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Showing posts with label Baby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baby. Show all posts
Monday, July 4, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Games for Baby: Grasping Skills
There are ways to nurture the necessary motor skills and cognitive abilities needed to develop the ability to grasp and play with toys through basic activities.
How Grasping Skills Develop
Since babies with T21 usually have lower muscle tone and less sensitivity, you'll definitely want to provide Deep Pressure Tactile Therapy. The standards below detail what can be expected of typical babies throughout the first year. Jett was able to reach these milestones on time, expect the pincher grasp, which at 14 months, he's just beginning to develop due to his shorter, thicker hands. All children, typical or T21, develop at different rates. Use these ages as a guide so you know what you need to be working on and when. Be sure to celebrate each achievement before you focus on the next one to accomplish!
3 Months: No longer newborns, babies can grasp objects placed in their hands, though they generally aren’t able to reach out and grab items. At this stage, simply offer her one toy at a time and allow her to develop her grip. A light weight rattle, one that's not too loud, will delight baby at this stage. If low muscle tone is a factor, you'll need to start with rattles made from soft materials and build up to a plastic rattle and then to a heavier wooden rattle.
5 Months: Babies now can reach out and grab items willfully and independently. When offered a toy, babies will look back and forth between the toy and their hands. This is evidence of their developing ability to plan and coordinate their movements. When presenting toys to your baby, offer the toy slightly out of her reach and encourage her to grab it. But don't put it so far away that she can't get it, or she'll get frustrated. Give her a plentiful supply of objects she can easily grasp, too, such as soft blocks, plastic rings, and board books. As an extra challenge, present the toy so that she must reach across her chest to grab it, instead of right in front of her. (This helps with communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.)
7 months: Growing 7 month old babies grasp using their entire hand to cup the object and may use their thumbs to press the object securely into their palm. Visual acuity and perception also come into play and babies are better able to manipulate objects in their hands. Expose 7 month old babies to a variety of age-appropriate toys and "chat" with them while they play.
9 Months: They have now mastered the ability to pass objects back and forth between hands. Babies show increased muscular agility and can begin to process how behaviors are connected. Offer hand toys that encourage problem solving, like shape sorting blocks and nesting cups.
11 months: Babies at this age are practically pros at manipulating objects. Their grasping ability may now include the ability to roll and throw small toys. Play simple games that utilize grasp and teach the concept of taking turns.
- 12 months: Baby is working on perfecting her pincer grasp, which lets her pick up small objects between her thumb and forefinger. Give her ample opportunity to develop her fine motor skills, but make sure you stay close at hand. Babies love putting things in their mouth and small objects may be dangerous. Choose something edible, like Cheerios, steamed peas and carrots and never allow your baby to play with coins or small buttons. Encourage her to pick up finger foods -- she'll use her spoon or fork when she's ready.
- This is a good time to give her stacking blocks or a linking chain. She may even hold up a toy and show her triumph. She may even be able to press the buttons on the toys such as a small keyboard or a musical push toy.
- Since our children usually have shorter, thicker hands and a palmer crease (Jett doesn't), we need to help them build the muscle between their thumb and index finger. Simply play tugging games with colored rope, blankets or soft toys to help strengthen that area.
- The pincer grasp is an important developmental milestone. It will lay the foundation of future activities such as coloring, writing and eating.
Using Gripping Abilities to Help Babies Think Ahead
You can monitor your baby's ability to grip and to plan movements with a simple activity using three hand-held toys. Not only does this exercise have babies hone their motor skills, it ties in higher-order problem solving skills.
- Gather three toys which your baby can grasp easily.
- Allow her to take one toy in each hand.
- With a toy in each of her hands, give her the third toy.
- Initially, she will likely be baffled and try to take the third toy without letting go of either one in her hand.
- As her cognitive abilities progress, she will begin to put a toy down before attempting to grab a new one.
Why Do It
- Engaging babies in developmentally appropriate activities is stimulating to their overall development.
- Parents can use these activities as a simple tool to note their baby's progress.
- It gives parents who may feel awkward around infants a structure for interaction and basic play.
- It's an easy, cheap, and effective way of promoting physical and cognitive development.
Rattles
Rattling Caterpiller $16 at blueberryforest
Selecta Sonello Jingling Baby Rattle and Grasping toy $16 at blueberryforest
Natural hardwood rattle $15 at naturalchild.org
Grasping/Clutching Toys
Lamaze Peekaboo Clutch Cube $16 at Genius Babies, toys2wish4, novatechgadgets
Haba Allez Grasping Toy $25 at blueberryforest
Sassy Baby Soft Photo Album $8 at babyearth
Haba Bear in Ring $13 at blueberryforest
Haba Sunni Clutching Toy $15 at blueberryforest
Haba Triangle Grabbing Toy $11 at blueberryforest
Haba Ring Toy $13 at blueberryforest
Haba Soft Vegetable Set $14 at blueberryforest
Selecta Girali $14 at blueberryforest
Lamaze Garden Bug Foot Finder & Rattle Set $11-18 at babytoyyard, bed bath & beyond, babycatalog
Building Blocks
Plan Building Block On sale! $32.47 at childtrek.com
IQ Baby Knock Knock Soft Blocks $25-30 by Small World Toys, babytoyyard, geniusbabies, kidssurplus
Classic ABC wooden blocks $15 from melissaanddoug
Haba Sticki Bricks Building Blocks $33 from blueberryforest
Haba Cordoba Building Blocks $45 from blueberryforest
Haba First Blocks $29 at blueberryforest
Haba Discovery Blocks $25 at blueberryforest
Shape Sorters
Whose House Soft Shape sorter toy $30 at babygenius,
Shape Sorting Cube $15 at melissaanddoug, toysrus
Qubix Shape Sorter $12 at amazon or onestepahead
Plan Toys Pull Along Shape Sorter Train $19 at babyearth
Educo Shake 'n Match Shape Sorter $18 at babyearth
Sources
http://baby.about.com/od/growthanddevelopment/qt/grasping_skills_in_babies.htm
http://www.babycenter.in/baby/development/grasping/
Related Posts
Low Muscle Tone: What to Do
Massage Your Baby
Deep Pressure Tactile Therapy
Tummy Time
Teaching Your Baby to Crawl
Crawling: More Important than Sitting or Standing!...
Toys that Support Crawling
Milestones: Sitting
Milestones: Standing
Toys that Encourage Fine Motor Skills
Pregnant & Nursing Moms Need Choline to Help Baby
ScienceDaily (June 4, 2010) — More choline during pregnancy and nursing could provide lasting cognitive and emotional benefits to individuals with Down syndrome and protect against neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, suggests a new Cornell study of mice.
______________________________
The findings, published June 2 in Behavioral Neuroscience, could help lead to increasing the maternal dietary recommendations for choline (currently 450 milligrams a day during pregnancy, 550 milligrams for lactation), a nutrient found in egg yolks, liver, nuts and such vegetables as broccoli and cauliflower.
"We found that supplementing the maternal diet with additional choline resulted in dramatic improvements in attention and some normalization of emotion regulation in a mouse model of Down syndrome," said lead author Barbara Strupp, professor of nutritional sciences and of psychology.
The researchers also found evidence for "subtle, but statistically significant, improvement in learning ability in the non-Down syndrome littermates." In addition to mental retardation, Down syndrome individuals often experience dementia in middle age as a result of brain neuron atrophy similar to that suffered by people with Alzheimer's disease. Strupp noted that the improved mental abilities found in the Down syndrome mice following maternal choline supplements could indicate protection from such neurodegeneration "in the population at large."
Strupp and her co-authors tested Down syndrome model mice born from mothers
fed a normal diet and those given choline supplements during their three-week pregnancy and three-week lactation period, as well as normal mice born from mothers with and without additional choline. The choline-supplemented mothers received approximately 4.5 times more choline (roughly comparable to levels at the higher range of human intake) than unsupplemented mothers.
At six months of age, the mice performed a series of behavioral tasks for about six months to assess their impulsivity, attention span, emotion control and other mental abilities.
In addition to dramatic improvements in attention, the researchers found that the unsupplemented Down syndrome model mice became more agitated after a mistake than normal mice, jumping repeatedly and taking longer to initiate the next trial, whereas the choline-supplemented Down syndrome model mice showed partial improvement in these areas.
"I'm impressed by the magnitude of the cognitive benefits seen in the Down syndrome model mice," Strupp said. "Moreover, these are clearly lasting cognitive improvements, seen many months after the period of choline supplementation."
Strupp noted that the results are consistent with studies by other researchers that found increased maternal choline intake improves offspring cognitive abilities in rats. However, this is the first study to evaluate the effects of maternal choline supplementation in a rodent model of Down syndrome. This is also one of the few studies that has evaluated offspring attentional function and effects in mice, rather than rats, Strupp noted.
Previous studies of humans and laboratory animals have shown that supplementing the diets of adults with choline has proven to be largely ineffective in improving cognition. "Although the precise mechanism is unknown, these lasting beneficial effects of choline observed in the present study are likely to be limited to increased intake during very early development," Strupp said.
The study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was part of the dissertation of Jisook Moon, Ph.D. '06. Other Cornell collaborators included Myla Strawderman, research associate in nutritional sciences; David Levitsky, professor of nutrition and of psychology; May Chen '07 and Shruti Gandhy '07.
Strupp and collaborators have received additional NIH funding to study the neural mechanisms underlying the positive cognitive effects of perinatal choline supplementation observed in this study.
Choline
Choline is a member of the vitamin B complex. It is found in Brewer's yeast, eggs cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, soybeans, lentils, liver, rice, and wheat germ. It plays an important role in the brain and central nervous system. According to Dean and Morgenthaler1 this nutrient stimulates mental energy, it is also a good speech enhancer and can improve memory. Choline protects against poor growth, it is also said to protect the liver from the accumulation of excess fatty deposits. It can be beneficial in the treatment of depression, diabetes, hypertension, multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy.
Side effects:
Nausea and dizziness indicate signs of toxicity.
Research:
- Growth development: Fisher MC, Zeisel SH, Mar MH, Sadler TW. Inhibitors of choline uptake and metabolism cause developmental abnormalities in neurulating mouse embryos. Teratology 2001 Aug; 64(2):114-122.
- Buchman AL, Ament ME, Sohel M, Dubin M, Jenden DJ, Roch M, Pownall H, Farley W, Awal M, Ahn C. Choline deficiency causes reversible hepatic abnormalities in patients receiving parenteral nutrition: proof of a human choline requirement: a placebo-controlled trial. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2001 Sep;25(5):260-268.
Science News
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
Products
The CMF protocol recommends the use of phosphotidyle choline (PC) rather than just plain choline. PC is more potent and is the active form the body needs.
BodyBio/E-Lyte BodyBio PC 3000 mg 8 oz on sale for $65 & free shipping!
http://www.professionalbrands.
BodyBio offers a 20% discount also. Email them and mention the Changing Minds Foundation.
http://www.fubaohealthstore.
Their PC BodyBio brand Oil is much cheaper than at the BodyBio site, or even Webvitamins. Free shipping (in U.S.) if over $99.
The link to the CMF web site explains more about PC.
http://www.
If the Body Bio PC is too expensive for you, this powder is virtually flavorless and mixes in a bottle easily. The best product and best price is here http://www.iherb.com/Healthy-
This is 150 capsules. They offer a discount on 4 bottles. This same brand also has a 60 capsule product but at the 60 capsule packaging the Jarrow brand is cheaper
http://www.iherb.com/Jarrow-
You can use my friend's code URi094 to get five U.S. dollars off your first order. And she gets a little percentage toward her vitamins too. Then get your own code at the Rewards Program link there.
Related Posts
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Baby Food & Formula Contain Arsenic, Toxic Metals
Healthy Alternative to Conventional Infant Formula
Cure for Down Syndrome?
Changing Minds Foundation Protocol
How to Bottle Feed & Nontoxic Bottles
Gingko: The Hows and Whys for Down Syndrome
How to Prevent DS in Your Next Child in 60% of Moms
Tests and Treatment for Mom
Alzheimer's Disease & DS: Connection and Treatment
Heal the Gut, Heal the Child
Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Coconut Oil Info and Recipes
Fats & Oils
Folic Acid Cut Alzheimer’s Risk in Half
High Fructose Corn Syrup Is a Major Cause of Dementia
Phosphatidylserine
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Baby Food & Formula Contain Arsenic, Toxic Metals
The study, led by Karin Ljung, Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, assessed concentrations in and intake of toxic and essential elements from formulas and foods intended for infants during their first 6 months of life. The researchers tested nine different brands of baby food and nine baby milk formulas. Companies
represented in the sample include major players, such as ORGANIX, HIPP, NESTLE, HEINZ AND HOLLE
In formula, they focused on concentrations of the essential elements calcium, iron, zinc, manganese and molybdenum and found all were significantly higher in most formulas than in breast milk. Daily intake of manganese from formula varies from 10 up to several hundred times the intake of the breast-fed infant, levels that may be associated with adverse health effects, they reported.
Next, they looked at baby food and found one portion of infant food provided significantly more iron, manganese, molybdenum, arsenic, cadmium (up to 150 times), lead (up to eight times) and uranium than one feeding of breast milk, but less calcium, copper and selenium. Rice-based products in particular contained elevated arsenic concentrations, some as high as 50 times higher than breast milk. They also noted if one adds drinking water, which is the usual way to prepare the mix powdered formula, it may add significantly to the concentrations of the elements in the ready-made products. [Iron Excesses deposit in the Central Nervous system where they are toxic.]
However, none of the levels of the toxic elements found in the foods or formulas exceeded official safety limits. According to an article in the Telegraph, this study prompted the Swedish
National Food Administration to conduct its own review of toxic elements and metals in baby food and food for older children, and the results will be reported to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission, which is responsible for setting food safety limits in Europe.
Source:
http://www.
Related Posts:
Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Formula
Nontoxic Feeding Sets
First Foods: GAPS Introducing Solids
First Foods: Yogurt & Bone Broth
First Foods: How & What & When to Introduce
Heal the Gut, Heal the Child
Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Coconut Oil Info and Recipes
More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats
Healthy Meal Planning Blogs
Low Muscle Tone: What to Do
How to Bottle Feed & Nontoxic Bottles
First Foods: Root/Leaf Vegetables
Breastfeeding
Fats & Oils
Healthy Alternative to Conventional Infant Formula
From Dr. Mercola | October 11 2005 |
By Marie Bishop, Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD
From Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Volume 6, Number 2, Pages 18-28.
The advice to make homemade baby formula as an alternative to commercial formula has been one of the most controversial positions taken by the Weston A. Price Foundation -- and also one that has elicited the most grateful praise.
While government officials and orthodox pediatricians are often appalled at the thought of a parent mixing up baby formula -- and one based on raw milk, no less -- the feedback we have received from parents has been extremely positive.
Some breastfeeding advocates have also criticized our stance, claiming that by providing a more healthy alternative to commercial formulas, we are discouraging breastfeeding. Make no mistake: the best food for baby is breastmilk from a healthy mother.
However, many situations call out for a good substitute: adopted and orphaned babies, babies born to mothers with serious health problems, and babies whose mothers do not have enough milk (a situation that does happen occasionally) deserve to receive something better than commercial formula.
The following information has been compiled by the authors over a period of several years and should cover most situations encountered by parents giving homemade formula to their babies.
HOMEMADE FORMULA RECIPES
Milk-Based Formula
Makes 36 ounces
Our milk-based formula takes account of the fact that human milk is richer in whey, lactose, vitamin C, niacin, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to cow's milk but leaner in casein (milk protein).
The addition of gelatin to cow's milk formula will make it more digestible for the infant. Use only truly expeller-expressed oils in the formula recipes, otherwise they may lack vitamin E.
The ideal milk for baby, if he cannot be breastfed, is clean, whole raw milk from old-fashioned cows, certified free of disease, that feed on green pasture. For sources of good-quality milk, see www.realmilk.com or contact a local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
If the only choice available to you is commercial milk, choose whole milk, preferably organic and unhomogenized, and culture it with a piima or kefir culture to restore enzymes (available from G.E.M. Cultures 707-964-2922).
* 2 cups whole milk, preferably unprocessed milk from pasture-fed cows
* 1/4 cup homemade liquid whey (See recipe for whey, below)
* 4 tablespoons lactose*
* 1 teaspoon bifidobacterium infntis**
* 2 or more tablespoons good quality cream (not ultrapasteurized), more if you are using milk from Holstein cows
* 1 teaspoon regular dose cod liver oil or 1/2 teaspoon high-vitamin cod liver oil*
* 1 teaspoon expeller-expressed sunflower oil*
* 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil*
* 2 teaspoons coconut oil*
* 2 teaspoons Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes*
* 2 teaspoons gelatin*
* 1 7/8 cups filtered water
* 1/4 teaspoon acerola powder*
*Available from Radiant Life 888-593-8333
**Available from Natren 800-992-3323 or Radiant Life 888-593-8333
Add gelatin to water and heat gently until gelatin is dissolved. Place all ingredients in a very clean glass or stainless steel container and mix well. To serve, pour 6 to 8 ounces into a very clean glass bottle*, attach nipple and set in a pan of simmering water.
Heat until warm but not hot to the touch, shake bottle well and feed baby. (Never, never heat formula in a microwave oven!) Note: If you are using the Lact-Aid, mix all ingredients well in a blender.
Variation: Goat Milk Formula
Although goat milk is rich in fat, it must be used with caution in infant feeding as it lacks folic acid and is low in vitamin B12, both of which are essential to the growth and development of the infant. Inclusion of nutritional yeast to provide folic acid is essential.
To compensate for low levels of vitamin B12, if preparing the Milk-Based Formula (above) with goat's milk, add 2 teaspoons frozen organic raw chicken liver, finely grated to the batch of formula. Be sure to begin egg-yolk feeding at four months.
Liver-Based Formula
Makes about 36 ounces
Our liver-based formula also mimics the nutrient profile of mother's milk. It is extremely important to include coconut oil in this formula as it is the only ingredient that provides the special medium-chain saturated fats found in mother's milk. As with the milk-based formula, all oils should be truly expeller-expressed.
* 3 3/4 cups homemade beef or chicken broth
* 2 ounces organic liver, cut into small pieces
* 5 tablespoons lactose*
* 1 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis**
* 1/4 cup homemade liquid whey (See recipe for whey, below)
* 1 tablespoon coconut oil*
* 1 teaspoon cod liver oil or 1/2 teaspoon high-vitamin cod liver oil*
* 1 teaspoon unrefined sunflower oil*
* 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon acerola powder*
Simmer liver gently in broth until the meat is cooked through. Liquefy using a handheld blender or in a food processor. When the liver broth has cooled, stir in remaining ingredients. Store in a very clean glass or stainless steel container.
To serve, stir formula well and pour 6 to 8 ounces in a very clean glass bottle. Attach a clean nipple and set in a pan of simmering water until formula is warm but not hot to the touch, shake well and feed to baby. (Never heat formula in a microwave oven!)
Fortified Commercial Formula
Makes about 35 ounces
This stopgap formula can be used in emergencies, or when the ingredients for homemade formula are unavailable.
* 1 cup Mead Johnson low-iron, milk-based powdered formula
* 29 ounces filtered water (3 5/8 cups)
* 1 large egg yolk from an organic egg, cooked 3 1/2 minutes (See recipe for egg yolk, below)
* 1 teaspoon cod liver oil or 1/2 teaspoon high-vitamin cod liver oil
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly. Place 6-8 ounces in a very clean glass bottle. (Store the rest in a very clean glass jar in the refrigerator for the next feedings.)
Attach a clean nipple to the bottle and set in a pan of simmering water until formula is warm but not hot to the touch, shake well and feed to baby. (Never heat formula in a microwave oven!)
Egg Yolk for Baby
Egg yolk should be baby's first solid food, starting at 4 months, whether baby is breastfed or formula-fed. Egg yolks from pastured hens will contain the special long-chain fatty acids so critical for the optimal development of the brain and nervous system.
The whites may cause an allergic reaction and should not be given to baby until he is at least one year old
* 1 organic egg from a pasture-fed hen
* 1/2 teaspoon grated raw organic liver, frozen for 14 days (optional)
* pinch seasalt
Boil egg for 3 1/2 minutes. Place in a bowl and peel off shell. Remove egg white and discard. Yolk should be soft and warm, not hot, with its enzyme content intact. Sprinkle with salt.
If you wish to add liver, grate on the small holes of a grater while frozen. Allow to warm up and stir into egg yolk.
Homemade Whey
Makes about 5 cups
Homemade whey is easy to make from good quality plain yoghurt, or from raw or cultured milk. You will need a large strainer that rests over a bowl. Line the strainer with a clean linen kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth.
If you are using yoghurt, place 2 quarts in the strainer lined with a tea towel. Cover with a plate and leave at room temperature overnight. The whey will drip out into the bowl. Place whey in clean glass jars and store in the refrigerator.
If you are using raw or cultured milk, place 2 quarts of the milk in a glass container and leave at room temperature for 2-4 days until the milk separates into curds and whey.
Pour into the strainer lined with a tea towel and cover with a plate. Leave at room temperature overnight. The whey will drip out into the bowl. Store in clean glass jars in the refrigerator.
Source: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, PhD.
From Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Volume 6, Number 2, Pages 18-28.
Make no mistake: the best food for baby is breastmilk from a healthy mother. However, many situations call out for a good substitute: adopted and orphaned babies, babies born to mothers with serious health problems, and babies whose mothers do not have enough milk (a situation that does happen occasionally) deserve to receive something better than commercial formula.
The following questions have been compiled by the authors over a period of several years and should cover most situations encountered by parents giving homemade formula to their babies.
Mixing the Formula
Q: When I give the formula to my baby, the oils float to the top and the baby ends up getting a lot of oil that makes him gag. So he ends up not getting all the oil in the formula.
A: Try this: gently warm the amount of formula you are going to give the baby, and then blend in the blender. The baby most likely will finish taking the formula before the oils separate. You can also give the cod liver oil separately, with an eye dropper, to ensure he is getting all he needs.
Using the Lact-Aid
Q: In order to continue to nurse while I am giving formula to my baby, I am trying to use the Lact-Aid device (which carries the formula through a small tube that the baby takes in his mouth while also suckling on the breast). But the formula is too thick and keeps clogging up the tube.
A: Be sure that the formula is well blended (in a blender) before putting it in the Lact-Aid and also that it is warm enough. It is best to use the Lact-Aid with raw milk, not cultured milk, as the latter tends to be thicker. You may also try leaving out the gelatin. One other option is to add about 1/4 cup more water to the formula. The nutrients will be less concentrated, but he is also getting your breast milk.
Additive in Acerola Powder
Q: I notice that the NOW brand acerola powder for the formula contains maltodextrin. I am concerned about giving any additives to my baby, especially one derived from corn.
A: At the moment, the only acerola powder available to us is the NOW brand, which contains maltodextrin as a flowing agent. Acerola powder really does get caked up without some kind of agent. So, until we find a brand with a better flowing agent, this is the best we can do. Baby really does need extra vitamin C and the amount of maltodextrin is very small.
Reaction to the Formula
Q: My baby threw up repeatedly from the formula. Through a process of elimination, I found that my baby was having a severe reaction to the added nutritional yeast. My baby was born with a very weak system and we, her parents, are very sensitive also. What does a parent do for what's missing without the nutritional yeast?
A: The yeast is not absolutely necessary in the cow's milk formula but it is in the goat milk formula. If goat milk is the only milk available to you, then switch to the liver-based formula.
http://articles.mercola.com/
http://articles.mercola.com/
A mother's breast milk is nature's perfect and complete food for babies and can't even come close to being reproduced. With so many substances known to be present in breast milk, but unable to be replicated in breast milk substitutes (formula), plus all of the as-yet unidentified constituents,it should come as no great surprise that children today are suffering from a vast myriad of illnesses and disorders.
The human brain is infinitely more sophisticated than the world's fastest computer,yet many people naively think that this wondrous organ can be perfectly constructed without any regard to the "raw materials" required. Building a properly functioning brain requires the right materials, just as building a computer would.Imagine trying to build a computer from scratch, without any microchips. Or trying to build a house without any lumber, bricks, steel, or other materials.
However, while there is no way to create a formula equal to breast milk, there are steps that can be taken to improve somewhat upon the standard formulas that are available.
One of the nutritional areas that are woefully inadequate with formulas is in regards to their fatty acid content. With all of the anti-fat propaganda going on these days, most people don't realize the critical importance of fat, especially with infants. Not only is the quantity important, but the quality and breakdown of the types of fat supplied as well.
After all, the brain is 60% lipid (fat). Of this fat, approximately 12 % is arachidonic acid (AA) and 17% is docosahexaenoicacid (DHA).
Many people have heard about the benefits and importance of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, found primarily in fish.
The importance of DHA in the infants' diet recently prompted many countries (not including the US) to allow formula producers to fortify their products with DHA, as well as AA. Currently, DHA/AA enhanced formulas are available, although not mandatory,throughout most of Europe.
Unfortunately, this small step still does not provide infants the nutrients they desperately require, due to several problems.
First of all, the DHA added to the formulas,obtained from microalgae, is highly oxidized (approximately 30%)
Additionally, DHA and AA are not the sole fat constituents of breast milk.Fortifying with them is a step in the right direction, but still leaves out plenty of important substances.
In an effort to help people provide their infants with the best possible nutrition,we often instruct mothers to "create" fortified formulas. But of course we insist that mothers breastfeed if at all possible or even obtain fresh breast milk from a lactating friend or relative, if they have adopted a baby, or can't breastfeed for some reason.
For the infant to remain as healthy as possible, he must obtain a proper balance of all the essential fats, which is difficult to impossible, especially when you are changing mother nature and trying to create a formula.
However, below is a basic fat fortification protocol, which attempts to come as close as possible to "the real thing":
Kiddie Krill - one per day
Organic egg yolk - 1 yolk daily added at four months of age
Organic cream ideally non-pasteurized and non-homogenized -- If you are unable to find a local dairy farmer who will cooperate with you please try this link: http://www.realmilk.com/where.
Omega Nutrition pure sesame, walnut, safflower, sunflower, oils (rotate with above) - 1 teaspoon daily
One teaspoon high quality coconut oil. This oil needs to be heated to 76 degrees to become a liquid.
Base oils as safflower, sunflower and sesame can be blended into the formula.
It is important, if not breastfeeding, to use one of the commercially available formulas as a "base" from which to fortify the infant's diet. Although some people might be tempted to create their own homemade formula, I don't recommend this approach, as it is just too dangerous that something could be inadvertently left out or added in too great a quantity. A mistake could cost an infant his life.
Nutramagen or Alimentum can be used as a base infant formula and 'doctored up' with nutritional perks. Both of these formulas are acceptable in regard to the 'allergic' aspect, and are the ones usually used when children cannot tolerate anything. Of course, they are also the most expensive.
FORTIFIED COMMERCIAL FORMULA
Makes about 35 ounces
This stopgap formula can be used in emergencies, or when the ingredients for homemade formula are unavailable.
1 cup Mead Johnson low-iron, milk-based powdered formula, Nutramigen or Alimentum are best and better tolerated but are more expensive
29 ounces filtered water (3 5/8 cups)
1 large egg yolk from an organic egg uncooked. Do not give to infant unless older than four months of age
1 Kiddie Krill
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly. Place 6-8 ounces in a very clean glass bottle. (Store the rest in a very clean glass jar in the refrigerator for the next feedings.) Attach a clean nipple to the bottle and set in a pan of simmering water until formula is warm but not hot to the touch,shake well and feed to baby. (Never heat formula in a microwave oven!)
If your baby is premature, one additional area of fortification is in the area of free amino acids, most notably taurine. This nutrient is also critical for infant development and is foundin human milk but not in cow's milk. Although many formulas add some taurine, it has been shown that formula-fed infants have lower levels of taurine in their blood than breastfed infants do, even when the formula has added taurine.
Contrary to the advice given by some, soy milk, almond milk,or carrot juice, even if organic and homemade, are most definitely NOT ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTES FOR BREASTMILK, or even for formula.
For those mothers who are breastfeeding, it is important to realize that the essential fatty acid content of her breast milk coincides with what she eats. Therefore, her diet is very important for the health of her baby. One of the most important things that a breastfed mother can do is to avoid foods containing trans fats, such as margarine and anything with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
While one can't guarantee that taking the steps outlined above will completely eliminate problems such as ADD/ADHD and other behavioral problems, developmental problems,autism, visual difficulties, and others, I believe it is a strong possibility thatit could help to reduce their incidence, although it is important to always remember that BREAST IS BEST.
Please recognize that soy formula is an unmitigated disaster for infants and should never be used.Fact is, it can harm your baby, as it is high in:
Manganese
Aluminum
Phytoestrogens that will harm your baby
(For more information please read the links below.)
Alternatively a raw milk formula can be made:
MILK-BASED FORMULA From Weston Price Foundation
Makes 36 ounces
Our milk-based formula takes account of the fact that human milk is richer in whey,lactose, vitamin C, niacin, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to cow’s milk but leaner in casein (milk protein). Use only truly expeller-expressed oils in the formula recipes, otherwise they may lack vitamin E.
The ideal milk for baby, if he cannot be breastfed, is clean, whole raw milk from goats. If goats are not available, them milk from cows certified free of disease,that feed on green pasture would be a second best choice. For sources of good quality milk, see www.realmilk.com or contact a local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
If the only choice available to you is commercial milk, choose whole milk, preferably organic and unhomogenized, and culture it with a piima or Kefir Culture to restore enzymes.
2 cups whole milk, raw (non-pasteurized) milk from pasture-fed cows
1/4 cup homemade liquid whey (See recipe for whey)
4 tablespoons lactose (available from The Apothecary 301-530-1112)
1 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis
2 Kiddie Krill
1 teaspoon expeller-expressed sunflower oil
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons gelatin
1 7/8 cups filtered water
1/4 teaspoon acerola powder
Add gelatin to water and heat gently until gelatin is dissolved. Place all ingredients in a very clean glass or stainless steel container and mix well. To serve, pour6 to 8 ounces into a very clean glass bottle, attach nipple and set in a pan of simmering water. Heat until warm but not hot to the touch, shake bottle well and feed baby. (Never, never heat formula in a microwave oven!) Note: If you are using the Lact-Aid, mix all ingredients well in a blender.)
Variation: Goat Milk Formula
Although goat milk is rich in fat, it must be used with caution in infant feeding as it lacks folic acid and is low in vitamin B12, both of which are essential to the growth and development of the infant. Inclusion of nutritional yeast to provide folic acid is essential. To compensate for low levels of vitamin B12, add 2 teaspoons frozen organic raw chicken liver, finely grated to the batch of formula. Be sure to begin egg-yolk feeding at four months.
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Saturday, April 9, 2011
When to Teach Your Baby to Read
If you see that your baby is having problems with convergence such as lazy eye or crossed-eyes, please see the post Exercises for Crossed Eyes.
According to neurodevelopmentalist, Kay Ness, once your baby has good central detail vision and convergence, he is ready to take in large amounts of information visually. At this stage, flashing cards with big pictures on them will fascinate him.
And, once your baby is identifying many pictures, it is time to introduce visual language: that is, sight words. Babies love to learn! Babies can learn to read and speak at the same time. The brain of a young child is "wired" to learn language and cares little whether that language is visual or auditory! Jett loves learning to read. Play is learning. And he greets every one of his flash cards with a big smile.
See Related Posts:
Teach Your Baby to Read
Teach Your Child to Read High Interest Books
Books to Read to Your Baby
Readeez: Songs Supporting Reading
Improve Your Child's Vision
Exercises for Crossed Eyes
Prozac Cures Lazy Eye!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
First Foods: Yogurt & Bone Broth
http://doctorvolpe.com/add-adhd/beef-bone-stock/
Essential minerals: supercharge your child's diet with homemade beef bone stock
December 11th, 2010
When it comes to maintaining or regaining health, nothing plays as important a role as proper mineral balance in the body. Although we no longer hear much about it, leading experts in the field of nutritional medicine sounded the alarm as early as the 1930's and 40's: modern agricultural practices were depleting the soil, generating widespread mineral deficiencies and imbalances. This in turn left us vulnerable to weakened immunity, digestive and nervous system disorders, and more. When combined with the dramatic spread of environmental chemicals and other toxins over the past half century, the recipe for disaster is complete.
Those sounding the alarm were the likes of Henry Bieler, MD, and Max Gerson, MD.
Dr. Bieler wrote the book Food is Your Best Medicine. He believed in
drug-free medicine and was well-known at the time for being the personal
physician to Greta Garbo and other stars. He was also known because his patients
had a habit of living well into their nineties. Dr. Gerson authored A Cancer
Therapy. He used food, vegetable juices, and little else to successfully
treat diseases ranging from migraines to diabetes and even cancer.
Mineral supplements can help correct deficiency in some instances; however, many
essential minerals are poorly absorbed from supplements. In addition, man made
supplements that are not properly balanced can aggravate any existing imbalance.
The bottom line is that only natural unprocessed foods contain minerals in
optimal ratios and, in fact, the body is ideally suited to absorb minerals from
food rather than supplements.
Among mineral-rich foods, bone broth or stock holds a position of preeminence.
Not only is it a treasure trove of minerals in absorbable form, it is also a
rich source of other nutrients that are essential for every aspect of health.
Stock has a long history in human nutrition and there was a time when it was
prepared regularly in every family kitchen.
Not only was it a part of everyone's diet, it was also prescribed as medicine
and was researched extensively for its health enhancing benefits until the early
20th century. Then it was progressively abandoned, in part because the modern
food industry discovered it could use cheap chemicals to create any flavor it
wanted, and in part because medicine lost interest in anything other than drugs
and surgery.
Allison Siebecker wrote an interesting article on the medical uses and health
benefits of bone broth that was published in the March 2005 issue of the
Townsend Letter that can be found free online at www.townsendletter.com. Though
the subject matter could be written off as just food, the article carries 69
references to research and a bibliography of four books. At the end of the
article the author lists conditions that can benefit from broth, of which I am
including an abbreviated version at the end of this piece.
Broth was prescribed for conditions ranging from colds and flu, to a variety of digestive disorders, and conditions affecting the joints, skin, lungs, muscles and blood. It was added to baby milk to treat colic or failure to thrive, and was prescribed for children who had trouble digesting the proteins in milk and wheat. It helped malnourished children and adults regain their strength, and was used as adjunct therapy in conditions as serious as cancer and TB.
When it comes to making broth, the quality of the bones you use is of the essence simply because if the animals were not fed appropriately their bones are not likely to be healthy or nutrient-rich, plus hormones and antibiotics given to commercial cattle are likely to accumulate in bones or fatty tissues like marrow.
I recommend only buying bones from hormone- and antibiotic-free grass-fed animals, and organic is a plus. If you live in Texas, the best source I have found is www.paidom.com. This farm is located in the Texas Panhandle but they deliver throughout the state every two months. If you live elsewhere http://www.eatwild.com/ and similar websites are good resources.
If you'd like to get fancy and learn about all the different types of stock and how to make them I recommend you buy the excellent book “Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig. Otherwise here is a simple recipe that has worked very well for me.
Start out with equal amounts of marrowbones and soup (knuckle) bones. I use approximately two pounds of each, basically because that's how Paidom sells them and it works well that way.
Both types of bones are needed. Marrow is where the body stores stem cells and converts them to blood cells or releases them in circulation to repair damaged tissues. It is an area of the body where all the nutrients needed to sustain life are concentrated. Soup bones are usually knucklebones or other bones containing cartilage. Cartilage converts to gelatin. It is a rich source of amino acids, like glycine, that enhance the body's detoxification ability by stimulating production of glutathione. Cartilage is also a source of chondroitin sulfate that helps heal arthritic joints.
Both types of bones are rich sources of minerals, and I am not speaking of just calcium, but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals, all of which play essential roles in health.
Wash the bones in running water; then place the knuckle and marrow bones in a large pot with 1/2 cup vinegar and cover with clean, filtered water. The vinegar will evaporate completely and so it is safe even for small children. The vinegar creates an acidic environment that helps to draw the minerals out of the bones. Meanwhile, place the meatier bones in a roasting pan and brown at 350 degrees (about 15 minutes). Add the browned bones to the pot (along with any fat that is left in the pan) along with about 3 chopped onions, 3 chopped carrots and 3 chopped celery sticks. It is important not to overdo it on the vegetables as that can lead to a very bitter finished product! Add additional water if needed, but be sure to leave room at the top of the pot (about 1 inch) for the stock to expand.
Bring to a boil, and then remove any scum that comes to the top with a spoon.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer, add about 1 tsp ground green peppercorns and thyme (optional), cover the pot tightly, and allow it to simmer for a minimum of 24 hours (36 hours is better but not necessary). I know it's a long time but once you get it to the right heat it requires very little supervision. Just before finishing, add one bunch of parsley and simmer for 10 more minutes.
Parsley adds additional nutrients and will help to alkalize your stock. At this point you will remove all the bones and vegetables, strain, and refrigerate.
Once it is chilled you can skim off the fat, place in separate containers and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze indefinitely. You'll lose about a quart to evaporation.
I recommend drinking a cup a day for adults or children, and proportionately less for toddlers or babies. If your child doesn't like it, try to find creative solutions to get him or her to drink it. Some parents have added it to juice or sweetened it with stevia and turned it into a sweet chilled drink!
Here is a partial listing of conditions that broth benefits:
Aging skin, allergies, anemia, anxiety, asthma, atherosclerosis, attention deficit, poor digestion, brittle nails, Celiac Disease, colic, constipation, dental degeneration, depression, diabetes, diarrhea, fatigue, food sensitivities, fractures, gastritis, heart conditions, high cholesterol, hyperactivity, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, low immunity, inflammation, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, insomnia, reflux, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, memory loss, muscle cramps or spasms, muscle wasting, osteoporosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, seizures, weight loss due to illness, wound healing, and more!
Homemade meat or fish stock.
Chicken stock is particularly gentle on the stomach and is very good to start from. To make good meat stock you need joints, bones, a piece of meat on the bone, a whole chicken, giblets from chicken, goose or duck, whole pigeons, pheasants or other inexpensive meats. It is essential to use bones and joints, as they provide the healing substances, not so much the muscle meats. Ask the butcher to cut in half the large tubular bones, so you can get the bone marrow out of them after cooking.
Put the bones, joints and meats into a large pan and fill it up with water, add natural unprocessed salt to your taste at the beginning of cooking and about a teaspoon of black peppercorns, roughly crushed. Bring to boil, cover and simmer on a low heat for 2,5 - 3 hours. You can make fish stock the same way using a whole fish or fish fins, bones and heads. After cooking take the bones and meats out and sieve the stock to remove small bones and pepper corns. Strip off all the soft tissues from the bones as best as you can to later add to soups or encourage your patient to eat all the soft tissues on the bones. Extract the bone marrow out of large tubular bones while they are still warm: to do that bang the bone on a thick wooden chopping board. The gelatinous soft tissues around the bones and the bone marrow provide some of the best healing remedies for the gut lining and the immune system; your patient needs to consume them with every meal. Take off all the soft tissues from fish bones and heads and reserve for adding to soups later.
The meat or fish stock will keep well in the fridge for at least 7 days or it can be frozen. Keep giving your patient warm meat stock as a drink all day with his meals and between meals.
Do not use microwaves for warming up the stock, use conventional stove (microwaves destroy food). It is very important for your patient to consume all the fat in the stock and off the bones as these fats are essential for the healing process. Add some probiotic food into every cup of stock (the details about introducing probiotic foods follow).
How to make bone broth: http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/how-to-make-beef-broth/
Where to find fresh, local raw milk: http://www.realmilk.com/where1.html
Related Posts
Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Formula
Nontoxic Feeding Sets
First Foods: GAPS Introducing Solids
First Foods: How & What & When to Introduce
Heal the Gut, Heal the Child
Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Coconut Oil Info and Recipes
More Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats
Healthy Meal Planning Blogs
How to Bottle Feed & Nontoxic Bottles
Breastfeeding
Fats & Oils
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