Mama's Musings

The story of a necklace, the making of a dream

Today is the official release date for new book The Power of Slow. It has been an amazing day (B&N had four copies on its shelves, which I promptly and, yes, proudly, signed!).

I must share a quick story with you as it is once again the type of miracle that is my life.

The necklace you made for me so many years ago mysteriously disappeared one day after I had taken it off while doing a soap opera. I searched high and love for it ~to no avail. I often wore the necklace with its bobble-like pendulum adorned with two enormous hands reaching for the stars. It had always served me well. Then one day, it must have gotten tired and went to rest somewhere quiet.

While at an ice cream parlor today, I found it in my pocket. Only the thing is I had just used that pocket several times to store my cell phone for unexpected media calls and the like. And I had never felt it. Then, when my friend went to use the restroom, I dug into the pocket looking for my cell phone and found the necklace instead.

The resurfacing of my beloved necklace on a day like today tells me there is a plan in store for each of us. It wasn't until I released the necklace to the Universe (with much pain and sadness) that it came back to me. Holding onto our dreams does not mean we clutch. It means we surrender to the very beauty that those dreams can bring. In the knowingness of dreams that foster our creativity, we blossom in its riches and rejoice when reunited after a time of respite and renewal.

You gonna change the world, Mama

We have officially entered the tween years, those bittersweet days of little girl turned fire-breathing something or other turned little girl again. Just as you think you are about to hang her by her toes, my daughter does or says something that leads to redemption every time. And when I catch her at the right moment, there's downright love in her eyes.

This morning I awoke to the furious rantings of a ten-year-old whose father wasn't listening. In our adult way, we like to admonish, instruct and guide our young-uns towards, well, what we want them to do. Never mind we don't always do it ourselves.

No, you can't watch TV. Honey, where' the remote?

Because I said so. Now don't do what I'm about to do cuz, uh, it's not allowed.

I want you to come down here. Right. This. Minute. (Then we wonder when they use the same tone right back at us).

Sigh. So in my melodramatic half-sleep state (waving goodbye to the little REM I had acquired in a virtually sleepless night), I stomped down the stairs and into the corner where my daughter cowered with a blend of defiance and fright.

We battled in a weirdish Mom-not-awake way, then said goodbye in softer tones. By the time she had gotten home from school again, I knew she had taken a detour (again. And not allowed) via her old schoolhouse where her fourth grade teacher always listens to my daughter's concerns about getting a bad grade on her test.

She came home dragging her feet and announcing she had gotten a C- in biology. I ignored her for a moment, allowing her to hear herself before jumping in. Then I calmly asked her if she wanted salad. She appeared relieved that I wasn't addressing what she just had. I helped her print out a few pictures of cells for her science poster, then let her type up her text on her computer, something she loves to do.

"You know what, Mama," my daughter said in a wise-like (and not at all wise-a$$) tone. "Your new book** is gonna change the world. All those people are gonna step back and take a moment to actually think before they destroy the planet and themselves. I mean it. It's cool." Then she trounced off the hang up the wash without a single vitriolic huff, leaving me with my mouth agape at the transformation, and the trust, my daughter just displayed.

**Book events calendar here.

Book Review - Stand By Her: a Breast Cancer Guide for Men

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I will admit I have paid less attention to the issue than I should.

It took me a while to pick up this book that the folks at Amacom sent me. I'd like to claim it was because I had other priorities: a few TV show tapings; a sick child; a book tour to prepare for. Deep down I felt an acute sense of fear and denial about the subject. When I finally cracked the cover of John W. Anderson's Stand by Her: A Breast Cancer Guide for Men, I realized procrastinating about one's health is the worst thing you can do.

In his case, he had four women very close to him (his mother; his wife; his sister and his mom's best friend) who had breast cancer. His wife, Sharon, to whom he dedicates the book, happened to be working on a show about breast cancer awareness for Lifetime when she decided to get a 'quick' mammogram. Lucky for her, she did so just in time.

While there are quite a few resources for women about how to handle the battle against breast cancer, John lovingly offers his advice to his fellow man. With one in eight American women being told she has breast cancer every year, there are bound to be a few men affected, too. His book goes through the color of the rainbow, assigning colors to each of the stages of the 'war' against cancer. Émploying a very masculine tone, he calls the breast cancer patient the Commander-in-Chief who gets to tell everyone else what to do. It is extremely empowering to hear a man abdicate control and advocate listening as the very best thing he can do.

I also found it refreshing to read his advice about not asking what can be done, but simply doing it so your wife/girlfriend does not have to think for you. He advises sons to simply do the task instead of just offering to help. Although you are affected, this is not about you, he states.

I am extremely grateful for having read his book for its wisdom and devotion to teaming with your partner as you both enter what he calls Cancer Land. The key to navigating its territory is to stand by her with the tools the author lays out until the battle is won.

For more information, visit http://www.standbyher.org.

Back to School Flu - Precautionary Measures

Back to School Swing Flu Precautions with ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner Dr. Martha Howard

SWINE FLU Q and A with Dr. Martha Howard -

1.      With school starting, there are many parents worried about their children getting the swine flu. Do they really need to worry any more about the swine flu than any other type of influenza? Why or why not? 

At this time, the CDC does not consider novel H1N1 “swine” flu to be more dangerous than other types of seasonal flu, but it does say that the disease burden of swine flu is greater on younger people. According to the CDC website:  “The information analyzed by CDC supports the conclusion that novel H1N1 flu has caused greater disease burden in people younger than 25 years of age than older people. At this time, there are few cases and few deaths reported in people older than 64 years old, which is unusual when compared with seasonal flu.  However, pregnancy and other previously recognized high risk medical conditions from seasonal influenza appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from this novel H1N1. These underlying conditions include asthma, diabetes, suppressed immune systems, heart disease, kidney disease, neurocognitive and neuromuscular disorders and pregnancy.”

The most important thing to consider about swine flu is how to teach and learn good public health preventive measures that are based on actual facts about the way the flu virus is transmitted.  Flu virus is mainly transmitted from person to person by sneezing or coughing, but also can survive from

2

to 8 hours.  If you touch a contaminated surface and then touch your nose or eyes, you can be infected. 

Here are the most important points, directly from the CDC website:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it, then clean hands with soap and water or alcohol based hand cleaner.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

Stay home if you are sick for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further

2.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a novel H1N1 swine flu vaccination is currently in production and expected to be released in the fall. On July 29, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met to make recommendations who should receive the vaccine. What are your thoughts on this swine flu vaccine?

See below.

3. Do you feel it is a wise recommendation for grade-school children to get the swine flu vaccination? What are the potential side effects or hazards of the vaccine? 

I do not think it is wise to get swine flu vaccination for grade school children at this time, or really for anyone, because the vaccines being developed are to contain the “adjuvant”—a chemical that induces greater immune response—squalene, which is known to cause a harmful immune response in rats resembling rheumatoid arthritis.

According to Meryl Nass, M.D., an authority on the anthrax vaccine:

“A novel feature of the two H1N1 vaccines being developed by companies Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline is the addition of squalene-containing adjuvants to boost immunogenicity and dramatically reduce the amount of viral antigen needed. This translates to much faster production of desired vaccine quantities.”

Novartis’s proprietary squalene adjuvant for their H1N1 vaccine is MF59. Glaxo’s is ASO3. MF59 has yet to be approved by the FDA for use in any

U.S.

vaccine, despite its history of use in other countries.

According to Dr. Nass, only three vaccines exist that use an approved squalene adjuvant. None of the three are approved for use in the

U.S.

There are no other vaccines containing squalene that have been approved for use in the

United States

.  Swine flu is considered to be about the same as seasonal flu, though it does attack a different age group—more people age 5 to 24 get it, and regular seasonal flu tends more to attack infants and the elderly.  There are generally about 100 child deaths per year in the

United States

from flu, and even if that is doubled by swine flu, I don’t think it is worth the risk of exposing your child to possible long-term problems with immunity.  This all may be a moot point because we probably will not have adequate supplies of the vaccine by the fall season anyway.

4. For parents who aren't in favor of getting their kids vaccinated against swine flu, what are the most effective ways they can protect their children from getting this disease? 

First, make sure the child carries tissues and hand sanitizer, and knows how to use them—sneeze or cough into the tissue, throw it in the wastebasket (not on the desk) put a dime size blob of hand sanitizer on hands and rub hands together until dry.

Second, make sure the child is trained as much as possible not to share drinks or food, and not to touch their eyes nose or mouth with their hands.

Third, Give the child N-acetylcysteine, in a dose that is proportional by weight to the adult dose .of 600 milligrams twice a day.  A

70 pound

child would be given 300 milligrams twice a day.  A

35 pound

child would be given 150 milligrams twice a day, and so on.  For children under 2, consult a physician.

5. What natural or homeopathic alternatives are effective in swine flu prevention?

The most important of these is N-acetylcysteine.   A recent study reported in the August 2009 issue of the American Family Physician journal, showed that elderly patients taking 600 milligrams of N-acetylcysteine twice daily over the flu season were much less likely to have clinical influenza illness (29% vs. 51% of controls), and when they did have it, episodes wer much less severe.  In addition, cell mediated immunity was improved in the people receiving NAC, and not in the controls.

6. What treatment plan do you suggest for parents of kids who get swine flu?

I would recommend supportive treatment—rest, fluids, and Chinese herbs:  The combination of two readily available formulas, Zhong Gan Ling and Yin Chiao Chieh Du Pian (both available online from ) is effective for treating flu.

Here is what the CDC has to say about flu drugs:

”CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with novel H1N1 flu virus. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. During the current pandemic, the priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during is to treat severe influenza illness (for example hospitalized patients) and people who are sick who have a condition that places them at high risk for serious flu-related complications.

According to the CDC, signs in a child that require emergency medical attention are:

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

·         Fast breathing or trouble breathing

·         Bluish or gray skin color

·         Not drinking enough fluids

·         Severe or persistent vomiting

·         Not waking up or not interacting

·         Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

·         Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

For more information go to www.ChicagoHealers.com.

About ChicagoHealers.com

Chicago Healers (www.ChicagoHealers.com) is the nation’s pioneer prescreened integrative health and healing network, offering a comprehensive understanding of each practitioner’s services, approach, and philosophy.  Our practitioner experts advocate natural and empowered health and life choices through their practices, the media, educational events, and our website.  With close to 200 practitioners offering over 300 different alternative therapies, ChicagoHealers.com has provided nearly 400 free educational events for Chicagoans.  ChicagoHealers.com provides a steady resource for TV and print news where member practitioners are requested as experts for health and lifestyle stories.  ChicagoHealers.com is regularly featured on every major TV network (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) and in leading publications such as Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune.  ChicagoHealers.com takes the guesswork out of finding

Chicago

’s premier alternative health and healing practitioners.  For more information, visit www.ChicagoHealers.com

Thrive in Balance

Are you struggling to find balance in your life? This show offers great tips about thriving in balance. Jordan Mercedes is a most gracious radio host ~ we had the best chat. I invite you to tune in!

Sunshine in a Dark World

The sun has gone on vacation ~ elsewhere. So I got to thinking. Maybe I could create a little sunshine in people's lives even if our galaxy's biggest star has decided to permanently cover herself in clouds.

And so I did.

Starting today I'll be doing an audio series on my PowerofSlow blog entitled Wednesday Wisdom. They are one-minute verbal responses from real people like you. The current topic is finding time to do what you love. You can find out more information here.

If you want to participate, email me and I can send you the details. Here's to sunshine in all corners of the world!

Public Service Announcement - Swine Flu

With a count of 64 identified cases of Swine Flu, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports today,

"The outbreak of disease in people caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, CDC reports additional confirmed human infections, hospitalizations and the nation's first fatality from this outbreak. The more recent illnesses and the reported death suggest that a pattern of more severe illness associated with this virus may be emerging in the U.S." http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

Major health organizations, in particular the CDC, recommend hand washing with soap and water and when that is not available, hand sanitizing with an alcohol-based rub, as critical to minimize the spread of germs during illness outbreaks. When the Purell team at Johnson & Johnson contacted us yesterday about a public service campaign to help spread the word to Moms - they immediately got our attention. Purell wants Moms to be aware of these important public health messages:

•    According to the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH), the hands are one of the most frequent transmission routes for many types of infections as they come into direct contact with known portals of entry for pathogens (mouth, nose, conjunctiva of the eyes). Therefore, practicing proper hand hygiene is the easiest way to help reduce infections.  Another way that some infections can spread is through the air, which is why it is important to cover your mouth with a tissue when you sneeze.

•    While no hand sanitizer is indicated to prevent Swine Flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the ways you can help protect yourself from Swine Flu is by practicing good hand hygiene. Specific CDC recommendations include keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water may not be available, such as when you're on the go.
➢    Using soap and water, wash hands for 15 to 20 seconds.
➢    When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.  Apply enough product to thoroughly wet hands, then rub hands together briskly until dry.

•    Hand sanitizers (such as Purell) typically have a formulation of 65% alcohol with a special blend of moisturizers to kill germs on hands. The alcohol breaks down the germs' cell walls causing them to die. When applied to hands it evaporates within seconds. According to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Guidelines for Infection Control Practice, "alcohols applied to the skin are among the safest known antiseptics."

The CDC reports the following (http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm):
➢    "What are the symptoms of swine flu in humans? The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea."

➢    "How does swine flu spread? Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur. This is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose."

➢    "Can people catch swine flu from eating pork? No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

For more information, go to www.purell.com or http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ or http://www.ifh-homehygiene.org

Baby Steps to Miracles

Tragedy strikes when we least expect it. When life offers up lemons, what do you do? When I heard about Eileen de Oliveira's story, I just had to share it. I hope it inspires you and gives you hope, as it did me.

Just weeks after giving birth to two boys and a girl, Eileen de Oliveira's infant daughter died and one of the boys, Lucas, had cerebral palsy. Doctors said it was unlikely Lucas would crawl, let alone walk, before the age of three. To make matters worse, insurance was only willing to cover three 30 minute sessions a week. She was not about to accept the doctor’s prognosis and instinctively knew the insurance-approved therapy would be inadequate. As an entrepreneur with an unbeatable passion for her kids, Eileen took matters into her own hands.

Eileen learned about Intensive Pediatric Therapy, using state-of-the-art therapy techniques such as TheraSuit Method™ along with more traditional therapy methods in order to achieve rapid strides in physical strength and coordination. At the core, they are compressing 7 ½ months of traditional therapy into 3 “intensive” weeks. Not only did this have a profound effect on Lucas, but Eileen saw the potential to expand the reach to children nationwide.

This sparked the birth of two organizations:

Therapies 4 Kids harnesses the Intensive Suit Therapy featuring the TheraSuit Method™ and Intensive Pediatric Therapy in therapeutic centers in Lauderdale by the Sea, FL, Parsippany, NJ, Irvine, CA and Madison, WI.  Additional facilities will soon open on Long Island, NY and Tampa, FL.

Bright Steps Forward is a 501c non-profit organization, based in Lauderdale by the Sea, FL., with a nationwide network of cooperating facilities. It provides intensive pediatric therapy to the children of parents who receive a grant for treatment based on financial need.

Children with cerebral palsy, developmental delays, autism and traumatic birth injuries, among other tragedies, make progress every day because Eileen was determined to find a way to help her own son.

If you need help, visit these sites. Share them with friends. Get the support you need. May you be inspired by Eileen and Lucas' fighting spirits and encouraged to live the life of your dreams with lemonade in hand!

 

Gratitude Gift Giveaway - Save a Life

You know I am a sucker for win-win situations. And if I can't be Salma Hayek, then I can at least write about her. Hold onto your hats for this one!

Salma, UNICEF, and the folks at Pampers have a cool deal that will make you feel good...and your baby, too. From now through May 1, 2009, parents in the U.S. and Canada have the opportunity to help UNICEF protect moms and babies around the world against tetanus by simply purchasing specially-marked packages of Pampers diapers and wipes. With each purchased product, you trigger one life-saving vaccine.

Your baby needs diapers. And many families need this life-saving tetanus shot. If you have ever cut your foot on a rusty nail, or know someone who has, you'll know how important this shot is.

To enter our giveaway for a coupon to redeem a specially-marked package of Pampers diapers, and four “One Pack = One Vaccine” campaign baby body suits, simply leave a comment and subscribe to my newsletter, if you don't already.  Deadline is March 10th.

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Mom of ten says take back your time, ladies!

Disney's Family.com recently revealed the results of a survey that looked at questions about self confidence, overall happiness, time spent on physical well-being and more. Some of the survey findings include:

- 54% of moms say they feel stressed out most of the time
- 59% said they cannot remember the last time they did something fun, just for themselves
- 49% of working parents spend no time whatsoever focusing on their personal well-being, while another 20% spend just 5-15 minutes doing so
- 35% said they don’t have confidence to achieve things they set out to do.

Okay, sisters, you need some serious time off. Don't have the confidence? Have no time? While waiting for a copy of my November 2009 release, The Power of Slow: 101 Ways to Save Time in Our 24/7 World (God bless you, St. Martin's Press!), I figured you could use some advice from a mom of ten and author herself, Kathryn Sansone, who penned Woman First, Family Always. In a quick cyberchat, I got the low-down on the slow down and what we can do to make me-time happen for real.

CLH: How can moms still take care of themselves while feeling the economic burden of today's climate?

Kathryn: There are plenty of affordable ways for moms to maintain their physical and emotional health.  Simply meeting friends for coffee or going for a walk is a great way to connect with other moms who are under the same pressures. Moms should always take time out of their day to relax and empower themselves. Doing yoga, going for a walk around the block or following along with an old work out video are inexpensive ways for moms to energize their minds and bodies. Also, moms can create an in-home spa day to boost their confidence. Something as innocuous as doing your hair can make a world of difference. (Editor's Note: I plunked down 15 bucks for a curling iron, and women, my confidence soared. I'm not kidding!!)

CLH: In what ways can we encourage parents to set realistic priorities for themselves and their families?

Kathryn: The most important thing all moms should know when prioritizing their family lives is that they need to be true to themselves. Keeping their own goals and needs in check will help them be better mothers. Parents' happiness affects the way they raise their children. As a parent, you need to make sure to maintain your own health to benefit your entire family. Arranging your priorities with these considerations in mind will help you stay balanced and organized.

CLH: Do we really need all those Mommy & Me classes or is a stroll through the park just as enriching?

Kathryn: Every mother finds fulfillment in a different way. Try a few options and see what works best for you. You may find that something as simple as a walk around the neighborhood or activities in your own backyard just as enriching.

CLH: Money can't buy your time. In what ways can parents manage their activities to offer up more family time and less work time?

Kathryn: In this economy, working extra hours to prove your dedication to a company may be enticing. With more and more Americans losing their jobs each day, it's hard not feel the need to go the extra mile (or ten) at the office. However, it's important to remember the needs of your family and children. While at work try to get as much accomplished as possible. Resist the temptation for distractions and do what you're there to do. When you get home, leave the office at the office. Separating your work and home mindsets will help you focus on your family during your time with them and maximize your time together.

CLH: Thank you for taking a moment out of your travel schedule to chat.

Kathryn: Thank you!