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Monday Health & Wellness: What Makes a True “Environmentally Friendly” Diet?

May 20, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

Image by sweetonveg

This month, we’re talking “local.”  One part of local is food!  And with food comes the big question…”what is an environmentally friendly diet?”

I get lots of readers who tell me that I ought to only be promoting the “right” diet.  Of course, what the “right” diet is varies depending on which reader is talking to me — it might be paleo, vegan, vegetarian, locavore, gluten-free, and on and on.

In general, we don’t promote one of these diets as being “the” right one.  People are simply too different and their needs are too different for us to tell you what you must eat.  We do promote only real food, though!  We understand and most of us follow the 80/20 rule ourselves, but you’ll never hear us say that factory-made products are healthy and should be used instead of unprocessed, whole foods.  It’s a balancing act and we all need a treat, but we understand that certain choices are just that — treats.

Anyway, since so many people claim that one diet or another is the “best” and one reason for that is that certain diets are “the most environmentally friendly,” I thought I’d look into that.  Is there one diet that’s actually ideal for the environment?

What Does “Environmentally Friendly” Mean?

First we have to know what we mean by “environmentally friendly.”  In this case, it means:

  • Has neutral or beneficial effect on the environment during production
  • Minimizes or eliminates production of methane or carbon dioxide
  • Minimizes waste
  • Minimizes use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides naturally

We can already see that organic agriculture is going to be better than conventional.  Let’s look further at what really makes up an environmentally friendly diet.

What Is an “Environmentally Friendly” Diet?

Most conventional farming relies heavily on “monocropping,” which is the practice of growing large fields of the same crop alone (usually corn and soy).  But “intercropping,” the practice of growing alternating rows of two different crops, can increase yields by 25% or more, and decrease the need for pesticide or herbicide use, as well as decreasing soil erosion.  It also happens to be better for the farmer, who, in a poor year, could lose one crop, but not all the crops.  Diversifying is beneficial all the way around.  (More on the benefits of polycropping.)

Monocropping has several other drawbacks, including requiring heavy use of pesticides and herbicides, polluting the water, creating famines, less biodiversity in the seeds/crops (including loss of heirloom varieties), destroying rain forests and other important parts of the environment and many more.  In no way does monocropping fit our definition of “environmentally friendly;” quite the opposite!

This study shows that polycropping led to increased yields and were more profitable for farmers.  Another study shows that despite spending $30 billion per year on insecticides, about 43% of the world’s top 8 crops are lost due to insects, disease, or weeds.  Yet another study shows that although 2.5 million pounds of pesticides are used annually, about 40% of total crop production is lost.  This study also shows that when insects become resistant to herbicides, GM crops require increased pesticide use with no greater yields.

We know from all this data that fruits and vegetables raised in a polycropping system are part of an environmentally friendly diet.

Local food is important, too.  When food is transported around the world, it increases the use of fossil fuels to ship it.  In general, local foods will have a smaller environmental impact, unless they were grown with the use of pesticides, in a monocropping style, or inside a greenhouse that required an electrical system (in which case, food that is less local may be a better option).

What About Animals?

Many object to the consumption of animals, stating that raising them is not environmentally friendly.  Others say it’s fine, if production is pastured and not CAFO-style (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation).  What is the truth?

Animals raised in CAFOs produce an estimated 860,000 pounds of manure per day.  This manure is considered toxic and can have significant negative effects on the water and soil in the area.  These animals also require large amounts of monocropped corn and soy for their feed, which is often grown far away and shipped in.  This report concludes that CAFOs are simply unsustainable, long-term.  CAFOs have led to the need for prophylactic antibiotic use (“preventative” in their feed), arsenic in feed, and other chemicals to control disease.  These chemicals, as well as any pesticides in their feed, may be present in the meat.  CAFOs are responsible for about 9% of the total CO2 emissions.

In contrast, animals raised on pasture are healthier.  Their manure is less likely to contain E. Coli or salmonella, and the manure can be used safely to fertilize fields.  In practice, looking at Joel Salatin’s system, raising animals and a variety of crops together creates a so-called “closed system,” where animals eat food scraps and their manure is used to fertilize the fields effectively, which has allowed a large amount of food production on a smaller area of land, along with negating the use of commercial fertilizers.

What we can learn is that we don’t have to give up on animal foods; we simply need to source them from local, pastured-based farms.

Image by summertomato

What If There are No Local Sources?

This gets complicated and everyone will have a different answer.  Some say that ideally, you only eat what is local to you, 90 – 100% of the time.  Others say there are so many great health benefits to foods like seafood, coconut oil, etc. that are simply not local to most people and you should order these.

While ordering foods does increase the carbon footprint, I think it’s okay to order a percentage of your food for the health benefits.  We personally do buy fish about once a week, coconut oil, almond flour, and some other things that are not local to us.  The bulk of what we eat, we try to buy locally (meat, eggs, milk, some produce especially in season, and produce for preserving).  Everyone is going to have a different comfort level about eating locally and seasonally.

The Bottom Line

Our “ideal” environmentally-friendly diet is going to depend on what our needs are, and what is available in our area.  Those living in coastal regions may rely more heavily on fish, while those inland may not have much access.  Sourcing food from local producers that don’t spray, but instead use an integrated farming system and sell locally and freshly-picked is going to be ideal.  The long-range implications of the entire large-scale food industry are astronomical and very poor in nature.

Even better is to raise your own.  Having a backyard flock of chickens and a pig or two, plus a large and diverse garden, is going to be the most environmentally-friendly.

It’s also important, in the kitchen, to use up everything.  Animal bones can be used to make stock.  Veggie scraps can be composted or fed to chickens or pigs.  There is a way to use everything!  I hope to discover this first-hand when we move to a farm in a few months (I hope, I hope).

And you know what?  We don’t need to fight over the “perfect” diet.  There is no perfect diet.  What works for you may not work for another.  Don’t preach that everyone should avoid wheat, or gluten, or meat, or dairy, or anything else.  If that works for you, that’s great.  But don’t mistake it for “the” answer.  Everyone’s needs are different and there are many factors that go into it.  Remember that when you are eager to share what has helped you!

What do you consider an “environmentally friendly” diet?

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Monday Health & Wellness: Getting Quality Food When You Don’t Have Local Sources (Giveaway!)

May 13, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

This month we are talking all about local food.  But, whenever we talk local, I inevitably hear some version of this:

“You are lucky.  There are really no local sources near me that have quality food.  How am I supposed to eat well when there are no good options?”

I understand the frustration.  A few years ago, I didn’t know there were local sources around me, and I felt very frustrated!  I am lucky that there are local sources and I now know about them.  But it’s not easy to feel like you have no good choices when you really want to feed your family well.

If local’s not an option for you — either at all, or just for certain items — then you can (thankfully!) turn to the internet for help.  There are a lot of great options from online companies that can ship directly to you.  I want to tell you about one such company today: Wise Choice Market.

Wise Choice Market

I first heard about this company a year or so ago, when they only offered cultured/fermented foods.  But now they offer quite a lot more than that, and all their products are organic.  You’ll find:

They do not skimp on quality.  The bone broth is made exactly the way it would be in a home kitchen — a 24-hour slow simmer with plenty of bones from organic chickens, seasoned with real sea salt.  The “stock” that you buy in a carton from the store is not the same.

The soaked nut butters and cereals are so much more digestible.  I often make the cereals myself, and they are rather time consuming.  I do the nut butters, too, but they don’t always turn out so well.  I can’t seem to get the right consistency (I think a food processor is supposed to do a better job).

Soaked breads, I make all the time.  Sprouted bread?  I can’t get anything that isn’t crazy-dense and basically inedible!

These traditionally-made foods are time consuming, and easy to mess up in some cases if you’re not at least relatively knowledgeable in the kitchen.  You can learn, as I have over the last several years, but sometimes you just want to feed your family well now.  Wise Choice can help you do that, by providing you with top-quality foods.

Wise Choice was nice enough to send me a package of products to sample.  Included was: an assortment of Manna sprouted bread (various flavors), 4-pack Coconut ice cream Sampler Pack (vanilla, chocolate, berry and pina colada), soaked mixed nut butter, and Honest Potato Chips.

Their shipping was fast — I got a notice on Monday that the package had shipped, and it arrived just two days later.  Since I had gotten the frozen coconut dessert, it arrived in a thick white foam cooler with dry ice packed in.  Everything was completely frozen when I got it.  I unpacked it, putting the breads and coconut dessert in the freezer, and leaving the chips and nut butter on the counter.

First, we tried the chips.  Ben got to them first. :)  They’re cooked kettle-style, which I like best.  You can’t taste the coconut oil that is used to make them — they just taste like “normal” potato chips, except a lot better.  Basically like any really good kettle cooked chips, but they are healthier because they use coconut oil.  They’re a great option for someone looking for healthier snack food but who may not prefer the taste of coconut.  These were gone almost immediately!

Next, the coconut ice cream dessert!  I went for vanilla first.  Oh…so delicious.  The coconut flavor is an undertone, and the vanilla bean flavor is really rich.  I thought I might love it best.  Then Ben got out the chocolate and I had to sample that one too.  I ended up trading him half the vanilla for half the chocolate, because the chocolate was rich and delicious too!  We ate…way too much.  Well, all of those two flavors in two days.  I’m already scheming to buy more of it, because it is that good.  I’m planning to use the fruit-flavored ones as a smoothie base this week for breakfast.  I’m sure the kids will love that.  And I will love that it’s a pretty frugal use of it, and that it contains so many beneficial medium-chain fatty acids!

Millet-Rice Manna Bread with Mixed Nut Butter!

Then, the bread.  We pulled out Multi-grain and Banana-Walnut for breakfast on Saturday.  It was very dense, cake-like (which they say on the website) and it kind of falls apart when you slice it.  It really isn’t a bread-like texture at all.  Ben and the kids didn’t really like it, although they ate it.  I honestly didn’t think I’d like it, when I first sliced it — it seemed too dense and gluey-looking.  But, I like the multi-grain one with Kerrygold butter on it, and had a slice with my salad for lunch, too.  It grows on me, the more I eat it.

Finally, the nut butter.  I got another couple slices of the multi-grain Manna bread and put the mixed nut butter on it.  The mixed nut butter is fairly thin — they add coconut oil to make it this way.  It spreads easily on the bread.  It’s lightly sweet (they add local raw honey) and yummy as a snack.  Not to mention rich with nutrients!  It doesn’t take much, so I think this jar will last quite awhile.  It’s very nourishing and yummy too!

Can I Afford This?

The big question: Can I Afford This?

Yes, it’s expensive.  As with many things, you get what you pay for.  And yes, it’s going to be cheaper to make these foods yourself, in most cases.  But…you may not always have the time or skills to do it yourself.  In that case, buying the highest quality you can is actually going to be better in the long run than buying cheaper but lower-quality options.  There are simply certain “staples” in the diet that really need to be present and really need to be high quality.

The best idea is to pair some of these high-quality options with low-cost healthy options to create affordable yet nourishing meals.  In fact, doing this exact thing is how I’m lowering my grocery budget in time!  I’m paying over twice as much for butter as I used to, and I’m buying more eggs than I had been, and I’m planning to buy high-quality olive oil soon, but I’m pairing this with seasonally-cheap greens, potatoes, rice, and other lower-cost items.  It increases the nutrient-density of the food (and the taste!) while decreasing costs.

Let’s look at a three-day meal plan that includes these foods and which is still fairly frugal.

Day 1

  • Breakfast: Two slices Manna bread with 2 tbsp. soaked mixed nut butter ($1 for bread, $1.35 for nut butter, total: $2.35)
  • Lunch: Salad with homemade dressing and grilled chicken ($2 for salad veggies, $0.50 for homemade dressing, $1 for chicken, total: $3.50)
  • Dinner: Bowl of vegetable soup with bone broth ($2 for vegetables, $2.25 for bone broth, total: $4.25)
Daily Total: $10.10

Day 2

  • Breakfast: Two slices Manna Bread with 2 tbsp. soaked mixed nut butter ($2.35)
  • Lunch: Bowl of vegetable soup with bone broth, salad ($4.25 for soup, $2.50 for salad, total: $6.75)
  • Dinner: 8 oz. salmon, brown rice, steamed broccoli ($2 for salmon, $0.50 for rice, $1 for broccoli, total: $3.50)
Daily Total: $12.60

Day 3

  • Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with veggies ($1 for eggs, $0.50 for veggies, total: $1.50)
  • Lunch: Bowl of vegetable soup, 1 serving coconut dessert ($4.25 for soup, $2 for coconut, total: $6.25)
  • Dinner: Grilled cheese sandwich, salad ($1 for bread, $0.25 for butter, $1 for cheese; $2.50 for salad, total: $4.75)

Daily Total: $12.60

If we continue like that, then it would only be $82/week or $325 per month for one person to eat.  For more people, bulk buying can help lower prices, bone broth could be diluted some to stretch it, etc.  The bone broth is among the most expensive items here.  If, instead, you chose the bread, nut butter, and fermented condiments, the totals would be a lot lower.  The stock could be an occasional purchase when you really need it but just don’t have time to make it.

Focus on onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, chicken, beans, ground beef, and whatever vegetables are in season along with these more expensive items, and the overall prices still stay down.  That has been my new theory lately — I buy pastured eggs, grass-fed butter, raw milk, and a few more expensive ingredients, but I use those very cheap ingredients to go with it.  That’s a big way that I’m increasing our nutrition and keeping prices lower!

Affording groceries isn’t about just buying the cheapest that you can find.  It’s about choosing what can and should be cheaper, and what needs to be more expensive.  You don’t need as much of the expensive items, anyway, because they’re so nutrient-dense and rich!

A container of the coconut ice cream dessert is $8, and that’s about 4 servings.  If I wanted to buy local, high-quality ice cream, I’d pay $10 per pint, which is pretty similar in price.  But it doesn’t have as many health benefits as the coconut dessert, which is rich in medium-chain fatty acids (which can boost immunity).  If you’re going to have a treat, a healthy treat is even better!  $2 per serving for an occasional treat is not bad at all.  Plus, I’m using this as a base for smoothies.  That means that perhaps 1/2 a container ($4) is going to be part of rich smoothies to feed four people.  That’s part of a frugal breakfast, indeed.

A $5 package of the Honest Potato Chips will net 3 – 5 servings.  They’re made with coconut oil, so they’re nourishing and you don’t need as much.  Pair it with a sandwich and some cheap chopped veggies (we like carrots, celery and cucumbers) and you’ve got a great and not too expensive meal.

The Manna bread and nut butters are rich in nutrients, too, so a slice or two with a tablespoon or two of nut butter is all you really need — and that’s pretty inexpensive, as you see above.  ”Good” bread anywhere is going to cost $4 – $5 a loaf; this is only slightly more but it has no compromise ingredients.  And if you don’t have good breads locally, you might only have the option of a $3 “not so great” loaf…or this excellent loaf. :)

Wise Choice Market offers free shipping on orders over $99 (to continental USA), and there are also bulk discounts on many of the items in their store. The bread, broth and coconut ice creams are shipped to you frozen, so you can keep them in your freezer till you need them, and store the chips, cereals and nut butters in your kitchen, so it’s worth ordering in bulk.

The bottom line?  Yes, it’s affordable.  It might not be if you wanted to buy all your groceries from them, but choosing a few high-quality ingredients to use with other, frugal ingredients can really increase your nutrition without increasing your grocery budget.

And, it even decreases the desire to go out to eat on busy nights!  With some easy ingredients, soup and a sandwich could come together in 20 minutes.  If you think about it this way, that having prepared, healthy ingredients is cutting down on your eating-out budget, then you may even save money buying this!  Not to mention how much healthier it is!

Want to Win?

One lucky winner is going to get a chance to WIN all of these food items from Wise Choice Market to try for themselves!  This is a giveaway of $100 in delicious, healthy food items!

Winners must be 18 or older and in the Continental U.S.  Giveaway closes on Saturday, May 18th at midnight.  First entry is required; all others optional.  Entries are by Rafflecopter and must be entered on the form below to count.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What product are you most eager to try?

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Monday Health & Wellness: Skin-Soothing Post-Sun Lotion

April 22, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

It is always my goal to try to improve our bodies’ ability to do what they already do — or should do.  I like to support natural functions much more than I like to interfere with them, even using natural medicines.

Now that spring is here and we’re having more sunny days, getting vitamin D into my kids naturally — via sun — is high on my priority list.  We head outside for at least a short time everyday, usually around 1 PM (“solar noon,” when the sun is highest in the sky and the most UVB rays, the ones that produce vitamin D, are present).  That’s a good thing.  Not bathing them with soap (which removes the skin’s natural oils, in which the vitamin D is produced and must be absorbed) is also good.

But, there’s more I can do.  We need magnesium for optimal vitamin D production, absorption, and usage.  Most of us are deficient in magnesium, because our soils are depleted.  Plus, many of us don’t eat a lot of foods that are rich in magnesium ( beans, whole grains, nuts).  Magnesium is also used up fairly quickly, especially in times of stress.  If you’ve been tested for vitamin D deficiency, and are deficient even though you get a lot of sun and/or take supplements, magnesium may be a key issue.

My solution was to create a lotion that contains magnesium, but also contains specific skin-soothing, easily absorbed ingredients.  It will keep skin soft, help prevent any skin damage (it’s the UVA rays that cause the long-term damage) and hopefully increase vitamin D absorption.  I’ve only just started using it, so I don’t know yet — but I’m hoping to get the kids’ vitamin D levels tested before and after (or at least after — I’m sure they won’t like the needles) to see if this appears to help!  At any rate, it’s a very nice, light lotion for summer and should soothe any sore or dry skin.

I plan to put it on before sun exposure, but after is also great.  However you wish to use it.  Makes 16 oz.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 c. magnesium oil (3/4 c. water and 3/4 c. cup magnesium chloride flakes, approximately)
  • 1/4 c. aloe vera gel
  • 1 oz. evening primrose oil (1/8 c. or 2 tbsp.)
  • 1 1/2 oz. avocado oil (3 tbsp.)
  • 1 1/2 oz. sweet almond oil (3 tbsp.)
  • 1/2 c. shea butter
  • 3 tbsp. beeswax
  • 15 – 20 drops essential oil, if desired

Directions:

First, you need to make the magnesium oil.  Pour the water into a small saucepan and heat until very warm — it does not need to boil.

Add the magnesium chloride flakes.  I assume that you could use Epsom salts or another form of magnesium if you prefer, but it may not be as well absorbed and I have not tried it.

Stir this to combine, then add the amount you need to a blender.  I’m making a double batch here, so I actually have 1 1/2 cups.

Then, measure out your other oils.  I used one of the pint-sized glass mason jars (in which I put the finished lotion) to measure out my oils.

Add your aloe vera gel.

Melt your shea butter and beeswax together.

Pour everything into the blender and turn it on (add your essential oils now if you wish; I didn’t use any.  Some essential oils can increase photosensitivity, or sensitivity to the sun, and since we were planning to use it in the sun I didn’t want to risk it).  It will start out being rather yellow in color — this means it is still lightly blended oils and water.

Turn the blender higher.  Watch the mixture turn whiter, and thicker.  This means an emulsion has formed and your lotion is done.  Pour into prepared jars (I used pint-sized mason jars)

Now, I have to warn you.  I tried to blend mine at first when the melted oils were very hot and everything else was more like room temperature.  It turned white, I poured it into jars, and it immediately separated.  I poured it back into the blender, allowed it to cool slightly, then whipped it at a higher speed.  That time it worked beautifully, and after several days hasn’t separated at all.  If it separates at first, turn the blender back on higher.  This will cool it and also create the right emulsion.  It will work…have patience.

Earth Day Sale!

Posting this lotion on Earth Day was just perfect — encouraging everyone to go outside and spend some more time on the Earth!  Plus, using nice sustainable ingredients and doing it yourself…is there anything better?

Well, there’s the sale on two of my books. :)

In honor of Earth Day, I’m offering 50% off Against the Grain and Simply Summer.  They’re digital versions, so there’s no wasted paper!  Use code EARTHDAY to get 50% off each!

Against the Grain

If you’re grain-free, on GAPS, or just looking for some different types of meals, this is the perfect book for you.  Learn to make delicious sausage gumbo, fresh herb burgers, sausage and peppers with spaghetti squash, tomato-cream sauce with chicken and zucchini, white bean vanilla cake, onion rings, banana pancakes, and more!  All without any grains. :)  Buy Against the Grain.

Simply Summer

With the weather heating up, it’s time for fresh, seasonal favorites.  This book makes use of what’s available at farmer’s markets to create recipes like grilled shrimp salad; chicken, spinach and strawberry salad; bacon-cheddar dip; guacamole; tropical punch; bacon-wrapped chicken with Italian salsa; lemon sherbet; and lots more!  Buy Simply Summer.

What do you use for lotion in the sun?

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Monday Health & Wellness: “My” Ideal Breastfeeding Diet

April 8, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

Recently, the Weston A. Price Foundation kicked up a fuss with their unusual breastfeeding recommendations.  I wrote my response to this last week.

One take away from this situation, though, was that it does matter what you eat.  Your breastmilk will be awesome no matter what, but diet does impact quality and nutritional content (not to mention eating well is really important for your health, since your body will give your baby what it needs first).

While I can’t claim to have the “perfect” answer — everyone is different — I know what works well for me.  I have had the easiest recovery after Nathan’s birth (he’s #4 in 5 years) and he’s grown the most rapidly.  I’d say our breastfeeding experience has been very positive, and I have felt well and had a lot of energy.  In fact, I felt basically normal by three weeks postpartum.

My goal today is to share with you what works for me.  Maybe it will be a starting point for you — maybe not.  Hopefully it helps to read someone else’s successful experience!

Breastfeeding Diet and Postpartum Recovery

I didn’t recover well after Jacob’s birth.  It was a really stressful time for our family and my rest/recovery was not a priority, and I did not know that I was seriously deficient in magnesium (and possibly other things).  I did “okay” except for feeling very tired, stressed, and having strong chocolate cravings.  I also struggled to lose the weight (for the first time) and had some issues with constipation (related to mag. deficiency).

I decided before I even got pregnant again that recovery would be a serious priority after my next pregnancy.  Somehow I’d imagined sitting on the couch, snuggling a baby girl and reading stories and quietly directing homeschool….

(Laugh now.  I had another sweet baby boy, and my kids don’t sit quietly.  Ever.  We spent far more time chasing them outside and trying to keep everything going around the house than anything else.)

Still, I took this recovery business seriously.  I barely got out of bed in the first week, and then I got around only sometimes and kept it low-key for another week or so.  By three weeks, I was feeling basically back to normal.  Baby’s almost a month old now and it’s “life as usual,” minus being a little more tired!  (He does great at night.  Goes to bed between 10 and 12 and co-sleeps with me, squirming and rooting if he needs to nurse but otherwise sleeping quietly for 4 – 5 hours.  Then I have to sit up to change him, and we sleep a bit more.  When I had help, we’d sleep like this about 11 – 9 everyday.  Sadly I have no more help, so now I’m up by 7 with the older kids!  That makes for a tired mama, until this little one starts going to bed by 8 or 9 like the others.)

But the food.  I’m supposed to be talking about diet.

What I’m Eating

The things I crave most:

  • Raw milk
  • Egg yolks
  • Grass-fed butter
  • Cream
  • Stock/soup
  • Meat, especially beef

I’m craving nutrient-rich foods with a lot of fat in them.  If I eat sugar or white flour, I don’t feel well.  It’s like my body’s mad that I’m “wasting” calories on that stuff!

I’ve been making a lot of low-sugar homemade ice cream (I use raw milk) and topping it with crispy walnuts.  Many days I have a few soaked English muffins with lots of butter for breakfast.  I feel best on the days I eat the most butter.  I’ve been buying Kerrygold, and I do notice I feel better with that vs. “regular” butter (that isn’t grass-fed).  Normally I love vegetables and I have been eating plenty on the side or in soups (usually covered in more butter if they’re not in soup), but this time that’s not what makes me feel the best.  I need the fat to produce all the milk this little one needs!

(In four weeks he’s gained about 2.5 lbs. and 3″ over birth weight.  He’s growing fast!)

I’ve made a lot of different kinds of soups: taco soup, lasagna soup, baked potato soup, broccoli cheddar soup, chicken noodle soup, and more.  I make big batches and keep them on hand.  I eat soup pretty much everyday, sometimes more than once.  I eat leftover soup if I don’t know what else to eat or I need a snack.

I also salt everything to taste with Real Salt.

As for what I’m drinking, I have a lot of water, my postpartum herbal tea, kombucha, and sometimes water kefir.  And occasionally I make some herbal tea just for fun.

Thoughts on a Breastfeeding Diet

These foods contain some important nutrients:

  • Saturated fat (breastmilk is 50% fat if we’re talking macronutrients, and about half of that saturated)
  • Cholesterol (breastmilk contains a lot of this too, and it’s needed for brain development)
  • Omega-3s (needed for brain development)
  • Vitamin A (needed for brain, immune, eye, and other development)
  • Choline (brain development)
  • Probiotics ( immune development/gut)

There’s more, but those are some of the highlights.  (In fact, you can read more about the importance of various nutrients and good sources of them in my new book, A Practical Guide to Children’s Health.)

For me, I really need these nutrients to create healthy breastmilk.  I’d venture to guess I’m not alone in this area.

The WAPF breastfeeding mothers’ diet is actually a very good recommendation (I don’t disagree with them on everything; I think they’ve done a lot of good work and advocacy).  I find myself largely following what they recommended, just based on what feels right to me.  I don’t eat liver and I don’t eat as much fish (maybe once a week or every other week).  But in general my diet is similar to this.

If you need some help simplifying a healthy diet for pregnancy or breastfeeding, you might be interested in my book Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods.  It has only two rules: avoid junk food, and consume super foods.  There are 30 recipes that are each bursting with super foods to help you do exactly that!

I would encourage any woman who is pregnant or breastfeeding to consume a diet that makes her feel awesome — something nutrient-dense.  Whether you focus on greens and coconut oil or beef and butter (like me!), you need the healthy stuff now more than ever.

Next week I’ll be sharing how I’m increasing the nutrient density of my family’s diet and also getting my budget down!  It’s possible and I’m happy with my new system so far. :)

Pregnancy and Baby Bundle

This week, the “Bundle of the Week” is all about pregnancy and baby!  It fits in so nicely with this post and it even includes two of my books!

Here’s what’s in it:

Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods by Kate Tietje
In Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods, Kate simplifies pregnancy nutrition with just two rules: 1) Don’t eat junk food and 2) Eat super foods. This ebook includes details about the super foods you should be eating (and a basic list of what you should avoid), what pregnant women’s nutritional needs are, and offers more than 30 super food recipes.

Fearless Birth by Kristen Burgess
Fear of giving birth is a very real thing, but through the Fearless Birth workbook and bonus tools, Kristen helps you understand the source of your fears, create positive images of birth, let go of fear and approach labor and birth with confidence and peace of mind.

Unbound Birth by Jennifer Yarbrough
Unbound Birth: How to Have a Natural Birth in the Hospital is an inspiring collection of natural hospital birth stories. With determination, information, preparation, and support, Jennifer offers women hope for the beauty of a natural birth within a hospital setting.

The Minimalist Mom’s Guide to Baby’s First Year by Rachel Jonat
Parenting is a demanding job, and the first year with a new baby iz exciting, ever so tiring and filled to the brim with baby toys, gadgets and gizmos. In The Minimalist Mom’s Guide to the Baby’s First Year, Rachel shares her own journey into motherhood and the lessons she learned about avoiding the clutter trap of too much baby stuff, slowing down to enjoy the early months with your new baby, saving money, creating a peaceful home and finding more time in your day for things like sleep!

Breast to Bib by Kate Tietje
If you’ve ever wondered how to get a baby started with real food, this is your go-to guide. In Breast to Bib, Kate offers help with breastfeeding and discusses low milk supply and homemade formula options as well as how and when to introduce solids and tips for handling picky toddlers. Plus you’ll find 27 healthy, family-friendly recipes to get you started!

The deal is this: all 5 of these books can be yours for just $7.40.  That’s a substantial savings!  (Each of my two books are normally $8.95 a piece.)  The only catch is that this deal is only good through next Monday at 7:59 AM — one week only.  So if you want it…you need to buy it now!

Get the pregnancy and baby bundle today.  Feel free to ask me questions if you’re curious about the contents of the books and if they’d be a good fit for you!

Did you notice certain cravings while pregnant or breastfeeding?  Did a healthy diet help you?

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Monday Health & Wellness: Nourishing Baby Lotion

March 11, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

Sometimes, newborn babies can have dry skin.

It helps if they don’t wipe all the vernix off (rub it into their skin!) and don’t get a bath right away.  That vernix is also anti-microbial and has immune system benefits!  (It’s also swallowed as part of the amniotic fluid during pregnancy, and it helps to colonize the newborn’s gut before birth — it’s pretty amazing stuff.)  So if at all possible, don’t bathe that baby!  Keep the vernix on and rub it right in.  I definitely noticed that my babies that kept their vernix had less dry skin than my baby who got a bath right away.

Still, dry skin happens sometimes.  Maybe the baby didn’t get to keep their vernix for some reason.  Maybe it’s winter and the air is dry.  Maybe baby was post-dates and born with rather dry skin anyway.  Who knows!  But for whatever reason, you need some baby lotion.

The lotions currently on the market aren’t always so healthy for baby.  They can contain a lot of scary chemicals.  I once slathered a lavender-scented baby lotion on my oldest and immediately watched her skin turn bright red!  Never again.

A safer option is needed.

It is entirely possible to use a pure oil, like olive, avocado, sweet almond, etc.  Many people opt to do this.  I just thought it would be fun to combine a couple different ingredients to come up with a real ” lotion.”  And of course, this lotion is safe and beneficial for all ages, too.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp. apricot oil
  • 1 tbsp. beeswax
  • 3 tbsp . cocoa butter
  • 1/2 c. filtered water
  • 1 tbsp. dried lavender

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine lavender and water.

Turn to high heat and allow it to boil for 2 – 3 minutes.  It will form a dark ” tea.”  Strain it into a blender.

In a small saucepan, melt the cocoa butter and beeswax.

Add the apricot oil.  (Yes, you could choose olive, sweet almond, jojoba, or any other liquid oil.)

Pour this into a blender too.

Blend it on low-medium speed until it emulsifies.

Pour it into a jar.  Allow it to cool completely.  It will thicken as it cools.  It’s a pretty creamy/thick lotion in general, though.

That’s it!  Lotion is so easy to make.

Do you use baby lotion?

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