I was just thinking of the Hep A vaccine. Our pediatrician strongly encouraged us to get this one. Hep A mostly occurs in 3rd world countries with poor sanitation (and in instances of drugs & male-to-male sex). However, according to the info from the CDC, there can be an outbreak in any given location. Our doc recommended it more for my sake than my kids, indicating that it'll be similar to the stomach flu in the kids, but they will likely pass it to me & it'll cause liver problems, etc. for me. It sounds like it's terribly nasty in adults. I asked whether there had been an outbreak in our area and his response was that he wouldn't really know because he treats kids & he wouldn't know if it was Hep A or the stomach flu. After thinking this through I decided the better option was for me to get the vaccine. If I'm the one to worry about, why am I giving the vaccine to my kids? So I asked my doctor about it. He thought I was crazy. In all his years of practicing medicine, he'd never seen a case of Hep A. Unless I was traveling to a 3rd world country, there was no need.
Yet, the Hep A is required to get into preschool or daycare (at least around here). Logical? Or some drug manufacturer with deep pockets and political pull?
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
What's up with the allergies to antibiotics?
A couple weeks ago my neighbor's 5-year-old developed an allergy to amoxicillin. He was the 3rd kid on our street to have this allergy. It was the 2nd time he was on the antibiotic--apparently that is the norm when they develop this allergy.
Last week my 5-year-old had an ear infection and the doc put him on amoxicillin. It's the second time he's ever been on an antibiotic. (Do you see where this is going yet?) Indeed, late yesterday afternoon he comes out of the bathroom & says, "Mom, check out my tummy." (He thinks the red spots are cool.) Since I had the heads-up from my neighbor, I pretty much knew what it was. I called the nurse who told me to give him Benadryl (which I immediately forgot in all the chaos) and watch for mouth swelling & trouble breathing. Naturally I checked to ensure he was breathing during the night & the hubby thought I was being a worry freak.
This morning he looked even worse. The red spots are all over his body. My 23-year-old single cousin without kids says, "did you give him Benadryl?" Hello!?! I immediately ran to the store & I'm sure all will be well now. I will soon learn, but I think in 2011 it's not a big deal to have a penicillin allergy (so long as you don't give it to him). But, add this to the growing % of kids with allergies. Also add fuel to a mom who is convinced these things are a result of the junk in our food & our vaccines.
Last week my 5-year-old had an ear infection and the doc put him on amoxicillin. It's the second time he's ever been on an antibiotic. (Do you see where this is going yet?) Indeed, late yesterday afternoon he comes out of the bathroom & says, "Mom, check out my tummy." (He thinks the red spots are cool.) Since I had the heads-up from my neighbor, I pretty much knew what it was. I called the nurse who told me to give him Benadryl (which I immediately forgot in all the chaos) and watch for mouth swelling & trouble breathing. Naturally I checked to ensure he was breathing during the night & the hubby thought I was being a worry freak.
This morning he looked even worse. The red spots are all over his body. My 23-year-old single cousin without kids says, "did you give him Benadryl?" Hello!?! I immediately ran to the store & I'm sure all will be well now. I will soon learn, but I think in 2011 it's not a big deal to have a penicillin allergy (so long as you don't give it to him). But, add this to the growing % of kids with allergies. Also add fuel to a mom who is convinced these things are a result of the junk in our food & our vaccines.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
We are part of a movement!
I am totally getting philosophical today....
I started this blog with the idea, "let's see where it takes me". I've been overwhelmed with the great response. People who I hadn't expected have even stopped me on the street (literally) to tell me how much they are enjoying it. I started it thinking I was going to bring some issues to the minds of others. Have I done that? Maybe. What I've really found are that people are bringing additional and new information to me. And doing the blog is keeping me accountable. It has forced me to try harder keeping up with things and to take action. In the few weeks since starting this, I have joined a CSA, planted seeds in a garden (I've started with plants in the past), planted a blueberry bush, researched how to organically treat my not-so-healthy peach tree, watched Food Inc., read "Food Rules" and done additional research on a few issues.
When I was watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on Tuesday it hit me that there is a movement going on and we're part of it. We have a crises on our hands with the ever-increasing rise in diabetes, allergies, asthma and autism, and people are standing up. Celebrities have joined in (Jamie Oliver, Shaq, Jenny McCarthy, Trace Adkins to name a few). And it seems every time I've gone to the internet to look things up, I find more out there. I'm even stumbling across organizations I've never noticed before. SafeMinds.org is one. It was founded because they believe we're eventually going to find that autism is really a form of mercury poisoning (both environmental & what we're putting in our bodies). Some of their research definitely makes you wonder. The National Vaccine Information Center seems to be growing & doing an excellent job of getting info out. And people are getting involved, whether it's politically, using their $ or by cooking and buying local & organic when they can. It is amazing and I am feeling very blessed to be a small part of it. It involves change and people are doing it! We are demanding transparency & better food, even if its at the cost of change (which is never easy). Jamie Oliver went to L.A. to bring change to schools there. They have tried to shut him down, I'm sure thinking he'd just go somewhere else and now they are going to have to deal with the repercussions of a major TV show putting their lack of transparency and refusal to change out there. I love it--it's movement. It's change. And now it's entertainment.
Thank you all for all the support, ideas and thoughts. Keep them coming!
I started this blog with the idea, "let's see where it takes me". I've been overwhelmed with the great response. People who I hadn't expected have even stopped me on the street (literally) to tell me how much they are enjoying it. I started it thinking I was going to bring some issues to the minds of others. Have I done that? Maybe. What I've really found are that people are bringing additional and new information to me. And doing the blog is keeping me accountable. It has forced me to try harder keeping up with things and to take action. In the few weeks since starting this, I have joined a CSA, planted seeds in a garden (I've started with plants in the past), planted a blueberry bush, researched how to organically treat my not-so-healthy peach tree, watched Food Inc., read "Food Rules" and done additional research on a few issues.
When I was watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on Tuesday it hit me that there is a movement going on and we're part of it. We have a crises on our hands with the ever-increasing rise in diabetes, allergies, asthma and autism, and people are standing up. Celebrities have joined in (Jamie Oliver, Shaq, Jenny McCarthy, Trace Adkins to name a few). And it seems every time I've gone to the internet to look things up, I find more out there. I'm even stumbling across organizations I've never noticed before. SafeMinds.org is one. It was founded because they believe we're eventually going to find that autism is really a form of mercury poisoning (both environmental & what we're putting in our bodies). Some of their research definitely makes you wonder. The National Vaccine Information Center seems to be growing & doing an excellent job of getting info out. And people are getting involved, whether it's politically, using their $ or by cooking and buying local & organic when they can. It is amazing and I am feeling very blessed to be a small part of it. It involves change and people are doing it! We are demanding transparency & better food, even if its at the cost of change (which is never easy). Jamie Oliver went to L.A. to bring change to schools there. They have tried to shut him down, I'm sure thinking he'd just go somewhere else and now they are going to have to deal with the repercussions of a major TV show putting their lack of transparency and refusal to change out there. I love it--it's movement. It's change. And now it's entertainment.
Thank you all for all the support, ideas and thoughts. Keep them coming!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Pork Burgers & Fish Tacos (note: they don't go together)
My 2 favorite recipes for this week are below. Also, if you haven't seen it yet, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution is on tonight. I missed last week's season opener, but watched last season. Very enlightening to learn what's in the school lunches. I'm so glad he's trying to make a difference!
Pork Burgers
(sounds odd, but we LOVE them & so has everyone who has had them at our house!)
BBQ Sauce (If you don't have time to make the sauce, Jack's Stack Original works well. If you do make the sauce, you'll have plenty left over for other uses or for the next time.):
2 T butter
1/2 chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
small can tomato sauce
1 T soy sauce
1/4 C coke
3 T Worcestershire
1/2 C cider vinegar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 T chili powder
1/2 t hot pepper sauce
Saute the onion in the butter, add garlic & cook another minute or so. Add everything else & simmer for a bit. (Detailed, I know.)
When the sauce cools:
The Burger:
1.5-2 pounds ground pork
1/4 C fresh breadcrumbs (I freeze the heels from homemade wheat bread & chop it in the food processor)
1/3 C of the BBQ sauce (as mentioned, use Jack's Stack if you don't have time for the sauce)
salt & pepper
Make the patties & grill approx. 6 minutes per side.
Coleslaw to top:
2 C cabbage
1/4 C carrot (optional)
2 t fresh lemon juice
3 T mayo or to taste
Kosher salt & pepper
(we have another recipe for slaw that I normally like better, but this one really goes best with the pork burgers)
I normally make roasted sweet potatoes to go with this. Chop them into cubes, coat with olive oil, salt, pepper & parmesan & bake 350 for 30 min or so, stirring once.
Fish Tacos
(Bare with me on this one--it's the hubby's recipe & he cooks out of his head. This is my attempt at getting it in ink. These are really good though!)
It's mainly about the sauces:
Mango Salsa:
1/4 C red onion
1 jalapeno
2 T cilantro
1 T lime juice
Chipotle Tartar Sauce:
2 T canned chipotle chiles
1 C mayo
1/4 C sweet pickle relish
1/4 C minced onion
Discard chile seeds. Blend in blender.
Marinade the fish filets 60-90 minutes & grill. We've used tilapia, mahi-mahi and orange ruffie (sp?).
Marinade:
lime juice (1/2 lime per filet or so)
cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped
Serve with corn tortillas (though since I don't like corn tortillas, I eat mine in flour tortillas) and chopped red cabbage. (tortilla, fish, cabbage, sauce)
Let me know how it goes if you try to make these. Enjoy!
Pork Burgers
(sounds odd, but we LOVE them & so has everyone who has had them at our house!)
BBQ Sauce (If you don't have time to make the sauce, Jack's Stack Original works well. If you do make the sauce, you'll have plenty left over for other uses or for the next time.):
2 T butter
1/2 chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
small can tomato sauce
1 T soy sauce
1/4 C coke
3 T Worcestershire
1/2 C cider vinegar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 T chili powder
1/2 t hot pepper sauce
Saute the onion in the butter, add garlic & cook another minute or so. Add everything else & simmer for a bit. (Detailed, I know.)
When the sauce cools:
The Burger:
1.5-2 pounds ground pork
1/4 C fresh breadcrumbs (I freeze the heels from homemade wheat bread & chop it in the food processor)
1/3 C of the BBQ sauce (as mentioned, use Jack's Stack if you don't have time for the sauce)
salt & pepper
Make the patties & grill approx. 6 minutes per side.
Coleslaw to top:
2 C cabbage
1/4 C carrot (optional)
2 t fresh lemon juice
3 T mayo or to taste
Kosher salt & pepper
(we have another recipe for slaw that I normally like better, but this one really goes best with the pork burgers)
I normally make roasted sweet potatoes to go with this. Chop them into cubes, coat with olive oil, salt, pepper & parmesan & bake 350 for 30 min or so, stirring once.
Fish Tacos
(Bare with me on this one--it's the hubby's recipe & he cooks out of his head. This is my attempt at getting it in ink. These are really good though!)
It's mainly about the sauces:
Mango Salsa:
1/4 C red onion
1 jalapeno
2 T cilantro
1 T lime juice
Chipotle Tartar Sauce:
2 T canned chipotle chiles
1 C mayo
1/4 C sweet pickle relish
1/4 C minced onion
Discard chile seeds. Blend in blender.
Marinade the fish filets 60-90 minutes & grill. We've used tilapia, mahi-mahi and orange ruffie (sp?).
Marinade:
lime juice (1/2 lime per filet or so)
cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped
Serve with corn tortillas (though since I don't like corn tortillas, I eat mine in flour tortillas) and chopped red cabbage. (tortilla, fish, cabbage, sauce)
Let me know how it goes if you try to make these. Enjoy!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Mercury-Free, We're Worth It!!!
During our routine 18-month check-up with our little one, the doctor recommended we give him the flu shot. She indicated that since he had RSV when he was 6-months, he was at an increased risk for the flu. I actually had done a small amount of research before the doctor visit & read that some flu shots still contain mercury. Frankly, I thought my research must be wrong. But, I asked her about it anyway. Her reply was that the previous year their practice ordered some vaccines with mercury & some without. They gave the ones without mercury to infants & younger kids. They gave older kids the shots with mercury. But that year they ordered all mercury-free vaccines. It was 2007 and this was a pediatric practice connected to one of the best children's hospitals in the country! Needless to say, I was shocked.
I cringe when I see the "flu vaccine clinics" that are now being set up all over town. I wonder what's in them and does anyone ask? I'm really not here to debate whether or not you should get the flu vaccine. I am saying that if you want the flu vaccine, shouldn't it be safe? We know mercury is harmful to our bodies. We know we can manufacture the vaccine without it. Why aren't we all important enough to do that?
You may have seen this, but one of the principal researchers for the CDC on the ties to mercury-based vaccine preservative and autism was just indicted for fraud and money laundering. It sounds like there are some big questions about his ethics and the research he pushed. You can read more by clicking here. Again, shocking!
I cringe when I see the "flu vaccine clinics" that are now being set up all over town. I wonder what's in them and does anyone ask? I'm really not here to debate whether or not you should get the flu vaccine. I am saying that if you want the flu vaccine, shouldn't it be safe? We know mercury is harmful to our bodies. We know we can manufacture the vaccine without it. Why aren't we all important enough to do that?
You may have seen this, but one of the principal researchers for the CDC on the ties to mercury-based vaccine preservative and autism was just indicted for fraud and money laundering. It sounds like there are some big questions about his ethics and the research he pushed. You can read more by clicking here. Again, shocking!
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Menu
I finally put together our menu for the next few weeks and I'm sharing it below. A couple things to note.... With most everything we also have a veggie & starch, but I don't put those on the menu as it depends on what produce looks good at the time. The two kitchen gadgets I can't live without are my breadmaker & food processor. My kids have 2 choices at each meal: eat it or don't. I try to have at least one thing they'll eat and those are homemade rolls for most meals. I sometimes hide veggies in food, but I also put them on their plates so they get used to the idea. My kids don't eat really eat them, but everyone says to keep doing it & eventually they will. I have noticed the 5-year-old has actually voluntarily tried a few lately. I'm hoping that's a sign of more to come. Also, we really end up with left overs more than what I have on the list. When I get to slide in an extra "left-over" night, it's a bonus!
Without further adieu, here's the menu:
Fri 4/15: thai peanut noodles
Sat 4/16: pizza (it's the 5 year old's birthday celebration)
Sun 4/17: fajitas
Mon 4/18: left overs
Tue 4/19: pot roast
Wed 4/20: pork burgers
Thr 4/21: tomato-basil soup & grilled cheese
Fri 4/22: whiskey steak
Sat 4/23: pecan chicken
Sun 4/24: fish tacos (is that traditional Easter fare?)
Mon 4/25: banana pepper steak sandwiches
Tue 4/26: chicken fried rice (it's a healthy version, not really fried)
Wed 4/27: left overs
Thr 4/28: beef macaroni stuff that the hubby loves
Fri 4/29: cajun fettucini
Sat 4/30: lamb stew
Sun 5/1: chicken wild rice casserole
I am anticipating the next question is "will you share your recipes?" I will share as I go, but some aren't that special & it'll be fairly time consuming so I don't plan to share them all. If there's a particular one you're interested in just let me know.
Without further adieu, here's the menu:
Fri 4/15: thai peanut noodles
Sat 4/16: pizza (it's the 5 year old's birthday celebration)
Sun 4/17: fajitas
Mon 4/18: left overs
Tue 4/19: pot roast
Wed 4/20: pork burgers
Thr 4/21: tomato-basil soup & grilled cheese
Fri 4/22: whiskey steak
Sat 4/23: pecan chicken
Sun 4/24: fish tacos (is that traditional Easter fare?)
Mon 4/25: banana pepper steak sandwiches
Tue 4/26: chicken fried rice (it's a healthy version, not really fried)
Wed 4/27: left overs
Thr 4/28: beef macaroni stuff that the hubby loves
Fri 4/29: cajun fettucini
Sat 4/30: lamb stew
Sun 5/1: chicken wild rice casserole
I am anticipating the next question is "will you share your recipes?" I will share as I go, but some aren't that special & it'll be fairly time consuming so I don't plan to share them all. If there's a particular one you're interested in just let me know.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Food Inc.
I finally watched Food Inc. this weekend. Wow! Enlightening, disturbing and overwhelming. It has taken me this long to really absorb it. If you haven't seen it, it's well worth it. It really gets back to change. The overwhelming part for me is where do you start?
I've decided the first thing we're doing is signing up for a food co-op. I thought about this last year, but didn't do it for various reasons. This movie was just the thing to get me fired up again. If anyone else is interested, this is the best site I've found to identify the best co-op for your particular needs: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/. It's really not that expensive, in fact I feel like we may save money and we'll end up with produce that I might not normally buy, which means ...wait. for. it... trying new things! The downside is that if the particular farm we buy into doesn't produce a crop this year (weather, etc.), we'll be out the money. After watching the movie, it's worth the risk. The farmer's market is another great option. Unfortunately the ones close to us are just far enough away that I can't seem to make it there on a regular basis. Life happens!
So, I am tackling the food co-op and I will keep you posted on how it goes. If anyone else is already doing it, I would love to hear your comments.
I've decided the first thing we're doing is signing up for a food co-op. I thought about this last year, but didn't do it for various reasons. This movie was just the thing to get me fired up again. If anyone else is interested, this is the best site I've found to identify the best co-op for your particular needs: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/. It's really not that expensive, in fact I feel like we may save money and we'll end up with produce that I might not normally buy, which means ...wait. for. it... trying new things! The downside is that if the particular farm we buy into doesn't produce a crop this year (weather, etc.), we'll be out the money. After watching the movie, it's worth the risk. The farmer's market is another great option. Unfortunately the ones close to us are just far enough away that I can't seem to make it there on a regular basis. Life happens!
So, I am tackling the food co-op and I will keep you posted on how it goes. If anyone else is already doing it, I would love to hear your comments.
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