Women Blog

Are you a woman and health nut with a Twitter account? Then combine those two passions by checking out the below. It contains the 100 best Twitter feeds for women’s health and are full of expert information, even if you’re a man.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Health From a Doctor

These leading doctors tweet on expert health information that is useful for the whole family.

1. Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Dr. Gupta is the Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN and an accomplished neurosurgeon. Along with tweets on health tips, he also has links to many useful pictures.

2. Kevin Pho: With an equally popular blog, Dr. Kevin is a primary care physician in New Hampshire. Tweets provide commentary on medicine, health, drugs, reform, and issues.

3. Robin A. Eckert: Robin is a doctor and professor in Laguna Beach. Tweets are both health and spiritually centered.

4. Dr. Mehmet Oz: A regular on the Oprah show, he is about to launch his own. Get tips on health, along with his daily life, from these tweets.

5. Dr. Drew: Host of “Lovelines” and “Celebrity Rehab,” Dr. Drew is a leading expert in the area of mental health. Read his tweets for advice, as well as items that interest him.

6. Dr. Ellen: She is a gadget loving doctor with a particular love for smart phones. Get information for both health minded and technology loving women on these tweets.

7. A Disease A Day: Dr. Roy Schwartz features a different disease each day on his blog. Learn more about today’s disease or get links to useful health information.

8. Mark Hyman, M.D.: He is a pioneer in the underlying biological cause of diseases like ADHD, Autism, depression, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. Get tweets on how to maintain your health easily and safely here.

9. Jay Gordon: He is a pediatrician and activist from Santa Monica. Get information for both moms and kids here.

10. Dr. Anonymous: He is a family physician and internet radio host from Ohio. Tweets are often on his day and greetings to his followers.

11. The Kid’s Doctor: A pediatrician and journalist, both mothers, host a radio show on their lives. Tweets are almost exclusively on news items and tips for keeping your children healthy.

Best Twitter Feeds for a Women’s Health From an OB/GYN

Get expert tips and tweets for your health from these women-focused doctors.

12. Jo Lynn Hawthorne: She has been an OB/GYN doctor for 18 years and has recently turned to weight loss management. Get expert health tips, as well as diet tips, from her.

13. Shelley Binkley: She is from Western Colorado and blogs about women’s health and advancing sustainable healthcare. Followers often respond to her tweets with suggestions and even criticism.

14. Dr. Anupama: You can find her as the online gynecologist at live person.com. Tweets often involve health tips.

15. Jose Bolanos: Jose is a Stanford trained OB/GYN and infertility specialist. Follow his tweets for tips, links, and daily life.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Health From a Medical Professional

Go beyond traditional doctors and gynecologists and get tweets from administrators, pharmaceutical experts, and more.

16. Medicine Community: Also known as druginfo, visitors can share their drug related questions and stories in the community. Tweets often involve a drug and the condition it treats.

17. Happyhospitalis: A popular blogger, he runs an anonymous hospital in the United States. Tweets are often on health items of interest.

18. Dr. Steven Shuel: He is passionate about natural healing using the latest in nutritional and dietary interventions. Get links to easy and natural ways to improve your health by checking out his tweets.

19. Linda Miner: She is part of MyHealthyBalance.com and is a nutritionist and wellness guide. Food recommendations and studies often occupy her tweets.

20. Joyce Schneider: Joyce is a cardiologist and gives health information including antioxidant recipes that are hi-protein, low carb, and low fat. Along with recipes, she also tweets on items of interest.

21. Kristie McNealy: Kristie received her MD degree, but the premature birth of her second daughter caused her to indefinitely postpone residency training. Learn what she is up to know by checking out her tweets.

22. Silja: Also known as whydotpharma, she is from Switzerland. Silja also believes that pharmaceuticals can create better patient focus through the social media.

23. drug monkey: He is a self described “antisocial raging left wing pharmacist.” Tweets are on the pharmaceutical business and anything else that catches his attention.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Health From a Nurse

In addition to working with women, they often are women. Get health related tweets from both male and female nurses below.

24. Christian Nurse: From London, CN brings you news, views, and resources for Christians in nursing and other health areas. Although taking a tweeting break for the summer, there is still interesting discussion on healthcare in both the U.S. and U.K.

25. Emily McGee: She is a flight nurse and a commander in the U.S. Army Reserve. Her page is full of interesting tweets on all aspects of her life.

26. Dan Weberg: Also known as Nurse Dan, he is an ER nurse working on a PhD. Get tweets on happenings at the hospital, along with items that interest him.

27. Geek2Nurse: She is a nurse who works in an inpatient psych unit in the Pacific Northwest. If you like her tweets, you can click over to her blog with much more.

28. Chris H. RN, MSN: He is the author of “Nurses Are From Heaven,” which contains messages of inspiration and faith for nurses. Tweets are often links to similar headlines and thoughts.

29. impactednurse: Ian Miller is a registered nurse with nearly 23 years experience working in the Emergency Department of a major teaching hospital in Australia. Check out his regularly updated tweets, or visit his website with more health information.

30. humglum: She stands out as a nurse who works in a prison in Maryland. In addition to her interesting job, she also blogs about running and things she likes.

31. TeriRN: This travel nurse specializes in hospice care in Utah. Along with nursing, she also tweets about her Christian faith.

Best Twitter Groups for Women’s Health

Join these groups to meet and tweet with others who are interested in women’s health.

32. Healthcare: With many tweets a day, this active group is worth a look. It is sponsored by PatientAssistance.com and even has book recommendations.

33. AlternativeMedicine: Join this group to get the latest natural and alternative medicine. On this page you can even tweet back if you don’t have a Twitter account.

34. Organicfood: Nathan Rice runs this group for those who love organic food and the lifestyle. Join the over 100 members, or visit to learn more.

35. Magic bin binlogs: Also known as Magic Moms, they are based in Florida. They don’t tweet often, but you can meet other women like you.

Best Twitter Feeds for Pregnant Women’s Health

The hardest nine months of your life just got a little easier with these tweets for pregnant women.

36. March of Dimes: Get daily pregnancy tips from Beverly Robertson of the Pregnancy & Newborn Health Education Center at the March of Dimes. In addition to help during pregnancy, there are also tweets on interesting links.

37. TheBump: Kate and Shannon are from New York and talk about everything involving pregnancy and kids. Get tweets on daily life, along with tips for being a mom.

38. Dina & Jen: BabyCenter is a leading community just for pregnant women. Follow the ladies tweets to get tips for mom.

39. surebaby: Another online community, this one is for both moms and expectant moms. Tweets center around the latest in parenting and pregnancy.

40. sherrycnm: Sherry is a mom, RN, and midwife in Texas. Tweets are mostly on health issues concerning pregnant women.

41. Lamaze International: Read these tweets for tips on pregnancy, birth, and beyond. There is also a link back to the website with tons of help for expectant mothers.

42. SarahStewart: In addition to being a midwife, she is also a project manager, researcher, and PhD candidate in New Zealand. In addition to daily life, she also takes the time to answer many of her tweets.

43. Samantha Evans: Get midwifery from a student’s point of view on these tweets. She is from Seattle and is also a knitter, future aunt, jogger, and celebrity gossip enthusiast.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Health From the Government

Your taxes paid for these tweets, so be sure to check them out for the best in women’s health and beyond.

44. CDC Emercengy: The Centers for Disease Control tweets to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. Tweets are on flu, E. coli, and other diseases.

45. Womenshealth: Womenshealth.gov is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Women’s Health. Tweets deal with many health issues as they relate to women.

46. U.S. FDA: Get the latest information on the Food and Drug Administrations recalls by following their tweets. They also have market withdrawals and safety alerts.

47. U.S. NIH: Get the unofficial news stream from the National Institute of Health here. A highlight of the tweets is the regularly updated breakthroughs in medicine and care.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Health From an Institution

Funded with private donations, these institutions still manage to put out impressive tweets for the health of both women and men.

48. Doug Ulman: He is the president and CEO of Livestrong and even a cancer survivor. Learn what he is up to and happenings in the foundation by following him.

49. WHO News: This is the official channel of the World Health Organization in Geneva. Get the latest in worldwide pandemics, outbreaks, and more here.

50. Mayo Clinic: With locations all across the country, these hospitals are leaders in the healthcare field. Get the latest news, podcasts, and articles from them by following their tweets.

51. American Red Cross: Be ready for a disaster and get safety tips from this official Twitter stream. They also include updates on brewing storms and reports afterwards.

52. WebMD_Blogs: A leading provider in health information, they also have expert blogs on all sorts of health topics. Keep up with the latest posts by following them.

53. American Medical Association: The AMA helps both doctors and patients by uniting them to work on pressing health issues. Tweets often deal with their latest press releases.

54. Harvard Health: Get health information from 8,000 faculty physicians at Harvard Medical School and its affiliated hospitals here. Their tweets are mostly on the latest in health news and developments.

55. SSM Healthcare: This Catholic health system consists of 15 hospitals and two nursing homes. Tweets are on hospital updates and health tips.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Health From a Publication

These newspapers and magazines have special sections and tweets for all aspects of health, including women’s.

56. Health Magazine: With hundreds of thousands of followers, this community of Twitter contributors is worth a look. Get tweets on everything from women’s health to how professional athletes stay fit.

57. Women’s Health Mag: This magazine is a guide to looking and feeling great. Tweets bring you the latest in health, fitness, beauty, and more.

58. WSJ Health Blog: “The Wall Street Journal’s” health blog is a leading source of health news and the healthcare business. With several tweets a day, you can choose the headline you like the most, click on it, and read the entry online.

59. NYTimesHealth: These tweets focus on the health minded articles at “The New York Times.” Latest tweets deal with FDA warnings, flu vaccines, and addictions.

60. Tara Parker-Pope: Another blogger from “The New York Times,” she sifts through research and opinions to help readers take control of their health. Recent tweets focus on healing a hamstring, cancer, and health reform.

61. American Journal of Nursing: Get loads of information on women’s health on these tweets. They often link to articles of interest on health, reform, and more.

62. Experience Life: This magazine shows you how to be both healthy and happy. Tweets often link back to articles from the publication that you can read for free.

63. Be Healthy: This magazine is published in Michigan by Booth Newspapers. Tweets are often health related and provide useful links.

64. TIME: Although this magazine focuses its tweets on breaking news and current events, you can still get tweets on health.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Health From the Media

Go beyond print publications and get the best in onscreen health tweets.

65. MSNBC Health: Get health, diet, and nutrition news from this network. Tweets often involve the latest in health related headlines.

66. Discovery Health: A popular television channel, it brings you health information, tips, tools, and support. Get updates on their latest shows or links to health minded topics via their tweets.

67. NPR Health: Get health news straight from the science department of National Public Radio. Recent tweets are on healthcare reform and new developments.

68. CNN Health: Although a young tweet, you can still find relevant health information here. Tweets include links to the latest headlines in the health section of CNN.

69. Medical News Net: Written by the Elsevier Global Medical Network, reporters cover hundreds of medical meetings each year across the United States and around the world. Tweets often involve their latest headlines.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Health From a Woman

Follow these ordinary women as they tweet about health and more.

70. Sarah Brown: She is the leader of Million Mums, which aims to end the needless deaths of women in childbirth all over the world. With nearly 600,000 Twitter followers, she is halfway there and shares what you can do to help.

71. MomLogic: From California, this popular Twitter user provides real advice for real moms. Current health related tweets include life expectancy, pregnancy, and addiction.

72. Fit Over Fifty: Believing there are no miracles, this Twitter user believes in exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet. Tweets often contain tips on how to do just that, and she often answers followers questions.

73. Mariel Hemingway: Also an actress, she currently lives through organic food, breath movement and sacred space. Learn more about her life by stopping by her tweets.

74. TheMedicalMom: She is a mom who has spent a career working in healthcare marketing and communications. Her tweets focus on family and child health issues, along with those for women.

75. special_needs: She is mother to a child with Angelman Syndrome and a blogger. Tweets are often on life as a special needs mother and links to related items.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Health Reform

A hot button issue, stay on top of the latest news and opinions by checking out these tweets.

76. Phil Baumann: He explores ideas about how our lives, businesses, and health care are changing as a result of the web. Questions are often asked of the readers, along with retweets to go with them.

77. THCBstaff: The Healthcare Blog is a popular choice among those seeking information on the system. Tweets alert to new blog posts, which cover both sides of the debate.

78. Commonwealth Fund: Located in New York, this private foundation is working toward a high performance health system. Get tweets on the latest developments in health here.

79. CPRights: Conservative Patients Rights believes the path to effective healthcare is based on the patient doctor relationship. The “Today’s Daily Dose” tweets are often on developments in health reform.

80. Trisha Torrey: She is part of Every Patient’s Advocate where she helps patients help themselves. Tweets are often on topics in the healthcare field and followers are invited to join in on the discussion.

81. BigGovHealth: Like the name of the Twitter user, they do not believe in big government taking over healthcare. Latest tweets include President Obama updates and townhall meetings.

82. Patients’ Rights: PR works to ensure that doctors and patients make decisions, not government bureaucrats. With health reform at the top of the news, there are many tweets per day here.

83. InstForLegalReform: The ILR is a national campaign with a mission to make the American legal system simpler, fairer, and faster. Learn how this issues effects health by checking out their tweets.

Best Twitter Feeds for Women’s Nutrition

Because you are what you eat, check out these Twitter feeds for tips on diet, nutrition, and recipes.

84. Whole Foods Market: With its headquarters in Austin, this market provides its followers with “Fresh Organic Tweets.” Get information on nutrition, recipes, and health from their tweets.

85. Cooking Light: This magazine shows women how to eat smart, be fit, and live well. Get loads of recipes, along with tips on what foods to eat, here.

86. Allergies Web: Not just airborne, allergies can also come in your food. Tweets are all about living with and treating many different sorts of allergies.

87. FitMenu: Learn how to eat healthy at restaurants by following these tweets. They center on tips, links, and other resources to help.

88. Cat Cora: A popular chef who has been appearing on television for years, she tweets on what she does. Tweets are mostly on daily life and links to recipes.

89. The Veggie Queen: Whether a vegetarian or looking to incorporate more veggies into your diet, these tweets are worth a look. They focus on this alternative lifestyle and tips for living it.

90. Karen Ansel: She is a dietician who believes that healthy eating can taste great. Get loads of tips for healthy food preparation by following her tweets.

91. Maya E. Nahra: Another dietician, she is the owner of Whole Body Nourishment in Arizona. Get nutrition and health minded tweets by following her.

Best Twitter Feeds for Alternative Women’s Health

Try checking out these Twitter feeds for tips on alternative medicine, specific conditions, and more on health.

92. GHC health: The Global Health Center is located in Houston and specializes in natural health and organic living. This popular Twitter user has tons of tips on easy ways to maintain or improve your health.

93. RealAge: Two doctors from San Diego invite you to live your life to the youngest. Tweets focus on news, recipes, and news.

94. Breast Cancer News: Get the latest in research and treatment for breast cancer on this stream.

95. dLife: Diabetic women can check out these tweets just for them and other sufferers of the disease. Tweets include the latest news, tips for management, and more.

96. PamAveryMD: Pam is a pain physician from Wisconsin who loves natural medicine. Tweets are on pain management and daily life.

97. Arthritis Foundation: Located in Western Pennsylvania, these tweets are ideal for women who suffer from this condition. Get tips on arthritis and related diseases, as well as news on what they are up to.

98. MassageWellness: This is a spa located in Michigan. They tweet on alternative treatments for disease and things that interest them.

99. Health, Fitness, Diet: This is the official tweet stream of GensisPURE health products. Tweets are almost all health related, and you can click on their site to learn more about what they sell.

100. HealthHelps: These anonymous Canadian bloggers provide health information to help their followers make informed decisions. Recent tweets were on marijuana and functional fitness.

Be sure to check with your physician or doctor before following the advice found on these 100 best Twitter feeds for women’s health. But don’t be afraid to ask about a tip, recipe, or health plan you learned about.

There are many causes for celebration during the winter holiday months, but it’s also the time of the year when the threat of home fires increases dramatically.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, December, January, and February are the leading months for home fires, resulting in billions of dollars in property damage, as well as thousands of injuries and deaths. Fires can originate from many sources: too many holiday lights plugged into an outlet, portable heating devices, or roaring fireplaces. However, there are precautions homeowners can take.

The use of alternative heating devices is a significant source of many winter fires. “Fire departments and organizations such as the American Red Cross are at their busiest during the winter,” said Mike Convery, vice president and chief claim officer for MetLife Auto & Home®. “Alternative heating devices, such as a space heater or wood stove, can help a household save money, but they increase the likelihood of a home fire occurring, if used improperly.”

Holiday candles are also leading causes of fires. In fact, the greatest number of home candle fires happen during celebrations such as Christmas Day, and during Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Many fires occur when holiday decorations, including centerpieces, come into contact with lit candles.

“The fact is, many fires are preventable, if the proper precautions are taken,” said Convery. “To help avoid a tragedy, review the basics of fire safety. It only takes a few minutes and it could save a life.”

FIREPLACE AND WOOD-STOVE SAFETY TIPS

• Keep a tight-fitting screen on your fireplace and obtain a professional inspection annually. You should also have your chimney cleaned on a regular basis to remove any debris.
• If you have a wood-burning stove, make sure there is ample clearance between the stove and any combustible materials. Burn only dry, well-seasoned wood, and dispose of the ashes in a closed metal container outside the house.
• Do not burn trash in the stove — this can start a chimney fire. Never let a wood fire burn unattended or overnight.
• Never use flammable liquids to start or accelerate a fire. Also, never burn charcoal indoors, because it can give off lethal amounts of carbon monoxide.
• With any type of heater, such as an electric space heater or portable kerosene heater, use common sense. Always keep the heater away from flammables and never place a heater in a bathroom or any other area where it may come in contact with water. Have your heater serviced per the manufacturer’s instructions.

HOLIDAY FIRE PREVENTION TIPS

• If you celebrate the season with a live Christmas tree, select one that is fresh and water it regularly. Keep it away from heat sources and exits. If you use an artificial tree, make sure it’s flame-resistant.
• Never leave a lit Hanukkah Menorah or a Kwanzaa Kinara unattended. Have a candle snuffer and an appropriate fire extinguisher nearby.
• Deep-frying turkey during the holidays is becoming an American tradition, but be warned: there is the risk of severe injury and property damage from using gas-fired turkey fryers. Fryers can easily tip over, spilling up to five gallons of hot oil, and if a partially frozen turkey is dunked into the fryer, the oil could spill over and cause an explosion. Units without automatic thermostat controls can heat the oil to the point of combustion.
• Never burn a discarded Christmas tree, wreath, or branches in your fireplace. A Christmas tree can be very oily and may damage your chimney. More importantly, dry trees burn hot and fast, and often release sparks. Just one spark could ignite a carpet or window coverings.
• With plenty of electric lights and decorations set to illuminate the holidays, it’s important to remember not to overload wall outlets and extension cords. Use a power strip where you can.

For additional information on fire safety, MetLife Auto & Home is offering free fire safety materials, including a coloring and activity book entitled “Learn About Fire Safety with the PEANUTS Gang” and a fire safety brochure entitled “About…Fire Safety.” They are available by calling 1-800-638-5433 (MET-LIFE).

Source: MetLife Auto & Home

Celebrity stylist Leonardo Rocco provides expert advice for hair care during the winter season

With the holidays around the corner Latinas most likely already have an eye on the perfect party dress. To match their festive looks for everything from office parties to family get- togethers, women can easily dress up their hair as well, no matter what the occasion. Celebrity stylist and beauty guru Leonardo Rocco shares pointers on how to achieve a stunning look for the holidays, along with key tips to maintain healthy, beautiful hair this winter. Having worked his creativity on stars like Juanes, Paulina Rubio, Alejandro Fernandez and Aracely Arambula, Rocco knows that all women, especially moms, can’t always make it to the hair salon during the hectic holiday season.

“This season Latinas should remember to keep their hair constantly moisturized,” says Rocco. “After all, hair should be just as shiny and beautiful as the hair accessories they use to reveal their unique personalities.”

To help Latinas easily create glamorous looks by accessorizing during the most special days of the year, Rocco shares his top hair tips:

Professional Quality

All women strive for that just-walked-out-of-the-salon look, especially Latin women. To achieve a salon look at a guilt-free price I recommend using Suave(R) Professionals(R). This line provides salon quality right in your own home with its updated formula for its shampoos and conditioners. This line has a wide range of products that suits all hair types and results in healthy, manageable hair.

Dazzling Shine

Winter weather can leave hair opaque, but moms can restore salon-worthy shine and luster for bright, shimmering strands thanks to Suave(R) Professionals(R) Vibrant Shine Shampoo and Conditioner. “For an eternally youthful look, glisten with a jeweled ponytail holder worn either high or low and to the side,” advises Rocco.

Picture Perfect

The holidays are filled with month-long festivities and oftentimes Latina moms play the role of host. Naturally wanting to look their best for all their guests, moms seek to create styles that will last through the hustle and bustle of any gathering. “To dance the night away without worry of the clock striking twelve and losing your look, I recommend using an aerosol hairspray that controls fly-aways and provides all-day hold,” shares Rocco. Try elegant jeweled barrettes which serve a dual purpose of pinning back and decorating hair, to help maintain a picture perfect look all night long.

Winter Flow

During the winter season hair tends to become flat as Latinas lose their summer waves. “To preserve that desired wave and body,” says Rocco, “apply Suave(R) Professionals(R) Extra Hold Styling Foam to damp roots after a shower and follow by alternating between a small and medium sized round brush while blow drying.” Top off your look with a beaded or sequined headband reminiscent of the ’20s era in tones opposite to your hair color. Or to truly stand out from the crowd, try a headband with a peacock feather to create that powerful yet elegant Latina glam.

Food for Hair

While the holiday season is primarily spent with family, typically at large gatherings enjoying traditional homemade Latino cooking and drinks galore, it’s also important to indulge in “well-fed” or, rather, hydrated hair. “To replenish and keep hair moisturized all winter long I recommend Suave(R) Professionals(R) Humectant Shampoo and Conditioner, which leaves hair soft and manageable,” says Rocco. “When looking for the perfect hair accessory to dress up an outfit, pick a bold choice to revel in a new look fit for any celebration!”

Remember, you can achieve salon-quality hair without paying the salon price by using any of the Suave(R) Professionals(R) variants that works best for you.

Visit www.ViveMejor.com/Suave for more of Rocco’s essential hair tips!

ExpertRECALL Helps Buyers Stay Smart during the Holiday Shopping Season

People are making their list and checking it twice, and while the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has ensured concerned parents that the number of recalls has fallen sharply from prior levels, holiday shoppers must be cautious when shopping for gifts for that special young person on their list. ExpertRECALL is putting shoppers on alert.

One thing is clear as shopping and spending data for the holiday season floods in. Recent data on retailers’ November performance shows that, in general, shoppers favored lower priced items. According to data from the National Retail Federation, more than 40 percent of shoppers over the age of 18 shopped at discount stores during Black Friday weekend. When including thrift stores, resale shops and outlet stores, nearly 60 percent of shoppers over the age of 18 did their holiday shopping at these discounted retailers. In a continuing trend, less-expensive retailers, discounters or lower-priced apparel sellers are outperforming their competitors.

For those shoppers who are contributing to this trend, ExpertRECALL issues the following warning: where you shop may be as important as what you buy.

“When buying at deep discount stores and second-hand shops, take extra care to watch for recalled goods,” explained Mike Rozembajgier, Director of Recalls at ExpertRECALL, the industry leader in managing consumer and juvenile product recalls. “Once a manufacturer’s product leaves its primary supply chain, it can be difficult to track and remove goods from the marketplace. Also be careful of hand-me-down toys and items purchased at thrift stores and second-hand shops.”

But there is good news for parents and shoppers. The number of toy recalls is down sharply from a few years ago. We experienced nearly 150 toy recall events in 2007 alone, with toy recall events down to roughly 40 to date in 2009.

Consumers should rest assured that manufacturers and retailers are doing what they can to protect their customers. But consumers can also take matters in their own hands. “There are several cautionary steps that consumers can take to protect themselves and the people they love during the holidays and throughout year to come,” said Rozembajgier.

Important tips to consumers:

Check your shopping list in advance. Consumer safety websites, parenting websites, the CPSC and others provide helpful information on children’s product safety. As shoppers go online to look for sales and discount coupons, they might also cross check their shopping list for safety. All product recall announcements are archived and easily searchable on the CPSC website (www.cpsc.gov).

Remember to check the toys twice. Look again at toys that have been sitting in lay-away or that were purchased throughout the year and stored.

Be aware of current product safety issues. Most consumers know to look for lead paint levels or toys with small parts that can cause choking. Don’t forget prior recalls as you shop at deep-discount stores who purchase unsold lots, which could contain hazardous toys.

Complete registration cards for the products you purchase. By doing so, you are allowing the company to contact you directly in the event the product poses a safety or health hazard to you or your child.

Watch for product recall data after the holiday season. Just because your gift wasn’t recalled when you purchased it, doesn’t mean it won’t be. Keep an eye on recall news in case you need to remove the toy and make a return.

Manufacturers, under the vigilant eye of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and ever watchful consumers, are taking the necessary steps to manufacture safer toys. Similarly, some retailers are taking matters into their own hands by testing products before stocking their shelves. But ExpertRECALL reminds and encourages consumers to do their part in keeping their children, families and loved ones safe this holiday season.

Source: ExpertRECALL

Hospital records show consistent rate of lacerations, accidental ingestion of ornament fragments by children

A new study from Children’s Hospital Boston’s Division of Emergency Medicine has found that holiday decorations, particularly glass ornaments, are one more safety hazard parents must consider during the season. A review of records from Children’s Emergency Department revealed an average of five ornament-related injuries per year, more than half of these injuries involve a child eating fragments of these ornaments, including batteries and pieces of glass.

“Parents need to be vigilant during the holiday season, even though it’s also a busy time of year,” says co-author Lois Lee, MD, MPH, of Children’s Division of Emergency Medicine, who also directs the hospital’s Emergency Department Injury Prevention Program. “If you know that your child has a tendency to put things in his or her mouth, you should be especially careful.”

The retrospective study was published in the December 2009 issue of Pediatric Emergency Care.

The study authors conducted a computer search through emergency department records from Children’s, dating October 1995 through March 2008, for words such as “holiday,” “ornaments” and “glass.” They narrowed their search down by manually inspecting the records that their computer search returned. Out of a total of 76 cases:

• 56 percent involved ingestion or taking fragments of ornaments or light bulbs into the mouth; more than a quarter of these injuries resulted in bleeding of the mouth or gastrointestinal tract

• 27 percent of cases involved lacerations; more than two-thirds of lacerations required surgical repair

• 85 percent of cases required radiological screening

• three patients were examined for potential toxin exposure

• two patients experienced minor electrocution

• only one case of ingestion involved an ornament not made of glass.

Ornament-related injuries often lead to otherwise avoidable medical procedures. Facial lacerations have required stitches. In addition, accidental ingestions have required testing with X-rays and CT scans, and there is particular concern of radiation exposure from CT scans in children. Such hospital visits are also an unwelcome inconvenience during the holiday festivities, Lee says.

The consistent injury rate occurring throughout the years examined in this study have researchers recommending that health professionals talk to parents about the use of holiday decorations and hazards that can be avoided.

“If there are toddlers in the house, keep them away from the Christmas tree, or at least keep the ornaments off the lower branches where the children can reach them,” Lee says. Furthermore, parents may want to gate off the Christmas tree, and stabilize the tree to make sure it does not fall on anyone.

Source: Children’s Hospital Boston

What is a Virtual Assistant

Found this article in the business section and thought you would find it useful. The article basically discusses the economics of outsourcing your mundane chores. I have summarized the important points.

Did you think only celebrities and really wealthy people can afford personal assistants? Think again. There are many websites out there that can assist you with a wide variety of tasks ranging from writing thank you notes to following up on lost luggage.

One woman uses a site called AskSunday.com to deal with lost luggage, security issues with credit cards and reservations problems. When asked how she justifies the cost she said it costs about the same price as cable tv and eliminates so many of the headaches in her life, that it is totally worth it.

Prices and packages vary from site to site: On AskSunday.com users can pay 29.00 per month for 15 “requests” while the site GetFriday.com offers pay-as-you-go and monthly plans, in increments of 10 to 15 minutes. The monthly plans start at $120.00 a month for 10 hours.

Tim Ferriss, author of The Four-Hour Workweek, uses what he calls a “small army” of virtual assistants for everything from checking his e-mail to screening his phone calls and sending gifts to family and friends. He also uses a virtual assistant to find and schedule dates for him where he can promote his product. Ferriss says if you make more than $30,000.00 a year, you can afford to outsource some of your more routine tasks.

A marketing consultant uses Elance.com to find graphic designers for his website, find vegetarian-friendly restaurants, organize his Netflix account, plan a baby shower and bid for items on e-Bay.

Security issues are always a concern and Ferriss says that he has never had any problems. He does suggest though using trusted sites like PayPal.com when possible and using credit instead of debit cards to minimize potential damage.

Some sites, like AskSunday.com keep logins and passwords in a secured database so that its employees can use certain accounts but cannot see login or password information.

The article ends with a quote from the author of The Four-Hour Work Week which I thought summed it up well. “Ultimately, time is the most valuable, nonrenewable resource that we have.”

effective time management,importance of time management, Organization,organizing,organizing tips,organizing your life, time management advice,time management strategies,time management tools,time savers,virtual assistant,virtual small business assistant

Share This

Technorati Tags: effective time management, importance of time management, Organization, organizing, organizing tips, organizing your life, time management advice, time management strategies, time management tools, time savers, virtual assistant, virtual small business assistant

In the spirit of the season, the American Red Cross offers 12 holiday safety tips.

With last-minute gifts to buy, social events to attend and family and friends to visit while the weather outside is frightful, the American Red Cross has 12 days of health and safety tips to make the holiday season safe, happy and bright.

1. Prepare your vehicle for traveling to grandmother’s house. Make an emergency kit and include items such as blankets or sleeping bags, jumper cables, fire extinguisher (5 lb., A-B-C type), compass and road maps, shovel, tire repair kit and pump, extra clothing, flares, tow rope.

2. Drive your sleigh and reindeer safely. Avoid driving in a storm, but if you must, keep your gas tank full for emergency use and to keep the fuel line from freezing. Let someone know your destination, route and when you expect to arrive.

3. Help prevent the spread of the flu. Wash hands with soap and water as often as possible, or use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Use sanitizing wipes to disinfect hard surfaces such as airplane tray tables, luggage handles, cell phones, door handles and seat armrests.

4. Prevent hypothermia by following Santa’s lead. Dress in several layers of lightweight clothing, which will keep you warmer than a single heavy coat. Wear a hat, preferably one that covers your ears. Seek medical attention immediately if you have symptoms of hypothermia, including confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering.

5. Use a Red Cross-trained babysitter when attending holiday festivities. Red Cross-certified babysitters learn to administer basic first aid; properly hold and feed a child; take emergency action when needed; monitor safe play and actively engage your child; and some may be certified in Infant and Child CPR.

6. Avoid danger while roasting chestnuts over an open fire. Stay in the kitchen while you are cooking and be alert. Keep anything flammable — such as potholders, towels or curtains — away from your stove top. Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drinks are prepared or carried.

7. Be a lifesaver during the holidays and always. The Red Cross recommends at least one person in every household should be trained and certified in first aid and CPR/AED. Your local Red Cross chapter has conveniently scheduled courses and can have you trained and certified in a few hours.

8. Designate a driver or skip the holiday cheer. When you designate a driver who won’t be drinking, you help make sure a good party doesn’t turn into a tragedy. A good host ensures there are non-alcoholic beverages available for drivers. The designated driver should not drink any alcoholic beverages, not even one.

9. When the weather outside is frightful, heat your home safely. Never use your stove or oven to heat your home. Never leave portable heaters or fireplaces unattended. Install smoke alarms on every floor of your home and outside all sleeping areas and test them once a month.

10. Cut down on your heating bills without being a Grinch. Get your furnace cleaned by a professional; change the filters regularly. Make sure heat vents aren’t blocked by furniture. Close off any rooms you aren’t using and close heat vents or turn off radiators in those rooms. Use either insulating tape or caulking strips to surround your windows and door moldings. Put up storm windows or storm doors to keep the cold out.

11. Don’t move a muscle, until they buckle. Each person in your vehicle should have their seatbelts securely fastened before driving off. Ensure children are buckled up and their car seats are installed appropriately based on their age and size. Children 12 and under should always sit in the backseat.

12. Resolve to Be Red Cross Ready in the New Year. You can take one or more actions to prepare now, should you or your family face an emergency in 2010. Get a kit. Make a plan. Be informed.

Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday from the American Red Cross.

Know Little About It, and Think It Doesn’t Make Much Difference

New Research Focuses on Unmarried Young Adults’ Attitudes and Behavior Regarding Pregnancy, Contraception, and Related Issues

Nearly all unmarried young adults ages 18-29 believe pregnancy is something that should be planned (94% of men and 86% of women) and say that it is important to avoid pregnancy in their lives right now (86% of men and 88% of women), according to new research released by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Even so:

• Only about half of sexually active unmarried young adults use contraception regularly — many say they used it inconsistently (24%) or not at all (19%) over the past three months.
• About four in ten (38% of men and 44% of women) agree with the statement: “It doesn’t matter whether you use birth control or not; when it is your time to get pregnant it will happen.”
• Many (29% of women and 42% of men) say it is at least slightly likely they will have unprotected sex in the next three months — 17% of women and 19% of men describe it as either extremely or quite likely.

The nationally representative survey of 1,800 unmarried young adults ages 18-29 is the first of its kind to focus in depth on the attitudes and behavior of both single men and women regarding pregnancy planning, contraception, and related issues. Other survey findings contained in the report, The Fog Zone: How Misperceptions, Magical Thinking, and Ambivalence Put Young Adults at Risk for Unplanned Pregnancy include:

Many unmarried young adults say they know little about contraception. Even though 82% have used some form of contraception in the past and 90% believe they have all the knowledge they need to avoid an unplanned pregnancy:

• About six in ten (63%) say they know “little” or “nothing” about birth control pills.
• Three in ten (30%) say they know little or nothing about condoms.

Myths and misinformation about pregnancy and contraception are prevalent as are inflated fears about the possible side effects of contraception. For example:

• Nearly half (44%) of those who have used birth control pills incorrectly believe that women need to take a break from the pill every few years.
• 18% of men think having sex standing up reduces the chances of pregnancy.
• 42% of men and 40% of women believe that the chance of getting pregnant within a year while using the pill is 50% or greater, despite research showing that the birth control pill is typically 92% effective.
• 28% of men incorrectly think wearing two condoms provides extra protection; in fact two condoms are more likely to break due to friction.
• 27% of women and 34% of men believe it is extremely or quite likely that using the pill or other hormonal methods of contraception will lead to a serious health problem like cancer, despite clinical evidence to the contrary.

Many unmarried young adults are suspicious of birth control. For example:

• 32% agree with the statement: “The government is trying to limit Blacks and other minority populations by encouraging the use of birth control.”
• 43% agree with the statement: “Drug companies don’t care if birth control is safe; they just want people to use it so they can make money.”

Many believe they are infertile. The actual rate of infertility for those 18-29 is about 8%. However:

• 59% of women and 49% of men say it is at least slightly likely they are infertile.
• 75% of those who express concerns about fertility are not basing their concern on information from a doctor.

Many are ambivalent about the timing and circumstances under which to start a family. Even among those unmarried young adults who say it is important to them to avoid pregnancy right now:

• 20% of women and 43% of men say they would be at least a little pleased if they found out today that they or their partner were pregnant.

Background. According to data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics and the Guttmacher Institute, half of all pregnancies in the United States are reported by women themselves to be unplanned. Among unmarried women in their 20s, fully 7 in 10 pregnancies are unplanned.

“Reducing the nation’s stubbornly high rate of unplanned pregnancy will require a combination of responsible individual behavior and responsible public polices,” said Sarah Brown, CEO of The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. “These startling survey results also suggest that this country is in desperate need of a new social norm: Unless both partners are seeking pregnancy and are committed to each other and to the years it takes to raise children, they must take active, careful, and consistent steps to avoid it.”

Source: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy

Kaiser Permanente study first to measure gestational diabetes risk among 14 ethnic groups in Hawaii

More than 10 percent of women of Chinese and Korean heritage may be at risk for developing diabetes during pregnancy, according to a Kaiser Permanente study of 16,000 women in Hawaii that appears in the December issue of the Ethnicity and Disease journal. The study also found that Korean-American and Chinese-American women’s gestational diabetes risk is one-third higher than average – and more than double that of Caucasian and African-American women.

Funded by the American Diabetes Association, the study found that Pacific Islanders, Filipinos, Puerto Ricans, and Samoans are also at higher-than-average risk – while Caucasian, Native-American, and African-American women have a lower-than-average risk.

Untreated gestational diabetes mellitus, commonly known as GDM, can lead to serious pregnancy and birthing complications, including early delivery and C-sections. It can also increase the child’s risk of developing obesity later in life.

While previous studies have shown that GDM is more prevalent among Asian women and Pacific Islanders, this is the first study to separate those ethnic groups into sub-categories to find out who is at higher risk. Researchers chose Hawaii for the study because it has one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the world.

Researchers divided Asians into five ethnic sub-groups and found some striking differences: Korean and Chinese women have the greatest risk of developing GDM. Filipinos are next, but Japanese and Vietnamese women have the same risk as the rest of the population. Among three groups of Pacific Islanders, Samoans and other Pacific Islanders (including women from Fiji and Tahiti) have a higher-than-average risk, while women classified as Native Hawaiians are at average risk.* Caucasian, Native-American, and African-American women have the lowest risk for developing GDM.

“This study has important implications for diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes,” said study lead author Kathryn Pedula, MS, a researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research. “All pregnant women and their caregivers need to be educated about gestational diabetes, but it is especially important for women in these ethnic groups at higher risk.”

“Many previous studies have lumped all Asians and Pacific Islanders together – we now know that the risk for developing GDM varies greatly depending on your specific ethnic background,” said study co-author Teresa Hillier, MD, MS, an endocrinologist and senior investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research. “Future studies should also look at whether women in these higher risk groups also have more complications.”

This study involved 16,757 women aged 13-39, who gave birth in the Kaiser Permanente Health Plan in Hawaii between 1995 and 2003. Some women had more than one child during that time, bringing the total number of pregnancies to 22,110. Researchers obtained ethnic classification from the mothers’ birth certificates on file with the Hawaii Department of Health.

All women in the Kaiser Permanente system are screened for gestational diabetes between 24-28 weeks of pregnancy. If they have GDM, they are treated as part of routine care. More than 20 percent of women in the study had elevated glucose levels, and 6.7 percent of women met the Carpenter and Coustan threshold for gestational diabetes.

“This study underscores Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to identify differences in risk and clinical outcomes for different ethnic and racial groups,” said Winston F. Wong, MD, MS, medical director of Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit Disparities Improvement and Quality Initiatives. “While we cannot eliminate the increased risk of prenatal diabetes among our Korean and Chinese patients, we use this kind of research to alert and empower our health care professionals and physicians to reduce disparities and achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients and their children.”

Study authors include Kathryn L. Pedula, MS, and Teresa A. Hillier, MD, MS, from the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore.; Mark M. Schmidt, BA, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Honolulu; Judith A. Mullen, APRN, BC, CDE, Kaiser Permanente, Honolulu, Hawaii; Marie-Aline Charles, MD, MPH, INSERM, Paris, France; and David J. Pettitt, MD, Sansum Diabetes Research Institute, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Source: Kaiser Permanente

This is a busy season for many of us work at home moms. Not only do we have to watch over our children who are on holidays, we need to shop for Christmas gifts for the season, prepare dinners and for some, parties for the families.

As you celebrate the Christmas season, make sure you take time off your work and spend quality time with your family and friends. Sometimes we who work from home tend to mix home time with work time, which makes it hard for us to take a total break. We are often tempted to step into our home office to check our emails, do a little surfing and work on our online business. It can be addictive! It won’t be nice for the children especially if they are expecting total attention and dedicated time together as a family. So if you are going on vacation, restrict yourself from doing any work apart from reading your emails. And if that’s taking too much of your time, then it’s time to reset your priorities.

Well, for those whose schedule is full up with Christmas lunches, dinners and parties, you may need anatural appetite suppressant to keep your weight in check. For now, take your break and get your well deserved rest for being such hardworking work at home moms for the entire year!