Oh Gosh!!!!!

I've been quiet I know!!

Been hectic the past few weeks ..... I quit my job, got a business (and is now trying to do both simultaneously!!!!)

Will write soon - and this time my pet subject - SMOKING

Now that I've moaned about mineral oils......

It is not only the mineral oils in products which we should look out for, there is unfortunately a few more !! Ughhh!!!

Lets start with......

TALC (the baby powder we love sooo much!!)
Although talc is a naturally occurring mineral  - it is still not ideal to use on our babies (or ourselves for that matter!!!) - studies suggest the use of talc in the genital area of girls and ladies may lead to an increased risk of ovarian cancer - ieeeee!!! If inhaled in can also cause problems in our little one's lungs!!
For a alternative (especially if you need baby to stay dry when he/she has nappy rash - use CORNSTARCH (cheaper and healthier!!)

SODIUM LAURETH / LAURYL SULFATE
Oooh - this is a difficult one.
Sodium Laureth/Lauryl Sulfate is used as a lathering agent (making nice bubbles!!).
So have a look at the ingredients in your bar of soap, liquid hand soap, bubble bath, toothpaste, and the list goes on and on!!!

It is a known skin irritant and enhances allergic response to other toxins and allergens. The chemical can react with other ingredients to form cancer-causing nitrosamines.

Again there are a lot of alternatives available - just visit any healthshop!

PARABENS
Hmmm - more than 90% of cosmetic products contain parabens. This is VERY controversial, as some argue that is does cause damage, and others say its harmless.
But yes - chemicals like this gets absorbed in our and our babies bodies, and as its not natural........ you make the choice!

But what do you think? Are we too cautious, or maybe not cautious enough!!

The lowdown on most baby-oils!!

Have you ever read the ingredient list for baby-oil? Have you ever wondered about the the word "petroleum" in petroleum jelly?

Well - baby-oils and petroleum jelly contain "mineral oil" - a by-product of the manufacturing of gasoline (that what makes your car go broooom!!).
If you start reading the ingredient of so many of the beauty products we use - you'll get a shock (but I'll save that for another post!).

The skin is the largest organ in the body (or rather "on" the body).
It absorbs whatever you put on it.
There is some research that shows that as mineral oil is absorbed in the body - it scavenges the fat-soluble vitamins (e.g. A, D, E)  in the body - and so impacts on immunity!
Mineral oil is also shown to clog pores, thus restricting the body from getting rid of toxins.

But yes, baby oil is relatively cheap - and it makes baby's skin look moisturised and glowing, but at what cost later in live??

One do get products that excludes the use of petrochemicals and parabens, but that is mostly in health shops (and Woolies here in South Africa).

But did you know you can actually make your own baby-oil for very cheap? From everyday ingredients?

1. Get yourself a nice dark glass or plastic bottle (it will help retain the colour and integrity of the oil)
2. Get a carrier (or base) oil (best one for sensitive skin is sweet almond oil, but you can also use grape seed oil, jojoba oil or avocado oil)
3. If your baby is under six months old - only use the carrier oil for massages, baths as well as cradle cap!!
4. If your baby is older that 6 months you can add a few drops of essential oil to the carrier (be careful - only a few drops! No more than 20-30 drops in a cup of carrier oil to start off with). Lavender is a great one for relaxing babies before bedtime. So too is chamomile essential oil. For uplifting a baby's spirit - use geranium oil (but rather leave it for mornings - as you don't want a happy, on the go baby at night!!
5. The shelf life of the oil is around six months - but it smell so nice you will use it on yourself long before the six months is over!
6. You can also experiment with other essential oils such as ylang-ylang or sandalwood (rather leave that for after baby is one year old).

Happy mixing!

Are pesticides worth it?????

From the time I was little, I was terrified of any kind of poison. Truly terrified!

Even now I don't allow any pesticides in my home - imagine my dad (who absolutely HATES mosquitoes) - not being able to use bug spray :).

It seems like I'm not totally out of my mind what my fears are concerned....

Recent research suggests that the incidents of birth defects are higher where pregnant moms are exposed to pesticides (e.g. moms living close to crops where pesticides are used).

Pesticide exposure is linked to a variety of cancers (breast, lymphoma, brain, lung, etc).
Research suggests that impaired immune function can be attributed to pesticide exposure.
Hyperactivity is also linked to pesticide exposure.

OK - so it seems that the use of pesticides is BAD.

But what do you do about "them"?

1. "Prevention is better than the cure" - do not attract them to your home. Keep your home clean of crumbs, carbage and standing water - as bugs are attracted to these.
2. Try and use natural pesticides as far as possible.
3. If you use pesticides - BE RESPONSIBLE (put in a safe place, use gloves, keep kids away).

Safe alternatives:
Cockroaches - use a 50% sugar and 50% baking soda mix, place it in their path and within 2 weeks you will see a reduction in numbers.
Mosquitoes - There is a variety of citronella products available (candles, spray, etc). To prevent mosquitoes from breeding in rain barrels add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the water.
Ants - pour apple cider vinegar down entrance holes to the nest. Use equal parts of sugar and baking powder. Place around ant infested area and nests.
Snails - pour beer into a saucer and place in the garden - they are attracted to the beer, and will drown when attempting to drink it (drink the rest yourself!)

Yum-Yum

I got the most delicious recipe for finger food!! And you can make it as organic as you like!!

1 cup of chicken / turkey mince
1/2 an onion - grated
2 carrots - grated
1 apple - peeled and grated

Mix all in a bowl with a little black pepper and sage (you can leave this out if prefered).

Roll into sausages and grill in the oven until done (around 10-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the sausages).

This is really yummy (my angel got her share and I PLANNED to freeze some for later - but then DH and I ate it ALL!!!).

You can use all organic ingredients if you like - making it really healthy.

To A or not to A

Bisphenol A (or BPA for short) has caused quite a stir in the mommy community.

BPA is a chemical used to produce polycarbonate plastics (thus A LOT of things your baby comes in contact with every day!).

It is suspected that this compound releases toxins when heated (e.g. when you heat or serve hot food or drinks in a plastic container containing BPA). These toxins apparently causes changes in breast and testicular tissue thus increasing the risk of cancer. Early develoment (thus babies, toddlers and young children) appears to be the period of greatest risk to its effects.

On the one side their is research indicating risks of endocrine disruptions if a person is exposed to BPA, but on the other side there is research that wants to convince us that the levels of BPA to which babies are exposed to is too low to cause a negative effect.

Is this just a ploy to get us to buy more expensive products that claim to be BPA free, or is it a real threat to our babies?

Well - I decided that I'll rather NOT take a chance - and I buy BPA free products as far as possible.
I think if we all stand together and avoid products with BPA, it might force producers to review their product lines.

Why?

I believe that my husband and I were called to provide the best for our baby girl.

In this world we are chasing wealth and riches - without considering the impact our actions will have a 100 years from now.

When my baby arrived I vowed to do my best to let her lead a healthy live.
This blog will tell the story of my efforts to create a safe and healthy world for my baby.
I hope that other parents will find some inspiration in this blog, and also share their tips!

To a healthy future for our children!!