A guest post by Doula and Placenta Specialist, Deborah Rotunno

I was at home catching up on some much needed paperwork when a call came into our business line. A doula was just coming from a birth at a local hospital. Fresh in her hands, she had a cooler with a newly birthed placenta. She had not yet been home from the 17 hour labor and wanted to drop it off for encapsulation as quickly as possible. I immediately called my partner Danielle to see if she was home to receive the new placenta.

Driving to Danielle’s (that is our ‘office’) brought to mind the first time I ever held a placenta. Interestingly enough, it was Nilah’s placenta. Nilah happens to be Danielle’s daughter. It took me a while before I could pick ‘her’ up. I needed her to know who I was and what exactly I was going to be doing with her. I wasn’t sure what to expect exactly, but I wasn’t prepared for the flood of emotions that swept over me. I felt nauseous. I felt a rush of coolness run right through me. I felt Nilah. I remember thinking “I wonder what Danielle is feeling?” Later she shared with me that working on Nilah’s placenta was a little uncomfortable for her.  It was hard for her to physically handle something that was once inside of her own body, nourishing her baby.  Luckily, that feeling was individual to her own placenta.

By the time I arrived at Danielle’s she already prepared our station for ‘Chloe’s’ preparation. Danielle and I take pleasure in working together for our services. We honor the placenta, chat about birth and make a day of it. We have worked together on many placentas and have observed that placentas are like snowflakes. They come in all different sizes, thicknesses and shapes. Some cords are short, some are fat, some are twisted and some are still full of the life it left behind.

Chloe’s placenta was hours new. It was the smallest placenta we have seen yet. Danielle and I started to wonder more about Chloe. How big was she? Does placenta size have anything to do with baby size? We didn’t know. The rest of the preparation was undoubtedly the easiest we have ever encountered. We removed the umbilical cord and it simply melted away as if Chloe had given it to us. We molded the cord into a heart and placed it in the dehydrator. Removing the membranes was equally as easy. The more we explored Chloe the more we learned how relaxed she was. Preparing the placenta based on Traditional Chinese Medicine is the method that we prefer when encapsulating. After the precise time, it is vital to slice the placenta into small pieces to prepare for dehydrating. Each sliver was effortlessly divided as if cutting through butter. Danielle commented on how laid-back Chloe was compared to some of our other placentas.

Danielle stays with Chloe during the night and finishes the dehydration process. A new day brings the actual encapsulation of Chloe. The dehydrated placenta needs to be powdered so it can find its new home inside the capsules. Chloe, as you probably guessed, developed into a fine powder in record time with simplicity. Chloe was ready to go home.

I spoke to the doula who introduced Chloe to us less than 24 hours ago and mentioned to her how Danielle and I loved working with Chloe. I explained how agreeable she was, how each new step she opened up to us, that she was pleasant and graceful. The doula paused…. “You know Deb,” she said, “Chloe’s mom was the same EXACT way in labor”.

As placenta specialists we may not necessarily know the story behind each placenta beforehand; I have learned that Danielle and I will discover a story in each new placenta we hold. If we just listen.

For further information please visit Long Island Placenta Services or call 631-574-2250

About the Author: Debbie has two children ages 16 and 15. She has been a labor and postpartum doula on Long Island for 14 years, and in fact, provided me with nursing support after each of my children were born. She is a doula with the Doula Network of Long Island, a member of the Long Island Doula Association and a Placenta Specialist with Long Island Placenta Specialists.

When my midwife first told me about people eating their placentas, I have to admit that I became nauseous thinking about it, but I was curious so I asked her to tell me more. She informed me that almost all female mammals (with the exception of camels and sea living mammals) eat their placentas, and that many women in other countries eat their placentas, and that in some places, like Japan, older women actually pay good money for the placentas of women who recently gave birth. My midwife then said that one reason women consider it is because it helps to balance out a woman’s hormones, and prevents/cures postpartum depression.  The words postpartum depression resonated with me and inspired me to do some of my own research.

I had a short bout, about 2 months (which isn’t actually a short amount of time when you are going through it), with postpartum/pregnancy depression. I was in the midst of weaning my son from nursing and in the early stages of pregnancy with my daughter and my hormones were out of control, causing a depression so severe that I didn’t want to be around my own son. I even slept at my parent’s house some nights just to get away from my life. It was a horrible feeling and the one thing I was grateful for was my knowledge of postpartum/pregnancy depression to know what it was I was going through. The memory of having gone through that is just the reason why I was willing to try anything, even if it meant partaking in what some would regard as the very taboo practice of eating my own placenta.

After doing my own research, I learned that along with helping to prevent postpartum depression, that when a mother ingests her placenta after giving birth, it helps to increase her milk production, it contracts her uterus, and it is packed with nutrients, like iron, that new mothers need. And then there’s this: the reason why some older women pay for placenta is that by ingesting placenta, whether fresh or in capsules saved from a child’s birth, it is the best cure for the side effects of menopause!

Once I decided that I would indeed eat my placenta, I knew I had to enlist someone to prepare it for me. I sometimes have trouble handling raw turkey and beef, so I couldn’t imagine myself cutting apart my placenta. Luckily, one of my midwives agreed to help me out. She cut around the parts I didn’t need, and cut into pieces those I did. She showed me how to make a fruit smoothie that masked any evidence of an organ being the main ingredient and talked me through the dehydration and encapsulation process of the rest.

I drank placenta smoothies 3 times a day for three days and though I can’t know for certain that it’s the reason why I didn’t become depressed, I do think it played a role. I did have much more energy than I did after I had my son, and I did see a significant increase in my milk supply. As far as the rest of it, I have my capsules in my freezer and I plan on taking them when I wean my daughter sometime this year.

RELATED ARTICLES

New York Magazine – The Placenta Cookbook - For a growing number of new mothers, there’s no better nutritional snack after childbirth than the fruit of their own labor.

Time Magazine – Afterbirth – It’s What’s for Dinner  

I am sure that there are many of you reading this that have faced situations where your children ask for something that you don’t let them have, like junk food, not so junky but still not good for you food, a television show or a movie simply not suited for their age level, etc. And the first response from a spouse or relative’s mouth is “Mommy(or Daddy) said no.”

This is a phrase I hear often, especially since I raise my children a lot differently than people around me are used to.

I get why this is the first response – people like to please my children; they like to see them smile AND they like to be the ones to make them smile. I get it. I also get that this is the easiest answer to give and that it is a true statement. However, there is SO much more to it than that. The phrase “because mommy said no” makes mommy out to be the bad guy, when really, she makes decisions for her children out of love.

I also get that people have different ideas about what is okay for a child to have; that a little sugar never hurt anyone, that food dyes don’t really effect children’s brains and behavior (yes they do!!!), that they themselves grew up eating Doritos, jelly made more with sugar and corn syrup rather than fruit, and soda, so these items must be okay. However, most times the amount of crap per serving, including sugar amount, is a lot higher than people realize AND the people wanting to give these foods have no clue about what else the child has consumed that day. In addition, people wanting to feed these foods to my children obviously have different thoughts on the subject, which is fine for them, but not for my kids.

After all, mommy (or daddy) is the one who knows exactly how her children respond to certain things. It’s mommy who is there to calm the kids when their little bodies can’t handle the sugar/chemical overload; it’s mommy who is the one to wake in the middle of the night to ease fears from a nightmare from something they saw during the day. It’s mommy that has to teach that though ‘Aunt Betsy’ says something is okay to do at her house, that it’s not socially acceptable to do elsewhere.

I would like to explore alternatives to this phrase, as I personally find it disrespectful to make mommy out to be a bad guy when she makes decisions for her children out of love. I realize people don’t necessarily mean it that way, but that is how it is perceived – not just by the parent, but by the children as well. SO, what are some alternative phrases or ways to turn this around and make it positive? If you are a parent, perhaps you can work these suggestions into a conversation. If you are a family member who often finds themselves having to say no when you don’t want to, perhaps one or more of these will work for you…

1. Don’t put yourself in the position to have to say no if it’s not something you like to do. If you have things around that you know the kids aren’t allowed to have, put them out of the children’s sight.

2. Turn it into a positive – “you can’t have __________, but you can have ___________.” It’s not always possible to keep a child from seeing something mom doesn’t want them having. Here’s a for instance: You are at a park and the ice cream man shows up. (My children are allowed to have certain brands of ice cream or frozen yogurt every once in a while, but I draw the line with the ice cream man – I believe everything sold from these trucks have at least one, if not all of the artificial food dyes, TBHQ, high fructose corn syrup, etc.) Johnny wants the ice cream from the truck as the other kids have – instead of saying, “mommy said you’re not allowed to eat that,” how about “that stuff isn’t good for you. How about we call mommy before we leave the park and ask her if there is a different ice cream that we can get for you instead?”

3. If it’s not a situation that you can avoid or turn around, explain the truth as best as the child can understand it. “These have a lot of sugar in it and sugar is not good for people because it makes them sick,” or “you are not old enough for that show; you have to be six.”

4. Be okay with the fact that the child may cry or have a tantrum of sorts – especially if they are toddlers – it’s normal and part of a learning process for them .

Before ending this post I would like to say thank you to my family members and friends who have tried and continue to try to respect my decisions in the way that I raise my children. For the most part people have been able to come to an understanding about my beliefs and try hard to be respectful even when it hasn’t been their way of thinking. Thank you.

Visit Hybrid Rasta Mama and the Fabulous Mama Chronicles to find out how you can participate in the next Fabulous Hybrid Carnival!

• Unschooling My Way To CHANGE – Patti at Canadian Unschooler discovered that Unschooling her kids was EASY compared to the bigger change required to Unschool her heart.
• Change (Variety) – Rachel at Lautaret Bohemiet writes about how variety is the spice of life.
• No More Threats – Amy at Presence Parenting flips the idea of parental control through threats on its head, for good.
• Why Are You Mad??? Turn Off the T.V and Meditate – Destany of They Are All of Me discusses limiting stress by focusing more on your Inside self.
• Co-ed Sleepovers?  Changing My Mindset – Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama takes a hard look at her previous beliefs about sleepovers.
• Change Can Mean Puddles - Jorje of Momma Jorje has had to clean up some puddles after major changes.
• On Acceptance – Laura at Authentic Parenting writes about how she ditched the constant longing for change and came to accept herself as she is.
• Blissed Out on Birth, Drunk on Baby Skin - Melissa from Mothers of Change passionately explores the changes she would like to see come to the maternity care system, and our universal love of the smell of a newborn baby.
• Changing My Mindset, One Challenge at a Time - Wolfmother at Fabulous Mama Chronicles speaks candidly about her challenges in changing how she parents.
• Because Mommy Said No - Dawn of Raising Natural Kids discusses the use of a common phrase that makes Mommy out to be the bad guy when, in reality, she is making decisions out of love.
• Through Adversity We Grow – Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children chooses to take a positive view on change and growth.
• Life is Change – Rae of Ital Livin’ writes about the large changes her family has made within the last year.constant in life.
• A Changing Voice – Jennifer at Our Muddy Boots discusses how in order to grow change is unavoidable.  That does not mean the process is easy though.
• Being. Changing. Believing. – Amy at Me, Mothering, and Making It All Work reminisces on the changes that have shaped her adult life thus far, and molded her into an adaptable, but still type-A, believer in change.
• Motivating Change In The Face Of Apathy – Brenna at Almost All The Truth is asking the question many of us who actively work to change the world: how do we get people to care?
• She Changes Everything She Touches – Change is the only thing we can count on in life, and Jen in Canada examines some of the biggest things she’d like to tackle before the birth of her second child.

Many parent were asking this question on the Raising Natural Kids Facebook page and often people would suggest using Earth Mama Angel Baby products. I had heard the name but never tried the products. At that time I was using a baby wash and shampoo that is relatively natural, as it does contain a majority of organic ingredients and thus, “nurtures families organically.” However, after being pointed to the EWG’s Skin Deep Database (an awesome resource where you can look up any skincare product to see if it is toxic and just how much, based on a scale of 1 to 10 – a low to high hazard), I realized that I didn’t like the number that the products I was using came in at (2 or 3). Though a 2 or 3 isn’t horrible, if I am using it on my children I want it at a zero! So, I too was looking for a new, clean, pure and safe product. After seeing many people rave about Earth Mama Angel Baby, and then finding that their products come in at a ZERO toxicity level on the Skin Deep Database, I decided to ask them if I could review their product, which is always how I come to review a product – I ask companies after learning, researching and getting feedback from others – I try to only review products that I would use in my own home and on my own family.

Earth Mama Angel Baby embraced my request and kindly sent me “A Little Something for Baby Gift Set.” The set includes trial sizes of the Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, Angel Baby Bottom Balm, Angel Baby Lotion and Angel Baby Oil. Each of these products, along with all of their products, are toxin free – this is what you want! Many companies claim that their products are non-toxic. This does NOT mean toxic free – to be truly free of toxins the product must say toxin free, as Earth Mama Angel Baby’s do. They are also cruelty-free, vegan, and free from all artificial preservatives, fragrances and dyes. And, on top of all the heavenly goodness of the fact that these products are safe, they work wonderfully. These are products that you can feel good about putting on your baby’s skin!

Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash - I love knowing that when my kids drink the bathwater, which they inevitably do in some form or other, via sucking on a wet bath toy, trying to blow bubbles, putting the washcloth in the mouth, etc., that chemicals are not entering their bodies! The first thing I noticed when using the wash was  that though there is no artificial ingredient to cause a lather, that when I rubbed it well into the kids’ hair, it did produce one – I like being able to see it to know I covered all areas! The second thing I noticed was the scent – a sweet citrus smell with a hint of vanilla when first applied, that seems to fade and linger, leaving a clean baby powder like scent until the next wash. I kid you not that with other products that I have tried, I would often think that I (or my husband) didn’t wash their hair so well as it often smelled sweaty to me after they got out of the bath, and I don’t have sweaty kids! Now, after using this product, I am thinking that it must have been some part of the formulation of the mostly, yet not completely organic products I was using (those particular products are NOT toxin free!).

Angel Baby Bottom Balm - I am lucky that it is not often that my children get a rash on their bottom, but the two times my daughter had a slight one while trying this product, it cleared right up! What’s great is that this product can also be used on scrapes or on really dry patches of skin. It feels silky and is easy to apply and easy to wash off your fingers after applying, unlike the baby products that contain zinc.

Angel Baby Lotion - I love this so much that I have started using it on myself. I went ahead and purchased the full size bottle before my trial size was even close to being empty! It has the same scent as the baby wash and is as silky as the bottom balm. It absorbs right into the skin and leaves a fresh scent that lingers throughout the day.

Angel Baby Oil - This oil has so many uses! It is great as a moisturizer for when baby’s skin seems extra dry; it works great on cradle cap, and it’s an awesome massage oil! If you use it as a moisturizer you’ll notice that the skin stays moist until the baby’s next bath. You can even add some drops of the oil to a bath. The dispenser on the full sized version is great because it eliminates the accidental pouring of too much into your hand or any accidents that may occur if accidentally knocked over when open.

These products were a joy to review ~ I love being able to find and share safe, green, great products with others, especially ‘heavenly’ ones like these! I am in the process of switching all of the products I use on my children to Earth Mama Angel Baby and plan on looking into some of their other product lines next.

Money Saving Tip: Like Earth Mama Angel Baby’s Facebook page for updates on sales and coupon codes!

Being that my children play in my parent’s yard quite often, I called the given phone numbers. Truth be told, I would have called no matter what!

I first called the New York State Department of Health Center for Environmental Health and spoke with a friendly chemist named Tom. Here is the gist of the conversation:

Me: Does everyone receive this kind of notice when neighbors are having something applied to their lawn?

Tom: (In regards to NYS) – If you live in a county that has adopted the Neighbor Notification Law and the chemicals being used fall under that law then you will receive notification. (You can view the details of this law here: Department of Environmental Conversation)

Me: These chemicals being used by the companies required to give notification, are they sold in stores for people like me to buy and apply myself?

Tom: Many of them are, yes, like 2,4-D (a type of chemical).

Me: So if my neighbors are applying them themselves I wouldn’t know it?

Tom: No

Me: So in general, what do you recommend to do to take precaution when being applied commercially?

Tom: During application, close all windows, keep children inside, cover lawn furniture and anything else in your yard that you do not want the chemicals getting on. Why don’t you give me the number of the product being applied so that I can look it up?

At this point I gave the number and we found that it DID NOT match the description of what the postcard says is being sprayed, Ortho Weed-B-Gon Pro. Tom assured me that this happens from time to time and that the number given is what was probably being sprayed. He then told me the chemical names of the toxic ingredients, 2,4-D, Mecoprop and Dicamba.

Me: Does the application of these chemicals on my neighbor’s property pose a danger to my family?  

Tom: IF applied during the right conditions and IF applied right, according to the instructions, there should not be enough to cause a health effect in humans.

At this point I am thinking that that’s two too many IFs for me! I was also thinking about the typical homeowner applying these chemicals without understanding the importance of following the directions to the ‘T’. For instance, I am related to quite a few people who do not like to read directions. On top of that, there are people who think that more is better, so if the directions say only apply a certain amount, they apply double – thinking that their lawn will be better off, and not thinking about the consequences to the living things that travel on or around the lawn.

Tom (Sensing I was uneasy): IF (there’s that IF again!) done properly, it should be alright. We get a lot of calls about this stuff. Some people would never use these chemicals on their property no matter what. Others want their weeds gone and are comfortable with them being applied.

Me: I would NEVER use them on my property

Tom: Let me tell you about how the toxicity of these chemicals are determined: A bunch of rats are placed in a small space and are exposed to a whole lot of the chemical in a short amount of time. If a lot of rats die it is considered toxic. If only a small amount of rats die, it’s not that toxic.

I really think Tom was trying to make me feel better by telling me this – it only caused me to be more appalled.

Me: Okay, that didn’t make me feel any better.

Tom: I can’t tell you that it’s completely without risk.

At this point I thanked Tom for his time and we hung up. 

Once digesting this information, I called the second number, the one for the National Pesticide Telecommunications Network, just to see if they had anything different to say.  I spoke with a man named Colton, who didn’t offer up the information as freely as did Tom. He did let me know that the chemicals being sprayed on the lawn of my parent’s neighbors is of the HIGHEST TOXICITY LEVEL. I asked about how the level is determined and he again told me how it is tested on animals and that the number it is given in regards to toxicity is based on the amount of animals that die. The one question I thought to ask of Colton that I did not ask of Tom was this:

Me: You say that the chemical is dangerous until it is dry. I have children who put things in their mouths. Lets say their ball gets a piece of treated grass on it once it’s dry and it goes into of of their mouths – it’s not dangerous?

Colton: It IS dangerous and you want to try and keep that from happening. When we say it’s not dangerous when dry, it simply means that when you walk on the grass, the chemicals shouldn’t stick to your shoes, only the grass.

So, of course, the piece of grass with chemicals on it could stick to a shoe and enter my house. Great….

Colton then told me he can e mail me the fact sheet on two of the chemicals being used in the formulation being sprayed. He said that because there are thousands of active ingredients that fact sheets haven’t been made for all, so he didn’t have one for the third chemical, but could send me information. I am not including the information on the fact sheets in this post because I already covered a lot of the dangers caused by these chemicals and others like them in this post: The Bad and The Ugly: A Look at Lawn Care Products

I share this information with all of you to raise awareness. These chemicals pose dangers to the health our our families and our pets, even when not used on our own properties. Please think twice before using them and help others to learn about them as well!

On a side note: I am glad that at least there is some kind of law in place when it comes to some applications of pesticides. However, if you notice, this postcard was sent out by a Scotts Lawn Care Service. Scott’s has been in trouble in the past for not revealing important information regarding chemicals in its products. I would think that they would be careful about taking the proper steps so as not to get into any more trouble. That being said, I just don’t know that other landscaping services are following this law and letting people know when they are applying chemicals on a nearby lawn. Let’s face it, there are companies that are run off the books – are they really playing by the rules?

That being said, when I read Jennifer Azzariti’s article on Eco18.com about the importance of the vernix, I wanted to share it with you all. Both she and Eco18 graciously let me repost her article here! This is a shortened version. You can read her whole article on Eco18.com

WAIT! DON’T WASH THAT NEWBORN!

A Guest post by Jennifer Azzariti

Have you ever watched a television show where a baby is born and laughed as they hand the new mom a clean, approximately 8-week old baby? Most people are well-aware that babies are born with a slimy mucus-like covering on them. For years I just assumed it was from being inside of the mom’s uterus—leftover amniotic fluid or something that surrounded the baby while in utero. Well, this stuff has a name—vernix. And by definition, it’s “a white cheeselike protective material that covers the skin of a fetus.” But, what is it, and why do babies have it?

Vernix is produced during the third trimester and it provides a temporary skin barrier for the watery environment babies live in while in utero. According toCosmetics & Toiletries Sciences Applied, the prenatal functions of vernix include:” waterproofing, since due to the low surface energy, vernix caseosa is highly unwettable; the facilitation of the skin formation in utero; and protection of the fetus from acute or sub-acute chorioamnionitis (an inflammation of the outer (chorion) and inner (amnion) fetal membranes due to a bacterial infection). During delivery, vernix caseosa acts as a lubricant while postnatally, it exhibits antioxidant, skin cleansing, temperature-regulating and antibacterial properties.”

Proven to have such great benefits postnatally, it makes you wonder why we are in such a rush to give newborns their first bath—removing the vernix.

Modern science and Western Medicine recognizes the benefits of vernix. A study regarding the significance of vernix was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 191 (6), 2090-2096, titled: Antimocrobial Properties of Amniotic Fluid and Vernix Caseosa are Similar to Those Found in Breast Milk. This study revealed that a number of immune substances were present in both amniotic fluid and vernix samples. Tests using antimicrobial growth inhibition essays show these substances are effective at deterring  the growth of common perinatal pathogens— group B. Streptococcus, K. pneumoniae, L. monocytogenes, C. albicans and E. coli.

Results from this study brought into question the practices commonly used when treating newborns. The study suggests that baby’s first bath should be delayed until at least twenty-four hours after birth. The Department of Health in conjunction with the World Health Association has set-forth a protocol for newborns, and in the section regarding thorough immediate drying of the baby (0-3 minutes after birth), it says “Do not wipe off vernix,” and “Do not bathe the newborn.”  The protocol later states that you should wait at least six hours to wash the baby.

When you have a baby, it’s important to discuss your wishes with not only your physician, but also your entire care staff at the hospital where you deliver your baby. Make sure your partner is aware of your wishes, because if you’re like I was, you will be so caught up in pushing out a baby and the excitement that goes along with it, that postponing the first bath could easily slip your mind. If I were to have another child, I would inquire as to what the hospital’s protocol is. Whatever you do, make sure your wishes are known by everyone who will come into contact with your little one.

So, the next time you have a baby, let the hospital staff know you’d like to “Keep the vernix now, clean the baby later!”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WONDERS OF THE VERNIX, READ DAWN’S NOTES FOUND AFTER ‘ABOUT THE AUTHOR.’

About the author: A once working mother of two young children, Jennifer had an ah-ha moment and put her professional career on hold shortly before the birth of her daughter.  Shifting her focus to being a stay-at-home mom, Jennifer’s communication and research talents could not be suppressed. She has been successfully transforming her family’s lifestyle into a greener one and helping other moms take “green baby steps” too. Raised in Central New York, Jennifer now calls Long Island her home, but still holds true to many of the ideals instilled upon her growing up in a more rural area. You can contact her at jferris38@hotmail.com.

A side note from Dawn: When posting this I wanted to do a bit more digging and stumbled across this – a conversation of sorts between nurses questioning when the first bath should be given. I was surprised to see that baths are sometimes given at certain times based on the baby’s condition. For instance, if their temperature is of a certain range, they get a bath sooner than later. If not, they wait on the bath because of the danger it may pose to the baby. Not once in these conversations did I see mention of the importance of the vernix or the fact that it acts as a temperature regulator. From talking with nurses, it seems they aren’t taught about the vernix in school (at least the ones I have had conversations with)! This information made me think – another reason to delay the first bath! (I personally believe that a bath should not happen until the baby is at least a week old. The body needs its natural oils and a newborn’s skin is so delicate!) Timing of Newborn Bath

Another great resource – Benefits of Vernix – it’s amazing stuff (and here’s the scientific research to prove it) 

It’s been 25 years since my first adjustment and since then I have learned about the many benefits of chiropractic care; an aligned spine is key to a properly functioning body. I married the son of a chiropractor and we have gotten both of our children adjusted since their first week of birth, so chiropractic, for us, is a family matter.

I find that many people do not understand that chiropractors are more than just ‘back doctors’ and that regular adjustments really make a difference in keeping a person’s immune system at the top of its game. Because I am not a doctor of chiropractic myself, I decided at ask Dr. Anthony Carrino to write some guest posts educating families about the benefits of chiropractic care for all, especially children.

The following is the second post from Dr. Carrino. You can click on this link, Raising Kids Naturally Outside of the Traditional Model of Healthcare, to see his first post. In these two posts he discusses how the modern system of healthcare works in order to give people a better understanding of how and why chiropractic is different. His upcoming posts will focus on chiropractic care itself. If there is something specific that you would like him to focus on, please leave him a comment below!

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Is your Family Receiving True Healthcare?

A guest post by Dr. Anthony Carrino, who will be providing RNK readers with holistic insights into modern medicine, traditional medicine and the value of chiropractic care in upcoming posts!

Welcome everyone to another installment of my monthly thoughts on family health. Last month I attempted to create a foundation of thinking outside the box of our diseased based model of health care. As I stated, raising a child to be well in our society takes discipline, perseverance, consistency, and most of all, patience. I explained that true health is not based on how one feels or appears to be, but is founded on the individual’s ability to adapt to stress. Our survival, not only our health, is dependent on our body’s ability to consistently acknowledge, respond, adapt and overcome stress.

If the average parents were asked to comment on stress, they most likely would begin by telling you about their world of emotional stress.  You know the job, the mortgage payment, a sister’s wedding out of state, a relationship with a significant other, a sick family member, etc.  This would be an accurate assessment of emotional stress.  We all hope that we can find the best way to make our relationships work.  Are our emotional relationships with human beings the only relationships we should be concerned with?  What about our relationship with the environment, our foods, the fragrances and makeup we wear, the cleaning products we use and the maintenance, or not, of our physical self? Stress is not only an emotional thing; it is a multitude of chemical and physical challenges that your body is exposed to on a daily basis.

If we were to evaluate you or your child’s present ability to adapt to life stressors, something that is a minimal thought process in a disease-based model, you would find two important things that are rarely addressed.  1. There are no two people alike and 2. There are no two people alike.

In most cases, when you or your child is examined in the traditional model of health care you are not looked upon as a unique individual.  You are being categorized into a group of complaints (symptoms) that further lead you down the road of, I hope, physical examination and then, if necessary, to an array of diagnostic testing.  These procedures are established as guidelines for standard of care with the findings providing the physician with a legal treating diagnosis.  The treatment of course, in almost all cases, is drug therapy.  The goal is symptom abatement and not necessarily overall health improvement.  Think about it.  How many times have you or your child been to a doctor and received a medication, experienced symptom improvement and never returned for a follow up?  The only time you would think of going back was if you or your child’s symptoms did not improve.   So where is the health care in that?  There is none.  No understanding of why these symptoms spontaneously occurred, no thoughts on prevention in the future and no consistent dialogue of lifestyle changes to improve and maintain health.  It is no wonder America is one of the sickest, and the most medicated, industrialized country on the planet?

Now that we have a better understanding of the reality of our sick care system, we can move forward in a more applicable and self-responsible model of individualized healthcare.  Having you and your child’s entire negative exposures evaluated is a straight forward but arduous process.  There is no “easy as taking a pill” process here.  In this model of thinking both you and your doctor become a team with the relationship based on mutual acceptance and respect.  In this relationship both parties share the responsibility for creating a healthy adaptive body that you and your child can live, thrive and grow in.

Dr. Anthony Carrino is the immediate past president of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and present member of its board of directors. He is an international lecturer and has taught pediatric wellness protocols to thousands of doctors across the globe. He is a 1989 graduate of Life Chiropractic University and has been in private practice for 21 years as clinic director of the Chiropractic Family Wellness Centre in West Islip, New York.

A few years ago, I met a man, an organic landscaper, who told the story of his next door neighbor. He was on his way out to his car one morning when he heard a hello. As he turned and waved to his neighbors, he noticed the baby, a 1 year old, standing on the grass barefoot, his feet yellow from the fertilizer strewn all about the yard. Within that year the baby died of leukemia. The man never discussed the possible causes with the parents, but he had his suspicions based on what he had learned about fertilizer as an organic landscaper.

For those who think that the leukemia couldn’t possibly have been from the fertilizer (much of which contain pesticides), think again. According to BeyondPesticides.org, a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds that household and garden pesticide use can increase the risk of childhood leukemia as much as seven- fold AND studies show that children living in households where pesticides are used suffer elevated rates of leukemia, brain cancer and soft tissue sarcoma. This is scary!!!

These chemicals aren’t only being found on the outside of our homes; they are inside our houses as well. Scientific studies find pesticide residues such as the weedkiller 2,4-D and the insecticide carbaryl inside homes, due to drift and track-in, where they contaminate air, dust, surfaces and carpets and expose children at levels ten times higher than preapplication levels (Rudel, Ruthan).

So why am I so concerned when I don’t use these chemicals in my yard? Because come March/April, when I go walking with my kids in my neighborhood, I inevitably see the residue on the sides of the street, which means it is getting on the bottom of our shoes and on the wheels of the stroller and possibly entering my house. All it takes is 1 piece of residue to enter my child’s mouth for her to get sick and it can enter her body while she plays on the floor, puts a toy in her mouth that the particle stuck to, or when she puts her shoes in her mouth (she is 1, so try as I might, I do not always see her doing silly things)! I also take my children to playgrounds, and to play at friends’, family and neighbors’ homes and I have seen pesticide and/or fertilizer residue at all of these places. In addition, “of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, 17 are detected in groundwater, and 23 have the potential to leach”(Beyond Pesticides Fact Sheet). AND “Of the 50 chemicals on EPA’s list of unregulated drinking water contaminants, several are lawn chemicals including herbicides diazinon, diuron, naphthalene, and various triazines such as atrazine”(EPA).

And Here Are Some More Facts: (All info comes from Bee Smart, via BeyondPesticides.org – a full works cited for these facts can be found here: Bee Smart)

• Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides 19 have studies pointing toward carcinogens, 13 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 15 with neurotoxicity, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 27 are sensitizers and/or irritants, and 11 have the potential to disrupt the endocrine (hormonal) system. (Beyond Pesticides Fact Sheet)
• Pregnant women, infants and children, the aged and the chronically ill are at greatest risk from pesticide exposure and chemically induced immune-suppression, which can increase susceptibility to cancer. (Environmental Protection Agency)
• Children take in more pesticides relative to body weight than adults and have developing organ systems that make them more vulnerable and less able to detoxify toxins. (EPA)
• The National Academy of Sciences estimates 50% of lifetime pesticide exposure occurs during the first 5 years of life. (National Research Council)
• Studies show low levels of exposure to actual lawn pesticide products are linked to increased rates of miscarriage, and suppression of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. (Environ Health Perspect)
• Exposure to home and garden pesticides can increase a child’s likelihood of developing asthma. (Environ Health Perspectives)
• Studies link pesticides with hyperactivity, developmental delays, behavioral disorders, and motor dysfunction. (Beyond Pesticides)
• Children ages 6-11 have higher levels of lawn chemicals in their blood than all other age categories. Biomonitoring studies find that pesticides pass from mother to child through umbilical cord blood and breast milk. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Fertilizers made from hazardous waste byproducts may contain arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium, and radon. (Bee Safe Lawns)
• 78 million households in the U.S. use home and garden pesticides.(Environmental Protection Agency)
• Herbicides account for the highest usage of pesticides in the home and garden sector with over 90 million pounds applied on lawns and gardens per year.
• Suburban lawns and gardens receive more pesticide applications per acre (3.2-9.8 lbs) than agriculture (2.7 lbs per acre on average). (National Research Council)

A Look at A Common Household Brand: Scotts Lawncare

Below are just a few of the chemicals used in Scotts’ pesticide products (from the Good Guide Scorecard):

• Triforine – recognized developmental toxicant and suspected immunotoxicant.
• Resmethrin – recognized developmental toxicant and suspected neurotoxicant.
• Permetrin – suspected carcinogen and endocrine, gastrointestinal and reproductive toxicant.
• Esfenvalerate – suspected endocrine toxicant.
• Metaldehyde – suspected neurotoxicant.
• Diazinon – suspected developmental and reproductive toxicant and neurotoxicant.
• Bifenthrin – suspected carcinogen and neurotoxicant.
• Phenothrin – suspected endocrine and kidney toxicant and neurotoxicant.
• Tetramethrin – suspected carcinogen and neurotoxicant.
• Acephate – suspected carcinogen and neurotoxicant.
• Fenbutatin Oxide – suspected developmental toxicant.
• Propoxur – suspected carcinogen, reproductive toxicant and neurotoxicant.

And, as seen time and again, these big corporations often operate as if they are above the law, without concern for the health of the people working with/using their products. “In November 2002, The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) took Scotts to court for failing to register two pesticides before selling and distributing them in New York State. The unregistered pesticides included a new formulation of Grubex that contained the active ingredient halofenizide. This product was subsequently denied registration, because of concerns about groundwater contamination, particularly in Long Island, which relies on a sole source aquifer for drinking water. During the course of the registration review, it was discovered that Scotts had sold Grubex to retail stores throughout the state, including stores on Long Island. Scotts was fined $300,000 and was required to pay $900,000 towards an Environmental Benefit Project for the disposable of old, unregistered, unusable or unwanted pesticide products. Carbaryl Carbaryl is an insecticide used in a variety of Scotts’ products, including Ortho Bug-Geta Plus – which the company claims is safe to use around fruit and vegetables; Ortho Bug-B-Gon Garden & Landscape Insect Killer Granules; Ortho Bug-B-Gon Lawn & Soil Insect Killer with Grub Control; and, in Australia, Defender Home Garden Grasshopper Caterpillar Carbaryl Insecticide. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, headaches, memory loss, muscle weakness and cramps, and anorexia are caused by prolonged low-level exposure to carbaryl resulting from cholinesterase inhibition. The chemical is also a suspected carcinogen and has been implicated in a variety of other health problems”(Corporate Watch).

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Now that you know what to avoid, we need to look at how to minimize your family’s exposure and at what you can use instead. I have to admit that I am still researching this myself (I just live with a very green lawn with weeds here and there), so this part of the post is a work in progress, but for now…

Minimizing Exposure

1. Be aware of just how dangerous these chemicals are.

2. Don’t use them on your own property.

3. Make those around you aware. You can even post a sign on your property stating that your lawn is Chemical Free, making others aware that there is something to think twice about.

4. Ask people to take off their shoes when they walk into your house – especially with spring right around the corner; these chemicals will be on the bottom of people’s shoes.  Little kids are most at risk since they are the ones crawling around, playing on the floor, and putting toys in their mouths that have been on the floor.

What to Use Instead

1. Water your lawn frequently, but do not over do it. Instead of spending the money on topnotch fertilizers, weed killers, etc. spend it on a sprinkler system. A sprinkler system allows for the lawn to be properly watered without under or over doing it. A well watered lawn often decreases weed invasion and allows lawn grasses to better tolerate insect and disease pressure”(Southern Exposure). However, too much watering can lead to problems as well.

2. Compost and use it in your gardens! Your old food scraps provide an excellent source of nutrients for your plants.

3. Use natural alternatives to herbicides; I find that a spray bottle of hot sauce mixed with water works well on many of my plants.

4. Read Lawn Care Without Pesticides by clicking on ‘FILE’ in the link. This is a great place to get information on organic lawn and garden care.

5. If you are going to buy seed, fertilizer, or any kinds of organic pesticides or herbicide, look at and research the ingredients. There are organic brands out there. Bee Smart seems to have a good program if you can find a dealer near you.

If you use a landscaper or lawn care service, insist that they only use organic products on your lawn and ask to see the package before they apply it. You can also buy it for them to use and have them deduct the cost from what they are charging you.

*A shorter version of this post can be found in the upcoming May 2012 issue of the Great South Bay Magazine!

WORKS CITED

Bee Smart – Bee Safe. “Startling Facts” Bee Safe Lawns. 2011. Web. April 2, 2012.

Beyond Pesticides Factsheet. 2005. Environmental Effects of 30 Commonly Used Lawn Pesticides.

Corporate Crimes. Corporate Watch. September 2003. Web. April 2, 2012.

Lowengart, R., et al. 1987. “Childhood Leukemia and Parent’s Occu- paonal and Home Exposures,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 79:39.

Lowengart, P., et al. 1995. “Childhood Leukemia and Parents’ Occupaonal and Home Exposures,” J National Cancer Institute 79(1): 39-45;

Rudel, Ruthann, et al. 2003. “Phthalates, Alkylphenols, Pesticides, Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, and Other Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds in Indoor Air and Dust,” Environmental Science and Technology 37(20): 4543-4553;

To eliminate some of the work in the morning, I cooked and pureed the beets the day before, as suggested by the post Power-Puff-Pancakes. I cooked up 3 beets and put 2/3 of the puree in the freezer for another time, keeping 1/3 of it for my pancakes in the morning. That way, when I go to make these again, I don’t have to worry about the pink part – that’s already done!

For the pancakes, I used the recipe that I provide on my Kid/Spouse Friendly Recipe Page, but will post the exact ingredients I used for this batch here, as the one on the recipe page allows for you to make your own substitutions.

Chock Full of Goodness Pancakes (my wheat free version)

It just so happens that a neighbor stopped by to help my husband while we were eating these. I offered him one and he couldn’t get enough!  I am talking about a man who admitted to me that the only other pancakes he has ever liked are IHOP pancakes.  He was pleasantly surprised to find out just how healthy these are!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour – I use 3/4 cups oat flour, 3/4 cup brown rice flour. In addition, today I also added 1/4 cup almond flour.

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (I use aluminum free)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/4 cups rice milk – I used rice milk using it’s sweetness to replace the 1 tbsp of sugar that is typically found in pancake recipes

1 egg

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1/2 cup ground pecans or walnuts (optional)

pink beet puree – approx. 1/4 cup

Directions: In a large bowl mix your combination of flours together with the baking powder, salt, sugar and flaxseed.  Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter.  Mix until smooth.  Add nuts and stir.  Add beet puree and stir. Cook pancakes on oiled (I use coconut oil), non-stick griddle(after all, do you really want the added chemicals of the non stick pans?).  I make the pancakes relatively small, as I find they hold together better that way. When cooked garnish with REAL maple syrup – no artificial syrup allowed 

If you so desire, you can use cookie cutters to shape these for special occasions – like hearts for Valentine’s Day and Easter eggs for Easter!