Green Child Magazine's Spring 2019 Issue

Spring 2019

A health & family focused digital publication & community

POSTPARTUM NUTRITION

Real Food for Pregnancy

PositiveParenting

Moms Talk:

WHAT I

WISH I’D DONE

DURING PREGNANCY

How to Reduce

PET DANDER AT HOME

How to Celebrate

EARTH DAY OUTSIDE

Fresh Spring Recipes

VEGAN LUMBAR PILLOW

Lovely pillows are our favorite affordable way to update a room. And pretty much everything from the Canadian handmade store Tonic Living sparks joy. PS. we’re not to blame if you wind up with an ottoman, too!

Eco Fab

Try out this selection of sustainable products we’re loving this season!

NATIVE DEODORANT

For our readers who don’t enjoy applying deodorant from a glass jar with their hands—meet Native. You won’t find any parabens or aluminum, but you will find a deodorant that works, plus plenty of scents to choose from.

POWER WRAP BRACELET

Some people love bling, and some people love earthy. Ethically-sourced crystals feel like the best of both worlds. The healing gemstones in this bracelet from Energy Muse will leave you feeling balanced, strong, and powerful.

BRIGHT EYES EYE MASKS

What happens to our eyes after having kids? Somehow we’re pretty sure they get smaller. These gentle, aloe eye masks from 100% Pure can give the illusion you got a full night’s sleep.

BEE’S WRAP SANDWICH WRAP

A washable sandwich wrap made from beeswax and organic cotton makes the perfect storage container and the prettiest placemat! An adorable button and string closure holds everything in place.

MOMMEE COFFEE

May your coffee be as strong as your eye mask. Mommee Coffee designed their organic, low-acid, Fair Trade coffee for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive. It comes in full caf and decaf, but we’ve been loving the rich flavor and smooth texture of half caf.

WELCOMINGSPRING

The first day of spring is March 20th. No matter what the weather brings, get the kids outside to celebrate and explore!

TAKE A “SIGNS OF SPRING” WALK Grab a nature journal and walk around your neighborhood or the closest wooded area. How many signs of spring can you find? Can you see, hear, smell, and feel hints of the shifting balance? Children may enjoy illustrating the list when they get home.

PLAY THE “HOW TALL IS MY SHADOW” GAME At around noon on the first day of each new season, measure from your child’s toe to the top of her shadow. Have her measure your shadow, too. As you gather data on all four holidays, you can ask your child to guess which shadow was longest. Discuss the changing angles of the sun or read about our solar system and the Earth’s seasons.

Bring Learning Home with Oak Meadow!

Watch for our Spring sale! Mother's Day to Memorial Day

PLANT SEEDS What better way to acknowledge spring growth than to nurture a seedling? If you garden, you can help children start seeds indoors and transplant them later. If not, it’s great fun to observe beans sprouting: just add moist cotton balls or paper towels to a glass jar, placing a few beans between the wet material and the jar wall.

MAKE FLOWER ART Drawing or painting flowers, sketching garden plans and dreams, and making floral greeting cards to share with friends are creative ways to welcome new life and color back into our lives after the winter. Make it an even greener project by crafting your own paints and brushes from nature.

Exploring educational options for your children? Oak Meadow's �lexible homeschooling curriculum for K-12 may be the perfect fit. Use our curriculum independently, or enroll in our accredited distance learning school for one-to-one teacher support.

Sign up on our website for a Virtual Info Session to learn more.oakmeadow.com

Pregnancy

WHAT I WISH I’D DONE DURING

OUR READERS CHIME IN ON WHAT THEY WISH THEY’D DONE MORE OF DURING PREGNANCY

photo by Andreea Ionascu

GIVE YOURSELF GRACE

“I wish I would have slowed down a little and respected the fact that my body was exerting so much energy to grow a human. I was working a full time stressful job and coming home thinking I could still make dinner and keep the house perfect. It was like doing all those things plus being on a stair machine 24/7.”

“I wish I’d been more patient with myself. I was so forgetful and spacy, but the worst part was that I would berate myself for it. Now I realize how short a time it was, and I was way too hard on myself.”

SLEEP NOW

“OMG Why didn’t I sleep more?”

“Honestly, even though I couldn’t sleep very well toward the end of my pregnancy, I wish I had tried harder. I’m at a deficit I’ll never come back from.”

“Now that I realize everything I was about to go through, I totally wish I had relaxed more instead of making the perfect Instagram-worthy nursery our son doesn’t even sleep in!”

ACCEPT HELP

to inconvenience anybody, but it was really hard on my husband and me. We don’t have family nearby, and I think people are slower to ask if we need help now that the baby is here because we rejected their offers once already.”

TAKE THE PHOTOS

“Here’s what I would tell pregnant women: take maternity photos. They don’t have to be professional or shared on social media. This is a major chapter of your life, and one day you’ll be glad you documented it. I promise.”

“I wish I’d taken more photos. I shied away from them then because I felt like a house, but now I look back at the few pics and really, really regret not taking more.”

“Yes! Take photos! My babies are in school now, but I only have a few from my first pregnancy and really just one of my daughter next to my huge belly during my second. I actually wish I was in more pics from pregnancy through those early weeks. I didn’t feel like it then, but now I feel a slight mourning that there’s no evidence of ME during such a precious time in my life.”

“I spent the last 5 weeks of my pregnancy on bed rest, and I wish I would have taken more offers for help. I didn’t want

POSITIVE PARENTING

I DON’T WANT TO BE THEMOM WHO YELLS

BY CAROLINA KING mamainstincts.com

It was early in the morning. My kids were getting ready for school, moving at a turtle’s pace. I kept reminding them we didn’t want to be late. After many attempts to hurry them along, I realized we were officially running late, and I yelled at my kids to hurry up.

Somehow we made it to school on time. I had a few minutes to feel relieved, and then the guilt settled in.

Why did I yell? Is making it to school on time more important than starting a day from a place of love? The answer, to me anyway, is no.

I don’t want to be the mom who yells.

I yelled because I wasn’t being heard.

Then it hit me, I yelled because I wasn’t being heard. We needed to leave,and the kids weren’t complying with my request. I felt powerless, and instead of getting their attention some other way, I took the easy road and yelled.

It is true that when you yell, your child complies most of time. But, do they understand why? If you find yourself yelling over the same things over and over again, it’s probably because your child doesn’t understand the situation.

In this example, they might get it’s because we didn’t want to be late for school. But what does that really mean? Why it is important to be on-time? And is it even important to them?

If we want to discipline our children they need to understand the why. And this understanding doesn’t come when we yell. It doesn’t come when we’re frantic and desperate. It comes when we are calm and loving.

Pause for a moment and think about your own life. How do YOU feel when your partner, boss, or friend yells at you? Do you comply happily with their request, or does it cause resentment? Now, how do you think a child feels when the person that loves them the most, their protector, the one person they can count on, yells at them?

HOW DO WE DISCIPLINE WITHOUT YELLING?

It starts by connecting with your child. It doesn’t matter how many strategies we try or how many parenting books we read, we simply cannot have a profound effect on our child’s behavior if we don’t take the time to connect. It’s easy to let these busy days go by without fostering a deep connection with our children, but it is crucial that we are mindful of this and make the time.

This is a long term solution, not something to try only when you want them to comply. If you do it regularly, they will want to listen, just as you listened to them so many times.

Connecting with our children is not hard or complicated, it doesn’t require us spending money or creating an elaborate outing. Connecting with your child happens when you are truly present with him or her - no distractions, no phones - when your mind and heart are there with your child.

Play a game, read a book, have a chat on the couch. If you are present and mindful about it, you will pick up cues from your child or you will get a feeling of what to do. Trust yourself when it comes to connecting with your child because how your child needs to connect may vary day and day. You will be able to pick up their cues if you allow yourself some uninterrupted time with them.

RESPECTFUL PARENTINGSEEING BABIESAS WHOLE PEOPLE

I was visiting a RIE parenting class for the very first time, sitting in a corner of the room watching babies freely exploring, unaware that my perception of infants was about to be radically transformed. One of the tiny scientists spotted my car keys on the floor next to me and began scooting towards them.

Oops! Quick as a flash, I hid them in my pocket. After my disappearing act, the facilitator, Hari Grebler, gently offered, “You might have said, ‘I see you are interested in my keys, but I am going to put them away in my pocket now. These aren’t safe for you to play with.’”

Uh, really? Hari had suggested a surprising way to intervene with a baby, and for the rest of the class I watched as she walked the walk (crawled the crawl and scooted the scoot). Every interaction she engaged in with these 5-9 month old children was honest, respectful, dignified, which in my view at that time seemed a littletoo precious, weird, and over-the-top.

But it did seem that the infants responded to Hari’s words. If I hadn’t known better, I might have believed they actually

Babies are whole people to be treated with respect.

BY JANET LANSBURY janetlansbury.com

understood. After spending a couple of days digesting this oddly compelling experience, something clicked for me. Babies are real people,so why wouldn’t we treat them that way from the beginning?

The more I observed respectful interactions in subsequent RIE classes and then began practicing them with my three-month old infant, the more “right” this new way felt. Once I understood that babies are whole people ready to be treated with respect — that they in fact need and deserve this message from the time they are born — there was no turning back.

Inspired by this vital new knowledge and awareness, I couldn’t help wishing the rest of the world would catch up. But I’m still waiting while most parents are doing the things I once did or might have done.

photo by Christina Birkinbine

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE YOUR BABY BY...

MAKING THINGS DISAPPEAR which is a great way to teach babies that the world is even more mysterious and incomprehensible than they’d thought. Seriously, what’s the point of even trying to figure this stuff out?

SCOOPING BABIES UP AND SWOOPING THEM

AWAY FORM UNWANTED ACTIVITIES which makes babies feel powerless because life is something that happens to them. They learn that they may be interrupted at any time, so why bother getting involved in any learning activity? (And for babies, everything is a learning activity).

to fear, or at best lose trust in their parents, caregivers, and the universe as a whole, because when they are happily exploring as they should, they are suddenly interrupted by discomfort inflicted upon them by the people they need to trust most.

TALKING TO THEM CAVE MAN STYLE OR IN THIRD

PERSON i.e. “Not for Susie, no hands” which is confusing, demeaning and makes babies feel like we think they are mindless ninnies, because they’ve been listening to every word we’ve ever uttered and are well aware that we don’t talk to anyone else that way. No hands? What do you think “no hands” means to a baby? That even confuses me.

SLAPPING OR “FLICKING” HANDS OR WRISTS OR SPANKING BOTTOMS which causes babies

GUT HEALTHIMPROVE YOUR MICROBIOME

More than 80% of your immune system lives in the lining of your gut. Your gut microbiome needs the proper ratio of good/neutral and bad bacteria to function optimally. When good bacteria are destroyed, the bad bacteria proliferate, which can lead to leaky gut and a variety of poor health conditions. Just one round of antibiotics decreases gut microbiome diversity by at least 30%.

Ultimately, a healthy, resilient gut microbiome relies on two factors:

• Richness: the total number of bacterial species in your gut microbiome.

• Biodiversity: the amount of individual bacteria from each of the bacterial species present in your gut microbiome

You can heal your microbiome and improve your overall health by taking these steps.

ELIMINATE GUT-DAMAGING FOODS

Processed foods, conventional dairy, GMO foods, gluten, and sugar cause some level of gut damage for most people. If you aren’t sure which foods are problematic for you, try an elimination diet. Bad bacteria feed off of sugar, so the single most impactful way to heal your gut is to kick the sugar habit.

CHOOSE GUT-BENEFICIAL FOODS

Eat whole, organically grown foods that are as close to their natural state (unprocessed) as possible. Vegetables rich in soluble fiber like sweet potatoes, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts provide gut-beneficial prebiotics. Experiment with fermented foods like kefir and kombucha. Add in fermented vegetables and bone broth for extra healing and sealing of the gut lining.

REINTRODUCE BENEFICIAL BACTERIA

Add a high-quality soil-based probiotic to your supplement routine. Don’t be afraid of dirt! Walk barefoot on the grass. Get your hands in the dirt by gardening. Consume local honey and eat produce from your local organic farmer (rinse it but don’t scrub all the dirt off).

KEEP YOUR STRESS LEVEL IN CHECK

Mental and emotional stress are major factors in leaky gut syndrome. You can counteract the damage by releasing negative emotions, making more time for rest and relaxation, exercising at your own pace, and becoming more mindful.

MICROBIOME BOOSTERS

KOMBUCHA STARTER KIT

Save money by making your own kombucha. Everything you need to get started.

RESTORE MINERAL SUPPLEMENT

A “prehistoric dirt water” supplement that helps balance gut health, combat environmental exposures, promote immune function, and enhance mental clarity.

CONCUR MICROBIOME RECOVERY

Gentle, safe skincare that naturally restores the balance of the microbiome for healthier skin.

HOMEBIOTIC PROBIOTIC SPRAY

Improve the balance of healthy bacteria to your home and prevent the growth of mold and mildew.

CELEBRATING EARTH DAY

OUTSIDE

WITH THE KIDS

by Ashley Allman

Showing the significance of Earth Day is far more impactful than telling. This year, plan to spend this Earth Day outside, enjoying activities that stimulate your child’s mind, body, and soul through nature.

PLAN A NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT Give your kids a list of items they must find in a park: pinecone, feather, something a deer could eat, a piece of trash, etc. Once they have collected everything, talk about how each item represents the importance of preserving green spaces. Pinterest is full of great ideas for nature scavenger hunts.

VISIT AN ANIMAL SANCTUARY Much different from a zoo, a wild animal sanctuary provides an environmentally responsible and educational way to see wildlife

up close in their natural habitats. In some cities, these sanctuaries were created as safe spaces for animals displaced by urban sprawl. It’s a great way for your child to spend Earth Day outside learning the significance of protecting native plants and animals.

TAKE AN URBAN HIKE Hop on your bikes and head to a nearby greenbelt area. Kids love to explore trails, and many cities have greenbelt areas that feel miles away from the city noise. Listen to the birds and trickling streams, and consider how your everyday actions impact the green spaces closest to your home.

PLANT A GARDEN Visit the nursery and let your kids help plan this year’s vegetable garden. Keep in mind

the best vegetables to grow with kids. Pick up your organic seeds and compost and let the planting begin! Be sure to teach your kids about composting and discuss the global impact of organic farming.

DOCUMENT A NATURE JOURNEY Get out of the city and photograph the changing landscape. Notice the air quality from urban to rural to forested areas. Discuss the flora and fauna that covers the landscape, and the importance of protecting them. Encourage your children to take pictures of specific things that need preserving and talk about ways to take action.

PLAN A CAMPING TRIP Roughing it is one of the best ways to fall in love with nature. Depending on where you live, spring temperatures may be too cold for a night under the stars. So hit the bookstore or library to begin planning a summer camping trip. Be sure to practice Leave No Trace camping or visit a nearby Forest Service office to learn about camping responsibly.

VOLUNTEER What green or nature cause does your family care about most? Volunteer at the nearest animal shelter. Get a group together to pick up trash at your local park or beach. You might even find enough discarded items to create plastic mosaic art. Plant trees or make wildflower seed bombs. Ask around in your community for ways to donate your time for environmental causes on Earth Day.

Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise. She is the author of two bestselling books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes.

POSTPARTUMNUTRITION:

REAL FOOD FOR PREGNANCY

by Lily Nichols

You might be surprised to learn that nutrient needs in new moms—particularly breastfeeding moms—are higher than while you were pregnant. Technically, you’re still growing a baby. Your baby is just outside of the womb. That means nourishing yourself should remain a huge priority.

Plus, depending on the circumstances of your labor and delivery, it may feel like you’ve run a marathon (or two). You absolutely need to replenish your energy and take in additional nutrients to account for blood loss and wound healing (particularly if you’ve had a perineal tear or a surgical birth). Even in an uncomplicated delivery, your body undergoes significant changes as your uterus shrinks down to its pre-pregnancy size, your connective tissues adapt, your breasts begin producing milk (whether or not you choose to breastfeed), and your skin regains elasticity.

Across the board, traditional cultures put a heavy emphasis on postpartum nutrition. Though there are clear regional differences in cuisine, one thing is clear: animal products are a mainstay. From rich bone broths to organ meats, from seafood to eggs, our ancestors understood that the nutrients found in these foods were extremely important for healing and milk production in new moms. The second commonality is that “warming” foods are encouraged. Yes, this includes steamy broths, herbal teas, and porridges, but it also includes recipes with warming spices, like cinnamon

and ginger.

POSTPARTUM FOOD TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

In China, yang foods are considered warming, while yin foods are cooling. In the immediate postpartum period, a woman is considered to be in a yin state and must rebalance her system by eating more yang foods. Rich bone broths and soups are a must.

Other foods considered helpful in postpartum healing include pork, chicken, organ meats, rice, eggs, sesame seed oil, ginger, ginseng, herbal teas, and rice wine. A research paper describing postpartum traditions in China reports “Meat is served every day, usually rotating between chicken, pork, pig liver and kidney.” According to some reports from Southwest China, women are encouraged to eat 8-10 eggs per day to enhance milk production and boost brain development of her infant. At the same time, cooling yin foods are discouraged, especially raw vegetables and fruits, cold liquids, and even plain water (warm herbal tea is given instead). Some cooked vegetables are permitted, such as Chinese kale, mushrooms, carrots, and string beans (though this varies based on the report).

In India, emphasis is also placed on warming foods including whole milk (heated before serving), ghee (clarified butter), nuts, ginger, and jagerry (unrefined sugar). Among Malaysian Indians of South Indian descent,

Conscious Kitchen

White Bean and Rosemary Roasted Cherry Tomato Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 pint cherry tomatoes 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil ¹⁄₄ teaspoon red wine vinegar ¹⁄₂ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary ¹⁄₈ teaspoon sea salt Pinch of freshly ground black pepper 1 Plant-Based Cali’flour Pizza Crust

¹⁄₃ cup (75 ml) White Bean Spread 2 tablespoons Almond Ricotta 1 teaspoon Plant-Based Parmesan Cheese ¹⁄₂ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 3 torn fresh parsley leaves

MAKE THE ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). In a medium ovenproof skillet, toss the tomatoes with the oil. Place in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, turning a couple times and lightly smashing them with a wooden spoon to collapse them and thicken their juices, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the vinegar, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

MAKE THE PIZZA

Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or get out your pizza pan and put your crust on it. Spread the white bean spread over the crust and top with ¼ cup (117 g) roasted cherry tomatoes. Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until everything is hot. Remove from the oven to a serving plate, top with small dollops of the ricotta, sprinkle on the Parmesan, and scatter the thyme on top. Slice and serve.

RECIPE FROM CALI’FLOUR KITCHEN