Breastfeeding Saves Money, Saves Lives

Most parents enter labor expecting to breastfeed. Many are confronted with numerous challenges (some from the start, others as they go back to work) to continue breastfeeding throughout infancy.

A CNN news report highlights the challenges and public health importance of promoting and supporting new mothers in breastfeeding their baby throughout the first 6 months of their child's life.

This challenge makes me wonder how much of the problem is one of

• Biology - Moms physically aren't able to breastfeed their kids.
• Education - Moms don't know to breastfeed - exclusively - until their child reaches 6 months.
• Awareness - Moms don't know about the benefits/risk of breastfeeding - or not - on their child's health.
• Social - Relationships (partners, family members) and social norms interfere with moms' decision or ability to breastfeed.
• Structural/Political - Policies and structural factors like break time at work inhibit moms from being able to breastfeed or pump throughout the day.

As a quick aside: the new health care reform law makes it mandatory for employers to provide breaks to female workers who are lactating (i.e. breastfeeding). I expect that will begin to address some of the structural barriers mentioned above!

World Health Day 2010

Today, April 7, 2010 marks World Health Day.

I've been thinking a lot about my own health habits. It's easy to get complacent when it comes to our health. We expect that our bodies will just keep on functioning like they always have. Usually reality hits us when it's too late.

It's Public Health Week!

This week is National Public Health Week 2010 - and there are many ways you can get involved to promote a Healthier America. You can view a video and get tips on how your individual actions and easy changes can have a HUGE impact on our nation's health! To find out more visit: http://generationpublichealth.org.

Here are some of my favorite tips:

• Go for a run! (or bike ride)
• Get proper sleep and find time to relax.
• Wear a seat belt every time you ride in a car!
• Buy locally grown produce (almost available here in New England...)
• Recycle
• Advocate for policies and programs (health, transportation, agricultural or other) that will improve the health of your community!

Veritas Health: Back from Hiatus?

Life has never been busier. With school work, classes, legislative events, teaching, and flying around the country Veritas Health has gotten short shrift. Sorry to all my readers! And this has come at a terrible time -- Health care reform has passed, been signed into law, been revised, and signed again! The School Nutrition Act in Massachusetts has been passed by the Senate and will likely make its way to the Governor's Office for a signature this year. And the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act (...the one that sets prices for school breakfast and lunch reimbursement and sets school food standards) is back on the table in Congress with the introduction of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

Top Picks in 2010 Health Care Reform: Bill Passed!

I can't believe we've passed national, comprehensive health care reform! A first for public health. With all that I learned from the esteemed Bob Blendon in Political Strategies, I knew it would be a long shot. Presidential diplomacy likely played a strong hand in back deal negotiations, as well as the organizing and activity of pro-reform groups in putting pressure on key (read: moderate) legislators!

Here's what pumps me up about national health care reform:

1. Millions of uninsured (an estimated 32 million, to be exact) will now be covered! This means greater continuity of care and hopefully less late, untreatable conditions get prevented and treated early!
2. National menu labeling for chain restaurants! Calorie counts will be visible at point-of-purchase for most chain restaurant menu items across the United States (and the National Restaurant Association sings its praises in the Wall Street Journal blog...miracles do happen!).

There are tons of hurdles yet to be overcome when it comes to implementation and the elephant in the room is cost controls on skyrocketing premiums. I've heard it said that legislators want to "Tackle coverage first, then deal with cost." Whether that approach helps or hurts the health of Americans will be closely monitored, I'm certain!

Vote for Veritas Health Content!

I want to hear from you! See that new poll to the right of the this post??

In order to keep this blog interesting and relevant to my readers I want to know what you would like to see more of on Veritas Health? 

And, if you don't see what you want to read represented to the right, just comment below and I'll be sure to address it! Thanks for reading VH. 

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From Cigarettes to Snus: Tobacco Advertising Returns!

I had read about the tobacco industries attempts to shift its marketing from cigarettes to a "spitless" tobacco (or what it is calling Snus), but it didn't really sink in until I was reading Entertainment Weekly.

Sitting on the T on my way up to Cambridge I saw this ad. My first thought while reading it was "That's interesting...Camel is promoting quitting smoking?" It's fascinating how quickly I recognized it as a smoking ad...