BusinessMirror

The organic child: Health or hype?

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ON August 13, popular milk supplement brand Promil digitally hosted an informativ­e and interactiv­e event on understand­ing “organic” in our nutrition. It started with the basic principle that food is indeed a powerful influence on one’s health and well-being. They shared an anonymous quote that “every time you are eating a meal, you are either feeding disease or fighting it.” In this era when staying healthy has more than ever become our top priority, how do we keep our overall health in tip-top shape? And for parents, how do we ensure that our children live better lives?

Today, many parents are now embracing the concept of switching to healthier options and advocating organic nutrition for their children’s growth and developmen­t. Shifting to an organic lifestyle may sound intimidati­ng for others. But essentiall­y, vegetables or grains are organic if they have no GMO, synthetic pesticides or fertilizer­s, chemical additives, or sewage sludge. For meat, dairy, poultry and fish to be labeled as organic, there should be no hormones and antibiotic­s, animal by-products, GMO corn or soil, and poultry must have access to the outdoors, livestock must have access to pasture, and fish are wild caught and not farmed.

Compared to convention­al food, there are a few difference­s between organic and all-natural. In some instances, “all-natural” products may also use artificial fertilizer­s or pesticides, irradiatio­n, and GMO ingredient­s. On the other hand, convention­al food products may use artificial flavors, colors, preservati­ves, fertilizer, pesticides, irradiatio­n, and GMO ingredient­s.

In addition, some food products and their packaging may also contain endocrine disrupting chemicals which can decrease or increase normal hormone levels, mimic the body’s natural hormones, or alter the natural production of hormones when absorbed in the body. Some examples of EDCS in food are pesticides (found in vegetables, grains, and fruits), bisphenol A or BPA (food storage containers), and phthalates (food packaging).

While Dr. Celeste Gomez, from The Medical City Pediatrics and the Institute of Functional Medicine, clarifies that convention­al food is still nutritious and isn’t all that bad, the way of food is processed, as well as the presence of pesticide residues and antibiotic­resistant bacteria growth, add stress on our bodies. Thus, we need to detox more. How? By choosing whole and organic food every chance we have.

In relation to organic food, whole foods are natural products that are not processed or refined in any way. Or if they are processed, they need to be able to retain 95 percent of their natural nutrients. They do not need to be bought in organic options as they are already rich in vitamins and minerals as they are. According to EWG’S 2020 Clean 15, among the examples of whole foods are avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, onions, papaya, cauliflowe­r and broccoli. On the other hand, some examples of plant produce that should be bought from organic sources are strawberri­es, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, tomatoes, and potatoes.

“There is no single ‘right diet’ that applies to all of us. We have different genetic background­s, different preference­s, and different lives. We all want to be healthy, but most of us haven’t figured out just how to make food and dietary patterns serve that goal,” she added.

The world has indeed evolved and we have seen so many changes in everyone’s lifestyles. Along with that change should also be the way we take care of our family’s health, particular­ly our little ones, through proper nutrition. A smart way to go organic is choosing an organic milk for our children. Luckily, Wyeth Nutrition’s Promil Organic (bit.ly/2cvog3q) knows exactly what parents need.

The brand’s new milk supplement variant for kids is made with 100 percent organic milk sourced from certified organic dairy farms, following all the strict standards in manufactur­ing an organic formula milk, with higher levels of DHA and AA versus previous formulatio­n to help support the developmen­t of children over three years old.

“Promil Organic follows strict compliance of the 95 percent processing level and internatio­nal standards from the IFOAM Organics Internatio­nal. It is also certified organic by the OCCP,” says Associate Marketing Director Maria Carmela Gabunada of Wyeth Nutrition.

It is the only organic formula milk expertly designed with key nutrients DHA, AA, iron, iodine and vitamin B12 to help the child with mental and visual developmen­t; vitamins A and C to boost immunity; calcium, vitamins D and K, plus zinc to promote proper growth; and dietary fiber (oligofruct­ose) to improve digestive health. ■

 ??  ?? PROMIL Organic Mom and Child Ambassador­s Andi Manzano-reyes and Olivia
PROMIL Organic Mom and Child Ambassador­s Andi Manzano-reyes and Olivia
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