A Green Environment for Your New Baby
A new baby is a beautiful and indescribable blessing to any family. Months of anticipation lead up to an indescribable day for the family-in-waiting. Babies go from the warm, safe and very recognizable environment of mom’s womb to the outside world. Will the outside environment be as supportive as mom’s body?
Unless you specify during pregnancy that your baby will be wrapped in only the safest and best 100% cotton organic materials possible, you will receive lots of gifts in blankets and crib materials that will not be supportive for newborn health. Let people know early on your preferences for organic and green. This will ensure safe and cozy crib bedding for your sweet baby. Why cotton and why organic?
Certain clothes, especially permanent press, wrinkle free and water resilient fabrics are dipped or sprayed in formaldehyde, which is also used as embalming fluid. Many fabrics on sofas, chairs and carpets are preserved with harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde. Formaldehyde has some alias names to look for: Formalin, Methanal, Methyl aldehyde, Methylene oxide, Morbicid acid and Oxymethylene.
In any home, and especially next to the baby in the crib or anywhere in the nursery decor, the materials will have a direct impact on the health and long term safety of a small child. Remember that when formaldehyde or other fabric-preservatives are in conjunction with synthetic materials, or even on top of so-called natural materials derived from plants that are pesticide sprayed, you have the ingredients for a toxic soup.
With constant contact, any person, and especially a small person will acquire sensitivities. These sensitivities are actually meant to be a warning signal that something is not right, to look at what is happening and make changes for the better.
The best way to insure a healthy environment for the entire home, starting with baby, is to buy 100% cotton, organic and from a reputable company. There are many listed in the green directories, online and most search engines.
What to Do If You Suspect Allergies?
It is most crucial when it comes to small children and older seniors to stop all contact with the irritant causing the allergy. It is known in the healing community that a little goes a long way with both the old and the young, whether it’s good or bad.
Minerals and enzymes, found naturally in raw or lightly cooked foods, are the beginning building blocks to life. Although proteins are considered body building blocks, the body cannot assimilate protein and properly utilize it effectively without minerals and enzymes.
Minerals and enzymes, found naturally in raw or lightly cooked foods, are the beginning building blocks to life. Although proteins are considered body building blocks, the body cannot assimilate protein and properly utilize it effectively without minerals and enzymes. The body is equipped with digestive juice factories. Some are located in the mouth, some in the stomach, some juices that digest travel from the liver and pancreas through the hepatopancreatic duct to supply digestive help in the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.
Over time, when a person does not eat mineral and enzyme rich foods, these internal juice factories become run-down with serious over-abuse. At this point the human body begins showing those signs in such things as allergies. When the body is depleted of the juices it needs to digest, even proteins which could be building blocks, become instead boulders the body simply carries along until it has the capacity to rid itself of what has become a liability. At this crucial point 75% – 80% of all foods ingested should be raw or lightly cooked.
Parents have the sacred responsibility to ensure that the entire family, and especially the child indicating danger signs, eats foods that are agreeable for their particular body type or blood type, and eat lightly steamed vegetables or fruits. In addition, having a good naturopath or nutritional counselor will create the support the parent needs to do the right thing for children who struggle with health.
Creating a Green Environment is going to be our best ally for the future. Begin small and add something new to green thinking each month. Eating whole and natural creates Whole Human Beings. Begin throwing out dead foods and replace them one by one with live food. Make it a family quest and project. What fun! Each baby is a new beginning for a family. Make it a fresh start for new and healthy resolutions for your sweet family.
Look for whole and green everywhere. Expect the best and insist upon it. To Your Best Health, Ellen Valentine, CNC
Ellen Valentine is a nutritionist and naturopath dedicated to organic living. Organics today, a Green Earth tomorrow Live Wholly and Well. Organics today, a Green Earth tomorrow
