Last week the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that India, once the epicenter of polio, had gone one year without reporting any cases of polio.  Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that invades the nervous system and can quickly cause paralysis.  It primarily affects children under 5. This is an amazing achievement not only for the citizens of India but also for the citizens of the world.   This success was due, in large part to the commitment, funding and education of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  The Foundation has pledged over $10 billion dollars this past decade to research, develop, and deliver vaccines to the poorest countries.  Polio has been reduced by 99% and we are on the threshold of eradicating the disease.  To learn more about how you can get involved with ENDING polio, click here.

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Kids school lunches are going to start to look a lot different this fall.  The USDA issued new standards this past week that go into effect July 1 and will be phased in over a 3-year period of time.  Schools will have to offer fruits and vegetables to students every day, reduce sodium, saturated and trans fats and must offer more whole grains as well as fat-free and low-fat milk varieties.  The meals will be required to have calorie minimums and maximums based on the child’s age.  The new standards are part of nationwide efforts to curb childhood obesity in the United States.