Healthy Families, Healthy Environment

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HFHE Home > What's New at HFHE

Welcome to "What's New at Healthy Families, Healthy Environment (HFHE)."

As a Christian ministry we are here to serve you and keep you up to date on what you need to know to protect your loved ones. On this "What's New" page we offer devotions to help keep you inspired for the journey, we hightlight Healthy Tips and near the bottom we list a selection of current news articles on health concerns in the environment. Check back often, and share what is on this site with others.

Devotions for Healthy Families

Mk 12:13-17 Don't Let the Truth Deceive You
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Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?" But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him.

Oh boy -- is it ever time to watch out when adversaries say you are a person of integrity.

The oily insincerity of Jesus’ adversaries belies the truthfulness of their words. Jesus was in fact a person of integrity. He was in fact not swayed by men, and paid no attention to who they were, teaching the way of God in accordance with the truth. All true. But his enemies tried to use these truths for evil ends. Truth in the service of sin. Not a pretty picture.

Elsewhere in Scripture Jesus teaches us to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Mt. 10:16). That is exactly what he is practicing here. He doesn’t let them trap him at this point.

When it comes to protecting our loved ones from health concerns in the environment, there are a lot of half truths out there – and we must be wise, discerning, and fully informed. For example, pesticides kill bugs. But have you ever read the small print? It’s scary. There are many other ways to achieve the same goal in a safe and effective manner (See our article on Integrated Pest Management, for suggestions.) Yet the makers of bug spray won’t tell you this.

So, protecting our family at times means looking past the flowery rhetoric to the harsh reality – and then to healthy solutions. The information on this website is intended to help you do this.

Healthy Tip in the Spotlight [ View previous healthy tips ]

West Nile Virus - Updated for 2004

West Nile Virus is a disease spread by mosquitoes. There are many things you can do to protect yourself. Yet, for those infected, only 20% show mild flu-like symptoms, and less than 1% may develop life-threatening inflammation of the brain. However, 264 people died in the US from West Nile in 2003, so it is important to take care.

Prevention
-Destroy mosquito breeding grounds. Get rid of all standing water on your property. Change bird baths, pet dishes, and check pool covers at least every three days.
-Check screens. Repair any broken or holes in screens so that mosquitoes will not bite you when you are inside.
-Cover up. Wear light colored clothing when you are outside and try not to be outside at dawn or dusk, when mosquito activity is the highest.
-Wear repellent on exposed skin and over thin clothing. Repellent should contain at least 10% DEET. Read the label carefully, use with caution, and never use on children under 2 years of age. See http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/chemicals/deet.htm for proper use of insect repellents.
-Talk about it with your neighbors. Make sure they are clearing out standing water and protecting themselves.

Symptoms
See your doctor if you develop flu symptoms (mild infection) or headache, fever, confusion or muscle weakness (severe infection).

For More Information
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2003/103_virus.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/
http://healthyfamiliesnow.org/Article_asp-Record=1269.html

News for Healthy Families

Current articles in the news on health and related topics that provoke thought or provide information you can use.
Recent News (news items open in new window) | News Archives

Cleaning products, solvents may cause asthma - study Exposure to fumes emitted by cleaning products in the home could cause asthma in children, a study published on Thursday shows. The study, in the British Medical Association's journal Thorax, found that children exposed to higher levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were four times more likely to suffer from asthma than children who were not.		Fuel stations may pose child cancer risk Living near a fuel station may quadruple the risk of acute leukaemia in children, research published on Thursday showed. French scientists who carried out a study of more than 500 infants found that a child whose home was near a fuel station or vehicle-repair garage was four times as likely to develop leukaemia as a child whose home was further away.		Parents More Lax with Sun Protection After First Year Children's rate of sun damage increases by more than two-fold between the first and second summers of their lives, but periodic reminders for parents about the importance of sun protection may help, according to new research released Monday. Based on reports from 92 mothers of infants, U.S. investigators found that 54 percent of children tanned or burned during their second summer of life, up from 22 percent during their first summers.		Mexican candy tests high for lead The Chicago Department of Public Health warned consumers Sunday not to buy or eat two Mexican candies because they contain high levels of lead. Lucas Limon and Super Lucas Hot'n Spicy, two flavors of a popular line of Mexican candy powders, were found to have lead levels nearly double the maximum safe amount set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to the city health department, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Sunday.
West Nile Symptoms Can Last a Year or More Convalescence after West Nile virus infection can be protracted, particularly for older adults, researchers in New York have found. Physical, cognitive and functional impairments often last more than 18 months after the initial illness.		More Pollutants In Farm Raised Salmon Farmed salmon accumulate much higher levels of chemical flame retardants than wild salmon, according to a study published yesterday. Flame retardants known as PBDEs have come under increased scrutiny as their level in human blood has doubled over the past five years. They are similar in structure to PCBs, which are carcinogenic. This study follows one in January that showed farmed salmon had higher concentrations of PCBs and dioxins than wild salmon.		Most Fish in Lakes Too High in Mercury The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that more than half of all freshwater fish it sampled from America's lakes could be unsafe for women of childbearing age to eat twice a week, according to data disclosed by environmental groups. More than three-quarters of the fish sampled also had mercury levels that may be unhealthy for children younger than 3.		California Reports First West Nile Death A 57-year-old man died from the mosquito-borne West Nile virus, becoming California's first human fatality from the illness since it arrived in the state last year, officials said. The man died June 24 and is believed to have contracted the virus in Orange County where he lived, Robert Miller, a spokesman for the California Department of Health Services, said Thursday.

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