Daddy Clay: Hey there! Welcome back to another episode of 'The Lab'. I'm Daddy Clay and this show is brought to you by Baby Bjorn. We're here today on the grounds of the beautiful state capitol of Texas at the Texas Book Festival.
Shortly, we're going to be joined by the author, Dr. Cara Natterson, author of 'Dangerous or Safe?' Dr. Natterson is going to help show us understand those things that we need to be worried about as parents but even more, a lot of things that you don't.
So we're here with Cara Natterson. Cara, thank you so much for joining us here at the Texas Book Festival.
Dr. Cara Natterson: Thank you for having me.
Daddy Clay: So tell us, 'Dangerous or Safe?' I see this book and I'm almost scared to open it because it seems like this is a compendium of all the things that make parents nervous. Should I be scared to open this book?
Dr. Cara Natterson: Actually, you should open the book and recognize that almost everything in there, the answer is safe. Everything in moderation is okay for you. You know, the truth is that parents search the Internet for answers about what's going to harm their kids and so, here's a book where I just put it together for you and I say, here are the studies and this is why you can take it back. You don't have to worry about every detail. You're okay.
Daddy Clay: And you know this how? How do you have all this great information?
Dr. Cara Natterson: I am a general pediatrician and I've been in practice for many years. I have two young children, a four-year-old and a six-year-old.
Daddy Clay: Talk to me a little bit about the things that you find that people are most worried about and that their anxiety is not necessarily warranted.
Dr. Cara Natterson: Well, the book is divided into four categories. In the food category, parents are really worried about fish. They've heard a lot about don't eat fish, don't eat fish, don't eat fish. It's bad for you. It's bad for kids. It's bad for pregnant women.
Daddy Clay: My kids actually cite those things a lot when I tell them to eat fish.
Dr. Cara Natterson: Yes, and you should tell them to eat fish, actually, because we really need the omega-3 fatty acids from fish. They're important for brain development for children. They are important to prevent heart disease in adults. So we just need to learn how to eat fish safely. In the drink category, there is a lot of controversy over milk and the answer is milk does body good. That ad was actually correct back in the day. Basically, the drinks you want your child to have are milk and water. That's really it.
Daddy Clay: Is there anything in the book that describes something that we should be a little bit worried about?
Dr. Cara Natterson: I worry about cell phones. When you hold that antenna up to your head, the electromagnetic radiation from the phone is going right into your brain and my advice is to learn to use a cell safely. Use a wired earpiece. You can still use a cell phone; just hold the cell phone here, let the wire go to your ear. Then the antenna is away from your head. At home, use corded phones, good old-fashioned corded phones.
Daddy Clay: Overall, do you think parents are just a little bit too anxious? Are you seeing too much anxiety among parents these days?
Dr. Cara Natterson: They're not just a little too anxious; they're a lot too anxious and it's not fair. Let's relieve the burden from them. Let's focus on bigger things that are more important. So hopefully, this will help parents take a deep breath and recognize that they don't have to be afraid of everything in the world.
Daddy Clay: Thanks a lot for talking with us, Cara. This is a great book, 'Dangerous or Safe?' This is Dr. Cara Natterson. Please pick up her book. Read all about the things that you can relax about. Wouldn't that be great; a book that makes you worry less? Thanks a lot.
Dr. Cara Natterson: Thank you.
Daddy Clay: We'll see you next time on DadLabs.
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