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Going Organic - A Parent's Guide
If you are in a situation like ours, you may be thinking the same thing we
are. With a baby on the way, or already smiling at you, you want to do the best
you can for them. You dream of a bright future full of hope, a great school,
good friends, a loving relationship, and most of all, a healthy lifestyle. Where
do you begin? With us, we started by going organic. Organic food is very popular
today, and it doesn't take much searching to learn why. Years of pesticides and
herbicides on the food we eat have been linked to everything from cancer to
learning disabilities to hormone disruptors.
We know that toxins build up in our bodies over many years and are passed on to
our children in the form of subtle genetic mutations and synthetic chemicals in
breast milk. We know that large swaths of animal and plant life have been
affected by the constant release of toxins into the environment. Large
corporations are creating genetically modified crops and forcing them into our
lives. Every day we hear of tainted food that kills scores of people. Most of us
do not even know where our food comes from and how it is produced. Some of our
food is so altered that a list of ingredients on a can usually includes a parade
of frightening scientific terms. So how do you take control of what you are
giving to your child? How can you reassure yourself that they will grow to be
healthy and strong? Fortunately, the answers today are abundant and easily
found.
Organic Baby Food
I am an optimist, and I believe that things are getting better. I have to
think this, for I am raising a baby girl, and I want her to grow up not only
healthy, but also to be socially conscious of her responsibility to respect the
planet. She will inherit the world, and I hope for it to be in better shape than
it is today. And I believe things are getting better. For instance, not too long
ago, you would have been seen as a left-wing fringe lunatic if you breastfed
your baby and made your own baby food with organic ingredients. Today, organic
food is showing up in every supermarket, and specialty organic product stores
are popping up online and in your neighborhood all the time. Prices are becoming
a lot more affordable. Even Wal-Mart now has a green section.
Food companies are finally seeing the advantage of going organic, and the
ingredients on baby food jars are losing the preservatives. For instance, I
recommend Heinz. Checking the label for their baby carrots, the ingredients
read: carrots, water. Sounds good to me! They also have an organic line. Another
great company is Earth's Best. The prices are not much more than regular baby
food, and you don't have to worry about all the chemical additives and
pesticides entering your child's body. However, I make my own food, using
organic products. It's not as hard and as time-consuming as you may think.
Simply buy the fruit or vegetable, cut it up and steam it if necessary, puree it
in your blender, and pour it into an ice cube tray. Each "ice cube" is the
equivalent to one serving. Once frozen, place the food cubes into a freezer bag
and use a straw to suck out all the air, to avoid freezer burn. The food will
last for months.
Organic Baby Clothing
Another popular product going mainstream is organic cotton. For years,
growing cotton has relied on unsustainable practices of pesticide use and
artificial fertilizers. Declining cotton yields has turned this practice into a
vicious circle, as poor soil laden with chemicals has meant poorer crops with
higher insect infestation rates due to weaker plants, which in turn means
greater use of pesticides. Organic cotton goes back to the basics: using
preventative and natural pest control measures and sustainable farming
practices. This means using natural compost and manure in place of fertilizers,
planting various crops along field borders and within the cotton fields that are
the natural enemies to cotton pests, and crop rotation to replenish the soils.
Without the added cost and use of pesticides and chemicals, farmers and
production workers live better and healthier lives.
The production of organic cotton into clothing is done using natural dyes and
vegetable inks and with agents like potato starch and hydrogen peroxide to clean
and build the fibers. Conventional methods use chlorine, formaldehyde products
and solvent-based dyes and inks containing heavy metals. All these chemicals
weaken and break down the cotton fibers, and labor standards are often poor and
hazardous. For your baby, this means wearing soft, strong organic cotton
with no chemical residue next to their sensitive skin. Organic cotton isn't
limited to just clothing: look for products such as
baby
mattresses,
crib bedding,
cloth diapers,
infant carriers and
furniture upholstery. Purchasing and promoting the use of organic materials
increases the economic scale of practicing sustainable farming methods. In the
near future, it will not only make economic sense for manufacturers to go
organic, but these practices will actually be the norm. Hopefully, my
grandchildren will be reading history books and see that toxic, industrial
farming will be filed under "What were they thinking?"
About the Author: Chris is a new dad enjoying the time he spends with his
daughter. He edits www.babyinasling.com, a website with resources on
baby
sling carriers,
baby
backpacks and tips on wearing your baby.
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