Here are my four top tips for helping your children to stay healthy and avoid illnesses in the new school year.

The foods that make kids the sickest are sugar and dairy.  

1.  Avoid dairy

If you can possibly raise them without milk products, you will prevent the most common mucus conditions, especially colds and ear infections.  Milk is a great mucus producer;  bacteria love living in it, and casein, the protein in milk, is commonly used in laboratories to set up bacterial cultures.  Cheese is just as much of a problem, and yogurt is little better.  And it’s not because of the fat – in fact, butter does not bring on infections, according to my observations – it is the protein and the calcium, which in cow’s milk are intended to help baby cows become big cows (or steer), and are excessive for humans.

2.  Don’t reward them with sugar

If you can avoid giving your kids sugared foods – including sugared breakfast cereals, cookies, cake, candy, and ice cream – you will allow their immune systems to do a better job of keeping them healthy.  Sugar is known to depress the immune system, and what is worse, it is really addictive.  According to a recent study at the University of Bordeaux, France, it appears to be more addictive than cocaine.  I know that we tend to reward the children with sweet goodies, but that habit is perhaps best reconsidered – crayons, balloons, comic books or nuts and raisins might be a better idea for rewards.

3.  Give them lots of protein

To keep the kids healthy, they also need to eat sufficient protein (some in each meal, such as fish, chicken, meats, or beans and legumes), with lots of vegetables both cooked and raw, as well as good quality fats (extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, organic butter).  See my post on protein breakfasts for more advice.

4.  Make sure they get plenty of rest

Most importantly, they need enough sleep and rest, which will allow their bodies and their brains to recuperate and restore, as well as grow.  Lack of sleep is one of the major causes of stress and illness.

So there you have it:  feed them well, keep them off the ice cream and sweets, and make sure they sleep enough, and they will avoid many illnesses.
 

No shoes in the house (as most household dirt, pesticides and lead come in on your shoes)

• Go barefoot or wear slippers

Place floor mats vertically by your entryways to wipe your shoes

• This way more dirt and residue from your shoes stay on the mat

Keep the air clean

• Keep your windows and doors open as much as possible to ventilate
• Have your air ducts and vents cleaned with nontoxic cleaners
• Get a portable air cleaner/purifier, especially for the bedrooms
• Use green plants as natural air detoxifiers
• Remove odors with baking soda
• Use fresh flowers or bowls of herbs like rosemary and sage to add a pleasant fragrance to rooms

Be conscious of the potential for carpeting to hold toxins

• Use natural fiber wool & cotton rugs
• If possible, replace your wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors, all natural linoleum or ceramic tiles
• Use nontoxic glues, adhesives, stains or sealers for installation

Keep house dust to a minimum (as more dust means more toxins).

• Mop all surfaces at least once a week
• Vacuum carpets with a vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter, preferably) HEPA-filter vacuums capture the widest range of particles and get rid of allergens

Avoid excess moisture (as it encourages the growth of mold and mildew)

• Check areas for moisture accumulation or leaks (particularly basements)
• Regularly clean surfaces where mold usually grows – around showers and tubs and beneath sinks

Get a shower filter (as many contaminants in tap water become gases at room temperature)

• A shower filter can help keep these toxins from becoming airborne

Get a water filter (as more than 700 chemicals have been identified in drinking water)

• Filtering your tap water is better than drinking bottled water

Switch from the standard household cleaning products to cleaner and greener ones

• These don’t damage your health nor the environment’s as much and work as well as the mass marketed ones. You can also use basic ingredients you have around the house, for instance, you can use vinegar in place of bleach, baking soda to scrub your tiles and hydrogen peroxide to remove stains. According to our very own blogger, Annie Bond, the author of “Better Basics For The Home” you can clean anything with water and these 5 basic ingredients: Baking Soda, Washing Soda, Distilled White Vinegar, Vegetable based liquid Soap eg Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap and Tea Tree oil

Use Plastics wisely (as some contain BPA, which is linked to cancer).

• Avoid plastic food packaging (when you can)
• Don’t wrap food in plastic
• Don’t microwave food in plastic containers
• Choose baby bottles made from glass or BPA-free plastic
• Stay away from children’s toys marked with a “3″ or “PVC.”

Avoid non stick pans, pots, bakeware and utensils (because they contain Teflon)

Clean out your medicine cabinet (personal care products are loaded with toxins)

Seal or replace particleboard walls, floors or cabinets (as they contain formaldehyde, which causes sensitivity)

• Avoid plywood, fiberglass, fiberboard and paneling

Tell the dry cleaner not to use the plastic wrap (as the plastic traps the dry cleaning chemicals on clothes and in your closet)

• Let your dry cleaning air out (preferably outside) before storing it
• Use “wet cleaning” if you are lucky enough to have it in your area

Avoid toxic pest control in your home and toxic lawn chemicals in your garden

• These lawn chemicals get inside on your shoes

When painting indoors, use latex (water based) or other least toxic brands

• Open all windows to ventilate

And most important, no amount of environmental toxins are as important as emotional toxicity. You can do all the above, but if there is a house full of anger, resentment, jealousy, hurt and a lack of love, compassion and forgiveness, the house will remain toxic

My friend Sally used to corral her three teenage children to clean their house every Saturday morning. I was envious of her chutzpa to demand this of her kids, but the part of the story that was always tragic to me was that every Saturday afternoon without fail, Sally’s son Sam was sent to his room for hyperactive, “out of control” behavior.
Looking at the cause and effect of the son’s behavior through my lens of awareness of how neurotoxic many cleaning chemicals are, I could see it would make sense that the son’s central nervous system and brain could be reacting to these chemicals. Symptoms of neurotoxicity include lack of concentration, personality changes, depression, hyperactivity and the mimicking of psychiatric disorders.

Not being particularly “green,” the cleaning products Sally would buy for her kids to use were the standard store-bought fare readily available in supermarkets. Examples of neurotoxins found in such products include VOCs (furniture polish can contain VOCs), neurotoxic disinfectants, petroleum distillates, fragrances (scented products are notoriously neurotoxic,) and waxes (VOCs again in the solvents), to name a few.

Pesticides take front seat in the arsenal of poisons that hurt the central nervous system and brain. After all, they are designed to kill. A new study reported in the June issue of Pediatrics, published online May 17, links organophosphate pesticide metabolites found in urine to a much higher incidence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

“Each 10-fold increase in urinary concentration of organophosphate metabolites was associated with a 55 percent to 72 percent increase in the odds of ADHD,” study author Maryse F. Bouchard, PhD, of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Montreal, told Medscape Psychiatry.

Another example of subtle neurotoxic exposure children suffer through that most adults miss is to the solvents in markers in art class. When my daughter was in school, one year the math class was the period after art class, and she said that the kids were always “off the walls” in math class. What a tragedy, and one that could so easily be avoided if schools stopped allowing neurotoxic art materials to be used. How many kids thought they were bad at math when the culprit was the colored markers?

I’ve often wondered why the dots haven’t been connected by most people between neurotoxic chemicals and ADHD-type behavior. After all, if a neurotoxic chemical is known to cause depression, for example, and that chemical is being used, why do so few people (and almost no psychiatrists) say, oh my gosh, let’s remove the neurotoxin?

At least one thing parents can do is to remove neurotoxins from the home. Here are eleven quick solutions:

Yes to “green” dry cleaning using C02, no to dry cleaning with perchlorethelene (and hanging clothes in bedroom closets);

Yes to water-based markers, no to solvent-based markers;

Yes to natural furniture polishes or simple jojoba oil (a natural wax), no to furniture polish made of volatile organic chemicals;

Yes to organic produce, no to highly processed foods.

Yes to food with natural food coloring, no to food with FD&C dyes;

Yes to safe integrated pest management, no to synthetic pesticides;

Yes to cedar and herbs for moths, no to moth balls;

Yes to natural essential oils for fragrance, no to synthetic perfumes and fragrances;

Yes to vegetable-based Free and Clear detergents and cleaning products, no to cleaning products containing volatile organic chemicals;

Yes to efficient heating systems, no to kerosene, open gas, or other systems that could leak carbon monoxide;

Yes to educating yourself about lead paint and other sources of lead, no to hoping for the best if you live in a house built before 1978.

Simple steps such as these can make a big difference. Being away from neurotoxins helps you have more serene sleep, babies are less fussy, children concentration is improved, people are calmer and the lifestyle helps you have a better sense of well-being.

Bob asks, “What is nirvana?” He then explains how it is the ultimate, real state of our existence and how we can develop a peace within ourselves that absorbs stress.
Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, October 2006.

It’s time for skin renewal. Time to look deeper into what you are using on your skin. Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs the most toxins. It is important to get intimate with the products you apply to it, so you know what you are being exposed to. I am a big believer in choosing your toxins, not having them choose you. I live what I call the 85-15% life style. 85% of the time I eat healthy and take care of myself and 15% of the time I indulge in my version of vitamin J (junk). I do this knowing the effects of all my junk, the choice is mine.

Choosing a product that is not only effective but safe for your body can be harder than it seems. Labels often use key words such as ‘all-natural’ and “organic”, or highlight a specific ingredient in order to entice the consumer into purchasing it. Many times, the label is misleading. We want to be confident that what we are purchasing is healthy for our bodies; we want to know a product is right for us. Use these quick tips when shopping for skin care, body and makeup products.

Forget about the label/packaging. Many times a company will spend a lot of money on their packaging in order to attract the customer but their ingredients may not be as alluring. Flip the container over and read the ingredients. Be sure to avoid the following:

• parabens
• sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfate; ammonium laureth sulphate
• propylene glycol
• ingredients containing Petroleum
• nanoparticles
• formaldehyde
• pthalates
• synthetic fragrance
• diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA)
• diazolidinyl urea and imidazolidinyl urea
• PVP/VA copolymer

Make your own criteria of what you consider ‘safe’ for you and your body. Everyone’s ‘safe’ is different so by creating a specific list of product you’d choose to avoid, you are now in control of your bodies chemical intake and lack thereof.

Trust the facts, and those are found in ingredient lists! Don’t be persuaded by your local sales associate, mother-in-law or brand name.  Dig deeper, empower yourself with knowledge and make an educated decision. And don’t get confused by a chemical name that has.. (made from corn or coconut or ?) after it.

Limit your exposure. Clean out that bathroom cabinet and rid yourself of excess chemical intake.  Pull every bottle out and separate the your “must have” products from the products you can eliminate. You can also limit your exposure by picking products with more than one use. When your products can pull double or triple duty, you can limit your chemical exposure immensely. Try using your lip balm on cuticles, or eye balms around the mouth.  Just be sure to read all warning labels first.

The short answer is yes because common household and body-care products are increasingly being found to have negative health effects on the nervous and immune systems, on our reproductive systems and on our endocrine, cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

The average home contains 500-1,000 chemicals, many of which we are unable to see, smell or taste. While these chemicals may be tolerated individually and in small doses, problems can arise when one is exposed to them in combination or in larger doses. Everyone’s tolerance level is different depending on genetics, nutritional status and previous contacts with many chemicals, but the negative effects of household toxins are often compounded by the use of other drugs especially the habitual use of alcohol, or prescription or recreational drugs.

Indoor air is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Home insulation, so wonderful for keeping our homes warm in winter and cool in summer, doesn’t allow fresh air in, so we’re constantly breathing in the same stale air. Wall to wall carpeting keeps us cozy, but can introduce a myriad of toxins to our well insulated homes. It can also trap dirt, fleas, dust, dust-mites and lead.

Many of the cleaning products we use to clean our furniture, bathrooms, windows etc. are full of toxic chemicals, some of which do not even appear on the labels. Similarly with the many personal-care care products we put on our skin and the pet-care products we use on our pets.
Most tick and flea products contain active ingredients and solvents that might cause cancer in animals. Also, substantial human exposure is possible by absorption through the skin, while playing with and handling the pet.

The pesticides we use on our gardens eliminate not only plant pests but also most of the insects that are beneficial to help control these pests. Of the 30 most commonly used lawn chemicals, 19 have studies pointing toward cancer and 15 are known to cause nervous system poisoning.

This is not to say that we should not keep our houses comfortable and clean and our yards looking good. What’s important is to understand that how we do this can have an important impact on our health. Abundant toxins can and do lead to health problems.

The media is abuzz with the latest research news on the potential impact of cell phone use on human health. The most recent research study by the Radiation Research Trust, a UK-based charity, focuses on the health effects of electromagnetic fields from wireless technologies. The report released on August 25th, 2009, and signed by global researchers, builds on the work by Swedish researchers that was presented in September 2008 at the first international conference on mobile phones and health, headed by Professor Lennart Hardell of the University Hospital in Orebro, Sweden. The Swedish study stated that “children and teenagers” are five times more likely to get brain cancer if they use mobile phones”. The report, experts say, raises fears that today’s young people may suffer an “epidemic” of the disease in later life.

The European Parliament voted last year by 522 to 16 to urge ministers across Europe to bring in stricter limits for exposure to radiation from mobile and cordless phones, Wi-fi and other devices, partly because children are especially vulnerable to them. Children are more at risk because their brains and nervous systems are still developing and because – since their heads are smaller and their skulls are thinner – the radiation penetrates deeper into their brains.

The following is from University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Based on Advice from an International Expert Panel

Analysis Of Recent Studies

Electromagnetic fields generated by cell phones should be considered a potential human health risk. Sufficient time has not elapsed in order for us to have conclusive data on the biological effects of cell phones and other cordless phones — a technology that is now universal.
Studies in humans do not indicate that cell phones are safe, nor do they yet clearly show that they are dangerous. But, growing evidence indicates that we should reduce exposures, while research continues on this important question.
Manufacturers report that cell and wireless phones emit electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic fields are likely to penetrate the brain more deeply for children than for adults.

Modeling in the diagram below estimates that young children are more susceptible to electromagnetic fields due to smaller sized brains and softer brain tissue.

1) Electromagnetic fields from cell phones are estimated to penetrate the brain especially in children.

Figure 1. Model estimate of the absorption of electromagnetic radiation from a cell phone based on age (Frequency GSM 900 Mhz) (On the right, color scale showing the Specific Absorption Rate in W/kg).

2) Living tissue is vulnerable to electromagnetic fields within the frequency bands used by cell phones (from 800 to 2200 MHz) even below the threshold of power imposed by most safety standards ( 1.6 W/Kg for 1g of tissue), notably an increase in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier and an increased synthesis of stress proteins.

The most recent studies, which include subjects with a history of cell phone usage for a duration of at least 10 years, show a possible association between certain benign tumors (acoustic neuromas) and some brain cancers on the side the device is used.

However, human epidemiological studies on cell phones conducted to date cannot be conclusive. Due to their recently increased use, we are not yet able to evaluate their long term impact on health. Even where an association between exposure and cancer is well established and the risk very high — as with tobacco and lung cancer — under similar study conditions (in other words with people who smoked for less than 10 years) it would be difficult, if not impossible, to identify an increased risk of cancer, as the risk appears mostly 15 to 35 years later.

The Ten Precautions

Given the absence of definitive proof in humans of the carcinogenic effects of electromagnetic fields of cell phones, we cannot speak about the necessity of preventative measures (as for tobacco or asbestos). In anticipation of more definitive data covering prolonged periods of observation, the existing data press us to share important prudent and simple measures of precaution for cell phone users, as have been variously suggested by several national and international reports.

These measures are also likely to be important for people who are already suffering from cancer and who must avoid any external influence that may contribute to disease progression.

1. Do not allow children to use a cell phone except for emergencies. The developing organs of a fetus or child are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.

2. While communicating using your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone away from the body as much as possible. The amplitude of the electromagnetic field is one fourth the strength at a distance of two inches and fifty times lower at three feet.
Whenever possible, use the speaker-phone mode or a wireless Bluetooth headset, which has less than 1/100th of the electromagnetic emission of a normal cell phone. Use of a headset attachment may also reduce exposure.

3. Avoid using your cell phone in places, like a bus, where you can passively expose others to your phone’s electromagnetic fields.

4. Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times. Do not keep it near your body at night such as under the pillow or on a bedside table, particularly if pregnant. You can also put it on “flight” or “off-line” mode, which stops electromagnetic emissions.

5. If you must carry your cell phone on you, it is preferable that the keypad is positioned toward your body and the back is positioned toward the outside of your body. Depending on the thickness of the phone this may provide a minimal reduction of exposure.

6. Only use your cell phone to establish contact or for conversations lasting a few minutes as the biological effects are directly related to the duration of exposure. For longer conversations, use a land line with a corded phone, not a cordless phone, which uses electromagnetic emitting technology similar to that of cell phones.

7. Switch sides regularly while communicating on your cell phone to spread out your exposure. Before putting your cell phone to the ear, wait until your correspondent has picked up. This limits the power of the electromagnetic field emitted near your ear and the duration of your exposure.

8. Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train, as this automatically increases power to a maximum as the phone repeatedly attempts to connect to a new relay antenna.

9. When possible, communicate via text messaging rather than making a call, limiting the duration of exposure and the proximity to the body.

10. Choose a device with the lowest SAR possible (SAR = Specific Absorption Rate, which is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field absorbed by the body). SAR ratings of contemporary phones by different manufacturers are available by searching for “sar ratings cell phones” on the internet.

Conclusion

The cell phone is a remarkable invention and a breakthrough of great social importance. Our society will no longer do without cell phones. None of the members on the expert committee has stopped or intends to stop using cell telephones. This includes Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, a 16 year survivor of brain cancer. However, we, the users, must all take precautionary measures in view of recent scientific data on the biological effects of cell phone use, especially those who already have cancer.

In addition, manufacturers and service providers must also assume responsibility. It is their responsibility to provide appliances and equipment with the lowest possible risk and to constantly evolve their technology in this direction. They should also encourage consumers to use their devices in a way that is most compatible with preserving their health.
In the early 1980’s, the owners of asbestos mines were reduced to bankruptcy as a result of lawsuits brought by the families of deceased exposed workers. A few years later, a key executive of Johns Manville, the most prominent company, drew lessons from the years of struggle of his industry against medical data and the scientists who were drawing attention to the risks of asbestos. He concluded with regret that greater warnings for the public, the establishment of more effective precautions, and more extensive medical research “could have saved lives, and probably also shareholders, the industry, and the benefits of its product.”

We call on the cell phone companies to provide independent access to records of use so that appropriate studies can be carried out.
That is what we wish for today’s cell phone industry. We do not need to ban this technology, but to adapt it – to harness it – so that it never becomes a major cause of illness.

Dana Ullman is widely recognized as a leading spokesperson for homeopathic medicine in the U.S. He has authored 9 books, including America’s most popular homeopathic guidebook, Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines. He is also a frequent blogger on the website and I sat down with him at a recent Integrative Medicine conference.

Head of the Knee Pose. Practice this pose to promote flexibility in the hip joints and relief from mental turmoil.

Medical Uses:

Practice Head of The Knee Pose (along with the other forward bends) to bring high blood pressure under control. Acidity, bronchitis, colitis, leg deformity, diabetes, kidney problems and prostate problems, can also be tackled by working intelligently and regularly in this pose.

1. Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose). Bend your left knee to the side and place your right foot against your inner right thigh. Raise your arms.
2. Reach forward and hold your right foot. Curve your spine in and up.
3. Fold forward over your right leg. Place your head on your shin.

Practice Note:

If you are flexible turn your hands out and clasp the left wrist.

If you cannot clasp your feet hold a strap. To enable a quiet mental release, either support your head on a bolster placed across the legs, or rest your head on a chair.

A friend once asked me: “If you were stranded on an island and could only have three foods and all foods were equally nutritious, which three foods would you choose?” I wasn’t sure about the other two, but my favorite food is definitely watermelon.

Watermelon is a great cooling food on a hot summer’s day. It’s easy to prepare—just cut it! And nearly everyone likes it. But that’s only the beginning. It’s fat-free, unprocessed, natural, and low in calories. Watermelon is loaded with nutrients and health benefits. Just one cup of watermelon has 25% of our daily vitamin C needs, 10% of vitamin A and B6, 7% of B1, and about 5% of magnesium and potassium. It’s also loaded with the anti-oxidant lycopene. Lycopene has been shown to protect against cancers including: prostate, breast, colon, endometrial, and lung. It’s also been shown to reduce inflammation in asthma, and arthritis. Studies also show that eating at least three servings of fruit each day can protect against macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in adults. Watermelon is a delicious summer-time way to fulfill that.

My favorite way to prepare watermelon is to just cut it in edible sized pieces and leave the rind on it. If you want to be fancy, make a watermelon basket.

Making a Watermelon Basket

1. Wipe off the watermelon with a damp cloth. (Sometimes they still have dirt on them.)
2. Cut a sliver off the bottom so it will sit better.
3. Take a marker or pencil and draw a line a bit above half-way around the watermelon.
4. Also mark a place for a handle and make it about 1-1/2 to 2 inches wide.
5. Then take a sharp knife and carefully cut along the outside of the “handle” in a zig-zag
   shape if you want to be fancy, and straight if you don’t care about being fancy.
6. Once you’ve cut out the handle, continue cutting on each side of it to finish making the
   basket. (zig-zag or straight)
7. Take a melon-baller or a sharp knife and hollow out the watermelon. Put the pieces in a
   bowl while you are doing this.
8. Then either put the watermelon pieces back into the basket or mix with other summer
   fruit—like other melons, berries, peaches, plums, nectarines, grapes, and more.
9. Eat and Enjoy the summer day.