Fast, Healthy and Clean Eating for Everyone

For anyone who doesn’t know, Rachelle is not only a veritable SuperMom, she is also a trained (and talented!) chef.

Recently, she has taken an interested in Clean Eating and has begun publishing her fast and healthy recipes to her new web site: Fast, Healthy and Clean.

Check out Rachelle’s site, and treat your family to an easy and delicious healthy dinner tonight!

BPA’s Shiny Friend

It seems like everything we do is bad for us. Now that we have switched all of our bottles to glass we thought we could take a moment and be proud that toxic chemicals can’t leech into our child’s food. No such luck!

While we no longer have to worry about Bisphenal A from plastic bottles, we aren’t totally protected because whenever we prepare a can of formula concentrate we are dealing with a product that may contain a questionable dose of the chemical.

As mentioned earlier, Bisphenal A (BPA) is added to plastic products to increase their strength. A lesser known use is as a component of the liner within tin cans. In both instances, when the container is heated the BPA leeches into the food contents. For those not in the know, canned food is heated to kill any bacteria that may be present thereby increasing its shelf life.

What I want to know is – did our switch to glass bottles really make a difference? Is my son getting half the dose of this toxic chemical? How worried should I be?

Weight Loss and Parenting

The world (particularly here in North America) is hyper-obsessed with image and weight. Too many people who are overweight believe that the key to finding self-worth is through weight loss, as though being thinner will somehow make them a better person.

By this time most people will agree that one’s health is more important than their weight. We’re starting to hear experts call for “nutrition” more than “diet”, for “life style improvements” more than “weight loss”. Someone may be at their “ideal weight” and have more health problems than someone classified as “overweight”. Excess weight certainly leads to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and many other complications; however, many people (who fail) start their dieting with the aim of “looking better” rather than being healthier.

I will always hold that you need to take care of yourself first if you are going to have any hope of being there 100% for your child. Lifestyle changes and improvements to eating habits don’t happen overnight “because they must” – they are learned through determination and trial. Don’t wait for your infant to start eating solid foods before cooking healthy – it won’t last and your child will learn to eat the same junky food that you do.

There are so many reasons to seek to become a fit parent.  Here is my own list, perhaps others will find some similarities with their own ideals:

• I want to have more energy so I can play with my child longer
• I want to have enough strength that carrying my child won’t tire me out so fast
• I want to lead by example and show my child how to make proper eating choices
• I want to help prevent disease so I might be healthy enough to enjoy my grandchildren one day

Concentrated vs Powered Formula

Of all the things that could stir up such heated debate, I would never have guessed infant formula to be among them. Some people are very passionate about what they feed their baby, and very passionate about what others feed their babies too.  For some people spreading the word about breastfeeding is a holy crusade while others are strictly bottle feeders.  We tried both ways but could not continue breast feeding due to health reasons – but our baby fared well in each case.

For those like us who decide to use the bottle, the next question is “What formula do I choose?” In North America, we have such strict legislation regarding the production of infant food we can rest assured all of the formulas are basically equal.

Which is Better – Concentrated Formula or Powdered Formula?
So does it make a difference whether parents choose to use concentrated or powdered formula?  For that matter, are ready-made bottles superior?  The truth is the choice between concentrated, ready-made and powdered formula is mainly convenience and expense – all three are appropriate for infants.

Ready-Made Are Convenient
Ready-Made bottles are just that – measured doses of formula waiting for you to attach a nipple and feed to your child.  Most drug stores carry these in packs of 8 and they aren’t cheap.  For day-to-day use I generally would not recommend these, but if your last bottle breaks while you are on the road there is nothing quite as life-saving as being able to find ready-made bottles.

Concentrate Travel Well
Cans of concentrated formula are more expensive than powder but travel much better.  If the lid comes off a can of powdered formula while in the car, your back seat will never be clean again.  A single can can make 4-6 bottles – in our case right now that will last an entire day.  Many parents groups are able to obtain concentrate cans for free or at low-cost, which can make this option convenient and inexpensive for young parents.

Powder is Economical
Powdered infant formula is sold in large quantities and is (relatively) cheap to buy.  We buy the “economy” size which is huge.  I’ve noticed that when the powdered formula is mixed the milk is white, which appeals to my sensibilities.  The ready-made and concentrates tend to be brown or off-white – this is not unhealthy but I find it less aesthetic.

Choose Based on Lifestyle and Budget
The food you give to your baby in these early months is so critical because it provides much-needed nourishment for their rapidly growing body and brain.  The good news is the food supply is generally protected, and the choice of formula becomes a matter of three questions:

1. Budget: What can I afford?
2. Lifestyle: Where am I most likely to be feeding the baby?
3. Baby’s Reaction: What does the baby like? (All babies are different and some fare better on lower iron formulas, some on soy)