overall health and gut function.

Not to mention, any diet severely restricting calories or entire food groups increases the risk of nutritional deficiencies. “For example, completely eliminating dairy can put you at risk of a calcium deficiency,” Rancourt said.

Before embarking on any diet, the Mayo Clinic recommends consulting with a qualified health care professional to ensure it aligns with your individual needs and goals.

©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.