Trying our best to get outside most days and failing some days. Progress, not perfection! And doesn’t it look like we live in a legitimate tundra? It doesn’t look like that everywhere in town, but this little hike we went on with friends sure delivered. You guys watching the Superbowl this weekend? Steve actually said, “I can just chill out for this one. No stress! It’s kind of nice!” with the Pats not being in it. Even so, I know he’d prefer they were. My parents are on their way up here for a few days and I’m looking forward to spending time with them.
Some weekend reading…
Did you see my elderberry tea post? I’m really enjoying it and yesterday I even got the boys to drink some (with some added honey). Be sure to cook the elderberries for at least 15 minutes at a low boil/simmer. To draw out the good stuff, and to kill the bad stuff (cyanide). I buy these Frontier elderberries.
This article on the GOOP lab isn’t the least bit surprising to me (but nevertheless, a bit annoying). God forbid anyone consider alternatives to pharmaceuticals and mainstream doctor’s recommendations! What I’d like to say to the NHS chief is, “thank you for the warning. I will be sure to be a critical thinker and use my brain when watching, just as much as I would use my brain with a doctor’s recommendation.” (This is not to suggest that GOOP Lab has the answers. But I’m sick of seeing alternatives slammed the way they are. It’s transparent, and it’s poor form.)
I love the look of this jumpsuit.
Made a variation of this the other night. YUM.
Love the cut and colors of this sweater. That neckline!
Love seeing hospitals making baby-friendly progress. I remember the changes even from Parker to Anders were apparent. The nurse kept insisting we put Parker in the nursery and did not like that I was co-sleeping with him in the hospital. When I had Anders, they never even mentioned the nursery and I was able to nurse through the heel prick (something they wouldn’t allow with Parker)–progress! This option would’ve been wonderful!
Remember when I was talking about the Curly Girl method on my IG stories a few months back? The problem with it — for people live in a place that has winter — is that it doesn’t always work to let my hair dry naturally. Sometimes, I gotta go somewhere just afterwards and going outside in 30 degrees with a wet head is no good. So, I do still use heat (though sparing and more often in the winter than summer when I can go months without touching a heat tool) on my hair. Being months in with this tool, at this point, I can say I really like it and the way it can touch up the spots that don’t curl as well.
Simple way to upgrade the typical black beans. (I’ve tried it; it’s good!)
Superbowl party dip I’m making this weekend. It’s the kind everyone hovers over. So, so good.
My favorite sneakers right now are half off! $35!
That’s all for now. Happy weekend, friends.
Progress, not perfection – something I need to remind myself too! Thanks for the links and hope you have a great weekend! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
I really like your blog- especially the links you curate and the fabulous pictures you post of your life in the Northeast (I have lived in 11 states, in all regions EXCEPT the Northeast). I do however have to say that the BBC pushback on GOOP is really warranted in my opinion. The medical quackery that seems to have found such a footing through social media is really scary to me. Yes, ask questions of your doctors- but they have hundreds of thousands of hours of education and hundreds of thousands of hours of clinical experience to back of their recommendations, as well as an entire clinical science literature (which is truly the key). But when Gwyneth Paltrow, fabulous actor that she is, tells us to do something without the training or expertise then I think that deserves a wee bit more skepticism. I just think we have phenomenons like an unprecedented number of unvaccinated children and the return of eradicated disease because people are too willing to question mainstream science and then with social media this questioning is reified and also brings others along down the path and suddenly children are dying of measles again. I probably just really stepped on some toes, but being a public health professional, I just felt the need to say something. Be skeptical, do your research, but also GOOP has a huge financial interest in convincing you that what they are selling is good for you…so be skeptical of that maybe a little bit more. And encouraging skepticism was your point, I am just not sure everyone is as discerning as you.
hi laura! 11 states… that’s remarkable! i’ve lived in… 2! now onto your next point. i do understand where you are coming from. however, i am so uncomfortable with the pedestal doctors/health professionals have been put on (by us? the media? themselves? it’s complicated.) such that their patients (often, not always) feel as though there is no option but to do as they say and little room to ask questions or push back. given that medical errors fall in the top 3-4 leading cause of death nationwide year after year (BMJ, 2016), i think doctors should reassess their relationships with their patients, and be more open to certain conversations taking place in their office. furthermore, one benefit to the internet is that the layperson has a lot of the same access to the clinical literature that doctors have (i agree–truly the key) through sites like pubmed, NIH, etc., so i can read studies in JAMA, NEJM, Lancet, etc., too. (not to throw anyone under the bus, but i could point to at least one experience with a doctor where i knew more about an issue than he did. and that doctor acknowledged that fact later.) of course, all my reading isn’t the same as a medical school degree (i’d never claim it was) but it certainly is something and i definitely feel more informed because of it. ultimately, i think that not using discernment in your doctor’s office is just as dangerous as not using discernment when watching GOOP Lab. finally, Gwyneth has no financial interest in selling people on Wim Hof’s breathing, or John Amaral’s energy work (but, we both know she does make plenty of it on other things!!).
Bridget, you may be smart enough to look things up, either from a doctor or from GOOP, but not everyone else is. Why else would every blogger ever add disclaimers that they are not medical professionals?
Having read your blog for years, you have indicated that you were raised by parents who took a more holistic approach to health and never seemed to trust doctors much, and you are carrying on that tradition. That’s great for your family, but not everyone has that approach. If alternative medicine works for you, awesome, so long as it isn’t causing a public health risk, but is there a need to be so defensive of some pretty deserved criticism? Jade eggs, anyone?
Sadly, you’re right, not everyone is!
I also wouldn’t be so bold as to say a blanket statement like myself or my family doesn’t trust doctors. (I definitely don’t trust (some) doctors.) And I want to be clear that I apply the same critical thinking to natural doctors/chiropractors/etc. as I would my family doc, I assure you!
I had to look up jade eggs. I don’t think I’ll be employing that one any time soon 🙂
I think the key here is to educate yourself on both sides of the argument and Bridget you obviously are. I am a great believer in both Western and Alternative. I also believe that a lot of patients who are chronically ill know more than their doctors about their illness and symptoms as they are the ones that have to live with it. However as I say the key is to educate yourself and unfortunately there are not a lot of people who will do this. They will hear what a celebrity says and use this as fact (I know in this documentary Gwyneth is consulting medical experts as well as believers in alternative therapies). I think a case in point is that no matter what research is done and no matter how many experts come out and say that Vaccines are safe and because of them so many diseases were practically eradicated, there is a still a large group of people that would believe Alicia Silverstone and Jenny McCarthy. I absolutely believe that you should question your doctor and we as individuals need to take control of our own bodies and listen to our gut as I would rather not fill my body with tablets and various other medicines if I can possibly help it! I also wonder if living in Britain is a bit different. As our NHS is a bit cash strapped they certainly don’t just write prescriptions for everything as our government just could not afford it. Certainly Drs that I have had in the past have always tried to look at alternative therapies for things and there is a lot more being done about Mental Health which is very important. In conclusion of my long rambling comment is that I agree with both you and Laura and the absolute key is to read, read and read some more and make knowledgeable and responsible decisions about your health and those of your loved ones.
I want to echo Laura’s comments as a pediatrician who worked in heart of the measles outbreak last year. Admittedly its slightly off topic but it is another area where a lot of bad information is thrown around online.
I am truly sorry if any parent whose child I cared for felt that all their questions and concerns were not addressed with patience and kindness. However, I think I’m allowed to feel concerned and frustrated – frustrated by the fact that anti-vaccine publicity from Jenny McCarthy or talk show comments from an actor are giving my patients unnecessary fears about routine vaccines and causing people to spend their hard-earned money on alternative therapies, delaying their access to effective and life-saving treatments. Having 4 years of medical school and 5 years of post-graduate experience as a resident and practicing physician, it really saddens me that people don’t trust their doctors. Perhaps we as your doctors are partly at fault for alienating our patients, but in the age of unfiltered information at everyone’s fingertips, it is not always easy to differentiate between good evidence-based information and poorly conducted research introducing significant bias and exaggerated claims.
While its true that many alternative therapies may be harmless, delaying care to try alternative therapies is definitely harmful (yes, I have seen this happen in both personal and professional circumstances.) And selling alternative therapies without evidence they work is a moral gray area, at best.
Lastly, if you or your readers are curious on some useful, non-government resources on vaccines (I admittedly care a lot more about this topic than on whether someone chooses to spend their own money on alternative therapies,) I strongly encourage you to visit https://vaccineinformation.org/ and listen to the Science Vs Podcast on vaccines (link here- https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/n8ho59)
Hope some readers find this information helpful.
I have a lot of friends both in the vaccine-skeptic camp and friends who are following the CDC schedule to the letter. I’m not putting my personal cards on the table on vaccines here, but I will say that it greatly minimizes the skeptics’ concerns when the “pro” side references Jenny McCarthy/talk show comments as their main basis for choosing an alternate schedule or not vaccinating at all. When the Supreme Court itself characterizes vaccines as they are now as “unavoidably unsafe” (https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/09-152.pdf) and the media and doctors claim “safe and effective”… it really makes the conversation complicated, but even more NECESSARY. To my mind, doctors must be more open to having these talks with their patients, the media must stop making the climate so divisive, and–perhaps most of all–(Steve’s idea!) politicians should start wearing patches on their jackets much like race car drivers so we know who’s sponsoring them. (Wouldn’t that be seriously fantastic?!)
That said, I can empathize with your position as a health care professional who has seen first hand what disease has the potential to do. That must be really, really hard. On a much smaller scale, I have too. I have also seen some friends with vaccine injured children–from mild to severe. As a result of all of this, I feel like a lot has to change–foremost, the space for these uncomfortable, inconvenient issues at the table, and maybe a revision of the blanket statement ‘safe and effective’. After all, do no harm — it’s the pinnacle of a good healthcare provider. That should, to my mind, include honesty and space for this and so many other things. And, at times, space for discerning patients who make choices that do not necessarily follow their doctor’s exact recommendations.
Finally, I downloaded the podcast and will listen this week. I’ve liked what Gimlet media has done in the past! Thank you for sharing, and also for your tone. Above all else, I love when myself and my readers model here what I wish would take place everywhere–both in doctor’s offices and not! Perhaps my tone when linking to the NHS article wasn’t in keeping with that, and I will be more careful to do so in the future!
And, maybe worth mentioning, maybe not… I don’t actually subscribe wholly to GOOP/Gwyneth! I just have liked the GoopLab episodes I’ve seen so far (haven’t finished the whole series, yet). Oh, and that scalp scrub. I really do like that scalp scrub. (But I’d have to sell a kidney to afford much else with a professor/blogger salary!)
I agree. And these were my thoughts as I read Bridget’s blog post. I love that Bridget stays well informed and I’ve learned a lot from her! (I’m going to make the elderberry tea..kids going to chiropractors (wasn’t aware of benefits) .kids and antibiotics..) I love the sharing of information so I can research and make my own decisions. The BBCs pushback is certainly for the many many who take “medical” advice as fact and who subsequently do not do their research. Remember when Tom Brady wrote in his book that he drinks a lot of water so doesn’t need sunscreen! Anyway this open discussion is always helpful to me. So thank you Bridget and Laura.
thank you Allison!!
I remember scratching my head at Tom Brady’s water claims. For me, I’ll still use my sunscreen! (And a lot of water too.)
As a practicing registered nurse of 14 years with bachelors degrees in both nursing and biology, I believe that science is never settled. That goes for medications (vaccines or biologics included) as well as alternative therapies. We are in such a crazy time where there is so much information at our fingertips and it is truly difficult to weed through the misinformation for truly science-backed guidance with no financial incentive. That being said, since medical errors are the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer, it is wise to be cautious! The medical world once prescribed smoking only to discover it’s cancer-causing effects. Low fat diets were widely applauded, only to find that our bodies need fat. Lead, fluoride, thalidomide, avandia, etc – the list goes on. In my 14 years of nursing, much has changed as new evidence and research become available. Being an informed consumer and patient is a necessity. Read the inserts, read the ingredients, read credible sources. Do you believe everything on the grocery store shelves or on the beauty counters is completely safe? Probably not. The same goes for all medications, vaccines, essential oils, etc. The polarizing effect that the vaccine debate or the alternative therapy debate has caused is the biggest shame. I know so many people on both sides – a mother who put her trust in the medical world and watched as her child deteriorated as a result of the awful side effects of the medications he was prescribed or someone who chose to ignore medical advice and her child now has permanent hearing loss. But while alternative therapies are perhaps less researched and backed by science, we are seeing the dawn of a new time. The studies on meditation and neuroplasticity show that what was once thought of as woo woo nonsense is actually really changing our central nervous systems. Psychedelics were once outlawed but are being phased back in to treat depression and anxiety. Epigenetics is providing individualized targeted therapies instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. Himalayan goats eat a fungus that grows on caterpillars in the mountains and their oxygen availability is greatly increased – now we have cordyceps supplements. My point is that just because we don’t know or understand something doesn’t mean it should automatically fall into a category of quackery. There is much to be gained by being open-minded and researching and understanding that the science is never settled.
Oh those Gwyneth black beans. They are in a couple of her recipe books and I make these on the reg!! I keep them in the fridge for side dishes, tacos, wraps.. they are a staple over here, sooo good. They also work well without cilantro and with pepper added.
Oh and I also add a huge glug of olive oil. Have a great weekend!
The belly belly bed ♥️ So much love for that!!
I love that jumpsuit!
Mariya | https://www.brunetteondemand.com/
It seems like a lot of your readers will probably zero in on the GOOP documentary comment but my eyes got pretty big when I read that you are a fan of the baby friendly hospital movement! Years ago, I know they whisked babies off to the nursery without an option to leave them in the room but as long as I have been aware, you’ve always been able to choose. Now they’ve taken that option away for so many women. ‘Baby-friendly’ is often times NOT mom-friendly, and to me, has been given this sweet name and twisted to be about the babies when really, for hospitals it’s about cutting costs (staffing and overhead related to maintaining a nursery) and decreasing the odds for a lawsuit.
Baby friendly means that even though we just spent 20+ hours laboring and pushing a baby out of us, we are IMMEDIATELY expected to care for that child without a moments rest. Baby friendly doesn’t even give you the option to send your baby to the nursery for a while in order for you to recover a bit. The first night in the hospital, my baby screamed unless she was being held. She would NOT sleep in her bassinet. I was deliriously tired, laid her on my chest and fell asleep, which is incredibly dangerous. I was SO freaking tired I could have dropped her. While I was lucky to have help in the hospital from my husband and my in-laws, many women are doing this alone. Imagine being a c-section mama whose left alone in the room with her baby and zero support? She just had MAJOR surgery and needs to rest yet she’s also expected to take care of this new baby, who may need rocking and bouncing and soothing.
I can see the ‘pros’ to baby friendly but I just wanted to share another perspective. Taking away the choice from a women to have her baby bedside or in the nursery can be really unsafe and puts an insane amount of stress on a new mama who really, REALLY needs to rest.
hi dani! i’m not suggesting the choice should go away entirely (especially for a mom that has just had a long, arduous labor, a single mom, a mom who’s just had a c-section). but, going back to my experience from parker to anders, i did VERY much appreciate the lack of insistence from the nurse that my brand new baby should go to the nursery. perhaps i just had an off-putting nurse who was trying to exhibit too much of her personal feelings on my post-birth experience, but it was not appreciated! (in contrast, i had a wonderful nurse with anders.)
i appreciate the different perspective though. truly! it gives me a more well-rounded view of the subject.
Dani – I am sorry for your difficult first night after giving birth. I am a labor and delivery nurse and I have seen mothers exhausted beyond belief and babies who require loads of cuddling to be settled. Our hospital became baby-friendly about 5 years ago. There are many reasons for this – the hospital stay a long time ago used to be days and days. Insurance dictates that a vaginal delivery stay two nights and a c-section three (unless there are complications requiring extended stays of course). This short period of time does not allow for mothers to grow accustomed to the feeding cues and needs of their babies if the babies are not at their bedside. The change was made to give mothers and their support people as much time as possible to learn about and understand their babies so that they have the best chance for a smooth transition upon discharge. Our staffing ratios have not changed at all. The nurse to patient ratio has remained the same whether the newborn is in the mom’s room or the nursery. We will always make clinical decisions based on patient acuity, medical or social needs, and availability of support people to help the new mother. I hope they do that at other hospitals – but that is what I see where I work. The other point I would like to make is that while it is a quite a transition for a mother to bring a new baby into the world, the newborn is also transitioning from intrauterine life to extrauterine life. Studies have show that their heart rate, and respiratory rate are stabilized better simply being near the mother and their temperature regulated with skin-to-skin. This allows for a healthier newborn and less need for medical intervention. So while it is stressful and exhausting, baby-friendly is encouraged to ensure long-term goals for successful transition as opposed to short-term goals of rest even if it might feel like an egregious request at the time.
Kate, I agree with you. Baby Friendly does not mean that the hospital staff leave the new moms alone to fend for themselves. It means that the hospital gives the new moms and babies the best chance at successfully breastfeeding. Not letting a baby room with the mom is about the poorest practice to support a new breastfeeding relationship and in turn lessens the baby’s odds of health. And just a few years ago, there were very few baby friendly hospitals and baby was immediately taken away from mom and moved to the nursery. IMHO many hospitals still have a long way to go to becoming baby friendly. But I suppose I am biased as a La Leche League leader, I hear lots of horror stories.
I really enjoyed the Goop Lab series myself. I agree that just because something is not mainstream, touted and backed by traditional medical standards, does not mean it’s not worth a closer look. Not saying we should go out and take psychedelics and assume that deep breathing will heal us all, but I definitely think there is science backed info that the Wim Hof method can be effective and I’ve also read some really interesting articles, that are backed by science about PTSD and how some once considered questionable drugs that were used more “recreationally” in the past are actually helping people who have serious depression and PTSD.
Amen, Cindy! To all! (My Mom was one of the first La Leche League members in NJ way back in the day. Love them!)