The Switch Witch has been around for a while, swapping sweets for gifts, and incidentally, for a childhood with fewer dentist visits.

As well as being low on carbohydrates, some Halloween food creations are gluten-free, paleo, and even adaptable to be totally vegan.

Because individuals and families vary greatly, nothing works for everybody, but it is definitely worth trying some ideas to lessen the holiday stress.

The sad reality is that most holiday treats are composed of the same ingredients, rendered into different shapes and dyed with holiday-specific colors.

For children who are either already overweight or obese, or at risk for those conditions, this holiday can be a special kind of ordeal.

Here is one last group of suggestions for free (or very economical) indoor occupations as alternatives to screen time or overeating.

Here are some alternative things that children can do indoors rather than stare at screens. Even a small amount of motion is more beneficial than inactivity.

Mental and emotional problems can manifest through the body, and destructive fat is one of their favorite channels.

Even under very limited circumstances, it is still important that kids move around and do things.

Any kind of active play is not only helpful but crucial to the maintenance of both physical and mental health. And you don’t necessarily need equipment.

This series is about helping kids find things to do with their hands (and in some cases, their mouths) that will help them avoid snacking.

Let’s aim for a family culture that includes the very important standard of not dragging consumption into every mundane activity.

Children’s hands and mouths are both heavily implicated in the destructive habit of snacking, so let’s continue with the theme of keeping them busy.

Every minute a child spends engaged in a rewarding activity that occupies hands and/or mouth is a minute to be treasured and repeated.

The basic message here is that every moment spent by a child in some activity other than eating is a moment to be treasured.

One big reason why kids eat is because they are unhappy. Whether the parent feels like that is justified, or not, is irrelevant.

The philosophy of “Do as I say, not as I do” never works out well. The art of demonstrating true leadership includes eating lots of veggies and fruits.

During the holidays, experts urge us to accept our feelings, resist partaking in traditions that bring pain, and look for and appreciate the good moments.

The last few posts have been about seasonal stress, whose most obvious and apparent symptom is often overconsumption. Here are some tips on how to cope.

The temptation to overcommit is huge but it can be resisted. When filling in the holiday calendar, remember that your plans could be disrupted.

Here are some tips, tricks, and coping strategies on how to navigate through stressful holidays without doubling our weight and ruining our health.

First, sit down and figure out how to handle all the demands of the season, with the cunning and precision of a team planning a bank heist.

Childhood obesity is exemplified, endorsed, enabled, and empowered by adults. Remember it this holiday season.

Not many aspects of life are perfect, and, to be sure, the holiday season will not be. Experts advise setting your intentions and expectations accordingly.

Whether it stems from bad stress or “eustress,” expectation anxiety does have an antidote, which is acceptance.

We are allowed to set limits. We don’t need to announce them in a cruel or intolerant way, but we can set them. How?

Here are some more ways to take control of the holidays, or, at the very least, to cancel out the holiday season’s efforts to take control of us.

One of the biggest favors we can do for posterity is to figure out how to navigate the holidays with grace and compassion — including compassion for ourselves.

Whatever events are on the agenda, try to plan rationally and make allowance for obstacles. Make lists.

Halloween doesn’t need to be an orgy of high-fructose corn syrup. Here are some creative ways to keep it healthy.