Gerber Dairy Beverage

Have you seen the website banner ads for Gerber's "dairy beverage?" Words like this always raise a red flag for me, never mind the fact that the three points highlighted in the banner ad include:
-Made with fat free milk!
-Omega-3 fats
-Vitamins and minerals

What does this mean?
1. The fat in milk is where the bulk of the nutrients are! Vitamins A and D (found in the FAT of milk, among other places) are crucial for growing babies and toddlers. Despite the fact that Gerber itself admits that one quarter (23%) of toddlers 12-24 months aren't getting the required daily intake of fats, Gerber still uses fat-free milk! Are parents really that afraid of the normal fats present in whole milk? Apparently so. Instead Gerber adds plenty of vegetable oils (UNHEALTHY!) to boost the fat content. Yuck! This is just like how they make their baby formula, too.
2. Omega-3 fats -- these are supplemented in some artificial way or other. Of course grass-fed full-fat raw milk would indeed provide some healthy omega-3 fats, but this isn't what this beverage contains. And as there are only 140mg of omega-3s per 8.25 oz. serving, this is barely anything even worth mentioning! A single yolk from a regular old egg would give 225mg. (Gee, which is the more cost-effective choice I wonder?) Oh yes, or you could also just breast feed your child as breast milk from an omnivorous mother is a good source of omega-3s (what an incredible idea!)
3. Vitamins and minerals -- Gerber's concoction is basically nutrient-less substances fortified with lots of synthetic supplements. Oh, and do I need to mention that the fourth ingredient (after fat-free milk, water, and maltodextrin, all yucky or unimpressive things) is SUGAR! So you can forget about this product actually providing nourishment to your growing toddler. (They did make a "plain" flavor without sugar as the fourth ingredient, but it has been discontinued. Probably was too gross to be appealing to kids; the sugar is needed to mask all the vegetable oils and additives.)

The whole baby/toddler/child food industry really disgusts me. At least this Smart Sips dairy beverage is made with milk that does not contain rBGH. That is the only positive thing I can say about this preposterous product.

In response to a question about stress

A reader asked if I have any food and natural remedy suggestions to help in coping with stress. Here are my recommendations:

1) First of all, on a daily basis try to take some time away from the source of stress -- this is harder for us marrieds-with-children when the source of stress is something like a teething child or a tired spouse, but if you can at all get some downtime just for you, be sure to make it a priority.
2) Take high-vitamin cod liver oil. See my other posts about this and just start doing it. When we are under stress our bodies become depleted of vitamin A, and CLO is the best backup source that we can take as a daily supplement. Vitamin A is needed to convert cholesterol into our hormones, and hormones will help keep us calm and on an even keel. Also, the high levels of vitamin D in CLO will support the immune system. Vitamins A and D work synergistically and really do help keep us well even in difficult circumstances or in the face of fatigue, stress, germ exposure, and cold weather.
3) Avoid stimulants as much as you can. These include things like sugar, caffeine, alcohol, processed foods (which contain many additives), and white flour -- easier said than done around the holidays when we are constantly eating cookies, drinking hot chocolate, and having drinks at parties! These foods put stress on the body, deplete us of important nutrients and minerals, and have the effect of jolting the adrenal glands to make them produce extra energy. This can end up making us feel even more stressed out because our adrenaline response is constantly activated. Think of it this way: each time you stimulate your adrenal glands, they continue firing for a full 24 hours. So if you have coffee every morning, guess what? your adrenal glands never get a day off. This spells big trouble when you come under additional stress, because your adrenals are likely fatigued and you will be tempted to stimulate them even more than usual to keep yourself going.
4) Fats from animals raised on grass are an important source of the cholesterol mentioned above which helps our bodies make the appropriate hormones. These fats are also great sources of the all-important vitamins A and D (also mentioned above). Focus on foods like butter, cream, egg yolks, lard, chicken fat (think chicken skin & roasting drippings!), and other meat fats. Fat from oily fish is wonderful as well. [When it comes to dairy, choose raw if you have the option, but if not always get organic, grass-fed & unhomogenized if you can, and never ever ultra-pasteurized.]
5) Treat yourself to something relaxing...like a special caffeine-free tea (try to get something that has only herbs, flowers, and fruits in it -- no natural flavors or other additives), a warm bath, or a massage. If you have a favorite way of relaxing, such as meditation, yoga, stretching, playing an instrument, or taking a walk in the woods, by all means make time for it! We all know that doing these things are important, but it's so easy to do everything else first...and then never have time for relaxation.

Margarine deception

"Discover the simple goodness of Land O'Lakes. Fresh, wholesome and real, Land O'Lakes provides pure, fresh taste for people who strive to keep life uncomplicated and appreciate life's simple pleasures."

I laughed out loud when I first read this phony baloney description in my in-laws' fridge. It still shocks me how food companies can get away with writing complete BS on their packages. I haven't yet figured out what people think they're gaining by eating margarine (or similar products) instead of butter. This margarine actually has the same number of calories, the same total grams of fat, and only four grams less of saturated fat than regular butter (which is actually a very bad thing, not good the way we have been taught). Not to mention NO NUTRIENTS (the added vitamin A is synthetic and completely useless to our bodies if not actually harmful). All you have to do to realize what's really in this sorry excuse for a buttery spread is to look at the list of ingredients: soybean oil processed in three different evil ways makes up the first FOUR ingredients, along with water. By now we know that the words "hydrogenated" and "partially hydrogenated" are a big clue that this is not a health food, yet they appear THREE times on this one small package. (To add insult to injury, the oil is extracted through a less-than-natural process from genetically modified beans. These are beans that even animals know not to touch.)

If you're wondering what really goes into the stuff you are putting on your toast every morning and on your mashed potatoes every night, read on (and keep in mind that pretty much the same holds true for all the fake "butter-y" spreads out there):

This excerpt is from the article, Dirty Secrets of the Food Processing Industry.

"Manufacturers cannot use liquid oils in baked goods or frying, and they are not spreadable. So to harden the liquid vegetable oils to make margarine and shortening, they put the oils through a process called partial hydrogenation. To make margarine or shortening, first the oil is extracted under high temperature and pressure, and the remaining fraction of oil is removed with hexane solvents. Then the oils are steam cleaned, a process that removes all the vitamins and anti-oxidants, but of course, the solvents and the pesticides remain. These oils are then mixed with a nickel catalyst and put into a huge high-pressure, high-temperature reactor. What goes into the reactor is a liquid, but what comes out of that reactor is a semi-solid that looks like grey cottage cheese and smells terrible. Emulsifiers are mixed in to smooth out the lumps. The product is then steam cleaned a second time to get rid of the horrible smell. Then it is bleached to get rid of the grey color. At this point, the product can be used as vegetable shortening. To make margarine, they add artificial flavors and synthetic vitamins. You may be comforted to know that manufacturers are not allowed to add a synthetic color to margarine. So they add annatto or some other natural coloring. It is then packaged in blocks and tubs. Advertising promotes this garbage as a health food."

And yet, they're calling the results of this extremely complicated, unnatural process "simple goodness" and claiming that it's "pure and fresh"! In my opinion, using the words FRESH, WHOLESOME and REAL within 10 miles of this product is an absolute outrage. Of course it isn't only advertisers promoting this "garbage" as a health food -- doctors push it all the time. That's why my in-laws stopped using butter and started using margarine about 30 years ago when they moved to the U.S. from Mexico. And it wasn't long before they switched from lard to corn oil. Maybe next time we'll talk about how corn oil is made -- it will have you looking for a pig in no time.

In the meantime, let's take a look at all the fabulous health-supporting stuff found in old-fashioned raw or cultured butter from grass-fed cows:

Nutrients in Grass-Fed Butter

Fat-Soluble Vitamins: These include true vitamin A or retinol, vitamin D, vitamin K and vitamin E as well as all their naturally occurring cofactors needed to obtain maximum effect. Vitamin A is more easily absorbed from butter than from any other source, and provides a wonderful bright color without the use of dyes. Fortunately, these vitamins survive pasteurization. They are needed for:
⁃ proper growth
⁃ healthy bones
⁃ brain/nervous system
⁃ reproduction
The Wulzen factor ("anti-stiffness" factor) - Ever wonder how people used to continue working on their farms, cooking, knitting, and stoking the fire until they died in their 80s or 90s? By eating butter!
⁃ found in raw butter, cream, whole milk (and raw animal fats)
⁃ protects us from degenerative arthritis
⁃ protects against hardening of arteries
⁃ protects us from cataracts
Activator X
⁃ powerful catalyst that helps the body absorb and utilize minerals
⁃ found in organ meats from grazing animals and some sea food
⁃ especially good source is butter from cows eating green grass
⁃ disappears from the butter when cows are fed cottonseed meal or soy
Fatty acids
⁃ perfect balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids
⁃ antimicrobial, anti-tumor, and immune-system-supporting properties
⁃ lauric acid is highly protective (found also in breastmilk)
⁃ butyric acid unique to butter - anti-fungal properties
⁃ these saturated fats are absorbed directly from the small intestine to
the liver and provide quick energy for the body (NOT STORED AS FAT!)
Conjugated Linoleic Acid
⁃ strong anti-cancer properties
⁃ encourages buildup of muscle
⁃ prevents weight gain
⁃ disappears when cows are fed dry hay or processed feed
Lecithin
⁃ natural component of butter
⁃ helps our bodies absorb and metabolize cholesterol and other fats from
butter
Cholesterol
⁃ cholesterol is needed for our bodies to produce a variety of steroids
that protect against cancer, heart disease, and mental illness
⁃ our bodies manufacture hormones from cholesterol using vitamin A
⁃ breastmilk is also naturally high in cholesterol because it's
essential for growth & development
Glycosphingolipids
⁃ protects against gastrointestinal infections, especially in babies &
the elderly
Trace minerals
⁃ many trace minerals from the earth, such as manganese, zinc, chromium,
iodine (butter is a wonderful thyroid-supporting food for people
without access to seafood!)
⁃ extremely rich in selenium (a trace mineral with antioxidant
properties), containing more per gram than herring or wheat germ!

MARGARINE -- Ingredients: liquid soybean oil, water, hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, buttermilk, salt, contains less than 2% of: hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, sodium benzoate (preservative), vegetable mono & diglycerides, artifical flavors, beta carotene (color), vitamin A palmitate.
Price tag: $6.29/lb.
Externalized costs: nearly-irreversible damage to the earth from growing huge monocultures of genetically modified soybeans (loss of topsoil, soil depletion, poisoning of the air, land & water supply by chemical pesticides and fertilizers, destruction of wildlife and ecosystems); irreversible genetic pollution from GM seeds spreading and inter-mixing with regular crops as well as getting into the water supply; potential allergic reactions (possibly fatal) from eating GM soy; pollution from farming machines, refining, processing, and shipping the product; heavy use of fossil fuels; poor health; tax dollars used to support huge soy agribusinesses and monoculture-raising farmers.
Benefits: food corporations get richer & contribute more money to the campaigns of people who will perpetuate this system.


REAL BUTTER FROM LOCAL GRASS-FED COWS -- Ingredients: cream.
Price tag: $10/lb. & 16% delivery charge.
Externalized costs: pollution caused by driving a small truck for two hours to deliver to the consumers.
Benefits: land that is well-protected, fertilized naturally, and properly used & cared for; happy cattle; small, thriving family farms; healthy, delighted customers!

"But I'm afraid of butter!"

Hil just posted the following comment on my protein entry: "I still feel afraid of butter!" I have to respond to this.

If it's any comfort, Hilary, people used to eat a LOT of raw butter, cream, milk, buttermilk, etc. in the U.S. up until just 50 years ago. These products were staples and important sources of fat and many nutrients in the American diet. However, we were hoodwinked into thinking butter and cream in general were dangerous for our health by industry and interest groups that wanted to sell cheap oil-derived substitutes (margarine) and take business away from the farmers who were still selling small quantities of high-quality butter and dairy to people in the towns & cities. Things went downhill from there, which was around the same time we started employing modern production methods for growing crops and raising animals (like CAFOs, etc.). I have seen a diagram that showed a dramatic rise in obesity at the same time that people dramatically lowered butter consumption. Not that they are directly related, but clearly substituting other things for butter is not making anyone thin! I usually eat anywhere from 2-4 tbsp. of butter daily, as well as things like cream, sour cream, yogurt & kefir, a little cheese, about 8 oz. of milk, etc. (all raw, all unprocessed, all full-fat). Ever since I increased my fat consumption to about 50% of daily calories I have experienced only positive changes in my health and still fit all my old pre-pregnancy clothes. Butter (esp. raw, from pastured cattle) contains so many wonderful health benefits. Dentist & researcher Weston Price actually found that the heart attack rate was inversely proportional to the level of vitamins available in the butter; during the spring and fall months, when people were consuming butter from cattle grazing on fast-growing green grass, rates were lowest (see http://westonaprice.org/farming/splendor.html). This butter is very rich in vitamins K2 and D which are crucial for heart health, among other things. It is also a wonderful source of true vitamin A which is very important for eye health. [It is no coincidence that our modern diet which is low in natural sources of true vitamin A, D, and K2 also brings us things like cavities, poor dental development (so that everyone needs braces), and poor vision (so that 2/3 of the population needs corrective lenses). More on this in another post.] Trust me, Hilary, butter is your FRIEND! Before everyone became paranoid about saturated fats people considered butterfat (cream) to be desirable -- some cultures more or less worshiped it! They recognized its life-giving power for fertility, for children's development, and for daily health and vitality. Fat truly does not make people fat. While it is important to listen to your body and figure out the right amount of fat that feels good for you, it's also important to keep in mind that responsibly-produced animal fats are deeply satisfying and nutritious. It is sugar in all its forms (white flour, white sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, etc.), processed vegetable oils, and modern methods of produce, dairy & meat production that are truly causing illness and obesity on a mass scale. So go out there and EAT YOUR BUTTER!

A further note about raw vs. pasteurized dairy: Until pasteurization was enforced people ate mainly raw dairy products which were life-giving, as compared to the homogenized, pasteurized, hormone-laden, pesticide- and pus-filled products sold in supermarkets today. Not only is raw milk, cream, and butter from pastured happy cows clean and delicious, these things also provide vitamins, enzymes, and various compounds we don't see much of anymore in the American diet, which are all destroyed or diminished when pasteurized: like B6 (important for preventing depression) and the Wulzen factor (which protects against stiff joints and muscles). Even calcium can't be absorbed without its accompanying enzyme, phosphophatase, which is only present in raw milk. Did you get that the first time? All this talk of drinking lots of milk for calcium and osteoporosis-prevention is a lot of nonsense when the human body cannot actually absorb calcium properly without the enzyme phosphophatase, which is DESTROYED DURING PASTEURIZATION! Raw dairy is also far less likely to cause allergies or intolerances than regular pasteurized dairy because pasteurization warps the proteins in milk which renders it very hard to digest and absorb properly. If you want to get access to certified, clean raw dairy near you please email me (Hannah@EarthBodyBalance.com) and I will help you out. If you're concerned about cost, rest assured this stuff is a much better price than organic dairy at Whole Foods or most other stores, and it's far better. (I pay about $7 for a gallon for milk and $10 for a pound of butter, which is equivalent to 4 sticks.) Please see my article on butter at http://www.earthbodybalance.com/traditional_foods.

So they're crowning babies now?

Babies' teeth that is...

At our pediatrician visit last Friday the doctor warned me away from letting Oliver nurse during the night. She says the milk coats their teeth and causes decay, which is why one of her little patients needs crowns put on her tiny teeth! What an awful awful thing.

As I have an overdeveloped respect for authority I didn't tell her this poor baby probably already had dental caries as early as in the womb. Deficiencies in vitamin D during early crucial development can actually lead to teeth decaying BEFORE they even erupt from the gums. Tooth decay happens from the inside out. Forget fluoride (which is poisonous) and depriving your hungry baby of milk during the night. Don't give up the ol' brush & floss yet, but it's really good nutrition that equals good dental health. I will talk more about this in a later post as this is a much larger topic.

*Note added 5/15: just spoke with local breastfeeding specialist for the Bay Ridge chapter of La Leche League. She says as some babies are born with teeth (!) the argument against nighttime feedings is preposterous. What is a baby supposed to do -- starve? As she said on the phone, next thing you know the baby isn't gaining weight, the mother's milk supply is drying up, and the pediatrician is telling you to supplement with formula! She will be sending along some scientific studies showing that breastmilk does not harm babies' teeth, and I will link to them later.

In praise of spring butter

Hugo picked up our raw dairy from Abner Lapp tonight. The milk is SO rich and creamy this time - even more so than usual. And the butter is so yellow! [This picture doesn't do it justice -- it is really a vivid yellow-orange color.] It must be that renowned spring grass everyone is always talking about, which makes the butter extra-rich in vitamin A. Traditional Swiss villagers in the valley of Loetschental considered spring butter to be a sacred food, with special traditions and ceremonies built around it. They made sure to give this special butter to the women of childbearing age, and to the babies and children because they recognized that this was a fantastic source of healthy nutrients for fertility and for developing bodies.

Spring butter is extra-rich in A & D, but also high in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid, in case you're wondering), which protects against cancer, helps build lean muscle rather than fat, and encourages plentiful milk production (great for us breastfeeding Mamas!). And of course this butter (like all raw butter) contains the special Wulzen Factor, known for reducing joint stiffness. Spring butter does amazing things, and it does them so deliciously, I might add. Sacrificing taste for "health" is so passe. If you've been following this blog at all, by now you know that many of the foods that taste the best to us and are the most satisfying are actually also the most nutritious.

Shouldn't we be fat by now?

If you've been following this blog at all you know how much I love cooking with butter and eating things like eggs, cheese, and ice cream. So you may be wondering by now why we aren't fat. We have all been told that fats in food (particularly animal fats) are what make people sick and overweight. However, while we won't touch trans fats at our house with a ten-foot pole, we are eating plenty of animal fats and some natural plant fats as well (such as those in things like nuts and olives) -- AND enjoying excellent health. Oliver and I also take daily high-vitamin cod liver oil (from Radiant Life) which provides excellent amounts of vitamins A and D, as well as the all-important omega 3 fats. [I take 2 tsp. daily, or 2500 IUs of D and 25,000 IUs of A, plus 1.6 grams omega 3 fatty acids in the form of EPA and DHA; Oliver receives about 1/2 tsp. which is important for his health since vitamin D does not come through in breastmilk. We both drink it mixed with raw milk - Oliver relishes his but I gulp mine quickly while holding my breath. Vitamins A and D are crucial for pretty much all types of development and for healthy immune function.]

It is my firm belief that refined carbs and processed foods (which are largely made of refined carbs) are what cause weight gain and innumerable health problems. At our house we try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. The most processed we get is occasional organic whole wheat pasta, Amy's canned refried beans (the black-bean version is eat-from-the-can delicious!), blue-corn taco shells from Whole Foods, and my favorite whole-grain Kavli crackers. And yes, now and then we eat things like potato chips or shortbread cookies, but these are few and far between and always the best quality (which are usually better for you). All these great high-quality fats are curing my hypothyroidism and long-time hypoglycemia, and making me even-tempered and consistently happy for the first time in my life. Plus they make for incredibly rich breastmilk and a happy, well-behaved baby. I have also noticed that since eating this nutrient-dense, high-fat diet I have totally stopped craving sweets and carbs.

When people look askance (or even shocked) at my suggestion that they eat things like (gasp!) butter or whole milk, I like to mention the Masai of Africa, who are reported to consume up to 400 grams of fat on a daily basis, mainly from meat and raw cultured milk. Granted these people are living a more or less traditional existence with plenty of daily exercise, but they are effortlessly slim and healthy - something most Americans cannot claim to be. Until the past century, in this country we ate plentiful amounts of butter, lard, eggs, raw full-fat dairy, liver, and fatty meats and enjoyed far better health, high fertility rates, and much smaller waistlines than the average American does today -- as well as enviably low rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

All this is to say, as long as we keep seeing positive effects of our new way of eating at our house, we will continue! Of course, I also believe firmly that we should buy the best quality we can possibly afford, and limit consumption of conventionally-produced animal foods and fats. Farmers' markets and local buying clubs are the best way to do this.