Chronological Cornucopia - Teen Dramz

   With the teen years comes the double edged sword of freedom and responsibility. You no longer have to watch them every minute, instead you are left to wonder just what it is they are up to. The values you have instilled by your own actions and the way you communicate these are paramount now. One has to be more subtle in the ways we protect them, as they resist our authority in their efforts to be independant.
   The best eaters may become finicky, the sweetest child may become obnoxious in manners or habits. Their desire to conform and fit in at this time of insecurity is part of their finding themselves, possibly trying on a few different styles and attitudes along the way. Teenagers can be obsessed with the superficial. Along with the physical changes that manifest, comes a desire to shape ones appearance into the current accepted notion of attractiveness. This usually encompasses hairstyles and the brands of clothing everyone else at school is wearing. During this time, you, the parent, will not be cool and will know nothing about what is. Your behaviour, appearance, vehicle may be an embarassment.
   A large part of the drama may be due to the hormonal fluctuations of puberty. As was the case with me, puberty for my daughter was a waiting game. All her friends had "it" and were weraring bras before her. Certain foods are known to be estrogenics, such as tofu and other soy products, and yams. These then, would be recommended for girls not boys. Normally a vegetarian, she ate some meat during this time. Also I gave her royal jelly supplements, ( what future queen bees eat ) With all the hormones that are present in meat and dairy products these days usually girls are experiencing menses earlier. For the normal (!) moodiness and discomforts that accompany this time of the month, supplements such as Dong Quai can be invaluable. Dong Quai is known as the female ginseng in the chinese pharmacopeia. I personally use it every month. I have a tincture, but capsules are available at chinese shops or health food stores. I generally use it only when I am experiencing symptoms. Other herbs useful at this time: chamomile, yarrow, feverfew, nettle. Of course with this comes a concern about adequate iron intake. Blackstrap molasses (yumz on porridge), seaweed, beets, and dark greens are iron rich foods for vegetarians. Or take a supplement, liquid is easier to digest than iron tablets.
  These times of hormonal havoc, can be a challenge for the immune system as well. Taking something that strengthens and regulates can be very beneficial for males and females. Maca, known as the Peruvian ginseng, is highly nutritious and can benefit males and females, Also astragalus, know as the young peoples ginseng in China, has both adaptogenic (helps the body deal with stress) and immune boosting properties. Other behavioural issues may not be related directly to the bodys' changes. Our youngest child has always seemed to be more confrontational, and calls from the school are something we have had to deal with somewhat regularly since the primary grades. I have always had very clear boundaries around what is acceptable and what my expectations are at home. I am reasonable yet am very clear on what are rights and what are priveleges. Certain teachers seem better able to handle my darling. I don't wish to label my child and yet I do recognize certain tendencies, and hereditary traits may make his school years more difficult. I have always used flax oil and hemp seed oil, on porridge, toast (just think of it as melted butter) and in smoothies. The omega oils and essential fatty acids present in these oils are benficial in brain health. I also give both boys a 1000mg fish oil gel capsule per day.
    With the independance of adolesence comes eating food at other peoples houses, and from the corner store by their school, etc. They may go off the healthy food we put in their lunches if it is not what "everyone" is eating. Teens can take an adult multivitamin. Protein shakes or powders can be useful suppliers of nutrients. I have started making mine a shake every morning with all sorts of good for you things yummed up with fruit.
   There is light at the end of the tunnel! It is so lovely to hear them saying that they prefer the food we make, or just to see them eat, uncomplaining, even if it is due to the fact that they grew an inch in 2 weeks and their body is willing to accept whatever nutrients they can get their jaws around. It is some consolation to hear them tell you things you have known for years as if telling you something for the first time.At least they are headed in the right direction !

Chronological Cornucopia - Oh Baby!

One of the reasons this post has the name it does, besides the fact that it is a tongue twister and satisfies my alliteration fixation, is that I want to talk about how I addressed the nutritional/medicinal needs of my children from infancy onwards, and also how our nutritional needs and health issues vary according to the seasons of the year.
   Making the decision to have my babies in the comfort and privacy of my own home was for me, natural. Since becoming interested in health, as an avid reader since childhood, I have sought knowledge in libraries and secondhand bookstores. A truly revelatory book was Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin. This colourful book is filled with pictures, drawings, and birthstories,
featuring all sorts of women giving birth with minimal intervention. Even before I wanted children, reading so many stories convinced me that it could be done. I will not address pregnancy or birth at this time, as I hope to focus on childhood here.
   Once the miracle is accomplished, there are immediate applications for natural medicine. Perhaps not the first day, but after the first bath, lavendar oil can be applied to the belly button. Depending on what sort of bottle your lavendar oil is in, if large, you may choose to decant some into a smaller bottle with a dropper. A drop or two after baths, or a particularly messy diaper change, will keep things healing nicely and cause no discomfort to the babe. Essential oils are one of the most useful natural remedies for babies, who are not eating food yet, and will not swallow on command. If baby develops a cold, boil some water, add a couple drops of lavendar, eucalyptus, or tea tree oil ( or a drop of each, and place in the room baby is in.  Even a newborn will not be harmed by this sort of gentle, noninvasive treatment. Most times I gave them baths I would put in a single drop of lavendar, later on tea tree is one of my favourites for the bath, but at first, lavendar (inexpensive) or chamomile (pricey but heavenly) oilas they are prone to rashes when fresh and this helps with any ear or nose issues as well, and if they swallow some no harm done.
   I also highly recommend herbal teas for the mother when breastfeeding, as the babe will receive benefits. Peppermint tea for feverish or gassy fussers. Chamomile and fennel tea both help with producing milk for mom and soothing immature digestive systems. Mild nutritional or soothing teas such as chickweed, oatstraw, or nettle, will also be mutually beneficial.
   Speaking of immature digestive systems, after reading that babies who nurse for the first six months exclusively have fewer allergies, that is what I did. I realize not everyone can or wants to do this. For me being a stay at home mom was something I had to do, and we have sacrificed the glamorous lifestyle, such as vacations, that my being a working mom would have brought. The first foods I introduced were simple, bananas, avocado, home made applesauce, working our way upwards to oatmeal, brown rice, vegetables. All organic, as much as possible. In general, keeping the environment that babies and toddlers are in everyday as organic and natural as possible provides much less of a barrage of allergens and toxins on tiny immune systems. Everything from laundry soaps, household cleaners to clothing contains chemicals. While "a little bit won't kill you", every piece forms part of the whole picture. I would grind up rice, veggies, etc. in a foodmill with a little water, add a dash of hemp or flax seed oil, a few seaweed flakes, and stir. Babies don't need all the spice and salt we do. There is so much more available these days in organic babyfoods. The health food stores carry a broad range.
   I believe it was just as important what I didn't give them as what I did. Babies taste buds and intestinal flora only know what we give them. Once they have been introduced to the extreme intensity of processed sugar and salty foods, they will not be satisfied with wholesome foods. As well as the fact that these so called foods are a direct assault on  immune systems. Every teaspoon of sugar lowers our immune system for 2 hours, rendering us more vulnerable to illness and disease. Much the worse for the wee ones.
   The first three years of life are widely recognized to be the most important in determining certain factors in a persons' life. Good nutrition during this time is crucial to our later health. Especially when they are growing and developing at such a rapid rate, vigilance in this department has its rewards. Another book that had a great deal of practical information as well as looking beneath the surface of childhood development and needs is You Are Your Childs First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin. It was this book that prompted me to do my best (grandparents never understood!) to ensure the children ate no meat during their first 3 years. She explains why so much better than I could. 
   If children are sick during this time and require antibiotics, there are specific strains of acidophilous for children, to establish healthy intestinal flora, which in turn helps the body extract nutrition from the foods we eat. If there are heavy foods such as meat eaten, or strange combinations, resulting in tummy upset, a drop or 2 of Swedish Bitters, the water extract, doesn't taste good but helps, or an herbal tea such as chamomile. After the age of one year, A sore throat can be soothed with a bit of raw honey, which has antibacterial properties.
   One last quick word about diaper creams. I started out using Penaten diaper cream which comes in a flat blue and gold tin and is found everywhere. It does coat an existing diaper rash nicely. When no diaper rash was present I liked using a locally made salve called Baby Bottom Better. But truly the best diaper cream is made by Weleda and available in most health food stores. When this is used, they don't get a rash, it really is lovely. The Weleda baby products are all wonderful, they have wonderful moisturizer for after bath too. I received a gift, when I had my second baby and I can't say enough about their products, a splurge perhaps, but worth it!
  

Midwinter Must Haves

The thrill of Christmas is gone. We are weeks away from the chocolate induced high of Valentines Day. It is the time of year when we still feel like stuffing ourselves with comfort foods and cozying up in front of the telly/computer with our booze of choice, rationalizing that bathing suit season is still soo far away. At the same time, we, and especially  those of us with children, particularly the wee ones, will at this time of year be bombarded by a plethora of bacteria, viruses, and all manner of bodily fluids .It seems one has hardly gotten over barky coughs and reddened noses, only to be felled by bloaty rumbling tummies and hurried dashes to the toilet!
   What is the alternative? A puritanical pursing of the lips, eyes gazing into the distance, as we abstain from the temptations of the season? Is a heavenly (body) reward sufficient incentive? As if these gloomy days weren't punishment enough . . .
  Having been raised with a fairly conventional North American diet, with it's attendant ear infections, episodes of diarhea, and other ills, I am familiar with the sense of helplessness and mystery that accompanies it. As a teenager I became vegetarian, and began to educate myself about health. Veganism, juicing, and growing my own sprouts became my daily life and for  years, my life revolved around food. An interest in natural medicine accompanied these "back to the land" years for me. I learned to treat minor ailments, from headaches to PMS, with plants growing in my garden, and those formerly regarded as weeds. Both chinese medicine and Indian ayurvedic medicine rely on many so called common plants.Working with a master herbalist, I learned to make tinctures, (herbal extracts in water or alcohol) and salves (external use). Another facet of my embrace of the "natural way" has been exploring essential oils and aromatherapy. Even for scent value alone, the deliciousness of, for instance, lavendar oil, puts commercial perfumes in the shade. More on its many uses later!
As time and material considerations moved my life in a different direction, these natural remedies have stayed with me, comforting, curing. Gradually, with finding a partner, and having my children enter the school system, I arrived at the compromise between mainstream culture and health nut that I am today. My children are all teenagers now, and have never gone to the doctor for anything other than stitches. My next blog will address this revelatory statement in a timely fashion (did I mention a sense of the absurd as tension buster?). See: Chronological Cornucopia