School Lunch Blues (tips for teaching your child about healthy eating at school)

(Here is a guest post from writer and fitness expert Denis Faye. I'm afraid I have one of those "weird health food kids" he describes but luckily they are common in Vermont! I agree with Denis's take on moderation-- I've seen a kid who has only eaten seasonal, organic vegetables, and whole foods gorge on chips, brownies and juice and become ill. )

If you found your way to Non-Toxic Kids, you probably already know the numbers I'm about to throw at you. According to the Center for Disease Control, 17% of children and adolescents aged 2-19 are obese. Not just a little chubby, but obese. It's a number that's tripled since 1980. Incidents of childhood type-2 diabetes and hypertension are also on the rise. The CDC gives many reasons for this, but high on the list you'll find "sugar drinks and less healthy foods on school campuses."

And we're not just talking access to vending machines. In April of 2011, a Penn State study showed that low-income girls on school lunch programs across the country gained weight faster than girls who didn't partake in school lunch. Take the time to peruse your local school's menu (usually available online). Odds are, you'll find mainstays such as macaroni & cheese, fried bits o' mystery chicken, and pizza which, thanks to the 1/8 cup of tomato paste on top, is counted as a vegetable by the federal government. To put it plainly, school lunches are making our children sick.

So what's a parent to do? The obvious fix is to ban your kid from the school lunch line without explanation. However, as James Dean, Elvis Presley, and Kevin Bacon have all taught us, categorically outlawing children from fun, yummy, or rhythmic things is about as effective as a land war in Asia, so I'd like to suggest a few other strategies.

Explain the situation. Although I don't eat meat, I will oftentimes oblige my daughter when she requests it. However, I'll only buy the stuff from high-quality, ethically raised animals. I've explained to her my reasons for doing this many times. Given she's sensitive and bright as many 7-year-olds are and she completely understands that cows shouldn't be fed a bunch of drugs so they won't get sick living in their own feces or that salmon shouldn't be made to eat other salmon. Along these lines, I explained to her that the chicken on many school lunch menus comes from battery hens who lived their entire lives in shoe box-sized cages until they were too old to produce eggs, at which point they were diced up, breaded, frozen, and sold as nuggets. Oddly enough, she lost her taste for school lunch chicken.

Lead by example. If you expect your kid to carb-up on carrots and apples and hydrate with water, you need to do the same. I can't tell you how many times I've had to bite my tongue while standing outside my daughter's classroom, discussing nutrition with a pack of Diet Pepsi or mochachino totin' mammas. Don't talk the talk if you can't walk the walk.

Have a garbage day. A constant menu of rubbish is a bad thing, but the occasional bad meal isn't going to kill your kid. Let your son or daughter have school lunches one day a week. It'll help demystify junk food and prevent your brood from being viewed as one of those weird health food kids. Furthermore, it will impress moderation upon them so that when they head off to college, all the sudden access to cafeteria food and late-night vending machines won't blow their minds and and their waistlines.

Glam up the lunch box. I recently branched out and bought my daughter a bento box-style lunchbox, complete with several different compartments. While I did it for environmental reasons and to cut back on Ziploc and aluminum waste, I was amazed to discover how my daughter embraced the thing like some kind of fashion accessory.

Give them some choices. As much as I'm an advocate of "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit," I shun that philosophy in this particular situation. You're trying to teach you children why pizza and mac and cheese are bad things. That's already a herculean task without being a jerk about it. Ask your daughter or son, "What would you like in your lunchbox?" and negotiate a middle ground if necessary. Better still, make (reasonably) healthy versions of the junk food served at school. My mac and cheese, made with whole grain pasta and real cheese, is always a hit.

But if you're going to do this, here's a trick; don't make it on the same day it's being served at school. Your kid will be more prone to notice the difference. Also, when it's chicken finger day at school, see to it that your kid busts out a homemade, super-healthy pizza. Junior will look like a rock star.

Ultimately, I'd like to see a massive shift in our nation's school nutrition programs and I commend the politicians and activists who are working hard to make that change. One day, I hope my kid's kids will have access to healthy, nutritious foods at school. But while we work towards that change, we need to look after our own. Apparently, my daughter has lead a few lunch-time lectures on the negative aspects of eating old, tired, abused egg hens. Sometimes leading by example can affect positive change or at least it can gross out a bunch of second graders in the name of social action.

image: by bookgrl on Flickr under CC

Denis Faye been a professional journalist for 20 years, writing for Surfer, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Magazine, Outside, Wired, Men's Health, Men's Journal, GQ, Surfer, and Pacific Longboarder.  Denis now writes for Beachbody.

New Book: Vegan Yum Yum

At dinner the other night with our dear friends, who are vegan, I asked for their top 5 go to recipes.  I was in a food rut (can you say pizza, pasta, Mexican, repeat?), and had made a resolution to eat more vegan meals.

I want tasty, simple, fast vegan meals.  She handed me a new book she had recently found called Vegan Yum Yum by Lauren Ulm.

Immediately, I loved the pictures, the disarming bloggy tone, and what looked like the relative ease of the recipes.  With our CSA share, we often have loads of veggies, and I am always looking for ways to use them.

This book is full of great ways to dress up and eat your veggies without loading them with cheese (which is what we do much of the time).  The soup section alone is totally worth the cost of the book.  I can whip up some vegan soup no problem, anytime now.  I like that I don't have to get my computer out while cooking too-- I do love working from actual cookbooks.  Doing so cuts down on radiation while in the kitchen, which is something I am working on.

I'll update this post with my favorite recipes as I try them.  One thing to note, though, for parents of children with nut allergies: many of the recipes in Vegan Yum Yum have cashews as a sauce thickener.  I love them myself, but my daughter is allergic to them.  So-- I'll be looking for a replacement for that. Any ideas?  What is your favorite cookbook?

California Baby Reformulation Trouble: In the Age of Social Media, Don't Make Moms Mad

My youngest daughter used to have terrible, painful eczema.  Her baby skin was racked with cracks and red blotches around her ankles, elbows, and neck.  This didn't help her colicky disposition.  In those days, she would cry for hours on end.  And I would walk around the house in my pajamas, carrying her, looking desperately out the window, barely able to shower, brush my teeth, or go to the bathroom.

I searched and searched for cream to help her.  I found a few that did:  California Baby's Calendula cream, Badger Balm, and Eucrein.

So last night while at the Green Mom's Carnival Twitter party, I heard that there had been some drama about California  Baby products.  They'd gotten themselves in some HOT water with the parent community.

What!?

I have been touting California Baby as a solid non-toxic brand for years.  It was started by a concerned mom, and is now available in Target and other mainstream places.  I'd been happy to see their success, and feel like their products were clean, safe, and trustworthy.  

I also loved that CA Baby products rated well on the Environmental Working Group's database-- scoring mostly ones for safety (a good score).

Once you have a strong green mom following, companies, don't mess it up.  

Turns out, many moms had been complaining about reactions their babies were having from CA Baby products recently, especially about the California Baby Calendula cream.  Lots of parents (in the order of 60-75) had apparently been making complaints on the California Baby Facebook page and were told there had been no reformulations of the product. 

After more complaints, CA Baby reps said that there had been small changes to the formulations.  So, they went from saying there were no changes, to yes, there were "small" changes.  Not exactly truthful.

Next, a dialogue happens about what changes, including the addition of a questionable ingredient, sodium benzoate.  Notably, this is a preservative most of us are buying brands like California Baby to avoid.   It looks like there is not a lot of information about this chemical or if it is safe.  EWG lists it as a one, of very little concern, but lists more research needs to be done.  

In response to the flood of complaints, and the denying of reformulation, then admitting to it, California Baby puts out an apology.  

And then they apparently deleted everything from their Facbook page.  Complaints, responses, and the apology.  Gone.

Wow.  Did they not realize that the majority of women in this country are social media users, and hold the purse strings?  In an era of connectivity, where trust and word of mouth (twitter, Facebook, blogs, and comments) means everything, how did they think that would play?

We are the green parents-- the ones that look for transparency.  You know, listing all the ingredients in products not because you have to, but because it is the right thing to do, and we should know what we are putting on our kids.  By the way, I think everyone should have to list the ingredients in just about everything-- for cases like this and many, many others. 

We rely on each other's advice-- what works, mom to mom.  The boots on the ground mean the most. That's why so many mom blogs are so successful!

And we don't like our voices silenced, or in this case deleted.  

So, social media and mom-management 101:  Respond kindly.  Be open and honest.  Apologize.  And mean it.  

Sound familiar? It's what we teach our kids everyday.  

This post is based on the great writing of fellow mom-sleuth bloggers who brought this whole issue to my attention.  

*The Safe Mama has an excellent post about which products are affected, and an overview of what happened.  This post is loaded with insightful comments from consumers too.

*Retro Housewife Gone Green sums it up and explains why sodium benzoate was added, and its 1 rating on EWG.  

What to use instead, if you want to switch? Or if you little one is having a reaction to the reformulation?

*Earth Mama Angel Baby products

*Badger Balm products

*Dolphin Organics Products

If you are having trouble with a California Baby product, or would like to learn more about this issue, you can visit this Facebook page.  

Some parents have had success bringing products back to Whole Foods, if a CA Baby product is causing a reaction on your little sweetie.  Please let me know if you have noticed the reformulation, or if you have any questions, and I will try to point you in the right direction.  

How to Reduce Your Radiation Exposure

(Here is a guest post I requested from author, parent and neighbor Woden Teachout. She's been researching the issue of radiation in wireless systems, from cell phones, and cordless phones.  She assembled a helpful list for how people can reduce their exposure to radiation.  In the spirit of precaution, I wanted to share it here.  I found them very helpful.  Recently, I bought the Siemen's Gigaset C385, Eco-Dect phone for our home.  This phone "only" radiates when in use, unlike the DECT phone we have now, which constantly radiates, as Woden explains below.  Thanks to Woden for sharing this tip sheet.  Please add your tips and questions in the comments, we all can benefit from learning and sharing with each other.)

I've been learning a lot more about the research on radiation exposure and put together a list of a list of what we can do to protect children at home. Every family's exposure is different and depending on what you do, you can cut your exposure by up to 95%. I'll attach the list as a document too, so you can print if you want.

Aside from microwave ovens, there are 3-4 major sources of radiation in most homes: cell phones, Wi-Fi, cordless phones and wireless baby monitors. If it sends information through the air, it is likely using microwave radiation. Here’s how to reduce your exposure:

Cell phones:

Cell phones emit radiation when they are on, but not when they are turned off. They emit most radiation when they are struggling to pick up a signal. Different cell phones have different SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) levels.

To minimize your exposure:

1) Do not allow children to use a cell phone except in an emergency.

2) Keep the cell phone as far away from your body as possible. Consider using an Air Tube headset.

3) Keep your phone turned off whenever possible.

4) Keep your phone away from your body, not in a pocket or tucked into a belt or bra or baby sling. Even one inch makes a significant difference.

5) Choose a phone with a low SAR. See the Environmental Working Group ratings online:

6) Poor reception requires the phone to work harder to communicate; this means higher radiation levels.

Cordless phones and baby monitors:

These are actually the highest sources of radiation in most homes, and studies from Sweden showed the same increased cancer risks from cordless phones as cell phones. The highest emission cordless phones are called DECT phones. These constantly emit radiation into the room, all the time, not just when the phone is in use. They emit up to 15x the radiation of cell phones. Getting rid of this technology is the single most effective way to reduce your radiation exposure.

1) Purchase a corded telephone (they do still make them, even with answering machines).

2) If you really want to keep a cordless phone, buy an ECO DECT phone from Siemens, or use the older, 2.4 Ghz models, although these may or may not constantly radiate.

3) Avoid wireless baby monitors. Used a wired intercom system.

4) If you must use a DECT phone, it should be in a room away from living and sleeping quarters. These phones should not be next to a bed or in a main living space.

Wireless Internet:

Wireless radiation levels are highest next to the router and drop off as you move away, picking up and becoming very high again in the vicinity of a laptop using wireless. The more data that is being communicated (eg. streaming video), the higher the levels will be. The simple solution is just to plug in using a network connection: this eliminates the radiation. If you must use wireless, you can buy a computer with a relatively low SAR rate.

To eliminate wireless internet:

1) Plug in to the network using a network connection cord.

2) Call Fairpoint and ask them to turn off the wireless transmitters in the modem and computer.

3) Make sure that the wireless light on the installed hardware is off.

To keep wireless internet but minimize radiation:

1) Turn off the modem/router when not in use.

2) Locate your router away from living and sleeping quarters.

3) Turn off your wireless button when you don’t need it.

4) Buy a computer with a low SAR.

See Woden's book, Capture the Flag: A Political History of American Patriotism

**I'm an Amazon affiliate, so buying something with these Amazon links sends a few pennies to Non-Toxic Kids.  Thanks for your support!**

How To Limit Your Child's Exposure To Cell Phone Radiation

(This is an issue I can't seem to get away from. We've been discussing EMF exposure from the laptops and the wireless server in our local elementary school.  I've been reminding my students to turn off their wireless if they are using Word to type a document to reduce exposure. I recently read an article in Time magazine about how the International Agency for Research on Cancer labeled cell phones as "possibly carcinogenic" which put them in the same category as DDT and gas exhaust.  Confusingly, also in that category are mundane items like pickles and coffee.  No wonder people are confused!  

Another Time blog post showcases the differing points of view and studies on this issue. Nonetheless, if you prescribe to the precautionary principle as I do, it makes sense to limit EMF exposures for children until we know more. Lloyd Burell shares some tips for how to do just that below.  My intention is not to provoke fear by publishing this post-- but to provide tips for how concerned parents can limit their child's EMF exposures. I'll have more on this topic soon, too.)

Can you hear it? Can you see it? Can you smell it? Move a little closer! No matter how close you get to your cell phone, or similar wireless device, its unlikely you’ll ever feel the Electromagnetic Field (EMF) pollution that it emits and that is all around us.

Because you can't tell that the EMFs are there, unless you have an EMF detector, you tend to forget about them. But don't be deceived, the dangers are real, particularly for our children.

People are increasingly waking up to this fact. In May of last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) cited cell phone radiation as a possible carcinogen. There are thousands of scientific studies that have revealed the hidden dangers of EMF pollution. In Denmark a study revealed that 54% of children born of mothers who were cell phone users had behavioral issues. If the children grew up to be frequent cell phone users, that percentage rose to 80%. That’s 4 out of 5 children. Interestingly brain tumors have now taken over from leukemia as the biggest cause of death amongst children. This is consistent with findings in Europe and the UK where there has been a 40% increase across the board of brain tumors over the last 20 years.

In simplistic terms EMFs are an energy wave. These waves penetrate pretty much everything, including our bodies. They have many uses. We use them to enable communicate via our cell phones and our computers. We use them to heat our food in microwaves. As we use these technologies more, so the pollution grows more. The WHO considers EMF pollution to be the most common and fastest growing environmental concern.

The fact is our kids are going to be the first generation of humans to experience EMF pollution throughout their whole lives. 75% of teenagers in the US are now using cell phones, up 45% since 2004. Here is another scientific fact: your child is at a higher risk because they absorb more EMF radiation from their cell phone than you. Their bodies have a higher water content, which makes them more conductive. They are also more vulnerable because; they have thinner skulls, their brains are still growing, and their immune systems are not fully developed.

Your kids might already be reacting to the EMFs they are being increasingly exposed to. Notice any stranger headaches or earaches when they are on their favorite (wireless) video game? Or maybe, no matter how much sleep they get they are just more tired than they used to be.

What about the effects on a child who has been exposed to EMFs and cell phone radiation all their lives? Studies show that the health effects of EMFs are cumulative. After 3 or 4 decades of exposure, the health effects could be devastating if you do not take action.

How To Limit Your Kids Exposure To Cell Phone Radiation

Clearly EMFs are here to stay. What can you do? Here are a few easy tips on how you can limit your child’s EMF exposure from their cell phone use.

1. Limit the time they spend on a cell phone

Your child’s exposure to cell phone radiation is dependent on the incidence and duration of the call. So, endeavor to restrict the duration and frequency of the time they spend on their cell phone. Give them access to a regular phone. Installing a corded phone in their bedroom is great way to get them off their cell phone. Though convenient, their cell phone should not be the primary means of staying in touch. Ideally it should only be used by your child as a last resort. Incidentally cordless phones are NOT a healthier alternative: they also emit EMF radiation.


2. Encourage them to text instead of talk

Children love to text. Texting also exposes them to EMFs but less. When they’re texting they have a much lower exposure to EMF radiation comparatively to when they have their cell phone close to their head. SMS, Tweeting and Facebook are healthier ways for them to communicate and stay in touch with their friends than talking on their cell phone.

3. Keep their mobile away from their bodies

The further away the cell phone is from your child’s body the better. Persuade your child to use the speaker phone or an air-tube type hands-free-set when calling. Bluetooth wireless devices actually emit low doses of EMF radiation which add to overall exposure and are thus not recommended. While on standby, cell phones still emit radiation. Better for them to keep their cell phone in a bag away from their body if it is switched on, or better still, get into the habit of switching it off when they are not using it.


4. Teach them to call only when they have optimum reception

The signal bars on cell phones are an indicator of signal strength. Encourage your child to use their cell phone only when all the bars are showing. Basements, underground stations, elevators etc tend to be places where cell tower coverage is poorer thereby causing your phone to emit more EMFs to maintain the signal. The best place to use a mobile phone is while outside or near a window.

Mobile devices are so in vogue these days that it’s near impossible to prevent your child from owning a cell phone. Use these 4 easy tips to help you limit your child’s exposure to EMF radiation from their cell phone. Remember, the best way to instruct your child is by example.

Lloyd Burrell was only a moderate cell phone user when he became electrically sensitive in 2002 . He nows brings awareness to this issue by writing about it on the Internet and through his own EMF protection website, to inform people of the dangers and also advise what they can do to minimize their exposure to EMFs


image:  by Tedd Santana on Flickr under CC

The Chickadees: The Froggy Hop (music review and giveaway)

My kids (4 and 6 years old) absolutely love The Chickadees!  The music is cheery, funny, and the lyrics teach environmental and science themes without being preachy or stilted.  I was sent their new album, called The Froggy Hop, and it didn't leave the CD player for weeks.  Believe me, I tried to switch it up, but my girls begged for it to stay on. 

The women of the Chikadees are on a mission to educate kids about science and the environment.   “The Froggy Hop” is aimed at entertaining and enlightening children in their first few years of school. “Science was so boring for me as a kid and it made it hard for me to focus.” Lead singer Mary Karlzen explains. “I think a lot of kids have a hard time listening and learning basic facts. So why not make it fun? Learn the life cycle of a frog – and dance to it!”

You've got to love that. As a science teacher, that is music to my ears. And the Chickadees make learning science fun, lively and totally danceable.

I found my 4 year old asking me questions about hibernation, and explaining metamorphosis. The songs have addicting and singable choruses, and will get your kids up and dancing.  The music ranges from a little country, pop, folk and a little bit of jazz.

The Froggy Hop Songs

*The Tadpole Wiggle
*The Hiking Song
*Hibernation
*Animal babies
*Nocturnal
*Reduce, Recycle and Reuse
*Goldfinches
*The Cardinal Song
*Maple Syrup Time
*Tiny Little Caterpillar
*Planet Protectors

I love that there is a song about maple sugar season, as that is so big here in Vermont.  The CD takes the listener on a tour of nature with an emphasis on life cycles, adaptation, hibernation, habitat, bird life, being active, and protecting the earth.

Before you know it, you'll hear your kids singing about adaptation as they build with legos.  It will happen naturally, as learning should.

Be warned, however, sleep deprived parents. When you wake up at 3am, wondering if you returned some email, paid a bill, or whatever you worry about late at night, these songs will start running in your mind.  I have not found a way to stop them. 

Keep in mind, though, we are raising the generation that will have to solve our most vexing environmental problems, and having more knowledge, earlier, and a sense of responsibility about caring for the earth, well, that is worth the late night auto repeats.  I'm sure of it.

Okay, readers! Leave a comment on this post and let me know why you want this CD. One winner will be picked at random by a 4 year old to win a copy of The Froggy Hop. Good luck!

Extra entries for:
*tweeting this post
*sharing it in other ways
*signing up for weekly or monthly updates from Non-Toxic Kids
*posting about this giveaway on your blog

Just let me know in the comments!

Good luck. Now do the bunny hop, or the tadpole wiggle....it's never gonna stop.

** FCC guidelines:  I did receive a review copy of this CD.  The review committee's opinion is solely our own, and is based on our experience.  

Lego: Ditch the Gender Stereotyping and Limiting "Friends" Line for Girls

Lego CEO: This is a real girl from one of your ads. She doesn't need pink and purple legos with a fashion and beauty shop to limit her imagination.

(Here is a guest post from an author and reader Carolyn Costin about the new line of Legos for girls.  I was outraged to read about this newest stereotyping toy-- in this case taking legos, good for all kids to build and use their imaginations, and focus on shallow and confining roles, shapes and colors for girls.  I agree wholeheartedly with Carolyn. That's why I signed her letter and petition here, and I urge you to join me.)

Dear LEGO:

LEGO used to stand out as an exceptional toy maker who stood apart from the other shameless and reckless manufacturers who make and market gender stereotypic toys devoid of imagination and skill building. Your "Friends" line for "girls" challenges this reputation and puts both professionals and parents on alert.

We are horrified and outraged to see how the "Friends" line for girls promotes damaging gender stereotypes and limits creativity and healthy role development.

For starters presenting slimmer, more fashion oriented LEGO people for girls falls right into the pervasive cultural messages for them to focus solely on their appearance and being thin. Your Fashion Design Workshop and Butterfly Beauty Shop also convey the message of focusing on appearance, and promotes negativity, as evidenced in your advertisements for this line, such as saying that [Butterfly Beauty Shop] is a place where girls can "get primped and pretty" and "gossip out on the bench." Are you serious?

Research and experience tell us that encouraging girls to focus on appearance and thinness contributes to their belief that external validation is more important than internal validation. That being thin and pretty is more important than who you are or what you can do. The internalization of these values leads to body dissatisfaction and to disordered eating, which may lead to full blown eating disorders.

Lego - save your reputation and remove or modify this new "Friends" line. We for sure are going to get the word out:

Don't buy the new LEGO "Friends" line. It will make you feel bad about yourself and others......with friends like that who needs enemies.


Carolyn Costin, MFT
Eating Disorder and Body Image Specialist
Founder Monte Nido Treatment Center

Author: Your Dieting Daughter, The Eating Disorder Sourcebook, 100 Questions and Answers About Eating Disorders and 8 Keys To recovery From an Eating Disorder.

Readers:


Please spread the word about this petition by sharing it on Facebook, and Tweet this:

Don't buy the new LEGO "Friends" line. It will make you feel bad about yourself and others......with friends like that who needs enemies. http://www.change.org/petitions/lego-stop-production-of-friends-line-for-girls

What do you think about this new line from Lego?