Are you up to date with your vaccines? What about your family, are they? Vaccination time can be confusing, not just for the patient. Here is a view from nurse, educator, mom Sharon Buchbinder on vaccinations and safety in the new IOM (Institute of Medicine) expert report. The IOM Report on The Childhood Immunization Schedule … Continue reading
Darwin and the Rap Guide to Evolution
Evolution, love it or hate it? Understanding evolution of the brain has come a long way. In Darwin’s time, scientists and doctors could see the size and weight of animal and human brains, but not much more. Now, we look at the inner-related parts of the brain easily. Tools record what happens inside cells and … Continue reading
SNAP What Can You Get with Food Stamps?
Have you heard of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP? Harsh Times SNAP is the new name for food stamps and now comes as an electronic card. A clear sign of harsh economic times in the U.S., 46 million people use food stamps, SNAP, to add food to their groceries each week. That’s 1 in … Continue reading
Irritating, Disabling, Lethal – Chemicals in our Air
Chemicals in Our Air How much is too much, when it comes to air pollution? For 8 dangerous chemicals, the US National Research Council (NRC) collected all the data reports out there. They did an analysis to answer this very question. Pollution levels are the focus of their 2013 publication “Acute Exposure Guidelines Levels for Selected … Continue reading
Hot, Dry, Crazy – the State of the US Climate
State of the Climate The US weather experts came out with their 2012 in review, and what a year! To sum up the experts’ report in 3 words: hot, dry, extreme. The yearly weather report is from the NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and freely available to all here. Climate Change or Global Warming? “Climate … Continue reading
A Letter to the President on Doomsday Promises Light
TEDx Midatlantic presented a letter to the US President from Dr. Theo Colborn, December 10th 2012 as a TED Talk. On the day of December 21st 2012, I’m sharing her reading of this letter with you, because it is so hopeful. Even if we predicted doom, and in some ways may have created a doomsday … Continue reading
How Climate Change Upset the Rules of Weather Prediction
“When did Noah build the ark? Before the flood. Before…” as Robert Redford, as senior spy Nathan Muir says, in the movie Spy Game. Mobile Apps are one way to get on board with building the ark before the flood. Here’s one from the Red Cross: Hurricane App. Things you can do to prepare for the next severe … Continue reading
We Need an Escape Fire – Heating Up Health Care
What are the leading causes of death in the US? You may think the top killers are things like obesity and cancer, which get a lot of press. But real killers are not only our health conditions or diseases. Sometimes the cause of death for a patient in the US, in fact the 3rd most common cause, … Continue reading
Poking Holes in Our Home: Earthquakes and Drilling
Does poking holes in the earth cause earthquakes? For nearly 100 years, the answer from scientists has been “yes”. Most recently tremors and small earthquakes in Arkansas, Ohio and Texas came from waste water disposal wells from oil and gas drilling operations. And one in Oklahoma from hydraulic fracturing for shale gas, fracking. A new expert … Continue reading