Women are stem cell gold mines

Posted on May 10th, 2008

Stem cell research used to be one of the most controversial fields in science because of the practice of using human embryos as source of stem cells. Since then, stem cells have been found in different organs of the body from the umbilical cord, from the bone marrow, even from the skin. Lately, stem cells [...]

FDA finds chromium and selenium in dietary supplements

Posted on May 9th, 2008

The lab tests are out and it doesn`t look good for the dietary supplements Total Body Formula and Total Body Mega Formula Products. The FDA tests detected concentrations of chromium in these products which are considered hazardous to human health – in fact, 17 times the acceptable concentrations. The same products already tested positive for [...]

J-Lo and Lindsay Lohan`s Mom are “Top Moms”

Posted on May 9th, 2008

The New York mothers` group Mingling Moms named Jennifer Lopez aka J-lo as Celebrity Mom of the Year, according to MTV UK.
Thirty-eight-year old J-Lo is first time mother to twins Max and Emme. She delivered the 2 babies last February in a Long Island, New York hospital.
Also honored as one of the Top 20 moms [...]

My pregnancy bucket list: Things I would have loved to do while pregnant but couldn’t

Posted on May 8th, 2008

Don’t get me wrong. I feel very lucky to have gotten pregnant so late in life. I also feel so lucky to have two healthy baby boys at the same time. But because a multiple pregnancy was considered at my age high-risk, and because I had to stay in bed during the last 8 weeks [...]

On TV and Children

Posted on May 6th, 2008

I had lunch with a group of ladies the other day. We were a multicultural bunch, coming from different countries and cultures – from the US, UK, Canada, Germany, and Asia. We had several things in common though – we all spoke English, we were all expats in Switzerland, and we were all moms of [...]

Broccoli May Help Boost Aging Immune System

Posted on May 5th, 2008

Here is another motivation to eat our broccoli!
Our immune system declines as we get older. Our body gradually loses the capacity to fight infections and other diseases. But eating broccoli might just give our failing immune system a boost.
Researchers from UCLA have found that sulforaphane, a chemical abundant in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may [...]

Midwives on Motorcycles: Delivery in a Traffic Jam

Posted on May 3rd, 2008

Imagine being in labor and getting stuck in a traffic jam on the way to the hospital. Every pregnant woman`s nightmare, right? Well, apparently not in Bangkok, where police officers are specially trained for this kind of situation.
Police officers delivering babies? In 1993, a special division of the Royal Thai Traffic Police Project was established [...]

Carcinogens in non-stick cookware also found in breast milk

Posted on May 3rd, 2008

Remember the post about carcinogens in your household? They are in your everyday kitchen equipment like non-stick cookware, in food packaging and in personal care products and they persist for a long time when released into the environment.
These perfluorinated compounds or PFCs seem to be more widespread than previously thought. They have been found in [...]

Anti-oxidant supplements – Good or Bad?

Posted on May 2nd, 2008

Some of you must have read about a report by Copenhagen University Hospital investigators in Cochrane Review suggesting that antioxidant supplements containing beta-carotene, selenium, vitamins A, C, and E do prevent cancer or heart disease but may even increase the risk slightly.
David Katz, MD, however, questioned the validity of the said report. According to him, [...]

Kids` Birthday Parties: Who Invites Who?

Posted on May 1st, 2008

My twin boys turn 5 in fours weeks and this time they are determined in getting involved in planning the birthday party. Rightly so, I guess. During the first three years, I, Mommy, organized and decided on everything from the location to the guest list. The 4th birthday was somehow squeezed between relocation and settling [...]