Joanna Steven

[Raw Children] Adding Vegetables to a Baby's First Foods

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

A reader asks:

My 7 month old baby has started on solids recently. I give him whole pieces of fruit to chew on, fresh coconut water and juiced carrot or cucumber. How do I add more vegetables to his diet if I don't want to cook it and mush it up? Which vegetables are good for him at this age?

I'll be honest here and say that vegetables are an amazing source of nutrients for adults, but I don't think they are super important for a 7 months old. This does not mean that rice cereal and processed baby food are the way to go, as I didn't give those to Franklin either, but 7 months old is still very young and much of the baby's nutrient intake will (hopefully) come from breastmilk. So, if you're still breastfeeding, I encourage you to continue for as long as you and your baby desire, and I really recommend you eat a super nutrient dense diet to avoid deficiencies (in you or him).

Carin

At 7 months, I gave Franklin mashed fruits and avocados, as well as green smoothies (which I spoon fed him). I also mixed nettle infusion with his mashed food, as well as green juices. To make nettle infusion, simply steep 1 cup of dried nettles with a quart of boiled water and let cool. To make green juice, juice green vegetables together - my favorites include a combination of cucumber, kale, celery, Granny Smith apple, ginger, etc. These mineral rich concoctions were added to vitamin rich fruit purees. And, to make green smoothies, blend 5 cups fruits with 3 cups greens, like spinach.

I would say that at such a young age, good vegetables are non starchy ones, especially if you're keeping them raw. I would avoid raw sweet potato, butternut squash, pumpkin etc, and favor juiced water rich vegetables. Breastmilk is still very nutrient dense at that stage if you're eating well, and you need to just add good sources of iron just in case.

And, don't forget sea vegetables! Dulse, kelp, etc are very mineral rich and are wonderful for little ones. Once soaked, dulse readily breaks down, but make sure all pieces are small enough to not cause choking. Franklin absolutely loves to gum small pieces of seaweed! Many adults are wary of seaweeds, so it's a taste we must cultivate in our little ones early on.
.

Are you interested in having a raw food based pregnancy? You only have one chance to give this new life the very best chance for health possible! Do it right! This book fills in the gaps in the raw food movement, so you can read a single book to get your answers without having to read a skimpy section on pregnancy in ten different books about raw food!

Note: this book is aimed at both raw vegans and raw vegetarian, with recommendations for both. It does not focus on meat-based raw pregnancies.

[Raw Children] Blending vs Steaming Baby Food

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

A reader asks:

I was wondering if you have just blended food for your baby instead of steaming which they say breaks down the cellulose in the food so babies can easily digest ... Or does blending food do this as well?

Great question. Cellulose, which makes the cell walls of plants, is tough to digest if not broken down. As a result, if you were to give a baby small pieces of greens, for example, they would pass through the digestive system almost untouched and very little nutrition would be derived from them. The same is true for adults, which is why we need to thoroughly chew our food so that we can get as much nutrition as possible.

ZoofyTheJi

Since babies cannot chew well (molars come in when the child is almost 2 years old), we need to do the work for them. You may recall in my Why Does My Toddler Like Animal Protein? post that I said it was normal for babies and children to enjoy animal protein because many of these foods are easy to break down in the mouth (soft egg yolk, fish eggs, etc) but many of us (including myself) are raising vegetarian or vegan children and much of their nutrition needs to come from vegetables (regardless of diet, an adult's diet should be heavy on fruits and vegetables, as unprocessed as possible). So, what should we do to nourish our little ones?

Here's what I did: I started Franklin on solids at 6 months because he was ready. At first, I did not give him vegetables at all. I simply gave him fruits and a lot, a lot of breastmilk. His first food was "Peaches & Cream", basically a ripe peach blended with breastmilk. I think he second food was mashed avocado. I knew my breastmilk was still super rich in nutrients, and I wasn't worried about micronutrients at that point, I just wanted him to explore various flavors and textures.

jordifa

Since he still needed a little more iron (breastmilk's iron supply decreases after 6 months), I mixed in nettle infusion or green juice with his food. Both are nutrient rich thanks to the steeping and juicing, which extract vitamins and minerals from whole foods quite well.

As he got older and learned to use a straw, I gave him straight green juices, nettles infusions and green smoothies. He's now 14 months old, and I haven't steamed anything at all -- I did buy a Bamboo Steamer for that purpose but it's still wrapped!

Steaming would be still be appropriate for starchy foods, as cooking converts the starches into sugars and makes them easier to digest. It would be perfect for sweet potatoes, squash etc., but since Franklin detests those foods (so far, he prefers raw fruits, green smoothies, green juices, and egg yolks) I haven't bothered with it.

In conclusion: Cellulose is well broken down by blending. Steaming can make starches easier to digest however, but non starchy foods are fine to eat when just blended.
.

Raw Vegan Food and Weight... Gain? You read that right!

2012-01-23T10:56:00.000-08:00

The raw food diet seems to be the ultimate in terms of weight loss. You can see success stories left and right, from regular people, celebrities and more. And what's interesting is that many of them never stopped eating fatty foods -- just eating their food uncooked led to amazing weight loss.

But then there are other people who switch to raw to be healthier, but really do not need to lose an ounce. Sometimes, they could even afford to gain a pound or two (or more!). It's easy to be afraid of becoming skeletal on a diet where people supposedly can eat coconuts all day long and lose pounds by the dozen. But, gaining weight on raw is possible. When I went raw, I actually gained weight, as you can see in My Raw Story.

What should you do to gain weight on a raw food diet?

Exercise

dolar

It may seem counter-intuitive. People work out to lose weight, right? Yes, and no. When you are trying to lose weight, you need to burn up your extra calories. So, along with watching your dietary intake, you need to do some kind of cardio to burn fat, and strength training to build muscle (so your weight loss does not lead to sagging skin).

The key point however is that muscle weighs more than fat, so you could theoretically eat 5,000 calories a day and not exercise, and you would gain weight, but it would not be healthy at all. What you want to do instead is eat more than you currently do, eat better (if possible), and build muscle. This will lead to beautiful weight gain and a tight, sculpted body. If you are a woman, do not be afraid of being too muscular -- it's not possible unless you take a lot of supplements, and exercise pretty much all day long. An hour a day will make you beautiful, not bulky.

Eat well

Of course, one should eat enough to gain weight. What makes many people lose weight on a raw food diet while eating what seems like a lot of food is the fact that raw foods are high in water and fiber, which fill one up but aren't necessarily calorie dense. Pay attention to how much food you eat. Write down your dietary intake for a typical week. You might find out that you're only getting about 1,800 calories, which isn't nearly enough to gain weight, on raw food or not.

Eating well vs eating calories from random sources

just4you

Some people, like me, could chug heavy cream all day long and dine on frosted chocolate cake, and will not gain weight. I personally believe it is because some people do not tolerate foods which lead to inflammation, and the body burns up all the calories which would otherwise go to weight gain to actually deal with the offending foods. As a result, when someone switches to raw, unadulterated foods, the body can finally use up the calories to build a beautiful body. I believe the same thing happens, but in reverse, for people who can't lose weight on cooked food yet lose weight on a high fat raw diet.

So what should you eat to gain weight on raw? It may seem like a good idea to load up on fat, but you should not. Fatty foods, like nuts, are high in minerals but low in vitamins, and you need both. And, mixing fat and sugar all the time will most likely make you sluggish, heavy, and not that happy (which might lead to binging on more fat). Note that I don't recommend low fat diets. I just don't recommend a diet that is both high fat and lacking in certain nutrients. Fats are important.

What I recommend here, and I recommend this to all my coaching clients, is:

- A large mineral rich drink in the morning. I recommend green juices and green smoothies because they are so energizing and full of vitamins and minerals. You don't need a juicer to make juice, you can blend vegetables with water and strain the result through a nut milk bag. Did you know that even with a juicer, you might need to do the straining part? I always did it with my Hurom, although I don't with my Ikon.

TanjaS

- A fruity protein shake to help repair muscles after your work-outs and still provide carbohydrate for weight gain. I remember how back in my pre-raw days I would make smoothies out of "weight gain powder". That stuff was nasty, and super sweet. Ick! Fruits and protein powders are much better, and they don't stress the system. I recommend sprouted brown rice protein and hemp protein. If you can get your hands on young coconuts, add the meat to the shakes. They will become creamier, and can even be eaten with a spoon sometimes. You can add the water to the blender, drink it alone, or make coconut kefir out of it.

The two items above should sustain you until lunch if they are big enough. People sometimes make a small shake (14 ounces) and wonder why they're hungry an hour later. Raw foods digest quickly, so you either have to eat more often, or you need bigger quantities. I routinely make a whole liter (4 cups) of smoothie and drink it out of a Mason jar!

One protein shake I love is 2 cups almond milk, 3 small bananas, 2 scoops protein powder (Vanilla SunWarrior) and 4 cups of strawberries. I give my husband 16 ounces and drink the rest, about 3-4 cups.

Then, we have lunch. Because you're trying to gain weight, you might want to skip salads. Big mistake! Salads provide essential minerals and will keep your nutrient intake balanced. You definitely need your veggies, every day. I actually can't think of a single diet that eschews vegetables. Whether it's Atkins or 80-10-10 or anything in between, veggies have their place. A big salad with a good, homemade dressing will provide minerals, vitamins and fats. You can use leafy greens (mesclun, massaged kale etc.), vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, kohlrabi etc.), sprouts (alfalfa, radish, broccoli, clover etc.), seeds (hemp seeds, sunflower seeds...), and some nuts (walnuts...) but not too much because you might want some as a snack later. On the side, some crackers (flax or chia) provide essential fatty acids and they are satiating.

chidsey

A couple of hours later, you might be hungry again, and now is the time for a good snack. On the go, I like to bring a Ziploc bag full of dates and walnuts, and some bananas. The Raw Bakery makes amazing brownies made of flax, nuts, dates, and cacao or carob. Another smoothie would make a great snack if you have a blender. Be sure to make it calorie dense, or make a very large one if you only wants fruits and greens (or just fruits). Another good option is an avocado/cacao pudding, or avocado/fruit if you don't eat cacao.

Dinner may be lighter or heavier. You need to see if you eat dinner early and need it to sustain you until the next day, or if you go to bed soon after eating, in which case you want something lighter. Or, do you need to concentrate or need lots of energy after lunch, in which case you'll want something light, or do you have a repetitive desk job?

If you find lunch too light, switch it up with dinner. Dinner can be a nice avocado based soup, lots of veggies, crackers, nut cheese, dehydrated corn chips to dip in, and more. If you want some cooked food, some quinoa goes great with massaged kale and guacamole.

In summary

You need to eat enough calories, obviously. Calculate how much you eat right now in your too-thin state, and increase the amount as it's not enough for you. If you are just now starting to exercise, keep in mind how much the work outs make you lose so you don't accidentally under eat.

Because you want to build muscle, you do need protein sources, some that are easy to digest and are not denatured. Hemp shakes and sprouted brown rice protein shakes are wonderful. You also need sources of good carbohydrates (frosted muffins won't work as a substitute!), and fruits are very nicely suited for this purpose. Fat sources which will lead to weight gain within a properly designed diet are flax, chia, and other raw nuts and seeds. Flax crackers and chia pudding can dramatically increase the amount of fat and protein in a meal, but they won't make you unhealthy.

And of course, do not forget your vegetables. Water rich and mineral rich vegetables are amazing to keep you feeling light and refreshed despite the increased amount of food you are consuming. If you are having raw cheese and crackers with lunch, a large salad of crisp greens and crunchy sprouts on the side can make all the difference.

[Raw Pregnancy] Frequent Colds during Pregnancy - Natural Cures

2012-01-12T05:59:00.000-08:00

A reader asks:

I am pregnant. What foods should I focus on if for some reason I am constantly getting colds?

I'm the kind of person who really does not tolerate sickness, I see it as a sign that something isn't right, whether it's caused by diet, the environment, etc. Pregnancy is a time where I am even more careful to get everything right. To me, a cold is a warning that something needs to be addressed and corrected.

Pasteur said that germs are nothing, what matters is the terrain, your immune system. If you're healthy and strong, you won't get sick. If your immune system is weak, viruses and bacteria will thrive and make you ill. It's really pretty simple.

topfer

So what if you're pregnant and getting colds regularly? First, examine your diet. Are you eating anything that is stressing your body? You need to be spending your energy growing a beautiful baby, repairing skin stresses which can lead to stretch marks, etc., you shouldn't be spending it fighting off illnesses left and right. So, anything hard to digest needs to go -- heavy unsprouted processed grain products are out, and so are heavily processed dairy products. While you're at it, anything that needs to be bought and can't be made in the home should be ditched as well -- this includes candy bars, pastries, boxed foods in plastic containers, etc.

What's left? Delicious, wholesome whole foods. You'll be surprised how much money you'll be saving once you focus on whole foods and stop buying processed junk! Focus on big salads, juicy fruits, crunchy vegetables, mineral rich seaweeds, deliciously rich nuts and seeds, etc. Not only will you have more energy to fight off illnesses, but you'll also feel on top of the world!

Now what if you want to take things further and want a list of disease-fighting foods? Try eating foods from the following list daily:
- Fruits rich in vitamin C, like oranges etc. Make fresh juices everyday! It's citrus season right now, so take advantage of it.

- Sunflower seeds: their vitamin E content is wonderful at fighting infections. Moisturize your skin with sunflower seed oil, eat sunflower seeds as salad topping, or make sunflower seed milk.

sveres

- Brazil nuts: rich in selenium, a mineral which can be tough to get in adequate quantities, Brazil nuts make the smoothest, richest nut milk and are immune system powerhouses.

- Garlic: everyone knows garlic is awesome. Crush a clove and whisk it into oil and vinegar for a tasty salad dressing. Add a clove to the blender when you make a raw soup. Easy!

- Chia Seeds: if you're veg*an, you need to make sure you are getting enough omega 3 fatty acids (and if you're not particular about where your seafood comes from, you're in the same boat). Chia seeds and other omega 3 rich foods should be a dietary staple (about 2 T a day) coupled with a DHA supplement (like O-mega-zen 3).

- Probiotic rich foods: it is said that a weak digestive system equals a weak immune system. I totally believe it. Make cultured foods a dietary staple, along with cultured drinks such as kefir (coconut kefir, dairy kefir if not vegan, and commercial cultured drinks like Ke-Vita if desired/within your budget). Probiotic pills can be beneficial as well.

Also, make sure that you're eating enough and getting enough calories. You're not exactly eating for two, but you're still growing a life inside of you! Make sure you're not inadvertently on a low-calorie diet because of food restrictions. And, relax, relax, relax. I can't say this enough. Stress is a total immune system killer. Take regular baths, do yoga, practice meditation. Every little bit helps.

[Raw Pregnancy] Detox and Switching to a Raw Vegan Diet During Pregnancy

2012-01-11T05:01:00.000-08:00

A reader asks:

I was wanting to get more information on slowly switching to a more raw vegan diet. I am currently 25 weeks pregnant and want to make sure I don't go into a full blown detox while pregnant or nursing. So would love any suggestions on ways to use a raw diet since I am not on a only raw diet right now. I did order the Well rounded pregnancy book. But was mainly concerned about he detox part. If any detox right now is not good and how much during nursing.

First, let me congratulate you on your pregnancy! How wonderful! :-)

Let's begin with some information for you to read:

My article on juice feasting while pregnant: can you juice feast when pregnant? Are there gentler ways to cleanse?

My article on green smoothies while pregnant: can you drink green smoothies when pregnant? Are there any contraindications?

Now, let's look at your question more closely. First, what is detox?

Detox happens when your diet changes so drastically (yet positively) that you experience physical discomfort. Your body goes into intense "cleaning house" mode and all the stored toxins come out to the surface. Just like a dusty yet untouched house won't give you too much trouble, a good cleaning sessions is likely to make you sneeze and give you itchy eyes.

simmbarb

I would recommend changing your diet slowly by removing unhealthy foods from your diet and added healthy foods one by one (besides, it will help you establish good habits). For example, if you currently eat a processed cereal/milk breakfast, change it by having a green smoothie, and a bowl of nut milk with your choice of organic, minimally processed cereal. Slowly, start using a raw granola, or anything else you find appealing in the morning. I personally loved to have a green smoothie followed by a superfood shake or a bowl of chia seed pudding. Keep your other meals the same using less-processed versions of the foods you are used to, and adding a large salad. Gradually, make more changes. If you can tell me what your staples are, I can recommend better alternatives.

You can also add certain superfoods which will help draw out impurities gently, like chlorella tablets. Studies show that women who consume chlorella have cleaner breastmilk, and since toxins are eliminated by the digestive system, they don't go in the blood or breastmilk. You don't have to though -- focusing on increasing your intake of greens, and trying to get organic produce whenever you can (especially for the most polluted products) will help a lot!

Once these good habits are established, you'll be able to learn more about the raw vegan diet and you'll incorporate more healthy raw foods. You'll also learn to fine tune your diet to find the version that fits you best. It's going to be fun and exciting!
.

[Raw Pregnancy] Curing pregnancy-related heartburn

2012-01-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

A reader asks:

What's the best raw natural way to cure pregnancy heartburn?

Heartburn can affect the best of us during pregnancy. Here are some ways to make sure the symptoms are as mild as possible!

First, eat small meals frequently rather than a few large meals. Hormonal changes in pregnancy can make it physiologically easier for acid to go up, so eating less will help. And, don't drink too much - drinking should be done between meals rather than while you eat as it impairs digestion. Also, avoid irritants such as very spicy foods, very acidic foods, etc (you might need to do some trial and error).

If this does not help, here is a list of foods that can help:

- Papaya and Papaya Enzyme tablets,
- Herbal teas like peppermint and ginger teas (drink between meals)
- Raw garlic (crush a clove and add it to salad dressings - eat daily),
- Dry foods like raw almonds (keep a stash of soaked and dehydrated almonds to snack on) -- no Saltine crackers here! ;-)
- Fermented vegetables and cultured foods: raw sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir...
- Bland foods if you also have morning sickness, like millet, quinoa and other pseudograins.

I also found that relaxing as much as possible was key to keep morning sickness and heartburn at bay. I'm the kind of person who expresses stress through the stomach and the digestive system, and anything upsetting or unsettling triggers stomach aches and nausea. Doing yoga and taking it easy can do you a lot of good, especially when you're pregnant!

Are you interested in having a raw food based pregnancy? You only have one chance to give this new life the very best chance for health possible! Do it right! This book fills in the gaps in the raw food movement, so you can read a single book to get your answers without having to read a skimpy section on pregnancy in ten different books about raw food!

Note: this book is aimed at both raw vegans and raw vegetarian, with recommendations for both. It does not focus on meat-based raw pregnancies.

[Raw Pregnancy] Maca root and Kombucha during Pregnancy

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

A reader asked:

Is it safe to use maca root powder in smoothies while pregnant? Also, can you drink Kombucha while pregnant? Thank you!!

Maca is a delicate topic. Some, like Kristen Suzanne, say that it can possibly disrupt hormone levels and refuse to eat any throughout their pregnancy. Some others, like Shazzie, ate it while they were pregnant and felt very energized by it.

pr_raven

Since there are not many studies on the topic, I thought at ﬁrst that I would not consume any maca whatsoever, but after a few months, I started to really miss it. I enjoy the taste and smell of maca very much, it is a food that I feel feeds both my body and my soul. Once, as I was making a cacao/Brazil nut shake, I added a half tablespoon of maca per serving instead of the usual tablespoon. I felt wonderful drinking the creamy beverage, and did not have any apparent problems as a result.

I still did not eat maca every day like I sometimes did before I got pregnant, but I did not worry in the least about having a tablespoon every 2 weeks, the equivalent of half a teaspoon three times a week. Ruth Hofer of the Raw Mom website shared that “Last pregnancy I was totally craving Maca, my body felt drawn to it, but I felt a responsibility to my baby to do some research. Turns out maca is used by Peruvian women to help them carry to term and also to ensure a healthy birth weight (higher altitude babies can be smaller than average at birth).”

What would I do with my next pregnancy? Since my 1st pregnancy, I learned that ancient cultured never eat raw maca, it is always cooked (or gelatinized). I will probably eat the latter, then, and little or no raw maca. However, I still have a bag of raw maca and intend to finish it!

What about kombucha? Kombucha is a fermented drink made with tea, sugar, and a SCOBY (a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). I certainly drank kombucha before getting pregnant, and loved it. GT's Gingerade made me feel pleasantly warm during the winter months. But when I started trying to conceive a baby, I stopped drinking any because my husband said he was convinced it was higher in alcohol than advertised. And sure enough, a few months later, kombucha bottles were taken off the shelves as they were found to be higher in alcohol than the label indicated. I still drank coconut kefir because I measured the alcohol potential before making the kefir and the sugar content after fermentation, and found that it was just fine. So, don't swear off cultured drinks altogether, just try and find out which ones are OK during pregnancy and aren't, for instance by finding out their alcohol content.

[Raw Children] Are We Raising Spoiled Children Through Attachment Parenting?

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

This post is part of the Raw Children Week, a week dedicated to raising children the healthy way.

I am often asked to blog more about my parenting style, and so today, I would like to discuss something dear to my heart: raising children on love, love, and more love. I am often told that I am raising a spoiled child (not always in such a direct way of course), that Franklin will never learn to play on his own, that he will be clingy, whiny and will not learn to be independent.

Happy by the seaside

Many years ago, I decided to pursue studies in psychology. One of the reasons for it was to learn as much as I could about child psychology to see what the biggest findings in the field were, and potentially use them for my child's benefits. One of the most important principles in psychology is the concept of reinforcement. If you do something, and get rewarded for it, you are more likely to do it again. If you get punished, you are less likely to repeat it. Pretty simple, right?

People often use this principle in child rearing. If a child whines and is indulged, the child will whine again. Do not encourage whining, and the child will find different ways to get what he wants without relying on you. For instance, if your child wants to play, he will want to play with you first, but if you are not available, he will whine. You can indulge this behavior by giving in and playing, or you can ignore the behavior until the child understands you are not available to play, and he will play alone.

Does it seem pretty simple and straightforward? Not so fast.

Have you ever wondered why people addicted to gambling cannot break their addiction easily? That's because they are getting reinforcement based on what is called a variable ratio schedule. They won't often get their reward (like winning at the slot machine) but sometimes they will, and this reinforcement (even if it's very, very rare) makes it very hard to extinguish the behavior (indeed, the behaviors that are hardest to extinguish are those reinforced by a variable ratio schedule).

In short, if you think that ignoring your child's whines or other undesirable behavior will make your child independent and never demanding, be prepared to ignore every single whining instance. Every. Single. One. Indulge your child a few times, and you will face the opposite of what your were trying to achieve. Just like a slot machine junkie will play for hours and hours before giving up, the child will whine and whine and whine, hoping for you will give in.

Playing with a child at a Lebanese park

What alternative do I suggest? It's pretty simple. Don't give your child the opportunity to whine. Babies spend 9 months in the womb, they think that you are them and they are you. They don't know where you end and where they begin. They need a smooth, loving transition where they are carried nearly the entire time and are nestled in your arms at night. As they grow a little bigger, they are faced with an incredibly interesting world that they have limited access to. You could put the child away while you "get things done", but why not include the child in your activities instead? Give the child what he wants, which is to spend time with you and experience the world.

One might say that this is the best way to raise a spoiled child. But, this is where I disagree! In my scenario, there has been no reinforcement of whiny behavior because there has been no whining to begin with.The child's desires are anticipated.

Let's take sleeping, for example. According to Dr Sears:

Babies will wean and someday they will sleep through the night. This high maintenance stage of nighttime parenting will pass. The time in your arms, at your breast, and in your bed is a relatively short while in the life of a baby, yet the memories of love and availability last forever.

This, to me, is crucial. Indulge a child's desire to sleep with you, indulge the frequent wakings, and always be there at arms' reach. Little by little, the child will realize that waking is unnecessary, that mom is always there, and sleeping will be associated with positive, loving memories. Because there were no night wakings with strong calls for comfort, the child will not associate waking/crying with comfort at all, and therefore waking/crying will not be seen as something that needs to be done. As the child grows older, waking will be seen as an annoyance that leads to tiredness and absolutely no benefits, and the waking behavior will be gently extinguished.

Let's take Franklin's example. From birth, Franklin was the worst sleeper. He would wake up a gazzilion times, and only wanted to co-sleep (and even then he would wake up often). With time though, he started sleeping for longer periods of time, and most importantly, falling asleep became less and less of a struggle. Now, I don't need a routine to get him to fall asleep. All he needs is to be tired and to be breastfed. When he's tired (and the cues are obvious), he's out in less than 10 minutes. Lately, things have changed even more. Franklin now unlatches, and puts his head down on the pillow and closes his eyes.

He doesn't have a good notion of what's to be expected, and seems frustrated when he doesn't fall asleep in 30 seconds, but it's obvious that he's trying. More importantly, he smiles while trying to sleep! I let him try until he starts getting worked up, at which point I give him the breast and he falls asleep almost immediately. Sometimes, he will wake up a night and try to fall asleep on his own -- by putting his head on my chest to hear my heartbeat, or by running his hand on the bedsheet to make a ssshhh sound to soothe him back to sleep. I'm willing to bet that a child who has always been a good sleeper would reach this milestone much sooner than this.

Some might say: "Joanna, Franklin does whine, you're still reinforcing this behavior!" but I disagree. I don't think that what he does is really whining, it's more like asking. I meet his needs very quickly, and I know that once he is able to do more, he will ask for a lot less of me. I can see it already when I give him an interesting task: he will play and explore on his own and will not even look at me. I've been able to read so many books since he became more independent! Sometimes, he will look at me to make sure everything is OK, and he will go back to playing. For example, we were at the library one day and a little girl started playing with him. As they played, he sometimes would look up at me, and I would smile. He'd smile back and go back to playing. As he grows older and can understand me and the world a little better, I know he'll think nothing of playing for a few hours while I'm away.

Paying attention to your child's cues is also, in my opinion, very important to developing a high IQ. Franklin is a very smart boy who isn't satisfied with simple tasks. He wants more. Had I ignored him and his needs, he might have resigned himself to playing with toys that aren't stimulating and interesting. But, because I noticed how much more he actually needs, I'm always on the look out for objects that will keep his attention for a while. Anything with a mechanism works, for example (we joke that he's going to be an engineer).

So here's my take on whining and meeting a child's needs. Franklin is my first child and I might be doing it all wrong, but I doubt it. I see him growing into a very confident, very independent little boy. He doesn't want to be carried in an elevator. He wants push the button and stand with the adults. He wants to face the door and be the first to exit when it opens, and he wants to walk to the car without having his hand held by anyone. He wants to explore on his own, and only complains when he is bored -- it is obvious that he is not complaining to have our company to play, he is complaining that he is not being stimulated enough by his environment. Fix this issue, and the complaining ends without much energy being expanded on our part.

What do you think about this topic? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[Raw Children] Preventing Anemia on a Raw Food Diet

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

This post is part of Raw Children Week, a week dedicated to raising children the healthy way.

A reader asked me the following question:

I have a question about preventing anemia when on a raw food diet, especially where there is a family history of serious thyroid issues and it is not recommended to feed foods high in oxalic acid or thyroid inhibiting foods too often even if they are high iron foods. Growing children need a lot more of these nutrients, how can anemia be avoided or rectified if this is the case?

It is always difficult to take a somewhat restrictive diet and restrict it even more because of health issues. Luckily, there are many foods that are high in iron and low in oxalates -- just be sure to show the list below to your doctor as I don't have enough information about your family history and needs. So, the list is just a starting point, but I hope you'll find foods you hadn't thought about in it.

- Avocado: 6% RDA per avocado.
- Broccoli (low in oxalates, but potentially thyroid inhibiting especially when raw): 8% RDA per 2 cups.
- Romaine lettuce: 6% RDA per 2 cups.
- Flax seeds (low in oxalates, but potentially thyroid inhibiting): 8% RDA per 1/4 cup, ground.
- Peas: 12% RDA per cup.
- Non vegan raw diet: meats such as wild salmon, and most meats, really (though I only recommend a few kinds). Low oxalate diets may benefit from added meats to meet iron requirements, so I recommend looking into sustainable meats and deciding what feels right for you.

I would recommend steaming iron rich greens like broccoli, and making sprouted flax crackers if your child tolerates them. Avocado is an amazing food and can be added to salty and sweet dishes alike. Peas are iron rich, and pea protein might be a good addition to smoothies. Brown rice is moderate on oxalates, and sprouted brown rice protein (like Sun Warrior) is iron rich -- you can add it to smoothies as well. Iron is better absorbed when coupled with vitamin C. Make a lemon dressing to go with your salad, add orange juice to your green smoothies, etc.

I want to mention that in special cases, getting enough from food might be tough. If you find that the numbers aren't rising as expected, iron supplementation might be something to look into. I personally recommend ionic iron as it's just iron without the fillers and colorings present in supplements marketed for children. And, it's supposed to be very easily assimilated by the body.

What are your favorite sources of iron?

Do you need healthy lunchbox recipes for your children? Raising children is the most important and rewarding thing you do. You know how important nutrition is to their success. A healthy diet--one that avoids sugary snacks and processed foods--is a crucial element in a child's academic success (not to mention his or her overall health).
Kids who eat well do better in school and are less likely to have problems sitting still, following directions, and focusing their attention. Shannon "Shakaya Breeze" Leone's new book The Healthy Lunch Box is just what we need to inject a big dose of fun and interest into meal planning and lunch packing -- not to mention eating!

[Raw Children] Good Sources of Fat/Protein for Toddlers

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

This post is part of Raw Children Week, a week dedicated to raising children the healthy way.

A reader asked me the following question:

What foods do you suggest as good sources of fat/protein for preschool aged children?

anissat

I still remember when fat was the devil. I hope that most people know by now that fat is necessary and healthy -- when it's a good fat. Our brain is made of fat, and fats are needed for the absorption of fat soluble nutrients. I also hope that no one thinks it's hard to get enough protein on a vegan or vegetarian diet. Still, it can be easy to think "getting enough of this or that is easy, therefore I don't need to focus on it" and end up deficient.

Getting enough fat and protein is especially important for toddlers since they need to so much energy to grow and, well, be toddlers. Here are some staples I believe should be in every child's diet. Not all of them are necessary, of course. If you are raising your child vegan, skip the non-vegan sources. If your kid is allergic to nuts, don't include them in his diet. But, always be mindful to provide him with all the nutrients he needs to grow up strong and healthy.

Fat:

- Avocado: Avocados are awesome. They digest effortlessly, but are loaded (and I mean loaded!) with nutrients. Add them to salads, mash them up and spread them on sprouted bread, blend them up into guacamole or into green soups, toss pieces in a food processor with soaked dates and cacao powder for a delicious pudding... The possibility are endless.

float

- Olive oil and other healthy oils (chia, flax, Udo's Choice Oil, pumpkin seed oil...): Perfect to increase the absorption of fat soluble nutrients, healthy unheated oils are great in salads and green soups, dips, and more. I use olive oil in salads, chia oil in chia puddings, Udo's Oil in fruit smoothies, etc.

- Nuts and seeds, and their milks: I generally always have a quart of nut milk in the fridge. My dad's and my husband's favorite is Brazil nut milk, and my favorite is sesame seed milk. Simply soak seeds overnight and blend them with 3 times the dry amount of water (1:3 ratio). Strain through a nut milk bag, and that's it! Use nut milks in cereal, superfood smoothies and more. Use whole nuts and seeds in salads. Use nut and seed butters to top veggies, fruits, or crackers. For example, spread walnut butter in celery ribs and top with goji berries. Spread almond butter on a halved banana and dust it with carob powder. Dip strawberries in melted coconut butter (made with coconut solids, not just fat). Make crackers out of flax seeds.

- Coconut: Coconut is a great source of fat. Add spoonfuls of coconut oil to smoothies and shakes. Spread coconut butter on sprouted bread and add a sprinkle of cinnamon. Add shredded coconuts to avocado/cacao puddings.

- Non-vegan sources: grass-fed butter, wild salmon, pastured eggs. I choose to add these to my diet, but you don't have to. I might not even continue, who knows. I just love to experiment with my diet and can get sustainable sources of these ingredients. I usually have pastured eggs in the morning with either grass fed butter or coconut oil. Sometimes, I'll have wild salmon or sardines with dinner with lots of greens, sauerkraut and/or kimchi.

Protein:
- Hemp seeds: Hemp seeds are some of the best sources of vegetarian protein. Only 4 tablespoons of them are enough to cover half of your protein needs. Not bad! I like to blend hemp seeds with strawberries, bananas and water. It makes a yogurt like smoothie.

- Nuts and seeds, and their milks: Same as above!

gokoroko

- Leafy greens: Super dense in amino acids and rich in minerals, leafy greens rock my world. Add them to salads, green smoothies, soups (raw or cooked), dehydrate them into chips... Delicious either way.

- Protein powders like sprouted brown rice protein powder: I like protein powders and consume them almost daily. A favorite of mine is 1 scoop chocolate Sun Warrior, 1/3 cup cashews, 1 cup water. Blend, and that's it! You can add a frozen banana, too.

- Non-vegan sources: grass-fed butter, wild salmon, pastured eggs: Same as above.

Really, there are many, many sources of healthy fat and protein for toddlers. These are just easy to find, healthful ones but don't be afraid to experiment. If your toddler eats cooked food, pseudograins such as quinoa and millet are great. Beans are good too, but I'm not crazy about them. If he eats dairy products, fermented dairy such as kefir is awesome too.

What are your favorite sources of fat and protein?

[Raw Children] Healthy Lunch box Ideas for Raw Children

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

This post is part of Raw Children Week, a week dedicated to raising children the healthy way.
A reader asked me the following question:

I would like to make my kids more raw vegan. What are good ideas for lunches at school?

Another asked:

I am restricted by the school to sending lunches that do not contain nuts, yet I need my children to get enough calories. What foods can I send with them?

zeafonso

When I think of the word “school”,I almost get hives all over my body. Where shall I start? At the soulcrushing methods? The diligent work towards conformity andhomogeneity? The junk food served to these beautiful, growing bodies?

To make matters worse, not only is health food sorely lacking frommost school cafeterias, well meaning mamas are restricted in their options by no-nutpolicies. Nuts are fairly prominent in healthy diets like raw foodsand Paleo meal plans, and eliminating them can make the seeminglydifficult task of packing a healthy lunch box nearly impossible.

But fear not, resourceful momseverywhere relish overcoming obstacles for their bambinos' benefit! Here are some tricks you can use.

1. Salads: Salads are amazing. Full of clean, pure water filtered by the plants themselves and loaded with many vitamins and minerals, salads are always on the menu at my house. And, they travel well too, believe it or not! Make a salad of chopped cucumber, red and yellow pepper, radishes, green onions, olives and tomatoes, and toss them with an olive oil/red wine vinegar/garlic/sea salt dressing. The longer it marinates, the better it is, so you can even make it the day before and keep it in the fridge. Or, make tabbouleh! Don't forget that sea vegetables go great in salads, so don't hesitate to sprinkled dulse here and there.

Brybs

Don't forget that veggies are a naturally "pre-packaged" food. Add a whole avocado to the lunch box, along with a wedge of lemon and a small packet of colored salt for fun. If knives aren't allowed, sliced the avocado lengthwise in half, coat the cut area with lemon juice, and reassemble it using cling wrap to keep it closed. All your child needs now is a spoon to dig out the yummy green flesh.

2. Patés: Usually referred to as nut patés, patés don't need to be made of nuts. Check if seeds, like sunflower seeds, are OK. If they are, soak seeds for about 6 hours, rinse them, and blend them with seasonings. Try this “tuna” for an amazing spread everyone loves. Tuck the paté in heart of romaine leaves with sprouts and shredded carrots, or other veggies. A green light on seeds also makes hummus a great option, whether high raw with cooked chickpeas, or all raw using zucchini.

3. Chips and dips: If seeds are OK, flax seeds get the green light too. Make Matthew Kenney's Corn Tortillas, and pack them in a small box along with tapenade (an olive dip from the south of France) and veggie sticks. You might want to check out these dips as well. And, if cashews are OK, Russell James' Cauliflower Cheese is the bomb!

nkzs

4. Sprouted breads and jam: Sprouted breads are easier to make than you think. Simply read this very detailed article I wrote on Essene-style bread. Pack them with blended fruits and dates (the "jam"), or thinly sliced Dr Cow cheese (if cashews are allowed) with veggies.

5. Fruit salads: Chop in-season fruits and toss them with freshly squeeze orange juice. Speaking of which...

6. Fresh juices! Sure, fresh is best, but liquids are so easy to get down, and you can squeeze extra nutrition in the menu that way. If you're organized, you can keep ice cubes made of specific drinks in the freezer, and add them to the bottle before your kids leave for school to keep the drink fresh. For example, freeze orange juice in ice cube trays. In the morning, squeeze some fresh orange juice, pour it in a bottle, and add a few frozen orange cubes. They'll keep the drink fresh without diluting the flavor (these are cool for parties, too!).

7. Chia puddings: Chia seeds should be OK in most schools. Make a yummy chia pudding, but use coconut milk as the base (it's not a nut, despite the name).

8. Chocolates! Mix ¼ cup melted cacao butter with ¼ cup cacao powder, add 2 T coconut nectar, and that's it. Toss in goji berries for fun and added nutrition. Check out these recipes.

9. Raw oat cookies: Toss oats in the food processor with dried fruits to make delicious and super-easy cookies like in this recipe.

10. Kale chips! It's been a while since I was a child, but I bet even regular kids will love them!

You see, you can make a lot of different foods for both high nutrition and variety. And, don't stress too much. Remember that there's just eating lunch at school, usually. You're still in charge of breakfast, after school snacks and dinner!

[Traveling in the Raw - Lebanon] Edde Herbs

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last week, my mother took me and Matthew to Byblos, an ancient Phoenician city in Lebanon. According to Wikipedia, it is "believed by many to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world." You can read more about Byblos here.
The city has an all-year market where you can buy replicas of Phoenician artifacts, fossilized marine life, and traditional Lebanese clothes. But more importantly, there's a very cool herb and spices store there, called Edde's Herbs. I took some photos to share with you!

Here's a bag full of dried rose petals. I remember making a pistachio/rose water cookie recipe from the Veganomicon many years ago, and thinking that some rose petals in it would be lovely.

And here's a full bag of chamomile. I have been drinking a lot of chamomile tea to help Franklin fall asleep more easily. I really think it works.

And check this out! Corn hairs, called Cheveux de Mais in French! I never thought anyone would want to buy corn silk specifically.

All these bags were outside. Inside, there were a lot of other herbs and many spices in bowls. I didn't take a photo of it but there was a big bowl of saffron threads! It was probably worth dozens of thousands of dollars!

You can read more about Edde's Herbs here. Apparently, what they sell is 76% organic, which is pretty nice. The organic movement is growing fast in Lebanon, there is even a national brand of organic produce called Biomass.

I ended up buying some fenugreek seeds to make fenugreek tea. Franklin has been nursing pretty much exclusively, and feeding a 28 lbs toddler on just breast milk is pretty intense. Since fenugreek is a galactogogue, I thought it might be a welcome addition to my diet.

Fenugreek Tea (stimulates milk production)

Ingredients:

1 t fenugreek seeds

1 cup boiled water

Steep until cool enough to drink.

[Traveling in the Raw – Lebanon] The Magic of Oranges – Orange-Persimmon Smoothie

2011-12-25T01:43:00.000-08:00

When I arrived in Lebanon a few daysago, I got sick almost immediately. There are many things one takesfrom granted when living in the US, and in a way, the purity of ourlifestyle makes any return to the so-called normal world quitedifficult on the body. Here are a few things I found everywherearound here, even though they can't be found in my house:

Fluorinated toothpaste (as well as whitening): I only use un-fluorinated Tom's of Maine toothpaste -- read this to know why,
Iodized salt: I never, ever, ever used iodized salt. I get iodine from organic sea vegetables, mainly kelp granules which I love to stir into guacamole, and as for salt, I usually use fine ground Celtic sea salt, as well as a few other salts (pink Himalayan, red Alea, unrefined sea salt and seaweed blend, herbamare, coarse Celtic sea salt),
UHT milk: UHT stands for Ultra High Temperature, a method of pasteurization. When I do buy milk, it is local, unhomogenized, VAT-pasteurized milk. On occasion, I have drunk unpasteurized goat's milk but since it is illegal to purchase unpasteurized milk in Iowa (and the laws are even tougher for goat's milk), I only do so very rarely.
Butter/vegetable oil mixes: Yikes! Non-organic canola oil, anyone? In my house, only 2 kinds of butter are allowed: cultured, organic butter, or grass-fed, organic butter (both are from Organic Valley as they are fairly easy to find in my small town). Vegetable oil? Never. The only kinds I use are olive oil and coconut oil. Rarely, I will use grapeseed oil in certain salads.

There are many other products which Ifound shocking since I was no longer used to seeing them, let aloneusing them. I immediately purchased some real salt (funny thing is,the only affordable one I found was unrefined salt from Maine), andsome Isigny AOC butter.

You might say: “You don't have to eat thesehorrible foods!” but when your family takes the time to cooksomething for you, it's difficult to say: “I'm sorry, but I don'teat iodized salt and since you've used some, I can't eat the dish”.I prefer to just replace commonly used ingredients with some that areacceptable to me and make life easier on everyone.

One good thing about Lebanon, though,is that it's citrus season right now. I love citrus with a passion, Ilove the smell, the taste, I love how tiny droplets of oil explodeall over as I peel the delightful fruits. Whenever I am thirsty rightnow (which is often, as Franklin has been nursing very frequently andeating very little – which is probably a good thing), I just juicesome oranges or mandarin oranges. Delicious, and so refreshing.

A few mornings ago, my mom got me a fewpersimmons (called “kakis” around here) and I decided to make asmoothie (with a hand blender, I don't have my Vita-Mix with me). Iused local bananas, of course. How's that for awesome?

Orange Persimmon Smoothie

Ingredients

2 bananas

2 persimmons (I used Hashya)

2 oranges, juiced

Blend and serve 1.

And did you know that if you bendorange skins near a candle, little sparks will appear? Try this withyour children some time (away from flamable things, it goes withoutsaying). I loved to do that as a kid!

[A Reader Asks] Why does my toddler like animal protein?

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Do you give Franklin any fish or eggs or meat? I started to give my girl fish and eggsfrom at 18-20 months (only organic) and some organic meat. I found out that sheloves them.

brokenarts
At first, as a former vegan girl, I was so sad that my girl liked animal protein. I first gave her some to seeif she'd like the taste, and since then she has only been talking about meat. She likes green juices too, as well as fruits, nuts andseeds. She is like a paleo or primal girl. I love her, I do not want to take animal proteins away from her since she enjoys them so much.

Am I doing something wrong? Shedoes not eat candy, ever, she does not eat sugary cereal,the only sweets she has are dark chocolate (85%) and dried fruits. Maybe Ishould never have given her animal protein, but my brother is a surgeon in one of the biggest hospitals in our capital, and he told me about lack ofvitamin D in our latitude, and that I should give her at least once aweek some fish and egg yolk for vitamin K, that it is always better forthe body to get nutrients from food rather than from any supplements... What do you think?"

Do I give Franklin fish, eggs or meat?

I give him eggs (he has had chicken eggs and quail eggs), but no fish or meat. My husband is vegetarian and he wants to raise Franklin vegetarian as well, so this means no fish and no meat of any kind.

forwardcom

I'm not crazy about restricting Franklin's diet, and asked my husband if he wasn't worried that he might end up deficient in certain nutrients that have not yet been discovered. Vitamin D was discovered in 1922, vitamin B12 was discovered around the same time. I don't know about you, but my grandmother was born in 1922, and she's still alive -- this means that nutrients are still being discovered, and it's a relatively recent thing. What else might we discover in the near future? Most people don't even know about vitamin K2, or omega 3 fatty acids.

But, if I were not fairly certain that I could provide Franklin with everything he needs, I would be giving him fish. I respect my husband's desire to raise Franklin vegetarian because I know a lot about nutrition and I know how to devise a healthy, balanced diet which will cover all nutritional grounds -- and I'm always researching nutrition, so I will learn about new discoveries before most people and adjust Franklin's diet accordingly.

Is it normal for children to enjoy animal protein?

You did give your daughter meat though, and wonder why she likes it so much. Franklin only had animal protein in the form of eggs and dairy, and he's crazy for them, so I can understand your daughter's reaction. To me, the reason is quite simple: in the wild, humans cannot survive on a totally plant based diet (this would, then, exclude bugs etc. as they are animals, so I don't consider gorillas to be true vegetarians) without supplementation, and therefore, it is in our physiology to derive certain nutrients from animal products and to enjoy eating them (otherwise we would not eat them at all).

Carin

So, yes, it is normal for your daughter and for Franklin to enjoy animal protein. I actually think that animal protein is a wonderful first food for children (and breast milk is animal protein, really). Eggs are easy to swallow raw, I would imagine (I've never tried as I find it disgusting but I'm aware I think this way because of how I was brought up), and cooked egg yolks dissolve easily in the mouth. Tender fish is easy to shred and eat without teeth. Fish eggs are easy to pop in the mouth. Yogurt cannot really be choked on. On the other hand, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, salads etc. are very difficult to eat without teeth, and if one is to swallow them whole, not much nutrition will be derived from them. They need to be cooked extensively, mashed, etc. which does not strike me as especially natural.

Is animal protein necessary?

Does this mean that a vegan or vegetarian diet is inappropriate and necessarily deficient? I don't think so. My husband and his 3 sisters were raised on a vegetarian diet, and not a particularly fantastic one at that -- and they did fine. They are all smart and as healthy as the next person (which to me is good, but not great, as I'd like Franklin to be healthier than anyone I know, not just average), and one of them has 2 smart children who were also brought up vegetarian without all the supplements I want Franklin to take (this will be an entirely different blog post).

memoossa

Some, like Weston A. Price followers, would say that children raised vegetarian are only healthy because they are benefiting from the good nutrition of their ancestors but as they reproduce, their offsprings will be sicker and sicker as nutritional stores get depleted. I disagree with this, but only if proper supplementation is in place. People could also eat meat and get poor nutrition, and have increasingly weaker children. The issue here isn't animal products or no animal products, it's adequate or inadequate nutrition.

Are you doing something wrong?

Of course not, you are feeding your daughter nutritionally dense foods that she enjoys. You're not feeding her junk food. I would recommend following her lead - offer her nutrient dense ingredients and let her choose what she likes.

If people are not willing, or are unable, to keep themselves updated on nutritional discoveries, then I would strongly discourage them against restricting their child's diet, especially if the environment makes supplementation absolutely necessary (like with vitamin D). But, if all the food offered is healthy, it does not really matter what she chooses, I bet she'll grow up strong and happy. You're doing a great job!

[Raw Children] Picking wild mandarin oranges!

2011-12-21T08:20:00.000-08:00

Behind my dad's apartment building in Lebanon, a wild mandarin orange tree is growing. Someone probably tossed a fruit there one day, or a bird dropped a seed. The tree is full of mandarin oranges because it's citrus season right now, and Franklin had a blast picking them and playing with the stray cats! You can see him in action with my dad in this short video.

Children love being in nature. Whenever Franklin is angsty, we take him outside and he calms down right away. And, children get to know where there food comes from. Part of it seems to be instinctual, because when we still had tomatoes growing in our backyard in Iowa, Franklin would make a bee line for the cherry tomatoes, grab one, and squeeze it before eating it. Lovely :-)

Do your children enjoy being in nature?

[A Reader Asks] The Chia Controversy?

2011-12-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

"Have you heard about Loren Cordain and his explanation regarding why we should not eat chia seeds? I eat them but now I wonder if they really are good for my body..."

Thank you for the great question! Chia seeds are known as an ancient crop (and people usually equate "ancient" with "healthy"), and I often recommend them on this blog (they are one of my food staples). But, like seemingly every food out there, some say they're good for us, and some like Loren Cordain say they should be avoided. So, what do I think? Let's look at the various arguments.

Cyanocorax

Chia seeds contain anti-nutrients and phytic acid

Both anti-nutrients and phytic acid are typically avoided by health conscious individuals because our dietary goal is to get as much nutrition as possible. But, anti-nutrients and phytic acid get in the way of it by preventing proper absorption of nutrients such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper and iron. Still, as problematic as this sound, it would be unfair to blame nutritional deficiencies on anti-nutrients and phytates since they do not prevent 100% of the mineral content from being absorbed. Rather, I think that nutritional deficiencies are due to an unbalanced or inadequate diet, it's really as simple as that.

Let's admit that yes, anti-nutrients and phytates are present in chia seeds. Does it mean that we are doomed to being zinc deficient? No. This would only be the case if our consumption of them is abnormal, and our zinc intake inadequate. Of course, another reason would be that chia seeds are so powerful that they will cancel out any and all intake of nutrients, but this is doubtful. I believe in the wisdom of the ancients, and if chia seeds were so terrible, they wouldn't have been consumed by ancient civilizations including the Aztecs. With a balanced diet of foods rich in zinc (and other minerals), and a moderate intake of anti-nutrient and phytate containing foods, deficiencies are therefore unlikely.

brainloc

For an interesting opinion on the phytic acid issue, please read the article Phytic Acid: Friend or Foe? by Sue Becker.

Lauren Cordain seems to agree with my point here, arguing that only if the chia seeds are a food staple (which I assume here means "a major part of the diet) would nutritional deficiencies occur. So, let me clarify here that for me, chia seeds are not a major food source. I eat about 2 tablespoons a day several times a week, and enjoy them immensely. I don't eat a half cup a day!

Chia seeds have caused gastrointestinal side effects in some studies

For some, if gastrointestinal distress was experienced, then it is indicative of the potentially unhealthy nature of chia seeds. This kind of reasoning would make my husband laugh -- he has been studying hard core for the LSAT and he can spot errors in reasoning really fast (it's really annoying).

Just because a group of people in a study experienced gastrointestinal distress does not mean that most of us will, and it does not mean that the chia seed itself was at fault -- if these people ate a poor diet low in dietary fiber and they were suddenly given dietary fiber every day, you bet they'll experience gastrointestinal distress! The question here is, do you experience digestive issues after eating chia puddings? If you do, and think that chia seeds are a worthwhile addition to your diet, go slow and eat a teaspoon a few days a week. Note that if low dietary fiber intake is the issue, then other high fiber foods will cause issues as well.

My Conclusion?

I personally will keep eating chia seeds. I won't consume extraordinary quantities of them, but I would not do that with any food. The problem is not just phytic acid and anti-nutrients. Chia seeds are filling, and if you fill yourself up with a single food, how else are you going to get enough nutrition? No food is perfect, containing absolutely everything you need to be healthy. You need variety. I think that 2 tablespoons of chia seeds a day is pretty good - you get all essential amino acids, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, manganese and omega 3 fatty acids in ALA form. Not bad!

Readings:
- The chia seed controvery by David Mandosa
- Chia seed follow-up by The Paleo Diet
- Phytic acid: friend or foe? by Sue Becker
- Chia seed nutrition by Nutrition Data
- Mark Sisson's opinion on chia seeds (he says that we shouldn't consider our omega 3 needs taken care of thanks to chia seeds only, and I agree).

15 Reasons Why Raw Foodists and Weston A. Price Followers Aren't So Different!

2011-12-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

Having a foot in both worlds (happily, may I add), I often find it funny how both sides consider the other borderline insane when in fact they have so much in common! Today, let's turn a blind eye on our differences, and focus on the similarities.

Here are the 15 reasons why Raw Foodists and Weston A. Price followers aren't so different after all!

#1 Both spend a huge amount of the time learning about nutrition, making food, and then blogging about it. Here are some of my favorite blogs:

On raw food diets: Kristen's Raw, Tera Warner, Russell James, Kate Magic, Matthew Kenney.

On Weston Price inspired diets: Nourished Kitchen, The Mommypotamus, Cheeseslave, Grass Fed Momma.

#2 Both sides are crazy for fermented foods.

"Fermented" may sound gross, but oh how delicious cultured veggies can be! Both sides go nuts for sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, water kefir, and more.

#3 Both sides know what enzyme inhibitors are, and how to remove them from the food they eat.

michaelaw

Enzyme inhibitors are present in nuts, seeds, grains and some other foods, and they bind to minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc, etc. and prevent their absorption. Do you think that if a food label lists "zinc: 50%", you're getting all that? Most likely, you will get a lot less. Your digestion may not be perfect, the food may have the inhibitors intact, etc. By soaking these offenders overnight, these foods will be more digestible and more nutritious.

#4 Both sides look for nutrient density, even though their definition of "nutrient dense" is different.

One side loves liver, one side loves green juices. The definition of "nutrient dense" differs, but both sides know to get big nutrition every day.

#5 Both hate Monsanto and the genetic modification of the food supply

Ah, Monsanto, how we hate you. You pollute the environment, and sue those who try to keep seeds pure but get contaminated by your products (often on purpose, I am sure). Buy organic!

#6 Both care about animals and will do their best to avoid animal products altogether (for one side) or will strive to get them from ethical family farms.

Many raw vegans would argue that if you kill an animal, then no matter how well it was treated, you're not caring for it. I understand this way of thinking. The other side argues that eating these very animals is necessary, as they provide us with nutrients that are not available in plants, but that one should care for them well both out of respect and to maximize the nutritional value of the food. I understand this way of thinking, too.

#7 Superfoods, bee pollen and spirulina!

Andreius

Are your surprised by this one? Bee pollen, spirulina, and other superfoods are often used by both sides.

I knew this was the case in the raw vegan community, but I didn't know the Weston Price Foundation recommended them too. But they do, check out their Guide to Superfoods.

#8 Colon cleansing, anyone? Most people on each side have either tried colonics or are thinking about it.

Many raw foodists recommend them, like Natalia Rose, Matt Monarch and more. Coffee enemas are also part of the GAPS diet.

#9 Both sides recommend a quart of milk a day.

For raw foodists, it's raw nut milk. For Weston Price followers, it's raw dairy, (a quart a day is recommended during pregnancy) usually cow's milk.

#10 Both avoid soy like the plague

Unfermented soy is full of estrogen analogs which mess with our hormones, and soy products on the market are incredibly processed. Only fermented soy is used, like miso. For a comprehensive article on the dangers of soy, read this.

#11 Both sides love their fats.

obelix666

Coconut oil producers could restrict their client base to just raw foodists and Weston Price followers, and their profits wouldn't suffer! And yes, some raw foodists follow very low fat diets and don't eat overt fats at all, but they are a minority (albeit a loud one).

#12 Both sides are very protective of their children (and rightly so).

Most of them will consider homeschooling, and will question vaccines, food additives, pesticides and herbicides.

#13 Halloween is a pretty tough holiday for them!

Read this great article from The Mommypotamus! I still don't know what I'll do when Halloween is here and Franklin is old enough. I hope to be living in Portland and have neighbors hand over healthy treats to kids!

#14 Both are considered extreme by mainstream people, but they see mainstream people as uneducated and complacent.

"You don't eat any refined sugar at all? Isn't that extreme?"
"Well, shouldn't refining sugar in the first place be considered extreme?"

"You never cook your food? Isn't that extreme?"
"Isn't eating molecularly changed food extreme?"

Etc....

#15 Both sides wonder how the other can get up in the morning on such a crazy diet!

Does anything more need to be said? :-)

What other similarities have you noticed between the two groups?

[Raw Children] High Need Baby Grows Up - 13 months

2011-12-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

As Franklin kept growing up, I kept thinking that people who don't acknowledge that their child is high need either have a lot, a lot of family support, or they just don't have a high need baby.

Tough times continued, with more and more bright spots

Around the time Franklin turned 11 months old, I had pretty much reached the end of my rope. My weight had plummeted to less than 100 lbs, I would get angry easily, and depressed even more easily. I remember one day when Franklin had taken two miserable 30 minute naps and was bouncing off the walls. I was exhausted. My husband put Mr Rogers on hoping Franklin might sit down and watch a little TV, and next thing you know, I was crying. I can't even remember was Fred Rogers was saying, but I know it was something pretty moving. So, here I was, crying at the dinner table.

Since Franklin needed to get enough sleep but would not sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time, I would sit in the dark next to him and wait for him to wake so I could get him back to sleep (this technique is described in the No Cry Sleep Solutions by Elizabeth Pantley, and is designed to get babies to sleep longer). After a while, sometimes, Franklin would bless us (rarely) with a 2 hour nap where only one intervention was necessary. This showed me that he knew how to sleep longer, but did not do so all the time. It also showed me he was changing, maturing sleep wise, and that things would get better.

But, since he did not sleep for much longer stretches at night, my bedtime was also 7 pm, next to him, for a long time. If you're thinking I taught him to expect this, don't. I never thought I'd need to do this with my baby. The first few months, I expected him to nap alone and sleep alone the first part of the night. I was open to co-sleeping, but not from 7 pm to 6 am! I had to do this for his benefit. It was either that or no sleep. Moxie once said that a child's sleeping habits has little to do with parenting skills, and parents can stop feeling smug or guilty right this minute. I agree. Frank started out in his crib right away. The crib was next to the bed, sure, but he wasn't in bed. We finally started co-sleeping just so that we would keep what little sanity we had left intact.

I mentioned that he finally started falling asleep at the breast... but when his teeth started coming in, he would often bite the nipple -- and it really hurt. He would also do it when I was trying to get him to nap but he wanted to play instead. Blissful breastfeding? Gone. I would feed him with a finger by the nipple so I could unlatch him in a microsecond. In retrospect, I know this period was so hard because he was changing so fast, and I was exhausted from an entire year or waking up 4-5 times a night. Things often get easier, you just might not realize it because you're so drained and sleep deprived. But one thing that might help is keeping a journal of how things are, and then go back. It's amazing what 2 months can do.

The biting did not last. He occasionally bit me when I would try to force him to nap and he did not want to sleep nor did he want to eat. But, things got better within a month or so. If your little one is biting you, unlatch him as soon as you feel a tooth. I would also say "teeth are not for biting people, this hurts!".

The skies cleared as the months passed

There were good changes too, and they came hand in hand with the bad ones.

For one, he would often fall asleep with his dad walking him. He was no longer 100% dependent on the breast. Also, he started unlatching at the end of a feeding, and would then roll over and... fall asleep. No motion needed, no boob needed. I actually noticed that sometimes during the night, the boob would distract him and after unlatching him, he'd roll over and fall asleep. This gave me the first indication that soon enough, he would be able to fall asleep on his own.

Another big change happened when Franklin started crawling like a champion and took his first steps at 10 months. He suddenly became a lot happier with life now that he was not dependent on me to do everything for him. One Amazon reviewer of Parenting Your Fussy Baby and High Need Child by Dr Sears mentioned that high need children are like 2 year olds in the body of an infant. They are completely frustrated. I totally agree with this, Franklin was an immensely frustrated infant because he could not take off and go right away. But when he became mobile, I suddenly didn't have to carry him around constantly, and he got to exercise. This led to easier naps (coupled with a strict schedule), and a not so exhausted mommy.

Since I was no longer so exhausted, I was not always ready to go to bed by 7 pm (his usual bedtime). And so... I would nurse him to sleep, or his daddy would walk him to sleep, and I would then go to the living room and watch Desperate Housewives, or blog, or snuggle with my husband! I never, ever thought it would happen within the first year. Yes, it took nearly a year to get there, but it did happen. And when he would wake, my husband could walk him for a few seconds and he would be out again (not 100% of the time, but still, it was a big improvement).

It was like a miracle! Doing this led Franklin to lengthen his sleep cycles, I think. Sometimes, he'd be out for an entire hour and I would then go to bed not because he would wake, but simply because I was tired. I am here to tell you: it gets better. Soon, you will not have to go to bed with your little one out of sheer exhaustion and because you know your little one will be awake in 20 minutes anyway.

What would I do differently?

I was unable to move for a few weeks after Franklin's birth, but if labor goes better next time, I will carry my baby in a sling nearly all the time. I did not do that with Franklin, because I was really messed up at first, and he would nearly always throw up when I would put him in the Moby wrap. Next time, I'll buy an infant insert for the Ergo and go with that, or experiment with another carrier. I think that all the hours I spent rocking Frank to sleep could have been spent just carrying him around the house doing various things.

Also, I will not worry too much about sleep anymore. This is just a result of experience though, it's not something I could have done differently with Frank. Basically, babies and toddlers need an early bed time. By 7 pm, they should be out. They need naps. Babies need to sleep every hour or so in the first few months, before settling into a mid-morning nap + early afternoon nap routine. That's it. Easy.

I will try to not create a suck to sleep association. Franklin found it very difficult to fall back to sleep between cycles because he felt he needed the breast. I will breastfeed to a drowsy state, and then try and get the baby to fall asleep on his own. I realize that this may be impossible with some babies. It is not something I could have done with Franklin without causing tears as he was such a high strung infant.

I might introduce a lovey so that instead of reaching for me, the child reaches for the lovey instead and falls asleep easily when comfort, rather than milk, is needed. It would be lovely if I could always be there to soothe the child to sleep until he's ready, but with a toddler and probably a husband in graduate school, I know it won't be possible the 2nd time around.

And finally, I would teach my child baby sign language. Being able to communicate is such an important part of staying calm. If I couldn't communicate, I'd go nuts. Why wouldn't infants feel the same?

What would I keep the same?

I will keep carrying the baby as much as possible, and I will give my baby all the love in the world. I will not breastfeed on a schedule, or let him cry to sleep.

Honestly, I don't know of a single person with small children (2-3 or under) who sleeps through the night, every night, without a problem. I know people who co-sleep and practice attachment parenting, and people who let their kids CIO. And guess what, none of their kids sleep through the night, regardless of parenting practices.

I will keep a strict schedule going, as children seem to thrive on predictability and routines. Nap time is and will be sacred, bedtime will be early, and there will be routines before each to get the child prepared for sleep.

I would stay compassionate and wonder if I'm expecting things of my baby I'm not expecting of myself. For example, why would a baby fall asleep within minutes of being put down? Do we fall asleep as fast? And, why should infants sleep through the night, night after night? Don't they have a right to have problems during the night? Sometimes, I wake up super thirsty. No, I don't need nutrition, but I do need a drink! One time, I woke up because I dreamed I was choking. It took me a little while to settle down and fall asleep again. If I had been sleeping by my husband, I probably would have stolen a hug from him. and what about naps? Even if I'm dead tired, I won't nap, and if people suggest I do, I all but yell at them.You get the idea.

Recommended Readings

- Does it every get better? -- by Moxie

Oh I cannot tell you how many times I read this post and its priceless comments during dark times. Here's a little part of it, do read it if you are struggling with your infant, if you're wondering where the heck your life went, and if it will ever get better. Don't forget the comments!

"I think people who enjoy having babies are nuts. Like seriously insane. I hated it both times, and didn't even realize how much I hated it, because I loved my kids and thought it was just parenting and therefore what I'd signed up for.

But now that they're 8.5 and 5.5? Whoa. It's a whole different experience. I'm actually making decisions and having discussions and working on things with them that are interesting and that make an immediate impact, and sometimes hurt my head in a good way. And they sleep all night and deal with their own poop, and tell me if they're hurt."

- 13 months old still not sleeping through the night! -- a Mothering thread.

Aaah, Mothering. How I love your forum full of co-sleeping, extended breastfeeding moms who are totally sleep deprived yet will not let their kids cry it out. I found this thread in one of my many quests for answers, and the replies gave me hope many times over.

"I didn't push. I didn't train. I made it as easy on myself as possible. I didn't want to get out of bed in the night, so I didn't. I honestly figured we'd be doing this to at least 2 years old. I expected her to co-sleep until she was big enough to get excited about a big girl bed. Self-weaning at 17 months was not my plan at all...it was hers. Just like learning to sleep through the night, that was all her.

It was often very hard. Torturous even at times to be so tired, to nurse so often through the night. I often felt very sad, sometimes angry, even worried that I was not meant to be a mother because I couldn't handle this. But it came to an end. And now on the other side of it, I can hardly believe what I went through and I only wish there had been a way for me to not be critical of myself or sad about things I couldn't control."

- The Fussy Baby Book : Parenting Your High-Need Child From Birth to Age Five by the Sears.

As I read this book, I would often read passages out loud to my husband (who read it too). It's amazing how a little validation can go a long way. When you're the mother of a high need baby, you need to hear from people who have been there.

One year later

Oh how things changed. I promise you, when you're too tired to open your eyes, and wonder what that smell is and realize it's you because you haven't bathed in days (not that it happened to me... riiiight), when you don't think you can make it through another day, let alone a week or even *gasp* a year, I promise you, it gets better. Franklin can now play by himself for a while, and I can sit by him and read. It feels so good to do something that has nothing to do with babies and diapers and spit up and sleep issues.

Latching on was no longer a problem, and the number of wet diapers and dirty diapers did not matter anymore. So many things which were a problem due to my inexperience were non issues after a while.

And, sweet things happen. Your baby will stand up and walk, which means he will walk towards you and give you a great big hug. He will sit on the toilet to poop, and suddenly notice the shower curtain -- and he will pull it in front of his face, and play peek-a-boo with you. Or, he will rub his forehead on your forehead and laugh. And, is your little newborn clawing you raw and punching your boobs while he breastfeeds? This will be replaced with a gentle, impossibly soft little hand petting your breasts and twirling your hair between adorable tiny fingers. Oooh... It does get better. So, so much better. I promise you! I'm loving having a toddler, and the amount of joy he has brought me cannot even be described. Stay strong, high need infants usually mean smart, passionate toddlers who laugh louder than others, and love harder too.

[Giveaway] Multiple Raw eBooks!

2011-12-10T06:19:00.001-08:00

Let's put a little twist on the traditional giveaways! Instead of commenting and liking pages on Facebook, how about doing something more fun?

Here's the last contest before the end of 2011. Let's talk breakfast! Breakfast is the best meal to tackle when you want to go raw. It's so easy to have a raw breakfast, and the variations are endless.

Submit your own favorite breakfast recipe to win one (1) copy of The Healthy Lunchbox and one (1) copy of Monkey Mike (5 winners will be selected). In addition, all participants will be entered in a random draw to win one (1) copy of Creating Healthy Children by Karen Ranzi as well as one (1) copy of Traveling in the Raw by Robyn Law of Girl On Raw.

The Rules:
- 3 recipes/entry per person,
- Recipes must be your own, and they should be raw + vegan so the majority of people can enjoy them regardless of food restrictions,
- Recipes should include ingredients, directions, serving size and a photograph.
- Recipes should be breakfast friendly. Use your judgement. Smoothies and cereal fit the bill, burgers and pizza not so much!

Post your recipe by answering this post.

The contest ends December 22nd. The five (5) most loved recipes will be chosen by popular vote, and the winner will be awarded one (1) copy of The Healthy Lunchbox and one (1) copy of Monkey Mike. In addition, all participants will be entered in a random draw to win one (1) copy of Creating Healthy Children by Karen Ranzi as well as one (1) copy of Traveling in the Raw by Robyn Law of Girl On Raw.

All recipes will be compiled into an eBook which will be available for free download on the RawMom Club.

Good luck!

Pink Smoothies: Cranberry and Strawberry Shakes

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love liquid nutrition. What's easier than tossing ingredients in a blender and drinking the resulting concoction? You can even make smoothies while balancing a 28 lbs toddler on your hip! Here are 2 recipes I made in November.

Cranberry Protein Shake

Cranberries are so lovely. They are known for being tart, but I don't think they are, or at least not as much as they are believed to be. You can use almond milk instead of the water and cashews, but the cashew milk makes for a quick shake with absolutely no prep work.

Ingredients

3 frozen bananas
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/3 cup cashews
2 scoops SunWarrior protein, Vanilla
1 cup water

Directions
Blend and serve 2. This smoothie is Franklin approved!

Mother's Love Smoothie

I created this smoothie to celebrate the birth of Matt and Angela's baby, Oria. I remember being ravenously hungry after the birth of Franklin, and very thirsty too. As soon as he'd latch on, my mouth would instantly go dry and I'd ask my husband to bring me a glass of water. This smoothie is perfect for breastfeeding mothers, but it's great for pretty much anyone. It's loaded with superfoods, and tastes delicious.

Ingredients
1 cup sesame seed milk, for calcium
1 T chia seeds, for essential fatty acids
1 t lecithin, for choline
1/2 t chlorella, for minerals and clean breastmilk
1/2 T shatavari root, ground, for milk production
1 T bee pollen, for minerals
1 T honey and 1/4 t cinnamon, for sugar & spice (optional)
1-10 oz bag frozen strawberries
2 bananas

Directions
Blend and serve 1 hungry breastfeeding goddess :-)

[Product Review] That's It! Bars

2011-12-03T16:36:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago, I was sent samples of That's It. Bars to review. These bars come in 3 flavors so far, apple/pear, apple/cherry and apple/apricot (and, you guessed it, nothing else!). I love that they tell you exactly how much fruit is in each bar. For example, in the apple/apricot flavor, you get 1 apple and 3 apricots blended together and dried. They don't appear to be organic, but I think they could widen their customer base if they were! Still, they are gluten-free, raw and vegan.

Here's what they have to say about their product:

That’s It.^TM bars grew from the idea that nature knows best. We agree. We believe that adding a bunch of extra stuff to natural fruit only takes away from the purity and balance that nature intended.

Ingredient lists have never been this simple and this clean until now. We use only natural, GMO-free fruit and nothing else.
Our goal is to make it convenient for people to get their “2-a-day”. That means that you get 2 whole servings of fruit from just one That’s It.^TM bar.
With taste, convenience and portion control, That’s It.^TM has raised the bar on fruit.

Franklin eating a That's It. bar

These bars are really easy to like. They're just fruit, and are just sweet enough to please people with a sweet tooth but not so sweet that people like me will find them to be "too much". But really, what I love the most about these bars is that Franklin looooves them.

When he's in a picky phase (which apparently is all the time these days), I can hand him a bar and he'll tear pieces off with his front teeth. Or, I'll cut them into pieces and he'll either grab them and eat them, or I'll feed him some. To me, it's better than fresh fruit in this case because I don't have to blend it, and he doesn't have to chew much (he only has 4 front teeth). He doesn't choke on them because they dissolve pretty fast. Of course, since they're fruit, I always brush his teeth well once he's done eating them.

Thank you That's It. for sending me your bars to review! We all loved them, and I will be sure to keep some on hand for Franklin to munch on. I'm keeping the bars I have left to take on our trip next week, I think they'll be real life saviors on the plane!

A Day in the Life of Joanna Steven

2011-12-01T17:16:00.001-08:00

In the Spring of 2010, Get Fresh! magazine published an article detailing a day in my life. They do that in every issue with various raw personalities, and it's one of my favorite features!

Just for giggles, here is my article. Click on the image to enlarge it.

What a luxurious life I used to have, I feel like I could have done so much more! Matthew Amster-Burton, in his book Hungry Monkey: A Food-Loving Father's Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater can relate. In it, he writes:

Laurie and I were married for eight years before having a baby, and I sometimes wonder what exacty we were doing all that time. Not like, "How could we have waited so long?" I have no regrets about that. No, I mean, now we spend hours and hours every day looking after Iris - what did we do wit hthose scads of free time for eight years? It seems like we should have been able to score a couple of Nobel prizes, or at least build a huge, eccentric art installation.

On the bright side, now I know how precious time is! When the kids are gone to college, I'm going to be so efficient (and hopefully before then... As soon as I can, I'm doing a big juice feast!) :-)

[Book Review] Sugar Nation by Jeff O'Connell

2011-11-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

Every week or so, we take Franklin to the public library for new books to read to him. He loves books, and when I'm way too beat to play with him, I sit down, sign "book" to him, and he'll sit on my lap. While we're there, I always check out the "New Books" section for something I can read when Franklin is playing by himself, or in the evening when he's asleep. Yes, he still wakes up every hour or so, but now that he's mobile, I'm not dead tired by 7 pm and I can read a little, or update my blog.

Last week, I found a book called Sugar Nation. I picked it up because I have been trying to drastically reduce my intake of carbohydrates (I'm mixing up the Thrive Diet, The Body Ecology Diet and Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint), but also because I like anything diet related. I'm a total health geek, and I love it!

The book was written by Jeff O'Connell, a journalist who worked for Man's Health and Muscle and Fitness, and found out that he was prediabetic. Troubled by the news, considering that his father developed type 2 diabetes and had his leg amputated, he went out to find the answer to the epidemic that is affecting so many individuals. He rightly points out that a very large majority of people either has diabetes or knows someone close who's affected by the disease, and that when they are diagnosed, even though they could control their blood sugar with diet and exercise, they go for a pill. How many people with cancer would do away with something as easy as diet and exercise if it could save their lives? Diabetics just don't see their illness as a death sentence, when it's really a slow, often painful death.

In Sugar Nation, Jeff uncovers many facts that may not suprise many of my readers but are still astonishing. For example, did you know that most comments received by the USDA before publishing their diet guidelines come from companies and organizations like the US Rice Federation, The Sugar Association, The Foundation for the Advancement of Grain Based Foods, The National Pasta Association and the US Potato Board? I don't eat a lot of grains, and I definitely don't buy many packaged grain based products, but this piece of information makes me want to boycott the entire industry. Yet another reason to eat less carbs!

Jeff O'Connell first starts with a very strict Atkins diet where 20 grams or less of carbohydrates are allowed (if you can't put this into context, believe me, 20 grams is tough!). He will later increase his carb intake due to his particular condition which leads to wild blood sugar swings and a resulting (and surprising) perfect A1C score. He notes:

Realizing how good these foods taste before all that junk is poured over them back in the kitchen will be a revelation. If you're like me, removing sugary treats and other junk foods from your diet will unveil the simple pleasures of natural food, perhaps for the first time in your life. Red wine paired with fresh fish and steamed broccoli can become an exquisite pleasure. Rather than feeling deprived, I began enjoying food more than ever before.

I wish, oh I wish, that diabetics (and people eating an unhealthy standard American diet) could understand that real food does taste good! I wish I could be paid to get diabetics into my house and teach them to cook, teach them that good food does not equal unhealthy food, but it also makes you feel amazing, instead of sluggish and unmotivated. Caffeine? Who needs it? Sugar highs? Why? Why not have energy all day long rather than a temporary high followed by a crash?

Jeff O'Connell also reports many interesting diet facts, like this one:

Avocados may give eggs a run for their money as the king of all anti-diabetes foods. First, the measurements: 22 grams of very healthy fats, 3 grams of protein, and 13 grams of carbs, 10 of which are fiber! The single gram of sugar it contains, mannoheptulose, has a unique chemical structure that actually helps clear glucose from the blood.

The book has more than what seems like common sense to most health conscious people. He also discussed the fact that, contrary to popular belief, a good A1C (which measures your average blood sugar for the past 3 months) can hide the fact that you are pre-diabetic. Most doctors will send you home with a clean bill of health if your A1C comes back fine, but the truth is that you can have wide blood sugar swings and the very low sugars will offset the very high ones... and your average will seem perfectly healthy.

When I finished reading the book, I gave it my husband. My husband loves good food, carbohydrates and sugar. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes also run in his family. After reading a few chapters, the first thing he said was that Jeff was a very good writer -- coming from my husband, that's a huge compliment. Unfortunately, he wasn't convinced to lower his carb intake as the author's diet as a prediabetic was pretty dismal (fast food, doughnuts, sodas etc.) so it did not exactly shock my husband into reexamining his own diet. I wish he had focused on seemingly healthy diet, something he does only briefly when he argues that High Fructose Corn Syrup, while bad, is not that much worse than other types of sugar when it comes to overworking the pancreas and sending our blood sugar on wild rides.

I love that book, pure and simple. When I was pregnant and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I was furious. I was furious that my seemingly perfect diet did not prevent me from becoming insulin resistant (even if just for 3 short months), furious that Franklin now had a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes as a result, and furious that no one had answers for me.

I searched the Internet with a fine toothed comb and asked many, many questions to my endocrinologist, and got no satisfying answers. I now believe that my diabetes was caused by a vitamin D deficiency that went undiagnosed and pregnant women are not routintely checked for it (really, don't they think that a woman married for 7 years and pregnant with her first child has a higher risk of having a vitamin D deficiency than AIDS, which they tested me for?). But I found out about this gestational diabetes/vitamin D link after giving birth, while researching vitamin D and finding out that not enough of the vitamin impairs insulin production.

Jeff O'Connell is like me. He's a man who's not satisfied with the status quo, and someone who doesn't take what the medical establishment says for granted. He knew that lifestyle plays an important role in whether someone is sick or healthy, and he did not want to take the easy way out -- pop a pill and keep eating glazed doughnuts. He wanted health, he wanted truth, and he wants people to take responsibility for their actions. People like him are the kind I want to surround myself with.

You can purchase Sugar Nation here. Let me know your thoughts if you read it!

[Raw Children] A 12-Months Old Picky Eater's Menu

2011-11-25T17:29:00.000-08:00

I recently got this message from one of my readers:

"I know you recently posted regarding your food staples but is that also what you feed Franklin? I would love to hear what a menu for him looks like. I have a 15 month old that became the pickiest eater since she turned one so I want to make sure she eats the most nutritious foods possible."

I hear you! Since Franklin turned one, he has become the pickiest of eaters too. He won't accept being spoon fed for more than a few times, and he's more interested in playing with his finger food than in eating it (read: throwing it all over the living room). And, since he only has 2 full front teeth, anything that is not pureed takes forever for him to swallow.

It would seem that it is very common for kids around the age of 12 months to become picky eaters or go on an eating strike (you might want to read this very interesting post by Moxie. I love her!). Here's what I do:

I try not to worry too much.

Franklin is in the 95th percentile for height, weight, and head circumference. His iron levels were tested last week and they came back fine.

At first I freaked out that he quit eating as well, since I was used to him downing half cups of strawberry hemp smoothies in one sitting, but I realized that not only is this phase normal, he's also pretty healthy. "They" say that children will not let themselves starve, and I believe it. If he gets too hungry, he'll eat.

I breastfeed him whenever he wants it, even if it's every 2 hours at night.

Yes, I haven't slept for more than 2 hours in a row in an entire year. But, I think of it as doing my duty as a mother for a relatively short amount of time. When Frank is 35 and has his own kids, I'll think back on these few years and be proud. Breastmilk is still very nutritious in the 2nd year as these numbers suggest, and I take quite a few supplements to ensure I have overflowing stores of nutrients for both of us.

If you are not breastfeeding anymore, you can still give your daughter good nutrition. Formula won't be as good as breastmilk, but if your daughter will drink some, it might fill in nutritional gaps. A great alternative would be looking into getting breastmilk from donors -- in Iowa, you can get it through WIC. Regardless, the medical establishment says that after the first year, breastmilk ceases to be the primary source of nutrition. It still is in Franklin's case, but I think that a healthy toddler can find enough nutrition in solids.

I try to find fun and exciting ways to feed him.

So, just do what most people do, give your daughter nutrition through regular food in the way she likes most. I realize the issue here is picky eaters, but there might be ways to get her to eat a little more if you feel she needs it.

For instance, food presented in fun ways might be exciting for her. I know that Franklin will eat quite a few frozen blueberries and fresh oranges if placed in a mesh teether (another fun food might be Popsicles. I have not tried them with Frank yet, but you can make them pretty nutritious). He also loves raisins, so I will place some around the house for him to pick and eat. And while he often will shake his head as if saying "no" to solid foods, he's less reluctant to have liquids -- this means he can drink green juices and nettle infusions (both are wonderful sources of minerals) for a while before refusing them. I'll take what I can get in this case, and often keep some infusion on the counter to try and make him drink it later on in the day.

Go for nutrient dense foods!

If your daughter will only accept small amounts of food despite all this, make every bite count (actually, we should make every bite count regardless of how good of an eater the child is). If you make nut milks, make them often out of hemp seeds (1 cup per 3-4 cups of water) for added protein and iron. If you make green smoothies, use nettle infusion instead of water to get the blender going. If you make a fruit smoothie or a soup, increase the mineral content by adding powdered chlorella.

Franklin's Daily Menu?

You asked what a daily menu for Frank would be. Because he's become so picky, it's hard to really give a consistent menu that reflects his daily food intake. I just play it by ear.

For instance, I noticed he really, really likes egg yolks. That kid really seems to like animal protein and in the summer, he would hunt down ants in the house (ironically, the ants were there because I did not have the heart to kill them) and eat them! We tried to get them out of his mouth but he'd cry every time. So, I will often make us a couple of eggs and feed him the yolk (yolks are more nutritious than whites and less allergenic).

He also loves green juices and nettle infusions, so I will make them for him whenever I can (usually nettle infusions, because I can make them with him on my hip).

Sometimes, I just get lucky. There is this local brand that makes VAT-pasteurized, non-homogenized yogurt and cottage cheese (Kalona Supernatural. They're from Iowa - I don't know if it's a happy coincidence or if they only sell products here). I got some one day and gave him a little. He loved both, especially the yogurt. He'll eagerly eat up the yogurt even if I spoon feed him.

And, he loves strawberries, so I often made a strawberry hemp smoothie and usually, he will drink quite a bit of it (3 bananas, 1 bag frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup hemp seeds, 1 cup water -- Blend until smooth, serves 1 hungry breastfeeding mama and 1 picky toddler).

And if by magic he decides he wants to eat, I'll feed him until he stops accepting the food. Yesterday, I made some pea soup (gently saute some chopped shallots, add 3 cups of frozen peas, 2 cups of water, and simmer 10 minutes. Blend, that's it!), and put some in a small jar with chlorella. He refused to eat it on the day I made it, but ate the whole thing the next day.

I realize that not much of it is raw right now, and I'm OK with that. Most of his food intake is breastmilk, which is very much raw, and I know that as he gets more teeth and I can communicate with him better, he'll eat a bigger variety of foods. I'm going to try to teach him to use a straw, and try and find a sippy cup he likes. He might eat more if he can feed himself better, and a sippy cup might end the no teeth/won't take the spoon issue. Once he can use a cup, things will get even easier (I hope!).

For now, do the best you can, make sure your daughter is growing correctly and is healthy looking, and perhaps get her iron checked at some point to make sure she's not anemic. It looks like this difficult phase is common, but will end before you know it (like all things baby, apparently!).

Do you have strategies to feed picky eaters?

Winter in the Raw - Ela and Life in Alaska

2011-11-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

Last year, I had the joy of interviewing my good friend Ela. I love Ela, she is sweet, humble, loving, caring, and writes wonderfully well. Her blog is such a treat, I highly recommend reading it. Soon after the interview was done, I went into labor and did not get around to posting it. But, I never forgot about it, so here it is, one year later!

Joanna Steven: Many people find that staying raw, or at least high raw, in the winter is very difficult. But, you live in Alaska, where you experience some of the coldest weather of the country, and you still manage to make it work. I find that being a successful raw foodist has a lot to do with our reasons for being raw in the first place. What are your motivations for being raw throughout the year?

Beautiful Ela

Ela Harrison Gordon: My main motivation for being raw is that I feel my best when much or mostof what I eat is raw. I feel more interested in and connected to the earth's rhythms, even at a frozen latitude. But I've also learned that it's more important here than in more temperate climates not to be dogmatic: to do what's best for my body in a given situation, based on what is available, as opposed to insisting on doing what would be best for my body in an ideal world and likely going hungry if that's simply not possible.

Joanna Steven: Going back to your first years as a raw foodist in cold weather, what was more helpful in helping keep you on track? What advice would you give to a raw newbie who's finding February a little hard to deal with?

Ela Harrison Gordon: This is only my second winter in Alaska and I'd lived in warmer places (BayArea, California and Big Island, Hawaii) for years before that. Although this means that I sorely miss the year-round growing season at times, I think it also means that I'd been able to be used to eating raw food solidly and easily, so it was a well-entrenched habit for me.

However, my favorite tip for being a raw-foodist somewhere frozen is to grow sprouts! It's so easy, they're so nutritious, and it always provides me with such a morale boost to have some totally fresh food that I grew myself ready to eat there. By February, we already have quite a bit of light this far north, and I'm going to be trying to grow some 'microgreens' (pea shoots, baby spinach and lettuces) indoors as well, to take advantage of that extra light.

I like to go for high-nutrient density foods--superfoods, if you like. I really enjoy spirulina and chlorella, and find the earthy warmth of maca (especially combined with cinnamon and ginger) particularly good in the winter.
Coconut oil is another wonderful thing, and in general I'd say thatin winter it's particularly important to ensure the quality of your fat intake and not to avoid all fat. Vitamin D requires fat for absorption, and dietary fat helps with general satiation and warmth.I love to drink lots of herbal tea, especially in the winter. I include dried nettles that I harvested here in the spring, which provide super-high levels of minerals and allow me to feel in touch with the place I am in.
Miso soup is also a nurturing thing to prepare: you can steep all kinds of veggies in a miso broth (I like it with lots of ginger and turmeric) and have a meal that is warm and warming but still raw.Anticipating the next question slightly, I would tell any raw newbie in a cold climate: be gentle with yourself! Raw food is wonderful but so are many other foods, and the benefits of raw food are not stellar enough to overcome stress or anxiety or hunger if you restrict yourself to them when goodproduce is hard to come by or it's simply too cold.

Joanna Steven: Sometimes, a little cooked food ends up on our plate, and I think it's important to focus on what we are eating raw rather than what we're eating cooked. Still, the cooked portion should be healthy. When you do eat cooked food, what do you usually eat?

Ela Harrison Gordon: I was 100% raw for six years and would say that my health and general ease in life are both better now that I eat some cooked food on occasion. When I eat cooked food, it's usually baked or coconut-oil-roasted vegetables (yams and parsnips are current favorites), or legumes. I love to sprout beans or lentils and then either cook them up with some ginger and incorporate them into salads, or make a hearty soup or curry with them, long, slow simmering in the crockpot. I also switch things around with the brassicas: I find broccoli especially troublesome if I eat it 'straight' raw, but my tummylikes it fine if I marinate it in oil and apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) with a little good salt for several hours. But sometimes I eat it blanched too. I simply put the broccoli into near-boiling water until it is bright green. This softens the tough cellulose on the outside but leaves it still cool and crunchy on the inside.

Like many people, I like to eat some raw food with my cooked food, whether this means that I have a salad on the side (as I usually do) or that I have some kind of raw dip with a baked vegetable, or just a root medley of baked yam and parsnip and raw carrot.I'm very picky about fat when it comes to cooking. Mono- and polyunsaturated fats are highly susceptible to rancidity when heated. I mentioned above how much I appreciate coconut oil: it's also the only oil I will eat cooked (its structure is much more heat-stable) but my personal preference is to cook food without added fat and then stir in some coconut oil, nut butter, raw vegan sour cream or what-have-you, when serving.

Joanna Steven: Life isn't all about food! Often, our lifestyle can be very helpful in helping us stay on the healthy path, and in this case enjoy the winter months. What do you love about winter and makes you appreciate the season?

Ela Harrison Gordon: First and foremost, winter is so beautiful! We live in a tiny cabin overlooking Kachemak Bay, on the very edge of the bluff, with lots of south-facing windows, and we see both the sunrise and the sunset every day (that isn't completely overcast) in the winter months! We see eagles soaring, pairs of ravens performing aerial acrobatics, sea-ducks down on the ocean.

Sometimes, we can see sea-otters tumbling and playing in the waves (although binoculars help for this!) We love to get outside every day (or inmy case, almost every day: some of the fouler storms chase me indoors) andto walk in the daylight and see what is new. Winter is a very changeable season: there is more extreme temperature variation than at any other time of year. We can go from dead cold and snow-bound to a few degrees abovefreezing with pouring rain. I find this potentially unsettling, and if I go out in it and connect with it, it's easier to stay tuned. There's always something different to see.

Winter is also a time when people here tend to be more social and less likely to be off adventuring/hunting/fishing. There are fewer people, with the tourists having moved on and many people having migrated to their second homes 'somewhere warmer.' The people that are still around are generally very friendly and chatty, and community gatherings or get-togethers with neighbors are a fine part of winter.I miss my garden, but appreciate the slower pace of life with fewer time-sensitive things that urgently need doing. Plus, the bears are all asleep so you can hike anywhere without having to worry about them, and, even better in my opinion, there are no mosquitos or biting flies at this time of year!

You can read Ela's blog at http://ulteriorharmony.blogspot.com

[Raw Children] Is Iron Supplementation Necessary for Infants and Toddlers?

2011-11-17T17:46:00.001-08:00

Conventional Wisdom recommends iron supplementation for all infants older than 6 months. The most common form of supplementation is rice cereal -- that's right, refined, usually not organic, rice cereal, a food that has so little nutrition within it it is basically a carrier for minerals added later on. Rice cereal is also highly acidic forming, and acidic forming foods (not to be confused with acidic foods which can sometimes metabolize into alkaline ash) have been linked to higher risks of cancer. Besides, the iron in rice cereal is poorly absorbed. The label might say "Iron: 11 mg" but your baby is only getting a tiny fraction of that.

How did humans manage without rice cereal? Were their kids anemic, dizzy with a lowered IQ? Of course not. It is time to understand that nature does not make mistakes as flagrant as this. Yes, humans need iron. But, they can - and should - get it from food.

I decided to avoid giving Franklin iron supplements and/or rice cereal for his own benefit. I wanted to give him nourishment in the form of whole food, nutritious, delicious food, rather than pills and drops (except for vitamin D as I had been unable to raise my levels sufficiently and wanted to be on the safe side). At his one year check-up, I had his HGB levels tested, and... he is fine. My little boy, who arguably has high iron needs due to constantly being in the 95th percentile for height and weight has gone an entire year without supplementation and he is not anemic. Of course, I tried to make sure he was getting enough iron through his food -- I did not assume he'd be fine regardless of what he ate.

Here is what I did:

I breastfed on demand, not according to an arbitrary schedule.

I think it's crazy to expect all infants to eat according to a schedule. Some kids, like Franklin, are destined to be tall and grow faster than average (his clothes were for 24 months old toddlers before he turned 1!). As a result, they will need more food than average, and that's fine.

But more importantly, frequent feedings will increase the amount of iron they get through breastmilk. It is thought that iron levels plummet in breast milk after the first 6 months -- I believe it, as other mammals don't have iron rich milk either. But let's say one baby is breastfed on a schedule every 3 hours, and another breastfeeds on demand every hour. The 2nd baby will be ingesting at least twice as much iron, and since the body can store iron, more iron will be kept in reserves.

I would strongly discourage mothers from putting their child on a schedule. Infants grow so quickly, and their needs have to be met. If they don't get the nourishment they need, their health and growth will suffer. It's as simple as that.

I made sure to eat iron rich foods myself for a more nutritious breast milk.

Breast is best, but as I've said many times, breastmilk can be made even better. I took multivitamins. I ate iron rich foods. I ate sufficiently. I made sure I got enough greens, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and more. I drank quarts and quarts of fresh nettle infusions.

I gave Franklin iron rich foods.

As soon as Franklin started eating solids, I gave him green juices. He loved them. I don't make them as often as I should, but I try. While the CSA was going, I would often buy a pound of fresh Italian parsley every week, and would juice part of it and make tabbouleh with the rest. Franklin would then eat little bits of tabbouleh.

I also used nettle infusions instead of water in many of his smoothies, or I would spoon feed him nettle infusions straight. I fed him green smoothies almost daily. I added finely chopped parsley to his purees.

I fed him iron rich berries, often in conjunction with chard. Or, I would put blueberries in a mesh teether along with pieces of fresh oranges, as vitamin C enhances iron absorption. I mixed hemp seeds in many of his smoothies. As for cooked foods, I often made lentil soups (from both French lentils and red lentils) and would puree them for him.

I know that many like to practice Child Led Weaning where spoons are not used and children feed themselves from the very beginning, but it did not really resonate with me. A lot of animals feed their children, and I did too. I definitely think that Child Led Weaning can work for many people, and I think that I should have encouraged Franklin to feed himself more as he's still not very good at using a spoon (his pincer grasp is just fine though, no raisin is safe!), but I used a spoon many time and I don't think he would have eaten as much had I not used one at all.

I gave Franklin iron rich superfoods.

On top of the foods above, I would often add chlorella to his food. Chlorella is very rich in iron, and it is thought to be a superior source of nutrition for children. Some Japanese study apparently found that children fed chlorella had near perfect maxillary-facial development, and no cavities. I'm doing a lot of research to try and make sure Franklin has a beautifully developed jaw and no crowding of the teeth. We'll see what happens! I also gave him spirulina, both in powdered form in his food and as "crunchies". He loves the crunchies!

Please note that iron deficiency is not trivial. I strongly recommend getting your children tested to ensure they are getting enough iron, as symptoms of deficiency are not always evident. If Franklin had been deficient, I would have given him a little ionic iron and paid more attention to his diet.

Have you tested your child's iron levels? What are your favorite iron rich foods?

Get E3Live for $40 less - Just in Time for the Holidays!

2011-11-17T08:58:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

I have had enthusiastic replies regarding an E3Live discount, so here it is! I love E3Live and drink 2 tablespoons every day. I used to do the regular E3Live, tried the flavored one (I have to say, don't start with the flavored one unless you plan on sticking with it, because it is so much tastier than the unflavored version!), and I also drink the BrainOn version (E3Live with a water extract of PEA, the molecule of love, also found in chocolate!.

Dr Cousens says:

"E3Live and E3 BrainON® offer specific benefits to the nervous system and brain function. It also has an expansive effect on our consciousness. More than any other food, E3Live enables us to make a paradigm shift and enjoy a sense of well-being. Many people experience a quality of joy that's really subtle with E3 BrainON®.

I've had people who have been depressed for years and years, and literally, within a few days after receiving E3 BrainON®, their depression lifts. This is because E3Live® gets to the root of helping heal the addictive brain chemistry that underlies a lot of depression."

Now, I am not a doctor, and what I am going to tell you may be complete coincidence, but several years ago, a blood test showed that my red blood cells were a little big. My doctor at the time could not explain why since I did not show deficiencies, so she asked me to test again in 3 months (red blood cells have a 3 months life span). The red blood cells were still big. Around that time, I bought my first case of E3Live, because I was curious about it. I took it everyday, then tested again... Everything was perfect! Also, my cholesterol dropped by 20 points.

Dr Clement says:

"I personally consume fresh-frozen, liquid E3Live® daily and consider it to be one of nature's most beneficial superfoods. E3Live® is an edible, wild-harvested aquabotanical, certified organic and kosher. It provides 64 easily absorbed vitamins, minerals and enzymes, as well as providing antioxidants and valuable protein.

If you think of your body's constitution like the foundation of a house, with all its cracks and crevices, you can think of E3Live as being able to fill in those nutritional cracks and crevices to give you superior health. We here at Hippocrates consider it the most vital wild-grown foundational food on Earth."

What can I say, I think E3Live is awesome, and I don't want people to shy away from trying it just because of money issues. This is why I bring you this discount! Because it takes quite a bit of time to process orders, and I don't have much time with Franklin as it is, I will only do this during November and December. I will bring the deal back occasionally, maybe in June 2012.

E3Live unflavored costs $172.25. You can get it from me for $137.25.

E3Live flavored costs $177.93. You can get it from me for $137.93.

E3Live BrainOn unflavored costs $204.90. You can get it from me for $164.90.

E3Live BrainOn flavored costs $215.73. You can get it from me for $175.73.

Each offer is for 6 bottles of 16 ounces. Prices for Canada are a little different. Contact me for more information.

How? Simply send me an e-mail at joanna.leyla at gmail dot com, and specify which version you want. You will then need to pay me through Paypal. I will send you all the information you need when I get your e-mail.

Within a week or so, you will get your frozen E3Live bottles on your door step, packed in ice. Store them in the freezer, and place one in the fridge overnight to thaw. Drain the liquid, as much as you need for 7 days, then place the rest in the freezer.

Enjoy! :-)

My Diet and Food Staples - Revised and Updated (Part II)

2011-11-16T07:50:00.000-08:00

Here is the 2nd part of my Diet and Food Staples post. For part I, please click here.

6. Nuts and seeds:

Credit: nkzs

Some may think that nuts and seeds are the devil, with their high fat content and the fact they can go rancid fast. I personally love them because while they're high in fat, it's good fats including omega 3 fatty acids in a few, and because they're high in minerals and protein. Without hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds, good luck getting enough zinc and iron! And yes, they don't stay fresh very long at room temperature, but paleolithic dwellers would eat them on the spot so it was not an issue -- since I live in modern times, I store all nuts and seeds in the freezer and take out small quantities to keep in the fridge in glass Mason jars.

Staples: Sprouted pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, Brazil nuts, almonds, chia seeds, sesame seeds...

7. Animal products:

Credit: stevekrh19

I know, this is controversial. Honestly, I find it difficult to not be labeled a vegetarian anymore. Hate them or love them, labels often stick to us and become who we are. What am I, now? I always found the term pescetarian a little ridiculous. Plus, my husband is still hoping I'll stop eating fish (for more details on why I added some particular types of fish back into my diet, please read this). This post is an updated version of a previous one, and there might be a new one in the future without animal products.

Staples: High omega 3/high vitamin D fish (wild, Alaskan salmon and portugese sardines in organic olive oil), DHA eggs (the local farm donates the older hens to anyone who wants backyard chicken, they do not kill them), and butter (either organic and cultured, or grass fed).

I only buy my fish online from Vital Choice, because they truly care about sustainability. To me, it's not expensive because cheaper fish at the store is rarely sustainable, and is much, much less nutritious. You get what you pay for in this case.

8. Fats and oils:

Credit: gbrink

What can I say, I love fats. Some say we are designed to eat sweet, high carbohydrate foods because it's what we crave, but I may be an oddity - I don't crave sweet, high carb foods. Actually, I don't crave much, which makes me think my diet, even pre-fish, was pretty great (the fish was not added to correct a dietary imbalance, but a vitamin D deficiency). Fats are important to help metabolize a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. And, they make my skin nice and supple, which is always nice!

Staples: olive oil, coconut oil/butter, butter (either organic and cultured, or grass fed).

9. Protein powders:

I think that protein powders were one of my first steps towards a better diet. I know that protein needs vary, but I think people in general function well with at least 0.7 g of protein per pound of body weight. I sometimes find it challenging to consume that much protein without eating soy and other nasties, and I really enjoy a smooth, fruity, filling, delicious protein shake. Not all protein powders are equal, and they generally taste awful. I only use SunWarrior right now,with small amounts of Vega.

Staples: SunWarrior protein, vanilla and chocolate flavors (I prefer vanilla). I love Vega's Choc-A-Lot, but my husband doesn't. He also doesn't like HealthForce's protein. Long story short, SunWarrior is the only one he genuinely likes!

10. Supplements:

Paleolithic dwellers did not supplement, but they also lived outdoors, got sunshine, ate everything organic, local, grown in mineral rich soils, had natural sources of stress rather than unnatural ones, etc. Since my life is far from being like that, I supplement.

Staples: vitamin B12, vitamin D, pre-natal multivitamin, magnesium, O-mega-Zen3.

11. Non Primal foods:

Credit: aweeks

No diet is one size fits all. There are some foods I add because they are either convenient and not too harmful, or I believe they are beneficial to my health.

Staples:
- Quinoa (a complete protein, and grain-like ancient seed),
- Brown rice (not super ideal, but tasty, filling and convenient),
- Lentils (high in iron, they are a big part of a Mediterranean diet. I eat them weekly),
- Beans (in smaller quantities, much smaller than when I first went vegetarian for sure! I enjoy them in hummus, and sometimes make bean soup).

12. Superfoods:

Superfoods add extra nutrition and fun to my diet. I love my superfoods!

Staples: blue green algae, bee pollen, green powders, chocolate, and various powders when they catch my eye (usually HealthForce products).

What are your food staples?

Goji, Strawberry and Tropical SunWarrior Protein Shake Recipes

2011-11-10T17:43:00.001-08:00

Do you know what's harder than going vegetarian? Harder than going vegan? Harder than going raw? Limiting your carbohydrate intake! I was always very proud of not having any food additions, but this new diet of mine is giving me some things to ponder (more on that later).

One of my best allies therefore is the mighty raw vegan protein shake. The protein takes the edge off the sugar from the fruits, and these shakes are filling but easy to digest. Here are 3 recipes I made last week.

SunWarrior Goji Shake

Ingredients

- 1/2 cup goji berries, soaked in 1 cup water until soft
- 2 bananas
- Fresh orange juice, about 1 cup
- 2 scoops Sun Warrior Vanilla
- Ice if needed

Blend all, adding enough orange juice to reach your desired consistency and sweetness. Serve 2.

Strawberry SunWarrior Protein Shake

Ingredients

4 cups strawberries
2 bananas
1 cup almond milk
1-2 scoops Sun Warrior Vanilla
Optional: bee pollen, maca, HealthForce lecithin powder, cacao powder etc.

Blend and serve 1 or 2.

Pineapple Mango SunWarrior Shake

Ingredients

- 2 bananas
- 1 bag frozen peaches
- 1/4 pineapple, diced
- 2 scoops Sun Warrior Vanilla

Blend until smooth. Serve 2.

My Diet and Food Staples - Revised and Updated (Part I)

2011-11-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

One of my most popular posts is about My Diet and Food Staples. Since my diet is constantly evolving, I thought I should update it.

Credit: ilco

When I tested my vitamin D levels and found out I was deficient despite sun exposure and daily intake of 5,000 IU of vitamin D2, I was crushed. I had 2 choices, increase my supplement intake even more (I'm already taking 10 pills a day!), or get vitamin D3 from animal sources. It was a hard decision, and I tortured myself for days, but I finally decided to include some fish in my diet, as well as a vegan vitamin D3 I found right in time (I personally believe that eating sustainable fish is more ethical than taking a vegetarian vitamin D3 made from the wool of sheep that are likely to be mistreated. While this vitamin D3 is not synthetic, it's still Vegan Society approved, so you get the best of both worlds).

My reasoning was simple. I love animals with all my heart, but I am an animal too, and I should take care of myself. Franklin, my son, is another animal whose health depends on me (on my breastmilk, he does not eat animals although if you're an ant, watch out! He will charge towards you, grab you and eat you quickly). And finally, I never thought that vegetarianism was our natural diet -- I thought it was a magnificently healthy diet (and I still do), and it was the most compassionate, but supplements were needed to fill in the gaps. I decided that 5,000 IU of vitamin D was my limit, and since it clearly was not enough, I needed more natural sources of vitamin D in my diet (I am sure I would have remained a vegetarian in California, Texas, Arizona... Sunny states). Whenever you can, I encourage you to be vegetarian, as I really think that when properly supplemented, it is a superior diet.

I might be an isolated case. My friend Kori lives in Iowa like me, and works indoors. 5,000 IU were enough to raise her vitamin D to healthy levels. It did not work for me despite nearly a year of digilent, daily supplementation. I suspect my genetic background is the reason. I am a Mediterranean girl, whose ancestors lived in a sunny, hot climate and ate a lot of fish. Living in an area now where there is little sun and I did not eat fish ended up hurting me some.

Onto my diet staples! The diet I am now following was designed after Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint, Donna Gates' Body Ecology Diet, and Brendan Brazier's Thrive (which is the perfect diet if you want to go Paleo and stay vegan!) and it's an attempt to replicate what our ancestors ate along with modern findings (which has always been my focus anyway). The reasoning behind it is that it is the diet we are meant to eat, and the reason why early humans died young was not their diet but their lack of ability to prevent accidents and heal them. If you twisted your ankle in paleolithic times, you were toast. Still, they lived to be around 40, which is pretty awesome given there were no doctors, hospitals, medications etc. Until they died, they were believed to be strong, fit, agile and healthy. Disease did not kill them, predators and accidents did (health started to deteriorate with the advent of agriculture, an important topic if there ever was one and I will blog about it soon).

My husband, a life long vegetarian who did not want me to eat fish at all but is OK with it because he wants me to be happy and healthy (I love you!!) asked, concerned, if I was "doing Atkins". I'm not :-) My diet will not throw my body into ketosis, I will have around 150 grams of carbohydrates a day. More details below...

Please note! My diet is still high raw, and very much vegan most of the time! I was discussing this with my friend Gaby, who was vegan (complete with a link to Peta at the end of her e-mails) and now eats a Primal diet with eggs and sardines but otherwise the rest is generally raw and/or vegan. She pointed out that the raw vegan diet and the Primal diet (our version of it) are very similar. Lots of veggies, nuts and seeds, etc. No gluten, no grains, no beans, etc. The difference is that the 2nd has a piece of fish or eggs on the side a few to several times a week.

1. Leafy greens and vegetables

Credit: yum

My original post mentions green juices as one of my most powerful allies in my quest for perfect health. I unfortunately do not make them anymore due to lack of time -- Franklin simply won't let me reliably juice the veggies and clean the juicer. But, I do eat greens everyday, and I do try to make a large green smoothie everyday. Greens are powerhouses of minerals and amino acids, and I don't know of a diet that eschews them. Eat your greens!

Vegetables are also at the base of my pyramid. I can't go one day without veggies.

Staples: Kale, parsley, chard, baby greens.
Broccoli, onions, garlic, carrots, cauliflower, red/yellow/orange peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, fennel, mushrooms, olives, and more.

2. Nut Milks

Same as in the original post. Did you know that nut milks are a Primal food? I'm sad when there's no nut milk in my fridge. I make mine unsweetened now, and can't understand why on earth I ever sweetened them. If you're still drinking regular milk, give nut milks a try. They are easy to make, and delicious.

Staples: Almond milk, Brazil nut milk, sesame seed milk.

3. Low glycemic fruits and some high glycemic fruits in smaller quantities

Credit: steph_nic

I use berries in nearly all of my smoothies, along with greens (usually chard). I also use bananas, which are higher on the glycemic scale but packed with nutrients. Besides, I do better with more carbs in the morning when my metabolism is faster, and I gradually eat less carbs as the day progresses.

Staples: Blueberries, strawberries, bananas. In smaller quantities, pineapple, mango, peaches, and other seasonal fruits such as apples, pears, persimmons, etc.

4. Fermented foods

Boy are fermented foods tough to eat sometimes, mostly because they're not a habit people have. I am no longer organized enough to make kefir, whether dairy or coconut based, but I still try to eat cultured foods once a day at least. They are wonderful for digestion, and enhance nutrient absorption.

Staples: Raw Kimchi, Raw, cultured garlic flowers from Vital Choice. Goldmine's garlic sauerkraut.

5. Sea vegetables

I don't eat as many as I should, but I try. The truth is that I lost the habit of adding them to everything and anything since Franklin was born (kids really throw you out of balance!). Sea vegetables are rich in minerals and are healing to our thyroid glands. My friend Lucy healed herself of hyperthyroidism through a completely raw and vegan diet rich in sea vegetables.

Staples: Dulse (add to salads, quick and easy!), kelp granules (add to guacamole), raw nori (use instead of bread for sandwiches, munch on a sheet plain as a snack - Frankie and I love to do this!).

Here is the second part, featuring more super healthy foods that I just can't live without!

Raw Food and Hair Loss? Healthy Hair on the Raw Diet

2011-11-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today, I want to talk about something I feel is very important: hair loss when switching to a raw food diet. Having beautiful, luxurious hair is very important to many people, and the many TV ads on the subject can attest to that. If I wasn't limited by my choice to only buy organic, cruelty free shampoos, I would have a hard time trying to decide on a brand and type, as there are so many out there!

Credit: thiquinho

I can imagine how distressing it can be for someone to suddenly start losing their hair on a raw diet. After all, most of us became raw to experience superior health, so ending up with a bald spot and seeing people on SAD with better looking hair can be quite disheartening.

Many have said that hair loss is a symptom of detox, and once you regain your health through raw, your hair will be better than ever. I wouldn't be so arrogant as to say that I know this is a myth, and that hair loss is never a manifestation of toxin elimination. However, I very strongly believe that when we switch to a healthy diet, we should see results fairly quickly. I really think that our bodies are amazing at telling us what is right and wrong. In hindsight, did we feel great and energetic after eating a bag of trans fat fried potato chips? Or a large plate of buttery pasta? Probably not. Likewise, when we eat leafy greens, ripe organic fruits etc. we should be rewarded for it, not punished!

The truth is that hair loss is a relatively common occurrence in life, for raw and cooked people alike, and usually, the cause is poor nutrition. It is entirely possible to eat raw food and be unhealthy, yet many, because of lack of information or because someone they trust told them so, believe that when you are raw, you cannot possibly be unhealthy.

Credit: lockstockb

Do a thought experiment with me for a minute: imagine that I decide to forgo gluten, soy, grains, and cooked food in general. I decide to go all raw. For breakfast, I have a smoothie of 2 bananas and a handful of spinach. For lunch, I have a plate of grated carrot salad, and a plate of lettuce with tomatoes, cucumber, and other veggies. For a snack, I have a handful of dates and some nuts. For dinner, I have a plate of zucchini pasta, and sauce made with a tomato, some sundried tomatoes, and dried herbs, with a salad. People who are not used to eating raw and are trying the diet through trial and error without looking up nutritional data often eat similar meals (and then feel tired, weak, and think it's detox).

It's all raw, and it's all organic. Some might say this is much healthier than eating cooked, and since it's all raw and fresh you will get great nutrition. But the truth is, it's not enough food, and it's not enough nutrients. It can be OK every once in a while if you body isn't asking for much food, but in the long run, you are at risk of developing deficiencies.

In the end, you will be getting little more than 1/2 of your calories for the day, not enough vitamin E, not enough protein, not enough iron, not enough calcium, not enough B12, not enough zinc, not enough folate, not enough pantothenic acid etc. Now, if you feel dizzy, and you start losing your hair, is it because of detox? Maybe. Is it because of nutritional deficiencies? Most likely.

Credit: nazreth

I am not saying that you will never, ever lose your hair because of detox. But I urge anyone with such a symptom to really take a good look at his diet to rule out deficiencies first, and then blame it on detox if they are truly getting everything they need from food.

When I went raw, I did not lose my hair, and it still looks great. I never use any products, and I blow dry and straighten my hair about 2 to 3 times a week. Yet, it's still long, thick, and I go many months without needing to cut it.

Make sure that you are getting all these nutrients: copper, iron, essential fatty acids, vitamin B5, B6, riboflavin, and vitamin B12. If you are unable to do so at first, and need some trial and error to find out which foods you like, or need to experiment with quantities, it is OK to take a food based, non synthetic multivitamin. A high quality multivitamin will ensure you are not missing important nutrients during your transition.

Remember that eating high raw is one of the greatest things you can do for your health, and not only should you feel it on the inside, it should be visible on the outside as well. Becoming raw is the best time to really become in tune with our body, and listen to what it is trying to tell us.

What Does a Superfood Breastfeeding Mama Eat? (10/27/2011)

2011-11-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

What a satisfying day I had food wise! And Franklin has been sleeping on his bed again instead of on me, which is much appreciated :-)

Breakfast
Raw Chia pudding made from 2 T chia seeds, 3/4 cup Brazil nut milk, 1/2 t carob, 4 banana slices and 1 fig -- shared with Franklin.

Half batch of raw smoothie made from 3 bananas, 5 oz frozen strawberries, 4 ounces blueberries -- shared with Franklin.

Lunch
Raw vegan tuna pate on a bed of greens with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Raw Kimchi from Vital Choice. -- Franklin had some of the pate, and then the ice cream below.

Dessert
Raw soft serve ice-cream made from food processing 3 frozen bananas, and about a cup of frozen mango with a little agave -- I gave half to my husband and shared mine with Franklin.

Snack
Raw Protein Shake made with 5 ounces strawberries, 3 bananas and 1 cup frozen mango and 2 scoop Sun Warrior Vanilla. -- I gave half to my husband and shared mine with Franklin.

Sun-dried black mission figs and raw kale chips -- shared with Franklin (that kid can sure pack away food!).

Dinner
Salad greens with garlicky balsamic vinaigrette and vegan pizza. I made the dough with sprouted wheat and regular organic whole wheat. The sauce was Amy's Marinara, and I topped the pizza with zucchini, onion, olives, and tomatoes. I drizzled some raw, cultured garlic flowers on top. Mmmm!

Franklin chewed on a little crust and seemed to love it (a little bit of it). He also had a little bit of baby food in a jar, something I very rarely give him and reserve for occasions when we're eating something he's too young for and there's little else in the house. It's always organic. And of course, he has had breastmilk throughout the day but I don't keep track of those feedings :-)

[Giveaway] Winner of Creating Healthy Children by Karen Ranzi

2011-10-30T17:00:00.001-07:00

Congratulations Tammy, you won the giveaway! Please e-mail me your address (follow the link to the right) so I can send you your book.

Saturday's Sensational Salad: Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango

2011-10-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Fall months always have me look through the Veganomicon for delicious, whole food based recipes. This recipe is so quick to make, and so delicious, that even though it says it serves 4 it really only feeds 2 people -- especially if one of them is a breastfeeding mom!

The recipe is all over the web, but here it is again.

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango
From the awesome book Veganomicon.

Ingredients

- 1 mango, peeled and cut into small dice (I used frozen mango, about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced as small as you can get it
- 1 cup chopped scallions
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (which I bought for the occasion - yum!)
- 2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar (they say regular works well too)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
- 1 (15-ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

Combine the mango, red bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the vinegar, grapeseed oil, and salt and stir to combine. Add the quinoa and stir until everything is well incorporated. Fold in the black beans. You can serve it immediately, or let it sit for a bit for the flavors to meld. It tastes great chilled or even better at room temperature.

The Importance of Omega 3 Fatty Acids for Vegans, Vegetarians and Omnivores alike

2011-10-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

Vegans and vegetarians are often asked about protein and iron, as if getting enough of these two nutrients was inextricably complex. In reality, eating protein and iron rich foods without eating meat is child's play compared to ensuring adequate intake of certain nutrients, especially omega 3 fatty acids.

Credit: tinpalace

When your job is all about raw foods, it is easy for certain things to become second nature - like knowing what omega 3 FA are, where to get them, and why they are so important to our health.

But after many discussions and coaching sessions, I noticed that many people are still in the dark about them and felt that a blog post was needed to fill in the gaps.

What are omega 3 fatty acids?

Here is an excerpt from my raw pregnancy book, Well Rounded. There are different types of omega 3 FA and each type has its benefits, which revolve around keeping a healthy nervous system and cardiovascular functions.

First, let’s review the different kinds of Omega 3s: we have 3 kinds,
ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (ecosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (do-
cohexaenoic acid). While EPA and DHA are generally found in animal
products such as fish, ALA is generally found in plant sources like flax
seeds, walnuts etc. In order for humans to get the benefits of Omega 3s, their bodies needs to covert ALA into DHA and EPA, which is a fairly ineffective process and you need to eat a lot of ALA to get enough DHA (for proper neurological functions) and EPA (for proper cardiovascular functions), compared to if you ate DHA and EPA rich foods directly. This is not to say that ALA is not important! Just like certain amino acids, ALA is labeled “essential” because our body cannot manufacture it even though we need it for health.

Some might argue in favor of eating fish since it is a natural way of getting quality DHA, but I disagree. In the same book, I discuss the fact that:

(...) Not all fish, especially farmed fish, contain DHA; like iodine, this nutrient is highly dependent on the food the fish eat, and if farmers are trying to cut corners (like many are to keep costs low), they may not add DHA sources to the fish’s diet. Besides, fish supplements may be contaminated with mercury and other pollutants.

Yes, I do eat fish now, but I pay top dollar to ensure it is of the highest quality, and sustainably caught. And, I still supplement with O-Mega-Zen3 every single day.

The benefits of omega 3 fatty acids

I touched on some of the benefits above, but this is a point I really want to stress. I have seen too many people with afflictions such as depression, anxiety and more which were almost immediately improved by adding omega 3 supplements to their diet, as well as omega 3 rich foods.

Credit: Swandieve

A 2007 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that an increase in omega 3 FA was linked to health improvements in cancer patients, including survival and inflammation, while a 1999 study from the European Journal of Cancer Prevention concluded that "an increase in the consumption of fish and fish n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in industrialized countries may contribute to lower breast and colorectal cancer risks." A 2003 Harvard study found that "men with high consumption of fish had a lower risk of prostate cancer, especially for metastatic cancer. Marine fatty acids may account for part of the effect, but other factors in fish may also play a role."

Another very important point is omega 3 FA's role in preventing cardiovascular disease, including reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol. I don't want to brag (OK, I do want to brag!) but my HLD, or good cholesterol, is 147. In order to prevent heart disease, your HDL needs to be above 60. Mine is more than twice that, thanks in part, I believe, to my omega 3 supplements.

Interestingly, according to a 2006 study, "evidence suggests that increased consumption of n-3 FAs from fish or fish-oil supplements, but not of alpha-linolenic acid, reduces the rates of all-cause mortality, cardiac and sudden death, and possibly stroke. The evidence for the benefits of fish oil is stronger in secondary- than in primary-prevention settings. Adverse effects appear to be minor."

Credit: crispul21

Still, I think that vegans supplementing with DHA from algae are just fine.

I would not rely on ALA from flax and chia exclusively, but ALA from plants are still beneficial as demonstrated by a Spanish study which concluded that "substituting walnuts for part of the mono-unsaturated fat in a cholesterol-lowering Mediterranean diet further reduced total and LDL cholesterol levels in men and women with hypercholesterolemia."

The main reason why I started taking omega 3 supplements was not for cardiovascular health or a lower risk of cancer though. It was to keep anxiety and depression at bay. These conditions are prevalent in my family, and plagued me in my early twenties and as a teenager, and I vowed to never be affected by them again. And, so far, I'm doing great! Let's look at some studies.

Omega 3 supplementation has been found, at least in preliminary studies, to help patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. A 2004 Japanese study found that "low n-3 fatty acid levels in tissues were a risk factor of suicide attempt." A 2010 Canadian study concluded that omega 3 supplementation can be very beneficial when taken by patients with severe depression without anxiety. There are many, many studies showing in a compelling way that our brain is in much better shape when we are getting enough omega 3 fatty acids, and deficiencies have also been linked to an inability to concentrate, as well as other ailments like diabetes and joint pain.

How can we get enough omega 3 fatty acids?

Supplement. It can be hard to know exactly how much you are getting from your food, so supplementing can't hurt (within reason. There is some evidence that more than 3,000 mg a day is too much and can cause problems and excess blood thinning). I personally used to take 600 mg of DHA (with I believe 20 mg of EPA). I now take the Omega-Zen3® + EPA Capsules from NuTru, it is 100% vegan and provides 200 mg of DHA and 100 mg of EPA per capsule (I take one with lunch and one with dinner).

Food. As I mentioned before, ALA is converted into DHA and EPA, albeit poorly -- but some is better than none. Be sure to eat plenty of chia seeds, which are ridiculously inexpensive for the health benefits they provide. I eat about 2 T daily and share the puddings I make with them with Franklin and my husband. Don't eat them just for the ALA, they have other wonderful nutrients that you shouldn't miss out on (for one, they are one of the best sources of calcium). Walnuts and flax seeds are also excellent sources of ALA.

Credit: lockstockb

I also eat fish now, after finding out I had low levels of vitamin D despite diligent, daily supplementation with 5,000 IU. Fish is a very healthy food if it is eaten in conjunction with a lot of vegetables, healthy oils and fats, fruits (preferably low glycemic fruits such as blueberries), etc. It also has to be wild and sustainably harvested in clean waters. Basically, don't eat Chinese farmed fish dipped in batter and fried with chips, and expect to get health benefits. Filet O' Fish doesn't count either! ;-)

The World's Healthiest Foods website (I love this site, it's packed full of awesome information!) reports the findings of a study where participants who ate salmon had higher levels of omega 3 FA than the group that took cod liver oil (I'm sure the people who had to down the oil were thrilled -- LOL) and pro-inflammatory chemicals went down. In the end, "researchers think omega-3s may be better absorbed from fish because fish contains these fats in the form of triglycerides, while the omega-3s in almost all refined fish oils are in the ethyl ester form. Once absorbed, omega-3s are converted by the body from their triglyceride to ester forms as needed. " I wonder what the difference would be with a group eating salmon and a group taking my DHA supplement!

Conclusion

I cannot stress enough how important omega 3 fatty acids are. If you want healthy cholesterol levels, a healthy heart, a positive outlook on life and more, then you need these precious fats. It does not matter if you're vegan or eat fish, you can and should get enough omega 3s.

As I said, I eat fish now, but I still would not stop taking my vegan DHA supplement. I do both, and not only do I feel great, I also have excellent LDL and HDL (bad and good cholesterol) levels. It could be that they are due to something other than my intake of omega 3s, but I'm sure they play an important role. If you don't eat fish and don't supplement... I highly recommend you do.

There are tests out there that will check your omega 3 to omega 6 balance and I have not tried them yet (they're a bit pricey), but I think I'll fork out the $$ at some point and let you know the results!

Do you take omega 3 supplements? Which ones and how much?

[Raw Children] More Raw Food Recipes for Super Babies!

2011-10-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

Franklin has been increasing his intake of solid food quite a bit lately, and since he's almost one, I have been using a bigger variety of foods. He loves everything so far!

I know it can be hard to get kids to eat better if they did not start out doing so right away like Franklin did. I would suggest keeping things simple and using flavors the child already loves (strawberries? chocolate? you get the idea!).

I have not read it, but Elizabeth Pantley of the No-Cry Sleep Solutions (http://www.nocrysolution.com/) book came out with a new book, The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution. Elizabeth has total "Goddess status" with me because she's so compassionate. Her No-Cry Sleep Solutions book really resonated with me and I'd like to think we'd be friends in real life!If the recipes below are too "hard core" for your little one, you might want to give the book a shot!

It's so much easier now that we can both eat pretty much the same thing. I sit him in his high chair (with the phone unplugged so he can play -- hey, he's still high needs!) and I make a green smoothie first thing in the morning, or a chia pudding bowl. We make green juices sometimes, but I need to hold him as the juicer scares him a little (not as much anymore though).

Here are some recipes Frank has been enjoying with me.
- Berry/Brazil nut shake: Brazil nut milk with banana, strawberries and blueberries. He also had similar shakes with a scoop of SunWarrior protein. It's easy, use 3 bananas, 1 1/2 cup nut milk of choice, and half a bag each of berries. That's all!

- Chia puddings: Similar to these recipes. This morning, we shared a bowl of pudding made with 3/4 cup Brazil nut milk, 2 T Choc-A-Lot Vega powder, 2 T chia seeds, 2 T buckwheat groats (soaked/dehydrated), 2 T soaked goji berries. Yummy!

- Green smoothies: I make them with either chard or kale. I do 3 cups of greens for 5 cups of fruits. Sometimes, I'll add some chlorella. I give him chlorella often since babies past 6 months need more iron than breastmilk provides, and I won't give him rice cereal (I'd rather supplement with ionic iron instead, but won't do so unless he's low on iron).

- Cooked soup: How easy is this? Make soup for yourself and share with your little one. To make it more substantial, I sometimes stir in some chia seeds for him.

What foods has your child been enjoying lately?

Follow up on the Vitamin D Dilemma

2011-10-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for all your comments on my Vitamin D Dilemma post. To recap, despite taking 5,000 IU of vitamin D a day, coupled with sun exposure, I am still low on vitamin D (my level is at 28. I won't even discuss my husband's level. Let's just say it's not good.)

I thought long and hard about this. Vitamin D comes from 2 main sources, sunshine and some fish like salmon and sardines. I went all "unnatural" and didn't get enough sun (try and get enough in Iowa, I dare you), and I didn't eat fish. I figured taking supplements would be good enough, and while I always acknowledged that vegetarianism was not natural but was possible for humans to follow, it was then my duty to be vegetarian, for the animals and the planet.

I have decided to switch from vitamin D2 (vegan) to vitamin D3, since I found a brand that is certified by Vegan Society. It is called Vitashine Vegan Vitamin D3 and can be purchased from Vegan Essentials and Vegan Store.

I am also going to eat fish. I had some yesterday, wild, Alaskan salmon with Brussels sprouts at a local restaurant. I felt... naughty, ordering it. My husband asked what I wanted, and I whispered "Southern Salmon" with my hands covering my face. He wasn't too pleased, but he didn't stop me. I enjoyed the dish immensely (I have always loved salmon in every shape and form).

Since there seems to be a synergy between vitamin D and K2, I am increasing my consumption of sauerkraut and butter. I ordered some garlic sauerkraut from Goldmine (it's raw and vegan), and cultured garlic flowers and kimchee from Vital Choice (from where I also ordered salmon and sardines). My "new" diet is basically Body Ecology meets Primal Blueprint. In my heart, it feels so right.

In case you're wondering about Franklin, he now takes a vitamin D supplement to be on the safe side. His father is absolutely against him eating fish, so he won't. I want to put it out there that I feel it would be best for him to get his nutrition through natural sources as much as possible rather than supplements (hello omega 3 pills, vitamin B12 pills and vitamin D drops), but as long as he's breastfeeding, I'm not worried about his health.

My diet is still high raw. In fact, it might become even more raw. I will be blogging about my new diet and food staples next week.

Thank you everyone for your advice and support. Here's a special shout-out to Ela, my dear friend whose comments warm my heart every time. Check out her blog!

[Giveaway] Creating Healthy Children by Karen Ranzi

2011-10-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

Another giveaway to raise our beautiful children in a loving, compassionate way!

Today, I am giving away one copy of Creating Healthy Children by Karen Ranzi.

In this book, Karen does a wonderful job of planting little seeds of knowledge in our mind. This book would totally shock a mainstream person, and make them think. For instance, she discusses issues like homebirth, homeschooling, co-sleeping, etc. I remember when I first heard of nursing a toddler, or eating uncooked food. I was a little stunned, and very curious. I bet a lot of people would disover new concepts in Karen's book and choose to research them further.

And, Creating Healthy Children is quite varied. Where else can you read about attachment parenting, raw foods, nutrition, the genetic modification of the food supply, and more? Karen offers lots of references to authors, researchers, raw foodists, websites, doctors and more. I sometimes felt that some of the researchers lacked ethos, but this book was not written to tell you what to do -- you should pick what resonates with you, and research that further.

Many people contributed their own stories to this book, and if you're like me, you're going to love that chapter. Here's part of one of the stories, from Beata Beinbaum:

In the first year of becoming a mama, I feel the tenderness of discovery in the universe and the joy of learning about love. I trust my instincts, they know it all. I follow them in the food and beyond. I have learned to sleep when tired, to respect people regardless of what they choose to do and ow, to offer what I have, to ask for what I want, to be patient, and to enjoy the given. I take time to observe and listen. Our walks in Nature are my favorite -- where I receive my true nourishment, where I feel safe and honored -- our early morning is so gentle, new and light.

There, you'll read stories of families who went raw, the challenges they faced, the illnesses they healed, etc. I loved that part! It wasn't only unknown people, Doug and Rozalind Graham have a long contribution, as well as Shakaya Leone, and other famous raw foodists.

Here's how you can win a copy! You can do any one of these entries in no particular order. If you already follow RawMom (for example), leave a comment saying you already do.

Entry #1: "Like" the Raw Mom Fan Page on Facebook and leave a comment here saying you did,
Entry #2: Join the Raw Mom Club (now free!), introduce yourself briefly in the forum and leave a separate comment here saying you did,
Entry #3: Follow Raw Mom on Twitter and leave a separate comment here saying you did,
Entry #4: Let others know about this giveaway on your blog, Twitter or Facebook and leave a separate comment here saying you did (one entry per method, so leave 3 comments if you do all 3!).

The contest is open until Saturday 29th at midnight. I will randomly pick a winner on Sunday 30th. USA residents only.

Saturday's Sensational Salad: Mess O' Greens Salad

2011-10-22T08:02:00.001-07:00

One of the first "officially raw" salads I tried was this one, a delicious, succulent mix of marinated collards, sun-dried tomatoes and other goodies. I make it every summer and plant collard greens especially in its honor. My husband likes it best when the salad has marinated in the fridge for 24 hours.

Mess O'Collard Greens Salad (from The Daily Raw Cafe)

I have divided the quantities by two, as it makes enough marinade for a bunch of collard greens. A bunch, to me, makes about 4-5 ounces of strips, once the tough inner stalks are removed. The recipe says "serves 4"... mmm I can easily eat the whole bowl by myself for dinner :)

Ingredients:

2T apple cider vinegar
2T chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2T chopped scallions, white parts only
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
Pinch black pepper
1 bunch collard greens, washed, center stalk removed
1T olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Take several collard leaves and roll into a cylinder the shape of a fat cigar.

3. Using a knife, cut the through the collard cylinder, making strips. Repeat
steps two and three until you have cut all the collard leaves.

4. Place strips in a large bowl. Pour olive oil on collard strips and sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Massage the oil and salt into the strips until all are well coated.

5. Transfer the collard strips to the bowl with the apple cider vinegar marinade. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best.

The Vitamin D Dilemma

2011-10-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

I have wondered how this post should start. Frankly, I'm not sure there's a right way. But let me say this: I believe that a vegan or vegetarian diet can be fabulous for a large majority of people. If you want to go easy on the environment and still be very fit, a vegan or vegetarian but largely vegan diet is the way to go. I have to admit, whenever someone fell off the vegan or vegetarian wagon, I would think: "S/he probably didn't do it right. Did s/he eat enough greens? Did s/he avoid junk food like the plague? Did s/he eat cake for dinner? Did s/he get enough iron and zinc?" etc.

I know many people are wide eyed right now, thinking: "Not another one!". Well, not really. I am a fabulously healthy vegetarian. I just got my blood tested (CBC, TSH, vitamin B12, homocystein, iron, ferritin, vitamin D3, a1c, lipids/cholesterol and probably a few more I forgot) and all is fantastic. All, but vitamin D3.

I can't say I'm surprised. Let me back up a bit. When I got pregnant with Franklin, I got gestational diabetes. For those of you who read my book, this is old news. My diabetes was well managed, and while my a1c increased some, it was still good and most definitely below 6. I never took insulin, and my numbers were great (yay raw!). But still, I had diabetes, for heaven's sake!

Why? I went on a mission to find out. There are many reasons out there -- genetic predisposition (no diabetes in my family, both sides), ethnicity (not relevant), weight (not relevant) and more. None applied to me. And then, I found something out. Vitamin D deficiencies can render one insulin resistant. Mmm... I dug deeper. Studies found that women with gestational diabetes show high rates of vitamin D deficiencies.

Now, let's start the "S/he probably didn't do it right" game.

Did I get sunshine? You bet. I would sunbathe for half an hour every day when I was pregnant, exposing my face, arms, legs and belly. That was between 11 am and 2 pm. I also walked daily.

Did I supplement? I took 400 IU daily. After delivery, to ensure adequate levels in my breastmilk, I took more than 10 times that, about 5,000 IU a day. Yes, every day.

Did I wash my body with soap, which could wash off the vitamin D before it's absorbed? No. I used Dr Bronner's baby soap for under my arms and groin area, but that's it (though I did wash my face in the morning and evening).

After 8 months of taking vitamin D2 (5,000 IU), I am still deficient.

Did I follow an improper vegetarian (largely vegan) diet? Not at all. My diet is fantastic. My blood work shows it. Don't let this make you deviate from your cruelty-free diet if it's working for you. But if there are issues, think about it. Deficiencies are nothing to laugh at. Deficiencies in vitamin D have been linked to many ailments including diabetes and cancer.

I tried to keep it vegetarian. I got diabetes (now gone, thankfully) and Franklin now has a higher likelihood of being type II diabetic when he grows up because of it. My milk may not be providing him with enough vitamin D for strong bones (although I talked with many moms in Iowa who never supplemented just because pediatricians never thought about it, and the kids were fine. Also, Frank is blond with blue eyes and a fair skin. He can synthesize vitamin D from the sun better than me, with my dark, mediterranean complexion, and we played in the sun together quite a bit).

What are my options? Up my intake of vegan vitamin D2 even more? How much? 20 times the RDA? Should I take animal derived D3?

Or should I just toss the pills in the trash, and admit that in my specific case, maybe eating fish would be a good middle ground? I know, I said the F word. Don't think that this option would be easy for me.

I wake up in the middle of the night with insomnia, and it's all I can think about. I'm afraid of disappointing people, most of all.
Of disappointing my vegetarian environmentalist husband, who wants me to be healthy, but would much rather I didn't kill animals in the process.
Of disappointing my readers - I got e-mails begging me to not eat dairy back when I did (by the way, except for butter, I quit cultured dairy because my pain went away).
Of being judged by my husband's family, all vegetarian (on one side) and even of being rejected by some.
Of disappointing and being rejected by my friends who are largely vegan.
Of having my feelings dismissed as ridiculous. "Don't be an idiot, it's just fish!" or "Fish can feel pain too! Suck it up and take more pills!"
I'm afraid of telling people I eat fish now, and have them serve me unacceptable fish and then being upset when I refuse it (I would only eat the most sustainable kinds of fish).

I have not bought any fish yet. I'm still thinking about what I should do. My inclination is to go "Primal with just fish". Large amounts of vegetables, some low GI fruits, no grains (except for quinoa and occasionally brown rice), twice daily protein shakes made of SunWarrior or hemp, nuts and seeds, sea vegetables, eggs, and fish, and coconut meat/water/oil as well as other raw oils like olive. This diet would be low glycemic (I am scarred from having to make my finger bleed 4 times a day to check my blood sugar), high in fat and moderate on the protein. I would still be highly plant based, but there would be some fish. This would allow me to take less vitamin D, less vitamin B12, and less omega 3s. Actually, all the supplements I take are really there to replace fish, in the end.

I know that animal protein increases the risks of cancer, like vitamin D would. But really, I think that with all the plant matter I'd be consuming, the risk wouldn't be as high as one thinks, and would be less than the risk caused by low vitamin D levels.

I am thinking of trying this for 3-4 months, and then get my levels checked again. I could then stop the fish, and take supplements for maintenance, and eat fish in the Winter months.

What am I asking of you? Please, first, be compassionate. This is not easy for me. Second, if you are vegan or vegetarian, tell me what you're doing to keep your levels up. And third, give me your opinion on all this. I feel very lost and conflicted. Right now though, in all honesty, eating some fish seems like the most sensible solution.

Warming Food Wednesday: Acorn Squash, Pear and Adzuki Soup with Sautéed Shiitakes

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's that time of year. *sigh* :-)

If you're new to my blog, welcome! Every Winter, I feature healthy, cooked recipes a few times every month to help snow bound raw foodists like me ~~suffer a little less~~ enjoy Winter a little more.

As I mentioned before, it is so much easier for me to eat high raw in the Winter if I eat more cooked food in the Fall. What's difficult for me is not the cold, it's the drastic shock between the nice summer temperatures and the seemingly sudden winter temperatures.

One perfect cookbook for this is the Veganomicon. Raw or not, I really dislike recipes that mascarade as "healthy" simply because they are vegan. There are none of those in the mighty V, or very, very few.

This recipe was part of an experiment I did last week -- could I stop getting produce wholesale from the co-op's supplier, and buy straight from the co-op instead? It would be more convenient for me, and more fun. I wrote down about 5 seasonal recipes and bought the ingredients -- $116 was my total. Gulp! (Remember that there are 14 meals a week without counting breakfast).

To be fair, I bought Ke-Vita and a few other things I did not need, and Matthew got some beer. I still think it's not much, though. What prompted me to buy from the wholesaler in the first place was the cost of my green juices -- I would have paid $200 a month on just lettuce, kale, apples, and lemons. Sadly, I don't have much time to make green juices anymore but I hope that as Frank gets older, he will get excited about making them with me! When I do make them, he drinks them up with gusto, so I'm optimistic. Anyway, with those gone, my budget as more wiggle room.

Onto the recipe! Featuring squash and pear, this is great for the Fall. Matthew, who claims to detest acorn squash, loved it. He said I was I freakin' genius, but really, Isa and Terry are, not me :-)

Acorn Squash, Pear and Adzuki Soup with Sautéed Shiitakes

Ingredients

- 2 tbsp peanut oil(I used coconut oil)
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4 inch thin slices
- 1 red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch thin slices
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
- 2 acorn squashes, seeded, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks (Matthew cut it into pieces, and I then peeled each cube)
- 2 firm bosc pears, peeled, seeds removed and sliced into thin slices (roughly one inch long)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 15 oz can adzuki beans, drained and rinsed (about a cup and a half)
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

- 4 oz fresh shiitakes, sliced in half (about a cup and a half)
- 2 tsp peanut oil (I used coconut oil)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (I used nama shoyu)

Preheat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil and sauté the onions and peppers for about 10 minutes, or until onions just begin to brown.
Add the ginger and garlic and sauté a minute more. Add the salt, Chinese five spice, acorn squash and pear and cook for another minute, stirring often.
Add the vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, set the heat to medium-low to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender.

Puree half the soup by transferring half the soup to a food processor or blender and then back into the rest of the soup.Add the adzuki beans and lime. Cover and simmer on low, just until the beans are heated through.

While the soup is heating, prepare the mushrooms. Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add the oils and sauté the mushrooms for about 7 minutes, until they are soft. Add the soy sauce and stir constantly until the soy sauce is absorbed (about 1 minute).Ladle soup into bowls and top with sautéed mushrooms.

[Raw Pregnancy and Birth] Thoughts and Reflexions on Birth - Follow Up

2011-10-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for the comments on my previous post on my thoughts and reflexions regarding the birth of my son Franklin and what I would do different next time!

Many women reach out to me with similar experiences and feelings, and I love that we are all interconnected and supporting each other! I mentioned a post on the overly patriarchal hospital setting and how it affects us as mothers, but Franklin has not been napping at all without being on me and I don't have time to polish it :-( I hope to post it soon, so please be patient!

My friend Lauren sent me a link with me that I would still like to share with you all, about Making Peace with Our Birth Experience. Simply click the link! Thanks Lauren :-)

Guest Blogger - Matthew Steven: Making Raw Goat Cheese

2011-10-11T05:40:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, my husband celebrated my birthday by taking me on a mystery trip... We ended up going to a secret farm (raw milk is illegal in Iowa) to milk goats! Around the same time, I managed to find someone in town who has goats and she sold me a gallon of their milk. I don't routinely consume dairy and, cultured or not, it won't be a significant part of Franklin's diet, but I love to experiment with food as long as no one gets hurt. I milked the goat myself at the farm, and she seemed fine with it, so I was OK using the milk. Since we had so much milk at once, my husband decided to make cheese. A reader asked if I could blog about it, and Matthew happily accepted to write an article for you! -- Joanna.

Making Raw Cheese

Cheese is a food that is at its best without the involvement of pasteurization and high-temperature production processes. Many of the best cheeses are never heated above 95F (34C). In fact, heating it much above 100F will create a rock-like cheese that you won't be able to do much with. This article is a general introduction to raw cheese making.

On Milk

In a perfect world, only fresh, raw (unpasteurized) milk from an impeccably clean and well nurtured animal would be used to make cheese. But since many of us have no access to such a thing, we can also make good cheese from vat-pasteurized milk, though it will be lacking more beneficial microbes than unpasteurized raw milk and require a little supplementation.

Credit: ens0815

The reasons for the scarce supply of raw milk are numerous. In many states in the USA, it is even illegal to buy raw milk. This is the consequence of the milk industry and also well meaning health care industry lobbyists who respectively want to restrict consumer purchases of milk to large-scale industrial producers and in the case of the latter, protect the population from the threat of milk-borne disease. While it is true, however unlikely, that diseases can be transmitted through unpasteurized milk, it is also the case that cheeses aged for more than 60 days will not have any surviving pathogens.

You can easily check your state laws, and if they're contrary to common sense, call your state representative and try to talk them into being more reasonable!

Other Ingredients

Other than the all-important perfect milk, you will also need a few other ingredients and tools, most of which you'll already have in your kitchen. A few other things are needed that you will not.

You will also need either active-culture yoghurt or cultured buttermilk for adding to the milk to boost the beneficial bacteria levels. Be advised that some “cultured” products really don't contain much live bacteria. It's very important to have a live culture especially if you're using pasteurized milk. To be on the safe side, you can buy (usually mesophilic) cultures from a number of online sources and use as directed.

Credit: salsachica

You may also wish to buy a cheese mold. Not the fungus, but rather something to stuff the cheese into so it takes on a shape, such as a round or square. You can use old cans and other things that you don't mind putting some drain-holes in the bottom of. There's plenty of room for creativity.

Last but not least, you'll need (don't cringe yet, vegetarians!) rennet. Growing up vegetarian, I remember always looking at the labels on cheeses and some other dairy products to see if they had rennet, and sighing as I put them back on the shelf when they did. Today, most rennet is made using fungus instead of the stomach lining of a calf like it was in the old days. Since making the new vegetarian-friendly rennet is also cheaper AND more effective, it's more frequently used in commercial production. So, good news! Buy a bottle, you'll need about ¾ tsp per gallon of milk.

Avoiding Disaster

Imagine spending an afternoon carefully making cheese, watching the curd break, cutting it and warming the curds to reduce them, and then lovingly packing them into your cheese mold, waxing or drying the cheese for ageing, turning it daily, and when you cut into it all you have is a stinking inedible mess that only a truly depraved French person would consider eating.

This is the risk of not paying careful attention to sanitary procedures. Many of us feel that microbes are our friends, and sure, they usually are, but when you make cheese you are making an isolated little world. Inside that skin, you want to be sure that you only allow the friendly bacteria that will make a delicious cheese, because the bad stuff can sometimes overwhelm the good stuff if any gets in and ruin what would otherwise be a cheese-utopia.

So it's critical to sterilize everything before it touches your cheese, especially since you are not actually sterilizing your cheese itself. This includes your pan, spoon, hands, countertop, mold, and so on. Sterilizing should be done by boiling the (spotlessly clean) utensils for 25 minutes.

You can also use less energy intensive chemical means to sterilize such as a weak bleach (unscented of course) solution. Mix household bleach with water in a 10:1 ratio, for example, ten cups water to one cup bleach.

Finding a Recipe

My favorite cheese is cheddar. It's pretty easy to make, and it can ripen into something with excellent flavors. But perhaps you would prefer to make a neufchatel, brie, or even parmesan? Or even a mozzerella, though I would not try that one until you've made some other easier cheeses successfully!

My suggestion is to make use of your favorite search engine, and search for, oh... say “cheddar cheese recipe.” Copy down or print the recipe, and save it for later. Note any special ingredients that your particular cheese requires and put them on your shopping list.

But before you start, I'd recommend a side trip to the famous Fankhauser's Online Cheesemaking Course. Read through at least the first few recipes, until you can start to form a picture in your mind of how you'd make each of them in your own kitchen with your own supplies. Once you have the basic process down in spirit, you can adapt it to the recipe you found online. Or, perhaps you'll decide to simply make one of Fankhauser's recipes directly.

Conclusion

Credit: SailorJohn

Turning fresh milk into delicious cheese is a labor of love. Seeing someone smile through a mouthful of cheese you made is rather rewarding too. Knowing where your food came from and everything that happened to it is priceless.

I hope that this brief article inspires you to let loose your creative spirit on the world of cheese. Perhaps a vegan reader will develop the next generation of vegan cheeses that will be both as delicious as dairy and as affordable!

[Raw Pregnancy and Birth] Reflexions on my first birth, Thoughts on the Next One

2011-10-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your comments on Ellie's interview! Many of us are passionate about birth, and it's definitely not an area that leaves people cold. Debates are sure to ensure when you mention home births, natural birth, etc.

My blog post today is a reflection on Franklin's birth and how I feel about everything, nearly one year later. I had not realized how his birth had affected me until I listened to Ina May Gaskin's interview on NPR a few weeks ago. I don't typically listen to the radio, but my husband does, and when he heard the interview he asked me if I wanted to listen to it.


Credit: igorsp

Of course I did (did you know Ina May is from Iowa?!)! But within a few minutes, I was in tears and couldn't stop crying. The way she described birth was so different from what my experience had been.

For example, she talked about a woman she helped give birth to her child in the country. When everything was over, they noticed that a couple cows had approached the building the woman was laboring in, and stood there watching the blissful event. Giving birth in nature, surrounded by peaceful animals... What joy this must be.

My first birth

As you probably know, I wanted a home birth in water. I wanted it to be blissful. I knew it might hurt, but I saw it as a right of passage, something I would go through for the benefit of my child. Instead, I gave birth on my back, paralyzed from the waist down, and my legs in stirrups. The anesthesiologist botched my epidural, giving me the dreaded epidural headache. Wikipedia explains:

"Accidental dural puncture with headache (common, about 1 in 100 insertions) (...) can be severe and last several days, and in some rare cases weeks or months. It is characterised by postural exacerbation when the patient raises their head above the lying position. If severe it may be successfully treated with an epidural blood patch (a small amount of the patient's own blood given into the epidural space via another epidural needle which clots and seals the leak)."

I did get the blood patch. I had so many IVs in my hand that they could not get blood for a long time, and every attempt was pure torture. The anesthesiologist even said: "It's like a gore fest in here!" and proceeded to do an X-ray to know where to inject the blood (i.e., he flooded me with radiation). All the while, newborn Franklin was without his mommy. The blood patch did not work. For a week, I could not get up, and when I did, I needed to press on my head as hard as I could as I felt it might otherwise explode.

To make things worse, Franklin developed jaundice, which somehow gave the pediatrician on duty carte blanche to give him formula. We were too exhausted to argue. I was in such pain. And, when he found out I had a birth plan, he laughed and said: "Man, these things are a jinx!". Thank you, Dr Jackass.

Traumatic birth? Check. Formula feedings? Check. Inability to stand up for a week, and a massive headache for 2? Check. Difficulties breastfeeding? Check. When I finally went home, I did so in a wheelchair. A few weeks later, we got the bill: $11,000. Yes, eleven thousand dollars.

I feel so lucky, despite all this, because I chose to go with a midwife rather than an OB. An OB might have dosed me and Franklin with antiobiotics since my waters broke early and the birth took 35 hours. An OB might have decided that I was taking too long, and would have given me a C-section after diagnosting me with "failure to progress". Things could have been worse, but I refuse to say that "at least my child was healthy". I deserved better, Franklin deserved better, my husband deserved better.

What went wrong?

Not only do I not like hospitals, I did not want to be in one in the first place. But, I felt I had no choice as no midwife wanted to assist me at home, and I did not want to be by myself. Also, my family felt strongly that the healthiest place to give birth was in a hospital. Really, the safest?

The United States has consistently high maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity rates compared to other industrialized countries. In 1990 the United States was ranked twenty-third by the Population Reference Bureau, which publishes the mortality and morbidity statistics. This means that there are twenty-two other countries where it is safer for women to give birth than in the United States. (Barbara Harper)

In a study conducted by Dr Lewis Mehl,

"1046 homebirths were compared with 1046 hospital births of equivalent populations in the United States. For each home-birth patient, a hospital-birth patient was matched for age, length of gestation, parity (number of pregnancies), risk factor score, education and socio-economic status, race, presentation of the baby and individual major risk factors. The homebirth population also had trained attendants and prenatal care.

The results of this study showed a three times greater likelihood of cesarean operation if a woman gave birth in a hospital instead of at home with the hospital standing by. The hospital population revealed twenty times more use of forceps, twice as much use of oxytocin to accelerate or induce labor, greater incidence of episiotomy (while at the same time having more severe tears in need of major repair). The hospital group showed six times more infant distress in labor, five times more cases of maternal high blood pressure, and three times greater incidence of postpartum hemorrhage. There was four times more infection among the newborn; three times more babies that needed help to begin breathing. While the hospital group had thirty cases of birth injuries, including skull fractures, facial nerve palsies, brachial nerve injuries and severe cephalohematomas, there were no such injuries at home.

The infant death rate of the study was low in both cases and essentially the same. There were no maternal deaths for either home or hospital. The main differences were in the significant improvement of the mother’s and baby’s health if the couple planned a homebirth, and this was true despite the fact that the homebirth statistics of the study included those who began labor at home but ultimately needed to be transferred to the hospital." Dr. Lewis Mehl, “Home Birth Versus Hospital Birth: Comparisons of Outcomes of Matched Populations.” Presented on October 20, 1976 before the 104th annual meeting of the American Public Health Association.

And finally, a six-year study done by the Texas Department of Health for the years 1983-1989 revealed that the infant mortality rate for non-nurse midwives attending homebirths was 1.9 per 1,000 compared with the doctors’ rate of 5.7 per 1,000.

Another thing that went wrong was the fact that my waters broke before I even had contractions. I felt pressed for time. I was hoping I could dilate to 8 in 6 hours so that I could go to the hospital just to push. No such luck. After 6 hours, they told me to come in. Knowing what I know now, I would have stayed home anyway. The reason why they don't want you to wait more than 12 hours is because in hospital settings, the risk of infections is very high. At home though, it's not the same. I could have tried to sleep, I could have taken a bath, I could have meditated.

Instead, we went to the hospital, and I was hooked to a monitor. I had said in my birth plan that I did not want the first 30 minute monitoring. My husband asked if they could at least turn off the sound. They just lowered it. When we were alone, I was progressing. As soon as they'd check me (every 30 minutes), I would regress.

What would I do differently next time?

Since this was my first birth, I have ignorance as an excuse. No longer. I will stay alone as much as I can, breathing, meditating, talking to my child.

Credit: cjn

I will not trigger labor by activating acupuncture points. We did it because we wanted to meet Franklin so badly and because I was full term. The next one will come when he or she feels like it!

I will try to sleep through the first, easy contractions. If I am not progressing fast enough, I will go through a checklist of natural things to do. According to Jinjee Talifero, who birthed 5 children at home, in her eBook about natural birth:

"First, Pitocin, a drug used in hospitals to speed up contractions is naturally released when the laboring woman's nipples are stimulated. And second, pig semen (called Prostin) is used to soften the cervix and help it to dilate faster. Of course husband semen is just as effective and to most women no doubt more appealing. And third, women very often fall in love with the doctors who deliver their babies. Basically what all this and many other things point to is that childbirth is a sexual act that is meant to take place between husband and wife. The husband brings forth the baby (seed) into the wife because of certain stimulation. The wife also brings forth the baby into the world because of certain stimulation. Uterine contractions are orgasms! The birthing experience is supposed to be orgasmic. It is the largest most intense series of orgasms a woman has, building up to the final orgasm of ejaculating a baby into the world! Birth is not only supposed to be painless; it is supposed to be orgasmic, ecstatic, sexual, sensual, and the final consummation of the marital act! "

Did I even think about being romantic with Matthew? Of course not! I had my eyes on the clock, and kept worrying about being interrupted. For my next birth, if I don't feel comfortable enough to be romantic with my husband, things will change until I am. Do I need to be alone? I will be. Do I need to be in the dark? I will be. Do I need silence? Soft music? Done.

I will also learn more about various situations which might cause a hospital transfer, and what my options are. A few days ago, I read that when a woman is progressing slowly, she can be given morphine early on to rest, and then resume labor when she awakes. Or, that vitamin C and garlic can prevent infections when waters have been broken for a while. Are these things true? I don't know, but I intend to find out!

Reflexions on what Birth has Become

I am going to be discussing this further in another post, but I feel that labor and raising children, two areas that without the shadow of a doubt are womanly have been taken over by men, for the worst.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a coverall wearing butch with unshaved legs - heck, I grew up wanting my family and my children to be my entire world and thought they alone would be enough to make me feel fulfilled. I resented feminists who thought that staying at home raising my little ones was unworthy of me (and I still think that a woman should do whatever makes her happy).

Credit: nahhan

But giving birth and raising a child did change my perspective somewhat. Men should be allowed to help a woman birth her child, but the overly patriarchal influence of the medical establishment is harming women and their children. Have you noticed how the most "tough love" child rearing books are written by men? In the Continuum Concept, Jean Liedloff writes that women in the Yequata tribe of the Amazon were shocked to hear that women in the West rely on books written by strange men to know how to raise their own children.

What has happened to our feminine intuition? Aren't we, as mothers, the ones who know what's best for our children? How has patriarchy changed the way we birth, raise our children, and what is the impact on our self-esteem? I'll discuss these important issues in my next post!

Interview with Ellie, a Homebirth Doula

2011-10-04T14:36:00.000-07:00


Credit: Ugaldo

Today, I am interviewing a doula about home births and other birth related issues. Franklin's birth was far from ideal, and I hope that the next one will go ~~a little~~ a lot better! There are many things I'd like to change. Some, I have no influence over. I would like my waters not to break for as long as possible, for instance. But there are some aspects I can influence; for example, I plan on going to a birthing center to avoid the stressful hospital environment. To make sure I make the best possible choices, I am talking about my options with a lot of women, and one of them is Ellie. Next week, providing Franklin lets me, I will be blogging a little more about birthing away from hospital settings. Stay tuned!

Joanna Steven: Thank you for talking with me today! Please tell me more about yourself, and why you chose to work with women who want to give birth at home.

Ellie: Great to be talking with you. Why I work with birth started with my own experiences - with my first birth I had a very traumatic birth in a general hospital in which the usual 'cascade of interevntion' ensued. I suffered an unwanted episiotomy, vacuum extraction, broken tailbone, narrowly missed a c-section and had secondary and primary post-partum hemorrhages as a result.


credit: robby m

When we were looking to conceive our second baby I just knew that there had to be a different way, a different experience. So, coming from a family where homebirth was the norm (I had thought it wasn't an option previously because of "risk categories") I just went back to my roots and started researching and immersing myself in what normal birth is and what it looks like. I started to pull apart my first birth experience after getting hold of my hospital records and realised that ultimately, so much of the drama had been created by the medical establishment simply treating me like a number and not a unique birthing woman doing a process we are so built for.

Subsequently, I ended up having my second baby at home. It was thoroughly amazing and this all led me to want to work with birth, to support other women and families in this profound experience. It's like a switch went off inside and I just realised that I couldn't not work with birth. There was no other choice. Really, it all begins with birth (actually, pre-conception as you know), but yes, gentle birth is fundamental to us as mothers, families, societies....

I believe that women have the right to birth with whomever and wherever they choose, it is a basic human right. I have seen and felt with my last 2 children birthed at home (surrounded by siblings etc) just how important support and continuity of care is to a woman and her family in the birthing and mothering phase of life so I just knew that I wanted to be of service to this... To women being empowered and honoured like the true goddesses they are, doing what they are designed to do. Birth is a physiological process, most of the time it works absolutely beautifully and there is nothing more incredible than seeing a woman and her family birth their baby and exclaim "I did it!!".

I then went on to train as a doula and have been attending home births for a few years, but every birth is so different and so many lessons are learnt. It's such an honour and a privilege to be present.

Joanna Steven: Often, people fear bad things will happen and that it's safer to be in a hospital. What would you tell them?

Ellie: To begin with, I believe that it's not that incredibly safe in hospitals. By this, I mean that the medical establishment most always looks at birth from a fear or risk perspective. They don't know how to support normal, natural birth because they hardly ever see it in there. I think that most healthy women with a fairly normal pregnancy (and this all can be debated on many levels) are safer at home in an environment which supports the natural flow of the birth process.

Credit: Kurhan

It's been said so often but really, the same hormones at play in birth are those involved in love making - oxytocin. Oxytocin doesn't flow when one is expected to be vulnerable and birth in front of strangers in a foreign environment. Could you have sex with six people watching in a cold white room? Nature is perfect and so are women's bodies. We just need to get out of our brains in birth and into the body, whilst being supported and with loving people holding our space. Not hurried, not harassed, just supported.

Generally midwives and people who support birth at home are well versed in the ways of normal, physiological birth and they trust it. Not just that, birth at home is a situation in which the woman is at the very centre of the experience, not paperwork, liability, time limits like in hospital etc etc etc... The medical establishment tends to be waiting right there for an avenue to intervene. One intervention leads to another...

There are many studies which state that home birth is as safe, if not safer than hospital birth. Yes, there are times where help from the hospital is needed but these are emergency situations and fairly rare. I feel that too often women are told that they needed an "emergency Cesarean" when really this emergency was created by the hospital as in the usual "cascade of intervention" which is so very common these days.

So, if someone was worried about bad things happening, I would suggest that they identify just what these "bad things" are and how they would be managed in a home scenario and also in a hospital scenario. Once you identify your fears about the process and really study them you can work out whether it could be something that could be handled at home also. I feel like I would still want to be surrounded by people who viewed birth as a normal event not a medical emergency and who had the skills and trust in birth necessary to cover most of these issues.

Joanna Steven: Are there tips/advice you would give mothers to prepare their body for birth? Foods, exercise, meditation, etc?

Credit: Duchessa

Ellie: There are many ways a woman can prepare for birth. Outside of having a a really good support team and giving careful consideration to the place of birth, exercise is obviously important. Yoga is absolutely wonderful for preparing for birth. Yoga is a way in which a woman can really get into her body and form a deeper connection with her body and baby of course. Apart from the physical aspects,breath and practicing directed breathing is a fantastic way of preparing. It is incredibly powerful, being able to send breath to the areas of discomfort and to the baby in the birth process. Yoga is great on so many levels, physical stretching and easing of discomforts, breath work and meditation....all brilliant!

Another thing that cannot be overlooked is diet! It's so huge. It effects how you feel, it builds your baby and breastmilk afterwards. I am a big fan of good nutrition in pre-conception, birth and beyond. It's really foundational. I'm very into a plant-based wholefoods (high-raw) diet myself purely because I've seen and felt such good results from it but every body is different. Every woman, every baby, every birth...all different, all unique.

Having a Blessing Way is another beautiful thing to do, an honouring of the mother and blessing the way for the path ahead. I recommend this to every woman preparing to dance this sacred dance: the ceremony of birth.


Credit: Eocs

Other really wonderful things to do are getting out in nature... Sinking your hands into the earth, playing in water, connecting to the creative elements, the Mama Earth which sustains us. Listen to beautiful birth stories, not horror stories, journal and dream, sing to you belly, make love (the same stuff which gets the baby in, gets the baby out right?) slow down, be mindful and just really be present and in it. Above all, connect with your baby and never forget that you're a team, you're doing this together. No body else really matters. Your body knows just what to do and your baby knows how to be born.... Deep down, we as women, really do know what to do in birth and later in parenting, we just have to trust our instincts and let go and surrender to the mystery. What will be will be.

Joanna Steven: Ellie, thank you for sharing all this with us! Is there anything you would like to add?

I think Joanna, that ultimately, I'd just like to say that homebirth is a valid, beautiful choice. It isn't something that only "brave" women do or crunchy-patchouli wearing mama's (though I am partial to a dab here and there ;).

Homebirth is for real women, real families, who are informed and are taking on the responsibility of bringing their babies into the world in a gentle, peaceful and loving way. I also want to stress that birth isn't about obstetricians or even midwives... It's about women. Women taking back their power and trust in birth and completely owning their experiences rather than handing them over to those who "know best".

I think one can connect with oneself and baby and become one's own care-provider, if you will. Then in the journey of pregnancy and birth, this provides a strong foundation for women to fully embrace motherhood and also instills the strength and freedom to care, heal and be self-sufficient in the growing-up of one's family. It can be challenging to swim against the tide but the benefits are just so worth it. Birth is truly the beginning of healthy, empowered mamas and fathers, healthy families and society as a whole. It's the beginning of everything important and sacred. We must reclaim our births. It's not a medical emergency, it's a physiological process... Know it, so you can trust it.

For more information I would recommend The Joyous Birth Network: http://www.joyousbirth.info/

As well as reading materials such as:
- Any of Ina May Gaskin's books - Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Birth Matters and of course Spiritual Midwifery
- Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Dr Sarah J Buckley
- The Down To Earth Birth Book by Jenny Blyth is an incredible book which covers everything one needs to know about a self-directed, empowered birth experience.

Also this site is excellent. I know the writer and she is extremly knowledgeable. She debunks lots of myths regarding childbirth as well as provides a huge amount of info: http://midwifethinking.com/

Giveaway: My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software

2011-10-02T11:55:00.000-07:00

Another giveaway for my lovely readers! Something a little different this time. A few weeks ago, the My Memories team contacted me to see if I might be interested in hosting a giveaway for them. I said yes, because Franklin's first birthday is coming soon and I'd love to scrapbook for him! And, I'm sure my friends would love to do the same for their little ones :-)

In the end, Franklin started teething and got a sleep regression, and I had no time to work let alone scrapbook, so I asked my sister to do it. See the cute images on this post? They were all made with the digital scrapbooking software (click on them for a bigger version).

Here is what she had to say about it:

"So I started doodling with it, and I must say, I LOVE IT. Like, I don't wanna go to school and just stay here all day and create albums and then print them out.However, I HAVE to go to school, so when I come back I'll make more stuff and write the review."

After coming back, she said:

"This program is very easy to use, has a greatselection of templates with differently laid-out pages to make an albumquickly, as well as the option to insert the images in bulk instead of oneby one. If you're more into customization, it offers a variety ofembellishments, papers, and photo templates in which you just need to dropthe chosen pictures, and the website offers both free and purchasableadditional options.The "mother love" one was made from scratch, the "baby franklin" one using abasic texture and a downloaded free frame as well as a pre-made picturetemplate which needed only minor adjustments, and the winter holidays one isthe first page of a holiday themed album template."

How to enter:

- Entry #1: Please visit their site and pick your favorite digital paper pack or layout, then comment here to tell me which one you chose.
- Entry #2: Add my blog to follow on Google Friends Connect and let me know in a separate comment,
- Entry #3: Blog about the giveaway and copy the link in a separate comment,
- Entry #4: Twitter about the giveaway and let me know in a separate comment,
- Entry #5: Share the giveaway on Facebook and let me know in a separate comment.

You have until Friday the 7th to enter. A winner will be chosen randomly and announced on the 8th. Good luck!

Winner of the Body Ecology Book!

2011-09-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Ela, and good call on blogging about the giveaway as this is the entry that got chosen by random.org!

Please e-mail me your address and your book will be on its way :-)

What does a superfood breastfeeding mama eat? (09/23/2011)

2011-09-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

I am hardcore into remineralizing these days, to prepare for my 2nd pregnancy planned for early 2013. If I'm going to deal with a baby who might also be high needs, and toddler Franklin, I better be in top shape!

Breakfast

1 quart nettle/chamomille infusion
Mango/pineapple/banana smoothie made with half the nettle infusion and 1 T Vitamineral Green
1 pasture egg fried in a little organic cultured butter, with raw homemade goat cheese (my husband made it. I obviously have no time to make cheese!).

Franklin's breakfast: small bowl of smoothie above with chlorella instead of vitamineral green.

I am sometimes reluctant to share non-vegan menus out of respect for my vegan friends. But, I do consume eggs and a little dairy, and I don't want people to think I'm vegan. Would you like me to only share vegan menus?

Lunch

"Fajita salad": tricolor quinoa, pinto beans, shredded lettuce, guacamole, salsa, onions, zucchini, orange and green pepper (all 4 veggies sauteed in coconut oil).
1 multivitamin, 1 O-Mega-Zen3, 2,800 IU vitamin D, vitamin B12.

This is a meal I make often when I don't have much time on my hands. It's filling, nourishing, and I can up the raw factor in many ways. When I remember, I top the dish with spirulina crunchies.

Snack
1 small box raspberries, local and unsprayed
Leftover smoothie from the morning without green powder
1/4 small yellow watermelon

Franklin had a little of each.

Dinner

Sea spaghetti with garlic cashew sauce. Tomato salad with balsamic dressing.

1 multivitamin, 1 O-Mega-Zen3, 2,800 IU vitamin D.

Garlic Cashew Sauce

3/4 cup cashews

1/2 cup water

1 large garlic clove

1/2 t Sea Clear

1/2 t salt

2 T lemon juice

1 drop stevia

1 T nutritional yeast sauce

Sprig cilantro

Toss with drained sea spaghetti, and enjoy :)

Don't forget to participate in the giveaway for a copy of the Body Ecology Diet!

[Book Review] The Body Ecology Diet (Win a Copy!)

2011-09-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I am planning on moving to the West coast as soon as possible (Portland OR to be exact!). I am super excited about it, because I will be able to hang out with people who have a lot in common with me, and I will have lots of choices when it comes to eating out. Apparently, Portland has the best Lebanese restaurant in the country, and even a raw food restaurant. My friend Wendi even said that she can walk, yes, walk, to 4 different organic grocery stores in her neighborhood!

Because of the impending move, I am trying to keep things as bare as possible - if I don't absolutely need to buy something, I don't. Books included. But, there are some things I intuitively feel I need to have, and so I don't deprive myself too much. One of those things was The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates. If you remember, about a year ago, I shared that I had introduced cultured dairy (kefir) into my diet because I felt it might heal a pain I had in my abdomen (and it did). I was introduced to kefir by the Body Ecology website, and wondered what else the diet could do for me.

As you know, raw foods is what's best for me, I know it. I shared my Diet and Food Staples in a blog post before, and kefir is an addition I did not discuss then because I wasn't drinking any. I bought the book, plopped Frank on my chest to nap, and read the book in a couple of hours. Donna writes that she hopes readers will highlight passages, re-read them, mark pages and go back to them, and that's exactly what I did.

The Body Ecology Diet is not a static diet with a one-size-fits-all paradigm. You can follow the BED and be vegan, vegetarian or even eat meat, it really depends on what's best for you. But what's common to all diets is that certain foods need to be eliminated (like many grains, junk food, excessive sugar early on and refined sugars at all times), cultured foods need to be introduced (sauerkraut, kefir, ...) and be a part of each meal, food should only fill us up 80% of the way leaving 20% of "space" for digestion, certain foods should not be combined with others (in a simple, intuitive manner), etc.

I loved the book because it's not overly complicated, and Donna shares the information in an exciting way. You get to disover new things, like seaweeds and grain-like seeds, but instead of feeling overwhelmed, you're actually excited to try them. Sometimes, I read books and think, "OK, that was interesting. I'll get back to it later" and sometimes I read books like BED and can't wait to incorporate new things into my routine, like a bowl of sauerkraut with my meals, a glass of coconut kefir in the morning, etc.

To help you out, the last section of the book is made of recipes that are, so far, really good. The Quinoa Tabouli is awesome (see below), and I loved the Watercress Soup. These aren't weird recipes that will have your husband look at your strangely, wondering what kind of devilish food you've made this time!

The Body Ecology Diet book is one I would recommend to anyone following a high raw diet but does not feel 100% on top of things. I actually incorporated many of the principles in my coaching of clients trying to eat better, eat less sugar, fight depression etc. It doesn't matter how experienced you are, you can always learn more and this book manages to be simple enough for newbies while still getting more experienced people to disover new concepts.

Donna Gates' publisher kindly allowed me to share one recipe with you, let me know if you try it!

Quinoa Tabouli

Ingredients: (serves 4)
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 t sea salt
1 cup cucumber, diced small
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup scallions, finely diced
1 cup Mint-Garlic Dressing (see below)
Lettuce leaves as a garnish

1. Cook quinoa and sea salt in 2 cups boiling water, until translucent; remove from heat and let sit 10-15 minutes to become fluffy.
2. When cool, add cucumber, parsley and scallions.
3. Add Mint-Garlic Dressing.
4. Chill in refrigerator before serving. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Mint-Garlic Dressing

Ingredients:
1/4-1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, to taste (start with less)
1/2 cup organic, unrefined oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste)
1 T fresh mint leaves, minced.

1. Combine lemon juice, mint and garlic in a blender.
2. Slowly add oil while blending to emulsify.

And, they are offering a free copy of the book to one of my readers! Aren't they great? Here's how you can enter the giveaway:

- Entry #1: Leave a comment to let me know about a topic you'd like me to blog about,
- Entry #2: Add my blog to follow on Google Friends Connect and let me know in a separate comment,
- Entry #3: Blog about the giveaway and copy the link in a separate comment,
- Entry #4: Twitter about the giveaway and let me know in a separate comment,
- Entry #5: Share the giveaway on Facebook and let me know in a separate comment.

Good luck! You have until the 29th of September to participate, and I will announce the winner on the 30th. The winner will be picked using random.org.

[Raw Children] High Need Baby Grows Up - 10 months (updated)

2011-09-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you for the all the wonderful feedback on my post about high need children and raising baby Franklin! It all meant so much to me.

Baby Franklin - 9 months

Of course, there was also some negative feedback, and some criticism. I think that these are really hard for moms to hear, and especially new moms who got a high need child on the first try and may not understand that high need children are not necessarily this way because the mother is inexperienced -- high need is a temperament, babies are either born this way or they are not. It has nothing to do with whether the birth was natural or not, if the mom is experienced or not, if the mom had an easy pregnancy or not. I know in my heart that Franklin will always be intense, but that the care I am giving him will make my life easier later, rather than harder because I might be "spoiling" him.

This is why I am going to regularly updated my readers with Franklin's development. He turned 10 months old a few days ago, and I can already see that things are different.

1. When he was tiny, he would not fall asleep at the breast. I would hear about Kristen and Lauren's daughters who would fall asleep on the boob, and wished Frank would do that. Instead, I would have to spend 3 hours (usually from 7 to 10 pm) swaddling, rocking, shusshing, pacifying. It was a nightmare.

Then at around 4 months, he started falling asleep at the breast with rocking. Then at 7 months, I did not need to rock him anymore. We'd lie down in bed (at nap time and night time) and he would fall asleep at the breast. At 9 months, we experienced the very common sleep regression. Back to the rocking chair we went. I was OK with it. As I keep saying, this is just a stage.

Now, he's starting to fight the boob a little, and wants his daddy to "walk him". Matthew holds him against his chest, Frank plops his head on his shoulder, and they walk a bit. He then takes the boob and falls asleep (some nights are easier than others). I can see a time in the near future when other people will be able to put him to sleep, and it will be easier for me. We all have a shoulder, but we don't all have working boobs!

2. If he finds interesting things, he will play on his own. People seem really excited about getting kids to play by themselves as soon as possible. Honestly, before having kids, I would never have said "my baby better play by himself on his own for an hour by the time he's 6 to 9 months old!". But when we're tired, suddenly we have all kinds of unrealistic expectations for our babies.

No, Frank did not play by himself when he was 6 months old. Now at 10 months, he will play if he finds something very interesting, until he get bored with it. But the point is that he does play on his own, it's just difficult to find things that keep him interested for very long. But I know for sure that once he is more coordinated, walks, etc., he will play on his own because he already does.

For example, I need to hold the guitar (it's an expensive one) while he plays, but when he's 3 and starts taking guitar lessons (he's nuts for the guitar!) he will play with it alone. Plus, I won't need to always be there making sure he doesn't put things he should not eat in his mouth. And if he needs others to play, aren't team sports just great? To be fair, I'm not sure I want a kid who finds comfort and distraction in material things day in and day out. I would rather grow a child who prefers to be with other children and interact with them than one who finds pressing a button that makes noise good enough, or who watches TV all day and is satisfied with that.

3. He loves to read. That's right. Whenever I'm too tired to entertain or carry him, I sit down with my legs crossed and him inside them, and we read. His favorite book is My Monster Mama Loves Me, and he loves touchy feely books. I read to him in French and English. We can do this for a very long time until he gets bored and gets up.

4. He is cuddly. High need children by definition do not cuddle for a long time. Thinking of cuddling with your little 6 months old? Forget it. They will scratch, punch and elbow you, but will not cuddle until they start growing a little older (my arms and chest were severely clawed up for many months). Now, Franklin will plant his open mouth on my cheek, will pet my arm when I am carrying him, and will often plop his face on my belly while hugging me -- not for long, but hey, I'm grateful for what I can get!

5. His naps are dramatically better. I remember when he was little, I would spend hours trying to get him to nap. It was horrible, I was exhausted, and I would spend more time getting him to nap than he would spend napping. His naps were so bad that until he was 6 months old, he was getting 5 naps a day just to be rested. At around 5 months, I decided to spend one nap with him so he would get more than 30 minutes. He would then sleep about 1 to 1 1/2 hour, but it was not enough. At around the same time, I read in Pantley's No Cry Sleep Solution that poor nappers can learn to nap longer if you stay by them and promptly get them back to sleep through whatever means are necessary. So, I did just that. I gave up whatever time I had left for myself and spent every second with Franklin.

Slowly, nap time increased. At around 8 months, I was able to put him on the bed and work on my laptop next to him (we transitioned by having him nap next to me while I read on the gTablet, and then I moved to a chair with my laptop). When he wakes, I quickly rock and nurse him. Last week, he slepts for 2 1/2 hours with one single intervention! A few days later, he started teething, and back in my arms he went. I was patient. Keeping him on me kills my back, so I went and got a massage at Aveda. Yesterday, he took to the bed again. Victory!

Do you have a high need baby? What fun changes have you noticed?

[Raw Children] Raw Recipes for the Superfood Raw Baby and Child

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Franklin with his Grandpa

I get asked a lot about nutrition for raw children. While Franklin is not 100% raw because we want him to be able to enjoy healthy cooked meals when he's not home, he's still raw most of the time. Here are a few recipes he has enjoyed lately.

Note that he still breastfeeds a lot and at the time of this writing he is only 9 months old. His food intake is mainly for texture and taste exploration, not nutrition, except for the chlorella powder which he gets almost daily for added iron.

Carob Lucuma Smoothie

Ingredients
1 banana
1/2 t carob powder
1/4 - 1/2 t lucuma
1/2 cup breast milk (or nut milk for children above 1 year)

Blend and serve in a cup, or feed with a spoon (less milk may be used in this case).

Approximate nutritional value (above 10% of an adult's Daily Value):
2.5 g protein (5% of an adult's DV)
27% vitamin C (of an adult's DV)
23% vitamin B6 (of an adult's DV)
14% potassium (of an adult's DV)
18% manganese (of an adult's DV)
Full spectrum of amino acids

Monster Mash

1/2 a ripe avocado
1 skinned, stoned nectarine (or use a small banana)
1/4 t chlorella powder

Mash and serve.

Approximate nutritional value (above 10% of an adult's Daily Value):
3.8 g protein (8% of an adult's DV)
13% vitamin A
30% vitamin C (of an adult's DV)
16% vitamin A (of an adult's DV)
30% vitamin K (of an adult's DV)
11% riboflavin (of an adult's DV)
17% niacin (of an adult's DV)
15% vitamin B6 (of an adult's DV)
22% folate (of an adult's DV)
17% pantothenic acid (of an adult's DV)
11% magnesium (of an adult's DV)
22% potassium (of an adult's DV)
16% copper (of an adult's DV)
11% manganese (of an adult's DV)

High Raw Sweet Potato Puree

1/2 a small, baked sweet potato
1 large green apple, peeled, raw

Mash and serve. I use a hand blender for this one. When Franklin is older, I will add hemp seeds for more nutritional oomph, about 1 tablespoon.

Approximate nutritional value (above 10% of an adult's Daily Value):
117% vitamin A
21% vitamin C (of an adult's DV)
11% manganese (of an adult's DV)

1000 Petals Shakra Mash

1 purple plum, peeled and stoned
1/4 cup blueberries
1 soaked prune
Dash spirulina powder

Mash and serve. I use a hand blender for this one.

Approximate nutritional value (above 10% of an adult's Daily Value):
17% vitamin C (of an adult's DV)
21% vitamin K (of an adult's DV)

What do you enjoy feeding your little ones?

Winner of Evie's Kitchen!

2011-09-11T07:01:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Shannon Marie of Rawdorable, your first entry won the copy of Shazzie's Evie's Kitchen! Send me your address by e-mail and you will get your copy within 3 weeks (forgive the delay but it will most likely be sent from the UK).

I wanted so many of you to win the book, I really did. I wish I could send a copy to every participant! But know that you can buy the book through Amazon UK with a reasonable shipping cost, so you don't have to spend an exorbitant amount of money buying it through Amazon USA.

[Book Review] Evie's Kitchen by Shazzie (Win a Copy!)

2011-09-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

I think that many parents know deep down that their kids should be eating more fruits and vegetables, and that eating them raw is a lot healthier than eating them in a pie, or from a can. But, when dinner time is here, confusion sets in. Is this sustaining enough? Are they getting enough nutrition? And to make matters worse, some raw kids just don't look that healthy, are very skinny and have bad teeth. We all want what's best for our children, and raw foods may very well be the best diet out there, but where does one start?

Thankfully, some parents like Shazzie did their research, and they refused to let their children suffer because of their experiments. This is important, because a poorly designed raw diet can and will lead to deficiencies and potentially devastating problems down the road (like any diet, really).

For instance, Holly Paige, a UK based raw foodist, fed her kids a totally raw vegan diet only to find that they were not thriving like she thought they would. She "started noticing that something wasn't right. The children were wearing clothes two sizes smaller than they should have been. I have two older children and they never had growth problems or tooth decay. Bertie and Lizzie's muscles seemed weak and they had problems seeing at night." You can read more about it here.

So, can you raise your kids raw and vegan? Yes, you can, but you need to know how. In her book, Shazzie gets down the basics explaining which nutrients can be tricky to find on a raw food diet and/or a vegan diet, where to get them, and which supplements to take to be on the safe side. Shazzie has ethos on her side, she raised a beautiful girl on a very high raw diet and completely vegan until she turned 4. Evie is now 7 and thriving (she does eat eggs, but the majority of her diet is high raw and otherwise vegan). And since people want more than just scientific information, half the book is filled with delicious looking and sounding recipes (I have not tried them yet because the measurements are in milliliters and grams rather than cups and tablespoons).

I also love this book because Shazzie is very candid in it; she gets quite personal and shares the ups and downs of her life while raising a child, and I feel this is a side of raw foodists we can all use more of. Many people think they cannot eat raw because they don't have enough money, a fabulous life, and whatnot. But, when it comes down to it, every successful raw celebrity I know has had problems and they just rose above them and became stronger. Shazzie also discusses raising a child on love using Attachment Parenting principles like co-sleeping, and the benefits for both the child and parent.

Evie's Kitchen has been influential in helping me design the perfect diet for Franklin. Right now, he is 9 months old and still vegan and very high raw (I did feed him a little cooked food so he would be somewhat used to it, but he's not crazy about it, he much prefers raw foods - especially green smoothies). I am progressively adding more superfoods to his diet, mostly chlorella and a little spirulina. I make sure he eats his greens through green smoothies, blended parsley, green juices, and nettle infusions. When breastmilk stops being such a big part of his diet, I will introduce eggs, and perhaps a little cultured dairy down the road. I do plan on keeping him fully vegetarian and high raw, but will make very sure he gets enough Omega 3 fatty acids (right now I take 600 mg of DHA and eat a lot of chia seeds, as well as hemp seeds).

Would you like to win a copy of this wonderful book? Here's how you can participate:

Entry #1: "Like" the Raw Mom Fan Page on Facebook and leave a comment here saying you did,
Entry #2: Join the Raw Mom Club (now free!), introduce yourself briefly in the forum and leave a separate comment here saying you did,
Entry #3: Follow Raw Mom on Twitter and leave a separate comment here saying you did,
Entry #4: Let others know about this giveaway on your blog, Twitter or Facebook and leave a separate comment here saying you did (one entry per method, so leave 3 comments if you do all 3!).

The contest is open until Saturday 10th at midnight. I will randomly pick a winner on Sunday 11th. USA and UK residents only - although if you live elsewhere and can have the book shipped to a US or UK address, feel free to participate!

The Fermentation Series #6: Beet Kvass

2011-09-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do you sometimes feel that the Universe keeps sending an idea your way, and eventually you just have to give in because the signs are everywhere? This is how I felt with beet kvass. Between reading blog reviews of people who were sent beet kvass from Zukay to sample, friends who made their own beet kvass, and the CSA giving me a gazillion beets, I thought: "OK! I'll make this beet kvass that I had never heard of a few months ago!".

What is beet kvass?

According to Sally Fallon of Nourishing Traditions fame:

"This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are loaded with nutrients. One glass morning and night is an excelent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments. Beet kvass may also be used in place of vinegar in salad dressings and as an addition to soups."

I know that a lot of raw foodists and vegans don't like Sally Fallon because of her strong stance on vegetarianism and veganism - she even pleaded with vegans to not have children in her interview with Kevin Gianni (or so I heard, I was not able to listen to any interview because Franklin was/is such a handful)!
While I find this completely ridiculous, I do not dismiss everything she has to say. I believe that vegans can learn a lot from paleos, and paleos can learn a lot from vegans. We can all learn from each other to come up with solutions that work for us personally.

How do you make beet kvass?

Making beet kvass is extremely easy. Simply take 3 medium beets, chop them up coarsely, add them to a 2-quart Mason jar along with a tablespoon of salt, and top off with either some Body Ecology culture starter or 1/4 cup of raw whey (I used the starter powder) and water. After 2 days, your beet kvass is ready. Transfer the jar to the fridge, and drink a little of the liquid everyday.

How does beet kvass taste?

I don't know how Zukay's taste, although I'd love to get some one day, but this beet kvass definitely isn't ambrosia - think about it, it's beets, salt and lactic acid! Some people really enjoy it though. You might want to use a little less culture starter if that's what you decide to use, as it has a strong taste on its own. But in any case, beet kvass is easily hidden in other drinks and foods. This is what I made one morning:

Pink Kvass Champagne

Ingredients
- 3/4 cup CocoBiotic or coconut kefir
- 1 T beet kvass

Directions
Stir the kefir and beet kvass together, and serve cold.
What a great, probiotic way to start the day!

I enjoy drinking a little beet kvass in the morning, as I always love to add my probiotics to my diet. Mixing it with kefir gets the job done twice as well!

Do you drink beet kvass and/or make your own?

[Raw Children] High Need Children - Challenges and Growth Opportunities

2011-08-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

This blog post is dedicated to all the mothers of high need children, a label which will be discussed below. This topic also relates to raw foods in that moms may get an added incentive to eating raw just so they can keep up with their little bundles of energy! Please note that I am not criticizing any parenting method - we should all do what works for us and makes our children as happy as possible regardless of what society thinks.

Raising children is hard - some might say it's the toughest job in the world. But, high need infants and children bring additional challenges, and fortunately, additional rewards as well. High need infants usually stay high need throughout their childhood. I look forward to interacting with high need toddler Franklin, and seeing him blossom into a passionate person. However, things were not always easy, and they still aren't.

Franklin's Early Months

After Franklin was born, I often felt completely inadequate. Everyone I talked to, even parents of previously colicky infants, said that at least they had naps to relax. 2-3 hour naps, every afternoon. If you are friends with me on Facebook, you know that Franklin is a poor napper (and even that is an understatement). While other kids, regardless of usual temperament, slept for at least a couple of hours every day, Franklin did not. He detests sleep, or rather, he loves being awake so much that as soon as he has had a little bit of rest, he wakes up and within seconds he is upright playing. Parents come to me for nutrition advice for their little ones, and that's an area where I am very knowledgeable. Franklin is growing strong, happy and healthy, and it is not an accident. But when it came to keeping him asleep, everything I had learned was useless.

I was told many things.

- He is not tired enough, let him exhaust himself (but the more exhausted he is, the more he wakes up)
- He does not need to sleep because he's a raw foodist/eats well (tired signs such as rubbing eyes, yawning, excessive fussing and clingliness indicate he is indeed tired)
- He should cry it out (I don't think that punishing my child for society's shortcomings is the answer - more on that below. Note that my position on Cry It Out is an opinion, not a criticism. He who has never sinned...).

In the end, nothing helped. I even lost friends because they could not empathize with my level of stress and exhaustion. I was clueless and wondering where I had gone wrong. And then, I found Dr Sears' information on high need children, and read his book, The Fussy Baby Book: Parenting Your High Need Child from Birth to Age Five. It was like I was suddenly validated, vindicated. I was/am a good mother, and was/am doing everything right. Dr Sears was blessed with a high need child after having 3 boys, who made him wonder was the big deal about kids was because they were so easy. I myself was an easy baby, who quickly slept through the night and would fall asleep while playing if I felt I needed a snooze. Franklin was never like that, and I understood it, I understood him, and did was I needed to do.

Satisfying Franklin's needs

When he was born and he needed constant soothing at the breast, I breastfed him. I breastfed him until my nipples were sore. I ignored advice on delaying feedings. I ignored opinions that he was hungry and my milk was not enough. He needed to suck for comfort, and he did. When my milk supply was over-abundant and he would be distressed from the milk flow which is did not want (he just wanted to suck), I threw my belief that pacifiers were useless out the window and gave him one. What he needed came before dogma.

When he needed to sleep, I would bounce and rock him, on my feet, for hours. I would not let him cry, both for his sake and mine (when he slept and I tried to do the same, I would hear his cries inside my head). I wanted him to know I was there for him, through thick and thin, until death do us part. My joints were aching from fatigue, my arms were ready to fall off, I had/have sciatica-like pain from keeping him on me in a rocking chair in an uncomfortable position (the one he liked) so he would sleep longer.

What was wrong? Nothing. Franklin was, and is, a high need baby. For more details on high need babies, please see this post by Dr Sears. These precious babes often are intense, hyperactive, draining, demanding, they feed often and wake up often, they are unsatisfied, unpredictable, very sensitive, can't be put down, can't self soothe and are separation sensitive.

Is there such a thing as high need children?

A friend of mine, Debbie, who writes a great blog entitled Rose Goddess (check it out!), offered a different perspective. Indeed to her, and to me but in a different way, there are no high need babies.

Many cultures all around the world do not consider babies or children to be difficult or "high needs." They just fulfill their needs as a matter of course and live a lifestyle conducive to raising children. In Western and European cultures, however, we put children on the back burner to other "more important" things and mothers are not supported and often isolated. So called "high needs" children, I feel, should really be called children who are able to get their "real needs" met in a culture which doesn't give children the nourishment they require. "High need" children usually like to feed at least once at night, before naps, and frequently throughout the day. This is actually important for brain growth and development. "High need" children love to be held and touched a lot. Here is a quote by Dr. George Wootan on how important this is...

"The increased opportunity for parent-child bonding offered by breastfeeding is a widely known benefit of nursing, which brings up an interesting sidelight. A baby can have lots of brain cells, but they won't do any good unless they're inter-connected. The nerve fibers that connect these cells are called dendrites. And what develops dendrites? You probably said breast milk ... right? Wrong! Touching develops dendrites. Holding, touching, and stroking a baby, as a mother naturally does while nursing ('you can prop a bottle but not a breast'), helps the child develop the way nature intended, both physically and emotionally"

Car seats are unnatural and restrictive to a baby's movements, so of course a baby who is committed to thrive and develop will protest. For a baby, there is only the present moment. And in the present moment he/she is being held hostage and kept away from his mother. His life supplier. It is only when a baby gets a better sense of time ("I am here now but that doesn't mean I will be here in 5 minutes"), will he/she be more calm in the car seat.

I once read of a study done by Dutch researcher Marten de Vries. He followed a set of Masai infants in Kenya during a period of great drought in the 1970's. He labeled 10 of them "difficult" and 10 of them "easy." When he returned, 3 months later, he looked for those 20 babies and found only 13 (some of them had moved away I guess). Most of these babies were malnourished. 3 months after that, 7 of the 13 babies were dead, and only one of those seven was a baby he had classified as "difficult." So, next time you get frustrated with your demanding child, remember, he/she is just a genetically stronger baby who is geared to receiving all he/she needs to thrive!

I looked up the study for clarification - the Masai tribe had been under difficult conditions of drought. In the end, the overwhelming majority of surviving babies were the high need babies. His conclusion was that "Difficult babies in Western cultures are better able to survive harsh conditions in Third World cultures."

I agree with Debbie that children would have nearly all of their needs met in a so-called primitive society. Cared for like they should be, infants are content and do not need to fuss or cry. There is no reason for it. Indeed, in the book The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, the author argues that colic does not exist in these societies. Children are constantly carried against their mothers, breastfed on demand, and mothers do not burn out because they have wonderful support systems to lend them a hand. I like to imagine those communities making food together, so that the busy mothers can tend to their children. They would probably be surprised to see that a US block of houses is made of people who barely interact, and who cook separately or eat out of plastic boxes warmed in a microwave by a tired mother who only has her husband to help out (if she does at all).

Harvey Karp recommends techniques to soothe a fussy or colicky baby, techniques like tight swaddling, rocking, the 5 S's, carrying in a sling etc. We tried those, and they worked well, but swaddling only went so far, my arms were exhausted from all the rocking, and I could not leave the house with him in a sling because it was -20 degrees outside, and walking around the house alone to soothe him was exhausting emotionally and physically. Maybe there would have been a way, after all the Native Americans living in Iowa did it, but I could not figure it out.

Does this all mean that high need children do not exist? This is where I disagree. They do exist in our society, as a by-product of this society, and acknowledging their existence makes mothers like me feel that they are indeed experiencing legitimate issues which most parents do not experience, and studies done on such babies offer solutions. High need infants may be the product of our unnatural society, but they exist, just like the 10% or parents blessed with a colicky infants know that their child's colic is real and not their fault.

The high need infant grows up

What are the lessons here? High need infants are a blessing. I have grown more in 9 months than I could have in years. I learned that my instinct, which I believed to be dull, was strong and beautiful. I knew what my baby needed, and instinctively followed attachment parenting principles. I knew that I was not spoiling him by following his cues, and that I was only making him more confident.

Today, he is 9 months old, and happily explores the house and the public library with passion and interest. He only needs my arms when he is bored (which can happen easily as he requires more entertainment than the low need child who plays by himself early on, like I did), but he's quite the explorer otherwise.

While he needed me and my breast a lot early on, he is now a people pleaser who is also extremely charismatic. Random people will make a bee line for him to get a smile (which he always gives them) and to hold him (which he lets them do).

Except for the breast, he is not dependent on what he used to rely on to soothe himself. He needed to be swaddled. Not anymore. He needed a pacifier. Not anymore. He needed rocking. Not anymore, unless he's passing an important milestone and believes practicing is more important than sleeping. This reinforced my belief that if he needs something now, it's for a reason and he won't need it forever. I am not spoiling him, I'm giving him what he needs so he can move forward.

Of course, he still is high need. He does not enjoy things, and prefers to play with people and animals. He is never content to sit still for a while or be rocked in a swing, he is always on the go, crawling, grabbing, etc. He wakes up 5 times a night, and will fight every nap. When he does nap, it's for 20 minutes unless I sit by him and soothe him back to sleep a couple of times, but naps rarely exceed one hour. Even cars and strollers can't get him to sleep for more than 30 minutes. He has never fallen asleep by himself.

But, I would not trade him for any other child. He laughs louder than anyone I know. He potty trained himself. He opened my eyes to marvels I had grown accustomed to and therefore ignored. He taught me that indoor living is nothing compared to being in nature. He taught me to find joy in everything and everyone. When he sees other children, he laughs and squeals with delight. He is outgoing, sociable and friendly. He explores any place we take him to with joy and curiosity, knowing we are right there if he needs us.

According to Dr Sears, this is how high need children evolve:

INFANT	TODDLER-CHILD	TEEN-ADULT
alert intense draining demanding unconsolable supersensitive high-touch	busy high-strung exhausting spunky stubborn impatient strong-willed	enthusiastic deep passionate resourceful opinionated determined persistent sociable compassionate empathetic caring

Please visit Dr Sears' website for more information.

I look forward to seeing Franklin grow up, and will keep reporting on his changes as he does. I know he will stay high energy. Raw foodist are more alert and energetic than cooked food dieters, and Franklin is already telling me he enjoys raw foods more than cooked food, even if the raw dish is strongly flavored and not sweet (he prefers barely sweetened green juice to baked sweet potato).

In the meanwhile, here are my surviving strategies:

- Keep your sense of humor. You will need it. Make your husband laugh. Let him make you laugh. High need children will put a strain on your marriage, but if you look at things positively, they will make it stronger too. I love my husband even more now, he is my rock.
- Understand that this too shall pass. Your children need all of you for about 3 years. After that, they spread their wings more and more, and the more confident they are, the easier it will be for you. As Dr Sears wrote, no one wishes they had spent less time with their children when they were little.
- Eat well! Few things are harder on you than hard to digest food.
- Get help. There's no shame in asking people to help out! That's how it's supposed to be; you're not supposed to be alone with a baby. I get a weekly housekeeper and would give her up for nothing.
- Learn to prioritize, and let go of what isn't necessary.

If you have a high need child or would like to share something about the topic, please do so! :-)

Cucumber Lemonade

2011-08-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, you are blessed with great people in your life (pretty often, actually, if you take the time to notice). When I was in anguish over feeding myself and my future baby all organic and started my food buying group to get lower prices, a few people got on board with me and helped make this dream a reality. One of them was Glenda, who upon seeing how overwhelmed I was after the birth of Franklin took it upon herself to handle the produce deliveries, and even bring my share of the food to my doorstep.

How amazing is that? I am so grateful for her! And a few weeks ago, she brought me a bunch of cucumbers from her garden. I am loving cucumbers because they are easy to juice, and Franklin enjoys them. Thank you Glenda!

Along with juices, I have been making lemonade. I am on a lemon kick like you would not believe! These are two recipes I made; one calls for a blender, and the other one calls for a juicer. They are so refreshing in the summer. I like mine on that tart side, so add a few more drops of stevia or a squirt of your favorite liquid sweetener to the pitcher.

Cucumber Lemonade

Ingredients
4 cups cucumber chunks
2 cups water
1/2 cup water
2 cups ice
1/2 cup your favorite liquid sweetener - I used agave nectar, or 40 drops stevia

Directions
Blend and strain. Serve 3.

Cucumber-Apple Lemonade

Ingredients
750 ml cucumber juice
250 ml green apple juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
20 drops stevia, plus more to taste
2 cups ice

Directions
Blend and strain. Serve 3.

Monday's Morning Delights: Chia Buckwheat Breakfast Cereal

2011-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Because Franklin wakes up a lot at night, and he needs to sleep with us in our small queen size bed, my husband and I often takes shifts. I go to bed with Franklin at around 7 pm, and my husband will work late so I can get a little rest. As a result, the little one and I wake up at 6 am, but Matthew requires a little more sleep in the morning. This means I can't use the blender or juicer and risk waking him up, but a breastfeeding mama still needs her nutrition!

I came up with these delicious and filling little bowls of energy to fill that need, and found that they fit the bill perfectly.

Carob + Strawberry Chia Buckwheat Breakfast

Ingredients
2 T chia seeds
1/3 c. almond milk
1/2 t carob powder
1/4 t Fruits of the Earth (optional)
Small handful of buckwheat, soaked, well rinsed and dehydrated overnight
3-4 strawberries, sliced

Directions
Soak the chia seeds in almond milk and carob (whisked in), along with some Fruits of the Earth if you are using it. After about 10 minutes, stir in some buckwheat groats and top with strawberry. Add a dusting of carob for color and added flavor.

Apple Cinnamon Chia Buckwheat Breakfast

Ingredients
2 T chia seeds
1/3 c. Brazil nut milk
1/4 t cinnamon
1 grated apple
Small handful buckwheat, soaked and dehydrated

Directions
Soak the chia seeds in Brazil nut milk and cinnamon (whisked in). After about 10 minutes, stir in some buckwheat groats and most of the grated apple. Top with the rest of the apple and dust with added cinnamon for color and added flavor.

Chocolate Mousse Chia Pudding

2011-08-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

I have a deep love for chia seeds. These nutritionally miraculous little seeds are chock-full of omega 3 fatty acids, in which I believe the general population to be deficient. Add to this the fact that most raw foodists do not consume fish (I am personally vegetarian and therefore fish-free) and it's easy to see how many of us may not get enough of this vital nutrient, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and more. Indeed, a 2004 Canadian study (amongst many other studies) reported that:

"Omega-3 fatty acids play a critical role in the development and function of the central nervous system. Emerging research is establishing an association between omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic) and major depressive disorder."

To ensure I get enough DHA (the type of Omega 3 the body needs and does not manufacture), I take 2 capsules of O-Mega-Zen3 daily, and often eat chia seeds in the form of puddings and stirred into drinks. Lately, I have taken things further by also adding chia oil to my puddings as well as non-GM soy lecithin powder to stimulate milk production (not that I need it), and was rewarded by a wonderful, mousse like texture (from the oil/lecithin blend). Just in case you think I'm nuts, know that my husband remarked on it himself without me saying anything!

Chocolate Mousse Chia Pudding

The lecithin and oils emulsify to give this chia pudding a chocolate mousse consistency!

Ingredients (serves 4)

- 1/2 cup chia seeds

- ½ cup raw cacao powder

- 1/3 cup coconut nectar, agave nectar or your favorite sweetener

- 1 cup raw hazelnuts

- 1 inch vanilla bean

- 1 T raw coconut oil

- 1 T non-GM soy lecithin powder

- 1 T chia oil

- 2 drops Medicine Flower coffee extract (optional)

- Celtic sea salt, pinch

Directions:

Make hazelnut milk by blending the hazelnuts with 3 cups of water. Strain with a nut milk bag and pour the milk back into the rinsed blender.

Add the other ingredients except for the chia seeds, and blend until smooth.

Pour in a large bowl, add the chia seeds, and stir by hand. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, then stir again, and repeat the process once. Place in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days.

Also, I now have a weekly column in the Raw Food World's newsletter - don't forget to sign up to regularly get delicious, raw recipes like the one above!

[Raw Children] Elimination Communication with Franklin

2011-08-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Before I got pregnant, a friend of mine told me about Elimination Communication, a process where parents listen to their child's cues that they need to pee or poop, and take them to the potty. Apparently, diapers really are a modern invention driven by profits. In poor countries, diapers aren't used and no, babies do not eliminate all over their mom who, by the way, carry them in arms all the time until they learn to crawl.

According to the website Diaper Free Baby:

"Elimination Communication (EC) is NOT potty training. It is a gentle, natural, non-coercive process by which a baby, preferably beginning in early infancy, learns with the loving assistance of parents and caregivers to communicate about and address his or her elimination needs. This practice makes conventional potty training unnecessary.

Parents and caregivers who practice EC are often surprised by just how quickly they begin to experience clear and consistent communication with their infant; next to this, early potty independence is seen only as a frequently-occurring side benefit. Many EC'ing families experience first-hand what families in traditional cultures around the world have known for centuries: that by the age at which American parents are told to watch for supposed signs of "readiness" for toilet-learning, their children have already achieved toilet independence. "

I found the concept fascinating. First of all, I like the idea of "sticking it to the man". I refuse to buy into advertisement which tries to tell me I absolutely need this or that product otherwise something will be lacking in my life. I don't need cigarettes to be cool, I don't need the latest fashions to belong, I don't need a big SUV to show people what an important person I am, towering over them on the road. And, it turns out, I don't need to put diapers on my baby either, as they are there to create a need when there is none (other than the need for companies to make money).

When I got pregnant, I told people I would try my best to do Elimination Communication, and would use cloth diapers when I would feel they are necessary. I knew that we say a lot of things before having children, and then we realize how little we really know about raising them. And I often had dreams of Franklin, where I would see a little boy running around naked, enjoying being diaper free.

After giving birth, as many of you know, I was pretty much incapacitated by a botched epidural (which I tried my best not to get), and I was feeling pretty lost. We used disposable diapers on Franklin for a few weeks, until we recovered and my mom arrived to help out. After that, we use cloth diapers. Elimination was still on my mind, but I didn't know where to start. Initially, Franklin would poop a little while breastfeeding, and he generally pooped a lot - about 4 times a day if I remember right. And boy did he pee! I would count the cloth diapers in the morning, and would often count as many as 8, and sometimes more than 10. I thought there was no way I could do Elimination Communication, and I even switched to disposable diapers at night since getting up every hour or so to change him was really hard on me (this was combined with getting up to breastfeed, as it took many months for us to master side lying breastfeeding).

At around 6 months, Franklin started changing a lot. He was developing so fast, and was clearly becoming "a big boy". He started sleeping more at night, and would take longer naps. At 7 months, he no longer needed to be rocked to sleep, something we absolutely needed to do before (he still needs it sometimes, if he needs to sleep but would rather do something fun, like standing!). This reinforced my feeling that if my child needs something now, it does not mean he will need it for ever. Many, many people brought up the idea of letting him Cry It Out (CIO) so he would sleep better. I swore to never, ever do that, no matter how exhausted I was, and kept thinking "This too shall pass". And it did. But beyond this progress, Franklin started getting very upset whenever I would change his diaper. He hated getting his diaper put on, and he still does.

The idea of Communication Elimination came back to me, and I started noticing things. At 5-6 months of age, I noticed that whenever he was carried against me, he would not pee. And when he would wake up from naps, even 90 minute naps, he would be dry. But, a few minutes after being out of my arms or awake, his diaper would be wet. Aha! So, one day, I put him on the potty after a nap, ran the faucet and said "ssssss". And, he peed. I actually didn't notice, and when I took him off the potty, Matthew said: "You realize he did pee, right?". I was amazed.

Now, whenever he wakes up or gets out of the sling, I put him on the potty and he pees. Afterwards, if I feel he might need to pee but is dry, I do the same. Sometimes he needs to go, sometimes he does not. I don't notice actual cues yet, probably because we are a little late to the whole thing, but I hope to get better at this. I still keep him in cloth diapers because I can't always tell when he needs to poop, and because I don't catch all the pees.

I think what made everything easier was using cloth diapers. In disposables, I absolutely can't tell how wet he is, but with cloth, all you need is to check with a finger. Our modified version of Elimination Communication has been a lesson in humility for me. People think children are often blank slates who depend on us to learn everything, but the truth is that they are wise beyond their years (or months, as it were). Children have so much to teach us, and they are patient, loving and forgiving. Franklin could have given up on his clueless parents who can't manage to tune into his elimination needs, but he did not. He kept communicating to us that he did not like diapers, and only peed when he really needed to, thus leading me to notice a few patterns of dryness following long periods of time.

I am filled with joy, every day, when I interact with my little boy. I delight in his smile and all things baby, but also in everything he has to teach me. I am so grateful he chose me as his mother!

*** Since I started typing this post, Franklin has started communicating his need to poop. When the housekeeper came over, I told her he was now peeing and pooping in the toilet, and she would not believe it. A few minutes later, Frank started grunting a bit. A put him on the toilet, and he pooped! She was completely amazed considering he's not even 9 months old!

Since then, I have "caught" every single poop, and sometimes he will try and go even with no cues, just because I put him on the toilet, and it looks like he's thinking "I might as well try". Sometimes, I will put him on the toilet and he will pee just a few drops, as if to make me happy even though he does not really have to go. He seems to know exactly what the toilet is for, and I think one reason is that I always took him with me when I had to use the bathroom, because I did not want to leave him by himself. Apparently, he put 2 and 2 together!