Skim Milk and Weight Loss--or Not

I thought this article was pretty interesting (and not really surprising) about the relationship between non- or low-fat foods and weight loss. Check it out! And thanks to my cousin, who posted this on Facebook last week.

More Important than Calcium?

I have been learning a lot the last few months about magnesium and how important it is to our body chemistry and health. Everything I've read says that nearly everyone in this country is magnesium-deficient (the World Health Organization puts it at three fourths of the population!), with a plethora of undesirable symptoms resulting: "Those who suffer from magnesium deficiency experience a wide range of symptoms that can vary from low level to debilitating. And those who choose to correct their deficiencies commonly experience a long sought-after respite from conditions such as migraines, chronic pain, low energy and insomnia." (See more details about magnesium deficiency here, including why more of us aren't clinically diagnosed.)

So why can't we all just correct this deficiency by taking an oral supplement? (Here is an excellent two minute video of a doctor talking on the subject.) Because most people's intestines can only handle a small amount of magnesium--it's a diarhetic--and because even if yours can handle more than most, the body can only process/absorb a very small percentage of magnesium taken orally. So, if you're lucky, it could take up to several years of regular oral supplementation before your body is able to assimilate what you give it, a moderate dosage, that is. But we need magnesium in such high dosages that oral supplementation simply doesn't make sense.

So what other option is there?

Here's where magnesium oil comes in. When magnesium is applied transdermally (or topically), it is absorbed through the skin and can easily be assimilated by the body, since it doesn't have to be processed by the intestines--and therefore causes no gastrointestinal issues.

I first learned about the importance of magnesium a few months ago when I spoke with the woman I mentioned here and here, who is both a nurse and a person who researches, thinks practically, and practices natural living. From her I learned that two symptoms of a magnesium deficiency are the inability to sleep through the night and being overwhelmed by tasks. That's when I decided I definitely needed to get some magnesium oil and start using it on myself and my two little girls. I ordered from this company, which is the same one this woman gets her magnesium oil from (although, this other company looks at least as good to me; I'm not sure what the difference is in quality or purity). My mother also ordered some, hoping for a cure for her migraines. So far, I feel like it's helping me. Time will tell for everyone else. Oh, and just an FYI, women who are breastfeeding (like myself) need even more magnesium than pregnant women, and men need more magnesium than women.

But knowing the following about magnesium makes me want to keep trying:

"After oxygen, water, and basic food, magnesium may be the most important element needed by our bodies, activating over 300 different biochemical reactions necessary for your body to function properly.

"Magnesium protects against heart disease and heart attacks, high blood pressure and stroke, type II diabetes and much, much more. It is more important than calcium, potassium or sodium and regulates all three of them. Contrary to popular misconceptions, it is magnesium that is actually most important in building strong bones and preventing bone loss.

"While anyone should be able to increase the magnesium they get from wise diet choices, it is exceedingly difficult for the general public to consume enough magnesium through dietary sources alone.

"Only supplementation is likely to make up for such a widespread deficiency in magnesium. Foods cannot easily be fortified with magnesium because it is a bulky mineral that would alter the consistency and taste of flour and foods. Magnesium cannot be added to tap water because it would erode piping." (Read much more at NaturalNews.com.)

"One general rule of thumb is a daily intake of magnesium of approximately 3-4 mg per pound of bodyweight. For a 200 lb male, this would equate to 600 mg to 800 mg per day." (Read more about magnesium supplementation and use here.)

Make Your Own Water Barrel

I thought this was so cool I wanted to pass it on! Just another way to increase self-sufficiency and practice conservationism...

Waiting to Cut the Cord

Our new baby is now three weeks old and I feel the need to write a post about waiting to cut the cord, which was one of the things that my husband and I decided to do differently this time around. I had read enough about the benefits of waiting to want to give our baby that advantage, and now I am learning even more. Here is an excerpt from my account of our baby's birth, detailing other unexpected benefits we experienced:

"We wanted to let the baby's cord stop pulsing before it was cut, and [our doctor] was happy to comply, so for the first time I got to hold my baby without any kind of intervention in between, with only a blanket between me and his bloody, vernix-coated body. He seemed to share my exhaustion and utter relief that it was over. When the doctor first held him up, his whole body was purple; I don't remember the girls being quite that color. But it didn't take long for him to start looking more pink, and we admired all his little parts. I was surprised at how long it took the blood in the cord to drain back into him. But it was so nice to have all that time with him just to myself... I kept wondering when I would have pains to deliver the placenta, but that didn't happen until [my husband] cut the cord [about 20 minutes later]... Things have always happened so quickly after delivery that I've never gotten the chance to see the cord or the placenta, so this time I asked if I could see them. [The doctor] was happy to oblige and gave us...Placenta Basics 101, which was very interesting. It really seemed that taking that time to let the cord stop pulsing slowed everything down and made the post-birth experience gentler and more peaceful. We definitely want to repeat that!"

So, what are some of the benefits to waiting, from a medical standpoint? This site calls cord blood "liquid gold" and says that even waiting 30 seconds to cut the cord is beneficial to baby because "this blood contains a high number of red blood cells; it is iron rich and contains maternal antibodies... Higher red blood cell flow to vital organs in the first week was noted, and term infants had less anemia at 2 months and increased duration of early breastfeeding."

A lot of people nowadays are having the cord blood saved for possible future needs, but as the above site points out, the blood belongs to baby, so why not give it back to him?

Another site contains an article written by a midwife, who states that, "Scientific methods are now able to prove that our standard immediate cord clamping protocol is an intervention that needlessly deprives a baby of a substantial percentage of his or her own blood supply and is one of the most major and potentially lethal inventions possible from the perspective of the baby's wellbeing." This site also contains numerous other articles on this and related topics that are quite interesting.

Another benefit (and one I didn't know beforehand) is that "delayed cord clamping ensures that a baby receives important clotting factors" (see this site, which includes pictures). I find this ironic, since babies born in hospitals in the United States are routinely given a shot of vitamin K, which provides artificial clotting factors (and which we declined this time)--after their cords have been clamped quickly. ???

So if you're expecting or are planning/hoping to have another child (or your first), this is a topic you may want to look into in more detail so as to make the most informed decision you can. It's such an easy thing to do for your baby to get him started healthily on the outside of you, and it can also sweeten the bonding experience, as I detailed above.

Bees and the World's Food Supply

I had already heard this information before about how important honey bees are to our food supply, but this little video was a good reminder. Albert Einstein's words are quite chilling, but I don't doubt he was right. And I love the idea of adopting beehives (and, of course, of using more honey in our food preparation)!

The Fluoride Debate

"Fluoridation is the greatest case of scientific fraud of this century."
-Robert Carlton, Ph.D, former EPA scientist, 1992

Ever since my home town voted years ago on whether or not to put fluoride in the water, I have heard numerous debates coming from both sides of the issue. I have had different dentists who stand firmly on either side too, and I've read literature for both. After all of this, I still return to my original feeling that fluoridated water is not the way to go. And this study I just read confirms that in a surprising way. It makes me glad my current town's water isn't fluoridated.

So does this video--which says that fluoridating water was a mistake from the beginning:



This website states that, "Up to 80 percent of young people in some U.S. cities have dental fluorosis, which is the first visible sign of excessive fluoride exposure. Fluoride also causes calcium deficiency, which can lead to osteoporosis, skeletal thinning, fractures, anemia and rickets." When you start looking into this stuff, it seems crazy that there are still so many places with fluoridated water!

Of course, all this information makes one wonder whether tap water really is the way to go, assuming yours is fluoridated. But keep in mind that some bottled water also has fluoride added. This website lists ways to remove fluoride, as well as what not to do (like boil it). My parents have used a distiller for many years and it looks like from this list, it may be the way to go, if you need to take measures. But there are additional ideas and information below the video, if you click on it to watch it on YouTube, including where to buy toothpaste without fluoride.

There is also a post at Passionate Homemaking on this same topic, complete with recipes for "toothsoap" and homemade toothpaste!

Delectable Cheesecake

This is so incredibly delicious we all agreed that there is no reason whatsoever to use refined sugar as the original recipe calls for (from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, p. 248-249). It was gone way too fast, but it was heaven while it lasted... Someday I'll have to try it with just honey, like my mom has done, and see if we like it as well as this version.

Delectable Cheesecake

1 1/2 c. finely crushed graham crackers
1/2 Tb. honey
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. butter, melted
3 8-ounces packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. raw sugar
2 Tb. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. milk
3 slightly beaten eggs
1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel (optional)
1 recipe Strawberry Sauce (optional), see bottom of page

For crust, in a bowl combine graham crackers (I crushed in blender), the 1/2 Tb. honey, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of an 8- or 9-inch springform pan (Or you can use a round cake pan, if you're like me and don't have a cheesecake pan. I have also used two pie plates as another alternative.) Set aside.

For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, the 1/4 c. honey and 1/2 c. raw sugar, flour, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in milk until smooth. Stir in eggs and, if desired, lemon peel.

Pour filling into crust-lined pan. (There was a little too much to fit in this one pan, so I poured the rest in two small ceramic bowls.) Place pan in shallow baking pan. Bake in a 375 degree oven 40-45 min for an 8-inch pan, about 35 min for a 9-inch pan, or until a 2 1/2-inch area around the outside edge appears set when gently shaken.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 min. Using a sharp small knife, loosen the crust from sides of pan; cool for 30 minutes more. Remove the sides of the pan (if using a cheesecake pan); cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving. If desired, serve with Strawberry Sauce.

Strawberry Sauce
Yield: 2 cups

3 c. fresh strawberries or one 16-ounce package frozen unsweetened whole strawberries, thawed
1/4 c. raw sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch

Thaw berries, if frozen. Do not drain. Place berries in blender or food processor bowl. Cover and blend until berries are smooth. (You should have about 1 1/4 c. puree.)

In a small saucepan combine raw sugar and cornstarch. Add blended berries. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 min more. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Serve over cheesecake.

Free Water

This post is an unexpected continuation of my previous post about bottled water. I saw this article on my online news station and had to share because it is apparently becoming a trend throughout the U.S. As the article says, it started in 2008 in New York, and since it has taken three years to get to Utah, I'm guessing many other cities between here and there have also become part of this nationwide campaign and joined TapIt. As a big fan of H2O, I think this is great!

New Baby

Dear Readers,

Since we have a new baby at our house, I am going to be out of the loop for a bit, recuperating and making the transition into having three small children. I have scheduled posts for a couple weeks, so it may look as if I am online as usual, but I probably won't be. As a result, your comments may not be posted right away (though I appreciate continuing to receive them), but I'll get to them as soon as I'm up to it.

Right now I'm probably cuddling with little ones or trying to catch up on sleep, so thanks for your patience. And, as always, thank you for your continued readership and communication with me!

Sincerely,
Katrina

Say "No" to Bottled Water

Though my family drinks a lot of H20, we never buy bottled water, so I have never bought into the hype about it tasting better or being better for you than tap water. Even so, I found this eight-minute video interesting and informative as it teaches about "manufacturing demand" and how bottled water actually 1) isn't healthier for us than tap, 2) isn't cheaper than tap, and 3) isn't better for the environment. (Did you know that 80% of these bottles go to landfills--enough every week to circle the globe 5 TIMES?? And of the remaining 20% that are supposedly recycled, much of it is actually down-cycled!)

If you don't like the taste of your tap water (as I haven't always), just buy your own filter. This option is more economical and better for the environment than stocking up on those bottles of water.

When Intervention is Neccessary

I think anyone who knows me would consider me conservative by nature. And if you've followed my blog for any length of time, you know that along with this conservatism comes the constant pursuit of doing everything as naturally as possible. Which extends to childbirth. In fact, if I could, I might even be one of those who would prefer to give birth at home, as a few of my cousins have (on both sides of my family).

But I can't. And the reason is that I can't do everything naturally when it comes to childbirth. Most things, yes, but not everything. My body simply doesn't do what it's supposed to, so I need some medical intervention to have a successful delivery and a healthy baby. While this saddens and frustrates me, I am grateful I live now and not 100 years ago--or less.

This story actually begins back when I, myself, was a baby. I was my parents' first child and, therefore, my mom had no idea what her body needed in order to give birth to me. Her own mother had no trouble, so I imagine she expected to be the same way. But she wasn't. Being the amazing woman she is, and having an incredible ability to withstand pain (and for an unbelievable length of time), she somehow survived laboring with me for 8 days. Yes, you read that right: Labor pains every five minutes for eight days! Thirty-one years later I am still flabbergasted by this knowledge. I wouldn't have been able to do the same in her position, even though I have a high pain threshold as well. And I sincerely hope that no medical professionals today would allow such a scenario to play itself out like that.

(In actuality, this story goes back at least to my maternal great-grandmother, who almost died giving birth to her first child because she had been in labor for so long and wasn't dilating enough to have him. With any luck, maybe this family "curse," which skipped my maternal grandmother, will also skip my daughters.)

As it turned out, when my mother finally refused to be sent home from the hospital again, the doctor finally gave her Pitocin, and then I was born, less than an hour later. Hearing this story my whole life, I always hoped I wouldn't be the same. Especially once I learned that Pitocin often actually makes contractions more intense and painful. But when I was one day shy of 41 weeks pregnant with my first child, with no sign of going into labor (my cervix was dilated to a 2 and supposedly very effaced, but that was it), my certified nurse midwife (CNM) stripped my membranes in an effort to get me going. A few hours later I knew I was finally in labor, but after about 17 hours, my cervix was still only at a 3 1/2. That was devastating news! And the contractions were not being consistent or productive. I was exhausted by this point and almost at the end of my rope, not to mention terrified this first time. It was recommended that I be started on Pitocin to help my contractions do their job. And my midwife, who normally wouldn't recommend an epidural, told me that she felt that in order to make it through to the end, especially with the addition of the Pitocin, I should probably have one. I agreed. (Unfortunately, this didn't prove to provide much relief at all, since the baby was posterior and, as a result, I experienced excruciating back labor, but couldn't keep moving to help me deal with the pain.)

Well, to make a long story a little shorter, the Pitocin eventually did the trick and I delivered my firstborn after 22 hours of labor--vaginally but with the help of forceps. (The medical staff determined that the baby's heart rate kept plummeting too low and they needed to get her out, even though I wasn't yet dilated to a 10.) My first daughter finally came into the world, then, but due to her being post-term and with all the pressure (literally) and stress of a long, difficult labor she was born with meconium aspiration and had to stay in the hospital for almost a week.

From this experience I learned 1) that my body, like my mother's, needs Pitocin in order for my cervix to dilate, and 2) that I don't want to have another epidural if I can possibly avoid it. (Not being able to move to help myself combat the pain was almost as bad as the pain itself--not to mention the fact that being stuck flat on your back increases your chances of having the baby rotate to a posterior position, which I think now may have actually been what made her rotate.)

And so, I found out what intervention I need. I joke that without Pitocin I would still be pregnant with my 6-year-old, but the truth is, I would probably have died (assuming there were no other possible interventions, such as c-section--which I sincerely hope never to have to have). In fact, if not for this same intervention, I probably would have died as a baby in my mother's womb, and she with me.

And so, while I wish I could have my babies completely naturally, I have learned what my body needs and am just grateful for the option. And I hope that this third time around will be as smooth and successful as the second! Because, if all goes as planned, I will be having my baby today. (Don't worry, I wrote this weeks ago and scheduled it to post automatically.)

When I was 39 weeks with my second baby, my cervix, once again, reached a 2 by itself, and was supposedly very effaced. But that was it. Again. And I felt very strongly that going overdue again would not do me or the baby any good, like it hadn't last time. So my midwife stripped my membranes and I hoped that that would get me going like it had the previous time. But other than give me more Braxton Hicks that tired me out but didn't keep going, nothing else happened. So my midwife scheduled an induction a couple days later. I was nervous about that, but up for the challenge. My midwife did everything in the right order for me: she started the medication slowly, waited before breaking my water, etc, and it worked like a dream. And from when my Pitocin-induced contractions began until our second daughter was born was only four hours. Four versus 22 truly felt like a miracle! In fact, it was exhilarating. With no epidural and a better sense for how to move and deal with the pain (and relax in between contractions and not be so scared and tense), my cervix responded so quickly to the medicine that I was at a 9 before I could even use the hot tub.

All of the above is why, despite all the studies (here's one) that say inductions can cause other (sometimes long-term) problems to Mom and/or baby, and knowing that being induced greatly raises the risk of having to have other interventions, I am one of those women who honestly and truly needs Pitocin. And this is sometimes a hard matter for me, because I believe that the percentage of inductions in this country is way too high, as it is for c-sections. And what is most troubling to me is that many of these two types of inductions are done purely for convenience's sake. Of course, there are also many other women who feel the same way I do about this, and some of them have expressed disapproval on finding out that I have a planned induction. I don't feel that I should have to explain my reasons to anyone, but at the same time I want to be understood. And I guess, in light of my own needs, I shouldn't jump to judgment on others, since I don't know all the details about other women either...