They are in your food and on your body... Now what?

Psst... It's on our face, all over our skin, at our kitchen table, in our pantry, sitting on our refrigerator shelves! What is it? A CHEMICAL INVASION! As if we don't have enough to worry about on a daily basis as we prepare for birth or as new moms, we need to be aware of the DAILY environmental exposures that could be disrupting our own health as well as our baby's. The more research I do the more my mouth falls agape in disbelief... well maybe not disbelief but more disappointment in our manufacturers and large companies. I love the companies they are finally standing up and making a statement by being truly organic and chemical free, but let's face it, they are few and far between because the higher profit margins come in the synthetic products. 

When you stop to think, it is truly mind boggling that we as human beings EVER thought - hey you know what would be a great idea... let's jam pack our foods, packaging, containers, clothing, household goods, cleaners, beauty products and so on full of gnarly chemicals that if served to us in a shot glass you couldn't pay us to sling back, but we willingly and many times unknowingly encounter hundreds if not thousands of offenders EVERY day! Our precious bodies are not made to handle these heinous materials.

However, I realize that my goal is not to completely panic about all the thing we cannot control and instead decide on what things we can control and do something about those. It is my hopes that you join me in the education of our consumer products and start taking action to minimize your exposure. Education is key to determining what we CAN control. The more we as consumers demand better products, i.e organic, natural and harmless, the more big business has to start listening. In case you haven't gathered from my other writings, I am a believer that ignorance is only ever momentary bliss, then the repercussions can be devastating. I propose we take a moment to focus on the what and why's that impact our family's health and our home and then move on to the "what we can do now". Sound like a plan? (well I suppose if you keep reading then you agree :) )

Did you know: (insert expression of horror and shock below!)

• Over 69 million Americans live in areas that exceed smog standards (cough, cough!)

• Most drinking water contains over 700 chemicals, including excessive amount of lead. (are filling that glass of ice with someones else's pharmaceutical residue?!)

• Over 3,000 chemicals are added to our food supply (I hardly call those "foods"! Do you?)

• As many as 10,000 chemicals in the form of solvents, emulsifiers, and preservatives are used in food processing and storage. (Why should ANY chemical be allowed into OUR FOOD? Does that store bought cookie really sound that good anymore?)

• U.S chemical companies hold licenses to make 75,000 chemicals for commercial use; the federal government registers an average of 2,000 newly synthesized chemicals each year. (And our government has our well-being in mind???)

• 500 chemicals are used as active ingredients in pesticides (Buy organic produce when possible. Click Here for the "Dirty Dozen List")

• Chemicals companies are not required to tell the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) how their compounds are used or monitor where their products end up in the environment. (WHY NOT?)

(Source for statistics listed above: Goldberg group, pg. 168; www.bodyburden.com)

• Women take in 2-5 pounds of chemicals each year just through their skin from creams, lotions, makeups and other products.
• Close to 800 chemicals are known to or suspected to be  capable of interfering with hormone receptors, hormone synthesis or hormone conversion.

What does all this mean? Just because something is on a shelf doesn't mean it is safe for us! We have to be our own best advocate, because these companies are not looking out for our well being.

What are these chemicals doing to us? ..and this is the short list! I wasn't sure I had enough room to include ALL the detrimental effects...and we are discovering more and more every year!

• Many are human carcinogens (cancer causing; just about every type of cancer you can imagine!)
• Affecting our nervous system
• Endocrine disrupting (hormone disruption)
• Birth defects
• Obesity (damage to our "appetite switch" and how we store fat)
• Exacerbate hyperactive children
• Increase risk of diabetes
• Early onset of puberty in our children
• Alzheimer's
• Memory confusion and loss
• autoimmune diseases

Some great info about our cosmetics ladies...if this doesn't make you rethink your cosmetic bag, then I don't know what will!

(I have no affiliation with any of the products, websites or authors linked below, they are simply informative ones I came across in my research)

http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/chemicals-linked-to-breast-cancer/cosmetics/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/estelle-hayes/chemicals-in-cosmetics_b_826191.html

Find safe, healthy, green & ethical products based on scientific ratings http://www.goodguide.com/

So what can we control?

So glad you asked! We can control our pocket books, our hand-to-mouth reaction and the amount of knowledge we arm ourselves with. Two things we can control absolutely, what we put in our mouth and what we spend our money on. What does that mean?

Buy products with ingredients you can pronounce AND know are safe and natural (I have spent many an hour in store aisles Googling the ingredient lists on everything from baby wipes to shampoo... and you know what...if I have to google it it probably isn't worth bringing into my environment)

1. Use natural household solutions, like white vinegar solution instead of chemical spray.
2. Steer clear of anything with "fragrance" listed in it (companies do not have to disclose what makes up those fragrances and it seems most are health HARMFUL)
3. Buy organic produce whenever possible. Wash  and peel all produce thoroughly before ingesting.
4. Seek out organic, grass-fed meat and poultry
5. Try organic cosmetic lines like Juice Beauty and check out fantastically  supportive sites that take on the effort for you of digging to find green products like at Village Green Network
6. Stay out of the processed and prepackaged food aisle! Nothing good comes from being overly processed, "enriched" and put on a shelf for years. You and your family deserve much better. Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store, shop local farmers markets and health food stores (a note about health food stores,;just because they have greener products doesn't mean that every item there them is suitable for your goals, they can still have excess sugars, some trans fats and chemicals in things like many mainstream "protein bars" and dyes and preservatives in things like vitamins)
7. Use organic oils instead of chemical laden lotions. Try almond, olive or apricot oil after a shower or try on them your baby belly several times a day or on baby after her bath (great time to massage baby too!) Use fresh avocado on your face at night, use lemon as a face toner and pore reducer. (I will add home skin remedies on another post!)
8. Use essential oils like tea tree as a disinfectant on cuts, dry scalp and acne
9. Choose shampoos and conditioners without sulfates and parabens like Aubrey Organics
10. Armed with these simple ingredients, visit this DIY site for household cleanser ideas
    
    • Baking Soda
    • White Vinegar
    • Hydrogen peroxide
    • Borax
    • Essential oils, like tea tree oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, or lemongrass oil
    • Castile soap (like Dr. Bronner's)
    • Fresh herbs, citrus, or citrus peels
    • Olive or vegetable oil
    • Water
11. Unsure about products your currently own try this product analyzer below based on what is important to you. Neat concept! http://shopping.goodguide.com/about 
12. Consistently eat very wholesome organic foods with an emphasis on fresh vegetables and fruits for their high antioxidants and anti-cancer properties.
13. Drink lots of purified water each day - FLUSH those toxins!
14. Scrub your skin regularly (dry brushing or wet scrubs work) - it will help exfoliate and improve circulation so your body can release that toxic build up
15. Drink from glass bottles not plastic ( I buy Kevita because their sprakling probiotic drink is delicious then I use the sturdy glass bottles to fill with water and fresh green juices that I do at home. My own mini-version of recycling :) )
16. Take your produce out of the plastic bags as soon as you get home from the store instead of tossing them in the fridge or on the counter in the plastic.
17. Store leftovers in glass containers and not plastic
18. Instead of spraying perfume on your body and burning toxic candles in your home, try natural essential oils for a clean, fresh, relaxing or invigorating scent.
19. Do not microwave foods in plastic or Styrofoam

Saving My baby's Life. What did I do wrong??...nothing...

Staring at the back of an ambulance door as we rode in dark silence, cheeks tear stained and eyes threatening to erupt again... my 32-hour old daughter lay in an incubator inside. I was 15 feet from her but could not see her or touch her. I was desperate and helpless. All I could think was what did I do wrong? The list ran through my head at a hundred miles per hour. The second I found out I was pregnant I cut out alcohol, took plant based prenatal vitamins with nothing synthetic in them, took extra DHA from a very pure source for baby's brain health, kept away from antibacterial products with triclosan in them, did away with shampoos and conditioners with parabens and sulfates, changed to all-natural house cleaning products, used organic almond oil as body lotion and makeup remover, ate organic produce whenever possible, drank chlorophyll coupled with Vitamin C sources to boost my iron levels naturally, walked and did mild exercise to help with blood flow, stopped when I had cramps and listened to my body to not push it too hard, stayed hydrated, stayed out of the sun, exfoliated my skin regularly, listened to meditation tapes at night to relax, got sufficient amounts of protein and sought the help of a midwife to be fully engaged in my care after having a less than ideal experience with a general OBGYN (this is where I say some OB's are WONDERFUl and I give them a lot of credit - I happen to not encounter that in my first trimester). I had even bought deli turkey meat one day and then remembered I probably shouldn't have it so I gave it to a stray cat. I had tuned everyone out who thought I should be induced after going over my due date. Sticking to my guns about waiting for my child to come on her own as long as there was no medical indication to deem otherwise. I had biophysicals done every few days after my due date came and went just to be sure the placenta was still hospitable and my baby was doing well.

My beautiful daughter was born at 7 lbs 8 oz, 20.5 inches long, 18 days after the "doctors determined due date"  and more than 39 hours of excruciating, knee-weakening labor later (more on inaccurate due dates in another article). No complications seemed present at birth. The first 24 hours were a hazy bliss of happy and raw emotions. I couldn't believe I had anything to do with the creation of this precious creature. Forcing myself to close my exhausted eyes was torture because it meant I had to take them off of her. I was IN LOVE...in the best kind of way. Watching her daddy fall head over heels made my heart ache it was so sweet. We were a perfect little family about to head home to start our life together and get to know our daughter, Makayla.

...But that isn't how our first weeks of her life played out. Instead of the nurse coming to tell use we were being discharged  to snuggle with our baby in the comfort of our own home- she walked in with a box of tissues and a woman who introduced herself as a cardiologist. WHAT?! Why at 8pm on Friday night instead of being sent home was I standing there watching a cardiologist sketch out her explanation of the heart defect they just discovered our daughter had. Why was I being told that the infant transport team was already on their way to get her and that I was being asked to sign over permission for them to rush her to St Joe's Children's Pediatric Cardiac ICU for "life saving medication" to be administered. In that very moment my heart shattered into a million fragile pieces. I watched those pieces hit the floor along with my burning tears and dreams of what I thought the first few days of a parent should be like. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't stop from shaking, I couldn't think of anything other than get me to my baby and get us all in the hands of the best care possible. In that moment, I realized if I could take her place I would, if I could do anything to save her I would stop at nothing. My desire to fix any ailment and take away any pain ruled over all other thinking.

These paragraphs are emotionally taxing enough to rehash still (It has only been 10 weeks since her birth) so for now I think I will spare the details for the next 15 days of her hospital stay, living out of a hotel and holding vigil by her bedside 20-24 hours a day and give you the much briefer version. Our daughter had successful open heart surgery at 6 days old to repair a coarctation of her aorta and had a cadaver graft to widen her arch.

What is the entire point of me sharing my story? I want people to know you OWE your child every fighting chance they can possibly have with how you treat them in utero. WE can't control congenital defects but we can create the most nourishing and hospitable environment possible for your baby to thrive while she is inside you.

If you are a parent who has ever had your child sick or injured I don't have to tell you time stops until they are healed. You think about nothing else but their well-being and how to expedite the process. You are skeptical of anyone who is supposed to be treating them and you all but fall asleep standing up because you won't leave their side. You tune out phone calls, emails, text messages and simply anything that doesn't pertain directly to helping your child. And you won't make apologies for being any other way. I went right from giving birth to standing hours a day or sitting on hard chairs, not sleeping, not eating enough and just simply not recovering well. I was getting sick and rundown. While in my heart  and in my professional training I knew I had to keep up my own strength and recovery, but initially it simply took a back seat to making sure I was with my daughter. When I started to get really run down I was reminded that my daughter needed me to be strong for when she came home and if I got sick I couldn't be near her in the hospital. So I refocused on healthy eating, hydration, supplementation and a little more napping - but in the hospital room with her where we both dozed off to sounds of the rain forest or Mozart's lullaby's :).

It dawned on me that while my daughters congenital heart defect was most likely unavoidable and not a result of anything I did or didn't do; that because my pregnancy was so healthy I gave her the strongest fighting chance to recover. That awakening has made me very feisty about helping moms-to-be treat themselves and their fetus with great respect and truly doing the most we can do while pregnant to give our children the healthiest start to this life. My absolute biggest pet peeve other than obese children is pregnant women who eat like crap and gain massive amounts of weight. YOU ARE HARMING YOUR CHILD...PERIOD.

IT DOES MATTER...

WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY (food/drink/medications)
WHAT YOU PUT ON YOUR BODY
HOW ACTIVE OR INACTIVE YOU ARE
WHAT KIND OF CARE YOU RECEIVE
WHAT SUPPLEMENTS YOU DO OR DO NOT TAKE
THE AMOUNT OF REST/SLEEP YOU GET
HOW HEALTHY YOUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE
HOW CARED FOR AND SUPPORTED YOU FEEL

I urge you, moms-to-be and those who know pregnant women to learn as much as you can about what will make your (their) pregnancy most healthy for you (them). It is my hope through this blog that you will at least begin to take action and find what works well for you. You should always discuss food, fitness and supplementation with your care provider as I am NOT a doctor. I only take what I know through my nutrition schooling, 12 years in practice, being a new mom myself and feedback from other moms.  

I am thrilled to report that Makayla is home and doing wonderfully! She will have periodic check-ups with her cardiologist for the rest of her life, but will be able to be active and normal like other children. She will be our ultimate experiment in raising a child in a healthy lifestyle. She can never afford to have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, and I will see to it she understands what it all means so she can live happy and healthy. It will never be about what she can't have or can't do it will  always be about all the wonderful things she can do and the wonderful whole foods she can have! Life is about attitude, action and perspective. When all of those things move in a positive direction you live the life you desire. Health is a privilege and if you don't treat it with respect and value what you can do for yourself and your child every day, then I am sorry to hear you are missing the boat. You are not setting your child up for success in life and isn't that the basic job of EVERY parent?? Food for thought...