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TGIF! Have an awesome weekend everyone! I spent the morning visiting yard sales and toted home some very good finds. Since we are trying to green our birthdays and Christmas this year by doing second hand gifts I am off to a good start!

My finds this morning all for under $20:

20 children’s books, 5 NEW homeschool workbooks, a never used Chemistry set, a box of modeling clay, 3 unopened kites, two electronic ABCs toys, a Barbie on a Jet Ski, an unopened costume for Barbie dolls, and a rug for a girl’s bedroom. I am set for my son’s upcoming birthday now!

Okay links for today:

5 Good Reasons NOT to shop at Walmart - a great article. Although admittedly I do still shop at Wal-Mart on occasion. That is pretty much all we have in this town other than a Kohls.

A blog I am LOVING recently all about educating your toddlers called Tot School. This mom is amazing with all the activities she plans for her kids.

A new green blog has just gone live called 5 Minutes for Going Green. I am one of the writers there so be sure to check it out.

Over at Goddess of the Garden I wrote about Raw Food Weight Loss. If you want to find out how one gentleman lost nearly 200 pounds by going raw check that out.

One of my all time FAVE blogs, Crafting Daisies, has an awesome tutorial this morning for making your own story booklets.

Oh and did you see that The Environmental Working Group released their safe sunscreen report. I wrote about safe sunscreens awhile back and I picked 3 of the EWG’s top five!! Here they are again:

TruKid’s SunnyDays

California Baby SPF 30 + Sunblock Stick - No Fragrance

Badger Face & Body Sunblock SPF 30

Lastly, a mama at Diaperswappers is selling some awesome cloth diapering and breastfeeding advocate patches. The cloth diapering one would be perfect to sew on diapers, clothing, canvas bags, ect. Very cool!

Have an awesome weekend!!!

Since I get asked so much…what we eat in our house… click to enlarge.

Natural families like natural remedies and non-toxic ingredients. Typically their medicine chests look a lot different than one you find in a more mainstream home. I have yet to see a Natural First Aid Kit at my local grocer though so if you want to make your own…here are a few ideas. You will be prepared and you will be using only natural and safe products on your family.

What you need to make a natural first aid kit:

Aloe Vera Gel - It soothes and heals burned, bitten, or otherwise injured skin. Since carrying aloe vera plant clipping around might not be practical, this is the next best thing.

Neem Oil - Neem oil is touted for reducing pain, killing the bacteria that can cause infection, and aiding in healing with reduced scarring. Neem is also a great insect repellent.

Vinegar - A small squirt bottle of vinegar is helpful in cleaning wounds to prevent infection.

Honey - Applying pure honey directly to an open wound can be very beneficial. It acts as a natural antibiotic and it can keep the wound sterile by killing off bacteria. A small lip-gloss style conatiner of raw honey should do the trick.

Homemade Black Salve - This amazing slave absorbs toxins…great for bites and stings. Here are instructions for making basic black salve. Water and baking soda work well too.

Vitamin E Capsules  - Great for rubbing on burns, scrapes, and cuts.

Epsom salts and a bottle of water - Great for soaking wounds. An Epsom salt paste can be made to treat poison ivy/oak.

Ginger Chews or crystallized ginger  -  These help with nausea and motion sickness…morning sicknes too.

Bandages, Gauze, Scissors, Tape, Thermometer - To keep wounds clean and away from curious fingers.

Tweezers - for splinters and such.

These are just basics you may want to include. You can also include homeopathic remedies if so inclined. Some good ones to include would be aconite, apis mel, arnica, belladonna, chammomilla, nux vom, and sepia.

I read a really powerful and valuable book for parents this week called He’s Not Autistic, But… How We Pulled Our Son From the Mouth of the Abyss by Tenna Merchent, M.H.

I was initially drawn to this book because 1. The author’s son was on the autism spectrum like mine and 2. the author believes that vaccines caused or at the very least greatly exacerbated her son’s condition just like I believe was the case with my son. The author shares her journey to heal her son in non-conventional and alternative ways when industrialized medicine was not able to do a darn thing for him. And guess what…she found the healing she was looking for…the healing that conventional doctors say doesn’t exist. She did pull her son from the mouth of the abyss. The book touched me and made me cry. I wish every parent could read it and be forewarned. I made the decision to forever alter my own son’s life on the second day of his life when I allowed a Hep B vaccination shot and I sent him further into a darker hole with each subsequent vaccination until FINALLY one sent him over the edge and almost into a body bag. The realization that vaccines did this was of little comfort though as my son lay in a hospital bed hooked to a respirator. I can only hope that with books like these, that more parents will realize this is risky business.

It is also a good book for people who want to learn about what alternative medicine has to offer. The author not only healed her son but she was sick as well and she healed herself and has since become a Master Herbalist and is pursuing her N.D (Doctor of Naturopathy) degree. Interestingly she believes that her sickness…aluminum toxicity and a yeast overgrowth were passed on to her son in utero and this what what set him up for all the problems he had…allergies, autism spectrum, Candida, speech delay, sensory issues, etc. I say HAD because her son is now CURED.

In the beginning of this book Merchent gives us a long list of the behaviors her son exhibited that clearly showed he was at risk for autism. Then she goes on to describe issues facing most autistic children that must be addressed, allergens and yeast. Many kids on the autism spectrum are allergic to milk, corn, soy, eggs, and wheat. They also have yeast build-ups in their bodies. Surprisingly though Merchent mentions that aluminum in our bodies is usually the cause for the yeast imbalance. Aluminum kills off the good bacteria and then sets us up for an imbalance. Aluminum just happens to be found in tons of prescription medications for children and adults. It can also be found in many food products and of course, cans of soda…which Merchent drank religiously. Merchent points out that we will not be able to get yeast under control unless we get rid of the aluminum first and she explores this in depth in subsequent chapters. Merchent basically believes that she had an aluminum problem, in large part due to a diet soda habit..she passed that on to her son who received aluminum from other sources including vaccines, and meds given to him to fix his illnesses contained aluminum and so and so on. Very interesting stuff.

This is only the tip of the iceberg though…seriously you have to get his book, especially if you plan on having more kids…or even if your not. I will not be having anymore but I still went to town on this book with a highlighter and notes in the margins. It has some seriously important health info.

For instance, Merchent shares the three things that can really set your child up for autism that happen before they are even born or at birth and two of them are interventions. She also shares her experiences with painful nursing despite the fact that she was doing everything right…the cause was yeast overgrowth and she describes the symptoms of yeast overgrowth you may not even know you have…she had it for years and never knew. She also talks about sensory integration issues that her son had and seem to quite common nowadays.

The vaccines chapter I read all the while nodding my head in agreement. Vaccines are connected to SIDS, seizures, learning disabilities, and autism. My son was injured by a vaccine and 3 of those 4 things affected him in some way although only one affected him severely. She made a sobering statement at the end of this chapter that I identified with:

I am one of the lucky mothers; my son recovered from the damage caused by shots.

I hear you Tenna. I am one of the lucky ones too. When I think of what could have been…well I don’t like to think about it.

Her chapter on allergies really got my wheels turning. Her son would walk on his tippy toes and bang his head against things if he had chocolate. My youngest son doesn’t have bang his head but he does walk on his tippy toes quite a bit and it has always bothered me because typically it is a sign of autism. He is also almost 28 months old and doesn’t speak. I need to read the book she referred to as the allergy Bible, Is this Your Child? by Doris Rapp, M.D. I wonder if my youngest could be allergic to something that is delaying his speech and causing the tippy toe walking. I just ordered the book they are only a couple bucks used, at Amazon.

Merchent walks us through the first year and a half of her son’s life and her experiences with his doctors. After reading about it I want to track them and slap them silly. This kid had TONS of problems and all they cared about was giving him vaccines. They also acknowledged after much time that he did have allergies to several foods but advised his mom to feed him those foods anyway so he would gain weight. I was furious just reading about what she went through.

As I said though I have only scratched the surface. There is some great information about allergies and aluminum that EVERY person should read….especially if you get sick often, have Candida or suspect that you might, have allergies, or if you drink soda from a can. I put this book down and immediately started looking for a Master Herbalist to visit in my area.

I highly recommend this awesome book: He’s Not Autistic, But… How We Pulled Our Son From the Mouth of the Abyss by Tenna Merchent, M.H.

Over the years we have had drilled into our consciousness that too much sun exposure is bad for our health and the way to avoid damaging our skin is to lather ourselves in sunscreen. A study by The American Cancer Society has stated that 80% of our total lifetime sun exposure occurs within the first 18 years of life so children in particular are at risk. Children are probably the most likely to be to be smothered in sunscreens by well meaning parents too. But is the sunscreen helpful or harmful?

Protection from the sun is important but the chemicals we put on our skin can be harmful, especially to our children and typical sunscreens have LOTS of chemicals.

Over the years the skin care industry has had to increase the level of chemical compounds in sunscreen in order to raise the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) level. Researchers from the University of Southern California have, however, recently found that sunscreen can actually cause more harm than good once it is soaked into the skin.

Upon absorption into the skin, sunscreen can actually form the very dangerous compounds it was meant to block. Researchers found that some commonly used ultraviolet (UV) filters actually soak into the skin’s layers and from there can generate harmful components called reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are substances that can cause skin cancer.

Other research has shown that the greatest increases in the cancer melanoma has been experienced in countries where chemical sunscreens are promoted and used widely. Mike Adams of Naturalnews.com often claims that sunscreen is a scam and that we have zero need for it.

In addition to the cancer risk is the effect of sunscreen on children’s development. Many sunscreen chemicals also have estrogen-like effects. Estrogen is a hormone that affects many aspects of the female body development and functions. Too much exposure to toxic estrogenic chemical sunscreens can increase cancers and cause birth defects in children.

Researchers have found estrogenic sunscreens in the breast milk of mothers at about the same levels as other known environmental contaminants such as PCBs. They further believe that exposure could be significantly increased in childhood by the large amount of sunscreen used by bathers, especially children. Children’s organs are more sensitive to estrogen exposure and can develop abnormalities at their early stages (including embryo, fetus and toddler stages) if exposed.

Limiting exposure to sun and seeking out more healthy skin products that do not contain dangerous ingredients (chemical free choices are available) are possible solutions for you to consider for your children. And we can’t forget hat sun exposure is a GOOD thing. We need sunlight exposure for good health so I will rarely apply sunblock to my own kids unless we are going to be in the sun for a prolonged length of time. Otherwise I just let them get some sun and/or use protective clothing to diminish risk. So for a few hours at the zoo…not likely to use it but I will have hats and sunglasses for them and we will be mindful to seek out some shade when we need it. But for an all day trip to the beach…yes I will bring some safe sunscreen.

So what exactly do you need to avoid when choosing a sunscreen? Here are some nasty ingredients you will want to stay away from if you can:

PABA: This is not widely used anymore, but just in case. Many people are very sensitive to this ingredient and can end up with red, itchy skin.

Benzophenone (benzophenone-3), homosalate, and octy-methoxycinnamate (octinoxate): These chemicals are bad news because they have shown estrogenic activity in lab tests. Oxybenzone is aderivative of benzophenone and it is linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage. According to the CDC 97% of Americans are contaminated with this widely-used sunscreen ingredient.

Parabens (butyl-, ethyl-, methyl-, and propyl-): Parabens are common in sunscreens so avoiding them may prove difficult. They are preservatives that have estrogenic qualities. They have produced abnormal hormonal effects following on laboratory rodents, particularly male, resulting in decreased testosterone levels and other abnormalities. They have also been found to accumulate in the breast tissue of women with breast cancer.

Padimate-O and Parsol 1789 (Avobenzone): While on the surface of the skin these chemicals appear to prevent UV damage but when absorbed into the skin they can actually damage DNA. There is evidence that the sun’s light may cause these chemicals to become reactive and cause free-radical damage when they’re absorbed. I find it alarming that pediatricians often recommend these very ingredients.

In general if you want to know which sunscreens are usually loaded with the bad stuff….oh just the easy to find ones like Coppertone, Banana Boat, Avon, Nivea, Neutrogena, The Body Shop, etc. Also even some of the ones that appear to be more natural like Kiss My Face or Aveeno have some pretty nasty sunscreens.

In general, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are good choices as they scatter or reflect the sun’s rays rather than absorbing them. And since traditional formulations are not absorbed into the skin (thus the white streaks on the skin), there is less risk of the substance building up in your body. Formulations with nano particles may be absorbed into the skin, although since these are natural minerals there is debate about this being an issue but I will point out the ones I know have them.

Here is a list of some of the safer sunscreens I have found:

TruKid’s SunnyDays sunscreen - Safe and affordable.

California Baby SPF 30 + Sunblock Stick - No Fragrance - My top pick for kids! This is a non chemical sunscreen. It uses non-penetrating titanium dioxide (no nano particles) to protect against the sun. It is also made with organic & sustainably grown ingredients.

California Baby SPF 30 - This is specially for children to be safe and it a favorite among many natural parents. I have used this on my own kids and I really like it. I usually opt for the fragrance free versions.

California Baby SPF 30 + Bug Repellent - This is a good sunblock/bug repellent combo that is DEET free.

Badger Face & Body Sunblock SPF 30 - There was huge run on this sunscreen not long ago and you could hardly get it. It is known to be one of the safest sunscreens out there.

Miessence Organics Reflect Outdoor Balm SPF 15 - I have some if this and I like it…very clean smelling and not sticky. It is also made by a great company with organic ingredients. It has added antioxidants and beta carotene to help nourish skin and protect it.

Lavera Baby and Children Sun Screen Lotion, SPF 30 - Contains organic peach seed, apricot seed oil and calendula and protects against UV A, B and C rays with waterproof protection.

Jason Natural - Sunbrellas Chemical Free Sun Block SPF30+ - Chemical, Fragrance and Paraben Free Complete UVA & UVB Protection Ideal for Sensitive Skin.

Dermalogica Ultra Sensitive Faceblock SPF 25 - Another chemical free sunblock using non-penetrating titanium dioxide. This has a hint of color…most likely to hide the streaky whiteness of the natural titanium dioxide.

Sunscreen SPF 30 by Soleo Organics - Made with Zinc Oxide, it provides 3 hours of water resistant protection without the use of chemical UV-absorbers or synthetic preservatives. This sunscreen is made with nano particles.

Also don’t forget your protective gear…so you won’t need sunscreen as much:

Legionnaire Hats - These hats for kids have flaps on either side that protect the face, head, and neck areas from getting burned. They are also made with UV protective fabric.

Sunday Afternoon’s Kid’s Play Hat UPF 45 - Made of lightweight water-resistant supplex fabric, blocks UVA and UVB rays, rated 45 UPF. Full veil covers back of neck, mesh panels for ventilation, down-sloped flexible brim shades face.

Baby Banz Sunglasses - 100% UV/UVA & UVB ray protection. You can also get a sunglasses/hat combo.

Also Frubi Shades. I have used both of these brands with my own kids and I like them.

The blogosphere and the TV air waves have been abuzz with information on BPA or Bisphenol-A, in the last few days and weeks. There are some exciting new developments to mention and I wanted to give some quick updates on BPA free products I have not highlighted before.

For quick reference you can visit these other posts I have done on Bisphenol-A and BPA free products:

BPA Free Sippy Cups | BPA Sippy Sups Part Two | Glass Baby Bottles | BPA Free Baby Bottles | BPA Free Teethers & Pacifiers | BPA Free Sups, Plates, Bowls, and Utensils

So what is the latest news?

Canada is banning baby bottles tainted with BPA! Read this article for more information. Go Canada!

The federal government announced Friday it intends to ban the import and sale of polycarbonate baby bottles containing bisphenol A, making Canada the first country in the world to limit exposure to the controversial chemical.

In response to Canada’s bold move Wal-Mart has announced that they will remove all BPA baby bottles from shelves in US stores by 2009.

These are is a good developments but lest we forget that baby bottles are NOT the only product affected by BPA…what about toys, pacifiers, cups, plates, formula can liners, etc??? We need to do better here.

Until BPA is completely banned we need to be vigilant about what products we buy and what companies we support. So here is a listing of some BPA free products that I have not previously mentioned:

BPA Free Lunchboxes

Laptop Lunchboxes - I have mentioned this lunchbox system many times but never in reference to being being BPA free so there is yet another reason to buy this awesome lunchbox! Read my review of it here.

BPA Free Baby Bottles and Breast Milk Storage Supplies

Adiri Natural Nurser - These baby bottles are not only some of the looking bottles I have ever seen they are BPA free and safe for baby. The bottle is shaped mike a mother’s breast and they are gorgeous and sleek looking. The company is run by three mothers in California and I think that is awesome.

Sassy Baby’s Mam Bottles

Mother’s Milkmate- This company make safe storage bottles for breast milk that work with most breast pumps.

BPA Free Teethers

Waldorf Maple Teether - Non-Toxic Maple Wood Teether that is easy to grasp for little fingers. Soothing for tender gums and handmade in the USA from Natural Materials.

BPA Free Toothbrushes

Teach Me Toothbrush from Sassy

And for in-store purchases. All Oral B kids toothbrushes are BPA free.

BPA Free Feeding Gear for Older Kids - Cups, Sippys, Plates, Bowls, and Utensils

ORE Orginals Melamine Dish Sets - Too cute!

Trendykid Products by Ezee Reach - This company has a few interesting BPA free products including a jar holder and bendy spoon. The jar holder holds baby food in place while you feed baby. They also have a stay-put cutlery and bowl set and a Steady Cup which prevents tipping.

So Easy baby Food Freezer Trays - Freeze baby food safely.

Cupsicles by Munchkin also the Big Kid Sippy Cups by Munchkin.

KidCo Baby Steps Food Mill - This food mill, along with their electric one, grind food in into baby a appropriate puree so you can feed them table food and they don’t use polycarbonate plastics. They also have a feeding trayand an a kit you can buy that includes the mill and ice cube/baby food freezing trays.

Foogo Fod Storage Jars - BPA free and one of my favorite brand. I LOVE their safe sippy cup.

BPA Free Klean Kanteen Kolors - This super stylish cup is now in color!

Technorati Tags: BPA, Biphenol A, safe baby, sippy cups, baby bottles, plates, bowls

One of my readers, Tessa, recently left a wonderful comment asking me to share some ideas for parents who are just starting to analyze their children’s eating habits and try to change them. Specifically she said she would like to see ”recipes for kids who are used to eating pizza and hot dogs”. This is a hugely important topic because there are so many parents out there that allow their children to be nourished by a diet of pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and French fries. I think they have some idea of how BAD this kind of food is but they probably don’t know just HOW bad these foods can be. Convenience may also be playing a big factor in how they feed their kids.

But to me this is a very serious issue. When I was 18, I started working in a movie theatre while I was in college. For years I ate buttery popcorn and soda as meals…it was accessible and it was free. Then when I had my first baby and I started working in marketing and advertising I let my 60+ hours a week work schedule dictate our diet. Let’s just say my oldest child had a lot of Happy Meals. This went on for about 2-3 years and started to change for the better when I got pregnant a second time and quit working. As my life made a huge shift towards natural family living and my days were spent at home, our diet improved greatly. But it was already too late…I would be diagnosed with colon cancer not too much later and it was stage 3 so I had it for awhile and didn’t know it. I think I had everyone in my family shaking the naughty finger at me. We pretty much all knew why I got cancer. Needless to say I look at food a lot differently now and I LOVE to research as much as I can on the subject. Amazingly I found that 40% of all cancers are attributed to diet. Yikes!

Also, I wanted to mention that my son (who was injured by a vaccine) developed epilepsy by the time he was 3. The part of his brain that caused the seizures was actually damaged so Doctors held out little hope that he would ever be seizure free. He went on prescription medications as suggested by his neurologist but I also decided to see if I could control his epilepsy or even get rid of it by changing his diet. Within a few months of following a diet like the one I describe below, I took him off his meds and he has not had a single seizure. His Doctors are still scratching their heads over that one.

Here are some scary health facts about the healthy diet/kids connection:

* Autopsies done on children as young as 2 years old are showing signs of fatty cholesterol buildup in the arteries.

* Over 100 studies have been done that validate the theory that food dyes and additives are a factor in ADHD and ADD.

* It is estimated that 10% of 2- to 5-year-olds and more than 15% of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. 25% of those are obese.

* 14% of children now have type 2 diabetes, a condition that used to be pretty much specific to adults.

So what can you do? I don’t want to lay down a list of hard and fast rules here because well… different strokes for different folks but…in general the things most important to me when I feed my own kids are these:

* Organic foods - It is important that my family eats food with no pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, or chemicals in it. All of these things can accumulate in the body and cause health problems. For me it is issue of clean or dirty almost. Organic is “clean” food and I that is what I want to eat and what I want my kids to eat. I wrote an article last year about how to eat organic affordably. 

* No food coloring - Synthetic color has no nutritional value whatsoever. Beyond that, the food colors approved for use today are in a class of chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are universally suspect as carcinogenic (cancer causing). But according to the FDA it only causes cancer when it is injected into rats, not when they are feeding on it. Therefore, they conclude that it perfectly safe for humans to eat. Food coloring is also predominantly in super sugary foods that kids don’t need anyway. My oldest child can be VERY hyperactive after he eats something with food coloring in it.

* Unprocessed whole foods with no preservatives or additives - Many processed foods have chemical preservatives and additives in them. Some of them have been linked to cancer too. For instance, hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats are packaged with a preservative called sodium nitrite. In the 1970s it was discovered that sodium nitrite was not safe and it was linked to cancer. The government tried to ban it but food company lobbyists played hardball and in the end they got their way. These type of products are a no-no in my home unless they are preservative and additive free. Dedication to whole foods would also eliminate things like white breads and flours because they have been refined and left nutritionally lacking.

* No refined sugars  - Refined sugars can really be bad news for my kids where behavior is concerned. This is especially true for my daughter. Give her a bit of sugar and she will be unbearable all day long with bad mood swings, crying, tantrums, and irritability. Refined sugars will send my oldest into hyperactivity and aggression.

Ingredients to avoid are: Sugar · Brown sugar · High Fructose Corn Syrup (or HFCS) · Glucose · Fructose · Corn sweetener (HFCS) · Corn syrup · Dextrose · Fruit juice concentrate · Invert sugar · Lactose · Maltose · Malt syrup · Sucrose · Syrup

To sweeten things in my home we opt for raw honey, stevia, raw agave nectar, raw sugar cane, coconut milk (on rare occasions), natural maple syrup, raw yacon syrup, and fruit… like figs.

* An abundance of raw (uncooked) foods - Raw foods are living foods with their life giving enzymes still in tact. Heating and cooking foods kills those enzymes and renders them useless so eating raw food is important. Cooking also kills off a large portion of the vitamins and nutrients, approximately half of the protein content, and it causes fats to become rancid.  I like to make sure my kids have lots of raw fruits, nuts, and veggies in their diet. Check out my previous post on the benefits of raw food and my recipe for raw peach cobbler.

* Raw (unpasteurized) milk and cheeses - They might be hard to get in your area but the benefits are wonderful. In fact raw milk is the only milk I can drink. Check out the Real Milk site for all you could ever want to know about raw milk and where to find it in your area. I also prefer raw, organic because I don’t like pesticides and growth hormones like rBST in our milk.

* Limited meat (except fish)- I like to limit meat for a variety of reasons…one is environmental impact. Meat eating is a big time contributor to pollution. Organic meat can be expensive and is therefore less likely to be the heavy on my grocery bill. Also, since I like to emphasize raw foods as much as I can this usually leaves meat out. I won’t prepare raw/very rare meat dishes in the home but when we go out we will enjoy a good steak tartare and we LOVE sashimi and sushi. Usually once or twice a month the whole family will head out to our favorite Japanese market for fresh sashimi and we usually have one or two cooked fish meals a week.

* Superfoods -These are the foods that are considered to be nutritional powerhouses. They are generally rich in antioxidants, nutrient dense, and they help the body fight degenerative conditions and diseases like cancer. We like blueberries, Goji berries, seaweed, Spirulina, and cacao beans among others. Just throw some seaweed, green powders, or Spirulina in a fruit smoothie and everyone is getting a big boost of healthy nutrients.

Of course these are my choices for health. I have other sticking points that are more ethical in nature such as eating local when we can, growing our own food, and I guess organic falls in under the ethics category too. It is a heck of a lot to consider for a someone who is just beginning to question the standard American diet but baby steps are okay. My outlook on food as outlined above was not an overnight thing. Try picking one thing above, do some research on your own and see how you can make some changes. When you have that aspect under control switch gears and start again. This is one area where you may never stop learning…I know I haven’t. The end goal is worth it though…the health of our children. You are what you eat.

Be sure to check out the recipes section of this blog…and these related articles:

Healthy School Lunches  | Healthy Snack Ideas  | Easy Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables  | Natural Family Recipes

I was SUPER excited to get this book. I have been a big fan of the Healthy Child Healthy World organization for many years so when they published a book I knew it would be good. The title is Healthy Child, Healthy World and it is written by Christopher Gavigan, the CEO of the organization with the same name. The forward is written by Meryl Streep and it has contributions from Gwtneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields, Tom Hanks, Tobey Maguire, Kate Hudson, and Erin Brockovich…just to name a few.

Basically it addresses all of the environmental toxins that our children are exposed to, why we need to be concerned, and where they may be lurking. Just as we attempt to child proof our home and cover electric sockets we also need to be concerned with less tangible things….things we can’t see but that still prove to be a serious risk to our children. No parent wants to even imagine that they are allowing their child to come to harm but unknowingly that is what many parents may be allowing to happen and that is why this book was written, to help parents create a cleaner, greener, and safer home. This is a book that EVERY single parent needs to read…before they read the What to Expect Books or even Dr. Sears books. More parents NEED to know about the dangers their children are being exposed to every day. Parents concerned about the issues covered in this book are not alarmists or extremists…the danger is there and it is real. This book is my new #1 baby shower gift.

It just covers so much good information I am in awe…like a collection of the “best of the best” that parents need to know. It has also many cut out cheat sheets for green cleaners, fruits and veggies best eaten organic, and a list detailing each plastic and which ones are the most toxic.

The first chapter discusses raising a healthy baby while pregnant and all the potential dangers that are present before a child even enters the world. It covers a lot of things that pregnant moms need to consider from synthetic fragrances to nail polish and all the ways you can ensure a healthier pregnancy.

Chapter 2 discusses household cleaners and why they are so dangerous. After highlighting what specific ingredients do the most harm and why it goes on to explain that green cleaners are the way to go…buying more natural ones or making your own. It has several recipes for homemade cleaners too.

Chapter 3 is one of my favorites. It discusses food and all the nasty preservatives, additives, and chemicals in our food and all the reasons why organic and whole foods are better. It shows how much of the stuff at the grocery store is not real food…you know…like that techni-color blue, cotton candy flavored yogurt for kids. It really covered all the basics…nitrites, food coloring, RBGH, pesticides, high fructose corn syrup, etc. In this section Gwyneth Paltrow shares some of her childhood experiences and provides few recipes her kids love. This summer I will be trying her daughter Apple’s favorite Organic Roast Veggie Sticks with fresh carrots and parsnips from the garden. Mmmm…

It also good info on what to cook your food in and what not to (Teflon) and what the safest food storage options are. In this chapter you also get educated about BPA in plastic baby bottles. This is the first book I have read that had this important info in it.

Chapter 4 was another good one. It addresses beauty products….toothpaste, deodorant, perfumes, lotions, shampoos…all the chemical laden stuff we use to beautify ourselves. It had two essays I loved from Kate Hudson and Vanessa Williams. It is hard to imagine Vanessa Williams reading the Environmental Working Group reports and Kate Hudson making her own homeopathic remedies just like I do.

Chapter 5 takes on the topic of toxic toys and children’s gear that is on the market with nasty chemicals. It mentions all the toys with PVC, pacifiers with BPA, cloth diapers with chemicals, toxic crib mattresses, and our petroleum based crayons. It was a nice refresher but the part I most enjoyed was reading about Noah Wyle and his natural parenting style and background. What can I say…I do kind of like celebrity gossip…and I really enjoy reading about celebrities that have a natural, granola, attached style of parenting.

Chapters 6 & 7 are green gardening and yard maintenance and clean water. Chapter 8 is about green and healthy pet care…something I haven’t really delved into before.

Chapter 9 is all about a safe home from the mattresses to the carpet and then the last chapter talks about where to start your home makeover with all the information you just read. It has a cutout chart with 5 easy steps to a cleaner, greener, safer home. It also has a large resources section at the back of the book that I LOVED. I sat for a long time and looked up all the online stores and resources it mentioned  for everything from clothes to a backyard playset. I was also stoked to see some blogs I read mentioned in it.

This book covered all the major issues that any green/healthy child book should cover and that is no easy task. Of course it doesn’t go into all the topics very deeply but it gives a brief overview of each danger zone so that parents can do their own supplimental research and conclude to do something about each. I highly recommend this book for all parents.

Buy Healthy Child Healthy World

ADHD stands for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder. This neurobehavioral developmental disorder (ADHD) affects about 3-5% of the world’s population under the age of 19.  It becomes evident during early childhood.  Children with ADHD are usually inattentive and/or hyperactive.  They sometimes have difficulty remembering things and can have poor control over their impulses.

Of course there is a segment of people that feel ADD/ADHD is a myth and label given to overly active but otherwise normal children. There are many doctors and parents who feel that ADD and ADHD behaviors could be caused by environmental factors (vaccines, pesticide and chemical exposure) poor nutrition (insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals, food coloring) or even allergies (intolerance to dairy or wheat for example). Social, emotional, and educational influences could also play a part. If the causes of ADHD and ADD are environmental or social then using drugs to “treat” them would be merely masking the symptoms and not getting to the root of the problem.

Much has been written about the unhealthy side affects associated with the use of one of the more popular medicine’s prescribed for ADHD children – Ritalin (methylphenidate) or Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine).  Not all children react well to these medications. Some react in some pretty terrible ways though. I have a relative that was on Ritalin and it caused huge bursts of anger and physical violence. My own son was on an anti-seizure medication for a couple years that is also used by some Doctors as a medication for ADD. Side effects for my son were drastic weight loss, gray coloring, and he used to scratch his arms until they were a mass of bloody scabs.  

The nasty side effects as well as the possibility that the drugs mask the problem and do not treat it have left MANY parents scrambling for natural alternatives. There are some natural medications that can be suggested. Of course any changes to your child’s treatment (if he or she is being treated for ADD or ADHD) should be discussed with your health professional first. 

St. John’sWort (Klamath weed) is said to have properties that can help with the symptoms of ADHD.  It was first used in ancient Greece to treat many ailments, including poisonous reptile bites.  The active ingredient in St. John’sWort is hypericin and dianathrones and flavonoids.  Research shows that St. John’s Wart acts as an anti-depressant in the body. 

Fresh Lemon Balm or Melissa officinals is an aromatic herb with a lemony taste.  In traditional medicine it was considered a cure-all for various conditions including nervous problems.  This natural remedy has had a long history with families affected by ADHD. It is felt to have a particularly positive effect on hyperactive children.

Melotone Syrup is a natural substance promoted mostly throughout the internet as a “natural alternative to Ritalin.”  It is essentially a liquid nutritional supplement that has Omega-3s (which are the good fats) the form of salmon oil and evening primrose oil.  It also includes several vitamins and minerals that have been found to be low in ADHD children (magnesium, B6 and others).

Super Blue Green Algae is what is a considered a super food.  It is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the earth and apparently there is nothing else like it.  There have been two studies done using algae to research its effects on children who struggle with learning, social and behavioral problems.  The Center for Family Wellness Study examined whether or not the addition of Algae to children’s diet would help alleviate these behavioral challenges.  Based on their reports, it was concluded that eating Algae appeared to have had a notable positive outcome in those areas where parents were concerned about behavioral extremes or challenges.

The other study, the Sierra Vista Study showed early indications that Algae eaters demonstrated significant improvement in their behaviors. Slip some Super Blue Green Algae inside a smoothie and you have a superfood smoothie sure to help give your kids a brain power boost.

Ultimately alternative options for treatment can focus on making simple changes in diet, sleep, exercise and routine.  The Feingold Diet is praised by many parents of children with the an ADD/ADHD diagnosis. It eliminates certain foods that hyperactive children might be sensitive too and in general it is a diet without preservatives, additives, or food coloring. I am a big believer in the Feingold Diet as all three of my kids are at their best when on a diet like this one. Giving kids junk food and other nutritionally void foods and then expecting good behavior is unrealistic. The brain needs REAL food to function properly so parents of hyperactive children need to make sure they aren’t “stacking the deck” against their child with an unsatisfactory diet. In fact, I can’t fathom why ANY parent would medicate before diet is fully evaluated and adjusted first.

The materials for the Feingold Diet are pretty pricey but they are well worth it. If you can’t swing it though there is an awesome Feingold Diet cookbook that you can buy. Ben Feingold also wrote a book called Why Your Child is Hyperactive.

The book The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood by Dr. Sears has some great recipes and nutrition ideas too for foods that feed the brain and help kids perform their best. Read my review here.

Don’t underestimate the value of good old fashioned exercise too. Hyperactivity could be a manifestation of boredom and restlessness. Kids need activity and exercise.

Supplements may help too. Fish and flax seed oils are rich in Omega-3s. Greens powders can be slipped inside fruit smoothies to help kids get more nutrition from those all important leafy green veggies. I am also a fan of the whole food multis called purple pops and green pops. The purple pops are loaded with berries and other fruits, metabolic boosters, digestive enzymes, and probiotics and the greens are loaded with vegetables and food herbs, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, and probiotics.

Do you have any tips or ideas that you can share about treating ADD and ADHD naturally?

Natural and homeopathic remedies try to address the unbalance in the body without the side effects of sedation.  The goal of these remedies is to improve the balance and health of the whole child – mind and body.  

Books worth reading:

The Myth of the ADD Child

The Out of Sync Child

Screamfree Parenting

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