Last week was National Breastfeeding Awareness Week. Now is an appropriate time to revisit this important topic.

from the National Women’s Health Report: Women & Pregnancy

When Amber McCracken, 32, had her first child three years ago, she was all set to breastfeed. She figured it was a perfectly natural process that would come easily. Instead, she had such a terrible time with it that she gave up before her daughter was six weeks old.

“Because I couldn’t provide my first child with the important nourishment of breast milk, I felt like a failure as a mom even before I left the hospital,” she notes. What so many women don’t realize, Ms. McCracken now knows, is that breastfeeding must be learned–by both mother and child.

Nonetheless, American women are getting better at breastfeeding. A 2001 survey found that nearly 70 percent of babies are breastfed in the hospital; about 46 percent exclusively breastfed. Six months later, 33 percent of babies were still breastfed, 17 percent receiving breast milk only.

Those figures, part of the Ross Mothers Laboratory Survey (RMLS), which has been tracking breastfeeding in the U.S. since 1954, represent a record high, say researchers. Even better–groups that were historically less likely to breastfeed, such as women who are African-American, younger and those with only a high school education, also showed significant increases.

But it’s taken a lot of work to get there, the RMLS researchers note. They attribute increases to programs such as the peer counseling programs that target low-income women, and the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a joint effort by UNICEF and the World Health Organization. Hospitals in the initiative agree not to accept free or low-cost breast milk substitutes, feeding bottles or nipples, and implement 10 specific steps to support successful breastfeeding.

What these and other programs like them show, says Michelle Collins, CNM, a certified nurse midwife at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, is that there’s a lot of preparation to breastfeeding. “It’s not as simple as putting the baby on the breast, and it goes smoothly from there.” She also notes that while the 70 percent figure nationwide looks good, the figures differ dramatically throughout the country. In southern Illinois where she used to live, for instance, barely one in three new mothers tried nursing and half quit by six weeks.

“It’s a cultural thing,” she says. “If your mom didn’t breastfeed you, you probably won’t breastfeed your baby, because your mother may not be as supportive of you nursing.” Having a support system–whether your family, husband or friends–is also critical, she says.

Just as important is learning how to breastfeed. That involves everything from how to hold the baby and how often to feed the baby, to how to tell if the baby is getting enough milk (hint: wet diapers and weight gain). It also means being prepared for problems, like breast infections or sore nipples. In fact, the most common reasons for stopping breastfeeding are sore nipples, not having enough milk, problems with the baby nursing or feeling that the baby wasn’t getting enough to eat.

All those problems can be addressed by a certified lactation consultant, which most maternity wards and some pediatric groups have, notes Ms. Collins. “And expect that it’s a learning process,” she says. “It may take a good two weeks before you feel comfortable.”

Ms. McCracken knows that now. “I was so disappointed to miss out on one of the first opportunities to bond with my baby,” she says of her first pregnancy. She’s pregnant again, however, and hopes now that she knows more about breastfeeding her attempts to nurse will be successful. “I’m hopeful I have that chance again.”

Resources

International Lactation Consultant Association
919-861-5577
www.ilca.org
Provides database of lactation consultants by zip code who provide breastfeeding support and information.

La Leche League
847-519-7730
www.lalecheleague.org
Provides breastfeeding support and educational materials.

National Association for Postpartum Care Services
1-800-453-6852
www.napcs.org
Offers national database of contacts to assist with practical responsibilities and personal needs of families during the post-delivery period.

© 2006 National Women’s Health Resource Center, Inc. (NWHRC) All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the NWHRC. 1-877-986-9472 (toll-free). On the Web at: www.healthywomen.org.

Anyone who spends any time people-watching—at a mall, at a sporting event, in the lobby of a movie theater— knows that we’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

Two-thirds of Americans are now either overweight or obese. As our collective weight inches upward (and outward), so do our healthcare costs, for obesity raises the risk for many chronic and potentially lifethreatening illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease. In the United States, we spend at least $92.6 billion—or about 9 percent of total U.S. health expenditures—on obesity related health problems.

Although a “cure” for obesity remains elusive, scientists are getting tantalizingly close. In recent years, they’ve unlocked many of the mysteries of the incredibly complex neurochemical feedback mechanisms that regulate our appetite and body weight.

Such research is leading to:

• Greater knowledge of how and why people become obese.
• Insight into the effects that different diets have on weight regulation.
• A better understanding of the link between obesity and diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and other illnesses.
• Safer and more effective obesity treatments.

A major breakthrough in understanding the neuroscience of obesity came in 1994 with the discovery of the hormone leptin. Produced by the obese (ob) gene in the body’s fat cells, leptin is largely responsible for the urge to eat. High levels of the hormone activate some of the brain’s nerve cells, or neurons, in a way that suppresses appetite and creates a feeling of fullness.

Low levels create a reverse message: hunger. Scientists now think that leptin may be even more critical than the hormone insulin in regulating the body’s delicate balancing act between calories in (eating) and calories out (exercise).

Exactly how leptin regulates appetite remains unknown, but new research has revealed that regions of the brain linked with pleasurable emotions and sensations—particularly the nucleus accumbens in the ventral striatum—jump into greater action at the sight of food when leptin levels are low. Yummier foods such as chocolate cake trigger greater activity than blander ones such as broccoli. Thus, leptin appears to control appetite in part by interacting with the reward areas in the brain that make eating enjoyable.

Scientists originally hoped that leptin could be used to treat obesity. But the story turned out to be much more complicated.

Although morbidly obese people born without the ob gene do lose weight when given the hormone, such cases are very rare. Most obese people have the gene and produce plenty of the hormone—too much of it, in fact, causing them to become resistant to its effects.

So they remain hungry, even after eating, say, a cheeseburger, double order of French fries, and a super-sized soft drink. Scientists are now attempting to identify the specific brain pathways and mechanisms associated with leptin resistance.

Another appetite-related hormone that has come under intense scrutiny is ghrelin, which is produced primarily in the stomach. Unlike leptin, ghrelin stimulates appetite—and quickly, on a meal-to-meal basis. Levels of the hormone rise rapidly in the bloodstream when the stomach is empty and then race to tell the brain it’s time to eat. As soon as the stomach becomes full and stretched, ghrelin levels fall. When people lose weight through dieting, their ghrelin levels become chronically high—which may explain why dieters struggle to keep weight off. Scientists are now looking to see if blocking ghrelin may help.

Yet another area of research involves the receptors, or “docking sites,” on neurons for the hormone melanocortin-4. When activated, these receptors help suppress appetite. When they become defective, however, they lead to morbid obesity.

Recent research involving mice has revealed that activation of melanocortin-4 receptors in certain areas of the brain—the paraventricular hypothalamus and the amygdala—help reduce body fat by decreasing our desire to eat, while receptors on neurons elsewhere in the brain help increase the amount of calories our bodies expend.

This finding may lead to more targeted treatments for helping people control their weight. Other research has uncovered differences in how the brains of men and women regulate appetite.

Estrogen, for example, has been found to use the same pathways in the brain as leptin uses to suppress appetite—a possible reason why women tend to gain weight after menopause.

Another study recently reported that the children of women who undergo gastric bypass surgery before becoming pregnant are only half as likely to become obese. This intriguing result suggests that both the genes and the environmental factors causing obesity can be overridden—further hope that the obesity epidemic may one day be brought under control.

Source: Brain Briefings Nov. 2007
Society for Neuroscience
www.sfn.org/briefings

• Infants in rear-facing child safety seats must NEVER ride in the front seat of a vehicle that has a activated passenger air bag.
• Children 12 and under should ride properly restrained in the back seat.
  Everyone should be buckled up with both lap AND shoulder belts on every trip.
• Driver and front passenger seats should be moved as far back from the dashboard as practical. Make sure the shoulder belt stays in place and do not lean toward the air bag compartment.
• If you must put a child riding in a forward-facing child safety seat or booster in the front, make sure the safety seat is correctly installed, the child is correctly buckled up with the harness very snug and the vehicle seat is moved as far back as possible.

Source: NHTSA

Alzheimer’s World Awareness Day is September 21st
Alzheimer’s is a progressive and fatal brain disease. More than 5 million Americans now have Alzheimer’s disease. Today it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.

Here are some basic truths

• It is the most common form of dementia, a general term for the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life.
• It has no current cure. But treatments for symptoms, combined with the right services and support, can make life better for the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer’s. We’ve learned most of what we know about Alzheimer’s in the last 15 years.
• There is an accelerating worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, or prevent it from developing.

Alzheimer’s and the brain
The brain has 100 billion nerve cells (neurons). Each nerve cell communicates with many others to form networks. Nerve cell networks have special jobs. Some are involved in thinking, learning and remembering. Others help us see, hear and smell. Still others tell our muscles when to move.

To do their work, brain cells operate like tiny factories. They take in supplies, generate energy, construct equipment and get rid of waste. Cells also process and store information. Keeping everything running requires coordination as well as large amounts of fuel and oxygen.

In Alzheimer’s disease, parts of the cell’s factory stop running well. Scientists are not sure exactly where the trouble starts. But just like a real factory, backups and breakdowns in one system cause problems in other areas. As damage spreads, cells lose their ability to do their jobs well. Eventually, they die.

Risk Factors
Age- The greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s is increasing age. Most individuals with the disease are 65 or older. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles about every five years after age 65. After age 85, the risk reaches nearly 50 percent.

Family history- Research has shown that those who have a parent, brother or sister, or child with Alzheimer’s are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. The risk increases if more than one family member has the illness. When diseases tend to run in families, either heredity (genetics) or environmental factors or both may play a role.

Risk factors you may be able to influence
Age, family history and heredity are all risk factors we can’t change. Now, research is beginning to reveal clues about other risk factors we may be able to influence.

Head injury: There appears to be a strong link between serious head injury and future risk of Alzheimer’s. Protect your head by buckling your seat belt, wearing your helmet when participating in sports, and “fall-proofing” your home.

Heart-head connection: Some of the strongest evidence links brain health to heart health. Your brain is nourished by one of your body’s richest networks of blood vessels. Every heartbeat pumps about 20 to 25 percent of your blood to your head, where brain cells use at least 20 percent of the food and oxygen your blood carries.

The risk of developing Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia appears to be increased by many conditions that damage the heart or blood vessels. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high cholesterol. Work with your doctor to monitor your heart health and treat any problems that arise.

General healthy aging: Other lines of evidence suggest that strategies for overall healthy aging may help keep the brain healthy and may even offer some protection against developing Alzheimer’s or related diseases. Try to keep your weight within recommended guidelines, avoid tobacco and excess alcohol, stay socially connected, and exercise both your body and mind.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association

WellnessProposals.com

Anytime a child has an accident, it’s tragic. The last thing that  you want to happen is for your child to be hurt on a holiday, it would forever live in the minds of the child and the family.

There are many ways to keep your child safe at Halloween, when they are more prone to accidents and injuries. The excitement of children and adults at this time of year sometimes makes them forget to be careful. Simple common sense can do a lot to stop any tragedies from happening.

Pumpkin Safety Tips
Pumpkins and jack-O-lanterns are a fun part of the holiday festivities. In order to keep this activity a safe part of every Halloween celebration, consider the following tips:
• When it comes to carving pumpkins, have your children draw the face and scoop the seeds. Leave the actual cutting and candle lighting to the adults.
• Have the children use markers to delineate the face they want carved out of their pumpkin.
• Once the seeds are scooped, rinse and spread them out on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt, and roast at about 325 degree Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes. Munching the seeds while the pumpkin is being carved will help to keep your child involved and occupied while the actual carving is taking place.
• Once the pumpkin is carved, if you’re using a candle to light up your jack-O-lantern, have an adult do the lighting.

Halloween Safety Tips
With witches, goblins, and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods across America, the American Red Cross offers parents some safety tips to help prepare their children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday. Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun.
• Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street.
• Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks, and low-flying brooms.
• Cross the street only at corners.
• Don’t hide or cross the street between parked cars.
• Wear light-colored or reflective-type clothing so you are more visible. (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards, and brooms, too!)
• Plan your route and share it with your family. If possible, have an adult go with you.
• Carry a flashlight to light your way.
• Keep away from open fires and candles. (Costumes can be extremely flammable.)
• Visit homes that have the porch light on.
• Accept your treats at the door and never go into a stranger’s house.
• Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover your eyes.
• Be cautious of animals and strangers.

Have a grown-up inspect your treats before eating. And don’t eat candy if the package is already opened. Small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.

Source: www.familyeducation.com, the American Red Cross and www.wellnessproposals.com

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a disease that affects your lungs. It is the most common long-term disease of children, but adults have asthma, too. Asthma causes repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and nighttime or early morning coughing. If you have asthma, you have it all the time, but only have asthma attacks when something bothers your lungs.

We know that if someone in your family has asthma, you are also more likely to have it. In most cases, we don’t know what causes asthma, and we don’t know how to cure it.

Asthma can be controlled by knowing the warning signs of an attack, staying away from things that trigger an attack, and following the advice of your health provider.

What is an Asthma Attack?
An asthma attack happens in your body’s airways, which are the paths that carry air to your lungs. During an asthma attack, the sides of the airways in your lungs swell, and the airways shrink. Less air gets in and out of your lungs, and mucus that your body produces clogs up the airways even more. The attack may include coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, and trouble breathing.

How is Asthma Treated?
Your health provider will work with you to develop an action plan for treating your asthma. Your treatment might include making changes in your lifestyle and medication.

There are two main types of medication—quick relief and long-term control. It is important to take your medication. If you don’t, your asthma might get worse.

What Can Trigger An Asthma Attack?
Allergens
• Animal dander
• Dust mites (in house dust)
• Cockroaches and other pests
• Mold (indoor and outdoor) and Pollen

Irritants
• Cigarette smoke
• Air pollution
• Cold air and changes in weather
• Strong odors (from painting or cooking.
• Strong emotions (stress, crying, laughing, etc.)

Other Triggers
• Medications such as aspirin and beta-blockers
• Sulfites (like found in dried fruit or red wine)
• Worksite chemicals or dusts

What If My Child Has Asthma?
1. Talk with your child’s health provider.

2. Develop an Asthma Management Plan

3. Make sure you know the answers to questions like:

• What triggers my child’s asthma attacks?
• How should she use her medication?
• What do I do if she has an attack?
• When should I call the doctor?
• Who should I call in an emergency?

4. Talk with your child about her asthma. Make sure she can answer the questions above for herself. Help her follow her treatment plan and watch for problems.

5. Asthma Proof Your Home. Remember that asthma attacks can be triggered by things like mold growing on shower curtains or tiny dust mites that live in blankets.

Source: CDC & American Lung Association Websites

Selecting Safe Toys for Your Child
As families gather for the holidays, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers that dangerous children’s products may still be in their homes.

Grandparents dust off old playpens; older children often share their toys with younger relatives; and keepsakes are stored in old cedar chests. The CPSC (and Medicine-Net.com) wants to prevent these holiday traditions from becoming tragedies. Despite recall notices and public warnings, CPSC has found that many products with the potential to seriously injure or kill are still being used by consumers. Families should check whether old products have been recalled and place them out of the reach of children. Manufacturers will usually offer a free repair kit or replacement product.

What is the Toy Industry Doing?
Toy Companies Are Focused On Safety
The toy industry spends an estimated $300 million a year on safety testing and inspection of toys. Recently, toy companies have increased their efforts above and beyond that figure.

And while the toy industry already had a strong system for ensuring safety (one that is often modeled by other industries and countries), the industry is already working to strengthen the toy safety and inspection efforts – so that people can again feel confident in the safety of toys.

Companies are putting special focus on assuring the safety of painted toys for young children (who are more likely to mouth toys and other objects) by sending them back to laboratories for retesting. They are also purchasing sophisticated lead testing equipment for spot checks in warehouses and distribution centers in addition to sending samples to accredited laboratories for testing.

Toy Industry Safety Reassurance Initiatives
The toy industry in the U.S. and Canada are deeply committed to safety. This commitment is seen in the $300 million annually spent on testing – in the manufacturing plants, in warehouses’ and on retailers’ shelves and in the labs where all toys are tested to ensure that they’re safe for the children who play with them.

Safety Practices in Manufacturing Plants
Safety testing occurs throughout the manufacturing process.
Toys are picked randomly off the production line and subjected to rigorous testing, both in the plant and off-site. To help ensure your child’s safety, companies are increasing the frequency of unannounced inspections in foreign/overseas manufacturing operations.

Companies are also demanding certified reassurances that the product coming from suppliers’ factories meets all U.S. standards, and that all materials and subcomponents (other components or related parts) obtained from other sources also meet the standards.

Safety Testing in Warehouses and on Retailers’ Shelves
Safety testing doesn’t stop when the toys leave the manufacturing plants. Toy companies conduct tests on random samples of toy products pulled from warehouses (where toys are stored before being shipped to stores). Testing takes place in both company labs and in independent laboratories. Manufacturers, retailers and importers are also spot-testing products
already on retailers’ store shelves.

As an additional step, major retailers are also helping to ensure that toys are safe by retesting products before putting them on store shelves.

Paint Testing At Accredited Labs: Before and After It Is Used on Toys
Companies routinely send their products to accredited labs to test the safety of the paint.

Companies are now reviewing and reinforcing the requirements for testing paint for lead content as it comes into the factory – both before it is applied and again after it is on the toys.

Have A Safe And Healthy Holiday Season!

Source: www.safekids.org
www.toyinfo.org

Let’s make this the year that all of our healthy resolutions and good intentions pay off for ourselves and our families.

The following nine simple, healthy tips will get you started on the road to a healthier, happier future. They cost nothing in terms of time and money, and require just a little time and minimal effort.

Look for opportunities to incorporate these healthy habits into your daily routine and notice the changes in the way you feel about your health and yourself. Share your success with your friends, family and co-workers.

1. Substitute water for one 20-oz bottle of regular soda each day. You will save enough calories to lose 26 pounds in a year.
2. Pick up the pace. By simply doing what you normally do a little faster, you’ll burn more calories and improve heart and lung function.
3. The average person makes about 200 food choices each day. When making those choices, pay attention to plate size, package size, serving size. By using smaller plates and bowls you will eat up to 60 percent less (if you don’t go back for seconds).
4. See it before you eat it. Put your serving in a bowl and avoid eating directly from the box, bag or package. You’ll consume about 134 fewer calories per sitting.
5. Sit up straight to eat, and you’ll eat about 10 percent less.
6. Taking the stairs for a total of just 2 minutes, five days a week, provides the same calorie-burning results as a 20-minute walk—and burns 100 to 140 calories.
7. Adults gain two hours of life expectancy for each hour of regular physical activity. Walking for as little as 30 minutes a day provides significant heart-health benefits.
8. Obesity is associated with 53 health conditions and has roughly the same association with chronic health conditions as 20 years of aging. Type 2 diabetes in the U.S. has increased 1000 percent in the last 30 years. Just a 10 percent weight loss will reduce your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure.
9. Reward yourself. Acknowledge your achievements,even the small ones.

Reaching a goal takes hard work and you should be proud of your efforts and share your success with your friends, family and co-workers.

When beginning a fitness program, remember patience is essential. Don’t try to do too much too soon and don’t quit before you have a chance to experience the rewards of improved fitness. Exercise must become a habit, one of those things that you do without question, like bathing (I hope) and brushing your teeth. You can’t regain in a few days or weeks what you have lost in years of sedentary living, but you can get it back if you persevere.

And the prize is well worth the price!

EXERCISING AT HOME IS A GOOD alternative for people who are short on time, can’t afford a club membership, or just can’t seem to make it across town to the local gym.

Exercise videos are one option when there are monetary or logistic concerns. While some videos are boring or hard to follow, there are many that are well produced and have the marks of a seasoned, professional fitness instructor. But before you warm up the DVD Player, you should make sure that the video you choose is right for you.

Are you a “video person”?
Exercise tapes are like running shoes; one size does not fit all. You might get claustrophobic just thinking about doing a step routine in a 3 ft. by 5 ft. living room space. You may be the type of person for whom the act of driving to the gym and walking in to a room full of people is the only way to get you motivated.

Conversely, you may like the idea of dancing to the beat of a different drummer in your pajamas and aerobic shoes. And if you need a little variety, or reside in inclement weather, this may be the perfect mode of exercise for you.

Keep goals in perspective
While videos can motivate and inspire you, understand that they can’t shut your kitchen cabinet door or magically melt away 40 pounds in three weeks. It’s very important not to give in to all the hyped marketing surrounding many videos that may make unsubstantiated promises. In fact, any video that promises quick weight loss or instant results is probably unsafe and should be avoided .

If you are really interested in purchasing a video, do some research and find out if one of your friends has the same video, or if NetFlix or YouTube has a trial version.

When starting out, look for boxes that indicate the video is for beginners. Choosing an intermediate or advanced tape could be frustrating and lead to discontinuation of the program.

Find an inspiring instructor
Ideally, you should shop for a video that features a certified, experienced instructor who includes a warmup and a cool-down in the workout. Avoid videos that feature a celebrity as the main selling point, especially if they try to teach the routine themselves without support from a trained fitness professional.

Also, it is important that the instructor offers alternatives to the main program if it is too difficult for you. These are usually referred to as “modifications.” Modifications are included in good videos for a reason, and you shouldn’t feel out of shape or otherwise embarrassed if you have to do a combination on the floor instead of an 8-inch step.

Strike a balance
No matter what style exercise video you choose – such as dance, pilates, step or yoga – work toward building a collection that fosters balance and overall conditioning. This includes aerobics, strength and stretching. Many tapes combine all of these factors.

Perhaps most importantly, dedicate yourself to whatever style or method gets your blood flowing and your body moving.

Finally, be honest with yourself about how motivated you will be to exercise at home before you make the investment. It is also important that you understand how to exercise safely and that your doctor has cleared you to exercise.

Source: American Council on Exercise