Safe toys, safe driving, substance abuse & mindfulness. What do these have in common? We covered these topics on the final December "Three-fer
Tuesday” health segments with Ray
Richardson & Ted Talbot on WLOB 95.5 FM/WPME TV.
December is, of course, now 11 days past. But I thought I would recap the segments for those who are still interested in the information we covered. My apologies: last month's blog entries were a bit scarce. It was a busy, busy few weeks!
On December 15 we discussed safe toys and gifts for children. Though this is obviously relevant to the holidays, it can also be applicable other events, such as birthdays. When choosing a toy or gift for a child, make sure that it is:
- Age appropriate. Kids under the age of three love to put things in their mouths. Do not give them toys with small pieces. To determine whether something is hazardous, try placing it in a toilet paper tube. Those that fit are too small. Also, steer clear of personal products (bath bubbles, play cosmetics, etc) that may contain pthlalates , parabens and other substances that may have negative effects on children's health.
- Safe. Toys from China have fallen under scrutiny lately, due to concerns over lead and other toxic substances. Toys from the European Union and Canada are typically safer, given the consumer laws in those countries. U.S. toy regulations have also been tightened in the last year.
- Enjoyable. Chose toys that can be used repeatedly--and ones that encourage children to be engaged in their play. We especially like books, such as those from Islandport Press (co-publisher of Our Daily Tread). Recent releases include The Cat At Night
, The Scallop Christmas
and Hardscrabble Harvest.
On December 22 we discussed holiday mindfulness and seasonal effective disorder (SAD). This was particularly relevant given the winter solstice on December 21. Though our days are starting to lengthen again, we are still subject to many hours of darkness. Some people are more impacted by the lack of light--they may even find themselves suffering from a mild form of depression, called seasonal affective disorder. These individuals may benefit from light therapy, specifically that from a "light box." Studies of show that 30 minutes of full spectrum light at an intensity of 10,000 lux can be helpful for SAD sufferers.
EVERYONE can benefit from getting outside in winter (or any time of year, really) and enjoying whatever sunlight there is. This leads to the concept of mindfulness. I've blogged on this before. Mindfulness involves paying attention to one's surroundings: being present in the moment. This is a helpful exercise during the holidays and with other situations of increased stress. In my office, I have my patients focus on their breathing during their acupuncture treatments. This is one way to experience mindfulness.
On December 29th, we discussed safe driving over the holidays, with an emphasis on driving sober. Comedian Bob Marley joined us in place of Ray Richardson, who was on vacation. December was National Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Month. One third of all traffic-related deaths are caused by drivers under the influence. The key to avoiding this problem is planning ahead: have a designated driver when going out. If hosting a party, be sure to have non-alcoholic options available, and don't let your guests drive if they have been drinking. It takes a 120 lb person only two drinks to reach the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.08.
If you suspect that someone you care for has an alcohol problem, Maine Mothers Against Drunk Driving website offers useful links regarding local treatment options.
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During December we continued to showcase locally grown foods on WLOB/WPME. Our December 15
bountiful basket o' fun contained Maine-grown white beans from the Rosemont Market in Yarmouth, in addition to items from our
winter farmshare. Our share comes from the
Laughingstock Farm in Freeport. This December share included:
- Beets
- Carrots
- Broccoli raab
- Garlic
- Carrots and
- Onions.
Our December 22 basket was comprised of Maine items bought at the Rosemont:
- Macoun pears and Honey Crisp apples from The Apple Farm in Fairfield
- Purple Haze carrots from Goranson Farm in Dresden
- and a red onion from Tom Stevenson's Farm in Wayne, Maine.

Our December 29 basket featured
Laughingstock Farm share items again. These included:
- Baby bok choy
- Parnips
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Cabbage and
- Winter squash.
On December 29th we discussed the health properties of bok choy and parsnips. Bok choy (also called Chinese cabbage) is high in Vitamin C, folate, beta-carotene, fiber and cancer-preventing idoles. Bok Choy is considered a cooling food in Chinese medicine. It is especially good for clearing lung sputum.
Parsnips are rich in Vitamin K and fiber. They as nutritious as their close cousins, carrots. In Chinese medicine they are considered warming, and good for cold, damp ailments such as arthritis.
Tomorrow's blog post will cover last week's discussion on making healthy resolutions.
We will be joining Ray & Ted again tomorrow--Tuesday, January 12th. This segment will air at 8 am, instead of our normal 7:20 time slot, on WLOB 95.5 FM (streaming live at wlobradio.com). The topic? Healthy Weight Week...