Here's the scenario: Your young son or daughter has been invited to a friend's birthday party. You know this family to some degree and are aware that their eating standards aren't the same as your family's.

The party will likely include white-sugar and food-dye cake, chips, pop and candy in the goodie bag, all foods which are standard no-no's in your own home.

What do you do in this situation?

1. Remember that birthday parties like this happen only occasionally, you eat well at home 90% of the time, and allow your child to eat freely at the party.
2. Try to fill your child up on good, whole foods at home, prior to taking them. Remind them on the drive that the foods that will be served aren't ones that will keep their body healthy, and that while it is ok to accept a piece of cake when offered, they should try to avoid other junk foods if possible, and look for better options (fruit or veggies, crackers and cheese, etc.). (And if you're with them at the party, this becomes easier to enforce).
3. Stay at the party with your child and bring along your own snacks. Inform the hosts prior to your coming that your child won't be partaking of the food offerings, and that you will be bringing them food from home instead. Tell your child that the foods at the party are yucky, and feel free to get into a discussion with the other parents at the party about why your child won't be eating along with everyone else.

Last week I was reading a book I picked up on sale while on summer vacation, but haven't gotten around to reading yet. It's called The Great Physician's Rx for Children's Health by Jordan Rubin. I have previously read and enjoyed The Maker's Diet (it was quite influential for me in my real food journey, actually). I knew that he would have solid information and suggestions, geared towards children's health in particular.

I was surprised to be so immediately turned off within the first chapters of the book, however, by the "holier than thou" attitude that I perceived in Dr. Rubin's and his wife's approach to shielding their young son from the dangers of processed foods. When their 3 year old son was invited to a birthday party, they came prepared with all of their own snacks from home.

He even proudly states at one point that their son has never eaten anything in his entire life that they do not consider to be "real food" (nothing processed or refined, no pasteurized or homogenized dairy products, no commercially raised grain-fed meat, no white sugar or table salt).

I'm not quite sure what world they live in, where they are able to have such complete and utter control over every single thing that ever enters his mouth- has he never been to a relative's home with different eating habits or to another family's home for dinner? Have they never been on the road or on vacation and needed to simply eat the best they could with the restaurants and choices that were available?

But I digress... back to the birthday party.

I know this is a hard area to deal with. I don't like allowing my children to eat processed, refined, toxic foods in the slightest. It makes me cringe, and as their mom, it's my job and responsibility to steward their health and train them in their eating habits.

Yet, as I've said many times before, people matter more than food.

Personally, I would opt for something along the lines of option #2 in the birthday party scenario, sending them with a full tummy and some words of wisdom, yet allowing them to graciously accept something celebratory like a piece of cake to enjoy with their friends. When I accompany them to parties, I encourage them towards the better options that are available, and allow them very limited amounts of the not-so-great options. But that's just me.

(And I'll even confess that although I'm usually the mom that makes the "weird" homemade spelt carrot cake with cream cheese icing colored pink with raspberry juice, this year I came down with an awful flu and was completely debilitated the day before my daughter's 7th birthday. We bought a store cake, for the first time ever. Sometimes, life happens, and my husband and I both felt that it was a priority for our daughter's party to continue as planned, whether mama was up for baking healthy cakes or not.)

I'm curious (and yes, I know this might spark a heated debate, so let's just use our big-girl words and keep it polite)...

What would you (or do you) do in this kind of scenario? How do you balance celebrations with others, while still guarding your child's health and nutrition?

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Written by Kate Tietje, Contributing Writer

It's winter time (already!  I'm still in denial!) and we're in the thick of the "sick season."  In fact, we've just gotten over our first round of "major" colds.  That's no fun.

We choose not to use any form of over-the-counter or other pharmaceutical products in our home -- at least not without an excellent reason (and we haven't found one in the last three years).  Certainly we don't for the run-of-the-mill winter blahs, like colds, flu, stomach viruses, and so on.

That doesn't mean we suffer, though!  We've developed some pretty effective herbal remedies that we turn to when we're in need of a little boost.  Today I'm going to share our top choices with you!

Colds and Coughs

Nobody likes colds or coughs -- runny noses, sneezing, itchy throats.  Luckily, there are some good home remedies for them!  We also make sure to take our fermented cod liver oil regularly to boost our immunity.

Ginger Tea -- Combine 1 tbsp. dried ginger root and 2 cups water. Boil for 5 - 10 minutes.  Strain.  Add fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon) and raw honey to taste.

Sore Throat Tea -- Boil 1 c. water and pour over 1 tbsp. elderberries and 1/2 tbsp. rosehips.  Steep 10 minutes.  Strain.  You can drink it like this (with some raw honey added to taste), or you can mix 1/2 tsp. each slippery elm powder and fenugreek powder with a small amount of cold water, then add this to the tea and heat and stir until thickened.  Add honey and serve.  (I do this if I don't have any cold syrup around.)

Cough/Cold Syrup -- This seems to knock out colds in a day or less, if taken at the onset of symptoms.  If taken later it seems to take a couple days but still not too long!

Homemade "Vapo-Rub" -- We use this on feet at night and it actually makes for really good sleep, and helps to banish night time coughs.

Humidifier -- Set up a humidifier and add 4 - 5 drops each rosemary, eucalyptus and tea tree (if desired) essential oils.  Allow this to diffuse in the person's room while they are sleeping.

Stomach Viruses

Yuck, right?  We aim to get over these as quickly as possible!  It's important that after a person vomits, do not give anything by mouth for at least 30 minutes in order to let the stomach settle.  Pushing liquids quickly will result in more vomiting and is not necessary in the short term to prevent dehydration.  (If vomiting continues for several hours despite stomach rest, call a doctor.  Don't worry about an hour or two though.)  Once the person has gone through stomach rest, you can introduce these.  OR, if vomiting is persistent, wait at least 5 minutes and then try one of these SLOWLY.  (We've unfortunately been in that position once or twice.)

Anti-Nausea Tea -- This is best used for adults.  Brew double-strength black tea and add a tablespoon of raw honey.  Something about the combination of caffeine, tannins in tea, and the honey seem to slow or stop vomiting.  You can also choose to mix in a capsule of activated charcoal (opened and the powder poured in).

Activated Charcoal -- If the person can swallow pills, take 1 - 2 at the first sign of nausea.  This usually prevents vomiting.  You can mix it into tea, too.

Children's Anti-Nausea Tea -- Boil 1 c. water.  Steep 1 tsp. lemon balm and 1 tsp. peppermint for 5 min.  Strain and add raw honey to taste.

Anti-Nausea Syrup -- We often mix this into tea, but it can be taken on a spoon, too.

Anti-Virus -- I really don't know what to call this one, but it seems to really work, especially when someone is having trouble keeping anything down.  Mix 1/4 c. coconut oil (melted) with 1 clove fresh crushed garlic and 4 - 5 drops oregano essential oil.  Apply this mixture (warm, but not too hot) to the feet and put socks on.  Sleep.  All three ingredients are potent anti-virals and can boost the body's ability to fight off whatever is wrong!

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Headaches

Headaches are common -- and in the last couple months, my husband's experienced a lot of them.  Hence, we've found a number of remedies.  These even work for migraines in some cases.  I recommend seeing a chiropractor and/or a naturopathic doctor for recurrent headaches.

Compress with oils -- Get a wash cloth damp with hot or cold water (depending on the person's preference) and put 2 - 3 drops clove or peppermint essential oil on it.  Wintergreen is another option (but not safe in children/pregnancy, and neither is clove).

*Stephanie's note: I've experienced many headaches this pregnancy, and my midwife/naturopath has recommend the use of rosemary essential oil in a compress or carrier oil (rubbed on the temples) as a safe pregnancy alternative, as well as taking extra magnesium, either by tablet or through an epsom salt bath.**

Headache salve -- Use this to massage affected areas, especially temples and neck.  It's also good for any other sore muscles.

Arnica -- Take 1 pellet of homeopathic arnica under the tongue every 10 - 15 min. until the headache subsides (good for tension headaches, but my husband tells me they work on his bad/migraine headaches too).

Heat -- Use a heating pad, or a rice-filled sock.  Heat in the microwave if you still have one (I don't and this is the only use that I miss having it for!), or in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes until hot.  Place on your neck or head or more sore area.

Water -- Sometimes headaches are caused by dehydration.  Drink extra water or make homemade electrolyte drink (like Gatorade without the junk) to help.

Epsom salt bath -- This can relax tense muscles and also give you extra magnesium if you need it.  Add 1 - 2 cups to a very hot bath.  If you can't/don't want to take a hot bath, run a small amount of hot water, dissolve the salts, then add cooler water until the bath is your desired temperature.

Lavender Oil -- Use lavender oil for massage, or place a drop on your pillow before you sleep.

These are our go-to remedies for illnesses!  I hope you find something in there that can help you. :)  And as always, I'm not a doctor or other medical professional and when in doubt, contact someone who is.  These are home remedies that have worked well for us, that I'm passing along for informational purposes only.

What are your favorite herbal or natural remedies?

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Written by Courtney, Contributing Writer

The foods we consume and the lifestyle we live form the foundation of our health. The nutrients in the foods we eat are the building blocks for all of the biological activity within the various systems of our bodies. Disease occurs when our bodies lack the nutrients necessary to perform these functions properly.

This can be due to a poor diet, an inactive lifestyle, harmful chemicals we inhale or absorb through our skin, or undue stress from a reliance on our own strength to get through the day to day instead of finding our strength in the Lord.

There are a multitude of vitamins and supplements to help support our hurried lifestyles and sometimes less-than-ideal  food choices. Walk into any grocery or discount store and you can become overwhelmed with the supplements available to you.

Are Supplements Necessary?

Over the years, I've wrestled with the idea of using vitamins and minerals to supplement my family's diet. I have mixed feelings about supplements.

Ideally, I believe we should obtain vitamins and minerals through the diet, just like we do the macronutrients protein, fats, carbohydrates. When we select nutrient-dense nourishing foods, the nutrients obtained from them are in their natural state in the proper ratios and are easily absorbed and utilized most effectively within the body. Supplements can contain imbalanced ratios or poor quality nutirents that pass through the body without being absorbed and used. This is certainly the case with synthetically-formulated supermarket vitamins.

Now, on the other hand, we can't deny the fact that the soil we tend today is inferior to that which our ancestors once enjoyed. Our current agricultural system has stripped the soil of the majority of nutrients necessary for strong, healthy plant growth. As a result, plants cannot withstand disease and pests and thus need to be doused with strong chemical fertilizers to grow in the first place and pesticides to stay alive.

Our conventional fruits, vegetables, and grains are anything but thriving. Because the health of the soil is critical for plant health, today's grains and produce contain a fraction of the nutrients they once did. Organic produce is healthier, but no doubt still affected by conventional farming methods.

For this reason, it may be wise to include supplements in our diet. Which ones and how much are tricky questions, though, and should be based on a variety of factors, taking into consideration things like the availability of local seasonal foods as well as past and current health history.

With the exception of cod liver oil, my family doesn't take vitamins or other supplements on a regular basis. We will sometimes take muilti-vitamins and occasionally specific vitamins or minerals to treat a specific illness or when a deficiency is suspected. I typically take a multi-vitamin throughout most of my pregnancies and during most of the first year or so while breastfeeding,  just for that peace of mind. I will sometimes keep a supply of chidlren's multivitamins on hand for stretches of reduced appetites or to boost little immune systems during periods when illness abounds during the winter months. Honestly, though, my biggest concern during those winter months is a lack of vitman D, which we do get through the cod liver oil.

I understand the dangers and pitfalls of vitamin supplements, namely the tendency to eat more carelessly while on them and the incredible spectrum of quality among the different types and brands out there. I'm careful to not rely on them, but instead to use them wisely and sparingly only as needed. We seek to meet the majority of our nutritional needs through food. Thoughtfully selecting nutritious foods and preparing nourishing meals is a priority and something I take much joy in as a mother.

A Homemade Herbal Mixture to Supplement a Healthy Diet

I've learned that herbs can be an excellent way to support a healthy diet and over time, I've come to rely on herbal preparations where I once counted on vitamin pills. Many whole food-based vitamins do contain concentrated foods and herbs to supply vital nutrients, and this is ideal when selecting a good vitamin source.

I'm not saying all vitamins are bad or that you should stop taking them. We still take vitamins from time to time, especially to treat illnesses since we don't rely on conventional medicine. But for the most part, I like to use herbal powder mixes in place of the packaged vitamin for a number of reasons.

1. Nutrients straight from whole foods/herbs are more bioavailable, meaning they are best absorbed because they are in their natural form along with the proper ratio of complimentary vitamins and minerals that aid in their absorption.
2. Concentrated herbal powders contain more than just vitamins and minerals. Phytochemicals in the forms of cartenoids and flavonoids, for instance, are present in dried herbs, but not all vitamin supplements contain them. Phytochemicals are beneficial for a number reasons, probably the most important being their antioxidant properties.
3. Herbal powders don't contain any sweeteners or additives.
4. I can alter my herbal powder mixes to meet specific needs during different ages or stages. (For example, during my first trimester of this pregnancy, I included ginger root powder in my herbal mixture to help improve digestion and alleviate fatigue and nausea. I've also included eleuthero root in the past to boost energy and help combat stress and lemon peel for extra vitamin C.)
5. Herbal powder preparations are less expensive than vitamins, and when I throw together my own herbs instead of purchasing prepared herbal powders, the savings are even greater.

Wheatgrass: Wheatgrass is the highlight of this powder mix. It is a very concentrated source of a multitude of nutrients, including beneficial enzymes that make it so easily digestible. It contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein, and is particularly known for it's high chlorophyll and mineral content. It is rich in B vitamins and vitamins A, C, D, E, and K. There are  entire books just on wheatgrass and its benefits. Some say it nourishes and revitalizes practically every cell and every system within the body. I'm sure some of its claims are exaggerated, but I'm convinced it's good stuff! I like to grow my own because it's so easy and grows so quickly, but when I do, we juice it and consume it that way. For this herbal mix, I purchase wheatgrass powder from my local food co-op. I'm sure it would be simple to grow and dehydrate your own, though!

Barley Grass: A complete protein (contains all essential amino acids), barley grass also contains an abundance of vitamins and minerals, noted for its high amount of calcium and iron in particular.

Oat Straw: A good source of protein, B vitamins, vitamin A, and several minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and iron. Oat Straw is great for a number of things, but is best known for its positive effect on the nervous system and its ability to stabilize blood sugar.

Alfalfa: Alfalfa has always been one of my favorite herbal supplements! It is a rich source of  minerals due to it's deep roots that soak up trace minerals from far beneath the soil. It is a good source of vitamins, particularly vitamin A, C, E, and K. It contains a great amount of chlorophyll and is another complete protein.

Spiriluna: A blue-green algae containing large amounts of chlorophyll (green) and phycocyanin (blue), spiriluna's benefits are numerous. It is another excellent and complete source of protein and a good source of several essential fatty acids, it also contains a great amount of vitamins and minerals.

Kelp: Kelp is a great source of minerals. I especially appreciate kelp powder for its high amount of iodine. We use real salt, sourced from the sea and unrefined. Real salt contains iodine but not in significant amounts. Iodine is critical for many body functions, particularly metabolism and thyroid function. It is best sourced from sea food, but but for a diet lower in seafood, kelp is an excellent supplement.

Fennel Seed Powder: Fennel seeds are a good source of minerals, particularly rich in iron, and contain vitamins A, C, E, and some B vitamins, as well as other antioxidants.

Stinging Nettle: Well-known for a variety of functions within the body. It is espeically rich in iron and contains plenty of vitamin C for iron absorption. It is also high in vitamin K.

Dandelion: Where do I even begin? Dandelion is rich in B vitamins, vitamins A, C, and E and is a good source of the minerals potassium, iron, and zinc. It is a mild cleansing and detoxifying herb, but not so much so that it can't be used safely during pregnancy and in young children. Stephanie describes the benefits of dandelions and shares her own experience harvesting and drying her own dandelions here.

Rose Hips: Probably one of the best sources of vitamin C, rose hips is also desired for it's rich source of carotenoids, including beta-carotene, lycopene and luetin, and other antioxidants. This makes rose hips great for boosting the immune system and protecting cells from oxidative damage.

Tumeric: This is an overall fantastic herb, not to mention a tasty culinary spice! A good-quality tumeric found in a bulk herb or health food store supports many systems within the body. It is a fantastic antioxidant, contains a number of vitamins and minerals, and is also notable for how well it supports healthy metabolism.

Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast contains a decent amount of fiber and protein as well as some trace minerals, namely zinc and selenium, but it is best known for its high amount of B vitamins.

 

This recipe is not perfect, but it is my attempt at ensuring my family receives an abundant supply of nutrients from natural sources.I have altered this powder mix as I discovered new herbal sources of specific nutrients to meet specific needs. As you can see, this current recipe contains an abundance of B vitamins. I sought to add more sources of B vitamins early in my current pregnancy to be sure I was getting an adequate supply and to try to help with severe exhaustion. I also wanted to ensure an adequate supply of naturally-sourced and highly absorbable iron, so that is not lacking here, either.

The Perfect Addition to Your Daily Smoothie or Fresh Juice

How do we take this herbal concoction?

My family loves smoothies! We make up a family-sized batch nearly every morning. My ten year-old daughter has taken over the task of preparing our morning smoothies because she finds so much satisfaction in creating various combinations of this nutritious treat. We sometimes call her our "Smoothie Girl" in because of her love of this task.

We simply add what we call our "super power powder" with whatever we decide to throw into the blender that day. We rarely follow recipes for smoothies. It really just depends on what we have on hand and what sounds good at the time. A typical smoothies contains about half veggies and half fruit along with either water or yogurt. We sometimes dress up our smoothies with freshly-ground flax seeds, chia seeds, coconut oil, fish oil, raw eggs, fresh parsley (or other herbs), or anything else that sounds nutritious and delicious.

Kale and spinach are our favorite go-to greens, probably the base of most of our smoothies. Other favorite smoothie veggies are beets, carrots, celery, tomatoes, garlic, cucumbers, and chard. Our favorite fruits for smoothies are bananas and berries, particularly blueberries and raspberries. Other fruits we often add are mangoes, pineapples, avocados, peaches, and pears. We try to use either seasonal or frozen fruit.

Over time, we've learned to gauge how much to add without measuring, so I'm not a great source of smoothie recipe amounts, even though we've tried just about everything! We make enough for my older children and I to have about 8 ounces each, while the younger ones (5 and under) get about 4-6 ounces each.

We add about 1/4 -1/3 cup of the herbal mixture to our smoothie batch, which ends up being about one tablespoon each for the older children and myself and about 1/2 tablespoon or so for the little ones. Some days we use more or less or leave it out altogether, depending on the type of smoothie we're making. Also, it's not something we take daily, just most of the time.

Interestingly, my youngest children devour their smoothies faster and seem to enjoy them even more than the older ones do. I think it's because they were accustomed to drinking such a variety of fresh flavor combinations at a much earlier age. Smoothies are a great way to serve fresh fruits and vegetables in a very digestible form to babies and toddlers! Serving them early in the morning gets them off to a great start and ensures they fill up on plenty of essential nutrient-dense foods, which is very important in the early years when their little appetites wax and wane.

I do want to remind you that I am not an expert in nutrition. I'm simply a mom who wants to provide the best foundation of health for my family. I believe the food and herbs God created are the best way to nourish my family, and I am delighted to share with you some of the creative ways I've learned to do so! I'd love to hear your input as I know my herbal powder recipe is far from perfect. I'm always learning new ways to keep my family well-nourished and healthy.

Do you find value in either packaged supplements or concentrated powdered herbs like what I shared here? Do you have suggestions for improving the herbal powder recipe I mentioned above?

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I have used my NaturoKit natural first aid kit more than 5 times in the past two weeks. I usually think of first aid kits as getting more use during the outdoor, summer months, but our family is rapidly disproving that theory.

What did I need it for? 

• An upset stomach due to travelling and bizarre food options. Twice. (Thank goodness for activated charcoal!)
• My 4 year old burned his finger on our gas fireplace. Apparently he didn't believe me when I said it was actually hot. (Calendula Success drops, Cantharis and some Crisis Calm saved the day)
• I accidentally gave the 2 year old something with whey protein in it (she is very sensitive to dairy). She promptly smeared her food-covered hands on her face, and broke out in hives. (Apis helped to calm down the allergic reaction and the hives were completely gone before bed)
• I cut my fingers while trimming rose hip hedges with thorns. Two of the cuts got infected. (Wild Weed Salve helped to heal it faster)
• A nerve-wracking event left this mama just a bit flustered. (Crisis Calm helped to take the edge off beautifully)
• A constant stream of owies, bumps and bruises have caused our Arnica pellets to be the most-used remedy in the whole bag. (I refer to them as Owie Pills, and my kids gladly accept)

I had no idea how much I would be using my kit when I agreed to share about Naturokits or when I planned the date of this post. I can't say I'm happy to have used it so much recently, but I am always so relieved to have it available for when these situations occur.

Aren't We All Looking for Better Solutions?

Just today, this email landed in my inbox:

I just have to write and say how thankful I am for your blog and these AWESOME, WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC, WORTH-MORE-THAN-A-MILLION-BUCKS posts about natural healing. From the ear infection post (which I had to refer to yesterday) to this one. I am always uncomfortable giving my children antibiotics and using OTC remedies, such as Vicks, but any homemade recipe I've seen always requires much more time than I have and the ingredients and instructions just kill me.

I was just so encouraged to know that the natural remedies that we share on this blog are truly meeting a need (and I didn't even write those two posts she mentioned, so 3 cheers for truly awesome writers!).

I get the time limitations, and the struggle to research on your own, and then figuring out what to buy and how to make and use it... when you're a busy mama, you're constantly on the go and in demand, and having someone else give you a nudge in the right direction (or do the work for you) can just be so. very. helpful. 

Last year around this time, we talked natural remedies for a full month, and it was amazing. I loved sharing about the things that I do, and I also learned so much from others. Coming up with simple and gentle ways to treat discomforts and illnesses is a valuable thing to share and learn about, for sure.

One resource that I've talked about multiple times on my blog is the NaturoKit, the natural first aid kit I was referring to above. I got mine over a year and a half ago, unsure of how valuable it would be. After all, I'm a resourceful, research-capable, crunchy granola health-freak who is capable of making and coming up with my own remedies, right?

Yet in those crisis moments, I pull it out again and again, because it removes the thinking element and allows me to simply administer something to relieve the one in pain or distress, and focus on comforting instead of flipping through home remedy books and scrounging to see if I have what I need.

If you, like me, are seeking to keep your first aid treatments more simple and natural, and avoiding conventional and over-the-counter medications as much as possible, you may love it as much as I do. Or maybe you know someone else this winter season who is looking to make some changes to how they treat mishaps and owies in their own home, and you'd like to bless them with a simple way to do just that.

Each kit comes with 9 remedies, carefully chosen by Naturopathic Doctors, intended to treat a very wide array of injuries and emergencies, yet in a gentle and holistic way. Each one is neatly packaged in a zippered, cotton bag, and comes complete with instructions for use and a very helpful alphabetical list of specific uses (for a burn, use this. for an insect sting, use this.) They have also created a MiniKit with 3 common remedies, for those who want something small and simple to carry around in the car or in a purse. Both would make a very thoughtful Christmas present (or stocking stuffer) for someone naturally-inclined or beginning to head in that direction.

For our family, it comes down to a resolve to seek natural treatments before other options, and making sure that we actually have those options readily available to us.

How do you treat first aid situations? Are you moving towards more holistic, natural remedies in your home?

Disclosure: This post was generously sponsored by NaturoKits. All opinions and the concept behind this post are my own. I genuinely use this kit on a regular basis (you can come and peek in my "medicine" cabinet if you like, to see the half-empty bottles!), and I am very purposeful to only share products and companies with you that I sincerely believe in and do/would use for my own family. Additionally, any information shared by myself or NaturoKits is not intended to treat any illness, nor to take the place of consulting with a healthcare professional.

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Written by Courtney, Contributing Writer

Seeing our children suffer from a cough is no fun at all. However, coughs have their place in healing and should usually not be suppressed. If we prevent a cough from doing its part in recovery, we can set our child up for a much more serious illness. What starts out as a simple cold could quickly turn into bronchitis or pnemonia if mucous is allowed to settle in the chest.

At times, a cough can interfere with recovery when it causes severe irritation and prevents our child from getting adequate rest. We can ease our child's discomfort while still allowing a cough to do its job.

Soothing herbs and honey protect the throat from dryness and irritation, but don't "turn off" the brain's response to cough like some cough remedies do. Propping a child slightly helps to prevent the infection from settling in the lungs. Steam, poultices, and chest rub salves help to break up the chest congestion and make our child feel better fast.

Natural Remedies to Relieve a Cough

Eucalyptus and other essential oils can be very effective in relieving a cough. The oils help to increase oxygen flow and break up chest congestion. Some have antibacterial and/or antiviral properties as well! We can include these essential oils in stream treatments (diffused in vaporizors or humidifiers or in towel steam treatments) or in chest rubs, applied topically with a carrier oil or salve.

For years, I simply added essential oils to olive oil, similar to this recipe, and rubbed it on the chest for relief, but I've come to prefer a salve over the oil. It's not as greasy or messy and it's much less likely to spill.

Making a chest rub salve is simple. It's also safer (and cheaper) than the store-bought brands, like Vic's, which are made from a petroleum base and contain questionable preservatives and other ingredients.

How to Make a Chest Rub Salve

To make a chest rub salve, you will need a pan to melt the ingredients and a container to store the finished product in. I prefer metal tins, either 2 ounces or 4 ounces for this type of salve. Used moisturizer containers work well, too.

The size of your container will determine how much salve you make, so I will list the ingredient amounts in parts instead of a pre-determined amount. Over the years, I have found this to be much easier than trying to adjust a recipe to fit the container I store it in.

Ingredients: 

• 2 parts coconut oil
• 1 part beeswax
• eucalyptus essential oil (about 10 drops per ounce)
• white camphor essential oil (about 5 drops per ounce)

Simply melt the oil and beeswax in a pan and then add the essential oils. Pour into your metal tin(s) or other container. And that's it!

The salve will harden within 10-15 minutes. If you find it is too soft, like the consistency of an ointment, you can scoop it back into the pan, remelt it and add more beeswax. If it is too hard, remelt and add more oil. I've also remelted to add more essential oil when I wasn't satisfied with the strength of the oils.

This is a basic chest rub salve recipe that can be altered or added to to suit your individual needs or preferences. Essential oils of hyssop, rosemary, peppermint, thyme are a few examples of other oils that help relieve chest congestion. (Some essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy, so check the safety of any oils you plan to add if pregnant.)

We also use this salve to help relieve nasal congestion. When applied right under the nose, it helps to clear the airway instantly!

What are your favorite home remedies for relieving the discomfort of a cough?

Disclaimer: The writers at KOTH are not certified medical professionals of any kind and are not qualified to give you medical advice. Our goal is to help to educate and inspire you to take responsibility for your own family's health and make informed choices of your own, not to consult you on medical treatment. 

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Written by Brandy, Contributing Writer

It's that time of year again.  The season that many moms dread for their families - cold and flu season.

Each year I review my old list and research new ways to try and keep our family as healthy as possible.  It's hard enough when a family of four or five gets sick.  But when you are a large family of nine or ten (or more), it's even tougher as the illness just seems to circulate through the home, hitting one family member after another, sometimes taking up to two weeks until everyone's well.

That's the scenario I'm looking to avoid each year.  So as best I can, I try to follow a few basic guidelines for keeping our big family well.  Here's my list of do's and don'ts for surviving sick season.

10 Tips to Boost Your Immune System

DON'T:

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1. ...eat a lot of sugar. Sugar suppresses a person's immune system.  Sugar inhibits phagocytosis, the process by which viruses and bacteria are engulfed and then literally chewed up by white blood cells.  The immune suppressing effect of sugar starts less than thirty minutes after ingestion and may last for five hours.  That's a long time to experience a glitch in your immune system, especially if you're considering going into public places where there are sure to be germs all around.
2. ...stress out. Stress is also an immune system suppressant, so manage your stress, keeping it to a minimum using exercise and deep-breathing when possible.
3. ...eat processed food. When a person is malnourished, their immune system is weakened.  In addition to being deplete of essential nutrients that we need to stay well, processed junk foods are notorious for being loaded with polyunsaturated fats, which tend to suppress the immune system.
4. ...take too many antibiotics. Do your best to only take antibiotics when you know for sure they're needed for a bacterial infection.  Antibiotics disrupt the normal flora in the gut, leading to potential health problems and weakened immunity.
5. ...try and do too much. Exhaustion depletes your mind and body, and ultimately weakens your immunity.

DO:

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1. ...eat whole foods regularly. It's best to eat whole grains and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
2. ...get enough rest. Give your body the rest it needs each night in order to recharge.
3. ...give your system an extra boost using natural anti-viral foods. Immune-boosting foods include:  yogurt, oats and barley, garlic, fish, chicken soup, tea, beef, and mushrooms, to name a few.
4. ...stay at home when you can. As impractical as it may sound, avoiding illness can often be as simple as staying home.  Avoid going into places like pharmacies where there may be airborne germs from those waiting on prescriptions.  Don't take children to the grocery store with you during peak flu season, and when you must, push the baby in the stroller instead of risking exposing them to the germs that might be lurking on the cart.
5. ...remember to keep exercising. So often, we slow down in the colder months as we're naturally indoors more.  We need to be careful to get our exercise in somehow.  Exercise DVDs in the living room or home equipment make this easy.  If you have a gym membership, just be mindful to wash your hands thoroughly before leaving the gym (and not to re-contaminate on the way out) so that you don't even bring germs back to your own steering wheel.

If you and your family DO get sick:

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• You can try and keep the germs from spreading by making a simple solution of vinegar and water and misting areas where germs tend to collect, like sinks, light switches, and door knobs.
• Keep sick ones in one room and well ones in another.  This tends to only work in our family with our older children who understand this concept.
• Drink plenty of water to assist the body in flushing toxins.
• Increase intake of vitamin C-rich foods.  Serve extra fruit at meals.  Choose fruit and yogurt smoothies for snacks.
• Make fresh-squeezed orange juice or if you have a juicer, explore nutrient packed juices like apple-carrot-grape juice, or try a blend of spinach, kale and lime.  Drink immediately after juicing to get the most benefit from all those living nutrients!
• Make a big batch of nourishing chicken soup, proven to fight infection and give an overall boost when ill.  It's also warming and soothing when you're not feeling well.
• Drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar every day to prevent and fight infection.  I like to mix mine with a small amount of apple juice, which makes it a bit easier to drink.  Decrease the amount to one teaspoon for children.
• Increase garlic consumption.  Make garlic toast using a whole clove per slice of whole wheat bread.  Add extra garlic into as many foods as you can, like pasta sauce, baked fish, hummus, salsa, and guacamole.  Take garlic tablets, too, if you desire.  You can also make a garlic poultice during illness to draw out infection.
• Eat pro-biotic rich foods like yogurt.  A healthy gut is directly linked to our overall health and immunity in general.  Take an acidophilus supplement for extra support when needed.
• Drink green tea for its amazing ability to fight cold and flu viruses.
• Air out your home.  It's easy to forget in the cold winter months, and never more important.
• Make an echinacea tincture or buy capsules and take daily during illness.
• Take elderberry syrup.  Buy at your local health food store, or learn to make your own here.
• Try Meg's Cold Kicker remedy
• Use simple home remedies, like this homemade cough and cold syrup

What are your best tips for keeping your family healthy during cold and flu season?

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

• Homemade Cough and Cold Syrup
• Getting revenge on cold and flu season
• Healthy and frugal menu planning help!
• Naturally boosting your family’s immunity

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Written by Erin Odom, Contributing Writer

Last year this time, I prided myself on the fact that my 2 year old had never had a full-blown ear infection.

A strong proponent of breastfeeding and having nursed her until she was almost 2, I just knew my milk had protected her from ever really getting sick.

And I just knew it would protect my newborn as well.

I never imagined how sick my new baby would be most of the winter and into the spring.

And ear infections? She had several.

Avoiding Antibiotics

When I became a mother, I was surprised at how often my friends' babies were on antibiotics for ear infections.

My first ear infection ever was when I was 24. I was living 12 hours away from my mama--and I cried like a baby wishing she were there to comfort me!

When my second daughter was diagnosed with her first ear infection at only a few months old, I was surprised yet determined to treat the infection holistically. She had already endured several months of yeast infections, so I knew her little gut health was off, and I didn't want to introduce antibiotics into her system.

Determining the Cause

There are typically three causes of ear infections: bacterial (which, theoretically, antibiotics will help), viral (which antibiotics will not help) and allergen-induced (which are remedied when the allergens are removed).

The problem is that it’s difficult for many doctors to actually diagnose the cause of most ear infections. Unless there are signs of a virus or symptoms of an allergy, they may prescribe antibiotics.

Thankfully, my daughters’ pediatrician is integrative and was willing to work with us on alternative remedies—especially since it was pretty obvious her infections were viral.

Image by clappstar

Holistic Healing of Ear Infections

Under her direction and the direction of our chiropractor, here are several remedies we tried:

1. Colloidal Silver Drops: Colloidal Silver is an immunity booster and natural antibiotic. We usually put 2 drops in each ear 2 times per day during an infection.

2. Garlic Oil Drops: Garlic has many antibacterial properties. We purchased our garlic oil at our local natural health store, but you could easily make your own. Like colloidal silver, we would put 2 drops in each ear 2 times per day. We actually rotated with the colloidal silver, for 8 drops total per day.

3. Chiropractic Care: During the birthing process, neck vertebrae can become misaligned, which can affect the eustachian tube. This may lead to fluid buildup and cause ear infections. Regular chiropractic adjustments can help realign those tiny spines and prevent recurrent ear infections.

4. Lymphatic Massage: At the advice of my massage therapist friend, I massaged the lymph nodes under my baby's ear--in a downward motion. KerryAnn, of Cooking Traditional Foods, says: "I have the type that will make you want to bang your head on the wall, but if I do the massage 4-6 times a day, my ears stay clear and don't hurt."

5. Breast Milk: Squirting drops of breast milk in infected ears can also speed up the healing process. I used this method the least—simply because I did not pump very frequently. (And manually expressing into her ears was a little awkward!)

Image by simmbarb

A Lesson in Humility

Did the above remedies work for my daughter? Well, yes…and no.

She ended up having three or four infections total, which, although it surprised me, my chiropractor insisted was not a lot for a child who had had RSV. In fact, she told me she had some patients who had upwards of 12 infections just last winter!

In the end, although her infections cleared, my baby’s doctor and chiropractor both felt she had glue ear, a sticky build-up of fluid behind the ear drum--that will not drain on its own.

Her doctor suggested that she see an ENT and have a hearing test.

She failed the test. The “glue” was hindering her hearing, which could potentially set her up for speech delays—or even lifelong hearing loss.

“I rarely ever say this, but you might consider getting tubes put in her ears,” her chiropractor told me.

Tubes?! I thought. Not my daughter! I’m a natural mama! She’s not having tubes put in her ears!

But after much research, prayer and talks with her doctors and chiropractor, we felt it was best.

And it was definitely a lesson in humility for me.

I’ve learned I can—and should—try natural remedies first. But, in the end, conventional treatments have their place as well. At that point, I was not willing to risk permanent hearing loss or speech delays for a 5 minute procedure that solved the problem.

Am I glad she had tubes put in her ears? Yes, I think she needed them.

But I’m also glad I tried every other remedy I knew of up until her procedure—and I avoided who-knows-how-many rounds of antibiotics.

The truth is—her infections cleared on their own. When the ENT exited surgery, he said her ears looked great. All he had to do was drain the glue.

What are your holistic remedies for healing ear infections?

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Written by Courtney, Contributing Writer

The warm summer evenings are turning into cool autumn nights. Your children’s closets are probably all set for fall weather, an organization project most of us like to do before the start of the new school year and long before the weather starts to cool down. Where we live, the weather is just getting chilly after a long and mostly warm month of September.

My children are turning in their short-sleeved pajamas for warm and cozy long-sleeved and one-piece sleepwear. I love snuggling up with my pajama-clad babies before bedtime, reading a good book or telling stories. And when it’s time to say goodnight, they look so comfy and peaceful tucked into bed with a warm blanket.

Toxins in Sleepwear

Our choice of sleepwear is an important one, considering the amount of time our children spend in slumber. Unfortunately, most pajamas are doused with chemical flame retardants that pose a major health risk to our little ones. It’s tempting to want to dress our babies in soft and fuzzy fleece pajamas, but we certainly don’t want the toxic chemicals that come with them.

These days, we must be cautious with what we expose our children to. Our world has turned from nature as a source of everything from food and medicine to clothing, and everything in between. Our man-made alternatives offer benefits in many situations, but there’s no doubt they come with a cost to the environment, and ultimately to our health.

What Can We Do About It?

It’s hard to remove all the toxins from our children’s environment, but choosing safe sleepwear is one easy step we can take to reduce their exposure.

Brominated flame retardant chemicals are added to sleepwear primarily due to the combustible nature of the synthetic fabrics most pajamas are made of. The majority of children's pajamas are polyester, which is most often made from petroleum. The flame resistance is an extra step needed to counteract the flammable nature of these man-made fabrics, but this additional manufacturing process only “fixes” one bad idea with another.

Many mothers are alarmed at this dangerous manufacturing practice that puts our children in harm’s way during what should be the safest part of their day. Two common solutions to this problem are to wash the chemicals out of the clothing by doing the opposite of what the “to retain flame resistance” laundering instructions say and to push for a regulatory ban of these chemicals in children’s sleepwear altogether.

Both of these attempts to avoid these chemicals are faulty. The solution to toxic flame retardants is not found in laundering or lobbying. The solution is simply to purchase sleepwear made of natural fibers.

Washing out the flame retardants through using soap instead of detergent and running them through multiple cycles in an attempt to remove the chemicals is a bad idea for several reasons. Pushing for regulations to remove these chemicals altogether leads to the same problems.

1. Some fabrics are made from fibers in which flame retardants have been chemically bonded.  Requirements governing the use of flame retardants would likely not apply to fabric in which the chemicals have been bonded to the fibers before being made into fabric. And while laundering may remove flame retardants added to fabrics, it will not remove flame retardant chemicals that are chemically bonded to the fibers.
2. Flame retardants are added to fabrics that are highly combustible, so taking away that protection, as dangerous as it is, poses a fire hazard in the event your child comes across something that could ignite, such as a candle or fireplace. Also, in the event of a house fire, these fabrics will ignite much more quickly and from further distances, reducing the amount of time you have to safely exit the home.
3. If it is possible to completely remove the fire resistant chemicals, your child is still sleeping in a synthetic fabric, often that which was derived from petroleum. While some man-made fabrics are much safer than others, it's still a good idea to stick with natural fibers.

What to Consider When Shopping for Pajamas

Shopping for pajamas can be complicated due to the fire resistance requirements and the clever ways around them. The fact that the majority of children’s sleepwear is made of synthetic fabrics makes our selections even more limited! My mom buys pajamas for each of my children  every winter. My children look forward to this tradition and are excited to slip into them on Christmas Eve.

However, shopping for them drives my mom crazy. Because most pajamas are fuzzy polyester and labeling can be confusing at times, she’ll sometimes call me with questions about what to avoid and what is safe. These are a few shopping tips I’ve learned over the years:

1. Check the label for fabric composition. Opt for natural fabrics like cotton or wool and avoid synthetics such as polyester and nylon. ( Most cotton is free of flame retardant chemicals, but some cotton pajamas are treated.)

2. Always avoid sleepwear labeled: “To retain fame resistance” or Flame resistant fabric”

3. Look these labels instead:

“For child’s safety, garment should fit snugly. This garment is not flame resistant.  Loose fitting garment is more likely to catch fire.” or simply “Wear snug-fitting, not flame resistant” This is the gold-standard in pajama shopping. This indicates that the fabric is not inherently flame-resistant and has not been chemically treated. It is a good idea to follow the “snug-fitting rule” since loose fitting clothing captures air between the fabric and the child and ignites much easier when exposed to a flame. This also reduces the risk of suffocation in younger babies.

“Not intended for sleepwear” This seems to be common with cotton/poly blend thermal underwear and loose fitting flannel bottoms. My children sometimes where these for pajamas and I’m okay with the small amount of polyester, probably used for its wicking ability.

4. Sleepwear for newborns and babies up to 9 months don't follow the same rules. Sleepwear for babies under 9 months are not necessarily required to be flame resistant or to carry any labeling. Sleepwear for babies may still contain fabric made of chemically-treated fibers, so avoid synthetic fabrics altogether.

My favorite sleepwear for infants is simply a cotton tee or side snap shirt with a wool diaper cover over cloth. Swaddling a baby dressed simply like this makes for restful sleep and easy diaper changes…no unzipping/unsnapping and pulling legs in and out of pants or one piece outfits!

5. When purchasing fabric to make your own sleepwear, choose natural fabrics and be prudent about examining the label for any mention of flame resistance or chemical treatment. Often, 100% flannels, especially those with baby/toddler prints, will carry the warning “Not intended for sleepwear”. Flannel is more loose-fitting than other types of cotton fabrics, so the warning must be present to indicate that it doesn’t meet requirements for sleepwear. I think flannel is a fine option, particularly for older children.

I wouldn't be opposed to using a plush or fuzzy synthetic when making pajamas for older children, as long as it isn't inherently flame resistant (bonded chemicals) or treated with flame retardants, but I do try to limit the use of man-made fabrics in clothing and blankets and I always choose natural fabrics for babies.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the specific requirements for children’s sleepwear, you can most likely find your country’s requirements online. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s regulations are found here.

This week at my blog, I will be discussing some of the other ways to reduce our children’s exposure to flame retardant chemicals, which are found in mattresses and bedding, car seats and other baby gear, and household furnishings.

Is this an issue that you were aware of? What, if anything, are you currently doing to avoid flame retardant chemicals in your children's sleepwear?

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Written by Stacy K, Contributing Writer

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but with so many choices (and conflicting information), it can be difficult to know what to serve our family.

While cereal or toast may seem easy and convenient, these high-carbohydrate choices lead to elevated blood sugar levels which drop quickly and soon leave us feeling tired and hungry. Research shows that a breakfast high in protein actually stabilizes blood sugar and prevents hunger for a number of hours.

A protein-rich breakfast has two other significant benefits besides keeping you full longer:

1. Improved Concentration and Focus

As we all know, eating breakfast is more than filling the belly and reducing hunger, it’s about nourishing the body and brain. The brain needs amino acids in order to produce neurotransmitters (which are an important part of the brain's communication system); protein is an excellent source of amino acids.  Eating  a high-protein breakfast supports brain function and leads to increased alertness throughout the morning.

A protein-rich meal keeps us full much longer than a carbohydrate based one. Staying full helps our minds focus on the task at hand rather than dealing with hunger pains, allowing the brain to function at a higher capacity.

While a breakfast high in protein is beneficial for anyone, it is especially recommended for children with ADD/ADHD .

2. Weight Control

A high protein breakfast is satisfying to the body. This satisfied feeling helps reduce cravings and snacking. When we eat foods that have little nutritional value (or not enough fat), we are left unsatisfied. This unsatisfied feeling often leads to excessive cravings and extra snacking as we look for satiety.

It has also been shown that a protein-rich breakfast not only keeps you full during the morning hours, it actually helps sustain fullness throughout the entire day. This means we are more in control of our hunger and therefore our food choices.

Image by Drab Makyo

Good Choices for a Protein-Rich Breakfast

At first glance it seems that preparing a protein-rich breakfast might take a lot of extra time. It certainly isn't as quick as pouring cereal out of a box, but with a little forethought, you can have breakfast on the table without spending all morning in the kitchen.

Here are a few suggestions for a simple breakfast that is high in protein:

• Eggs (the most obvious choice) - Eat them scrambled, boiled, poached, fried, as an omelet, or in egg burritos.The best part about eggs is that they can be prepared very quickly (scrambling or frying takes only a few minutes), they are also economical.
  Don't forget to use a little healthy fat when preparing eggs. Fat such as coconut oil, palm oil, butter, ghee, tallow, or lard, are good for you and will help keep you full for a good few hours.

  If you are unsure about which type of eggs are best, read Stephanie's post about how to choose a good egg.

• Meat - such as sausage (homemade, if possible), bacon, or ham. Choose meat from pasture-raised animals when possible. Meat can be cut used economically by cutting into small pieces and adding to eggs, omelets, or casseroles.

• Peanut butter on toast - Yes, this does include bread, but it is a good way to increase protein simply.

• Smoothies made with nut butter or yogurt. Or a real food protein shake.

• Breakfast Casseroles - usually egg based. They are a good place to include extras such as cheese, meat and vegetables and many recipes can be pu together the night before and baked in the morning.

• Protein Pancakes - recipe below.

Protein Pancakes

Pancakes are favorites of many children, but definitely fall into the high-carbohydrate category. Adding cottage cheese and extra eggs will increase the protein level significantly. (I promise you won't taste the cottage cheese!)

I consider this recipe a good compromise. Eating eggs would be preferable, but it's still a good choice. These are a family favorite around our house.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (if you are not there yet, use unbleached white flour and gradually replace small amounts with wheat flour)
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil (I currently use safflower oil but plan to try it with coconut oil soon)

Method
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Cook as you would regular pancakes (use plenty of butter to grease the pan).

Do you like to eat protein for breakfast? What are you favorite protein-rich breakfast foods?

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This post was originally published over a year ago, but I continue to find questions on feeding babies and introducing solids in my inbox, so I thought that this was worth re-posting. And with another year to see how Johanna has responded to this style of feeding, I can say with even more certainty that this approach has helped her to develop into an easy-going, independent and un-picky eater. Hooray!

When I had my first baby, I was strangely eager to feed her "real" food. I couldn't wait to break out those baby spoons, to start grinding up food in my blender and moving in to that next stage of babyhood. I began when she was around 5 1/2 months old, a reasonable age I figured. I even drew up a lovely Type A chart for my fridge, to record her every bite, her reaction to each food, and how many days I waited before the next introduction.

My darling girl, however, had different plans. Her reaction to the food? Yawn... ho, hum. What's all the fuss about solids, mama? More milk, please!

A bit dismayed and confused, I backed off for a while. I continued to hesitantly offer a bit of food over the course of the next several months, and though she took it from time to time, she didn't truly care or seem to need it until she was more like 9 or 10 months.

Fast forward two and a half years. Now I had a little guy who began to approach that magical age of six months. I decide to play it a bit more relaxed this time, going far beyond 6 months to ensure that his gut is ready to handle and digest food. At around 7 or 8 months, I began to oh-so-slowly introduce my homemade babyfoods, one at a time. Success! He loves it, he's ready for it, and I didn't stress myself out by trying too early.

Then, while pregnant with my third this past spring, I read something that shook me up just a little bit more: Real Food for Mother and Baby, by Nina Planck.

Being the careful, cautious mother that I am, I had always made my baby's meals with whole, nourishing foods. I slowly introduced them, one by one, working from smooth purees to gradually chunkier combinations. I thought I had it all figured out.

Enter Nina's casual yet common sense approach. So long as it's "real" food (that is, foods that are old, traditional, whole, and were eaten by our great-grandparents), allow baby to eat it without fuss, without comment, without pureeing, without stress. Could it really be so simple?

Bless the babies of experimental moms like me. They get to be the guinea pigs of all our brilliant (and not-so-brilliant) ideas. Thankfully, Johanna is a pretty chill third child, and her mama has gone from being a bit of a basket case to a rather easy-going, relaxed, "sure, why not?" kind of mom.

Image by xlordashx

Here are my oh-so-brilliant and oh-so-precise methods for feeding my darling girl:

1. Wait until she's good and old. I had visions of 8 or 9 months, but this particular child seemed ready at about 7 1/2. I went with the flow. In the meantime, I gave her nothing but lots of warm, delightful, nourishing, always-available breastmilk for as long as I could.

2. Cook regular meals for the rest of the family.

3. Find something in those meals that seems to be safe for baby (ie. soft enough to gum, nothing that might cause a choking hazard, no grains until baby's digestive system is a little more mature around a year old). My first picks? Ground beef and liver, lightly cooked egg yolk, boiled sweet potato, steamed cauliflower or broccoli with butter, ripe banana, soft avocado chunks.

4. Break into small-ish pieces (note the precision) with your fingers. Put baby in a chair or on your lap. A bib is nice.

5. Allow baby to go for it.

6. Sweep floor thoroughly (this is in bold, because yes, it is necessary).

7. Repeat the next day.

Here's what I didn't do:

• Record what I fed her.
• Puree anything. At all. The closest I've come is to use a fork to lightly mash something. And she had some homemade applesauce because my older children were eating some.
• Use a spoon or a bowl.
• Wait several days between each new food introduction.
• Worry about how much she did or didn't eat.

The result? A happy baby who has not rejected a single thing I've offered her, including a myriad of different vegetables and liver. A happy mama who is able to sit and eat her own dinner with both of her hands, and who has saved herself the time and effort of preparing ice cube trays full of baby food.

Image by chimothy27

But What About...

Food allergies and sensitivities

A main reason that babies have reactions to foods is because they are fed too early. Babies that are given solids before six months (and many are fed as early as 3-5 months) do not have digestive systems that are capable of completely breaking down foods. Instead they have a "open gut" which means that particles of food (usually food proteins that their systems are not able to fully digest) make it through microscopic holes in the gut lining and into the blood stream. There, these particles create an allergic reaction, as the body treats them like foreign invaders.

By putting off solids until at least 6 months and longer if possible, the risk of food sensitivities greatly decreases. At this point baby is creating more of their own digestive enzymes and the "open gut" has matured and closed up.

Of course, if you already have severe allergies in the families (dairy, gluten, peanuts, etc.) then it would be wise and prudent to avoid these foods for as long as possible, and then only offer them in a very controlled and careful way the first few times to be able to observe any reaction to them.

Getting enough food

One of the things that I love most about this method of feeding is that it keeps breastfeeding as a priority and the main focus of baby's diet. So long as mom is offering the breast often and ensuring that her own diet/beverages are sufficient to keep up an ample milk supply for a larger baby, this solves the problem of whether the baby gets enough to eat. Baby will gradually begin to eat more and more of what they are offered (and begin to request more as well) as their needs and appetite grow.

Until my babies are around a year old, I offer breastmilk before I offer food. I don't make this an absolute firm rule, nor do I decide to not let them have food at lunch because I haven't been able to sit down and nurse them yet. It's simply a mindset of breastmilk being their primary food, and solids being secondary. This gradually shifts as baby grows bigger and becomes more and more interested in and capable of eating solids. The shift occurs naturally, I've found, if I let it happen that way.

But my baby is hungry before six months old...

I hate to say this, because it sounds insensitive or judgmental, and that is absolutely not how I want it to come across. But, when moms tell me this my first thought is that they may simply may not be making breastfeeding the priority.

(And I KNOW that there are absolutely exceptions to this and the occasional mom who just really, really struggles with her milk supply no matter what she tries, so please know that there is no criticism at all if you are one of those moms. I applaud your efforts to breastfeed in spite of difficulties!)

It takes a LOT to feed a growing baby. A lot. I eat and drink non-stop all day long, in order to continue to breastfeed my 8 1/2 mth old daughter (who is a bit of a roly-poly, chunky monkey, which equals a healthy baby). I feed her usually 1-3 times between 7pm-7am, and then another 4-6 times throughout the day. That's a lot of milk and I would be lying to say that it's effortless on a mama's part to keep making enough milk to satisfy a hungry, growing baby.

In my experience with my three babies, it takes commitment on my part. 100% commitment to maintaining as much milk as my little one needs means that I nurse more often, I don't try to force them to sleep through the night if they still need the milk, I add extra nursing sessions if my supply wanes, and I snack and sip continually. Yes, it's a bit more effort, but it's well, well worth it.

Can baby handle foods that aren't pureed?

From my experience and what I've read, yes, most babies can. There will be the odd baby that struggles with some of the chunkier textures or has a stronger gag reflex. In those cases, just calmly observe and make a decision that only you as the parent can make. If it doesn't work for your baby, then do something different. It's as simple as that.

I've linked to some excellent posts below, both of which address the choking and texture issues, which I think you will find helpful. They also get into many more of the specific details and reasoning behind this method of feeding babies. It is referred to in many different ways, including Baby-Led Solids or Baby-Led Weaning (referring to the entire process of weaning a baby from exclusive breastfeeding to solids to weaning from the breast). Both posts link to some other useful articles and books as well.

Feeding Baby Naturally: What, When & How

Baby Essentials That Aren't, Part 7: Baby Food

Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two, and Baby's First Foods(the book that started it all, for me at least)

Has anyone tried this approach to feeding their baby? What has your experience been like?

Image by Charlotte Speaks

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