http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog Women, Politics and Medicine Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:02:58 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This blog and the WomensMedicineBowl website are dedicated to health, but our personal and collective health are greatly impacted by many factors beyond personal choices. I’m reminded of one parent’s comment during heightened tensions in the Cold War: What difference does it make what toothpaste our kids are using when we’re ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2009/01/01/heal-the-holy-land-and-reduce-threat-to-us-national-security/ The mass media have done it again. Another news story reported on every network that Vitamins C and E are useless--might even do you harm though they didn't even pretend to have any evidence for that claim. Of course, these reports are delivered by M.D.s who have no training in ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2008/12/15/tests-of-supplements-designed-to-fail/ For many years I've told whoever was listening as I cruised through Marshall's, "The Chinese work very hard for us (Americans) to have a comfortable life." And we bought it all, whether or not we had the money. The global financial meltdown is largely due to Americans spending money we ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2008/12/01/7-positive-consequences-of-financial-meltdown/ You and I start out each day with lathering on facial cleanser, moisturizers, deodorant, using toothpaste and several other "health and beauty" products. And we end the day with similar rituals using maybe a dozen products including soaps, shampoo and a dizzying array of hair products, lip balm, sunscreen, etc. ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2008/11/15/dangers-in-health-beauty-products-fda-abdicates/ Recently I was invited to present a paper at a public health conference focusing on delivering quality health care to America’s minorities. Physicians, nurses, translators, all who work directly with patients across the US were present; about 700 met in Minneapolis. While every other presentation concerned providing the best possible ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2008/11/01/our-utterly-blind-reliance-on-the-ama%e2%80%94well-maybe/ I began this blog for WMB about three years ago because I was so alarmed with the developments of CODEX Alimentarius, and not one mainstream newspaper or even alternative newspaper (the weeklies you find in the FREE news stands in most cities) would cover the story I submitted. And I've ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2008/10/15/codex-will-end-your-health-freedom-dec-31-2009/ The advocacy organization MoveON sent out an alert last week for members to attend an upcoming national conference on media reform. The fourth conference on media reform will be held June 6-8 in Minneapolis, and if I were in the US, I wouldn't miss it. Journalists Dan Rather and ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2008/05/16/media-coverage-of-health-in-critical-condition/ A study released last week by the Cochrane Collaboration reported that a review of 67 randomized trials of antioxidant supplements concluded that the supplements not only didn't prolong life, but that there was strong evidence that they might shorten it. The numbers are stunning. The trials reviewed included almost a ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2008/05/01/meta-study-criticizes-supplements-reminder-that-you-are-an-experiment/ The Sunday edition of the NY Times on the topic of "health" is always revealing of the state of the nation's health. The reports for a "health alert" are from the business section, and, with few exceptions, the articles are earnings reports from the pharmaceutical companies, deaths due to their ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2008/04/15/fda-as-final-authority-us-courts-may-exempt-pharmas-from-liability/ Just last March (2007) the city of Sydney, Australia, launched Earth Hour, an hour in which residences and businesses turned off all unnecessary lights. Last week another 24 cities around the globe participated and turned off primarily llights that make our cities' buildings and bridges look glamorous but aren't really ... http://www.womensmedicinebowl.com/blog/2008/04/01/keep-the-lights-off/