The WELLalarm Blog

A Day of Gratitude

We are all taking a moment this week to focus on gratitude. This is an especially dramatic year, with the financial and economic crisis causing much hardship around the country and with an exciting new national leadership on the horizon.

This is something to be thankful for: Study Suggests Some Cancers May Go Away. Fascinating...

I have been thinking about reading the book Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by psychology professor Dr. Robert Emmons. (You can read about Dr. Emmons' book in this UC Davis article.) According to Emmons' research, people who practice gratitude actively and regularly are in better physical and emotional shape, exercising more and experiencing fewer illness symptoms.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Healthy Thanksgiving Survival Guide

I am sooooo excited about Thanksgiving... and relieved not to be hosting it myself! (I'm bringing a side.) Whether you are hosting or just enjoying here are some tips I found to make sure it's a healthy holiday.

First things first: I always, always take some Emergen-C Immune Defense before I attend a large family function. It's a powder you pour into water to make a fizzy drink loaded with 1000 mg. Vitamin C as well as other vitamins, Zinc, and Selenium. Do I want to spend the week after Thanksgiving with a terrible cold? No I do not! Skeptics may scoff, but I swear, this stuff totally works for me.

Getting plenty of sleep before Thanksgiving also helps.

Most Thanksgiving advice out there seems to be about "how not to completely gorge yourself and gain 10 pounds after just one meal." I am all for moderation, but I also believe part of living a well-balanced life is occasionally indulging in decadent, high-calorie food.

Read about all the great health benefits in traditional Thanksgiving dishes on Vital Juice Daily.

Friends and relatives who have hosted Thanksgiving tell me they like to get started cooking a few days ahead. You can start with these make-ahead mashed potatoes.

This is a great "relax, it's just Thanksgiving" article from Health.com: Secrets to a Successful Thanksgiving.

If you get into a panic, consult this San Francisco Gate list of holiday hotlines (hours listed are Pacific Time).

Don't give your guests food poisoning!

I like these feng shui Thanksgiving tips--more common sense than crystals.

Here are 6 ways to green your Thanksgiving. And if you're ready for the next level, 10 ways to green your Thanksgiving.

Finally, some tips on how to decompress and destress your holidays.

(Image via BlogGreen.com)

Our New Health and Human Services Secretary: Tom Daschle

I was just wondering who would get the post...well here he is, Senator Tom Daschle.

It looks like he has been thinking seriously about this for some time--enough to write a book, Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis. Part of Daschle's solution is to have an independent Federal health board to manage an unmanageably complex tangle.

The book earned a positive blurb from Obama himself:

The American health-care system is in crisis, and workable solutions have been blocked for years by deeply entrenched ideological divisions. Sen. Daschle brings fresh thinking to this problem, and his Federal Reserve for Health concept holds great promise for bridging this intellectual chasm and, at long last, giving this nation the health care it deserves.

Here's a Huffington Post piece Daschle wrote back in February about what we need to do to fix our health care system. (The Cliffs Notes to the book!)

Congratulations Senator Daschle, you have got your work cut out for you!

Now for something really important...what do we think of Brad Pitt's mustache? (image via Oprah.com)

Victoria's Secret: Formaldehyde?

Ladies, we already know we pay a high price for beauty. But this ABC News story about formaldehyde in Victoria's Secret bras is giving me sympathetic hives! A woman in Ohio is suing VS for creating bras that have caused a painful, disfiguring allergic reaction--you know where.

(See the clip on Eyeblast)

Turns out formaldehyde has been used as a wrinkle proofing agent for years, according to this article. (Thanks to a commenter from Salon.com for that link.) But while it is used on cotton fabrics it is not typically used on synthetics. Betsy Natz, Executive Director of the Formaldehyde Council, Inc., is disputing the claim that formaldehyde was applied to the bra (scroll down for her statement).

Here's what I think: if you have a severe allergic reaction from your clothing you have the right to ask some questions! Personally, I'm not crazy about VS products and am not a customer. But if I were, I'd like a little more substantive reassurance before I bought another bra.

Bram Cohen

I've had this Business Week article about a programmer with Asperger's Disorder who founded a company bookmarked for a couple of weeks now.

Once Bram Cohen realized he has Asperger's Disorder (he has not been formally diagnosed) he became much more aware of how he interacts with other people and taught himself how to behave as if he felt empathy. Soon afterward he founded BitTorrent with Ashwin Navin--and found himself a boss with some serious management issues. It's fascinating to read.

Friday Links: How Soon Can We Start Health Care Reform?

Okay, America, we've got ourselves a new president who has made some bold plans for reforming health care!

While Obama has insisted that "there is only one president at a time," people are anxious for healthcare reform to happen as soon as possible, according to two articles in the Los Angeles Times. Advocacy groups are urging Obama to prioritize reform within his first 100 days in office. And Congress, worried that the financial meltdown will delay Obama's health care reform plans, has already started acting on their own.

According to the Washington Post, Obama's vision may collide with the reality. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel discusses the challenges Obama faces in reforming health care.

By the way, did you hear that GM is cutting its health care benefits to retirees?

Meanwhile we await announcements for more cabinet appointments. Who will head up health care reform? Chris Frates of Politico.com speculates here. Anyone else want to hazard a guess?

Remembering our Veterans' Health

This Veteran's Day I found myself mulling over an article I read recently. It was about a soldier in Iraq who suffered a severe head injury, taking part of his brain and most of his motor abilities with it. This young man has amazing determination and astounded doctors with his miraculous recovery, thanks partly to intensive therapy. But once he was walking and talking he was released with hardly any support or follow up. His progress halted, and his life fell apart.

Unfortunately, I seem to come across a lot of articles about Iraq veterans with serious, long-term health issues.

One of the hidden costs of war is the rehabilitation and support for severely injured soldiers. It looks like we need to do better by these men and women.

I'm hoping this is something get right with the new Obama administration.

On a more positive note, I'm also hoping I get a chance to see the documentary Lioness, about women who fought in direct ground combat with Marines. It's on PBS tomorrow!

(Image via ABC News.)

WELLalarm™ in the Community

This month we are participating in an Avon Breast Cancer Foundation fundraiser! Kristen Manolis of MCP (Manolis & Co. Productions, LLC) is teaming up with Gretchen Carlson, Fox News anchor and former Miss America, and Emme, supermodel, TV personality, author, lecturer, clothing designer, women’s advocate and cancer survivor, for this event. It will be held in Greenwich, Connecticut on November 20. For more information, please contact Liz Tetu or Sarah Bamford at MCP (203) 340-2130.

To learn more about WELLalarm in the community please click here!

Lipstick: Get the Lead Out!

Did you know that some lipsticks contain lead? Several brands add small amounts of lead to colorants in lipstick. Many health experts, like Mayo Clinic dermatologist Lawrence Gibson, MD and the California Attorney General, seem to think the tiny amounts are nothing to worry about.

Here's what I think: if the lead in your lipstick were your only exposure to lead then sure, no big deal. But lipstick is just one of countless sources of lead (not to mention other toxins) that we come in contact with every day. It just makes sense to minimize your exposure whenever you can, don't you think? It's especially important for people like me with a chronic illness.

Not to mention -- lipstick goes on your mouth! Think about how much lipstick you inadvertently ingest every day.

If you're interested in getting the lead out of your lipstick, check out this report from SafeCosmetics.org. The list includes lead-free lipsticks.

(Image via SafeCosmetics.org)

Win a WELLcharm at the Gift Fest Blog Carnival!

You love gifts, yes? Esculon Says is hosting The Gift Fest, a carnival of giveaways from all over the blogsphere.

Naturally, WELLalarm will be there! I am offering a gorgeous gold vermeil heart WELLcharm to one lucky reader. This charm will cast a warm glow about you wherever you go! Also, it comes with a free year of WELLalarm service.

What is a WELLcharm?

WELLcharms are patent-pending "smart" bracelets or necklaces in contemporary stylish shapes. In an emergency, bystanders or first responders can access vital health information (including food allergies, medication allergies, doctors, and emergency contacts) in seconds via phone, text, Internet or simply by entering the WELL-ID found on your WELLcharm. It connects with WELLalarm™, a cutting edge web-based service that offers secure, 24/7 access to your medical information from anywhere in the world.

Post a comment here telling me why you would love a charm. You could win! Be sure to check out all the other great gifts at Esculon Says.