New Blog and New Website!

Happy New Year 2011 Everyone.  I have been blogisphere-absent due to a major distraction: creating a new website and blog!  I couldn't have done it without my web designer Janine.  She (very) patiently guided me into the next level of web-presencedom.  Please visit my new professional website and my new blog, also hosted at the new site (with previous content intact).  I am also Tweeting daily - you will see a blue Twitter button on the sidebar of the site and the blog, and there is a live Twitter feed of my most recent posts on my site.  Take a tour around the new site and let me know what you think!

Nutritional Deficiencies in Healthy Children

I recently researched nutritional deficiencies in children for a talk I gave at a school and came across a study outlining the most common deficiencies in otherwise healthy children who are developing normally without any signs of chronic illness or disease.  When I looked at what foods these nutrients are found in, it was yet another affirmation of the importance of eating a whole foods diet.  

"Don't Eat Anything Your Great Grandmother Wouldn't Recognize as Food." 

-Michael Pollan

Our modern diet is highly processed.  Our children eat cereal for breakfast, a sandwich and cookie for lunch, pasta for dinner and a granola bar for a snack.  When considering this "diet" it is easy to see that modern-day, seemingly healthy children are eating "substances" (not  "food") that are lacking in nutrition; they are overfed and undernourished. 

3 Most Common Nutritional Deficiencies in Otherwise Healthy Children

#1 Iron transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, muscles and brain.  It is essential for immunity and for creating energy from food.

When kids are lacking iron (microcytic anemia) they are low in energy, are often sick and can have a foggy brain.  Oftentimes kids with ADD and ADHD are anemic.  

 Iron is found in meats (lamb, pork, poultry, liver), nuts and seeds, legumes, vegetables, dried fruit and molasses, among other foods.

#2 Vitamin D3 is essential for the absorption of calcium in teeth, bones and muscle.  It is a hormone regulator and prevents cancer by promoting cell differentiation. It plays an essential role in immunity and blood sugar regulation as well as cardiovascular, muscle and brain health.

Vitamin D3 deficiencies tend to get worse as children mature. Teens tend to be quite low in Vitamin D3 at a time when they need it most for hormonal regulation, immunity and mental processing. 

Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin found in canned salmon, cod liver oil, sardines, egg yolk and liver. Since the diet can't provide an adequate amount of Vitamin D3 the best source is sunshine.  Because we don't all have access to sunshine on a regular basis the next best source is supplementation of Vitamin D3.

#3 Calcium/Magnesium are building blocks of bones, teeth and soft tissue.  They regulate muscle and nerve function and manage blood vessel contraction and dilation affecting blood pressure.

A deficiency in Calcium could express as periodontal disease, muscle pains/, anxiety, insomnia, hyperactivity or easily broken bones. A calcium deficiency is often apparent at bed time when a child's body slows down - they may be anxious, have a hard time sleeping or complain of restless legs or "growing pains."

Calcium can be found in dairy products, broccoli, almonds, oatmeal, kale, and molasses, among other foods.  

Honorable Mentions: Zinc, Selenium, B Vitamins, Vitamin C.

Supplementation

A healthy diet is the best way for children to receive nutrition but prevailing farming practices produce less nutritious food and our busy lives don't always leave room for whole food preparation.  I realize how challenging it is to maintain optimal nutrition at all times and thus have become a proponent of prudent supplementation and/or "superfoods."  

A multi-vitamin can be a good way to ensure sure that your child receives adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals make it into the body.  Superfoods (see below) are nutrition-dense foods that can contribute additional nutrition to the diet.  As well, Vitamin D3 is necessary.  I prefer food-based vitamins as they are more readily absorbed by the body. Keep in mind that Iron supplementation should only take place when one has a documented case of Iron Deficiency Anemia.  Iron serves as a pro-oxidant (opposite of anti-oxidant) in the body if one is not deficient.  If you suspect anemia in your child, have your doctor order a complete blood count (CBC).  Remember, supplements are merely a "back-up" - it is important to continue to strive toward a whole foods diet! 


(Please see blog post Children Need Whole Foods for more suggestions on how to improve your child's diet.)

Superfoods

Blue/green algae/spirulina - rich in protein, EFAs, B Vits, minerals, calcium

Seaweeds - iodine

Chia seed - protein, omega 3’s, fiber, calcium

Hemp seed - protein, omega 3’s

Sauerkraut and fermented foods - probiotics, enzymes

Whey protein - high in antioxidants, amino acids, glutathione

Coconut oil - omega 3's, medium chain fatty acids

Eggs, butter, meats from pastured (not "cage-free" or "free-range") - high in EPA, Omega 3, Vit A, Vit D

Cod liver oil - Vit A, Vit D, Omega 3's

Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad

I can't resist a creative salad that integrates sweet and savory.  While on the road with my family this summer we stopped at my all-time favorite health food store, the Brattleboro Food Co-op in Brattleboro, Vermont.  They were sampling this delicious summer salad that knocked our flip-flops off.  I highly recommend that you give it a try on a sizzling summer day.

Salad Ingredients

2 large ripe peaches, sliced into 8 wedges each

4 cups mixed greens, packed

6-8 oz thin sliced prosciutto (or thinly sliced ham)

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cups pistachios, shelled (or pine nuts)

Dressing (makes 1 cup)

1 clove shallot, peeled

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped

1 tsp honey

1/4 cup orange juice

zest from one orange

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a blender or food processor combine the shallot, garlic, mustard, orange juice and zest, honey and red wine vinegar.  Blend until smooth.  With the blender on low speed, slowly add the olive oil until it is incorporated into the dressing.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Preheat the grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Lightly brush the peach slices with a little of the prepared dressing.  Grill peaches on each side 2-3 minutes.

Arrange 1 cup of greens on each plate and top with 2 oz prosciutto or ham and 4 slices grilled peaches. Sprinkle each salad with 1 Tbsp pistachios or pine nuts and 1 ounce goat cheese crumbles, then drizzle with about 2 Tbsp of remaining dressing.

The Coolest App Ever

I am not a techno-geek at all.  I have an Apple Computer and iPhone that I hardly know how to use despite an entire year of lessons with Apple Store hipsters.  Oftentimes I don't recognize my own phone as a result of my children's tampering: the screen saver, the wallpaper, the ring.  Mind you these changes take place in a nanosecond, about the same amount of time it takes a teenager to text a paragraph.  One thing I can manage, if I might toot my own horn for a moment, are apps.  I have a little "thing" for them - they are small and snappy, intuitive and simple.  Apps appeal to my little-brain-that-could which is still in the reptilian stage of technological evolution.

My favorite new app is another brainchild of the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Have I mentioned how much I love those guys lately?  (Safe Summer Sunscreen posting.)  The app has lists of most commerically avaiable sunscreens and rates them from 0-10, 0 being safest and 10 being the most toxic.  It is also interactive so when your head is spinning with options standing in the sunscreen aisle at Whole Foods you don't have to pick up each bottle and read the ingredients, you can just type in the name and see its rating.  Brilliant.

You can test-drive the EWG Sunscreen Buyer's Guide app here. 

Safe Summer Sunscreen

In summer we can’t resist exposing our bodies to sunshine.  Our long-cloistered winter skin seeks air and and the warmth of the sun.  While some sun exposure is healthy, it can be difficult to know how much is enough.  One’s chances of developing skin cancer doubles with five or more sunburns.  Yet overall cancer rates drop when vitamin D levels are adequate, and Vitamin D comes from the sun.  So what to do?

Be prudent.  Many experts like Dr. Joseph Mercola and Dr Cannell of the Vitamin D Council agree that some sun exposure is a good way to get Vitamin D.  Since the amount of exposure will be different for everyone depending on skin color, time of day and season, a safe place to start is to expose one’s skin to sunshine for 10-15 minutes per day with arms and legs exposed.  (More on Vitamin D supplementation will be forthcoming in a future blog posting.)  When the skin starts to get pink it’s time to get out of the sun.

And then what?  According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) there is no sunscreen safer than covering up with a long sleeve shirt, hat and sunglasses.  And babies under 6 months old should not be exposed to sunscreen lotions at all.  But many, especially children, can’t resist exposing their bodies once the weather warms up, and this is where healthy sunscreen comes in.  The EWG has done all the research for us in this area.  They have divided sunscreens into two groups: mineral-based and chemical-based.  

The mineral based sunscreens are the safest in terms of lack of toxicity as the sun blocking agents are the minerals zinc or titanium which deflect the sun’s rays.  They also offer the most extensive sun protection against both UVA and UVB rays. The downside is that the texture or white hue that they might impart may be objectionable to the user.  The most recent formulations contain tiny particles of zinc and titanium, called nanoparticles, reportedly appearing more transparent than formulations of the past.  I plan to do some extensive sunscreen slathering on myself and my family this summer so stay tuned here for our scientific findings.

The chemical-based sunscreens (containing oxybenzone) are just plain scary.  Chemical sunscreens tout effectiveness against UVB rays which cause sunburning and tanning, but are not effective in blocking harmful UVA rays which are harder to detect as they don’t affect the color of your skin.  A recent study by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) revealed that 97% of Americans are contaminated with the chemical oxybenzone which has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption and cell damage.  As well, oxybenzone is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers were exposed to the chemical during pregnancy.  To add insult to injury, oxybenzone is a “penetration enhancer” which means that it helps other chemicals penetrate the skin. 

SPF is a measurement of sun protection from UVB rays.  If your skin would burn after 10 minutes of sun exposure, a SPF 15 sunscreen would enable you to stay in the sun for 150 minutes (10 x 15) without burning.  (A 30 SPF sunscreen would enable this person to remain in the sun for 10 x 30 = 300 minutes without burning.)  An SPF can be misleading however as the rating does not take into consideration UVA rays which cause photoaging and cancer.  Avoid sunscreens with an SPF higher than 50 as a higher number does not impart more protection.  The American Cancer Society recommends that people use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, the American Academy of Dermatology suggests an SPF of 30.  More important than a high SPF is a generous application of sunscreen — most people never reach the SPF rating because they don’t put on enough sunscreen.  The FDA recommends applying one ounce (about a palmful, or shotglass) evenly to all exposed skin. 


Do you recognize your favorite sunscreen on this list?  Each of these brands contain oxybenzone: Bull Frog, Banana Boat, Coppertone, Hawaiian Tropic, Neutrogena.  Better choices are Alba Botanica, Badger, All Terrain, California Baby, UV Natural, Jason, etc. Please see EWG’s Sunscreen Guide for a complete list of safe and unsafe sunscreens.

I find it ironic that populations who live closer to the equator wear more clothing than we of northern climes.  Because they are accustomed to living with sun every day and have a healthy respect for it they know how to protect themselves against it, as opposed to the binge mentality of the sun deprived.  Personally, my sun strategy is to wear a big hat and a long-sleeve shirt with an SPF rating.  I am the killjoy on the beach; I happily forego beach fashion to protect my skin.  I have found that being covered is a better strategy for temperature control - if it’s breezy I have another layer, if the sun is particularly hot that day my skin stays cooler due to the fabric barrier.  We are fans of SPF clothing in our family and everyone has a short or long sleeved rash guard for swimming, dry shirt for hiking and land activities, and a hat.  Columbia has a great line of SPF clothing, as does REI, Land’s End, LL Bean, Sun Precautions and Coolibar.  I am more relaxed knowing that my family is protected without having to be vigilant about sunscreen.  

I urge you to take a look at the EWG sunscreen report and type in your favorite sunscreen to see where it falls on the spectrum.  You will likely be surprised that a sunscreen you thought was safe is actually quite toxic.  Throw away your leftovers from last year and start fresh this summer with a chemical-free sunscreen and hat.  Healthy skin and peace of mind will be your reward.  

Beef With Sugar Snap Peas

This is our new favorite recipe in our family, modified slightly from Bust-a-meal.  (See my recent blog posting on this fabulous meal-planning site.)  This nutritious dish is simple, delicious, and even popular with the kids, especially if you make your own hoisin sauce, which is much easier than it sounds.

1 cup brown rice
1 12 oz flank steak
2 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce (Optional: make your own! Super easy recipe below - guaranteed gluten-free)
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup sliced yellow onion
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
3 cups sugar snap peas
1 cup shredded carrot

Hoisin Sauce:
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp molasses
2 tsp rice vinegar (any vinegar would do)
1 clove minced garlic
2 tsp olive oil
black pepper

1. Cook rice according to package directions and combine ingredients for hoisin sauce unless using a commercial variety.
2. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.
3. Combine steak and 1 Tbsp soy sauce, toss to coat.
4. Combine the remaining 1 Tbsp soy sauce, broth and hoisin; stir well with a whisk and set aside.
5. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
6. Add steak and soy sauce mixture; saute a couple minutes until lightly browned then remove steak from pan.
7. Add onion and ginger to pan; saute 2 min.
8. Return steak mixture to pan; saute for 30 seconds.
9. Add broth mixture, bring to a boil and cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly.
10. Serve over rice.
Serves 4.

Healthy Teen Tidbits

Teenagers are under a lot of stress in our modern world.  Like adults they often adopt coping mechanisms (coffee, inadequate sleep, junk foods) enabling them to power through the moment which have cumulative negative effects.  Summer is a great time to catch up on sleep and develop healthy habits.  Here are some very simple health tips for teens. 

*Coffee is dehydrating as it depletes your body’s fluids.  Every time you drink a cup ocoffee you need to replace two cups (16 oz) of water.

*Coffee unnecessarily puts your body in the fight or flight state.  Your body thinks it is running from the tiger even though you are sitting around. Your hands can become sweaty, your heart beats faster, your blood pressure raises.  It interferes with the ability to concentrate, to relax, to eat and digest and metabolize your food, not to mention sleep.  Switch to decaf or better yet, green tea (which still has plenty of caffeine but has positive rather than negative effects on the body).  If you need a pick-me-up mid afternoon eat a handful of nuts, have some veggies, get some exercise, drink some water or herbal tea.  

*Teens need 9.5 hours of sleep/night.  Sleep in a completely dark room to maximize the effects of the hormone Melatonin that is released in the middle of the night in a dark environment.  It regulates the body’s hormones, the circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycle), it stimulates the immune system and contributes to anti-aging.  The very best thing you can do for your overall health is to get enough sleep.  When you are well-rested your whole body works better and can better handle the stress of daily life.

*Soy, despite its press, is not a health food.  If you are lactose intolerant and avoid dairy, switch to hemp milk, almond milk, hazelnut milk or rice milk.  Eating too much soy can interfere with your hormones.  It can interfere with your thyroid gland causing fatigue, weight gain, depression and moodiness.  We natural folks used to think of soy as a miracle food, now we know that it is the opposite.

*Improve your diet!  Teens tend to eat a lot of foods that are high in carbohydrates such as pizza, bread, pasta and fast food. In addition to being empty calories that can deplete your nutritional reserves, they negatively affect your glucose/insulin metabolism and can make you feel tired, jumpy, light-headed, irritable, etc.  Simple carbohydrates such as the above-mentioned are turned into sugar in the body.  Increase the amount of vegetables, salads and proteins (meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs) and whole grains you eat and you will feel and look better.  I guarantee it!

My Favorite Kid-Pleasing Veggie Recipes

I am the first to admit that roasted and blanched vegetables aren't nearly as nutrient-dense as raw or steamed.  I call these dishes "Gateway Vegetables" - because kids learn to love some veggies, and then they have a positive association with kale, broccoli, green beans and carrots and are more willing to try them in other presentations.

These are all favorites in our home. I apologize for the lack of precision in measurements. Use your best judgment and enjoy!

Baked Broccoli

Trader Joe's organic, washed, pre-cut broccoli poured into one layer in glass baking dish.  Or washed and dried broccoli cut into bite-sized chunks.  The drier the broccoli the better this recipe turns out.  

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and bake at 350 until starting to brown or to your desired done-ness: al dente or more roasted.  

Kale Chips

Wash kale, dry in a salad spinner and peel leaves off stalks.

Toss with olive oil and sea salt.

Bake at 350 on cookie sheet in one layer, flip after 5 minutes and bake for another 3-5 min.  Will be crispy like potato chips.

Green Beans and Garlic

Wash and snip beans

Blanch in boiling water 2-3 minutes until bright green.

Drain and toss in olive oil, sea salt and crushed garlic.

Special Carrots

Julienne regular sized carrots.

Sautee carrots in a couple Tablespoons of butter, 2 tsp. of olive oil and sea salt until just softening or to your desired done-ness. Can cook longer for a more roasted texture.

Finish with a teaspoon or two of maple syrup.  Great with lamb-burgers or sauteed lamb and rice, apple sauce, baked broccoli and a salad or sauerkraut!

Smiling and Longevity

"You've got to get up every morning with a smile on your face and show the world all the love in your heart. Then people gonna treat you better, you're gonna find, yes you will, that you're beautiful as you feel." ~Carol King 

Facial Expressions are the mirror of our inner emotional landscape.  Try this right now, while you read this.  Smile. I  mean really smile: feel the corners of your mouth lifting and your eyebrows arching.  Maybe you will even feel your scalp move or cheekbones lift.  Now imagine how you must look while you are doing this: smiling like crazy whilst you look at your computer... you might even be able to see your reflection in your monitor... and perhaps you will smile even more!.  Smiling breeds smiling, in yourself and others around you.  It sounds silly but it's simple, and true.  I have been experimenting on myself.  When I notice my brow furrowing I actively lift the muscles in my forehead and immediately start to feel better.  The neuronal pathways associated with smiling are also associated with good feelings.  You can actually change the way you feel by simply smiling.

The Journal Psychological Science recently reported that the length of one's smile may dictate the length of one's life.  Researchers from Wayne State University examined Baseball Register photos of 230 Major League Baseball Players who started playing before 1950.  The researchers classified each smile into one of three categories: non-smilers; partial smile - where the muscles around their mouths were only slightly raised; and "full smile" or Duchenne smile: wide grin, both cheeks raised.

Of the three categories who lived the longest?  You guessed it, the smilers.  The non-smilers lived an average of 72.9 years, the partial smilers lived an average of 75 years, and the biggest smilers lived the longest, 79.9 years.  Interestingly, the researchers also did a follow-up study with the same baseball players exploring attractivenesss and longevity, and found that good looks did not correlate with a longer life.  This hearkens back to Carol King's lyric "you're beautiful as you feel."

We have long sensed the benefits of laughter and humor in our lives, now science is bearing out our suspicions.  Laughter reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn stimulates the immune system and lowers blood pressure.  After a good long laugh have you ever felt soreness in your muscles?  Laughter gives your diaphragm, abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles a workout. Researchers estimate that laughing 100 times is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike!  A good laugh enhances oxygen intake, stimulates the heart and lungs, relaxes muscles, triggers the release of endorphins, eases digestion, improves mental alertness and creativity, improves sleep, the list goes on. 

  

If you need something to help you get into the mood, check out this great old clip from the classic television show The Odd Couple.  As a child I saw this episode and thought it was so funny to see the fastidious, grown-up Felix writing such a banal and silly song, and then commandeering all of his friends to perform it with him.  The mere sight of Oscar Madison on tambourine is reason alone to watch.  Felix's song "Happy and Peppy and Bursting with Love" is a mantra in our family. When my kids start to get cranky with each other, or when someone in our family is slipping into the scowl of crankiness, one of us might ask the other "Happy and Peppy and Bursting With Love?"  It is usually so out of context for the moment that it changes the vibe and the next thing we know we are smiling. 

(If you need some more help, here is a clip of Will Ferrell as George W. Bush discussing global warming.  I laughed so hard this morning when I watched this I cried...)

And Now We Love Bob's Red Mill Even More...

My love affair with the local whole grains natural food company Bob's Red Mill began 8 years ago with my family's decision to eat less gluten. For one who has always baked, the thought of living without chocolate chip cookies was more than I could endure.  Enter Bob's then limited array of gluten-free baking flours and the baking experiments ensued.  We quickly learned that one can only do so much with rice and tapioca flours; as "creative" as I was, my family was patient.  Over the years as we have become completely gluten-free, Bob's gluten-free product line has increased dramatically.  I am so thankful for the creative array of delicious gluten-free choices that are now available; thanks to this company the products of my gluten-free baking efforts are hard to discern from those containing gluten.  

My husband is an investment advisor and will often share information about a company's business practices that would otherwise not make it onto my radar. These tidbits will give me an insight into the soul of the company and will infuence my buying decisions.  A couple weeks ago he shared with me a heartwarming and surprising business story about Bob's Red Mill. 

Bob Moore founded his local stone ground whole grain milling company in 1978 after retiring to Oregon from California.  When he happened upon a closed mill site in Oregon City one fateful day, retirement suddenly forgotten, Bob founded what is now known as Bob's Red Mill.  Over the years Bob has seen his company grow to 400 products and 209 employees.

For his 81st birthday Bob did a very generous and surprising thing, he gifted the company to his employees.  He created an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) enabling all 209 employees to be rewarded for Bob's ongoing success and growth.  The best part about this story is that the company had declined many offers to sell for a very high price tag.  To Bob and his partners, the company represents much more than money. 

In Bob's words:

"It's been my dream all along to turn this company over to the employees, and to make that dream a reality is very, very special to me.  This is the ultimate way to keep this business moving forward. I get to spend every day with our many loyal and long-time employees who will now share in ownership, and it just thrills me to know they will be joined by many new faces over the years."  

I felt that it was important to share this story in hopes that it will influence my readers to show support for a local, sustainable, employee-owned company with their food dollars.  Knowing that Bob Moore's primary goals in business are empowerment of his employees and making the world a healthier place, I am truly inspired. 

Next time you are browsing the baking aisle check out some of my favorite Bob's gluten-free products:  the garbanzo-bean based GF All Purpose Baking Mix and the GF Biscuit and Baking Mix, both of which I substitute for flour in my favorite recipes;  GF Oatmeal and Golden Flaxseeds both of which, when soaked overnight, make an instant breakfast food; and the sinfully delicious GF Brownie Mix.  Click here for a listing of all of Bob's gluten-free flours. 

The Truth About BPA in Our Food

 BPA (Bisphenol-A) is a chemical found in many plastics including water bottles, infant formula cans, baby bottles and in the lining of food cans.  Science has recently become interested in this chemical and has started to watch it more closely, as a result we have learned that it readily leaches into food.  Unfortunately BPA is a nasty hormone disruptor that has been linked to cancer, obesity, reproductive problems, heart disease, diabetes, liver abnormalities, attention deficit disorder, early puberty in girls, the list goes on and on.  Studies are ongoing and repeatedly this ubiquitous chemical is proving to be foe to human and animal alike.  

The Bad News:

Canned food is the predominant but not exclusive source of daily BPA exposure.  It is also found in hard, clear plastic food containers including baby bottles, sippy cups, water bottles and polycarbonate plastics (often marked with the number 7) that are rigid and clear such as food storage containers and microwavable containers.  It is also found in many children's toys, and dental fillings and sealants.  

BPA is in every single canned food on the market with these three exceptions:

1. Eden Organic Beans including Chili, Rice and Beans, Refried, and Flavored.  All other Eden canned foods contain BPA  
2. Henry & Lisa`s Natural Seafood (Sashimi-Grade Canned Albacore Tuna) 
3. Vital Choice’s Canned Fish Products  

Yes, you read correctly, these are the ONLY canned foods on the market that do not contain BPA.  EVERYTHING ELSE DOES!!!  

BPA leaches from plastic and from the lining of cans into the food stored in those containers.  Consumer Reports did a recent report measuring the levels of BPA in several different kinds of food and brands of canned food on the market. The results are abysmal as it was present in everything they tested including baby food and children’s juices .  

I find this very disheartening. To be honest, I have known of the threat of BPA for a few years and actively commenced to “purge” my home of BPA containing plastics, but didn’t have the energy or the headspace to address the canned food issue too.  I also had myself convinced that I rarely use canned foods.  I have since leveled with myself and now have an honest perspective of my canned food usage (the culprits being mostly pumpkin for pies and puddings, and tomato products for stews, soups, crock pot recipes, etc).  Fortunately BPA is rapidly metabolized and excreted from the body which can ease one's mind for the occasional exposure to BPA; the real concern being for people who regularly consume canned food products and microwaveable foods containing BPA where blood levels can become "chronic" as the body doesn't have time to clear it.  These folks along with young babies and babies in utero are at the greatest risk for negative health ramifications.

The Good News:

Thanks to environmental watchdog groups like the Oregon Environmental Council and the Environmental Working Group, there is a growing awareness of the contamination of our food with BPA and consumers and lawmakers alike are taking notice.  Canada announced plans in 2008 to ban BPA in baby bottles and in 2009 Connecticut, Minnesota, Suffolk County NY and the City of Chicago passed legislation eliminating BPA from Children’s products.  The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has issued a warning to pregnant and breast feeding women and children under the age of two to avoid BPA. 

Currently there is a bill before the Oregon legislature, Senate Bill 1032, that attempts to ban BPA in the food and containers used by children under the age of 3.  If you are a resident of Oregon please click here to register your vote with lawmakers to ban this harmful chemical. 

What are the alternatives to BPA? 

There is always good old fashioned glass, which is among the safest way to buy commercial tomato products.  Tomato products are the most BPA-laden canned food due to their acidity and ability to pull the BPA out of the lining of food containers. I have been able to find Bionaturae organic tomato paste and strained tomatoes in glass jars at our local healthy market and I know that these products are available to buy online by the case.  The best deal that I have found online is through the Tropical Traditions website.  Also there are Pomi Tomatoes in a Tetra Pak (not organic) and good ol’ Trader Joe’s has many tomato products available in Tetra Paks including tomato sauce and soups, all of which are BPA-free.

The BPA-free can that Eden and the other companies listed above use ia a lead-free covered steel can coated with a baked-on oleo-resinous enamel lining.  Oleoresin, a natural mixture of oil and a resin extracted from various plants, such as pine or balsam fir, is 14% more expensive than the industry standard cans that contain BPA.  The companies listed above that are seeking out these BPA-free cans deserve praise because in order to protect their consumers from this harmful chemical they have to buy special cans that are more expensive than the BPA containing ones, which will drive the price of these products up.  Please thank them and buy their products!

Fortunately it is possible to make bottles and other food containers without BPA.  For years the baby bottle company Born Free has been producing BPA-free baby bottles, and glass baby bottle options do exist.  I used the Born Free products with my two youngest children and was very happy with them.  Recently Nalgene and Playtex have started using BPA-free alternatives and Gerber, Avent America, Evenflo, Disney's First Years, Dr. Brown and Playtex will stop selling bottles in the US with BPA. 

Back to Basics:

My very wise friend Amy has been freezing her own fresh tomatoes from the garden by coring them and throwing them into a zip-loc bag.  Zip-Loc bags are free of BPA and this could be a simple and delicious alternative to canned tomatoes.  She uses these in recipes the same way one would use stewed tomatoes or fresh tomatoes.  This is the best example of how to avoid chemicals in your food: prepare your own from whole foods!

If growing your own garden is not feasible for you, check out the Biodynamic Farming and Garden Association website to find out what is available in your area.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture whereby consumers “buy” a share in a farm early in the season, say in February or March. This bulk sum pays for your weekly consumption of produce which will start during the growing season and serves as an advance to help farmers cover their overhead costs.  CSA’s usually deliver to a local drop point, and sometimes directly to your doorstep.  There is nothing more nourishing for body and soul than fresh, ripe produce from the garden, and no better way to instill peace of mind that the food choices you are making are safe.

Learning to Use Homeopathic Remedies at Home

Homeopathy is my favorite way to manage children's acute illnesses.  Because homeopathy is so safe, gentle and effective, I have never had to give Tylenol to my three children for an illness.  It is also very forgiving, so if you prescribe the wrong remedy without a noticeable change in symptoms, you can try another one.  And because homeopathy is energetic medicine as opposed to chemical medication, it is completely safe and will not interact with medications.

What is homeopathy?  It is a system of medicine based on treating people with highly diluted substances which trigger the body's own natural healing processes.  It works on the principle of "like treats like" - such that a substance that would cause symptoms in a healthy person is used to treat those same symptoms in illness.  Homeopathy helps to put the body back into balance, so if your child is whiney or clingy or in pain or restless with fever, the sign of having found the right remedy is renewed calm and sleep.  

Take a look at my posting Homeopathy Remedies for Common Illness for a basic primer of homeopathic remedies to keep on hand for children's illness and how to use them.  The ten remedies listed are the ones that I use most frequently with children's illness both in my practice and at home with my own children.  I recommend that parents keep these 10 remedies on hand at all times.  Take them with you on vacations, stock a few in your glove box (Aconite and Belladonna best choices as they are the most commonly used) so that you have them when you need them.  I can't tell you how many times we have been away for weekends with other families or just with our own children when I have found myself pulling out my homeopathy kit.  Bring one of your books along, or my blog posting, so you have a place to start.  

All 10 remedies (Aconitum Napellis, Belladonna, Chamomilla, Gelsemium Sempervens, Ferrum Phosphoricum, Apis, Oscillococcinum, Pulsatilla, Arsenicum Album, Spongia Tosta) are available for purchase right here on my blog.  Scroll down to the "Order Supplements"section on the right side of the page, half-way down under "Recent Posts".  You will see a green "buy products" hyperlink that you click on.  Don't forget the code once you get to the Emerson Ecologics log-in page, which is: emerso (Yes, you read it right, emerson without the n.  Wasn't feeling very creative that day was I?)  If your budget won't allow for buying that many remedies at a time, read through my posting Homeopathic Remedies for Common Illness and look for the symptoms that you see most frequently in your child.  In addition to your first purchases Aconite and Belladonna, select ones with symptoms pictures that remind you the most of your own children.  That way you can build your medicine cabinet slowly.

My two favorite homeopathic reference guides for simple, straightforward home care are: Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine by Cummings and Ullman and Homoepathic Medicine at Home by Panos.  Both of these books are available at Amazon.com new and used.  

I am available for brief phone consults if your child is sick and you would like some guidance in determining what is the best homeopathic remedy to use.  If you call my office number: 503-804-0133 my cell phone will be paged and I will call you back.  If this is a service that interests you please email me at kandersonrossnd@gmail.com and I will get a price sheet to you.  I find that many parents want to use alternatives to over the counter medications for their children but don't know where to start.  My goal is to teach you so that you will start to recognize patterns in your child and gain in confidence for your own homeopathic prescribing, needing my help less and less.  I can't recommend this approach to treating children's illness highly enough.

Foolproof Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffins

We make this recipe a lot at home.  The other day my 11 year daughter and her friend made these for dinner unsupervised. This muffin recipe is quick to put together, quick to cook, and pleases even the most discerning of the non-gluten-free population.  Of course those of us gluten-free can't believe our good fortune to be able to savor a warm corn muffin right out of the oven, preferably with butter and honey!  Serve alongside soups, stews, chili and salad.  Enjoy!

Golden Cornbread Muffins (gluten-free)

1 cup cornmeal (Regular, fine or coarse grind depending on your preference.  We usually default to regular for a nice chewy texture.)

1 cup rice flour

½ tsp. Salt

4 tsp. Baking powder

1 tbsp. sugar

1 egg

1 cup milk (rice milk works too)

¼ cup melted butter

Combine dry ingredients in bowl.  Add egg, milk and butter. Beat until smooth, about 1 min. Do not overbeat. Bake  in greased muffin tins at 425 F for 15 min .  Serve warm with butter and a beaming smile.

A Healthier New Year by Avoiding These 7 Foods

I am always on the lookout for lists of the most toxic foods to avoid.  I recently read an article on Mercola.com, my favorite natural health website, outlining the seven worst foods you can eat.  The foods listed below are all tainted in some way by the chemicals of our modern world that are invisible to us when going about our daily lives.  What better time than the New Year to resolve to keep these foods out of your family's diet.  Keep this list on your refrigerator to remind you when planning meals and shopping lists.  Vote against toxic food by using your food dollars to purchase local, organic, sustainable, healthy choices!

1.  Canned Tomatoes - The plastic lining of the can contains the chemical bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen which has been linked to health issues from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes and obesity.  Most cans are lined with this chemical but the acidity of tomatoes causes the BPA to leach into your food.  Look for tomatoes packed in glass.  Bionaturae.com is a brand found in many health food stores.  Consider putting a group together and placing a bulk order for a reduced or wholesale rate.

2.  Corn-Fed Beef - Anytime an animal is fed a food that its body is not designed to digest there will be health problems both for the animal and those who ingest it (see #5).  Cattle are herbivores designed to eat grass, hence the seven stomachs.  Corn and soybeans are standard fare for cattle as it fattens them up quickly yet the grain is usually laden with pesticides and makes for a very unhealthy meat compared to grass-fed beef.  Grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

3.  Microwave Popcorn - The microwave bag is lined with chemicals that may be linked to infertility in humans and have been shown to cause liver, testicular and pancreatic cancer in animals.  The microwaving causes the chemicals to become a vapor which is absorbed by the popcorn.  Once ingested these chemicals stay in your body and accumulate over time.  Pop your own popcorn in a cast-iron skillet.  It's great entertainment for the kids especially if you use a splatter screen - they can watch it popping!  Then warm up some butter/olive oil/coconut oil and honey/maple syrup or parmesan to toss it in.  Organic popcorn is a great alternative to chips and snack foods and saves a lot of money on your grocery bill.

4.  Non-Organic Potatoes - Root vegetables absorb the herbicides, fungicides and pesticides in the soil.  Potatoes are sprayed with fungicides during the growing season then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting.  After being dug up they are treated again with chemicals to prevent them from sprouting.  OUCH!  Buy organic potatoes only because washing cannot remove the chemicals that are inside the potato.

5.  Farmed Salmon - Another example of how feeding an animal something that it is not designed to eat will wreak havoc.  Salmon are not designed to live in pens and consume soy, poultry litter and hydrolyzed chicken feathers.  Farmed salmon are high in contaminants including carcinogens and pesticides.  They are also treated with antibiotics.  When you eat farmed fish you ingest the same drugs and chemicals as the fish.  Eat wild-caught Alaska salmon ONLY.

6.  Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones - You have seen dairy product containers with labels indicating that their cows are not treated with growth hormones rBGH or rBST to boost milk production.  Milk from cows treated with this hormone produce milk high in white blood cells (ie.: pus) and a hormone called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) which may contribute to breast, prostate and colon cancers.  There is a lot more to say about pasteurized, homogenized milk that I will save for another time (mainly that it is a highly processed food that is very difficult for our bodies to break down and digest causing multiple health problems).  The take-home here is to buy milk products that say rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk.

7.   Conventially Grown Apples - Apples are the most pesticide-doused fruit.  Studies are linking a higher body burden of pesticides with cancer and Parkinson's disease.  Buy organic apples only.

Sources:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/12/29/The-7-Foods-Experts-Wont-Eat.aspx

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/the-7-foods-experts-wont-eat-547963/