Despite lack of evidence, some try homeopathy to prevent flu

After her son Devin was born last October, Grainne Ostrowski was determined to do whatever she could to protect him from the flu. When he was a few weeks old, Ostrowski, 32, let him suck on the same pellets she had taken during her pregnancy: an over-the-counter drug called Influenzinum, made from extremely diluted flu vaccine and long marketed as an alternative to the conventional flu shot.

While bettering your body, you can better the world

Adrienne Spahr smelled something funny every time she worked out at Vida Fitness, a swanky health club in Washington, D.C. But the founder of Green Living Consulting wasn't laughing. She knew that the offending odor came from noxious chemicals in the cleaning products. "And that was not OK," she says.

Healthy Switch

A simple change may do you good.

Instead of going for a salty fix with a snack of potato chips or pretzels, keep some edamame in your fridge. The plump, bright green soy beans can usually be found in the frozen vegetable section either shelled or still in their pods. Both types are already cooked and just need to be thawed before eating.

Check It Out: Valley health happenings

HOSPITAL VISITS

To combat flu, area hospitals have made changes in their visitation policies.

At Northampton's Cooley Dickinson Hospital, the following guidelines are in effect:

 · No children under the age of 18 will be allowed to visit patients

 · No one who is sick should visit a patient

Swine flu clinic set for kids in Amherst

AMHERST - A limited supply of flu shots for the H1N1 virus will be dispensed at a flu clinic Wednesday at the Amherst Regional Middle School.

The clinic, at which about 2,000 doses of swine flu vaccine will be available, will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Coakley: No to House bill

BOSTON - Martha Coakley and the three other Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate traded barbs Monday after Coakley said she would have voted against a major health care reform bill because it contained an anti-abortion amendment.

Abortion dispute may derail health reform

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - America's 40-year argument over abortion has moved to the center of its 100-year debate over health care reform.

The House health care reform package, which passed 220-215 on Saturday, includes tough regulations on insurance coverage for abortions - restrictions added at the last minute to attract enough votes for the measure.