7 Simple Tips for Healthy Holidays

Healthy Child Healthy World

Sometimes the stress from holidays can result in big headaches. But, a lot of other things about the holidays can impact your health as well. Follow these simple steps to make this year's holidays your healthiest ever.

1. Indulge in the only the best food by going organic. Special occasions call for scrumptious goodies. But indulging doesn't have to mean sacrificing your family's health. This year, strive for very special holiday meals made of the freshest organic foods. Today, you can find organic ingredients for every type of celebratory food, from free-range turkey to a mouth-watering apple pie. Look for the USDA Organic seal to be sure that you are buying foods produced without synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones, genetic engineering, irradiation and petroleum- or sewage sludge-based fertilizers.


2. Watch out for those brightly colored foods and candy! Holiday treats like candy canes and other goodies can be hard to resist. But many of our favorite sweet treats are full of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, some of which have questionable safety records. Saccharin, for example, is known to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Serve your child a well-balanced diet of whole foods and let your child indulge in moderate amounts of candy and other holiday treats. Read "Limit Your Child's Intake of Food Additives" for a list of potentially dangerous food additives that should definitely be avoided.


3. To perfume the air with a holiday fragrance, simmer spices such as cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Special scents create a festive holiday mood. However, scented candles, incense, air fresheners and other fragrance products are filled with chemical cocktails that can pollute indoor air, causing headaches, fatigue and other symptoms. Scented candles tend to produce more black soot than nonscented candles. And some candles-particularly those made in foreign countries-are made with stiff, metal wicks, which often contain lead. When lit, these candles release lead dust. Both soot and lead can be inhaled or ingested by small children, which may lead to health problems. Soot contains suspected carcinogens and lead causes brain damage. Learn more about non-toxic holiday aromas.


4. Raid your kitchen pantry to make your house sparkle for holiday guests. Cleaning your house in preparation for guests is one holiday tradition no one cherishes. To make it less unpleasant to all concerned, use mild, nontoxic cleaners. Most cleaning can be accomplished with a few nontoxic items from your kitchen pantry such as baking soda, washing soda and vinegar (to name a few). These ingredients can even be used to polish the silver! Learn more Recipes for Safer Cleaners.


5. Be aware that holiday lights may contain lead. In many electronic products, wires and cords are coated with PVC plastic, which is where the lead is found. Lead is used in PVC wires and cords to make it more flexible and reduce the risk of fire. Lead is also used in many PVC products to stabilize the color. The amount of lead in the lights and other consumer products may vary considerably and it is not clear if the amount of lead that is released poses a risk to human health. Some tests show that lead could come off in the hands. It's best not to let children handle the lights. The adult that does handle them should wash his or her hands immediately afterwards.


6. Retire that old, plastic tree. Plastic Christmas trees may appear to make environmental sense, because they can be used for many years. And about 20 million households put up a tree that is 9 years old or older. But old Christmas trees, which are made of PVC, are a potential health threat to children. PVC has been dubbed the most toxic plastic. One reason is that PVC contains significant amounts of lead as a stabilizer. In 2002, Foundation E.A.R.T.H. discovered that as these plastic trees age, they release lead dust, which collects on tree branches and the floor beneath the tree. Most of the plastic trees come from China and they exceed U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommendations for lead levels in consumer products. Lead is an extremely toxic heavy metal capable of producing long-term behavioral and brain damage, even at low doses. To be extra safe, don't let your children touch or handle a plastic tree or crawl underneath it. Don't keep presents underneath it either, as they will collect any lead dust that falls. Better yet, purchase a fresh, organic tree this year - it's a renewable resource that can be recycled!


7. This holiday season, burn a safer fire. As you cozy up to the fireplace this winter, remember that particles and gases from fires can make breathing difficult, especially for asthmatics. Make sure you ventilate well. Dry wood burns hotter and cleaner than "green" wood and hardwoods are better than coniferous trees, or evergreens. (That includes your Christmas tree, which is better off recycled.) For more tips, see How To Build a Safer Fire. Note: Fires also emit carcinogens, so keep fires to a minimum.

7 Frugal Food Tips for the Farmers Market

by Janelle Sorensen

Feeding a family can be an expensive endeavor - especially if you're trying to avoid things like pesticides, genetically modified ingredients, synthetic hormones, or any of the other questionable contaminants or practices related to modern industrial farming. Good, pure food isn't cheap. Or is it?

Photo: Tiffany Washko / CC BY 2.0

It can be if you know where to look for it. Your local farmers market can be a treasure trove of affordable, organic fare. Even if it's not certified organic, many of the farmers who sell food at the farmers market often have relatively small scale operations and are more likely to use environmentally beneficial practices including using less synthetic inputs like toxic pesticides and sewage sludge fertilizers. Often the foods are cheaper than the grocery store because by buying directly from a farmer, you are avoiding the extra costs that are involved in commercial food production (processing, inspection, packing, shipping, etc.).

Here are 7 tips to get the most bang for your buck at the farmers market:

1. Shop around. Find your nearest farmers market, other nearby markets, and even farm stands. (Visit Local Harvest to get started). You'll only know where the deals are if you comparison shop. Check out each location and each vendor.


2. Make friends. Talk to the farmers (often the same people that grow the food, sell the food). Ask questions about the farm, the food, their business. Small farmers are usually very passionate about their work and will talk your ear off if you get them started. Befriend farmers to build a lasting relationship - then reap the rewards of the secret deals only loyal customers receive. Go the extra mile by bringing your favorite farmer a loaf of zucchini bread you made from his produce. And, remember, flattery will get you everywhere. If their berries make you go bananas, tell them! Everyone loves a compliment.


3. Be flexible. Skip the shopping list and look for what's cheap. Often, odd specialty foods (like heirloom, ethnic or rare vegetables) are at cut-rate prices due to their less than significant popularity. If you're flexible, you can save money as well as expand your palate - perhaps finding new favorites you never knew existed. If you're unsure about what something might taste like or how to prepare it, just ask! Oftentimes a farmer will have cooking secrets to share or even printed recipes for you to take home.


4. Barter. Money isn't everything. After you've established a relationship with a farmer, offer your time in exchange for food. If you have a certain skill - like accounting, web design, mechanics, carpentry, etc - your time may be a valuable asset to a farmer. Likewise, you can offer to be an extra farm hand - weeding, cleaning barns, whatever the two of you find mutually beneficial.


5. Bulk up. At the farmers market most produce is available based on seasonality. That's not to say you can't find certain foods out of season, but just like at the grocery store - you're going to pay a premium. So, bulk up on foods when it's the natural harvest time and there's a healthy surplus (which drives prices down). You might be able to get it even cheaper by offering to buy cases or crates of food. Save your seasonal food by canning, drying, or freezing. Or, share the savings and split bulk purchases with friends or family.


6. Volunteer. Find out if there's a community organization that coordinates your market. If so, they almost certainly need volunteers. Becoming a volunteer will help you get to know the farmers better and likely earn you discounts and free products for your benevolent service.


7. Go late. If you want the best selection, go early. If you want the best bargains, go late. Vendors would rather sell off their stock than haul it back to the farm (especially if it's something with a short shelf life like lettuce or herbs). Haggle a bit to get the price down (but don't be annoying or make disrespectful offers). Again, try to build a real relationship and offer to buy up the days-end goods on a regular basis. Then you'll be saving money by buying in bulk with the added savings of getting the rock bottom price.

Related Topics:

• Organic Foods Slideshow: To Buy or Not to Buy Organic
• Safer Food For A Healthier You
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health Newsletter

Organic Lunchbox Challenge

Our guest blogger is Alan Greene, MD, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine, Attending Pediatrician at Packard Children's Hospital, and Senior Fellow at the University California San Francisco Center for the Health Professions. He is also founder of DrGreene.com and author of Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care.

Students I speak with observe that school food is often either unappetizing (overcooked cafeteria veggies) or unhealthy. Tasty junk food at school has become a magnet for kids across the nation, encouraging nutrition choices that hurt kids now, and build unhealthy habits for the long run.

Thankfully, a growing wave of school boards is starting to tackle the issue, one school district at a time. A quick phone call to your school board could help tip them into action.

But even when action is taken, there is usually a lag of a year or more before the menu actually changes. The Organic Lunchbox is something simple you can do in the meantime to provide your children delicious food that gives them energy for today and builds healthy, vibrant bodies for tomorrow. I'm encouraging parents everywhere to give their children at least one serving of organic food every day this year. Here's why, then how:

Background

Toxic chemicals are toxic.

We know that pesticides and other chemicals (such as mercury) that can contaminate our food supply cause serious health problems if the exposures to these chemicals are high enough. These problems include cancers (such as brain cancer, breast cancer, and childhood leukemia), behavior problems, ADHD, learning disabilities, genital abnormalities, and reproductive problems.

We know that the very problems that can be caused by these environmental chemicals are increasing in our society and in our children. We know that childhood brain cancer and leukemia have each increased by more than 50 percent since 1975. We know that autism diagnoses have increased 10 times since the 1980's.

We know that children have higher exposures to pesticides and other chemicals than do adults, and that even at the same exposures, they are at higher risk.

We've known from several good studies that pesticides and toxic chemicals aren't just in the environment - but get into our developing children's bodies. Some kids have high levels and others quite low. What's different between these kids? Is there anything simple and practical that parents can do to lower their own children's risks? A provocative study was published in October 2002 in the Environmental Health Perspectives, the journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH. Here, children were divided into two groups: those who ate mostly conventional foods and those who ate mostly organic foods. All urine for 24 hours was collected from each child. Children who ate conventional diets had mean pesticide concentrations in their urine 9 times higher than the children who ate organic! Their levels indicated that they had exceeded safe exposure levels set by the EPA and were at increased risk to their health. By contrast, those children who ate organic foods were well within the EPA levels deemed to cause negligible risk. Feeding children organic foods is something simple and practical parents can do right now to protect their children and help them build healthy bodies.

The Organic Lunchbox

I recommend that children get a variety of healthy foods. Together, the foods below would make an ideal lunch, loaded with body-building vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other important nutrients (perhaps some that haven't even been discovered yet). I'm asking parents to include at least one of these items every day. Even adding one of these a day could make a big difference for our children and our environment:

A Serving of Organic Fruit. This might be an organic apple, organic grapes, or a bag of organic cherries from the local farmers' market. Thankfully, organic produce is available at more and more grocery stores as well. And the more that people ask for organic produce, the more available it will be. There are so many types of delicious fruit! My kids love kiwi bowls. Take a kiwi, cut it in half, and scoop out the yummy treasure using the thick skin as a bowl.

A Serving of Organic Veggies. This might be a bag of small carrots from Earthbound Farms. Some kids like veggies (and even fruit) better if they are sent with a dip. A variety of dressings or yogurts can make tasty dips. Ants on a log are a perennial favorite (raisins on a peanut butter - or cream cheese - filled celery stick). My kids sometimes enjoy fresh sugar snap peas to munch, or English peas to shell and pop into the mouth - we get them both at the farmers' market. Or you might get veggies in as a snack food, such as Just Veggies, or in a drink (such as carrot orange or carrot berry juice).

A Serving of Organic Whole Grains. The easiest way to get this in is as a bread, a cereal, or a cracker. I like breads from Rudi's Organic Bakery. The French Meadow Bakery also makes some delicious organic breads. A simple sandwich can be a convenient centerpiece to a great lunch. Keep in mind, though, that not all lunches need a centerpiece. A hunk of bread along with the other items in the lunchbox can make a perfect lunch without a 'main dish'.

An Organic Calcium Source. Two out of three kids in the U.S. do not get enough calcium in their diets! School-age children need at least 800 mg daily through age 8, and 1300 mg daily from age 9 to 13. A glass of milk has about 300 mg; a serving of yogurt about 400 mg; a slice of cheese might have about 200 mg. Those who don't get calcium at lunch are unlikely to meet their daily needs. Lunch might include a serving of Stonyfield Farm organic yogurt - in a cup, as a fun Squeezer, or as an organic drinkable yogurt. Organic cheese is another good option. For kids who don't do dairy, there are many other calcium options, including green vegetables, or even calcium enriched juices.

An Organic Source of Lean Protein. You may have already provided your child with protein by giving them yogurt or a simple sandwich with Organic cheese. If there is not another protein source in the lunchbox yet, consider a hardboiled egg (perhaps an organic egg high in DHA), organic beans, or a sandwich with lean organic meats.

They DON'T Need: added sugars (especially high fructose corn syrups), added fats (especially partially hydrogenated fats), lots of artificial colors and other chemicals, or foods grown with pesticides, antibiotics, or hormones.

The Evil Twin

Let's compare the commonsense, tasty lunch above with a popular prepackaged combination lunch-in-a-box, the kinds some kids fight over in the grocery store aisles. The one in front of me contains hot dogs, with cola to drink, and candy for dessert.

The Organic Fruit? None. There is no fruit at all. 0% of the daily requirement for vitamin C (among many others).

The Organic Vegetable? None. There is no vegetable, unless you count the catsup. 0% of the recommended servings of vegetables. Less than 2% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A.

The Organic Whole Grain? None. There is no whole grain. Only highly processed, nutritionally depleted white bread, with insufficient fiber.

The Organic Calcium Source? There is a small amount of calcium, but not close to the amount needed at lunch to meet the day's requirements - it leaves them needing to catch up.

The Lean Protein Source? No lean protein source here. The saturated fats are artery-clogging and fattening even to kids. What protein there is comes from mechanically separated turkey and pork treated with sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, and nitrites. We know nothing about how the animals were raised.

It Also Contains: caffeine, chemical preservatives such as potassium sorbate and calcium proprionate, artificial chemical flavors, artificial chemical colors, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, added sugar, dextrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup - about 12 teaspoons of sugars, and more saturated fat than anyone should eat at a meal.

All of the vitamins or minerals whose levels are disclosed on the package are quite low. It would take 10 of these meals to give a day's supply of calcium or iron, 50 meals to get a day's supply of vitamin A, and you would never get enough vitamin C - no matter how many of these you ate. Ten of these meals would supply almost 5000 calories, almost 200 gm of fat, and 8500 mg of sodium. This is part of what we mean by empty calories.

This may seem like an unfair comparison, but children eat food like this evil twin every day - food that they purchase at school, or pack along with them. The number one food kids eat? French Fries!

The Lunchbox Challenge

Let this be the year where you give your child at least one serving of organic food a day. The Organic Lunchbox is one great option. If packing lunch doesn't work well for your family, consider starting the day right with a serving of organic food for breakfast. The research is clear that whether and what a child eats at breakfast makes a difference in learning, behavior, and test scores all morning long.

Isn't it great that choosing healthy delicious food can make a real difference for our children today - and in years to come when they have walked out their childhoods, out of our homes, out of our reach, but never out of our hearts!

Last reviewed January 2005. As research is on-going, you may want to check several sources for the latest information.

Related Topics:

• Organic Foods Slideshow: To Buy or Not to Buy Organic
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health Newsletter

Healthy Body Care Tip #2: Learn Label Lingo

by Christopher Gavigan

"Natural," "Hypoallergenic," "Herbal," "Organic" - they all sound like exactly what any parent would want to apply to their child's delicate skin. But while these terms are tempting product descriptions, don't judge the book by its cover. Currently, there is only one clear-cut hallmark of safety and that is the USDA Certified Organic seal. This seal is the only one that has defined standards and is actually regulated.

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of Certified Organic body care products available and they typically cost much more than most families can afford. You can still make safer choices, but you have to be a savvy consumer. Use these two label-decoding tips to help you find the safest products:

1. Read the actual ingredients list. Even though marketing claims are largely unregulated, manufacturers are required to list the actual ingredients of products in order of volume. Still, reading product ingredients is like reading another language.
   
   Here are the top toxic ten to try to avoid: Parabens, Phthalates, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance, Triclosan, Sodium Laureth/Lauryl Sulfate, Formaldehyde, Toluene, Ceteareth and PEG compounds, Anything with "glycol" or "methyl."
   
   It may be difficult to always avoid everything in this list, but do your best to cut back as much as possible.


2. Go fragrance-free. The one loop-hole in ingredients lists is "fragrance" (aka "parfum"). Fragrances of products are considered industry secrets and that single component can actually be made up of over a hundred other ingredients that do not need to be spelled out in the ingredients list. Play it safe by avoiding it. And, again, it does not matter if the label says "unscented." Read the ingredients to ensure that this suspect element is not present.

Worried you won't remember what to watch for? Go to Healthy Child Healthy World to print a pocket guide to keep with you when you're shopping.

Related Topics:

• Healthier Hygiene
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health Newsletter

The 5 Most Important Things We Can Do to Protect the Planet

by Christopher Gavigan

I recently spoke with Julia Wasson of Blue Planet Green Living and she asked me what I think are the five most important things we can do to save the planet.

Saving the planet - let's just say, protecting the planet. I'd like to frame this whole thing as protecting the planet instead of saving the earth. The planet doesn't need to be saved. The planet will be around a lot longer than we will.

1. Really, we need to save ourselves and save our existence and our civilization as we know it. I believe that it's a humankind challenge in how we accept and interact with each other. Certainly, love and respect and the ability to listen and be collaborative is part of that process. I think we could learn to love ourselves, our families, and each other a little bit more and judge less. I think if you embrace the fact that we're all trying our best and really take that critical nature out of it, we would be less entrenched in our own opinions and more willing to listen and be collaborative.


2. We certainly all could eat less meat and rely less on land animals as food sources. There's no question about it that the amount of resource intensity required by meat and dairy production and the amount of land source degradation happen because of eating animals. And so, I would embrace the fact that we could protect the planet more if we all ate less meat. I've been doing this as a vegetarian for almost 15 years now.


3. We should use less toxic products in our daily lives, from our cleaners to our beauty care products to the mattresses and furniture we build. We need to be aware of the chemicals that exist in each one of those and understand that you don't have to live a chemically laden life. Reducing the amount of chemicals is more beneficial for the planet, for our waterways, and for land, our children's future, and also our own health.


4. Another thing we should think about is the "buying cycle," and put some intentional thinking around this. Every day, I realize that less really is more. Truly, I need less to have a fulfilled and happy life. Just buying less would be very anti-capitalistic and anti-consumptive, but the planet would breathe a big "Ahhh" of relief. Being less consumptive is a powerful thing. You're requiring less, you're demanding less of the earth. And you're reducing your impact on the planet, something that I think about. Certainly, it's a challenge of mine. I always can do better at it, but it's an intention of mine, and I do a little better every day.


5. The last thing is being grateful. I don't think, as a culture, as a species, we're grateful enough. Grateful for the moments that we have. Grateful for the people that are in our lives. And grateful for the resources that we have and the ease of the life that we have. I try to be very intentional every day when I wake up in the morning. I try to think of those things that I'm most grateful for, and I try to think of something new every day. Being more grateful is a way to recognize the magnitude and the importance of where we are and our lives. And embracing the fact that we have a limited time here and we should make the most of it for our children, for the people who are around us, and for the planet.

Related Topics:

• 25 Ways to Create a Green and Healthy Home
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health Newsletter

Healthy Spoonfuls: 3 Ways to Feed Your Baby the Best

by Christopher Gavigan

Photo: LilySusie

A baby's first bites of solid foods are thoroughly entertaining to watch. New flavors and textures provoke faces that are both adorable and incredibly funny. What's not so funny is that in some instances, there are invisible contaminants, fillers, and unhealthy ingredients hiding in those tiny spoonfuls of food. And if your baby is eating non-organic food, he's also eating pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and synthetic preservatives and additives.

While traces of contaminants are tiny, they build up quickly in a child's diet as children eat more food pound for pound than adults. In fact, children one through five years of age eat three to four (or more) times as much food per pound of body weight as an average American adult. In addition, their developing bodies are more vulnerable and less able to detoxify.

Because there is a growing body of evidence showing these toxins can impair child health and development, common sense compels us to minimize exposure whenever possible. Especially during pregnancy and infancy when their bodies are most vulnerable, we need to take precautionary action - a "better safe than sorry" approach and choose an organic diet for our little ones. Not only does an organic diet reduce exposure to contaminants and synthetic additives, some studies also show that organic foods are healthier and have more antioxidants and added nutrition.

There are a variety of options and many opportunities to take toxins off the menu. Here are some easy ideas for feeding your baby an organic, safe and healthy diet:

1. Store bought. With the growing interest in organic foods, there is also an increase in availability of pre-made organic baby foods. Some are on the shelf right next to their conventional counterparts and other can be found in the refrigerated or frozen food sections. Look for names like Plum Organics, Happy Baby, Homemade Baby, Tasty Baby, or Sprout Baby Food.

2. Delivered. Referred to as "baby food catering", home delivery services are the pinnacle of convenience. Service providers include Bohemian Baby and Pomme Bebe.

3. Homemade. Not nearly as intimidating as it sounds, homemade baby food is the freshest and most inexpensive option (with the added benefit of having the least impact on the environment). My wife makes all of our son's food and has been super charged with how easy and enjoyable it's been. She uses fruits and veggies with a variety of colors and tastes then adds in probiotics and flax seed oil for additional nutritional benefit.

To make your own, pick one time a week to cook and puree selected foods and then freeze in an ice cube tray for handy serving sizes. WholesomeBabyFood.com offers age appropriate recipes, as well as tips for cooking and storing food. You can also get a handy, portable food grinder and freezer storage trays at Fresh Baby. Find local, organic food in your neighborhood using the Eat Well Guide, which lists not only grocery stores, but also co-ops, farmer's markets, and CSAs (where you buy a share of food from a local farm).

Photo: LilySusie

Organic on a Budget: For many parents, buying all organic all the time is a financial impossibility, so keep this in mind: certain foods have higher levels of chemical residues including meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy, as well as apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries - so focus on getting the organic versions of these items. Some foods typically have very low levels of residues and are okay to purchase conventionally grown, including avocados, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, kiwis, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant.

You can also invest selectively. We have committed to trying to feed our son 100% organic for at least his first year (yes, I said "trying," no one's perfect). When they get older, choose the foods they eat the most of. If they eat a ton of apples, make sure you're buying them organic even if you can't buy everything organic. Overall, just do the best you can and concentrate on consistently providing a healthy, fresh, well-balanced diet for baby and family. Bon Appetit!

Sources:

• Consumer Reports. Better for Baby? Our analysis finds organic food is safer for children. January 2006.
• Landrigan, P. et al. Children's Health and the Environment: A New Agenda for Prevention Research. Environmental Health Perspectives. June 1998, 106, 3, 787-794.
• Virginia Worthington. Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. April 1, 2001, 7(2): 161-173.
• Lombardi-Boccia, G. et al. Nutrients and Antioxidant Molecules in Yellow Plums from Conventional and Organic Productions: A Comparative Study. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2004, 52, 90-94.
• Asami, D. et al. Comparison of the Total Phenolic and Ascorbic Acid Content of Freeze-Dried and Air-Dried Marionberry, Strawberry, and Corn Grown Using Conventional, Organic, and Sustainable Agricultural Practices. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2003, 51, 1237-1241.

Related Topics:

• Starter Guide to Baby Food and Nutrition
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health Newsletter

The Eco-Layette: Safer Fabrics for Your Baby and the Planet

by Christopher Gavigan

Dressing newborn babies is a fine art. Getting tiny flailing limbs to shimmy down a long sleeve. Easing a floppy little head through a neck hole. Keeping their infinitesimal socks from falling off their feet. Just when you get it figured out, new tests begin; including the mastery of stain removal and the miraculous feat of keeping a toddler clothed at all. No matter which skill you are perfecting, you will always need to know how to select the safest fabrics.

Many new parents assume that cotton is the best fabric for their baby's clothes and bedding because it's a natural fiber, but conventionally grown cotton is one of the most pesticide intensive crops grown in the US. After the cotton is picked and milled into fabric, a soup of chemicals that are known to harm human health are used to dye and finish the fabric. Chemicals like formaldehyde and urea resins are used to increase stain resistance, wrinkle-proofing, and even disinfecting. Most "finishing" chemicals contain volatile organic compounds that are often sensitizers and suspected carcinogens. Often, the clippings from fabric mills are so loaded with chemicals they are handled like toxic waste, while the products made from these materials are considered safe to bring into our homes.

Now take a deep breath and relax - your baby is okay. There are safer options and solutions other than immediately ripping the onesie off your baby. Residues on baby clothing and bedding are minimal and have only been shown to cause contact dermatitis (generally in people with sensitive skin). Still, we really don't know what long term health impacts may arise from the subtle, but constant exposure to chemicals in clothing and bedding.

Luckily, we don't have to wait to find out. We can select safer fabrics today:

Organic Cotton: Perhaps the most obvious choice is organic cotton, grown without the use of pesticides. Look for options that are not only grown organically, but are also untreated (i.e. they are finished and dyed using natural, non-toxic processes). You can also look for organic, untreated wool which is naturally fire-resistant and a good choice for children's sleepwear.

Bamboo: Another fabric increasing in popularity is made from bamboo, which has a natural softness and sheen similar to silk or cashmere. Bamboo is completely biodegradable and can be grown without pesticides or chemicals. Look for fabrics certified by Oeko-Tex which ensures that fabric made from bamboo fibers is chemical-free.

Hemp: Surprising to some, hemp is another option and is naturally pest resistant so requires few, if any, of the pesticides used on conventional cotton. Still, there's no certification process, so you can't be sure that the hemp has been grown pesticide-free.

More options: Other choices include linen, soy, inego (corn-based), and even recycled plastic (which Patagonia has been using in their fleece for quite some time). Given the textile industry's penchant for pollution and people's growing concern over the health of the planet, new eco-fabrics are popping up everywhere. You just need to do a little research.

While the availability of safer fabrics is increasing, you may find that your baby budget needs to increase in order to purchase them. Unfortunately, green garments typically are more expensive than their conventional counterparts. For example, a conventional cotton onesie costs about $2; an organic cotton onesie is about $15-$20 (although through some persistent hunting I did find some for $5); and a bamboo onesie will cost you about $20 - $25.

The good news: Eco-fabrics, in addition to being safer for your baby and the planet, are also more durable, meaning they'll last longer (if you master stain removal). Still, babies grow out of clothes extremely fast, so what good is durability? Hold on to them for potential siblings, trade with friends and family, sell them at consignment shops or on-line. They are beautiful, high-quality garments meant to last, and healthier for the planet, which our children will inherit.

If you can't afford organic, natural fibers, don't fret. The big rule is to always wash all fabrics, stuffed toys, linens before they come in contact with your little one - preferably in a non-toxic laundry soap. Also, the greenest option is also the cheapest option: buy second hand. Gently used clothing has typically been washed enough times already to eliminate any fears of chemical residues. So don your green-halo and hit the thrift stores, Craigslist, Freecycle, or Ebay. With the money you save, treat your baby to a luxurious untreated, organic cotton blanket that he'll use for years.

You can start your eco-layette today by visiting the following sites: CottonMonkey.com, Babysoyusa.com, Bamboosa.com, Ecowise.com, Greenbabies.com, Kee-ka.com, KidBean.com, Nuiorganics.com, Positively-organic.com, Purebeginnings.com, Sagecreeknaturals.com, Speesees.com, Underthenile.com.

Sources:
Waste Couture: Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry Transforming the Textile Industry Health and Environmental Impacts in Finishing Industry (RTF) Chemicals and Textiles Allergic Contact Dermatitis in Children

Related Topics:

• Give Your Baby the Best Start
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health Newsletter

The ABC's of a Healthy and Green Baby Shower

by Christopher Gavigan

Especially during pregnancy, it's usually best to keep it simple, healthy, and pure. Here's our simple approach - with help from the ABC's - to plan a baby shower that celebrates the life and health of the baby, as well as the Earth she'll be living on.

Ask everyone to forgo fragrance. Avoid exposure to phthalates by making it clear in your invitations that this event is scent-free.

Buy eco-friendly decorations. Use potted plants, artfully arranged twigs, rocks and shells or even crystal bowls filled with seasonal fruit (a la Martha Stewart) for lovely, natural decorations.
Clean up using eco-friendly supplies. Look for natural products or use kitchen ingredients like baking soda and vinegar.

Dish up food on compostable or reusable dishware. Use your good china to really make the day feel special (and reduce an enormous amount of waste). Or go second best by using eco-friendly disposables. Check out the Biodegradable Store, EarthShell, or Royal Chinet.

E-vite your guests. Using email invitations (like evite.com) is a great way to quickly get the word out and track RSVPs. It's also better for the environment (no paper, no waste, no fuel emissions from sending invites, etc).

Find the most natural setting. If you can have it outside, great! If not, at least choose a venue that will respect your green ideas.

Get your green game on. Choose waste-free games and provide green prizes like natural personal care products or soy candles.

Have a good time. This goes without saying, but really - after all this planning - just enjoy yourself during the party.

Inform your guests that this is a green shower. Make sure your requests are clear, so none of your guests feel awkward from missing the memo.

Judge not. Make sure that no matter what shade of green a guest is, she feels welcome and appreciated.

Know your guests. Some may take a little more cajoling to make the green jump.

Look for local. Whether it's food or flowers, try to find all of the products you need from local vendors.

Make it a learning experience. You've taken all this time to make it green, share your newfound knowledge with your guests.

Need help? Ask! Hosting a green baby shower can take a lot of preparation. Have a team to help.

Opt for organic. Look for foods and beverages with the USDA Certified Organic seal.

Plan far in advance. Coordinating any type of party takes time. When you're trying to make it as healthy and green as possible, you should start even earlier.

Quench your thirst with pure beverages. Keep mom and all her adoring guests healthily hydrated with filtered water (not bottled). Have a pitcher and plenty of glassware available.

Register for green gifts. Make it easy for your guests to find the perfect green gift by having the mom-to-be register at on-line stores such as Maple Grace, Our Green House, or Better for Babies.

Strive for zero-waste. Use dishware instead of disposables. Look for products and packaging that are recyclable or compostable.

Try not to get neurotic. Do what you can and let go of what you can't.

Unwrap. Encourage guests to rethink wrapping. Use a baby blanket, a pretty silk scarf, or a recycled paper gift bag.

Ventilate. Keep fresh air flowing by opening a window (even just a crack, for a few minutes if it's winter.)

Write eco-friendly thank yous. Use e-cards to send your thank yous. Some services will even allow you to embed a video. (Your guests would love to see your new baby!)

eXamine gifts. I know you're never supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth, but after your guests leave, decide which gifts are keepers. Just because your Aunt Mary gave you a bottle of expensive baby lotion (with risky chemical ingredients) doesn't mean you should slather your new baby in it for sentiment's sake.

Yank some plugs. (Hey, there aren't many verbs that start with "y".) Save some energy by unplugging unnecessary electronics and appliances.

Zip your memories. Have everyone email you their images and video and then zip them into a file to send to everyone else. You'll save the memories of the day and save paper and chemicals by allowing everyone to only print what they love.

Related Topics:

• Getting the Baby Shower You Want
• Give Your Baby the Best Start
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter

Mother's Day the Green and Healthy Way

Make a Mama Proud

by Janelle Sorensen

I openly admit that I have repeatedly taken the easy way out on Mother's Day and just bought flowers and a card. I will also admit that I would be disappointed, to say the least, if my husband or my children (when they are grown) did the same thing for me. Flowers and cards are a nice gesture, but they really fall short of showing moms how much they truly mean to us.

Make your mother (or wife) proud this year by putting a little more thought into it. Think about what she's done for you. Think about what would be memorable for her. Think about a way to show her that doesn't involve pesticide-laden flowers, chemical-laced lotions, or over-packaged candies. I know I sound like a holiday spoiler, but gifts really can be healthy for the people receiving them and healthy for the planet we live on. Think of how proud the special women in your life will be that you're considering the bigger picture.

Okay. Enough with all the thinking. I've actually taken a little bit of the thought out of it for you by finding 5 awesome options (that are completely recession proof) for the moms in your life. You can thank me later.

1. Give her a time out. Whether it's with or without the kids around, let mom lie around and do nothing. No cooking, cleaning, laundry, diaper changing, tantrum squelching, spit-up washing, trying to get the baby to sleep, or getting up a million times for random reasons like rescuing toys from the toilet or making sure that wasn't a meow heard coming from the dryer for an entire 24 hours.


2. Unplug. Turn off the TV and the computer and the video games for the day and get outside. Take a walk, a bike ride, or a break on a blanket at the park.


3. Give the gift of time. Give mom a break by volunteering to run errands, prepare dinner, or tend the garden. Or, give her some one-on-one attention by making plans for just you and her.


4. Make a DIY Spa Kit. Pamper mom with a basket of indulgent goodies. Sugar scrub: fill a small container with white sugar, saturate with apricot or olive oil, add a couple drops of lavender oil or organic vanilla extract. Facial mask: mix a little ground oatmeal with organic honey in a small container. Have mom open her pores with a warm wash cloth, apply the honey mask, leave on for 20 minutes, and then rinse. Bath salts: mix 3 cups Epsom salts, 2 cups baking soda and 1 cup table salt with an essential oil. You can find many more recipes by doing a simple on-line search.


5. Write a Letter from the Heart. Hand-written letters are nearly a lost art form, but they are a simple and priceless gift for someone you love. Don't worry if you're not as linguistically inclined as Shakespeare; just write what you think, in your words. Your mom (or wife) will love and cherish it forever.

Bonus Shameless Plug Idea: Every mom and even every grandmother - anyone who spends time with children - should have a copy of Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home. For only $11, it's one of the smartest investments you can make for your family's health.

Do you have an idea to share? Let us know in the comments!

Related Topics:

• WebMD Slideshow: The Best Gifts for Mom
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

10 Easy Ways to Eat "Green" Earth Day and Everyday

How to Shop for the Earth, Cook for Your Health and Bring Pleasure Back to Your Kitchen!

by Healthy Child Healthy World

Everyone's heard the cliché "you are what you eat." And, it's true - your health is intimately connected to the foods and drinks you put in your mouth. But, have you ever stopped to consider what other impacts your food choices may have? Industrial farming practices can cause soil and water pollution. Over-packaged, single-size foods result in litter and plastic waste that will linger in landfills for hundreds of years. The average American meal travels 1,500 miles from farm to fork increasing air pollution and greenhouse gases. Human health is affected by what we eat, but planetary health is affected by how we eat.

Luckily, we don't have to sacrifice either health or the environment. And, you might even find that when you start considering both and making smarter choices, your foods are more flavorful and cooking is more enjoyable. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Start simple by trying the easy (and affordable) tips below.

Photo: Donika Sadiku

1. Eat a healthier snack like a USDA Certified organic apple. Organic certification guarantees that the product has been grown, handled and processed without synthetic pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, artificial ingredients, preservatives and without using genetic modification or irradiation. Organic certification also means the farmer is promoting biological diversity by rotating crops, conserving and renewing the soil, and protecting water sources.

Organic foods are the best investment you can make for your health, but they can cost quite a bit more. According to the Environmental Working Group, you can lower your pesticide exposure by 90 per cent simply by avoiding the most contaminated conventionally grown produce: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots, and pears. If you're really craving one of these foods, opt for organic. Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that have the lowest levels of pesticide residue include: onion, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomato, and sweet potato. You can download the EWG pocket guide that lists these and the dirty dozen from Foodnews.org.

Photo Credit: Keven Law

2. Ease up on animal fats. Meat and dairy products are major sources of saturated fat in the U.S. diet, and contribute to higher risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Animal products can also contain hormones, antibiotics and organochlorine chemicals, such as dioxin, DDT and other pesticides, which concentrate in animal fat. Modern meat production also consumes water, energy and land. Animal waste produces air and water pollution. And red meat production creates about 3.5 times more greenhouse gases than that of grains.

When you do buy meat, poultry or dairy, look for low fat options (get the unsaturated fats your body needs from plant sources like walnuts, flax seeds, and avocados). You can also do a favor for your body and the planet by reducing how much meat you eat. Making even one vegetarian meal a week can make a big difference.

3. Ban the can. Canned foods and beverages are lined with a resin that contains bisphenol-A, a hormone-disrupting chemical that's building up in our environment and our bodies. Most manufacturers are beginning to explore safer alternatives, but in the meantime you should choose foods that are fresh, dried or frozen or packaged in glass jars or tetra packs.

4. Select safer seafood. Eating seafood is the primary way we are exposed to methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin. Fish can also be contaminated with PCBs, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the Environmental Protection Agency have declared a probable carcinogen. In addition, many commercial fishing practices damage the aquatic ecosystems or depleting fish stocks to dangerous levels. Worldwide about 90% of large predatory fish stocks are already gone. Use the Environmental Defense Fund's Safe Seafood Selector to find species that are lowest in chemical and heavy metal contamination and that are fished in ways that are not harmful to our oceans.

5. Bulk up. It's common knowledge that buying in bulk saves money, but it also reduces waste because there's so much less packaging. In addition, bulk foods are often less processed so you reduce your exposure to questionable food additives. Bulk cook staples like beans and other legumes and store them in your freezer in serving sizes that are appropriate for your family size.

6. Turn on your tap. Plastic bottled water is over-priced, over packaged, and not necessarily cleaner than tap. In fact, municipal tap water is more regulated than bottled water and some bottled water is just tap water with a clever name. It's a waste of your money that creates enormous amounts of waste. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council,

"In 2006, the equivalent of 2 billion half-liter bottles of water were shipped to U.S. ports, creating thousands of tons of global warming pollution and other air pollution. And while the bottles come from far away, most of them end up close to home - in a landfill. Most bottled water comes in recyclable PET plastic bottles, but only about 13 percent of the bottles we use get recycled. In 2005, 2 million tons of plastic water bottles ended up clogging landfills instead of getting recycled."

Make an investment in a water filter and reusable stainless steel water bottles. They quickly pay for themselves. While you're at it, skip the soda and other bottled drinks. Water's much better for you.

7. Purge plastic. Okay, it's almost impossible to eliminate plastic - and sometimes there's no better choice. Still, plastics are clogging our landfills, polluting our Oceans (check out the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, 100 million tons of debris that's essentially made a trash island in the ocean), and being petroleum-based products, they create a lot of pollution when they're manufactured. In regards to human health, studies are piling up showing how chemicals leach from many plastics and end up in our food and drinks. For your food, glass is the safest bet and extremely affordable. Most second-hand stores have loads of glassware and old spaghetti or canning jars are super for storing leftovers. If you do use plastic, opt for safer ones like those with the number 2, 4, or 5 in the chasing arrows symbol (usually found on the bottom). Never heat food in plastic as it increases chemical leaching.

8. Read a food label - for real. Ever stop to read the ingredients label on packaged, processed foods? It's usually a mouthful of words most of us have a hard time pronouncing, so what exactly are you eating? You can learn which food additives are safe and which are not by visiting The Center for Science in the Public Interest's food safety guide, but it's even easier to simply choose whole foods. Whole foods are not processed, so they have all their natural nutritional gifts - and less processing means less pollution. Look for foods made from whole grains (think whole wheat bread, oatmeal and brown rice) - and it should say "whole" on the label. Make more foods from scratch (it's easier than you think). You'll end up saving money, eating healthier and reducing all the waste created from packaging and processing foods.

Photo Credit: e.t

9. Look for local. The average mouthful of food travels 1,400 miles from the farm to our plates. Food from local farms is fresher and closer to ripeness, has used less energy for transport and is less likely to have been treated with post-harvest pesticides. Buying local products also supports regional farmers and preserves farmland. Ask for local produce, meat and dairy at your local market and see what they show you. Better yet, visit your local farmer's market. You'll be supporting your community, saving money, protecting the planet, and eating healthier. Visit EatWellGuide.org to discover your local food system.

10. Savor your flavors! When was the last time you really experienced your food? Really taken some time to appreciate what you're eating? From the crisp juiciness of a fresh apple to the creamy, cool sweetness of a spoonful of ice cream, are you really tasting what you put in your mouth or are you thoughtlessly inhaling? We've become so accustomed to fast food (whether at home or at the drive-thru), we've nearly lost the ability to appreciate our culinary bounty. When we eat without thinking, we're more apt to choose foods that are less healthy (for us and the Earth) and to overeat whatever we've slopped onto our plate (if it even made it on to a dish). Take a moment to savor the flavor, to think about where your food came from, and to feel a little gratitude.

Related Topics:

• Safer Food For a Healthier You
• Green Dieting with Gwyneth Paltrow
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter

The White House Garden: Planting Seeds of Health and Hope

by Janelle Sorensen

Spring is here which means it’s time to garden for millions of Americans. And no one's garden is getting more attention than the recently planted White House garden. Why? Because at the crossroads of an obesity and diabetes epidemic, an economic crisis, and increasing environmental degradation lies the simple, family garden. And this makes the White House garden more than just a bunch of dirt and seeds. This particular garden is raising awareness about taking control of these four very important issues.

First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Chef Sam Kass
show students from the Bancroft Elementary how to plant a garden.

Gardening for Health
Michelle Obama described the White House garden project in a recent interview with Oprah. "We want to use it as a point of education, to talk about health and how delicious it is to eat fresh food, and how you can take that food and make it part of a healthy diet. You know, the tomato that's from your garden tastes very different from one that isn't. And peas - what is it like to eat peas in season? So we want the White House to be a place of education and awareness. And hopefully kids will be interested because there are kids living here."

In addition to getting Malia and Sasha to dig in the dirt, Mrs. Obama has invited students from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, DC to participate in the garden project (perhaps to help guide the way as they've been actively planting and tending their own school garden for two years now). Gardening is a great way to teach children how to grow food and the importance of eating healthy, but the practice is being embraced by adults as well. According to the National Gardening Association's most recent survey, 43 million households plan on growing their own food this year, up 19 percent from 2008. Roughly half of the survey's respondents said they were planning on growing their own in order to have food that is better tasting, higher quality, and safe (because they know where it comes from).

Gardening for the Economy
Beyond the important issues regarding health, there are economic rewards for following Michelle Obama's example. Growing our own food reminds us that we can be resourceful no matter what the state of the economy. Indeed, this isn't the first time the White House has had a garden and promoted gardening for fiscal reasons. As far back as 1800, John Adams started the first White House garden because at that time, the President (not the taxpayers) had to buy the food he ate. Growing his own was simply the most frugal thing to do.

Perhaps the most famous White House garden (until now) was the Victory Garden planted by Eleanor Roosevelt during World War II. The Roosevelt garden inspired an entire movement during wartime to address a food system stressed by an economy fraught with labor and transportation shortages. At the peak of the Victory Garden movement American families grew 40% of the nation's produce. Our nation once again desperately needs this type of patriotism rooted in frugality and the Obamas are making that clear.

Gardening for the Environment
Unfortunately, despite how many Presidents carefully cultivated and expanded the White House garden, the fruit trees and annual vegetables were left to shrivel after the end of World War II. In fact, the end of World War II marked a revolutionary change in our entire national food system. Much of the research, development and manufacturing supporting the war was transferred to agriculture. Chemicals used for warfare were marketed instead as fertilizers and pesticides. Weapons and machine technologies were applied to farm equipment allowing farmers to significantly increase how many acres they cultivated. Industrialized farming was subsidized and encouraged as the global food system opened and local farms exported foods to the war ravaged lands of Europe.

With grand dreams of economic prosperity and the eradication of hunger, agricultural science progressed almost unfettered, nearly losing sight of its roots - or, more specifically, the soil and water from which all things grow. Today, industrial agriculture practices pollute surface and groundwater with animal waste and chemicals, cause negative health impacts from pesticide use, and increase ozone pollution and climate change from heavy use of fossil fuels. It's an unsustainable system fueled by the soaring profits and power of a handful of multinational corporations.

The new White House garden will be grown organically, without using toxic, synthetic chemicals - good thing for the kids who will be working in it. Actually, with growing awareness of the health and environmental tolls of conventional agriculture, national interest in organically grown food has been increasing over the past decade - roughly 15 to 20 percent annually. It's a development the chemical manufacturers are none too pleased about and they've petitioned the First Lady, urging her to use conventional methods. Kudos to Mrs. Obama, she's remained steadfast in her commitment to grow a garden that promotes human and environmental health.

Gardening for You
While the Obamas have made a point of making the White House and its new garden open and welcoming to the public, you can plant your own personal seeds of health and hope by starting a garden in your yard, on your roof, in a local vacant lot, or on your kitchen windowsill. There's no excuse not to, especially when you can get seeds for free from onemilliongardens.com - each packet contains 4-6 varieties of heirloom seeds that have the potential of providing hundreds of pounds of food.

You can find more great ideas for starting your garden from Kitchen Gardeners International, a non-profit network of 10,000 gardeners from 100 countries whose mission is to inspire and inform people to grow their own food. So, what are you waiting for? Grow your own!

Related Topics:

• Price of Organic Got You Down? Grow Your Own!
• Health eHome
• Video History of White House Gardens
• National Gardening Association
  
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

Price of Organic Got You Down? Grow Your Own!

Yard Not Required

by Janelle Sorensen

Photo Credit: Cheryl Davis

One of the top recommendations that we give people at Healthy Child is to eat organic foods. Still, I can't count how many times I've heard people say, "I'd love to buy organic food, but I just can't afford it." I get it. I get it. We can't afford an all organic diet at my house either. But, eating organic doesn't have to mean buying organic. You can grow your own. And it's cheaper than anything you'll find at the store (a $2 tomato seedling can give 10 pounds of tomatoes over a season).

Even if you've never done it before. Even if you think you don't have the time. Even if you don't have a yard. Even if you have a brown thumb. Really. There's no excuse and the results are so gratifying: cheap, healthy food; eating the fruits of your own labor; the look of awe in your friends' eyes when you bring homegrown culinary delights to the next potluck.

So, for all of you greenhorn gardeners, here are four tips for getting started.

1. Pick a pot and a place. You don't need green acres or a plow to have a healthy harvest. You don't even need to have a yard. You can grow a wide variety of herbs, vegetables, and even fruits in containers (on your roof, fire escape, patio, or windowsill). R.J. Ruppenthal, author of Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The Square-Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting, even has tips for using closets and empty bathtubs. Your only limitation is your imagination.


2. Start simple. Ensure immediate success by beginning with surefire winners like herbs, sprouts and lettuce. Take it up a tiny notch by growing a pizza garden (basil, oregano, cherry tomatoes) or a salsa garden (cilantro, onion, tomatoes, peppers). There are specific varieties of vegetables and fruits that fare best in containers. You can find a list of them and the specific size of container they need at Garden Guides.


3. Enjoy the experiment. Gardening is all about experimentation and even the most adept grower sometimes has a failed crop. It doesn't mean you have a brown thumb. Keep a journal of your successes and failures (including details like type of container, type of soil, lighting conditions, watering schedule, etc), so you won't make the same mistake twice.


4. Get some help. Pick up some books from your library, like Organic Crops in Pots by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell. Join the growing community of home gardeners by visiting websites like www.gardenaut.com. Call your local extension services with questions (for some immediate troubleshooting tips visit Texas University Extension Services).

I remember when I was a child and we had a small garden. The tomatoes were amazing. They were so delicious we would sprinkle a bit of sugar on them and eat them for dessert. Children eating tomatoes for dessert. Today parents share all sorts of tips for trying to get kids to eat their vegetables and even adults rarely eat the recommended amount of vegetables every day. Maybe it wouldn't take so much effort if the vegetables actually tasted like they're supposed to, flavorful and delicious. Once you taste your own homegrown organic produce, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. So, do it. Grow your own.

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Tips to Prevent Gardening Injuries
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

Green Dieting with Gwyneth Paltrow

Healthy Child Healthy World

No. It's not some new Hollywood weight loss plan. Green dieting means eating foods that are good for you and the Earth. It's not about sacrificing foods you love, or eating all raw veggies you grew in your own yard. It's about eating a healthy, diversified diet and getting to know your food. Everyone gets to choose their own menu and everyone gets there through their own culinary adventure. In our book, Healthy Child Healthy World, Gwyneth Paltrow talks about her journey to the green diet:

My mom has always been conscious of the environment and health issues. When I was growing up, we would go to farmers' markets and even had wheatgrass in the kitchen. She started a curbside recycling program in Santa Monica in the 1970's, and each week I drove with her to the recycling center. She says I used to roll down the window to yell, "You're polluting!" at truck drivers in their semis. I was three years old.

It wasn't until later that I understood the harm that can come from pesticides and other chemicals in foods. As soon as I did, I tried to eat organic, locally, and foods that weren't processed or full of preservatives. That was reinforced when I became a parent. When I would read about what pesticides do to insects and small animals, I thought, Why would I expose my child to that? It didn't make sense.

From the beginning, my kids have eaten organic. I make a lot of their foods myself. Some people say it sounds difficult - or crazy - but I never found it so. When I'd go to the health food store and see organic baby food in a jar that had been sitting on a shelf for six or nine months, I thought, How good can that be? So I didn't find it tough to make my own. It's much tougher for me to open a jar that's been sitting on a shelf for God knows how long and then feed it to my child.

Food was the beginning of my awareness of toxic substances we ingest. But I try not to get hysterical about it. I'm not doing this to turn my kids into freaks - I just want them to be as healthy as they possibly can. Of course there will be toxic chemicals and heavy metals that come into your and your kids' lives and nostrils and mouths. But I believe that eating well is the best start for living well.

Green Diet on a Dime

Eating with health and the planet in mind doesn't have to cost a fortune. Actually, many choices can save you money! Here are the top five tips for eating green on a dime.

1. Eat lower on the food chain. A diet based more on plant-based foods than meats and dairy can lead to extra years of healthy living. Not only is it healthier in terms of nutrients, but you'll also be consuming less of the potent toxins that build up in animal fats. For example, animal and fatty foods contain the highest levels of DDT and PCBs (both carcinogens banned over 30 years ago) because they are stored in fat and increase in concentration as they move up the food chain. This very same diet reduces environmental damage and pollution and reduces your grocery bill since meat and dairy are big-ticket items in your grocery cart. This doesn't mean you have to become vegetarian or vegan, just cut back a little.


2. Eat clean foods. Everyone knows you should always wash fresh produce, but I'm talking about a different kind of clean. Choose foods that have fewer chemical or heavy metal residues. The easiest way to do this is by buying organic foods, but they often cost more. Budget-friendly options are foods that naturally have less - either by virtue of how they're grown or because of their physical attributes (like bananas, which have a thick peel that protects the fruit from the pesticides sprayed on them).
   
   According to research by the Environmental Working Group, the following fruits and vegetables have the lowest levels of pesticide residue: onion, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomato, and sweet potato. You can download their pocket guide that lists these and the dirty dozen from Foodnews.com.
   
   When choosing meat and dairy, look for low or non-fat options so you reduce your exposure to chemicals that accumulate in animal fats. For fish, use a guide like the Environmental Defense Fund's Seafood Selector to find species that are lowest in chemical and heavy metal contamination and that are fished in ways that are not harmful to our Oceans.


3. Eat local. As recent as our grandparents' generation, food was mostly grown, sold and eaten all in the same geographic region. Today, we can find foods from all over the globe in our local markets. In fact, the average food item travels over 1,500 miles to get to our plates - that's a lot of pollution and waste created to make a meal. Support your local economy and your health by getting to know your local farmers. You don't need to be BFF, but you should get an idea of where your food comes from. Ask for local produce, meat and dairy at your local market and see what they show you. Better yet, visit your local farmer's market. You'll be supporting your community, saving money, protecting the planet, and eating healthier. Visit EatWellGuide.org to discover your local food system.


4. Eat whole foods. Ever stop to read the ingredients label on packaged, processed foods? It's usually a mouthful of words most of us have a hard time pronouncing, so what exactly are you eating? You can learn which food additives are safe and which are not by visiting The Center for Science in the Public Interest's food safety guide, but it's even easier to simply choose whole foods. Whole foods are not processed, so they have all their natural nutritional gifts - and less processing means less pollution.
   
   Look for foods made from whole grains (think whole wheat bread, oatmeal and brown rice) - and it should say "whole" on the label. Make more foods from scratch (really, things like mac-n-cheese are just as easy to make from whole ingredients as they are to make from the box). You'll end up saving money, eating healthier and reducing all the waste created from packaging and processing foods.


5. Buy in bulk. It's been common knowledge for many years that buying in bulk saves money, but did you ever think about how much waste you reduce by not using so much packaging? Also, similar to tips above, bulk foods are often less processed so you reduce your exposure to questionable food additives. Bulk cook staples like beans and other legumes and store them in your freezer in serving sizes that are appropriate for your family size. You'll be saving money and you'll reduce your exposure to Bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor found in the lining of some cans.

Extra Credit Tip: Stop Wasting Food. According to the US Health Department, approximately 25% of food in the US is thrown away - 96.4 billion pounds of food a year. That's about one pound of food, per citizen, per day that ends up lining the trash bins. And that's a study from 1995; many believe the number has perhaps doubled by now. Take only what you'll eat and use your leftovers (try LeftOverChef.com for recipe ideas).

*****

Gwyneth Paltrow's quote taken from Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home. Reprinted by arrangement with Plume, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Copyright (c) 2009 by Healthy Child Healthy World.

Related Topics:

• How to Eat Organic Foods on a Budget
• Tackling the Toxic Table
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter

Organic: A Choice For Our Children

Our guest blogger is Alan Greene, MD, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine, Attending Pediatrician at Packard Children's Hospital, and Senior Fellow at the University California San Francisco Center for the Health Professions. He is also founder of DrGreene.com and author of Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care.


As parents, we want to feed our children healthy food. What parent would turn down the chance to give a child delicious, healthy food that is convenient, a good money value, that the child loves - and then responds with a, "Thank you, Mommy, that was great! May I help clean up?"

In practice, though, many powerful forces determine our food choices. Our children have tasted artificially flavored, partially hydrogenated, day-glow snack foods and clamor for more. Our kids tell us that their friends' "parents let them eat" the latest processed food fashion. Huge sums of money pay for artists, musicians, toy manufacturers, psychologists, and marketers to work together to carefully manipulate your child's food preferences.

We're busy and want something simple, quick, and preferably inexpensive. We return to the ruts of the unhealthy foods we ate ourselves as kids or that we know our own kids will like. We feel guilty because of our busy lifestyles and don't want to say "no" to our kids - especially if it means yet another battle.

And the last straw - we hear conflicting information about what is healthy. High carb or low carb? Low fat is good for kids. Low fat is bad for kids. Sugar doesn't affect behavior. Sugar causes ADHD. Aspartame is totally safe. Airplane pilots aren't allowed to eat foods containing aspartame because it affects their judgment.

Phew! What's a parent to do? Thankfully, making healthier food choices is simple and clear. Increasing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the diet makes the diet healthier. Especially in our antibiotic-flooded age, eating foods that contain live active cultures of beneficial bacteria makes our diet healthier. Decreasing artificial chemicals in the diet and the environment, makes us all healthier.

Nutrition is not an all-or-none activity. The goal is to keep making choices that make the diet a little better.

A Stitch in Time
DDT used in the United States before 1966 may have caused an epidemic of premature births that has only now been detected! According to a fascinating study published in the July 14, 2001 issue of The Lancet, scientists who studied stored cord blood samples from mothers who had delivered at that time found elevated levels of DDT breakdown products among the group who had premature deliveries or low birth weight infants. This would make DDT responsible for a host of medical problems and the deaths of many children - but the link wasn't proven until more than 30 years later! DDT use in the United States was stopped in 1972 because it caused reproductive damage to birds (the bald eagle and brown pelican were nearly extinct), but DDT is still widely used in developing countries for insect control. I'm certain that the dangers of some chemicals in common use in the United States today will be proven in the future. I believe that toxic chemicals are one of the biggest health threats to our children. We may not prove the links until they are grown, but we must not wait until then to provide them with safe food, water, air, homes, and schools.

On a personal note, my wife has now recovered from a very malignant form of breast cancer. She has no family history of the disease, but toxic chemicals were used on her farm when she was a child.

What we now call 'conventional farming' is actually something very new. In the 20th century, our naïve optimism about science led to the over-exuberant use of antibiotics, infant formulas, surgery, pesticides, hormones, and fossil fuels. It's time to bring this back into balance.

Organic food has long been the standard for human nutrition. In contrast, many chemicals and hormones introduced post World War II do not have proven long-term safety. Some of them may be fine. Time will tell. I prefer organic for children where there is a good choice.

With the dramatic increase in organic farming in recent years, the new generation of organic farmers is developing innovative and earth friendly ways to increase yields and improve flavor. What is organic and why is it so important for our children?

Organic Defined
Organic refers to the way agricultural products - food and fiber - are grown and processed. It is an ecological system that relies on healthy, rich soil to produce plants that resist pests and diseases. Organic farming prohibits the use of toxic and persistent chemicals in favor of innovative practices that work with nature, instead of against it, such as crop rotation, cover crop planting, beneficial insect release and composting. In the case of livestock, no antibiotics or synthetic hormones are permitted. Organic production also prohibits the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Organic practices mean:

• No pesticides to contaminate our soil and water or injure farm workers
• No fertilizers to runoff and contaminate rivers, lakes and oceans
• A healthier and more sustainable environment for us all

Pesticides In Our Food and Environment
Chemicals used in conventional farming pose many risks to human health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with evaluating pesticides and setting "acceptable risk" levels of exposure. EPA's tests have largely been conducted on fully grown adult men or non-human animal species, exposing them to one chemical at a time. Evidence now shows that chemicals in combination - the way we are usually exposed to them in everyday life - may exponentially increase health risk.

Additionally, many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Now the EPA considers 33% of all pesticides as potentially cancer-causing.

Why Organic Especially for Children?
Children are developing organs to last a lifetime. Due to their smaller size, fast-growing speedy metabolisms, and less varied diets, infants and children are more vulnerable to health and developmental damage. In 1993, a congressionally mandated study by the National Academy of Sciences expressed concern that existing methods of risk evaluation for pesticide exposure were failing children. More recently, the Consumers Union and Environmental Working Group have released studies confirming that children are overexposed even if their exposure is within legal limits.

The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 mandated a review of agricultural chemicals in light of this new information about risk assessment. Included in this act is a requirement to impose a 10-fold margin of safety to protect children when setting standards for the use of pesticides on food. While safety standards have become more strict, buying organic products, if they are available and you can afford them, and supporting organic agriculture may be your best protection.

Why Does Organic Cost More?
Organic products do tend to cost more than their conventional counterparts. To some extent, this is changing as production capacity and demand for organic products increase, improving production efficiencies and lowering prices at the checkout. In addition, many involved in organic are striving for a sustainable agricultural system - one which is ecologically sound as well as economically viable. Paying farmers a fair price for their products is an important tenet for many involved in organic agriculture.

Raising a family on a budget can pose challenges at times. Watching pennies and doing "the right thing" for our families can sometime seem in conflict. For example, in the case of organic foods and fibers, it's understandable to question if the benefits are really worth the extra cost. Looking beyond the price of an organic product and considering the true value, may shed light on the subject. When considering products for your children, organic may indeed be a far better value.

An Opportunity to Support a Healthier Tomorrow
Our children are our most treasured resources, and we have the opportunity to protect them. By reducing toxic exposure, organic products can help us raise healthy, strong children. Through nurturing the soil and keeping toxic and persistent chemicals out of the environment, organic agriculture is one thing we can support to help us pass along a healthy and safe planet for future generations. The cost may be a little more, but the value for you and your family may be far greater.

Related Topics:

• How to Eat Organic Foods on a Budget
• Organic Buying Power
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

Tackling the Toxic Table

Our guest blogger is David Wallinga, MD, Director of the Food and Health Program at The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

Public confidence in our food system has been shaken. Between recalls due to contamination with melamine, mercury, and salmonella and worries about antibiotics and hormones in meat and dairy products, it's hard to know what's safe to eat. Here are steps we can all take to tackle the growing problems of our global food system.

1. Buy pesticide-free produce.
There is growing scientific consensus that even very small doses of pesticides can adversely affect people, especially during the vulnerable periods of in utero and early childhood development. Exposure to pesticides is linked to chronic diseases including Parkinson's Disease, child and adult cancers and neurodevelopmental harm.

Recent studies suggest switching to an organic diet can eliminate residues of certain pesticides in children's urine in just a few days. Switching to certified organic produce for the "dirty dozen" - the 12 domestic and imported fruits and vegetables most routinely contaminated–will greatly reduce one's exposure, according to analysis by the Environmental Working Group.

2. Be a "locavore."
Buy locally produced foods, when possible, to support the economic health of your local foodshed, and to help reduce "food miles." The U.S. food production system accounts for an estimated 17 percent of the nation's fossil fuel use. Buying from the farmer (directly, on the internet, or via a Community Supported Agriculture program) allows you to know exactly where your food comes from and how it has been grown. Much non-certified, locally grown produce also uses few or no pesticides.

3. Know where your food comes from.
A single hamburger patty can comingle meat from a hundred different head of cattle, from four different countries. Or, looked at from another perspective, a single contaminated carcass shredded for hamburger can pollute eight tons of finished ground beef. Look for labels of origin on products.

4. Shop for safer, more sustainable fish.
Find fish good for you (high in healthful fats, low in environmental toxins), as well as good for the ocean. Fish are an important source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. But overfishing and unsustainable fish harvesting practices have left many seafood species depleted or on the brink of extinction. The most prudent approach for the health of our environment and the people in it is to eat safer, less polluted fish species from sustainable fisheries. Use the Environmental Defense Fund's Seafood Selector.

5. Eat grass-fed meat and dairy products.
There is some evidence that grass-fed animals produce meat and dairy products higher in omega-3 fatty acids and other beneficial fats. The USDA's 2007 voluntary standard for meat marketed as ‘grass-fed' precludes these animals from getting routine antibiotics. Scientific consensus exists that these unnecessary agriculture antibiotics are helping create an epidemic of hard-to-treat (and sometimes untreatable) multi-drug resistant infections in humans.

6. Avoid chicken raised with arsenic.
Instead of conventional chicken, buy certified organic, which is arsenic-free, or from local producers who can assure arsenic was not used. In addition to routine antibiotics, at least 70 percent of conventionally raised broiler chickens in the U.S. are fed arsenic compounds. The 27 countries of the European Union have never approved this practice as safe. Meat from chickens fed arsenic can carry arsenic residues.

7. Buy dairy products from cows not given synthetic growth hormone (rBGH).
The FDA-required package insert for rBGH lists 17 adverse health impacts for cows treated with the hormone, including mastitis. Cattle treated with rBGH get more mastitis, and therefore receive more antibiotics, which contributes to antibiotic resistance. Animal and human health concerns have led most industrialized nations, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the European Union to ban rBGH use in dairy production.

8. Choose your foods wisely to prevent diseases linked to the toxic chemicals prevalent in our industrialized foods and farming systems.
Preferably eat whole, fresh foods. Minimize consumption of processed, refined and most fast food. And avoid partially hydrogenated oils - a source of trans fats - and high fructose corn syrup, both signs of low quality food.

Follow these steps and we not only improve our health, we send a strong signal to farmers, grocery stores, and policymakers as to the kinds of food we want to eat - at home, in our schools and in our hospitals. How we spend our food dollars can steer the future direction of our global food system in a healthier, more sustainable direction.

(Note: This is an abridged version of the original article found at IATP.)

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: New Ideas for Food Safety
• How to Eat Organic Foods on a Budget
• Get healthy cooking tips in your inbox

5 Easy Steps to Prevent Disease and Illness

by Christopher Gavigan

Photo: Healthy Child Healthy World

We live in a world vastly different from the one our grandparents grew up in, and I'm not referring to cell phones and air travel. The world we live in, especially our homes, is filled with industrial chemicals, most of which did not exist fifty years ago. Over 80,000 are registered for use in commercial products in the United States, and hundreds of new ones are introduced every year. Shockingly, many reach the marketplace and our dinner plates with little or no safety testing. These chemicals are used in everyday items such as foods, shampoos, toys, furniture, carpeting, air fresheners, electronics, cleaners, and lawn care products, just to name a few.

The effects of most of these chemicals on human health are unknown. Yet, a growing body of research is discovering that many of these chemicals we are regularly exposed to from everyday products are directly linked to chronic health conditions that are rising to epidemic levels; like asthma, reproductive disorders, cancer, allergies, learning and behavior disorders, allergies, obesity, and more. Like I said, a world vastly different than your Grandma and Grandpa.

Luckily, the more we learn, the more we find that there are many easy ways to reduce our exposure to chemicals and protect our health, especially for our children.

5 Easy Steps

Step 1: Manage Pests Safely. Exposure to common lawn care and indoor pesticides is linked to a range of health problems, including asthma, hyperactivity and behavior problems, cancer, learning disabilities, reproductive disorders, and compromised brain development. Use non-toxic or least toxic pest remedies like using soapy water to kill ants or boiling water to kill weeds. Prevent pests through good sanitation and food storage habits. Visit BeyondPesticides.org for details on the potential health impacts of pesticides and non-toxic remedies for almost every pest problem.

Step 2: Use Non-Toxic Products. We bring home a wide variety of products that contain potentially harmful toxicants. Cleaners are an obvious one; they often have warning labels on them because of their toxic make-up. You may be more surprised that body care items and even home furnishings can contain harmful chemicals like phthalates and formaldehyde. Buy cleaners that don't contain harsh chemicals or fumes or make your own. When selecting body care products, avoid parabens, synthetic fragrances, and sodium lauryl or laureth sulfates. Visit CosmeticsDatabase.com for detailed information about the ingredients of personal care products and to find safer alternatives. Opt for solid woods instead of pressed. Overall, trust your nose. If something has a chemically, perfume-y, or "new" smell, it likely contains volatile organic chemicals that can potentially have health impacts.

Step 3: Clean Up Indoor Air. Did you know that people in America spend 90 percent of their time indoors? It might seem safer and cleaner, but indoor air pollution is typically 2-5 times worse than outdoor air. Common indoor air pollutants include formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, secondhand smoke, asbestos, lead, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Not to worry, it's easy to reduce the risk. Start by replacing products that contribute to the problem, then try some other simple steps. Ventilate your home by opening windows. Regularly change the filters in your air conditioning and heating units. Naturally cleanse air with indoor plants. Vacuum weekly using a HEPA filtered vacuum.

Step 4: Eat Healthy. Opt for organic foods as much as possible to reduce your exposure to pesticides, hormones, and genetically modified organisms. Select fresh, dried, or frozen foods as most cans are lined with a resin containing bisphenol-A. Make foods from scratch when you can to avoid synthetic additives and preservatives.

Step 5: Be Wise with Plastics. Plastics are affordable and convenient, but we are increasingly finding that a hidden cost may be our health. Some plastics leach harmful chemicals, especially when they comes in contact with oily or fatty foods, during heating and microwaving, as a result of harsh cleaners, and when exposed to excessive moisture. Luckily, we can make safer choices. Avoid using plastic in the microwave or with warm foods and beverages. Avoid PVC/vinyl (#3), Polystyrene/styrofoam (#6), and polycarbonate/PC (#7). Choose safer plastics or opt for natural materials like glass, steel, solid wood, or cotton.

Learn more at Healthy Child Healthy World: 5 Easy Steps.

Related Topics:

• Environmental Illness - Toxins in Our Environment
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great parenting tips delivered to your inbox

Organic Milk Does The Body Better

by Janelle Sorensen

Photo: Healthy Child Healthy World

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there is supposedly no difference between regular milk and organic milk, aside from how the cows are raised and an obvious difference in price. For some, the environmental benefits of organic farming are enough justification to pay the premium, but many others need to know they're paying more for a better product. Now the studies showing that organic milk is indeed better are building up.

Let's count the reasons why...

1. Organic milk has fewer pesticide residues. The USDA Pesticide Data Program (PDP) regularly checks food for pesticide residues. For many years the milk studies showed the same level of pesticide residues in both regular and organic milk (some residues of banned pesticides are so persistent they are still found in water and soil, thus the entire food chain). In 2004, the PDP used more sensitive testing equipment and found synthetic pyrethroids in 24 percent of conventional samples, and in no organic sample. They also discovered a breakdown product of the insecticide carbofuran in 8.8 percent of the conventional milk samples, but in no organic sample.


2. Organic milk has more vitamins. Organically reared cows, which eat high levels of fresh grass, clover pasture and grass clover silage, produce milk which is on average 50% higher in Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and 75% higher in beta carotene (which our bodies convert to Vitamin A).


3. Organic milk has more antioxidants. Studies show organic milk has two to three times more of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthine than non-organic milk. These antioxidants are extremely important for eye health and are effective in preventing numerous eye diseases.


4. Organic milk has more omega-3s. Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid required for healthy growth. Regular intake of Omega-3 helps reduce incidences of heart disease, inflammations (in skin diseases such as eczema), cancer, arthritis, etc. One particular type of omega-3 that is higher in organic milk is DHA, which is important for brain development.


5. Organic milk has more CLA. Cows that are grazed on pastures have 500% more CLA in their milk. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) increases metabolism, immunity, and muscle growth. It also reduces abdominal fat, cholesterol, and allergic reactions. Recent animal studies have also shown that CLA may be beneficial in cancer treatment. Since the human body cannot produce CLA, we get most of it through the milk and dairy products that we consume.


6. Drinking organic milk helps improve the quality of breast milk. European scientists have found that mothers who consumed mostly organic meat and milk had around 50 percent higher levels of rumenic acid in their breast milk. This acid protects against cancer and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, heart disease and asthma.


7. Drinking organic milk protects young children against asthma and eczema. Researchers found that children of breastfeeding mothers who ate organic dairy products and who were weaned on organic milk, cheese and yogurts were a third less likely to suffer from allergies. Dr. Machteld Huber, one of the authors of the study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, said: "The difference was significant, but only for children exclusively eating organic dairy products. We didn't find a relationship if they had organic and conventional dairy products." Almost all the children eating organic dairy also reportedly ate organic meat, fruit, bread and vegetables. However, it was only milk that appeared to have any impact on allergies.

All of this is compelling evidence of the superiority of organic milk, but one point must be highlighted. From these studies examining the differences between organic milk and regular milk, it seems clear that the diet of the cows may be one of the most important factors. Most organic cows are pasture-fed as opposed to grain-fed, and it's their natural diet that leads to superior quality milk. So, it's not simply organic milk that holds the prize, it's organic, pasture-fed milk that does the body better.

References:

The Organic Center, 2008. Pesticides in Milk FAQs.

Soil Association, 2005. New research proves organic milk is higher in vitamins and antioxidants than non-organic milk.

Bergamo P et al, "Fat-soluble vitamin contents and fatty acid composition in organic and conventional Italian dairy products." Food Chemistry 82, (2003) 625 - 631.

Robertson J & Fanning C (University of Aberdeen), 2004. Omega 3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Organic and Conventional Milk.

Dewhurst R J, Fisher W J, Tweed J K S and Wilkins R J (2003). Comparison of grass and legume silages for milk production. 1. Production responses with different levels of concentrate. Journal of Dairy Science (volume 86 pages 2598-2611).

Newsday, 2004. New Studies Show Benefits of Organic Milk.

eFood. 2008. Organic Milk is Cream of the Crop.

Related Topics:

• Organic Foods
• How is Your Food Grown?
• Get great parenting tips delivered to your inbox