What Everybody Needs to Know About Changing Uncircumcised Boys’ Diapers

What Everybody Needs to Know About Changing Uncircumcised Boys’ Diapers

The rate of intact boys in America is rising, with about half of newborn boys not being circumcised now. As parents who have chosen to keep their son intact (uncircumcised), or as a care provider that changes diapers, it’s important to understand how to change uncircumcised boys’ diapers.

Sadly, some parents choose to circumcise just because they think that caring for an intact boy is complicated and prone to infection – it’s not at all!

There are a number of myths surrounding care for an intact boy, and some of them are harmful for the infant, the correct way to care for him is very simple. I’ll answer some FAQ below.

You can get this information in a free printable to remind care providers by clicking the button below. Feel free to distribute this printable in parent education classes, and anywhere else you feel it could be useful.

So, how do I change that diaper?

When changing a diaper of a boy who hasn’t been circumcised, all you need to do is wipe off the penis with a wipe, just like you would wipe off a finger if it had poop on it. Only clean what you can see, gently. Do not pull anything back.

But I thought I needed to retract (pull back) the foreskin?

There is no need to retract my son’s foreskin to clean, the foreskin is adhered to the glans just like a fingernail is stuck to the finger and has never been forcibly retracted, so there is no risk of infection. You may have heard outdated information, years ago doctors used to forcibly retract the foreskin (and sometimes this still happens), and to prevent re-adhesion and infection from feces getting up in the foreskin, it had to be retracted and cleaned underneath at each diaper change. Now that we know to just leave it naturally attached, there is no danger of poop getting in there and causing infection.

The forcible retraction is also why some people have heard of uncircumcised boys getting infections often, it is much more difficult to keep clean when the foreskin is prematurely retracted and ripped from the glans – it will try to re-adhere (this is also the case for circumcised boys, the foreskin that is left can try to re-adhere) and is painful and prone to infection.

Will the foreskin always stay attached to the glans?

No, sometime around the time the boy is 4-6 (or even later, around the time of puberty), the adhesion will become loose.

This doesn’t sound clean

At the time that the foreskin starts to loosen from the glans, the boy’s parents will teach him how to rinse the glans to clean in the shower, just as parents of girls teach their girls how to clean their pubic area in the shower.

Any feces that gets into the tip (It can’t go far while the foreskin is still attached) will easily be cleaned out with urine the next time the baby pees.

About talking with care providers

You’ll always want to have a conversation with new care providers to make sure they aren’t going to forcibly retract your son’s foreskin. Some people are shy or won’t read the printable because they already think they know what to do. You don’t want them to accidentally harm your son because they had heard the wrong information.

This is what my conversation with new babysitters sounds like,

“Here are the diapers and wipes, have you changed a baby who wasn’t circumcised before?”

Often they say ‘no’

“It’s simple – you may have heard that you need to retract the foreskin, but that’s outdated information. You just wipe the penis off with a wipe the same way you would wipe off a finger. The foreskin is attached to the glans like a fingernail and is self cleaning, so we don’t want to pull it back at all. See – easy, right?”

If they say yes, I still say the same thing to make sure everyone’s on the same page.

When we get the correct information out about how to care for intact baby boys, more people will feel comfortable with the idea of leaving their baby intact. It’s time to squash the myths surrounding caring for an uncircumcised boy.

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Original article and pictures take healthhomeandhappiness.com site

What Every Parent Needs

What Every Parent Needs

Hands down, at the top of my list of what every parent needs is Jesus.

I’m not just saying this because it sounds nice. Without Him, I don’t know how I would get through each day, find the right words, keep the right attitude, and be able to live freely in peace while doing what I’ve deemed to be…

The most difficult and beautiful job on the planet.

Well, second maybe to nurturing and maintaining a healthy marriage. So no big deal. While we realize all that we are blessed beyond measure, I think we also know that if we want goodness for our families we’ve got our work cut out for us.

I’ve been married for 23 years and have been a mom for 20. These years have served to teach me thousands of humbling lessons, all of which begin and end with:

I need Jesus.

I need my Savior. I can’t do this without God. I’m desperately in need of help. And praise Him, He provides all!

Truly.

God didn’t throw these spouses and kids at us and then give us a little pat and say, “Well, good luck. You’re going to need it.”

Often we’re deceived into believing that He didn’t give us a manual for “how to raise kids” because there’s no written words that specifically spell out “Every time your kid does ________, do ________.” Or the book I’ve wanted more than any other, “In order to absolutely, without a doubt raise Godly children, all you have to do is _______________________.” I wanted it to be a five step program that would ensure that my kids chose God. I wanted a simple, tidy package. Is that too much to ask?

Matt and I have done all we can to see that our kids have received Biblical guidance, conversation, truth talk, and countless hours of prayer from us and from others in their lives who love the Lord and love our sons. We haven’t come close to doing a perfect job of this, and for years I felt like a parenting failure because of all my imperfections.

I believed the lie that God doesn’t provide exactly what we need as we seek to raise godly children. Yes, there is the Bible, and we have most certainly relied on it throughout our parenting years. But even the Bible doesn’t share specific formulas to ensure that our kids wouldn’t throw tantrums in the grocery store and that they would absolutely choose Him.

I concluded that since there was no book or seasoned parent to tell me exactly how to accomplish this, and putting our offspring in a choke-hold and cramming it down their throats didn’t seem like quite the right way to go about it either – all I could do was pray and hope for the best.

I’m here to tell you that this is not true.

This is the most important truth I’ve learned during the past 20 years of parenting:

God absolutely does provide all we need as parents, and I’ve learned that He has given us what is even better than a “How to Do it Right Every Time” manual. He has!!

He gives us the Holy Spirit who is at work in us and through us, is living constantly with us to guide us, to give us words, to provide us with wisdom, and to fill us continually so that we are overflowing with His love, peace, joy, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

If you don’t believe me, read the book of Galatians. If you still don’t believe me, ask God to make Himself fully known to you through the power of His Spirit. Whatever we ask in His name, He will give it. The Bible tells us this over and over.

We are fully equipped! We have been given everything we need through the power of Jesus. And because of this, we can absolutely parent with confidence.

I praise God constantly for revealing these truths, and for His perfect plan to give all of us the Holy Spirit to live and work and breathe in us. We are perfectly gifted. We are strong. We are healed. We are whole. We are provided for.

We take these truths and we hold onto them tightly. We surrender ourselves to God so that we can then surrender our children to Him. These precious ones we hold so dear? Our Father loves them with a love we’ve never felt or experienced, because it’s His pure, perfect, beautiful love.

Trust God. Let the Holy Spirit be at work in you. Parent through His power.

This is what every parent needs.

I’m cheering for you Mom and Dad. We’re teammates in this parenting thing and because of God, we are equipped with everything we need!

Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site

Weekly Clean Eating Diet Plan

Weekly Clean Eating Diet Plan

Monday

Breakfast

Organic Oatmeal with Banana Slices, Chopped Apple and Organic Maple Syrup

Lunch

Open Face Egg Sandwich with Whole Wheat Bread and Melon on the Side

Dinner

Fresh Salad with Mixed Greens, Turkey and Hard Boiled Eggs

Snack

Fresh Persimmon Slices

Tuesday

Breakfast

All Natural Apricot Preserves on nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Lunch

Lobster Avocado Cilantro Salad (at this recipe)

Dinner

Salmon with Avocado Cucumber Topping

Find recipe here.

Snack

Raspberry Kiwi Smoothie (from this recipe)

Wednesday

Breakfast

Organic Steel-cut Oats with Home-Made Blackberry Dressing

Lunch

Tuna and Egg Melt with Steamed Vegetables (Recipe at Easy Healthy Meal Lunch Idea)

Dinner

Broiled Chicken in Teriyaki Sauce and Vegetables on the Side

Snack

Hard Boiled Eggs

Thursday

Breakfast

Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt with Granola Banana and Cinnamon Baked Apple Slices (Recipe Here)

Lunch

Baked Chicken with Steamed Corn

Dinner

Cauliflower Parm Crusted Chicken at Healthy Chicken Recipe for Clean Eating.

Awesome healthy chicken recipe that’s clean, low carb, gluten-free and delicious.

Snack

Friday

Breakfast

Blueberries Over Blueberry Noosa Yogurt

If you haven’t tried Noosa Australian yogurt, you must! Made with all-natural ingredients, this Australian-style yogurt is creamy and savory. Top it with fresh berries, and you have a clean and filling breakfast that taste like dessert.

Lunch

Tuna Parm Melt

Easy and healthy, this clean eating lunch takes little time to make but has a lot of flavor. Get recipe at Clean Eating Recipe Tuna Parm Melt.

Dinner

Cured Salmon

Cured salmon is light and flavorful. Plus, it’s a good source of protein.

Snack

Apple Slices and Grapes

Saturday

Breakfast

Baked avocado Egg Boat from This Recipe

Doesn’t avocado, cheese and eggs sound like a delicious combo? It’s healthy too with abundance in protein and omega-3. Get recipe at Easy Healthy Breakfast. You’ll love it.

Lunch

Quinoa Salad

Dinner

Pepper Chicken Stir Fry

Finish the day with flavor with a mouthwatering healthy chicken dinner at Pepper Chicken Stir Fry.

Snack

POP! Gourmet Popcorn (Chocolate Salted Caramel Flavor)

Super crunchy and sweet! These are delicious. Get them at POP! Gourmet Popcorn.

Sunday

Breakfast

Peanut Butter French Toast with Real Maple Syrup and Banana Slices (Recipe at Easy Healthy Breakfast)

Like peanut butter? Then you should try this delicious peanut butter French toast. It’s a classic breakfast item with a twist.

Lunch

Chicken Salad Made with Olive Oil Mayo and Nonfat Greek Yogurt

Dinner

Caesar Salad with Lighthouse Greek Yogurt Dressing

Snack

Go Raw Ginger Snaps (from here)

Thank you for your time!

Original article and pictures take www.cleaneatingrecipesblog.com site

Ways to Nurture Beneficial Gut Flora

Ways to Nurture Beneficial Gut Flora

What Are Probiotics? plural of pro·bi·ot·ic (Noun)

Noun A probiotic substance or preparation. A microorganism introduced into the body for its beneficial qualities.

How Are Probiotics Beneficial?

80% of our immune system is found in our digestive system, so keeping our guts healthy is extremely important. Probiotics provide support to this system. In addition, these live microorganisms help to digest carbohydrates and absorb minerals, boost production of vitamins K and B, compete with harmful bacteria in our guts, and help to prevent allergies.

Children receive their first doses of bacteria from their mother as they are passing through the birth canal, so it is especially important to maintain good gut flora throughout pregnancy.

How Can I Nurture This Good Bacteria?

The first thought when someone wants to increase the good bacteria in their guts is to take a probiotic supplement. Nutritional Therapist Craig Fear has several reasons why it is a much better idea to get probiotics from fermented foods. According to Fear, “fermented foods give us a far greater variety and complexity of beneficial bacteria than probiotic supplements.”

If you are new to fermenting, my primer on fermenting vegetables can help. Or find lots of recipes for beverages, garlic, and other vegetables here.

Of course, vegetables are far from the only food that may be fermented. Raw milk may be fermented into yogurt, kefir, cultured cheese, creme fraiche, and more. (Source for yogurt and kefir cultures)

Before refrigeration, meats were preserved through culturing, but what we know today as dry sausages such as salami are often made with preservatives and are no longer rich in probiotics. It is worth seeking out sources that continue the traditional methods of fermenting sausages.

Other foods which can easily be fermented are fruits, beverages such as kombucha or beet kvass, and condiments such as ketchup.

Recommended Reading:

Nourished Baby, 2nd Edition eBook by Heather Dessinger – You’ll learn how the birth experience affects your child’s health. Includes lots of recipes for fermented foods (and others) that are child friendly.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fermenting Foods by Wardeh Harmon – Includes chapters on fermenting all of the items I listed in my post above, including instructions on sausage making.

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig – A fantastic guide to properly preparing whatever it is you want to eat, so that it is nutrient rich and easy to digest.

Real Food Fermentation by Alex Lewin – This is a great primer and is especially helpful if you are a visual learner. Lots of fantastic photos of the processes required in fermentation.

Original article and pictures take learningandyearning.com site

Ways To Keep Your Kids Healthy At School

Ways To Keep Your Kids Healthy At School

Once the school year starts, it won’t be long before the sniffles and coughs start as well. We’ve got you covered with these herbal ways to keep your kids healthy at school.

School is back in session for nearly all of us. Whether your kids are in public school, private school, or in a homeschool co-op class, they are going to come in contact with other kids and germs. Kids are notorious for not washing their hands thoroughly as well as sharing drinks, snacks and toys. Germs are going to be shared easily.

Ways To Keep Your Kids Healthy At School

You are going to need a way to help combat those germs and the colds, flu and coughs they bring. Here are some ways to help keep your kids healthy at school. Along with proper rest, whole foods, and diligent hand washing, let’s explore some herbal methods to assist keeping your kids healthy at school.

Tinctures

First, let’s talk tinctures. Many herbs will do best releasing their medicinal properties in a tincture form over a tea or even a glycerite. You will want to measure the herbs by WEIGHT vs volume (cups, teaspoons etc to get the most accurate dosage) To make a tincture, add 50 grams (by weight) dried herbs to 250 mL of alcohol such as vodka or brandy. Allow to infuse for 4 weeks, then strain the infused alcohol off.

Herbs to Use in Tinctures

Adaptogens help your body adapt to it’s surroundings. They support your immune system, allowing it to fight against invading germs in a stronger manner.

The most common adaptogens are:

Astragalus- a Chinese legume, often used in cooking. This is best taken as a tincture or glycerite. To use, add 15-30 drops to water or in an empty capsule. Use up to 2x a day. Safe for kids over the age of 2.

Holy Basil- an often used herb in tea blends, this adds flavor along with assisting with adrenal fatige and helping to strengthen the respiratory system. You can add this dried herb to a tea blend, or use as a tincture, following the recipe above and decreasing dosage to 5-10 drops per day. Holy Basil should be avoided by pregnant women, as some studies suggest it can trigger miscarriage.

Milk Thistle- most often noted as a liver support, this herb can be beneficial during the cold and flu season. Aiding your liver in detoxing will keep your immune system running at it’s peak. This is most easily taken in a dried pill form, 200-400 mg per day. The only caution is that milk thistle can lower blood glucose levels in diabetics, so diabetics should only use under guidance of qualified care provider.

Echnicea- this immune stimulant should be used at the FIRST sign of a cold. Studies suggest that it can help reduce the duration of a cold by 30% when taken right away. You can take it as an infusion (tea) by adding 2 grams dried herbs to 8 ounces of water. Or, it can be made into a tincture as listed above, taking up to 1 teaspoon a day for children, 3 teaspoons a day for adults. The only contraindication for taking this is those with an auto immune disorder or a progessive disease such as tubeculosis.

Syrups

Besides adaptogens, you can help support your immune system and deal with cold symptoms with a homemade syrup as well. My favorite is to make a syrup for kids to “help the medicine go down”.

Here are some herbs to consider:

Elderberry– Studies suggest that elderberries are a great cleansing plant and can help reduce mucus buildup. It can also assist with digestion and mental clarity. This is great to add to a cough syrup preparation as it helps support the immune system. Only properly cooked berries should be used, as raw berries contain cyanide producing compounds.

Wild Cherry Bark- very useful for its antitussive properties, this will assist in helping to supress coughs.

Marshmallow Root- great addition to an herbal cough syrup, this has emollient properties that soothe a sore throat.

To make a soothing herbal cough syrup, measure by weight:

Add the measured herbs to 4 cups of water. Simmer on the stove until the water is reduced to 2 cups. Drain the herbs in a cheesecloth and squeeze out the water as much as possible. You want all the herby goodness this produces. Add 1 cup of honey to the infused water and stir. Label and date with the ingredients used and store in the fridge. Start with 1-2 teaspoons 2x a day for children and 1 Tablespoon 2x a day for adults. You can take the syrup up to 4x a day, depending on symptoms.

What are some things you do to keep your kids healthy at school?

Original article and pictures take modernalternativehealth.com site

Ways Our Family Saves Money So We Can Afford Our High Grocery Bill (And a few ways we splurge)

Ways Our Family Saves Money So We Can Afford Our High Grocery Bill (And a few ways we splurge)

Hi. I’m the mom with the really high, make you pass out, grocery bill. There are about zero things I can do about it, what with all my teenage boys in the house, so we’re continually thankful that God keeps providing.

(Actually, speaking of things I can do about it, I’m planning to document our grocery spending very specifically during the month of February to show you all the ins and outs of what I buy. I’m also going to challenge myself to see if, in fact, there are any other ways I can cut grocery costs. Stay tuned.)

Ways our family saves money so we can afford our high grocery bill

Today I decided to make a list of non-food ways we cut spending so we can make our monthly grocery budget bigger. I’d love to hear about some of the ways you save too! I’d also love to hear what some of your splurges are. (Every family has different events and items they consider priority or treats, right?)

Here are a few ways our family cuts back so we can buy the amount of food it takes to keep our family full and healthy.

1. We make coffee at home.

Sound silly? What I mean is – we very rarely buy coffee and specialty drinks at a coffee shop. If I want to enjoy coffee with a friend, typically I invite her to my home to drink coffee at my table. (I can make a pretty mean cup of coffee, if I do say so myself.) At $3-$5 per cup for specialty coffees, and with 6 people in our household, going to a coffee shop for a treat is exactly that – a treat. It’s very rare and it’s a splurge. (If the boys want to meet friends at the coffee shop, they use their own money.)

2. We pack food when we travel.

We do eat out occasionally when we’re on the road, but even “cheap” fast food costs $40-$60 for our family. If it’s possible, we load up a cooler instead. When we do eat out, it’s with a purpose. (For instance, if several of the families on our basketball team are eating together after a game, we join them if we can. Relationships with these families = priceless.)

3. We have high deductible, low monthly premium healthcare coverage.

I can’t say enough good about this. Can you believe we pay only $135/month for healthcare coverage for our family of six?! It’s perfect for us since we typically go to natural doctors not covered by insurance. Saving hundreds every month on our monthly healthcare premium helps us afford groceries to keep us healthy. I am so thankful for this for so many reasons.

4. My husband’s truck is rusty.

What I mean is, we don’t have the nicest vehicles on the block. They run great, they do the job, and they are paid for. Our sons drive “grandpa cars” that they bought themselves after years of hard work and saving.

5. When we want a treat at home, we buy it at the store.

Say we want to enjoy a special family movie night or game night – something fun for the family and a break from cooking. Instead of going out to eat or getting take out, we’ll get something fun from the store. This is rare because even the $30 it costs to buy enough take-and-bake pizzas to fill us is a splurge, but at least it’s cheaper than the $60+ it costs to eat out. If we want ice cream, we’ll buy a container at the store for $3.50, which feeds us all, instead of paying that much per person at the ice cream shop.

6. Redbox all the way.

It’s got to be a really exciting, really great movie if we’re actually going to pay to see it in the theater. Sometimes the boys pay their own way if they want to see a movie with their friends. But usually, we all wait until a few weeks after a movie comes out, save at least $50 by getting the movie from Redbox for $1.50.

7. We don’t have cable.

Sometimes, we really, really wish we did (like when it’s time for the Olympics or the World Cup). But every time we check into the options and do the math, we just can’t justify the added expense every month. It’s worth a mention that we’re thankful for friends who are happy to have us join them in their living room for big games. ;)

8. Our kids don’t get a cell phone until they get their drivers license.

We’ve decided that our kids don’t really need a phone until they are driving. (They have had hand-me-down ipods before they’re 16 so they can text and keep up with their friends as long as there is wifi available.) That we’ve avoided adding our kids to our phone plan until they are 16 has saved a lot of money through the years. Though we do have a small heart attack each time we add a new driver to the household – adding him to our car insurance and cell phone bill. Yowza.

Ways we don’t hold back on spending money

As much as we spend frugally for most everything, there are a few ways we have found it’s not worth it to hold back.

1. Quality food

But we’ve been through all of this already.

2. Quality shoes

Nobody needs the $200 pairs. But neither have we found it worth it to compromise on good foot/ankle/back support when it comes to shoes, as our athletes will be running and jumping and cutting and sliding across the field or court. When the kids were younger, buying shoes at Walmart or Payless was just fine. But as the boys have gotten older, their athletic shoes have needed to be better. Cha-ching. I don’t really like to talk about it.

3. Giving

That comes off the top of our monthly budget, without compromise. I’d rather cut back on food spending and eat beans all day than give less than we feel God calling us to give. This is saying something because well, just think what it would be like at our house if we ate beans all day.

4. Good coffee

Look at me – beginning and ending my post by talking about coffee. While we rarely buy coffee at a shop, I really do love good quality coffee at home. Folgers just doesn’t cut it, bless its heart. I like buying coffee beans from a gal in Haiti to help support her work with boys on the street. Or I buy this one – so yum.

Coming up next week: Specific food compromises I make so I can stay within budget (plus ways I will never compromise).

I’d love to hear ways you save and ways you splurge. Share your ideas and what works for your family!

Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site

Walking Tacos

Walking Tacos

Guest post by Jennifer of Loving Life at Home

Can you believe autumn is already upon us?

Grab your scarves and your warm, woolen sweaters. Whether you’re watching football, building bonfires, raking leaves or taking nature hikes, October is a wonderful time to be outdoors.

When you think of fall foods, what do you envision? Apples and cranberries? Turkey and dressing? Maybe a thick slice of pumpkin or pecan pie?

I think of tacos.

Granted, I live in Texas, so tacos are a staple food around our house. I can put a Tex-Mex spin on just about anything. I wean my babies on guacamole and have even been known to forgo roasting the traditional turkey for Thanksgiving dinner in favor of serving fajitas instead (with all the trimmings).

I’ll bet you didn’t know that October 4 is National Taco Day, did you? October 3 is National Soft Taco Day, but I prefer my tacos crunchy, so I’m going to wait and celebrate tomorrow.

Sometimes—just for fun—my family makes our tacos with no shell at all. We call these “Walking Tacos.” If you use snack sized Fritos, they can be eaten straight out of the bag, making clean-up a snap.

This easy meal always gets cheers from our kids, who think it’s the perfect dinner for tailgate parties or family campouts.

Since everybody can build their own taco to suit their individual taste, it’s a great choice for feeding a crowd. We serve a variation on this theme every year at our annual shoebox stuffing party and have enjoyed eating them at Reformation Day dinners, as well.

And if your little trick-or-treaters can’t wait for Dad to finish his dinner before hitting the streets, he can grab a fork and eat it on the go as he supervises their progress through the neighborhood!

The recipe is simple. Here’s everything you’ll need:

Walking Tacos

• single-portion bags of Fritos or an organic/GMO-free corn chip alternative (like Erin prefers! Make sure there is enough for everyone to have at least one!)
• 1-2 lbs. ground beef
• 1-2 tbsp taco seasoning (you can make your own!)
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes (you can make your own!)

Suggested toppings for your tacos:

• lettuce (shredded)
• cheese (grated)
• sour cream
• tomatoes (diced)
• 1 red onion (diced)
• sliced avocados or guacamole
• pico de galo
• salsa

Brown ground beef with taco seasoning. Add black beans and a can of Rotel once the meat is thoroughly cooked and no pink remains. I’ll sometimes soak and cook dry beans when we’re making these at home, but for campouts, we like the convenience of canned.

Let the meat mixture cool slightly before serving, so it’s not too hot to handle.

Place the rest of the toppings in separate bowls, so that each person can build their own taco.

To assemble, carefully open one end of the bag, scoop some taco meat inside, and then add your favorite toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, avocados, black olives, etc.

Grab a fork and dig in!

Note from Erin: If you’re looking for a place to get affordable ground beef in bulk, check out Zaycon Foods. Zaycon also carries other meats, including pork, chicken, and wild Argentine shrimp! I have been getting chicken breasts there for as low as $1.69/lb! Their prices are typically a fraction of the price you would pay in the grocery store! Check out Zaycon here. You can also earn Zaycon credits with each new customer YOU refer: $5 the first time they order and pick up at a sales event, $1 every order after that. There’s no limit to how many friends you can refer and how much you can earn!

What are your favorite fall foods, and your favorite places to eat them?

Jennifer Flanders is the author of several popular books, including the award winning 25 Ways to Communicate Respect. She blogs about marriage and motherhood at Loving Life at Home. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, or find her at her family website, where she publishes a lot of free printables and writes on the topics of organization, homeschooling, and large family living.

Original article and pictures take thehumbledhomemaker.com site

Vitamin D is Associated with Reduced Intestinal Permeability and Extended Remission in Autoimmunity

Vitamin D is Associated with Reduced Intestinal Permeability and Extended Remission in Autoimmunity

and Extended Remission in Autoimmunity

A study found that vitamin D is associated with reduced intestinal permeability and extended remission in autoimmunity, specifically Crohn’s disease.

The study was published in the United European Gastroenterology Journal and also found that the supplementation extended periods of remission. That’s significant!

Crohn’s disease, along with ulcerative colitis and Celiac fall under the monicker of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). They are characterized by inflammation in the intestines which causes cramping, bleeding and ulceration of the digestive tract.

They are also autoimmune diseases whereby the immune system may over-react to food, bacteria and other substances, causing an explosion of inflammatory chemicals that cause damage to the intestinal tissues.

Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction May Develop in Many Autoimmune Diseases

Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction is a hallmark of autoimmunity. The immune system is housed in the gastrointestinal tract. When there is inflammation present, the lining of the intestine becomes damaged and becomes leaky. This allows larger molecules of food and toxins to enter the bloodstream, become systemic and travel to extra-intestinal areas of the body. These areas include the joints, skin and other organs.

All autoimmune conditions have the common denominator of intestinal permeability. In this condition, abnormally high levels of zonulin are present. This protein regulates the permeability of the tight junctions of the intestinal barrier. Once the gut is permeable, immune responses to foods can occur, initiating a cascade of inflammatory chemicals.

Any natural substance that can reduce this cascade of inflammation is a welcome addition to a holistic regimen.

Vitamin D Encourages Healing of the Gut Lining

In this double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study (cited above), the researchers evaluated changes in gut barrier function as well as disease markers in patients with Crohn’s disease in response to vitamin D supplementation. The study group was made up of 27 Crohn’s patients who were in remission. They were given 2000 IU/day of vitamin D or placebo for 3 months.

Researchers found that patients treated with vitamin D were more likely to maintain their intestinal barrier integrity, whereas intestinal permeability increased in the placebo group. Increased intestinal permeability has been demonstrated to predict and precede clinical relapse in Crohn’s patients.

Importantly, those patients with the highest blood levels of vitamin D showed signs of reduced inflammation, as measured by C-reactive protein and antimicrobial peptides.

When the intestine is sealed, inflammation is reduced.

This study demonstrated that a mere 2000 IU per day of vit D was sufficient to raise blood levels of 25(OH)D to ≥ 75 nmol/L in most study participants, after a 3-mo. treatment. It is this level of vitamin D that is thought to help reduce inflammation.

Vitamin D Inhibits LPS Inflammation

Another study published in the Journal of Immunology in 2012 demonstrated that vitamin D inhibits LPS-induced p38 activation and cytokine production (inflammation) in monocytes and macrophages. In my previous post about LPS, I explain that LPS is an indicator of intestinal inflammation and that it is used in research to induce inflammatory responses in mammals in order to study them.

Many conditions are induced in the laboratory by using LPS, such as Alzheimer’s, MS, IBD, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s, depression, autism and many other autoimmune diseases.

Which form of Vitamin D?

Many practitioners recommend taking cod liver oil because it is a whole food and has the correct balance of vitamins A and D as well as omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). However, if you want to get your blood levels of vitamin D up to 75 nmol/L you would have to use a vitamin D supplement.

Before supplementing, be sure to get a blood level of 25-OH vitamin D as a base line. This is a measure of the level of D3 in the active form. You do not want to test or take D2 as it is the inactive form.

Of course, it is a great idea to get vitamin D from sun exposure, as long as you do it safely. It’s difficult to estimate just how much vitamin D is generated from sun exposure as this can be very individual. If you getting a lot of sun exposure then you wouldn’t need much supplementation.

Always monitor vitamin D levels with periodic blood test.

Beyond Vitamin D

While this information is very encouraging, healing and sealing a leaky gut will take more than just a supplement. Additionally, there is a concern that if you are taking just vitamin D and not vitamin A, you can develop an imbalance in these two important fat soluble vitamins.

A whole food diet is critical to healing a leaky gut.

Treatment Based in the 4R Approach

• Remove – gluten, dairy, egg, nuts and other potential allergens, as well as aspirin, NSAIDS
• Replace – support function in the digestive tract with enzymes and HCl if needed
• Reinoculate – the bowel with prebiotics and probiotics and a diet that includes resistant starch
• Repair – the gut mucosa with gelatin rich bone broths, L-glutamine and other nutrients

Diets like the SCD, GAPS, Paleo, AIP Paleo have really helped folks get back on the road to recovery.

This approach attempts to uncover the actual cause and imbalances in each individual rather than simply putting a bandaid on the symptoms. Each individual has their own set of imbalances and this needs to be corrected in a specific and individual way. Using conventional medicines that suppress the symptoms may be necessary alongside the integrative functional approach while healing is going on.

More and more there are chiropractors, naturopaths and functional medicine doctors that take this integrative approach. As always, never change your diet, medicines or supplements without involving your health care provider.

Find out more here:

Original article and pictures take realfoodforager.com site

Visiting Disney World With Food Allergies.

Visiting Disney World With Food Allergies.

About a year ago, we visited Disney World for the first time with our children. I had been to Disney World several times with my family growing up, but this was a new experience for me – not only because we were bringing our children along, but because we were visiting with food allergies.

I was very nervous about this, mostly because Baby Bee does have a true egg allergy that I carry an Epi-Pen for at all times. In addition to the egg allergy, my sons and I also needed to avoid dairy and gluten due to our intolerances. At home I prepare most of our meals, and when we eat out, we know the restaurants, we are comfortable with what we order, and we are near to our pediatrician, allergist, and a hospital if we were to need it (hopefully not!).

The idea of staying at a gigantic theme park for five days with tons of people passing through and eating all manner of foods made me very nervous. However, I knew that lots and lots of children and adults with food allergies and intolerances go to Disney all the time, so I did some research, got ready for our trip, and was ready to have a great time! If you’re heading to Disney World with food allergies, here are my tips and experiences.

1. If you are planning to eat at the sit down restaurants at Disney, whether in the parks or in the resorts, make sure to visit this Special Dietary Requests page. There is information here about what allergies they are able to accommodate, what restaurants are able to accommodate special requests,and how to make dining reservations. Once you make reservations, you will need to fill out the Special Dietary Request Form, which is available from the online reservation page, or can be emailed or faxed to you if you make your dining reservations by phone. For a complete list of all Disney dining options, go here.

2. There are awesome resources on the web from people who visit Disney all the time with allergies. I found Allergy Free Mouse to be a very helpful resource. I especially liked browsing through he restaurant reviews – it’s always helpful to have an idea of what other families have experienced at different restaurants.

3. Bring a lot of allergy friendly snacks for yourself in order to avoid paying a million dollars for a granola bar. (Not really, but you know what I mean). Since I was a nursing mom when we visited Disney, I really needed to have snacks with me at all times. After I would nurse Baby Bee, I always needed a snack. In the Florida heat, with all the walking , plus breastfeeding, my blood sugar would get really low if I had to wait around to find a snack. I packed a ton of Larabars, apples, and also Earnest Eats Bars for our trip. (Affiliate links).

We also packed gluten free pretzels and potato chips for my six year old. This meant that my son’s carry-on bag was a large backpack that was just for food. Yes, we did have one snack per day paid for on our meal plan, and yes, we did still buy the occasional extra snack, but I just did not want to have to search all over the park to find an overpriced allergy friendly snack whenever hunger hit.

4. Look at EPCOT Center’s World Showcase for some allergy friendly dining options. Since the World Showcase has so many different types of cuisine from around the world, there are a lot of options that may work for your allergy needs. We had a great experience at the Tangierine Cafe for a quick service lunch. The hummus, chicken, and salad was tasty and fit in with our dietary needs. We also made reservations for a sit down dinner at the San Angel Inn Restaurant. Since we can’t do dairy, we did have to make sure that we avoided cheese and sour cream, but the chips, salsa, guacamole, tacos, and tostadas were delicious. Update: A commenter pointed out that these restaurants are not run by Disney, and there may be a language barrier at some of them, so proceed with caution.

5. Be ready to talk to the chef or manager every time you order food. Yup, EVERY single time you order anything, you will need to speak to the chef at a sit down restaurant, and a manager at a quick service restaurant. This was comforting to me, because it shows that they do take the dietary needs of their guests very seriously. You will speak to the chef or manager, tell them what your needs are, and they will go over the menu with you in detail and tell you what they can make for you that will be safe for you to eat. The nice thing about Disney is that they are so used to dealing with food allergies that it is never a big deal. They do go out of their way to make your experience as magical as possible. At one restaurant when my son could not have any of the desserts on the menu, the chef made a special dessert with Enjoy Life cookies and rice milk ice cream for him. I really appreciated the extra effort that was put into making us feel comfortable.

6. However, mistakes still happen. We were eating dinner at the Whispering Canyon Cafe, and the chef there was so nice and attentive, and assured us that we could enjoy the chicken, veggies without butter, and roasted potatoes without butter. When our food was brought out, there was a big pile of creamy mashed potatoes on the special allergy platter. I was pretty sure that we were supposed to be getting roasted potatoes, so I had to flag down our server to figure out what was going on before we could start eating. She had to find the chef, and yes, the kitchen did indeed make a mistake. They whisked our platter away and made a new one for us with the safe potatoes. Mistakes happen, and it’s important to be alert, and ask questions if you are not sure! The manager of course came over and apologized for the mishap.

7. If you have a serious egg allergy, and are a nervous person, character breakfasts are probably not for you. I signed us up for a character breakfast knowing that there would be eggs served, but that they would be able to accommodate our allergy, and when I walked in and saw a busy room full of children and parents being served huge platters of eggs, I panicked. I knew that there were eggs everywhere in that room, and the idea of having Baby Bee in a high chair that probably had egg particles on it was too much for me. Baby Bee and I left while the rest of our family stayed and ate. I realize that might sound extreme, but as soon as I saw all the eggs, I knew I wouldn’t be able to relax and enjoy the meal, so it wasn’t worth it. If you don’t have a serious egg allergy, this probably won’t bother you.

That’s about it for the tips, but I will share some of the restaurants that we enjoyed while we were there:

Pecos Bill’s Cafe in the Magic Kingdom – This was a good quick lunch stop for us. They were more than willing to accommodate our allergies, and we ate lunch there a couple of times. It was best to eat lunch a little early or a little late to avoid long lines.

Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street – We were able to get dairy free ice cream here, and that was a big hit with my six year old.

Sanaa – We love our Indian food, and had a really nice sit down meal at Sanaa, located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas. It was easy to find options that were gluten, dairy, and egg free. I really enjoyed the Chana Masala.

Portobello at Downtown Disney – Everyone enjoyed their pasta dishes at Portobello. I was able to order gluten free pasta with garlic and oil, and it was fabulous. Truly delicious, and one of the best dining experiences we had at Disney.

The other spot that I really liked in Downtown Disney was Babycakes NYC, which had gluten free, egg free, dairy free, and refined sugar free baked goods that were really yummy. Unfortunately I just found out that they closed about six months ago. Boo! I’m hoping that Disney will put another allergy friendly meal or dessert option in its place.

I hope that this has been helpful! If you’ve been to Disney, please share your tips in the comments!

Linking up to some of these parties.

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Original article and pictures take i0.wp.com site

Vegetables rich in iron and in iron-enhancers

Vegetables rich in iron and in iron-enhancers

Based on data from the USDA on the nutrient content of food, we found that the top ten vegetables with iron are morel mushrooms, lemon grass, potatoes, parsley, jute, horseradish leafy tips, winged bean leaves, chrysanthemum, spinach, and immature soybeans. The list is based on the iron content of 100 grams of each of those foods. Mushrooms and lemon grass top the list, both of which require a lot of eating to make 100 grams. Neither 100 grams of mushrooms nor lemon grass provide you with 100% of your recommended intake of iron. Vegetables, in general, will add small amounts of iron to your daily intake. If you are a complete vegetarian, your key strategy is to eat a lot of them. Adding an abundance of vegetables to your meals and consuming them without iron inhibitors is your best strategy for increasing the iron rich vegetables in your diet.

Iron Inhibitors in Your Vegetables

One problem with a list of food based solely on the content of a metal is that some foods themselves contain substances that inhibit iron absorption. Spinach is high in oxalic acid which can be cooked off in boiled spinach (discard the water) or in steamed spinach. A wilted spinach salad may be in order if the steam water is allowed to run off. The immature soy beans contain phytic acid which inhibit your iron absorption as well.

Iron Inhibitors Served With Your Vegetables

To make matters worse, if you eat your wilted spinach salad along side a bed of iron-rich amaranth and you have not become familiar with the advice on this site of soaking your amaranth to reduce the phytic acid content, the phytic acid in the amaranth may inhibit your absorption of some of the iron in the wilted spinach salad.

Vegetables as a class are generally a poor source of iron. Vegetables do not tend to have high levels of iron to begin with and if you eat them with iron inhibitors, you are likely to get very little iron out of your vegetable dish. The book Iron Rich Foods goes into detail on the foods that inhibit your iron absorption, but as another example, drink a cup of black tea with that wilted spinach salad and you will be inhibiting your iron absorption yet again. However, having a high vitamin C food with those vegetables will help.

If you are counting on vegetables to provide you with iron, it is more important than ever to reduce iron inhibitors and increase the vitamin C in your diet. To get the most out of your vegetables, do not eat them with grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds unless you follow kitchen preparation techniques to reduce the phytic acid in your food. You can soak or ferment your grains, for instance, to reduce the phytic acid and improve your iron absorption. Do not consume milk, tea, coffee, or red wine with the meal either.

Common Vegetables And Their Iron Content

Again, there really are few iron rich vegetables, but if you are interested in the iron content of the most commonly consumed vegetables, search our foods database or review the foods in the links below.

Artichokes Asparagus Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots

Cauliflower Celery Collard greens Corn (yellow) Cucumber Eggplant

Green beans Green bell pepper Jalapeño pepper Kale Okra Onion

Peas Radishes Spinach Tomato Zucchini

Read more about iron rich foods.

Original article and pictures take www.dailyiron.net site