Nevermind the Dioxin

Bad news: Yes, you will find dioxin, fire retardant, rocket fuel, and other incredibly nasty chemicals in breast milk.

Good news: Breast is still best.

Not terribly surprising, but reassuring nonetheless to moms who may be worried that the environmental toxins found in breast milk outweigh the benefits. Nope. An analysis of recent studies shows that, despite the pollutants, the benefits of breast milk still trump those of any substitutes. Nurse away, kiddies. Maybe when you grow up you'll find a way to get Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) out of the ecosystem.

Fertility Awareness Teacher Sarah Bly Hits The Road

Lucky residents of Portland, Austin, and possibly Iowa City: FA teacher Sarah Naomi Bly is coming your way. If you live in or near those towns, Sarah invites you to join her for an 8 hour workshop that will teach you to understand your fertile times for pregnancy avoidance, pregnancy achievement, and connection to your body and your cycles. Here are the dates, costs, etc:

Portland, Oregon: Saturday 2/7 and Sunday 2/8, 9AM-1PM

Austin, Texas: Saturday 2/21 and Sunday 2/22, 9AM-1PM  

Iowa City, Iowa (tentative): Saturday 2/28 and Sunday 3/1, 9AM-1PM

All classes are $94 for women, $120 for couples. Fee includes printed materials and private followup consultation. $30 non-refundable deposit required. For more information re Sarah and her practice, visit her website, www.graceofthemoon.com. To sign up for a workshop, call or email Sarah. Contact info is on her website. (Take that, spambots.)

"Dias Especiales" (Special Days) at Bronx Bedroom Project

Bronx Blue Bedroom Project (BBBP) is an innovative "gallery" in the bedroom of artist Blanka Amezkua. A new exhibit entitled "Dias Expeciales" (Special Days) by Jessica Lagunas opens on Saturday, 12/6.

From the artist's statement:

"The installation consists of a full-size sheet on a bed where I printed etchings inspired by medical books' images of biopsies from different menstrual cycle days. This project is an introspective exploration of the female body, but rather than offering a negative connotation with the association of dirtiness and impurity of some cultures and religions, I want to cherish women's bodies by exploring menstruation in a positive way.

The printing of this project was made possible thanks to a grant from NoMAA (Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance) and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone."

More info on this exhibit, the opening, and the BBBP, can be found here:

http://www.bronxbbp.com/current.html