Six tips for preventing lead exposure in children.
A recent Reuters investigation found 449 areas (that’s 3,300 neighborhoods!) around the United States with lead exposure rates that are double those found in Flint, Mich. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half a million kids ages 1 to 5 have blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter, the reference level at which CDC recommends public health actions be initiated. And there is no safe blood level. In kids it can cause permanent and severe mental disabilities. What can you do? The CDC suggests that you: • Talk to your local or state health department about testing paint and dust. Household dust is a major source of lead. • Test your water. • Keep peeling paint away from children.
• Regularly wash children’s hands and toys.
• Regularly wet-mop floors and wet-wipe window components.
• Use only cold water from the tap for drinking, cooking and making baby formula. Hot water is more likely to contain higher levels of lead. Most of the lead in household water usually comes from the plumbing in your house.
Get ‘vegucated’
In the 2011 documentary “Vegucated,” three happy-go-lucky meat lovers decide to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks, never expecting they’d be transformed mentally and physically by their encounter with all the stuff that grows from the ground! But they are, and it’s a pretty rough, though comic, journey.
Well, that’s a transformation children should never have to go through. It’s essential that infants get a varied menu of fruits and vegetables when they first encounter solid foods. The right mix of plant-based nutrients shapes brain development and allows the child to reach his or her optimal emotional and intellectual abilities. And it sets them on a path of good nutritional habits for a lifetime.
But according to new research published in Pediatrics, in the U.S., 25 percent of 6 to 11-month-olds and 20 percent of 12- to 23-month-olds ate no veggies at all on the days they were surveyed from 2005 to 2012. And on any given day, most toddlers are more likely to eat french fries than a green veggie.
Our bet: Mom and Dad aren’t eating fresh veggies, either! So here’s our challenge to getting everyone vegucated: Serve your children at least one vegetable serving (1/4 cup cooked or 1/2 cup salad) and one fruit serving (half a fruit) in every meal. And show them how good greens and root veggies are by making sure you get 7 to 9 servings of fruits and veggies a day too! It can be a tasty and fun journey to better health.
American diet is fatty
Q: I have a two-year grant to study in the states, so I brought my family from Mexico City. We’ve been here only for about six months, and my boys, 10 and 15, are gaining weight. How can I help them avoid that?
Maria G., Austin
A: Welcome! We’re sorry, but crossing the border puts you at certain health risks. The fastfood American diet packs on pounds. (The Pima Indians in Mexico are virtually diabetes-free, but when they live in the states, almost 100 percent of the population develops Type 2 diabetes.) But there are solutions.
First, teach your kids to look on ingredient labels for added sugars and added syrups. They’re in almost all processed foods and sugary drinks. Highfructose corn syrup is one of the biggest sugar polluters, and the corn it’s derived from is generally genetically modified, which means it’s usually been treated with the pesticide glyphosate (brand name Round-Up). New research has shown possible links from GMO foods and glyphosate-treated crops to endocrine disruption, organ damage and birth defects.
Second, trans fats used in snack foods, margarine, packaged baked goods and fried fast foods, and saturated fats, found in processed and red meats and full-fat dairy, are found throughout our food chain. They’ll pack on pounds and are bad for your heart and other organ systems. Instead, go for monounsaturated fats, like extra-virgin olive oil and healthy fats found in nuts, avocados and polyunsaturated oils.
Lastly, say “no” to grains that aren’t 100 percent whole. Whole grains help you avoid weight gain, insulin resistance and diabetes, while refined grains, such as white bread or rice, are associated with those health hazards.
It will take attention to detail for a while, but you’ll get it down. Then you and your family will have an easier time controlling your weight — and you’ll have more energy, mental focus and a happier outlook.