After spending all day Sunday (4am-8pm) at a precious friend’s home birth, I was so disappointed to spend all Sunday night dealing with poor little Harper’s first fever. I have complained in the past about not sleeping on some nights… However, until Sunday night, I don’t think I understood that you could literally spend an entire night with a baby NOT sleeping at ALL. Usually on nights where Harper isn’t so keen on sleeping, we can convince him to at least get a little rest by rocking or bouncing him, changing his diaper, using his sound machine and if all of this doesn’t work, I can at least get a bit of rest by sleeping on my side as he nurses. But, on Sunday night, we tried and tried, but NOTHING worked. He would latch on and suck a couple of times, then he would latch off and scream in pain. The only thing that soothed him a little bit was sitting upright in the rocking chair or walking the house with him on our chest. And, as the night progressed, his little body got warmer and warmer. We could tell his teeth were bothering him because he would blow raspberries on our shoulders and stick his fingers as far back in his mouth as he could manage to get them. And, we gathered that his ears and sinuses weren’t feeling too well either because the pressure of laying him down was unbearable and he would not nurse for long periods of time. I have seen many patients with these same symptoms, but as you may know, it is a lot different when you are living it out with your own child as a mom rather than being a doctor to your patient. And, I know that with teething it is common to run a fever, not sleep, have loose bowels, have a runny nose, and/or have ear/sinus pain/pressure. However, it is so much easier for me to stay level headed with my patients; at one point yesterday, when Harper hung his head and cried on my shoulder, I broke down and cried over his pain with him. It is so hard to watch my little boy hurt! But, I am so grateful for this experience because it has done nothing but convince me more to practice what I preach, and I will go into the office understanding my moms better.

So what did we do with a fever? Simple, let the body work. God is so incredible, and the way He made our bodies just amazes me. And, I am so sad to see that we constantly try to change the perfect vessel He has made. I am thankful for fevers; and, I am especially thankful that fevers come on with teething. Why? Well, if we didn’t have fevers during teething, it would be much easier for us to get sick. See, the tooth has to erupt through the gum line, so this causes a series of potentially dangerous events to happen if there wasn’t a protective fever set in place by our amazing Creator. When the tooth comes through, the gums are open and allow things to enter the body that normally wouldn’t come through an otherwise closed system. Also, there is generalized inflammation in the face (sinuses) and ears as the teeth come through. So, without a fever, we are more susceptible to ear infections and colds and sinus infections at this time. And, mucous production increases to wash out bacteria during this susceptible time for infection. Of course I can totally understand after going through this- and struggling as I watched my precious baby deal with pain- why parents would jump for the Tylenol and Motrin. But, this simply wasn’t an option or consideration for us. Why? Well, there are several reasons. For one,I trust that our bodies are perfectly created to function perfectly 100% of the time. I don’t want to mess with what God has created for a purpose. If I choose to decrease his fever, I lengthen the time he has to spend not feeling good. His body turns the fever up high to kill off whatever doesn’t need to be in his body, and if I turn down the temperature, his body will pause and then try to turn it back up again. Or worse, it will be more susceptible to infection, possibly acquire an infection and then have to take extra time to kill it off. So, why not just spend some miserable time letting the fever do its good, and then it will be over and we will be back to normal and happy in no time. Secondly, have you looked into the ingredients in Tylenol andMotrin? I am not going to stress out my child’s developing liver and cause potential heart complications and stomach bleeding by giving my child Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen just so he can cool down his elevated temperature and be happy. And, I am certainly not going to give my child corn syrup, sugar (sorbitol) or food dyes! Isn’t this one of the primary reasons why I breastfeed, to keep junk out of my child?! Did you know that 1 teaspoon of sugar decreases immunity for at least 10 hours? And, there are tons of side effects (like killing off brain cells!) when it comes to artificial and alcohol sugars so don’t think that flavoring the medicines with these or going “sugar free” is a better answer either. And, corn syrup is one of the worst things you can put in your body, much less your baby’s (another reason why I am so glad we breastfeed and don’t do formula- since corn syrup is one of the primary ingredients in formulas), so I certainly wouldn’t be giving him a medication with this ingredient just so he could feel better. Furthermore, considering sugar is one guaranteed way to decrease and stress out the immune system, it’s ironic that these medications all contain it in one form or another. Isn’t it just great that some of them include Splenda or sucralose instead? Do you know what makes up Splenda/sucralose? Simple- sugar and chlorine. Would I give my child chlorine? NO! So why would I give him some chlorine with sugar on a day he is miserable with fever? Beats me… Probably because parents either don’t read labels, or they don’t know what the ingredient is on the label, or worst yet- they trust the doctor who told them to give it to their child w/ a blind faith. No thanks, I’d rather have the miserable child with fever than these meds! You won’t find me giving you the popular opinion that God gifted doctors with wisdom and knowledge to invent these wonderful meds. Nope, I think it’s simply another thing we have invented to bypass God’s plan and make our lives easier but not better.

There are many things we have to achieve through hard work, and health is one of them. Know what else I did not do? I did not sit around taking my child’s temperature with a thermometer. Why? Do I need to see a number to tell me my child has fever? Nope, I can see he does by watching how he does not act like himself and feeling how hot his skin is to the touch. Harper feeds off of my emotions, and what better emotion to make one sick than stress? And what would stress me out more than seeing a climbing number on the thermometer? No thanks! Did I worry about the fever? Yes, my main concern was keeping him hydrated and getting him well. So, we stayed chilled out at home. I stripped him down to his diaper, and we laid in bed skin to skin and nursed as much as possible. The result? The fever is almost totally gone, he is getting back to his happy, active self, and I have a healthier child because I let his body go with what it was designed perfectly to do best- work! Fever is a time of detox and helps rid the body of toxins and keep toxins out that haven’t yet entered, and studies show it decreases cancer risks too. Therefore, I may not have enjoyed the couple of days with an unhappy child, but I am so thankful that the Power that made the body can and does heal the body, and we come out on the other side better!!

A growing practice, quickly gaining popularity for many reasons, is that of using cloth diapers instead of disposables.  But, a less often talked about practice is that of using natural- even cloth reusable- feminine care products (pads and tampons) too.  And, many health/environment conscious moms who are not using cloth, opt to use natural/organic diapers, pads and/or tampons.  Many people have seen my cute pictures of Harper wearing his fashionable diapers.  Although they know he isn’t wearing Huggies, they may not be aware of what he’s in and why I’ve chosen to dress him that way.  Why would I make such a choice?

Over the years, I have watched countless moms come into my office.  The ones who dress their babies in precious cloth diapers always catch my eye.  And, fortunately, I had a chance to talk with many and ask their opinions before having Harper.  Once pregnant, after talking to all of these moms, it was a no brain-er that we would cloth diaper our children.  When cloth was not an option, we would not use conventional paper diapers, but would turn to the natural organic brands.  Why in the world would we choose to put this much thought into what goes on our child’s bottom? 

Well, cloth is the best option- in our opinion- and, we not only advocate that moms steer away from the regular conventional brands when it comes to diapers but also when they choose to purchase products to use on themselves once a month.  We have seen drastic results and awesome changes in women’s and children’s health because of the switch; this is why we feel so strongly about it!  We started out using Seventh Generation newborn disposables on Harper, until all of his meconium was gone.  Once the meconium had passed, we started out with a diaper service, so that we could try cloth without having to buy them yet.  This was a wonderful option, and it was really just as cheap (if not more) than disposables.  I loved the option to try without having to buy.  We, obviously, loved cloth, and quickly decided to purchase our own.  We went through Hip Green Baby.  I can not say enough about how much I love Kristi, and how wonderful she and her company are.  Harper wore her prefolds (we just did plain, no dye) with a Snappi and Wonder Wrap or Thirsties cover.  This is the simple way to go, and we love it!  Thirsties covers are my absolute favorite!!   

Harper’s health is quite the obsession around here!  And, you guessed it, we choose cloth- in large part- for health reasons.  The skin is the largest organ, and comes into contact with most everything we are exposed to.  This is particularly true when it comes to diapers, which a baby wears against his/her skin 24/7.  We did not want Harper’s skin exposed to something as potentially harmful as paper diapers filled with chemicals, when there is such a great option as cloth.  We do not believe that it is any coincidence that our children end up with so many skin problems, allergies, and hormonal disruptions when we look at how long they are usually left in these paper diapers filled with horrible chemicals.  Did you know most paper diapers contain dioxin, bleach, chlorine, tributyl tin, perfumes and plastic?

Dioxin has been found to cause damage to the immune system, birth defects, and it is a carcinogen.  Bleach is harsh on skin and a known carcinogen.  Chlorine can also harm skin and is carcinogenic too.  Perfumes are known to disrupt the hormonal system and have been linked to asthma.  Tributyl tin has harmful effects on the hormonal and immune systems. 

You won’t find these chemicals in cloth diapers, and who wouldn’t prefer cloth underwear over paper?!  In addition to health savings, we have saved a lot of money by using cloth diapers.  And, because we will be able to use Harper’s diapers when we have other children, this is a savings that I look forward to continuing.  I often hear families complain about their expenses, and watch them work so hard to pinch pennies.  I find myself wondering, “Why don’t they simply switch to cloth?”  It is so easy, and makes so much sense!

Furthermore, it is a lot easier to potty train a baby who has grown up in cloth versus paper diapers.  Harper senses when he is wet a lot sooner when he wears cloth.  We have been doing Elimination Communication with him since he was four weeks old, but I credit the fact that he is sixteen months and almost potty trained to our choice of cloth diapers.

I am not a huge environmentalist, but it is nice to know that we aren’t adding to the disgusting problem that has been created by all the disposable diapers that are thrown out.  Did you know when you throw out a paper diaper, it takes hundreds of years for it to decompose?  Yuck!  And, it is estimated that your paper diapers from your one baby will generate at least one ton of garbage.  Care about the environment or not, those nasty facts can not be ignored!

I urge you not to stop your research for the health of your family when it comes to what they wear on their bottoms!  And, maybe going straight to cloth isn’t an option.  Well, fortunately, there are safer, healthier disposable options out there.  Please, do your research! 

Some sites to look at:

Seventh Generation 

Earth’s Best

Hip Green Baby

G Diapers

Natracare

Luna Pads

Glad Rags

What about you?  Do you use paper or cloth?  If you’ve made the switch, I would love to hear why and how you did it.

From time to time, I would like to share that change with you.  Realize please, we are NOT perfect!  We are definitely still growing and changing our ways to become healthier.  I know it is overwhelming to change your life- especially in an area where food is involved.  If there is one thing I know from the cleanse:  Food is a very touchy, emotional subject.  And, as with anything, the key to permanent change is to change slowly over a period of time.  Be encouraged by your small moves towards health and wellness.  We all have set backs, it’s okay, just keep moving forward!

Hopefully, this post will help you get started and implement some small changes to help you and your family.  I will tell you one thing, Harper is being raised eating a lot differently than either of us ever did growing up.  That is something we are so very proud of!  He is reaping the benefits of all of our efforts to change our eating habits; and, every time he eats something healthy that the typical American kid wouldn’t touch (or many adults for that matter), we just smile.  He is our proof that our hard efforts are paying off in a big way.  After all, shouldn’t each generation be and do better than the last?  That is what this is all about:  Changing slowly so you can not only be healthier, but you can teach those after you how to do it right.

Here are some small steps:

1) Drink clean water.  We buy reverse osmosis water (this is really cheap), and we don’t really keep other drinks in the house.  If there aren’t other options, what to drink is a really easy decision!  Make it fun by adding fresh orange, lemon or lime slices- even try some fresh mint sprigs from time to time.  Most people walk around dehydrated and don’t even realize it; the more water you give your body, the more your body will crave water (trust me on this one!). 

This one can be hard, especially if you (or your kids) are used to drinking a lot of juices or teas or sodas.  An easy way to transition, start by drinking as much water as you plan to drink of the other beverage before you drink the other beverage.  You won’t drink as much of the other liquid if you start with water first.  Then, especially with juices/teas (doesn’t work so well with sodas), start diluting the other beverage with water until over time all you are drinking is water.  This last step is a wonderful way to transition kids.

2) Add a little raw vegetables to lunch, dinner and most snacks.  Why?  Raw foods contain enzymes which help you break down and digest your other foods.  Also, you will absorb nutrients better from raw than cooked because these foods are living.  And, just like with adding water, when you add vegetables to your body, your undernourished body will eventually realize it needs this, and you will start craving them!  I know some of you think you could never crave something as healthy as a veggie, again, trust me on this.

3) Replace all of your salt with sea salt.  We use Real Sea Salt, which is sold in many stores and very easy to find.  Real Sea Salt is very different from the salt most people are used to.  Why?  First of all, it looks different, it is not bleach white and is quite colorful.  This is a great sign because it lets you know it hasn’t been bleached and processed and it tells you all of the minerals have been left in it.  This salt has so many wonderful nutrients in it, which are healthy for you.  Yes, now you can use salt without worrying about the harmful side effects.  Even if you are pregnant, because of all the essential nutrients this salt contains, you can salt to taste and not worry about the side effects.  You may be surprised, but this salt tastes so much better than the salt you’ve been used to all of your life.  And, it takes a lot less of it to bring out wonderful flavors in your food.  This company sells many flavored salts and seasonings, start trying them out.  I’d love to hear what you think.

4) Join an organic food co-op.  We belong to Monica Brown’s Healthsource Group.  I know I have said a lot about how much I love this in previous post.  This is such an easy way to transition, try it!  You can buy a member’s share when they are out of town, you can split a share with someone until you decide you want a full one, and/or you can try the co-op for a few weeks to see what you think.  Why is this so essential?  Several reasons:  It forces you to try different types of organic produce that you may not usually buy.  Do you know how many ”weird” things we eat/do because we first found out about them through the co-op.  And, don’t let this scare you.  First, you choose how “weird” you want to be .  No, seriously, in the co-op you will find most of the produce are normal things you would eat (salad, tomatoes, potatoes, oranges, apples, onions).  You get a lot of the usual things you pick up at the store, but at first, there are usually a couple of things which you have never seen before.  What a great opportunity!  And, everyone on the co-op board shares their ideas/recipes.  Google is a great recipe tool too.  Many things we now love to eat, and “have to have” on a weekly basis got their start in our co-op bin, as we would question, “What is that?!”.  Try it!

5) Find one new, healthy recipe to try every other week.  Again, many of these have become our staple meals.  And, what’s the worse that can happen?  None of your family, including you, thinks the recipe is edible so you get to enjoy a meal out after cooking.  See, it’s worth the try just for the possibility of getting to dine out.  Pick a recipe from my blog, or from the Nourishing Traditions book or from any of the other cooking sites I have mentioned.  Have fun!

There you have it, some tips to get you started.  One more thing, notice how every trick I have offered mentions adding something in or replacing it?  If you start with taking everything out and thinking, “I can’t do or have this.”, you will never stick with it.  It is human nature to run away from pain and towards pleasure.  Don’t make this a painful process!  Start slow and have a worthy goal! 

Any ideas you wish to share on how you transitioned?  I would love to hear them!  And, check back often, I will try to share lots more ideas.

“The terrain is everything; the germ is nothing.” – Claude Bernard

“The symptoms of the flu or pneumonia—fever, chills, cough, and excess mucous production—are actually secondary illnesses; the first ‘illness’ was loss of health in the underlying tissues.  Bernard’s view is that disease is an ‘inside-out job’, meaning that when the body is disrupted by today’s toxicities—vaccines, chemicals, heavy metals, processed food, preservatives, etc. – disease occurs.” -Dr. Sherry Tenpenny

Halloween seems to kick off the holiday season every year.  Up until this point, we simply plan the festivities and get excited about cooler weather and fall traditions.  And, going into our seventh year in practice, we know what this time of the year holds for the next few weeks.  The holidays simply don’t equal health for most patients!  While everyone else is out “trick or treating”, we are resting up, knowing that all this candy and fun will keep us very busy for a while.  While each person’s holiday season may differ a bit, most people’s holidays consists of several things for sure: extra sugar, busier schedules and stress.  And, unfortunately, this is not a solution for increasing health! 

Do many people put two and two together as to why Little Johnny and Sweet Susie “always seem to get sick” around this time of the year?  Maybe it’s that they understand it’s not a mere coincidence, but if they admit what is going on, they may have to take responsibility for their actions or- gasp- they might have to choose to miss out on some of the candy and fun.  Research says that the average American consumes 135 pounds of sugar per year, and 2-3 pounds of sugar in a week!  Imagine what that number increases to over the holiday season…  The normal level of sugar in your bloodstream should be about 1 teaspoon, but most sodas have at least 12 teaspoons of sugar in them.  Why does this matter when it comes to staying well?  Did you know that sugar consumption decreases the immune system’s ability to kill germs by at least 40%?!

At a time when people are really fearful of flu and extremely concerned about staying well, you may want to think twice before reaching into that pumpkin basket to snack on another piece of free candy.  Quit blaming the germs and consider the real culprit: bad choices!  And, if you choose to indulge, make wise choices for your health:  Add in a B-complex vitamin to help your body digest all the extra sugars, increase your intake of vitamins C & D to boost your immunity, wash your hands and keep them away from your face, use colloidal silver to kill off germs and stay well and increase vegetable consumption in your diet.

Hope you have a very happy and healthy start to your holidays!