TGIF! Have an awesome weekend everyone!

I am writing this in a hurry so I can get out the door and go to the city to look for places to live. We are checking out an apartment complex today…yeah I broke down and decided to go check one out even though I was dead set on a house or townhouse. I have never lived in an apartment before so I am kinda intrigued by them but I know for kids it may be tough…aka no yard. We shall see.

My son’s speech therapy went MUCH better yesterday. I basically took control of the situation, LOL. Right from the get-go I put him on my lap and did the puzzles with him. He ignored the therapist when she would say… “This is a cow.” She expected him to repeat the word to her but he had no idea what she wanted him to do. So I would then jump in and ask…”What is that?” And he would say “Cow”.  Sometimes he would still not say it so I would say “That is a cat” and deliberately get it wrong and he would immediately correct me and say “No, that is a cow”.

We played that game for 20 minutes and the therapist still never quite caught on to the fact that he won’t respond if you don’t ask or engage him in some way. For getting him to talk on his own the situation needs to be more social. He did speak a few sentences to other kids in the gym room.  The therapist was just happy to write down new words she heard him say when I was the one who did the work to get him to talk. Oh well.

When he started to break down again and get frustrated, after 55 minutes mind you, I decided to call it quits and the therapist agreed that we should. He tried to bite me again, three times, but I was hip to him this time and managed to get away unscathed.

Weekend plans include going to the zoo hopefully and breaking in our annual passes. And perhaps just driving around looking at various homes for rent. I would love to go back to Innniswood and take pictures of the tulips that are most likely in full bloom now. My main goal is just to enjoy the weekend and pray for sunny days. I need some sunlight and warmth.

Interesting links this week:

A great article by Healthy Child, Healthy World about taking your shoes off before you enter the home. It has lots of great info about why this is a good idea and healthier for us. We have a plastic tub that sits inside our door for this reason. That way we don’t have to worry about mud getting tracked across the whole house and we don’t need to worry about pollutants getting tracked everywhere either! We use a plastic tub because we have wet shoes often and our old cardboard box got wet through once and made a nasty mark on the hardwood floors.

I came across this article called Fourteen Studies last week, and it addresses the argument from vaccine pushers that 14 studies have been done that show no link between vaccines and autism. They use these studies as their “slam dunk” when they dismiss concerned parents.

This well researched article refutes those studies convincingly. It highlights little flaws such as the fact that of the 11 major vaccines given to children only one, the MMR, has been studied in relationship to autism. What about the other ten???? Also there are NO studies that compare vaccinated children to unvaccinated children…NONE. It is a great site.

Last, check out this video the kids and I did for earth day. Fun!

By now you probably know that most non-stick pots and pans are not a good idea. PTFEs are found in these products and they degrade at temperatures above 500 degrees. This means that when we use these pots and pans at high temps they off gas, releasing harmful chemicals into the air and into our food. These pans are also manufactured with PFOAs which are supposedly not unhealthy for us but they ARE unhealthy for the environment. In fact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to eliminate all PFOAs in products by 2015.

Well, I don’t know about you but I don’t spend a bunch of money on organic, healthy foods just to contaminate them by cooking them in traditional non-stick pots and pans. I don’t really cook all that much anymore but I have avoided the convenience of non-stick cookware for years because of these issues. It was stainless steel all the way for me.

BUT a lot has changed though with the release of some new greener and cleaner cookware lines including a line by GreenPan. All feature hard anodized aluminum exteriors for heat conduction and durability and Thermolon nonstick interiors for excellent food release without fatty oils. The non-stick surface that works just as well as Teflon but without the safety issues. The food flakes right off after cooking, making clean up time a snap. And thanks to its high heat resistance, this set goes easily from the stovetop to the oven to the table for cooking and serving versatility. These pans have no PTFEs and are not manufactured using PFOAs.

I got to test their line recently so I whipped up some free range, local, scrambled eggs. I did not use any oil or grease I just threw them in the pan and turned up the heat. Nothing stuck to the pan at all except where the stainless steel handle joints are. But that flaked off pretty easy. Sunny side up eggs slid right out of the small skillet with ease.

The GreenPan line is also a very nice looking set of pots and pans. Very sophisticated and classy. So if you are looking for “safe” non-stick pots and pans check these out.

Available at Amazon.

When it comes to treating kids infections and maintaining their health the most natural way possible, herbs for kids are definitely the way to go. Personally I like to use whole foods as their medicine but they do get ill from time to time and they certainly do get cuts and scrapes as all kids do.

With that being said, here are herbs that your children can benefit from at an affordable cost and without the adverse side effects associated with synthetic formulations. 

Peppermint - Used as a tea for many generations, peppermint relieves stomach pains and bloating caused by gas and colic.  To prepare a cup of peppermint tea, pour hot water into two teaspoons of dried leaves of the peppermint plant; cover the mixture for about 10 minutes, strain, and then drink.  Also, let the child inhale the steam prior to drinking, which ought to calm the senses.

Peppermint is also good for headaches due to its relaxing effects and asthma for its menthol properties.  It is even a proven cure for allergies! 

Echinacea – When choosing Echinacea, opt for the purpurea and pallida varieties, as these have been proven effective.  These herbs are effective in boosting the immune system especially in fighting off respiratory infections in children, which is thought to be by virtue of its ability to activate white blood cells. 

Herbal formulations in the form of tincture-alcohol mix are available.  Always follow manufacturers dosage recommendations as strengths will vary. 

Chamomile – This is an herb that has many uses and come in many forms, which makes it one of the safest and most accessible herbs for kids.  Taken orally, it can relieve symptoms of flatulence and diarrhea, lessen stomach aches and colic, prevent travel sickness, treat common colds and coughs, and even enhance appetite. 

When used topically, chamomile is likewise beneficial in the reduction of skin inflammations as well as those found in the mouth and throat.  It can also be used to treat minor burns and wounds, which makes it a good addition to the herbal medicine kit for children in the house. 

A word of advice on the use of chamomile: Never use two formulations topical and oral at the same time as overdoses can occur. 

Garlic - Children might negatively react to garlic especially with its strong odor and aftertaste.  However, garlic has strong antiviral and antibacterial properties that can be used to treat ear infections.  And with ear infections common in growing children, garlic can be one of your best allies. 

To use as ear infections treatment, opt for garlic capsules.  Either dissolve the capsules in soup for tasty medication or swallow as is.  However, always follow dosage instructions as strength will also vary according to age. 

In all these herbs, always make sure that the formulations are always followed.  Though the side effects associated with herbs are generally minimal, of at all, when it comes to the safety of your children, it is always best to err on the side of caution. Consulting with a naturopathic doctor or a master herbalist for more concrete solutions is always a good idea.

Also make sure to check out my post on making a Natural First Aid Kit and for more general knowledge of herbs check this fun herbal board game, Wildcraft.

Make sure to stop by the Whole Foods Podcast for a great session on seasonal allergies and ways to relieve symptoms. It is an interview with Dr. Sarah Bedell Cook, who is a naturopathic doctor, mother, and teacher at the Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver, CO.

She tells us what herb she recommends the most for allergies sufferers and she also other interesting info to share. People with allergies should check it out.