The topic of childhood cancer is close to my heart. Not only do I counsel children with cancer and their families, but as a teenager, my best friend lost her life to cancer. The statistics show that 12,500 children will be diagnosed with cancer each year; yes, that isn’t a huge number, but it is still too many. Everyone knows kids: they may be your own, they may belong to your friends/neighbors/family. You may teach kids or you may only encounter them on a bus or in passing in a mall. But we were all kids at one time, and remember how much we hated getting sick?

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation (which raises money for Children’s Oncology Group to do research) is sponsoring MileStones, a walk “to conquer childhood cancer”. Although there are limited MileStone walks in the country (click here for the few walk sites), you can walk “virtually” this month by a small donation to the Foundation. Although the virtual walk won’t help you burn calories, it will help in the fight against childhood cancer!

If neither ideas appeal to you, at least take some time this month to walk with someone you care about or spend time with a friend of loved one who has been hit with any cancer diagnosis. You’ll be glad you did!

There are a myriad of formulas available for an infant nowadays. But which is best? Although breast milk IS the best option for your baby, I understand that not everyone wants to or is able to breastfeed. So, if you are in that situation, I’m here to help you choose the best formula for your baby.

The three most common brands of formula are:

• Similac (made by Ross)
• Enfamil (made by Mead Johnson)
• Good Start Supreme (made by Nestle).

They are similar nutritionally. It’s like choosing Kellogg’s or General Mills for cereal–it really is about taste preference.But you might be wondering what the “Advance”, “Lipil” and “DHA & ARA” labels that are attached to these formulas are (i.e., Similac versus Similac Advance, Enfamil versus Enfamil Lipil, and Good Start Supreme versus Good Start Supreme with DHA & ARA).

These formulas (Advance, Lipil, DHA & ARA) contain DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid), which are fatty acids that support brain development. Although there are no long term studies out there that have shown beneficial effects (they are in the works from what I read), and some studies have shown no benefit, no studies have shown HARM to the infant when formulas containing DHA & ARA are consumed (and like I mentioned, they support brain development, and in turn, your baby can be smarter!). And if you’re wondering, the reason these companies have added the two fatty acids to formula is because they are already found in breastmilk!

So, when you are shopping for formula for your infant and there is no allergy to milk or soy, choose Similac Advance, Enfamil Lipil, or Good Start Supreme with DHA & ARA.

_{This is not a paid advertisement for any of these formulas. Thanks!}

_{Photo Courtesy Alessandro Perilli}