ChewyMamas Unite

Im Back!

2009-09-21T06:50:00.003-06:00

Its been 5 months since Ive posted on this blog but as winter approaches and the flu gets passed around, I really want to do a series on "Staying Healthy This Winter".

So stay tuned.....coming soon!

High Fructose Corn Syrup

2009-04-25T08:51:00.002-06:00

Ive posted about how bad HFCS is before, but I found this great article by another blogger that I just had to share!

High Fructose Corn Syrup = Bad

It turns out that HFCS has MERCURY!!!!! eeek!!! I am shocked!!!! that is B-A-D. bad, bad, bad. Hmmmm, mercury has been linked to neurological damage and conditions like autism and its in tons and tons of typical American foods - soda, bread, ketchup, crackers, etc.

American food is poisoning our children.

Avoid HFCS at all costs.

Win an Ergo Carrier

2009-04-16T19:13:00.002-06:00

Check out this contest at Sage And Savvy for your chance to win an ERGObaby carrier! Carrying your baby is great so awesome - convenient, and great for your relationship! Great for dads too!

Stevia Deal is back

2009-04-16T12:59:00.003-06:00

This deal was gone the last few months and I was so bummed! But its baaaaaaack!

Get a twin pack of Sweetleaf Stevia (the only brand I use) on Amazon for only $19.95 with free shipping. AND if you subscribe to get it delivered every 1, 3, or 6 months, it drops to $25.95! You can always go back and cancel that subscription if you want to. Thats only $13 per 4oz bottle!!!! The 2oz bottle sells for that at all our local stores. Its like Buy One, Get One Free!

LINK

Organic Wear Mascara

2009-04-10T18:42:00.003-06:00

HERE is a rebate form for Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara. Its worth $9.95, which is the retail price so you get it for free!

From their site:

100% Free of Harsh Chemicals, Synthetic Preservatives, Parabens, Clumping,
Smudging, Flaking, Fibers & Dyes.

Its also 100% recyclable (thumbs up!)
Its at least better than regular mascara and its FREE!

Raw Milk

2009-04-10T11:03:00.001-06:00

You may have heard of people drinking raw milk and wondered why on earth someone would want to do that with all of our modern technology to make it "clean" and "healthy".

Here is an article on the health benefits of drinking milk raw i.e. the way God intended *Wink wink*)

We were able to get some frozen at one point but it isnt the same reconstituted :(. But Monday we will get our first fresh raw milk and I am SO excited. Its from a local dairyman who runs a certified raw dairy. This means that the government comes and regularly tests the milk. He also takes the milk to get tested himself, to be sure it is safe.

Basically milk right out of the cow is full of good healthy bacteria and the enzymes needed to digest it properly (because God is smart). When its pasteurized and homeogized (sp?) that kills any bad bacteria but also kills all the good bacteria, good enzymes, vitamins, etc. It basically makes a dead, hard-to-digest product, far from what God originally created it to be.

Interestingly, many people who are allergic/intolerant to store-bought milk, can drink raw milk.

A little tidbit from a fiesty writer who I enjoyed reading:

It's also rather amazing the amount of energy the state will spend tryingto put the clamps on people who have a couple of cows or a small herd of dairygoats. It's legal to drink milk from your own cow, so farmers began to sellshares of a cow to people who could then pick up "their" milk from "their"cow. But the state swooped in and put a stop to it,

If the government put this kind of effort into mass-produced peanuts, five people might still be alive.source: Swallow peanuts, but choke on raw milk

Its still ILLEGAL to sell raw milk in many states - this is almost as absurd as the states in which its illegal to have a homebirth or practice midwifery outside of a hosptial...dont even get me started!!!! Here it TX they can only sell it to you if you go and get it yourself. Thankfully Im not hooked up with an awesome lady who goes down every other Monday and gets it for everyone and then I just have to pick it up at her house nearby. Im so excited to try it!!!

Also, even at $7/gallon, we will save money over buying the Caleb and JJ almond milk! and thats the same price as organic milk at Costco :)

Lead in Crockpots and Plates

2009-02-11T21:01:00.004-06:00

Ive heard little bits around the internet about crockpots having lead. This has always concerned me since I use my crockpot often. Well we are thinking of buying a second one for when we have big crowds so I finally buckled down and researched it.

You probably know that NO level of lead is safe. The FDA has a maximum level of lead allowable in the glaze in the crockpot (which is higher than zero - thanks again FDA). The danger of the leaching comes when the crockpot is heated up - and then the lead goes right into your food. things like this are SUCH no-brainers and yet so many experts just wonder why our country and our children are so increasingly sick :(

you can check out THIS article form a reporter who found very dangerous levels of lead leaching from a womans crockpot

From what I could dig up

For sure have lead: Rival and Crockpot brands

Supposedly dont: Westbend, GE and Hamilton Beach

I have a Rival :( I personally think this is a serious enough issue to warrant getting rid of it and getting something that I know is safe. I have some emails in to the other companies to verify that they do NOT use lead in their glaze. Will update!

I also found this really neat report from testing plates. Unbelievably, many are HIGH in lead (outrageous!!!!!). Click HERE for that report. Thankfully the Corelle the kids use is safe.

Soap Nuts!!!!!!

2008-11-06T08:59:00.004-06:00

I am **so** excited to share my new discovery!

If you dont know how toxic fabric softener is read THIS.

We use cloth diapers most of the time with the baby. Because our city has really hard water we've had issues with detergent build-up even with the "right" detergents for cloth diapers. That led to me to looking for something more natural and thats how I found....

Soap Nuts!

They actually arent nuts but the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree. They contain saponin, a natural cleaner used for thousands of years to clean clothes, just like the plants used by Native Americans for washing.

I ordered some to try and I LOVE them!!!!! They totally removed the residue and got them CLEAN. Same with our clothes. And you dont need fabric softener at all with these!!!! In fact, we had some hand-me-downs for Jayna that had a strong fabric softener smell. I am very allergic to it and I have had clothes before that I couldnt get it out of, no matter how many times I washed them.....but the soap nuts got it out!

The residue from regular laundry detergent (even the "free" varieties) is what makes the clothes stiff and creats a need for the softener in the first place! Soap nuts dont leave a residue.

And they can be turned into a powder or liquid and used for a ton of cool things, for example.....
- shampoo (im excited to try this!)
- cleaning jewelry
- washing pets
- natural pesticide/mosquito repellent
- natural windo cleaner
- dishwashing "soap" (excited about this too!!!)

Click HERE to see the site that Ive found to have the best prices. I just ordered a huge bag to use all the time! You can try a sample for 1 cent plus shipping. I may even buy some wholesale to sell if I continue to be as impressed as I am!

Carters Tagless Clothes

2008-10-05T21:02:00.003-06:00

I remember that my daughter always had a light rash on her upper back. I remember bathing her and wondering if she was allergic to something she was eating, or I was eating, etc. It turns out that this is a VERY common problem. Many moms have gone to their Drs only to be told its excema and given a cream for it. But its NOT excema....its a reaction to the chemicals they are using to stamp on "tags" in tagless baby clothes. Some babies have severe reactions (warning: graphic picts) similar to chemical burns :(

Stepping back from all the details I have to just say that this is something that never even crossed my mind (and im much more paranoid and suspicious than most after what ive learned about other products)! I always thought that organic clothing was over -the-top and not necessary. If I could afford it Id ditch everything we have and buy all new, organic clothes for all the kids (and especially our 8wk old!). The new baby has a light rash there too. He has some of the Carters shirts with the longer, white tag and I wont put them on him anymore (even though they are the cutests and fit the best of all his onesies). A lot of his other clothes are tagless too unfortunately.

It just makes me so sad :(

Nearly all baby clothes are tagless now. These stamps are reportedly made with materials containing phythlates and formaldehyde. YUCK! Its criminal. That junk is sitting on their skin all day and leaching into their body. Its so, so wrong.

You can bet that any clothes I buy from now on will have good 'ole fashioned tags. I read online that BabiesRUs' brand of clothes still have the real thing.

You can read more on Z Recommends . Carters is accepting postage-paid returns of their tagless clothing and the address info is there. I may take them up on that offer....

Soapopular

2008-08-19T22:53:00.003-06:00

Its been a LONG time (2 months!) since I posted.....our fourth blessing is here and keeping me busy with other things :)

but I wanted to share one of my favorite new products.....I know that we shouldnt over-sanitize ourselves because that can lead to more issues. I do believe that theory is correct and I never buy antibacterial soap for the house. BUT there are definitely times when soap and water arent convenient but I just cant stomach what may be on my childrens hands - like after playing at the park, after they crawl on the floor at the store looking for pennies (please let that phase end soon!), coming out of church, etc.

I hated using Purell because of the alcohol and mostly because of the fragrance. blech. I saw a test done on TV of a new product called SOAPOPULAR and was very excited to find it at our WalMart!

Its alcohol and fragrance-free. It doesnt stink and doesnt dry your skin. It lasts much longer than purell so it costs less. The foam also doesnt slide off the kids hands as soon as they turn them to rub them together! I love it - especially with a newborn in the house. I use it a lot and my hands feel soft and clean!

If you go to THEIR SITE you can even get a free sample. If you are kind of a germ-phobe like me, you have to check this out!

Stained Concrete

2008-06-02T09:17:00.006-06:00

We first saw stained concrete at our good friend's home. They pulled up all the carpet and stained the concrete. At first I never thought Id like it for my own house but as our carpet downstairs gets older/dirtier and we suffer more each spring with allergies, the idea has really grown on me.

We cant afford hardwood floors or even cork which are the healthiest options Ive found (less toxic offgassing than laminate and new carpeting especially if you use a non-toxic sealer on the wod). But stained concrete is a VERY affordable, VERY allergy-friendly option! And we can also install something else over it later.

I found a product online called SoyCrete. Its a non-toxic, enviromentally-safe concrete stain. It comes in many different colors and its easy to apply. They also make an eco-friendly top coat called Acri-soy and another one called Poly-soy. Check out the SoyCrete colors HERE.

If we dont move before the baby comes (lots of showings, no offers yet!) we'll definitely be pulling out the carpet downstairs and staining it. I like the "espresso" and the "Leather Brown" :) Im excited there is a healthy and affordable option!!!!

(We have about 700 sq. ft of carpeting downstairs - the rest is tile. We were quote about $6k to put in laminate flooring. Installying something ourselves would still be around $2800. The cost of the stain and sealer, with shipping, would be $262!)

Dr. Bonners suing big companies like Estee Lauder

2008-05-18T19:13:00.002-06:00

THIS recent article is very interesting....

We knew before that the requirements for labeling cosmetics and beauty products are loosely defined - to say the least. Well now someone is doing something about it! You may have seen Dr. Bonner soaps at your local health food store...... They are suing several large companies for basically distorting the term "organic" just like they have done with "natural".

The FDA requires food to be 95% organic to be labeled organic. There are no such requirements for healthy and beauty products. Some companies like Aubrey Organics (my fav!) and Dr. Bonners take the responsibility seriously and set requirements for themselves - Dr Bonner's uses the same 95% rule for their products. But other products use no standards at all.

In that article I learned that Aveno is owned by Estee Lauder - one of the companies getting sued. Aveno does have some natural ingredients and is seen by most as a healthier brand of lotions - BUT their products do contain many of the same chemicals as mainstream brands do. Its largely a marketing scam.

*Hopefully* this lawsuit will result in some firm standards for these big companies to prevent them from cashing in on the growing trend of being more "green" and seeking out safer products. They are ripping off the public and making tons of money on it and it needs to stop (remember my post on Johnson&Johnson's "natural" line?)

Mother's Touch Paint

2008-05-16T13:26:00.003-06:00

I was shocked today at Target when I saw a ZERO-VOC paint today called "Mother's Touch". Yay for Target!!!!! (this was a super Target - if you dont have one, Im sincerely so sorry, you are missing out. I love that place!)

They come in premade colors, beige, light pink, baby blue, etc.

It was $19.99/gallon which is HALF of what the zero-VOC paint I buy from Sherman Williams costs (although I always get a discount, this is still a much better deal). I will definitely be looking into this when we move into our new house!!!!!!

You may remember from my previous post on Green Paint that traditional paint contains many toxic chemcials and those toxins can leach into your air for YEARS....... YEARS! I really think that this is one thing to put extra money in for the sake of you and especially your children! I was so happy to see a more affordable option!

Oprah and "Going Green"

2008-04-26T19:36:00.002-06:00

Did anyone else see Oprahs recent show about going green?

It was so neat to see some real hard-core facts making it onto a nationally broadcast TV show.

Im very interested in composting - I think I may take this up when we move to the new house! If Julia Roberts can do it - we all can :) anyone do it now? share! share!

Here is a RECAP of issues covered if you missed the show (they even touched on products to avoid in your skin care products! hooray! and my favorite - Aubrey Organics - was mentioned)

The Business of Being born

2008-04-26T19:28:00.003-06:00

There is a new documentary that will be available in May called "The Business of Being Born". The executive producer is Ricci Lake. You can rent it now through Netflix (I did a trial membership then cancelled it).

Anyone who is considering natural childbirth, is studying the effects of commonly-used interventions in American, is mourning a birth-gone-wrong and needs answers, wants to know more about the difference between OBs and midwives or is just a birth junkie like me would love it.

It is full of eye-opening info. For example. In other developed countries like Japan and Sweden (etc, etc, etc) midwives deliver 70+% of all babies born. In the US (and we stand alone in this!) midwives deliver less than 10%. Consequently, we have the WORST infant and mother mortality rate in the the 7 developed countries with similar birth rates. This is disturbing.

OBs are highly-trained surgeons. They are trained to diagnose and treat problems. But 98% of pregnancies are completely normal and natural events if left alone - so why do some hospitals have csection rates near 50%?! Something doesnt add up. Our interventions are causing the problems, OBs then come and "save the day" and now most American women believe their bodies are defective and they need a Dr to help them deliver.

Ill stop there ;) OBs and csections are great blessings when medically necessary - the problems is that they are rarely, rarely necessary.

So. If you are intersted - check out "The Business of Being Born" :)

Pampering :)

2008-03-14T10:11:00.003-06:00

Ive posted several times about my love for Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil :) Well a good friend bought me their skin exfoliator for Christmas and I am posting to say I LOVE it!!!!! Ive been using it on my legs after I shave and they are SO soft (such a pampering for a tired mama!) and you need very little so it lasts. Ive also noticed that the hair grows back much more slowly for some reason - I dont know why but it works for me! Sometimes essential oils bother my allergies but I have the lavendar and its very mild - I highly recommend it! (one caution: it has a lot of oil so it can make the shower slippery. be careful!)

Another product the same friend turned me onto is the PedEgg. It really works to get your feet super soft and smooth. No soaking, no chemicals, no pain ....I was skeptical but ended up very impressed. I got mine for $9.99 at Target.

I say spring is the perfect time for some pampering! :)

off to show my eyebrows some love LOL..........

Prescription Drugs in Public Water

2008-03-11T21:18:00.002-06:00

HERE is a disturbing article about pharmacuetical drugs being found in public water all over the united states. Its downright disgusting and SCARY. Yuck. (seriously, read it)

My tips:

Everyone should have a Brita or Pur filter on their drinking water at home and better yet, a reverse osmosis filter (we got one a few years ago and love it!!!).

Obviously dont drink out of public water fountains or from the tap if you can help it!

Dont buy bottled water - the water isnt healthy and its a waste of plastic. Buy yourself one Klean Kanteen and fill it up at home with your healthy, filtered water! :)

Dont Fear Fever!

2008-02-09T19:46:00.000-06:00

When my oldest was one and I was quite pregnant with #2, he got the flu. He had a high temperature, was lethargic, etc. Thats when I first learned the truth about fevers.... Id always thought of fever as the disease and believed that you should take tylenol or advil to bring it down. It turns out I was wrong, on both accounts. I consider this information some of the most valuable Ive learned as a mother - and fascinating!

Fever is a natural response TO an infection and in fact a very good sign that the immune system is working properly.

My son was very ill again, soon after that first bought with the flu. The first time I gave him tylenol and/or advil consistently. His fever would break, he'd feel better for a few hours, run around and play, then konk back out and his fever would return. The second time I let the fever run its course (both times it was very high, over 102). He slept more and got better faster the second time. (I believe he had the flu twice) By breaking the fever over and over I was not only taking away a natural defense but then he was expending energy that he was actually too sick to expend.

An article from PBS.com reports on an experiment done with iguanas. The iguanas were purposely made sick with bacteria. They found that raising their body temperature with heat lamps helped them fight off the illness. The iguanas were given the choice to heat up their bodies - 12 of the 13 chose to lay under the lamp. The iguana that didnt, died.

Brain Damage: If a fever goes over 106, the fever doesnt respond to tylenol/advil or the child is unable to be hydrated, these are serious situations and you should call your Dr. BUT. Not treating a fever will not cause to rise indefinitely and put your child at risk for brain damage. Dr Greene reports (as do other sources) that brain damage can only occur from having a fever of 107+ for an extended period of time. Only VERY rare and very serious illnesses can cause a fever that high as well as sun stroke and poisoning.

Febrile Seizures are seizures caused by a quick rise in temperature, not necessarily a high fever. So a quick rise from 99 to 101 can bring it on just as a rise from 101 to 103. Febrile seizures affect 5-10% of children. They are scaryto see as parents but NOT harmful and they do not cause long-lasting effects.

Conclusion: We dont need to fear fevers. My automatic, ingrained reponse when my children get a fever is still to panic. But then I remind myself to rejoice - their immune systems are working well!!!!! The most important thing when your child is sick is to keep them HYDRATED. Its best to avoid sugary drinks because it lowers their immune system but sometimes they get so sick that any liquid is good. The worst thing is to end up in the hospital for an IV and be at risk of catching something new.

Leave the fever alone and let it do its job. The only reason you need to use a fever-reducing medication is if your child is too achy/miserable to sleep or eat/drink. This is for their comfort and not to get rid of the fever. The fever is on your side! :)

Ill close with a list of signs to watch for. Many of these are signs of dehydration or a more serious illness (stiff neck indicates meningitis).

Call your doctor if your child has any of these warning signs
Changes in behavior
Constant vomiting or diarrhea
Dry mouth
Earache or pulling at ears
Fever comes and goes over several days
High-pitched crying
Irritable
Not hungry
Pale
Seizures
Severe headache
Skin rash
Sore or swollen joints
Sore throat
Stiff neck
Stomach pain
Swelling of the soft spot on the head
Unresponsive or limp
Wheezing or problems breathing
Whimpering

Why do you think we all have it ingrained in us that fevers need medicine - thats right, its all about the $$ M-O-N-E-Y $$. Booooo and hisssss for the drug companies and another example of over-medicating America to make billions of dollars.

I hope this is encouraging. Its one less thing for us to worry about! There is a lot of illness going around at this time of year. We need to be alert and pay close attention to our children when they are sick but we dont have to depend on sugar/chemical/dye-filled meds. My second son woke up from his nap with a fever. I gave him a lot to drink (water with Vit C and orange Stevia) and had him rest and he was running around and playing by bedtime. Hopefully thats the end of it! I praise the Lord that we are so fearfully and wonderfully made - He has given us the gift of bodies that are self-healing! Amazing!

Green Pans

2008-02-09T14:30:00.000-06:00

We stopped using Teflon awhile ago but I found myself sneaking out my skillets to cook eggs in. I hated cooking eggs in my stainless steel pans because for $4 a dozen for organic free-roaming/range eggs, I didnt want half of them sticking to the pan!

I saw these GREEN PANS on an infommercial and carefully considered them. My mom ended up getting them for me (ok, yes, she spoils us!) to try out and I really like them. You can cook perfect eggs with no oil (i always add coconut oil anyways for the benefits), you can brown, carmelize, etc and have no trouble cleaning them. They can handle much higher temps which means you can cook things on high without the coating breaking down - unlike Teflon which shouldnt be used any higher than medium. You CANT use metal utensils on them which the user guide clearly states (some of the reviews below claim it scratches - yes, of course, if you use metal!)

They are PTFE (bad for you) and PFOA (bad for the environment) - free which makes them much healthier than Teflon. There is still a risk that they harbor something else unhealthy but my guess is its still healthier than Teflon. So I now cook my eggs in them every day and dont waste an ounce :) I have noticed they are a little less non-stick while the pan is warming but once the eggs get hot it is fine.

They are often featured on HSN (see reviews at this link - some are good, some are horrible. Ive had no trouble with burn spots or cleaning them and I use mine every day)

There is no garuantee they are safe so this is NOT a recommendation - just sharing something that Ive chosen to use for our family :)

Stevia Flavors

2008-02-09T14:21:00.000-06:00

My mom bought me EVERY flavor that SweetLeaf Stevia comes in so we've had fun trying them out. Since my kids never have juice its fun for them to have "stevia water" - yummy, healthy, and no sugar!

Vanilla Creme has been a longtime favorite of mine in coffee. English toffee is also good in coffe and I imagine it would be good in some healthy cookies too.

The kids love the grape and orange. I just put a few drops in their cup so it lasts forever! We'll definitely be using the "lemon drop" this summer to make lemonade or lemon slushies - a hot TX summer favorite at our house :) (even the big kids I make them for dont know they dont have sugar!!!)

I think these are great for summer, something sweet (and safe) and keeps them hydrated :)

btw - on Amazon the great deal on Regular Stevia is really hard to find on their search. Its basically two-for-the-price-of-one. HERE is a direct link.

US Newborn Fatality Rate

2008-02-03T15:36:00.001-06:00

I will be honest and say I am a huge proponent of natural birth.....as I am many other natural things of course. I praise God for the medical technology that exists for those that TRULY *need* it and then say that otherwise I believe that a natural vaginal birth is the safest and healthiest route for mom and baby. I have had two drug-free births and we hope to have a waterbirth with this baby, due in August, at home (!!!). So Im going to post now and then about natural childbirth - its not about being "better" or getting a medal or showing off but about doing things the safest and healthiest way possible. FEAR is a big factor in the US - so many women now elect to have a csection becaues they are afraid of labor .... this is a tradegdy in our country.

Article from CNN - US has second highest infant deat rate in the industrialized world.

American babies are three times more likely to die in their first month as
children born in Japan, and newborn mortality is 2.5 times higher in the United
States than in Finland, Iceland or Norway, Save the Children researchers
found....

"The United States has more neonatologists and neonatal intensive care
beds per person than Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, but its newborn
rate is higher than any of those countries," said the annual State of the
World's Mothers report.

so all this begs the question - why????

maybe because Dr.s (immorally in my humble opinion) allow women to elect to have a csection for non-medical reasons, schedule csections at 39 or even 38 weeks and because of the constant PUSH to induce labor.

I believe God has created our bodies to birth our hand-crafted baby, usually, with absolutely no intervention or "help".

Pregnancy is not a medical condition - its a natural, beautiful, gift.

what will it take for Drs to stop putting God and His Creations on a timetable - to stop playing god themselves????

Asthma and Homeopathy

2008-01-26T20:04:00.000-06:00

my second son has asthma. i remember him first wheezing when he was 9 months old and started to crawl on his hands and knees - just crawling around he would wheeze. It was during the winter and even minor colds do affect his breathing a lot. Both boys always had croup each winter until they were 3 or so as well as asthma issues so this has been a long-time issue in our home.

asthma is an immune system issue and NOT just a disease of the lungs. part of his asthma is genetics - both of my parents have asthma and allergies to food and the environment as do I and my sister. he also had thrush for many months as an infant, despite my drastic natural measures to fight it off and I believe this has impacted him as well.

I took him in yesterday to see our pediatric allergist beacause his asthma got so bad last week they called in a prescription for liquid predisone. We of course used it because Id never seen him struggle to breathe like that, even after the slightest physical exercise (he has a cold) he would heave and wheeze (SO scary because I know what it feels like!!!).

they want me to get a nebulizer and do daily cortisone treatments as a preventative measure. ive used these myself so I know they can work but I also know they bring risk (for example, of oral thrush). I DONT believe in treating symptoms, I want to get to the root of the problem - i just know that there is a better way to strengthen his immune system (besides what we already do, health diet, enough sleep, vitamin C, cod liver oil, etc) and fight the asthma. Now that the critical stage has passed I can think more clearly and consider other options.

so ive been reading online and im going to give homeopathy a try. ive had success using it myself in different instances, and even one called Rescue Remedy has helped me calm down during an attack. Thankfully he doesnt have anxiety when he has asthma, probably because he is only 3 (!) so it makes it easier to just treat the symtpoms. The ones I am going to try are called pulsatilla and Ipecacuanha ..... it cant hurt. Homeopathy is safe, even for newborns and pregnant women. I will update with how it goes!!!!!

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Misc.

2008-01-22T12:54:00.000-06:00

Check out an awesome blog, with healthy sugar-free recipes for kids at KidFeed. She's inspired me to try some chocolate chip cookies today, using agave syrup instead of sugar! They still arent perfectly healthy but at least they wont have sugar ;) (Im using organic unbleached flour and organic butter - these are for mommy and daddy...and the baby in the belly!)

There is a new natural soda that actually ISNT bad for you! Its called ZEVIA. You can read all the details on their site or on Green Republican's blog. Our local health food store has it already. I tried the lemon-lime and it tastes like diet to me but it was fun to have soda (I never, ever drink it) and know it was ok!

I havent been doing great with my eating because this first trimester has hit me hard - often I make a ymmy, healthy, organic dinner, and it looks good, even tastes good but I cant physically chew and swallow more than a few bites.....then I cry and feel sorry for myself and eat anything that sounds good. So Ive had a lot of unhealthy bagels and cream cheese but right now thats all I can do, so Im giving myself some grace. I always lose weight when Im sick like this and I want to make sure Im getting enough to keep up my energy and feed the little bean inside :) I do intend to be more strick when the sickness passes - keep me accountable with the sugar!!! :)

Babies R Us Organic Line

2008-01-15T13:32:00.001-06:00

Recently on a message board discussion about a safe, chemical-free, organic mattress bad for a baby's crib, someone posted about Babies R Us' line. So of course I had to check it out.......yet another example of marketing loopholes. Their mattress pad (and mattress) say "organic" but they arent 100% organic at all.

From their site:

A 100% natural cotton surface with an allergy barrier that is a soft knit fabric backed with ultra-thin breathable, waterproof polyurethane membrane.

so its organic cotton with a layer of what I presume is "soft knit" polyester and polyurethane (probably in the form of foam for cushioning).

Polyurethane materials can make hard plastics, soft plastics, foams, adhesives and even paints and varnishes. Definitely NOT something organic you want your baby breathing in all night long.

From an article called "Five Problems with Crib Mattresses (Toxic Chemicals)"

Polyurethane foam (essentially solid petroleum) is extremely flammable. To combat this hazard, industrial toxic fire retardants are added. The most common chemical fire retardant used to treat polyurethane foam has been pentaBDE, a toxin associated with hyperactivity and neuro-behavioral alterations. PentaBDE is not bound to the foam, and leaches out into the surrounding air.

And the sad thing is so many moms buy these products from BRU because they are trying to do whats best for their baby (its a top registered-for product on their site). Its another shameless marketing ploy.

More to come on how to make your mattresses safe for baby.......

Update

2008-01-08T20:09:00.000-06:00

My apologies that its been FOREVER since I posted. I always have things running through my mind that I want to share - so there is definitely more to come. For now - an update on me and why Ive been MIA :)

- at the end of Oct I cut out dairy and sugar from my diet and committed to not eat after 7pm. I let myself eat what I wanted for the holidays. I have lost 22lbs!!! I felt like a huge hypocrite, posting blogs on how bad sugar is and then eating a pint of Ben and Jerrys at night so I buckled down and did it and I feel great!

- I am pregnant! Blessing #4 is due in early August. I became very sick with nausea nearly at conception so I have been very "under the weather" lately and not up to doing much at night. Im thankful for signs that this is a healthy pregnancy but its quite a battle taking care of 3 little ones when I feel like this!

- I am eating dairy again because right now Im eating whatever doesnt make me want to throw up :) I plan to get strict again once Im feeling better!

- I hope to write soon about natural pregnancy and childbirth.....lots of thoughts there! Stay tuned! :)

Rachel

Christmas Trees

2007-12-14T13:01:00.001-06:00

This post is a little late for this year but its something to think about for next year.

Did you know that many artificial trees contain lead?????

Children who touch the tree and then put their hands in their mouth, or eat without washing, can ingest the lead. It can also be inhaled through dust in the air that comes from the tree. Lead is a neurotoxin and should be avoided at all costs, especially with young children.

What you can do:

- Buy a real tree! :) Artificial trees end up in landfills eventually.

- do not let children play with Christmas lights either as the coating on the wire USUALLY contains lead because its made from PVC (like the tree). Unfortunately so do many ornaments "made in china". Even trees made in the USA can contain lead.

- buy a lead test online for about $15 to test your tree. I found a kit at my local hardware store as well but Im not sure if they are as accurate

- if you have an older artificial tree, throw it out and get a newer one which should have lower levels of lead.

- gate the tree or put it somewhere that in inaccesible to your children

- If your child touches the tree, have them thoroughly wash their hands

- Do NOT put presents beneath the tree. dust containing lead can settle on the presents. Just store them somewhere else (this helps keep the focus off presents as well!)

This year we got a real, potted table-top tree that we can plant in our backyard after Christmas. Its a green idea and the kids love it!

Merry Christmas!

ARTICLE

BBQ Sauce

2007-12-14T12:55:00.000-06:00

My husband loves BBQ sauce but the regular stuff is FULL of HFCS, sugar, soybean oil, etc. I searched and searched for one that doesnt contain HFCS or soy. Well I finally found one and its also organic! Its about $4 a bottle and its delicious!

It still has sugar but its great for the occasional use. And since it costs slightly more than regular BBQ sauce we tend to use less anyways. I think I found mine at Central market - hopefully it will be more readily available soon!

Another Shameless Marketing Scam

2007-11-20T13:42:00.001-06:00

These big companies blow me away.

yesterday I was at the grocery story and saw a canned fruit by DelMonte that said "Healthy Kids".

Surprise, surprise. Its in a "light syrup", not even 100% fruit juice (fruit juice isnt great, but its at least healthier than sugar) It has 49 grams of sugar to be exact. Its so much healthier to eat a peach - or apple - or whatever - something not in an aluminum can. "Enriched" just means they added in vitamins - but vitamins and minerals found in nature are always better used by the body.

Canned foods are great occasionally. We use canned organic beans a lot since I cant cook beans without burning them horribly. But fruit is so easy, why eat canned??? (my husband loves it but the kids rarely, rarely have any)

The point is that they are trying to market to parents who want to be healthier. That is a GOOD thing but they are taking advantage.

Safer Dishwashing Soap

2007-11-17T15:03:00.000-06:00

This is a follow-up. Ive finally found a safe soap to use in our dishwasher that WORKS. I am careful to rinse my dishes after use so I dont expect to much from something without bleach and nasty chemicals but the pay-off is worth it. It is SO nice to know that my plates/silverware, etc. are safe when I pull them out of the dishwasher. And this BioKleen powder is working great for us! I got mine at Kroger. Here is an online merchant that carries it.

Two thumbs up from me!

How They Make the Flu Shot

2007-11-10T22:44:00.000-06:00

This is hilarious.

"How they make the Flu Shot"

makes you think twice (I hope).

The flu shot is an easy NO for us. We do use a homeopathic treatment called
Influenzium. You take two tablets, one time a month, during flu season. I got
them from my Dr but Ive heard you can get them online (I couldnt find it but its late and Im tired). Homeopathic treatments are safe, so even our 1yr old takes two tablets like we do. It cant hurt! ;)

Flu —The homeopathic flu remedy is reformulated each fall using the current viral strain—just as is the flu vaccination. In fact, the Influenzium remedy protects better than a vaccine—it's safer and more effective. A dose of the remedy can be taken once a month as a preventative. If you have symptoms take the remedy every hour for four hours until symptoms ease. Or if you've had the standard flu vaccination and it made you ill, the Influenzium remedy will help you get well. The French flu remedy Oscilliocossum has been used by 63 million people, and I always have a course of it in the homeopathic drawer during the flu season.

source

Awesome, Yummy, Healthy Muffins!

2007-11-10T09:31:00.000-06:00

Thsi morning my oldest told me he was "sick of eggs" so I dusted off an old muffin recipe Id tried before and made it our own. They are delicious - and have no refined sugar and are dairy, soy and egg-free! Try them out and let me know what you think :)

1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Honey (or molasses/agave/etc)
1 cup unsweetened organic applesauce
1 tsp real vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour (i used freshly ground organic whole wheat hard white berries - yum!)
1/2 tsp aluminum-free Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp aluminum-free Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg or cloves (opt)

3/4 cup Organic raisins

Combine wet ingredients in one bowl
Combine dry ingredients in seperate bowl and whisk together.
Add wet ingredients until moistened. Add raisins and stir gently.

Bake 375 for 18-20 mins in greased muffin pans (i used coconut oil to grease my silicon muffin pan)

Delicious! :)

Jud :(

2007-11-08T17:23:00.001-06:00

Jud (see original post) has gone to be with the Lord

Parent's Journal

I am so grieved for his parents and family :(
But I rejoice knowing he has a new body and is dancing in the streets of heaven! Praise God!

Coconut Oil

2007-11-05T06:45:00.001-06:00

Coconut oil is one of the good guys. Its had a bad rep in the past but its making a comeback. But. Coconut oil is NOT all created equal. Most of the stuff you can get in your health food store is refined, bleached, deodorized and just plain useless. You have to buy from a reputable company who preserves the integrity of the oil to get the health benefits.

We buy ours from TropicalTraditions.com. The best choice is their organic but we get the expeller pressed since I dont like the tast of coconut. They refine theirs in a gentle way, using no solvents or bleach, etc. so it retains its healthy benefits.

*For one more day its on sale, Buy one Get one Free! SALE

Since we have dairy allergies we use it ALL time in place of butter - to cook eggs, on toast, to sautee, etc.

There is a ton of information on their site that will explain it better than I can! This is a great oil for kids' developing brains!!!! (and their Organic Whole Wheat pasta is the best Ive ever had!!)

From WestonAPrice.org:
Coconut Oil 1
Coconut Oil 2
Coconut Oil 3

Product Reviews

2007-11-03T22:50:00.000-06:00

#1 Diva Cup. (First post on these) So after 15 months my cycles finally returned and I got to try a diva cup. The first cycle I hated it, gave up after a day and went back to tampons ((shudder)) The second cycle I LOVED it. Love, love, love it. Yes, its messy but if you've had a baby then whats the big deal?! I dont even know its there, it lasts longer, and I love knowing its safe to put in my body (unlike bleached tampons) I highly recommend it!

#2 Natures Gate Organics Raspberry Mint Toothpaste. Ive started having reactions (itchy throat) to our Tom of Maine toothpaste so I wanted to try something new. This stuff is GOOD. Its a very subtle flavor, the kids love it! I got mine at Drugstore.com and its free shipping over $25 for your first order.

#3 Aubrey's Organics Green Tea Shampoo. None of the other natural/organic shampoos that Ive tried Ive liked. They are just "ok" but dont foam up at all and it takes a TON to wash my long, thick hair. This comes out really thin but it actually lathers up so it will last me much longer. Im very sensitive to scents and this is very mild. Two thumbs up :)

Healthy Changes

2007-11-02T21:27:00.000-06:00

So much to say.....so little time.

Recent changes we've made to improve our health and/or the environment:

- Using Agave Nectar on pancakes (we cut out syrup years ago - full of sugar and/or chemicals but usually the kids use jelly). This stuff is GOOD. Its best to buy it raw and organic. Its more expensive but you use less. It doesnt raise your glycemic index like honey or sugar (GI of 39 vs. 110 of sugar). I got mine at Kroger :) More Info

- No more gallon size plastic bags. They are expensive and wasteful. Only a few times have I really missed them. I may get a small box to have around but no more Costco-size boxes for me!

- Im off of sugar (again - ugh, its like a drug! Shamefully I fell hard since last time I posted and I felt so awful. I felt like such a hypocrite feeding my children so healthy but destroying my body with that crap)

- Ive also cut out dairy for a month to see how it feels and see if my allergies/asthma improve. Im one week into my dairy/sugar-free experiment and Ive lost 5.5 lbs! woohoo! The more I read about dairy the more I never want to eat it ever again......

I found a cool new site: www.GoDairyFree.org

:)

For the mothers......

2007-10-25T18:36:00.000-06:00

A sweet friend of mine wrote this poem. It really encouraged me so I asked her if I could share....

I’d rather hear you all trying to speak to me at once,Than to hear absolute silence.

I’d rather find a stuffed doggy “drinking” milky water out of a cereal bowl, Than to never feel that warming in my heart when I see your special stuffed friend.

I’d rather stay up all night comforting your fears, or easing your sicknesses,Than to sleep all night and wake up to an empty house.

I’d rather be distracted from something “important” a million times, Than to get everything on my list done, and look around... seeing that I am alone.

I’d rather clean mud off of your face, arms, out of your ears, and in between your toes, Than to be without you and have spotless clothes and floors.

I’d rather hold on tight when your sticky hand reaches for mine, Than to never have a little hand to hold.

I’d rather you put finger prints all over the window I JUST cleaned,than to never be able to see you watching out the window for Daddy to come home.

I’d rather trip over and stub my toe on your toys in the night, Than to never hear your squeals and laughter as you play.

I’d rather give you every moment of my day, every bit of me, Than to have a life full of my self.

I’d rather hurt when you hurt, Than to never know the blessing of carrying your burdens.

I’d rather bear the criticism of the world, Than to turn away the blessings a mighty Creater designed with His own Hand!

I’d rather lay in bed weary at night, physically and emotionally exhausted from all the things that went “wrong”, Than to never know your big blue eyes and precocious smile.

My precious children, yes, I would rather do all that I am doing to raise you, train you, love you, than to have never known what it feels like to have you crawl into my lap, wrap your arms around my neck and whisper in my ear, “I love you mama.”

My precious ones in Heaven,I’d rather know you were created in my womb, and have to say goodbye long before I ever imagined, Than to have never known you, loved you at all.

You are ALL worth it ALL.

A Woman's Journey Home

HPV vaccine

2007-10-23T15:40:00.001-06:00

(this is my 100th post - yay!!!)

I just read this article today. Eleven girls have died after receiving the HPV vaccine. Thousands had experienced adverse effects. Almost half the pregnant women who received it experienced complications, including spontaneous abortion :(
Article

On message boards I read posts from moms who are saying they'll do anything to avoid HPV and cancer for their daughters. Of course we all want that. But vaccinating with a new vaccine, for which we have no idea the side effects OR the efficiency is not the answer. If its given after a girl has HPV it can cause more harm then good - how many girls do you think are lying to their moms when they ask them if they are virgins before taking them to get vaccinated???

The answer is not trusting in this vaccine, its teaching our young daughters to respect their bodies and not have premarital sex (and in the very least, have protected sex). I dont want my daughter to ever have cancer or suffer infertility due to HPV but I also wouldnt risk her life for the *possibility* of preventing it.

Its just not worth it. Our family will be staying FAR away from this vaccine for sure. I hope that many girls arent killed or injured over this. (a vaccine for boys is in the works!)

Chemicals in our Children's bodies

2007-10-22T21:54:00.001-06:00

Read this article from CNN:
Test reveal High levels of Chemicals in Childrens bodies

The kids in the article were tested in 2004. So three years later we are hearing about this. Of course its probably not a big surprise to any of you that have read this blog before (or done research on your own of course). And the idea that any amount of toxic chemicals in a developing child's body could NOT be harmful is ridiculous. You may not see the results now, but our kids will see it eventually.

We cant get rid of all the chemicals because we breathe them, sleep on them, sit on them, etc. We cant live in a concrete house with concrete furniture and gas masks on. But we can do our best, to step-by-step, make our homes safer for our kids. Is the only hope we have to fight this clear neglect by the big companies and our government in caring for our children and our environment.

MSG

2007-10-20T21:07:00.000-06:00

MSG = monosodium glutamate. Its a flavor enhancer derived from seaweed, and although it comes from nature (technically), its NOT good for you. It is toxic - especially for children :( Many people have severe reactions such as asthma, headaches, behavioral problems, etc.

If you've read my blog before than you will not be shocked to read that the FDA does a HORRIBLE job regulating the labeling of products containing MSG. Many, many, many foods contain it and they are not required to label it. (and its added to shampoos, conditioners, cosmetics live vaccines according to article 3 below and even formula!!!)

If a product says "No MSG added" its kind of like saying "Zero Trans Fat per serving". It just means they didnt ADD any MSG, not that the product is MSG-Free. Its a loophole - a big one.

Check the labels on your food - especially the processed stuff.

If the food has any of these ingredients then it DOES contain MSG
Monosodium Glutamate
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed Protein
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
Plant Protein Extract
Sodium Caseinate
Calcium Caseinate
Yeast Extract
Textured Protein
Autolyzed Yeast
Hydrolyzed Oat Flour

If the ingredient list uses these terms it *often* contains MSG
Malt extract
Bouillon
Broth
Stock
Flavoring
Natural Flavoring
Natural Beef or Chicken Flavoring
Rice Syrup or Brown Rice Syrup
Seasoning
Spices
Carrageenan
Enzymes
Soy Protein Concentrate
Soy Protein Isolate
Soy sauce or extract
Whey Protein Concentrate
Pectin
Spice
Gums
Dough conditioners
Yeast nutrients
Milk powder
Dry milk solids
Annatto
Citric Acid (from corn)
*Modified Corn Starch
anything Ultra-pastuerized
Wheat, rice or oat protein

MSG is "natural" but it is not healthy to eat (and most of the foods its added to arent healthy anyways!). So read labels and avoid it as much as you can :)

Article 1
Article 2
Article 3
Article 4 (detailed list again)
Article 5 - Mercola

MILK

2007-10-12T22:00:00.000-06:00

someone in Africa read my blog today - how cool is THAT?!?!? I love the internet :) Hello out there to everyone reading, wherever you are :)

Milk. Well Ive always personally thought it was nasty - I called it cow pee when I was little LOL. So Ive always had a problem with it. I was allergic as a child and still dont handle it well straight, like on cereal, although I eat a lot of (too much) cheese.

Non-organic cow milk is full of hormones, antibiotics and devoid of the natural enzymes God created it with to aid in digestion and improve health. Basically they pump the poor cows with hormones so they make many times more milk than they are designed to. This leads to a lot of infections which leads to antibiotics. Ive even read that there is a lot of pus in the milk - gross!!!!!! Check out the site if you really want to know this stuff. warning: its sad :( MilkSucks.com

Its seriously worth it to buy organic although read my friend Green Republican's post about that - its actually best to buy local if you can.

Raw Milk is another option. People are scared to death of it and I admit I was too but Im coming around (I still pray a lot when I give it to my kids!). Basically they dont heat up the milk and pasteurize it. This means they dont kill the good bacteria that comes along with the bad and those handy enzymes are still there - which means many people allergic to mik can handle raw milk just fine (my son for example). The people we buy raw milk from are local and have a Grade A Raw Milk liscence. If you are fortunate to live in a state like Ca then you may find it in a store but some states, like TX, it is illegal. (dont even get me started!!!!) Check out RealMilk.com

Note: Its safest to give your kids raw milk if they eat a healthy diet and have a strong immune system. Its possible there is bad bacteria and if they cant handle it they can get sick (As you can from many foods of course!) Although I read somewhere once that if you dropped a Tsp of E.coli into pastuerized milk it would live but if you dropped it into Raw Milk the good bacteria would kill it right away. Pretty cool :)

Most of the time my allergic-to-dairy son drinks almond milk (we dont drink a lot of milk though). I usually buy him the unsweetened vanilla almond milk from the store. But I came across this cool YouTube video of how to make it yourself and Im definitely going to try it! (you need a milk bag) Im hoping my little one will like the homemade stuff because she doesnt like the commercial stuff.

Its interesting to me that no other mammal drinks milk after its weaned. I believe that we are not just "animals", we are made in God's image, however its an interesting thought. I truly dont believe babies "need" milk after they wean, its really a cultural thing (and a result of MILLIONS of dollars of marketing) that makes us think we do. I know I eat way too much dairy and Id like to cut it out completely ...I just LOVE cheese LOL (and no I dont buy raw or even organic cheese, cant afford it!) But Im going to work on it! :)

Great Article "Milk:It Does a Body Good?"

Is Raw Milk Safe for Babies?

Cod Liver Oil

2007-10-09T14:34:00.001-06:00

Cod liver oil is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, essential fatty acids EPA and DHA and Omega 3 oils. These are essential to proper function of the brain and nervous system.

check out this article from WestonAPrice.org - there are some really impressive claims about how cod liver oil helps with arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure, etc.

I bought some originally for C since he has some speech delays and many speech therapists prescribe cod liver oil to add the brain. I just went to the health food store and picked up the common brand Nordic Naturals.

BUT. Turns out this is kind of like buying a "diamond ring" from Target LOL. The nutrients in NN arent even comparable to a real, quality, cod live oil. NN gets their oil from sardines and anchovies - vs. um, COD (go figure). The brands Ill list below get theirs from deep-sea Noregian cod. NN uses Vitamin E derived from SOY (I was really not happy to find this out) wherease a quality brand will use natural preservative like rosemary oil (also an antioxidant).

So. I am going to buy some more soon and really the good stuff is not that much more expensive. Generally adults take 1/2 tsp (its good for us too!) and children take 1/4 tsp so its lasts for quite awile.

Dr. Ron's Blue Ice Cod Liver Oil
(in cinammon, orange and mint)
$23.95 for 8 oz

Quantam Cod Liver Oil $15 for 8 oz

Weston Price recommended taking your Cod Liver Oil with a butter oil blend form pastured cows. Dr. Ron's site offers that choice as well. For a family of 4 it will last 45 days so thats $1 a day.

Ill write more later specifically on Vit D but from what Ive been reading, it is VERY important and MOST of us are not getting enough.

.

Genetically Modified Food

2007-10-04T22:48:00.000-06:00

Ferbit over at the Green Republican lent me Dr. Mercolas book, Take Control of your Health. There is a lot of interesting information in the book but the chapter on Genetically Modified food really got to me. I am far from being able to explain it all to you but let me just say it is DISTURBING.

45% of corn in the US and 80% of soy is GM. Some of you know how I feel about soy already, so my vote is for not eating it at all anyways. But if you buy organic corn (costco sells a big bag of organic sweet corn that is super yummy and cheap!) then you know you are not eating something GM.

Id heard "genetically modified" but I never really knew how scary it is getting. They arent just trying to breed bigger, prettier foods. They have actually created food that is resistant to antibiotics and some that has its own pesticide INSIDE its DNA ...... um, thats totally freaky. And they are doing it to animals too - like breeding super pigs that have human growth hormones.

I dont know about you, but my instinct tells me that tweaking things at the DNA level "just aint right". We cant avoid GM foods 100% but no more non-organic corn products are coming into this house anymore! (corn chips are something the boys can have because they dont have soy. organic chips are so much more expensive but its ok, they dont need them anyways and neither do I!)

Avoiding processed foods is a great place to start. Anything with HFCS is guaranteed to have GM corn. Its estimated over 75% of processed foods contain GM food. Just another reason to eat real food!

Article from The Center for Food Safety

Dishwashing Detergent - 2

2007-10-04T08:25:00.000-06:00

Ok. So I wanted to know exactly which toxic chemicals are in standard dishwashing detergent. I did some searching and didnt find too much but.......

Sodium Lauryl Sulfite (SLS)
DEA
Chlorine Bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
DMDM hydaritoin
Triciosan
Fragrance
(source)

Next time you are at the grocery store check out the main brands. The Palmolive I have is 3.3% phosphorus. Avoid tablets or packs which will be higher, like 8 or 9%. So if you cant find or cant afford a non-toxic option, at least you can choose something healther from the standard detergent.

I have three bottles left (2 from Costco, 1 Palmolive). But I am still going to try and find something better. Ill report back if I find something that works in our hard water!

Dishwashing Soap

2007-10-03T18:31:00.001-06:00

I want a healthier dishwashing detergent. We have super hard water here so the Seventh Generation stuff didnt cut it at all in my washer.

The "green" issue is with phosphorus. It is horrible for the environment As far as our health, common sense tells us that smelly whatever-it-is-made-of cant be good for us to eat off of.

Like with other household products, the manufactuers dont have to be too specific on the labels about what exactly is in the detergent. I personally get so creeped out if I think of those chemicals all over our dishes. I wash a lot by hand (with seventh generations handwashing dish soap which works well) but Im not ready to give up the dishwasher.

SO. Anyone know of a good, phosphorus-free dishwashing detergent that actually works???

*In 2006 Washington passed a bill prohibiting detergent with more than 0.5% phosphorus. Most detergents are at least 3-4% and can be as high as 9% - the same level as fertilizers such as Miracle Grow!!!!!!!

ick. there has to be a better choice! HERE is a chart listing the phosphorus levels in different detergents and it offers many phosphorus-free choices. I am definitely going to try some of these out - Ill let you know!

Meat

2007-10-03T18:24:00.000-06:00

We are now getting our meat from a local ranch, Paidom Meats.

Many places that claim to sell "grass-fed" beef, actually finish the cows on corn to fatten them up and make more money. This decreases the nutritional value and of course introduces corn - the #1 genetically modified food (more on that later) and can be a problem for those with allergies.

Paidom cows ONLY eat grass - birth to slaughterhouse. The freely roam the pastures like cows should. Their chickens are pastured and eat lots of yummy bugs which gives them tremendous nutrition. They are fed a healthy diet which inclues NO soy (this was important to us).

The meat is more expensive than what you'd get at Walmart - but the reasons are obvious. So we eat less of it, spread it out thinner, mix it with some organic brown rice, etc. But we'd never go back. I buy the cheaper cuts - ground beef, chuck steaks, pork chops, etc. Its all super delicious. The whole chickens are expensive but fabulous and we make them last for two meals.

He comes through every 2 months so we are learning to work this into our budget. Ive also purchased their raw milk and its very good!

I highly recommend them. :)

Because Im the Mom

2007-09-28T12:26:00.000-06:00

Of course none of us really want to nag our kids all day, or make the same mistakes our parents did, or any of that. But we all find ourselves saying things we'd never thought we'd say anyways!

I love this.

"The Mom Song"

Vitamin C

2007-09-25T21:17:00.000-06:00

Well the first cold of the season hit our house last week. I got it first but I thought it was just allergies and ended up passing it along to all three kids (and our friends - sorry!).

Ive seen it before and I saw it again - Vitamin C is powerful to help the body fight off illness. I guess its impossible to *prove* but I started giving it to all of them, twice a day or more and they never got really sick. They had runny noses and some dry coughing but that was it. And if it didnt help ..... well, it cant hurt.

Some tidbits:

- you cant overdose on Vit C. You need to find the child's threshold. You increase the dose until they have loose stools, then thats the amount they can handle. I used this general guideline from this site (this is a dosing amount for fighting an illness):

Vitamin C
60 mg 4 times daily for children 6-12 months old;
100 mg 4 times daily for ages 1-4.
500 mg 4 times daily for children over 4.

- I gave the boys about 800mg twice a day (they are 3 and 4 but the same weight).

- ** The best, most easily absorbed, type of Vit C is "Sodium Ascorbate". This is the brand we buy. I dissolve it in some water (its salty) and add some stevia and they drink it down.

-Chewable Vit C tablets can harm the enamel on their teeth.

HERE is a great thread on this from Mothering.com. The first post contains many links to scientific studies and also includes some dosing guidelines.

As we approach cold and flu season Ill share more about what we do to avoid being sick. Vitamin C is an affordable way to help keep our kids healthy - cant hurt! :)

A vent

2007-09-23T22:30:00.000-06:00

I just need to vent.

There are some people who speculate that I over-react, I live in fear, I worry too much about whats in their toys and whats in their food (my kids of course), etc. Its really annoying me. They dont know me at all.

I know about things - That doesnt mean I fret all day about pink slushie that they had when I was out of town. I cant worry about the lead-infested James train that they played with for 6 months. I cant change that - and pink slushies are ok once in awhile!

I dont lay in bed at night worrying. In fact, the more I know about it, the less I worry. I believe in doing what you know and doing the very best you can. So when Im in the grocery story I try to buy less of something healthier and stretch it somehow. Or choose to buy less convenience and be determined to do the work to make something healthier at home. Sometimes I do and sometimes I fail. But I do my best.

When I found out the disposable plastic silverware I had for the boys was a very bad thing - I just bought them each one metal set (cheap at Wal Mart) and threw out the plastic stuff. Less clutter in my drawers, less dishes to watch and that was that! No worries :)

Sometimes I cant afford whats best (often) so I buy the best I can. But I dont *worry* about it. I trust the Lord. I know He gives me the information that I need for MY family. I do my best according to what He teaches me and let the rest go in prayer. I encourage everyone else to do the same.

Some people just say "oh well, everything gives you cancer". I heard a news person say the other day, about the lead issues, "well no kids have died, I dont know why everyone is making a big deal". That mans obviously never had a child that wasnt able to acheive a normal milestone (because lead is a neurotoxin. it mentally harms many many more than it will every kill) Some people just laugh at me about the plastic silverware issue - its black and white that a chewed up peice of plastic can leach chemicals!!!! Whats the big deal about getting a $3 metal set if you can. Better safe than sorry. So anyways, its drives me crazy :)

Ugh!!!!!!

so theres my vent. all done. night night :)

Pray for Judson

2007-09-21T23:44:00.000-06:00

Through my friend Ruth I heard about this amazing little boy named Judson. He is not only 3 and his body is shutting down on him. Please take the time to learn more about him - his parents believe God *will* heal him. Please pray for him!

Myspace Page

Caring Now Page

YouTube video - get to know Jud

A conversation he recently had with his mom and dad:

Jud's Vision
Date: June 27, 2007

A friend from church brought us dinner tonight. While we were eating, Jud had a sippy cup directly in front of him, less than a foot away, on the table, and he asked us, "Where is my drink?"

We helped him find it, along with the rest of his meal. Jud's symptoms continue to decline. He has a hard time "seeing" (an issue of neurology not eyes) much at all now, which affects many of his abilities. This is the most prominent of his symptoms, but he also cannot walk well (severe stumbling and falling).

A few minutes later Drake asked me how I was doing. I responded, "It's killing me as I realize that this could be our reality."

Jud quickly piped in, "Don't say 'killing' mommy."

Drake began to cry.

The pain of our circumstance is ever-present and raw; the emotion strikes each of us at different times.

"Are you crying daddy?" Jud asked. "Why are you crying?""

All the problems we have been having have been hard. We want you to be able to see and walk again," Drake responded.

In that moment, Jud began quoting, word for word, the story of Job from his toddler Bible… "One day a man ran to Job. 'Your children and animals have died,' he said. Then Job got sores all over him.'

"Drake cried harder."Do you want me to hold you, Daddy?" Jud inquired.

Drake replied, "That would be great, Jud, but why don't you finish eating first."

Jud continued with the story of Job… "Did Job get angry at God? No! 'God gave me all I had,' said Job. 'I will still love Him.'"

Our emotions flowed. Jud may not currently be able to "see", but in that moment, both Drake and I wanted Jud's vision—the unfluctuating faith that beholds God's grace despite circumstances. We have so much to learn from our precious little man!

Lead testing

2007-09-20T12:18:00.001-06:00

I got the call yesterday that my two youngest had a negative result on their lead tests. phew! I will be getting my oldest son tested next month.

It does make me feel better but I am still suspect of every single toy they have. Check out Adventures in Imperfection for more thoughts on this.

Lead, lead and more lead

2007-09-19T21:23:00.000-06:00

Latest report says that Mattel toys had 180 times (!!!!) the amount of lead allowed by law.

an excerpt:

That means the level in some of the Mattel toys was almost twice the amount allowed before lead in house paint was banned 30 years ago, says John Rosen, a pediatrician and head of the lead program at New York City's Children's Hospital at Montefiore. He says a child who played with a toy with up to 11% lead paint for one to six months could get "substantial, severe lead poisoning."

ABC news article

and we've only scratched the surface here ...........

I just had my youngest two tested. I should hear back soon. Ill post the results. Hopefully they are fine :(

Oprah today - autism

2007-09-18T20:24:00.000-06:00

So who watched Oprah today? Jenny McCarthy was on talking about her son and autism. I was very impressed with her and Holly and I was so happy to hear thoughts/ideas/stories on TV that Ive read so many times online.

Dr.s dont like it (trust me, I know!) but this is a new age. A lot of moms, especially those whose children have challenges, do have a "Google Degree". It doesnt make us Dr.s of course but there are a lot of moms who do know A LOT and they make very educated decisions. "Mommy instinct" as Jenny referred to it is a gift from God. Especially if you have a relationship with the Lord, He will show you and your husband what is right for your family.

The CDCs statement was the most mild Ive ever heard from them. I was disappointed though that they only addressed the issue of thimerosal. Again - the MMR does NOT have thimerosal/mercury and it never has had it, because its a live vaccine. However, it is a very powerful vaccine since its three live viruses in one so moms of autistic children often believe its the "straw that broke the camels back" for their child's immune system.

Most likely there is a genetic predisposition and then the stage is set by the merury/aluminum/formaldehyde in other vaccines that they begin recieving in birth, them the bombardment of chemicals from everything from their lotion to household cleaners, to their food. We know now that our second son has some neurological issues (he is improving so much!) and I am so thankful that through lots of prayer we knew it was best to stop vaccinating him. I shudder to think what could have happened. (we have a very strong family history of immune system disorders)

Anyways. I think they did great. I hope this opens up lots of discussions. I also hope it opens up the eyes of all the high-horse, condescending pediatricians out there. More and more of us are going to have access to this information so they need to get used to it and start treating us with respect. And the government will hopefully feel the pressure and start to get real and stop hiding evidence.

Any thoughts on todays show from anyone else? :)

Sugar Update

2007-09-16T18:42:00.000-06:00

Well I indulged while in Ca on vacation (like I said I would). We had a party and a BBQ while I was there and the chocolate fountain was running 7+ hours each time! yummmm. The indulging has not stopped yet LOL - but tomorrow we start again - no more sugar. After a week and a half Im ready! I really do feel so much better when I dont eat after 7 and I dont eat sugar (and I lose weight when I do that too)

Keeping lots of fresh fruit around helps me a lot, although Im careful not to eat *too* much since the sugars in fruit raise your insulin levels as well (and its expensive). But I dont believe in cutting out wonderful things that God gave us like fruit so I do enjoy it daily :)

how is everyone else doing?

Candles

2007-09-12T21:07:00.000-06:00

I threw out most of my candles when I purged all of our other artificial fragrances. I do have one soy candle that I use if we are having company or something like that and some plain ones for emergencies. But I dont burn them like I used to and I do miss the warmth and yummy smells they add......

so I was excited to read THIS BLOG about healthy candles made from palm oil by Aloha Bay. They are not more expensive than regular candles and will burn longer than candles made from petroleum products (which are never healthy anyways!). Regular candles can have lead in the wicks too - boooooo! Plus these candles only use 100% essential oils for fragrance. Im definitely going to get some for the winter and Christmas time!

Here is the direct link to them on Amazon.

Clorox Anywhere Spray

2007-09-01T20:16:00.000-06:00

I was suspicious of this from the start because a) its made my Clorox and b) few things that are not harmful chemicals kill bacteria like they claim.

Id never heard of the ingredients so I did some digging ... its just watered down chlorine bleach!!!! It doesnt smell because its mostly water. It costs like 15 cents to make it and they sell it for $3.49. Guess what all the extra goes towards? Marketing executives who are good at duping the public and a trip to the Bahamas for the guys at the top.

I really did expect more than watered down bleach. I admit I bought a little bottle -but I researched before I would use it.

Also note:

- only works on non-porous surfaces
- must sit for 2 mins
- kills bacteria not fungus or viruses
- after its used, baby's toys are now covered in bleach.

This was a sneaky one but again I say SHAME, SHAME on you Clorox.

I use rubbing alcohol, vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to disinfect. Much more bang for your buck and you dont have to risk any bad effects. I do use bleach once every few months on my dishtowels but that is it (and I rinse them twice). Once I run out I wont be buying it anymore.

Article about Chlorine - dioxin and organochlorine linked to birth defects, cancer, developmental and reproductive harm :(

GREAT blog on Clorox Anywhere Spray. very funny.

Cytotec

2007-08-31T21:13:00.001-06:00

If you or anyone you know does choose to be induced PLEASE dont let them give you Cytotec. Cytotec is a drug used for ulcers but is now also used to induce labor. *It is not approved for the purpose of inducing labor* It can work well for some, but for some the consequences are severe - even deadly.

I came across the package insert from Cytotecs manufactuerer, Pfizer. Besides numerous warnings against taking it while pregnant it says:

Cytotec has been reported to cause the uterus to rupture (tear) when given after the eighth week of pregnancy. Rupture (tearing) of the uterus can result in severe bleeding, hysterectomy, and/or maternal or fetal death.

THIS news story by CBS is about a woman whose baby died as a result of being induced with Cytotec :( It also says that company has repeatedly emphasized that its not for the induction of labor - but Dr.s continue to use it anyways and insist its safe.

Its very cheap, its fast and its easy to administer. Why wouldnt Dr.s love it?

The biggest risk is uterine rupture - especially in mothers who have had previous csetions. It can also cause severe, long-lasting contractions, fetal distress and hemorrhaging.

Article from CesareanBirth.com

Article from Mercola.com

Cytotec used as abortifacient :(

Article from Ina May Gaskin

Warning from FDA not to use Cytotec to induce labor!

Childbirth - Inductions

2007-08-30T11:55:00.000-06:00

Natural Childbirth is a passion of mine. It something I feel very strongly about so its hard for me to write about it, although I have plenty to say ;) I never want to make any woman feel bad for her choices but I do feel an obligation to educate women so that they dont go into the hospital as passive patients and end up victims of intervention. Of course there are medical emergencies where intervention is a blessing but a lot of times "medically managing" endangers the mother and the baby.

[*DISCLAIMER* Please do not feel judged or condoned by this information. This is an issue in which I fall very far onto the "crunchy" side of things. My intention is to share facts to help those who want to birth their babies in a different way or heal from past deliveries. If you are happy with your birth then no worries!]

HERE is a really neat article from this week in the LA times. It reviews the very popular trend in our country of induction. Many times inductions are elective, even before the Estimated Due Date (EDD). This puts mom and baby at an increased risk. An excerpt:

When the cervix is optimal (it must be opened and thinned out enough to allow the baby's head to pass through the vagina), labor averages about nine hours in a first-time pregnancy, according to Intermountain. If the cervix is not ready, however, an average labor is about 22 hours. The guidelines (to only induce under certain criteria) have reduced rates of elective labor inductions performed before 39 weeks gestation from 28% in 1999 to 3.4% in 2006. The percentage of first-time moms with an elective induction has fallen from 15% in 2003 to 4.7%.

Some hospitals have csections rates as high as 50%!! (average rate in the US is 25%) There is NO way that many women need a csection. Most Dr.s wont even let women attempt a vaginal-birth-after-cesarean because of fear of being sued. Many women are scared of the stories they hear about uteran rupture but its in fact very rare and not any more common than complications from a cesarean.

According to this study from the College of Midwives, inducing women who have had a previous csection greatly increases the risk of uterine rupture. Women who go into labor spontaneously post-cesarian actually have less of a risk of rupture than those who have an elective repeat csection or are induced. (study)

From a study done Feb of this year, 2007

A study published in the 13 February 2007 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that women that have planned caesareans had an overall rate of severe morbidity of 27.3 per 1000 deliveries compared to an overall rate of severe morbidity of 9.0 per 1000 planned vaginal deliveries. The planned caesarean group had increased risks of cardiac arrest, wound haematoma, hysterectomy, major puerperal infection, anaesthetic complications, venous thromboembolism, and haemorrhage requiring hysterectomy over those suffered by the planned vaginal delivery group. [8]

My issue is not with personal choices but with the lack of education many women today have regarding their own bodies and the safety of commonly practiced medical interventions. Many women think cesarians are so common that they must be safe. Ive heard women say they want an elective cesarian just to avoid the whole pain of labor. They are obviously missing a big piece of the picture to think that a major abdominal surgery is a better choice than a few hours of pain.

I am a doula and attended the birth of a friend yesterday. She had studied hypnobirthing as I did for my last two (drug-free) deliveries. She has a VERY fast, very beautiful and natural delivery. She was calm and collected and didnt even make a peep as she pushed her baby out in two contractions! I am so happy for her that she got to experience the thrill of letting your body birth babies as God has designed us too! I want this for every woman who wants it for herself :) (and thats why Im a doula!)

more to come on this .....

Sugar

2007-08-27T13:57:00.000-06:00

I am facing my sugar demons and I promise you its something Id rather ignore. I love a big bowl of ice cream after the kids are all in bed, to unwind from a hard day. But its not good for me and Im being a hypocrite because I dont let my kids have sugar.

So. Im going to talk about it until I convince myself of how totally evil it is. Special occasions are ok of course. I am going to visit family this month and I assure you if my sister and I are together - there WILL be chocolate ;). But everything in moderation and when Im back Ill be off of it again (Ive lost several pounds since I stopped eating sugar 2wks ago!).

Check out Ferbit's blog entry about how sugar affects the immune system: Green Republican

She mentions that ONE teaspoon of sugar can lower your immune system for 5hrs.

1 tsp sugar = 4 grams.

Here are some example so you can see how quickly your sugar content adds up in a day:

3/4 cup Honey Nut Cheerios: 9 grams (more than 2 tsp of sugar!)
1 Snickers bar: 29.8 grams sugar
Kellogs Cereal Bar (apple cinnamon) = 13 grams (Id rather have half a snickers bar LOL!)
8 oz Orange Juice = 22 grams sugar (even 100% juice is processed by your body just like sugar - sorry!)
1/2 cup M&Ms = 48 grams of sugar (ouch!)
1 cup Ragu Spaghetti sauce = 10.8 grams
Sonic Blast, Large = over 100 grams of sugar!!!! (ask me how I know LOL)

I can eat M&Ms with the best of them. But I cant imagine just chewing on 14 teaspoons of sugar - YUCK.

We are no longer buying Orange Juice. We are trying to switch to some healthier breakfasts like Steel Cut Oats with stevia and cinnamon or eggs instead of the organic shredded wheat they often eat (more on breakfast cereal on another day).

anyone want to get on the No-Sugar bandwagon with me? ;)

EDITED TO ADD: Its nearly impossible to eat ZERO sugar. I dont want to be a sugar-natzi and never enjoy life. I should clarify that we dont eat sugary drinks, juice, cookies, ice cream, candy, etc. If its a whole wheat product that has *a little* sugar then Im ok with that for the kids. But no junk. I guess thats relative LOL but I just try to error on the side of not eating it if Im not sure ;)

Lead in Childrens Jewelry

2007-08-24T12:22:00.000-06:00

Im very upset about this. My daughter has worn jewelry, 99% made by me, since birth. I bought good-quality Swarovski crystals thinking that was a good thing but apparently the better the quality, the higher the lead content. I read a little before and one site I read said you'd have to ground the crystal into a powder and have your child eat it to be dangerous. That made sense to me - or maybe I just wanted to believe they were safe.

But since all this lead controversy with the toys being recalled I felt like I should research it again....... They can actually get lead poisoning just from sucking on the crystals :( We've highly discouraged J from doing that but I know she has at times, had them in her mouth. (article)

So Ive pulled those bracelets from my stores and Im replacing any that I sold with glass beads which are lead-free (like cat eye beads).

Im so sick over this :(

J has a check-up next month and Ill have having all the kids lead-tested (for this and because we own so many toys from China). We also owned those vinyl bibs that were recalled from Walmart :(

*You can buy lead-testing kits HERE. Also check this site for recent recalls.*

Also stay away from pacifiers decorated with crystals. They are being recalled for the same reason.

*sigh*

Bye-bye Paper Plates!

2007-08-21T12:43:00.000-06:00

Hi. My name is Rachel and Im addicted to Paper Plates.

It must have begun when I was pregnant with #3, but Im not sure. I began using paper plates to make life easier for myself. After quite awhile of wasting money and killing the environment I read about not using bleached products with your food. Duh. So that made sense and I stopped putting anything hot on them to avoid the leaching of chemicals like dioxin into our food. But I still felt guilty everytime I used one to make a sandwhich on and then it was thrown away 20 mins longer.

Finally, about a month ago, I ran out and decided not to buy anymore. I still wish I had them sometimes and I do still cheat every now and then and make a sandwhich on a paper towel, but otherwise I am just using glass plates for everything. (Ikea has great inexpensive glass plates/bowls for the kids)

I dont think Im running the dishwasher too much more often because extra plates dont take up that much room. So I like to think Im saving money, keeping my home healthier and helping the environment at the same time.

Now I can start trying to wean myself from my beloved paper towels........

- Eye-opening lesson plan about bleached paper products

- Article #2: More info and what you can do to make a change

Response to a Comment

2007-08-19T16:10:00.000-06:00

This is in response comments on my Johnson&Johnson post.

It makes me sad that apparently many of you feel that I am condescending in the way I write things on this blog. I dont understand, since Im usually writing against the FDA and large corporations, on behalf of our children, but if thats how Ive made you feel, I sincerely apologize.

I started this blog as a place to get out everything I was learning - it was driving me crazy having it all inside my head. I also wanted to help educate other moms so that they could make healther choices for their families like Im trying to do.

I started not knowing about trans fat, parabens, the dangers of plastics, etc. just like everyone else. Sacarasm that I sometimes use in my posts is directed ONLY at the agencies and corporations that KNOW things are dangerous and yet, because of money, continue to pass them down to consumers. It makes me FURIOUS that companies make choices they know will harm our children (case in point: Thomas the Train).

I cant take the passion out of my writing or my blog will be pointless. I will, however, do my best to write in a way that is encouraging to other moms who read. Again, please forgive me for the times that I have offended you.
- Rachel

Johnson and Johnson

2007-08-18T21:45:00.000-06:00

I was at Target and looking at their selection of Ca Baby products (for which care has actually been taken to make them healthy and safe)

I glanced over and saw J&J has a new natural looking product line called "Johnson's Soothing Naturals". I picked it up to read the label and saw exactly what I thought I would - a long list of chemicals, names I cant pronounce and even cancer-causing parabens. It even has trans fat it in - yuck, who wants to rub that into their skin?!?!

Wow, but be impressed ... it has Vitamin E, Olive Leaf Extract and "skin essential minerals" (whatever that is).

Shame on you Johnson&Johnson.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Potassium Aspartate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Magnesium Aspartate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Sarcosine, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Carbomer, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Fragrance.

* My whole point is this: Was J&J was happy that Ca Baby got a nationwide contract with Target? Of course not! Before, they had the baby lotion market cornered. They know that consumers are now demanding more and more natural products and that means a profit loss for them. So they purposefully created a product that sounds/looks more natural and purposefully put it right next to the Ca Baby products at Target. They know that if they actually made an effort to change some of their ingredients it would implicate all the other products they sell are unhealthy. So they count on people not knowing the difference and use MARKETING to make sure they keep making money. This is plain and simple, deception. It makes me upset. I posted about it so that we could all know that there IS a difference - a big difference. I dont know what half those ingredients are but I do recognize some that I know are not safe - parabens and fragrance, to name two. Ca Baby managed to make a lotion without them and they did it because they really wanted to make a product that is healthy, not just make more money. My hope is that you get upset with J&J with me and let other people know to not fall for this marketing scheme.

Polio Vaccine

2007-08-15T21:14:00.000-06:00

Vaccine Facts:

- The Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) is a live vaccine and the virus can be passed through the feces of the vaccinated
- OPV has not been used in the US since 2000 because the only cases of Polio between 1980-2000 were from OPV
- We now use an innactive vaccine (IPV) called IPOL made by Sanofi Pasteur
- Two doses acheive a 90% effectiveness and Three doses, 99%
- If 4 doses are given before age 2, no 5th dose is needed at age 4/5.
- The vaccine should not be given to people allergic to streptomycin, polymyxin B, formaldehyde or neomycin
-Reaction rate is lower than a lot of other vaccines. Most common complaint is irritability and tiredness (according to package insert)

CDC reference
Package Insert

requests?

2007-08-14T20:41:00.000-06:00

any requests for the next vaccine to cover? (after I finish Polio)

:)

Polio 2

2007-08-12T16:08:00.001-06:00

I kept wondering why some sites claimed DDT "caused" Polio. Then I remembered that I read that Dr.s were not required to actually TEST to verify that their patient had Polio. Since the symptoms of Polio mirror those of poisoning and meningitis it is easy to see how thousands of people could have been misdiagnosed as having Polio prior to the introduction of the vaccine.

Most people just had flu-like symptoms.
5-10% developed nonparalytic aseptic meningitis with symptoms like fever, headache, vomitting, neck pain and stiffness, muscle spasms, fatigue, etc. that lasted 2-10 days.
1% develop the more severe paralytic polio (source)

Meningitis can be caused by MANY, many, many other things besides Polio. Without a spinal tap it would be impossible to know if it was Polio or not, even with some muscle weakness/stiffness. In the middle of the epidemics of the 1950's there was panic and it seems very plausible that many were misdiagnosed.

more to come......

Polio

2007-08-11T19:51:00.000-06:00

The Wikipedia says that:
- the name poliomyelitis means inflamation of the spinal cord.
- its a virus spread through fecal matter (fecal-oral transmission)
- 90% of cases are asymptomatic (!)
- only 1% of cases of Polio cause paralysis

I read an article recently, about Polio and its "erradication" supposedly due to vaccines, that was VERY interesting. If your parents grew up in the 50's like mine did then they will surely have some strong opinions about the Polio vaccine but there may be more to the story. This article sheds a different light, worth considering. Ill share a recap.

- The largest epidemic was in 1950. It had already begun to decline when the vaccine was introduced in 1955.

- Prior to 1954 diagnosis was made if paralysis was present longer than 24hrs. After 1955 the requirement was changed to paralysis lasting longer than 60 days!!!! All other cases were labaled as meningitis. "Polio" cases went down, but meningitis cases went up!

- Polio trends in the 1900's directly related to the use of DDT - a pesticide sprayed openly on pastures, parks, etc. (see graph here)

Info from Article on Polio from the Vacination Liberation site

Second article "Hiding Polio". An excerpt:

"Polio has not been eradicated by vaccination, it is lurking behind a
redefinition and new diagnostic names like viral or aseptic
meningitis.......According to one of the 1997 issues of the MMWR, there are some 30,000 to 50,000 cases of viral meningitis per year in the United States alone. That's where all those 30,000 - 50,000 cases of polio disappeared after the introduction of mass vaccination"---Viera Scheibner

This is definitely an intersting theory. To think they sprayed parks with DDT while children were playing at them (!!!!!!) is horrifying. I wouldnt be surprised at all if that was poisoning people. We all know what enviromental toxins can do to the body because we live in the autism era.

Another article on the possible causes of Polio, including the spraying of DDT. Flies were suspected of causing it which is why they sprayed and fields and fields of crops and animals with DDT :(

Polio is a VIRUS. Im gathering from reading all these articles that, like any viruses, it is more easily acquired if the person has poor hygeine, poor nutrition (coincides with trends to refine flour/sugar) or has a weakened immune system due to exposure to enviromental toxins (like DDT).

We tend to think of Polio as something that everyone is mangled by or dies from. But really the chances of being paralyzed are only 1-2% if you get it. It is basically erradicated in most industrialized countries like the US so the risk is low, low, low of contracting it.

My next post will be about the Polio vaccine itself, risks, etc.

Vaccine Package Inserts

2007-08-08T14:03:00.000-06:00

If you do have vaccines coming up and want more information, reading the manufacturer's package insert is the best way to get honest date. Here is a list of all the inserts - you'll need to ask your Dr which specific brand they use for each vaccine. This is one of the things that helped me the most.

For example: by reading the inserts I learned that with the DTaP, if you spread out the first 3 doses so that the 3rd dose is given after a year old, then they dont need a 4th dose. So thats one way to save them a vaccine. I believe its the same for some of the other vaxes as well.

You will find reaction and effectiveness rates there as well and that can help you weigh your choices.

MMR

2007-08-08T12:07:00.000-06:00

The MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) has been in the media the most because of the suspected ties to autism.

As I mentioned in a previous post, thimerosal/mercury is not an issue with the MMR because it is a *LIVE* vaccine. It does not need a preservative so it never had mercury in the first place.

The MMR used to be given at 18mos which is also the same time that "regressive" autism appears. This is the reason for the correlation. Some children regress without a vaccine, some regress sooner or later but many do regress after their MMR. One side says is suspicious, one side says its a coincidence.

Going back to thinking of our childrens immune system....if a child is predisposed to an autoimmune disease and/or autism then a very powerful 3-in-1 vaccine like the MMR *could* push that child over the edge into autism. Many mothers believe it did just that to their children.

One option is to split the vaccines. Its not easy to get them and your Dr may not like it but you do have the right to do so. (Ill work on getting you that info). Then you can give them a year apart. If I was going to do this Id only vax for measles since, IMO, that is the only disease of concern for a young child.

Mumps is a viral disease that causes flu-like symptoms as well as swollen cheeks due to infection of the salivary glands. For most the disease in not serious but in up to 10% it can lead to meningitis. It has also been linked to spontaneous abortion and deafness and very rarely, death. Meningitis can cause sterility in adolescent and adult males, but from what Ive read the risk is only 1%. In 2006 there was an outbreak of 1000 peopole and no casualties. Typically there are only a few hundred cases a year in the US.

Rubella or the "german measles" is not a serious disease for children. Many people have it and never even know. The risk is to pregnant women and their unborn children because Rubella can cause severe birth defects and miscarriage in 20-25% of those who contract it in the 1st trimester. I do think women who are thinking of having children should consider vaccination if they are not immune (before you are pregnant!). And while I hate the thought of my child causing harm to another its another story of vaxing our children on behalf of others especially since there are very few cases of rubella a year (less than 20).

Measles is the most serious of the diseases IMO because it is more common than the others and has a higher fatality rate. That said, most healthy children will recover without complications. A few generations ago nearly every single child would have had it, it was a normal childhood disease. Secondary complications can be severe in a small percentage though - meningitis, pneumonia, high fevers, brain damage and death.

*since the MMR is a live vaccine it *is* possible to contract a strain of measles from the vaccine.

to be continued.........

Hep B - the Vaccine

2007-08-03T08:18:00.000-06:00

There is no way to prove one way or another that a vaccine is safe or unsafe unless it is causing drastic, measurable reactions like some vaccines that have been pulled in the past. The way a child reacts to a vaccine depends so much on genetics, their health, their age, etc. We also need to consider long-term effects on the immune system and not just immediate reactions like seizures, fever, swelling, etc.

Hep B is genetically engineered vaccine (not derived from biological, infected cells like other vaccines) so its impossible to get Hep B from the vaccine. However, it is a completely foreign substance being injected into the body. My biggest concern, personally, come from stories Ive read of people being crippled with arthritis or other major immune system diseases.

I am going to quote an article from http://www.909shot.com/ I personally consider this site to be somewhat alarmist so I recommend that you do NOT read the personal stories of children damaged if you want to approach this factually and not emotionally, because they are very upsetting. They do, however have some great articles and info on legislation, etc.

Regarding the Hep B Vaccine from -this- article:

Hep B Vaccine Licensed By FDA Without Adequate Proof of Long Term Safety - In 1986, the FDA gave Merck & Co. a license to market the first recombinant DNA hepatitis B vaccine, which replaced the old hepatitis B vaccines made from blood taken from human chronic hepatitis B virus carriers. In awarding Merck & Co. and, later, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, licenses to market their genetically engineered hepatitis B vaccines in the U.S., the FDA allowed both drug companies to use "safety" studies which only included a few thousand children monitored for only four or five days after vaccination to check for reactions. As "proof" their hepatitis B vaccine is safe to be used in children, Merck & Co. stated in their 1993 product insert that "In a group of studies, 1636 doses of RECOMBIVAX HB were administered to 653 healthy infants and children (up to 10 years of age) who were monitored for 5 days after each dose."

Merck & Co. found that injection site and systemic complaints, such as fatigue and weakness, fever, headache and arthralgia (joint pain), were reported following up to 17 percent of all hepatitis B injections. Because the FDA did not require drug companies to provide scientific evidence that hepatitis B vaccine does not compromise the immune and neurological systems of children and adults over weeks, months or years post-vaccination, Merck & Co. warns in the 1996 product insert that "As with any vaccine, there is the possibility that broad use of the vaccine could reveal adverse reactions not observed in clinical trials" and SmithKline Beecham (1993) has a similar warning that "it is possible that expanded commercial use of the vaccine could reveal rare adverse reactions

Another warning in the Merck 1996 product insert is "it is also not known whether the vaccine can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity" and "it is not known whether the vaccine is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are secreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when the vaccine is administered to a nursing woman." And, although doctors routinely inject hepatitis B vaccine into children along with many other vaccines such as DPT, HIB, MMR and chicken pox vaccine, Merck & Co. state in the 1996 product insert: "Specific data are not yet available for the simultaneous administration of RECOMBIVAX HB with other vaccines."
Hep B Vaccine Efficacy Also Questioned - All vaccines stimulate only an artificial, temporary immunity, and the length of immunity conferred by the hepatitis B vaccine and the future need for more "booster" doses later in life is still not clear. Merck & Co state in their 1996 hepatitis B vaccine product insert that "the duration of the protective effect of RECOMBIVAX HB in healthy vaccinees is unknown at present and the need for booster doses is not yet defined."

In the CDC Prevention Guidelines: A Guide to Action (1997), the CDC states "The duration of protection [of hepatitis B vaccine] and need for booster doses are not yet fully defined. Between 30% and 50% of persons who develop adequate antibody after three doses of vaccine will lose detectable antibody within 7 years but protection against viremic infection and clinical disease appears to persist." If immunity only lasts 7 years, babies vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine may be candidates for more shots at age seven.

Hepatitis B

2007-07-26T13:54:00.000-06:00

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by a virus. It is spread much like HIV - through infected bodily fluids and dirty needles, and it can be passed from mother to child during childbirth. You can have Hep B and have no symptoms or you may have flu-like symtpoms such as fatigue, upset stomach, etc. Hep B can get better on its own after a few months or it can become chronic. Chronic Hep B can lead to liver damage, failure and/or liver cancer. About 5.000 people die a year from chronic liver disease/cancer from Hep B in the United States each year.

According to the Hepatitis B Foundation's site, children with Hep B are at no risk for physical disabilities and can live a "long and healthy life" with proper care. (source)

Those in the high-risk group include illegal drug users, someone who lives with someone with Hep B, the promiscuous, h*mosexuals and those who handle human blood in their jobs like healthcare workers (source)

So. If Hep B is a disease mainly of those who are s*xually promiscuous or sharing drug needles WHY (WHY?!?!?!) you ask, are they vaccinating our tiny, sweet, healthy babies the day they are born?!?!?!

Because its easier to vaccinate tiny babies then to get pr*stitutes and dr*g addicts to come in and get a 3-dose vaccine series. Nice plan eh?

It makes me absolutely FURIOUS that they do this; and even more so that people have no idea how NOT at-risk their babies are and how dangerous this vaccine is. Its a social injustice and its harming our children (because this vaccine in particular is not safe).

In my next post I will share some specifics on the safety (or lack thereof) of the Hepatitis B vaccine.

Vaccines 3

2007-07-25T20:34:00.000-06:00

One more thing. Autism is NOT - I repeat, NOT - the only risk in vaccinating your child. You have to think about the immune system as a whole and the toll that multiple vaccines could take on a child. The preservatives used can have affects on the brain (because they far exceed the levels they'd allow any other person to have of heavy metals like aluminum or mercury) but this can show itself in other ways besides autism (like learning disabilities). The overall toll could trigger or worsen allergies and asthma or make the child actually more susceptible to other diseases.

Again, we should take each vaccine one at a time (and we will, I promise). If we were going out of the country I might consider having my children vaxed for Polio. If I had HepB I may consider that vaccine for my children (ok, probably not)

I always hear people say "no, its safe now. They took the mercury out of the MMR". Well .... the MMR never had mercury in it because its a live vaccine so it doesnt require a preservative. Its the inactive vaccines that had/have mercury. The MMR however is a very potent and strong vaccines because it introduces 3 live vaccines at one time to the body. THAT is why it may be linked to autism because it just may be too much for some children (see my post below).

A women I "know" from online, who always happens to live near me, has a site for her autistic son Cameron. Check it out http://www.camsvoice.com/ Her son actually tests positive for Measles. They couldnt find it but finally figured out it was living in his gut. He also tests positive for Rubella but they dont know where it is - perhaps in his brain (scary!). He also has extremely high titers (measure of antibodies) for Heb B. His body thinks he has it and is chasing it all over his body making antibodies when he doesnt actually have it at all (its an inactive vaccine). His immune system is confused. She has seen the top specialists in the world which is why she knows this information and she definitely believes vaccines played a role in her sons disease. Many austic children test positive for having measles ... makes you wonder doesnt it........

Hep B coming up soon.......

Remember - dont make decisions based on fear. I dont want anyone freaking out - NO freaking out LOL.

Pray and ask for the wisdom to discern the informatoin. I still pray about this issue to make sure we are doing what is best for *our* children - because only the Lord knows.

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:5

Vaccines 2

2007-07-24T12:42:00.000-06:00

Anyone who has ever started to study vaccines knows what a scary decision it becomes when you start to question their safety. There is a lot of propaganda and scare-tactics used on *both* sides and it makes it hard to seperate fact from fiction.

The most important thing is to go in with your eyes wide open. If you are reading this then you can no longer be naive to the fact that vaccines DO damage millions of children. Do they help prevent disease? Yes. Is it as wonderful as "they" say it is? Maybe, maybe not. Is it worth the risk? You'll have to decide for yourself.

Ive heard the argument several times that vaccines benefit the masses. Its a "herd immunity" idea. I find it unbelievable as a mother that some moms are fine that some are sacraficed for the masses. I guess it seems ok until its your child.

And the thing about vaccines and autism is its like proving something causes cancer. The truth is MANY things cause cancer and there are A LOT of things that play a role in our growing autism rate. Its a very complex issue.

My opinion - reached after hearing the stories of many mothers of autistic children - is some children are predisposed genetically to have weak immune systems and for some of those children *something* can "tip the scales" and result in autism. For some, an inherited weakened immune system means food allergies, asthma, etc. but for some it means a more devasting breakdown in the bodies ability to function and process attacks. Many mothers of autistic children believe vaccines were the "straw that broke the camels back" for their child/children.

When a vaccine enters the body its job is to make the body think it has contracted that disease so that it produces antibodies resulting in immunity. This can take up to 2 weeks and several doses of the vaccine. But whether a live vaccine (chickenpox, MMR and some flu vaccines) or a "dead"/inactive vaccine, its designed so that the child doesnt actually get sick. The body of a child who's immune system isnt working propery may get confused and 'malfunction' to put it in simple terms and this can wreak havoc in the body and brain.

On the other side of things, we dont live in a culture that is healthy to begin with. A child who eats fruit loops for breakfast, goes to the Dr. and gets 6 vaccines at one time and then has McDonalds on the way home isnt healthier than an unvaccinated child who eats no sugar or processed foods and eats lots of meat, fruits and vegetables. We can do things to strengthen our childrens immune systems so that they can fight off viruses/bacteria on their own (vaccinated or not) and it will also help them to recover more quickly when they do get sick. Breastfeeding is the first step, but as they get older, feeding them healthy whole-food diets, limiting processed food and sugar/white flour, getting them exercise, etc. will help.

Some things to remember before I get into each vaccine:

- just because a child is vaccinated does NOT mean they are immune to a disease. Some vaccines have rates as low as 70% even after a 3-dose series (pertussis/whooping cough)
- its not all or nothing. you as a parent have the right to choose some and refuse others
- the CDC's schedule is a recommendation and it is designed to make it more likely for people to get their children vaccinated (e.g. when they are infants) not on how beneficial it is to the child to vaccinate at that age
- "Preservative free" or even "Mercury free" vaccines sometimes still contain mercury. Some just replaced mercury with other preservatives like aluminum or formaldehyde.

My next post will be about the Hep B vaccine which is one of the ones I feel most strongly about. We will build from there, getting more controversial as we go ;)

Vaccines - intro

2007-07-22T21:26:00.001-06:00

Ive been putting off writing about vaccines but Im in the mood to jump in, so here goes!

I studied vaccines intensely for about 4 years. I read the governments sites and anti-vaccine sites. I read every single package insert for each vaccine they wanted to give my second son. Im a mathematician so I wanted numbers and I studied and compared and analyzed whatever I could get my hands on..... I learned a lot from all those pages and pages of tiny text because they manufactuers data isnt sugar-coated like the CDC's. The CDC obviously has objectives so they also like to leave out key pieces of information that dont suit their cause.

I will be writing about each individual vaccine as I have time and I hope the information will be helpful. I am not "anti" vaccine, I am anti-ignorance. Many vaccines have toxic ingredients like mercury, aluminum and formaldehyde (I cant spell, sorry) and we as parents need to know exactly what the risk to vaccinating, and not vaccinating, are.

We also need to be aware that some shady things take place to hide information from the general public.
(Here is a website if you want to know more on this right now)

How do vaccines work?
How do they help/hurt the immune system?
How risky is it to not vaccinate?
What can you do if your child gets a disease like Whooping cough?

and more........ to come!

**Print this out!**
Article by Robert F. Kennedy for Rolling Stone Magazine regarding the governments cover-up about the mercury issue. A MUST-read!

Tear-free Shampoo

2007-07-20T14:09:00.001-06:00

So Ive heard and read several times that the reason some soaps and shampoos are "tear free" is because a chemical is added to them that actually numbs the eye when it comes in contact with it. This is obviously alarming. When I researched it I found other articles (from sites like Johson & Johnson) that say its a PH thing - getting it at just the right PH means it doesnt sting?

I found this, which seems to make sense:

"PH of hair and skin of humans is 4.5 to 5.5.PH of eyes is 7.By making the PH of the shampoo the same as the eyes, it doesn't causeas much stinging and tearing. It does however, dry out the hair and scalp."

Here is a store selling a tear-free shampoo that they say is tear-free because of a ph of 6.5 but they do claim that other companies use a tear-supressing chemical in their tear-free products. So maybe its both??? or maybe its just a big internet myth?

J&J didnt score well for any products on the EWC site - click here. But there are much healthier options for shampoos (click here) like Ca Baby and even Huggies shampoo (shockingly) got an "ok" score.

If anyone knows if there really is a chemical used in some of these tear-free shampoos Id love to see some proof!

Apples

2007-07-18T12:41:00.000-06:00

Maybe Im the only one who didnt know this, but ... you should store your apples (organic of course because apples are in the "dirty dozen") in a separate drawer from your other produce in the fridge, because apples release ethylene gas, which makes other food spoil more quickly!

yet another free tip from yours truly LOL :)

Airborne - overdosing on Vit A

2007-07-16T09:02:00.000-06:00

Just a warning about Airborne. Yes, Airborne has a lot of great vitamins and herbs it may help you to not get sick. BUT it also carries a risk so please be careful when using it for yourself, and especially for your children.

The RDA for adults for Vitamin A is 5.000iu (some revised recomendations are even lower). Each Airbornne has 5,000iu so taking it more than once a day could lead to an overdose. The package recommends taking it every 3-4 hours!!! (but not more than 3 doses in a day). An overdose of Vit A can be toxic and even result in death.

Children 4-8 should only have 1333 iu a day so giving them half of an adult Airborne (as the package says you can) will give them almost twice that dose. A dose of Airborne Jr has 1250iu so it should only be given once in a day and should not be given to children under 4. (source) Their packaging does say ages 4-10. I used to give to the boys when they were 2 and 3 though - dont make the same mistake!

You also do NOT want to take your daily multivitamin on a day that you take Airborne as this could definitely cause an overdose. Especially be careful of this with children.

I would not recommend taking Airborne while nursing but that is something you can research yourself if you dont believe me :)

When Im getting sick I take high levels of Vit C. You can also take zinc. I will post more about that soon!

Source 1

Source 2

Natural Fabric Softener

2007-07-14T20:11:00.000-06:00

So if you read this blog you know that fabric softener is evil LOL.

I recently found a natural option, for those of you who miss that fresh scent when you open the dryer. Its called Ecover and its made with plant-based surfactants, water, salts, plant-based fragrances and a 100% biodegradable preservative.
I bought some and while it smells realy nice, it totally bothered my asthma. So Im giving it to a friend. But if you are sensitive to scents then this may be a natural option for you!

http://www.ecover.com/

Lead in Tap Water

2007-07-12T21:36:00.000-06:00

Filtered water is best. We have a reverse osmosis filter and the water tastes sooo good.

If you do use tap water DONT run it hot. There is lead present in old pipes and it leaches more easily into hot water. So run it cold and then heat it up on the stove.

:)

just a free tip LOL.

Nitrates

2007-07-12T15:09:00.000-06:00

One reason that processed meats like lunch meat, bacon and hot dogs, are so unhealthy is because they contain unhealthy preservatives called Nitrates.

From PreventCancer.com:

Q. How could hot dogs cause cancer?
A. Hot dogs contain nitrites which are used as preservatives, primarily to combat botulism. During the cooking process, nitrites combine with amines naturally present in meat to form carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. It is also suspected that nitrites can combine with amines in the human stomach to form N-nitroso compounds. These compounds are known carcinogens and have been associated with cancer of the oral cavity, urinary bladder, esophagus, stomach and brain.
(Full Article), Article 2

The good news is that preservative-free meats are now much more readily available. Our Super Target even carries them now and so does Kroger/Ralphs. Your local health food store will definitely carry them. Ive had one really bad brand of preservative-free hot dogs (frozen section at Kroger) but the rest all taste the same. Even Oscar Myer has one now, I found it right there, with the other hot dogs. I love that my boys can have something "normal" like a hot dog every once in awhile, but do it in a much healthier way. :)

Because these foods are VERY high in sodium, they should still be eaten only occasionally.

If you check out my friends blog, the Green Republican, you'll see her post about Applegate Farm's new hot dogs that are made from Grass-fed beef! That is the healthiest option!

*please note* Consumer Reports commented in a hot dog review that "uncured"hot dogs can have as many nitrates as regular hot dogs. This is an inaccurate comment however because the nitrates are from different sources. Please see the response from Applegate Farm's CEO.

Marketing

2007-07-10T22:46:00.000-06:00

I wont bore you with all my lengthy opinions about the big, rich companies and all of their horribly immoral marketing stratedgies (especially those aimed towards children) BUT I am going to rant for a minute.......

There is a new toothpate, by crest, called "Natural Expressions". If you've seen the commercial you may have noticed thats its worded carefully to make it appear to be a healthier, more natural product. Really, its the same Crest toothpaste with fancy, natural-sounding names likes "Herbal Mint" and "Lemon Ice". How stupid do they think people are????

(a much better choice is a toothpaste by Tom of Maine, available at your health food store)

It makes me FURIOUS when big companies try to cash-in on the current trend towards more natural, more healthy products by spending millions of dollars to try and trick consumers into thinking they are offering something better. Johnson and Johnson has a new commerical too where people in white lab coats are in a green house carefully inspecting plants like lavendar. Then this voice tells you all about how healthy all their products are. Seriously?!?!?! Do people actually believe this? The healthiest change would be to remove every ingredient they use except the water and add some vinegar and essential oils back in. THAT would be a public service.

If you've read my past blog about those ridiculous Febreeze commericals then you may have watched their new one with different eyes (why cover up smells with fragrance when you could just CLEAN your house!). They actually show children hanging out in a room next to this plug-in air freshner that is dispensing fragrance (aka toxic chemicals) into the air. You'd laugh if you saw me screaming at my TV when its on ;)

So dont buy into what they what you to believe. Research it for yourself - or just ask me ;)

HFCS

2007-07-04T08:33:00.000-06:00

HFCS = High Fructose Corn Syrup

This probably is a familiar ingredient to you since its in so many of our foods. I think it flew under my radar for so long because it doesnt sound that bad. You can pronounce each word and it has "corn" which is a vegetable and "fructose" which we associate with fruit.

Unfortunately HFCS is another hidden ingredient that is VERY unhealthy. You can read how it is made HERE if you want the scientific explanation - but here is a recap: they process corn starch to yeild glucose. It is processed by using 3 enzymes - 2 of which are genetically engineered. It is a complicated process involving fungus and chemicals - yuck!

HFCS has the same sweetness as sucrose from cane or beet sugar but even though it is much more complicated to make, it is cheaper than sugar. The article says that only 4 companies control 85% of this 2 billion dolllar industry. They are making a fortunte because HFCS is in tons of our food - ketchup, marinades, salad dressing, fruit juice, bacon, beer, ice cream, BREAD, and even a lot of "health food".

In the article linked above they mention an experiment with rats - the livers of those fed HFCS "looked like the livers of alcoholics" and the female rats could not produce live young. Eek!

We should avoid fruit juices anyways because water is the healthiest choice but especially avoid those loaded with HFCS. Next time you need to restock on ketchup or BBQ sauce or whatever, check the labels to find one without HFCS. I was unable to find any BBQ sauce without it at Target (grrrr!) but the organic ketchup we buy doesnt have it. Also if you buy powdered marinades in a packet and mix then yourself you can avoid HFCS. Same with salad dressing.

Whether its worse than white sugar or not, we can preserve the health of our families but avoiding both in our regular diets. :)

more about the effects of HFCS on our health

Storm Picts

2007-07-03T21:31:00.000-06:00

If you've seen the news lately you've probably heard about the flooding rains that we've been having here in Texas. Here are some pictures I took today. One thing I love about TX is how beautiful it is to see a storm roll in.

Note how dark and black the clouds are on the horizon. Black on the bottom with fluffy white on the top means its a thunderstorm.

I drove home today with black on one side and blue sunny sky on the other and only got a few drops of rain - very cool!

(this picture is my favorite. that little hole just opened up and its such a contrast to the black at the bottom of the cloud!)

Our hearts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and/or their homes to these storms. Its so tragic. At the same time we are so thankful for the rain that we needed so badly. God's majesty has truly been shown here. What a magnificient God we serve!

Kefir

2007-07-02T12:47:00.000-06:00

Ok this is for those of you that are super crunchy and like weird stuff. This is pretty out there for some people - I was thought it was weird and gross-sounding too but I love kefir now!

Kefir is a fermented drink cultivated using kefir grains. The grains are a combination of "bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars " (wikipedia) The end result is a probiotic drink full of healthy enzymes and "friendly" bacteria. Its more nutritious and beneficial than yogurt or even acidopholus.

There are water kefir grains and milk kefir grains. If you shop at a natural food market like Whole Foods or Central Market than you've probably seen milk kefir for sale there in the dairy section. Its still beneficial but they usually do have a lot of added sweeteners. The kind you can make at home can be sugar/sweetener-free and still taste great!

Because we have milk allergies, milk is expensive (and I think its gross) I use water kefir grains. You simply put the grains in water, add sugar (which they eat up - its like feeding a pet LOL) and let it ferment for a few days on the counter. The result is a very unique tasting beverage that is a super-powerful probiotic!

Here is a picture of mine brewing with some organic strawberries (ONLY organic fruit can be used or you'll get really sick from all the pesticides - ask me how I know) :

You can buy a dry starter but getting some live grains to start with is even better. I got mine from a mom in Colorado who I found on the Mothering.com forums. Look HERE in the "Traditional Foods" forums to find a list of people who will send you some. Most only charge about $5 including priority shipping!

Great Article on Water Kefir - has pictures, health benefits and recipes (pdf)

Kefir info on Mothering.com, recipes, etc.

Dom - the Kefir Guy website

Kefir.net: Kefir and The Body Ecology Diet (they sell a dry starter)

Boys will be boys

2007-06-28T21:15:00.000-06:00

Much to my chagrin, my dear hubby has been letting the boys watch the show "Man Vs. Wild" with him when Im putting J to bed at night. Basically they drop this crazy guy off in the middle of places like the Everglades or Iceland and he has to find his way to civilization, a road, etc. His survival skills are really amazing (and gross sometimes) but I keep trying to convince dh its a little much for a 3 and 4.5yr old. Here is some proof from the last two days:

N told hubby yesterday that he was hungry at quiet time so he ATE AN ANT .... he quickly added, in a resassuring tone, " but I didnt eat his head!" ....... Gross!!!! He told me this whole story at bedtime so I said "ummm, so you ate his butt?" which he thought was really funny but he corrected me to say he ate his tummy AND his bum. Great.

Today he came in from outside for dinner, HUGE grin, and proudly said "I ate two worms!" (I said "What?!?!?!") He proudly goes on, reassuring us once again, "I washed them in the pool, so I didnt get sick from the dirt". Good thinking son LOL.

Times like this remind me that I am outnumbered by this odd species called "male" and it also makes me so, so thankful for my sweet little princess. Please tell me she will never eat a worm. Grrrroooossss!

Hanna Anderson Sale!

2007-06-28T15:35:00.000-06:00

It would be impossible to be raised by my mother and not appreciate a good sale. So Im posting to share the love! Hanna Anderson is having a huge sale online and the prices are amazing! My mom got Jayna 3 new dresses for her birthday and they are SO cute. They arrived today and Im in love! The normal prices were $38-42 and each one was $14-18!

anyways, here is the link to the dresses section if anyone with a little girl is interested (there arent many sizes left!)
Hanna Anderson

:)

ChikFilA

2007-06-26T13:34:00.000-06:00

This is in response to Kelli In the Mirror's question in response to my Fast Food post.

ChickFilA advertises that they use 100% peanut oil. That is true - thats what they FRY in and its non-hydrogenanted, so not trans fat.

Their Waffle Fries do have trans fat though. The most likely buy frozen potatoes that have already been cut and fried once in trans fat. See ingredidents here

Here they say that and that they hand-bread their chicken nuggests and chicken strips in the store. Great. Sounds good right? Well here is the nutritional info for their nuggets and they actually do have soybean oil in them (and milk). Not good for those with allergies. They dont have trans fat though so that is good. Most dipping sauces besides ketchup are made with a base of soybean oil too.

Here are the ingredients for the Grilled Chicken Club (my favorite thing there). It says "100% natural chicken breast" but this: butter flavored vegetable oil (soybean oil, palm kernel oil, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavor, TBHQ and citric acid added as preservatives, and artificial color) is listed underneath that. How is butter-flavored soybean oil, perservatives and artificial color "100% natural"?!?!?!?! There is also artificial color in the cheese (why?!), nitrates in the bacon (more on that coming soon) and TRANS FAT from shortening in the "golden wheat bun from a local bakery".

Also note that the Peanut Oil they use has TBHQ - just for reference, ingredients with numbers or capital letters usually arent good for you. Think "MSG". You'd have to eat a lot of chicken nuggest to get 1 gram of TBHQ but just a little of a bad thing doesnt make it safe.

Look at the ingredients list for the Southwest Chargrilled Chicken Salad. Its longer than the list for the one with fried/breaded chicken! The longer the ingredients list of anything, the less healthy it usually is - especially when you have no idea what they are and/or cant pronounce them! The coating on the chicken has trans fat. Not very healthy at all!

Other items from ChikFilA with TRANS FAT:
Biscuits, Brownies, Tortillas, Gravy, Hashbrowns, Cinnamon Cluster, Croutons that come with the salads, Chicken Soup, Lemon pie, Cheesecake, etc.

And check out the ingredients in the milkshakes (which I admit, I L-O-V-E but Im currently off of soy and sugar) - they are like a mile long. They are full of corn syrup, artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, and also have soy and Splenda in them.

Like I said, I love their food but I hate that I do. I dont even care if someone wants to eat there but people should KNOW that all this junk is in their food. We are so naive about what goes into all food, including the food we buy at the store and make ourselves.

Hope this helps someone :)

(my 50th post - woohoo!!!!)

Healthy Fats

2007-06-25T13:32:00.000-06:00

Americans have been brainwashed on two levels concerning fats and nutrition. They have taught us that its best to eat low-fat diets and they have tried to convince us that natural products like butter should be replaced by "healthier" products like yellow plastic, um, uh, I mean, margarine ;).

Canola oil is another fat that we've been told his healthy. I always thought it was. Here is an intersting article from the Weston A. Price foundation website (a favorite place of mine to read): The Great Con-ola I am trying to phase canola out of our diet. I do still use Canola mayonaise because regular mayonaise is made with soybean oil but now I cook with coconut or olive oil.

You can read more on that site about why the healthiest choices are butter, olive oil, coconut oil and even lard (I know, I know, its hard for us to imagine!). I just bought some coconut oil from http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/ which is a good source for the right type of coconut oil - you dont want the refined stuff you can buy at the store, it doesnt have the lauric acid in it that brings so many health benefits . I did buy their expeller-pressed type because I dont like the taste of coconut but next time I plan to get the real stuff! Its really great on bread and I even cook JJ's egg yolk in it every night.

Im not a huge Dr. Mercola fan because he is so extreme (although secretly I agree with everything he says!) but here an another article about coconut oil that he wrote: Coconut Oil: The Smarter Fat that Promotes Weight Loss

These are easy steps to take to improve our family's overall health. Check out that site, there is a lot to learn there!

Fast Food - hidden ingredients

2007-06-25T13:17:00.001-06:00

Need help eating out less? Read this.

Because of my sons' soy allergy I have read a lot of nutritional info on the websites of sit-down and fast food restaurants. My hope was that I could at least go somewhere like ChickFilA and get a grilled chicken breast plain and some fruit.

I learned something really gross - at most fast food restaurants, their ground beef and chicken breasts are cooked or reheated with "vegetable shortening" or even "butter flavored vegetable shortening" - AKA Trans Fat. Yuck! Would you pull out some meat and cook it in shortening?!?! I hope not! That is just unacceptable. That means when you think you are ordering a healthy grilled chicken sandwhich, its really not healthy at all. Its loaded with fat and not the good kind!

If its fried, like a chicken nugget, its probably made with trans fat in the bread coating (soy for sure) then deep fried then frozen and re-fried at the restaurant. They do the same for fries (including the ones you buy at the store - read the back). Double yuck. Dont be fooled by the clever marketing campaigns of places like McDonalds - white meat or not, those chicken nuggest are NOT good for your kids. The only thing my kids eat there are the apples - minus the sugary, yucky carmel dipping sauce.

So just because they say they cook with vegetable oil - which usually means soybean oil since its the cheapest - that doesnt meant it doesnt have trans fat. And you need to ask - is it really oil they are cooking with (which doesnt have trans fat and is liquid) or shortening (which is solid in cooler temps and does have trans fat)? Remember "0 Trans Fat per serving" means that there is trans fat in the product but just less than the FDA's rule allowed trans fat per serving.

Its ideal to eat at home of course and cook everything on your own with fresh, non-processed ingredients. We go out with friends or to church several times a week and I always pack things for the kids, usually a sandwhich on whole wheat with almond butter and all-fruit jelly (peanut allergy too here) and some grapes or something. I myself am now off of soy since Im nursing and I was feeling badly about having it. Even though nothing in our house has soy, you cant eat out without eating out unless you are very, very careful. Unfortunately at a lot of sit-down restaurants its the same story.

Im happy to say that one restaurant is trying to help those of us with allergys. Wendy's cooks their hamburgers fresh (not frozen) and with no shortening or oils. Their new artisan bread is baked fresh daily and has no trans fat or soy - its actually made with olive oil (a good fat). No its not grass-fed organic beef ;), but we cant always afford that anyways and certainly not all the meat I cook is organic. So if we are out and about and need an occasionaly meal-rescue for mommy that is now the one and only choice we have - but Im so happy to have it. Thank you Wendy's! :)

Safe Toys for Baby

2007-06-17T20:20:00.000-06:00

Many teethers sold in the US are not safe for baby to put in their mouth at all, much less to suck and chew on. Most are made of plastics that leach chemicals and other toys that seem "chewable" may contain lead or PVC.

A European toy company called Haba offers many safer options. Their wooden toys are painted with a safe, lead-free paint and they are ADORABLE.

These are the ones that Jayna has:

How cute are they?!?!And they are only about $10 each!!!

She does chew on a lot of other things now that she is older and mobile and explores all over the house - including plastic that Im sure is horrible for her. But when she is playing with and chewing on these at least I know she is safe. She chewed some of the red paint off of the bell on the top one so I took it away but Ive searched and the paint they use is definitely lead-free. No other wear is visible and she's had them both since she was born.

These were the only toys I gave her when she was really little and just learning to hold onto and mouth things. They also make teething clips and carseat toys that are adorable and Ill get for the next baby!

Here is a site that has several "cluthing toys" as Haba calls them: Baby Oliver Boutique I got mine new on ebay.

Haba also makes great blocks, soft toys and lots of games and toys for older children as well!

Plastics - update

2007-06-15T16:00:00.001-06:00

I think I mentioned in my last post on plastics that I would no longer be buying Gerber Organic baby food because it is in #7 plastic tubs. As we know, that is not a safe type of plastic. So it defreats the purpose of organic food to put it in there! So Ive been buying other brands that come in glass jars.

So today I finally called Gerber to ask if the containers have BPAs. Obviously it wasnt the first call they got about it because she had a prepared statement that she read it to me. The good news is that they do NOT contain BPA's. Even when tested after microwaving (which you shoud never do with a plastic container of any kind!) it did not leach BPA.

I did express to her that I was still disappointed that they havent chosen to use a different, safer type of plastic. Even without BPAs other chemicals can be leached, especially if they are filled when the baby food is hot. She took my info and passed along my "comments" ;)

Ill let you know if I hear anything else! For now, Im still going to buy it in the glass jars. She is much more into real food now anyways :) And that is a subject for another post!

Thomas the Train RECALL

2007-06-14T12:35:00.000-06:00

This is SO infuriating.

They are recalling several Thomas the Train peices sold between 2004-2007 because the paint contains LEAD. Thats right, the CEO makes half a Million dollars and year and they are being cheap and using paint with lead at the expense of our children!!!!!!!

While its unacceptable, its not unbelievable. If you've read my blog before you know that the products our government allows to be sold in our country are not as safe as we think they are.

Here is the link with PICTURES of what is being recalled. Supposedly they will replace it for you if you send it in but who really wants another toy from this company? I sure dont. I want my $20 back (actually my $100s of dollars back!).

And I want them to pay to have my children lead tested. My sweet baby girl has had those trains in her mouth before! And Im sure thousands of other babies have too (Before we can get to them to take it away of course!). I was already mad that a $20 train's paint would chip so easily .... and now it may have contaminated all their other toys.

I dont know that much about lead accept that NO amount is a safe amount, especially not for the brain of a developing child.

Things to Remember

2007-06-09T19:44:00.000-06:00

Im so bad at writing down all the cute things my kids say. So Im going to write it here this time. This is a conversation I just had with Noah before I tucked him in for bed. Im really working on taking time each day to "snuggle" with Noah - which really means he talks my ear off and I listen. One way to make it more meaningful is to ask questions.

Noah - whats your favorite thing about Nana?
'cuz she brings me surprises

Whats your favorite thing about Grandma?
'cuz she brings me surprises (said with a huge grin!)

Whats your favorite thing about Papa?
'cuz I like riding in his Jeep! (which he has never done but Papa has promised to bring it for his birthday)

What about Papa Chris?
ummm 'cuz I want to be an engineer just like him (awwwwwh!!!)

Favorite thing about Mommy?
'cuz you make me food (figures)

Noah whats your favorite thing about Daddy?
'cuz how hard he works for us (awwwwh again!)

Favorite thing about Caleb?
'cuz I just love him so much and he loves me so much

Favorite thing about Jayna?
'cuz she plays with me

"And mommy my favorite thing about Luke (best friend) is feeing ducks together at the park"

:)

those warmed my heart.

:)

Talc

2007-06-06T19:05:00.001-06:00

I knew that Talc was bad and should be avoided but I didnt know why. So I started to research so I could share with y'all and its even worse than I thought.....

This is from www.preventcancer.com (article)

Q. Why is talc harmful?
A. Talc is closely related to the potent carcinogen asbestos. Talc particles have been shown to cause tumors in the ovaries and lungs of cancer victims. For the last 30 years, scientists have closely scrutinized talc particles and found dangerous similarities to asbestos. Responding to this evidence in 1973, the FDA drafted a resolution that would limit the amount of asbestos-like fibers in cosmetic grade talc. However, no
ruling has ever been made and today, cosmetic grade talc remains non-regulated by the federal government. This inaction ignores a 1993 National Toxicology Program report which found that cosmetic grade talc, without any asbestos-like fibers, caused tumors in animal subjects. Clearly with or without asbestos-like fibers, cosmetic grade talcum powder is a
carcinogen

Here is a more calm article from Cancer.org. This article says that since 1973 talc is required to be asbestos-free. But it also says that the most recent study found a 37% higher risk of ovarian cancer in talc users who have not had their tubes tied.

And from webMD.com

Talc is a mineral compound that is similar to asbestos; the two minerals are
often found together in geological formations. In the past, some talc powders
have been found to contain asbestos, but quality assurance programs have now
minimized this contamination. The modest association between ovarian cancer and
talc exposure found in some studies has been attributed to asbestos
contamination, Whysner says.
Cornstarch, in comparison, is a food substance
found in the corn kernel. Because of cornstarch's chemical nature, it is
biologically implausible for it to cause cancer

I cant be the only one disturbed by that information and how many thousands of women use body powder every day in their vulnerable issues. You just cant trust thats because its on the shelf its safe - you HAVE to find out for yourself!

Its best to find a powder that is cornstarch-based. I use Burts Bees talc-free body powder, even though it does have artificial fragrance. Its an easy change to make! Just do it ;)

DEFINITELY dont use regular baby powder on your babies/children!

Bug repellent

2007-06-04T20:29:00.000-06:00

Ive posted before about a site to check the ingredients and safety of your skin/beauty products. They've redone their site. I think there are still some kinks to work out because the font is a little weird for me but check out the EWG's NEW COSMETIC DATABASE

I just went there to find a safe bug repellent. The mosquitos are vicious this year! California Babies wins again - Im going to get some of their spray this week. You have to apply it more often than regular bug repellent but its safer. It has a score of 2 (green, for safe) and Skin-so-soft has a score of 8 (red, for avoid!).

There has been so much debate about the safety of DEET. Now the AAP says not to use a DEET product on children that is over 30%. But I personally prefer not to rub my children down with pesticide if I can help it - go figure. Better safe than sorry in my oh-so-humble opinion. ;)

THIS is a site for a non-deet product, so they are a little biased. But I had to laugh a little that they mentioned that Deet can dissolve the epoxies and gel coats off of boats - what?!?!?! Their whole marketing slant is that its not wise for hunters, fisherman, etc. to use Deet since it can damage so many of the products a fisherman touches. Nice eh? So yeah, pretty much not going to rub that stuff all over my sweet little blessings from God!

p.s. one site I came across said that taking garlic capsules can help as a natural bug repellent! Ive taken them before and no, you dont smell like garlic.

No more Tampons!

2007-06-02T23:17:00.000-06:00

There have been rumors circulating on the internet for awhile regarding tampons containing abestos and cancer-causing dioxins. From what Ive been able to find, the FDA, and others, claim this is a hoax.

Either way, there is a better option! The Diva Cup!

I know - the name is hilarious. And the idea is radical to some. Its a silicon cup, very slender, that you insert during your time of menstruation. It lasts up to 12 hours, even on your heaviest days and since its made of silicon its 100% safe. Just rinse and reuse. You can even wear it overnight. I have friend that use it and love it!

Good for your health and it SAVES MONEY. Woohoo! If I ever have another cycle (just one of the blessings of children and breastfeeding!) Im definitely getting one. They are about $33-34 and your local health store may carry them!

There is also another brand called The Keeper (made from gum rubber/latex) and the Moon Cup which is silicone like the Diva Cup. Both are about $35.

Pipsqueak Pretties!

2007-05-30T14:00:00.000-06:00

In all my spare time (ya right!) I love to sew. My mom gave me a lesson a few years ago and I taught myself the rest. I also love to make Jayna bracelets and everyone loves them so much I wanted a place to sell some... so Ive created an online store through hyenacart.com! :)

Pipsqueak Pretties

Some weeks I can sew a lot, some not at all. Im being mindful to keep hubby, the kids and homeschooling my top priorities. Usually I sew at night - I get spurts of creativity :)

Thanks for checking it out!

PVC aka Vinyl

2007-05-23T12:11:00.000-06:00

PVC is the most common and the most harmful plastic manufactured. Here are some facts from this article:

- enviromental by-products are dioxin, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride. These cause health issues like: cancer, endemitriosis, birth defects and more
- Dioxins travel through the air and accumulate in our bodies, specifically breast milk
- PVC cant be made without additives like LEAD, cadmium and organotins, and phthalate plasticizers. According to the article these, "leach, flake or outgas from PVC over time raising risks that include asthma, lead poisoning and cancer"
- cant be readily recycled

So what can you do????

Well sadly even childrens toys have PVC. Just today I picked up a Little Einstein book that someone gave Jayna - it was one of those soft, white plastic, squishy books. Well the back said that the cover was made of PVC!!! That means it could contain lead - and what do babies do with everything? Put them in their mouths of course. I threw it right into the trash.

There are even teethers made from PVC!!!! (the only safe teethers are those made of silicon like the Razzbaby teether or from a safely-finished wooden toy like those made by Haba)

** If the recycling symbol on a prodcuct is a "3" or has a V beneath it, then PVC is contained in that product. So avoid plastic bottles and othe products with this number.

** Check your shower curtain - many are made of PVC.

** Check any squish/plasticy books, bath toys or teethers your baby may have.

** If in doubt, call the manufacturer!

** Also check your infants sleep positioner - these are often sprayed with flame retardants and those are dangerous for babies to breathe.

Article 2
Article 2- May '07 Walmart to phase out PVC from childrens products
Article 3 - Toy "Report Card" - which manufacterers are doing their part?
Article 4 - quick article, ready to print
Artilce 5 - phylates found in bath toys, teethers, sleep positioners

That should be enough to convince you that this is some dangerous stuff.

Again - there are government agencies that KNOW this stuff is dangerous and KNOW its in our babies' toys, cribs, clothes, etc, etc, etc. so why is nothing being done?!?!?!?! We need to be educated mommies so we can look out for our own families!

Win an Ergo!

2007-05-21T08:35:00.000-06:00

The Ergo carrier is one of the most popular among those of us who like to "wear" our babies. Its also very expensive! Go to alongfortheride.biz to enter yourself to win one - its free! :)

"0 Trans Fat per serving"

2007-05-19T18:18:00.000-06:00

Chances are you have seen "Zero Trans Fat per serving" advertised on the box of something at the grocery store. When you see a product use the words "per serving" in its boasting, be aware. Its a loophole in the FDA guidelines and chances are, if they use "per serving", there is trans fat in it after all.

Girl Scout cookies advertised "Zero trans fat per serving" but there are hydrogenated oils listed in the ingredients for several of their cookies. According to FDA guidelines, a product with 0.5 or less grams of trans fat "per serving" can make the claim to have "zero trans fat". How stupid is that?!?!?!?! What a ridiculous marketing scam. Sometimes government agencies really are ridiculous. Who are they working for anyways?!?!

So dont just read the nutritional information in the white and black box, because it wills say "Trans Fat 0 grams" but read the ingredients list. If you see anything "hydrogenated" then steer clear and make a better choice for your family!

(margarines almost all say this now - because servings of margarine are small they get away with murder. I promise real butter is better for you than yellow-colored plastic in a tub ;) )

Heaven on Earth

2007-05-18T21:53:00.001-06:00

Tonight as I tucked Caleb in for bed, he put his chubby little hands on my cheeks, looked up into my eyes, and said, "sweetheart mommy ever" ...... I melted right then and there. That made my whole day worth it. *sigh* :) What a gift to be a mother. Thank you Lord for showing us Your love for us through our children!