better
H
E A
L T H
live
The Podleski sisters, Janet and Greta, have long been known fo r
th e ir cookbooks o f delicious, easily prepared fam ily meals filled
w ith hum or-filled anecdotes and fun recipe names. Now,
they've turn ed th e ir w it and whisks to the healthier side o f m eal-
m aking in the calorie-conscious
Eat, Sh rin k & Be M erry.
We
particularly fell fo r the Shocklate Cheesecake (low -cal, yet
nicely rich) and the Fromage a Trois (one o f the best vegetable
lasagnas we've ever tested). $30 at
eatshrinkandbem erry.com .
h e a l t h i n t h e h e a d l in e s
C O LD REM EDIES
IN T H E H O T SEAT
Check your medicine cabinet fo r these
three products: Zicam Cold Remedy
Nasal Gel, Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs,
and Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs (Kids
Size). The U.S. Food and Drug
Adm inistration recently issued a w arning to stop using and
discard all o f these products because the agency has received
num erous reports o f some users losing th e ir sense o f smell,
perhaps perm anently, a fter using the cold remedies. Go to
fda
.gov and enter “ Zicam " in the search field fo r m ore inform ation.
F A L L F L U S E A S O N is just
about upon us, and it’s complicated
this year by the presence of a new
concern—swine flu. This past June,
the World Health Organization
declared the swine flu outbreak a
pandemic. As the virus—also called
novel influenza A or H iN i—spread
throughout the world, the race began
to develop a vaccine, which may be
ready as early as late fall.
So what’s your best course of
action? Protect yourself from the
seasonal flu by getting a regular
vaccination as soon as it's available, says
Dr. Beth P. Bell, associate director for
epidemiology science at the National
Center for Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases. Also check with
your doctor to see if a swine flu
vaccine is available and if you’re among
those recommended to get one.
Seasonal influenza alone causes
widespread illness and, on average,
36,000 deaths a year. For the most
current information about H1N1 and
seasonal flu, check out
pandemicflu.gov
and
cdc.gov/flu.
To prevent spreading any type of flu:
■
Cover your mouth when you
cough or sneeze.
■
Wash your hands frequently
with soap and water.
■
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or
mouth whenever possible.
■
Stay home if your child or you
are sick to avoid spreading it to
others.
—DOUG DONALDSON
2 6 2
SEPTEMBER 2009
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
P H O TO S : (B O O K ) KRITSADA. (W O M A N ) VEER
