catherine-morgan.com

The controversy surrounding the Gardasil vaccine has been around from the moment it was approved for use in young girls. And from the very beginning I have had a problem with Gardasil being referred to as a cervical cancer vaccine – because it’s not. I also have a problem with the ‘fear mongering’ commercials designed to look like public service announcements, and the possibility of making this vaccine (yet another) required by the government.

In the end, I want to research the facts and be the one to make an educated decision about whether or not to vaccinate my daughter for the HPV virus. To be perfectly honest…At this point I don’t see any indication that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the risks. Although the risks are very small, the benefits seem to be even smaller.

But don’t take my word for it…Look at some of the most recent facts about Gardasil.

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As a BlogHer contributing editor, part of my job is to link to other women bloggers. So when I decide to write about a particular topic, I spend a great deal of time searching for other women who have also blogged about that topic. And that can be very time consuming.

Since beginning to blog in 2007, I have been told that using RSS feed readers is very helpful. But it mostly seemed overwhelming to me. How could I possibly keep up with all of the posts on the reader? But then a few weeks ago, another contributing editor mentioned that I could use the Google Reader to search topics (making it easier for me to find links for my posts). In other words, if I loaded up my Google Reader with Health & Wellness blogs by women, I could then search those blogs for topics as I need them for my posts.

To be honest…It really seemed too good to be true. But to my surprise and delight it was very true. And I started almost immediately to compile health & wellness blogs from the BlogHer Health & Wellness blogrolls. And so far I have about thirty-five Health & Wellness blogs written by women. And that’s where YOU come in.

Are you a health & wellness blogger? Are you a mommy blogger who also writes about health & wellness issues? Do you write about your personal experiences with chronic health problems? Dieting? Fitness? Nutrition? Women’s Health? Health News?

If so…I want to add YOU to my Google Reader, so I can link to your blog in future posts for BlogHer. Whether you’ve just started writing your blog last month or last year, I want to add you to my reader. Just check the list below, and if your blog isn’t already on that list – leave me your link in comments.

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Eating healthy and trying to maintain a healthy weight are important for our overall well being. But there is now growing evidence that eating anti-inflammatory foods can reduce symptoms of chronic illness and even prevent heart disease.

This is a diet plan that just about everyone can benefit from. And although this is not a weight loss diet, many people do lose weight simply because they are replacing unhealthy foods with healthier anti-inflammatory foods. The best part is…Many people begin to see benefits (such as reduced pain) within just a few weeks.

Would you consider an anti-inflammatory diet?

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Is it possible to be a part time vegetarian?  As someone who is always trying to eat healthier, this sounds like it could be an interesting idea.  Personally, I could never be the person who cuts meat out of her life altogether, but limiting my meat intake and eating more vegetables is very doable.

In addition to this being a more healthy way of eating, there are also economic implications.  It’s just getting more and more expensive to buy meat these days.  In fact, due to the economy I think I’ve actually become an accidental part-time vegetarian.

Regardless of why you may want to become a part-time vegetarian, it does seem to be a healthier and more economic alternative to the conventional American diet.   Would you be willing to give it a try?

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With back-to-school just around the corner…The CDC has just released it’s recommendations to schools for the 2009-2010 school year. I have to say that I am very pleased the CDC is taking a ‘no need to panic’ attitude towards back-to-school and the swine flu. I was worried they were going to pull a mandatory vaccine out of their aaass…(I mean) hat. And if that would have happened, it would have seriously thrown me off the deep end.

As much as the media loved hyping this story and scaring the bee-geezers out of everyone. Fear is never the answer.

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Should there be a ban on Vicodin and Percocet? Darvocet or other narcotics containing acetaminophen? What about over-the-counter medications with acetaminophen?

This is what I think…

We can’t just ban every medication that has serious problems associated with overuse. It seems to me that educating people who are taking these medications would be more helpful, than making them totally unavailable.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not denying the seriousness of Acetaminophen overdose…

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee met late last month to review the actions the agency could take to reduce accidental acetaminophen poisoning. The drug, also found in over-the-counter cold formulas and pain-relieving prescription favorites Vicodin and Percocet, is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the U.S.

In acute liver failure, the organ fails quickly, sometimes in 48 hours, as opposed to the more usual forms of liver failure, caused by disease or alcoholism, which can take years to develop.

I just don’t think banning medications with acetaminophen in them is the answer. And I think this whole controversy is just exacerbating the stigma associated with chronic pain and the use of therapeutic doses of narcotics.

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If you’re a mom, you probably have concerns or questions about child safety. And you can find a great resource at the Home Safety Council. It’s a great interactive website with tips, links, resources, videos and more.

The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to preventing home related injuries that result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits on average each year. Through national programs, partnerships and the support of volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to be safer in and around their homes.

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