Love Rings

It is Valentine's Day and I hope my beau has bought me one of these lovely handmade porcelain rings by Anne Black. The rings are available in three different silk screen printed designs "love", "x x x x" for kisses and "kys" which is kiss in Danish. They are available in either red print or black print. Anne is a ceramicist and designer in Denmark. Today all concept and design development is made from her workshop in Copenhagen.

What is in your skin care products: Mineral Oil

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Most of the ingredients you use on your skin are absorbed into your body. What do you know about what is in your skin care products and their effect on your health?


For the next few weeks I thought I would give you a little information about some of the chemicals you may see when you read the label on the side of your personal care products. My aim is to enable you to make an informed choice about the products you use on yourself and your baby. 


Many products that were given to me by the hospital in my free baby bonus gift bag contain these chemicals. Clever marketing by big brand companies who have worked to create a direct link in your mind between their product and the safe nurturing environment of a hospital. After spending some time reading the product labels on these items, I left most of the "gifts" from my bag in the hospital room declining their offer to place these chemicals on my one day old babies skin.


The good news is that it is now quite easy to avoid the following list, if you choose to.


1. Mineral Oil (Petrolatum, Vaseline, Paraffin)
2. Methyl / Propyl / Butyl / Ethyl Paraben
3. Imidazolidinyl Urea and Diazolidinyl Urea
4. Propylene Glycol
5. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Laureth Sulphate
6. Synthetic Colours
7. Synthetic Fragrances

MINERAL OIL (Petrolatum, Vaseline, Paraffin)

It is found in many skin care products from baby oil which can be 100% Mineral Oil, to lipsticks and lip balms. Mineral oil is a clear, liquid oil with no scent and it will not spoil. It is produced as a byproduct of the distillation of petrol from crude oil. Mineral oil is the leftover liquid, and because it is abundant, it is very cheap. 


The World Health Organisation has classified Mineral Oil as a carcinogen to humans. Many mineral oils have been shown to be contaminated with cancer causing PAH's (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons).  It is often impossible to know the source of the mineral oils used in a product and therefore it is impossible to assess the risk of products containing 'mineral oil'.


Mineral Oil forms a barrier on the skin and is said to interfere with the skin's ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne, eczema and other skin disorders. Petrolatum is a mineral oil jelly. It can interfere with the body's own natural moisturising mechanism, leading to dry skin and chapping. You could be using a product that creates the very conditions it claims to alleviate. 

It is not difficult to take precautionary measures to avoid mineral oils in products. Look for products that contain cold-pressed natural oils instead such as Jojoba or Sweet Almond Oil, particularly for use on the sensitive skin of babies.

Spelt Flour Crackers

With Jack only having two safe grains to eat, so far, I am pretty restricted on what I can buy from the supermarket. I did a bit of research today and found this extremely simple yet delicious recipe for Spelt Flour Crackers. The whole family tried them with hummus and cheese on the back deck in the warm sun this afternoon. They received a big thumbs up by all. I think next time I will try putting some finely chopped rosemary into the dough.


1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups white spelt flour, plus more for flouring surface
Course sea salt or fennel seeds or caraway seeds


1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Dissolve the salt in the cold water. Stir in the spelt flour until combined. Knead the dough a few turns until a ball forms.
2. Flour the back of  a 12 by 17 inch biscuit tray and roll out the dough on top of it, using as much flour as needed to prevent sticking, until the dough covers the whole tray from edge to edge.
3. Using a spray bottle filled with water, spray the dough to give it a glossy finish.
4. Prick the dough all over with a fork. If you choose, sprinkle with salt or one of the seeds.
5. For neat crackers, score the dough into grids.
6. Bake until the dough is crisp and golden and snaps apart, 15 to 25 minutes. Start checking it after 10 minutes.
7. Break into pieces and serve with hummus or cheese.


Adapted from a recipe by Heidi Julavits published in the New York Times Magazine

A Reprieve

With the relative certainty on foods that Jack is reacting to I made a decision two weeks ago to remove his trigger foods from my diet. I knew rice, soy and oats were passing through my breast milk to him as he always vomited after he breastfed when I ate them. I had not noticed a direct correlation on the other foods though  so I did not cut them out. With a nasal gastric tube looming for him due to his poor nutrition and constant diarrhea I decided to pull out all stops and cut all his trigger foods from my diet and see what happened.

Gees...it has been hard for me to do. Now I am not eating rice, oats, soy, wheat, rye, corn, tomato, citrus fruits or nuts. Are there any grains left I hear you ask. Yes, thank goodness, I am still eating spelt flour and buckwheat. There is not much prepared food in the world that does not have one of these ingredients in it. I am pretty much on a meat and salad and vegetable diet. This week I got adventurous at the local health food shop and tried mung bean pasta, and a potato bread. Both turned out to be surprisingly good.

The exciting news for Jack is... it has been a HUGE success. He has gone from waking up constantly through the night with tummy aches and hunger, to waking up at 11pm, 3am and 5am. Ohhh sleep...I love you and have missed you!  His diarrhea has stopped. He has started to want to eat foods. This week he willingly took a mouthful of natural yoghurt off a spoon. A milestone that caused me to ring everyone I knew cheering about his progress. Jack has been reacting to the foods in my diet.

We saw the Immunologist and Nutricianist again on Thursday and they have given us a reprieve on the nasal gastric tube when they heard our news. Jack gets 2 more weeks to start eating more food and put on weight. We are very hopeful.

Products I Adore - Ziggy Floor Mat

This Ziggy Floor Mat found at French Bull would look perfect in our house. A rainbow of colour to brighten our day.

Toxic Plastic

Plastic, plastic everywhere. It has permeated ever aspect of our lives. It is in our children's toys, cars, drinking straws, toothbrushes, the computer I write this on. How can we recognise the different types of plastic and those which may be harmful for our health? 


Learn the Recycling Codes
Start by learning the recycling codes and look for the little symbol printed on items. Remember that the number codes 3, 6 and 7 could pose a risk to your health.


Make a Choice to Avoid;
Number 3: PVC - a carcinogen and endocrine disruptor
Number 6: Polystyrene - a carcinogen
Number 7: Polycarbonate - an endocrine disruptor

Number 1: PET Plastic (polyethylene terephthalate)

This is the most common plastic used for bottled drinks. Some of the places you will find this plastic in your home is bottled water, and softdrinks, mouthwash, peanut butter and vegemite jars, vegetable oil bottles. When used as a single use and then placed into your recycling bin it poses a low risk to your health from leaching toxins into the substance they hold.

Number 2: HDPE Plastic (high density polyethylene) 

HDPE is a versatile plastic with many uses, especially for packaging. You find this plastic in milk bottles, juice bottles, bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles, shampoo and conditioner bottles, margarine and yogurt containers, garbage bags. Like plastic 1, it poses a low risk to your health from leaching toxins into the substance they hold.

Number 3: V (Vinyl) or PVC 

PVC is tough and weathers well.  It can be found in window cleaner and detergent bottles, cosmetic bottles, cooking oil bottles, cling wrap, electrical wire cover, household water pipes and shower curtains.  


World wide there is significant concensus of opinion that number 3 plastics should be avoided for food and drinks due to the pthalates within them that make these plastics soft and flexible. Pthalates are an endocrine disrupting chemical. Vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen is released in the manufacture of PVC. 


The risk of food and drink contamination from these chemicals is highest when containers start wearing out, are put through the dishwasher or when they are heated (including microwaved). If you must cook with cling wrap, don't let the plastic touch food. PVC materials can also off-gas toxic plasticizers into your home.

Number 4: LDPE Plastic (low density polyethylene) 

It is found in squeezable bottles like moisturizer bottles, bread bags, frozen food packaging, dry cleaning and shopping bags, clothing, furniture and carpet.

Number 5: PP (polypropylene) 

Polypropylene has a high melting point, and so is often chosen for containers that must accept hot liquid. It can be found in some yogurt containers, tomato sauce bottles, caps, straws, and medicine bottles.

Number 6: PS (polystyrene) 

Polystyrene can be made into rigid or foam products -- in the latter case it is popularly known as the trademark Styrofoam. It is commonly found in disposable plates and cups, meat trays, take away containers,  compact disc cases. Evidence suggests polystyrene can leach styrene a carcinogen into foods. This is particularly evident which heated. 

It definitely makes you think twice about ordering that coffee in a polystyrene cup. 

Number 7: Miscellaneous 

A wide variety of plastic resins that don't fit into the previous categories are lumped into number 7. They are commonly found in drinking bottles, baby bottles, some dishes, office water dispenser bottles, sunglasses, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, food containers, and nylon. 


Significantly, Polycarbonate is number 7, it is a hard shatter proof plastic made with BPA, an  endocrine disruptor. Since awareness of BPA has increased of the past few years many manufacturers are now steering clear of it. It can still be found in the water station in your office. These polycarbonate bottles are continually rinsed and re-used causing BPA to leach into the water they hold. This process is exacerbated when heat is applied, such as when they sit on the back of a truck in the hot sun waiting to be delivered. 


Images Source: Iphoto

Inspiring Words: Don't Worry

Our littlest boy is going into hospital tomorrow to have an endoscopy so they can take some tissue samples. I am focusing on the good that will come from it for his long term health. My mantra to get me through the day will be these Bob Marley Lyrics, "Don't worry cause ev-ry little thing gonna be alright...". 


Source: Keep it Fancy on Etsy

Olympics

Yah, the 2012 Summer Olympics have begun! I admire the immense dedication and commitment of the athletes. It takes years of very hard work and great mental strength to achieve your goal of being the best in the world. Good luck to you all.

Growth Charts

I had an appointment at the Immunologist yesterday. We are certain now that Jack is FPIES to Rice and intolerant (or chronically allergic) to oats, soy, wheat, rye, nuts, milk formula, citric acid (in strawberries, pineapple, orange, mandarin, lemon, lime etc). I am suspicious of peas, pear, beef and corn and the immunologist has asked me to try and feed them to him again. 

On the positive side Jack could eat, carrot, lamb, potato, cucumber, chicken, and sweet potato if he wanted to. Unfortunately he is not willingly eating anything. We tested these foods by almost force feeding him. It was awful. He is happy to have them as finger food where he chews at them and spits them out like cookie monster. He will not swallow them. We are grateful he is exploring them though learning about tastes and textures, aromas and temperature.

The immunologist called in a dietician to our appointment and together they discussed his poor growth and explained to me that he is not getting enough nutrition and that it would be  impacting on his development, including his brain.  The photo above is of his weight chart. His length chart looks similar. He is supposed to be on the 50% line. He would weigh 9.4kg. He currently weighs 7.4kg. At 9 months he is still wearing the same clothes that he wore for Christmas.

The Doctors told me he will not be achieving his full potential if his lack of nutrition continues. He is refusing to drink the elemental formulas no matter how I try to disguise them. He sniffs at his drinks and if he can smell them he outright refuses them. The elemental formula's have all the elements your body needs with all the proteins already broken down.

Despite my best efforts, 100% breast feeding is not enough for him any more. They have advised us that Jack needs an urgent nasal gastric tube put in to ensure he achieves sufficient nutrition. They have given me one more week to try again with the elemental formula in a bottle. We have a follow up appointment next week to discuss a hospital admission to insert the tube and teach me how to manage it.

The immunologist agrees with the gastroenterologist that Jack may also have Eosinophilic Esophagitis which would be causing the unwillingness to swallow the food when he has a real desire to eat. Jack is being anesthetised on Monday for them to do an endoscopy to diagnose it. The scope will tell them definitively and they will be able to treat it.

I am emotionally drained and exhausted writing about it. I know these Doctors are right though. We have been battling on for a few months now and made so little progress. Jack needs more help than I can give him at the moment.  Like any mother, if there is something that is inhibiting your child from achieving their full potential in life you will do what you can to overcome it. 

Products I Adore - Elemeno T Shirt

How cute is this Elemeno T Shirt by Pluto Tees? VERY CUTE! I am sure that my kids used to think that was how the song went.