Life in the Sunshine State ~ Wasn’t So Sunny!

Having a baby can be overwhelming but often the stress is compounded when almost everyone who crosses your path shares their differing views and opinions on pregnancy, birth and parenting. Although well-intentioned, it can become quite daunting for the mom-to-be or new mom when bombarded with advice regarding: • What and when to feed your child • How often you should play with your child and what games are the most educational? • ...

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Super Foods for a Healthy Family

I know the names Acai (pronounced ahh Sigh Eee), Cacao (pronounced Ca Cow) and Goji sound like exotic, foreign substances, but the truth is these are nutrient-dense “superfoods” that are rapidly gaining in popularity. And my prediction is, as more of us focus on ways to live longer, healthier lives, these strange sounding powders and berries will soon become household words. The term “superfood” was coined in 2004 by Dr. Steven Pratt ...

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A Bun in the Oven…for the second time! Reflections of How to Avoid Certain Pitfalls

Pregnancy can be extremely exciting, but also a daunting experience. There are so many things to consider (even when it’s your second) and the questions and options that arise can seem a bit overwhelming, to say the least! What should I eat (and drink) and which foods do I need to avoid? What activities can I still enjoy? When do I need to go to the doctor? Should I choose ...

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Raising Happy, Healthy Kids in a Toxic World

I don’t usually pull the “age card” (especially in our youth-oriented society), but I’m going to just put it out there and tell you that I am a grandmother of 7 kids (2 are in the photo) and I have been a pediatric registered nurse for 36 years!   Now, neither of these admissions alone, or in combination, makes me a wise old sage who has all the answers.  However, the ...

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One of the Greatest Gifts You Can Give Your Child (& Yourself)

Get Healthy BEFORE You Get Pregnant...  by Maureen McDonnell, RN   We all know there are many factors at play in the days and weeks following conception that are crucial for the survival and healthy development of a fetus such as diet, stress, infection, tobacco use, environmental toxins, alcohol, drugs etc. But what we don’t often consider (and yet it may be of equal, if not greater significance) is the health status ...

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Are There Safer Ways to Vaccinate Our Children?

Are There Safer Ways to Vaccinate Our Children? Maureen McDonnell, RN “There are unanswered questions about vaccine safety. We need studies on vaccinated populations based on various schedules and doses as well as individual patient susceptibilities that we are continuing to learn about. No one should be threatened by the pursuit of this knowledge. Vaccine policy should be the subject of frank and open debate, with no tolerance for bullying. There ...

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What Can Be Done to Prevent Autism Now?

Although the mystery of the autism epidemic has not yet been solved, emerging science and reports from parents about specific treatments that have improved (or in some cases recovered) their ASD children have given us strong clues regarding ways to prevent and treat Autism Spectrum Disorders. Causation theories range from: it must be due to better diagnosis, (rather than a real increase); to maternal age at the time of conception; to ...

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Letter to Senator Tarte re NC SB 346 to remove religious vaccine exemptions

March 23, 2015 Dear Senator Tarte, I have been a Registered Nurse in the field of Pediatrics for over 35 years.  I understand your proposal of SB 346 (requiring children in our state to receive all the vaccines in accordance with the CDC’s recommended schedule, and removing parental rights to a religious vaccine exemption) is intended to protect the public from communicable diseases. However, as honorable and well-intentioned as your goal may be, ...

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10 Facts about Vaccines

Important Facts To Know Regarding the Current Vaccine Debate We are the most heavily vaccinated country in the world. We give 26 vaccines to our babies during their first year of life and administer 36-45 before the age of 5.  300 new vaccines are currently being developed.    In 1986 Congress released vaccine manufacturers from any liability associated with illness or death from vaccines. The current Disneyland measles frenzy is uncalled ...

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