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Organic Food and Health Articles
Nutrition for a healthy future - pre conception, pregnancy and childcare
The foods we choose to buy determine the quality of life we can expect. Buying and preparing local, seasonal, organic food builds a culture of a caring community and helps create mental, spiritual and physical well being.
For better or worse food moulds our future, right from the very beginning. Conception is not always planned but if it is diet is an important consideration so as to optimize the health and intelligence of your baby. Sperm and the egg are made over a period of time. In men sperm production takes about 4 months from beginning to end and in women, who are born with all the eggs they will ever have, the final maturation process of the egg starts about 100 days prior to ovulation. Deficiencies of vitamins, minerals , essential fatty acids and other nutrients will influence the health of a pregnancy and are important in creating a baby that is able to live a long and healthy life. Some of the imbalances that people exhibit throughout life may reflect the diet and overall vitality of the parents during conception and pregnancy.
The first consideration when nourishing your body before, during and after pregnancy and indeed for life is that the food should be organic.
Fathers sperm especially can be damaged by chemicals, so too can the baby in the womb be affected by chemicals in their mothers blood. Chemicals can also be passed on in the mothers milk. Exposure to chemicals can impair a childs immune system which continues to develop until the age of 12. Another very important consideration is that organic food is certified GM free. Far too little is known about genes and DNA to predict what the possible unexpected effects of genetic engineering will be on human health.
Using organic ingredients the diet should be made up from minimally processed, wholefood ingredients. A varied diet rich in vegetables, fruits, pulses, wholegrains, cold pressed oils, seeds and nuts and low in (or free from) foods of animal origin is ideal. This diet is rich in vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. The two essential fatty acids alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid have to be obtained from our food and are critical for brain development. They are the 'parent' fatty acids to the long chain highly unsaturated fatty acids called the neural fatty acids which are the only ones used to make the brain cell lipids. The human brain has a thousand billion cells, each one makes 6,000 or more connections with other cells - nowhere is flexibility more important. The brain is the earliest organ in the foetus to develop and 70% of the brain cells are built during foetal life. The brain continues to develop after the baby is born until the age of six. Another good reason for eating organic is that it prohibits the use of hydrogenated fats which are altered fats found in a wide variety of non-organic processed foods which interfere with the metabolic pathways of the essential fatty acids.
When a baby arrives in this world it is totally dependant on you for food. The natural food for babies is breast milk. If the mother is eating a good organic wholefood diet her breast milk will be absolutely premium food. Breastfeeding lays the foundation for a healthy immune system able to identify the body's enemies and destroy them which is vital for optimum health.
Colostrum the yellowish transparent fluid that the breast provides before the milk comes in is the first step in building a strong immune system. Colostrum contains numerous antibodies to bacteria and viruses. Breast is best for at least 6 months but preferably 1 year or longer (providing of course you continue to eat high quality fresh organic foods) For various good reasons you may be unable to breast feed, if you have to use a formula use an organic one. I find there is a tendency to try and introduce solid food too soon. Six months is quite early enough. Between 4 - 6 months it is a good idea to introduce single raw fruit juices using seasonal fruit and avoiding citrus.. Delaying the introduction of solid foods until your baby is six months makes the risk of an allergic reaction less likely because the digestive system is more able to cope. Between the ages of 6 - 8 months introduce raw vegetable juices and cooked fruit and vegetable purees. It is a good idea to try the baby on the same food for several days before introducing another so it is possible to make sure there is no allergic reaction. Between 8 - 10 months introduce blender salads made with foods rich in immune boosting nutrients like avocado and mango; tofu and peas; tofu, stemmed broccoli and raw grated carrot; tofu, banana and apricot; avocado, alfalfa sprouts and steamed pumpkin.. Between the ages of 10 - 14 months continue to increase the variety of foods offered this will keep an active interest in food and ensure the toddler is getting all the nutrients he needs. Continue to breast feed fix a month you feel is the right time to stop and slowly offer less. Include vegetable and fruit juices, plenty of vegetable dishes, cold pressed oils. rice, quinoa. millet, lentils and perhaps a little chicken and fish. Prepare food without the addition of salt or sugar. Children become addicted to the taste, too much salt leads to high blood pressure and too much sugar leads to obesity and diabetes. Do not use cows milk because it does not have the right nutritional profile for a baby it is also one of the most common foods to cause allergies. Do not offer whole nuts, again a common allergen and whole nuts may cause a child to choke. Never bribe a child with a sweet or a pudding as a reward. Linking sweet rewards to good behaviour teaches children to identify food especially sweet foods with emotional nourishment which may lead to eating disorders.
Try not to make food an issue or a battleground but an enjoyable family experience, encourage social interaction at the table and as soon as your child is old enough involve him in food preparation also let him grow herbs and vegetables in the garden or pots, and visit an organic farm so he can relate to where food comes from.
These early years lay the nutritional foundation on which to build a healthy life. The school years which now follow should ensure that our children are empowered with enough knowledge on nutrition and health to enable young people to make judgements on food policy and production. Schools should also be responsible in providing nutritious meals made from ingredients sourced organically where possible and locally, furthermore tuck shops should not be allowed to sell junk food like crisps, sweets and soft drinks. The education system however fails to deliver these aspects of education. Learning how to cook and teaching about nutrition needs to be re introduced to the school curriculum. Professor Michael Crawford recently suggested that the risks of poor nutrition and lifestyle to health and ability should be the fourth R in the schools curriculum.
Other articles include:
Look After the Wildlife in your Garden
Sprouting
Aloe Vera
Garlic
Moonlight Gardening
The joys of MSG...
Favourite animal free recipes
Barley
Spring food
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