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.

• Lisa Jordan design bracelets are the perfect gift for new moms.
  All pieces are fine jewelry (14K gold) some have diamonds, some come in pink and blue enamel, solid gold, brushed gold, & pink and blue sapphires. The newest way to show that you are a mom adorning a piece of gorgeous jewelry.
• 
  The Sweet Life, Dylan Lauren elevated the sugar fix to new, Wonka-line of bath and body products that come in yummy dessert scents. A great way to crème your skin in these cold winter months.
  www.sephora.com
• Moms everywhere are now addicted to Sculptz. A mom’s silhouette is meant to be smooth and shapely.  That’s the motto Sculptz followed in creating their newly available line of Sculptz Shape wear.
  Exclusive shaping control panels accent your curves by flattening your tummy, lifting your rear and slimming your hips and thighs.  Plus the specially engineered nylon/spandex blend gives moms a smooth line and shapely look without ever squeezing, pinching or binding.
  www.sculptzshapewear.com
• It’s getting cold outside, what’s a NYC mom to where? The Long Bear Jacket designed by Parajumpers. The Fun facts about the Long Bear: Has a lightweight aluminum Parachute Hook which can be removed before washing. Has a detachable embroidered patch and an interchangeable hood lining, detachable hood, zippered side vents and the coat is filled 90% down and 10% duck feathers.
  www.Bloomingdales.com
• Moms exciting news for our hair, most recently L’ oreal Paris has finally authorized the sale of the must coveted hairspray from Europe. The Finest Hairspray used by the finest professional stylists at topflight hair salons is now available here in the US. Elnett holds your style better, for longer, with brilliant shine and a softer touch, making for better hair care.
  www.target.com
• Jennifer Hudson’s debut CD is a perfect mix of music for moms that are working out at the gym, and or moms that just want to relax. This album exudes girl power.
  www.amazon.com
• DVF Wonder Woman Collection by DIANE VON FURSTENBERG, something of a heroine herself in fashion circles has unveiled a new inspired by Wonder Woman.
  A great holiday collection of dresses for mother’s everywhere! A quirky, fun line of dresses, footwear and a few leather accessories, the collection encompasses the vibrant colours and the star motif that the super-heroine is known for. Created in collaboration with Warner Bros and DC Comics, the capsule collection will help to raise money for Vital Voices Global Partnership, for the empowerment of female entrepreneurs around the world.
  www.dvf.com

• terrorists accusations,
• Palin spending $150,000 on outfits
• robocalling.

I will tell you right now who I am voting for Barack(I am not writing this to convince readers to vote on one specific candidate or another either ).. and I will also tell you that out of all of the Republicans I used to think John McCaine was at least worth listening to because he really was a maverick of sorts.

NOW I no longer feel that way for many reasons but the ones I think its worth talking about here have to do with the future of my children. My two daughters, ages 5 and 2 years actually know who Barack is and also wear his button on their knapsacks.

They have been following the election and have their own little Barack chant. I do not expect that all five year olds and especially two year olds are interested in politics, but in our family it happens to be regular banter. So I was horrified and frightened the other day when My 5 year old had a play date with one of her classmates and we were on the bus going back to our house. Her friend pointed to my daughter’s Barack Obama Button and said, “ I am going to vote for McCain because he has white skin and Brack has brown skin”. I wanted to jump out of the bus, I was so embarrassed and mortified.

Once the playdate had concluded, I simply took my daughter aside and mentionned the scenario on the bus to her and she looked a bit confused. I said to my daughter,” in our family we make our decisions about who is most qualified for a job not by what a person looks like, but by how well they are trained , what they stand for, how they have been educated.

Did she truly understand what I was really saying? I don’t know but what I do know is that she knew in the depths of her little 5 year old body that her little friend was wrong not on her political choice but on her reasoning.

I write this article not because I am a registered Democrat and not because my choice of candidate happens to be Barack, I write it because it just shows in this day in age, prejudice still exists and parents continue to pass their own prejudices down to their children, consciously or unconsciously.

I hope with all my heart that our children one day canreally BELIEVE without pretense that anyone
is eligible to do any job they are qualified for, regardless of race, color or creed- as the saying goes….

The Dish’s to do list:
Pick up An Absolute Scandal by British best selling author ,Penny Vincenzi. I can’t put this book down, The characters are flawed, fascinating and sexy! It is a perfect book for today’s economic climate.(located at Barnes and Noble)
Stay warm Missoni Scarfs,- chic and bohemian. You can get them at Searle or if you are lucky head to Filene’s Basement where they have some for cheaper.
Check out a friend’s new site (environmentally friendly) let’s all help to save our planet!
showthelove.com

Deana has just finished directing her friends from Hot Peas N’ Butter brand new video: “Somos Familia”. Mums and kids check out a sneak peek of “Somos Familia” which will be sure to make you dance.You can also check out HPN’B daily on NOGGIN too. ENJOY!

Introducing Your baby to Solid Foods
Every parent seems dying to get his or her baby started on “real food”. It’s a natural instinct to want to feed your baby, and watch them experience new tastes and textures. But they have a lifetime to eat, so try to be patient and look for some clear signs from them, as well as advice from the baby’s doctor, about when to start the transition to solid foods.

Is your baby ready for solid foods?
There are two issues here: one is physical readiness, the other is developmental readiness. Physical readiness is the maturation of the intestinal tract, the digestive ability of the baby, and the baby’s immune system. Babies cannot digest certain foods easily, and their liver, kidneys and GI tract cannot handle certain proteins easily. Furthermore, their immune system is on high alert and early feeding can lead to a potential increase in food allergies or intolerances. Remember, Breast milk or formula is nutritionally a complete meal for you newborn until at least four months if not longer. Rushing her to try new foods will only increase her potential indigestion, sensitivity and irritability.
Developmental readiness implies the ability of the child to coordinate the “suck and swallow” reflexes required to move solid food down the esophagus. He also needs to be able to sit with support and have good head control in order to eat solid foods safely.

Signs that you baby is ready:
• Is your baby sitting up with his head well controlled in his seat?
• Does she seem to watch everything you eat with great interest, even opening her mouth as if asking for a bite?
• Do you or your family members have any food-related allergies?
• Does your baby’s doctor agree that the baby is healthy and ready to start?
What to serve when
• Most people start with baby cereal. Mix 1 teaspoon of iron-fortified baby cereal with 4 to 5 teaspoons of breast milk or formula. I recommend starting with oatmeal although most books will tell you rice cereal. Just remember to be sure it is a single-grain cereal. Be patient. If your baby isn’t interested, wait a week or two and try again.
• Add pureed vegetables and fruits. Once your baby gets the hang of feeding from a spoon and not a bottle, begin to introduce vegetables and fruits. Offer single-ingredient foods at first, and wait at least 5 days before between each new food because food reactions can take up to one week to emerge.
• Finger foods. By 10 months, most babies can master chopped finger foods, such as soft fruits, steamed or boiled vegetables, or well-cooked pasta. Hummus is also an excellent source of Zinc and is soft and easy to digest.

What to Avoid before Age 1
• Cow’s milk: cow’s milk can lead to iron deficiency anemia because it irritates the lining of an infant’s stomach and causes microscopic bleeding.
• Citrus can cause a painful diaper rash,
• Honey can cause a serious illness known as botulism.
• Choking Hazards: whole grapes, hot dogs and nuts

Dairy products also increase the production of immune-related mucous in your body. I always tell my families that if their child has a cold or an ear infection to reduce if not eliminate dairy form the diet, at least temporarily. In a Georgetown University study, 86% of children’s ear infections studied improved after dairy was removed from their diet.

So what is a dairy allergy versus a lactose intolerance:
Dairy allergy, or milk allergy, refers to an immune-mediated allergic reaction caused by a protein component of milk, namely casein protein or whey protein. Dairy is one of the eight most common allergens in the United States, and as such, current food labeling laws require that the presence of milk be clearly marked on ingredient labels.

Lactose is the sugar in milk that causes an intolerance- this means that the body is not making antibodies to the lactose sugar but the body just cannot digest the lactose because the body lacks an enzyme known as lactase. The symptoms are bloating, indigestion, and diarrhea.

Subsitutes for MILK:

• 1. Lactose-Free Milk
  Lactose-free milk is only suitable for people with lactose intolerance; it contains the same proteins as milk and is just as allergenic for people with dairy allergies.
• 2. Goat Milk and Other Ruminant Milk
  Goat, sheep, and other ruminant milks contain similar proteins to cow’s milk and are considered to have a high degree of cross-reactivity so children with cow’s milk allergy are just as likely to react.
• 3. Soy Milk
  The most widely available dairy-free milk alternative is soy milk, which is high in protein and nutritionally a good subsitutute. However, there is an ongoing debate about the effect of the phyto-estrogens found in soy milk so it is important to monitor the volume of intake.
• 4. Rice Milk
  Unlike soy and nut milks, rice milk is not allergenic, but because it is low in protein, it does not make a good nutritional replacement for milk unless heavily fortified
• 5. Nut Milks
  Almond milk is among the most common nut milks. Like soy milk, nut milks are high in protein. Nuts are also high in “good fats” and Vitamin E. However, nuts are a common allergen herself.
• 6. Oat Milk
  Oat milk has a moderate amount of protein, however Oat milk may not be suitable for those with celiac disease, who may be sensitive to avenin protein found in oats.
• 7. Hemp Milk
  Like Oat Milk, Hemp Milk is less widely available and has a protein level between that of rice and soy milk.
  What does milk have that is so important?
  Be especially aware of calcium, protein, and vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are found in abundance in dairy products. Here are some suggestions for dairy-substitutes that provide good sources of nutrition:
  • Tofutti Sour Supreme, Better than Cream Cheese, and Nondairy Frozen Desserts
  • Imagine Creamy Soups, all of which are nondairy
  • Amy’s Kitchen frozen and ready-to-eat foods

• 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).

• 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!!!

When the body metabolizes food into energy, the body consumes oxygen and produces free radicals. Free radicals are cells that have a missing electron in their outer shell and try to take back or bind up an electron from other cells to stay chemically stable. The problem is that they steal these electrons back from important other components of the body, namely DNA, fats and proteins. The damage caused by free radicals can potentially lead to longterm health problems.

Antioxidants donate electrons to free radicals, essentially neutralizing their electron charge imbalance and thus preventing damage to other cells. They also may help reduce the impact of chemicals and pollution on the body caused by chemicals and pollutants.

However, some antioxidants, known as Phytates or phytic acid can decrease mineral absorption by binding with iron, zinc, manganese and weakly to calcium. These phytates are found in nuts, seed and whole grains. This is a concern for many vegetarians, especially if they eat a lot of wheat bran.

However, for most children’s diets, the benefits of phytates outweigh the risks because they are shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and, like other antioxidants, help normalize cell development against free radicals.

The best way for your child to get antioxidants is to eat a varied diet. This should consist of fruits, a variety of vegetables, and some whole grains. Encouraging you child to have a varied diet insures he or she will consume all the necessary vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for healthy growth and development.