2006 is now behind us and, like my family, you may be celebrating successes of the past year and setting goals for the new one. Hopefully among your successes are new levels of .greenness. - living in a way that is kind to the planet and great for your health and the health of your [...]

We’re surrounded by a great irony, a great tragedy, a great opportunity. In parts of America, and in many places around the world, getting too many calories is one of the biggest threats to our children’s thriving. Too much soda, too many French fries, too many empty snacks, too many desserts. But at the same [...]

I think that all women who have had epidurals deserve breastfeeding support during their babies. first week of life. Of course, a lactation consultant can be a great idea for any new mother, but recent evidence suggests that first-week nursing struggles are even more common following an epidural. Australian researchers followed more than 1200 women [...]

Eating for the Future
With all that we know about tobacco, how can people still smoke?
It’s easy. They’re enticed by big business; they enjoy it; it’s cool; and it’s very, very habit forming. Now for the sobering truth - poor nutritional choices cause every bit as much cancer, death, disability, and chronic disease as cigarettes do. [...]

Chocolate
One of the most commonly used pregnancy handouts suggests that women reduce or eliminate chocolate from their diets while pregnant. But chocolate is high on the list of very most desired foods by many pregnant American women. Extremely so. Interestingly, pregnancy chocolate love seems to be less strong in Europe and in many other countries. [...]

Among the pesticides in common use in the United States today, I am most concerned about the organophosphates - originally commercialized as nerve agents for chemical warfare. A significant study published in the December 2006 Pediatrics links decreased brain development and increased ADHD to organophosphate levels in inner city minority children in New York City. [...]

Liver
We’re getting close to the part on chocolate, but first a word about liver. You’ll have noticed that many of the vitamins and elements needed in larger proportions during pregnancy are present in liver. Liver is loaded with iron and folate, the two nutrients at the top of the increased-need-in-pregnancy list. Does this make liver [...]