December 2010 Vol. 6 , No. 4
Dear Friends,
As we celebrate the holidays and the New Year, we want to wish you and yours the best of the season. Here you’ll find practical tips for keeping the flu at bay with Dr. Lawrence Rosen, as well as tips for healthy pregnancy with an article from renowned pediatric nurse Maureen McDonnell.
We also bring you the latest on an energy source endangering the health of communities across America. Guest contributor Don O’Hagan breaks down the issues with natural gas “fracking” and tells us all how we can help.
As communities deal with these and other health threats, the outcome may be a rise in cancer. Delaware has been making headlines for studying cancer incidence neighborhood by neighborhood, with some surprising findings (http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/dpc/ca_stats.html). With research as a first step, every state needs to look at ways to avoid the toxic exposures that make all of us – especially our children – sick. Concrete solutions put into practice bring better health outcomes, and that is what our Center strives to bring you now and in the New Year.
Best wishes to you and yours,
Deirdre Imus
Getting Healthy Before You Get Pregnant
By Maureen McDonnell, RN
This month’s column is on the importance of getting healthy before getting pregnant. Common sense you say? Actually, you might be surprised by just how little attention is paid to this concept in our culture.
Read more.
To Drill or Not to Drill
By Don O'Hagan
The region is currently enveloped by a difficult juncture: “to drill or not to drill”. Natural gas hydraulic fracturing, a new technique for extracting natural gas from within deep shale deposits, has the capacity to alter lifestyle and landscape at a scale not seen in the Catskills since the creation of the New York City Watershed system with the completion of Water Tunnel No. 1 in 1917.
Read more...
How can I naturally avoid getting the flu?
By Dr. Lawrence Rosen
“How can I naturally avoid getting the flu?” This question is probably the most frequently asked this time of year in my busy, primary care pediatric practice. Many families are wary of the influenza vaccine and are looking for alternatives for flu prevention. While I do discuss vitamin D and probiotics, both backed by solid medical evidence, one of my favorite regimens involves the use of essential oils.
Read more...
Book Review: Origins
By Erin S. Ihde, MA
In her newest book, Origins, author Annie Murphy Paul writes through the lens of her own pregnancy. She creates a month-by-month journey to the birth of her second son that is at once intensely personal and universal. Together with medical science and women's history, Murphy Paul shows us all how to achieve better birth outcomes and healthier babies today.
Read more...
Deirdre Imus in the News
Click below for highlights of recent TV appearances, as well as a link to the new Imus Ranch web page.
Legislation
Click here for updates on children's environmental health legislation around the country, and ways to help.
Healthy Recipe: Southwestern Vegetable and Bean Burritos
From the NY Times Bestseller, Cooking for Kids and Cowboys: Southwestern Vegetable and Bean Burritos.
Healthy Holiday Ideas
Choose a book from Deirdre's Book Picks, or a beautiful item from
Organic Bouquet. Each purchase supports our Center at no extra cost to you.