Experimental Eating

As I started to become more serious about cooking, I wondered why humans tried some of the ingredients that they did.  Was it hunger?  Was it fortuitous?  I mean really, who in their right mind would follow a pig who is grubbing through the dirt for truffles and take something that smells that musky and pungent from that pig and put it in his mouth?  Well, now that I have been both a pediatrician and a mother I no longer wonder - we eat what we do because of toddlers.
What got me thinking about this, again, is the recent posting of a friend of mine on Facebook.  His child decided to eat not one, but SIX laxative strips.
Over the years, I'm not sure if I have had more phone calls from parents because their children have eaten something inappropriate or because they refuse to eat at all.  I have never been able to figure out why this is so. But I know that in the picture above the last thing thing most toddlers would eat is the broccoli.  (I think the first thing would be a toss-up between the pills and the rocks in the dirt, but that is not an experiment I will try.)
Can parents take advantage of their children's natural curiosity to put odd things in their mouths to get them to try different foods?  I'm not sure.  I have noticed that they do tend to try things that are bland,  like dirt and paper, and usually spit out "spicy" leaves that they find in the garden.  For some reason they prefer their non-food items to be muted in color.  (I base these observations on the calls I get from parents about what their children have eaten.)
One of the things I used to do with my daughter and her friend Mollie is to let them experiment in the kitchen, with close supervision.  They would invent their own concoctions of edible items taken from all drawers and shelves.  Of course, because my daughter was raised with the  understanding that she always had to take "one bite", she insisted that I try everything she made: "Just take one bite, Mama!" she ordered.  Lucky for all of us, this is before the two of them could write, so none of their recipes were kept for posterity.  (I will say her cooking skills today are great and Mollie is no slouch in the kitchen either.)
Can you take advantage of children's love of non-food products?  Again, I'm not sure.  But I do know that I am not a believer in the recent fad of "hiding" foods found in a number of cookbooks on how to get kids to eat.  My reasoning is:  1)  I don't have time to cook a separate dish for each family member  2)  It is important to learn about different tastes and textures  3)  Most importantly, my job as a parent is to teach my child how to eat properly and hiding food is a cop-out.
Which is not to say that I do not take into consideration different likes and palates.  My daughter hates asparagus.  I love them. I did make my daughter take "one bite" multiple times when she was young because I cook them frequently.  But I was finally convinced that she really does not like them and because she eats so many other vegetables when I make them for me I am willing to make something else for her.  And then we are both happy.

Here is a recipe that I've found that most ages, including toddlers eat.  It is easy to make.  It is not spicy, not identifiable as a specific food to a toddler and is versatile.  You can eat it hot or cold.  You can send it in a lunch.  You can bring it to a potluck.  And you can change some of the herbs depending on your family's preference.  Your toddler may even choose it over rocks and other non-foods!.

ZUCCHINI PIE

Ingredients
4 c. grated zucchini
4 large eggs, slightly beaten (or 7 egg whites or 5 oz of egg whites)
1 c. Bisquick
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 small onion chopped
1/2 c. oil (preferably olive)
1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro) or 2 tbsp fresh basil or rosemary (stronger flavors)

Mix together in a bowl.
Grease a 9x9 inch pan.  Put in pan.  Cook in 375 degree oven until brown (about 50 min.)

Serve hot, warm, cool or the next day!  I hope you try it and your family and friends enjoy it as much as the many people I've given this to, both already made, and as a recipe.

I HATE Exercise!

park near my house

I hate to exercise. There, I admit it. I do love to be physically active; I just hate to exercise for the sake of exercise. I think that I am like a kid that way. For me, going to the gym is like when I had to do calisthenics in PE; it's BORING. So what me and the kids need is to have fun and not realize it's good for us.  If we're physically active and exercising then we are  multi-tasking (which all kids want to do anyway).
Although I have no disagreement with Michelle Obama's program Let's Move!, and I actually preach  its principles, I can be a contrarian.  And with that program there seems to be an emphasis on what's good for me, so it takes the fun out of it.  With children, it is always important to have a good time and remember where they are developmentally, so you make sure the activities are ones that are fun for all.

Lets start with babies.  They want to move.  They want to explore their environment.  First they roll, then it's scoot, crawl, walk and finally RUN.  You can't keep them down.  All you have to do is take them outside and they will be physically active.  And if you want to get your exercise, join them!  (Many years ago a famous pro football player supposedly did everything his baby did and couldn't keep it up.  He stated it was worse than any football practice he had ever attended.)
Next is the toddler.   I can't tell you how many parents have asked me if their two year old has ADHD (Attention Deficit HYPERACTIVITY Disorder). I explain that no, two year olds are not hyperactive, they are just two.  Kids  naturally love to run around and it's just with time that we become couch potatoes. We need to find activities that our children love at an early age and that they will continue to want to do as they get older.
When our children are little they are curious about everything, including snakes, but because they have short attention spans they move on.  They also love to spend time with their parents.  We get to pick the activities and they should be varied.   Since you are going to be doing them you should pick something that you enjoy doing as a family and can afford. Realize that you have to be open to trying more than one thing because just because you love it doesn't mean your kid will.

Start small. Take them "exploring".  Walk around your neighborhood and be prepared to stop often. This is the "stream" at the bottom of the canyon behind our house. The picture above is the park that is within walking distance up and down hills close to my house. When my daughter was little it had very little playground equipment but there were hills to find hidden treasures and streams (only after the rains) to look for fish that didn't exist.  Don't bring a stroller.  They need to learn to build up their leg muscles.
As she got older I taught her to swim, ride a bike, throw a ball.  Just like I made time to read to her, I made time to be outdoors with her.  Because I valued these things, she learned that they were important.  Obviously, she went to school and got an education; from others she  took dance lessons, learned to ski and participated in AYSO soccer.  But, she knew that I valued physical activity because I did it with her from the time she was a baby, just like she learned that I valued education, reading and good food. 

Nothing teaches like example from an early age.  We continue to have fun and be active as a family.  Why not start planning your family good times today?

Understanding the Radiation Risk

As I read the news about the radiation plumes coming from the Japanese nuclear reactors I am having flashbacks from when I was a young mother in 1986 and the Chernobyl disaster occurred.  It didn't matter how much reassurance I got from the "government officials"; it could not quell my panic for my child.  I would like to tell you how I finally dealt with my sense of dread and perhaps it might help you deal with any anxiety that you feel as the radiation plume reaches the United States.  Obviously, anything that happens here pales compared to what is happening in Japan.  But humans will worry about their own safety even though they can have empathy for others who have it so much worse.  What I would suggest is learn the science of the disaster so that you can do your own analysis of the situation and understand what your own threat is.

Here is what I have learned and I will give you my references so that you can read them yourselves.  One of the main byproducts of nuclear plants is iodine 131.  As long as there are leaks this is released and will continue to form a plume that goes into the atmosphere.  Its half life is 5 hours to 7 days.  It is anticipated that the radioactive plume will reach Southern California (where I live) late Friday, March 18. (Path of Radiation Plume)  The combination of the amount of time it takes to cross the Pacific and the relative short half life of the radioactive iodine decreases its radioactivity before it reaches the United States. Therefore, the  experts are able to say that although there will be measurable radioactivity, there is little risk for the United States.  They are also basing this on an analysis of what happened in Chernobyl in 1986.
But if you look carefully at the the data from Chernobyl, there was a group that was at higher risk than the others:   the children.  Now, don't panic because if you understand what put them at risk you will understand that this situation for American children is not comparable.  Thyroid radiation, which seems to have been the biggest problem, was as a result of drinking fresh cow's milk.  This is primarily because the cows grazed on fields where there was radioactive fallout.  It seems that radioactive iodine concentrates in cow's milk (and breast milk). There was a much lesser problem from eating contaminated fresh vegetables.  In 1986, although unnecessary because the cows that produced the milk that my child was drinking were not eating grass where there was radioactive fallout, I felt better by giving my child powdered milk.  (She however, wasn't happy - she didn't like the taste.)  After a week or so, I switched back to fresh milk as my rational self took over.  I remembered that I was the one with the problem (my anxiety) and the milk was fine.  Going back to the idea of radioactive decay;  canned food and grain products that had been stored for weeks or months after the leak pose no risk because the radiation decayed.

Because of our distance from Japan, the cows will not be eating contaminated feeds.  Our food sources should be fine.  Many people have bought and want to give their families KI (potassium iodine.)  KI prophylaxis works, but should only be used by people who have truly been exposed to large amounts of radiation or who are going to be.  Don't give your children KI.  "There is no increased risk of harmful levels of radiation exposure in the United States" (1)  KI, among other things, can cause hypothyroidism, and this is more of a risk in children because of improper dosing.  If it makes you feel better, use iodized salt.

Looking at the data, unless something unforeseen happens, we are not at risk from this disaster.  So instead of worrying about how this might affect you, put effort into disaster preparedness where you live.  Because where ever that is, there is something worth preparing for!

1.  Public Health Advisory County of Los Angeles March 15, 2011

2.  Guidance  Potassium Iodide as a Thyroid Blocking Agent in Radiation Emergencies
US Dept of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Admin, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Dec 2001 Procedural

3.  POLICY STATEMENT

Radiation Disasters and Children

Committee on Environmental Health

A statement of reaffirmation for this policy was published on May 1, 2007.

PEDIATRICS Vol. 111 No. 6 June 2003, pp. 1455-1466

Who's in Charge Here Anyway? The Government, the Kid or You?

The politicians are fighting over what the government's role in obesity should be. The cheerleaders are on the sidelines egging on their teams.  And the fans are in the stands rooting for their sides.  Meanwhile we are getting fatter and fatter.  Doesn't sound like a reasonable approach to me.  I am a person of action.  So let's work on prevention.

I was watching TV the other day (yes, I do watch TV) and I was studying the commercials.  I realized that people do not know what normal looks like anymore.  You have either the super model who is super skinny or the new size 14, which seems to be the new "average" female American.
When I talk to parents, I know they also have a warped idea of what a normal size child looks like.  It starts with their babies, not only in what they look like, but how much they are supposed to eat and grow.
So let me give you some facts:

Age     %Body Fat   Cals/Day   Wt Gain(lbs)/Year    Avg Wt (lbs)

0-6 mos         29            750         10 (in 6 mos)           17
6-12 mos       25            800           7 (in 6 mos)           22
2 yrs              22           1000          5                            27
3 yrs              17           1150          5                            31
4 yrs              16           1135          5                            35
5yrs               14           1200          5                            40

Looking at those numbers, what does that tell you?  Babies are chubby (duh) but a normal 5 year old is REALLY skinny.  Also, even though a 5 year old weighs 6 times as much as a newborn, their caloric needs  are only twice as much.  So when it seems that they don't eat very much compared to their little brothers and sisters, you are making a valid observation.  They are converting all that fat they were born with into lean, muscle.  They don't need as many calories relative to their size.  This is normal.

What are the things you can do to make sure your child is "average" and letting his body do what it wants to do?   (One of those few times you really want an average child!)
Let's start with your newborn.  Don't use a bottle or a breast as pacifier.  Feed your baby for 10-15 minutes and then take the nipple out.  The baby gets back a nipple attached to liquid at the next meal.
When you add solids to your baby's meals, you need to give your baby a voice on how much he wants.  When your baby turns his head, do not insist that he takes "one more bite".  That teaches the baby to eat for reasons other than hunger.  Also, allow the baby to eat at his own pace.  I know, I know, this will take longer.  But you are trying to let your baby learn how to eat and to eat for appetite.
Moving on to your toddler:  yes, you are right - they are only eating "Two Bites".  So make sure that those two bites count.   Only give healthy foods.   Re-orient your thinking - it's not 3 meals a day, but 6 snacks a day of food that you would eat at mealtime.  If your child has 3 glasses of 4-6 ozs of milk a day that is 240 cals, leaving only about 750 cals worth of food left.  If you think about it, it really is a small amount of food.  So don't worry that your child is eating nothing.  Because if she is eating "something" she will become obese.  She will eat when she is hungry.  Children's stomach are about the size of their fists.  They will not spend very long eating that "meal".  Even so, they should sit down while they do it.  Remember, you are teaching them good eating habits.

The part of a meal that you should be in charge of is what is available.  Your child should be in charge of when and how much.  And between the two of you, your child will eat healthy and normally.  And the politicians can continue to duke it out while you have no problem to solve.

Got Help to Give?

The American people are incredibly generous and whenever there is a major event we are always ready to lend a hand.  For international events like the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, if you are looking for a place to donate money  may I suggest Doctors Without Borders.  This organization helps people in natural disasters and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.  For more information and to donate see: www.doctorswithoutborders.org  Also, you can wait as the Japanese sort out and analyze what they have lost and require immediately.  Having done some medical disaster work, I know it takes time to figure out what the status is, and also there will be even greater needs in the weeks and months to come. So, it is okay to pause but don't forget your impulse to help and see what you can do in the weeks to come.

While you are waiting to see what you can do on an international front, why not take this weekend to prepare your own home?  How many of you on the West coast have your earthquake supplies together?  Mine sit in a big metal (not very aesthetic) trashcan in the backyard.   What I will be doing is going through that can and updating the food.  It's kind of old.  I'd eat it, but I wouldn't be happy.
Medical kits are also an important part of emergency supplies.  Although I have access to the stuff in a doctor's office, I found I never got around to putting together a kit.  I found a group that has done it in a compact way and I bought theirs.  I have a variety of different ones:  one that I keep in my earthquake kit, a small one for small trips and a bigger one for bigger trips.  The trick is that when you use something from the kit, you need to replace it at the end of the trip IMMEDIATELY.  Otherwise, on the next trip it won't be there.  And you NEVER, NEVER, NEVER,  borrow from the emergency kit.  And finally, these kits do not have children supplies.  So as soon as you get them you must supplement them with appropriate children medication and doses, as well as any special needs you have. I have gotten kits from these two companies, http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/, www.chinookmed.com, but you can find them in many outdoor stores as well.

Finally, do you have any housewarming gifts to buy, or are you going to a baby shower in the near future?  I give atypical gifts.  I buy medical kits, or earthquake supplies for people for their new homes.  I get baby proofing stuff instead of "pink party dresses" for their new babies.  Hopefully, the gifts I give will never be used!

FDR, NPR, BPA and Plastics

I think it's time to bring back FDR's philosophy.  Through some of the worst times in US history he kept us even-keeled.  The country again needs to start approaching news events calmly.

NPR Morning Report did a story March 4 titled "Plastics New Frontier:  No Scary Chemicals".  It was an even-handed report on the risks of estrogen activity in plastics and that the actual risks for humans are not clear.  It explained that many plastics, even those that are BPA free, can still have high levels of estrogen activity.  The NPR report further did an excellent analysis of a new scientific paper on the subject.  In summary, the article states that a complex product like a baby bottle can have multiple different types of plastics and 30-100 chemicals.  Even if the bottle's materials did not have estrogen-like activity to start with, during normal use the chemicals can change, develop estrogen-like activity and leach out.  But there is a company that feels it has an affordable  solution to fix this problem (1) .
 If you do a search on the Internet for others reporting on the scientific paper you will find headlines like "Plastic Panic" and "More bad health news on the Plastics front" sensationalizing an important scientific issue.
What FDR said many years ago is true today:   "All we have to fear is fear itself".  When I read those other stories about how plastics have all these estrogens that can cause cancer I have two reactions:  my immediate one is the panic many people have which is what the screaming headlines are trying to elicit.  The fear is irrational which just proves that those articles are effective.  And then there is the rational doctor/scientist reaction that analyzes the data and puts it in perspective.
How can you, a person who deals with plastic every day, begin to even deal with the information?  First take the FDR and the NPR approach.  Don't give into fear but approach the information in a rational way.  Thanks to small business grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation (your tax dollars at work) there are reasonable cost-effective methods that big business can take advantage of.  While you and I are waiting for business to incorporate those solutions into their manufacturing procedures to make safer bottles, plastic baggies and containers that we use every day, what can we do?
1.  Don't panic and look at the big picture as FDR did (with some help from Eleanor, his amazing wife).  The biggest risk to your health today is getting in a car accident.  So if you really want to increase your life expectancy, keep  away  from cars!
2.  Meanwhile, there are small changes we can make in our lives to limit our exposures to plastics:
  a.  Wrap our leftovers in foil before putting them in plastic containers.
  b.  Heat food in glass in the microwave or glass or metal in the oven.  Those new plastic containers that can be put in the oven are convenient but at what cost?
  c.  Plastic bags are being banned in many neighborhood grocery stores.  If yours still can use them, it doesn't mean you should.  Get in the habit of bringing reusable cloth bags.
  d.  Use metal water bottles
  e.  Don't let your baby use a bottle for a pacifier.  Your baby does not need a bottle in the car.  Decrease  their exposure to the amount of time there is a plastic nipple in their mouths.  Get them in the habit of drinking sitting down and then going back to their other activities.
  f.  Use ceramic or glass plates and metal utensils.
  g.  My husband takes leftovers off the table and puts plastic wrap over the top, just like his mother does.  That used to bother me, but it looks like that is probably healthier than my way of transferring the food from the glass bowl and putting it into a plastic container.

These are just a few of my suggestions.  What are yours?  Please share.


1.  I  did my homework and I read the article.  Here is the citation if you want to read it also:  Yang CZ, Yaniger SI, Jordan VC, Klein DJ, Bittner GD 2011. Most Plastic Products Release Estrogenic Chemicals: A Potential Health Problem That Can Be Solved. Environ Health Perspect :-. doi:10.1289/ehp.1003220)  

Should the Girl Scouts Join Cookie Monster and Give Up Cookies?

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time again.  I have been hit up to buy cookies by family members, at the grocery store, and even at an exclusive movie star neighborhood street corner in Brentwood, California.  And I have to wonder, with all that obesity out there, is it really good for the Girl Scouts to promote cookie sales?
Let's first examine what the girls get out of selling cookies.
1.  They have to plan.  Each troop decides to whom they will sell (friends and families only or do they want to have a booth?)
2.  Goal Setting and Delayed Gratification.  What will they do with the money?  Does the troop have long term or short term goals?   This will help determine how many boxes of cookies they need to sell to reach their goals - both as individuals and as a troop.
3.  Math and Budget Skills.    Usually with the help of the adults, they have to balance some pretty big numbers.  The girls learn about where money goes.   Some of the money goes to them, but most of what is collected goes elsewhere.  The first time they learn this is always a shock but they also learn about giving to the larger community. (Kind of like the lesson you learn when you get your first paycheck with taxes taken out!)
4.  Teamwork and Selling Skills.  Trying to get a new troop of young girls organized to sell cookies for the first time is like herding cats.   Each girl has a unique approach.  For success they need to learn to work together.  They also learn how to approach potential buyers as well as how to accept rejection.
5.  Character.  They have to make decisions on whether or not it is more important to act in an ethical way or to sell more cookies.

BUT, couldn't they teach all this and sell something else?

Well, I think the Girl Scouts are actually teaching one more thing by continuing to sell cookies.  Let me explain.  I overheard two doctors discussing how many Girl Scout thin mint cookies constitute a serving.  Along came a third doctor who was well -known for his love of thin mints.  (He orders a case of them each year.)  "Dr. Mint," he was asked "will you settle an argument for us?  Are there  3 or 4 thin mints in a serving?"  "Why, neither" He answered. "Everyone knows a serving of thin mints is one box!"  And there in lies the problem; the eaters do not know portions or self-control.
The Girl Scouts have made their cookies sales into another teachable moment.  Girl Scout cookies are special.  They are only available once a year.   They are worth savoring.  And that is what all special treats should be about.  Girl Scouts help girls to develop values, and that includes food values.  Not all foods have equal nutritional value nor should they be eaten with equal frequency. To quote Cookie Monster "Cookies are a sometime food".  That is a more difficult lesson to teach than to just stop selling cookies.
And that is where I think that Sesame Street went wrong with Cookie Monster.  Cookie Monster acts like a typical 2 year old.  Instead of changing his personality and making him something he is not, they could have made him a teachable moment too, and taught about portion control.  Instead they took the easy way out and just had him eat vegetables.  Two year olds do not believe that "cookies are a sometime food".

 So to get back to the question Should Girl Scouts continue to sell cookies?  I have to answer, YES, because:
Number 6.  Special Treats Are Occasional and Worth Savoring.  If Girl Scouts didn't sell cookies, they wouldn't learn this lesson which is just as important as the other ones.  A campaign of "Just say no to junk food" is not going to work.  Instead, enjoy a few Girl Scout cookies now (with milk!) as a special  treat and know that we will be back next year.