I decided to set up her first tea party, complete with her doll and dog, and cheerios for a snack. She had to make sure her doll had a plate.
She quickly learned all about pouring "tea."
I have a feeling this activity will be a new favorite.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tea Party
Ellie got this adorable tea set for Christmas and she loves it. She's almost always carrying at least one piece from it at all times, usually a spoon or a cup, or both.
I decided to set up her first tea party, complete with her doll and dog, and cheerios for a snack. She had to make sure her doll had a plate.
She quickly learned all about pouring "tea."
I have a feeling this activity will be a new favorite.
I decided to set up her first tea party, complete with her doll and dog, and cheerios for a snack. She had to make sure her doll had a plate.
She quickly learned all about pouring "tea."
I have a feeling this activity will be a new favorite.
Friday, December 30, 2011
The Purple Sweatshirt
I wasn't intentionally taking a blog-hiatus, but it happened. I can blame it on the busyness of the holidays and all the presents I handmade this year. More likely, I will blame it on fatigue, nausea, and classic morning sickness. Yes, I'm pregnant and as of yesterday I've made it through the first trimester.
We are due June 28 and have already had 3 ultrasounds. I have been less sick (not necessarily less nauseous) this time around but more tired. Ellie will be only 20 months older than her sibling, so we are anticipating all sorts of fun. I have already found differences between this pregnancy and the last. It is very different going through pregnancy when we already have a little one. I find I'm not as all-consumed with the pregnancy and at times even forget I'm pregnant! Having a toddler to distract me makes me tired but also is making this time fly by. June feels very near.
My goal for this upcoming year is to blog more consistently, so here's to hoping.
My mom gave me a purple sweatshirt that I wore as a baby and Ellie's been wearing it lately. She's almost outgrown it already, so I had to post a comparison:
(Me, at about 15 months)
(Ellie, at about 14 months)
We are due June 28 and have already had 3 ultrasounds. I have been less sick (not necessarily less nauseous) this time around but more tired. Ellie will be only 20 months older than her sibling, so we are anticipating all sorts of fun. I have already found differences between this pregnancy and the last. It is very different going through pregnancy when we already have a little one. I find I'm not as all-consumed with the pregnancy and at times even forget I'm pregnant! Having a toddler to distract me makes me tired but also is making this time fly by. June feels very near.
My goal for this upcoming year is to blog more consistently, so here's to hoping.
My mom gave me a purple sweatshirt that I wore as a baby and Ellie's been wearing it lately. She's almost outgrown it already, so I had to post a comparison:
(Me, at about 15 months)
(Ellie, at about 14 months)
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Oh, The Places You'll Go!
I'm not a big Halloween person. It's just the marker I use to know when I can start playing Christmas music. I guess I'm supposed to start being more excited about it because I have a cute little one to dress up. There might be part of me that thinks that's fun, but a bigger part of me just thinks it's one more thing where I'm supposed to be creative, something I'm not known for.
Two weeks ago our small group from church was having dinner together and all the kids were invited to wear a costume. This assumed that 1) I had a costume idea, and 2) I had it ready a week before Halloween, both incorrect assumptions.
Of course I had at least a week to come up with an idea, but a few hours before we were scheduled to leave we looked around and tried to come up with a costume. Just the day before Ellie had gotten her first year pictures taken, and the photographer had brought a huge balloon for part of the pictures. Why not incorporate that into a costume?
I used some brown paper bags to weave a basket, and in about an hour Ellie's costume was ready: a hot air balloon.
When Halloween Day arrived, once again I was feeling uncreative, so we used the same costume (although I did have to go buy a new balloon). I was trying to think of a way to combine costumes for Michael and I with a hot air balloon. (By costumes I mean something super simple and little to no work. We haven't dressed up in years.) This time, I looked for inspiration from Dr. Seuss:
I guess this means we can start playing Christmas music!
Two weeks ago our small group from church was having dinner together and all the kids were invited to wear a costume. This assumed that 1) I had a costume idea, and 2) I had it ready a week before Halloween, both incorrect assumptions.
Of course I had at least a week to come up with an idea, but a few hours before we were scheduled to leave we looked around and tried to come up with a costume. Just the day before Ellie had gotten her first year pictures taken, and the photographer had brought a huge balloon for part of the pictures. Why not incorporate that into a costume?
I used some brown paper bags to weave a basket, and in about an hour Ellie's costume was ready: a hot air balloon.
When Halloween Day arrived, once again I was feeling uncreative, so we used the same costume (although I did have to go buy a new balloon). I was trying to think of a way to combine costumes for Michael and I with a hot air balloon. (By costumes I mean something super simple and little to no work. We haven't dressed up in years.) This time, I looked for inspiration from Dr. Seuss:
I guess this means we can start playing Christmas music!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Food for Thought and Is Organic Necessary?
My last thoughts related to Superbaby, by Dr. Jenn Berman.
Since we began giving Ellie solid food at around 6 months old, I have become increasingly aware of food issues. From nutrition content to pesticide exposure, I have made it a priority to give my child the healthiest and most nutritious food I can find, and afford. We are vegetarian, and I'm constantly asked, "where do you get your protein?"
Well, first of all, vegetarians tend to be much more aware of food intake, and usually have overall healthier diets than meat-eaters. I always want to respond to that question with something like, "Do you get the proper amount of fiber? Do you eat enough whole grains in your diet? Do you know how much protein is necessary?" I think people are less-aware of their nutritional needs than they are willing to admit. Protein is just one of many things to be aware of.
(To answer the protein question, we eat a lot of beans and rice, eggs, cheese, yogurt, nuts and seeds, and cottage cheese. Did you know cottage cheese has 15 grams of protein in one 4 oz. serving?)
Dr. Berman focuses on a variety of feeding topics, including breastfeeding tips and several other feeding tips for the first three years. I want to simply explain what we do for our own child.
I have used a book called, Super Baby Food, by Ruth Yaron. It has great tips for which foods to introduce each month, and how to think about diet and nutrition with children. One of my favorite parts of her book is what she calls "Super Porridge." I don't ascribe to or follow every suggestion she gives, but I love one element of the porridge, and that is the complete protein element. Ellie eats super porridge, or my version of it, almost every single morning. I grind up a variety of grains: barley or brown rice or oats or millet or quinoa, for example. Sometimes I choose one or two, sometime I mix it up and combine several. Then, I also add to the mix a legume, usually dried lentils or split peas. Yaron gives a specific recipe and ratio if you are interested in getting the complete protein correct, which I am, so I do. I grind all these grains and legumes up into a powder, boil them in water for 10 minutes, and usually add my own touch, cinnamon and some fruit, usually apples or pears shredded finally. Ellie loves this cereal and I feel great knowing that she is getting a wonderful variety of whole grains and a complete protein every single morning, plus fresh fruit mixed in.
Another important tip Yaron gives: feed your child yogurt every day or as often as possible. It's wonderful for the digestive track. At first, Ellie didn't like plain yogurt, but she has grown to love it and now gulps it down. I usually mash a banana in it but I love that she isn't eating any weird chemicals or added sugar put into most yogurts. Plus, I've learned to enjoy this yogurt myself as I always eat whatever she doesn't finish. Bonus health points for me!
I have started to make my own bread, which I love. It's cheap, and I know everything that goes in it (especially no high fructose corn syrup). I make a whole wheat honey bread and I add healthy extras like wheat germ and flax seed. I feel good giving my child this bread, and I know she's getting excellent nutrition too.
The final topic regarding food that I can't ignore: pesticides. The question many ask is, is organic really necessary?
"Things that by their very nature are designed to kill come with risks. And they don't always disappear after doing the job. Pesticides can remain in the air, food, and soil; contaminate water; and accumulate in plants, animals, and people." -From Chemical-Free Kids: How to Safeguard Your Child's Diet and Environment.
A few thoughts to ponder on pesticides:
-There are currently 600 chemicals that farmers are legally allowed to use on produce and at least 50 of these are classified as carcinogenic, according to the FDA.
-20 pounds of pesticides are used per person per year in the US.
-Pesticides are present not only in conventionally grown fruits and vegetables but also in processed products like cookies, cereals, and crackers.
-9/10 kids under age 5 are exposed to 13 different neurotoxic insecticides in baby foods.
-Insecticides in apple, peach, grape, and pear baby food that is consumed by 85,000 children every day exceed the federal safety standard by a factor of ten or more.
-20 million children age 5 and under consume an average of 8 pesticides a day.
-Drinking nonorganic apple juice may expose your two-year-old to as many as 80 different pesticides, an exposure that is 20 times that of his mother on a body-weight basis.
Here's why you can't assume the government will protect us from harmful chemicals:
Pesticides are linked to cancers, birth defects, kidney and liver damage, reproductive disorders, and asthma, but they are still present in children's foods. The current system assumes that chemicals are not harmful until proved otherwise. This is difficult to prove because pesticides are too dangerous to be tested directly on humans (yet it's still ok to eat them?). The EPA almost never bans a pesticide that is currently in use. Wow. Scary.
80% of our pesticide exposure comes from food (the other 20% comes from drinking water and in and around our homes). If you feed your child organic food you eliminate nearly 90% of their pesticide exposure.
So what can you do? Well, buying organic can be expensive. We've chosen to focus on the "dirty dozen," the top 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables. Check out this website for more information and for the official EWG Shopper's guide. I have the free app on my phone in case I forget when I'm out shopping.
I'll list the "dirty dozen" here for you. These are the foods I do my best to buy organic whenever possible:
1. apples (98% of conventional apples have pesticides!)
2. celery (tests positive for 57 different pesticides)
3. strawberries
4. peaches
5. spinach
6. nectarines-imported
7. grapes-imported
8. sweet bell peppers
9. potatoes
10. blueberries-domestic
11. lettuce
12. kale/collard greens
There is also a list called the "Clean 15," the fruits and vegetables that are the safest to buy non-organic. The complete list is also on the above website.
1. onions
2. sweet corn
3. pineapples
4. avocado
5. asparagus
6. sweet peas
7. mangoes
8. eggplant
9. cantaloupe-domestic
10. kiwi
11. cabbage
12. watermelon
13. sweet potatoes
14. grapefruit
15. mushrooms
A few tips:
-Wash your hands after peeling skins of fruits and vegetables.
-Wash and peel conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.
-Remove and discard outer leaves of cabbage and lettuce.
-Make your own baby food.
One more thing to be aware of regarding food: genetically altered foods.
Over 75% of processed foods contain at least one genetically engineered ingredient. More than 30 countries around the world have significant restrictions or outright bans on the production of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) because they have not been proved to be safe. The US, on the other hand, does not demand any such labeling.
GE Foods account for:
-87% of soybeans
-79% of cotton
-55% of canola
-52% of corn
Read your labels and be aware of the above ingredients in most processed foods. Better yet, stay away from processed foods. I don't want my child to be the experiment for the long-term effects of this type of food.
"The children of North America have now become the world's lab animals on whom to study the long-term effects of eating GM products." -Jane Goodall
Since we began giving Ellie solid food at around 6 months old, I have become increasingly aware of food issues. From nutrition content to pesticide exposure, I have made it a priority to give my child the healthiest and most nutritious food I can find, and afford. We are vegetarian, and I'm constantly asked, "where do you get your protein?"
Well, first of all, vegetarians tend to be much more aware of food intake, and usually have overall healthier diets than meat-eaters. I always want to respond to that question with something like, "Do you get the proper amount of fiber? Do you eat enough whole grains in your diet? Do you know how much protein is necessary?" I think people are less-aware of their nutritional needs than they are willing to admit. Protein is just one of many things to be aware of.
(To answer the protein question, we eat a lot of beans and rice, eggs, cheese, yogurt, nuts and seeds, and cottage cheese. Did you know cottage cheese has 15 grams of protein in one 4 oz. serving?)
Dr. Berman focuses on a variety of feeding topics, including breastfeeding tips and several other feeding tips for the first three years. I want to simply explain what we do for our own child.
I have used a book called, Super Baby Food, by Ruth Yaron. It has great tips for which foods to introduce each month, and how to think about diet and nutrition with children. One of my favorite parts of her book is what she calls "Super Porridge." I don't ascribe to or follow every suggestion she gives, but I love one element of the porridge, and that is the complete protein element. Ellie eats super porridge, or my version of it, almost every single morning. I grind up a variety of grains: barley or brown rice or oats or millet or quinoa, for example. Sometimes I choose one or two, sometime I mix it up and combine several. Then, I also add to the mix a legume, usually dried lentils or split peas. Yaron gives a specific recipe and ratio if you are interested in getting the complete protein correct, which I am, so I do. I grind all these grains and legumes up into a powder, boil them in water for 10 minutes, and usually add my own touch, cinnamon and some fruit, usually apples or pears shredded finally. Ellie loves this cereal and I feel great knowing that she is getting a wonderful variety of whole grains and a complete protein every single morning, plus fresh fruit mixed in.
Another important tip Yaron gives: feed your child yogurt every day or as often as possible. It's wonderful for the digestive track. At first, Ellie didn't like plain yogurt, but she has grown to love it and now gulps it down. I usually mash a banana in it but I love that she isn't eating any weird chemicals or added sugar put into most yogurts. Plus, I've learned to enjoy this yogurt myself as I always eat whatever she doesn't finish. Bonus health points for me!
I have started to make my own bread, which I love. It's cheap, and I know everything that goes in it (especially no high fructose corn syrup). I make a whole wheat honey bread and I add healthy extras like wheat germ and flax seed. I feel good giving my child this bread, and I know she's getting excellent nutrition too.
The final topic regarding food that I can't ignore: pesticides. The question many ask is, is organic really necessary?
"Things that by their very nature are designed to kill come with risks. And they don't always disappear after doing the job. Pesticides can remain in the air, food, and soil; contaminate water; and accumulate in plants, animals, and people." -From Chemical-Free Kids: How to Safeguard Your Child's Diet and Environment.
A few thoughts to ponder on pesticides:
-There are currently 600 chemicals that farmers are legally allowed to use on produce and at least 50 of these are classified as carcinogenic, according to the FDA.
-20 pounds of pesticides are used per person per year in the US.
-Pesticides are present not only in conventionally grown fruits and vegetables but also in processed products like cookies, cereals, and crackers.
-9/10 kids under age 5 are exposed to 13 different neurotoxic insecticides in baby foods.
-Insecticides in apple, peach, grape, and pear baby food that is consumed by 85,000 children every day exceed the federal safety standard by a factor of ten or more.
-20 million children age 5 and under consume an average of 8 pesticides a day.
-Drinking nonorganic apple juice may expose your two-year-old to as many as 80 different pesticides, an exposure that is 20 times that of his mother on a body-weight basis.
Here's why you can't assume the government will protect us from harmful chemicals:
Pesticides are linked to cancers, birth defects, kidney and liver damage, reproductive disorders, and asthma, but they are still present in children's foods. The current system assumes that chemicals are not harmful until proved otherwise. This is difficult to prove because pesticides are too dangerous to be tested directly on humans (yet it's still ok to eat them?). The EPA almost never bans a pesticide that is currently in use. Wow. Scary.
80% of our pesticide exposure comes from food (the other 20% comes from drinking water and in and around our homes). If you feed your child organic food you eliminate nearly 90% of their pesticide exposure.
So what can you do? Well, buying organic can be expensive. We've chosen to focus on the "dirty dozen," the top 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables. Check out this website for more information and for the official EWG Shopper's guide. I have the free app on my phone in case I forget when I'm out shopping.
I'll list the "dirty dozen" here for you. These are the foods I do my best to buy organic whenever possible:
1. apples (98% of conventional apples have pesticides!)
2. celery (tests positive for 57 different pesticides)
3. strawberries
4. peaches
5. spinach
6. nectarines-imported
7. grapes-imported
8. sweet bell peppers
9. potatoes
10. blueberries-domestic
11. lettuce
12. kale/collard greens
There is also a list called the "Clean 15," the fruits and vegetables that are the safest to buy non-organic. The complete list is also on the above website.
1. onions
2. sweet corn
3. pineapples
4. avocado
5. asparagus
6. sweet peas
7. mangoes
8. eggplant
9. cantaloupe-domestic
10. kiwi
11. cabbage
12. watermelon
13. sweet potatoes
14. grapefruit
15. mushrooms
A few tips:
-Wash your hands after peeling skins of fruits and vegetables.
-Wash and peel conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.
-Remove and discard outer leaves of cabbage and lettuce.
-Make your own baby food.
One more thing to be aware of regarding food: genetically altered foods.
Over 75% of processed foods contain at least one genetically engineered ingredient. More than 30 countries around the world have significant restrictions or outright bans on the production of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) because they have not been proved to be safe. The US, on the other hand, does not demand any such labeling.
GE Foods account for:
-87% of soybeans
-79% of cotton
-55% of canola
-52% of corn
Read your labels and be aware of the above ingredients in most processed foods. Better yet, stay away from processed foods. I don't want my child to be the experiment for the long-term effects of this type of food.
"The children of North America have now become the world's lab animals on whom to study the long-term effects of eating GM products." -Jane Goodall
Toxins Lurking Everywhere
Superbaby highlights, Part 5. See previous posts for parts 1-5.
Reducing Exposure to Toxic Chemicals
A few facts regarding kids and their increased vulnerability to toxins.
Compared to adults:
-Children's metabolisms are faster and therefore they absorb toxins faster.
-Children grow so quickly that dangerous cell mutations multiply faster.
-Their developing brains and immature reproductive and immune systems are unable to detoxify the chemicals to which they are exposed.
-The blood-brain barrier is still porous and allows more chemicals to reach their brains.
-Children eat 3-4 times more food per pound of body weight than the average adult.
-The resting air intake of an infant is double that of an adult.
-Children's diets are less varied than adults', which leaves them more vulnerable to toxic exposure.
Dr. Berman describes in detail the most significant toxins to be aware of: lead, PVC and phthalates, flame retardants, and cigarette smoke. A lot of baby products, even pajamas and mattresses, include flame retardants that are toxic.
6 Simple Things You Can Do to Reduce Toxins at Home:
1. Diapers-The average child goes through 6,000 disposable diapers during the first two years of life (and how many babies stop using diapers the day they turn 2?), which costs an average of $1,600 each year, not including wipes. 92% of all these diapers end up in landfills that take 250-500 years to decompose.
Even if you don't care about the global affect, the cost of disposables might encourage you to think twice. And if the cost doesn't deter you, maybe the toxins in them will.
Did you know that disposable diapers contain chemicals that were banned in women's products? They emit gases that can cause asthma-like reactions. Babies inhale more air per pound than adults so are even more affected by these pollutants.
You could switch to a less chemical-filled disposable diaper. They do exist but are a bit expensive. You can use disposable liners inside a cloth liner. You can use cloth diapers, which use less toxins but require and excessive amount of water to wash them.
We personally use cloth diapers and I absolutely love it. Yes, we use quite a bit of water, but I see this as the best of all the options. Plus, we have already saved hundreds of dollars, and plan to use cloth with future children, cutting the cost even more. A great website to check out is www.cottonbabies.com if you have any interest in cloth diapering. It seems overwhelming at first, but soon becomes a routine. I get a lot of satisfaction knowing my daughter isn't exposed to intense chemicals, plus we are saving literally hundreds of dollars (not to mention the landfill space). I would love to answer any questions you have about the ease of cloth diapering. Here's what we use, Bum Genius 4.0. We love them:
2. Lock up your keys! Keys have a high concentration of lead, high enough to be hazardous. Don't let you baby suck on or play with your keys.
3. Killing germs and the environment one antibacterial pump at a time-Basically, antibacterial soaps and gels use a lot of chemicals that are toxic and can be harmful, one specifically called triclosan that causes bacteria to resist antibiotics and can lead to weaker immune systems, decreased fertility, birth defects, and even cancer. A study in 2004 found that nearly 3/4 of adults and children older than age six had detectable levels of triclosan. You are better off just using regular soap, not "antibacterial" products.
4. Teflon-Apparently, the material used to make nonstick surfaces on your pans and other cookware emits toxic particles and gases. Another similar toxic chemical is found in fast-food packaging (think pizza boxes and styrofoam), and microwave popcorn bags. This is one of many reasons to skip microwave popcorn and make your own at home.
5. Kid's clothing-Be aware that most cheap clothing is made from petroleum-based synthetic fabric. Most of the pesticides used on cotton crops are considered by the EPA to be the most dangerous pesticides in common use today. I want to write one more blog post about pesticides and food, stay tuned. Just know that you can't trust the government to protect you from pesticides. Many are used to today that are extremely harmful.
6. Cleaning with chemicals- Infants born to mothers who frequently use chemical-based cleaners while pregnant were more than twice as likely to develop breathing patterns.
Some of the most hazardous products are oven and drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, metal polishes, and adhesive removers, followed by disinfectants, furniture and floor polish, carpet cleaners, laundry softeners, spot removers, all-purpose cleaners, automatic dishwashing detergent, chlorine bleach, mold and mildew removers, scouring cleaners, and tile, tub, and sink cleaners. Do you use any of these? Start small, to get rid of these toxins. There are tons of websites for suggested greener and healthier ways to clean. Last week I cleaned my floors for the first time using a vinegar and water mixture. I found this website that has 1001 uses for distilled vinegar. Check it out. It's amazing stuff! Baking soda and water also works on toilets and for a variety of other purposes. Don't like the smell of vinegar? Add some lemon juice to your cleaning.
I'm still working on this whole idea of reducing chemicals in the house, but I have found it increasingly important as I have a little crawler who is constantly touching floors and other surfaces that I clean with chemicals, and of course putting everything within reach into her mouth.
Good luck reducing chemical exposure in your home!
Reducing Exposure to Toxic Chemicals
A few facts regarding kids and their increased vulnerability to toxins.
Compared to adults:
-Children's metabolisms are faster and therefore they absorb toxins faster.
-Children grow so quickly that dangerous cell mutations multiply faster.
-Their developing brains and immature reproductive and immune systems are unable to detoxify the chemicals to which they are exposed.
-The blood-brain barrier is still porous and allows more chemicals to reach their brains.
-Children eat 3-4 times more food per pound of body weight than the average adult.
-The resting air intake of an infant is double that of an adult.
-Children's diets are less varied than adults', which leaves them more vulnerable to toxic exposure.
Dr. Berman describes in detail the most significant toxins to be aware of: lead, PVC and phthalates, flame retardants, and cigarette smoke. A lot of baby products, even pajamas and mattresses, include flame retardants that are toxic.
6 Simple Things You Can Do to Reduce Toxins at Home:
1. Diapers-The average child goes through 6,000 disposable diapers during the first two years of life (and how many babies stop using diapers the day they turn 2?), which costs an average of $1,600 each year, not including wipes. 92% of all these diapers end up in landfills that take 250-500 years to decompose.
Even if you don't care about the global affect, the cost of disposables might encourage you to think twice. And if the cost doesn't deter you, maybe the toxins in them will.
Did you know that disposable diapers contain chemicals that were banned in women's products? They emit gases that can cause asthma-like reactions. Babies inhale more air per pound than adults so are even more affected by these pollutants.
You could switch to a less chemical-filled disposable diaper. They do exist but are a bit expensive. You can use disposable liners inside a cloth liner. You can use cloth diapers, which use less toxins but require and excessive amount of water to wash them.
We personally use cloth diapers and I absolutely love it. Yes, we use quite a bit of water, but I see this as the best of all the options. Plus, we have already saved hundreds of dollars, and plan to use cloth with future children, cutting the cost even more. A great website to check out is www.cottonbabies.com if you have any interest in cloth diapering. It seems overwhelming at first, but soon becomes a routine. I get a lot of satisfaction knowing my daughter isn't exposed to intense chemicals, plus we are saving literally hundreds of dollars (not to mention the landfill space). I would love to answer any questions you have about the ease of cloth diapering. Here's what we use, Bum Genius 4.0. We love them:
2. Lock up your keys! Keys have a high concentration of lead, high enough to be hazardous. Don't let you baby suck on or play with your keys.
3. Killing germs and the environment one antibacterial pump at a time-Basically, antibacterial soaps and gels use a lot of chemicals that are toxic and can be harmful, one specifically called triclosan that causes bacteria to resist antibiotics and can lead to weaker immune systems, decreased fertility, birth defects, and even cancer. A study in 2004 found that nearly 3/4 of adults and children older than age six had detectable levels of triclosan. You are better off just using regular soap, not "antibacterial" products.
4. Teflon-Apparently, the material used to make nonstick surfaces on your pans and other cookware emits toxic particles and gases. Another similar toxic chemical is found in fast-food packaging (think pizza boxes and styrofoam), and microwave popcorn bags. This is one of many reasons to skip microwave popcorn and make your own at home.
5. Kid's clothing-Be aware that most cheap clothing is made from petroleum-based synthetic fabric. Most of the pesticides used on cotton crops are considered by the EPA to be the most dangerous pesticides in common use today. I want to write one more blog post about pesticides and food, stay tuned. Just know that you can't trust the government to protect you from pesticides. Many are used to today that are extremely harmful.
6. Cleaning with chemicals- Infants born to mothers who frequently use chemical-based cleaners while pregnant were more than twice as likely to develop breathing patterns.
Some of the most hazardous products are oven and drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, metal polishes, and adhesive removers, followed by disinfectants, furniture and floor polish, carpet cleaners, laundry softeners, spot removers, all-purpose cleaners, automatic dishwashing detergent, chlorine bleach, mold and mildew removers, scouring cleaners, and tile, tub, and sink cleaners. Do you use any of these? Start small, to get rid of these toxins. There are tons of websites for suggested greener and healthier ways to clean. Last week I cleaned my floors for the first time using a vinegar and water mixture. I found this website that has 1001 uses for distilled vinegar. Check it out. It's amazing stuff! Baking soda and water also works on toilets and for a variety of other purposes. Don't like the smell of vinegar? Add some lemon juice to your cleaning.
I'm still working on this whole idea of reducing chemicals in the house, but I have found it increasingly important as I have a little crawler who is constantly touching floors and other surfaces that I clean with chemicals, and of course putting everything within reach into her mouth.
Good luck reducing chemical exposure in your home!
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