A new study in the October issue of the Journal of Nutrition shows that eating fruits and veggies high in vitamin C may ward off bone loss in older men. These are similar findings to what’s been reported in women. But the authors stress that bone loss is associated with many other nutrients (enter calcium). For other nutrients that men need as they age, read our story about supplements for men at midlife. And tell us what other men’s stories you’d like to see in our pages by commenting on our Men’s Forum.

Manufacturers pediatric cold medicine will add a new label warning parents not to use the products for children under age 4, reported the New York Times. Certain antihistamine products will also carry a new label warning against use for making a child sleep. On October 2, the FDA held a public meeting on pediatric over-the-counter cough and cold medications. The agency is exploring expanding a ban of such for children under age 6. So what are parents of sick children to do? Check out our story on safe remedies for sick tots. And take aim at prevention with these tips for kids ages 2 and up.

According to the latest research from Cornell, wild blueberries are top-of-the-list when it comes to antioxidants (you know, those super healthy compounds that boost immunity and keep skin young by fighting cell-damaging free radicals). Among the 25 fruits tested, wild blueberries beat out pomegranates, blackberries, raspberries, and cranberries—as well as cultivated blueberries—in ORAC scores (antioxidants). Note: Researchers did NOT evaluate proclaimed superfruits goji, acai, and noni. Look for wild blueberries in the frozen section of your natural products store. For breakfast or a tasty afternoon snack, I like to thaw a half cup or so (just let sit in warm water from your tap for a few minutes) and top with yogurt and granola. They’re so delicious antioxidant scores hardly matter—but it’s a nice bonus!

A couple of weeks ago on a plane flight, I had the good fortune to sit next to Jerry Deutsch, president of the National Health Association (the evolution of the American Natural Hygiene Society, founded in 1948, which espoused the virtues of real food for real health — talk about being ahead of the times!). Once we found out that we were on the same page, so to speak, our conversation was off and running. (We’ve quoted one of his colleagues, Joel Fuhrman, MD, in previous DL stories, like this one on childhood immunity.) But what I loved most was his smart idea for eating well while traveling: He makes soup at home and freezes it in plastic containers, then packs it in a cooler to take on the plane. The frozen soup makes it through security because it’s still solid … but by the time he wants to eat it, it’s defrosted and delicious! (However, he told me that they do not allow those frozen gel packs through security; go figure.) Next time I fly, I’m going to try this with Hearty Three-Mushroom Soup or Autumn Minestra Soup.

My kids are past the trick-or-treating age, but food allergies are still on my mind a lot, with my son continuing a gluten-free and dairy-free “experiment” to see if it will clear up his persistent nausea. With Halloween coming up, I’m wondering how difficult it must be for those kids with food allergies to enjoy the fun. (I know, I know, they should all want to get toothbrushes instead of candy … but that’s another story.) The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) just posted this helpful checklist to help your allergy-needs child enjoy the holiday without getting sick. Among the ideas:

–Before Halloween, distribute safe snacks to neighbors and request that they be handed out to your child.

–Instead of trick-or-treating, host a party that focuses on costumes, pumpkin carving, games and other Halloween-themed fun.

–Remember that small candy bars passed out to trick-or-treaters may have different ingredients than their regular-size counterparts. Even if a certain candy is safe for your child, the ‘fun size’ version might not be.

–Teach your child to politely refuse offers of home-baked goodies like cookies or cupcakes.

–Consider participating in a charity trick-or-treat event to raise money for a good cause, rather than collect candy.

What other ideas do you have for helping kids during the Halloween craze?

Good news on the food scene: A new law called COOL (Country Of Origin Labeling) has just gone into effect — and not a moment too soon, especially given the recent scary and appalling news about melamine being added to foods in China (intentionally!!), including baby formula (apparently melamine makes a product look like it contains more protein). With COOL, we’ll all be able to see where everyday food comes from, including raw meat, wild and farmed fish, fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, peanuts, pecans, macadamias, and whole ginseng (the goal was to label high-volume items, apparently). Of course, many fresh foods already had U.S.-grown labels (such as Vidalia onions and Florida grapefruit), so those won’t change; and of course, not all imports are bad. But it’s new power for the consumer to know what they’re buying and where it’s from, and to choose local whenever possible.

Sodium amounts appear in each DL recipe as part of the nutritional analysis, and it’s one of those numbers I tend to watch carefully. American palates tend to favor heavily salted foods (and heavily sugared, for that matter), so it can be a challenge for us to provide recipes that don’t have a high sodium count — especially if it contains something healthy and flavorful but inherently salty, like olives. We tend to advise “salt to taste,” which allows for an awful lot of leeway! The USDA recommends an upper limit of 2,300mg daily, the amount in 1 teaspoon salt, but most people get a LOT more than that. Keep in mind something we’ve said before: You CAN retrain your taste buds to favor less sodium. (This is true: I’ve done it myself. It generally takes only a few weeks of really cutting back … and then you’ll find you taste salt more acutely and “need” it less.) Use herbs and spices to flavor foods (especially veggies); flavor with salt at the end of cooking (and try some coarse and unique varieties; you’ll use less); and keep in eye on sodium numbers when you buy packaged food. If something contains more than 20 percent daily value of sodium per serving (460mg), that’s high; if it has 5 percent (115mg) or less, that’s good and low.

And in honor of National Popcorn Month (October), try this Salt-Free Seasoning on popcorn!

We know. We hear it every day. Stress is bad—very bad—for us. It sends cortisol and adrenaline coursing through our bodies and, unchecked, causes adrenal fatigue, makes us age faster, and contributes to some pretty major health problems, such as heart disease. So why can’t we just turn off the switch? Stanford’s Robert Saplosky, who has studied stress in mammals for decades, addresses that question in tonight’s National Geographic special airing on PBS. Watch a short intro and check out your local listings at the Stress: Portrait of a Killer website.

Turns out the Hershey’s company is fudging the ingredients on some of their chocolate products, replacing cocoa butter with vegetable oil to save costs, says the Today show. This non-chocolate switcheroo means that their labels had to change, so some products now say “chocolatey” or “chocolate candy.” Kinda subtle and sneaky, if you ask me. Personally, if I’m gonna have chocolate — and I am — I’m going to eat the real stuff, both for unequalled taste and and chocolate’s associated benefits. One of my new favorites: Kopali Organics chocolate-covered cocoa nibs, goji berries, and bananas (how’s that for some high-powered snacks?). They taste killer, plus they’re all fair-trade, certified organic, and rainforest friendly. I know Whole Foods carries them, so try some today (or Kopali’s super-pure dried fruit — also awesome).

There’s more evidence that we should follow Canada’s lead and label bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical used in hard plastics, a toxic ingredient. Read a study published yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association that links the chemical to cardiovascular disease here.