Tips for Reducing Your Child’s Holiday Stress November 24, 2009

We all want to enjoy the holidays–to take some much-needed downtime to reconnect with our favorite people, eat good food, and have a laugh while remembering old times. Even if we are master stress-busters, 100% committed to a lifestyle of nutrition, adequate sleep and physical exercise, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, if our over-booked, over-fed, over-stimulated child has a meltdown, we are likely to be led down our own rocky path to Meltdownville.  

Dr. Charlotte Reznick is a child educational psychologist, an associate clinical professor of psychology at UCLA, and author of a new book, The Power of Your Child’s Imagination: How to Transform Stress and Anxiety into Joy and Success (say that three times fast!). Here are her tips for helping every member of your family, both large and small, to have a relaxing, joyful, happy holiday.

Visualize a heart-filled holiday.
You can do this one at the dinner table. Have everyone in the family close their eyes, focus on their heart, and imagine what kind of holiday will bring joy into their heart. Then share your ideas around the table. This helps kids feel listened to, cared for, and included.
 
Spread the joy around.
The time-honored tradition of helping others can shift priorities. If kids or teens are moping around or showing signs of stress, take them to the local soup kitchen to serve meals. Visit a nursing home with hand-made cards. Helping others gives kids a feeling of more control and a sense of being both useful and appreciated.
 
Blow out negativity, light up hope.
Create a family ritual of hope. Have two candles for each family member: one lit, one not. Have each imagine what they’d like to let go of — what no longer serves them — and say, “I’m going to toss this out (anger, worry, meanness to my sister) when I blow this candle out.”  Then light a new candle and share, “I hope to bring in (kindness, faith, cleaning my room) as I light anew.” Let go of the old and bring in the new.
 
Give distress a voice.
If this is your child’s the first holiday without a loved one–grandpa passed away, or big sister is in Afghanistan–younger family members may feel a deep sense of loss. Or maybe your child is feeling the stress of a recent divorce. Give her paper and markers, and ask her to draw whatever is making her sad or mad. Then ask her what the picture wants to say out loud. Often, putting a face on an emotion and letting it “speak” makes the child feel better–and gives the parent a way to understand what’s going on.
 
Sweat is sweet.
Kids (and adults) can get all pent up during holiday time. Surprise little ones by clearing the furniture out of the center of the room, turning on some fun music, and dancing vigorously for 10 minutes. Or bundle up the family and take a wintry walk while playing “I Spy.” Exercise releases feel-good chemicals and is one of the fastest ways to chase away holiday blahs and instill a sense of togetherness.

Psychotherapy–not more money–increases happiness November 22, 2009

Feeling down? Money tight? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your lottery ticket was the big winner? Or, perhaps more realistically, you finally received a much-needed raise and were able pay back all your debt? Happiness at last. Right?

Research by the University of Warwick and the University of Manchester finds that psychological therapy could be 32 times more cost effective at making you happy than simply obtaining more money. The research has obvious implications for general public health.

Chris Boyce of the University of Warwick and Alex Wood of the University of Manchester compared large data sets where thousands of people had reported on their well-being. They then looked at how well-being changed due to therapy compared to getting sudden increases in income, such as through lottery wins or pay rises.

They found that a four-month course of psychological therapy had a large effect on well-being. They then showed that the increase in well-being from an £800 ($1,318.56 USD) course of therapy was so large that it would take a pay rise of over £25,000 (a whopping $41,205 USD) to achieve an equivalent increase in well-being. The research therefore demonstrates that psychological therapy could be 32 times more cost effective at making you happy than simply obtaining more money.

Governments pursue economic growth in the belief that it will raise the well-being of its citizens. However, the research suggests that more money only leads to tiny increases in happiness and is an inefficient way to increase the happiness of a population. This research suggests that if policy makers were concerned about improving well-being they would be better off increasing the access and availability of mental health care as opposed to increasing economic growth.

The researchers further draw on two striking pieces of independent evidence to illustrate their point– over the last 50 years developed countries have not seen any increases to national happiness in spite of huge economic gains. Mental health on the other hand appears to be deteriorating worldwide. The researchers argue that resources should be directed towards the things that have the best chance of improving the health and happiness of our nations — investment in mental health care by increasing the access and availability of psychological therapy could be a more effective way of improving national well-being than the pursuit of income growth.

I might add that this be approached with a wide-open perspective on “therapy.” Aside from traditional talk therapy with an accredited professional, we must allow ample access to art therapy, yoga and/or tai chi, religious/spiritual counseling, Qi Gong, 12-step groups, accupressure, dietary and nutritional counseling, etc. I would also caution against laying too much importance on those therapists with the power to prescribe. This country is already grossly over-prescribed, when so many other forms of therapy exist.

The research also has important implications for the way in which “pain and suffering” is compensated in courts of law. Currently the default way in which individuals are compensated is with financial compensation. The research suggests that this is an inefficient way at repairing psychological harm following traumatic life events and that a more effective remedy would be to offer psychological therapy.

University of Warwick researcher Chris Boyce said: “We have shown that psychological therapy could be much more cost effective than financial compensation at alleviating psychological distress. This is not only important in courts of law, where huge financial awards are the default way in which pain and suffering are compensated, but has wider implications for public health and well-being.”

“Often the importance of money for improving our well-being and bringing greater happiness is vastly over-valued in our societies. The benefits of having good mental health, on the other hand, are often not fully appreciated and people do not realize the powerful effect that psychological therapy, such as non-directive counselling, can have on improving our well-being.”

Journal Reference:

1.Boyce et al. Money or mental health: the cost of alleviating psychological distress with monetary compensation versus psychological therapy. Health Economics Policy and Law, 2009; 1 DOI: 10.1017/S1744133109990326

Teens, sex, and family dinners: Parent/teen relationships count November 21, 2009

Concerned about your teen engaging in sex at a young age? A new Child Trends research brief, Parents Matter: The Role of Parents in Teens’ Decisions about Sex, explores how your behavior and practices as a parent, and the qaulity of your relationship with your adolescent can make an impact on the probability of first sex by age 16.  

 The Role of Parents in Teens’ Decisions about Sex

• Better parent-adolescent relationships are associated with reduced risk of early sexual experience among teen girls.
  • Teen girls who reported high relationship quality with both parents were less likely to have sex at an early age (22%), compared with teen girls who reported low relationship quality with both parents (37%).
  • This finding holds true for teen girls’ relationships with their mothers and fathers separately, but no significant association was found for teen boy
• Teen boys who eat dinner with their family every day have a lower probability of having sex before age 16 (31%), compared with those who eat dinner with their family four days a week or less (37%). No significant association was found for teen girls on this measure.
• Adolescents whose parents are more aware of whom they are with when not at home are less likely to have sex by age 16. For example, only 22% of girls who reported that their parents knew “everything” about whom they were with when they were not home had first sex before age 16, compared with 43% who reported their parents knew little or nothing.

“These findings highlight the importance of parents in adolescents’ lives,” said study co-author Jennifer Manlove, Ph.D. ”Parents can be involved beyond having the ’sex talk’ with their adolescents, by fostering strong relationships, developing family routines such as eating dinner together regularly, and being aware of where their children are when they are not at home.”
 
This study is based on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, sponsored and directed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.

It’s not to early to begin 10 New Year’s resolutions for weight “release” November 19, 2009

The actor Freeman Michaels MA, who played Drake Belson on The Young and the Restless in the mid-1990s, is now a nationally known weight-release coach and seminar leader, and author of a new book about his successful approach, called Weight Release: A Liberating Journey (Morgan James Publishing, $16.95).

Before we take those first bites of turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie, it might be useful to take a moment ot listen to Michaels’ approach to eating and weight loss, and how it can affect (for better or worse) our self image. 
 
“If you’re like I was when my weight ballooned to 275 pounds a few years ago,” he shares, “you’re probably wondering if you’ll ever again have that healthy feeling of being light, quick, and carefree. For some, childhood may have been the last time you were at a size and weight that felt good. Take heart! You can begin to release weight by following my 10 New Year’s resolutions. I’m more than 70 pounds lighter now, thanks to a self-care practice I developed and that is helping hundreds of others do it too.”

Curious? Here are tips from his new book: 

1. Stop thinking of weight in terms of “loss.” Food and eating behaviors have provided comfort to you. When we focus only on “losing” the weight without dealing with the underlying purpose those behaviors have served, we’re apt to “find” it again.
2. Replace self-judgment with self-compassion. Self-judgments–I’m fat, I’m unattractive, I’m undisciplined–are roadblocks to releasing weight. Learn to be compassionate toward the part of you that holds shame, blame, or guilt, and you’ll begin to release the weight of unresolved issues. Actual weight release will result.
3. Stay in the safe zone. Identify some “safe zones”–areas or people with whom you feel safe. Establish who might be allies in your weight release journey and find places where you feel comfortable being yourself.
4. Minimize bad days. For many of us, bad days can quickly translate into bad days of eating. Practice unplugging from negative people energetically in order to create your own positive reality.
5.  See slips as teachers. When you catch yourself in a negative pattern around food, don’t slide into self-criticism. Instead, ask yourself what’s going on with you that wants to be addressed.
6. Change something–anything. Make a change, preferably something you have resistance to, that has nothing to do with food, diet, or exercise–e.g., rearrange your bedroom. Note how the mere act of changing something affects you emotionally.
7.  Plan to “snack consciously.” Buy and prepare foods you can snack on throughout the day. Schedule in snacks twice or more per day; don’t wait until you’re starving.
8. Eat before you eat out.  Before you go out to dinner, eat a healthy snack so you’re not impulsive and motivated by hunger when ordering.
9.  Prepare “meal” affirmations. Before you eat, say a silent affirmation. Examples: “I choose to eat what my body needs,” or “I love my body, and I offer it sustenance.”
10.  Embrace discomfort. “Comfort food” suggests the presence of discomfort. The goal is to embrace the discomfort and allow it to be your teacher and your guide. It will lead you to the unmet needs that are causing anxiety or distress–and influencing the way you eat and think about food.

Getting what you pay for: Scoring more facetime with your doctor November 13, 2009

In my career as a patient, I’ll admit I’ve been lucky. Blessed with a good constitution and healthy lifestyle, I haven’t spent any time in the hospital or suffered from chronic conditions. Raised in Canada, I remember informative check-ups with my general practictioner, sometimes lasting an hour or more, which included a lesson on preventative care. It isn’t so surprising then, that for our family doctor here in Southern California, we chose K. Mitchell Naficy. Dr. Naficy is patient, answers all questions and has an excellent bedside manner. He runs a busy office, but always appears relaxed and ready to hear out our concerns, and sits down to problem-solve alternative remedies with us, without simply handing over a prescription and moving on. However, like most people, we’ve had the frustration of walking out of our doctor’s office and realizing that we hadn’t addressed all the problems that led to the visit–primarily because we weren’t organized enough.

In some cases, even the most well-meaning doctors struggle to provide the care they wish to give. More and more, it is due to tightening budgets–not only on the patient’s side, but times have changed for the medical profession. Dr. Margaret Lewin, Medical Director of Cinergy Health, says, “Financially, we’d like to get our healthcare with doctors who participate with our health plan, so that we need part with only a relatively small co-pay for the visit. However, your healthplan doctor has discounted his fees in order to participate in the plan and has had to add staff and equipment in order to handle the paperwork and phonecalls generated by the insurance companies. When you consider the increasing cycle of skyrocketing costs and decreasing reimbursements, you can see that participating doctors must see more and more patients daily – spending less and less time with each.”

Dr. Lewin suggests that if you’re lucky enough to have a policy which covers out of network healthcare, and you want more time with the doctor, then choose a physician who does not accept insurance. Do check to see how long the doctor spends for a complete exam and for a short office visit, to see if that scheduling better suits your needs than an in-network doctor. You’ll probably have to pay up-front, submitting the claims to your insurance company and waiting to be reimbursed.

Make sure to maximize your time with your doctor:

 · On your first visit, give the doctor a detailed medical history – preferably typed, and including your allergies, past surgeries and serious illnesses, family medical history and a list of all your medications, including dietary supplements and other over-the-counter products – even if you don’t use them regularly (in fact, you should always carry that list of medications in your wallet, along with your doctor’s business card, in case of emergency); on subsequent visits, always give the doctor an updated list of those medications

· Take with you a careful list of all your issues, placing first the most important ones – try not to get distracted from that list. If you need prescription refills, be sure to give the doctor a list of those needs at the beginning of the visit. Make sure preventative care is on your list.

· Studies show that when a doctor makes the simple gesture of sitting down, it immediatrely gives the patient more confidence that he is listening. Politely request this. Most doctors spend a lot of time on their feet, so don’t be shy.

· For many doctors, discussing complementary alternative medicine (CAM) with a patient can prove as delicate a topic as religion or politics. Don’t wait for your doctor to bring up CAM methods–Ask.

· When the doctor explains the diagnosis and recommendations, make sure you understand by repeating back in your own words.

· When given prescriptions, check that the new medications don’t interact unfavorably with your usual regimen, and ask for expected side effects and what to do should they occur.

Before leaving the office, check with the staff to find out to handle problems that come up between visits:

· What to do in an emergency, including finding out which hospital emergency department to go to if necessary

· Is the doctor available for emergencies outside of regular office hours – and if not, what arrangements have been set up?

· Is there a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant to call? Does the doctor have regular times set aside for telephone calls? Can you email in your questions – and if so, what’s the expected turn-around time?

· What’s the procedure for getting prescription refills?

Being super-organized will help you get the most out of your doctor visits. If, however, you find that even this doesn’t give you the time you need to fulfill your medical needs, it’s time to consider changing doctors!

School Shutdown? When should flu be the trigger? November 8, 2009

Your child’s school was just closed due to an outbreak of flu. Instantly you wonder about the dangers of  exposure–will you child show flu symptoms? Should you see your ped? Do you need the H1N1 vaccination? Is everyone over-reacting?

“Currently many U.S. schools don’t have specific or consistent algorithms for deciding whether to shut down,” says epidemiologist John Brownstein, PhD. “They don’t always use quantitative data, and it may be a political or fear-based decision rather than a data-based one.”

The Children’s Hospital Boston  recently reported a study led by Brownstein and Anne Gatewood Hoen, PhD of the Children’s Hospital Boston Informatics Program, in collaboration Asami Sasaki of the University of Niigata Prefecture (Niigata, Japan), tapped a detailed set of Japanese data to help guide decision making by schools and government agencies. The analysis was published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the November issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Sasaki, Hoen and Brownstein analyzed flu absenteeism data from a Japanese school district with 54 elementary schools. Japan makes a good model for studying influenza in schools because it closely monitors school absenteeism due to flu, requires testing for the flu virus in students who become ill, and has a track record of instituting partial or complete school closures during outbreaks. Tracking four consecutive flu seasons (2004-2008), they asked what pattern of flu absenteeism was best for detecting a true school outbreak — balanced against the practical need to keep schools open if possible.

“You’d want get a school closed before an epidemic peaks, to prevent transmission of the virus, but you also don’t want to close a school unnecessarily,” explains Brownstein. “We also wanted an algorithm that’s not too complex, that could be easily implemented by schools.”

A school outbreak was defined as a daily flu absentee rate of more than 10 percent of students. After comparing more than two dozen possible scenarios for closing a school, the analysis suggested three optimal scenarios:

1. A single-day influenza-related absentee rate of 5 percent
2. Absenteeism of 4 percent or more on two consecutive days
3. Absenteeism of 3 percent or more on three consecutive days

The scenarios #2 and #3 performed similarly, with the greatest sensitivity and specificity for predicting a flu outbreak (i.e., the fewest missed predictions and the fewest “false positives.”) Both gave better results than the single-day scenario (#1). The researchers suggest that scenario #2 might be the preferred early warning trigger, balancing the need to prevent transmission with the need to minimize unnecessary closures.

“Our method would give school administrators or government agencies a basis for timely closure decisions, by allowing them to predict the escalation of an outbreak using past absenteeism data,” says Hoen. “It could be used with data from schools in other communities to provide predictions. It would leave decision-making in the hands of local officials, but provide them with a data-driven basis for making those decisions.”

Last spring, during the early days of the H1N1 influenza pandemic, the CDC recommended first a 7-day school closure, then a 14-day closure after appearance of the first suspected case. Later, as more became known about the extent of community spread and disease severity, the CDC changed the recommendation to advise against school closure unless absentee rates interfered with school function. CDC’s current guidelines (10/21/09) don’t provide a specific algorithm, but state that “the decision to selectively dismiss a school should be made locally,” in conjunction with local and state health officials, “and should balance the risks of keeping the students in school with the social disruption that school dismissal can cause.” When the decision is made to dismiss students, CDC recommends doing so for 5 to 7 calendar days.

 Learn more about the study, its researchers, and sponsors here.

Tips and thoughts on a gluten-free Thanksgiving November 2, 2009

Managing a gluten-free diet is tough at the best of times. In even the most innocuous foods may lurk soy sauce (made with wheat) or mystery fillers in those fabulous eggs you ate at that cute brunch spot. Traveling to visit friends and family over Thanksgiving holiday presents an obstacle course for staying gluten-free.

Your best defense is to host Thanksgiving at your place, with you doing all the cooking yourself. Of course, delegate others to set the table and wash the dishes! Just because you want to eat right through the holidays, doesn’t mean you must become a martyr.

I love what Gluten-Free Girl says about living with gluten intolerance  around the holidays. ”I’ve had requests for gluten-free cinnamon rolls, mincemeat pie, stuffing, and gravy. Everyone, it seems, wants to eat exactly what he or she ate as a child — before the celiac diagnosis — and have it taste exactly the same.

The thing is, everyone, it will never taste the same. No matter how good your pumpkin pie recipe with a gluten-free crust, it will never taste like the pie you ate as a child. It could taste even better. But it won’t taste the same.

Early on in this gluten-free journey, I decided that longing for the same old foods with gluten-free ingredients was like longing for a boyfriend I had broken up with. It never works.”

Celiac.com offers some helpful advice for surviving the holiday:

• A gluten-free holiday dinner starts with a gluten-free turkey. Believe it or not some brands of turkey do contain additives that are not gluten-free—so, like everything else, read the ingredients and use Celiac.com’s Gluten-Free Ingredient Lists or Gluten-Free Shopping Guides to help you shop.
• Don’t risk gluten-based stuffing in your turkey. Instead, try this gluten-free stuffing recipe.
• Gravy is easy: Use a gluten-free gravy recipe.  Remember, bouillon cubes can often be a source of hidden gluten in holiday meals so be sure to use gluten-free bouillon cubes.  To thicken your homemade gravy you can use corn starch or arrowroot flour.
• Gluten-free holiday side dishes are easy: Browse Celiac.com’s extensive listing of gluten-free recipes to find side dishes that will impress anyone—celiac disease or not. (My own website, UnassumingFoodie.com also has several amazing Gluten-Free and Low-Glycemic dishes!)
• Order gluten-free baking ingredients and other hard-to-find items like prepared gluten-free pies ahead of time for convenience—this will allow you to spend more time with friends and family rather than spending all of your time in the kitchen! Many excellent prepared gluten-free products can now be ordered and delivered directly to your door from places like the Gluten-Free Mall..

For more info: 

 

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Green home makeover? 10 Eco-chic furniture tips October 30, 2009

This story appears in my Green Living column on Examiner.com.

Obsess about style, yet crave functionality? Greening your home shouldn’t mean giving up your aesthetic, or necessarily even adopting a new perspective. One person may relish a rough-hewn jute while another demands smooth, luxurious fibers. Whether you prefer wood, metal, cloth or plastic, you will be pleased to learn there is an eco-conscious company manufacturing stylish furniture pieces for virtually every taste and, yes, budget. 

Jacob Gordon at the fabulous website Planet Green compiled an excellent list of points to consider before obtaining your next piece of furniture. The following are excerpts:

1. Choose certified sustainable wood When cave people realized that boulders weren’t the most comfortable things to sit on, wood was almost certainly where they looked. The world needs more trees, not less, so practices that lead to deforestation aren’t any good. Not only do trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, they keep the surface of the planet cool, they hold soil together so it can stay rich, and they provide the habitat that animals, insects, birds, and other plants call home, not to mention they support many people’s livelihood. Simply put, don’t mess with the trees. There are sustainable ways to harvest wood, however. Wood from sustainably harvested forests, sustainably harvested tree farms, and reclaimed wood are the main sources. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and its largest forest certifier, the Rainforest Alliance, is the most widely used standard for sustainable forestry.

2. Furniture made with reclaimed materials If wood is taken care of, and sometimes even if it isn’t, it can last a really, really long time. Let’s make good use of all the wood that’s already out there. Reclaimed wood usually comes from old furniture, houses, or other built things that are ready for some friendly reincarnation, from flawed wood, or from scraps from a factory that makes other stuff. Some reclaimed wood even comes from logs that sunk to the bottom of rivers as they were being floated downstream to the sawmill, or from the bottom of man-made reservoirs (check out the Sawfish). Either way, furniture made from reclaimed wood is a great example of resource efficiency, but usually comes in shorter supply. The Rainforest Alliance has a Rediscovered Wood Certification label to look for.

3. Bamboo represents a family of grasses that range in size from tiny to huge, and in color from lime green to maroon stripes. It is incredibly fast-growing and versatile and has become the unofficial poster material of environmental designers and builders. Bamboo can be flattened into flooring, molded into furniture, pressed into veneers, sliced up to make window blinds, or hey, you can just build your whole house out of it. Using bamboo in buildings earns architects and builders LEED points. Most bamboo comes from China and is grown with few of no pesticides. Because it is so fast growing, it is much easier to maintain healthy bamboo forests. This also means it uses a lot of water, however, and harvesting too fast can deplete soil fertility. Some growers do use pesticides and other chemical inputs, however, so keep that in mind. But for the most part, bamboo is one of the greenest materials around.

4. Recycled/recyclable metal and plastic Since both metal and plastic are recyclable, at least in theory, these can be considered eco-friendly materials for furniture. More and more furniture is being made from recycled plastics and metals as well, like the recycled aluminum Icon Chair. Recycled materials require less processing and fewer resources, and help support the market for recycled materials. Technologies are always improving, meaning that recycled plastics and metals are always going up in quality.

5. Recyclable and disassemblable Good eco-friendly furniture should lend itself to easy repair, disassembly, and recycling. Products certified by MBDC’s C2C (Cradle 2 Cradle) product regimen are a perfect example, like certified office chairs from Herman Miller and Steelcase. These products can be easily taken apart, sorted into their constituent parts, and recycled at the end of their useful lives. When buying furniture, stay away from “monstrous hybrids”, pieces that are an inseparable amalgam of materials. If they can’t be taken apart it’s probably a sign that they can’t be repaired very well either.

6. Look for furniture that’s durable and fixable One of the most important but often overlooked aspects of green products (and this definitely goes for furniture) is durability. If something is tough and/or can be readily repaired, this lessens the chance that it’ll end up in the landfill, and could easily save you money in the long run, even if it’s initially more expensive. Even recyclable materials if they break (and can’t be fixed) require energy and other resources to reprocess and then replace. Durable goods that will last a long time can be passed on from person to person. Even if your style changes and that kitchen table isn’t your thing anymore, a good strong table will almost always be appealing to someone else, while a broken (and unfixable) one probably won’t. When it’s time to part with your possessions, think of Craigslist, Freecycle, or eBay, and find it a new home.

7. Low-toxicity furniture When you buy a piece of furniture, bring it home, and set it down in a room, it doesn’t just sit there. No matter what it’s made out of, chances are, it’s offgassing (or releasing substances into the air). Almost everything offgasses, which isn’t necessarily bad, but synthetic materials or those treated with synthetic substances can offgas chemicals which are toxic. Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are the most common family of chemicals that are offgassed and have been linked to birth defects, endocrine disruption, and cancer. Flame retardants and formaldehyde are common VOCs offgassed by furniture. Especially if your home or office is well-insulated (which it should be for energy purposes) toxins can’t get out easily. In fact, studies have shown that air quality inside your house (or car) is often worse than outside. Everyone should be conscious of the kinds of chemicals they bring home, but especially if you have kids, pets, or other family members who are low to the ground and prone to licking things. There are some good ways to help maintain good indoor air quality when it comes to furniture choices.

Greenguard is a certification which ensures furniture is low toxicity. Herman Miller, Haworth, Knoll, and the more affordable Izzydesign all offer Greenguard certified furniture options. Also, look for furniture that is untreated or treated with natural substances, like natural wood finishes, or naturally tanned leather. Organic cotton is also less likely to be treated with toxic stuff. Another great way to dodge toxic chemicals is to buy furniture that is vintage or second-hand and has already done most of its offgassing (just make sure it doesn’t carry anything worse, like lead paint). You can tell intuitively that new things offgas more actively–just think of that new car smell.

8. Buy vintage With all the slick, mod, “eco” brands jumping into the market it can be hard to keep in mind that pre-owned goods can be the most green purchase of all. Vintage and second-hand and furniture requires no additional resources to manufacture, is often locally sources (cutting down on transportation), is pre-offgassed and eases the load on the landfill. Quality vintage furniture can also have excellent resale value (sometimes selling for the same price it was bought) which certainly can’t be said for most new furniture, green or otherwise.

9. Buy local Just like the food on the dinner plate, we might be amazed how many miles the constituent parts of a piece of furniture might have had to travel in order to reach us. If possible, source furniture close to home. This will support the local economy, small craftspeople, and decrease the environmental cost of shipping (not to mention the other kind of cost).

10. What to do with it when you’re over it When it’s time to bid a chair, table, bed, or dresser farewell, make sure it goes to a good home. Sell it on Craigslist, eBay, or the local paper, give it away via Freecycle, or include it in your next yard sale. Putting it safely on the curb with a “free” sign on it can also do the trick. If you are the crafty type, lots of furniture can be repurposed into new functions or just freshened up with new paint or finish. No sturdy artifact should have to live out eternity in the landfill. Think about refurbishing old furniture or entirely repurposing other objects, like this bathtub turned arm chair. The Spanish group Drap-Art has a reuse festival that is ripe with ideas.

Chair pictured above by KnollStudio.

Follow me on Twitter! @RebeccaLacko

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10 natural remedies for Fall allergy sufferers October 29, 2009

While Fall has finally arrived, pollen, ragweed, and mold are still taking their toll on allergy sufferers.  According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, approximately 20% of Americans suffer from allergies and another 20% suffer from hypersensitivities to food, and environmental substances.

So what can you do about Fall allergy symptoms? ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner, Dr. Ian Wahl, DAc, LAc, CH is a Doctor of Acupuncture and herbalist who specializes in the treatment of children and adults with allergies and hypersensitivities. Dr. Wahl offers relief to sufferers with 10 tips breathing easier this season:

1) Take a whole food based Vitamin C. Vitamin C acts as a natural antihistamine. Dr. Richard Podell, author of When Your Doctor Doesn’t Know Best: Errors That Even the Best Doctors Make and How to Protect Yourself, recommends 1000 milligrams of vitamin C (Ester-C) twice daily to help with allergies and asthma.

2) Magnesium eases breathing. Some immunologists suggest taking 400 milligrams of magnesium daily helps with nasal allergies and breathing problems. Taking more than that can cause diarrhea. If you want to supplement your diet with magnesium–rich foods, the best sources are nuts, beans, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and bananas.

3) Wear sunglasses when going outside. Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, creates a certain amount of photosensitivity. Wearing sunglasses helps reduce your sensitivity to light and thus helps your eyes from excessive watering.

4) Bring a cold pack. When you are at an outdoor sports event, periodically place a cold pack over your eyes and on your face to reduce inflammation and help relieve some of your symptoms. 

5) Drink a lot of cool water. Rehydrating is one of the best ways to eliminate toxins from your body. It cools you down and provides some symptom relief.

6) Stay away from dairy If you have hay fever, eating dairy will produce even more phlegm and make you feel worse.

7) Use your bathroom exhaust fan when taking a shower. This will help prevent to growth of mold in the shower. Replace your liner every month or two, if you have mold sensitivities or asthma.

Keep your dryer vent clear. Build-up of lint in the dryer vent will cause an excess of dust in your house. Have your vents cleaned regularly to avoid aggravating your allergy symptoms.

9) Get rid of clutter. Allergy sufferers need to be especially careful about controlling dust in their homes. Clutter is a major source of dust and dust mites.

10) Get tested for food allergies. Many people who have allergies are also sensitive to different foods. These multiple sensitivities build on each other and stress the immune system. Find out what foods you are sensitive to and either eliminate them from your diet or get treated for them so you can eat those foods symptom-free.

For more information, please visit www.chicagohealers.com. Dr. Wahl’s practice, Wahls of Wellness is located at:
3375 N. Arlington Heights Road, Suite A
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
847-392-7901

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Dr. Lauren Feder to offer 3 LA-area Safe Vaccination Lectures October 27, 2009

There is a growing movement among parents to question the safety of such standards as vaccines and antibiotics. 

Dr. Lauren Feder, author of The Parents’ Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations, presents three Los Angeles-area workshops for parents who are seeking optimum health for their children. Dr. Federer will present an overview of health, disease and each vaccination, including pros, cons, risk, benefits and prevention of vaccine side effects. Syllabus included.

Patients of all ages often ask Dr. Robert and Carri Tanaka of Natural Life Chiropractic this question: ”what do you think about vaccinations?” The Tanakas encourage all families to “get education from multiple resources on this important topic. One person we look to and trust is Dr. Lauren Feder. Dr. Feder is a Los Angeles-based doctor and, in our opinion, her lecture is a must for any parent to be, or person concerned about their families health.”

Dr. Feder’s lectures sell out quickly, so early registration is highly recommended.
Cost: $25 per person, $45 per PARENT couple.

See below for details on locations and times. NOTE: Dr. Feder will have books on hand as well as homeopathic flu remedies for sale. Please bring cash for these items. The Swine Flu will also be addressed.

For more info on this topic, for vaccine exemption forms and more, visit www.nvic.org.

Location: Belly Sprout
Saturday, November 7, 2009
10:30am – 12:30pm
426 W. Commonwealth Ave.
Fullerton, Ca. 92832

Location: Golden Bridge Yoga
Sunday, November 8, 2009
1:30pm – 4:30pm
6322 De Longpre Ave.
Los Angeles, Ca. 90028

Location: Yo Mama Yoga
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
6:30pm – 8:30pm
1404 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 204
Santa Monica, Ca. 90401

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