Wednesday, May 16, 2012
A Time magazine cover of a woman breastfeeding her preschooler has stirred an uproar. What do you think about the matter?
Time magazine is known for covering a variety of controversial subjects, but it may have taken things to a new level with a recent cover of a woman breastfeeding her nearly 4-year-old son. The thin, pretty blonde mom is Jamie Grumet, a 27-year-old L.A. resident, lactation consultant and outspoken breastfeeding advocate. The magazine has received enormous backlash over the photo, but it also sparked a firestorm of questions about attachment parenting and breastfeeding older children. As a former breastfeeding mom who’s been on all ends of the spectrum, I found myself fascinated by the story. “This is a normal option for your child and it should not be stigmatized,” Grumet was quoted saying about breastfeeding her son. “I’m never going to …
Monday, May 14, 2012
Not all lotions and sprays are alike, and not everything you thought you knew about protecting your skin from harmful UV rays is true.
Before you stash sunscreen in your beach bag, tennis bag, glove compartment or wherever you keep it for upcoming sunny days, take a minute to check the label to be sure you’re applying ultimate protection. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised the requirements for sunscreen labeling last year, and the changes take effect this summer. Here’s what you need to know and look for: Broad-spectrum protection. This means the sunscreen protects from both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays cause skin aging and damage, and UVB rays cause sunburn. Neither is good, so you need to defend your skin against both. Under the new labeling rules, a sunscreen can be labeled “broad-spectrum” only if it protects against both types of harmful rays. No such thing…
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Mother's Day is almost here, and it's time to recognize all those hard working moms. See if you can relate to any of these "mom moments" and then share one of your own!
Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and chances are, if you’re reading this, you either have a mom, are a mom, or know a mom. Here’s a little humor just in time for your special day. You might be a Mom if ... Moms, we want to hear from you! Finish the sentence “You Might Be a Mom If…” with your own relatable musings. And, just in case your hubby forgets the card this Sunday, here’s a big fat “Happy Mother’s Day!” for all your hard work.
Monday, May 7, 2012
An FDA-approved vaccine cuts risk of the painful infection by 70 percent.
I wasn't planning to think about shingles all week, but couldn’t avoid it. It started with an email from a close friend saying she had the painful skin rash, which is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. I winced, recalling my own bout of shingles, when I drove to and from work every day, steering with my right hand and holding the seat belt away from my torso with my left, because the pain from having the belt touch the rash on my rib cage was intolerable. A day later, I came across a 2011 Institute of Medicine report on chronic pain. One of the leading causes? Post-herpetic neuralgia, the nerve pain that sometimes follows shingles, and which can last anywhere from weeks to years. The shingles theme continued the next day when I saw my …
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The lakeside marker for the victim of United Flight 175 goes largely unnoticed under dreary skies.
The geese pecked at the wet grass and droplets formed on the pink blossoms that decorated the trees, the product of the early afternoon drizzle. The marker that memorialized Lisa Frost's life, and those who have lost children, was quiet as America marked the first anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death. On most notable days related to Frost, a 22-year-old Rancho Santa Margarita resident killed in the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the memorial is a destination. Flowers and balloons on her birthday, messages and candles on the anniversary of the tragedy. A year ago, red balloons frolicked in the air, tied to the pentagon-shaped fence that surrounds the Trabuco Oak under which Frost's marker rests. On the balloons, "Lisa~We finally got …
Monday, April 30, 2012
Unless you consume nearly 2 pounds of dairy products daily, you may not be getting enough calcium. But there are alternatives.
Have you eaten your 1.75 pounds of dairy products today? If you’re like most Americans, that’s your share. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans consume 630 pounds of milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream every year, a number that could increase when the agency updates its report in July. Dairy products, particularly low-fat varieties, can be excellent sources of protein, calcium, and vitamin D. But there are other choices for people who don’t like dairy, follow a vegan diet, or are among the 60 percent of adults worldwide who can’t digest milk products. Plenty of nondairy food sources deliver the calcium you need to help keep your bones strong. How much calcium is enough? If you’re older than 50, you need 1,200 mg of …
Friday, April 27, 2012
Energy drinks are the fastest growing beverage industry in the nation, but they carry no nutritional value. Do you want your kid drinking them?
Rockstar. Red Bull. Adrenaline Rush. Monster. Spice. Venom. They could all be names of a bunch of big-haired dudes in a heavy metal band, but you might best know them as brands of energy drinks, the $9 billion industry that’s now the fastest growing beverage market in the country. Studies show that one out of three teens drink them on a regular basis, but how safe are they really? Last December, a 14-year-old high school girl on the east coast went to the mall with her friends and downed two Monster energy drinks. A few days later, she was dead. An autopsy revealed she had no pre-existing heart conditions, but her cause of death was ruled “heart arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity.” Around the same time, an 18-year-old Missouri boy had a …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
An icy bowl of fruit that is healthy for you is a favorite in Rancho Santa Margarita.
You may choose to eat with a golden spoon, but the frozen treat you want in Rancho Santa Margarita is served in a Bowl of Heaven. Bowl of Heaven, the health-conscious smoothie and bowl restaurant that features acai berries, was the winner of the weeklong poll event that sought the best frozen treat in RSM. It was popular with residents as more than 1,000 votes were cast. Although Bowl of Heaven was added to the poll several hours after the voting began on April 17, it pulled even over the weekend with nonfat frozen yogurt chain Golden Spoon. The two restaurants were tied with more than 400 votes cast. However, Bowl of Heaven continued to surge while Golden Spoon experienced brain freeze. Bowl of Heaven won by almost 200 votes. It's a great…
Monday, April 23, 2012
Hints to improve your digestion and your overall health.
Americans feel it in their guts. Poor health, that is; the combined consequences of an unwholesome diet, stress, aging, and not drinking enough water. Every year, more than 90 million Americans seek help from a doctor for gut-related problems such as acid reflux, pancreatitis, gallstones, and irritable bowel syndrome, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. With a few simple and straightforward steps, you can improve your GI tract function, boost your overall health, and perhaps avoid being one of those 90 million in the doctor’s office. Your gut not only digests your food, but is integrally linked to brain function, hormones associated with sleep and thinking, sex drive, the heart, the body’s muscles, and immune function, …
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
In this week's Readers' Choice poll, we want to find out where to go in Rancho Santa Margarita for the coolest dessert at any time of day.
Spring is here, and that means it's time to chill out with frozen yogurt, ice cream and gelato. Patch's "Readers' Choice" feature allows you to vote and comment on your favorites in a variety of local business and service categories. What's your favorite place to get any of the above scrumptious desserts? Or, maybe you want to go a different route. Is there anyplace in RSM that makes a killer milkshake that might be overlooked (McDonald's), or any other nearly frozen delight? Does Golden Spoon, the non-fat frozen yogurt business, have a homefield advantage since its world headquarters is in Rancho Santa Margarita? Will that affect your voting choice, or will it simply be tastebuds that have the final say? We've included some of our …
Karen Koczwara
6:51 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
I agree too Lori...Time magazine admitted they were going for the "shock value" to get people's attention and I think that's certainly what they got. Just out of curiosity, I wonder if it would have had the same effect if the woman featured was frumpy looking? more ›