The Paleo Mama

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What’s in My Natural Postpartum Kit?

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postpartum kit horizontalI’ve been blessed to have amazing births with both my kids. Both of them were very different. My first child was an induced hospital birth with an epidural. My second was a 100% natural birth in a bathtub with no meds or epidural. I’m sort of glad that I have been able to have both experiences because I’m able to talk about the differences in both. Many people think they can’t stand the pain of a natural birth, however, I found the pain very minimal compared to my hospital birth.

I plan on writing a comparison post on both these births to educate women and moms-to-be on my experience and the things that I went through. Regardless of if you plan on having an induction, epidural, caesarean, or natural birth, it’s important to be prepared for your body to heal. A woman’s body is incredible and as I went through labor and delivery naturally, I was able to experience what my body was capable of. With my first child, I was NOT prepared for the postpartum aches and pains, which made the healing process take forever. I was ready with my first and prepared a natural postpartum kit that helped remedy the experiences I had after birth.

My Natural Postpartum Kit:

  1. Mother’s Milk Tea (I like these) – this tea helps to promote healthy lactation and is made with high quality, organic herbs. I made sure I ordered a few boxes of this beforehand, however, if you want to, you can make this tea yourself.
  2. Perineum Spray – I could not get enough of this stuff when I was recovering from birth. It’s simple to make and I made a large batch before labor began. Take a empty spray bottle (I like this one cause it’s glass) and fill it to the top with witch hazel. Then add about 40 drops of essential oils. I recommend using a combination of frankincense and lavender (where to buy) to promote healing.
  3. Nipple Cream – I recommend using my All-Purpose Salve on your nipples. Apply after each nursing session so you don’t have to worry about washing it off for the next nursing session.
  4. Healing Sitz Bath (I like this one) – this is a blend of herbal ingredients that help to reduce swelling, speed healing, soothe vaginal soreness and perineal bruising and comforts hemorrhoids. You can make this yourself if you would like to!
  5. DIY Witch Hazel Pads – these were my ABSOLUTE favorite thing I had prepped and ready to go at home. Buy a box of overnight maxi pads (you’re gonna need them regardless from the bleeding). Take your prepped perineum spray (listed above) and spray the pad with the mixture. Get it all nice and damp. Then wrap the pad up in aluminum foil and throw it in the freezer. It feels unbelievable after birth! I only needed a few days worth…so about 10 pads.
  6. Essential Oils for Post Contractions – Contractions, are inevitable. Your uterus has grown the past nine months and your body needs to contract it back to it’s normal size. This can take from 4-6 weeks. Post labor contractions feel like menstrual cramps and can be very painful. With each child, it’s gets a little bit worse. It can feel very intense and uncomfortable, especially during breastfeeding sessions. I have found that using lavender and white fir essential oils (where to buy) can provide instant relief. No need to dilute, just apply a few drops of each directly to the abdomen. These are both very gentle oils so if your baby touches your belly, these oils won’t be too harsh for the baby’s tender skin.
  7. Chick Flick – order a movie that you know will make you cry and watch it on the fourth day after your baby is born. Sounds crazy, but trust me…this works to help release your feelings of being overwhelmed in a way that is normal to others, so you don’t have to explain them.  My go-to emotional release is The Notebook or a Walk to Remember…heck, anything buy Nicholas Sparks does it for me!
  8. Essential Oils for Baby Blues – The baby blues affects 10-15% of women. Essential oils are a great way to help you get through the Baby Blues. They can support and uplift you during this changing time. Some of the best oils for this would be: Tangerine, Grapefruit, Bergamot, geranium, wild orange, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, lavender, Roman chamomile, rosewood, or sandalwood. Use any of these as a personal perfume and wear it daily. Diffusing it is another way to get these oils into your system (I like this diffuser).
  9. Placenta Pills – more and more women are becoming open to the “not-so-new” idea of encapsulating your placenta. The placenta is an organ that has nourished your baby for the past 9 months. As hormones are going crazy, the placenta can give back to you what your body is needing. It helps to reduce the risk of postpartum depression and helps to increase your milk supply. Read one mother’s account on how placenta encapsulation saved her sanity.
  10. A Good Nursing Bra – you are definitely going to want to have this ready before your baby arrives. Some mothers prefer to wait till their milk comes in to find a good nursing bra, however, the first few weeks of breastfeeding are not a good time to determine what your new breast size will be. You are going to want to know how to size yourself and get 3-4 good nursing bras. Don’t go cheap on this!
  11. Meal Registry – If you don’t do anything above, DO THIS! This is a huge lifesaver. Go to Take Them a Meal and set this up. It’s free and easy and your friends will love you because they want to help, but just don’t know how to! Set up aschedule and post it on your FB page and email it to your friends who are asking to help.

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Eating This Can “Tear Holes” in Your Gut

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Leaky gut is a condition that occurs due to the development of gaps between the cells (enterocytes) that make up the membrane lining your intestinal wall.

These tiny gaps allow substances such as undigested food, bacteria and metabolic wastes, that should be confined to your digestive tract, to escape into your bloodstream — hence the term leaky gut syndrome.

Once the integrity of your intestinal lining is compromised, and there is a flow of toxic substances “leaking out” into your bloodstream, your body experiences significant increases in inflammation.

Also, your immune system may become confused and begin to attack your own body as if it were an enemy (autoimmunity).

Most often, leaky gut syndrome is associated with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, or celiac disease, but even healthy people can have varying degrees of intestinal permeability leading to a wide variety of health symptoms — and this can be influenced heavily by the foods you choose to eat.

Grains Contain Anti-Nutrients

In the United States, we’re told that grains (especially whole grains) are an important part of a balanced diet, necessary for obtaining our daily requirement of healthy nutrients and fiber.

However, according to a growing number of experts, including Dr. Loren Cordain, a professor at Colorado State University and an expert on Paleolithic lifestyles, humans are NOT designed to eat grains, and doing so may actually be damaging to your gut.

Dr. Cordain explains:

“There’s no human requirement for grains. That’s the problem with the USDA recommendations. They think we’re hardwired as a species to eat grains. You can get by just fine and meet every single nutrient requirement that humans have without eating grains. And grains are absolutely poor sources of vitamins and minerals compared to fruits and vegetables and meat and fish.”

Ironically, since we’re often told that whole grains are the best for our health, the high-fiber bran portion of grain – a key part that makes it a whole grain — actually contains many of the anti-nutrients. But the problem isn’t only that there are superior sources of nutrients; grains actually contain anti-nutrients that may damage your health. Dr. Cordain states:

“Grains are the seeds of a plant. They’re its reproductive material, and plants don’t make their reproductive material to give away for free to other animals. If they did they’d become extinct, and so the evolutionary strategy that many plants, particularly cereal grains have taken to prevent predation is to evolve toxic compounds so that the predator of the seeds can’t eat them, so that they can put their seeds in the soil where they’re meant to be to grow a new plant and not in the gut of an animal to feed it.”

Grains — Especially Whole Grains — Increase Intestinal Permeability

There is a growing body of scientific evidence showing that grains, as well as legumes, contain anti-nutrients and other problem substances that may increase intestinal permeability. This includes:

Gliadin

Gliadin is the primary immunotoxic protein found in wheat gluten and is among the most damaging to your health. Gliadin gives wheat bread its doughy texture and is capable of increasing the production of the intestinal protein zonulin, which in turn opens up gaps in the normally tight junctures between intestinal cells (enterocytes).

In celiac disease the body will make antibodies to gliadin after it is digested by the intestinal enzyme tissue transglutaminase, resulting in severe autoimmune damage to the delicate, absorptive surfaces of the intestines. It does not, however, require full blown celiac disease to suffer from the adverse effects of this protein. In fact, it is likely that our intolerance to gliadin and related wheat proteins is a species-specific intolerance, applicable to all humans, with the difference being a matter of the degree to which it causes harm.

This helps to explain why new research clearly shows gliadin increases intestinal permeability in both those with, and those without, celiac disease.

Lectins

Lectins are a key mechanism through which plants protect themselves against being eaten, and are found in highest concentrations in their seed form — which makes sense, considering that seeds are the plants’ “babies” and whose survival ensures the continuation of their species.

When animals consume foods containing lectins, they may experience digestive irritation, along with a wide range of other health complaints. The degree to which the adverse effects are expressed depends largely on how long that species has had to co-evolve with that particular form of plant food it is eating. Since humans have only been consuming unsprouted grains and beans in large amounts for approximately 500 generations, we still suffer far more than certain rodents and birds, who have had thousands of generations longer to adapt to this way of eating.

We are mostly exposed to lectins from grains, beans, dairy products and nightshade plants, such as potato, tomato, and chili peppers. However, bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) has a prominent role to play in lectin-induced adverse effects, due to the fact that it is a relatively new form of wheat, and contains wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) – a particularly resilient and problematic lectin, considering it is not eliminated through sprouting and is actually found in higher concentrations in whole wheat.

Studies indicate that it has the potential to contribute to a wide range of adverse health effects, including gut inflammation and damage to your gastrointestinal tract:

Pro-inflammatory–WGA stimulates the synthesis of pro-inflammatory chemical messengers (cytokines) in intestinal and immune cells, and has been shown to play a causative role in chronic thin gut inflammation. Immunotoxicity–WGA induces thymus atrophy in rats, and anti-WGA antibodies in human blood have been shown to cross-react with other proteins, indicating that they may contribute to autoimmunity . In fact, WGA appears to play a role in celiac disease (CD) that is entirely distinct from that of gluten, due to significantly higher levels of IgG and IgAantibodies against WGA found in patients with CD, when compared with patients with other intestinal disorders.
Neurotoxicity—WGA can cross your blood-brain barrierthrough a process called “adsorptive endocytosis,” pulling other substances with it. WGA may attach to your myelin sheath and is capable of inhibiting nerve growth factor, which is important for the growth, maintenance, and survival of certain target neurons. Excitotoxicity–Wheat, dairy, and soy contain exceptionally high levels of glutamic and aspartic acid, which makes them all potentially excitotoxic. Excitotoxicity is a pathological process where glutamic and aspartic acid cause an over-activation of your nerve cell receptors, which can lead to calcium-induced nerve and brain injury. These two amino acids may contribute to neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s disease, and other nervous system disorders such as epilepsy, ADD/ADHD and migraines.
Cytotoxicity—WGA has been demonstrated to be cytotoxicto both normal and cancerous cell lines, capable of inducing either cell cycle arrest or programmed cell death (apoptosis). Disrupts Endocrine Function—WGA may contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance, and leptin resistance by blocking the leptin receptor in your hypothalamus. It alsobinds to both benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and interferes with the production of secretin from your pancreas, which can lead to digestive problems and pancreatic hypertrophy.
Cardiotoxicity—WGA has a potent, disruptive effect on platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, which plays a key role in tissue regeneration and safely removing neutrophils from your blood vessels. Adversely Affects Gastrointestinal Function by causing increased shedding of the intestinal brush border membrane, reducing the surface area, and accelerating cell loss and shortening of villi. It also causes cytoskeleton degradation in intestinal cells, contributing to cell death and increased turnover, and decreases levels of heat shock proteins in gut epithelial cells, leaving them more vulnerable to damage.

 

As we noted earlier, the highest amounts of WGA is found in whole wheat, including its sprouted form, which is touted as being the most healthful form of all … The traditional ways of addressing many of these anti-nutrients is, in fact, by sprouting, fermenting and cooking. However, lectins are designed to withstand degradation through a wide range of pH and temperatures. WGA lectin is particularly tough because it’s actually formed by the same disulfide bonds that give strength and resilience to vulcanized rubber and human hair.

New Report Warns of the Sugar in Cereals Marketed to Kids

One of the most common ways we consume grains is in the form of cereal, many of which are marketed to kids and adults alike as “health foods.” But cereal is anything but healthy, not only because of the grain it contains but also because many (particularly those for kids) contain excessive amounts of sugar.

A new report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed that many popular children’s cereal brands contain more sugar than snack cakes and cookies. For instance, one cup of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks, which is nearly 56 percent sugar by weight, has more sugar than a Twinkie, while a one-cup serving of 44 other children’s cereals analyzed contain more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies.

If you need a recap of why sugar is a health disaster, you can find one here. However, as it pertains to leaky gut, you should know that sugar, like grains, can upset the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract, encouraging damage to your intestinal lining that can lead to leaky gut. So, sugary children’s cereals are a double-edged sword, assaulting your fragile gastrointestinal tract with both damaging sugar and grains. Please do your kids a great favor and offer them a healthier breakfast instead.

Are Grains Causing Your Leaky Gut Symptoms? This Food is the “Antidote”

As you might suspect, leaky gut can cause digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas and abdominal cramps, but it can also cause or contribute to many others you may not, such as fatigue, skin rashes, joint pain, allergies, psychological symptoms,autism and more.

It’s a vicious cycle because once your digestive tract has been damaged, it allows various gut contents to flood into your bloodstream where they wreak havoc on your health. The key to preventing this lies in altering your diet to eliminate the offending foods — including sugars and grains — as well as introduce healthier ones that will support a proper balance of bacteria in your gut. To restore gut health, and prevent leaky gut from occurring, eating traditionally fermented foods is essential.

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride explains:

“Fermented foods are essential to introduce, as they provide probiotic microbes in the best possible form … fermented foods will carry probiotic microbes all away down to the end of the digestive system. Fermentation predigests the food, making it easy for our digestive systems to handle, that is why fermented foods are easily digested by people with damaged gut. Fermentation releases nutrients from the food, making them more bio-available for the body: for example sauerkraut contains 20 times more bio-available vitamin C than fresh cabbage.”

On Dr. Campbell-McBride’s web site you can find recipes for many traditionally fermented foods, including sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, kvass and more.

If you regularly eat fermented foods such as these that have not been pasteurized (pasteurization kills the naturally occurring probiotics), your healthy gut bacteria will thrive. If these foods do not make a regular appearance in your diet, or you’ve recently taken antibiotics, a high-quality probiotic supplement will help give your gut bacteria the healthy boost it needs. Once your gut flora is optimized, your leaky gut should improve naturally. As Dr. Cordain explains:

” … when we have a healthy flora of bacteria in our gut, it tends to prevent leaky gut.”

Is a Return to the Paleo Diet Right for You?

During the Paleolithic period, many thousands of years ago, people ate primarily vegetables, fruit, nuts, roots and meat—and a wide variety of it. Today, these staples have been largely replaced with refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cereal, bread, potatoes and pasteurized milk products… and a much narrower selection of fruits, vegetables, roots and nuts.

This is precisely the recipe for a leaky gut, and all of its associated health problems, which is why simply returning to a Paelo diet by eating foods that are concordant with your genetic ancestry may help you become healthier. This includes focusing on whole, unprocessed foods including vegetables (except corn and potatoes) and free-range organic meats, while avoiding sugars and grains.

As Dr. Cordain states:

“The nutritional qualities of modern processed foods and foods introduced during the Neolithic period are discordant with our ancient and conservative genome. This genetic discordance ultimately manifests itself as various chronic illnesses, which have been dubbed “diseases of civilization.” By severely reducing or eliminating these foods and replacing them with a more healthful cuisine, possessing nutrient qualities more in line with the foods our ancestors consumed, it is possible to improve health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.”

 

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All Purpose Healing Salve

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When you have little ones in the house, there seems to be an endless supply off boo-boos, bug bites, and itchy skin.  I like to keep things very simple, which is why I really love essential oils. I have, literally, traded so many products over to a very minimalistic shelf with essential oils and some other holistic remedies.

This all-purpose salve is good for so many things. The coconut oil and olive oil bring nourishment, while the beeswax is known to lock in moisture, foster cells, and protect skin from damaging environmental factors. For children, the BEST two essential oils to have on hand are melaleuca and lavender.

Melaleuca (tea tree oil) is renowned for it’s cleansing and rejuvenating effect on the skin.  Lavender is known as a universal oil that is extremely beneficial to helping many conditions. Combine these two together and you have a powerful weapon to aid in relief.

This salve is cloth diaper safe and newborn-safe. The essential oil dosages in this recipe do not exceed the recommendations for a newborn. I highly recommend using a very safe essential oils with therapeutic benefits like these. Keep this salve on hand for ANYTHING!

All Purpose Healing Salve

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup of Coconut Oil (where to buy)
  • 1/2 cup of Olive Oil (where to buy)
  • 1/4 Cup of Beeswax (where to buy online) – but find a local beekeeper! I got a 1 lb block for $6.99 at a local co-op!
  • 1 Cup of Calendula Flowers (where to buy online) – I got it for $.50 at a local co-op!
  • 15 drops of Melaleuca (add 10 drops more for children over 10)
  • 15 drops of Lavender  (add 10 drops more for children over 10)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Put the coconut oil and olive oil in a double boiler. Melt the coconut oil if it isn’t melted already.
  2. Add the calendula flower petals (dried) and simmer on low for around 2 hours. Make sure to stir a few times during the process. You can also add the oil and calendula to a crockpot and put on low for up to 3 hours.
  3. Strain the mixture into a bowl through a cheesecloth.
  4. Now add the calendula oil back to the saucepan and add the beeswax. Melt the beeswax.
  5. Remove from heat and let cool for around 15 minutes.
  6. Add the essential oils and stir.
  7. Pour into a glass jar and store for up to a year! Makes 1 cup!

Healing Salve Recipe
This all-purpose salve is good for so many things. The coconut oil and olive oil bring nourishment, while the beeswax is known to lock in moisture, foster cells, and protect skin from damaging environmental factors.
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup of Coconut Oil
  2. 1/2 cup of Olive Oil
  3. 1/4 Cup of Beeswax
  4. 1 Cup of Calendula Flowers
  5. 15 drops of Melaleuca (add 10 drops more for children over 10)
  6. 15 drops of Lavender (add 10 drops more for children over 10)
Instructions
  1. Put the coconut oil and olive oil in a double boiler. Melt the coconut oil if it isn’t melted already.
  2. Add the calendula flower petals (dried) and simmer on low for around 2 hours. Make sure to stir a few times during the process. You can also add the oil and calendula to a crockpot and put on low for up to 3 hours.
  3. Strain the mixture into a bowl through a cheesecloth.
  4. Now add the calendula oil back to the saucepan and add the beeswax. Melt the beeswax.
  5. Remove from heat and let cool for around 15 minutes.
  6. Add the essential oils and stir.
  7. Pour into a glass jar and store for up to a year! Makes 1 cup!
Notes
  1. Source for therapeutic grade essential oils: www.thepaleomama.com/essential-oils
The Paleo Mama https://thepaleomama.com/

 

DIY Laundry Detergent – $0.02 a Load!

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I’ve been making my own laundry detergent for years now. I was so scared at first to switch over to natural-homemade detergent because there was this mindset that store-bought is best…store-bought smells better…store-bought makes my clothes fresher. However, when we did our budget makeover, I decided to take homemade detergent into my own hands and come up with a DIY laundry detergent recipe that saves a TON of money.

You can see the cost breakdown on the bottom of this post, but it comes out to less than $7 to make a batch of this and each load is under $0.02! That is crazy! When you use Tide you are spending about $0.12 a load!

I’ve gone back and forth about using Borax. However, after asking my Facebook fans what they think a few weeks ago, and reading up a little on it on the internet, I’ve decided to keep using it for laundry uses. I’ve included essential oils in this recipe, which is optional. I love the smell and the way essential oils make my clothes feel.

DIY Laundry Detergent

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 3 Cups of Borax (where to buy)
  • 3 Cups Washing Soda (where to buy)
  • 3 Cups of Baking Soda (where to buy)
  • 2 Bars of Soap (like this one or this one) or Fels Naptha (ingredients are questionable though). I sometimes throw in a stain stick too!
  • 30 Drops of Essential Oil (where to buy) – I use a 50:50 mix of wild orange and lemon, but you can add whatever you like.

DIRECTIONS: 

  1. Grate the soap with a cheese grater.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the borax, washing soda, and baking soda.
  3. Toss the grated soap into a food processor. Now, add about 1 cup of the powdered mixture from the bowl. This allows you the food processor to process the soap into smaller pieces without sticking to the blades.
  4. While the food processor is on, drop the essential oil into it. This allows the essential oil to blend into the soap.
  5. Take the grated soap mixture out of the food processor and add it to the large bowl.
  6. All done! Add 1-2 tablespoons to each load of laundry! I, also, add about 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the load as a fabric softener.
  7. Makes almost a gallon.

COST Per Load: 

I’m gonna break down the cost for you so you can see how cheap this really is. If you buy the ingredients from your local store, you will get it much cheaper than ordering online.

  • 3 cups of Borax = $1.20
  • 3 cups of Washing Soda = $1.12
  • 3 cups of Baking Soda = $1.00 (we buy 50lbs at a time from a local feed store)
  • 2 Bars of Soap = $2.00
  • 30 drops of Essential Oil = $.05 per drop = $1.50

TOTAL COST PER BATCH = $6.82 !!! …or $0.02 a LOAD!!! 

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World’s Fastest Growing Functional Food? Infant Formula

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The market for functional and fortified foods grew significantly from 2012 to 2013, with infant formula topping the list.

In 2013, infant formula added nearly $5 billion in global sales, dwarfing gains seen for energy drinks ($3.5 billion), pre- and probiotic yogurts ($2.4 billion) and waters ($2 billion).1

Middle-Class Consumers are Being Targeted by Infant Formula Marketers

The infant formula market isn’t done growing yet. Experts believe that the product will maintain an 11 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) until 2018, with middle-class markets (especially those in Asia) largely fueling the rapid expansion. Analyst Diana Cowland told FoodNavigator-USA:2

“It is the rapidly expanding base of middle-class consumers in emerging economies, with high aspirations for their children and a willingness to make sacrifices, which is the prime target audience for products containing ingredients which benefit developing brains.”

In order to make up for the European and American infant-formula markets, which are described as ‘more sluggish,’ the marketers are now targeting Asia and potentially Africa and the Middle East with earnest.

What’s the Real Cost of Formula Feeding Your Baby?

Depending on which type of formula you choose, it can cost upwards of $1,500 to $3,000 a year to purchase enough formula to feed an infant. But that’s only the beginning.

Breastfeeding offers a long list of life-long health benefits, not just for the child, but for the mother as well. Studies have shown that breastfed babies gain added protection against:

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) Eczema Respiratory- and other types of infections
Heart disease Obesity Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease Asthma and allergies Necrotizing enterocolitis among premature babies

 

Breastfeeding can also help promote cognitive development in your child. It also benefits the mother in several ways, including:

Enhancing maternal behavior through increased oxytocin release “Natural birth control,” as it suppresses ovulation, making pregnancy less likely Diabetic mothers typically require less insulin
Easier weight loss Reducing your risk of endometrial-, ovarian- and breast cancers Reducing your risk of metabolic syndrome

Not Breastfeeding Costs Billions of Dollars a Year, May Contribute to Tens of Thousands of Illnesses

However, you don’t have to fall prey to the marketing plans of these companies, as there are far better foods for your baby.

By not breastfeeding, you and your baby miss out on these important benefits noted above, which translates into increased risk of diseases and corresponding medical costs.

One study estimated the increased medical costs of diseases caused by a lack of breastfeeding infants in their first six months of life to be $13 billion each year in the US alone. The researchers concluded:3

“If 90% of US families could comply with medical recommendations to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months, the United States would save $13 billion per year and prevent an excess 911 deaths, nearly all of which would be in infants ($10.5 billion and 741 deaths at 80% compliance).”

Women, too, miss out when they formula feed in lieu of breastfeeding. Separate research found that current US breastfeeding rates, in which only 23 percent of women breastfeed for at least one year after birth, translate to:4

  • 4,981 excess cases of breast cancer
  • 53,847 cases of hypertension
  • 13,946 cases of myocardial infarction

This was compared with a cohort of 1.88 million US women who optimally breastfed, and assumes that observed associations between breastfeeding duration and maternal health are causal. The study concluded:

“ … suboptimal breastfeeding incurs a total of $17.4 billion in cost to society resulting from premature death, …  $733.7 million in direct costs, … and $126.1 million indirect morbidity costs … “

Even When You Factor in More Maternity Leave for Women, Breastfeeding Still Saves Money

Increasing numbers of women are co- or primary breadwinners in their households and may return to work just weeks after giving birth. This, coupled with the fact that research shows breastfeeding duration tends to be longer when maternity leave is lengthened,5 represents one barrier to women wishing to breastfeed for longer periods.

The above referenced study that found not breastfeeding costs the US economy at least $13 billion a year was sharply criticized for this very reason, with critics saying it did not take into account the monetary losses women in the workforce would incur by taking the time to breastfeed. So, the researchers conducted another study that factored in such additional costs, including pediatric health costs, formula costs, cost of extra food for breastfeeding women, paid leave, and additional factors. The results spoke for themselves:6

“If 90% of mothers could comply with current medical recommendations around breastfeeding, our economy could save $3.7 billion in direct and indirect pediatric health costs, with $10.1 billion in premature death from pediatric disease. We would spend $3.9 billion less per year on infant formula. Additional food for nursing mothers would cost up to $1.6-2.1 billion, and more Baby-Friendly® … births [designed to promote breastfeeding] would cost $0.145 billion.

Paid leave would cost $6.2 billion for 12 weeks at 55% pay … Even including paid leave, the net cost to our economy of our suboptimal breastfeeding rates would still be at least $8.7 billion. Paid leave would be expected to improve breastfeeding duration and reduce disparities.”

As a revealing aside, the study also uncovered that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) budget is dependent on rebates from formula companies, which obviously represents a major conflict with promoting the healthier option of breastfeeding:

“Note that current formula company rebates of $2 billion to Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are equal to 32% of net WIC expenditures … The WIC budget is dependent on formula company rebates, a conflicting situation.”

This is About Empowerment, Not an Attack on Formula-Feeding Moms

As the benefits of breastfeeding are beginning to be more widely recognized, at least in the US, there has been a growing stigma against moms who formula-feed their babies. If you’re a formula-feeding mom, please don’t feel attacked or judged!

The information I’ve compiled here is meant to empower women with the information they need to make healthy choices. Many women do not have access to the truth about breastfeeding and have been mislead by infant-formula marketing to believe they must spend thousands of dollars a year to provide the best nutrition for their babies. In reality (and barring any extreme exceptions such as certain transmittable diseases or drug use), breast milk is the best food for babies, period.

Ideally, you’ll want to strive to breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first 6 months, at which point you can begin to supplement with solid foods and continue to breastfeed for a year or longer. But remember, even breastfeeding for as little as one month can impart great health benefits for both you and your baby.

Most Women Can Successfully Breastfeed Their Babies

There are certain medical conditions that can prevent a woman from breastfeeding, however the majority of women are able to produce adequate supplies of milk and breastfeed successfully. Often, those who believe they cannot may be misinformed, and believe they don’t have enough milk; this is a common misperception. However, in the vast majority of circumstances, all women have enough milk to breastfeed.   The more the baby nurses, the more milk you will produce! Mom needs to drink plenty of water and seek optimal nutrition while nursing. The beginning weeks and months are critical in the process. As the La Leche League states:7

“Some mothers need to know that they will be able to breastfeed their babies in less than ideal or special circumstances.  For example, many mothers have been able to provide their own milk for their premature or ill babies. Many mothers also continue to breastfeed after returning to work and, in most cases, provide sufficient milk.

In other cases, because of lack of knowledge or a poor start, a mother may be in a situation where her body is not producing enough milk. Increasing frequency of nursing, making sure the baby is latched on correctly, and offering both breasts at each feeding are some of the proven techniques that help most nursing mothers increase their supply.”

What are the Next Best Options to Breastfeeding?

If you are a woman who is unable to breastfeed, you may want to consider using donated breast milk. Unfortunately, there is a major downside to using breast milk from human milk banks that are now available in the US. The milk has been pasteurized, which means many of the essential immune-building elements will be decimated in the pasteurization process and your infant will fail to receive this crucial support when they need it the most.

So while human milk banks are a fantastic idea, the sad reality is that milk obtained from them — assuming it is pasteurized, as is standard process at most milk banks — is far inferior to breast milk that is unpasteurized. An alternative option to obtain unpasteurized breast milk straight from a donor may be to work with a physician or pediatrician who will work with you to find a safe milk donor, and will be involved in a screening process to ensure the milk is safe.

If for whatever reason you’re unable to breastfeed or find a safe source of breast milk, please steer clear of commercial infant formulas as much as possible and definitely avoid all soy infant formula, as it is loaded with toxic elements like high doses of manganese and aluminum.

It is among the worst commercial food you could give your baby. It is likely that at some point in the future when all the health complications are fully appreciated, it will be removed from the market and banned. However, even milk-based infant formulas have been found to be contaminated with chemical additives (including some that are ‘organic’!). The next best alternative to breast milk is to make a healthy homemade infant formula. There may be others, but here is one recipe for homemade formula created by the Weston Price Foundation, which I believe is sound.

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What’s Causing the Rise in ADHD?

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According to a 2010 US government survey,1 1 in 10 American children now has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—a 22 percent increase from 2003.

ADHD makes it hard for children to pay attention and control impulsive behavior, and an increasing number of older children, including high school students, are now being labeled as having ADHD. Adult ADHD is also becoming more prevalent.

As reported by the Las Vegas Guardian Express,2 nearly 11 percent of American kids are labeled with the disorder. More than twice as many boys are diagnosed with ADHD than girls—one in five, compared to one in 11. The featured article speculates about the cause behind these rising numbers.

Some experts feel the increase could be due to increased awareness and better diagnosis, but I think you’ll find it interesting that this trend also coincides with increased prevalence of the pervasive weed killer, glyphosate, in the American food supply.

There’s also plenty of room for overdiagnosis. In fact, an ADHD diagnosis is often made on the subjective observations of teachers or guardians, based on signs that nearly every child will display at some point. Aggravating factors, such as diet or home environment, are oftentimes overlooked entirely.

The featured article actually points out some interesting correlations between ADHD diagnoses and changes to the American educational system that might help explain how, if not why, so many children are misdiagnosed or flat out falsely diagnosed.

What Is ADHD?

But before we get into potential causes for the uptick in prevalence, let’s review how ADHD is qualified in the first place. The disorder involves a cluster of symptoms that includes inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviors.

Often, children with ADHD struggle in school and have difficulty managing interpersonal relationships. They also tend to suffer from low self-esteem. The similar term attention deficit disorder (ADD) has largely been replaced with ADHD, as it describes two of the most common symptoms of the condition, inattention, and hyperactive-impulsive behavior.

Diagnosing ADHD really comes down to a matter of opinion, as there is no physical test, like a brain scan, that can pinpoint the condition. This could change, however. According to a recent study, a newer MRI method called magnetic field correlation imaging that can detect low iron levels in the brains of children with ADHD could potentially help parents and patients make better informed decisions about treatment. As reported by Medicine.net:3

“Psychostimulant drugs used to treat ADHD affect levels of the brain chemical dopamine. Because iron is required to process dopamine, using MRI to assess iron levels in the brain may provide a noninvasive, indirect measure of the chemical, explained study author Vitria Adisetiyo… If these findings are confirmed in larger studies, this technique might help improve ADHD diagnosis and treatment…

The [magnetic field correlation imaging] scans revealed that the 12 ADHD patients who’d never been treated with psychostimulant drugs such as Ritalin had lower brain iron levels than those who’d received the drugs and those in the control group. The lower iron levels in the ADHD patients who’d never taken stimulant drugs appeared to normalize after they took the medicines.”

At present, diagnosis is dependent on subjective evaluation, and, for better or worse, teachers can play a significant role in this evaluation. Most children with ADHD will display a combination of inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior, along with the following symptoms:4

Frequent fidgeting or squirming Difficulty playing quietly Always seems on the go
Restlessness Excessive talking and interrupting others Difficulty waiting his or her turn
Frequent daydreaming Frequently has problems organizing tasks or activities Difficulty following through on instructions and apparently not listening

 

Many of these “symptoms” could describe virtually any child, or most children, on any given day. Hence, those who display these symptoms at school but not at home or with friends are not considered to have ADHD. Ditto for children who display symptoms at home but not at school.

Only children who struggle with inattention and hyperactive or impulsive behaviors around the clock are deemed to have ADHD—or at least they should be. According to a 2010 study,5 an estimated 20 percent of children are misdiagnosed with ADHD.

According to some, the disorder may not even be a “real” disorder at all. Psychiatrist Leon Eisenberg, hailed as the “scientific father of ADHD,” actually went on record saying that ADHD is “a prime example of a fictitious disease.”He made this stunning confession in a 2012 interview with the German paperDer Spiegel, just seven months prior to his death6 at the age of 87.

How the American School System May Be Promoting ADHD Diagnoses

At least part of the rise in prevalence could be attributed to inappropriate diagnosis. As reported in the featured article, there’s an interesting correlation between the rise in ADHD diagnoses and the implementation of the US Elementary and Secondary Education Act known as “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB). The program was implemented nationwide in 2002.

The NCLB standardized teaching methods across the US which, contrary to what the name implies, does leave a lot of kids “behind,” in the sense that brighter children frequently end up bored and discouraged from lack of academic challenge. And bored, discouraged children will oftentimes “act out.”

“Now with the implementation of CORE standards, who some describe as NCLB on steroids, there is a chance the ADHD numbers may climb even more,” the article predicts.7

But there’s more to this story…

“Another study, published by the Child Mind Institute, states there might be another incentive behind the rise, and that is the financial benefit to schools. Many schools, especially those where the tax base is much poorer… rely heavily on federal funding to operate.
Long before NCLB was enacted, many of these districts had already enacted ‘consequential accountability statutes,’” which penalized a school when children failed; however, often scores for children diagnosed with ADHD are not counted… thereby helping to ensure the passing test scores of the class as a whole.

Geographically speaking, children in the South are diagnosed far more often with ADHD than children living in Western states by a rate of nearly 63 percent. North Carolina, one of the first states to implement consequential accountability statutes, stands at a ADHD diagnosis rate of over 16 percent; California, one of the last states to implement these policies, ranks at only 6.2 percent. The difference is staggering.”

Raising a Generation of Drug Users

About two-thirds of the children diagnosed with ADHD are on some form of prescription medication, and oftentimes the side effects are far worse than the condition itself. These drugs actually rival illegal street drugs in terms of their dangerous risks to health, which include:

Permanent brain damage Cardio toxicity and liver damage Cancer
Changes in personality, depression, and/orhallucinations Heart attack and stroke Sudden death and suicide

 

Sadly, tens of thousands of American kids are now prescribed dangerous antipsychotic drugs before the age of five—some even before reaching 12 months of age, hard as that is to imagine. Children in the Medicaid system are at greatest risk for overdiagnosis. Data shows they’re prescribed antipsychotic medications four times more often compared to those with private insurance.8

The price we pay as a society for drugging our children out of objectionable behavior patterns is steep. In children, the long-term effects of drugs are typically largely unknown, while in the short term, we’ve seen shocking increases in violent and aggressive acts committed by teens taking one or more psychotropic drugs.

These children are also likely to experience health problems as they mature into adulthood. Just look at what happens to street junkies through time, and then consider that Ritalin has a more potent effect on your brain than cocaine… Being raised firmly within the drug paradigm from an early age may also make them more likely to opt for drug treatment for other ailments rather than exploring other options.

What Causes Behavioral Difficulties?

Behavioral problems clearly do exist, and do appear to be more prevalent than in decades past, with or without the ADHD label. The question on everyone’s mind is what’s causing it? The cause of ADHD remains elusive, although there are many contending culprits, including poor nutrition and environmental toxins ranging from food- and vaccine additives to agricultural chemicals.

For example, a 2006 study9 found that a mother’s use of cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs during pregnancy could increase the risk for ADHD. The study also suggested that exposure to lead and/or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can cause ADHD symptoms. Pesticide exposure has also been linked with ADHD.

Unfortunately, few are focusing on basic nutrition, which I believe is a key factor. We know that the food choices of most children and adults today are incredibly poor, and how can you possibly expect a child to have normal behavior if he is fed refined grains, sugars, and processed foods loaded with chemicals and largely devoid of natural nutrients?

Five Dietary Factors to Address if Your Child Has ADHD

Five dietary factors of particular concern are the following. If your child struggles with behavioral difficulties, whether he or she has been diagnosed with ADHD or not, I strongly recommend addressing all of these factors:

    • Too much sugar. High sugar content and starchy carbohydrates lead to excessive insulin release, which can lead to falling blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia, in turn, causes your brain to secrete glutamate in levels that can cause agitation, depression, anger, anxiety, and panic attacks.

Besides that, sugar promotes chronic inflammation in your body, and many studies have demonstrated the connection between a high-sugar diet and worsened mental health.

    • Gluten sensitivity. The evidence10, 11 suggesting that gluten sensitivity may be at the root of a number of neurological and psychiatric conditions, including ADHD, is quite compelling. According to a 2011 study,12 celiac disease is “markedly overrepresented among patients presenting with ADHD,” and a gluten-free diet has been shown to significantly improve behavior in kids. The study went so far as to suggest celiac disease should be added to the ADHD symptom checklist.
    • Too few beneficial bacteria. As explained by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, a medical doctor with a postgraduate degree in neurology, toxicity in your gut can flow throughout your body and into your brain, where it can cause symptoms of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, schizophrenia, and other mental disorders. Reducing gut inflammation is imperative when addressing mental health issues,13 so optimizing your child’s gut flora is a critical step. To learn more, please see my previous article, “Are Probiotics the New Prozac?”
    • Animal-sourced omega-3 deficiency. Research has shown that kids low in omega-3 fats are significantly more likely to be hyperactive, struggle with learning disorders, and display behavioral problems. Omega-3 deficiencies have also been tied to dyslexia, violence, and depression. A clinical study published in 2007 examined the effects of krill oil on adults diagnosed with ADHD.14 In that study, patients improved their ability to concentrate by an average of over 60 percent after taking a daily 500mg dose of krill oil for six months. They also reported a 50 percent improvement in planning skills, and close to 49 percent improvement in social skills.
    • Food additives and GMO ingredients. A number of food additives are thought to worsen ADHD, and many have subsequently been banned in Europe. Potential culprits to avoid include Blue #1 and #2 food coloring; Green #3; Orange B; Red #3 and #40; Yellow #5 and #6; and sodium benzoate, a preservative.

Recent research also shows that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, used in large quantities on genetically engineered Roundup Ready crops, limits your body’s ability to detoxify foreign chemical compounds. As a result, the damaging effects of those chemicals and environmental toxins are magnified, and may result in a wide variety of diseases, including brain disorders that can affect behavior.

The Hidden Health Hazards of Glyphosate and GMOs

Glyphosate-contaminated food has recently been implicated in the dramatic rise of both ADHD and autism, the latter of which is clearly more extreme in terms of behavioral difficulties. Still, both problems appear to be rooted to some degree in abnormal gut flora, and this is where glyphosate begins its path of destruction. How severe the effect might be in any given person will likely depend on a wide variety of individual factors, including the mother’s gut health during and at the time of giving birth.

Former US Navy staff scientist Dr. Nancy Swanson has meticulously collected statistics on glyphosate usage and various diseases and conditions, including autism. A more perfect match-up between the rise in glyphosate usage and incidence of autism, shown below, is hard to imagine. To access her published articles and reports, please visit Sustainable Pulse,15 a European Website dedicated to exposing the hazards of genetically engineered foods.

According to Dr. Swanson:16

“Prevalence and incidence data show correlations between diseases of the organs and the increase in Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in the food supply, along with the increase in glyphosate-based herbicide applications. More and more studies have revealed carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting effects of Roundup at lower doses than those authorized for residues found in Genetically Modified Organisms… The endocrine disrupting properties also lead to neurological disorders (learning disabilities (LD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), autism, dementia, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder). Those most susceptible are children and the elderly.”

How to Optimize Your Child’s Gut Flora

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The two key problems caused by glyphosate in the diet are nutritional deficiencies and systemic toxicity, and your gut bacteria are a key component of glyphosate’s mechanism of harm. Effectively addressing this problem requires a two-pronged approach. First you need to avoid the primary sources of glyphosate, which more or less makes it imperative to avoid processed foods. Secondly, you need to address the damage already done. To reseed your child’s gut with the healthy bacteria (probiotics) necessary for optimal physical, mental, and emotional health, I recommend the following strategies:

  • Avoid processed, refined foods as they promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria, yeast and fungus in the gut. Most processed foods are also high in sugar and fructose, grains (gluten), artificial additives, and genetically engineered ingredients (which tend to be more heavily contaminated with glyphosate)—all the top items that tend to aggravate ADHD symptoms. Also replace sweetened beverages (whether diet and regular), including fruit juices and pasteurized milk, with pure non-fluoridated water.
  • Eat traditionally fermented, unpasteurized foods: Fermented foods are one of the best routes to optimal digestive health, as long as you eat the traditionally made, unpasteurized versions. Some of the beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods are also excellent chelators of heavy metals and pesticides, which will also have a beneficial health effect by reducing your toxic load. Fermented vegetables are perhaps among the most palatable fermented foods. Many kids will also get used to fermented dairy products like kefir.
  • Use a high-quality probiotic supplement. If you cannot get your child to eat fermented foods on a regular basis, a high-quality probiotic supplement may be highly beneficial in correcting abnormal gut flora that contribute to brain dysfunction.

Additional Strategies to Relieve ADHD Symptoms

Besides addressing your child’s nutrition, as described in the two sections above, I also recommend implementing the following strategies:

  • Clear your house of dangerous pesticides and other commercial chemicals.
  • Avoid commercial washing detergents and cleaning products used on clothes, and replace them with naturally derived cleaning products free of added perfumes, softeners, etc.
  • Spend more time in nature. Researchers have found that exposing ADHD children to nature is an affordable, healthy way of controlling symptoms.
  • Investigate sensory therapy and emotional wellness tools. Instead of looking for a quick fix, encourage ADHD sufferers to talk, and find out what emotions are causing issues. You may also want to consider energy psychology tools such as the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to improve emotional coping and healing.