A tree hugger I'm not...redux

Since I've had so many new visitors lately, I've decided to repost the first blog entry I wrote, back in August. I just like to remind people of what the Green Grandma blog is all about.

Of course, the site has evolved somewhat since its inception, and the focus is not always on environmental issues, but also includes health-related posts, particularly in the realm of children's health. Sometimes I even deal with mental health issues.

But it can all be wrapped up in my mission statement of "combining old-fashioned ways with 21st century common sense..." Whether I write about the environment or health, it all comes down to common sense solutions to the problems.

With that said, here is a repost of my very first blog entry from August 20, 2009, with an update:

A while back, my cousin suggested I start blogging on environmental issues and call my site, Green Grandma. It took a few months of contemplating my purpose in this.

First of all, don't let the name fool you...I'm by no means a liberal tree-hugger. Politically, I lean more toward a moderate to conservative point of view. However, I get quite frustrated with the whole concept of one party over the other caring about the environment. I, for one, do care. As a matter of fact, I seem to care much more than many of the people I know who lean a different way.

That said, let me expound on why I'm starting this blog and why my cousin, Kelly, suggested the name "Green Grandma" for me.

In October of 2008, my precious first grandbaby was born to my youngest daughter. The lovely little Lady Laura has motivated me to be even more environmentally conscious than I'd been in the past. After all, this is the world we're leaving behind for her. I have to care.
Fortunately, my concern for the environment has spilled over to my daughters as well. As a result, Laura wears only cloth diapers. We will never add a disposable diaper to a landfill because it goes against everything in us.

Ewww. Many of you are cringing right now. Why? Because a parent/grandparent/aunt/uncle/babysitter might get their hands a little dirty? Oh please. Rinsing out a cloth diaper in the toilet is not all that difficult. Messy? Sometimes. But doable. And well worth it. Every time I hang diapers on the line to dry, I remind myself that I am investing in Laura's future. Maybe I don't have much money to put aside for her. But I can invest in this planet she'll inherit.

There are a lot of naysayers when it comes to using cloth diapers. People will protest and even try to use environmental excuses.

"Washing diapers uses too much water."

Well, I hate to burst that bubble, but in actuality, it takes far more water to manufacture disposables than it does to wash cloth diapers throughout the two years or so a child wears them. Plus, according to the law, it is illegal to put human waste in the landfills. Guess what that means, folks? That means disposables should technically be washed out before being thrown away! You may as well just use cloth...especially if you consider yourself a law-abiding citizen.

Let me say that I'm proud of my daughter, Jessica. She could take the easy way out. Despite her desire to be a fulltime SAHM (Stay at Home Mom), her need for benefits makes that impossible for her right now. So every morning she's up early nursing and caring for her baby and getting herself ready for work. Some mornings she drives Laura to my home so I can watch her and other mornings she hands over her parenting duties to her husband. Work is stressful and the days are long. Jess spends lunch hours standing in the Ladies' Room pumping bottles. Evenings are spent doing normal mommy things, plus washing, drying and folding diapers. It would be much more convenient to pop open some formula and slap on some disposable diapers. But who ever said life as a parent was supposed to be convenient? Like I said, I'm proud of my daughter, Jessica. In today's world of celebrities, bigger-than-life politicians and super heroes, she is my hero.  UPDATE:  Jess was able to leave her job earlier this month and, for now, fulfill her heart's desire, and be a SAHM.

Yeah, you can call me Green Grandma....it's a title I'm honored to wear.

Keeping it green,

Hana

Breastfeeding and cloth diapering times two!

I would first like to extend my thanks to Hana for allowing me to be a guest blogger tonight. Secondly I would like to introduce myself. My name is Danielle Gregory, and I am a SAHM (stay at home mom) with twin boys, Joshua and James, who will celebrate their first birthday tomorrow!

When Hana asked me to be a guest for her blog I was both excited and a little nervous, and I thought, “These are the same two feelings I had when I found out I was expecting twins!” Great excitement, because I have always loved children, and was looking forward to having my own; but with that feeling also came a nervous, almost fearful, feeling. “Am I ready for THIS?” Thoughts raced through my head, “will my body ever be the same?” (I came to find the answer is no, BUT they were well worth it!) “How are we ever going to afford these guys? Will I be able to nurse TWINS exclusively?” It was a lot to think about, especially those last few months of my pregnancy as I laid on bed rest! I had the opportunity during that time to think through my convictions, and to educate myself about nursing, diapering, and being a mom in general.

I had decided early on that I was going to breastfeed no matter what, but some people discouraged me saying that it would be too hard on me, and that I would never be able to do it. I was a little put off by the discouraging comments, but I decided to take on this challenge. I knew it was the BEST thing I could do for my babies, even if it was just for a few months. Breastfeeding was something that made so much sense to me for sooo many reasons. First of all, (and most importantly) breast milk is the best thing you can give your child; even the formula companies tell you that! There is no question about it, “The Breast is Best,” that’s how God designed it. He designed the woman’s body to carry a baby (or in my case two), and then produce the milk for him/her (or them). You don’t have to do anything, it just happens! And it is supply and demand, so the more you nurse the more milk you make, this is how I am able to nurse two babies. It is an amazing thing. I have to eat well to keep my body nourished, which is why I also take a nutritional product called Reliv (which I used as a prenatal as well). And just think, “No bottle prep!”

After having the babies, I had many looong nights trying to learn how to nurse properly as a first time mom, and the babies were learning as well. I had read all of this wonderful information about breastfeeding, but it was still SO HARD! I wanted to give up many times, but I would lay back in bed and say, “It will get easier,” and guess what? IT DID!! After two (tiring) months of nursing them separately, with the guidance of a lactation consultant, and a double Boppy pillow, I started nursing them at the same time. It made everything so much easier! Yes, it CAN be done. I had a great sense of accomplishment being able to nurse my babies, and provide for them the best nourishment I could. They will be one year old tomorrow and I have been exclusively nursing them this whole year! We started them on organic baby food at six months, and now they eat mostly what we have for dinner, as well as me nursing them.

I did some research, and according to Kathleen Huggins, registered nurse and lactation consultant, “the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) came out with a strong statement encouraging breastfeeding for at least the first year of life — and beyond.” (http://www.babycenter.com/404_i-still-breastfeed-my-18-month-old-son-my-mom-thinks-this-is_8879.bc )-11/14/09

She goes on to say:

What benefits are there to continued nursing after the first birthday? In December 1997 the AAP reported that at 12 months, a baby's immune system is about 60 percent developed. Breast milk, which even after a year is still loaded with protective antibodies, is a nutritious, healthy snack for toddlers— especially if she's a picky eater. (reference same as above)

Also, the WHO (World Health Organization) states that:

“Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.” (http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/ )-11/14/09

As I read these recommendations I knew that nursing was not only what I wanted to do, but needed to do. You might be thinking -TWO YEARS, that is a really LONG TIME! Yes it does seem to be, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s not, and breastfeeding does so much good for your child. There is a TON of information about the benefits breastfeeding beyond a year, just Google it and check it out, you might just change your mind on two years being crazy.

Another reason I chose to nurse was money, or lack thereof. I was having two babies, and baby stuff is not cheap! Especially formula! I can only imagine how much money we would have thrown down the drain had we decide to use formula. It is something I won’t even think about!

Speaking of costs; my husband and I were also looking to cut back on the enormous expense of diapers. Holy cow are they expensive! And with us, we multiply everything by two. We started off using disposables because my babies were very little when they were born, and no cloth diaper that we had fit them yet! So for the first two months we used disposables, and I did not like it much. Every time I would throw one away I would think, “This will be another thing thrown in the ground that will always be there!” I did not even think about, or even know much about all of the awful things that were in them that my children were being exposed to! So despite the initial cost of purchasing them, we started using cloth diapers around three months, and the money we saved on not buying disposables far exceeded the cost of cloth. Granted, cloth diapers aren’t as easy, but there so much better for their little bottoms! Do we still use a disposable every once and a while? Yes. There are some times I am busy (a mom of twins, can you imagine!), and I run out of cloth diapers because we didn’t purchase enough for both babies, unless I do laundry ALL the time. With that said, the babies wear cloth about 85%of the time, and my goal is to make the next size cloth diapers we buy the last diapers we buy period. Hana has written a lot about diapers that really convicted me about how much better cloth are, and I am happy that I can do the best that I can for my babies little bottoms AND the environment.

I am just a stay at home mom, with two kids, how much can I do? A LOT! Being able to stay at home and nurture them, breastfeed them, and use cloth diapers are three things that I take pride in. Not only am I able to be at home and raise my own children, but I am giving them the best nutrition, and using cloth diapers to save their bums from chemicals I wouldn’t use myself! Is it the easiest? No way! Do I struggle? Absolutely! But, is it the best thing for my children? No question! And that is why I do what I do. Now that I am a mom, it is my job to take care of my kids the best way I know how, and breastfeeding and cloth diapering are a few ways that I am doing that.

Thank you for letting me share a little of my heart,

Danielle Gregory

The scary truth about formula

WARNING:  those of you who have opted to feed your baby's formula are not going to like this post.

However, if you're pregnant and 'on the fence' on whether or not to breast feed or formula-feed your infant, this is a must read.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has released some disturbing findings after testing various brands of powdered formula. Fifteen unidentified brands were found to have been contaminated with perchlorate -- a rocket fuel component.

These findings were published in the March 2009 edition of the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. Their studies also revealed that perchlorate is "a potent thyroid toxin that may interfere with fetal and infant brain development." Oh, wait a second, while I heat up a bottle for my grandbaby....

Used in the defense and pyrotehnics industries, perchlorates have been used by the military since the beginning of the 20th century. They are actually salts derived from perchloric acid and are a component of solid rocket fuel. Yummy.

Danger!

When ingested, perchlorate blocks the thyroid gland from taking up iodine, which translates into poor energy regulation. Iodine deficiency can lead to lesser amounts of thyroid hormone in your blood, ultimately resulting in hypothyroidism.

The FDA is aware of this danger, and rather than banning the use of perchlorate, it simply requires formula to be supplemented with iodine to make up for this deficiency. However, thyroid damage in infants continues to occur due to the iodine deficiency that is a direct result of being fed perchlorate-laced formula.

Aside from not boasting the same nutritional advantages as breast milk (i.e. at least 400 nutrients in breast milk not found in formula), infant formula is simply not a safe option. As I mentioned before in an earlier post, the liquid formula generally is contaminated with BPA which leaches from the plastic lining of the can. And now I'm telling you to stay away from the powdered formula as well. What's a mother to do?

Oy! Soy!

Well, first of all, don't turn to Soy! According to countless studies, soy formula, without a doubt, will do harm your child, sometimes serious harm. This is one of the worst things you can feed your baby due to the high concentrations of manganese in soybean-based formula, which can lead not only to behavior problems in adolescents, but in brain damage in babies as well. There can be as much as 200 times more manganese in formula than in breast milk, thus it is a real danger to the immature metabolic system of infants under six months of age.

Additionally, a baby drinking soy formula on a regular basis is ingesting the equivalent of five birth control pills' worth of estrogen daily! The isoflavone levels of these infants were up to 22,000 times higher than of infants who were breastfed or fed non-soy formula.

Just a spoonful of sugar

Most logical parents wouldn't dream of giving their babies soda...although I have occasionally watched in horror as mommas have poured some of their sugared, or worse yet, diet sodas into their baby's bottles when at a restaurant, park or mall. Oh how my tongue has throbbed as I bit it repeatedly!

Most infant formulas are packed with high fructose corn syrup -- as much as, and sometimes more than a can of soda. Seriously.

So we're back to the question:

What's a mother to do?

Let's face it, there are cases in which a mother cannot breast feed, although I believe many of these mothers don't give it a fair shot. I've heard the excuses: "I wasn't producing enough milk." Nonsense. God created mothers to nurse their young. All mothers have enough milk -- sometimes you just have to give it time. As the baby nurses, more milk is produced. Basis biology.

I've also heard complaints of how much it hurts. Well, to be honest, it does hurt a bit in the beginning. But it's nothing compared to labor...or getting stitches after an episiodomy! Besides, most of the time, the pain arises from improper positioning of the baby. A trained lactation consultant can help resolve this issue. Besides, as all mothers know, trying to do what's best for our children involves pain....for many, many years!

But there are still cases, however rare, where a mother cannot nurse her baby...not to mention all of your wonderful adoptive and foster mothers out there. What are your options?

The safest option is to make your own infant formula. Time consuming? You bet. Better for your baby? Unquestionably.

There are many recipes for homemade formula on the Internet. Google it and see what you come up with. You can also discuss this with your doctor (unless your pediatrician is anti-homopathic solutions). If anyone has a tried and true recipe and would like to post it in the comments, I'll be sure to make it available to my readers.

As life gets more and more convenient, it also gets more and more hazardous to our health. Maybe our ancestors were luckier than they knew and maybe it's time for us to get back to the basics. Old-fashioned ways. Twenty-first century common sense. As long as you keep coming back for more, that's what the Green Grandma is going to deliver.

Keeping it healthy,

Hana

How green is my valley?

I did an Internet search for the greenest country and the first site that came up listed Finland, the land of my father’s people, came up as number one in 2007! I was thrilled…knowing it couldn’t possibly be the U.S. with all our self-indulgent wastefulness.

According to the 2007 Reader’s Digest report, Finland ranked at the top of the list as the greenest and most livable country. Go Finland! The study rates the nations on the quality of drinking water, greenhouse gas emissions, quality of education and income level of the residents. Finland won this prestigious title based on its air and water quality, protection of its citizens from water pollution and natural disasters, and, what I found most interesting, the low incidence of infant disease.

I decided to pursue the reasons why Finland had a low incidence of infant disease but wasn’t able to locate a single study that confirmed this statistic. But I did stumble upon something of interest that is encouraging to all you nursing moms out there. Did you know that breastfeeding an infant for more than two months significantly reduces the risk of your child developing celiac disease? Children who are breastfed for two months or less, or not at all, have a 63% greater risk of developing this immunological disease than children who are nursed longer. As a matter of fact, studies show that children who are introduced to gluten-containing foods while they are still breastfeeding have a much lower chance of developing permanent gluten sensitivity enteropathy. Yet one more indication that breast is best!

In 2009, Costa Rica won the honor of being not only the greenest country, but the happiest one as well, according to the New Economics Foundation’s HPI (Happy Planet Index). Measuring how long and happy a life citizens of a country enjoy, along with the amount of natural resources a nation uses, the HPI looks for three things when determining countries’ ranking:

• High life satisfaction
• High life expectancy
• “One planet living”

Of everyone in the world, it’s the Costa Ricans who claim the highest level of satisfaction with their lives. They have slightly longer life spans than Americans and, according to the NEF “have an ecological footprint that is less than a quarter the size.”

Conclusion: It is possible to live a better and happier life by living a greener life. Hmmm.

In 2008, Yale University did a study rating countries according to their EPI (environmental performance index) and found, based on conservation practices, water purity, and carbon and sulfur emissions, that Switzerland took home the honors, with Sweden, Norway, Finland and Costa Rica filling out the next four slots. In the 2007 Reader’s Digest study I mentioned at the beginning of this posting, Finland’s number one spot was followed by Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Austria and Switzerland. The Scandinavian countries (which Finland and Iceland are sometimes included in) consistently show up high in these studies, while the United States and Great Britain are nowhere to be seen in the top rankings. C’mon folks, we’re smarter than this. When are we going to stop focusing on being the wealthiest, or most athletic, or whatever else we compete for, and set our goals higher? It would truly be a victory for the planet if the U.S. eventually made the top of the list for greenest countries! Well, a grandma can dream…

Giving credit where credit is due, Portland, Oregon was bestowed the honor of being the greenest city in America in 2008 because half of the city’s power comes from renewable sources, thirty-five of its buildings are certified by the U.S. Green Building Council and one-quarter of the workforce gets to work by bicycle, carpool or public transit. The ranking is based on five factors:

• Electricity
• Transportation
• Green living (which counts the number of buildings U.S. Green Building Council certified, looks at how much land is devoted to green space, as in public parks and nature preserves)
• Recycling
• Green perspective

According to these criteria, San Francisco, California came in second; followed by Boston, Massachusetts; Oakland, California; Eugene, Oregon; and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

If you live in any of these cities, applaud your local governments. It’s time all cities start following suit.

Keeping it green,

Hana