Bob

My belated birthday/Mother's Day gift: a BOB jogging stroller. Isn't she a beauty?

I know money can't buy happiness, but I sure hope it can buy a stroller that will help get my butt in shape!

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Don't forget to enter our June giveaway for a gorgeous art print from Pinceau-Magique. Leave a comment on the post by June 8!

Mindful Eating

In the wake of my detox I'm trying to discern the lessons I've learned from the entire experience. As far as cleanses go, the CLEAN program is relatively mild. There was no serious fasting, I got to eat solid food every day, and the list of allowable foods was not so restrictive that I couldn't maintain the challenge for four weeks. That being said, it was still a struggle at times as I found myself staring longingly at forbidden foods and craving bread, sugar and eggs (brioche bread pudding, anyone?).

I read an article in the February issue of Yoga Journal about one woman's experience with reducing the quantity of food she at, which in turn helped her to become more aware of her own body's needs and more mindful of the food she was actually eating. (I cannot find the online article, but here is a link to an interview with her about her book Ravenous: A Food Lover's Journey from Obsession to Freedom. I really related to what she was talking about as far as mindfulness and awareness go. Here are the lessons I've learned:

1. I am more discerning about what "hunger" means to me. I used to think I was hungry all the time, so I was constantly snacking and never giving my digestive system a break. Now when I feel the urge to snack, I take some time to re-evaluate what I'm feeling. I drink water and if I still feel the need to eat I try to have something small and nutritious, like a few apple slices with almond butter or a sheet of nori. I thought I would experience a lot of hunger during the detox, but the truth is, I was surprisingly satisfied with the small amount of food I ate.

2. I'm more aware of the need to eat vegetables as my main source of nutrition. I used to think I was eating a lot of vegetables until I started this detox. I found myself needing to go to the market three or four times a week (instead of my once-a-week visit) to restock on veggies and fruit. Instead of filling up on carbs I am eating way more plants. Despite feeling a bit like a rabbit sometimes, it has been wonderful and mind-opening to be getting so much nutrition.

3. I used to take pride in my appetite and the fact that I didn't have to worry about my weight and could eat anything I wanted (I am not a junkfood eater, but I also don't shy away from high-caloric items like cream, eggs, or oils). I've realized that my pride was driving some of my food choices and now I'm more careful about keeping it in check.

4. I'm more careful about avoiding acidifying foods (dairy, meat, sugar and most grains) and focusing on alkalizing foods. It's been an experiment in self-control and self-understanding to acknowledge my desire for the kinds of food that are not in my best interest and then to either forego them or eat them sparingly. I feel more empowered now as a result of the combination of knowledge and the power to act on that knowledge.

5. Obviously, I've become much more mindful about what and how much I am eating. I am trying to take the time to really enjoy my food and think about where it came from and what it is doing for my body. I have always loved eating, but now it is almost a spiritual experience. (Can you believe I just said that?)

I started this detox in an effort to re-balance my body. I've struggled with excruciating pelvic pain (attributed to endometriosis and mittelschmerze syndrome) and infertility (due to a luteal phase defect?) for most of my adult life and the traditional western modes of medicine just don't mesh with my world view. It just didn't make sense for a healthy young woman like myself to have these issues and I couldn't help thinking that there is something I'm doing to myself, something in my environment, that is unbalancing me and causing these problems. I was angry at my body for a long time and then I had a revelation that I needed to channel that anger into working to make a change in my body, to do as much as I can and then once I can literally go no further, to then call in the big guns (IVF is my last option). So, this detox fell in line with the things I've learned in traditional Chinese medicine and I decided to try it out.

No miraculous results yet (aka, I'm still not pregnant) BUT I feel lighter and cleaner, more emotionally stable, and the debilitating cramping seems to have lessened, if not disappeared. So, I'm kinda converted to this now... and I'm proselyting!

I like it raw

Honey, people. I'm talking about honey.

Some of you may remember a post I did back in November about eating better. One way I'm trying to do this is by eating more "supefoods," including raw honey. I didn't even know what raw honey was until recently when the hubs and I found a local company that makes it.

The owner educated us about the differences between raw honey and processed honey, and why the former is superior. Processed honey ("regular" honey) goes through a pasteurization process that heats it up to very high temperatures to get rid of impurities and make it easier to package. However, this pasteurization process also kills the yeast and enzymes that are beneficial to your body.

Raw honey, on the other hand, is not pasteurized and maintains high levels of antioxidants and enzymes that are good for you.

I'm actually not a honey lover--processed or raw (which really don't taste that different)--but mix it frequently into green smoothies or other foods where the taste is somewhat masked.

This is just a very small step in my renewed efforts to take better care of my body. Thought I'd share for those of you interested in doing the same!

Oishii: Almost Healthy Cookies

These are my go-to cookies.  The ones my husband is always requesting.  The ones I wrap up to give to friends as a thank you. The ones I let my daughter eat because they are almost healthy. 

Almost Healthy Cookies
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter (preferably organic from grass-fed cows or made from raw milk!)
1/2 cup organic peanut butter
3/4 cup natural cane sugar (rapadura)
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup non-bleached all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl beat together butter and peanut butter.  Add sugars and baking powder and soda, beating til combined well.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Beat in flours until combined, then gently mix in oats, chocolate chips and almonds.
Drop dough by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and bake for ~10 minutes.  Transfer to wire reack to cool.  Yields ~60 cookies.

Mmmm.  Let me know what you think.

I look like a vampire

But not the sexy Twilight kind.

My eyes are SO red, puffy, irritated and bloodshot from allergies. I have developed allergies in the past few years (since I moved in across from a field full of hay), but nothing this severe. My eyes are incredibly itchy and rubbing them offers temporary relief, but also further irritates them and makes them hurt even more.

My nose has taken a beating, too. All the blowing has resulted in several bloody noses and a constant itchy, dry feeling.

I have avoided any kind of medicine since having Olive, but it got so bad last night that I popped one of my husband's Allegra pills to ease the discomfort. I  read on BabyCenter that Allegra was safe to take while breastfeeding, but am wondering if this is really true. Do any of you out there have any advice on this or know of any natural remedies?

Oishii: Keeping it Real

I'm a label reader.  And if you know me at all, you know that I'm looking for villains like MSG, aspartame, corn syrup, preservatives (like sodium benzoate), fluoride, and food coloring. 

In a recent article from the Center for Science in the Public Interest they announce that Europe has instituted a new warning label on foods that contain artificial coloring, because products with Yellow 5, Red 40,and other dyes “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”  The article states that:

Because the FDA hasn’t encouraged food manufacturers to switch to safer natural colorings, many American food companies use the chemicals in the United States products but not in the U.K. equivalents. For example, the topping for a McDonald’s Strawberry Sundae sold in the United States contains Red 40.

In the U.K., the topping’s color comes from strawberries.

Imagine that - rather than using artificial coloring to make strawberry sauce look appealing, in the UK they use real strawberries. 

I know many people put a lot of trust in the FDA to keep us safe (isn't that their job, afterall?) but my basic philosophy is this: if you can get something in it's unadulterated natural state, that is probably the better option.  Whole grains rather than processed crackers and cereals, grass-fed organic meats versus conventional or processed meat.  100% juice instead of Kool-Aid or juice cocktails (or God-forbid, soda!).  Real fruit instead of fruit snacks (though I am partial to dried fruit and fruit leathers).  I used to be a big fan of peanut m&ms, but now I opt for Sundrops (in moderation, of course. Saving my body from the ravages of food coloring isn't helpful if I'm poisoning it with an OD of sugar and caffeine!). 

Finding healthy, whole food snack items for the kids can be challenging sometimes because we're so "spoiled" with convenience foods, which tend to be highly-processed, chemical-laden concoctions that may be doing a lot of harm to our bodies.  So here is a list of some things that we always try to keep on hand:

whole fresh fruits and veggies
dried fruits and fruit leathers
popcorn
applesauce
yogurt
cheese
nuts (chestnuts, almonds and cashews are our favorites)
whole grain bread
hardboiled eggs
hummus
homemade popsicles and smoothies

And for those of you who think healthy, organic food is just for the rich, you may want to check out this article from Mothering Magazine.  Another article from Mothering Magazine offers ideas for healthy snacks and lunches.  I'm sure many of you have other snacks that work for your family - please share!

Produce and pesticides

As a continuation of MamaQ's post yesterday, I found this list in American Baby magazine about produce with the most and least amounts of pesticide. Maybe it will help you prioritize what types of produce on which you should splurge and go organic, or at least take extra care in washing before eating.

Produce with the highest pesticide levels
1. peaches
2. apples
3. bell peppers
4. celery
5. nectarines
6. strawberries
7. cherries
8. kale
9. lettuce
10. imported grapes
11. carrots
12. peas

Produce with lowest pesticide levels
1. onions
2. avocado
3. corn
4. pineapple
5. mangoes
6. asparagus
7. sweet peas
8. kiwi
9. cabbage
10. eggplant
11. papaya
12. watermelon

Another Reason to Go Organic!

By now almost everyone I know has made the switch to organic.  You have, right?  (If not, please check out this article from CBS).

Organic produce and foods are so much more expensive than the conventional stuff (which I can't understand how it is still legal to grow food that way when the evidence is mounting and mounting about the damage exposure to pesticides).  But when you weigh the health benefits, it seems like a necessary expense.  As if I needed another reason, some new research has shown that exposure to pesticides is linked to an increase in ADHD in children.  In an excerpt from the article:

The population is typically exposed to pesticides through food, drinking water, and residential use. Major sources of exposure for children and infants is through the diet, as some fruits and vegetables have been shown to have pesticide residue.

The potential harm from pesticide exposure is greater in children because the developing brain is more vulnerable, and doses per body weight are likely to be higher than in adults.

Ahhhh! Okay, let's not get too alarmed.  But seriously, my friends.  Buy local, organically grown produce, join a CSA or better yet, grow your own veggies with your kids. For the sake of our children, right?

Homemade: Lotion Bars

Between the cold, dry winter and all the cleaning and washing that goes on around here, it is no wonder that my hands are unsightly.  Dry, cracked, oh!  They are the Sahara Dessert on my global body. 

I've finally gotten around to making my favorite lotion bars.  These aren't for everyone - some people don't like the "greasy" feeling but have patience and give it a second!  After a few minutes all those natural, nutritious oils absorb into your hands like a soothing drink at an oasis. 

Lotion Bar

Ingredients:

1/2 Ounce beeswax pellets
1/2 Ounce any liquid oil (I like grapeseed or almond)
1/2 Ounce any solid oil or butter (I like shea or cocoa)
a few drops of your favorite essential oil (I like lavender)

Instructions:
Mix all of the ingredients except the fragrance and melt slowly on low heat on the stove using a double boiler. Once melted, add fragrance then pour into your mold (cupcake pans work well).
Let this cool completely, it’ll then pop right out of your cupcake pan.
Store in a ziploc bag or airtight container.

To use, rub it between your hands til it starts to melt a bit and rub onto skin as needed.Is lovely for dry hands, cuticles and those tough patches on the bottom of your feet.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate

That is not the question--not for me anyways. I believe that vaccinating kids protects them and others from potentially harmful diseases and has also been the root cause of the eradication of some diseases in recent history. That said, I'm concerned about the Centers for Disease Control's immunization schedule because it loads kids up with these vaccines as early as birth and with as many as six viruses at a time.

To learn more, I read Dr. Robert Sears' The Vaccine Book, which I believe takes an unbiased, comprehensive and in-depth look at vaccines. Some things I learned:

• Mercury (aka thimerosal) has been taken out of virtually all vaccines, as mandated by the government in the late '90s. Some argue that mercury is one cause of autism, though no studies have proven this.
• Several of the diseases are most dangerous in the first year of life, so it's important to get certain vaccines during infancy.
• Some shots contain aluminum and with combination shots, babies are exposed to as much as 1200 micrograms at one time, which far exceeds the FDA's safety limit.
• Vaccines do not undergo extensive testing before being released, so problems are often not found until after the fact. In the past 20 years, three vaccines have been taken off the market due to a high rate of severe side effects.
• Some vaccines are currently made with controversial ingredients, including toxins and carcinogens, though they are present in such tiny amounts that it is believed our bodies can process and eliminate them without harm.
• Based on some rough statistics, there is about a 1 in 2,600 chance during the 12-year vaccination schedule that a child will suffer a serious vaccine reation; however, the risk of a child having a severe case of a vaccine-preventable disease each year is 1 in 600. This indicates it is safer to vaccinate than to not vaccinate.

Dr. Sears provides an alternative vaccination schedule that covers all the shots, but spreads them out over more visits so that a child receives a maximum of only two shots (one of which might contain aluminum) per visit. Theoretically, this minimizes the potential risks of vaccines.

The alternative schedule makes sense to me, yet I'm hesitant to use it. Not because it doubles the visits to the pediatrician, but because I wonder if I'm being too alarmist. I already know my pediatrician (and the vast majority of pediatricians out there) firmly supports the CDC schedule, which has never been proven to be unsafe. She'll work with me if I feel strongly about using an alternative schedule, but will do so reluctantly. I would hate to be a nuisance...

I've already skipped out on the Hep B shot when Olive was born (really? a shot to prevent a sexually transmitted disease at birth?) to buy some more time to learn more about vaccinations. Now I've done some research and I'm still on the fence. The problem is, Olive's two-month appointment (when her first round of shots is scheduled to take place) is tomorrow.

I know there are strong feelings about this issue and I don't mean to spark any type of debate. I just wish I had more answers.

Homemade: Moisturizing Tonic

When we were kids there was this infomercial on TV for Pearl Cream (tell me you remember it - it was one of our favorites and would make us laugh very time it came on!). We loved to act it out with a so-called Chinese accent: "Want to know za seekwet of Owientow women? Poh Kweem, made fwom wee-oh pohs!"

The truth is, "Oriental" women may indeed have a secret for their youthful-looking skin. My mom has been making this concoction for years and she swears by it. I finally got Mom to share her secret recipe - it is astonishingly simple and SO inexpensive to make. Best of all, it makes your skin so soft and smooth... in fact, I think we sisters should probably make an infomercial for it. That's how good it is.

Kumi's Amazing Oriental Tonic

Ingredients:

1/4 cup urea powder

1 cup purified water
1 tsp. glycerin
few drops of essential oil for fragrance

Mix all the ingredients together and add your preferred essential oil if you'd like. Keep this concentrate refrigerated. When you're ready to use it, dilute with purified water - 1 part tonic to 20 parts water for your face and body. If you want something a bit more potent for super moisturizing power (like on your dry, cracked heels), simply use less water.  Now, some of these ingredients may seem a bit foreign, but your local pharmacy may actually carry them.  I ordered the urea and glycerin through Amazon and got a pretty good deal.  Let me know if you have any questions about it.

Anyone who's ever met my mom would know that she has amazingly soft, supple skin. This is her secret!

The Reactionist

I'm one of those people that the media, marketers and conspiracy theorists love.  I buy it all.  BPA is bad?  I don't use plastic at all.  Bye-bye Tupperware, hello Glasslock.  Teflon is bad?  I only use stainless steel and cast iron pots and pans.  Pesticides and preservatives are bad?  Well, we consume only all-natural or organically-grown products.  Indoor air quality is bad and can be caused by chemical off-gassing of carpets, furniture and mattresses?  We opted for old hardwood floors and switched to an organic latex mattress.

The newest one?  In this month's issue of GQ (why I was reading this is another story) there was this article about the dangers of cell phone radiation (read it and let me know your thoughts!).  I understand that GQ isn't exactly an academic source and I know that I will be accused of being an alarmist, but the cell phone issue has been a concern of mine for quite some time.  We always try to use an earpiece or speakerphone to keep the phone away from our bodies (specifically our brains).  Some European governments have acknowledged the danger of cell phone radiation exposure and are issuing legislation to deal with that.  For our part, this week we ordered Verizon to install a landline(a fiasco in and of itself) in our home which we hope to be our primary method of phone communication.  Since we're going retro, I'm actually on the lookout for a vintage rotary dial phone.  Let me know if you have any leads!

But, oh! We have come to rely on our cell phones so much - how can I live without it? I realize it will be a weaning process as we complete the terms of our contract (I hate how those companies force you into those).  We are also considering throwing out the microwave oven and reverting back to ethernet cables instead of a wireless connection.  We might as well move to the outback and live off the land.

I don't believe in living in fear.  Really, I don't.  But as a mother I feel particularly responsible to make the best decisions for my family's health.  Like eating lots of vegetables, getting exercise, and avoiding cancer-causing radiation.  Am I crazy?

Baby Dangers

I am certainly no model for amazing parenting skills or anything. In fact, I have had my share of mommy mishaps which include dropping my baby (or rather, she rolled off my lap and onto the floor), not buckling the carseat into the car (more than once), and near choking with some foods. But this latest event has really shaken me based on what could have happened.

The other day, while Lucy was playing on the floor, my husband found a medication next to her. My first instinct would be to worry about the choking hazard but this was such a small pill, that wouldn't have been an issue. However, the thought of her so easily swallowing it and what potential and unknown side effects might occur were terrifying to me. The same thing happened to my sister-in-law who found a powerful painkiller wedged in the couch that her toddler could have easily ingested. Fortunately, we both found the pills before they were ingested but it was just a stark reminder of how careful we have to be as parents. Because it is not just prescription pills that can do harm but regular over-the-counter medications and even vitamins too. To an exploring baby who puts everything in her mouth and even to a more experienced toddler, a pill can easily be mistaken for candy. So our job as parents is not only to keep an eye out on our own medications but also the medications of family and friends who are visiting or whose homes we are staying in.

I just emptied out our old prescriptions from the medicine drawer in my house to dispose of. Make sure that you google prescription disposal programs in your area to find out the best way to dispose of them instead of just throwing them out in the trash or flushing them down the toilet and affecting the water supply. Next step is to get some drawer and cabinet locks for the drawer our other medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen are in. Even vitamins need to be placed out of reach. I just read in the January 2010 issue of American Baby that 1 in 180 2-year olds get rushed to the ER for accidental overdoses of common meds.

A good article to read can be found HERE and HERE for tips and more information. Be safe everyone - it can be a scary world out there!