Bambini Newsletter   December 2014
Fringe Benefit to Baby-led Weaning

Most of us, at somewhere around 3 to 4 months of age, were started on foods like pureed carrot, rice gruel, and other less-than appetizing mushy meals. In fact, to this day, many families continue this tradition.

 

When nature is left to take its course, however, most infants, around 6 to 9 months of age, develop a keen interest in, not  food pouches from the cupboard, but what mom and dad have on their plates. UK health visitor Gill Rapley found that babies seemed do pretty well with that approach.

 

A 2012 study published in the British Medical Journal Open suggests a potential long-term benefit to going right to "table food." Researchers from the University of Nottingham interviewed 155 parents on infant feeding practice. 60% used the baby-led weaning (BLW) approach, the other 40% gave the traditional spoon-feeding purees.

 

Result? BLW was revealed to be the uncontested winner when it comes to promoting healthy food preferences: children who had been weaned with solid foods showed a later preference for nutrient-rich foods, while children who had been weaned with purees preferred less healthy, sugary foods - even if the babies were weaned onto pureed fruit and vegetables.  At Bambini, we  would concur.  BLW is the way to go. 

How to Make A Skinny Mouse 

Neurologist David Perlmutter, author of Grain Brain, spoke at Mohonk last month. He gave us a preview of his new book, Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain-for Life.

 

Some of the research was intriguing. For instance, he cited a 2013 study published is Science by Jeffrey Gordon and others from Washington University School of Medicine.

 

They took samples of the microbes from the guts of human fraternal and identical twins. For each pair of twins in the study, one sibling was lean while the other was obese. The researchers then transplanted the discordant twins' gut microbiota (a.k.a. "poop") into the guts of germ-free mice that had no microbes of their own. Recipients of the obese twins' microbiota gained more fat than the recipients of the lean twins' microbiota.

 

In a follow-up experiment, the researchers placed skinny mice in a cage with chubby mice.  When fed a diet rich in fruit and veggies, the  obese mice became colonized with skinny microbes and trimmed down. 

 

In a NY Times op-ed, Robert W. Karp, a program director at the NIH, speculated that weight loss centers might soon be engaged in the fecal microbial transplant (FMT) business!

 

Dr. Perlmutter went on to cite studies on FMT that suggest clinical response in ulcerative colitis, Crohn's, MS, Parkinson's, ITP, acne, bad breath, insomnia, and depression. He showed a film clip of a very normal appearing 14 year-old boy, previously diagnosed with autism, who had received several FMTs from a healthy teen girl. No doubt we will be hearing much more about this treatment modality.

Product Review:  Mavala Stop

Our arsenal in the war on thumb-sucking and nail biting has just become more formidable!

 

For years, we recommended something called Thum. We never got much positive feedback, but it was inexpensive and less conspicuous than strap-on devices or palate cribs. 

 

Recently, we heard about a product called Mavala Stop. We were impressed that there were over 1,800 five star reviews on Amazon. Many parents reported cures after only one application. Some adults with 20+ years of nail-biting also reported success. The main ingredient is ethyl acetate, an organic compound that is found in wine.

 

Mavala is now available at the Bambini Apothecary.  

Full Spectrum Lighting  

News reports earlier this week declared that Florida has passed New York to become the third most populated state in the Union.

 

This time of year, as many of us develop "light hunger," it's not hard to figure out why so many are headed south. Standing in the noonday sun in summer, light intensity measures 100,000 lux. Outside on an overcast winter day, our eyes might be greeted by 1,000 lux. Cooped up in the family room, our kids are getting only about 100 lux.

 

When our eyes are exposed to at least 2,500 lux, our pineal glands have been shown to produce serotonin - the "feel good hormone." Great ways to get that kind of light intensity over the next few weeks would be slipping away to Rincon, Negril, or Providenciales.....

 

If family budget or circumstances don't allow for that option, then consider investing in a full spectrum light. Research has shown that this form of heliotherapy can not only address the winter blues, it may also improve ADHD and reduce binge eating.  

 

Fixtures, desk lamps, and (in more severe cases) light boxes can be purchased for $50-200.  Have you tried this safe, practical treatment with your child?  What was your experience?  Please post your result on our Facebook page. 

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