Hospital gifts - Flowers

I know that I'm not a girly-girl. Never have been. I do have some experience with being in the hospital and I also know that when you're all alone for 20+ hours a day a nice floral arrangement does make you feel better. (It doesn't do anything for me when I'm at home but hey that's me.)

The thing is there will come a time (and it's here in some places) when flowers won't be allowed in rooms at all. There are already bans in France and the UK and probably more of Europe. The reasoning that's been used has little to do with the real hazards though. So what reasons did they use to create / enforce the ban? Bacteria in the water of flowers, oxygen use (by the flowers and therefore less available oxygen for a compromised patient) and a potential hazard to equipment should they tip. Well these are somewhat valid reasons I suppose. When a patient has very serious and urgent oxygen needs every little bit makes a difference but this won't apply to the vast majority of patients.

Bacteria in the flower water sounds like a possible health risk but it's again unlikely to cause problems. You'd have to drink the bacteria or inhale them. No one's drinking flower water. As for inhaling the bacteria, this sounds easier than it is. The water would have to beaerosolized for that to occur. So it'd have to be put into a spray bottle (and when are those going to be banned in restaurants, etc. Spray bottles cause aerosolization of whatever surface greeblies that are supposed to be cleaned off.) It's unlikely that flower water would end up in a spray bottle. Again, for the very few who would be affected by such a minor number of bacteria of that variety, it would be a health risk but not for every patient.

Equipment risks - that's the third listed issue for no flowers. This is a real possibility given that there is very little space in hospital rooms and always too much stuff. So tipping them over and perhaps having water get on machinery - that could certainly happen. And here, the hospital wouldn't charge us for such an accident so the hospital would have to absorb the replacement costs.

Why didn't they use the real reasons: spores, pollen, water molds, multiple chemical sensitivities, nurses have enough to do and look after? Now there's a question. As the sound bites about severe peanut allergies should have enlightened all and sundry, fungal spores are very dangerous. Fatally dangerous to some. This was enough to handcuff parents to never include any peanut-containing items in kids lunches for school. (What lesseconomically advantaged parents do when peanut butter is one of the best combinations of cost, nutrition and kid-appeal; I don't know?) There are fungal spores associated with soil and therefore flowers. And again, we know from the peanut allergypeople who you don't have to have an appreciable number for 1 to get through and cause trouble.

Pollen. There are tons of people allergic to pollen. Let's face it, if someone's living in a hospital (even short-term) there's something seriously wrong with them. They don't need additional problems. They've got problems already. I encountered this one when I was in hospital. I was there so long that I ended up with more roommates that I could have ever imagined - I think it was 9 in the 17 days I was there. And one of them was allergic to pollen. So I was given a choice, I could ditch the flowers or I could move. I chose to move. It worked out even better for me because I finally ended up with a window. I digress.

Water molds. I know this is a bit of an odd one and it takes time for them to form but the spores from water molds are very dangerous for those who are allergic / sensitive. My sister has this one (and the next one - multiple chemical sensitivity). You'll know if you have this one if you live where there's snow. Snow has more time to develop molds and so with snow melt - the mold spores are released and physiological reactions ensue.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a very real problem for an increasing number of people. This one isn't an allergy but it is a neurological response to chemicals sometimes including those of flowers. Usually it's triggered by chemicals from personal hygiene items (soap, perfume, hairspray, shampoo, hand cream, laundry detergent, etc.) It's a very difficult issue to manage when in public - and there's pretty much nothing more public than living in a place that gets 10's of 'visitors' every day; from the teams of doctors, nurses, cleaning staff, your personal visitors, everyone else's visitors, deliverypersonnel, and the list goes on.

Nurses have enough to do. This one is self-explanatory. They do an impossible job and somehow manage to be nice (most of the time) while doing it. They really don't need to watch out for everything that comes into the room that isn't 'hospital equipment'.

I'll just add one more thing. When I was putting together the inventory for my business (YouGetWellSoon), we needed bags. So we went to our local people for some compostable bags and got into a discussion with the girl at the counter. Turned out she was the daughter of the owners and had been in hospital for a kidney problem. She had received flowers but since she was in the ICU was not able to have them with her. If she craned her head, she could see them sitting on the nursing station table. Not quite what her benefactor had in mind.

Bottom line - this once stable of the hospital gift may soon be no more. So before your gift gets turned back, perhaps check with the facility or give a gift that is more in keeping with what a patient may want / need. It may be less fun but it'll get through the door.

I was wrong - breastfeeding works this way . . .

I was checking out New Scientist online and found an article about the physiology of breastfeeding. I had assumed that baby used their tongue in a peristaltic-type motion to get the milk out but is seems that the functionality is more similar to how we breathe. Baby puts their whole mouth over the areolar region forming a seal and then drops part of the tongue creating a vacuum without breaking the seal. Baby repeats the motion to over and over to continue to rhythmically draw milk into the back of the mouth. It's quite a lot of work which is why some babies stop nursing once they experience bottle feeding. (My little one is usually a bit sweaty during a feed. All that downy hair gets matted down. It's really cute. I don't seem to have a pick - but this one's cute and nearly appropriate.)

Apparently, New Scientist found research via the Medela Breastfeeding and Lactating symposium that used ultrasound technology to literally watch what goes on so that we could better understand the physiology of the mechanism. It helps to explain what women (who have experience breastfeeding) have always known - babies with teeth don't use them while feeding. In fact you pretty much cannot tell the difference while feeding baby.

Well this is news! It also explains why there is no crushing or 'chewing' of the nipple. I'm still nursing my little one and I catch my sister watching me sometimes and cringing. Now she's pretty sensitive in that area and the concept of breastfeeding confounds her. No matter how I explain that it doesn't hurt (and it really doesn't) she doesn't believe me. When I next see her I can explain the why more effectively.

So there it is - fear not ladies! Breastfeeding, once you and your baby have gotten into a rhythm, will be the most convenient and healthy way to nourish your babe. Enjoy this privilege - using your body to support your baby's life. It's an awesome concept. (It's also one that has helped me overcome many 'body issues'. Regardless of what I may think my body looks like - it sure does work.) And breastfeeding doesn't last - so you may as well enjoy it while you can. You know, before they start talking and letting you know what a nuisance you are to them. You'll know that without you, they may not have had the same mental capacity to articulate their angst. Hooray.

Web2.0 - Net-iquette

It's an instant digital world. A big part of this is that everything that you put out there be it personal or business is traceable. Everything. So how to proceed? Honestly, Efficiently, Transparently

I know it goes against everything anyone over the age of 30 has ever been taught about business. Since the advent of big business, it has been the bastion of men on golf courses, men's clubs and other less reputable places. It was an insular world where as long as you could conduct yourself in a manner appropriate for the time and were persuasive you could be successful. It was a world where men like Ivar Kreuger(The Match King) could run the world and hold governments in his hands. He did this in large part by extortion, blackmail and had his monopoly defended by the governments he was controlling (i.e. police and customs officers). But I digress.

Because of trackbacks, near infinite storage of email, unknown network connectedness and net watch-dogs - no business can get away dishonest claims, dealings or transactions. It is a plus and negative of Web 2.0 that anyone can be an expert (with or without credentials) on any topic. The corollary to this is that anyone can be a "key influencer"; someone with massive reach who comments on businesses or events. So above all, be sure that you Net-iquette matches what you would do in person. Every net entry (blog, email, press release, Tweet or Facebook) must be approached in the same manner you would employ for an important business meeting. Yes, it limits how you write, even to your friends on personal matters but because you cannot guarantee who will ultimately be seeing it - it must be in keeping with your most professional business etiquette.

Here's a for instance: I was on Facebook recently and an old high school friend was posting to his wall regarding a business venture. Because I was an official 'friend' after the initial postings regarding his wanting to start a business, what that business would be, funding sources, etc. I was piecing together the post-flow. I gathered that he was getting help from a government agency. The program allowed him to learn about business plans, connected him with loans, helped with building a website, how to develop marketing and it paid him during this learning phase. Well, the post that troubled me most was one that refered to his final meetings from where the money would actually be realized. He posted that the deciding panel consisted of pinheads and he couldn't believe he had to please these people in order to get his business going. Poor form doesn't begin to cover this. Can you imagine if you were on that panel and found out that someone your agency helped, taught, trained, mentored and financially supported was publicly ridiculing you. Would you proceed with funding?

It cannot be overstated: Be honest - if you've promised something, deliver it. If you've failed to deal with something in a timely manner, apologize and keep going. You will not be able to get away with saying you didn't get the message. It's traceable in a many many ways. It won't fly. Own up. Immediately.

Be efficient - if someone gives you a good review, take the time to thank them ASAP. If a key influencer comments on your business - favorably or not, follow up with them. It'll get you more trackbacks and show you to be connected.

Be transparent - if you get a deal on a product or service (especially if it's publicly traceable), pass the savings along to your customers. Because you can reach an infinitely large market, volume may be your target or a very selective few (and you'll be able to exercise that selectivity). Think it through and let your intentions be known. Back to that honesty angle. Turns out we are not so slowly moving towards the Star Trek ideal of everyone getting along for the good of everyone. There's enough business and fame for everyone. If the web has taught us anything - it's that.

How to keep up with breastfeeding because it starts as a form of torture.

I can only speak for myself when it comes to this topic. I found the first few weeks the hardest. After this, the sentiments you hear from breastfeeding moms like 'It doesn't hurt', 'It's not a big deal', 'It's super convenient to have perfectly warm, mixed, clean food at the ready' become true.

But how to get through those initial issues of poor latching and my personal favourite – bleeding around the nipples? For me and my kids, the latching improved with practice and wasn't much of an issue. (I know that sounds trite but it was entirely true. I don't remember the early days with my first one as well but it was true with the second. She latched terribly at first. She wouldn't take enough into her mouth for a good feed for her or a less-painful experience for me. Somehow after a few days she just started doing it right. It was days more before my breasts started to feel better but it did happen.)

The bleeding those first few days of nursing however – sheesh. I recall vividly my little one looking like a vampire with bright red blood leaking out of the corner of her mouth during a few feeds – I kid you not! And I fully admit that I cringed when getting her to latch on knowing that it was going to hurt, I was going to continue to bruise and bleed. (It didn't help that I was reading the Twilight series at the time.)

This was cured with the use of lanolin. Lanolin is a wax-like substance produced by wool-bearing animals – like sheep. Because lanolin is natural, your baby can ingest it without you worrying about chemicals. (So no need to remove or rinse before feeds.) Of course, if you have any wool-bearing animal allergies, you may need another solution. I found that using pure lanolin after every feed on both nipples (even the one I didn't have baby feed from) enabled them to heal in just a couple of days. No more cracking, redness, bleeding or bruising. Don't get me wrong, those days were torture but I knew they'd pass and that when they did we'd have the breastfeeding relationship that I always wanted. And now I do.

There are physical issues that can hinder nursing on both sides. Inverted nipples can cause problems that can be overcome. Unfortunately if baby is tongue-tied, there is little that can be done. My kiddos have tongues like Gene Simmons so it wasn't a problem. It is something that any competent doctor, midwife or lactation specialist will check. Of, BTW they also open baby's mouth to verify if baby is dehydrated. I've never used pacifiers (mostly because my kids wouldn't use them) but they can lead to fewer feeds than is needed which in turn can lead to dehydration. Just a head's up.

For some great resources – see LaLeche's website. Again, I can only speak for myself, but I thought this would be a real 'grassroots' kind of place with associated advice. It was a wonderful resource and I would encourage anyone wanting to breastfeed or having troubles with breastfeeding to give them a chance to work their magic on your breastfeeding relationship with your baby.

In my experience, if you can make it through the first 2-3 weeks, you can make it for as long as you want; a few months or years.

Reposted with modifications from You Get Well Soon Inc.

Hospital Gifts - Balloons

Back in the day, when balloons were still permitted as hospital gifts to be stored in the room with the recipient this story played out.

This is how it was told to me . . . A Canadian gymnast was practicing before a competition but in a domed gymnasium; for the first time. So when he went to do a release move on the high bar, he caught a glimpse of the uneven surface above him and got disoriented, missed the bar, and fell all the way to the floor below. This injury landed him in a shared hospital room with a broken back in the orthopedics ward. Thankfully, the break occurred past the cervical vertebrae that would otherwise have meant paralysis and he was 'merely' in very bad shape. One day, his roommate received a ton of visitors and one left balloons. Not unexpectedly, as this was the orthopedics ward, this roommate was completely incapacitated in a full-body cast. Lucky for him, the poor guy with the broken back (our gymnast) was lying awake and bored after listening in on this visit. (You can't really watch tv while someone else is having a visit in the next bed.) He heard some awkward breathing coming from the neighbouring bed. He moved the curtain and found that the balloons, instead of being bouyed up by their helium centres, were instead lilting over the man's face impeding his breath. A fast trigger finger (for the call button) and some very prompt healthcare workers prevented a serious catastrophe. They rushed into the room and got the bad balloon free of the man's face before any permanent damage could occur.

Everyone wants to be thoughtful and bring some joy to a loved one in an unfortunate situation but no one wants to cause additional suffering. Stay tuned for our follow up piece on hospital gifts with a look at flowers.

Printed with modifications from You Get Well Soon Inc.

Breastfeeding - what is lactoferrin?

Breast is best also refers to immunity benefits. Immunity is the term used to describe one’s ability to fight off illnesses we get and/or are exposed to. Not only are you able to give your child antibodies (the proteins that fight against illness - they are based on what the mother has been exposed to and fights) but there is also a very useful component that most people don't know too much about: lactoferrin.

Lactoferrin, like transferrin (in red blood cells), carries iron. Bacteria need iron to reproduce. And bacteria that are reproducing are far more likely to cause problems. Problems like infection. So lactoferrin can essentially hide any free / extra iron and keep it away from bacteria so that they can't grow (bacteriostatic action).

Research has also discovered that the immune response is activated by lactoferrin. This means your baby gets more than a double shot of immunity just by eating your breast milk. Lactoferrin levels are especially high in colostrum (the first milk that emerges after labour). I assume this is to give your little one the best immunological chance possible – and thank you nature!

Reposted from You Get Well Soon Inc. with modifications

Gelatin & Carrageenan - Thick as Thieves

You find gelatin in food products that have been thickened. Food consistency (loose or thick) is a matter taste. Mouthfeel is what the term is for how a product feels in the mouth and some of us are very sensitive to this. That is why we choose one brand of sour cream, for example, over another.

Gelatin is the most common ingredient used to achieve a thicker product. Gelatin is animal-based, usually extracted from the boiled bone remains of animals used in food processing (cows, pigs, sheep and chickens).

Although someone allergic to cow, pig, sheep or chicken products may know they should probably avoid foods containing gelatin, they may not be aware of the animal connection at their doctor’s office. Most vaccines (be they for big stuff like Hepatitis or for more common but equally scary health conditions like the flu / influenza) are often produced using actual animal products – like foetal / fetal calf serum – and/or grown in animals (like horses) and then extracted and purified before being given to human recipients. IF you have serious allergies to animals, make your doctor or hospital staff aware of this before you receive a shot.

Non-animal-based thickeners are becoming more commercially available. Most are extracted from sea plants. Agar and carrageenan are the better known examples. They have also been used for generations in the food industry and because they are plant-based, they are considered suitable for vegetarian diets.

If you have digestive problems (like Coeliac / Celiac or Crohn’s Disease) and or are immuno-compromised you may want to consider avoiding carrageenan-containg products. There have been recent studies that suggest carrageenan irritates intestinal linings and can therefore further negatively influence adsorption of nutrients into the system.

For follow-up information we suggest contacting your local healthcare website, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website or Wikipedia.

Reposted from You Get Well Soon Inc.

Peanut disclosures

Alrighty, for those who've not read my profile, I used to work on a hospital campus for much of the last decade. During one of those jobs (and I don't remember which), I went over to the cafeteria to get a snack. I do not have much of a sweet tooth but every once in a while I too am seduced by a fine looking treat. The treat in question - Nanaimo square. Here's a pretty good rendition of the dessert treat. It's got a base of cocoa-laden coconut goodness, a middle of an icing-like substance and a solid chocolate topper. (How to tell that I don't bake much?) Anywhoosie, I was a bit tired and not paying terribly much attention so I picked one up and went the register. Now this is a hospital cafeteria. It has no labels on anything. I mean that literally - the only labels are on the big board for hot foods. None of the desserts are labeled in any way. So I was paying and unwrapping the thing before I even left. (It's got a very large seating area.) I did notice as I picked up the square that it had a darker than expected middle section. My sister bakes and this was one of the first things she ever made - it was fab, so she made it often in those early years before she realized she was gluten-intolerant. So I know this middle section should look anything from creamy vanilla through yellow. This one from the hospital was slightly brownish. With one bite I was to find out why - the centre was peanut flavoured.

SAY WHAT?!?

In a hospital, they failed to label a peanut-containing item. I immediately spit out the bite and proceeded to ask the cashier about the peanuts. She looked at me as if to accuse me of a crime and said that if I was allergic - it was my responsibility to inform the staff and ask prior to ordering / purchasing any food. Really? I don't think so. A hospital should always take responsibility for the people they SERVE. Are they trying to create 'customers'? Now I am in the fortunate position to be actually allergic to peanuts. For those with allergies, they'll understand immediately. People with serious peanut allergies are not allergic to peanuts themselves but a fungus found on the shells and associated with peanuts. That's why it's so dangerous. If it were an allergy to the peanut, it would have to be present. As opposed to products that have merely been processed in a factory that has had peanuts in it. Spores from the fungus are very small and airborne. It's impossible to eliminate every spore and so that's why it's dangerous to have this allergy. The crazy thing to me is the hospital cafeteria isn't the only place (even though they certainly know better) that I've encountered this. I was very kindly invited as a guest of my boyfriend to the home of his friend's mom. She had made an enormous Indian feast. There was to be butter chicken, tandori chicken, some lamb, desserts and everything. As an appetizer (as if this feast wasn't enough) she had prepared fish cakes. I was perched on her couch in the living room and as an impeccable hostess, she handed me one of the fresh fish cakes hot off the pan. I gladly tried what was for me a new version of a fish cake. I was munching away and notice something crunchy. I mention aloud, 'hmm, crunchy. What's that, chick peas?' She peaked out from the kitchen - 'Peanuts'. I spit out the food and start trying to find any actual peanut pieces in my mouth to get rid of them. It's not like peanut allergies are uncommon. And like most everything in the media, we hear of the extreme cases. Just a few months prior to this incident, a medical student had died due to a restaurant not disclosing their use of peanuts in the kitchen. For whatever reason, serious, fatal anaphylaxis is not unusual in those with peanut allergies. In the realm of fatal allergies there are a few big nasties, antibiotics, aspirin, bee/wasp bites and peanuts. And of them all, peanuts are the worst due to the whole spore thing. (Antibiotics can be made this way but it's far more rare these days. Not to mention the likelihood of encountering someone popping antibiotics while out-and-about are far lower than being on a bus with someone opening a chocolate bar that was made in a factory that uses peanuts.) Maybe more businesses need to be guilted into being careful. Whatever the answer, be careful. Clearly we take nothing for granted. I am allergic to a protein that makes up the peanut. So if the peanuts are processed enough, the proteins are broken down and it's not harmful for ME (and I'm only referring to my personal case) to eat it. This is an important distinction. I don't want anyone thinking that it's OK for them to mash and heat the begeebers out of a peanut and eat it as some sort of test. Don't! My case is quite unique - don't endanger yourself or someone you love.

Little Pink Pill - It's coming, but should it?

Nearly ever since the advent of Viagra, there has been a search for a female counterpart. (For a recap on how Viagra saw the light of day - check out The Viagra Story.) Don't get me wrong, many women find Viagra works well to improve their sex life. The drug companies need a new compound to market to women. Since Viagra is so well-known as a treatment for men, there needs to be a separate drug for women. This is just marketing. So which behemoth drug company has come closest to the finish line - Boehringer Ingelheim with their new Little Pink Pill Flibanserin (and I do hope they come up with a more catchy name). Not surprisingly, this drug is not trying to physically 'up' women's sexual responsiveness. Instead it is geared toward the psychological aspects of sexuality.

Boehringer Ingerheim doesn't even claim to have any expertise or interest in this area of research. Here's a pic from their website:

Nowhere on this list is anything to do with emotional issues. The only area that comes close to brain function alteration for the purpose of emotional enhancement is Parkinson's - and it's not close enough for my blood.

Here comes the question - does the medical community know enough about how the brain works to play around with it? And for sex? Really. How many reports have their been that antidepressants led to suicides? Or how about the rampant use of Ritalin. If your kiddo is not paying attention to you or to school - give them a pill. Ritalin is a central nervous system stimulant similar to amphetamines targeting the dopamine neurotransmitter in a manner similar to cocaine. The side effects are numerous: Short-term effects can include nervousness and insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, palpitations, headaches, changes in heart rate and blood pressure (usually elevation of both, but occasionally depression), skin rashes and itching, abdominal pain, weight loss, and digestive problems, toxic psychosis, psychotic episodes, drug dependence syndrome, and severe depression upon withdrawal. (Taken from a webpage of Partnership for a Drug-Free America.) How are these Side Effects better than a kid who has trouble focusing? Let's face it - kids don't pay close attention. They just don't. And what's more - with time, they get over it. But somehow we've bought into the idea that it's not only OK but necessary to mess with the developing brains of our children. How do we know that we won't be permanently altering the course of their natural development? And here's the rub - is there any way for us to know this with certainty?

And so I question, do we really know enough about the brain and it's changes with not only puberty and early development (as is the question with Ritalin) but with the hormonal cycling of female brains (and yes the hormonal cycling triggers do also come from the brain) and menopause / peri-menopause? It seems as though we haven't figured out how best to handle the hormonal changes of menopause - and now we're going to further complicate matters by mucking with women's brains on top of things.

In a time when a large proportion of the population and even the medical profession is rediscovering the efficacy of natural approaches why are we being bombarded by these 'medical interventions'? Pharmaceuticals are big business. They're so big they can force compliance of governing bodies like the FDA and they can also lure physicians into prescribing drugs when they could be exploring the nature of the problem. If you think I'm off my rocker - do you know someone who is taking 1 or more drugs to counteract the side effects of another drug their taking? Or perhaps you remember the Vioxx scandal - the NSAID that caused heart attacks?

So yes there will be a Little Pink Pill - backed heavily by Boehringer-Ingerheim with the help of their paid researchers and marketing team - don't believe it - check out Sex, Brain, Body. They even produced a special panel with 6 of 8 specialists supported directly by them. And in the field of research it may as well read - owned by Boehringer. But like big oil - it's up to the consumer to make as many alternate choices as possible and put pressure on our elected officials to ensure that our Best Interests are being addressed - not big business's.

An underused way to build your brand

Getting the word out about your business or service is not always easy (or inexpensive). But there is a way to get a ton of publicity (for FREE) and all you need to be is yourself.

Radical?

Not really. There are several businesses that have not advertised for the vast majority of their 'life'. Let's take a look at 2 prime (and very successful) examples. Starbucks. Until recently, I do not recall ever having seen an advertisement anywhere and yet - the locations were everywhere. How'd that happen? Well, they had a product that was so well liked that word-of-mouth was enough to build a foundation. Then 2 things catapulted their business. 1. They made a point of conducting their business in an ethical, responsible way. They began with the beans and expanded to recycling (remember they were the first big brand to use recycled paper in their sleeves as well as offering a discount for bringing your own cup), the Ethos Water Fund, their RED initiative to support HIV research and support, and the list goes on and on. Result = Busy Business because people want to support companies that are able to do what they want to do but can manage on a much larger scale. 2. They were so unique cost- and choice-wise that they got a ton of attention in movies (You've Got Mail to name just one), TV sitcoms, social networking and lets face it - they are a treat that even kids know about. (And they've got the kid-friendly crayons, colouring books and small milkshakes to back them up.)

The Body Shop - is my other prime example. For the first 15 years of their business life - they didn't advertise. The story goes that when the first batches of now discontinued Raspberry Body Wash were made they put drops of it on the walkways radiating out from the shop. This actually brought people to the shop - it really was the most yummy of fragrances. I remember having a bottle open in my living room as an air freshener. I digress: Anita Roddick built her brand by doing what she felt was right - she campaigned for green issues long before it was fashionable and in doing so inspired millions to not only pursue their own beliefs publically but also to buy The Body Shop products in order to feel a part of Ms. Roddick's movement. And if you know anything about The Body Shop you also know that those green issues she pioneered (as far as big business goes) were refillable bottles (to reduce waste), recycling, Trade Not Aid, Never Tested on Animals, the domestic abuse campaigns, natural ingredients, positive body image, and recently their Stop Sex Trafficking of Children & Young People campaign. Ms. Roddick was so beloved and such a juggernaut that not only was her company purchased by L'Oreal (talk about a business coup) but she herself was commemorated by none other than Prime Minister Gordon Brown who referred to her as a pioneer and inspiration to businesswomen.

If these examples were not enough - does everyone remember Cher? Her career was in the toilet - she was thought of as a bit of a joke after the Turn Back Time days - along with the associated 'outfits'. Then came "Believe". Even the producer of the song questioned if it was wise for her to release a song without telling people who sang it and let's face it you couldn't tell who sang it due to the manner in which it was produced: Auto Tune - which later became know as the Cher Effect. But the song was so catchy and once released everyone clamored to find out who sang it - and Cher became the oldest artist to hit #1 and was also the artist with the longest span of time between #1 songs. And so Cher was rebranded. Just like that.

Watch for future posts to help expand and increase your business as well as more detailed ways to implement the concepts here.

Cloth Diapers - a look at how they are Green

Alrighty, I use cloth diapers for my little puddin-pops. And let me tell you most people are super serious about this topic. There is an environmental strong arm trying to bully people into using cloth touting the benefits but it reminds me of the debate on electric cars - sure they're great as long as your electricity source used to keep them charged is better, emissions-wise / environmental costs-wise, than the gasoline you would have burned. And the same is true for diapers. Is the factory that made the cloth diapers energy efficient and using green energy sources? Is the factory making the disposables burning coal? Like so many aspects of scientific inquiry, all of the variables would have to be controlled in order to genuinely tackle this debate and this is just not possible when most of the variables are not even known.

Pros: Cost, Attentiveness, Smell (didn't expect this one did you?), Quick Potty Training (this is an average at best - every child is an individual), does not use up landfill space, limited plastics (in the covers and closures)

Cons: Extra loads of wash (for me about 3/week), water & electricity usage in cleaning, more supplies in diaper bag, cotton is not a resource efficient crop

OK let's begin . . . The cost savings have been beaten to a pulp - there is just no way not to save money using cloth diapers. On a pure diaper purchase basis the savings are about $1500 with the first child and $2000-$2500 with each subsequent child - assuming the cloth holds up after that much use. Naturally, no discussion of cost is complete without mentioning the electricity and water for washing and drying. The water usage is 48L (12.4 gallons) per load of hot water washed diapers (let's face it they're dirty) for an energy efficient front load machine which translates to an additional 15 000L over a 2-year course of diapering. The additional costs of electricity (at 15 cents/kWh) and gas (to heat the water at a rate of $1.4/1000L) is approximately $220 for the same 2 years of use. So the overall savings are ~$1280 for the first child in cloth diapers.

Attentiveness - I find that I check the diapers every hour while baby is awake. This works out better than it seems. I've never had a leak - ever, and I find that rashes are extremely minor on the rare occasions when they do occur. I use a cleansing bottle and water on a cloth to freshen the skin prior to fastening on the new diaper. This seems to be very helpful to the skin. (Oh, I use a system of cloth diapers and corresponding covers by MotherEase - I have no affiliations with this company. I found them on the internet and have found the system to be wonderful.)

Smell - there is something about a disposable diaper that makes odours compound profoundly. Even my sister who all but dislikes children has pointed out that a used cloth diaper bin just does not compare on any level to a used disposable diaper bin. (She had a roommate with a baby in disposables.) And your child won't be stinky either. It's a weird perk but a perk nonetheless.

Potty Training tends to proceed faster with the use of cloth because when the child is wet - they can feel it. Not so with disposables. And this difference seems to make a difference. I've never met or found a source that indicated that training went faster with disposable options. That doesn't mean it's not possible but the anecdotal information available all indicate faster training times and often much earlier training ages.

According to a 2008 Time report, 27.4 billion disposable diapers were sent to landfills in the US resulting in 3.4 million tons of waste. That seems like an awful lot of waste.

As far as plastics go - I know there is a lot of electricity and water used in the production of disposable diapers but was unable to get good numbers for this. If you know of a resource for these figures I'd love to check it out. Note that there is plastic in the covers for cloth diapers and they need to be replaced for each child. (This is the recommendation but I use the same covers for my second child and have not found them to leak.)

One of the many ways to increase the benefits of the cloth choice would be to air dry the diapers, use a front load high efficiency washer and to use organic cotton or fabrics which impact the environment less than cotton.

On to the cons. I already outlined the costs of doing the extra loads in terms of water, electricity and gas but didn't mention anything about the time. I am not one of those people who needs to have everything stacked just so. Because of this, I probably spend a little less time than most on laundry. But this is certainly something to be considered especially since if you don't do the washing you'll have nothing to diaper your baby.

This point will seem trivial but carrying cloth diapers takes up more physical space. There is also the issue that you'll need to carry a plastic bag to bring home the wet diapers. (Not a great display item at a restaurant. And I can't tell you how many times I've come home with the plastic bag of dirty diapers and forgotten to put the bag back in the diaper bag. That means I have to ask for a plastic bag at whatever location I'm at so that I don't have to carry a dirty diaper in my hands or loose in the diaper bag.) You will also likely want to carry a change of clothes - although this is generally true with any baby.

Cotton crops are estimated to use 10% of all agricultural chemicals and 25% of all insecticides which turns out to be more than any other common crop. Hemp would be the best of choices since it requires far less water (less than 1/3) to grow and produces more fibres per hectar than pretty much any other crop produced. (Even growing in arid Alberta, each plant grows more than 6 feet tall. Sadly this means that specialized harvesters are needed.)

As far as the debate goes, you've got to do what's right for you, your child and your lifestyle. You'll also have to live with / justify your decision to yourself and your child eventually. So think through your choice.

Natural Baby - Part 1 of Many

Where to begin – there are so many life aspects that could be more natural. I’m going to start with cloth diapering. Personally I love my cloth diapers. (Don’t get me wrong I do not use cloth diapers on myself – this is not that kind of blog.) Not only did these diapers cost less – a lot less to purchase, they also make me feel good. (I like the Diva cup rather than pads – why wouldn’t I use something reusable for my baby.) I know that the diapers are clean because I cleaned them. I know if they’ve got soap residues because I’d be able to see, hear and/or feel suds. I know what kind of soap/water/softener combo I’ve used. (I don’t like softener and the water is really good where I live if albeit rather heavily fluorinated.) And unlike disposables, I know my cloth diapers don’t have residues of factory vermin, bugs, bacteria, fungi, viruses or parasites. And if you think this is a non-issue, is it really possible that a society that is genetically similar to the ones of the last 100 years is suddenly allergic and sensitive to everything under the sun (from a very young age) by coincidence. Personally I find that very hard to believe. I think a major contributing factor is the means by which we have automated all aspects of production – from food to clothes, pharmaceuticals to medical supplies. I hope it becomes clear that with test parameters – what is considered an acceptable amount of error suddenly becomes unacceptable really quickly. (Necessary to state and define but in too many circumstances unacceptable.) I just didn’t want to take chances with my kiddos if I didn’t have to. I’m very lucky to be able to be a stay-at-home mom. Naturally I don’t find every aspect lucky but as far as monitoring what my kids are exposed to – I feel like I have a bit of an edge by being at home with them. That’s why I use cloth. I can ensure what’s next to their skin is basically the same. The fabrics might differ but how they are treated is not. I think this is a big plus if I needed to investigate a sensitivity or allergy. It’s one variable I could control for with ease. Because of the cloth diapers I also find that I am more attentive to changing. With my first one she occasionally got rashes that were rather severe. And naked time just wasn’t cutting it. So I asked everyone I could think of and came up with a series of solutions. I never did use baby wipes. (I know this is a weird one but since I was already doing extra loads of wash for the diapers I figured what’s a bit more for cotton cloths. I use them with a personal cleansing bottle of water (that I first got at the hospital after delivery) or as needed with a soap solution. I had found a recipe online for how to make your own baby wipes. They wanted you to use paper towels and a dispensing container but I just made up the solution and used another bottle to dispense it onto the cloths. It’s 1 part liquid baby soap, 1 part glycerine (vegetable or mineral) and 8 parts water. This will clean up anything.) Another trick I learned for rashes was to use a hair dryer on low – with my hand practically over the zone to verify the temperature and move the air stream away every few seconds. This did help to ensure that the skin was genuinely dry at least for portions of every day. Other than that, the zinc oxide-based diaper rash prevention/treatment creams I found to be very similar. I did do one other thing that was helpful – I put calendula tincture on top of the zinc cream and let it dry. Then I’d use that calendula-zinc cream and found that it was more healing. The rashes never got so bad that I had to worry that it would become open sores. And with little #2, I know to change or check every waking hour and so far no problems at all. Cloth diapers are also a lot better than they used to be and I don’t just mean a lack of pins. They come in multi-layered construction so that the layer closest to baby’s skin isn’t the same as the centre and/or exterior. This really helps with keeping the skin dry and an added bonus is that they wash up easier. (I’ve got both kinds at home – ones of single type of cloth and ones with multiple layer and now that I’m using them for a second child I’ve found that it’s far easier to keep the multi-layer ones clean / non-stained.) Cloth diapers also come as single units and diaper with cover. Either way, I’ve never had a problem with leaks, ever. I don’t know if you caught the Funniest Commercials that featured a mom with a tot in the car. They were talking about #1, #2 and then the nasty but still funny #3. As an aside, I heard a terrible story about a #3. I was at a mommy lunch and was told of a little one who hadn’t pooped in a long time – more than 3 days. Well he was in the jiggler in the living room while his mom was in the kitchen. Then, out of nowhere, she heard it. . . #3. Before she even went back to the living room, she picked up the phone and called her husband. So she could relate the scene as she was seeing it: poop was everywhere. All over baby, pooled under the jiggler, on the walls – it was a nightmare. She actually ended up taking the jiggler with baby to the tub. Her hubby offered to clean up the jiggler and clothes which left the baby, walls and floor to the mom. Yikes! (Personally, I don’t know if these stalls in digestion are due to a lack of bacteria in the intestines or lack of sufficient peristaltic motion – but every parent is aware of this #3 possibility.) OK I digressed from the diaper story – but hopefully it wasn’t a painful diversion.

How to Begin?

It occurs to me that I haven’t the first clue how to do this. I have spent most of my adult life in a lab. I mean that literally. When I was in high school we were in the band room (and now I cannot remember why there) and were asked what we wanted to do for a career. The words had never come out of my mouth before but suddenly in that room I said that I wanted to be a genetic engineer. Now we’d call it some version of molecular biology but at the time it seemed on track. It was weird because I didn’t think I was smart enough to do that nor did I have any idea how much university and training it would take or how I would ever pay for it. Looking back it was one of the most ballsy things I’ve ever said out loud. (And after doing a bit of a peek back at the crazy things I say – and write – this is quite the statement.) I don’t know if anyone who finds their way here and actually reads this will relate but since I was in such a bad place at that age and really didn’t think I had what it took to even really contemplate such a huge place in the world, I did not pursue that path. I went to the smallest university available to me at the time and found myself being wooed by an unrelated department. Given my low feelings for both my value and that department (at the time) I did not take them up on their offer. I did however take the suggestion of applying for a bursary to take a term in another province. For once in my life, I didn’t care about the costs to me and I went anyway. This wasn’t the full turning point for my life yet but it may have been the beginning of that Titanic spin. Perhaps I’ll fill in the blanks at a later time (there are nearly 20 years between then and now – yikes – that wasn’t an expected thought) but I ended up at University of Calgary’s hospital campus and molecular biology. OK, I think this part of the fall backwards into what you always wanted story is kinda cute so I’ll fill in this blank. So I had finished a BSc and had worked in that profession for several years and found it not only unfulfilling but also difficult to make a living at it. I went back for a couple of upgrade sessions and did what I had learned to do the first time around in school – ask a professor I felt I liked for a job. This was a very successful strategy for me. Just Ask. (I’ve had crazy things happen on this basic approach to life. Perhaps it comes of never asking for what I wanted as a child and surprise . . . never getting what I wanted.) So I asked a professor in biochemistry for a summer position and he said sure. (Now if you’re going to recommend this to someone else – note that timing is important. You’ve got to ask in November or perhaps as late as January. By February (or spring break) all the positions are filled. ) This prof was a young and easygoing fellow so I waited as long as I could to reintroduce the topic with him after attending his classes in winter session and not having any conversations with him that led me to believe that I was still going to be working for him. After class one day in late March, I asked him about the summer position and he told me ‘Oh, my lab is full’. I was devistated but true to form, I stood in front of him and didn’t say a word. He finally followed up with ‘my colleague at the hospital has room in his lab – go talk to him’. I took a few extra breaths, remembered that I had already quit my other lab job so that I could do this biochemistry summer post, and marched my way over to the hospital. Lucky for me, there was a job at the hospital campus and due to my inability to conceive of a way to begin to pay back my student loans, I started grad school in a field that does all it’s work using – you guessed it – molecular biology. The people I met there changed the course of my life professionally and personally. I have been lucky enough since those early days to teach and help teach molecular biology to 100s of people. So what is this entry really all about? Yes, I wanted to share a beginning of a context for what I will be sharing. I also wanted (and I didn’t know this before I started typing) to remind myself (and perhaps you) that it’s OK to let your heart’s desire out into the world. I know I rarely do this. To this day, I hate to make plans because I feel like they either don’t come true or I am unable to fulfill the committment. But now that I’m looking back on the twisting path of my professional life, would I have gotten to molecular biology without having stated that I wanted to get there? I don’t know. I never will. Funny how life can work. It seems I’ve pushed so hard, put up with a genuine portion of crap and still somehow landed on my feet. It’s not the admirable success of a life that anyone would look up to – don’t get me wrong. But when I watch CSI, I know when they are totally BSing and what makes sense. It isn’t much but it is miles away from what I was and didn’t want to be. That’s progress. Eventually, I want this to be a forum for talking about life’s twists and how not only I have navigated them as an individual and mommy but I’d also love to hear from any readers on their experiences. Yes, I’m one of those people who have grown up with Oprah and followed Deepak Chopra. I love a good political skewering via Cobert or This Hour has 22 minutes. I’m into greening up our world (though I think this is going to take a paradigm shift) and treating all living beings with respect. So if you think that this might be the kind of conversation that you’d like to engage in over coffee, that’s what I’m aiming for with this blog. Be Well