I spent New Year’s Eve 2007 in the emergency room with my seven year-old daughter. For several days she had been complaining of an achy knee. The day before she had been limping around the house. And by late afternoon on New Year’s Eve, she could barely stand up. I rolled up her pant leg [...]

Marian Wright Edelman said, “If we don’t stand up for children, we don’t stand for much.” Truly, speaking up for our kids is probably one of the most primal instincts we have, but what exactly does it mean? What is thing called child advocacy?
It sounds daunting, but the word “advocacy” really only means actively voicing [...]

Mold isn’t a toxic chemical like the others we’ve discussed, but it can make your home unhealthy and negatively impact your home’s air quality. Molds can cause health problems. Mold exposure to a range of adverse health effects, from minor allergic reactions to brain damage. One in 5 asthma cases in the U.S. is attributable [...]

Asbestos can be found in many building materials, including those in our homes, offices and daycare centers. The sprayed on ceiling in your living room? The floor tile in your kitchen? Both may contain asbestos. Building products that may contain asbestos include resilient floor tiles, the backing on vinyl sheet flooring, and adhesives used to [...]

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Surprising? Had I’d ever been asked about the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, I would have guessed secondhand smoke. Moreover, for lung cancer, smoking is the leading cause, but radon is the second leading cause, [...]

Yesterday, we talked about the problems of lead in the home. Today, let’s talk about simple steps to reduce or eliminate exposure to lead in the home:

Take off your shoes. One study found that simply taking off your shoes can reduce the amount of lead contaminated dirt in your home by 60%.
Invest in good quality [...]

On June 9, 2009, Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, MD, MPH, issued The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote Healthy Homes. The Call to Action tackles a host of safety issues in the home, from falls down stairs to burn injuries to drowning in bathtubs. It also tackles important environmental issues, including lead [...]

I recently heard that the superintendent of a large school district signed a contract with Coke, which would allow soda, sugar water and other drinks into the 72 schools of the district. The district has over 80% Free and Reduced students, is demographically diverse and mostly poor – an extremely “at risk” community. Given that [...]

Yet again last night I found myself discussing the Nutrition Services budget for the Berkeley Unified School District. Berkeley has been extremely supportive in its efforts to bring healthy food to all of the students of the district. Over the past decade there has been support from parents, advocates, administrators, foundations, teachers, staff, school board [...]

I grew up as a chef under the tutelage of male European chefs, because in 1977 when I entered the esteemed halls of the Culinary Institute of America – male European chefs dominated the educational staff. So it is probably no surprise that I learned that all great food came from Europe – all great [...]