Back to the brain stuff...

I have not gotten a bunch of comments on this brain stuff, but I think it is interesting nonetheless. So now I am going to type up a few of the suggestions for preventing neurological problems and how to improve yours and your child's health.

1. Eat organic whole and raw foods as often as you can. Find safe drinking water. Stay away from foods that are processed and have chemicals and/or pesticides. Avoid using a microwave for heating foods or bottles since it destroys the enzymes that help us digest foods (I use my microwave all the time...I have to look into this further but you can look here, here and here for some info).

2. Create a toxin free home. Use natural cleaners and air fresheners. Hardwood floors, solid wood furninture and natural fibers are safer then new carpets (off gassing formaldehyde) or furniture made from chipboard and foam (treated with PBDE's , flame retardants). Take extra care with young children around pesticides and chemicals. ---I really don't know how much of this is true, but keeping chemicals away from our kids makes sense!! Have to research a bit more though.

3. Watch what you place on or close to your children's skin. Many baby products and childrens clothes contain PBDE's which is a type of flame retardant and phtalates which are chemicals found in many plastic toys which young children may place in their mouths. Finding flame retardant free clothing which is made from (pesticide free) cotton or other natural fibers is better. Even disposable diapers can have harsh chemicals in them to keep wetness away from baby's skin. (Tushy's is a safe alternative). ---I haven't looked into any of this. Some of it does make sense, but before I go changing this much I need to research further.

4. Avoid any kind of immunizations which still contains a mercury preservative, such as Thymerosol (flu shots and tetanus booster still contain thymerolsol---this is what she says, I would check it out first if you are concerned). If you do immunize, never get the needle when the childis sick or taking antibiotics. If they have had a negative reaction previously, take it seriously! A fever, redness and irritability are all signs of an overwhelmed immune system. Refreain from using acetaminophen as an antidote for a vaccine reaction. It depletes the baby's stores of glutathione which helps to remove heavy metals. ---I have researched immunizations, and we have decided they are not right for our family right now. Possibly in the future, when my kids are older and their bodies aren't so small! But, everyone needs to do their own research to make the right decision for themselves. Please do!!

5. Boost your child's immune system naturally through healthy eating and natural supplements. Avoid using antibiotics, if possible since it could lead to problems with yeast (yup) and leaky gut syndrome. If your child does need to take antibiotics, use probiotics afterwards to restore natural intestinal flora or have the child eat yogurt which has a live culture.

Ok, well, I will let you chew on these for a bit and will post the rest of the list this afternoon or evening. I think it is just watching that you are doing the best, and making the best choices for your kids. That means being open to learning new things through research and being willing to make whatever changes we feel are necessary in our homes. Just because I have this list, doesn't mean that I am going to go out and change all this stuff. Some of it I am still researching.

I want to be able to offer my kids an optimal learning environment. I know that we are dealing with a few learning disabilities ourselves here and I want to try everything in my power to make life easier and more manageable for my kids. If it means sacrificing a few things and watching what we eat then so be it!! But, I still don't know that I am 100% on board with all these points and like I said, I am still looking into it all!!

Food for thought!