Green your child’s lunch

November 6, 2008 | Leave a Comment

If your child is allowed to bring lunch to school, you are lucky. You may not feel that way when as you face the early morning challenge and you are up packing a meal at 6:30 am that you wonder if he will eat, but you are lucky, because you have some control over what your child eats while he is at school. So lets look at how to make that an even better and safer and healthier opportunity.

ORGANIC AND NUTRITIOUS:
We know that pesticides and other chemicals contaminate our food supply. Most notably lead and mercury. These chemicals can cause serious health problems such as cancer, school learning issues and behavior problems, and hormone disruption. A recent study showed that Children who ate conventional diets had mean pesticide concentrations in their urine 9 times higher than the children who ate organic!
Serve organic food: and focus on high quality proteins and calcium, not grains and sugars. School-age children need at least 800 mg daily through age 8, and 1300 mg daily from age 9 to 13. Lunch might include a serving of Stonyfield Farm organic yogurt (www.stonyfieldfarm.com). Check out earthsbest.com as well for some organic healthy snack foods ways to pack .For children who don’t tolerate dairy, remember to include a calcium-enriched juice. And sources of lean protein include Organic cheese, hardboiled egg (organic eggs high in DHA), organic beans, or high-quality organic meats. Overly processed sandwich meats are high in sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, and nitrites.

PACKING BETTER COUNTS:
Save the environment and avoid more metal and plastic toxins by packing your child ‘s lunch in an eco-friendly and fun option that is reusable and safe- Check out the fantastic ones at www.mimithesardine.com. I adore the one with the animals on it and its conveniently sized and very well-made.
Spare the forests by using cloth napkins like I found at www.fabikins.com they are incredably soft and beautifully decorated and you can even order personalized ones to be sure they get home again after lunch.
And finally, pack your food and drink in reusable containers that are BPA free like the ones at www.thermos.com. remember never to microwave in plastic though!

PLAN AHEAD AND ENJOY THE PROCESS
Get your kids involved as much as possible with the shopping and planning of their meals. They can make lunch with you and can pick out healthy fruits and vegetables at the market. Then make a menu for the week so you and your child knows what each day will require- and then sneak in an extra treat of a note or a sticker reminding them that they are special to you. For some healthy recipes check out Laura Pasetta’s latest DVD “The Visual Guide: How To Make A Healthy Lunch For Kids”, along with demos, recipes and shopping lists, can be found at: www.healthychild.com.

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

the cookie kids fest

October 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment


As you may know, Cookie has teamed up with Free Arts NYC to invite adults and their children to our highly anticipated event Kidsfest New York on Sunday, November 16th. Held at the Urban Zen Center at the Stephan Weiss Studio on 711 Greenwich Street, there will be live performances, arts & crafts, and more. Ticket prices for adults are $100, kids $50, and ages two and under free. All proceeds benefit Free Arts NYC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to years of arts and mentoring programs for at risk children.

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

Dr. Geary Recommends: Healthy Resources

October 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I rarely shop- as a pediatrician and mother of three I tend to shop on-line, late at night. So I am always searching and researching for the very best products and then I stick with them- especially when it comes to my children.

  • 1. WWW.OURGREENHOUSE.COM is an amazing resource for environmentally friendly toys, clothes and home products: the company was developed initially as a place to find environmentally sound home products but has expanded to include children’s natural toys and clothes. My favorite recent find is a soft cloth basket full of stuffed “fruits” that have adorable faces and a little handle to carry them with.

     

  • 2.SmartFoods Healthy Kids- one of the finest websites I have worked with on how to boost your child’s overall health and well-being with healthier diets- this website includes great recipes, important news about food policies at schools and savvy tips on how to make eating healthier more fun. www.smartfoodshealthykids.com

     

  • 3. Sustainable reading is the goal of this ambitious company, Ecolibris.com who remind us that more than 20 million trees are being cut down every year to produce the books sold in the U.S. alone. Their goal is to try to have a tree planted for every book sold. They hope to plant 500,000 trees by the end of 2008 and push for printing on recycled paper in the future. www.ecolibris.com

     

  • 4. www.bitsybirdie.com features innovative, fun, well-made toys emphasizing safety and quality. One of my favorites is the Green Toys Cookware and Dining set that provides your kids with a colorful set of cookware, plates, bowls, cups and utensils. Cooking toys are an important learning tool for children to learn about pouring and mixing, as well as pretend play.Green Toys contain no traceable amounts of Phthalates or BPA. They are tested by nationally recognized, third-party labs located in the United States, and meet or surpass regulations for Consumer Products Safety Standard Specification, ASTM F963; California Prop. 65 restrictions on lead and cadmium; FDA regulations for food contact; California regulations prohibiting phthalates in toys; and voluntary testing for no BPA (Bisphenol-A).

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

Best New baby Gifts

October 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Since I seem to have wonderful friends and family constantly having babies, i decide to make up a list of some recent great finds:

  • 1. vedaPURE New baby Gift basket- of course i am biased but i still think this is a wonderful starter set of all organic skin products plus cute onesie and elephant. www.vedapure.com

     

     

  • 2. Baby Emi ( BABYEMIJEWLERY.COM) glamour for pint-sized people: This site offers special personalized bracelets of any size for your new baby. Their customer service is incredibly responsive. Child safety is a priority and each piece is made meticulously for safety and durability and the bracelets are adorable and dainty.

     

     

  • 3. www.snikiddy.com is an amazing new company I discovered that makes all natural snack packs that include cheese puffs and choclate ‘chipppers” that are all USDA certified organic. the ‘cheese puffs” are especially great because they are gluten free and the only USDA certified organic cheese puffs on the market- plus they taste great! Most importantly, all the snikiddy snacks are free of hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn-syrup, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. not for the newborn- but great to bring as treats for the siblings!!!

     

  • 4. Startafoodfight.com: they have, among other wonderful things, fabulous “retro” inky dink onesies including one of my daughter’s favorite’s with ‘record players” in hot pink. Contact Leslie leslie@startafoodfight.com for great advice on picking out uber-chic baby presents as well.

     

     

  • 5. Another great great childrens’ shop is rabbitkinney ( www.rabbitkinney.com) for hip surfer-inspired rabbit onesies and skateboard- inspired tees.The quailty of the cotton and the brightly colored logos are a hit with manhattan moms as well!!!

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

Dr. Geary Recommends: Nutrition Finds

September 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I rarely shop- as a pediatrician and mother of three I tend to shop on-line, late at night. So I am always searching and researching for the very best products and then I stick with them- especially when it comes to my children.
As part of my ongoing research for my book on pediatric wellness and nutritonal healing, I encounter lots of companies making supplements. Although it is always better to get your nutrition through meals, we all know some kids need a boost. these treats may help boost their energy level and smile and meal time.

  • 1. BOOST Kid Essentials : this is a new product from Nestle that tastes great and provides complete balanced nutrition with every serving- 25 Vitamins and minerals, 7 grams of protein as well as antioxidants, Vitamin C, E, selenium. The straw provided with BOOST Kid Essentials Drink is specially formulated to deliver an effective daily dose of the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis. Recent clinical trials have shown that infants experienced decreased fever and sick days and children experienced less diarrhea when fed the probiotic provided by BOOST Kid Essentials Drink. www.KidEssentials.com
  • 2. Earths Best has now come out with a line of antioxidant rich baby foods rich in vitamins A and C and phytochemicals.there are several new flavors- and a daily jar of Earth’s Best Antioxidant Baby Food will provide your baby with extra vitamins as well as develop a taste for antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables. www.earthsbest.com
  • 3. Natural and organic candy- not that one ever needs to promote candy eating- but this company is an impressive mom and sisters business with a huge selection of high quality candy including organic, vegan, kosher and all-natural. Just in time for Halloween. www.naturalcandystore.com

I hope you try some of these great products—your child will thank you

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

Dr. Geary Recommends: Fall Finds

September 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I rarely shop- as a pediatrician and mother of three I tend to shop on-line, late at night. So I am always searching and researching for the very best products and then I stick with them- especially when it comes to my children.

  • Y Waters1. : This new line of cleverly packaged drinks are organic, low calorie healthy drinks for kids. These drinks are considered “developmental drinks” because they provide the vitamins and minerals essential to a child’s healthy growth. They come in four “flavors”: Bone, Brain, Immune and Muscle waters- each containing nutrients to boost the natural function of your body. They taste great and are all organic- even the packaging is recyclable. www.ywater.us
  • 2. Enjoy Life Foods: For all those children suffering from food intolerances or allergies, finally comes some fun, allergy-friendly chocolate bars for that special treat: I recommend the BOOM CHOCO BOOM choclate bars- they are the first ever dairy-,nut-,soy-,And gluten free chocolate bars. They are made without wheat, peanuts,tree nuts, egg, soy, fish or shellfish AND without casein, potatoe, sesame or sulfites. Hard to believe they taste this good. www.enjoylifefoods.com
  • 3. BioGaia: I recommend Gut HEALTH by Bio Gaia, a probiotic, for many of my patients, and for good reason. They come in convenient powder packets that can be carried around and mixed in juice, applesauce, ice cream remininiscent of the old Pixie Sticks. There are also chewable tablets for those kids who want something to bite into. Gut Health restores normal bowel function, strengthens intestinal immunity, maintains intestinal health and prevents diarrhea. www.childrensprobiotics.com
  • 4. Kitsel.com is a new clothing site I found for toddlers offering 100% cotton baby and toddler t-shirts from hip designers as well as diaper bags Baby Burp Cloths and Bibs, Sweet Shoes and all the essentials.
    My youngest daughter loves the Rattle me Royalty T- and I would recommend this brand for any mother interested in their baby’s comfort and an easy wash. the t-shirt is 100% Certified Organic Cotton with No harsh pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizer used in the cotton. www.kitsel.com
  • 5 vedaRX Console Ear drops: I have been working on these for several years and can now take pleasure in reporting the effectiveness of these all-natural drops for your child’s ear when they begin with a cold or complaints of ear pain. Using them at night, while thebaby sleeps, can drastically reduce the need for antibiotics, by absorbing the mucus and fluid within the ear, and offering pain relief. Since 85% of ear infections are usually viral anyway, these drops can help your baby make it through the three days of ear pain and avoid antibiotics if possible. www.vedaPURE.com

I hope you try some of these great products—your child will thank you

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

Dr. Geary Recommends: Summer Edition!

July 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I rarely shop- as a pediatrician and mother of three I tend to shop on-line, late at night. So I am always searching and researching for the very best products and then I stick with them- especially when it comes to my children. Since it is half way through the summer (oh no) I thought I would update my “It List”- nothing too trendy, just high quality, eco-responsible, and most importantly, healthy and safe items:

1. Barlean’s Organic Oils: Barlean’s has just come out with the “Omega swirl”, an omega-3 flax oil supplement which contains the highest quality omega-3 fatty acids but is also, miraculously, something your child will actually take! Strawberry-banana or Lemon-Zest flavors with a consistency like a smoothie and an impressive 750 mg of EPA/DHA per serving, the Omega Swirl will help your child get the recommended amount of omega-3 fatty acids, especially if your child doesn’t like fish. Check out: www.barleans.com

2. Sage Baby NYC: Two brilliant moms with business savvy who pick the best of organic. I bought their recommended air-purifier when my baby starting wheezing and it has made a huge difference. Check out: www.sagebabynyc.com

3. Florastor: I have recommended Florastor Kids, a probiotic, for many of my patients, and for good reason. They come in convenient powder packets that can be carried around and mixed in juice, applesauce, ice cream. Florastor restores normal bowel function, strengthens intestinal immunity, maintains intestinal health and prevents diarrhea. It contains “healthy” bacteria to promote a healthy digestive system, leading to better nutrient absorption and less stomach discomforts. Florastor can be taken daily or when your child has stomach discomfort. Check out: www.florastor.com

4. a b sea baby: My youngest daughter loves their beautiful blue yoga-pants-style pants, and I would recommend this brand for any mother interested in their baby’s comfort and an easy wash. The baby-soft blend of 70% natural silk, 30% organic cotton that is 100% washable and very chic! It is naturally wrinkle-resistant, hypoallergenic, and all weather. These adorable baby clothes are all natural and organic. Check out: www.abseababy.com

5. Adiri Natural Nurser: These chic bottles have no polycarbonates, BPA, latex or phthalates, and the breast-like nipple makes for an easy transition from breast to bottle feeding. Winner of the Medical Design Excellence Award for 2008, these bottles are green, practical and adorable. Check out: www.Adiri.com

I hope you try some of these great products—your child will thank you.

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