I’ve been a vegetarian for more years of my life now than I haven’t been; I’m going on 20 years without meat now. My husband is entering his 3rd year of vegetarianism, and we are raising our children as vegetarians. In fact, my youngest child has never tasted meat.  So, I think it’s safe to say I’m familiar enough with it; it’s a part of who I am.  Over the last two decades I’ve seen vegetarianism and overall awareness about healthier eating evolve; both in my own understanding, and society’s as well. I find this exhilarating and promising! When I first stopped eating meat, I’d have to trek (and I do mean trek… I didn’t have a driver’s license yet, folks) to an out-of-the-way tiny health food store to get the one brand of soy dogs that were made at the time – that tasted, well, let just say: less than awesome.  Nowadays, meat analogs (that actually taste like meat – if that’s your thing; it’s not really mine) are sold at nearly every grocery store – alternative as well as conventional.  I’ve met many vegetarians in person (not just online), I know another family raising their children without meat, my children’s school excludes meat from the lunch menu, most restaurants have menu options other than salad for vegetarian patrons, and even fast food chains have vegetarian choices (though, personally, since viewing Supersize Me several years ago, we no longer patronize fast food restaurants). The fact that meatless options are so readily available now is a testament to the increasing normalization of vegetarianism in our culture.  It only makes me increasingly hopeful for the future health of our nation!

 

Often, when my eating habits come to light, one of the first questions I’m asked is, “why?” It’s a valid question, and one I’ve not really put into words, until now: Why am I a vegetarian?  In all truthfulness, I first embarked on my vegetarian journey trying to be different, rebellious, special – I was a teenager in a meat-loving household; you get the picture.  It just felt good to answer the question, “Would you like some meat loaf?” with a dramatic, “No way!” (and watch my level of coolness exponentially increase).  I even influenced one of my sisters to become vegetarian (and she still is to this day).  Of course, after a while, the act of not eating meat became far less of a conscious effort and was much more habitual, and eventually I entirely lost interest in the taste of meat. But it wasn’t until fairly recently – I’d say around the time I became pregnant with my first child (enter Supersize Me again), that I really started digging a little deeper into the whys and hows of a meatless diet. Full disclosure, I haven’t been a strict vegetarian all 20 years.  There have been points in time where I have eaten fish, even had some chicken during my pregnancy & breastfeeding years. Yet, I always tend to come back to a vegetarian diet; and strive towards a vegan (or nearly so) diet.  So why is that, after all these years?

 

Primarily, I believe that vegetarianism is one of the healthiest ways to eat.  It is naturally low in saturated fat and cholesterol, high in fiber, and rich in nutrients gained from the key building blocks of the food pyramid: fruits, veggies, and grains. It tastes good and feels good to eat fresh, real foods.  Being vegetarian often forces one to pay closer attention to what is in the things one is eating, and in doing so, one reads labels and studies menus more carefully and closely, and becomes more choosy overall about what is going into one’s body.  I see all of these things as good: the more aware you are about what you eat, the better choices you tend to make.

 

Secondarily, I believe vegetarianism is a more sustainable and earth-friendly way to eat. For example, it takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef (Sources: http://www.vegsource.com/articles/pimentel_water.htm | http://www.earthsave.org/environment/water.htm) compared with 60 gallons of water to produce one pound of potatoes. That’s a lot of H2O saved by not eating meat. Not to mention the land savings: it takes far more land to produce a pound of meat – via mass amounts of grain needed to feed cattle intended for slaughter (which is neither a natural nor healthful diet for cows, though not precisely the point) than it does to produce a pound of vegetables/grains intended for human consumption.  (Source: http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/environment.html) Simply put, cows consume far more food than they produce. More complexly, in order to produce the amount of grain needed to generate meat, the grain needs to be grown in large quantities (through use of pesticides and water) and harvested and transported quickly (through use of fossil fuels). It doesn’t make sense from an environmental standpoint to use so much of our precious land and resources to feed a cow, just to slaughter it for a fraction of the amount of food which could have been gained instead from planting the fields with crops intended for human consumption. Recently, Adam and I watched Food Inc., and I’ll never look at animal-derived food products in the same way.  The ideas about more vegetable consumption and reduced animal consumption being better for the planet really came into better focus for me after seeing this film. 

 

Finally, and perhaps most simply, by not eating meat, I’m not directly contributing to the killing nor torturing of animals, through my dietary preference. Frankly, I teach my children to treat other beings that share this planet with us – people AND animals – with kindness and empathy; so to do otherwise when it comes to our dietary choices is a dichotomy which I’ve yet to find a better way to reconcile, than going with a compassionate (vegetarian) diet.

 

So there are the whys.  What about the hows? As healthy a way of eating as vegetarianism is (heck, switch around a few letters, and you’ve practically got the word vegetable), as many celebrities who “go vegan”, as many articles that are written on the benefits of a low fat, plant-rich diet, I find that still the mention of a meatless diet causes concern, in varying degrees, from strangers, friends, and family.  I find the concern directed most particularly towards “getting enough”. In other words, by eating vegetarian, are we really eating healthy enough?  Are we eating enough protein, consuming enough calcium, getting enough iron? Honestly, I can’t say even I am immune to this concern.  How can I be sure we’re getting enough? Anecdotally, I’m healthy, my children are healthy, and after just a few months on a nearly-vegan diet, my husband’s high cholesterol came completely under control; he’s healthy & vegetarianism helped him get there.  I was a vegetarian through my pregnancies & got the thumbs up from my midwife and OB, our children’s pediatrician says a vegetarian diet is healthy, yet I still regularly revisit the issue.  I read books, articles, and ask questions.  I’m constantly learning more about eating healthier and feel I’m continually making better choices when it comes to the food we eat. I believe vegetarianism is the diet of a healthier planet, and I really do believe we’re “getting enough”.  I’ll share some of the hows; and maybe you too can join us in going vegetarian!

 

I’ll start with perhaps the most common question vegetarians face:

 

How will you get enough protein if you don’t eat meat?

 

The short answer is: assuming one is consuming enough calories, one will consume more than enough protein – as there is protein in nearly everything you consume. In fact, the American Heart Association indicates that Americans eat too much protein & too much protein can increase health risks. However, the question really begs a longer answer, as certain foods are more calorie-dense, and some foods, while calorie-dense, aren’t necessarily healthful (even while being meat-free). Ideally, I’d suggest when eliminating meat from your diet, and attempting to maintain an adequate supply of protein (especially important for children and pregnant women), one should choose foods rich in nutrient-dense calories like fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts; and limit foods which are rich in saturated fats or cholesterol (like eggs or full-fat dairy) or simply calorie-dense but lacking in nutrients (like sugars and processed foods).  If you’re looking to eliminate only meat from your diet, but not other animal products, eggs and reduced-fat dairy easily make up more than enough protein in the average diet. Eggs and dairy also contain vitamin B12 which is essential to the human diet, and not easily found in non-animal sources (though it can be sourced from seaweed & barley grass).  I find it necessary to mention that if you do choose to keep eggs and dairy in your diet, to be a bit wary. While these items are a good source of protein, they are also a source of saturated fats and cholesterol.  Due to those high levels of fat, dairy and eggs also tend to “hold onto” any pesticides, hormones, additives, or antibiotics that the cow or chicken was given in its feed or healthcare regimen.  To that end, I strongly recommend only eating grass-fed organic dairy and eggs whenever possible, keeping in mind that a hen or cow fed on healthy organic pasture greens produce eggs and milk that are richer in key nutrients. To read more about why grass-fed animals are healthier (and thus produce healthier milk and eggs), go here: http://www.eatwild.com/basics.html

 

 

So realistically speaking, how can one get enough protein without meat? Here’s an example.  An average (non-pregnant) adult needs 0.6-0.8g of protein for every 2.2 lbs of body weight per day.  So divide your current weight by 2.2, then multiply by 0.7.  Or, have this calculator do it for you). According to the calculation above, I need approximately 38g of protein in a day. I’ve broken down my consumption of protein in an average day (you can create your own breakdown with this awesome site http://www.nutritiondata.com/), so you can see that it is possible to acheive adequate, even surplus of protein without meat in your diet:

 

Breakfast:

 

Bowl of Oatmeal: 11g

Add skim milk: 8g

Add molasses: 0g

Half cup of raspberries: .5g

8oz glass of OJ: 2g

 

Snack:

 

Handful of cashews: 2.5g

Starbucks iced latte: 12g

 

Lunch:

 

Tofurky (13g), cheddar cheese (7g), spinach (.5g), tomato (0g), sprouts (1g), on whole wheat bread (8g) sandwich, reduced fat potato chips (2g)

 

(Note: Only at lunch, and already at 69g total protein for the day – 31g over my recommended daily value; and haven’t consumed any meat.  Now, if I were to eliminate the animal protein sources altogether (the milk in my oatmeal, the cheddar cheese slice, and the Starbucks latte), I’d be at 40.5g – already over my recommended daily value, without animal-sourced protein)

 

Snack:

 

Carrots & hummus (3g).

 

Dinner:

 

Whole grain pasta (10g), with black beans (5g), sautéed Portobello mushrooms (5g), spinach (.5g), and garlic (0g), with tomato sauce (1g), whole wheat bread (4g) with olive oil (0g), and green salad (0g). 

 

If I add a meat analog (say, soy “meatballs”) to dinner, I’d add another 10g or so… but even without it (I try to keep our processed soy intake low. For some links to further info on soy, see the stars, below **), I’m at 97.5g of protein for the day.  59.5g of protein above my recommended daily allowance… and that’s without any animal products.

 

** There are varying reports on the benefits and drawbacks of soy; the drawbacks being numerous, and primarily focused on processed soy, like soy baby formula, soymilk, and TVP/TSP (textured vegetable/soy protein). Here are a few articles:

The Ploy of Soy | Soy & Hexane | Behind the Bean

If you do choose to use soy as a meat replacement, I’d recommend only buying organic and GMO-free soy.

For a less negative read on soy, here's Eden Organic’s take.

 

So what about iron?

 

Iron is a key element for health; one that happens to be highly present in animal sources of food.  However, it is also found in non-meat sources. The iron sourced from non-meat sources, called “non-heme” iron is more difficult for humans to absorb than iron derived from meat.  However, consuming vitamin C-rich foods at the same time as iron-rich vegetarian foods will increase your iron absorption dramatically (like, for instance, my eating oatmeal with orange juice or spinach with tomato sauce)

 

With that in mind, here’s a list of foods that we regularly consume from non-meat sources that are rich in iron:

 

Whole wheat bread

Oatmeal

Lima beans

Enriched whole wheat pasta

Black beans

Kidney beans

Lentils

Spinach

Green beans

Asparagus

Hummus

Sun butter

Peanut butter

 

And some accompaniments, high in vitamin C:

 

Tomatoes & tomato sauce

Orange Juice

Broccoli

Raspberries

Brussels Sprouts

 

Some other sources that we eat less often, but which are also rich in iron:

 

Fortified breakfast cereal

Black strap molasses

Pumpkin seeds

Miso (high in protein, iron, and calcium – this stuff is awesome for vegetarians)

Quinoa (again, awesome)

Tofu

Eggs

 

Here is a good article which explains the importance of iron, iron absorption, and why vegetarians aren’t necessarily prone to iron-deficient anemia.

 

I’ve been lactating now for nearly 6 years.  Six years of being able to nourish and nurture my children with my own breast milk.  I feel lucky. 

 

Because although the U.S. government indicates that “Breastfeeding is Ideal for Infants”, according to the CDC’s Breastfeeding Report Card from 2006, only 73.9% of US babies have ever been breastfed.  Only 43.3% of U.S. babies were still breastfeeding at 6 months, and a mere 22.7% were still breastfeeding at 12 months. 

The exclusively breastfeeding numbers are even lower (and much more startling, considering the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life – meaning, baby needs no additional foods or fluids other than breastmilk) at 33.1% exclusively breastfeeding at 3 months and only 13.6% exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months.

 

So, even though the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the World Health Organization recommends breastmilk ONLY for the first 6 months of life, only one seventh of the babies in this country are doing so. When you look at the individual states, the numbers are even more shocking.  In Mississippi for example, of babies born in 2006, only 4.6% were still exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months. Only 4.6%.  A tiny fraction of infants. In spite of the recommendations.  In spite of the fact that human milk is species-specific (meaning, our human milk is tailor made for human babies, whereas cow milk is tailor made for calves), in spite of research that indicates human milk feeding decreases infectious diseases such as bacterial meningitis, respiratory tract infections, UTIs, ear infections; in spite of studies indicating reduced rates of SIDS, insulin dependent type 1 and non-insulin dependent type 2 dibetes, cancer, obesity, and asthma (both in older children and adults who were breastfed compared with individuals who were not breastfed); in spite of the association with enhanced performance on tests of cognitive development in individuals who were breastfed; in spite of maternal health benefits – like decreased post-partum bleeding and decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. (Source: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496)

 

What’s wrong?  Why aren’t more women breastfeeding their children?  And why are so many supplementing with formula so early on, or quitting altogether?  I believe it’s a combination of factors. Perhaps foremost is the lack of understanding and support from the general population with regards to normal infant feeding and sleeping habits.  How many articles have you read which indicate women should breastfeed only under cover or in private, should have their infants sleep separately, should feed them on a specific schedule, should give them pacifiers instead of the breast for comfort?  How may advertisements in parenting magazines are there for formulas? How many free samples of formula are sent home with new mothers, instead of easy, free, consistent, and friendly access to breastfeeding counselors and lactation consultants (both in the hospital and at home)?  Far too many.

 

In combination with the lack of public support for breastfeeding is the general feeling towards the act of breastfeeding.  I believe that while many people may feel “breast is best”, in reality, breast is just normal.  Breastfeeding shouldn’t be seen as an ideal (which makes it difficult to reach for some), rather as a normalcy.  Unfortunately, breastfeeding is often seen as shameful.  When new mothers feel they have to put their breast milk into a bottle, or to nurse under a tent in order to feed in public, the act of breastfeeding, and with it the breastfeeding mother herself, is marginalized; not normalized, not supported.  How can a new mother stand up to that? 

 

When formula companies suggest feeding formula offers “healthy growth patterns similar to breastfed babies” (Infamil) or their formula contains “unique blend of prebiotics, nucleotides and antioxidants nutrients naturally found in breast milk” (Similac) and offer “$250 worth of free gifts” (again, Infamil), breastfeeding is further marginalized, and formula feeding becomes more accessible and more normalized.  When formula feeding is presented as just another way of feeding infants instead of something to be offered only when medically indicated by a physician (as per the AAP policy on breastfeeding), when its presented as easy, healthy, and free; when real breastfeeding support is lacking, what else can a mother do but formula feed?

So why aren’t more women breastfeeding their children?  Because society and big business says formula feeding is easy, bottle feeding is normal and acceptable anywhere & everywhere, and breastfeeding is difficult and something to be hidden or kept private. 

 

So, here I am, breastfeeding for nearly six years. But I understand that this is primarily because I was lucky enough to have had support from day one in the hospital – a hospital which was working on “baby friendly designation” which meant all of its lactation consultants and nurses and doctors were familiar with and fully supportive of making the breastfeeding relationship work. Lucky enough to have had no bottles or pacifiers offered to my newborn, even while in the nursery.  Lucky enough to have my baby room in with me when possible, and brought to me each & every time she awoke to nurse (when she was in a special care nursery due to ABO incompatibility jaundice).  I was lucky enough that when I had to supplement with formula, the formula was given to me with an SNS (supplemental nursing system) so that I could keep baby suckling at the breast.  I was lucky enough to be given a free pump and consistent instructions and encouragement to bring my milk in and get my baby off of formula and back on to breast milk.  I was lucky enough to have support at home from my husband, parents, and phone support from the hospital’s lactation consultant.  I was lucky enough to have had support from other mothers in La Leche League.

 

Yet, it shouldn’t be luck for women to have support in breastfeeding. It should be normal. We need to work towards normalization of breastfeeding in this society so that more than 22.7% of the population of new babies can get the benefits of breastfeeding to (at least) one year, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

 

 

Please tell me your stories of support.  How you were able to be successful in breastfeeding.  Or, if you weren’t successful with breastfeeding, please share what circumstances led you to formula feed.  Thank you so much for listening & sharing.  I believe we can all learn from each others’ experiences in order to better support all women and babies.

Deepak Chopra tweeted this yesterday:

Emotions are contagious. We monitor, regulate, and are regulated by each other's emotional state. Your well being improves my well being.

 

I found it apropos, as I was at the moment pondering these questions: How to get out of a “bad mood”? How to avoid passing negativity along to those around you? How to stay immune to the negative moods of those around us?  How instead, to be open to positive moods, and sharing that energy?

It’s something I think about often as you really can’t escape people. Or yourself, really. So better to learn to interact in the most beneficial ways.

 

Our energy levels fluctuate throughout the day – and thus our moods.  Lower energy I’ve found directly correlates with more openness to allowing negativity to have an effect me. Negativity & lower energy makes me feel less creative & productive. The less productive I am, the less good I feel.  The less good I feel mentally, the less good I feel physically, the less positive my interactions with others, and my low energy and mood gets passed along. It’s a cycle which I’d like to break.  Of course, the cycle works in the opposite direction as well, so maybe I just want to reverse it, not break it altogether.

 

The more productive I am, the more energy I have.  The more energy I have, the better I feel, the more able I am to deflect negativity thrown my way, and be creative in dealing with “bad moods” – my own, and others, to be more positive. When I’m positive, people react positively, I feel healthier, and things just work right.  When more things work right, I’m more apt to be grateful and expectant of more things working right. When you expect things to go well, health to be good, and people to behave well, they pretty much do.

 

So how to achieve that positivism reliably? This is really what I’m pondering. Thought into action.

 

In the short term, giving myself physical space from negativity or chaos works best.  If I can get a moment to myself, to think, breathe, it makes a world of difference. Taking my focus off a future or past worry, and centering instead on the current moment also works for me. If I cannot get my brain to shift gears from worry to peace, occupying myself with a task that requires concentration & creativity – art making or playing the piano or even organizing a space works to distract my mind and start the cycle working in the opposite direction – the more creative I am, the more positive I am.

 

Now, I can’t always physically separate myself from the chaos (say, driving kids in the car).  So in these instances, I find music helps center me. The more cheerful, the better. 

 

Your nerves gather with the altitude
Exhale the stress so you don't come unglued
Somewhere there is a happy affair, a ghost of a good mood

~Owl City (from Rainbow Veins)

 

Alternatively, outside we go. Nature always has a calming, energy-boosting quality.  You can’t take a walk in the woods and come out feeling bad. I mean, unless you’re attacked by a bear.  (who obviously hasn’t discovered the virtues of positive thinking). But, I digress.

 

In the longer term, overall positive thinking & repetition of affirmations has worked the best for me, as trite as they may seem: I am healthy. I am productive. Life is good.

 

 

 

I do believe by repeatedly telling myself that things are good, things really can only become better.  Not by tricking myself, but rather looking at what's already there in a better way than I currently am (remembering that when I'm feeling down, negativity flows more easily than positivity). And if things don’t actually become better, at the very least, my reaction to them does.  Thus, the reactions of those around me become improved as well, and can lead to physically changing things for the better. Positive energy transfer: it’s what I’m striving towards – greater positivism, increased gratitude, more peace. It can only be good.

 

So, how do you cope with negativity and turn it into positivity?

 

I love the positive renewing energy that comes from a new year – and with 2010, we start a new decade!

In that spirit, here’s my list of things to improve upon, goals to reach, and things that I will do in 2010:  

 

1)     Get Healthier. Okay, yes, #1 is uber-cliché & conventional as far as New Year’s resolutions go.  But who couldn’t be healthier? Personally, I need to increase my HDL (“good cholesterol”) and reduce my TSH (thyroid level).  To achieve these goals, I have three things in mind: exercise more, eat more raw, fresh food, and keep better tabs on what exactly I DO put into my body & how much I actually DO exercise.  Fortunately, we have an elliptical machine, a fantastic Blendtec smoother blender which makes super-good fruit & veggie smoothies, and my ever-present pal, iPhone.  With all these convenient, modern technologies how can I not get back to a place of better health?  Of course, losing a bit of weight & getting stronger in the process are, of course, nice side benefits! :)

2)     Practice peaceful, positive discipline with my children more consistently and effectively! I recently purchased a pack of 52 cards to help me stay on track, called “Positive Discipline Parenting Tools: 52 Cards to Improve Your Parenting Skills”. The ideas presented on the cards are fantastic reminders to stay kind, positive, encouraging, and consistent in your interactions with your children.  They suggest positive discipline techniques without overusing praise or punishment. Just perusing some of the cards, I’ve found them to be helpful in making a natural progression from the Attachment Parenting techniques we’ve used with our children as infants/toddlers to preschoolers! If you’re interested in the cards, I purchased them here (not my site & I’m not affiliated, just had a good experience with my online purchase). 

3)     Read 10 books.  Now, ten may not sound that lofty to most.  Frankly it’s not to me either.  But with working, parenting, homemaking, gardening, blogging, etc., one of my favorite pastimes, reading, often gets left by the wayside, so I’m being realistic here folks. One book every 1.25 months I can do. I have 7 on my bedside table, ready to go. In fact, I just cracked the first one open!

4)     Write. More. Often. I so enjoy writing, yet like many other time consuming personal activities, since having children, I’ve pushed it to the backburner. So, 2010 is the year to bring quadrant two (non urgent, important [Don’t know what I’m talking about? Here's a quick review of Steven Covey’s Quadrants] to the forefront, and push quadrant 4 (non urgent, not important) to the background. And when I say write, I’m not talking about Twitter - because while it’s a fun place to share information – the time spent “writing” on twitter (and I use quotations as 140 characters dsnt leav mch rm 2 actuly wrt) could be much more productively spent actually writing. Like in my blog, or my novel (oh yes, I WILL complete it).

5)     Seeing Dave Matthews w/Tim Reynolds in concert. Yes, this is on my new years resolution list.  Why? It’s been nearly 20 years since I’ve had a real concert EXPERIENCE.  I’m craving one again, and from everything I’ve read, Dave will pull through for me.  I wasn't more than a sometimes fan of Dave Matthews until about two years ago when I stumbled upon his & Tim Reynolds’ Live at Radio City video on the home theatre display with my daughter in an unnamed big box store.  We sat & watched, entranced.  What a performer! Been a big fan ever since (and even got Adam hooked too). Its time to experience it in person!
 

So there you have it:  Get healthier, parent better, read more, write more, and see a good show.  That shouldn’t be too hard, right?  I’m up for the challenge! Who’s with me? I’d love to hear your resolutions – please share your comments!   

With cold weather fast approaching, and the children back in school, the thoughts of staying healthy, avoiding the dreaded flu, and keeping our immune systems at their highest level have been forefront in my mind!

So I’ve been mulling over all the things we’ve done in the past, the things we are planning to do this year, and have been soliciting ideas from my irl, facebook, & twitter friends.  All this adds up to a pretty darned good list, if I do say so myself. Though, I’m sure there are plenty more things I could do better!  Here it is (not really in any order other than how they came to my mind):

(and this photo isn't me - just looked like how I'd like to feel all year 'round!)

Fresh Air & Sunshine – Getting outside every day, even when it’s really cold, if just for a few minutes, is so important.  Not only do our bodies need the sunlight so they can make vitamin D (which is VITAL to staying healthy – please read what Dr. Mercola has to say about vitamin D & sun exposure – it may change your perspective on the sun; it did mine!), but we also need fresh air to clear out our lungs from being cooped up indoors all winter day.  Most of our indoor air contains pollutants – carpet fibers, paint offgassing, cleaning products, etc. So, in addition to getting outside, periodically opening the windows throughout the winter to get some “new” air in, I recommend switching all cleaning products used indoors to natural products – castille soap, vinegar, baking soda, and tea tree oil for example, or safer chemical cleaners – like 7^th Generation.

 

Fruits, veggies, and berries – particularly berries -  We try to eat organic as much as possible to avoid chemical exposure, and to boost antioxidants (organic produce has been found to have higher levels of antioxidants than conventional food)! We also are fortunate to have a juicer  – and try to use it often in the winter to get the most out of our veggies in particular.  I believe that food is better for you when it is raw & unpasturized; though the thought of raw veggies isn’t that appealing to most – particularly kids, so juicing makes eating your veggies easy!  It also helps cut down on the amt. of food wasted – when your strawberries start to get soft, or your apples bruised, for example, I just throw them in the juicer – and no one’s the wiser – but they sure still taste great!  When we can’t get to the juicer, or don’t have fresh fruits/veggies on hand, the next best thing we’ve found is Nuriche LiVE.  And we like it so much, that we decided to start selling it!  It’s a super-easy way to make sure we’re still getting the benefits of fresh fruits + probiotics… and it tastes good too.

 

 

Water -  Water, of course, is important to keep everything working in our bodies & I always feel it just flushes out the toxins… the more water you take in, the more bad stuff it takes out.  We have a water filter, and I’m trying to wean myself off of bottled spring water.  However, while rated highly “clean”, our township water is fluoridated, so its been a mental battle for me to switch completely off of bottled spring.  But I am trying!  For my birthday, my good friend got for me 5 reusable BPA-free plastic water bottles: one for each day of the work week. And I plan to get the children each a Kleen Kanteen for Christmas.  So this should help!  

 

Washing Hands – We use herbal antibacterial soap by Cleanwell at our sinks, and just regular old olive oil soap in the bath. We wash before meals, after going outside, and after getting back from school/work.  When we’re in the car, and can’t get to a sink, my favorite antibacterial spray is Burt’s Bees Aloe & Witch Hazel Hand Sanitizer. I don’t consider myself too much of a germaphobe, and don’t chase the kids around with antibacterial spray (oh wait, maybe I do), but these two things are free from toxic chemicals like triclosan & SLS, so I feel comfortable using them.

 

 

Exercise – Okay.  I’ll admit, I do not exercise enough.  Or, well, at all. Sometimes we’ll get on an exercise kick where we’ll get on our running machine & elliptical every evening once the kids are in bed but we’ve never been able to get into a real routine!  The kids, on the otherhand, always get plenty of exercise – of course, they always have boundless energy too.  :) Its so important to long-term health, and its important for the children to see US placing a priority on exercise.  This is something we ALL need to work on. 

 

Supplements – Aside from the healthy foods, getting outside, and drinking lots of fluids, we also supplement our diets with the following things; most vigilantly in the Winter:

• Probiotic – I use Jarro brand because its what I started with when my youngest was an infant & had thrush. Comes chewable for the kids, capsulated for me, and powdered which I use to mix into smoothies, sprinkle on oatmeal, etc.
• Elderberry concentrate – we take this daily because it is so tasty, easy to mix into the kid’s water, and packed full of natural nutrients! Additionally, it has been shown to have anti-viral properties.
• Garlic – Adam & I take garlic in capsule form, and we make homemade garlicky hummus & soups for ourselves & the kids.   
• Echinacea – We all take this two weeks on, two weeks off throughout cold season
• Astragalus – We all take this daily throughout cold season
• Vitamin C – We all take this daily in the form of chewable tablets, but also unpasteurized orange juice.  We boost our daily intake during cold season.
• Vitamin D – we get out in the sun every day when its possible, but even when it is, we all also take vitamin D – in the form of cod liver oil for us, and Carlsons Baby D drops for the kids. With all I’ve been reading about vitamin D lately, I’m even considering  starting to regularly visit a tanning salon in the winter months.  Yes, crazy, right? And I’ve never in my life tanned, and do use California Baby sunscreen in the middle of summer when we're going to be out all day in the sun, yet the more I read, the more I’m convinced vitamin D deficiencies are the link to so many health problems… and that dramatically increasing vitamin D would be the link to much better health! 

 

Chiropractor – We try to visit the chiropractor once a month.  Its been a while because our  favorite chiropractor has relocated to a not-so-convenient location, but we really need to go back, particularly through the winter! I believe that having our bodies aligned improves circulation, posture, and communication of the brain with the body.  Basically, if our body is comfortable it can heal itself. So I’m working on finding a new chiropractor.

 

Sleep - With young children I know this can be a tough one.  And even WITHOUT young children, with so much to do in the evenings - internet, movies, games, blogging, reading, cleaning, working... well, getting enough sleep is just not easy.  But as adults we're supposed to get 8 hours of sleep per night.  EIGHT!  Even with both of our children now finally "sleeping through the night", I often find myself averaging closer to 5 or 6 hours per night during the week, rather than 8 (when's the last time I got 8?!).  But our bodies do much of thier healing while we're sleeping.  So its another thing, like exercise, that really needs focus.

 

Air Purifier

– We've always slept with a HEPA air purifier at night.  Mostly for that lovely white noise sound which is so helpful in keeping little ones asleep. But also because it removes any allergenic or irritating particles in the air while we're sleeping - and we do spend a large portion of our day in one place - our bedroom - so best to make the air we're breathing (and rebreathing) as clean as possible.

Flu shots – I think I’m back on the fence with this one.  Last year, we all got the flu shot. I had to switch doctors in order to make sure everyone got the mercury-free dose, and no, we didn’t get the flu last year.  But we never got the flu any other year either, and had never gotten the flu vaccine.  This year, I’ll have to special order the mercury-free one (Sanofi Pasteur makes the pre-filled vials this year) – my doctor is willing to write a script for it – because neither of the practices we visit received the themerisol-free version this year.  Which is another topic for another day.  So, I’m still not sure about it, or the H1N1 vaccine.  I’m considering getting it for myself, but since my understanding is that they haven’t produced a mercury-free version, I just don’t know that I can feel comfortable giving this to the kids.  Particularly in light of my understanding of H1N1 as not being that severe in most cases of healthy children who contract it.  And because I believe that things like the flu are probably GOOD for your body in the long run, because they make your immune system stronger over time, where as vaccines only boost your immunities for a brief window.  But really, I’m still just not sure.

 

 

**Update: We've decided a definitive NO on both the seasonal flu shot & the H1N1 vaccine this year; opting instead for more vigilant adherance to the above vitamin & sleep & exercise regimens to boost our immune systems naturally!**

 

In spite of all of this prevention (flu shot or no), we still do get sick.  So, we take: 

Umcka – It works so well (and is all natural)… it’s eerie.  Of course, it could just be power of suggestion.  But even still….  You start taking it 4 – 5 times per day, AS SOON AS you start feeling even a little bit ill.  And then for 2 days after you’re well.  I am convinced it has reduced the length of my colds, and made them easier to weather. I give it to the kids as well (just at half/quarter dose).  It IS expensive, but when you’re in the midst of a cold/flu, you do what you can to feel better. And this really does help me feel better.

Elderberry Concentrate - Yes, I listed this above.  However, when we do get sick, we take this 4x per day (1 tsp at a time for adults, 1/2 tsp at a time for kids) because of its antiviral properties.

What I don't yet do, but would like to do: 

Find an ayurvedic doctor for all of us.  Its difficult finding a regular old doctor here in Southern NJ that is even willing to honor requests like special order vaccines or understands the value of extended breastfeeding, let alone being able to find a more holistic practice. I've been looking, and am still looking.  I hate feeling like we're settling for second best (or third, or...) when it comes to health practitioner, but my inquiries IRL & online for a more holistic doc in this area have so far been fruitless.  I'm certainly open to referrals! I think a less traditional-medicine doctor who looks at the whole person, not just treats the symptoms, would be really beneficial to us all.

 

 

So that’s it (just a couple things, right?)! I encourage you to add to the list anything you do that isn’t mentioned, or to tell me what I’m doing doesn’t work!  I’m open to new ideas, and to improving what we already do.  Here’s to a healthy Winter ahead!