The Parents Zone

Once again, the Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on products touted mainly on the Web as a cure for everything from autism to plaque buildup in the arteries.

The agency issued eight warning letters today to companies marketing chelation products without a prescription, and is telling patients not to use them.

“FDA is concerned that patients will delay seeking proven, sometimes essential medical care, when relying on unproven OTC chelation products to treat serious conditions such as heart and blood vessel disease,” the FDA said in a statement today.

In chelation (pronounced kee-LAY-shun) therapy, a man-made amino acid is injected into a patient’s veins and binds with heavy metals.

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Most pregnant women have their picture taken from the side to show off their pregnant profile. While this is a great way to record your progress, it can get boring week after week. To spice it up a little bit, try switching up your perspective. Depending on your angle, your picture can have a completely different mood.

For funny maternity portraits, try taking pictures from an angle that make your belly look oversize. For example, have someone take your picture from the bottom side of your belly with your face peeking over the top. Try looking scared or surprised, as though your belly is “taking over.” From the opposite angle, you can show off how your feet are slowly disappearing.

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Part of an occasional series on social entrepreneurs

Parents of children with severe disabilities have many challenges and concerns. One big worry is who will care for their children after the parents are gone.

Al Etmanski is a veteran community activist, and after his daughter Liz was born with Down syndrome, he turned his attention to the needs of those with disabilities and their families.

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Those baby lettuces growing in the downtown community garden are lovely to look at but are they safe to eat?

Research by geochemist Gabriel Filippelli at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis has found that soil in abandoned urban lots claimed by gardeners in industrial cities like Baltimore, Brooklyn, Detroit and Indianapolis is sometimes contaminated with lead.

Indianapolis has about 80 urban gardens managed by community members, not including personal backyard gardens, Filippelli says.

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