Kaiser Permanente is prescribing big doses of sustainability in the sixth season of its $50 million Thrive ad campaign.

Two new ads – Emerald Cities and Connected – reinforce the health care provider’s commitment to the planet by dramatically reducing paper use – no small task for an industry long married to countless charts and forms. For most of us, being ordered to “Fill this out” is as rote as, “Hop on the scale,” and just as painful.

The Emerald pitch describes how Kaiser is allowing patients access to their own medical data via Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect, the world’s largest civilian electronic health record.

Not just a handy core tool for patients, the online system is apparently saving thousands of trees annually. And, as of September 2009, Kaiser estimates its members completed six million doctor’s visits without using one gallon of gasoline. Guess they got the help they were seeking by going online.

“We will be entirely paperless by 2010 and these ads illustrate how we are doing our part in some way to help the environment,” I’m told by Lisa Ryan, Director of National Advertising at Kaiser. “Having a healthy environment creates a healthy community that helps individuals thrive.”

In these appealing ads, actress Allison Janney, the KP spokeswoman since 2004, drives home the point in her now familiar, smooth-as-a-surgical-glove delivery:

“By putting an end to paper medical records, we have ushered health into the digital age.”

To paraphrase the tagline: I think that I shall never see, a 62-page medical report as lovely as a tree.

“Our ode to trees talks to the fact that when you have online capabilities and a way to connect, it  does eliminate the need to drive to a facility or to an office visit,” says Ryan.

The Connected spot highlights the convenience of securely e-mailing your doctor, checking your medical records, reviewing test results and booking appointments online. This spares not just trees but the stress of being forced to listen to bad “music” after being placed on hold the second your doctor’s receptionist answer the line.

Kaiser clinicians are digitally connected to each other, which ultimately helps them stay connected to  members. The closing line of the ad summarizes, “At Kaiser Permanente, we believe that if knowledge is power, shared knowledge is even more powerful.”

Personally, I have struggled to attain the elusive power of shared knowledge while advocating for loved ones at hospitals where overworked, impatient doctors seemed agitated when pressed for too much info. Getting them to return phone calls was even harder. Then again, my family doesn’t use Kaiser. Maybe their doctors are more generous.

“Our primary care physicians are at center of who we are and we have great accessibility in person, on the phone and email,” says Ryan. “Ive had great experience with my own doc whom I have spoken to on the phone and through email. All of our new alternative ways to reach out and stay connected really help.”

I was glad to see the green connection extends to its Thrive website, which give readers tips on being “thriving communities” by buying locally-grown food, using fewer shopping bags, making their own cleaning supplies and avoiding exposure to chemicals in the home.

Ryan told me all of this effort, including the ad campaign, has been an extension of proven sustainability practices at Kaiser’s newly-built facilities, such as centers in Modesto and Santa Clara, using solar panels, pavement treatments to recycle run off water and friendly denim material in the walls as green insulation.

“The advertising is a great bridge between the sustainability message and the innovation of who we are,” Ryan  says. “It was a huge undertaking to go digital and to retrain the care staff, but it all speaks to our overall concern with the health of individuals and the community. ”

Prior to the green thrust, Kaiser treated us to daily ads on prevention, reminding our unhealthy nation that the more we exercise, eat well and get screened for diseases, the less we will have to spend on health care.

I think the ads resonate with the radio-listening masses facing poor health along with a poor health care system that has yet to be reformed.

With $50 million invested in the message, let’s hope Kaiser proves to be one of the needed cures.

Images: Kaiser Permanente, Wiki

Being elected into The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is considered one of the highest honors in the field of health and medicine. It recognizes those who’ve demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

Earlier this month the IOM announced the names of 65 new members and five foreign associates who’ve made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. What’s especially interesting is that in order to assure diversity, they required that at least one-quarter of those selected be from outside of the health professions. They were chosen from such fields as the natural, social and behavioral sciences; law, engineering and the humanities.

We think that’s very “eco”.

This year, five of those selected are from the University of Southern California:

• Deborah Grady, MD, MPH is an international expert on menopause and the risks and benefits of postmenopausal hormone therapy. Grady has trained and mentored over 40 young researchers interested in women’s health. With colleagues at UCSF, she designed and conducted the Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS), a clinical trial of 2800 women with known coronary disease.

• Lawrence W. Green, DrPH specializes in population science research in cancer and other chronic diseases. In a current project, he’s looking at screening for colorectal cancer in the context of flu vaccine clinics. Once director of the Office of Health Promotion in the Carter Administration, he participated in the early development of the Healthy People Initiative, which since 1979 has continued to contribute to programs in health promotion and disease prevention. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he led international programs in tobacco control and national programs in community-based participatory research.

• Michael R. Harrison, MD is professor emeritus of clinical surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, and director emeritus, Fetal Treatment Center, UCSF Children’s Hospital. Harrison is internationally renowned for his expertise and innovation in pediatric and fetal surgery, and is author of more than 400 hundred peer-reviewed articles and several textbooks. He performed the first successful human fetal surgery for congenital diaphragmatic hernia and later for a number of other fetal anomalies. And he initiated the first National Institute of Health-sponsored clinical trials for fetal surgery. Harrison’s current research focuses on pediatric orphan device development.

• Sam Hawgood, MBBS is the dean and vice chancellor for medical affairs, UCSF School of Medicine. Hawgood has led the school in expanding research, fostering patient-centered care and furthering global health. He also directs a major NIH grant supporting a range of projects that seek a new understanding of lung biology and pulmonary diseases.

• Roger Nicoll, MD is a professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology and physiology. He’s renowned for his pioneering discoveries about the way the brain learns and remembers. Over several decades he’s shown that learning and memory occur when neural connections between nerve cells in the brain are strengthened. Nicoll’s research focuses on the brain’s hippocampus, which is severely damaged in Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding the chemistry of thought could enhance drug design for Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases of the brain.

Image: apdk

Oh, this is way too cute. The “Help, I Need Help” folks are at it again.

First they charmed us with clever little (eco-friendly!) packages labeled “Help, I have a headache,” and “Help, I’ve cut myself,” containing acetaminophen and bandages.

Now they’ve expanded their product line – or rather their packaging line. After all, they’re really just selling ibuprofen, but in a Zen little package labeled “Help, I have an aching body,” just to make sure you don’t forget what ibuprofen is for.

Fully compostable corn-based packages, did I forget to mention?

And even though I avoid OTC medications and prefer natural remedies for my aches and pains, I can’t help but be delighted by their wide-eyed faux-naivete. Take yourself on a visit to their Help, I’m Bored page for some McSweeney’s kind of fun.

A few years ago, a dentist told me I’d need dentures by the time I was 50 – that’s how bad my teeth and gums were. Granted, they didn’t look bad – my teeth are strong, straight and pearly white – but my gums were already declining. I was brushing twice a day, but I wasn’t flossing and I was eating plenty of sweets.

After two root canals (and I’m only 30!), I take much better care. I still don’t floss as often as I should, but at least it’s more than I used to. I’d like to save my teeth, and save money too. Here are my natural dental care tips:

First and foremost, use a tongue cleaner. I know, it sounds icky, but the slimy stuff on your tongue when you wake up is plaque. It’s ickier to leave it on.
You have to floss. There’s no way around it. Do anything to make it fun! My husband and I have made a pact to remind each other to floss every morning. Do we always remember? No, but it’s a start!
Use ayurvedic toothpaste for the best blend of warming, astringent and detoxifying herbs. These herbs will promote gum circulation, tightening and cleansing.
Sprinkle baking soda on your toothpaste for extra cleansing and whitening.
Brush a few times a week with a paste made of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Rub this on your gums too.
Rinse with green tea for a natural fluoride wash.
If you get a toothache after all that, clove oil works wonders. Apply directly to the painful tooth with a Q-tip so you don’t get the burning oil on your gums. A paste of ginger and cayenne powder also works.
Check out Pristine Planet’s dental care page for a variety of natural products for teeth and gums.

May as well green up the routine, too! Use a Preserve toothbrush made from recycled plastic.

I often grumble about all the work and time it takes to care for my teeth, but I suppose it’s better to have teeth to take care of in the first place! Let us know your own dental care tips in the comments below.

Image: ninette_luz

Uh oh. You feel that little tickle in the back of your throat. You want to deny it. It’s nothing, really, it’ll go away after a cup of tea. But it doesn’t. By the end of the day you have to admit, you’ve got a full-on, hurts-to-swallow sore throat.

Don’t rush for the antibiotics just yet; most sore throats are caused by the flu or common cold, which are viruses and won’t respond to antibiotics. Sometimes your sore throat might simply be a symptom of mouth breathing, sudden changes in the weather or air that’s too dry.

Of course, strep throat, caused by bacteria, is always a possibility too. If a severe sore throat persists for more than a few days, there’s white pus on your tonsils or you have a fever, you should seek medical attention. Otherwise, try these tips:

The old standard: gargle with warm salt water (1 tsp salt dissolved in one glass of water) at least a few times a day.

Try using a humidifier if you suspect dry air may be the culprit.

As with any condition signifying an imbalance in your body, rest and drink plenty of water (acidic drinks like orange juice can cause more pain).

Avoid fried or cold foods, too-cold drinks and anything sour. These can aggravate a sore throat.

Suck on throat lozenges. Try St. Claire’s Organic Throat Soothers, or anything with zinc or slippery elm, which is soothing to a scratchy throat.

A folk remedy worth trying is to gargle with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in a glass of water. Repeat a few times a day. The acidity of the vinegar will help to kill bacteria, if your infection is in fact bacterial.

Avoid dairy products, which can cause excess mucus in your throat. Drink licorice tea to clear up any mucus you may have.

Apply a warm heating pad or compress to your throat to help relieve pain.

Use the silent treatment. Avoid straining your throat by talking too much, especially talking loudly.

Let us know if there are other sore throat remedies that have worked for you.

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“Nature Knows Best” is a safe rule of thumb – hence the exciting field of biomimicry. For more examples of ideas that we’ve borrowed from the best, have a look at this fifteen-strong list over at Brainz.

Have you used vinegar to clean your coffee-maker, or chalk to keep ants in check? If not, you might want to flick through these extraordinary uses for 16 household items, over at Woman’s Day.

Uh, Bill, what are you doing? At the Technology, Entertainment, Design conference, Microsoft founder Bill Gates illustrated the threat of malaria by releasing live mosquitos into the audience – accompanied by the less-than-reassuring words “There is no reason only poor people should be infected”. Luckily for his audience it was only a stunt (the mosquitos were malaria-free) but one with a deadly serious message.

If you’re indoors, you’re away from the nefarious effects of air pollution, right? Wrong. In fact, staying indoors might be the unhealthiest choice you could make, as The Daily Green explains.

While the leaders of the electronic industry struggle to clean up their act and get a favorable rating from Greenpeace, it’s a chance for other companies to sneak into the lead by trying something wholly new. Take the fascinating Recompute desktop PC, as featured at core 77. Its body is corrugated cardboard (recyclable, renewable and biodegrading), and it operates on a modular system where you upgrade it by plugging USB devices (eg. a wireless modem) in the side. Lovely idea – but it’s worth reading the accompanying comments for a few question marks over how useful it will really be in practice.

You’ll be aware of the humanitarian crisis enduring in the Sudanese region of Darfur – but you might not know that it’s underpinned by an equally catastrophic environmental meltdown. Desertification is an ecological change that we’ll be seeing more and more of – even now, every year, deserts worldwide swallow up productive land roughly the size of Nebraska. But there are ways and means of pushing back, and in Darfur, the Village Reforestation and Restoration Initiative is on the case. (Thanks to Global Patriot for the details).

And speaking of dessication, you’ll see it bandied around that precious water is fast becoming “the new oil”. Joel Makower would like to amend this statement – he believes it’s closer to the truth to call it “the new carbon”. Read why at Green Biz.

In the last couple of years, something happened that profoundly changes our relationship with the environment – we became a mainly urban species. Most of humanity now lives in cities or built-up urban areas. And the urban paradox facing us is that urban life may be the most efficient and exciting way forward, but it’s also a way rife with social and environmental problems. Can we make our cities fulfill their potential as places fit to live in?

Canadian hairdressers may be having a bad hair week. The chemicals D4 and D5 (siloxanes found in many shampoos) have just been labeled a threat to wildlife, and banned. Expensive shampoos 0, environment 1. (So why not do it yourself, and save a lot of cash?)

Non-eco is, like, so yesterday. It’s the old black. And that’s why green is the new black, see? Except it absolutely isn’t – because that suggest that the eco-friendly revolution is a fickle, transient, ephemeral thing that will dry up like the morning dew. And this couldn’t be more wrong. We’re firmly behind The Good Human on this point.

In the Washington Post’s Checkup column this week: where are we with discovering just how safe hormone therapy is?

Getting dream homes to match reality – it’s quite the challenge. And for Northfield Design Associates architect Don, there’s the added hurdle of squeezing his dream into a 27.5-feet wide plot. Here’s how he got on.

Of all the uses for used coffee grounds – the obvious being to sprinkle them on the garden (in moderation) – I’d never expect them to be turned into printer ink. But as Inhabitat shows, that’s what one designer has done (as an entrant for the Greener Gadgets Design Competition). Love the idea. Although it wouldn’t do good things to my caffeine intake when deadlines are pressing.

We spotted these Botanist Benches over at greenUPGRADER and were intrigued for a number of reasons. The use of super-recyclable aluminum, amongst other sustainable manufacturing techniques. The cutting of each bench with diamond-dust-impregnated water, ensuring no nasty fumes or by-products. But mainly, we were intrigued by the pictures. If there are more unlikely places to use desks than those pictured, we’d like to see them.

And finally, just to lower the tone in the interests of a healthy environment – public transport powered by poo!

Image: Nrbelex

Not everyone has the space or budget for a large thermal wine cooler in their pad. Here’s a practical way to chill that organic vino and rescue the dying cork stopper industry at the same time.

The Cork Bark Wine Chiller from Bitters Co. is from and features unglazed terracotta wrapped with an outer layer of natural cork bark ($46). It cools your bottle by insulating it with these layers and lends some earthy style at the same time.

The way of life for Mediterranean cork harvesters has become threatened by the replacement of hand-harvested cork with cheaper, synthetic twist-off caps. So farmers in Portugal are brainstorming alternative uses for their product – like this wine cooler, as a way of salvaging cork production, which is organically farmed.

Is the economy beating you up? It’s time to get creative. Next time you have an ache or pain, forget about a costly trip to the drugstore and test drive some of your grandmother’s remedies instead. It’ll save money and be gentler on your body and the environment. Recessionistas (and Gents), welcome to the DIY medicine cabinet.

Indigestion and Heartburn

It almost goes without saying – but consider why you’re getting heartburn in the first place. Did you overeat? Too much grease or spicy food? Eating late at night? Scout out the cause and try to stop this before it happens. Then, put down the antacids. The belching, bloat and heartburn caused by indigestion come about because you don’t have enough stomach acid to do the job right. A spoonful or two of apple cider vinegar will help break down the excess food that is causing you trouble and bring your stomach back to balance.

Sore Throat

Sore, scratchy throats are usually a sign of a cold or flu coming on, so you don’t want to ignore this symptom, but you can relieve the pain by gargling with warm salt water a few times a day and then drinking a soothing honey-lemon tea.

Sore Muscles and Bruises

After a hard afternoon of rowing with a friend, I resigned myself to a few days of burning muscles and soreness. But my friend saved the day with a tube of arnica cream. He rubbed it on my shoulders and voila, instant relief and absolutely no aches the next day. The humble arnica flower makes an incredible cream that no medicine cabinet should be without. Use it immediately to speed up the healing of bruises, sprains, sore muscles and other general aches.

Stop Bleeding

You’d think it would burn, but a sprinkle of cayenne pepper on a cut will quickly stop the bleeding and actually relieve the pain.

Ear Infections

Ear infections can become quite serious and cause permanent damage, so please see a doctor if your ear ache has become severe. But if you feel like your infection is mild and at the beginning stages, put a few drops of garlic oil or white vinegar into your ear canal and lay down on the opposite side to let those drops do their work. Garlic and vinegar create an environment that won’t support the bacteria causing the infection. Repeat a few times a day until the symptoms disappear. (If your symptoms last longer than a few days, you should definitely see a doctor!)

Burns

So you bumped up against the stove again? Ouch. Rinse first with cold water, but then immediately apply aloe vera gel to the burn. For those of us who don’t have aloe in the house, slice a potato and rub its cool, soothing juices all over the burn. And honey, with its antibacterial properties, is also good topical ointment. If you can catch the burn immediately, mustard is also reportedly a great salve.

Athlete’s Foot

It’s a foot fungus, and it stinks. Air those piggies, then soak them in salty water, wash them with garlic juice, or soak them with diluted white or apple cider vinegar. All of these things will help kill the fungus. But you have to be persistent, consistent and diligent: no matter what treatment you use, do it a few times a day and stick with it until at least a week after you think the symptoms are gone! Fungus excels at hiding out and coming back when you least expect it.

Rashes and Allergies

Prescription and OTC antihistamines can cause some serious side effects. Before you head for the strong stuff, try green tea, which contains compounds with antihistamine properties. You’ll need to drink 2-3 cups a day to get the full effect.

Acne and Sensitive Skin

First you really have to look at your lifestyle, because imbalances in your health can show up in your skin. But in the meantime, wash your face with oatmeal. It’s a gentle exfoliant and draws out oil and impurities.

Flatulence

Some foods, like beans and raw veggies, are more likely to cause gas, but if you find flatulence to be too common of an occurrence, try taking a digestive enzyme with your meals. You can find these at any health food store. In the meantime, make use of digestive spices such as ginger, anise, peppermint, coriander and dill. You can make tea with these ingredients or incorporate them into your food.

Headache and Migraine

Try rubbing peppermint or lavender oil on your temples and the base of your neck; sniffing these oils may also help. Rub a fresh cut lemon or lime on your forehead. Feverfew is a good herbal remedy for headaches. Have a little caffeine by way of green tea, and don’t forget to use an ice pack for 20 minutes to dull the throbbing.

Dandruff

Have you looked at the ingredients in dandruff shampoo? It seems like they contain almost everything in the Toxic Ingredients You Must Avoid list. Better to try something natural first before resorting to chemicals. Many people swear by rubbing aloe vera gel onto the scalp (leave it on for 20 minutes than rinse it out). This will certainly help with dry, itchy scalp. Another remedy is a rinse with apple cider vinegar. Try these remedies a few times before deciding if they work for you. Even dandruff shampoo requires regular use to see results, so give the natural stuff a chance!

Nausea

The classic cure for nausea or carsickness is ginger tea or candied ginger. You can chew on the stuff raw, if you like, but it’s so spicy and strong it might just make you feel worse. Sniffing real peppermint or lavender oil can also help.

Constipation. First, drink more water and eat more fruit and salads. You’re backed up for a reason and taking lots of laxatives is not the answer. Meanwhile, drinking a few teaspoons of olive oil mixed with a bit of orange or (diluted) lemon juice can help things get moving. Another surefire remedy is 1/4 teaspoon of epsom salts drunk in 1/2 a glass of water. Sometimes calorie restriction or avoidance of healthy fats (such as the good fats found in fish, nuts and avocados) can worsen constipation. And though it’s counterintuitive, some people relieve their constipation by actually cutting back on grain consumption! True, grains contain fiber, but some people don’t digest grains very well. Other causes of constipation include stress, depression, inactivity and nutritional deficiencies. If your constipation is chronic, it may be a sign of a more serious problem, so please seek medical advice and adjust your lifestyle.

Toothache. There’s nothing so bad as the shooting pain of a toothache. You don’t want to ignore a tooth problem, because an infection that close to your brain can be extremely dangerous if it spreads. But in order to reduce swelling and pain while you wait for your dentist appointment, try putting a few drops of clove oil on your tooth and gums, and bite down on a smashed piece of garlic (which has excellent antibacterial properties). This has always worked for me.

Give some of these remedies a try – and share your own tried-and-true treatments, too.

Images: FXR, Muhammad Adnan Asin, Mr Wabu, Goldring, Unhindered by Talent, Fotoos Van Robin, titanium22, aussiegall, craig Cloutier, Muffet, tillwe, Stuart Pilbrow, sh0dan, Fotoos Van Robin

I’m a pretty sore loser at tennis, especially when my husband rockets those serves toward my face and I want to throw my racket at his head. But my arm never aches after as it does with the Wii tennis video game.

I notice I emulate the real motion of the swing with my remote while my daughters execute abbreviated swipes at the screen to place shots, serve and return. They’re so aggressive, if it were the real thing, I’d take them out of school and put them on the circuit to support our family. But truth be told, I fear too much time spent with this year’s holiday gift will result in those Wii-related sports injuries on the rise- everything from tennis elbow to sprained ankles and severe eyestrain.

This week on Good Morning America, GiGi Stone coined the phrase “Wii-habilitaion” in her piece featuring a woman whose shoulder injury from boxing sent her to an orthopedic surgeon. A doctor told ABC News he is seeing 10 to 12 new Wii injuries per month and attributed the epidemic to “exuberant overuse.”

In other words, both kids and adults get hooked fast and play for several hours at a time. Gone are the days of exercise in the great outdoors. Since the virtual sports aren’t as strenuous as playing for real, you don’t feel the fatigue that signals it’s time for a break. The strain results from repetition. (As with any exertion, doctors recommend stretching before and after playing.)

A condition called Wii-itis first surfaced in a report by the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 when the Nintendo game was gaining popularity. This holiday season it sold out nationwide (reports of the Wii being bad for the environment have yet to score big points). Nintendo says it provides plenty of guidelines with the equipment to prevent injuries.

At a site called Wiiinjury.com, victims from unstrapped remote accidents share their sob stories: black eyes, bruised cheeks, shattered wine glasses. There was even a bogus class action lawsuit in 2006 in which the plaintiffs argued the remote straps were faulty and caused injuries. Nintendo says when used properly, the remotes stay affixed to the wrist and don’t go flying into faces. The company’s precautions also suggest how far to stand from your opponent and from the TV screen.

Apparently, Wii humans aren’t the only ones who can take a beating from ignoring guidelines. The most reported accidents involve smashed televisions.

By August, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all my cute sandals and fun flip flops as well as plenty of pretty toenail polish.Yet even with all the pedicures and buffing rituals I get those heels that most closely resemble rhinoceros skin.  

Dry, cracked heels are a common complaint as our feet are exposed in the summer.Not only does it happen to women who wear sandals and other open shoes, but men get it, too.  Buffing with sandstone helps slough off the dry and dead skin, but we still need to moisturize and heal the skin. 

Looking around at the options for our lovely feet that have taken us so far are plenty foot creams on the market, but none have been as successful for me as African Gator Balm.Just the name transports you to a hot desert vision, or perhaps one of your poor feet facing the hardships walking the Nile river all day, or fighting through the jungle climbing over rocks and limbs (sounds just like Fifth Avenue).

Save your feet, because African Gator Balm is made from all natural ingredients and the mix is just right.You’ve heard of shea butter, oils of avocado and almond as your best friends for keeping your skin smooth and healthy. The rich balm has this and more, including colloidal oatmeal, coconut, mango and caprylic and linoleic triglycerides, a whole host of vitamins and comfrey that smooth and heal.

Comfrey alone has been reported to promote healthy skin with its mucilage content that moisturizes and soothes while another compound in comfrey, allantoin, promotes skin cell growth.  No more scratchy, cracked heels that look like a leathery beast.

Image: Torsten Mangner