The recent closure of St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan has put certified professional midwives (CPMs) in a difficult position. New York State law requires CPMs assisting women giving birth at home to have written practice agreements with physicians. Doctors at St. Vincent's Hospital acted as emergency back-up for CPMs and so far they have been unable to negotiate new sponsorships with hospitals and obstetricians in the area, putting their practices and licenses at risk.
Research studies show for that women with healthy, uncomplicated pregnancies, giving birth at home with CPMs is just as safe as, or safer than, hospital birth. The largest study of home births attended by certified professional midwives so far, published in 2005 in the British Medical Journal, followed
5,418 women from the United States (98 percent) and Canada
(2 percent). All the women planned to give birth at home.
12.1 percent were transferred to a hospital and intervention rates were very low: only 4.7 percent of women had an epidural,
2.1 percent had an episiotomy, and 3.7 percent gave birth by cesarean section. The infant mortality rate was 0.175 percent and the maternal mortality rate was zero.
Researchers concluded that "planned home birth for low risk women in North America using certified professional midwives was associated with lower rates of medical intervention but similar intrapartum and neonatal mortality to that of low risk hospital births in the United States."
The Midwifery Modernization Act, an amendment to the current Midwifery Practice Act, Article 140 of the Education law, would remove the requirement that CPMs maintain a written practice agreement with a physician and allow them to practice independently within the scope of their license.
Urge the New York State Legislature to support the Midwifery Modernization Act by signing the petition sponsored by Choices in Childbirth, a non-profit organization that educates women about their choices and rights regarding childbirth. Having access to home birth is a reproductive right that women can't afford to lose.
Reference:
Johnson KC and Daviss BA. Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America. British Medical Journal, 330(7505):1416, 18 June 2005.
Girl 2 Woman
For more than 50 years, in more than 120 countries, they have collaborated with governments, non-governmental organizations, community groups and faith-based organizations to make contraception available, provide services necessary for safe childbirth and healthy families, prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS and treat infected individuals, and advocate for sound reproductive policies in the United States and abroad.
Help Pathfinder International raise 1 million dollars to improve the lives of girls and women around the world by viewing the video Girl2Woman and sharing it with your friends and family. It doesn't cost you anything. Every time the video is shared, a generous donor will contribute a dollar to this remarkable organization. (Email addresses are never collected or used for solicitation purposes.)
$20 keeps a girl in school for one month in Ethiopia. $50 supplies 100 Bangladeshi women with a month of oral contraceptive. $100 trains one community health worker in India to provide basic family planning services. $250 provides training for 10 skilled birth attendants in Tanzania. And 90 cents of every dollar donated to Pathfinder International goes directly to programs.
Spring Cleanse
Spring is a natural time for cleansing. We deep clean our home, so why not deep clean our bodies?Annual or seasonal detoxification gives the body a tune-up. A spring cleanse can be part of a protocol to improve health or a component of overall wellness.
Why is detoxification important?
Every day we are exposed to toxins in air, water, food and our environment, from new carpet and old upholstery to cleaning products and air pollution. For most people, small doses cause cumulative damage rather than immediate symptoms. Continued exposure and/or reduced liver function can compromise natural detoxification systems, causing the body to store toxins rather than eliminate them.
Accumulation of toxins in the body can lead to general malaise or specific health problems, including fatigue, hormone imbalance, decreased mental acuity, skin and digestive conditions, food and chemical sensitivities, joint and muscle pain. Clearing toxins from the body often relieves symptoms and renews wellness and vitality.
The liver is the primary organ responsible for changing toxic chemicals into compounds that the body can excrete through the bowels and kidneys. An ideal detoxification program optimizes liver function, reduces exposure to toxins and enhances elimination pathways.
One component of the detox program I developed for my patients is a hypoallergenic diet designed to reduce exposure to irritating foods. It can be challenging to follow a restrictive diet but meals don't have to be boring and bland.
To demonstrate how easy and delicious detox-friendly meals can be, and to support my patients participating in a spring cleanse, I am posting hypoallergenic and anti-inflammatory recipes on my food blog, The Naturopathic Gourmet. Every week for 4 weeks, I will post a new recipe. Together, they will create a four-course detox-friendly menu that is simple and satisfying, nutritious and delicious.
Spring Cleanse Menu
Portabella Paté
Leek Pea Soup
Salad of Young Dandelion Greens with Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Coconut Quinoa with Cherries
Find these recipes on The Naturopathic Gourmet.
Talking About Health Radio Show
Listen to me live tomorrow morning, Wednesday April 28, when I will be a guest on Talking About Health.
This New Hampshire radio show on AM 1370 WFEA in Manchester focuses on medical issues and interviews experts to discuss current research and treatment. Tomorrow's topic will be statin medications.
If you're in the area, tune in tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
This New Hampshire radio show on AM 1370 WFEA in Manchester focuses on medical issues and interviews experts to discuss current research and treatment. Tomorrow's topic will be statin medications.
If you're in the area, tune in tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
Plant a Garden for Better Health
Whether you have your own garden, a plot in your local community garden, or a pot in your windowsill, you will be rewarded with fresh, pesticide-free food, an essential element of good health.
Not only is gardening good for you, it's good for the environment too. Gardening saves fuel and carbon dioxide emissions required to ship produce from state to state and country to country. It also reduces the need for industrial agriculture which damages the land and pollutes air and waterways.
Join Just Food for a Garden Planning Workshop and Free Seed Giveaway this Saturday, April 24, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am at the Hattie Carthan Community Garden in Brooklyn. Learn about community gardens, how and when to plant, the importance of healthy soil, and vertical growing to maximize space. Take home free seeds and a free New York City planting calendar.
If you live in other areas, visit the website of the American Community Gardening Association to find a community garden anywhere in the United States.
Window Farms
Or, start your own Window Farm. Vertical hydroponic gardening uses inexpensive and recycled materials to grow vegetables and herbs year-round in apartments and office buildings. The Window Farm Project that began in Brooklyn by Britta Riley and Rebecca Bray, artists and experts in sustainable design, now attracts international attention. A worldwide network of participants collaborate on design, research and development.
Indoor Composting
To reduce household waste and help your garden grow, consider creating your own compost from food scraps. Indoor worm bin composting requires few materials, little maintenance and less than three cubic feet of space. Properly managed, worm bins are discrete and odorless, and they do not attract pests. Learn how to set up your own system and get expert advice at the Lower East Side Ecology Center's Worm Bin Composting Workshop on Sunday, May 2 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the Sara D. Roosevelt Park in Manhattan.
New York City's Top Doctors
I was honored to receive an invitation to New York City's Top Doctors event at the Hippodrome last night. Leading physicians from different disciplines across the city gathered to meet, talk, and connect.
I was the only naturopathic doctor there and, surprisingly, most physicians I met were very curious about what I do. Some had simply never heard of naturopathic medicine before. Others wanted to refer patients with questions regarding supplements they know nothing about. Some were interested because their family members or friends were taking vitamins or botanical medicines or homeopathic remedies. And many doctors remarked that several of their patients are asking for alternative options.
I was inspired that so many practitioners with such different perspectives and philosophies took the time to get to know each other and find common ground.
Rarely recognized, this is a critical component of health care reform. Different fields of medicine shouldn't be competing against one another. We should be working together. From surgeons and internists to dermatologists and naturopathic doctors, health care providers all have certain strengths and weaknesses. Only when we work as a team will patients get the care that is best for them.
Allertea for Allergies
Certain supplements are very effective against environmental allergies and should be prescribed on a individual basis by a knowledgeable professional, but medicinal teas are something that most people can benefit from. Because they are not as strong as botanicals taken as tinctures or in concentrated capsule form, herbal teas are gentle and safe for most people to consume.
Allertea, made by Wise Woman Herbals, is my favorite tea for allergy season. Botanical medicines like eyebright and nettle strengthen mucus membranes and act to relieve redness, swelling, and congestion in eyes and nasal passages. Hawthorne is an astringent herb that can help reduce excessive secretions. Licorice has anti-inflammatory effects, soothes irritated mucus membranes, especially itchy and sore throats, and makes this tea slightly sweet. Hibiscus is rich in vitamin C and, along with lemongrass, lends a very pleasant flavor. This tea is naturally caffeine-free.
Individuals with heart, kidney or liver problems, and those taking medications, should talk to their doctor before consuming Allertea.
To make the tea, simmer 1 heaping teaspoon of dry herbs per 1 cup of boiling water in a covered saucepan for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove it from the heat and allow it to steep for 15 minutes or more. Strain and drink 3 cups per day, as is or with a teaspoon of local honey (which also helps diminish seasonal allergies). Consider brewing up a big batch and keeping it in the fridge to sip throughout the day, hot or cold.
My patients can find Allertea in my Virtual Dispensary on Emerson Ecologics. If you are an established patient and do not have an access code, send me an email and I would be happy to provide you with one.
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