If I had a nickel for every time I heard that “compliment” while growing up, I would be, at the very least, upper middle class.The well-intentioned (I think) speakers did not understand exactly what they were saying…or not saying. “You have such a pretty face but the rest of you is a mess!” I grew up with parents who would not let you leave the table until you had “cleaned” your plate. It didn’t matter if that plate held enough food to feed a longshoreman who was coming off a fast. “Waste not ,want not” was my mother’s mealtime mantra, along with the admonition to remember the starving children all over the world. (I couldn’t believe that even they wanted my Lima beans.)  My parents had lived through the Great Depression and there was a visceral satisfaction in being able to feed a family of nine. Consequently my six sisters and I have battled with weight for most of our lives, with varying degrees of success. Since society, explicitly or implicitly, condemns physical “abundance,” we have also battled with self image, once again with varying degrees of success.

While everyone wants to look good, young women are especially vulnerable to criticism of their appearance. They respond in different ways and their efforts to cope are chronicled in numerous books, both fiction and non-fiction. Some adopt a “take me or leave me” attitude, while others embark on a lose and gain and lose and gain and lose and gain cycle of frustration. Check out some of these books which deal, sometimes humorously, with the struggle. In the Young Adult fiction section, there’s Artichoke’s Heart by Suzanne Supplee, Accidental Love by Gary Soto and Vintage Veronica by Erica Perl, among many others. Positive image advice can be found in books such as You’d Be So Pretty If…by Dara Chadwick and You Have to Say I’m Pretty, You’re My Mother by Stephanie Pierson. If you want to find fashion tips for those who are amply endowed and want to hide or embellish it, check out Does This Make me Look Fat by Leah Feldon or Pretty Plus by Babe Hope. For pudgy preschoolers, there’s I Get So Hungry by Bebe Moore Campbell at one end and I Like Me by Nancy Carlson at the other end.

The campaign against obesity, especially in children, is necessary and laudable, as long as it’s about health and not appearance. “You’ve lost weight!! You look wonderful!! (now that you don’t have to walk sideways to get through the door) could be replaced by “I see that you’ve lost some weight. How do you feel?”  I know, I know. Reality check. However if some misguided person now dares to say “pretty face” to me, I smile politely and say “Thank you. And the rest of me is very nice too.” By the way, Miss Manners does not approve of  making personal comments. Oh, but that’s the January 25th blog.

Do you know where your food comes from?  Neither did I, until a couple of months ago; I used to buy food from the big supermarkets.  But, partially fueled by books like The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan and movies like Food, Inc., there has been a recent surge of interest in this question of where our food comes from, and what chemicals have been put into it.  I’ve not read or seen these books or documentaries myself, as I have a huge fear of finding out all the horribly true facts that I’m totally happy ignoring.  However, I’ve started going to local organic farmers markets, which are cropping up all over the place.  Even if you didn’t care where your food comes from, it’s still a refreshing experience attending these markets.  Each farmer sells you his or her veggies, fruit, meat, milk, eggs, pastries and/or cheeses themselves.  I find it especially reassuring that each of my dozen eggs is of a different size and shape, which is the way it should be!  And they taste much better than grocery store bought eggs.  Also, I know that my vegetables are freshly harvested from Georgia clay often within the last 24 hours, instead of being trucked across the country from who knows where.  Here are some of the local organic farmers markets that I’m aware of.  If you know of any others in or around DeKalb County, please share with us in the comments section…

• Decatur Farmers Market – there is one every Wednesday at the corner of Church and Commerce from 4pm to 7pm (Winter hours are 3pm to 6pm).  There’s also one run by the same people on Saturdays, from 9am to Noon across the street from Chic-Fil-A on N. McDonough.
• East Lake Farmers Market – Saturdays from 9am to 1pm at the corner of Hosea L. Williams Dr SE & 2nd Ave SE.
• East Atlanta Village Farmers Market – Thursdays 4pm to 8pm May thru November at 1231 Glenwood Ave (Village Hardware)

More books and movies about eating locally grown organic food that I haven’t read:

• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver – a memoir of a year of eating locally
• What to Eat by Marion Nestle – cutting through the hype, nutritionist Nestle tells us what we should eat
• Fast Food Nation (DVD) – the history and inner workings of the fast food industry
• King Corn: You Are What You Eat (DVD) – our food woes through the lens of one grain

This month the feature database is Consumer Health Complete. This database is one of the many sources the DeKalb County Library cardholders have access through GALILEO. All of these databases can be found on our Reference Databases page.

Have you or someone you loved been diagnosed with a disease by the doctor? Have you wanted to know more information but were afraid to ask the doctor? Consumer Health Complete is a good resource to learn more about diseases and health information.

Consumer Health Complete contains many electronic versions of Reference books that we have on the shelf like the Complete Guide to Prescription & Nonprescription Drugs. You can browse the electronic versions of the Reference books or you can keyword search the books. Consumer Health Complete also has the type of documents it contains broken down by category such as Pamplet & Fact Sheets, Encyclopedias, Evidence-Based Reports, Images and Diagrams and Alternative Sources to name a few.

Read the rest of this entry »

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are about 23.6 million adults and children with diabetes in the U.S. Of this population, 5.7 million are unaware that they have the disease. Personally, I have family members and friends who are living with the disease. I know that being someone with a family history of diabetes  there are precautions and steps that I can take to stay healthy but I don’t always.

Today marks the 21st Annual American Diabetes Alert Day and now is as good of a time as any to become more aware and active against this disease.  One great place to start is by exploring the American Diabetes Association website for more information.  The Library also offers many great resources about diabetes, ranging from lifestyle and medical books to cookbooks featuring diabetic-friendly cuisine. Here are a few books that I really like:

The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide For The Newly Diagnosed by Gretchen Becker: Author Becker offers an informative and encouraging discussion look at diabetes and ways in which one can cope with it. Though this book is geared toward those who have been recently diagnosed with the disease, anyone can benefit from its advice.

Just The Fact Diabetes by Jenny Bryan: This is another well-written book for kids and young adults about diabetes. It addresses many aspects of diabetes including causes, a brief history of the disease and advancements in the treatment of it.

Diabesity: The Obesity-Diabetes Epidemic That Threatens America–And What We Must Do To Stop It by Francine R. Kaufman: The subtitle of this book bares the same ringing urgency as the book itself. The author is passionate about raising awareness of the problem of obesity and how it contributes to the diabetes epidemic.

A friend sent me an article from CNN.com this weekend about the power of librarians:

“When Mary Ryan’s 4-year-old nephew, Nick, landed in the hospital with a serious infection, her brother called her in a panic. Ryan isn’t a doctor. She’s not a nurse. She’s a librarian.”

The article, called “Tips for Savvy Medical Web Surfing,” actually contains some great tips for searching, although the opening sentence is somewhat misleading.  While librarians can and should direct a patron toward appropriate and reliable sources of information, we cannot give advice or interpret information relating to medical, legal, or tax questions since staff members are not qualified doctors, lawyers, or accountants.  What we can do, however, is help patrons find reliable information that might relate to their search and that they can take back to their doctor for further discussion.

The CNN article gives these tips for searching:

–It’s safe to trust info from government Web sites, colleges and universities
–The same is true for sites of large medical and research institutions
–Use search engines that screen out unreliable information
–Look at review articles in medical journals

Check out the CNN article for suggestions for good places to search for information, such as PubMed or MedlinePlus.  One of our recent DCPLive posts was about the Wellness Information Zone (WIZ), which is another good place to start a search for health topics.  Our Databases page has links to more sources, including GALILEO which can provide articles from medical journals.

I also found a website called Medical Reference for Non-medical Librarians.  While this site is designed for librarians, it can be used by anyone and provides links, lists of print resources, as well as a guide on how to evaluate medical information found on the Internet.

Many hospitals also have medical libraries for patients who want to search for information or learn more about a diagnosis, and these libraries are staffed by librarians trained to search for medical information.

Lately I’ve seen a lot of moms wearing their babies in a sling.  Maybe it’s because I’m expecting my second child and looking for ways to have more freedom of movement to chase my oldest.  He’s four and very fast.  So I started out asking moms what they thought about the slings and what type they were using.  Then I went on-line to see what was out there.  There is so much out there that I now have a headache.  I did find a few sites better than others. 

My favorite site is The Baby Wearer.  This site has reviews on different types of baby carriers and companies, and advice to steer you towards the type of baby carrier that would most suit your needs.  Because let me tell you there are several types of baby carriers! The Baby Wearer breaks the carriers down into 6 basic groups: Asian Inspired Carriers, Other Carriers, Pouches (I call them slings), Ring Slings, Structured Carriers, and Wraps. 

The two most popular slings/pouches at my branch are from New Native Inc. and Hotslings.  The moms rave about these slings.  The New Native already has the pouch for baby sewn into the cloth.  You really have to see it to get the idea.  They have an organic cotton option, which seems to be the most popular of  all their slings.  Hotslings is more for the moms who are fashion forward or just like lots of color in their lives.  They have beautiful and crazy cloth patterns.  They are pretty much a fabric tube that sits across your body.

Both New Native and Hotslings look pretty cool and comfortable, very important things to look for when having a summer baby.  So, I went online and was a little shocked at how expensive they were.  Essentially, they’re just a piece of material sewn into a big loop.  And if you’ve read my posts before, you know I’m cheap.

So I looked to see if there were any free sling patterns on the web.  I found a great site that actually linked to other great sites for sling patterns (all types).  Mamma’s Milk if you can use a sewing machine and read directions, you can make your own sling.  The directions don’t seem to be too complicated if you’ve sewn before.  But if you feel a little overwhelmed by the directions, like myself, you can always just buy a sling from them.  They also have colorful cloths that they use to make slings.  But Mamma’s Milk is about as expensive as all the other slings on the web. 

I’m still cheap!!!  So I looked on eBay, Craigslist, Amazon.com, and other “discount” sites.  Pay dirt!  Amazon was a few bucks cheaper than the home site for Hotslings, and they offered me free shipping.  eBay actually had a ton of slings on their site and I could find some reasonable prices.  Craigslist was a little hit or miss, but that’s normal.  I haven’t headed out to my favorite consignment or thrift shops yet, but that’s my next stop.  Wish me luck!

‘Tis the season for not only receiving extra pounds, but also extra stress. For years yoga has been used as a wonderful exercise for improving dexterity, stamina, balance, and weight-loss; and yoga can also help you de-stress during the busy holiday season. Modern yoga draws mainly from one branch of the different traditions; Hatha Yoga which focuses on the body and its movements. The deliberate and mindful nature of the asanas (yoga poses) with pranayama (breathing) contribute to a meditative state for many yoga practitioners. Yoga has a long history of use in Indian religions and different schools of Buddhism dating back to the Bhagavad Gita. Yoga is one of those great activities you can do as much as you’d like with it; you can follow along with a DVD or class, you could study philosophy and meditate, you can practice while pregnant then later with the baby, and you can learn as much or as little as you’d like on your own.

My favorite materials available from DCPL:

Yoga Body, Buddha Mind: Cyndi Lee – More than just pictures of a wide variety of postures, a modern Buddhist and yoga teacher intersperses her poses with some background on yoga, Buddhism, meditation, and breathing. An accessible work for those interested in a little more than just the postures and exercise, but also don’t want to read a lengthly religious tome.

Power Yoga Stamina (VHS) with Rodney Yee – Pretty much any Rodney Yee videorecording is good, I like the Stamina best of all. This is a video for beginner-intermediate yogis as he be too fast for those who do not already know the asanas, but its just the right length of time and difficulty to get my heart pumping and my mind engaged.

Total Yoga Flow Series: Water – The three-part series includes: Earth, Water, and Fire each focusing on a different level of yoga and different focus. The Water is the intermediate level with a focus on flexibility and grace. All three are interesting and useful in their own way often including some extra like a guided meditation or breathing exercise, but the menus are a challenging to navigate and the scene selection was a bit off.

Yoga : the path to holistic health: B.K.S. Iyengar – Giant book of poses from one of the most respected teachers in the world. The asanas are photographed from various angles and health benefits are noted along with the entry fro each posture. An essential reference, especially for those learning without the benefit of a teacher.

The Shambhala guide to yoga: Georg Feuerstein – Interested in history, philosophy, religion, or other yoga traditions? This book is great for people who want a good introduction to what yoga is beyond ‘downward-facing dog’.

The holiday season is a time when many of us are extremely busy and stressed, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by other things.  My husband says I worry too much, but I like to think of it as “planning ahead.”  There are always lots of stories on the news and in the paper about shopping safely during this time of year, but I would like to share a few links about personal and home safety, as well as product recalls and holiday safety.

Most important this holiday season?  Be aware, be safe, and take time to relax and enjoy time spent with family and friends.  The National Safety Council suggests that you “take time out for yourself. Relax, read, or enjoy your favorite hobby at your own pace.”  As a librarian, I can’t think of any better advice than that! 

Links for holiday safety tips:

Winter Holiday Health and Safety Tips from the American Red Cross

National Safety Council Holiday Season Safety

Websites to know for product safety and recalls:

www.recalls.gov  A “one stop shop” for all federal recalls as the result of six Federal agencies working together.  Look for (or report) dangerous products, including consumer products, food, medicine, motor vehicles, and cosmetics.

www.cpsc.gov Consumer safety information as well as product recalls from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Identity theft links:

Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Site

U.S. Department of Justice Site for Identity Theft and Fraud

Questions about health? Confused by your doctor? Go and ask the WIZ, the Wellness Information Zone, that connects you to health information.

DeKalb County Public Library is excited to be a part of a new pilot program which provides health information in three of our branches: Decatur, Chamblee, and Wesley-Chapel William C. Brown (photo). Developed by the Humana Foundation partnered with Libraries for the Future, the WIZ is a specially designed website where you can find information and links to a variety of health care topics from medical conditions to exercise and fitness. The WIZ website will also link to information on insurance programs and many websites, including the WIZ, have Spanish language content.

Using the WIZ is easy, each of the three branches has a special computer station that can be accessed with your library card and PIN or a guest card. Your time on the WIZ computers is a part of your normal internet access time at DeKalb County Public Libraries and you can also print from the WIZ stations.

DeKalb County Public Library Director Darro Willey was among those on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony at Atlanta-Fulton Public Library September 12 launching the Wellness Information Zone project. The project’s aim is to provide reliable health care information online.

Photo: From left to right: John Szabo, Director, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library system; Darro C. Willey, Director, DeKalb County Public Library; former Atlanta Hawks basketball star Dominique Wilkins and Virginia K. Judd, Executive Director of The Humana Foundation.