Happy Birthday!

Wanna know what happens when the boy gets invited to a party? Or something else social happens? I panic. There's been a lot of that lately. I might be getting ulcers.

Birthday parties are basically guaranteed to cause Eli to have a reaction. Some helpful suggestions I've gotten: Just scrape the frosting off the cupcake and he can eat it! (Are you aware that to most kids, cake is just a vehicle for frosting? It's amazing, and many adults agree.) He doesn't have to help with the pinata! (Really? You tell him that.)

I'm at a loss as to what to do when we go to parties. Avoiding them would be wonderful, but he's at the age where he's making real friends. He talks about his friends constantly and keeping them apart on special days like birthdays seems cruel. But so does allowing him to watch kids gorge themselves with rainbow colored sugar while he just sits on the sidelines.

This summer, we tried to go with the flow, once. Eli ate a delicious chocolate cupcake piled high with yellow icing. It took about 10-12 hours for the reaction to start, but once it did, he wasn't himself for a couple of days. We were pretty sure this would happen, but since he hadn't had any artificially colored food in quite awhile, we weren't sure what his threshold was. Some kids can tolerate it now and then, others can't.

But things are starting to look up. Now we're able to tell him, "That red and green cupcake is going to make your tummy hurt. Maybe we can have some ice cream instead!" He's trying so hard, and I'm so proud of him.

the kids get wacky...

Yesterday I took the kids to their doctor's office since they've both had this ominous cough. The Boy is now on antibiotics and even though I specifically asked for nothing with dyes in it, the doctor prescribed zithromax, which has Red #40. The pharmacy looked in the insert for me, and when I called the on-call number it was suddenly MY job to research which drugs were safe for him and which pharmacy carries them. 87 phone calls and Google searches later, I located a pharmacy that carried dye free amoxicillin, which was free (cool!) but EVERY other drug has dyes.

I realize it's my job to do everything in my power to take care of my kids, so I don't really mind doing the calling and Googling, but the doctor actually said to me- (paraphrasing) 'I know some kids get wacky when they have dyes, even though all of the research says otherwise, other parents have said the same thing.'

my happy, sweet boy

Well then. I guess she got to sneak her opinion in there after all! Good for you, Dr. Julie. (this is the same pediatrician who accused me of doing a horrible job of breastfeeding the baby Girl in the hospital, which is ludicrous. My blood boils when I see this woman.)

So, if "all of the research" says there's no reason to worry about dyes in our food (bangs head on desk) lets just challenge Dr. Knows Everything. I plan on writing her a bitchy polite note informing her that this isn't some sort of off the cuff, hippie mom experiment, but was so surprised by reading this information, I thought I'd share some compelling links with you guys, too:

CSPI Urges FDA to Ban Artificial Food Dyes Linked to Behavior Problems

Banned in the U.K., food dyes are U.S. staple

A Parent's Guide to Diet, ADHD, and Behavior

Petition to Ban the Use of Yellow 5 and Other Food Dyes  "It is medically and ethically unwise to burden hyperactive children and their parents with concerns about foods with synthetic dyes. After all, parents (and pediatricians) first would have to know about the potential risk and then figure out if their children were adversely affected by dyes. Then they would have to protect their children from packaged and restaurant foods with dyes and from dyed foods served at friends’ parties, school events, picnics, and elsewhere. Parents (and children) should not be burdened with having to fend off the almost ubiquitous risks" (from the petition above)


F.D.A. Panel to Consider Warnings for Artificial Food Colorings

The Hidden Health Risks of Food Dyes  "The three most widely used culprits—Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Red 40—contain compounds, including benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl, that research has linked with cancer."


This awesome blog  had this information compiled from CSPI information on an existing post:

"Here is what the CSPI writes about existing artificial dyes:

Caution: BLUE 1 (found in beverages, candy and baked goods.)
One (unpublished) animal test suggested a small cancer risk, and a test-tube study indicated the dye might affect neurons. Blue 1 might be safe, but it should be better tested.

Avoid: BLUE 2 (found in pet food, beverages and candy.)
Animal studies found some—but not conclusive—evidence that Blue 2 causes brain cancer in male rats, but the Food and Drug Administration concluded that there is "reasonable certainty of no harm.”

Caution: CITRUS RED 2 (found in the skin of some Florida oranges only.)
The amounts of this rarely used dye that one might consume, even from eating marmalade, are so small that the risk is not worth worrying about.

Avoid: GREEN 3 (found in candy and beverages.)
A 1981 industry-sponsored study gave hints of bladder and testes tumors in male rats, but FDA re-analyzed the data using other statistical tests and concluded that the dye was safe. Fortunately, this possibly carcinogenic dye is not widely used.

Avoid: ORANGE B (found in sausage.)
Approved for use only in sausage casings, high doses of this dye are harmful to the liver and bile duct. However, that is not worrisome because Orange B has not been used for many years.

Avoid: RED 3 (found in candy and baked goods.)
The evidence that this dye caused thyroid tumors in rats is "convincing," according to a 1983 review committee report requested by FDA. FDA's recommendation that the dye be banned was overruled by pressure from elsewhere in the Reagan Administration. Red 3 used to color maraschino cherries, but it has been replaced there by the less controversial Red 40 dye. It is still used in a smattering of foods ranging from cake icing to fruit roll-ups to chewing gum.

Caution: RED 40 (found in soda pop, candy, gelatin desserts, pastries, pet food, and sausage.)
The most widely used food dye. While this is one of the most-tested food dyes, the key mouse tests were flawed and inconclusive. An FDA review committee acknowledged problems, but said evidence of harm was not "consistent" or "substantial." Red 40 can cause allergy-like reactions. Like other dyes, Red 40 is used mainly in junk foods.

Avoid: YELLOW 5 (found in gelatin dessert, candy, pet food, and baked goods.)
The second-most-widely used coloring causes allergy-like hypersensitivity reactions, primarily in aspirin-sensitive persons, and triggers hyperactivity in some children. It may be contaminated with such cancer-causing substances as benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl (or chemicals that the body converts to those substances).

Avoid: YELLOW 6 (found in beverages, candy, and baked goods.)
Industry-sponsored animal tests indicated that this dye, the third most widely used, causes tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. In addition, small amounts of several carcinogens, such as 4-aminobiphenyl and benzidine (or chemicals that the body converts to those substances), contaminate Yellow 6. However, the FDA reviewed those data and found reasons to conclude that Yellow 6 does not pose a significant cancer risk to humans. Yellow 6 may cause occasional, but sometimes-severe hypersensitivity reactions."  Read more here.

So, I'm just a little miffed that a pediatrician doesn't take any of this seriously. I can't imagine my son trying to recover from an illness while simultaneously feeling as crappy as he feels when he's ingested Red #40. The kid puts up with enough as it is!

Dye Free Food, Meal by Meal:

If you're considering making some changes in the way your family eats, let me throw you a bone and give ya' some tips (i.e. very basic info.)

There's usually a dye-free version of anything you want to eat. Just because you're craving jellybeans doesn't mean you have to go without, you just have to look a little harder. This Easter, I found the most delicious jellybeans at Trader Joe's, and they tasted so much better than my usual favorites. They actually had flavor. I didn't feel like I was popping pure sugar in my mouth (and I saw them yesterday- apparently they aren't just seasonal!) I think an added benefit of eliminating artificial dyes is the surge of flavor that inevitably comes with better, higher quality food.

So, I think the best way to grocery shop is to make a list. Go through your week and make a meal plan, including breakfast and lunch, and list each ingredient you'll need. This makes it easier to see where dyes are sneaking up on you.

• Some common breakfast offenders are yogurt and cereal. Oatmeal that comes already flavored and cereal bars often have dyes. In general, you can purchase deceivingly unhealthy yogurt, cereal, and breakfast bars, so buying ones without dyes will probably ensure that you are eating whole grains, fiber, fruits, and generally less processed food. Juice can have hidden additives as well, so be careful. The Boy likes Berry Berry Kix- I was surprised it was dye free. We buy Simply GoGurt, although there are several other dye-free brands. If you like canned cinnamon rolls (and who doesn't!) just a warning that Pillsbury puts red dye #40 in theirs- it makes me so sad, because I believe that cinnamon rolls look beautiful and delicious without the added chemicals.
• Hot dogs can contain red dyes too- and lunch meats have ridiculous amounts of additives, so avoiding those are usually a good idea. Jellies and jams sometimes have extra dyes, so we buy All Fruit brand jelly usually. So many chips and snack foods have dyes- Doritos and Cheetos are common offenders, but oddly enough Fritos have a surprisingly noble list of ingredients (much healthier than Rold Gold Pretzels, for example.) Avoid Jell-O (but we LOVE these SmartGels from Kozy Shack. They're really good and I am a fan of the ingredients list.) Macaroni and cheese can create some major hurdles, but we like Annie's Homegrown products. 
• Dinner food seem to have fewer issues with dyes, since savory foods are often colored with spices instead. Although, one that I forget pretty frequently (because it doesn't make sense!) is Pillsbury brand items- you know, crescent rolls, stuff like that. I bought some garlic bread that comes pre-schmeared with garlic butter, and had my oven pre-heated before I realized it had yellow #5. I gave it to a neighbor but I still felt guilty for giving her chemical-laden food to feed her kids. I know not everyone has a problem with it, but I do, and it weighs heavy on my mind most days. 
• There are obvious snacky offenders, but I feel that I should list a few in case you don't know about them yet- foods like brownies, cake mixes, frosting in a can, sodas, candies, fruit snacks, and chips sometimes have dyes, but do you see a common thread here? They're all fake, crappy foods. Make your own cake and frosting (it's easy!) and in general, make better choices about what you put in your shopping cart. I enjoy lemon curd with gingerbread cake, and can't buy it from the regular supermarket anymore. Lucky for me, I found it at TJ's recently!
• Here's a shocker- I had to throw out my kid's toothpaste because it was full of blue dye! We switched to Burt's Bees toothpaste, and we've been very happy with it- the boy loves to brush!
• Most medications contain harmful colors as well- Benadryl, Advil/ibuprofen, and  Tylenol/acetaminophen all make dye-free versions. One time I looked at the Tylenol website to see if they made chewables that were dye free (they don't), and they seemed to think that parents choose their dye-free products to avoid messes and stains on children's clothing. They're clueless! I've heard that you can get dye-free amoxicillin from a compounding pharmacy but I've not tried that yet. 

Alright, those were just a few... I have lots more to tell you but I don't want your brain to explode just yet. Have you ever been shocked by the ingredients of something you frequently buy?

the beginning

Alright folks, first things first. My name is Ali, and I'm a mom. My kids are 3 and just-shy-of 1, and we're a pretty regular family. My parenting style is probably what you'd call slightly crunchy, but I think in the big picture, we're just like you. I want my kids to be happy and healthy, and love them more than I could ever have imagined. This blog is basically about how I changed my family's eating habits for the better. The catalyst for this 180 was when my son, Eli, had a major (dramatic, scary, emotional, torturous) breakdown after a family wedding, where the colors of honor were orange and blue. This could be a kid's dream come true: blue punch, orange cake, lollipops, M&Ms; all free for the taking! For several days, my sweet boy couldn't sleep, walk, talk, eat, play- we realized right away that there was a problem. I knew of a couple kids who didn't tolerate food dyes, but had never imagined a life without using M&Ms and gummi bears as bribery distraction.

I had a hunch that the food dyes had something to do with Eli's breakdown. He was not a sickly kid- occasional ear infections, but I nursed him until he was 25 months old, and I've considered him ahead of the curve verbally and cognitively. I felt guilty that his discomfort was because I let him run amok through a smorgasbord of dietary poison! These foods were as far from their natural states as possible and he was loving every minute of it.

I was seriously worried that this child was showing signs of ADHD at the age of 2 1/2, and after the blue and orange disaster, my husband and I decided to pull all artificial dyes and colors from his diet. At first, I didn't know where to turn... it seemed like everything in our cupboards was full of red, yellow, and blue.

Are you interested in specifics? I live about 20 miles from Trader Joe's so most of my shopping is done at Meijer (they have a good, affordable Meijer Naturals line.) Anyway, things changed quickly: no more regular microwave popcorn, garlic bread, or hot dogs... No more frozen waffles or cheap syrup, no popcicles or ice cream or brownies or candy! All of these things require forethought and planning and extra energy (and who has that?)

I started buying Simply GoGurt instead of the cheap store brand of yogurt, which contained Red #40 and High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS.) We had those all over for awhile, until we'd adjusted more of our eating habits. They were a decent substitute for Popsicles and convenient. I started to notice other chemicals in our foods too- Rold Gold pretzels had a scary list of ingredients compared to a bag of Frito s.

I stopped using cake mixes and baked more bread at home. Cake mix can be convenient but it is full of ridiculous additives that stray from the usual flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. I haven't even tried the organic mixes because I've found such wonderful cake recipes, I'll never go back! (psst: here's an amazing chocolate cupcake recipe...)

So far, we've gotten through Easter, summer, 4th of July, and Eli's 3rd birthday dye free. Halloween and Christmas are coming up- those will be our next challenges (and I have posts planned to tell you about each one of these special days!)