Pregnancy without toxins

Pregnant and green, no, I’m not talking morning sickness!  If you are pregnant or going to become pregnant then there are a few things you should consider in order to reduce your exposure to chemicals and possible birth defects to your baby.  As I am now pregnant with baby #2 my motto is you can never be too careful.  Research as much as you can and take time to think about the everyday things you do and how they might affect your baby.   Here are a few things to consider:

• Organic Foods:  Of course eating healthy is the first step along with a good prenatal vitamin.  But you not only want to think about healthy food choices but also how many chemicals, hormones, and steroids your taking in each day.  Its very important to eat organic as much as possible with meat, dairy, and produce in order to limit your exposure to chemicals and pesticides in the food.  Choose  fruits and veggies that are organic especially for the ones that are high in pesticides.  Try to eat organic milk, cheese, eggs and yogurt for calcium and if you can’t find organic meat then try to get hormone and antibiotic free.  This will help lower your baby’s chances of being resistance to antibiotics which is becoming more prevalent in our children these days.  Also you want to eat brown rice and whole wheat bread over the “white” varieties which use chemicals to bleach the flour and strip the food of all the nutrients it once had.   Avoid heating up food in plastic containers to avoid chemicals leaching into your foods. 
• Renovate your home:  The news of a little bundle of joy makes almost everyone I know want to change their home around and redecorate.  Its easy to get caught up in decorating the nursery with cute and cuddly things!  But really you don’t want to do any major remodeling in your home at this point.  Of course if your in an older home you could risk exposure to lead paint, mold, and a slew of other chemicals if you go taking down walls or ripping up carpet.  Just the same if you put new carpet down or vinyl flooring it can release chemicals which over long term could be harmful to the baby.  If you need to put new carpet down consider a natural alternative carpet such as wool which is non toxic.    If you want to freshen up the paint in the nursery let the hubby do it when you are not home and use the new VOC free paints that are available.  I have used the Freshaire brand and there is absolutely no smell or chemicals to worry about.   
• Pesticides:  If its summer when your pregnant try to avoid lawns that are treated with chemicals and pesticides.  Parks and playgrounds are targets for these so they have a well maintained “fresh” look.  You can call your town office to find out what they use and when they spray.  Of course if you have a pest problem in the home you want to avoid spraying any bug sprays in the home.  If you absolutely must then again have the hubbie do it when you are going to be out of the home for a long period of time and open all the windows. 
• Arsenic:  Most people think of this as a poison used in a murder mystery.  But its actually quite easy to be exposed to arsenic because it can leach out of pressure treated wood.  You want to avoid touching outdoor wood structures such as picnic tables, child play structures, and decks.  Make sure you dont walk barefoot on them and keep food out of contact just in case.
• Lead:  Most of us think about lead in paint but really you can be exposed to this in crystal glassware, antique ceramics, and even scented candle wicks.  If you are unsure you can buy a lead test kit or probably easier just avoid eating and drinking out of these items for now.
• Clean air:  The EPA says there is more pollution indoors than outside many times.  Open up the windows and let some fresh air in whenever possible.  Keep house plants around in each room which act as a natural filter.  Make sure that filters in air conditioners and furnaces are cleaned regularly. 
• Cleaners:  While you want your home to be clean and free of germs for the little one you want to avoid any harsh cleaners that contain several chemicals that can be harmful if inhaled.  Try using natural alternatives such as white vinegar and baking soda to clean the house.  They are cheaper, smell better, and do just as good of a job.  I promise you will be surprised!
• Baby Registry:  This is one of the most fun parts of being pregnant.  Its like shopping for free and there are so many great choices these days for the nursery.  Take the time to find out what eco products your baby can benefit from.  If your on a fixed budget then consider buying organic cotton pj’s, onsies, and blankets for baby which will be closer to his skin.  If you can afford it then look into all the great sheets, mattresses, and cribs that are eco-friendly.  Choose baby bottles that are glass (my favorite) or BPA free plastic to avoid any chemicals leaching into the baby’s formula.   Look for BPA pacifiers as well and toys that are eco-friendly and free of chemicals. 

Most of all enjoy your pregnancy and the anticipation of your babies arrival.  Take time to research things now because once the baby is here chances are you will have little free time!  Pass this along to all the mommies to be you know! 

www.theorganicmommy.org

 

Time to catch up….

I have been so bad about posting lately.  One reason is my husband has been laid off of work so I have more people in the house to deal with.  Second I am pregnant with baby #2 and my morning sickness has been just horrible so writing on the computer was the last thing I was interested in. 

So I am still buying organic foods but only what we absolutely use the most and are the worst offenders of pesticides and chemicals.  With no money except unemployment coming in right now I have to be really careful.  So I still buy organic milk, juice, grapes, apples, peppers, potatoes, and spinach.  Everything else depends on what deals are at the store!  So far we have only used our wood burning stove or our infra-red electric heater and have no plans of buying oil this year.  If we can make it through the season this way I will be very happy as we will only spend $400 on heating this season. 

So now that I am feeling better more posts to come soon!

 

Paycheck to paycheck organic

 These are my top five ways I have found to live more green and save some green.

1.  Stop buying expensive cleaning supplies for your house.  All you need is this all natural multi-purpose cleaner.  I use it for everything in the bathroom and kitchen and love it!  2 cups water, 1 cup white vinegar, and 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide.  Safe to use around kids (great for the highchair tray) and pets.

2.  Compost your food scraps.  I just started composting a few weeks ago.  I always felt ok about throwing away food thinking that its biodegradable and that it wouldn’t affect the environment.  Duh!  If you put food in plastic bags then it doesn’t break down quickly and releases gases harmful to the environment.  I got a stainless steel pail with a lid that I keep right next to my kitchen sink.  It looks fancy so you would never guess its a compost pail.  It holds about two days of food scraps and then I take it out back to my compost garbage pail.  I took a regular garbage pail with lid that secures, drilled rows of holes in it and voila.  I add dried leaves and grass clippings as well as all the food scraps, coffee grinds, and egg shells.   Since I have to pay for garbage pickup it makes sense to have less of it and it saves me more trips out to the garbage pails. 

3.  Organic goodnight.  I always wanted to have all organic cotton bedding and sheets but could never afford it.  Its just so expensive.  So instead I decided a more budget friendly alternative would  be to buy organic cotton pj’s so at least my skin is covered in organic cotton even if my sheets cant be.  They are still a little expensive but for a tank and pj bottom it would be around $35 and the organic bedding is hundreds.

4. Reuse and recycle.  I always try to save furniture and old bedding because you can do so much with it.  Especially when you have kids its great to repurpose an old lamp into a fun kid lamp with a few accessories from the craft store.  I looked at the fabric clearance table the other day and I got two yards of “thomas the train” fabric for $4 total.  I had two old picture frames that I used to frame the fabric and now my son has two large framed thomas pictures for $4!

5.  Spend organic smart.  I know I’ve said it alot but if you have to stick to a budget then use your money wisely to get the most organic bang for your buck.  Buy dairy, meat, and fruits and veggies that are high in pesticide organically.  I always buy strawberries, peaches, apples, peppers, spinach, and potatoes organic.  I rarely buy organic onions, blueberries, or watermelon because they are very low in pesticides. 

Post some of your favorite budget organic tips!

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Do you know how important bees are?

I have to admit that lately I am a little addicted to the Burts Bees line of products.  They are a little pricey but so far I think they are worth every penny.  I love the baby wash, sunscreen, and all natural mosquito repellant.  Anyway, my point is that some info on their website made me realize just how important the honeybee really is. 

Did you know that every third bite of food that you eat depends on bees for pollination?  Already we are hearing about food shortages so can you imagine if we lost 30% of the fruit and vegeatable plants that we rely on to feed our families?  You may have heard about the Colony Collapse Disorder that is affecting bees in recent years; it is a mysterious dissapearance of the honeybee that can be linked to habitat destruction, misuse of pesticides, invasive species and global warming. 

So what can be done to help?  First you can plant wildflower seeds in your yard that might attract honeybees.   They especially like the following:  Calendula, Daisy, Purple Coneflower, Sunflowers and Sweet William Catchfly.  Also they thrive in organic farms with fruit and veggie plants free of pesticides. 

You can also buy local honey.  It will taste better because it isnt mistreated to have a long shelf life so it will taste more floral.    Also you are keeping trucks off the road and supporting local beekeepers so they can continue to help bees and polination.

Honeybees have been on this earth for 25 million years so lets not let them die off now!  Plant something in your garden just for them and maybe even look into beekeeping.  Its supposed to be an interesting hobby and you get to eat your own honey!

 

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Organic meat receipes on a budget

As a stay at home mom I am constantly trying to find ways to cut our grocery budget since its the one bill that we have some control over monthly.  I know alot of people are struggling with the higher prices of everything lately and its a shame that we have to pay more to eat healthy and organic.  But at least for now this is the case so if you are trying to start eating organically but are fearful of the high grocery bills that might go along with it then I would like to share with you some of my favorite receipes. 

Specifically for meat I just have to buy hormone and antibiotic free meats now that I know what is in the “regular” brand meats that come from large industrial farms.  I could eat vegetarian and be happy ( I did it for ten years)  but my husband is a meat and potatoes kinda guy and I do want my son to eat some meat until he is old enough to decide what health choices he wants to make.  So with that being the case I still have to buy some meat and that can get really expensive when trying to eat organically. 

My best advice is to buy the cheaper cuts of meat that you can use in a variety of ways organically or at least hormone and antibiotic free.   I would rarely buy a ribeye steak that is organic unless its a special occasion.  For beef I stick to london broil, flank steaks, and ground beef mainly and the brand I find in most stores is the Black Angus Natural.  For chicken I usually buy thighs and sometimes drumsticks.  I can use some for dinner and then use the leftover meat for chicken salad for lunch.  Below are my favorite receipes that I rely on for speedy (yes, I have a one year old!) and healthy dinners.  I put what I usually buy organic but if you cannot afford that then use the regular.  I try to base what I use organic as to how much pesticide is retained in the produce.  For more on this please look at my post http://organicmommy.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/full-list-of-worst-pesticide-offenders/

 

Meatballs:

• 1 lb ground beef (hormone and antibiotic free) 
• 1 onion
• breadcrumbs
• 1 organic egg
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Mix this all in a bowl and form small meatballs.  Saute in a pan until the outside is cooked, about five minutes.  Take the meatballs out and start the sauce below.  Once all the ingredients are in the sauce then put the meatballs back in and let them simmer.

For my sauce I saute an onion and one clove of garlic.  Once that is soft I add a large can of crushed tomatoes with salt, pepper, and some basil or rosemary from my garden.  Let it all simmer for at least an hour but the longer the better in my opinion.

My version of hamburger helper:

• 1 lb ground beef (hormone and antibiotic free)
• 1 box pasta (whatever you like)
• 1 block organic cheddar cheese
• 1/2 block organic montery jack
• flour and butter to make a roux
• organic milk

Start to boil water in large pot for pasta.  In large saute pan brown ground beef until no longer pink.  Remove ground beef from pan and take out all oil left in pan.  Add three to four tablespoons of flour and about three tablespoons of butter.  Let the flour cook for a minute or two stirring with the butter.  Once the butter is absorbed into the flour and clumpy start to whisk in milk.  You have to just see how this goes as to how much you need but you want to keep slowly adding milk and then whisking until its about the consistency of pasta sauce.  Add salt and pepper and slowly whisk in the cheeses.  When its all melted together add the ground beef back into the sauce.  Add this to the drained pasta and voila you have a healthy version of hamburger helper cheeseburger mac.  You can add veggies to this also or just serve on the side.

Chicken and peppers:

• 1 package of organic chicken thighs (or antibiotic free)
• 1 large organic green pepper or two small
• 1 onion
• 1/2  cup red wine
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup organic crushed tomato sauce or leftover pasta sauce

In a large pot saute the chicken thighs.  After both sides have cooked for a few minutes then add the sliced peppers and onions.  Add garlic and salt and pepper.  Allow veggies to become soft then add the tomato sauce.  Add the wine and mix all together.  Let the whole pot simmer for at least 1/2 hour but I think the longer the better.  The meat will fall off the bone and be so tasty.  I serve over brown rice.

Curry chicken salad:

• leftover organic chicken thigh meat (or boil two thighs in water with a bay leaf or rosemary and save the stock afterwards for soup!)
• 1 organic apple diced
• 1/2 cup raisins
• curry spice aprox. 2 Tbs (use as little or much as you like)
• mayo (use as much as you like to your consistency)

Take the chicken meat and shred it with a fork.  Add the curry and salt/pepper.  Add the diced apple and raisins.  Mix in the mayo to the consistency you prefer and enjoy.  This is great for lunch and is wonderful on whole wheat toast or on a bed of greens.

I hope to see some comments with your favorite receipes too!

www.theorganicmommy.org

 

Receipe for Natural All-Purpose Cleaner

I was watching Planet Green last night and saw this receipe for an all natural cleaner that you can use on almost anything to disinfect and clean.  Mix it in a spray bottle and go….its safe to use around kids and pets.  I used it this weekend and its amazing, no nasty fumes to deal with and my shower and stove have never looked so clean!  Just wanted to share it if your interested.  Enjoy!

2 cups water

1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

1 cup white vinegar

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Could sugar make you sick?

In the last 20 years sugar consumption by Americans has gone up to approximately 135 lbs of sugar per person per year.  Its no wonder we consume so much since sugar in one form or another is added to almost everything we eat these days.  We know the obvious health concerns that sugar can cause such as obesity and tooth decay but there are many more links to other diseases than you might realize.  When ingested sugar raises your insulin level which prevents the release of growth hormones and in turn causes your immune system to become suppressed. 

Because the chemical structures of vitamin C and sugar are very similar they end up competing for entry into your cells.  Therefore if there is more glucose in your system the cells will take this instead of the vitamin C.  So when you eat any form of sugar you are directly affecting your immune system and its ability to fight disease whether it be a common cold to cardiovascular disease.  The American Dietetic Association agrees that sugar is one of the three major causes of degenerative diseases.  If you would like more specific information on what sugar is doing to your body then read Nancy Appleton’s list of 146 reasons why sugar is bad for you at http://www.rheumatic.org/sugar.htm

So do you have to give up your sweet tooth altogether?  Raw unrefined sugar is a much better option than regular white sugar or brown sugar.  Some people think brown sugar is the same as raw sugar but this is not the case.  Brown sugar is just as un-nutritious as white refined sugar but its mixed with molasses to give it that dark color.  You want to find raw unrefined sugar as that still contains the beneficial minerals of the sugar cane plant such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium.  Additionally when sugar is refined there are many harmful chemicals that are added to it such as sulfur dioxide, formic acid, and phosphoric acid which are used to bleach the sugar to white.  Also don’t turn to artificial sweeteners thinking they are better than natural sugar because they are extremely unhealthy for your body and have shown to cause cancer in lab animals.  Nothing makes me more mental than being out at a restaurant and seeing a parent give their two year old diet soda thinking they are giving them a healthy alternative to sugar.  Please!

Speaking of children,  if all this sugar can hurt our bodies as adults imagine what it can do to a child.  Dr. Nancy Appleton says that many food allergies to wheat and dairy are due to the fact that sugar is usually ingested at the same time as the wheat or dairy.  She claims that we can make ourselves allergic to any food that is continuously taken with large quantities of sugar.  If your children has any of the following symptoms she suggests removing sugar from their diet for 10 days and seeing if this helps;  allergies, headaches, hyperactivity, difficulty concentrating, overweight, constant eating, and difficulty falling asleep.

The best path seems to be limiting the amount of sugars you ingest and remember that processed foods have high amounts of sugar.  Eating natural foods that you cook yourself let you control the amounts of sugar and carbs ingested in a meal.  If you have to have some sugar then use raw unrefined sugar or honey because at least they contain the extra minerals.  Remember white sugar is the worst type of sugar to ingest and it is not only void of any nutrition but it also contains chemicals that are used to bleach it.  Try taking small steps to encourage your family to cut down on their sugar intake.  You may not be able to control what your kids eat outside the home but at least you can control what they eat in your house, and you will probably save money from buying all that sugary junk food!

www.theorganicmommy.org

 

Gardasil Vaccine: Is it safe?

The National Vaccine Information Center reported that there were 385 reports in the second half of 2006 made to VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) reporting young girls having fainted, collapsed and experiencing seizures as well as symptoms of tingling, numbness, fever, nausea, headache, and loss of sensation in the limbs from Gardasil.  There has been reports of facial paralysis and Guillian-Barre Syndrome as well.  According to the National Vaccine Information Center Merck only studied Gardasil in fewer than 1200 girls under age 16 in trials and they were not studied in combination with other vaccines the children may have had. 

Aside from that there is question as to if the vaccine is even effective as it claims.  There were reports of girls contracting HPV and genital warts after receiving the vaccine, but it is unknown if they were possibly infected prior to the vaccination.  There are more than 15 types of HPV associated with cervical cancer but Gardasil only contains two of those types.  You may want to consider if its worth having your teenage daughter vaccinated just yet.  If they do receive the vaccine monitor them closely for 24 hours for any reactions. 

For more info on reporting a reaction or a copy of the NVIC’s report on Gardasil please visit www.nvic.org

www.theorganicmommy.org

 

Natural Mosquito Repellant for the family

I found this receipe for homeade mosquito repellant and thought it would be good to share.  According to Amy Lovejoy, a freelance garden and food writer, Iowa State University did a study and found that the oil in catnip is 10 times more effective than DEET which is a pesticide and should not be used on children.  Below is Amy’s receipe but if you don’t have the time or garden to do this then I found an all natural repellant from Burts Bees that is safe for children using rosemary oils.  I plan on testing both and letting you know how they work.  Enjoy!

CATNIP AND ROSEMARY MOSQUITO CHASING OIL

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUP

2 cups catnip, stemmed

1 cup rosemary, cut in 6-inch sprigs

2 cups grapeseed oil or any light body-care oil

 Roll herbs lightly with a rolling pin and pack into a clean jar. Cover with oil, seal jar and place in a cool, dark cupboard for two weeks.  Shake jar lightly every day or so for two weeks. Strain into a clean jar, seal and refrigerate for up to 8 months unused.  To use, rub on exposed skin.

 

 

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Pesticide Dangers to Children

As I do more and more research I am amazed (not in a good way) and concerned about how vulnerable our children are to the world we live in.  We don’t even realize how many toxic chemicals our precious babies are exposed to during the first years of life and how the choices we make now can dictate the health they will have for years to come.  Try as we may to want to do everything right for them it could be the everyday things that we don’t even think about that could be harmful.  I feel naive that I never thought about toxic chemicals in my home and food before now and think about how many parents never realize how much their children can be harmed just by the pesticides they use on their lawns or the insecticides they use in their homes.  I am a cancer survivor having had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at age 25, and I still didn’t make the connections until recently. 

I then realized that even if a parent is aware of these risks and takes action at home to prevent the use of toxins around their children; they may not realize sending their kids to school can expose them to just as many chemicals.  Schools regularly use insecticides inside the building to manage pests, use pesticides outside in play areas, and may even use pressure treated wood for play structures which contains arscenic that can leach to the surface.  And all of these have been shown in studies to elevate the risk of cancer especially in young developing children.  

Here are some facts to consider:

• According to EPA’s Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment, children receive 50% of their lifetime cancer risks in the first two years of life
• Children with brain cancer are more likely to have been exposed to insecticides in the home
• A study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute indicates that household and garden pesticide use can increase the risk of childhood leukemia as much as seven-fold
• Health effects of 48 commonly used pesticides in schools: 22 are probable or possible carcinogens, 26 have been shown to cause reproductive effects, 31 damage the nervous system, 31 injure the liver or kidney, 41 are sensitizers or irritants, and 16 can cause birth defects
• US EPA and Dow AgroSciences recently agreed to phase-out chlorpyrifos, one of the most commonly used insecticides in schools, because of its high risks to children, after allowing it to be used in schools and homes for the past 30 years

The rate of childhood cancer is increasing approximately 1% on average per year.  This is an unacceptable rate especially if we consider that some of it may be preventable with education.  Many parents still have the attitude that “we survived without helmets and car seats and we lived” and “why stress over everything, there is enough to worry about already with the world”.  Well I agree we all have too much stress already and all you have to do is watch the evening news to become overwhelmed and depressed.  And yes our generation had very few safety restrictions and most of us turned out ok…but I already know four people under the age of 35 that have had cancer and three that have auto-immune diseases just in my small group of friends so did we really turn out ok?  Can we really say for sure that eating foods laced with pesticides and hormones, playing around lawns treated with chemicals, and all the other things we were exposed to without a second thought really haven’t made a difference?  I think that ignoring these warnings are neglectful to our families…no one ever said parenting was easy right? 

So what can we do to protect our kids?  Well remember that government standards for regulating environmental hazards are sometimes inadequate, at best a bare minimum, and could be a threat to your families health.  In short I wouldn’t trust the government to tell us if something is safe for our kids because they have been wrong many times before and have special interests of their own.  So you have to take the initiative to look at what might be harmful in your home and research products that you buy. 

Eliminate all obvious causes of toxins inside and outside of the home including pesticides, insecticides, molds, and pvc plastics especially those that would be heated outside in the direct sun.  If you have a pest problem there are non toxic ways to manage them that you can try prior to using chemicals.  These would include removing sources of food and water and destroying possible shelters or breeding sites such as litter or plant debris.  For more info on natural ways to control pests visit http://www.beyondpesticides.org/alternatives/factsheets/index.htm and you can search their information by pest!  Avoid pressure treated lumber that isn’t sealed if its an area that children will play in and touch.  At school become involved and find out what pesticides are being used on lawns and in the buildings to manage pests.  Also don’t use mosquito sprays that contain deet for your children as it is a pesticide and will be absorbed through the skin.  Instead try a natural product like citronella, lemon eucalyptus, and rosemary oils. 

Maybe we don’t need to have the greenest lawn on the block especially if our children’s health is at risk.  I love living in the country where my lawn can be “rustic” and natural the way its supposed to be.  I know that my child will encounter many risks along his journey through life but at least toxic chemicals in his yard won’t be one of them.  I hope that all the organic food and lowering his exposure to toxic chemicals will ensure him a healthier and happier life for years to come.

facts from BEYOND PESTICIDES at www.beyondpesticides.org

www.theorganicmommy.org