New Years Resolution: NO Pesticides & Preservatives

December 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Inevitably, I always here the same question from patience: Why is organic better anyway?

TWO REASONS: Pesticides and Preservatives. This years resolution for baby? Buy organic!

ONE: The Pesticide Issue:

Pesticides are chemicals designed to poison the nervous systems of insects so they can’t eat the food while it’s growing.

  1. First, most safety tests done are not designed to look at low dose exposures to pesticide and chemical mixtures, particularly during critical periods of development. Furthermore, most tests done by the Environmental Protection Agency to set acceptable risk levels for pesticide residues were conducted using 154 pound adult men, not 40-pound preschoolers, let alone infants.
  2. Second, because people are contaminated with trace levels of literally hundreds of chemicals, it is generally impossible to attribute a specific health effect to any one of them. But, as we have learned with chemicals like PCBs and lead, low doses at critical periods of development have been shown to have significant permanent adverse effects on learning and behavior.
  3. Children More Vulnerable than Adults: Many organ systems, especially the nervous system, the brain, and the hormonal system can be subtly damaged by exposure to toxic substances in-utero or throughout early childhood. This is particularly relevant to childhood and fetal exposures via food and water where the timing of the exposure is at least as important as the dose.

    Some examples are:

    1. DDT (and its metabolite DDE), which are now known to exhibit much of their toxicity through anti-androgenic (de-masculinizing) properties.
    2. Vinclozolin- a heavily used fungicide that is also anti-androgenic
    3. Endosulfan- a DDT relative with estrogenic properties that is found more often in food than any other pesticide
    4. Atrazine- a weed killer with broad hormonal activity that contaminates the drinking water of about 20 million people in the United States.
    5. Organophosphorus pesticide exposure in utero produces babies with small head circumference, which is a risk factor for reduced intelligence and behavior disturbances

TWO: The Preservative Issue: (FOOD and SKIN)

Childhood sensitivities, intolerances and allergies are exponentially on the rise in America, and many researchers feel the situation is epidemic.
Although there are many theories as to why this is so, a substantial body of data exists demonstrating the negative impact of preservatives on the immune system, in both food and skincare.

Artificial preservatives in food get absorbed readily into the intestinal tract and are difficult for the body to clear. Preservatives in skincare get absorbed readily and repeatedly through the skin, a living breathing organ system just like the intestinal tract, and enter the bloodstream, eventually traveling to all the organs in the body.

Preservatives themselves are highly toxic chemicals- in low dose it is not known exactly their affect, but at high dose these parabens, methyl parabens and other preservatives are linked to cancer. At low dose, they definitely stimulate the body to recognize and react to them as foreign toxins and generate an immune reaction leading to a widespread list of vague but unrelenting symptoms in many children including fatigue, non-specific abdominal pain, runny nose, headache and behavioral issues to name a few.

Why Worry:

  1. The concern about children is that they are more vulnerable to toxins. As children grow rapidly, their brains and organs are forming at an equally rapid rate, and they absorb more for their size than do grown-ups.
  2. Children may be at risk of higher exposure to the toxins found in nonorganic food because baby food is often made up of condensed fruits or vegetables, potentially concentrating pesticide residues.
  3. Similarly, children have a higher surface area-to-body ratio, meaning they have a larger area to absorb things through the skin relative to their body weight. Therefore, what you put on their skin, often repetitively, leads to a potentially higher concentration in their bloodstream.

    This concern also applies to pregnant women’s diets and skincare as well. New evidence shows that, contrary to previous scientific belief, pesticides and preservatives in a woman’s bloodstream can be passed to a fetus in the womb. A study released in 2005 in which umbilical-cord blood of 10 children was collected by the Red Cross and tested for pollutants showed that 21 pesticides crossed the placenta.

What is Available:

  1. Sales of organic baby food have jumped nearly 18% since last year — double the overall growth of organic food sales. As demand has risen, organic food for children has been popping up outside natural food stores.

    For example, Earth’s Best baby food, a mainstay in Whole Foods and Wild Oats markets, just reached a national distribution deal with Toys R Us and Babies R Us. Gerber is selling organic baby food under its Tender Harvest label. Stonyfield Farm’s YoBaby yogurt can be found in supermarkets across the country.

  2. Organic skincare is slower to reach national distribution, in part because the labeling and regulations about skincare are far behind the food industry. Many brands claim to be “natural” when they are not, and parents are faced with a lot of confusing marketing.

    For example, many labels that claim to be natural still have methyl and propyl parabens as preservatives; have lavender fragrances instead of essential oils, and have other chemicals whose names you would struggle to pronounce. The burden lies with the parents still to really read the ingredient list.

What is Practical:

FOOD: If your child is already eating nonorganic food, starting an organic diet can limit further exposure. A study supported by the Environmental Protection Agency and published in 2005 measured pesticide levels in the urine of 23 children in Washington State before and after a switch to an organic diet. After five consecutive days on the diet, researchers found that pesticide levels had decreased to undetectable levels, and remained that way until their conventional diets were reintroduced. The study’s conclusion: “An organic diet provides a dramatic and immediate protective effect” against pesticide exposure.

The Environmental Working Group’s “A Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce” lists the least contaminated and most contaminated. This can be a useful guide in selecting the most important organic produce to purchase. But it’s even more important to purchase organic meat, dairy, and eggs due to the higher levels of hormones, or antibiotics found in conventionally produced versions than fruits and vegetables so if you must stretch your food budget, start with animal products.

Resources: foodnews.org, EWG.org.

SKIN:

  1. Read the labels carefully. Avoid products that contain parebens, fragrances, phthalates, alcohols and fragrances to start. Don’t be fooled by labels that claim “all natural”.
  2. Use warm water as often as possible instead of any product at all. Use any medicated cream sparingly. Question your child’s doctor about what is really necessary.

Resource: vedaPURE.com

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Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Dr Geary 

Holiday Stress Response: Staying Calm with Kids

December 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment

  1. Make calming meals that are simple and easy to digest-soups for example are easy to prepare and offer your child a warm meal that they are forced to enjoy more slowly. If you are having guests, let your child participate in the preparations.
  2. Give your kids and yourself some calming treatments: aromatherapy massage oils, a calming bath, even some homeopathic tinctures that are safe, natural, relaxing and help them maintain their normal sleep.

Aromatherapy:
I love the hand-blended products from www.enlightenedhands.com. The quality of the essential oils and the individualized blends make this by far the best massage oil safe for babies, children and their parents.

Calming Baths:
I am partial to vedaBABY’s SPLASH, a neroli infused preservative-free all natural bath powder that infuses the whole bathroom with the calming scent of neroli and also soothes dry, irritated or eczematous skin.

Homeopathic tinctures:
Hyland’s Calms Fort 4 Kids is a formulation of all-natural, safe and effective ingredients for children ages 2 and up.

Planetary Formulas Calm Child Herbal Syrup is a blend of the soothing botanicals chamomile and lemon balm combined with the other supporting herbs and nutrients traditionally used to cultivate a centered sense of calmness and well-being.

Please be sure to consult with your child’s doctor before using this or other medicines.

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Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Dr Geary 

Is Spending the Money on Organic Food A Good Investment?

December 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The most important reason to buy organic foods is to avoid the pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals that are used as prevent “pests” such as insects, to live on your food. The pesticides are poisons. Products labeled as Organic are grown in soil that has not been treated with pesticides, chemical fertilizers or sewage. Unfortunately, pesticides are used ubiquitously in this country and elsewhere. Pesticides are poisonous, and also potential cancer-causing, or carcinogenic. They can interfere with hormones and may disrupt the immune system.
 
Children eat two-to-four times more fruits and vegetables relative to their body weight. Therefore, their potential exposure to pesticides is greater than an adult’s. Unfortunately, this exposure is taking place when their organs and bones are still growing and maturing, and the toxins can accumulate over the course of their development. In the Environmental Working Group’s report on “Pesticides in Children’s Food,”
(www.EWG.org) they noted that a person’s carcinogenic risk from pesticides occurs at the highest rate during the childhood years.
 
Buying organic food is not only more expensive, it can be time consuming to find. However, the benefits of avoiding pesticides whenever possible is clearly important. Below is a list of foods highest in pesticide concentration. Pick your battles!!

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Posted by natalie | Filed Under Dr Geary 

Baby’s Diet

December 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Q: What alertnatives are there to soy and dairy?

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Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Nutrition 

VedaRX

December 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Coming in January 2008, a new line from Dr. Geary’s vedaPURE, this time with an added touch of a pediatric house call.

VedaRX is a line of creams, oils and salves created to calm, heal, and replenish your body & spirit.

The line will feature:

PEACEFUL: Tranquility salve for your child’s temples and chest as well as the forehead as part of the bedtime ritual or in moments of anxiety or tension.

CLEAR: To help clear up minor scrapes, scratches, and bites

BREATHE: A natural but powerful decongestant made from completely natural herbal and botanical ingredients..

RELIEVE: For relief of bruises, sore muscles, and general aches and pains.

RESTORE: Specifically formulated for infections chapped skin.

ROCKABYE: Cradle cap care

CONSOLE: Ear ache care

And

ERASE: for minimizing and fading scars

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Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under products 

Winter Health

December 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Q: How can I help increase my child’s immunity during this winter cold season?
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Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Dr Geary 

Introducing Solids: Is Baby Ready for Solid Foods?

December 10, 2007 | Leave a Comment


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Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Videos 

Flu Shot Season

December 8, 2007 | Leave a Comment

FLU SEASON AGAIN: Last year I wrote to you about the importance of flu prevention and the possible need for flu shots. With flu season upon us, it’s time again to face that annual question once again: flu shot or no flu shot?

Each winter, the flu vaccine is manufactured based upon the data collected from strains of flu that arrive in the Southern Hemisphere during its winter, which is our summer. As such, there is no guarantee that the Southern Hemisphere formulation will match the strains active in North America by the time our winter flu season hits. However, extensive amounts of research and development go into the study of flu strains, and the vaccines reflect that up-to-the minute research.

Yet the decision to get a flu shot goes beyond the issue of whether or not the flu shot will “work” from one year to the next: questions remain about whether the flu shot itself is harmful, whether the preservatives used are harmful, and whether the vaccine’s impact on our natural immunity is harmful. And many people who have not actually suffered from the flu minimize its impact on those who are more susceptible.

Making the Decision:

The first step is to collect accurate information. First, learn about what goes into the making of the flu shot: for example, the additives. During the flu vaccine manufacturing process, antibiotics such as neomycin, polymyxin B and gentamicin are added to eliminate stray bacteria. Other ingredients can include Triton-X 100, a detergent; polysorbate 80, an emulsifier that is a potential carcinogen; and additives such as formaldehyde to inactivate the virus, as well as gelatin and residual egg proteins used to nourish the cultures. Some flu shots still contain thimerosal, an organic form of mercury used as a preservative. Thimerosal has been hypothetically linked to neurodevelopmental disorders in children such as autism, mental retardation, speech disorders, and personality disorders. Please be reminded that not all flu formulations are alike: ask your doctor about the specific ingredients.

Secondly, assess your personal risk and the risk you pose to others that you care for. This includes your exposure risk, the extent of that exposure, and its impact on your daily life. If you have a child or an elderly family member, assess the risk to their health should you get sick, as well as your overall ability to care for them. If you work outside the home, can you afford to miss 5 days of work? For your children, are they old enough to fight the infection effectively on their own? There are flu shots for children over 6 months of age that are preservative free. Ask your doctor to review the risks of your child contracting the flu this winter.

Consider the alternatives:

FluMist is a thimerosal-free, intranasal, alternative for people from 5 to 50 years of age. However, the intranasal delivery system is much less uniform and potentially much less effective, especially in younger children who have a difficult time inhaling in synchrony with the intranasal dose. Furthermore, because it is a live virus, you can get mild transient flu symptoms. And like the injectable form, patients with egg allergies cannot use it since contains egg proteins.

Herbal supplements include lime flower (Tilia) for nasal congestion,) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium) for anti-inflammatory. In addition, elderberry syrup ( Sambucol) helps with fever, muscle pain and respiratory symptoms. It also strengthens cell and mucus membranes to inhibit viral penetration and spread of disease. Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea and E. pallida) has been touted as effective immune enhancers; however, a recent New England Journal of Medicine study found Echinacea was actually ineffective in preventing or treating colds. On the other hand, numerous studies show Oscillococcinum can reduce the severity and duration of the flu.

Other herbal alternatives to help boost your immune system this winter include Western larch (Larix occidentalis), Olive leaf extract (Olea europaea) and Oregano oil (Origanum vulgare). Ask your doctor to review.

Finally, make your decision early:

The flu season is scheduled to peak in February so the ideal time to get the vaccine would be October and November. Begin to reinvigorate your immune strength, and do not forget the staple of infectious disease control: hand washing.

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Posted by Dr. Natalie Geary MD | Filed Under Dr Geary 

ROTAVIRUS- Stomache Ache for Winter

December 8, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Every year in the United States, Rotavirus infections lead to about 3 million cases of diarrhea and 55,000 hospitalizations for diarrhea and dehydration in children under 5 years old. Rotavirus usually infects infants and young children ages 3 months to 2 years. In the United States, it leads to outbreaks of diarrhea during the winter months and is particularly a problem in child-care centers and children’s hospitals. Almost all children have had a rotavirus infection by the time they are 3 years old.

Watery diarrhea is the most common symptom, but other symptoms include vomiting and fever. Children who are infected may also have a cough and runny nose. However, children with rotavirus infections usually do not have high fever, bloody diarrhea, or severe cramping. Sometimes the diarrhea that accompanies a rotavirus infection is so copious that it can cause significant dehydration. Signs of dehydration include: thirst, irritability, restlessness, lethargy, sunken eyes, a dry mouth and tongue, dry skin, and a dry diaper for several hours.

Rotavirus infection is very contagious Transmission is usually by the fecal-oral route which means that the virus is present in the stool of children with diarrhea and is passed to another child’s mouth by having direct contact with that child’s stool. However, Children can catch a rotavirus infection if they put their fingers in their mouths after touching something that has been contaminated by the stool of an infected person. Usually this happens when children forget to wash their hands often enough, especially before eating and after using the toilet. People who care for children, including health-care and child-care workers, can also spread the virus, especially if they do not wash their hands after changing diapers.

Children usually develop symptoms about 1 to 3 days after having contact with someone who is also infected. In most children, fever and vomiting will stop after 2 to 3 days, but diarrhea may last for up to 9 days. Although some children get a rotavirus infection more than once, subsequent infections are usually not as severe as the first episode.

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Posted by natalie | Filed Under Dr Geary 

Head Lice, Ick

December 8, 2007 | Leave a Comment

If your child has comes home from school with lice, the treatment can be extremely time-consuming for the entire family. Your child’s doctor may suggest insecticide lotions, extensive home cleaning measures, and repeated combing to remove the nits from your child’s hair. There are several treatment regimens, but they all require patience and a sense of humor.

Head lice infestations are a common problem in infants and children, and do not reflect poor hygiene and infrequent hair washing. Lice are spread by direct contact with someone who is already infected or by sharing of contaminated items such as hats, brushes or combs. Unfortunately, reinfection is common, and persistent infection is possible.

Nits are eggs from the adult lice and are whitish and are firmly attached to hairs. The eggs hatch in 6-10 days and it then takes another two to three weeks for the lice to mature and be able to reproduce. Adult lice are reddish-brown and 1/16 of an inch long. They move very fast and are most commonly seen at the back of the neck and behind the ears. Adult Lice can only survive for two to three days off of the human body.

The most common symptom of children infected with head lice is itching, although some children do not complain if they have a light infestation. However, if you suspect lice or the school nurse informs you of a lice case in the classroom, do a thorough check of your child’s hair and scalp to look for live lice. If you do not see adult lice, but find nits, then you may be able to just try and remove the nits on a regular basis and continue to look for live lice. Since most of the anti-lice medications are not ovicidal, meaning they don’t kill the eggs, treating a child with just nits may not be necessary.

If you find lice and nits on your child, use an anti-lice shampoo, such as Nix or Rid, and follow the package directions carefully. Apply the shampoo to washed and dried hair until the hair and scalp is saturated and thoroughly wet. Leave the shampoo on for ten minutes and then rinse it out. Consider using a second shampoo treatment in 7-10 days to kill newly hatched lice.

Another shampoo, Ovide (malathion), is available with a prescription. It is applied to clean, dry hair so that the scalp and hair are thoroughly wet, left on overnight under a shower cap, and then washed out in 8 to 12 hours. However, this shampoo is flammable and toxic. It should not be used in newborns or infants.

Lindane is a medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that’s used to treat lice and scabies. It is found in prescription-only shampoos and lotions that can be applied to the scalp or skin to treat these parasitic infections. But according to researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, lindane poses a risk of poisoning for many people every year when it’s accidentally ingested.lindane ingestion did cause symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, mouth irritation, abdominal cramps, coughing, and seizures. The average age of the person ingesting lindane was 13 years of age. One of the problems with lindane is that it is packaged in containers that look like those used for liquid oral medications such as cough syrup.

Lindane is no longer recommended as the first line of treatment against lice or scabies because there are safer medications that are generally more effective and less costly. It also is not recommended for people under 110 pounds (50 kilograms). However, lindane is still used when previous treatments are ineffective or not tolerated.

To assure total lice treatment it is necessary to remove all of the nits using a fine toothed metal comb. Separate your child’s hair into sections. Use a lice comb to go through each section of hair from the scalp to the end of the hair, removing all of the lice and their nits (lice eggs). After finishing each section, search again for any lice and remove them.

It is important to check your child’s hair every night until all of the lice and nits have been removed. Sit your child in the bathtub and comb their hair out with a regular comb. Check the scalp thoroughly and remove all lice (alive or dead). Use your lice comb again and go through each section of hair until all nits have been removed. For lice in eyelashes, apply Vaseline to the eyelashes twice a day for a week to kill them.

Some health experts question the effectiveness of these measures and the safety of some of the insecticides used.

Newer therapies for treating resistant lice include the application of full fat mayonnaise, olive oil, Dippity-Do brand styling gel, or Hair Clear 1-2-3 to the hair overnight. This is supposed to suffocate or smother the lice.Some physicians are using oral therapies to deal with resistant lice, including the drug ivermetim (a one time dose) and the antibiotic Bactrim (3 day course).

Lice can live for up to three days off of the human body, so, in order to prevent reinfestation, it is important to wash all bedding and recently worn clothing in hot water (>120º) and dry in a hot dryer.

It is also important to soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes. Vacuum the house to remove all lice and hairs with attached nits from furniture, rugs, stuffed animals and car seats. Place items that can not be washed or vacuumed into plastic bags for three weeks and change the sheets and pillowcases every night for a week and wash in hot water.

While there is much evidence that lice are becoming resistant to the effects of antilice shampoos, the most common reasons for treatment to not work is failure to remove all of the nits or your child is continuing to be exposed to someone with lice. Be patient, be thorough, and encourage you child never to share hair brushes or hats with their classmates.

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Posted by natalie | Filed Under Dr Geary 

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