Top 5 Favorite Baby Products

I got a request to do a post about my favorite baby products.  I've done a similar post in the past but we will start fresh with a Top 5...

1) The Ergo Baby Carrier

I've said it before and I'll say it again - this is the best carrier out there.  Easy on the body, babies love it, Hawaii-based business - what's not to love?!

2) Dr Bronners Baby Mild Liquid Soap

Just check out the ingredients list (taken from their website).  Nothing even remotely questionable and its sudsy goodness will keep baby squeaky clean.  A $15 bottle might last you their entire childhood.  This soap is also great for washing bottles, nipples, baby clothes, etc!

"INGREDIENTS:
Water, Organic Coconut Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide**, Organic Olive Oil*, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
* CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS
** None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin"

3) Dr Browns Bottles

My kid was super gassy when he was an infant and these bottles did the trick.  I like the little cleaning brush that comes with them, too - works like a charm for sippy cup spouts.

4) Shaklee Multi Vitamins (Incredivites)

Shaklee is the only vitamin we would ever allow in this house.  The vitamin world is a scary place of uncontrolled, largely unregulated mass production.  Shaklee vitamins are made in their own facility, strictly tested, and manufactured at low temps to preserve bioactivity that science simply can not recreate.
I would argue for the importance of supplementing kids diets, and not just the picky eaters.  Once my kid stopped breastfeeding we started mashing Incredivites into his food.  Now he eats them with his breakfast and he begs for them throughout the day (probably thinks they are candy).  And, unlike a lot of children's vitamins (including the uber popular gummy variety), they don't contain anything that would contribute to tooth decay. 

5) Blue Sucky Ball Thing

Oh man, I love this thing.  There are fancier varieties out there but nothing comes close to the classic original.  Any and all runny noses should be approached with this tool.  It prevents raw, red noses from constant wiping.  It can remove a gallon of snot with just one squeeze. I might still be using this when they hit kindergarten.

Eating a Healthy Diet with a Variety of Grains

I came across this information yesterday and it was so darn thought provoking, I just had to share!

"Currently, there are about 150 different types of agricultural crops worldwide (out of a total of about 250,000 plant species).  In contrast, the pre-Columbian Aztec empire had 229 different types of cultivated crop plants.  Today, 12 crops provide for the diets of over 75% of the world population, with 4 crops providing over half of the food eaten worldwide (wheat, corn, rice, and soybeans).  There is much scientific evidence that this restricted diet plays an important role in the most prevalent ailments found in developed nations, such as cardiovascular disease, immune disorders, and cancer.  These diseases are not as common in undeveloped nations where diets include as many as 200 different species of plants."

Hmm...
When I read this I immediately thought "that's me!" - I would say that wheat, corn, rice and soy make up a large majority of the food I eat.  And it's not like I never have anything else in the kitchen!  Ikaika eats porridge almost everyday for breakfast and I feed him a wide variety of grains such as oats, amaranth, millet, quinoa, etc. to keep him from getting bored.  But for myself, its wheat every morning and brown rice every night.  I could argue that I "don't know how to prepare it properly" (lies! I can easily google it!) or "Mr A wouldn't eat it/like it" (which may be true, but shouldn't stop me from trying).  I need to cut the excuses and finally break free from the chicken-brown-rice-rut!  

Ten Ways to Good Health

Thrift store find of the year!!!

I saw this teacup in a sushi/karaoke bar at Waikoloa Queens Market (Sansei's) last year.  I thought it was so cute and simple yet insightful.  I wanted it SO bad!  But, as with most things at Queens Market, it was grossly overpriced and way out of  my teacup budget.
Last week I was browsing through my favorite thrift store (St James Thrift Shop on Kawaihae Road) and there was my teacup!  Just sitting there on the table with a humble 50 cent price sticker!

I love how I can now pump my brain with positive reminders first thing in the morning over a cup of hot tea.

A Reason to Wear Swim Diapers

I have learned a valuable lesson today.

There is a reason for swim diapers. After spending three days in a row at the beach, with sandy board shorts rubbing against sensitive boy parts for hours on end, today he experienced some major irritation. Poor baby spent the last two hours at the beach sitting naked in my lap and whimpering, holding his sore boto.

There was no way I could have known this - I grew up with two sisters! Tomorrow we are wearing a swim diaper.

Yo Yo Yogurt - benefits of probiotics and healthy yogurt recipe for kids

Yogurt is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with B-vitamins, calcium and magnesium. The real star of yogurt is the live active cultures, or probiotics, which regulate flora in the intestines. These beneficial bacteria help everything from digestion to the immune system. Cultured dairy products have been used for centuries as a health food throughout the world, but the familiarity and availability of yogurt makes it one of the most popular choices for kids.

Beware of heavily sugared yogurts that lack probiotics. These products have little nuritional benefit for children and are essentially desserts. I recommend using plain yogurt and customizing it with your own fruits and sweeteners. Also, always chose a whole milk variety for children under 2, they need the fat for brain and nerve development.

Yogurt blends easily with other ingredients, making it one of the most versatile foods in the fridge. Try adding half a cup to a smoothie or using plain yogurt instead of mayonnaise in tuna salad. Or try this pumpkin pie variety and sneak in some veggies!


PUMPKIN PIE YOGURT

1/2 C plain yogurt with active cultures
1/4 C canned pumpkin
1 tsp (heaping) fruit-only apricot preserves
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Mix and enjoy!



I just got this yogurt maker today - its an older model and didn't come with any instructions! Has anyone used one of these? How does this work?!

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide (bleach alternative)

My mom forwarded me an email about Hydrogen Peroxide and how to use it around the house - especially as an alternative to bleach. I love using it in my Waterpik but now I think I'm going to start using it in my hair, too. Of course, we use all Shaklee products (Basic G and Basic H) for cleaning, but it seems that the list of HP possibilities goes on and on. Can't do better for 99 cents!

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle)
and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out.
(I do it when I bathe.)

No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter.
Use it instead of mouthwash.

2. Let toothbrushes soak in peroxide to keep them free of germs.

3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs
and leave a fresh smell.

Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe,

or spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board,

pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a
50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them
(especially the toes) every night and let dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for

five to ten minutes several times a day.
My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal
with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water
and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming
your septic system like bleach or most other Disinfectants will.

8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your
50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus.
It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria.
Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.

9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a
dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth
and hold it for ten minutes several times a day.
The pain will lessen greatly.

10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair,
spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower
and comb it through.
You will not have the peroxide-burnt blonde hair like
the hair dye packages but more natural highlights if
your hair is a light brown, reddish, or dirty blonde.
It also lightens gradually, so it's not a drastic change.

11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help get

rid of boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach
to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them.
If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot.
Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water.
Repeat if necessary.

13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors.

There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this.

14. Another place it's great is in the bathroom, if someone has
been careless & has peed on the floor around the toilet &
it's begun to smell of urine.

Just put some peroxide in a spray bottle & spray.

In the blink of any eye all the smell will be gone &

the bacteria eliminated!

I could go on and on.
It is a little brown bottle no home should be without!

Book Review: How to Save Your Teeth by David Kennedy DDS

I've been reading the book How to Save Your Teeth by David Kennedy D.D.S. This book is all about toxic-free preventative dentistry and, in this house at least, its wisdom is desperately needed!

This book takes a head-on look at the cause of dental disease and illustrates a proactive approach that any one can take to prevent or treat common dental problems. The book features in depth chapters on proper cleaning techniques, different options on how to treat existing problems (including what types of fillings are best for your health), and the potential dangers of fluoride.

In light of the fact that we have no dental insurance and, even if we did, the coverage is not exactly comprehensive, I have a vested interest in keeping the teeth in this house as healthy as possible! Luckily, this book is telling me that "...for the last 20 years it has been theoretically possible to raise a child free from tooth decay." Whew!

Dr. Kennedy recommends a 3-step approach when considering a child's dental health.

1. Nutrition. Everyone knows by now to avoid sugar and brush after meals, etc. The importance of calcium is common knowledge. But this book goes one step further and points out that inadequate nutrition during the developmental years can adversely affect the jaw, leading to overcrowded teeth and narrow dental arches. There are some truly shocking photos of indigenous peoples in and out of contact with white civilization. The teeth of societies untouched by modern, processed foods are beautiful!
   
2. Proper brushing/antibacterial. Dr. Kennedy recommends that germs are removed using baking soda (or a similar antibacterial agent). He points out that until the age of 8 children are not likely to have the dexterity required to properly brush their teeth and require adult assistance using an electronic toothbrush. He goes into detail about what types of toothpastes are most beneficial and the results may surprise you!
   
3. Lastly, he illustrates the importance of applying a sealant to the permanent molars, which erupt at ages 6, 12, and 18. Sealing these teeth can prevent a majority of decay in the molars and keep kids from having to get drillings and fillings. Dr. Kennedy considers this the most crucial step in long term dental health in children.
   

   "By age 17, eighty-four percent of youth have at least one cavity. However, it is no surprise to learn that only 20% of the children have 60% of the problems. Once the tooth is filled it will need to be refilled over and over throughout adult life. Prevention is priceless. If you can raise your children past the age of 20 without significant decay they will spend far less money on their teeth over their lifetime."

There are so many options concerning dental care and what I like about this book is that it puts the power of choice back into the patient's hands. By teaching about a variety of modern practices, it enables the consumer to make an informed choice about what kind of dental care is right for them. And, best of all, it empowers parents to truly save their kids' teeth.