ADHD Over-diagnosed, A New Study Says

I read this story with great interest as a teacher and parent. A new study is linking the attention problems often associated with ADHD with the age of a student.

According to the article:

"Elder found that how old a child is relative to peers in the same class also affects teacher perception of ADHD symptoms. In other words, teachers tended to perceive ADHD symptoms more in younger kids than older kids, even in the same grade. Younger children were also more likely to take stimulant medication for ADHD. The study authors suggest that children who are young for their grade may get an inappropriate diagnosis because teachers mistake their immaturity for ADHD."

The article also points the costs of a diagnosis of ADHD, both in side effects for the child and challenges for a family. I reviewed this movie last year which made me think very carefully about the over-medication of our children and the intention of the mega pharmaceutical companies. 

I hope this is read widely, and that parents, teachers and doctors can work together to limit the costly (in so many ways) mis-diagnosis of ADHD.  

image:  by mrcharly on Flickr under Creative Commons

No Farmers Market? Don't Worry, You can Still get Wholesome Produce Wherever You Live

(Here's a guest post about finding local foods.  Enjoy!)

The biggest benefit of living in a food conscious area is the over abundance of farmers markets. There, you can find a range of the most exotic foods, all home grown, organically produced, and completely wholesome and healthy. But if you don't live in an area where you have the opportunity and privilege of venturing to the local farmers market to pick up your usual produce, never fear. There are simple and affordable ways and means of finding and stocking up your fridge full of good, wholesome produce.

The easiest and most convenient way of getting a hold of those wholesome fruits and veggies is by taking a trip down to the local mom and pop grocery store. Usually, the produce you will find there will be locally grown in co-ops or even from the market owner's own backyard. This produce might look a little different than the produce you'd find at your neighborhood Ralphs, but that's because home growers don't use the same chemicals and pesticides in the production of their produce that can often alter the physical appearance of the fruits and vegetables.

You can also hit up the local ethnic market, maybe the Asian market down the street or the Mediterranean market around the corner. Most people walk passed these markets assuming there is nothing inside that they would commonly buy or use. However, these mom and pop ethnic markets are chalk full of gems. They have got the usual produce that you are used to using in your meals, for a far cheaper price, and while walking through the aisles of the produce section you might just find something new to use to spruce up your daily menu.

Try starting up your garden at home. Most of us might not have ideal locations to grown a full garden with ample sunlight at home. But veggies like peas, radishes, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, and collard greens can all be grown at home with minimal effort and even in the most shady of places. Not only will this prove to be much cheaper in the long run, the only expense is really the initial purchase of the seeds needed to grow the plants you choose to grow, but it will keep you stocked on the veggies you need daily without having to inconvenience yourself by going out and searching for the local market that has them cheaper than any other neighborhood grocery store. You'll have the sense of satisfaction when it comes to harvest time, and you'll be able to eat easier knowing exactly where your produce came from and what was used to help them grow.

Worse comes to worst, though, and none of these options work for you, you can always head to your usual grocery store and search out the organic produce section. Most chain grocery stores these days have portion of their produce aisles sectioned off for their organic produce, and this type of produce is typically much more wholesome than the conventionally grown and harvested fruits and veggies. Prices for the organic produce are comparable to that of the non-organic produce, but are free from pesticide chemicals and synthetic nutrients.

Dana Livingston is a writer for a culinary school website where you can browse schools and the latest trends in the culinary arena.

Take Hormones Out of our Ice Cream!

(Here's a guest post and green mama activism action about getting recombinant bovine growth hormone out of major ice cream brands. I am amazed several brands still contain this hormone, as most milk companies have phased it out.  Thanks to Rick for leading this campaign, and fighting for healthier food for our families.)

More and more people are finding out that recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST) is injected into cows producing some of the dairy foods we feed to our children. This drug harms cows, leads to increased antibiotic resistance in humans and may increase cancer rates. Its use has been banned in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and all 27 nations of the European Union.

Thanks to consumer demand, numerous companies don’t use the hormone, including Starbucks, Chipotle Restaurants, Ben & Jerry’s, Darigold, Tillamook and many more. Last year, Yoplait and Dannon yogurts both went completely rBGH-free in response to consumers’ wishes.

But Breyers and Dreyer’s, the two largest ice cream producers, still allow the use of rBGH.  Breyers’ brands include Good Humor, Klondike Bars and Popsicle. Dreyer’s includes Haagen Dazs, Nestle´ and Edy’s. Breyers and Haagen Dazs labels even say “All Natural!” 

Please help us take the next steps in protecting the health of our families and friends.

If you have only two minutes:

• 
  
  Please contact Breyers and Dreyer’s today and simply ask them to stop using rBGH – please include what town or city you’re from.
• 
  
  If you’ve stopped buying their product(s) or will stop because they use rBGH, let them know.

 If you have a few more minutes:

• 
  
  Tell them who you are (such as a mother, nurse, doctor, business owner, teacher, student, etc.).
• 
  
  And please forward this message through e-mail, Facebook, Twitter , MySpace and good old face-to-face conversations with family members, friends and neighbors.

To email U.S. Ice Cream, which includes Breyers, Good Humor, Klondike Bars and Popsicle, go here. If you’d rather call, the separate numbers are:

BREYERS                (800) 931-2826

GOOD HUMOR         (800) 931-2854

KLONDIKE               (800) 931-2830

POPSICLE               (800) 931-2849

To email Dreyer’s, which includes Haagen Dazs, Nestle and Edy’s, go here. For separate phone numbers:

DREYER’S             (877) 437-3937

EDY’s                    (888) 590-3397

NESTLE                 (800) 225-2270

HAAGEN DAZS      (800) 225-2270

The American Public Health Association, American Nurses Association, Health Care Without Harm, Food and Water Watch, Center for Food Safety, Family Farm Defenders, National Family Farm Coalition and Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, among many others, all have taken official positions opposing rBGH.

Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility facilitates a nationwide effort opposing rBGH and you can check out a short video, brochure and other documents here to get the facts. 

Every e-mail and phone call brings us one step closer to these companies going rBGH-free. THANK YOU!

For more information on how you can help Take Back our Ice Cream, please contact:

Rick North, Project Director, Campaign For Safe Food
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
503-968-1520hrnorth@hevanet.com

image:  

By theimpulsivebuy on Flickr 

Buy Local Eggs from Your Trusted Farmer (avoid salmonella and factory farmed eggs)

Since heading back into my classroom, and getting ready to send my two girls to school for the first time, I haven't been paying much attention to the news.  My mother finally alerted me several times to the massive egg recall and widespread illnesses that have been playing out in recent weeks.  Wondering if you have recalled eggs in your fridge?  Check this article out to find out.  

My first thought is:  here is more evidence that factory farming is bad for us, animals, and the environment. We've seen the spread of salmonella from irresponsible and inhumane farming conditions.  Ever since I was in college, ahem, several years ago, I have known about the inhumane practices in many factory egg farms.  For years, I have been buying at least cage free eggs, and some organic.

Below is an update about the recall.  It makes sense right now to not eat or feed your family any eggs that are not organic.

Now I am happy to have neighbors that are our dear friends (Tangletown Farms), and also farm ethically and humanely.  So I buy my eggs from them.  I just saw the happy chickens that lay the eggs I eat today, running around in the yard of my friend's house.  Now that is the way it should be.

If you don't have access to local humanely raised eggs from your neighbor or farmer's market, go for organic ones from the store.  That way, you know they are not fed genetically modified feed, antibiotics, and are cage free.  This article details the sometimes confusing labels on eggs, such as "cage free", "organic", and the ever ubiquitous and overused "natural."  It also gives advice for how to select the healthiest eggs possible.

According to this article CBS news, factory farmed eggs are simply bad for us, all around.  "A 2002 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who ate eggs from caged hens had about twice the odds of coming down with salmonella food poisoning compared to those who did not eat eggs from caged hens, according to an article on the society's website."

But I would think we should considering buying eggs based on more than our health (although this is what is grabbing everyone's attention these days, and rightly so), including their carbon footprint, taste (organic, local eggs taste better!), and the humane treatment of chickens.

Tired parents take home message?

*buy local eggs from a farmer you know and trust (at your local farmer's market or from a neighbor)
*if not, buy organic eggs for your family at the grocery store
*avoid eating eggs at restaurants unless you know they are organic

iamge: nickwheeleroz on Flickr

Toy R Us and Wall Street: Stop Selling PVC Toxic Toys!

Here's a Green Mama Activism action from our friends over at CHEJ. 

Despite promises to reduce toxic chemicals in toys, new testing shows that Toys “R” Us continues to sell products made out of polyvinyl chloride or PVC, the poison plastic, without adequate cautionary labeling for parents. Chemicals released during PVC’s lifecycle are linked to chronic diseases on the rise in children including asthma, learning disabilities, obesity and cancer.

Now Wall Street bankers are set to profit from the sale of this toxic asset! KKR, the private equity firm that owns Toys “R” Us, is planning to sell $800 million worth of Toys “R” Us stock. But offloading Toys “R” Us without putting an end to toxic toys will further entrench irresponsible business practices at Toys “R” Us that put children’s health at risk.

Help us hold Toys “R” Us responsible for selling toxic toys. Tell Toys “R” Us and Wall Street to stop the public sale of Toys “R” Us until the company agrees to label toxic toys and eliminates poison plastic from its toys.

Your message will be sent to executives at Toys "R" Us, KKR, Bain Capital, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Vornado Realty Trust, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank Securities, Wells Fargo Securities, Needham & Company, Mizuho Securities, BMO Capital Markets and Daiwa Capital Markets.

Send your message here!

Dear Shaw's: Bring Back Seventh Generation!

On a quick stop at our small Shaw's this week, I wandered the aisles, looking for Seventh Generation dishwasher detergent.  I can't always go to the co-op, because sometimes there are things I need for the family from a regular grocery store.  But this time, I clearly made the wrong choice. With small kids (and company on the way), I am not interested in the stopping at both stores.

There, in the cleaning aisle, full of chemical scents, the Seventh Generation dishwasher detergent is gone. A lovely Vermont company, whose products are gone from a small Vermont grocery store.  What gives?

I asked the manager, and she said that the corporate office is limiting the choices of the individual stores.  She told me they stopped selling Seventh Generation!  There is NO eco-friendly choice for dishwashing detergent in the whole store now.  I told her (politely) that I will not to come to the store anymore, and she agreed that getting rid of Vermont and green products is a problem.  She said they don't listen to the managers requests, and that they make decisions about what to sell based on the larger cities and don't consider the needs of individual stores.  But doesn't everyone need an eco-friendly option available?  And in our area, many people are making an effort to live more sustainably.

I left a comment on the Shaw's site, and will be contacting Seventh Generation shortly.  I need to visit the local farm stand and the co-op instead!   And Shaw's needs to think more locally and environmentally-- in every store.


PS- I just heard back from Shaw's corporate headquarters and they told me definitively they won't be selling Seventh Generation dishwashing detergent anymore.  So much for listening to the customer.  I'm off now to get in touch with Seventh Generation about this!  Maybe they will have better luck with Shaw's.  As for me, next time I'm heading to the co-op!

Is Eco-Friendly Clothing the Right Choice for Your Family?

(Here's a guest post from Amelia who guest blogs over at My Dog Ate My Blog.  Eco-friendly clothing is an area where I could really improve.  We do well with reuse-- but our newer clothes mostly aren't eco-friendly.  I'll be checking out these sites.  Thanks for the post!  I know I would REALLY like the dress pictured here-- maybe a bit longer. )

When my friend first told me he purchased a shirt made of bamboo, I laughed at him, joking about this unusual new addition to his wardrobe. Little did I know, however, that eco-friendly clothing such as my friend’s bamboo t-shirt are slowly but steadily transforming the clothing market. Many sustainable clothing alternatives exist, from basics made of organic cotton to bamboo or hemp attire. Not only are these clothes good for the planet, but you can find affordable -- and often fashionable -- options as well. This means that green garments can replace your old unsustainable clothes…without draining your pocketbook at the same time. 

Clothes made of eco-friendly fibers like organic cotton, hemp, or bamboo are made with few or no pesticides. If you’re looking for basics like t-shirts, blouses, stockings, or sweaters, many options are available that are made of organic cotton. Likewise, if you need new gloves, jackets, shoes, or sandals, accessories like these can be made from hemp. For those chilly winter days, jackets, vests, and pullovers made of recycled polyester are an excellent eco-friendly alternative. As you can see, there are plenty of ways to shift your fashion into eco-friendly mode. 

When it comes to natural and organic fibers, bamboo is usually praised above others due to its incredibly soft texture, often compared to that of silk. People appreciate the way bamboo clothing flows and drapes so easily over their bodies; many enjoy that it even has a sheen to it -- a natural sheen, of course! It is an especially great fiber to wear in hot weather, for it won’t stick to your body, leaving you odor-free, cooler, and overall, quite content. If you’re traveling, bamboo clothes are especially convenient since they are so lightweight. In addition to these aesthetic and practical benefits, bamboo possesses a vast array of environmentally friendly attributes. Not only does this plant grow quickly, but it requires no pesticides or herbicides and needs limited water. It is also quite hearty and tough when it comes to surviving droughts, floods, and other extreme conditions.

Eco-friendly clothes range in price, but fortunately, there definitely are basic, affordable pieces out there. For instance, a women’s bamboo tank top from GreenEarth Bamboo is $26; a men’s bamboo/organic cotton t-shirt is $23 from Organic Bamboo Clothing. Even women’s hand-dyed bamboo scarves cost $20 from Organic Bamboo Clothing, a price comparable to many non-eco-friendly scarves. Some pricier attractions do exist, such as an $85 pair of women’s bamboo wide-leg pants from GreenEarth Bamboo, or from the Territory Ahead, an organic cotton long shawl cardigan colored with eco-friendly dyes for $129. Generally, if you’re looking for more trendy clothes and accessories, be prepared to spend a bit more. However, it is clear that bamboo basics can affordably weave their way into your closet. Bamboo clothes even exist for infants and kids, so the whole family can dress in sustainable outfits.

I highly recommend that you investigate the many eco-friendly clothing options that exist today. Then, hopefully, you can discover some styles, prices, colors, or fibers that please you. Since the green market does indeed offer affordable clothes, it is worth your time and money to begin shifting at least parts of your wardrobe towards these eco-friendly alternatives. Plus, many of these sustainable clothes are made here in the United States; the popular brand American Apparel, for instance, opened a new sustainable line of styles that use only organic cotton. Below, we have compiled a short list of eco-friendly clothing companies for you to explore. Browse their websites and order online, or find their stores located across the country.

Bamboo Styles offers an extensive collection of bamboo clothes for men, women, and children -- as well as bamboo sheets and other household items. This family-owned, online store specializes in clothes made of viscose from bamboo and organic cotton. 

Juno and Jove: This company offers sustainable shopping for both men and women. If you’re looking for slightly more formal attire, with slightly higher prices, this is the place for you.

Natural High Lifestyle: Based in California, this activewear company’s sustainable clothes are made of bamboo, tencel, organic cotton, and vegetal leather. Refer to their website for a list of retail locations throughout the country that sell their brand.   

Nau: This Portland, Oregon, company makes sustainable “urban + outdoor apparel,” using natural, renewable fibers and recycled synthetic fabrics. They are devoted to sustainability, while bringing you aesthetically-pleasing clothes that you will want to wear year after year. 

The Territory Ahead: This company offers clothes suited for men and women who desire rustic, timeless attire made of organic fibers. About ten retail locations exist throughout the United States.

Sources Used

American Apparel Organics 

Earth Share

GreenEarth Bamboo

Organic Bamboo Clothing 

PRLog: Free Press Release 

Sustainablog.org

Amelia Von Wolffersdorff is a guest post blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on online schools for Guide to Online Schools.