Food Intolerance versus Allergies - Part III

Continuing with our "Food Intolerance versus Allergies" report by Leanne Cooper, from Organic Bubs, here is the final section, part III:


What to do?

While many children grow out of food allergies around the age of 3, if a reaction does occur, remove the food from your baby’s meals for a while. You may consider reintroducing the offending food (in very small amounts) at a later point, with special guidance where the reaction was severe.

If you suspect your child has a food allergy or intolerance, the least invasive methods are elimination diets, kinesiology or hair testing. Other methods include blood tests or skin scratching. Consult your preferred health practitioner.

Initially it can be overwhelming for parents to discover a child is intolerant or allergic to certain foods, but children are often quick to adjust.

Tips for introducing a new allergy-free diet:

• Read ingredients on labels carefully and look for allergen statements.
• Take baby steps towards introducing alternatives.
• Mix old with new until you gradually wean your child.
• Have the entire family change over to the new food.
• Use old and familiar packages for the new food.

Logon to www.foodallergy.org for more information and appropriate guidance.

Food Intolerance versus Allergies - Part II

Continuing with our "Food Intolerance versus Allergies" report by Leanne Cooper, from Organic Bubs, here is part II:

Adverse Reactions:
Some physical signs & behaviors that may indicate an allergy or insensitivity to a particular food being ingested by your child are:

• Diarrhea or loose stools (it may be very smelly).
• Flatulence or gastric upset, colic.
• Vomiting.
• Hives, itching, runny nose.
• Wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing.
• Blotchy skin, mouth sores, red rash around mouth.
• Black circles under the eyes.
• Moodiness, irritability, excessive crying, lethargy.
• Aggressiveness

anaphylactic shock occurs, that the infant should be taken to the emergency department of the nearest hospital.

Dirty Chicken

According to a recent analysis from the Consumer Report of fresh, whole broilers bought at stores nationwide, two-thirds harbored salmonella and/or campylobacter, the leading bacterial causes of foodborne disease.

Foster Farms, Perdue, Tyson, 30 nonorganic store brands, nine organic store brands, and nine organic name brands have been analyzed. The findings are a bit alarming. Here is a summary:

• Campylobacter was in 62 percent of the chickens, salmonella was in 14 percent, and both bacteria were in 9 percent. Only 34 percent of the birds were clear of both pathogens.
  
• Store-brand organic chickens had no salmonella at all, but 57 percent of those birds harbored campylobacter.
• The cleanest name-brand chickens were Perdue's: 56 percent were free of both pathogens. Most contaminated were Tyson and Foster Farms chickens. More than 80 percent tested positive for one or both pathogens.
• Among all brands and types of broilers tested, 68 percent of the salmonella and 60 percent of the campylobacter organisms we analyzed showed resistance to one or more antibiotics.

Avoid cross contamination at the kitchen by washing your hands and all material that was in contact with raw chicken. Cooking chicken to at least 165 degree is a must!

First Bites: Tips for Getting Started

We stumbled across these great tips from Australian nutritionist Leanne Cooper about getting started on solids. We know it is a big transition for little ones, but we think these tips will make it a bit easier on you too!

1. All babies are different. They eat different amounts, and progress at different rates. Just to make parents' lives more exciting!

2. Stick to a routine, creating eating habits.

3. Initially, offer breastmilk or formula first to ensure they get all nutrients each day.

4. Don't push them to eat too much to avoid upset tummies.

5. Make and store the purees thicker than you need to so you can thin them down and warm them up with boiling water, breastmilk or formula.

6. Select quality organic ingredients with a variety of nutrients and colors. When buying baby food, read labels carefully. Stay away from additives, sweeteners, fillers and thickeners such as starches.

7. Use clean utensils.

8. Never place solids in your baby's bottle.

9. Most babies prefer food at room temperature. Be careful with microwaved food. Temperature may be uneven.

10. Expect a mess!

Check out our Homemade Baby Food Recipes page, developed by experienced moms! Delicious recipes with great nutritional values.

Healthy Home Tips for Parents. Can't Get Any Easier than That...

Can it? Here we go:

1. Choose better body care products for kids: read the ingredients and avoid triclosan, BHA, fragrance and oxybenzone.

2. Eat fresh organic foods: choose organic when possible, and limit canned food and infant formula, as can linings contain BPA.

3. Pick plastics carefully: some plastics contain BPA, which is linked to cancer. Avoid clear, hard plastic bottles market with a "7" or "PC". Don't microwave plastic containers. Stay away from toys marked with a "3" or "PVC."

4. Filter your tap water: this will reduce your family's exposure to impurities in water, like chlorine and lead. Mix infant formula with fluoride-free water.

5. Wash your hands often: do we need to elaborate on that?

6. Skip non-stick cookware: when overheated, they can emit toxic fumes. Use cast iron or stainless steel instead.

7. Use a HEPA-filter vacuum: it captures the widest range of particles and get rid of allergens.

8. Get iodine: it buffers against chemicals like perchlorate, which can disrupt the thyroid system and affect brain development during pregnancy and infancy.

9. Use greener cleaners and avoid pesticides: household cleaners, bug killers, pet treatments, and air fresheners can irritate kids' lungs, especially if your kids have asthma. Investigate less toxic alternatives. Use vinegar in place of bleach, baking soda to scrub your tiles, and hydrogen peroxide to remove stains.

10. Eat good fats: omega-3 fatty acids can offset toxic effects of lead and mercury. They're in fish, eggs, nuts, oils, and produce. Choose low-mercury fish, especially if you're pregnant. Breast milk is the best source of good fats (and other benefits) for babies, and protects them from toxic chemicals.

For detailed information, logon to ewg.org

Smart Food Ingredients

Check out this interesting video about medical benefits of feeding kids with at least a few organic ingredients.

Growing Organic Veggies

Growing your own organic veggies can be a lot of fun, and is definitely a lot cheaper than buying them in grocery stores.
I've tried a couple of times, but unfortunately always lost the battles to bunnies and chipmunks. They seem to be a lot faster than me, specially during their night shifts!

Raised in apartment buildings, I've never had the opportunity to develop a green thumb! Since moved to a house, our few attempts to plant some fruits, veggies and herbs have been quite entertaining to our neighborhood speedy critters.

The Daily Green just published 9 easy steps to develop an organic garden, and although the Winter is approaching quite soon, there are several techniques to grow and maintain an indoor garden. Click on the sources below for detailed information, and step-by-step guidance.

Sources: The Daily Green for organic gardens, and About.com for indoor herb garden

Organic Ingredients, Not Always Necessary

We all know that pesticides are not good for our bodies. The exposure to toxic chemicals can have an even more adverse effect in children. The metabolism of a fetus, infant and child is less able to metabolize and inactivate toxic chemicals, being more vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticides.

Consuming organic food minimizes the problem, but it is generally expensive, and not accessible to everybody. The Environmental Working Group developed a list of vegetables and fruits that contain the highest amount of pesticides, and the ones that are generally clear. So, be wise and don't spend the extra cash when not necessary. Here is a summary of the list:

Highest pesticide load, starting with the worst: peach, apple, bell pepper, celery, nectarine, strawberry, cherry, kale, lettuce, grapes, carrot, pear, collard greens, spinach and potatoes

Lowest pesticide load, starting with the cleanest: onion, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon and broccoli.

For a complete list, check the Baby Food Recipes section, or consult the Environmental Working Group.