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 [...]

Just as I Thought: I Know Nothing

Posted on May 6th, 2008

When my first baby was born I only knew what I had read in books. I’d never really had much exposure to newborns and babies because I was the youngest kid in my family. After I came home from the hospital I was amazed at how little I knew and how there was [...]

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 [...]

17-Year-Old Gives Birth in Shower

Posted on May 6th, 2008

A 17-year-old California girl secretly gave birth at home last week, then walked to the hospital with her baby still attached by its umbilical cord.
Xochitl Parra said she said she was nervous when the labor began, as she held 8-pound, 3-ounce son, Alejandro at St. Mary Medical Center.
Doctors at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit said [...]

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 [...]

New Report Reminds us of Safe Sleeping Practices

Posted on May 4th, 2008

A new report from the UK published today reminds us all about safe sleeping practices for babies. Babies who sleep with their faces covered are 27% more likely to die from SIDS or crib death, than those who sleep with their heads and faces uncovered.
It seems obvious. Actually, babies who die [...]

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, [...]

Pre-existing diabetes in pregnant women is up

Posted on April 30th, 2008

The number of pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes has significantly increased in the last seven years especially among teenagers. No, I am not referring to gestational or pregnancy diabetes. In this case, it`s the type 2 diabetes which is related to obesity that is most commonly observed.
Here are some statistics to think about:
• 1999 - [...]