Mommy Goes Green

Lead is often a topic of concern in children’s toys and there are numerous recalls every year just to prove it. Lead poisoning can cause damage to the brain and kidneys.  Research has linked lead with lowered IQ in kids and high blood pressure in adults.  During pregnancy, a baby receives lead from the mother’s bones which may affect brain development.

Toys are not the only source of lead contamination.   Water, paint, dust and even candy can contain lead.  Last spring I sent a sample of our standing water to the city water bureau for lead testing.  A standing water test uses the water that has been sitting in your pipes.  

The standing water test results returned telling us that we had 2 parts per billion of lead in our drinking water. Compared to the EPA Action level of 15 parts per billion, that seemed pretty safe.  However, on further review, I found that there is NO known level of lead is considered safe.  Particularly for pregnant moms and young children – we had both in the house.

Since we had young children, the water bureau offered to perform another test of our water but this time, we did it with running water.  A running water test uses water after the faucet has been turned on for two minutes.  The results?  Non-detected!

Since then, we have been vigilant about running the water until it’s very cold and we never use warm water for the baby bottle.  We just pop the cold water in a glass bottle in the micro for a few seconds to warm it up.

To reduce your family’s exposure to lead in water, follow these tips:

• run your water for a minimum of 30 seconds up to 2 minutes until it becomes cold, if using for drinking or cooking
• ONLY use fresh, cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula
• use a water filter and make sure it reduces lead as not all filters do
• buy low-lead plumbing fixtures
• have your child’s pediatrician do a blood lead level test
• have your water tested

To have your water tested, call your local water bureau to see if they perform testing.  For residents in the Portland, Oregon Metro area, FREE testing is offered by the water bureau – take them up on it.  If your water bureau doesn’t offer testing, the National Water Council will test it for $9.97.  The NWC will test for lead along with other common contaminants.

Remember, lead doesn’t only enter our bodies through water, it can also enter through lead-based paint and contaminated dust.  Houses built before 1978 are likely to have some lead-based paint.  According to the CDC, “approximately 24 million housing units have deteriorated leaded paint and elevated levels of lead-contaminated house dust. More than 4 million of these dwellings are homes to one or more young children.”  If your house was built before 1978, make sure you stay away from any peeling paint and the phrase “don’t eat the paint chips” absolutely applies here.   If you are renovating a house built in this time period, the CDC recommends that pregnant women and children not be present.  Also, clean your children’s hands and toys frequently as they can get contaminated dust on them.  Finally, regularly wet mop floors and wet wipe all window components to remove any leaded dust.

January is National Radon Action Month, designated by the EPA, as radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer for smokers.  That’s approximately 20,000 deaths per year in the U.S. 

Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless, and colorless gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Because radon is a gas, it can enter homes through openings or cracks in the foundation. The radon gas itself decays into radioactive solids, called radon daughters. The radon daughters attach to dust particles in the air, and can be inhaled.

According to the EPA, over 8 million homes in the U.S. have dangerous levels of radon gas – could yours be one of them?   You cannot smell, taste or see radon so the EPA suggests that EVERY home regardless of age, location or type of construction be tested for radon gas. You can purchase a test inexpensively at a home improvement store or online for about $15.00.

I purchased our test in the fall and finally conducted it in early January.  It’s VERY simple, you basically hang it up in your house for 4-7 days while it collects the surrounding air particles and then mail it back in.  I got the test results within days.  The good news is that our home has a level of less than 0.3 pCi/L which is basically equivalent to the radon found in fresh air.

Purchase a radon test kit TODAY for your home and if you are planning to rent or purchase a new home, make sure you conduct a radon test as part of your inspection period.  If there IS radon, it’s not necessarily a deal breaker as there are ways to fix it.

What I love about the Seattle Mama Doc blog is that Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson is candid.    She’s (obviously from the title) both a mom and a doctor and shares personal and humorous stories while providing advice on various topics that moms are concerned with. 

Dr. Swanson says, “This blog caters to one principle I’ve learned along the way: Parents just want to do what is right. The desperate love we have for our children can shock us into good and sometimes bad decisions. I believe parents search for and sincerely desire simple answers to the How-What-Why–Who, the essence of doing right for their children. Often it’s not a simple, isolated situation, and/or one as complicated as it may feel. And, the abundance of online noise invokes fear in all of us. Over time, I hope to illuminate the reality that in pediatrics, doing less is often more. Prevention reigns. ”

While the blog is fairly new, I combed through past postings and found several topics that were totally relevant to me such as working and breastfeeding, loving number 2 just like number 1, and no Benadryl for the plane.

If you want frank advice from a doctor AND a mom, check out Seattle Mama Doc. I’ve added her to my daily reading list!

DO YOU BLOG?  Have your blog featured on Mommy Goes Green, for guidelines, read here.

This winter, parents can’t help but to be focused on keeping their kids healthy.  Mommy Goes Green had the chance to talk to Dr. Bob Sears about staying healthy this winter.  Let’s talk about some options that parents have – vaccinations, food and vitamins.

Vaccinations

MGG:  Do you recommend the standard flu vaccine or the H1N1 vaccine?

Dr. Sears:  The seasonal flu kills about 100 children each year, several hundred young adults, and thousands of elderly people. The H1N1 flu has killed about 140 children so far, over a thousand young adults, and it has spared the elderly. So these diseases do pose a healthy threat to people.  I do think the flu shots are important, but people don’t need to panic over the H1N1 – it’s really no more serious than the regular flu. 

I do have some worries about both flu shots though: 

First, infants will need 4 flu shots this year – 2 of the H1N1 and 2 of the seasonal – that’s unprecedented.  We’ve never done that before, and we have no idea how babies will react to so many doses.  I suggest parents chose one or the other (it’s really a toss-up between the two, since they have about the same level of severity).  Older kids will only need 1 dose of the regular flu shot, but 2 of the H1N1 – so that’s three doses – that’s also more than usual, and again I’d suggest parents pick one or the other.  

For families who’ve never thought the flu shots were important and haven’t been getting them year by year, then there’s no particular reason they should jump on the bandwagon and get an H1N1 shot this year. 

MGG:  Right now, parents are having a hard time finding ANY H1N1 vaccine for their child, why is finding a mercury-free version imperative?

Dr. Sears: The nasal spray version of the vaccines don’t have mercury, so that’s a good choice.  I just don’t trust mercury – it isn’t good for a developing brain.  Companies are making very few doses of the mercury-free shots, but I believe it’s a worthwhile precaution. 

As far as pregnant women go, the H1N1 has killed about 35 pregnant women.  While this is very tragic, realize that there are about 5 million pregnant women in our country every year – so the risk for each individual woman is very low.  No flu vaccines have ever been tested for safety in pregnant women.  So anyone getting the vaccine should be aware of that fact, and make every effort to find a mercury-free version if you can. 

Healthy Eating

MGG: Are there certain foods or groups of food that support our immune system?

Dr. Sears: Apples, apricots, bell peppers, blueberries, bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, chili peppers, cinnamon, eggplant, flax seeds, garlic, green peas, green tea, guava, kale, legumes, mangoes, melons, nuts, olive oil, onions, oranges, papaya, pink grapefruit, pomegranates, radishes, red grapes, snow peas, spinach, squash, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tumeric.

MGG:  Are there certain foods or groups of food that suppress our immune system?

Dr. Sears: Sugar and sweets.  Sugar lowers the immune system, and kids tend to get more than they should around Halloween, Christmas, and Easter – it’s best to spread the basket or stocking-full of treats out over a couple months instead of letting kids overdose on their hoard.  The rule in our house is “one junk a day.”  And keep the candy out of site, such as on top of the refrigerator or in a cabinet. Out of site, out of mind, and most days the kids will forget to have their treat. 

Vitamins

MGG:  Do you have a standard recommendation for vitamins that we can give our children?

Dr. Sears: I’m not a big fan of these, especially for kids that eat well.  However, for picky eaters, a natural multivitamin and mineral supplement is a nice little bit of insurance.  Avoid ones with sugar and artificial sweeteners.  If using a chewable or gummy form, give them before a meal so the food can grind the sticky stuff out of the teeth.  Or give them right before tooth-brushing time.

MGG:  Personally, I have found that I’ve been healthier since starting Vitamin D over a year ago. Is Vitamin D safe for kids and how much is recommended?

Dr. Sears:  This has become a recently recognized health concern – much of our population is deficient and don’t know it. The only way to know is to get a blood test from your doctor.  While classical deficiency is thought to be any level below 30, for optimum health the level should really be between 60 and 90.  

In order to correct a deficiency, kids need to take 1000 IU (international units) of vitamin D each day for every 25 pounds that they weigh.  So, a 25 pound two-year-old would take that much.  A 50 pound five-year-old would take 2000 IU daily.  Adults should take about 5000 IU.  About 6 months of these high doses are needed to correct a deficiency.  Your doctor can re-check your levels. Do not take these higher doses for more than 6 months without having your level rechecked.  

For those with normal vitamin D levels, the recommended daily requirement that is needed to maintain those levels is at least 400 IU daily.

About Dr. Sears:

Dr. Bob Sears, MD, is a father of three, board-certified in Pediatrics, and a co-author in the Sears Parenting Library.

Dr. Bob enjoys a very unique approach to pediatrics by providing a combination of alternative and traditional medical care. He has a passion for healthy natural living and incorporates this knowledge into a style of disease treatment and prevention that you won’t find in most doctors offices. By limiting antibiotic use, using science-based natural treatment approaches whenever possible, and focusing on good nutrition and immune system health, Dr. Bob takes preventative medicine to a whole new level. His commitment to breastfeeding success for all his patients also helps babies get a right start in life.

Dr. Bob has a particular passion for helping parents understand childhood vaccines and the options open to them in choosing the safest possible vaccine schedule for their child. As the solo author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, his in-depth knowledge of vaccines and the diseases they prevent has helped parents nationwide get a better understanding of this complex and confusing issue.

Here are some great swine flu prevention tips from Dr. Vinay Goyal.  

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps not fully highlighted in most official communications – can be practiced:

• “Hands-off-the-face” approach except to eat, bathe, etc.
• Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected person. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
• Clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
• Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C, or Vitamin C tablets that contain Zinc to boost absorption.
• Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive.

I’ve seen these tips posted in a few other places and there are often comments stating “my grandparents recommend the same thing”.  Sounds like these simple tips have been forgotten by younger generations.  I drink coffee everyday – hope that counts for warm beverages   I need to work on the gargling bit.  As for cleaning my nostrils ( a Neti pot does the same thing ) – I haven’t quite jumped on that bandwagon yet – have you?

I know vaccinations in general can be a hotly debated topic amongst parents and this season, the talk focuses specifically on flu and H1N1 vaccinations.  Every family needs to make their own decision but I will be providing relevant information as I find it.  Just the facts, no opinions.  You may not realize that there are many different flu and H1N1 vaccine manufacturers and each one has something a little different.

Today, I wanted to know exactly what vaccines had thimerosal (a mercury based preservative ) and which did not so which a little research, here it is.

H1N1 vaccines – what’s in them?

Flu vaccines – what’s in them?

Also, I’ve read on several blogs that the vaccines have squalene in them – this seems to be false as the CDC is reporting otherwise. “According to current federal plans, only unadjuvanted vaccines will be used in the United States during the 2009 flu season. This includes all of the 2009 H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccines that will be available for children and adults in both the injectable and nasal spray formulations. None of these influenza vaccines will contain adjuvants.”

Make sure you enter our Green Goodies Giveaway – over $50 worth of green goods for your home and baby!

There are several pediatricians that practice both conventional and alternative medicine but Dr. Robert Sears and Dr. Greene are two that stand out to me as the most well-known.  I came across their point of view on the subject of flu and H1N1 vaccinations and thought you might be interested as well. 

Dr. Sears is a father of three, a pediatrician and author of The Vaccine Book and a popular alternative vaccine schedule.  Check out Dr. Sears thoughts here.

Dr. Greene is a father of four, a pediatrician and professor in California.  He is also the author of Raising Baby Green and Feeding Baby Green.  Check out Dr. Greene’s thoughts here.

Our family has been drinking organic milk, exclusively, for several years and I am often asked, “why”?  Now, I have another reason to add to my arsenal – it reduces risk of allergies and eczema.  And that is very important for us since my husband has allergies and asthma. 

A Dutch study followed 2500 pregnant women and their children for 2 years after birth and found children that had organic dairy products were 36% less likely to have allergies – that is huge!  The catch is that the children were fed exclusively organic dairy – so not only organic milk, but organic yogurt, cheese, etc.

Need other reasons to switch to organic dairy?  Organic milk has 71% more Omega 3 fatty acids than conventional milk.  Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid required for healthy growth. Regular intake of Omega-3 helps reduce incidences of heart disease, inflammations (in skin diseases such as eczema), cancer, arthritis, etc. One particular type of omega-3 that is higher in organic milk is DHA, which is important for brain development.   Organic milk also has no added pesticides, hormones or antibiotics.

Hand washing has been on my mind constantly - my toddler goes to preschool, my husband travels on a plane a lot and a newborn will be joining our family soon.  I’m trying to keep myself and my family as healthy as possible but reality is that winter is coming and germs are everywhere!

That being said – I wanted to remind everyone about hand sanitizer use.  Your best option is just to wash hands with soap and water – for 20 seconds.  Personally, I sing ‘happy birthday’ 2x (under my breath, of course) to make sure I wash long enough.    I’m teaching my daughter to count to 20 while washing.

If soap and water isn’t around, hand sanitizer works but make sure it’s safe and NOT ‘anti-bacterial’!  Early this year, I posted about triclosan in hand sanitizers and remember that many popular hand sanitizers have 62% ethyl alcohol which is equal to 4 shots of vodka!   Research shows that use of anti-bacterial products is contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistant bacterias.

For a great natural alternative, try using CleanWell - I have a bottle in my car and in my purse.  It’s a mix of plant essential oils and kills 99.9% of germs including MSRA, Salmonella and Staph.  I even like the lemony smell – no alcohol.  I found CleanWell at Target but it’s also available at GNC, Whole Foods, Wegmans and many other stores.

Every couple of weeks, an article about cell phone radiation comes across my email and I read it, with some trepidation.   Awhile ago, I posted a list of ideas to reduce your exposure to cell phone radiation and I do continue to follow those but at the end of the day, it still worries me. 

The Environmental Working Group has just released research on cell phone radiation and the level at which your phone is emitting it.   Until now, I knew that Blackberry phones emitted high levels of radiation but I didn’t know my phone is in the WORST TOP 10!   Sounds like I’m going to be shopping for a new one.  Should you? 

EWG’s top 10 phones, based on low emissions:

• 1. Samsung Impression (SGH-a877) [AT&T]
• 2. Motorola RAZR V8 [CellularONE]
• 3. Samsung SGH-t229 [T-Mobile]
• 4. Samsung Rugby (SGH-a837) [AT&T]
• 5. Samsung Propel Pro (SGH-i627) [AT&T]
• 6. Samsung Gravity (SGH-t459) [CellularONE, T-Mobile]
• 7. T-Mobile Sidekick [T-Mobile]
• 8. LG Xenon (GR500) [AT&T]
• 9. Motorola Karma QA1 [AT&T]
• 10. Sanyo Katana II [Kajeet]

EWG’s list of highest radiation phones:

• 1. Motorola MOTO VU204 [Verizon Wireless]
• 2. T-Mobile myTouch 3G [T-Mobile]
• 3. Kyocera Jax S1300 [Virgin Mobile]
• 4. Blackberry Curve 8330 [Sprint, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless, MetroPCS]
• 5. Motorola W385 [U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless]
• 6. T-Mobile Shadow [T-Mobile]
• 7. Motorola C290 [Sprint, Kajeet]
• 8. Motorola i335 [Sprint]
• 9. Motorola MOTO VE240 [Cricket, MetroPCS]
• 10. Blackberry Bold 9000 [AT&T]

Search for your phone today and try to start incorporating some of these tips to reduce your exposure :

1. use a headset or speaker
2. hold the phone away from your body
3. don’t let your kiddos use a cell phone
4. text more, talk less ( ugh, I HATE texting )
5. use the phone only when it gets a strong signal