• Melamine in Formula: Update Shows No Health Concerns
      • Flu Shots: There is Still Time! Why Do Pregnant Women Need Them?
      • Vitamin D: Are You Getting Enough?
      • Healthy Holidays: Tips for Maintaining Your Weight
      • 3D/4D Ultrasounds: A Gift That Lasts a Lifetime
      • Office Announcements

Melamine in Infant Formula: Update Shows No Health Concerns

The Associated Press has corrected its list of U.S.-made infant formulas contaminated with traces of melamine, blaming the mix-up on erroneous information from the FDA.

Last week, the Associated Press said the FDA had found small amounts of melamine in Enfamil LIPIL with Iron (Mead Johnson), as well as traces of melamine's byproduct, cyanuric acid, in Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron (Nestle).

Actually, the findings were reversed: Enfamil had cyanuric acid, and Good Start had melamine. A third maker, Abbott Laboratories, said its own tests have also found traces of melamine.

Flu Shots: There is Still Time!
Why Do Pregnant Women Need Them?

The flu vaccine is typically offered between September and mid-November, before flu season begins. But getting a flu shot later in the season can still protect you from the flu.

If you have not had your vaccine, we recommend you get it as soon as possible. It can take up to two weeks to build immunity following the injection. 

The Centers for Disease Control recommend flu shots for:  

• people 6 months to 19 years of age
• pregnant women (pregnant women are more susceptible to the flu complication of Pneumonia if they contract the flu)
• people 50 or older
• people with a chronic medical condition such as asthma, diabetes or heart, kidney or lung disease
• people with weakened immune systems
• those who reside in a long term care facility
• childcare or health care workers

To schedule an appointment for a flu shot at any of our three locations, call 973-736-1100.

Vitamin D: Are You Getting Enough?

It’s long been known that Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and prevent osteoporosis, something of particular importance to women. But new research suggests that Vitamin D may also help protect against Seasonal Affective Disorder, or the “Winter Blues,” as well as chronic diseases such as Cancer, Type 1 Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Diseases.

Vitamin D levels tend to drop in the winter months, so it is vital to supplement during this time. Dietary sources of Vitamin D include:

• Fortified milk, yogurt, margarines, cereals
• Fatty fish such as sardines, salmon and tuna
• Egg yolks 

Most American adults rely on sun exposure for Vitamin D, yet too much unprotected sun exposure poses risks for skin cancer. The Vitamin D you get from the sun varies by season, time of day, geography, skin color and your age. As a result, American adults often have Vitamin D deficiency.

Infants are also at risk, especially if they are exclusively breast fed. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends supplementing the diets of infants with 400 IUs of Vitamin D daily.

Healthy Holidays: Tips for Maintaining Your Weight 

Trying to avoid gaining weight during the holidays? Try these tips: 

• Slow down when you eat. Research shows that it takes 20 minutes for the brain’s satiety center to register you are full.  If you prolong the time it takes to consume your food over 20 minutes, you will eat less.  Put your fork down and chew between bites. Have that long conversation with your spouse over dinner, further slowing the pace at which you eat.
• Give more thought to your food choices. If you’re going to a dinner party, eat a light breakfast and lunch that day and have a healthy snack before the party.
• Water. Water. Water. People rarely drink the recommended 64 ounces of water daily, and thirst is often misinterpreted as hunger in our brains. Next time you think you are hungry, try some water. The distension of the stomach often quiets the hunger and thirst centers in the brain.
• Add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein to your meals. They digest slowly and hold off hunger. 
• Avoid unconscious nibbling, and keep your serving sizes small.
• Increase your exercise level by about 30 minutes a day, in addition to your activities of daily living.  

It’s also important to reduce the fat in your recipes: 

• Use skim rather than whole milk.
• Eat broth-based soups. They take longer to eat and are lower in calories.
• Replace half the oil in baked goods with applesauce.

  Use healthy cooking techniques:

• Trim all visible fat from meat and remove the skin from poultry before cooking or eating.
• Bake, broil or grill meat and poultry instead of frying it.
• Grill or steam vegetables rather than cooking them in cheese or cream sauces.
• Use spices, herbs and lemons to add flavor without adding calories.

Finally, the holidays are not the time to try to lose weight. Try to focus on weight maintenance and avoid gaining excess pounds.

3D/4D Ultrasounds: A Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

If you’re pregnant or have a friend or relative who is, The Rubino OB/GYN Group offers gift certificates for 3D/4D ultrasound packages for just $150. They make great stocking stuffers or shower gifts for expectant moms!

This remarkable technology lets  parents-to-be take a precious peek at their baby before birth and delivers clear images that last a lifetime. Ultrasound captures the baby’s image in utero, including movements and expressions – even an occasional smile.

The packages include:

• Images of the baby on CD or DVD
• Still photos of the baby

These images can be printed or e-mailed. For more information or to purchase a gift certificate, call 973-736-1100.

Office Anouncements

• We now offer full body bone density screening in the office.


• Need an internist? Call Susan Rubino, MD, at Primary Care Physicians Group (973-736-4430).


• Dr. Audrey Romero will return to the office on January 2 following a maternity leave. Call 973-736-1100 now to schedule an appointment.

Save Time With Our Online Appointments, Consultations and Personal Health Records

Robert J. Rubino, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. • Audrey A. Romero, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Elizabeth Lucarelli, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. • Lisa Abeshaus, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.

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