Toddler Food No-No's

Mr.Asparagus Pants

I firmly believe in a whole foods diet for my whole family. Our food supply scares me, the supermarket is packed with non-nutritious,toxic, junk food. My concern isn't unwarranted either, I preach regularly about the state of our country's health. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is causing so many health related issues, in simple terms you really are what you eat. Cancer rates are as high 50% and expected to rise to 75% in the next 20 years and chemical toxins are a leading cause.It isn't always easy, preparing and planning meals, but your children will reap the rewards. This isn't only for toddlers, the diet of the parents is always going to be mirrored in the child's food preferences. My son has a few allergies and sensitivities, and it is always to stuff no one should be eating anyways(corn,wheat,soy etc), so in my house we know we are eating good  as long as he can eat it also! I also want to say that it isn't "stealing" a childhood away with healthy food and not buying processed crap.  My son and I enjoy baking together and enjoying our meals after we prepare them from scratch. In my experience children helping prepare the meals instead of  'Here eat this' always warms them up to try new things. 

We have to take power back in the name of our childrens health from these large corporations that control our food system, and tell them "NO MORE" We can do that by buying local, whole food organic product, showing them what we want through our dollars spent.

Artificial Colors and Preservatives

There are so SO many safe alternatives to artificial colors and preservatives that they belong NO WHERE near anyone's plates. They cause hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children. Not to mention nervous system damage and cancer among various other ailments. I urge you to try to eliminate these from your childs diet and see the amazing change in their behavior and health. Our bodies do not recognize these substances as food, and has no idea what to do with it excrete what it can, and store the rest. 

"Recent studies suggest that a person's body might create even more body fat so that it has more room to store the onslaught of toxins." 

All of these additives are unnecessary and are only in the best interest of shelf life, not human life. There are over 300 additives recommended to eliminate from your childs diet, and it is your duty as a parent to research and make informed decisions about what is in your childs food.

http://life.familyeducation.com/nutrition-and-diet/weight/46763.html#ixzz20STm8enO

"The Feingold Program recommends eliminating from the diet: all artificial (synthetic) colors, listed on the label as ``food coloring'', ``color added'' or by its FDA number, like FD&C Yellow #5 or FD&C Red #40 (both used in the Lancet study); artificial flavors listed as ``flavoring'' or ``artificial flavoring'' or artificial vanilla (vanillin); aspartame (an artificial sweetener); and three preservatives, BHA, BHT, and TBHQ – already removed from most food for children in the U.K." 


And let me tell you, these are in almost all of mainstream conventional food and household/personal products. 


Artificial Sweeteners
For me the most disturbing trend in food additives is the sugar free scam. Aspartme is a byproduct of ecoli and causes brain cancer. It is disgusting and should not be on the market whatsoever. It is in all conventional gum and pretty much anything that is "sugar free" In this article from Dr. Mercola he shines some light on the dangers of this toxic substance.(It is a MUST READ)


"Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain."


I have seen this in numerous(more than I can count) childrens food products. Don't even get me started on marketing to children on food packaging either!! It just blatantly shows that these corporations have a bottom line(the dollar)  in interest and NOT your childs health. There are alternatives that are healthy and safe that should be utilized instead of artificial sweeteners.(Honey or Stevia anyone?) Also I would like to take a moment to advocate for natures candy AKA fruit.(Woop woop!) If you start early and feed your child a natural whole food diet then they will enjoy a strawberry instead of an artificially flavored,colored,sweetened processed "treat". I remember as a child liking strawberry flavor and not strawberries, and thought blackberries tasted like spray paint which just so happen to be my favorite berry. It took me until I was 20 to try it again, so starting young is key with food preferences.


Pesticides,chemical fertilizers and Irradiation

 Pesticides are important to eliminate from your baby/toddlers(and your) diet because of their sensitive developing bodies. As we know, you are what you eat and  the cells in your body are the foundation of health. Pesticides are chemical toxins cause them to malfunction and sometimes damage or kill them. Causing your detoxification system, mainly your liver, kidneys, lungs, colon, and skin, to work overtime and eventually malfunction as well. In children this also affects their nervous, endocrine among other various systems that are still developing. Organics also have more nutritional content and are not genetically modified. They also no not irradiate the soil, which is using radiation to kill pathogens in the soil which obviously is dangerous(and stupid)(and doesn't actually work) The top ten dirty dozen list is helpful when transitioning into buying organics! 

Why it matters

Toxins are accumulative and we are introduced to enough through our industrialized environmental (i.e. oil refineries and vehicle exhaust) so we need not introduce any more chemicals into our babies little bodies. Starting now, wherever you are in your journey as a parent, makes a direct impact on your childs future and wellbeing. Also, it is always fun to garden with your children, is educational and nutritious for everyone and is a great way to introduce picky eaters to the food on their plate! 

The statistics on our country's health is proof that we need real change. And the first step is what we put into our bodies. Diabetes, heart disease, cancer, ADHD, asthma, autism are all usually diet related and are skyrocketing in the youth. Also the large amounts of antibiotics we use and the high prevalence of sugar in our diets is causing Candida overgrowth in an estimated 70% of Americans. Candida is a yeast overgrowth which feeds off of sugar and starch. Antibiotics kill the good bacteria with the bad and this is the result. Find out more here . We have to stop trusting corporations with the well-being of our children and educate ourselves on what is really going on.

Childhood should be about family, love and fun and is not hindered by removing chemical toxins from their diet. My toddler is a happy healthy boy, who whines for a banana at the grocery store instead of a candy bar. "Fun" foods aka cakes and candy do not have to constitute toxic cancer causing processed foods. I make my treats for my son with whole food ingredients that are good for him,and we enjoy them just the same and get special bonding time preparing them while we are at it! I think childhood is hindered by the many ailments that affect the nations youth everyday, and we need to revamp what childhood is about. The "Golden Arches" and food coloring shouldn't be staples of toddlerdom and should be replaced with sunshine and gardening.

Written by Haley

Children are not pets: Their right to rights

https://www.facebook.com/BayAreaIntactivists

As we wrapped up a wonderful juice bar lunch with the kids (no tears & didn't even need to break out the emergency bananas!) we were approached by a member of the ACLU, (American Civil Liberties Union) clipboard in hand. We began to discuss our disappointment with the organization, and their blocking of  circumcision banning legislation in San Francisco.

(If you don't know why circumcision is cosmetic, unnecessary and a violation of human rights please look into intactivism and get educated about this important topic. Feel free to ask for links and additional information.)

He wasn't prepared or informed on this topic and had some really odd responses. 

These included a "federal hair cutting law" retort (we'll come back to our hair cutting philosophy later) to which we tried to explain the removal of nerve endings and permanence of  circumcision. He responded that "We don't know that much about hair." It gets worse:  a Nazi reference, his approval of circumcising dogs, equating intactivism to a "god hates gays" movement and even saying "Children are like pets..." 

Yes, a person advocating for civil liberties thinks children are pets.

I would like to make it very clear that children are humans and entitled to the same inherent rights. These rights should not be withheld due to arbitrary age and are not anyone's to refuse or allow. Being a parent does not make you an owner of a child, (it would be more accurate the other way!) Your ownership is of your own body and does not extend to the possession of another human being. Your rights end (religious, parental) where another person's body begins.

Our duty as parents is to provide, protect, educate and allow our children to become the best version of themselves. Children's rights mirror these values and include freedom from fear and harm and the freedom of choice over their own body.

It is not a parental right to choose elective and cosmetic procedures for children. It is the child's right to choose, especially when the procedure is permanent and body altering such as circumcision, ear piercing or tattoo. It is in our own parental philosophy to let the children choose when they want their hair cut. I recall a dispute with a lady informing me that sometimes you have to traumatize children as a part of childhood, like a haircut. Disagree. Choice, right to one's body and nurturing win in this home, personally we enjoy watching their hair growing in their natural patterns:  mullet, curls and swirls.

Let's commend the German court that ruled that a child's right to physical integrity trumps freedom of religion and parent's rights and for the ban on circumcision that came from this ruling. 

We wouldn't subject our children to personal, medical, religious or other procedures they did not choose or did not want. Of course there are loopholes and scenarios we could go batty over, but even in a medically necessary (emergency procedure most likely) I would validate my child's emotions and physically be supportive with them through it. 

We also conclude that a child's right to be free of fear and harm win over the (improper) parental right to hit a child. (Since nowhere in society hitting another person is a right, and even a threat is considered criminal) 

We need to rethink our roles as parents. There is nothing that bugs me more than a "Because I'm the  Mom!" approach to parenting. Children are people, they have real feelings, real thoughts and inherent rights. We need to humanize our babies and never forget that they are not a possession but a person who we are given the honor of loving, protecting and teaching. We must respect their rights and teach them to respect others. If we nurtured every child this way the world would be such a better place. 

Born This Way

If there is one promise we make the first time we hold our newborn babies, it is to love and protect them.We don't know their temperment, or futures, we can't even predict their eye or hair color. None of that matters, we just dedicate ourselves blindly to who they are and who they will become.We recently marched in the SF Pride Parade with our children representing The Bay Area Intactivists. Our boys strolled along in their wagon with signs that read 'Born This Way'. This message represents their unchanged bodies and our acceptance of their entire being, unconditionally.


We enjoyed the parade, I love the feeling of celebration and liberation. We are proud supporters of genital integrity and sexual orientation integrity also. Just leave peoples genitals and sexuality alone!


We thought the world was on the right track until we ran across Becky Fischers' latest atrocity. We recognized her from Jesus Camp, a documentary where she directs an Evangelical summer camp and children shake and sob over abortion, and pray over a cardboard cutout of George Bush, kind of heavy for kids ya think? What happened to canoeing and crafts? Heres an overview of the movie:

Becky Fischer is a Pentacostal minister who holds Evangelical Christian conferences and camps, the latter called "Kids on Fire" which are held in Devil's Lake, North Dakota. She holds the camps in the hopes of teaching Evangelical Christian children to lay down their life for God. She equates her philosophy to that of extremist Muslims teaching children literally to fight in the name of Islam, but with 'the right' message. She teaches the children at the camps to be outspoken in their beliefs with a passionate fervor, all in the name of Jesus Christ. Topics presented include the evils of Harry Potter (in Old Testament times, he would have been put to death for being a warlock), the waste of dead churches (where there is no passion in the praising of Jesus), the evils of abortion, and Evangelical Christians taking back government in the United States. The camp attendees soak up the messages like sponges as she is preaching to the converted. Her events are played out against the backdrop of the George W. Bush presidency, he who speaks to Ted Haggard, the leader of the National Association of Evangelicals, on a weekly basis. Christian radio host Mike Papantonio, who is non-Evangelical, provides his views of what he considers Fischer's indoctrination process, and especially the harm he sees in blurring the line between church and state.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486358/plotsummary

Bigotry at its 'finest'

Love at its finest

Her latest works not only include teaching children to raise the dead, but also how to prevent homosexuality. She sells the classes that teach gender roles and stereotypes and says 'It begins in childhood, it can be prevented'. This is bigotry and a hate crime. First of all, you cannot prevent homosexuality or any sexual prefrences. We are aquainted with twins, now adults, male and female who are both gay. They were not raised in an open gender-bending environment but a traditional gender role American family. If you asked the twins they would tell you they were born that way. Im not suggesting we are inherently gay or straight, but that we are inherently ourselves. It is nobodys right to change or fix us. We should be letting children do anything they desire, regardless of our preconcieved notions and gender ideas. One of our boys has a pair of tap shoes, shiny ones made for girls. They were the pair that fit him. There isn't anything gender binding about those shoes except that we, in our minds know they are marketed for girls. Why tap dance for a boy? Well he loves stompin' around making noise! Traditionally, American tap dance was a male performed entertainment. It has no hold on our childs sexuality or the ones of men in early American show business. Furthermore, he won't know that he has girls' shoes unless someone tells him that there are gender specific tap shoes. Even then, he won't care unless he is guilted or shamed for this. We believe colors are for everyone. Not too long ago pink used to be for baby boys, and blue for girls! The associations only ring true in our own perceptions. Some of our kids favorite things are pink: A fuzzy heart pillow, a baby doll. He also loves flowers! Why shouldn't he? Should we gear him to like a more manly crop?! Lol. 

 We allow our children to be children and try to help them explore their intrests, free of inhibitions, and our own condentations of gender and sexuality, which they know nothing of. Part of the wonderment of childhood is not concerning yourself with society's expectations, sexuality, abortion or politics. I can assure you I won't be making my children cry over intactivism and will teach them to be proud of their bodies and who they are. The parade teaches them acceptance of themselves and others, and isn't about teaching them to conform to social standards or be unaccepted, revoked of love and condemned to hell fire. The implications of Fischers work are worrisome. Already, homosexual youth is five times more likley to commit suicide. This number is increased by a hostel environment. You can't change your sexuality. Remember electro-shock therapy? Gay isn't a disease, its not contageous or cureable. It's not perventable or changeable. It's neither wrong nor right, black nor white. Yes, there are instances like violations or molestations that can steer or shape our sexual behaviors, but that isn't a factor for the majority of cases. And you cant hetero-molest a child into the sexuality you perfer, sexuality isn't simple. I don't know why I'm straight or why one person has more libido than the next. The real problem is that we are forgetting our oath to love and protect our children. Fisher isn't teaching love but hate and alienation over protection.

"We have the idea that indoctrination is like the Chinese shoving bamboo up your fingernails or dropping a drop of water on your head until you say "Okay, Buddha is God" Indoctrination is nothing more than teaching someone else a set of ideas" Becky Fischer 

“Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.” Buddha 

This quote from Becky Fischer reveals her extreme ignorance; religiously and politically. We all know the Chinese aren't torturing people in the name of Buddha(Uhh, Tibet anyone??). Buddha is not a deity, and is not "God" He was a person who reached enlightenment and taught that path to those who listened. Our family practices Buddhism and if you were to learn anything from, it would go as follows:


(1) to lead a moral life,
(2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and
(3) to develop wisdom and understanding.

If your religious beliefs lead you to hate and anger, YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG. 


11 things bible bans, yet Becky Fischer chooses to ignore <<<<<

Go tell her how you feel! https://www.facebook.com/pages/School-of-Supernatural-Childrens-Ministry/152102601534685


(If you want more information on Intactivism and why we oppose Routine Infant Circumcision, I would suggest reading through drmommas website: 
http://www.drmomma.org/2010/01/cut-vs-intact-outcome-statistics.html and 
Saving our Sons facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/SavingOurSons
Bay Area Intactivists facebook :page:https://www.facebook.com/BayAreaIntactivists
 facebook.com/discerningmommas

I'm a PATIENT, not a F*#%$&! COUCH POTATO. --By the former The Judgey Moms

                                   

I posted a video on my page about juicing raw marijuana and the story of peoples lives it saved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMh4E03IFvg

Some of the comments I received have been weighing heavily on me because of the misinformation and social stigmas associated with it, such an injustice. This is the most powerful, useful plant on earth yet people have been attacking me for advocating medical marijuana. I have been  told to go get a job, water my drug plants, to move to another state and shut up. I will not stand for this mistreatment of people who seriously need medical marijuana. It saddens me to think about all of the people suffering from cancer and then hurting more from chemotherapy and others with the rampid prescriptions given in lieu of this herb. I am a mother who provides for her family, not a druggie nor is any other patient.
The list of prescriptions that I have been prescribed before marijuana is lengthy and terrible. These DRUGS didn't work, made me feel like shit, even sent me into episodes of depression. I need marijuana, millions need marijuana, but we still have a battle of intent and information that has not been fully won.

                                   

The social stigma against even medical marijuana is more present than ever, and the destructive culture behind it feeds the stigma. Medical marijuana is so important, yet we the supporters have let cheesy weed leaf  paraphernalia represent us. I'm not saying that their isn't very credible groups of supporters, diverse too, but I have lived in Humboldt County and seen the culture that goes with it. It is non progressive to say the least! I just want the medical benefits to finally win the battle with the culture!
This is where the destructive marijuana culture: Cheech and Chong (which was meant to be a joke, and got taken too literal) Dazed and Confused, Towlie from South Park, 420, urban culture, people talking about how high they are and "munchies" are implemented on the face of marijuana now.We also enjoy these things and we find them entertaining, but they turn into a literal translation of what marijuana IS. I heard a pot rapper's song called 'Stoner Bitch'  and pretty much it was saying 'roll my blunt and suck my

 dick.' What happened that this is acceptable? This is irresponsible pot culture.
I believe it has also affected the marijuana dispensaries. I don't think a brownie or rice crispy treat has a place in a medical environment. How can we be taken as serious patients, snacking on our medicinal cookies? I hate the 'stoners' and 'Twinkie' or 'Doritos' association. I don't want a scoop of ice cream, at least have healthier options. This is about options, I understand and condone the ingestion of marijuana for medicinal purposes, but does a snack cake have to be the face of indigestible medical marijuana?
I'm a patient not a fucking couch potato! This is a substance that grows new brain cells and so much more and it needs to be treated with respect, as do it's users.
If everyone used marijuana to its potential we would be a happier and healthier society. I understand my viewpoints will be attacked, but these people are uninformed. Cannibis has been used since before records and was considered relevent medically until the introduction of the hypodermic needle. Cannabis is not water soluble; and in the civil war the use of injectable morphine became standard. Opiate addiction was “the soldier’s disease” after the Civil War. Oh and Vietnam too. Now we have invented every pill available, advertised on television and widley accepted complete with side effects, toxins, and recalls. America accepts drug use, so long as it isn't in the form of a plant?
Marijuana is beneficial for even mothers and children. Juicing the leaves produces non-psychoactive cannabinoids,(as you saw in the video) meaning people can experience ciritan benefits (like curing cancers) of this miracle plant without feeling anything, or getting "high". Native Americans used marijuana tea for teething children. I have been criticized for suggesting marijuana to an expectant mother. For those familiar with the benefits of marijuana, its easy to understand the benefits to the mother, nausea, pain, sleeplessness, appetite, stress and so on. The critics said how horrible I was and selfish and how it will effect the baby. However, there is evidence, in a study supported by The March of Dimes Foundation that showed the benefits of neonatal exposure to the baby. Yeah, the pot babies did better than the others.
Comparing the two groups, the neonates of mothers who used marijuana showed better physiological stability at 1 month and required less examiner facilitation to reach an organized state and become available for social stimulation. The results of the comparison of neonates of the heavy-marijuana-using mothers and those of the nonusing mothers were even more striking. The heavily exposed neonates were more socially responsive and were more autonomically stable at 30 days than their matched counterparts. The quality of their alertness was higher; their motor and autonomic systems were more robust; they were less irritable; they were less likely to demonstrate any imbalance of tone; they needed less examiner facilitation to become organized; they had better self-regulation; and were judged to be more rewarding for caregivers than the neonates of nonusing mothers at 1 month of age.
you can find that here: http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/can-babies.htm

 The war against marijuana has caused most of the problems associated with it. There are drug dealers because we created a black market (remember prohibition?) AND we have created a market for sub-par marijuana from across the border, with all of the cartel problems to boot. The radioactive marijuana that is in high demand from Mexico and the drug dealer problems are a result of the regulations. Marijuana doesn't cause problems, but bad laws create civil disobedience, black markets and unregulated product. The government has implemented a negative view, launched a "war", created a demand that only recently can be met legally in few places (still federal problems) filled prisons with non violent "criminals" and imposed these politics upon the world.  This is a crime against the gift of natures intention and humanity itself.

There isn't one person on the earth that couldn't benefits from lifting the social stigmas and ridiculous laws regarding marijuana.  Hemp is just as important and should not be ignored... This is the best food, medicine and resource on the planet, and most of us don't have access to it. Cannabis and hemp can save lives, our economy, ecosystems... What can we do to save it? We need to share the information, like the links I have provided. We need to educate ourselves and each other, not everyone knows the truth and some will need help to find it .We need to stop the negative social stigmas, take responsibility for the way you are portraying marijuana and what messages you are sending, only then can we plant the seeds of change (pun intended!) and give marijuana the place it deserves in our heath, medicine, nutrition and society.
Thank you for valuing education and sharing this very important message with your friends and loved ones.

Oh, and don't even get me started on hallucinogens.