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WELL ADJUSTED BABIESDr Jennifer Barham-FloreaniBACH. APP. CLINICAL SCI. AND BACH. CHIROPRACTIC

WHICH FOODS WHEN—GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT

“Our lives are not in the lap of the gods but in the lap of our cooks”LIN YUTANG

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DISCLAIMER

Please read carefully...

Well Adjusted Babies addresses a number of health issues and countless published papers, articlesand books have been sourced. Within the limitations of human nature, Vitality Productions hascompiled these as accurately as possible.

The contents of this book, all text, graphics, images, studies and information are for informationalpurposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diag-nosis, or treatment. Please do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking itbecause of something you have read in this book.

This information is not meant to prevent, alleviate, or cure any disease or disorder. Always seek theadvice of a holistic-orientated physician, doctor of chiropractic or other qualified health providerwith any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

The purpose of this book is to compliment, amplify, and supplement other text. You are urged toread all the available material, learn as much as possible about pregnancy, subluxations, chiro-practic, health and wellness, and tailor the information to your individual needs. Every mother,unborn child and family are unique with their own individual health needs.

Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedlyarising from any information or suggestion on this website or in any of the Well Adjusted Babiesproducts. Further, if you suspect that you have a medical problem, we urge you to seek professionalmedical help.

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When I read this quote by Yutang, “Our lives are not in the lap of the gods but inthe laps of our cooks”, I find myself muttering a quiet “Alleluia!” I am always

astounded that there is so much to learn about wholesome nutrition, and equally sad-dened by how little some parents seem to know about healthy food choices.

When I began updating this chapter for the second edition, I was so excited and pas-sionate about making fundamental nutritional concepts applicable to everydayparenting, that before long it was evident that we had enough content for another book.I am often known as the ‘Quantity Queen’—because I love all forms of abundance—soI was distressed at not being able to adequately extend these nutrition chapters. As I hitresistance from my advisors I sat back and reflected, asking for greater clarity. Godworks in funny ways and we soon realised that herein lay the beginning of our subse-quent book, Which Foods When—Creating Recipes for Every Stage in Life.

In this particular chapter I hope to establish basic nutritional concepts for babiesand infants and in the subsequent, elaborate with some brief healthy eating princi-ples. It is my pleasure to also provide parents with further information, nutritionalconcepts and answers to questions via the Well Adjusted Babies website blog.

The old saying of “We are what we eat” is very true, however we are also “Howwell we digest and absorb our food”. There are many people who eat extremely ‘well’and yet are not as healthy and vibrant as they could be, due to poor digestion. Poordigestion and absorption can lead to food sensitivities, fatigue, migraines—in fact,an array of health problems—while elimination problems can result in constipation,diarrhoea and more sinister diseases such as cancer.

An adult’s digestive health experience is most certainly related to the digestivestrength established and fostered during childhood. Inappropriate food introduc-tion during childhood can compromise digestive strength for life.

Infants are born with immature digestive systems that are not able to easily breakdown and assimilate foods. The enzymes of an infant’s digestive system are as yetneither plentiful nor efficient. The digestive system is also extremely porous, hencethe importance of the correct introduction of solid foods.

A child’s future digestive capacity can be weakened by early exposure to poor foodchoices and common dietary allergens. Digestive weakness can persist, increasingthe likelihood of chronic childhood and adult illnesses.

The digestive system houses the largest part of a child's immune system; in fact,it is estimated that approximately 60% of our immune cells reside in our colon.Unfortunately, toxins and dietary allergens can fundamentally affect and overloadour digestive capacity.

The top eight allergens responsible for 90% of food-related allergic reactions are

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milk, wheat, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. With the careful intro-duction of certain foods at particular ages, we can potentially minimise foodsensitivities and allergies. If an older child already exhibits an allergy, periods of de-sensitisation prove highly beneficial.

Children require specific food preparations until their digestive capacity has hadsufficient time to mature. These methods are outlined later in this chapter. Withcontinued good nutrition a child’s digestion will naturally strengthen and mature bythe age of six or seven, and continue to do so as they grow.

OPTIMAL FOOD CHOICES FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Over the years I have examined a wide range of nutritional disciplines, fromancient philosophies to new age diets, and there do indeed appear to be wholesomeprinciples common to them all. Ironically, these principles are not so common toour western style of living.

To fully appreciate why certain foods should be introduced at certain ages, I’d liketo share with you some principles from Ayurvedic medicine.

Dr Laurence Palevsky, in his article “A Holistic Perspective on the Digestive Systemof Infants and Children” 1, speaks of the human gut being a place that we ‘cook’ ourfood in order to draw the most nourishment from it. “On the whole, infants have aninherently weak digestive heating system, which I refer to as a weak or flickering pilotlight. It is important to offer them a balance of foods that either strengthens, or at thevery least, does not weaken it.” According to Ayurvedic medicine, different foods havea cold, dampening or smothering affect on digestive fire. Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) systems coin these effects as “cooling, drying or moistening”.

AN IDEAL DIET FOR INFANTS

It is important to remember that the following rec-ommendations are an ideal diet for an infant’s digestivecapacity and not that of an adult. Most adults in west-ern society would benefit (unless TCM has determineda spleen deficiency) from prioritising fresh and raworganic fruits and vegetables over cooked varieties. Anideal diet for infants consists of the following foods:

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• Cooked foods made up of:

— Whole, fresh, organic vegetables and fruits. Be sure to include highly nutri-tious sea vegetables (e.g. seaweed or kelp).

— Organic or antibiotic and hormone-free meats.

— Organic poultry and eggs from grass-fed animals.

— Wild, fresh fish.

— Pre-soaked and well cooked organic legumes, such as beans (pinto, navy,kidney and black), chickpeas, lentils, and black-eyed peas.

— Organic whole grains.

• Fresh/raw organic fruits and vegetables.

• Water

HOW SHOULD WE PORTION OR PRIORITISE THESE?

I am hesitant to recommend a prescriptive approach to food portioning or food ratios.

Aside from the misinformed dietary guidelines outlined in our western “FoodPyramid”, there appear to be many other ‘dieting rules and ratios’ that we seem tofocus on, rather than the rationale behind these recommendations.

I am even hesitant to suggest a particular number of pieces of fruit or vegetablesper day that your child should consume. I can only recommend that certain foodsare best introduced at particular ages, that appetites will vary from child to child,and one individual child’s appetite will naturally ebb and flow.

What I do hope to achieve with this chapter, however, is an appreciation for theright foods, so that deciding on your child’s daily food ratios will seem logical andstraight-forward.

For reasons that I elaborate on in great depth in Which Foods When – CreatingRecipes for Every Stage in Life, I recommend prioritising foods in the following order:

LARGE AMOUNTS OF ‘GOOD QUALITY CARBOHYDRATES’

(PREFERABLY ORGANIC) SUCH AS VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

Health experts agree that we should consume (above all other food groups) largeamounts of high quality carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables. I cannot stressenough the importance of organic fresh produce and the high yield of vitamins andminerals they contain.


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LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER

Water should constitute one of the most important elements in your child's diet.In fact, all the cell and organ functions constituting our entire anatomy and physi-ology depend on water. The body cannot work without water, and many children arefrequently dehydrated and suffer constipation and digestive problems as a result.

A mere 2% drop in our body's water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: fuzzyshort-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on smallerprint, such as a computer screen.1

MODERATE PORTIONS OF WHOLE PROTEINS AND ‘GOOD QUALITY’ FATS

I have placed these two groups together because there is a large overlap within foodsources of fats and proteins. Typically, any source of protein that has been madefrom an animal is considered a ‘whole protein’, while it is suggested that a ‘light pro-tein’ can be created by combining a legume with a grain within the same meal,thereby offering all ‘essential amino acids’.

Sources of protein and high quality fats include: Cold water fish, meats, chicken,nuts, nut butters, nut oils, seeds, free-range organic eggs, avocado, olive oil, organicbutter, high quality cheese and yoghurt.

Fats have acquired a bad reputation over the years for all the wrong reasons, andmost of us have been indoctrinated to avoid all forms in our diet. In most cases,reduced fat items are far worse for us than the real thing. ‘Low-fat’ food items aregenerally high in carbohydrates (sugar), artificial sugars, artificial fats and chemicals.Most health experts now recommend that we should just eat the ‘real thing’—goodquality fats in modest quantities. Please refer to Good Fats and Oils Versus Bad Fatsand Oils in Chapter 23.

MODERATE PORTIONS OF ’LESSER-QUALITY’ CARBOHYDRATES

(WHOLE GRAINS)

‘Whole grains’ refers to grains that have retained all parts of the grain seed (some-times called the kernel). These parts of the kernel are called the bran, the germ andthe endosperm. When whole grains are later processed, some of the dietary fibre andother important nutrients are removed and unfortunately lost. A processed grain iscalled a ‘refined’ grain.

A whole grain has not been refined, nor has it had the bran removed; examplesinclude brown rice, spelt, barley, rye, quinoa, millet and amaranth. You can find outif the food you are eating is made of whole grains by looking at the ingredients list


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of the food label. The whole grain should be the first ingredient listed. The follow-ing are some examples of how whole grains could be listed: brown rice, buckwheat,bulgur (cracked wheat).

MINIMAL ‘POOR QUALITY’ CARBOHYDRATES

These troublesome carbohydrates are high in quick, useable energy, such as sugarand starch, and generally lack any substantial nutrients. They include all refined,white flour products, such as breads, pastries, white rice and instant rice. Often theyalso include an array of additives.

Please consider age-appropriate time frames (discussed in later sections) for all ofthe food groups.

WHOLESOME COOKING METHODS

Let’s take a moment to consider the effect different cooking methods have on thenutritional content of food.

The microwaving of broccoli, for instance, has been found to destroy 97% of theflavonoids (a natural antioxidant found in fruit and vegetables which helps to main-tain the body's health and protect it against disease). Conventional boiling destroys66%, and high-pressure boiling causes considerable leaching into the cooking water.2

Steaming, however, has been shown to produce minimal loss.

Wholesome cooking methods for children include those that use lower flames,thereby cooking foods for longer periods of time.

Initially it is best to steam or bake fruits and vegetables for your baby and thenpurée them, rather than use traditional methods of boiling and mashing. Steamingand baking preserve the natural goodness in vegetables better than any other method.

WHOLESOME METHODS:

• Steaming—takes longer than simply boiling but helps foods to retain vitaminsand minerals that are often transferred into the water used for cooking.

• Stewing—refrain from tipping off excess liquid; purée liquids and solids togetheras one.

• Puréeing

• Baking


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• Roasting

• Sautéing

Boiling is the least preferable method of cooking, while frying or other methods ofhigh temperature cooking are not recommended at all, and may weaken the diges-tive ‘pilot light’.

Using wholesome cooking methods for your infant may literally require a year ofmastering homemade casseroles, soups, dips and spreads—but it is worth it!

WHOLESOME NUTRITIONAL TIPSFOR WELL ADJUSTED INFANTS AND CHILDREN

1. Solely breastfeed for as long as you can.

Refer to Chapter 23—Ten Best Parenting Tips for the New Millennium.

2. Go organic (wherever and whenever possible) and prioritise ‘in season’ foods thatare grown locally. Please see Chapter 23 for more information on organic foods.

What do I mean by ‘in season’? In winter, we naturally gravitate to and feel mostnourished by root vegetables, such as onions and potatoes; warming foodswhich are cooked and served hot. In summer we tend to want more fresh fruitsand salads. Summer fruits bought in supermarkets in the wintertime may notbe a natural, nutrient-rich source of vitamins. Please refer to Chapter 6 for infoon Food Irradiation.

Many countries, including Australia, now irradiate certain produce, whichdepletes the food of its nutrients. Please see Chapter 6 for more information onirradiation, and which imported goods are most likely to be irradiated.

3. Choose foods that are whole and simple and as close to their ‘natural state’as possible.

Refer to Chapter 23.

4. Focus on warm, cooked foods.

For optimal digestion for infants, focus on foods that are lightly cooked andserved warm. Predominantly offering foods that are either cold in temperatureor cool in nature can weaken digestive fire and reduce the child's capacity toheat and digest foods efficiently.

Cooking food supports digestive energy and also enables it to be more easily


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digested since infants have few, if any, teeth and are not able to chew their foodwell. Until your child has a number of teeth, focus on cooking fruits (please seeWhich Food When Chart later in this chapter) rather than offering raw fruits toooften. Any raw fruits that you offer should ideally be ‘in season’.

5. Keep in mind age-appropriate timeframes for all foods.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, certain foods should be withheld until a cer-tain time, due to their digestive properties. Bananas, for example, are heavy,thick fruits which may affect digestive fire; nutrition experts also suggest thatbananas can be ‘mucus producing’ and that they may cause constipation. Whenyou examine the Which Foods When Chart, you will see that I suggest with-holding bananas until 9–12 months of age.

6. Avoid wheat, dairy and refined sugars for the first 12–18 months.

Discussed later in this chapter and in Chapter 23.

7. Avoid offering too many foods in one meal.

An infant’s digestive capacity is still gaining strength. Keep meals plain and simple.

8. Plan your meals in advance.

Try to feed your infant their meals at regular times each day and well before theyare starving and pleading for food—well before they are too tired to eat well!

9. Avoid over-feeding your infant or offering them too many food options.

Offer your infant the foods that you desire they eat first. Refrain from offeringvariations in their menu. Be aware that boredom in the high chair may be thereason your infant seems disinterested in their meal.

Sometimes it is tricky to know if your child is actually full, or simply bored,tired, unwell or has ‘gone off ’ their food. Let your instincts be your guide.

10. Prioritise foods free of genetic modification, additives, preservatives andtrans fats (hydrogenated oils). Refer to Chapter 23.

11. Focus on good fats and oils and maximising Omega 3 intake.

Avoid cheap and nasty oils and spreads, or offering your infant greasy, oily foods.Discussed further in Chapter 23.

12. Regularly offer your child water over juices and soft drinks.

Teach children about the importance of regular water consumption.

13. Build your child’s gut and immune strength with regular probiotics.

Please see Probiotics For Babies section below.


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14. Build your child’s gut and immune strength with regular chiropractic check-ups. Refer to Chapter 21.

15. Celebrate meals with your child.

Congratulate them when they eat well and when they eat foods that will makethem strong and vibrant. Our children learn wholesome eating principles fromthe foods we promote.

PROBIOTICS FOR BABIES

More and more research is showing just how essential to health probiotics are for allages, including newborns and infants. Probiotics repair and support an infant’s diges-tive system. There are a number of studies showing the benefit of ‘good’ bacteria foran array of childhood health issues, such as colic, eczema, asthma and gastrointesti-nal symptoms associated with autism.

Acidophilus is often promoted via media as the only bacterium needed; however,it is just one strain of bacteria that inhabits a specific part of our bowel. There arein fact about 500 other beneficial strains of bacteria that play a vital role in helpingto keep the gut clean and healthy. In Chapter 23 we specifically discuss the role ofgood bacteria and the environmental toxins that destroy this important flora.

“Flora Care for Kids” by Metagenics is a fabulous probiotic formula ideal for every-day support of gut health and digestive function in children. Ask your healthpractitioner to source this product for you. The specific therapeutic probiotic strainsfound in this formula are immuno-supportive and have been shown to assist in thetreatment of atopic dermatitis, food allergies, and the boosting of immunity to pre-vent respiratory tract infections in infants and children. This product is alsodesigned to help restore healthy gut flora following antibiotic use and to preventinfectious diarrhoea in children.

WHEN TO START PROBIOTICS AND HOW OFTEN?

In most circumstances, parents should be able to start their newborns on a dairy-free probiotic almost straight away. Mothers who breastfeed can rub probiotics ontotheir nipples before a feed, while bottle-fed newborns can receive probiotics bymixing these beneficial powders into a bottle of formula after hot water has beenadded. Parents can provide infants with probiotics by mixing them into their foods.Ideally newborns and infants can have one serve of probiotics a day.


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COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ALLERGIC REACTIONS

Allergies and sensitivities can be diverse. Most of us, when we think of food allergies,reflect on the dangerous reactions to classic foods such as milk, wheat, soy, eggs, peanuts,tree nuts, fish or shellfish. These are known as Classic Food Allergies or Type 1 allergiesand evoke an immediate response from the immune system. They usually incite a quickitchy rash or a breathing or gastric reaction, and sometimes may even be fatal.

More commonplace are Type 2 allergies, known as food intolerances or sensitiv-ities, such as those caused by wheat or dairy, where reactions can be difficult toidentify and isolate. Food intolerances build up over time and can come and go withage. They are usually created by foods eaten repeatedly.

Information regarding cow's milk allergy and lactose intolerance is given inChapter 17 and also later in this chapter, while wheat and gluten sensitivities are dis-cussed in the following section and in Chapter 23.

We need to also be aware that many of the chemicals currently found in our foodsalso create intolerances known as Food Additive Reactions—please see the “Try toKeep Foods in their Natural State and Avoid Additives” section in Chapter 23 for fur-ther details. Other foods create allergic reactions by building up in the body untilthey induce a reaction. These allergic reactions are ‘dose-related’ and are seen par-ticularly with salicylate foods.

ALLERGIES

• Flushing

• Rashes

• Itching

• Vomiting

• Swelling of lips, tongue, throat

• Difficulty breathing, asthma

THE ALLERGIC FACE

• Runny congested nose

• Dark rings under eyes

• Red Ears

• Eczema

Your infant may show all of these signsor just a few.

FOOD INTOLERANCE

• Congestion with coughing, snifflingand runny nose

• Eczema

• Rash around the mouth

• Sever nappy rash

• Asthma

• Glue Ear

• Headaches or Migraines

• Aching muscles and joints

• Infantile insomnia

• Poor appetite

• Vomiting

• Stomach aches, colic (in babies)

• Persistent diarrhoea

• Behavioural disorders, including hyperactivity


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ALLERGIES AND FOOD INTOLERANCES

SOME COMMON ALLERGENS

NUT ALLERGIES

With over 200,000 Australian children alone suffering anaphylactic reactions tonuts3, it makes sense that many parents are fearful about this type of food. Whatdoesn’t make sense to me is why we have so many children today reacting to nutswhen only 2–3 decades ago the incidence of nut allergy was negligible.

Tree nuts are considered one of the top allergens. I have expressed some thoughtson the rapid rise of nut allergies in Chapter 15 and how vaccine ingredients—‘emul-sified peanut oil’ in particular—may be ultimately responsible.

Irrespective, many families have great concern about peanuts and tree nuts. I rec-ommend that families who do should avoid all nuts until after their child is fouryears of age. This time-frame may serve to minimise allergy.

Other families will be happy to introduce crushed nuts slowly at ages indicated onthe Which Foods When Chart.

Tree nuts include: almond, brazil, cashew, chestnut, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan,pine nut, pistachio, walnut.

SULPHUR FOOD ALLERGIES

A sensitivity that is often not considered or acknowledged with any great depth isintolerance to sulphur foods and salicylates. I hesitate to call these allergies, as theyare yet to be deemed ‘classic food allergies’; however, as the number of children whonow suffer immediate and severe reactions to these particular foods escalates, itwon’t be long before more practitioners identify these allergy foods.

Sulphur allergies may pass from one generation to the next with minor afflictionsor with significant skin and bowel irritations. More and more we are also seeing sul-phation issues and allergies in children with autism.

Sulphur in the human body is known as the ‘heating’ element. If you notice thatyou or your child’s skin generally feels red, hot or puffy, or if your family are proneto eczema, a sulphur allergy may be one plausible explanation. If your child devel-ops a lot of gas after eating the sulphur foods listed below, this may also be anindicator. Some babies suffer unexplained heat rashes and aggressive looking skinirritations brought on by breastfeeding mothers consuming a high sulphur diet.

The body needs sulphur in order to work efficiently, so it is not wise to eliminate


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all sulphur-containing foods from your diet. If your family does, however, have asulphur allergy and you wish to start your infant on solids, I would recommendthat you avoid or minimise foods with high sulphur content for the first twelvemonths. I would cross these items off your Which Foods When Chart until suchtime has passed and then slowly introduce them one by one.

Also to err on the side of caution, I would withhold avocado (which can generallybe offered between 6–9 months) until after nine months. All other foods and time-frames for the Which Foods When Chart should still be appropriate.

SALICYLATE ALLERGIES

Salicylates are a family of plant chemicals found naturally in many foods. Thesechemicals help to fruit ripen naturally.

Reactions to salicylates are not allergic reactions as such but are considered ‘dose-related’—i.e. an inability of the body to handle more than a certain dose of salicylate(like alcohol effects are dose-related). Each person has different reactions and tolerances.

These natural salicylates are aspirin-like substances that can create nervoussystem sensitivities such as hyperactivity.5 Artificial salicylates tend to create evenmore problems and are found in artificial food colourings and preservatives.6

Salicylates are found in fruits and vegetables, nuts, herbs, spices, jams, honey,yeast extracts, tea, coffee, juices, beer and wine. They are also found in medications,some health products, toothpastes, perfumes and scented toiletries.

If a salicylate sensitivity is suspected, it is best to first avoid these foods in orderto assess whether health improves or whether familiar complaints or symptomsreturn. If complaints or symptoms disappear during avoidance, parents may like to‘challenge’ themselves or their child’s capacity to handle salicylates by eating foodson the list below to determine the tolerance level.

Common complaints and symptoms caused by salicylates include: skin problems(itching, rash, urticaria and acne), swelling of the face, hands or feet, breathing dif-

FOODS WITH HIGH SULPHUR CONTENT:4 egg yolk, horseradish, kale, cauliflower,

cabbage, watercress, chervil, brussels sprouts, dried figs, cranberries.

Other sources: artichokes, asparagus, avocados, black currants, blueberries, brazilnuts, broccoli, carrots, celery, cheese, cherries, chestnuts, chicory, chives, coconut,corn, cucumber, dill, garlic, grapes, grains, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, leaf lettuce,legumes, lima beans, meat protein, mustard, nuts and seeds, oats, okra, onions,pak choi, parsley, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radishes, rutabaga, shallots, spinach,swiss chard, ripe tomatoes, white turnips.


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ficulties, asthma, persistent cough, stomach pains and upset, other abdominal pain,dandruff, mental changes, behaviour changes, memory or concentration problems.Sensitivity to salicylates appears to have high correlation with hyperactivity.

• Low salicylate foods—can eat any amount

• Moderate salicylate foods—can tolerate one, two or three average servings perday from this total group of foods.

• High salicylate foods—can tolerate only half an average serving per day of onefood from this group IF none from the moderate group is eaten that day.

• Very high salicylate foods—none tolerated, not even a little.

VERY HIGHApricotsAvocadoBerries andCherriesBroad BeansBroccoliCauliflowerDatesEggplantHerbsGherkinsGrapefruitsKiwifruitMandarinsMintMushroomOlivesOrange andTangerinePassionfruitPineapplePeppersPlumsPrunesRaspberryRaisinsRed GrapesSalamiSausagesSeasoned MeatsSultanasTangeloTomatoes

HIGH–MODERATEAlfalfaApplesArtichokesBoysenberryCorn and cornproductsCucumberCranberryFigGuavaLemonLycheeMost Nuts andSeedsMangos NectarineOnionPeach RockmelonSpinachWatermelonZucchini

MODERATEAsparagusBeetroot CarrotsChinese vegeta-bles (excepticeberg/low) Green PeasLettuce ParsnipPotatoPumpkinSnow PeasSweet PotatoTurnip

LOW–NEGLIGIBLEBananasBeefCabbageChickenCeleryEggsFats and OilsFishGreen BeansLambLeeksPearsSugarsSoy Milk


SALICYLATE LEVELS IN FOODS7

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If your family suffer intolerances to salicylates, choose fruit and vegetable items onthe Low to Negligible list first and foremost when considering the Which FoodsWhen Chart.

WHEAT AND GLUTEN ALLERGIES

With the huge increase in childhood eczema, asthma and ear infections, we arestarting to see nutritional advice suggesting that both wheat and dairy based foodsbe delayed for at least the first 12–15 months of an infant’s life.8 Delaying theseitems allows your child's gut and bowel time to mature before exposure to suchstrong allergens. By this age the majority of children will be less likely to developsensitivity or exhibit signs of intolerance.9

It is easy to see how parents can become confused with this issue though, whenHealth and Community Services pamphlets10 recommend wheat at six months anddairy at nine months.

Cow’s milk, wheat and gluten are some of the most prevalent allergens known.Research indicates that the effects of gluten peptides can last considerably longer inthe body than the peptides created by casein (cow’s milk protein).11

Many people will have sensitivities to wheat and gluten in varying degrees.Some people suffer delayed effects, such as mild stomach aches after consumingwheat, while people who suffer from coeliac disease have complete gluten intol-erance. Gluten is the protein component of grain found in wheat, rye, barley andoats, and this permanent intolerance of gluten results in damage to the intestineupon consumption. Such damage, though, is generally reversible with avoidanceof dietary gluten.12

Because wheat is found in so many foods, it is imperative to read the ingredientslist of a product if you want to minimise wheat intake for your children. The WhichFoods When Chart in this chapter clarifies when to introduce gluten-free grains,gluten grains, wheat and other items.

When an item is labelled as 'gluten-free', it will usually mean it is also wheat-free.If an item is labelled 'wheat-free', this does not necessarily mean it is gluten-free,although some people may be able to tolerate the oats or barley that may have beenused instead.

New products from Biohawk may aid digestion and help relieve allergies andfood intolerance. These products use a blend of rhizomes from the ginger family,known to naturally assist digestive function. Refer to www.biohawk.com.au


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THE #1 ALLERGEN—COW’S MILK PROTEIN

Did you know that cow’s milk is the first allergen to which infants commonly react?13

In the United States, pasteurised milk is said to be the number one allergic food.14

Many health experts now suggest that if cow’s milk is introduced too early in lifeto susceptible children, it can trigger the onset of juvenile diabetes, asthma, eczemaand a variety of allergic conditions.15

The American Academy of Paediatricsadvises parents not to give their children

dairy milk before their first birthday.16

Dr Frank Oski, former Chief of Paediatrics at Johns Hopkins University Hospital,elaborates: "It is my thesis that whole milk should not be fed to the infant in thefirst year of life because of its association with iron deficiency anaemia, occult

ITEMS THAT CONTAIN...

GLUTEN

• Wheat flour

• Durum wheat (pasta)

• Bran

• Rye (low-gluten)

• Oats

• Barley

• Semolina

• Starch

• Malt and malt vinegar

• Prepared stuffing

• Mixed (pie) spice

• Rusks

• Sausages and cold meats

• Bakers flour

• Soy sauce

WHEAT

• Wheat protein, including all forms ofbread

• Breadcrumbs, e.g. schnitzel

• Tortillas, corn chips

• Most breakfast cereals, muesli,crackers and crisp breads

• Batter—found on fish, potato cakes, etc

• Pastry, e.g. pies, croissants, Danishpastries

• Cakes, biscuits, pancakes, scones

• Noodles

• Sausages and some cold meats,including salami

• Prepared stuffing

• Packaged and tinned soups

• Most pastes, gravies, custardpowder, corn flours (not puremaize), soft icing sugars

• Filled chocolate

• Monosodium glutamate


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gastrointestinal bleeding, and various manifestations of food allergy."

Dr Robert M. Kradjian, Breast Surgery Chief of California's Seton Medical Centre,after systematically reviewing the archives of medical and scientific journals, thinkswe shouldn't drink any milk at all! 17

He states, “The main focus of the published reports seems to be among childrenwith intestinal colic, intestinal irritation, intestinal bleeding, anaemia, allergic reac-tions in infants and children as well as allergy, ear and tonsillar infections,bedwetting, asthma and childhood diabetes. In adults the problems seemed centredmore around heart disease and arthritis, allergy, sinusitis, and the more seriousquestions of leukaemia, lymphoma and cancer.

“Contamination of milk by cow’s blood and white (pus) cells [due to mastitis incows] as well as a variety of chemicals and insecticides was also discussed."

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?

The pH environment of an infant’s stomach is almost neutral. This unfortunatelyallows milk proteins to travel undigested through the stomach into the intestines,where an assault takes place and the proteins are absorbed straight into the baby’sbloodstream.18

When the lining of a sensitive infant’s intestines is irritated by the attack on theseproteins (possibly revealed by intestinal bleeding, diarrhoea or colic in babiesexposed to dairy), more proteins are able to cross into the bloodstream to causeheightened immune responses throughout the body, such as eczema and asthma.19

The longer you wait before exposing your child to cow’s milk proteins and otherallergens, the less your child’s chances of developing sensitivity.

There is an enormous amount of research questioning the validity of pasteurisedmilk as a health food.

THE MYTH OF PASTUERISATION

Pasteurisation is the term used to describe the rapid heating of milk to 70 degreesCelsius. The process is designed to destroy bacteria such as listeria, E. coli and sal-monella. Public health officials warn that raw milk (unpasteurised) poses the risk oftransmitting these bacteria. Furthermore, pasteurisation's great claim to popularityis the widespread belief (fostered by manufacturers) that tuberculosis in children iscaused by the harmful germs found in raw milk.

However, research into the spread of tuberculosis by milk show, among other facts,that over a period of five years, only one case of the disease occurred that was attrib-utable to raw milk, whilst 14 cases were from pasteurised milk.20

It has now been shown that pasteurisation destroys beneficial enzymes and


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bacteria that help to digest the milk. What remains is often toxic and stressfulfor the body.21

For example, lactase is eliminated, yet it is necessary for the assimilation of lactose,as is galactase needed for the assimilation of galactose, and phosphatase required toassimilate calcium.

Heating also increases rancidity of saturated milk fats, encourages free radicaldamage, and affects availability of minerals such as calcium, chlorine, magne-sium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and sulphur.22

There is such a vast amount of research to support delaying the introduction ofcow’s milk and dairy for at least the first 12 months of an infant’s life, that it sur-prises me the powerful influence dairy corporations still hold.

Please refer to “When Should I Introduce My Infant to Dairy and How Often?” sec-tion later in this chapter for more information on unpasteurised milk.

BUT ISN’T MILK CONSIDERED A HEALTH FOOD?

According to a report by Finnish researchers and the Hospital for Sick Children inToronto23, “Finland has the world's highest rate of dairy product consumption and theworld's highest rate of insulin dependent diabetes. In Finland the disease strikes about40 children out of every 1000. Antibodies produced against the milk protein duringthe first year of life, the researchers speculate, also attack and destroy the pancreas (dueto the similarities between cow’s milk insulin and human insulin) in a so-called auto-immune reaction, producing diabetes in people whose genetic makeup leaves themvulnerable." Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the US today.

When an infant who is sensitive to cow’s milk fills up with destructive immuneantibodies in response to milk exposure, the islet cells of the pancreas become sub-ject to destruction at the same time.24

A 1990 Canadian study25 found a significant positive correlation between consumptionof milk protein and the incidence of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in data from var-ious countries. A 95% correlation was found, whereby the rate of childhood diabetes indairy-consuming and formula-using nations is up to 35 times that in non-dairy nations.

Not only is early exposure to cow’s milk proteins a risk factor for childhood dia-betes, but three or more glasses of milk per day during childhood leads to aquadrupled risk of diabetes.26

Dr Frank A. Oski, director of Johns Hopkins Children Centre, continued with hisstatement that “There is really no nutritional reason anyone should drink milk.” 27

He states that proteins in cow’s milk may trigger the production of antibodiesthat destroy insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, thus leading to diabetes. Hefurther states that milk is low in iron, and can cause further iron depletion


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through intestinal tract bleeding. Many people, especially Africans, Asians andSouthern Europeans, have trouble digesting the milk sugar, lactose.

Milk can produce gastrointestinal distress in lactose-intolerant people. Also,whole milk is a source of saturated fat, which contributes to cardiovascular disease.He strongly recommends, “Cow’s milk is for cows.” For information regarding A1and A2 cow’s milk, please refer to our Calcium e-Book available online atwww.welladjustedbabies.com/products.

SURELY KIDS CAN BENEFIT FROM DRINKING MILK?

Not so, clinical studies say. Not only is pasteurised cow’s milk one suggested linkfor bone weakening, but heavy consumption may also create a lifetime of illness.Many leading paediatricians contend that milk allergies, very common in chil-dren, can cause sinus problems, diarrhoea, constipation and fatigue. Milkallergies are suggested to be a leading cause of chronic ear infections. They havebeen linked to behaviour problems and to the rise of childhood asthma.28

BUT WHAT ABOUT CALCIUM FOR BONES AND TEETH?

Most parents are aware that calcium is essential for healthy bones, and as suchthey try to give their children plenty of milk to strengthen bones. Some health andmaternal nurses and well-meaning family members even raise alarm bells, purport-ing that children must consume milk and dairy to achieve their sufficient dailycalcium intake. For this reason, parents often wish to hastily add dairy products totheir young infant’s menu.

Reading this, you are probably wondering what will happen to your bones andteeth if you stop drinking milk, right?

Well, let me assure you that the majority of the world's population takes in less thanhalf the calcium we are told we need (from the research funded by dairy corporations)and yet they have strong bones and healthy teeth. There are many other sources ofcalcium in our diet and I have included a list of these later in this section.

Only in the industrialised West, as a 19th century urban phenomenon, is uncul-tured milk consumed by the glass. Traditionally, dairy products were cultured orfermented and eaten as yoghurt, cheese, curds or whey. This was partly for storage,partly for nutrition. Dairy was (and still is in Mediterranean cultures) considered tobe a condiment rather than a food staple.

Popular media campaigns and most orthodox health practitioners encourage us tobelieve that milk is the best way to keep our bones strong—but is it really? Most ofthese claims are derived from companies who are heavily invested in making usthink that we need milk.

Irrespective of age, calcium is a mineral essential for strong bones and teeth. Lack


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of the right kind of readily absorbable calcium in the diet can lead to dental decay,rickets and other associated bone diseases. Calcium is also necessary for correctmuscle function, blood clotting and transmission of nerve messages. Calcium isneeded for insulin secretion and enzyme regulation.

Interestingly, calcium cannot function alone. It needs supportive substances suchas phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin D, which stimulate effective calcium absorp-tion into the body.29 Herein lies the quandary as to whether in fact cow’s milk is agood source of calcium.

Even with decades of effort to demonstrate that high calcium diets chiefly derivedfrom dairy products build strong bones, it appears that there is no such correlationbetween cow’s milk and bone strength.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health,30 “Calcium is important. Butmilk isn’t the only, or even best, source of calcium.” They continue, “It is not clearthat we need as much calcium as is generally recommended, and it is not clearthat dairy products are really the best source of calcium for most people.

“While calcium and dairy can lower the risk of osteoporosis and colon cancer,high intake can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer.

“Dairy products can also be high in saturated fat as well as retinol (vitamin A),which at high levels can paradoxically weaken bones.”

A Harvard Nurses Study31 determined that there is no positive association betweenteenage milk consumption and the risk of adult fractures. Another twelve-year studyof 78,000 nurses found that women who drank more than one glass of milk per dayhad a 45% greater chance of hip fractures compared to those who drank far less.32

Due to casein's (the milk protein found in milk) strong affinity for calcium, longi-tudinal studies have shown that this relationship in fact leaches calcium from ourbody. Interestingly, the five highest dairy-consuming countries in the world alsohave the highest incidence of osteoporosis.33 The emerging consensus among sci-entists is that osteoporosis results from calcium loss, not insufficient calciumintake—and that dairy products, because of their high protein content (andacidic nature) promote calcium loss.

Interestingly, the best source of absorbable calcium is via organic fruit and vegeta-bles. A balanced vegetable-based diet and moderate exercise are believed to be twoother basic ingredients for a life full of health and vitality.

Inadequate vitamin D (displaced by the vitamin A in dairy products) can hamperthe body’s ability to use calcium. High intakes of carbonated soft-drinks, salt, caf-feine and alcohol also promote loss of calcium.

Today, there is a mountain of evidence to suggest there are fewer nutritional or otherhealth advantages when consuming cow’s milk than we have been lead to believe. The


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more I read in relation to this topic, the more I am convinced that dairy is, for the mostpart, unnecessary in our diet, and more alarmingly, is toxic and harmful. Please alsorefer to Chapter 5 for Some of the Bad News About Dairy: 15 Points to Consider and5 Points to Celebrate.

FOODS THAT MAY CONTAIN CASEIN (COW’S MILK PROTEIN) 34

OBVIOUS SOURCES:

• Acidophilus milk

• Butter, butter fat, butter flavoured oil,buttermilk

• Buttermilk solids

• Casein and caseinates, includingammonium calcium, magnesium,potassium and sodium caseinates

• Cheese (all types), cheese flavours, cottage cheese

• Condensed milk , cultured milk

• Cream, cream cheese curds

• Custard

• Ice cream, ice milk (used in some icecreams)

• Instant creamwhips

• Lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate

• Lactate, lactic acid (this is found natu-rally in sour milk but also commerciallyproduced from whey, cornstarch, pota-toes and molasses—if listed as aningredient you must verify its source)

• Lacto globulin

• Lactose, lactulose

• Low-fat milk, evaporated milk, fat-freemilk

• Malted milk

• Margarines (only some are dairy free)

• Milk protein hydrolysate, wheyhydrolysate

• Milk solids, whole milk

• Powdered milk

• Skim milk, skim milk powder

• Sodium caseinates, sodium lactylate(may contain casein)

• Sour cream

• Whey

• Whipped cream

• Yoghurt

LESS OBVIOUS SOURCES:

• Biscuits, bread, cakes

• Coconut cream flavouring (may containmilk protein flavouring)

• Coffee creamer substitute

• Couscous cream

• Delactosed whey, whey cream yoghurt

• Goat’s cheese, goat’s milk

• Medicines

• Magnesium caseinates

• Non-dairy creamers

• Potato chips/crisps

• Pre-packaged broth and gravy

• Potassium caseinate

• Pudding (packet mix and tinned)

• Soup (instant, canned, packet—espe-cially cream varieties)

• Vitamins (some contain gluten and/orcasein)


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COMPARING SOURCES OF CALCIUM

It is relatively easy to maintain adequate calcium for our children and not relysolely on dairy. Parents need to provide a variety of calcium-rich foods, includingplant-based sources that contain magnesium, which will aid calcium absorption.

Here are some examples of calcium rich foods and how they compare:35

• 100 ml of cow’s milk contains 115 mg of calcium.

• 100 g of spinach contains 160 mg of calcium.

• 100 g of almonds contains 240 mg of calcium.

• 100 g of sardines contain 550 mg of calcium.

• 100 g of tahini paste (made from sesame seeds) contains 680 mg of calcium.

• 100 g of cheddar cheese contains 720 mg of calcium.

• 100g of arame seaweed (Eisenia bicyclis) yields 1170mg of calcium.

• 100 g of wakame seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida) contains 1300mg of calcium.

• 100 g of hiijiki seaweed (Hizikia fusiforme) contains 1400mg of calcium.

SOURCES OF CALCIUM

NON-DAIRY: Green leafy vegetables are the easiest answer for a quick source ofcalcium. Green vegetables are vital because they contain chlorophyll and there-fore magnesium. We need magnesium, phosphorous, vitamin D and fibre in orderto properly metabolise calcium.

Vegetables and legumes are also alkaline and do not deplete the body's calciumstores like acid-forming animal proteins. Examples are kale and collard greens,spinach, broccoli, parsley, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, Brussels sproutss,sea vegetables and watercress.

Interestingly, the outer green leaves of a cabbage have three times more calciumthan cow's milk. You could shred the cabbage and serve raw or slightly steamed,or put it through your juicer.

OTHERS: Fish with bones, dried beans, chickpeas, almonds, hazelnuts,macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, unhulled tahini, amaranth,millet, quinoa, brown rice, tofu, nori, figs and goat’s milk products.

Almonds are among the group of alkaline foods that are also calcium carriers; assuch, they have a beautiful balance of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium andother useful ingredients. Their protein value is high, and they contain more oftheir nutrient quota if you eat them with their skins on. Pre-soak them for smallchildren to make them safer and easier to eat. All nuts for infants should becrushed or blended.

DAIRY: Cheeses such as Parmesan, Swiss and cheddar, evaporated milk, yoghurt,skim and whole milk.


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Nori and many other Asian sea vegetables such as hijiki, wakame, kelp andkombu contain up to 11 times the calcium content of milk.35 From an early age itis a great idea to encourage our children to broaden their taste buds and try thesefoods. Miso soup containing these sea vegetables or nori (used for sushi) is a deli-cious way to reach our calcium target.

WHEN SHOULD I INTRODUCE MY INFANT TO DAIRY AND HOW OFTEN?

With a balanced diet incorporating a range of foods, I do not believe we need fer-mented dairy products and goat’s milk products more than a couple of times a week.

There is so much research discussing the ill-effects of pasteurised milk that I havewritten an entire e-book on this topic. I am yet to be convinced that anyone needsto consume pasteurised cow's milk at all. Please see Chapter 23 for healthy cow’smilk alternatives.

FIRST STEP: AFTER 12 MONTHS OF AGE, PARENTS MAY LIKE TO START WITH ORGANIC SOURED GOAT’S MILK PRODUCTS

Literature suggests that breast milk contains similar healthy bacteria to that ofsoured milk products. So if you are absolutely confident of no family history of acasein (milk protein) or lactose allergy, then at roughly 12 months of age, give yourinfant some organic soured goat's milk yoghurt. Following organic soured goat’s milkyoghurt, parents may like to introduce soured goat’s milk cheeses.

Delay this introduction for at least another six months should either parent sufferwith milk protein or lactose allergies.

The souring process involved with making yoghurt alters the biochemical natureof milk proteins and lactose, making them easier to digest. I would highly recom-mend parents make their own yoghurt—believe me, it is easier than you think!Parents can make their own yoghurt and flavour or sweeten these with stewed orfresh fruit, and/or organic maple syrup.

Some parents want to offer their infants milk to drink. Aside from simply being acultural habit to consume milk by the glass, please ask yourself—is it necessary?Remember, weaned infants do not require milk. There are many healthier optionsdiscussed in Chapter 23.

If you still want to give your infant some animal milk, then I would suggest intro-ducing them to goat’s milk roughly one month after you have introduced goat’s yoghurt.

Organic unpasteurised goat’s milk: Strangely, in some states but not in others,unpasteurised goat’s milk can legally be sold. Evidence suggests that goat’s milk has


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more easily digestible fat and protein than cow’s milk and 18% more calcium.Furthermore, it has 40% more magnesium and potassium.36

Goat’s milk is lower in folic acid and Vitamin B12 than cow’s milk,37 but these canbe sourced through non-dairy alternative sources of calcium (please refer to Sourcesof Calcium section above).

I have serious reservations about most pasteurised goat’s milk, which is often‘ultra-pasteurised’.38 Source unpasteurised (if legally sold) goat’s milk or the freshestform of pasteurised organic goats’ milk via the markets or health food store.

Soy yoghurts: If you would particularly like to use soy, then I would advise you tofind an organic soy yoghurt that is low in sugar and additive free. Please also refer toA Word on Soy section later in this chapter.

SECOND STEP: ORGANIC PLAIN COW’S MILK YOGHURT

After introducing goat’s milk yoghurt, parents may like to introduce cow’s milkyoghurt from around 14 months. If parents desire to introduce dairy earlier thanthis, they will need to be confident that there is no incidence of family sensitivity orallergy to cow’s milk proteins or lactose.

THIRD STEP: ORGANIC PARMESAN CHEESE FOLLOWED BY ORGANIC SWISS CHEESE

Parmesan cheese is known to be one of the richest sources of calcium. After 14months of age you may like to offer small portions—the highest quality you canfind—just a few times a week.

FOURTH STEP: OTHER ORGANIC COW’S MILK CHEESE

I would recommend introducing other quality cheese slowly and in moderation.Please see further information on cheese in Chapter 23.

FIFTH STEP: ORGANIC COW’S MILK

Although I do not recommend cow’s milk for children or adults, if parents wish togive their children cow’s milk, then there are compelling arguments to support unpas-teurised products, which at least contain the beneficial enzymes and bacteria that helpto digest the milk. Please refer to The Myth of Pastuerisation earlier in this chapter.

However, you will have trouble finding unpasteurized products, because Australiais one of the few countries that does not permit raw ‘certified’ cow’s milk, cheeses


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and yogurt. I believe this to be more an issue of loyalty between the FSANZ and theDairy Corporation rather than an issue of public safety.

Interestingly, a study39 involving 14,893 children aged 5–13 years from fiveEuropean countries showed that drinking unpasteurised cow’s milk and consumingunpasteurised farm products offered protection against asthma and allergies whencompared to pasteurised products. Makes you wonder about those adverse effects ofpasteurisation, doesn’t it?

INTRODUCING SOLIDS

Knowing when to wean your baby onto solids can be particularly confusing and itis important to wait until your child is ready for this next stage.

Some of the usual signs that your baby is ready for solid foods are:

• Your baby has the ability to sit up well.

• Your baby seems hungrier than usual between breast or formula feeds and doesnot seem as content or settled after the feeds. They may also seem to drain yourbreast quickly or be frustrated during a feed.

• Your baby seems interested in food. Initially your baby will be fascinated by the‘motions’ of a parent's eating (whilst sitting on your lap, for example). Over thefollowing few weeks, your baby will start to reach for your fork, pull at yourhand and verbalise their interest.

• Your baby starts moving her tongue back and forth in her mouth, rather thanup and down in a sucking motion (this means she is ready to move food fromher lips to her throat).

It may still be too early for solids if she spits the food out or simply drools, keep-ing the food in her mouth rather than swallowing. Wait a couple more weeks andthen try again. If your baby does spit out these initial foods, this does not mean thatshe does not like this particular food item or that you should try another food, itmay simply mean that your child is not ready for solids.

Research suggests that solely breastfeeding for the first year will only delay theonset of food allergies and not prevent them altogether. After six months, breastmilk will start to become depleted in iron, zinc and vitamin C.40 Therefore, slowintroduction of quality nutrition, with special attention to Essential Fatty Acids(EFAs), is more effective in preventing allergies than delaying solid foods.41


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WHICH FOODS, WHEN?

As we discussed during the Breastfeeding chapter, it is imperative during preg-nancy that parents consider whether they suffer any food allergies or sensitivities.This will help mothers eliminate trouble foods during breastfeeding and later shecan encourage slow, skilful introduction of these items into her child’s diet. Avoidingthese items during breastfeeding helps to minimise the passing of food allergens orearly digestive sensitivities through the breast milk to her newborn.

For parents of young babies, knowing what to feed their infant can be very con-fusing. We need to understand which foods should be given and when, based uponthe availability of digestive enzymes. Many people have hypersensitivities or aller-gies which, literature suggests, may be due to premature exposure to certainfood groups.42

Not so long ago, a child was considered ready for solids by three months of age.Most parents today wait for indicative signs from their baby, rather than force-feed-ing. At some point between your baby's fourth and seventh month (for some babiesit may be a little longer), they will be ready to start eating solid food. First foods foryour baby should ideally be organic produce, thereby ensuring that your babyreceives all the goodness and energy that nature can provide.

A good rule of thumb is to introduce new foods one at a time. Allow at least onewhole week before adding additional items to your child's menu. Giving a largeramount of a single food at a meal-time rather than small amounts of several foodswill allow your baby’s digestive system time to assimilate.

By introducing foods one at a time your child will also be less likely to have a reac-tion. It has been proven that a small amount of a new food is more likely to inducean allergic reaction than a larger amount.43

6–9 MONTHS

STARTING OUT

At around six months (for some children it is longer) your baby will be eager toembark on the journey of culinary delights. Some parents may hope that offering solidfoods prior to this time will help their infant sleep. Let me stress that premature foodintroduction will not help a baby to be more settled or sleep for longer periods, andmay increase the risk of developing food sensitivities.


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Between 6–12 months of age, babies are yet to develop proper digestive function,so keep foods plain and simple. Young babies do not display fussiness or boredomwith foods like toddlers can, so do not rush to introduce too many foods. Rememberto offer foods one at a time, with around a week between items.

Rather than starting your baby with a fruit (generally high in sugar), many nutri-tional books suggest a puréed vegetable. Other authors discuss the benefits of foodsin their natural state, such as avocado. While classified as a fruit, avocado is low insugar and rich in important oils and minerals, including iron and vitamins.Additional iron is important at this stage (when breast milk is becoming deficient)as it is needed to strengthen immunity and brain function. Please refer to previousSulphur Allergies section earlier in this chapter

You can begin by mixing avocado with breast milk. Avocado is easily digested andis a wonderful first food for your baby. These fruits are also easy to pack for outings.Rather than cutting your avocado down the middle, you may like to simply cut offthe top third and scoop out the fruit this way. This also helps to keep the avocadofresh, and makes it easy to transport.

If avocados are not in season, move straight to a recommended vegetable.

PICK A VEGETABLE, AND THEN A FRUIT

Growing babies need a variety of vitamins and minerals. It is therefore importantto alternate between vegetables and fruits. You may like to start with puréed zuc-chini because of its high water content. Then pick a recommended fruit that is inseason and then another vegetable.

OUR 6/7-MONTH-OLD BABY MENU INCLUDED:

Breakfast — a breastfeed

Mid morning, after a sleep — avocado (perhaps a third)*— or breast milk mixed with avocado

(or next menu item)*

Lunch or early afternoon — a breastfeed

Early evening — avocado*

Evening — a breastfeed

We would then add other food items, and as our baby grew we would increasethe frequency and quantity of these.

*each offered with sips of water from a bottle or tipping cup.


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We chose mango, initially mixing the mango (ornext menu item) with the avocado. Alternatively, wewould strip our baby's clothes off, place him in thesink and simply left him to devour the mango. Messybut delicious!

Between six and nine months continue to alternatebetween vegetables and fruit, following the applica-ble time frames as outlined in the Which FoodsWhen Chart.

Once you have introduced some of these fruits and vegetables you may like tocombine items, for example, mixing avocado with pear or zucchini. Remember toprioritise produce that is in season.

An infant’s digestive system is better served during this period by not offering toomany raw fruits. Try steaming, stewing or baking then puréeing, as often as you can.

FRUIT OR VEGETABLES TO WITHHOLD

Avoid spinach, beetroot, carrots and collardgreens (which are rich in nitrates) until after ninemonths. Nitrates can alter the ability of red bloodcells to carry oxygen.44

Avoid potatoes, tomatoes, capsicums and egg-plant (from the nightshade family) at this stage.They can be introduced at approximately 12 months.45 These plants containnatural toxins which may provoke gradual reactions. Sweet potato and corn arebest delayed until ten months.

Avoid apples, citrus and dried fruits before nine months (please see SalicylateAllergies earlier in this chapter).

Avoid bananas for a few more months as they are mucus-producing and canslow digestion, resulting in constipation.

GLUTEN-FREE GRAINS AND IRON-FORTIFIED CEREAL

Cereal is a food type that requires a lot of thought before adding to the menu. Weneed to be aware that some commercial baby cereals contain cow's milk.

Dairy products contribute significantly to hypersensitivity—and it is suggestedthat cow’s milk be left until a child is 12–15 months old. For example, many of the


If your baby does spit outthese initial foods, thisdoes not mean that shedoes not like this particu-lar food item or that youshould try another food, it may simply mean thatyour child is not ready for solids.

Avoid bananas for a fewmore months as they aremucus-producing and canslow digestion, resultingin constipation.

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Farex, Cerelac and Heinz cereals contain cow's milk and also lactose.

Many health experts now suggest that grains are not advisable until your baby hasteeth. At the same age babies develop teeth they start to secrete salivary amylase(ptyalin) which is essential for digesting carbohydrates. Prior to this, carbohydrates,particularly more complex carbohydrates, will ferment and putrefy.46

An ideal initial cereal choice would be an organic, gluten-free grain, such as iron-fortified rice, amaranth, millet, sago, tapioca and quinoa (low-gluten) cereals. Mostrice cereals, millet and amaranth cereals can be purchased ready-to-use and cansimply be added to any puréed food.

Rice cereal varieties are preferable to full-grain rice during this 6–9 monthstage. With rice cereals, try to purchase brands made from brown rice, whichwill be less refined and more nutritious. You may wish to make your own brownrice cereal—please see recommended recipes outlined later in this chapter.

Millet contains all the essential amino acids and is a rich source of silicon,which helps to build collagen—important for keeping the skin, eyes, nails andarteries healthy. Millet can be found in flakes or grains. It will need three cupsof water for one cup of grain, and needs to be cooked for 15–20 minutes.

Quinoa is a rich source of protein, high in calcium and iron. This seed has low-gluten content and is best left closer to nine months of age. It requires 10–15minutes to cook with two cups of water for one cup of grain. These grainsquadruple in size when cooked.

NOTE: While standard quinoa grains are gluten-free, quinoa products (e.g.quinoa flakes and quinoa flour) could possibly contain some gluten if manufac-tured in a factory that also processed gluten grains.

Amaranth is a high quality, ready to go, whole grain protein that can be com-bined with other cereals, crushed nuts and seeds. Amaranth can be found inmost breakfast or health food sections in the supermarket.

These grains can be blended or simply added to other foods—depending on thetexture you require.

Please refer to Which Foods When Chart for other gluten-free grains and appropri-ate fats and oils at this time.

NOTES:

• Buckwheat—the verdict is still out regarding this non-gluten grain. Some expertssuggest it may prove allergenic, so it is best to avoid introducing until 12 months.


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• Be sure to check that any cereal and porridge purchases (even organic brands)have no gluten, cow's milk or lactose added. Also check for fruit stones inorganic cereals—you may find the occasional stone.

OTHER HELPFUL HINTS

Avoid cans—If buying commercial baby foods (handy when travelling), chooseorganic varieties in jars, NOT CANS. Canned foods may be contaminated bythe lead used to solder the seams.

Refrain from brands that contain sugar, salt, BHT or BHA (toxic preservatives)and EDTA—a colour-preserving agent.

Dessert products are guaranteed to be sweetened. When buying commercialbrands, choose an organic product sold as a ‘single’ food rather than 'whole din-ners'. Read the labels carefully, as many commercial baby foods contain cow'smilk (even the fruit varieties) and wheat.

Remember that fresh and natural is best, so if you have time to prepare yourbaby's own food, this would be ideal.

Freezing small portions of your purées and defrosting one at a time helps duringbusy weeks, and when you want a babysitter.

MAKE YOUR OWN BROWN RICE CEREAL

This is a quick rice cereal recipe that is far more nutritious and healthier thanmany purchased rice cereals. You will need:

• 100g organic brown rice

• 600ml filtered water

Wash the rice well and place in a pan with the water. Bring to the boil, then gentlysimmer for 40-50 minutes until rice is soft and cooked through (adding morewater if necessary).

Drain the rice in a sieve and purée to your desired consistency. Add some boiledwater if the purée is too thick.

Simply add purée fruit or vegetables to this rice or use these steps as part of bothsavoury and sweet recipes.

I have included a variation of the above recipe for 9–12 month olds.


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9–12 MONTHS

MORE VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

Your baby is now ready for chewier cooked vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower,carrots, asparagus (these are all great as finger foods), spinach and beetroot.

You may now also like to introduce apples (please see Salicylate Allergies earlier inthis chapter), citrus and dried fruits—but be wary of dried fruit sold in supermarkets.These often have ingredients added that are not listed on the food labels. These driedfruits have a long shelf life, look good and feel oily because of the glycerin (422), ediblefats and oils, sulphur dioxide (220) and sorbic acid (200). Other hidden ingredients mayinclude sugar, dextrose, glucose syrup, fruit juice and colouring derived from fruit.

Because these fruits are dried, children will often require additional water whenconsuming them so as not to become constipated. It is best, if using dried fruits, tomake sure that they are organic and sulphur dioxide-free (220), and that you soakthem in boiling water overnight for re-hydration purposes before consuming.47

From nine months on you can also add fruits with higher concentrations ofsugar, such as bananas and berries (please see Which Foods When Chart) in anycombination.

FOODS TO WITHHOLD

Avoid sweet potato and corn until after ten months.These foods may provoke gradual reactions. Corn isa grain, not a vegetable, and is particularly hard forthe body to digest. Delay corn as long as you can.

If, after introducing turnips or collard greens (broc-coli and cauliflower), your child shows gassiness or bloating, wait another monthand try them again.

Avoid white potatoes (which are high in starch, i.e. sugar), tomatoes (high insalicylates and acidity), peppers and eggplants until closer to 12 months.

Try to refrain from giving honey, brown or white sugars to a child under 12months due to sensitivity of developing teeth and possible adverse reactions tothe propolis found in honey. Instead, you may like to try using agave, molasses,rice syrup, golden or maple syrup for occasional baking needs.

Fish—leave until your child is 12 months old as it is also allergenic.48


Leave fish and egg whitesuntil your child is 12months old.48

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I have also included on the Which Foods When Chart gluten-free baking items foroccasional use at this age.

A WORD ON RICE

Some authors suggest both brown and white rice at this stage, but discussions withtraditional Chinese herbalists have led me to believe that basmati rice is more nutri-tious than standard white rice and more easily digested than brown rice served in itscooked ‘grain’ form (as opposed to brown rice cooked and served cereal-style).

For children, white rice will often create loose stools or diarrhoea, and whilewholegrain brown rice is much more nutritious in a ‘grain’ form, it seems to movethrough the digestive track virtually unassimilated (i.e. it will still be present, undi-gested, in your baby's poo).

Parents may like to make their own brown rice cereal and add this to casseroles.Through experience, I would suggest refraining from brown rice served as a cookedgrain until 12 months of age. By making your own brown rice cereals, parents areable to provide easily assimilated vitamins and minerals and also include other valu-able ingredients, such as sea vegetables, for example. Please see brown rice recipe inthis section.

Other forms of rice that can be used are brown rice flakes, rice puffs, rice-cakes andrice crackers. You can also start your infant on rice (and oat) milks. Please ensurethey are organic, made of 100% rice, and additive-free.

You can try basmati rice at 12 months, followed by wholegrain brown rice atapproximately 18 months, and lastly white rice at two years.

RICE VARIETIES

Most of us know of only two kinds of rice—long grain brown rice and longgrain white rice (which is simply refined long-grain brown rice). There are, however, over 7000 varieties of rice around the world. The difference betweenbrown rice and white rice is not just colour—with brown rice, only the outerlayer of the hull is removed and this process is least damaging to the nutritionalvalue of the rice. Brown rice is turned into white rice by polishing off the outerlayers, taking with it a vast number of important nutrients, including fatty acids,fibre and essential vitamins and minerals. In fact, instant white rice is so nutri-tionally poor, it is usually fortified with several of these same nutrients thathave been removed—usually in a powder form—coating the outside of the rice.Therefore, if you wash your white rice before cooking, you will also wash offthese added nutrients.


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NEW ADDITIONS

Any recommended fruit or vegetable can be combined in this age group.

Parents may like to make their infant fresh, nutritious fruit or vegetable juices.I would advise diluting these using one part juice to two parts water (1:2). Juicesare a great way of adding sea vegetables into your infant’s diet; obviously theseneed to be pre-soaked. Please refer to brown rice cereal recipe.

Gluten-free pastas and flours can be used. Select organic, additive-free brands.

Gluten grains such as oats and barley (but not wheat) are recommended. Pleasesee related section in Chapter 23.

— Barley can be bought as pot barley from health food stores or polished pearlbarley from the supermarket. Pot barley is the healthier option and can beused to relieve colicky pains. To cook barley, add one cup of grain to four cupsof water and gently boil for approximately 80 minutes. This is a wonderfuladdition to soups and stews.

— Oats can now also be added to your baby's diet as a form of porridge.

Organic meat (once a week would be sufficient) can now be added, as yourinfant's kidneys and digestive tract can now better handle these proteins. Slowcooked meats, such as casseroles, will aid digestibility. Organic chicken (or hor-mone and chemical free varieties) can also be added.

Tofu needs consideration. Please refer to Chapter 23: Weighing Up Soy for fur-ther information.

Beans can be added now, but just pick one or two varieties, watch for digestiveproblems and do not use too frequently. Other beans can be added after 12months.

Egg yolks—but save the whites for after 12 months, as babies are often sensi-tive to these.49

Organic nuts and seeds—ground or crushed are fine. Introduce ground almond orsunflower seeds first, as these are the least allergenic. Try just a little for the firstand second exposures and watch for any reactions. You may also like to try almondor nut butters. Please see Nut Allergies discussed earlier in this chapter.


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Please refer to Which Foods When Chart for all other food items.

A WORD ON SOY

At this point, parents wishing to introduce soy products may like to do so. Thisdoes, however, require careful consideration.

In Chapter 17 we discussed how an individual's intolerance to cow's milk proteinmay mean they will also be affected by the protein found in soy.50 If your family areprone to such sensitivities, then wait a little longer before introducing your infant tosoy products. It may serve your child better to refrain from soy products until after12 months of age.

Having read a lot of literature on soy, I have other grave health concerns aboutmost soy products. Most soy items are certainly not the ‘health products’ they arethought to be and I would recommend parents avoid most ‘ready-to-go’ soy productsfound in supermarkets, such as soy milks, yoghurt, cheese, ice-creams and soychips. Please refer to Chapter 23: Weighing Up Soy for further information.

If your family does not have sensitivities to cow’s milk proteins and you desire toadd soy to your infant’s menu, begin with organic soya beans. Soya beans in theirnatural state are high in calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamin E. Therefore, con-suming small amounts of fermented organic soy products periodically is consideredbeneficial. You may then like to move onto naturally fermented soy foods before util-ising soy yoghurts and cheese, etc. Naturally fermented soy foods like Natto,Tempeh, Miso and old-fashioned fermented soy sauce are healthy foods.

If parents desire, organic GMF soy milks (malt-free and gluten-free) and organicsoy yoghurt may be introduced now. Please note that most soy yoghurts are geneti-cally modified and full of sugar and chemical additives, so be mindful of whichbrands you buy. Parents may like to make their own home-made yoghurts (this iseasier than you think).

WHOLESOME OIL USAGE

Please refer to Which Foods When Chart for age-appropriate time-frames.

Dressings: macadamia, flaxseed, safflower, olive and sesame oils

Baking: butter (12 months plus) and coconut oil (non-deodorised)

Frying: olive oil (lower temperatures), avocado and coconut oils (higher temperatures)


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As with cow’s milk and dairy products, I would suggest that parents offer theirchildren only small quantities of soy milks and yoghurts. It is only in Western cul-tures that milk is drunk with such vigour, and there are many reasons why this canbe harmful to our health (please see “The #1 Allergen: Cow’s Milk Protein” sectionearlier in this chapter).

INFANT’S BROWN RICE CEREAL ‘COMBO’ RECIPE

The below recipe is a wonderful blend of grains, seeds and vegetables providinga great source of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Please note: Only include ingredients that you have previously introduced intoyour infant’s menu.

• 1/3 cup each of brown rice, millet and quinoa (in total one cup)

• 1/3 cup of dried beans (such as soya, mung or adzuki)

Pre-soak the above ingredients for six or more hours and discard soak water.

Cook the brown rice on low heat until soft (40-60 minutes), then add the

millet and quinoa grains and cook for a further 15 minutes, blending until you

have the desired consistency. Now add:

• A pre-blended handful of sesame seeds and almonds (blended until both nutsand seeds are small and fine — please see Nut Allergy section earlier in thischapter).

• A strip of wakame (sea vegetable), pre-soaked and mashed (cut the wakameinto one inch-wide strips, place into a saucepan with two cups water and bringthe ingredients almost to boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered for 2–3 hours,and mash into a cream or milky liquid. Note: you can retain the soaking waterto enrich other dishes).

VARIATIONS

You may like to add:

• Some gluten grains.

• Instead of wakame, add rice syrup, barley malt or rice milk.

• Instead of both wakame and the nuts, try adding some chicken or meat brothwhile cooking the brown rice (less water will therefore be required).

• Add small pieces of lamb, beef or chicken while rice is cooking and blend withother ingredients.


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12–18 MONTHS

FOODS TO WITHOLD

Shellfish

Sugary, commercial juices

White rice (leave until 18 months plus)

White sugar

Your child is still not ready for whole nuts, raw carrots or popcorn because ofthe danger of these foods getting caught in the windpipe. They won't be safeuntil after three years, and even then you'll have to watch your child carefully.

NEW ADDITIONS

At this stage your baby can eat almost anything, including these additions:

Strawberries can now be introduced.

Soy beans and some amounts of soy products may be introduced if they havenot been included already. Please refer to A Word on Soy section earlier in thischapter.

Small amounts of onion and garlic, a few times a week.

Culinary herbs and spices and sea salt can now be introduced.

Basmati rice at 12 months; whole grain brown rice (served in its ‘grain’ form)at 18 months; and white rice at around two years of age.

Brown or raw sugar and honey can be utilised with baking.

Fish (but save shellfish until your child is older than three years).

Whole eggs can now be added.

Other beans (adzuki, butter, kidney, soy) and pulses such as lentils and splitpeas.

Goat’s milk followed by goat’s milk yoghurt and then goat’s milk cheese. Pleasesee “The #1 Allergen: Cow’s Milk Protein” section earlier in this chapter.

Organ meats: A great choice from time to time is organic chicken liver (perhapsa small portion once every few months), which is rich in folic acid, vitamin A,zinc and iron. You can purchase small quantities of organic chicken livers, purée


22.qxd 18/2/09 10:44 PM Page 559

them, freeze small portions and add to casseroles. These nutrients are all vitalfor building a strong immune system.

After introducing goat’s milk products, introduce Parmesan cheese and Swisscheese.

Whole cow’s milk products: Depending on your family's sensitivity to cow'smilk and lactose, you may like to introduce dairy somewhere around 12–18months. Please see “The #1 Allergen: Cow’s Milk Protein” section earlier inthis chapter.

After goat’s milk products and Parmesan and Swiss cheese, parents may like tooffer plain, organic, whole cow’s milk yoghurt ( the lactobacillus organisms willassist the yoghurt's digestibility) followed by organic Cheddar cheese, organicbutter, and lastly, whole cow’s milk. Try not to include dairy too often in yourchild's weekly diet.

Wheat products: For this age group, try to limit wheat in your child’s diet tojust once a day. You can substitute traditional wheat items with less refinedspelt, kamut or non-gluten products. Please see Chapter 23: Utilise Alternativesto White Flour and Wheat.

Wheatgerm.

18–24 MONTHS PLUS

ITEMS TO WITHHOLD

Avoid popcorn, raw carrots, whole nuts, white sugar and shellfish until threeyears plus.

NEW ADDITIONS

Diluted commercial fruit juices may now be introduced. Remember to encour-age your child to drink water as a regular healthy habit.

White rice can be added at around two years. Prior to this, white rice may notbe assimilated properly and may result in diarrhoea. Remember that white riceis not as nutritious as brown rice.


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3 YEARS

NEW ADDITIONS

You can now introduce your child to shellfish. Most health experts agree to avoidshellfish until this time to decrease any likelihood of a susceptibility to allergy.

Oysters are an excellent source of iron and zinc—both being essential forimmune strength. It is best not to serve oysters raw but rather to slow-cookthem, discard the water, chop and add to seafood chowder.

Studies of children with recurrent infections show that they have lower levels ofiron and zinc than healthier children.51 Iron and zinc can be found in liver andred meat (both preferably organic), while sesame and pumpkin seeds both con-tain zinc. You should be able to provide your child with enough iron and zincfrom these foods alone without needing supplements. Interestingly, populationstudies reveal that if levels of iron and zinc are too high, there is an increasedrisk of an adult developing cancer.52

As your child is now older and choking hazards have lessened, whole nuts, car-rots and popcorn can now be introduced.

DOES YOUR WEANED CHILD REALLY NEED A BOTTLE?

I have always been fascinated by the tradition of offering a child a bottle whengoing to bed. This has always seemed a crazy notion when parents then spend sub-sequent years training their child not to wet the bed. With careful dietary planning,your child should not need these drinks for added nutrition. If your child drinksample fluids during the day, they will not need a bedtime bottle for any reason otherthan comfort. Even formula-fed babies, as they get older, should have bottles awayfrom sleep time, preventing them from later needing to have a bottle as part of theirsleep routine.

Some parents repeatedly offer milk or juice throughout the day. Offering your childfruit juice in a bottle coats their teeth with sugar; if you wish to offer juice, offer itin a cup instead. Occasionally offering these items (at breakfast, for example) is fine,but a child's reliance on them is certainly not beneficial. By consistently offeringwater, we encourage children to develop this healthy lifestyle habit.


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Interestingly, rice milk, while low in calcium, fat and protein, is used in manycountries as a remedy for infants with gastro or diarrhoea. Unlike cow's milk, it isnot mucus-producing.

NOTE: Rice milk should not be used as a whole food. Babies have become mal-nourished as a result of using rice milk only.

NOURISHING FOOD SOURCES

Parents often have concerns about offering their children enough calcium, iron,zinc and brain foods. Here are some suggestions:

There is no doubt that nutrition is a specialist branch of knowledge, and that theinformation available in the media and in books is often contradictory. However,parents can become their own ‘experts’ by informing themselves on the issues, andby prioritising nutrition in their family. By carefully considering the food that theirchildren consume, parents can move towards optimal health and vitality.

NOURISHING FOOD SOURCES OF PARTICULAR VITAMINS AND MINERALS

IRON: Generally the darker the fruit, vegetable or grain, the more iron it contains.Good sources are: green leafy vegetables, parsley, bananas (fresh or naturallydried), pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sea vegetables (such as nori), liver andbrains.

ZINC: Good sources are oysters, beef, nuts, sesame and pumpkin seeds andwheat germ.

BRAIN FOODS: Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are an excellent ‘brain food’. Try thefollowing oils for dressings: macadamia, flaxseed, safflower, olive and sesameoils. Try butter and coconut oil (non-deodorised) for baking. Try olive oil (lowertemperatures), and avocado and coconut oils (higher temp) for frying.

Fish sources include cold-water oily fish with dark flesh such as salmon, tuna,mackerel, herring, anchovies and sardines (ideally fresh, not canned).

Nut sources include hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, sesame and pumpkin seeds andtahini.

Other good ‘brain foods’ are goat’s milk products, blueberries and egg yolks.


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Praise for Well Adjusted Babies

“Jennifer’s book has empowered us with priceless knowledge, theconfidence to question, and has given us choices that we neverrealised we had. It is also an entertaining and delightful read.”CRAIG AND MICHELLE ATTARD (NEW PARENTS)

“Well Adjusted Babies explains the risks associated with some of themore common aspects of modern living such as particular foods, drugsand household toxins, as well as the medical interventions that tend tofeature commonly in orthodox models of pregnancy and birthing.Jennifer also discusses issues surrounding vaccination, breastfeeding andnutrition, encouraging the reader to ensure that the decisions that theymake are ones that sit comfortably with their own beliefs and ethos.”MERYL DOREY (EDITOR, INFORMED VOICE MAGAZINE)

“I believe every practitioner (chiropractor or not) who claims to promotewellness, indeed every expectant mother, should have a copy of this book.”DR GLENN MAGINNESS (CHIROPRACTOR AND PAEDIATRIC EDUCATOR)

“Well Adjusted Babies is a sensitive, touching and beautiful bookabout conception, pregnancy, delivery and parenting from a chiro-practic perspective. The reader remains enthralled with the candourwith which the author tells her journey and the passion she brings tothe at times very sensitive subject matter.”DR PHILLIP EBRALL (HEAD, DIVISION OF CHIROPRACTIC, RMIT UNIVERSITY)

“Jen celebrates life with deep honesty and compassion, and encourages usall to do the same in her wonderful book. Well Adjusted Babies is a sweetreminder that our greatest teacher and companion is our own heart.”TIFFANI CLINGIN (KINESIOLOGIST)

00-A-contents.qxd 18/2/09 10:52 PM Page 3

Well Adjusted Babies

Published by Vitality Productions Pty Ltd

Email: [email protected]

First published in Australia in 2005

Second edition published in 2009

Copyright © Dr Jennifer Barham-Floreani 2009

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or utilised, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from Vitality Productions Pty Ltd.

OTHER WELL ADJUSTED PRODUCTS INCLUDE:

• Well Adjusted Babies THE COMPLETE BOOK

• BBB Pillow COMFORT FOR BABY, BREASTS AND BELLY

• Which Foods When A HANDY CHART FOR INFANT NUTRITION

• WAB Audio MP3 CHAPTERS FROM WELL ADJUSTED BABIES

• Which Foods When Cookbook A COLOURFUL EXTENDED COOKBOOK & REFERENCE FOR HEALTHY INFANT NUTRITION

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