The Wise Mom, December 2010

thewisemom

wise: (adj) informed, aware

choosing your

Nutritional Path there is no

One Right Diet favorite

Holiday Recipes Copyright Š2010 holistic moms network

Š The Wise Mom, Holistic Moms Network. Issue 4, December 2010.

thewisemom 4 From the Editor 6 News & Announcements 10 Eat For Growth: Third Trimester Nutrition 12 Dietary Theories 14 Choosing Food: The Words We Use Are Important 16 Member Profile 18 From Omnivore To Vegan And Back Again 20 Favorite Holiday Recipes 22 There is No One Right Diet 26 Is the Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet Right for You? 29 Why Organic?

30 My Grandmother’s Love For Food 32 Salad Bars in Every School; Healthy Food for all Kids!

35 Volunteer Profile

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thewisemom EDITOR

ADVERTISERS AND SPONSORS

Aimee Wood

For advertising rates and information about Sponsorship, please e-mail us at sponsorship@holisticmoms.org or call

DESIGN/LAYOUT

us at 877-HOL-MOMS.

Emma Catarino CIRCULATION HMN DIRECTOR

The Wise Mom is published four times per year and is

Nancy Massotto

distributed electronically to members of the Holistic Moms Network. For information about membership, please visit

The Wise Mom is a quarterly publication of the Holistic

us at www.holisticmoms.org.

Moms Network (HMN), a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization for parents interested in holistic health and

SUBMISSIONS

green living. The Wise Mom is the voice of the members

Interested in writing for The Wise Mom? We look for a

of the Holistic Moms Network as well as an informative

variety of submissions, from personal stories and

publication offering views, perspectives, and wisdom from

experiences from members to informative research articles

our parents, wellness practitioners, and experts in the

based upon our issue theme each quarter. Want to share

broad field of holistic living and parenting.

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submitting articles or photos for an upcoming issue.

experiences. We encourage all of our readers to become informed about the many healthcare and parenting

Š The Wise Mom, Holistic Moms Network. Issue 2, August 2010.

decisions they may face and to make the choice that works best for their unique family.

The Wise Mom is a publication of the Holistic Moms Network and supports the mission and purpose of our non-profit organization.

Nancy Massotto Executive Director

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editorsnote This issue’s Editor’s Note is submitted by HMN Founder and Executive Director, Nancy Massotto. We are sending love and good wishes to The Wise Mom Editor, Aimee Wood, who is soon to be birthing her new baby!

Dear HMN Members, The journey to a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle often starts with food. For many of us, making the connection between health and nutrition is our first step into holistic living. Whether we make those changes due to chronic health issues or simply to feel better physically, emotionally, or spiritually, once we become aware of the power of nutrition in our lives our interest in well-being grows.

At the Holistic Moms Network, we recognize that the journey to healthy living is unique for each and every one of us. We do not choose the same nutritional paths, nor do we always share the same holistic living passions. But we honor the journey, support each and every person who ventures down the path to wellness, and gather together in community to empower ourselves, our families, and our neighborhoods to live healthier and greener.

This issue of The Wise Mom focuses on making positive change in our dietary choices. A common theme in the articles to follow is respecting the choices of others who strive to eat healthier, whatever nutritional style they choose. We hope the information provided inspires you to continue your holistic journey and gives you the confidence to make a difference.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at wisemom@holisticmoms.org with comments or suggestions, or if you are interested in submitting an article for an upcoming issue.

A big thank you to all of our writers and contributors for this issue, to our Sponsors and friends, and to each and every member who makes our organization possible! We wish you a joyful holiday season and a healthy, nutritious new year!

Nancy Massotto Executive Director

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news&announcements 2010

Natural Living Conference The 2010 Natural Living Conference on Saturday, October 23rd was a huge sold-out success! With Keynote Speaker Sally Fallon Morell, author and founding President of the Weston A. Price Foundation presenting “Nutrition for Healthy Kids”, it was a packed house. Attendees also chose from a variety of informative workshops on such topics as holistic pediatrics, natural and non-toxic home, self-care, and meditation, among others.

Couldn’t be there? You can order the just released 2010 Conference DVD for just $24.95! Click on the DVD image to get your copy!

Green Gifting for the Holidays Need some green, healthy ideas for the holiday season?

HMN is proud to offer some great gift-giving ideas. Check out our new HMN reusable Kid and Baby bottles. These safe, healthy bottles are stainless steel and BPA-free. Bottles are marked inside in ounce and milliliter measures for easy feeding and infant bottles come with a BPA-free, silicone cap that can be swapped out for a bigger kid sip spout. Order yours today!

Shopping for a health-conscious cook? HMN’s two cookbooks, Growing Healthy Families and Many Paths, One Journey to Health, and our organic Holistic Moms aprons make great holiday gifts! Order easily online!

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Meet Sprout Baby Food!!!

New HMN Sponsor

HMN welcomes Sprout Organic Baby Food to our Sponsor community!

Sprout is a ready-to-eat, pouched baby food line of delicious recipes designed by celebrity chef, co-founder and father, Tyler Florence, using home-made cooking methods and 100% organic ingredients. “As a father, I’m always thinking about what I want my children to eat and how I can treat them to the healthy and delicious meals they deserve . . . even when time is an issue,” says Florence.

In addition, Sprout’s BPA-free pouch has the only resealable zipper closure, is lightweight for travel, and saves manufacturing and transportation energy. All pouches can be UpCycled into new products at no cost through Terracycle.net.

For coupons to try Sprout Organic Baby Food, click here.

New HMN Communities!!

Holistic Moms Chapters continue to grow!

Check out our newest communities in

Los Altos/Mountainview, CA Hunterdon County, NJ Forstyh County, GA N Bedford County PA South Orange County, CA Sullivan County, NY Don’t have a local Chapter?

Start your own!

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

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thir

By Kate Wright

T

hroughout pregnancy, numerous lists and outlines are thrown at expectant parents regarding what

to buy, what to prepare for, how to parent, and what to eat. Attempting to do everything “right” can quickly become overwhelming. Much of the advice given is truly determined by opinion and personal ideals, but nutrition exists within a more determined set of boundaries. As a birth and postpartum doula, I often become acquainted with families during the third trimester – a time when nutrition is tremendously important but also when eating should be thoroughly enjoyed. Simplified, the third trimester should involve a focus on iron, protein, and calcium as these nutrients are required in great amounts during these months.1 Iron is necessary to make hemoglobin2 – the part of our blood that carries oxygen. Because our blood volume increases by 40-50% during pregnancy,3 an increase in hemoglobin is vital. In addition, during the final six weeks in the womb, a baby’s iron requirement increases tenfold – baby takes in enough iron to last through the first six months of life when this nutrient is not adequately transferred through breastmilk.4 It is essential to eat iron-rich foods such as fish, red meat, dried fruit, legumes, and dark green vegetables, along with 10

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

eat for growth

rd trimester nutrition taking a prenatal vitamin.5 A simultaneous intake of vitamin

hours!10 Drinking at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water a

C increases iron absorption so enjoying a glass of orange

day, plus a glass of milk or juice with meals, will maintain

juice with your meal will help keep your iron levels high.

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fluids and keep our bodies appropriately hydrated.

All of our cells are made from protein so both the growing

Although it is important to understand nutrition, it is also

baby and our own growing bodies require an increased

important to avoid being weighed down by all of the scientific

intake. During late pregnancy, the baby’s intense growth

facts. Basically – eat a well-rounded diet filled with really

requires about one-third more protein than in the earlier

delicious foods to keep you and your baby healthy and satiated.

months. Protein is only found in foods and cannot be

Enjoy! .

obtained through prenatal vitamins. Meat, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products are all beneficial options. In order to get a complete protein from a non-meat source, remember to eat grains and legumes together.7

1 Simkin, Penny, et al. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn. New York:

3 Sears, William MD and Martha Sears RN. The Birth Book. Boston: Little,

Amazingly, our intestines naturally absorb twice as much calcium during pregnancy. This extra absorption is especially

Meadowbrook Press. 2008. 87.

2 Simkin, 90.

Brown, and Company. 1994. 72.

4 Simkin, 102.

5 Whitney, et al. Nutrition for Health and Health Care. Mason, Ohio: Cengage

Learning. 2008. 266.

significant during the third trimester when a baby requires

6 Sears, 72.

66% more calcium as her teeth form and her skeleton

7 Simkin, 101.

grows. If we do not obtain enough in our diets, it will be transferred to the baby from our bones – dairy and whole

8 Whitney, 265.

9 Simkin, 90.

10 Simkin, 92.

grains can contribute a great deal of calcium to a diet. It is 8

a good idea to limit caffeine intake as it interferes with our body’s ability to use this nutrient.9

Kate Wright is a bir th and postpar tum doula in Philadelphia where she lives with

And let’s not forget – fluids. In addition to our blood

her husband, her son, and their dog. Her

volume doubling, our tissue fluid volume increases by two

experiences and insight can be viewed at

to three quarts during pregnancy. In the final stretch of

doulathembeka.blogspot.com

pregnancy, the amniotic fluid surrounding a baby reaches a volume of one quart, all of which is replaced every three

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

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when it comes to dietary theories

we don’t live in pyramids, we live in houses

By Dr. Susan Rubin...Part 1

W

hen I first went back to school to study nutrition, I attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. This school boasts about covering all the dietary theo-

ries. The moral of the story is that there is no one dietary theory that works for everyone all the time. I learned loads more to back that up in the 10 years I’ve been counseling clients on food and health issues.

Each of us are unique individuals with different needs

poor quality food; the one who made his house of bricks was

depending on our heritage, our lifestyles, location, age,

eating much better.

season and much, much more. To try to jam all of that diversity into something like the USDA food pyramid is insane.

When eating and when building a house, remember

The government food pyramid fails miserably, with huge

individuality. Look around your own neighborhood,

conflicts of interest from the milk and meat lobbies. Your

each house is different. This concept is essential because it

health and wellbeing is not being served. Very few Americans

is ultimately up to each of us to determine what foods will

follow the food pyramid recommendations much less fully

optimally nourish us.

understand them.

Please note that I personally do not know the right foods I have created a system that works for everyone. It’s based on

that you should be eating. No one does but you. I work as

common sense and includes the big picture view of optimal

the guide on the side to help you in that journey. Beware of

health. My House of Health system is a memorable metaphor

any outside “authorities.” They are often pushing something,

that all ages can connect with.

such as the latest “superfood” or supplement.

The first pillar of my house model: Food is the foundation

Always remember that YOU are your own expert. But keep in

and framework. Our food can either strengthen or weaken

mind that the right combination of foods is just one component

our infrastructure. Remember the story of the three little

of creating optimal health.

pigs? The pig who built his house out of straw was eating

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Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

The 2nd pillar of my HOH system is what makes a house a home. Once you’ve got a solid framework with the food, your house is empty. You’ll still need additional components to make that house a home. These are the non-food sources of nourishment: things like sleep, sunshine, movement, laughter, touch and community.

These factors are as important as veggies in creating good health.

Last but not least, the 3rd pillar has to do with home maintenance and seasonality.

You know that as a homeowner, you’re never really finished. It’s the same with our food and health. We must constantly keep up with what is happening in the world of real food. As for seasonality, we live differently in summer than we do in winter, the same goes with our food.

Ok, so what foods should we eat? I created a continuum for food selection. This is not a black and white issue: healthy or unhealthy—there are shades of grey.

Looking at food choices in this way will help to build your intuitive muscle around food selection. This continuum along with the HOH system will empower you and your family to cut through the confusion and build your critical thinking skills around food and health.

Remember, when it comes to what to eat, YOU are the expert!

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

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when it comes to choosing food,

the words we use are important

By Dr. Susan Rubin...Part 2

C

hoosing what food to eat is not simply a black and white issue: healthy or unhealthy —there are shades of grey. This food continuum will help you determine which foods will support your health. Looking at food choices in this way will help to

build your intuitive muscle around food selection. You can turn this into a game you play with your family. Evaluate food using this language instead of what the food industry dishes up.

Beneficial Foods are easy. They often don’t contain a label

Here are two examples of how the continuum works.

because they are simply one ingredient, i.e., sweet potato.

Beneficial: steel cut oats

Ideally, beneficial foods are fresh and local and in season whenever possible. You’ll find lots of beneficial foods at your

Useful: old fashioned rolled oats

farmer’s market.

Useless: instant oatmeal Useful Foods: These foods are still pretty darn useful, but they might not be as fresh and in their natural state as the

Hazardous: highly sweetened instant oatmeal containing

beneficial ones.

ingredients like HFCS, artificial colors, flavors, especially those containing colored “dinosaur eggs”!

Useless Foods: The food industry likes to call this category “empty calories”, I prefer the word useless because these

Beneficial: An orange. Freshly cut and eaten.

foods are of no use to us!

Useful: Orange juice that you squeeze yourself from fresh oranges Hazardous Foods: Fast food and junk food often falls into the hazardous category. These food products contain ingredi-

Useless: Orange Juice in the supermarket

ents that are known to be hazardous to your health.

Hazardous: Orange drinks loaded with HFCS and other questionable chemicals. (i.e. brominated vegetable oils) 14

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

Why do I use a strong word like hazardous? I remember the label on my mom’s cigarettes when I was a small child: The Surgeon General has determined that cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health. If the food lobbies weren’t so rich and powerful, I bet you’d see warning labels like that on foods containing these ingredients!

In my system, a food is hazardous if it contains any of these hazardous ingredients.

Work to have a zero tolerance policy in your home when it comes to these ingredients.

This is my family’s Hazardous ingredients list. My kids know that if they see one of these ingredients on a box, we won’t be buying it! Make your own list of Hazardous ingredients and explain to your family.

• HFCS- High Fructose Corn Syrup is also known as “crystalline fructose”. This highly processed chemical can create high triglyceride levels which will raise LDL cholesterol levels. It’s been shown to be connected with fatty streaks in the liver. Food manufacturers use it to increase shelf life, it also creates a lack of satiation -it makes you not feel full, so you’ll eat or drink more!

• Hydrogenated oils- These artificially created oils negatively impact our cell membranes which are the “brain” of each cell. Hydrogenated oils are correlated to increases in cancer, heart disease, allergies, asthma, ADD to name a few. These oils are unsafe at any amount.

• Poor Quality oils- Top on my list would be cottonseed, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils.

These oils are chemically extracted and weren’t used in traditional diets. They are chemically extracted and very high in pro-inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids.

• Artificial colors- These questionable chemicals have been shown to impact behavior (Lancet, 2007), some contain traces of lead, mercury, arsenic.

• Artificial sweeteners- These manmade chemicals create sugar and sweet cravings. They have also been linked to metabolic syndrome, behavior and neurological issues.

Dr. Susan Rubin is a dentist, nutritionist, school food activist, environmentally focused educator and mom of 3.

www.betterschoolfood.org www.drsusanrubin.com

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December 2010

member profile Casey Alls

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Tell us about yourself (occupation, hobbies, children,

were omnivores and ate organic foods. When my daughter

passions, etc):

arrived we continued to learn more along the way, we started

I am a mother of two earth angels. My son is 17 months and

weeding out processed organic foods and started making

my daughter is 3. I am a HMN chapter leader in Annapolis,

even healthier choices. I was introduced to Weston A. Price

MD and run a blog and website called Holistic DIVA to share

and was drawn to their principals of non-processed foods,

my knowledge and experiences. I also work part time for a

making healthier meat and dairy choices, and supporting

local magazine called Nesting. Recently I have gone back to

local, sustainable farmers. My mother has always been

school to get a degree in Alternative Medicine and currently

a vegetarian but never forced us to be. Last year I saw the

working on my Holistic Nutrition Certification. We live on

film, Food Matters, and that movie created a spark for me to

the Chesapeake Bay and love being near the water, playing on

research and learn more. Vegetarianism and Living or Raw

the beach and in our own backyard. This past year we grew

Foods were reintroduced to me. I was also introduced to the

our own vegetables and herbs expanding our garden to 500

Gerson Institute, which is an organization that heals people

square feet. I enjoy reading, gardening, cooking, helping others

from cancer by juicing and other nutritional means. I was

and exploring life with my children and husband.

hungry to learn more.

Tell us about your dietary choices and why?

Soon after my son was born I found myself vegetarian. It was

Our family has been on a culinary adventure. Prior to my

challenging for my husband, but he was supportive, and

daughter being born we were transforming our lives, eat-

the kids were doing just fine. I had read Creating Healthy

ing healthier, becoming aware and making adjustments. We

Children by Karen Ranzi and had seen a movie about Copyright Š2010 holistic moms network

reversing diabetes and other conditions by eating raw foods.

not right with me on the inside and I knew that the outside

This inspired us to do a month long Raw Food Fam-

environment was a mess. I realized then that I needed to

ily Challenge this past summer, all raw vegan food for 30

make some serious changes to be that change I wanted to see

days. We consulted several people including our family

in our world.

naturopathic physician, everyone was supportive. We had a transition month in June and by July we were 100% raw.

It was fun, but a lot of work and planning. The end result is that everyone felt great, my mom’s aches and pains went away, no headaches or migraines. I lost almost 20 pounds and have kept it off.

Eating a plant based diet made sense to me and I was drawn to it. I started to journal what I ate, what made me feel good and what did not. We had not eaten meat in a long time and the only thing dairy in the house was Amish eggs and some raw cheese. I personally had negative reactions to both.

Systematically they were removed from the diet as well. My grandmother always told me to read with great scrutiny because it may not be entire truth, so I began looking at the critics on both sides, digging deeper to make sure that my family is getting everything we need nutritionally.

Everyone is exposed to an enormous amount of toxic ‘hits’ a day in our environment. I believe that nutrition is the foundation of health and want to feed our bodies nutrient rich foods that will protect our internal cells from that overload to prevent illness and disease.

In any food choice or lifestyle, balance is the key for optimum health. You know what they say, “You are what you eat.” I guess now I would like to think of myself as a beautiful flowering, edible herb.

What are your top three holistic passions?

Holistic Nutrition, Vaccine Education and Green Sustainable Living.

What holistic lifestyle or practice could you not live without and why?

I cannot love without my organic foods and herbs. This is what fuels us, sustains us and can heal us. I would not be willing to give that up.

What un-holistic lifestyle or practice do you still participate in (or refuse to give up)?

My Computer! I need it for everything it seems, work, school, bills, and facebook. My goal is to be more technically and holistically balanced, (as I type this on the computer). Some days I just really need to unplug and some days I really need to be plugged in!

How has HMN affected your life?

I was so happy to find HMN. As a new mom, listening to my instincts and going against the grain was difficult. I have found my experience with HMN to be validating, enormously supportive and inspiring. I have made friends all over the country, even in other parts of the world. I am grateful to those that shared their birthing experiences. Because of their stories information and support I was able to have a successful home water birth after a previous cesarean. I love that through this network of families we can share our diverse experiences, knowledge and be confident that we are doing

What got you interested in holistic living?

what is best for our family and the planet.

I have always had an interest in natural living and healing, but did not always live this way. The awakening happened after my miscarriage in 2004. I knew that something was

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

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From Omnivore

to vegan and back again‌

well, sort of

By Nicole Hanf

Growing up all I ever ate was what I consider to be junk food.

the rest of my family Hamburger Helper or vice versa???

Lots of ‘instant’ this or ‘microwaveable’ that.

Over the next few years, I went back and forth with veganism

Any vegetable eaten was most likely from a can,

and an omnivore diet. Heck, I even went through a gluten

as were the majority of my drinks! Fortunately for me, I had a fast metabolism and remained at a good weight. But I definitely was not healthy!

At the tender age of twenty-one, I gave birth to my first child. Throughout my pregnancy I over-indulged in all sorts of trans-fat laden, over processed garbage. I practically lived at Taco Bell, and Hamburger Helper was my idea of a home cooked meal. But when I became pregnant again about a year later, I decided to get fit. I started to exercise and became a vegetarian. I read a lot on vegetarian and vegan diets, and my midwife recommended a nutritionist for me. It was around that time when I taught myself how to cook truly homemade meals.

After the birth of my son, I remained dedicated to my healthy lifestyle. I continued to exercise (when I could with two small children!) and became a full-blown vegan. I joined a gym and even started working in the day care there. But after a while I realized, though I was always thin, I was probably getting a bit too skinny. My skin was very dry, body breakouts were becoming worse than when I was a teenager, and I had developed eczema and other fun skin rashes. Again, maybe I wasn’t so healthy after all?

Over time, I found myself in the difficult position of eating a strict vegetarian diet while feeding a house of omnivores. It was becoming more and more difficult for me to juggle cooking

Mealtime had lost its fun and become too difficult with my increasingly busy life.

free phase! I found that my skin problems were not affected by my diet, and my weight remained low no matter what I put in my body. I started to buy more local and organic foods, and incorporated a few vegetarian or vegan meals throughout the week.

Then, six years after my youngest child was born, I became pregnant again. I was determined to clean up my family’s diet a bit more at that point. I started buying organic meats and eggs from nearby farms, and hitting up the farmers markets throughout the summer season. I picked apples and canned some homemade applesauce for the first time.

I re-discovered raw milk (it is legal in my state) and raw cheese. I fell in love with food and cooking all over again. To be able to put food on the table and know every ingredient in there (as well as where many of the ingredients came from) makes me feel good. That’s not to say that my family and I never eat fast food (we do sometimes), or we only eat organic (sometimes we don’t or simply can’t due to the price). But when I make whole foods for my family I feel a sense of pride. And I know that I am instilling a healthy start for my children as well.

I am a wife and SAHM to three beautiful children ages nine, seven, and seven months. I love holistic and green living and have a passion for food! I am in the process of starting a Holistic Moms chapter in Carbon County, Pennsylvania.

for them and myself without sacrificing anyone’s nutritional needs. After all, what good was it for me to be a vegan and make all sorts of tasty food, only to turn around and give

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favorite Holiday recipes

from the Holistic Moms’ cookbooks to ensure all sides are coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Place on a hot grill and turn every few minutes. It may take 30-45 minutes for the thickest piece to cook to medium rare. You can also cook this under the broiler in the oven. Transfer the marinade to a saucepan and simmer about 3-5 minutes, then add the butter. Stir well and pour over the meat. Enjoy!

GLUTEN-FREE DINNER ROLLS (Gluten free, dairy free) Submitted by Jessica Haney, Arlington/Alexandria, VA Chapter

Here are a few holiday recipes from our HMN Cookbooks, Many Paths, One Journey to Health and Growing Healthy Families. For more great recipes, order your cookbooks today!

DIVINE CRANBERRY DISH Submitted by: Peggy Robertson, Denver Metro Area, CO Chapter 1 lb. fresh cranberries 1/2 c. chopped celery, slightly boiled and 1 c. water drained to soften 2 T. cinnamon 1 c. golden raisins 1 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 c. sliced fresh pears 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 c. chopped dates 2 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. chopped English walnuts or pecans Simmer cranberries and all dry ingredients in water until the cranberries pop. Next, add all other ingredients (celery, raisins, pears, dates, nuts).

Simmer until raisins are plump. Serve while hot. It is fabulous cold as well.

MARINATED AND GRILLED LEG OF LAMB Submitted by: Erika Magnuson, Knoxville, TN Chapter Lamb 2 T. finely chopped garlic Salt and pepper, to taste 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 tsp. dried thyme 1/4 c. olive oil 2 tsp. cumin 1 c. dry red wine 1 bay leaf, crumbled 2 T. Dijon mustard 2 T. butter 2 T. fennel seeds Carefully trim the fat from the lamb. This can take some time but I believe it removes a lot of the fatty flavor that most people dislike in lamb. Sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper. Combine olive oil, wine, mustard, fennel seeds, garlic, thyme, cumin, and bay leaf and mix well. Place lamb in a large glass baking dish and pour marinade over the meat. Turn over meat 20

2 c. blend of 2-3 gluten-free flours per your tastes (See note below for suggestions) 1/2 c. coconut milk (do not use lowfat) 2 eggs, beaten 1 T. baking powder 1 T. Sucanat, Rapadura, date sugar or maple sugar 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. xanthan gum 1 tsp. molasses 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground flax meal 1/2 c. olive oil, melted coconut oil or Mixture Mix all dry ingredients except for flax meal. Then mix flax and wet ingredients together with a mixer and add to dry ingredients. Bake in preheated oven at 350° F. for 8-12 minutes for mini-muffins, longer for full-size. Makes approximately 30 minimuffins. Note: We’ve made these mini-muffins at home to bring to our Waldorf school in place of wheat rolls. Consider them an alternative to dinner rolls or low-sugar muffin/cupcake. Use at least two different gluten-free flours. Possible blends include: sorghum, brown rice, and arrowroot; millet, tapioca, potato starch flour; or almond flour, brown rice flour, and potato starch flour.

CHOCOLATE (AVOCADO!) MOUSSE (Raw) Submitted by Lisa Mirman, Sarasota, FL Chapter 1 c. almond milk 1/4 c. almond butter 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced 1/4 c. agave nectar, or to taste 10 medjool dates (pitted and soaked in water for a bit) 1/4 c. pure cocoa powder (no added anything) Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

For best taste, chill for a little while before eating.

Note: Sometimes we don’t have the patience to wait for it to chill. It also tastes great right out of the bowl! You can make this by choosing all raw versions of the ingredients for the added benefit of the living enzymes. You can obviously choose to do everything organic for extra purity!

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

Copyright Š2010 holistic moms network

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there is no one right

DIET

By Angelle Batten, MEd, HHC & Susan McCreadie, MD

T

o eat meat or not to eat meat? And, what about saturated fat – good or bad? Then there are grains. Whole, sprouted or maybe not at all?

You can find evidence and research to support eating any or none of the above.

And, there are lots of opinions about the right diet for people and for the planet.

And, of course, there is the mainstream media constantly feeding us ‘research’ about what to eat and what not to eat. Feeding your child on a daily basis can feel like you’re stuck in a house of mirrors. What’s real and what’s illusion?

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Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

What is best for one person isn’t necessary what’s best for

for an age-appropriate amount of time? Is your immune

another when it comes to dietary choice. There is no one

system working well and fending off most unwanted bugs?

‘right’ diet for everyone. And, your own ‘right’ diet changes

Do you both feel satisfied between meals? Are your digestive

throughout your lifetime. Your needs change and so do your

systems working well?

child’s. So what are you supposed to do when it comes to feeding your child everyday, let alone yourself?

If you are not feeling well, play around with your diets. Add a little more protein. Or maybe your child needs to eat fewer

Start with REAL food. Food that is as close to its natural

grains – even whole ones. Possibly you both need more fats

state as possible. If you eat meat take the time to find a local

like coconut oil, organic butter or pastured eggs. There’s a

grass-fed farm that is raising animals the way they are supposed to

good chance you need to balance your meals and snacks,

be living – with grass, bugs and sunshine. If you can’t afford

combining Colorful Carbohydrates with Powerful Proteins

it, start slowly, replacing some of your meat with grass-fed

and Friendly Fats in order to keep your blood sugar more

meat or eat less meat. Find dairy that is natural, also from

stable. The thing is there is no one right answer when it

cows that graze on grass. Choose pastured eggs and you will

comes to dietary choice.

benefit from more Omega-3 fats. Eat wild fish that aren’t very big so they haven’t had a chance to collect too many

The only person who will ultimately know what the best diet

toxins. Make your grains, seeds, nuts and legumes whole

is for you, is you. You might benefit from a holistic doctor or

and organic if possible. And sprout them to make them

a health coach to support you, but know that you are your

more digestible when you can. Eat lots and lots of vegeta-

best ‘expert’. And, you are the best teacher to help your

bles that haven’t been genetically modified or sprayed with

child learn to determine what the best diet is for her.

pesticides. Go for low-glycemic fruits that are also organic.

Any and all of these options are steps in the right direction

When it comes to figuring out your optimal diet you may

because they are all traditional REAL foods that have fueled

need to let go of preconceived ideas about what healthy

the human race for…well, since the beginning of time.

eating is. You may need to ignore all the experts. You might need to be open to the fact that while you thrive as a vegetarian,

When your body gets most of it’s nourishment from REAL

your child doesn’t. The one rule to follow: Eat traditional

food, you can tune into that very body to figure out what is

REAL foods. Beyond that, honor the journey for yourself, for

the best diet for you. No experts necessary.

your child and for everyone else.

Metabolically

we are all different. You can take a Metabolic Typing test online or with a practitioner to help you figure out whether

As a teacher/holistic health coach

you are a protein, carbohydrate or mixed type. Based on that

and a holistic pediatrician Angelle

test you can figure out a starting point for your best diet.

& Dr. Sue created NourishMD.com to show parents how to feed their

What is probably most valuable though is to pay attention to

children REAL food on a daily basis

your body and your child’s body. You are getting feedback

and approach health issues holisti-

about your diet every day, all day long. You just need to tune in. Are you both experiencing great health? Are you at a healthy weight for your body types? Do you have energy to get through the day plus some? Is your child able to focus Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

cally. They also share their REAL life experiences as moms who walk their talk each day. It’s not always pretty, but it’s always REAL.

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Copyright Š2010 holistic moms network

Copyright Š2010 holistic moms network

25

Is the

Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet Right for You?

By Laura Combs

T

he varieties of eating habits and dietary choices are almost

uncountable. They can be loosely grouped into vegetarian, vegan, omnivore, meat eater, pescetarian, raw foodist and more. The variations in those groupings are immense and the reasons behind a person’s dietary choices often change over time.

Within the Holistic Moms Network, I think the unifying thread about which we can agree is that the Standard American Diet of processed food is a sickening and deadly choice. How do we overcome the damage that we have done to ourselves and our families?

The healing foods paths, as we know and love them, are many. The common element of the many paths is to detoxify the body so that we can hear it speaking to us and guiding us on our food journeys, allowing us to make the choices that our bodies need. I grew up on the Standard American Diet and had poor health for many years until finding my healing foods path: the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) diet * created by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD. With her guidance, I overcame my premenopausal symptoms (caused by severe adrenal fatigue) and now live younger at 44 than I did at 38. Ryan’s (my husband) ADD is cured and Colson’s (our son) seasonal allergies are vastly improved. All of that took only nine months. The GAPS diet is a healing diet, not a lifetime diet. Its ability to heal is much greater than my family’s needs and experiences show, as our health challenges were minor on the GAPS spectrum.

Now that Ryan, Colson and I have relatively clean bodies thanks to the GAPS diet, our bodies give us very powerful feedback when we stray from good foods. Our bodies also give us the power to experiment with food. For example, I think I will try a raw food diet this spring.

I don’t know how long it will last, but my body will tell me how long it should. Colson won’t be on it, as I don’t think he needs it given the healthy life he has lived, and he is a very strong carnivore needing lots of meat, which he prefers cooked. One constant in the diet is lots and lots of bone broth, while other parts can be adjusted for food allergies or dietary preferences. You can play with it as you go – it is bound to take you somewhere.

One of the most amazing experiences of my life was the 2010 Weston A. Price (WAP) conference. I gained significant knowledge about dietary choices and health at this event, with much of it coming during the six hours I spent listening to Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, MD, lecture on cancer. Dr. Gonzalez stood out from many of the conference speakers because he did not lean toward a standard dietary approach for his patients, other than they consume some form of animal product according to how their body responds. He knows that some of his cancer patients need to lean toward a vegetarian diet, for example, because meat will spur on their cancer. Other patients will fail if they lack meat in their diets. Dr. Gonzalez told the very powerful story of his mentor, Dr. William Kelley’s, recovery from cancer. Dr. Kelley’s cancer was so profoundly established that Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

27

the tumors stuck out from his abdomen, and he could feel them grow, stabilize and retreat in response to food, supplements and enzymes within a half hour of taking them. Fortunately, Dr. Kelley cured himself from the incurable and Dr. Gonzalez carries on his work, tailoring the cures to each person. To read more about Dr. Gonzalez, Dr. Kelley, and feeding and listening to our bodies, visit my blog post at WAP Conference – Nick Gonzalez, MD and Cancer.

After pondering the GAPS diet in light of what I learned from Dr. Gonzalez, I believe that the GAPS diet or a variation of it is a very

Be Counted!

Add Up with

Holistic Moms and

Make a Difference!

powerful healing diet for many people. It may or may not be right for you, but like the patients of doctors McBride, Gonzalez and Kelley, you will not know until you try something. Your body wants to heal, and it will lead you on the right path if given the chance.

Laura Combs is an environmental planning consultant turned healing foods lover after recovering

Each and every holistic parent adds up by making a contribution to a healthier, greener future for everyone! We know that YOU make a difference!

herself from dangerous physical ailments and helping her husband heal from ADD and her son heal from debilitating seasonal allergies. Laura knows that the body wants to live vibrantly if given the chance, and healing foods are the foundation. To learn more about Laura’s journey and access her healing foods resources, visit www.movingstronglyforward.typepad.com. *Editor’s Note: The GAPS diet is defined as such from http://www.gapsdiet.com/Home_Page.html: The Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet has its foundation on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) created by Dr. Sidney Valentine Haas to heal digestive disorders. SCD gained great popularity after a mother, Elaine Gottschall, healed her own child and became an advocate for SCD. Elaine Gottschall is also the author of the popular book Breaking the Vicious Cycle.

Intestinal Health Through Diet.

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride has taken SCD and evolved it further to create a full protocol for healing digestive disorders and subsequent issues.

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HMN has teamed up with We Add Up, a global campaign using organic cotton t-shirts that literally “counts you in” to help solve the climate crisis. Every shirt is printed by hand with a unique number. YOUR number is your position in our sequential global count of people who are taking steps to do their part.

As the count grows, we demonstrate to the world that “WE ADD UP,” making a global impact.

Together we have created a set of Champion T-Shirts to show how we add up as Holistic Moms, Dads, Kids and Babies! These fabulous organic t-shirts show how we unite to make a difference through our holistic choices for our families, by helping to raise awareness, and by supporting our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization!

Available now, they make great holiday gifts and stocking stuffers! Get yours today!

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

Why Organic?

Six Reasons To Choose Organic Foods Provided by

3. No synthetic growth or breeding hormones.

Avoiding synthetic hormones (which are frequently given to conventional dairy and meat animals to alter reproductive cycles and speed up growth) means less stress for animals, and reduced human exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

4. No antibiotics.

Overuse of antibiotics in farm animals leads to the development of dangerous antibiotic-resistant infections.

Organic farmers instead rely on natural measures to 1. Nutrient density.

promote and maintain animal health.

Organic farmers nourish the soil that feeds our food. Research shows that organically-produced foods are higher

5. No GMOs.

in antioxidants and other nutrients than their conven-

Genetically engineered crops are a relatively recent tech-

tional counterparts.

nology with potentially devastating impacts on ecosystems and human and animal health. Organic regulations

2. No persistent pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.

forbid the use of genetically engineered seeds or animals

Designed by intent to kill living organisms, persistent

(including clones).

pesticides can be harmful to wildlife and human health, especially as they contaminate our food, air and water or

6. Animal care.

accumulate in our cells. Synthetic fertilizers require large

Organic philosophy means raising animals in harmony

quantities of fossil fuels to produce, and contribute to

with nature. Quality animal care keeps animals healthy

soil degradation and ocean dead zone.

and productive, naturally. As we like to say, happy cows make the best milk!

Copyright Š2010 holistic moms network

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my grandmother’s

Love for Food

By Carissa Leventis-Cox

A

s a young girl, I would look forward to seeing the look on my Chinese grandmother’s face at meal times. I could eat seven bowls of salted fish fried rice and one whole order

of sweet and sour pork (yes, including the last bits of peppers and pineapples) in one sitting. ‘Mama’ would beam at me. That look she gave me made me feel proud because it was the one thing I did that pleased her. My older cousin Snow White was her favorite, with her white complexion, dark thick hair and red lips. Her second favorite was my younger brother because he too was fair and well... he is a boy, the favored gender for the Chinese. Snow White’s younger sister, Tomboy, and I were at the bottom of Mama’s fave list - probably because we were the darker ones of the brood. Still, I did make Mama proud when I ate a meal for three! And I loved to please her.

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Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

Then I went off the college. I gained my freshman

watched as Mama’s smile seemed to grow wider every

30, turned vegetarian and while trying to lose weight,

second as she watched my son eat four more orders of

I started dreading meal times with Mama. I dreaded

pineapple slices. She was obviously so proud of watching

sitting next to her the most because that meant having

her great grandson enjoy his food.

to eat everything she put on my plate, non-vegetarian items included. She would pile my plate high with food.

Mama and I may have very different views on nutrition.

And when dessert came and I declined, she would say:

Although she has accepted that I am a raw foodie, I

“Why? It’s good for you!” My college I-know-it-all

don’t think she would ever agree with my diet choice.

attitude would speak up “THAT is good for me? Are

She loves canned Vienna sausage, candy and fried pork

you kidding? I don’t think so! I need to lose weight!

rinds too much. But when I see my grandmother’s eyes

Besides, I don’t eat meat or fish.” Mama wouldn’t beam

sparkle, her cheeks glowing full of pride and her whole

at me anymore. Her looks across the table (I’d choose

body bursting with energy and delight at watching my

to sit far away) would be a contorted grimace my way.

son eat pineapple, I realize we are more alike than I

Sigh. I was definitely at the bottom of her list now.

thought.

Recently, my husband, son and I visited my grand-

There is nothing else Carissa

mother. She is quieter and more timid these days, but

Leventis-Cox would love better

food still is the most important part of her day. Food

than to be a devoted wife and

brings her closer to others. It is during mealtimes that

holistic/home birth/homeschool

she takes pleasure in sharing experiences and thoughts

mother. A certified Ayurvedic Nutrition Therapist and

and feelings with friends and family. It also pleases her

Culinarian, she currently published her first book, Yoga for Cancer:

to watch others enjoy food. During our first dinner

Esoteric, Yogic and Dietary Practices. Passionate about using food

together while visiting Mama, my son was sound asleep.

as medicine, she is part of the Raw Mom Blog Team and writes on her blog on how and why to include more raw food in your families

Mama fretted that he wouldn’t have enough food to

diet (http://cardinalfoods.blogspot.com/). She is also co-leader of

eat afterward. Then, just as we were about to leave the

the Holistic Moms Network Midlands Chapter.

restaurant, my 3 year old son woke up and devoured the leftover pineapple slices on the table and quickly asked “More please!” From the corner of my eye, I saw Mama’s body suddenly come alive. I glanced at her and saw her face transform into that familiar beam. Was it to me? Or was that beam for my son? I’m not sure. I Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

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salad bars in every school healthy food for all kids!

Recounting a Day at Riverside Elementary School

By Chef Ann Cooper

I recently had the honor of spending a day in Miami at Riverside Elementary School with numerous school food advocates to announce the implementation of our latest collaboration: Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools. With the goal to provide at least 6,000 salad bars to schools in the next three years, a new public-private partnership has launched Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools (LMSB2S), a grassroots public health collaboration working in concert with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative. The partners share a vision to significantly increase salad bars in schools across the country until every child has the choice of healthy fruits and vegetables every day at school. The initiative was announced by the Salad Bars to Schools Coalition to support the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative.

For the past year Beth Collins and I have worked hard on The Lunch Box’s project and The Great American Salad Bar Project (GASP) with our partner Whole Food’s Market.

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Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

With the help of Whole Food’s shoppers we raised money

supporting the students serving themselves! As the chefs

to donate over 550 salad bars for schools across the country.

were helping the kids make good choices from the salad bar,

We have become founding partners of this new initiative,

which was stocked full of fresh vegetables (most of which

along with the National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance (NFVA),

were local) Mrs. Obama went around the cafeteria, stopping

the United Fresh Produce Association Foundation (UFF) and

at every table talking with the kids about eating healthy. The

the Food Family Farming Foundation (F3). I am so thank-

tables were festooned with fresh vegetables and the First Lady

ful for all of the hard work in making this come to fruition.

went around getting the kids to try the tomatoes, squash and

Sam Kass, seen holding the door open for the first lady in

other veggies.

photo, was a constant supporter of LMSB2S and deserves much credit in making it a reality. We are also thankful for

During the event I also had a chance to talk to the school

Giveo, a local software company that provides a powerful

kids about fruits and vegetables. I truly believe that teaching

cause-marketing platform utilizing social media -- ultimately

kids about the symbiotic relationship between healthy earth,

enabling the localization of social purpose to more people,

healthy food, and healthy kids will help them to live a healthier

through the empowerment of technology. The Giveo team

life and may even save the planet along the way. Helping

worked tirelessly to have the platform up and running before

schools segue their traditionally highly processed unhealthy

the First lady’s announcement and the resulting platform

offerings to cooked “from scratch food” based on fresh fruit,

will help enable us to successfully reach our goal of donating

fresh veggies, whole grains and healthy protein is the core

6,000 salad bars in 36 months.

work of our website The Lunch Box. Getting every school in the country to have a salad bar with healthy choices is

Back at Riverside Elementary, Mrs. Obama was introduced

just one more way we can help save our children’s health!

and she immediately launched into a discussion about obesity and healthy food in schools. She thanked all of the

The culmination of the day’s event was watching the kids

groups behind Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools and then

eating and enjoy salad! Every single one of these 5th graders

spoke directly to the students telling them why healthy

self-served themselves a healthy lunch from the salad bar

eating was so important. She went on to say that salad bars

and, more importantly, they ate and enjoyed the offerings.

in schools are an important part of healthy school meals and

The fears that some school districts expound that there will

should be available to all students in all schools. The First

be so much waste; that it’s too hard to maintain a salad bar;

Lady introduced two local chefs who are part of Chef’s Move

that it’s unsanitary; or that kids can’t make healthy choices

to Schools and who helped all of these elementary students

do not hold up. These elementary school kids were

to self-serve themselves from the short (30” tall Cambro NSF

successfully participating in a school salad bar for the very

approved) salad bar. It was wonderful to hear Mrs. Obama

first time. Girls and boys alike were eating and enjoying fresh

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

33

fruits and vegetables. I’m happy to say that perhaps my days

do is to join us and support our work in schools at The

as a Renegade Lunch Lady are coming to an end – as these

Lunch Box and Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools. Help us

types of ideas are becoming mainstream.

make healthy school food a reality for all children. Just do one thing and do it today!

As we were leaving the event, really on “cloud 9,” I happened upon some of the younger kids in their school garden – they

As I finish this article I’m sitting by the fire in the home of

were so amazingly cute and it reminded me of yet one more

friends of many years and I’m thinking of all of the people

powerful statement that the First Lady made. She told the

and institutions that I’m thankful for. I’m so thankful for all

children of Riverside that one of the reasons that their school

of the people and foundations that have supported our work

was “picked” to receive the very first salad bar was because

and the work of making healthy school food a reality. People

of their school garden. She explained that children should

like Beth Collins, Kate Adamick and her Cook For America,

be able to grow the food in their school gardens and then

Sylvia Tawse and FIG, Emily Friedberg and Giveo, Mara

eat it in their cafeterias and from their salad bars. Sadly,

Fleishman and Nona Evans and Whole Foods Market; and

there are many health departments around the country whose

foundations like Orfalea, Compton, Kellogg, Colorado Health

policies prohibit this practice of allowing kids to eat the food

and Children’s Health; and companies like Fullbloom Baking

that they grow in their gardens. I hope Mrs. Obama’s words

Company, Barbara’s Bakery and Chipotle Grill.

help us move beyond these types of unnecessary rules and regulations.

Chef Ann Cooper is a renegade lunch lady. She works to transform cafeterias into culinary classrooms for students

Finally I want to challenge all of us to just do one thing to make this world a better place for our children. Just do one

director of nutrition services for the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD), improving meals

thing to make healthier school food a reality for every child in

at 16 public schools with a population of over

America. Billy Shore with Share Our Strength says that there

9,000 students. In her work with public schools,

are over 1.1 million hungry kids every day in our country.

Chef Ann is at the forefront of the movement to

Hungry kids can’t think and malnourished kids can’t learn!

It should be a birthright in our country that every child has

transform the National School Lunch Program into one that places greater emphasis on the health of students than the financial health of a select few agribusiness corporations. Chef Ann’s lunch

healthy and delicious food in school every day so that they

menus emphasize regional, organic, fresh foods, and nutritional

can be the best they can be – and when they get there, we as

education, helping students build a connection between their

a nation will have so much to be thankful for. I’d be remiss if

personal health and where their food comes from.

I didn’t mention one last thing that the First Lady reminded us of, which is that Congress has yet to pass Child Nutrition

Chef Ann’s newest book, “Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children“ (Harper Collins, Sept. 2006), is overflowing

Reauthorization bill. The bill pending that is in Congress is

with strategies for parents and school administrators to become

far from perfect, but we really must get it passed. It is truly

engaged with issues around school food – from public policy to

ridiculous that over a year late in passage, our elected officials

corporate interest. It includes successful case studies of school food

cannot come together to pass a bill that will help to promote

reform, resources that can help make a difference and healthy, kid-

healthy food for all kids.

As a parent, one of the most important things that you can 34

– one school lunch at a time. Chef Ann was the

friendly recipes that can be made at home, or by the thousands for a public school cafeteria.

Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

December 2010

volunteer profile Jen McKissick What is your Chapter Affiliation?

the Biotechnology Sector for a while and obtained my

Monroe County, PA

MS from Temple in Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance/ Regulatory Affairs. I am married to a wonderful hus-

What is your volunteer role for HMN?

band, who eats all those “strange foods” I prepare, such

I am the primary leader for my chapter. I was the Co-

as quinoa. After my first son was born I became a stay

Director for the Silent Auction for the Natural Living

at home mom and have been lucky to continue saying

Conference for 2009 and 2010.

home with my boys, ages 3 and 8 months.

What have you been working on recently?

When I became pregnant, I chose a midwife and a water

I just took on the role of Online Coordinator, where I

birth on the recommendation of a friend. Little did I

will be overseeing the Chapter Yahoo Loops and the

know that this choice would catapult me into a holistic

soon to be archived National Yahoo Loop.

lifestyle. I am now a proud cloth diapering, breastfeeding, baby-wearing holistic mom! My holistic passions

Why do you volunteer for HMN?

are water birth, healthy eating, and green living.

I volunteer for HMN because, while being a mom is wonderful, especially being a stay at home mom, I needed

Keeping with the theme of this issue of Dietary

an outlet for myself. Volunteering for HMN gives me

Choices, do you follow a certain diet or way of eating

that outlet and I get to support a wonderful organization

and if so, why?

of like minded parents.

I don’t follow a certain diet or way of eating, However, I would love to learn more about two very different ways

Tell us about yourself. How did you become

of eating, Raw Foods and the Nourishing Traditions

interested in holistic living and HMN? What are

Diet.

your passions?

I grew up on a family farm and got a BS degree in Animal Bioscience from Penn State. I then worked in Copyright ©2010 holistic moms network

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Copyright Š2010 holistic moms network