Nov
1
Milk: The Whole Truth
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Are you thirsty to learn more about dairy?
By Susan McGinnis
It’s been a staple of the American diet for ages, but lately cow’s milk has been the subject of debate and confusion, especially when it comes to serving it to kids. Should humans consume animals’ milk? Is it the only source of calcium? Are the hormones given to cows dangerous? How can they be avoided? Is organic milk worth it? KIWI examines some answers to these questions so you can decide what is right for your family.
“Udder” Support
Many doctors believe if parents have the choice of whether or not to serve their kids milk, that they should give milk as its benefits outweigh its risks. “Kids need the nutrients found in milk,” says pediatrician Alan Greene, MD, of Danville, California. “Besides calcium, it’s a number-one source of magnesium and potassium. Milk is a convenient and healthy way to get those nutrients.”
When asked about the possible health problems associated with milk, Greene says he believes most of them are linked not so much to a kid drinking milk on a daily basis, but rather to overconsumption. “The greater the consumption above the recommended amount,” he says, “the higher the risk of iron deficiency, anemia and suppressed desire for other important foods. And if this milk is whole milk, the child is getting lots of extra calories every day. Calories would need to be cut elsewhere, or the child could gain too much weight.” Greene recommends switching children to nonfat milk at age two. Read more
Oct
1
Expecting a Baby, Naturally
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A conversation with Trista Sutter
By Susan McGinnis
Remember when ABC’s Bachelorette couple Trista and Ryan Sutter tied the knot on national television? Well, two years later, they’re expecting a baby. KIWI spoke with Trista about her plans for her pregnancy and her growing family.
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Thank you! I’m in second trimester and am finally starting to feel better.
You were pretty sick for the first several months. What did you do for it?
There wasn’t much to do. I tried ginger, that didn’t work. I was told to keep eating, but I just couldn’t keep anything down, organic or not. I didn’t want to take drugs. I even tried a cd that plays music that is supposed to help. Even prenatal vitamins made me nauseous, so my doctor told me to take children’s vitamins. I’m finally getting an appetite back.
It took you nearly two years to get pregnant. How did you finally succeed?
While we were seeing a fertility specialist, OV-Watch heard about my struggles and thought their product would help. It’s a watch you wear at night. It alerts you up to four days before you ovulate so you have a better chance of getting pregnant. Read more
Sep
1
Stick With Healthy Cookware
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For smarter, safer cooking, look for nontoxic stovetop equipment.
By Jonathan Deutsch
The lure of sliding a golden-brown veggie frittata seamlessly from pan to plate is often enough to tempt parents into the world of nonstick cookware. But the chemicals used to coat many of these pans can be less than healthy for your family. Fortunately, burgeoning chefs have nontoxic options to perfectly prepare every dish.
For safer cooking practices, look for pots and pans that aren’t coated with PFCs (perfluorinated compounds), a family of chemicals that can emit dangerous fumes in the household. “When a [PFC-coated] pan is accidentally overheated, even just left on the stove for four or five minutes, it produces fumes that are toxic to animals and humans,” says Dr. Olga Naidenko, a senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group. Since it is so easy to overheat these pans, consumers should avoid PFC-coated pans whenever possible. Read more
Aug
1
Superfruit 2.0
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First came cranberries, blueberries, pomegranates and even red grapes—familiar favorites touted as nutritional powerhouses. Today, a new crop of exotic yet functional fruit hailing from as far away as Brazil and Tibet has arrived at your local supermarket. Here are KIWI’s favorite super berries, which conveniently come in beverages, snacks and supplements.
By Natalya Murakhver
ACAI (ah-sigh-ee)
Description: Dark purple berry from Brazil’s Amazon rainforest
Nutrition: High in antioxidants and essential fatty acids; anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties
Flavor: Dark chocolate meets blackberry
Products: Juice, smoothies, frozen pulp, sorbets, supplements
Brands: Bossa Nova, Sambazon, Zola Acaí Read more
Jul
1
A Dental Brushup
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By Margaret O. Kirk
Organic apples: Check. Antibiotic-free chicken: Check. Nontoxic surface cleaner: Check. Natural toothpaste: Check? Now that more and more parents are putting emphasis on organic and nontoxic items for their family, Ray G. Behm, Jr., DDS, who practices natural dentistry in Clearwater, Florida, thinks they should consider the products they use for dental care as well. Most conventional oral-hygiene products contain chemicals, artificial dyes, sweeteners or preservatives—all listed right there on the labels. “The average toothpaste from the grocery store is a toxic soup of artificial sweeteners, sodium laurel sulfate, fluoride and other chemicals,” he says. Behm recommends reading labels to avoid unnecessary chemicals.
What to look for when choosing toothpaste and mouth rinses:
Nothing artificial. That includes dyes, sweeteners and preservatives. According to Behm, “Toothpaste is heavily marketed to make people feel they must have it, but commercial toothpaste is toxic. The physical action of brushing, which stimulates the gums and removes particles from between the teeth, is what is beneficial, rather than a mouthful of sweet suds.”
Baking soda. It cleans and polishes your teeth with enough scouring action to help remove plaque, but without being so abrasive that it destroys the enamel. Additionally, baking soda helps neutralize acid from fruit juices and carbonated drinks, both of which can eat into tooth enamel. Read more
Jun
1
A Whole Latte Confusion
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What research says about caffeine during pregnancy
By Dr. Alan Greene
Two teams of researchers recently weighed in on the safety of ingesting caffeine during pregnancy, and they came to two very different conclusions.
The first study, which appeared in the January 2008 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, came from researchers at Kaiser Permanente. They tracked the caffeine intake of more than 1,000 women through early pregnancy. Those who reported drinking more than 200mg of caffeine per day were more than twice as likely to have a miscarriage as those who drank none. And those who drank smaller amounts of caffeine were about 40% more likely to miscarry than those who drank none.
On the other hand, researchers at New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine found no link at all between caffeine intake and miscarriage. The study, published in the January 2008 issue of Epidemiology, followed more than 2,400 women, most of whom were light to moderate coffee drinkers. Read more
May
1
Don’t Sweat It
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As your sweat levels rise with the mercury this spring, quell the smell with natural deodorants.
By Michelle Carlton
If recent research has you thinking twice before you swipe, try switching to natural deodorants. Many conventional antiperspirants and deodorants have ingredients linked to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and breast cancer (eek!). Although the scientific research is inconclusive, you can play it safe with natural options.
So how do you separate the good from the bad? First, avoid antiperspirants, which stop the natural process of sweating and therefore prevent your pores from releasing toxins. And be sure to read ingredient labels. Watch out for any ingredient with the word ‘aluminum’ in it—this metal has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Also steer clear of parabens (such as methylparaben, butylparaben and propylparaben), which have been found in breast cancer tumors. Other ingredients to avoid include propylene glycol, steareth, talc and triclosan.
Interestingly, bacteria on your skin, not the perspiration itself, creates that smell wafting to your nose after a brisk run. So although natural deodorants still let your body sweat, they will stop stink in its tracks.
When should your child start swiping underarm? Most experts agree that kids can start using deodorant (not antiperspirant) when puberty begins. This can be as early as age seven or eight in girls and age nine in boys, although typically it will start later. Read more
Mar
1
Become a Yoga Momma
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By Stacey Bridgeman and Meredith Young
Every pregnancy is filled with aches, pains and body discomfort. What can a mother-to-be do to ease such suffering while bonding with her forthcoming child? The answer is simple—yoga.
Yoga’s exercises can stretch the body and calm the mind. A modified form of yoga, therefore, is perfect for pre- and postnatal women. Its positions can help an expectant mom build her growing body’s flexibility, strength, endurance and balance. With their ever-expanding bellies, pregnant women often have back and posture problems. Yoga can allay these irritations, too. However, use proper breathing techniques and be careful not to strain the abdomen.
As for yoga’s impact on childbirth, poses strengthen muscles, as well as condition a woman’s body to make for an easier, more comfortable labor and a faster recovery.
Additionally, yoga fosters a mental bond between a mother and her soon-to-be yogi. Debra Flashenberg, owner of Prenatal Yoga Center in New York City, says, “The word ‘yoga’ refers to a union. Yoga classes help build that union between mother-to-be and unborn child and later between mother and infant.” Read more
