Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 169

liz nips diabetes in the bud!

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Kind Lifer Liz recently sent me her story about getting diagnosed with pre-diabetes then reversing her diagnosis with a kind diet. Check it out:
 
"Two years ago I gained a good amount of weight and was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. My father is Type II diabetic so it didn't surprise me at all that I was on this path. For a young woman I have had many health problems in the past so needless to say it was super frustrating to hear I now was on the road to diabetes. I started to eat better and monitor my sugar levels but even after months my blood sugar was still very high. I saw you on Oprah and couldn't help but be inspired by the way you think about what we should put in our bodies. It was hard the first couple of weeks to eat vegan but then I started to feel so much better. I had a ton of energy my blood sugar stopped fluctuating and when I went back to the doctors I found out I am no longer pre-diabetic!"
 
Liz I am so proud of you! If anyone has a success story you'd like to share send me a private message or post your story to your profile and "like" it. I may feature you on the homepage of The Kind Life!

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actors that went vegan from us weekly!!

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Hi everyone -

I wanted to show you this article from US Weekly magazine that highlights a bunch of neat actors ok I happen to be in there too that are vegan! Two of them are ladies who have guest blogged for us on The Kind Life; Lea Michele and Olivia Wilde.

This is so cool I love hearing about these great women who are getting the word out about a kinder lifestyle to such a huge audience!

more breastfeeding info!

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When I posted my recent blog about breastfeeding basics you Kind Lifers responded with some great personal advice and lots of questions. I feel like this is a topic that could be discussed endlessly! So I compiled some of your questions and went straight to the experts - PCRM's Dr. Susan Levin and a wonderful midwife and mother of two Kelly. Hopefully the info below will help you on your breastfeeding adventure as a mama or mommy-to-be!
 
Is vegan breast milk deficient in iron and zinc? Can a vegan mom increase her iron levels by eating more vitamin C with iron or are supplements recommended?
 
Susan: The guidelines for breastfeeding mothers are similar to those for pregnant women. Milk production requires even more calories than pregnancy so you will need to boost your food intake a little bit. During the first six months of breastfeeding you need 500 calories more than you did before you became pregnant. This drops to 400 additional calories during the second six months of breastfeeding. Protein needs are the same as during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy an additional 25 grams per day over pre-pregnancy needs.
 
Alicia: PCRM has a fantastic article about iron and zinc for pregnant women on their website. The same advice applies to breastfeeding women so check it out here. Also there is a non-constipating iron supplement called Floradix that you can take if you really don't eat enough iron. But iron is in so many foods - pretty much every bean seaweed quinoa greens sesame seeds tofu pumpkin seeds raisins prunes beets molasses and for you nutritional yeast lovers it's in there too. So if you're concerned about getting enough iron make the seaweed dishes from my book. You can also make the gomasio and use it on your whole grains or greens.
 
What medications should be avoided when breastfeeding?
 
Alicia: Ideally you won't need to be on medication!
 
Kelly: One of my favorite resources for breastfeeding moms is Kellymom.com. It has so much wonderful information on pretty much every issue related to breastfeeding. They have a page dedicated to finding out safety information for specific medications.

What if your baby doesn't want your breast milk?
 
Kelly: A baby not taking to its mother's breast milk is very rare. If a baby is rejecting the breast it is usually due to nipple confusion from having taken a bottle. It is much less work to get milk from a bottle than from the breast. It is important to delay introducing a bottle until breastfeeding is well established around 4-6 weeks. Early on a baby may reject the breast if the baby is experiencing discomfort in a certain position. This can happen from the baby's journey through the birth canal. A session or two with a cranial sacral therapist will often help with this issue.
 
What if your baby has trouble sucking?
 
Kelly: A baby may have trouble sucking if it is premature tired or if the baby has a physical problem. Babies who are premature often have trouble latching on to the breast. If this is the case you can pump your milk and feed the baby with a syringe until the baby is strong enough to latch onto the breast. If a baby is term and is having difficulty sucking the baby may be feeling discomfort in its neck or jaw and may just need an adjustment from a cranial sacral therapist.
 
In very rare cases less than 2 the baby may have a tight frenulum causing the baby to be "tongue-tied." You can tell if your baby is tongue tied by looking at him and sticking out your tongue. The baby will imitate you. If he cannot fully extend his tongue or if the tip of the tongue looks heart shaped he may be tongue tied. If this is the case have the baby checked by your doctor. It is often possible for the doctor to snip the frenulum which allows the tongue to extend and breastfeeding can continue.  
 
Is goat's milk closer to human milk than cow's milk?
 
Susan: I'm not sure why they people say this. "They" are wrong. Goat's milk is strikingly similar to cow's milk. Both a cow's and a goat's milk are higher in protein which makes sense considering how much faster they need to grow than human babies higher in saturated fat and lower in carbohydrate than human breast milk. Goat's milk and cow's milk are very similar across the nutrient board macronutrients and micronutrients. Goat's milk is actually a little higher in saturated fat than cow's milk – human milk is the lowest.
 
If your baby has a food allergy or sensitivity do the allergens from your diet get passed on through breast milk?
 
Kelly: Allergens do pass through the breast milk. Dairy is the number one cause of colic in babies. Most often babies do fine with their mother's diets. If a baby is having a problem with something in their mother's diet the baby may become uncomfortable fussy and gassy. If the baby is hungry comes to the breast and then cries not wanting to latch or bats her head back and forth and seems to be having extra discomfort she may be having a reaction to something in the mother's diet. There is a wide range of foods that babies can be fussy with but dairy chocolate and cruciferous vegetables cabbage Brussels sprouts etc… seem to be the most usual culprits.

What are the most common allergens? Dairy/soy?
 
Susan: Breastfed babies have a much better shot at not developing allergies because drinking mother's breastmilk where common allergens are met first by Mom's immune system protects the baby La Leche League International LLLI has information about this. Otherwise allergies developed in adolescence are often times the same allergies suffered by the child's parents in other words inherited.
 
Is breastfeeding painful?
 
Alicia: It can be but just at first. What I've been told is it's important to have the bonding latch right away. Everyone I know who had pain in the beginning says how amazing it was after the first two weeks - that the insane feelings of ecstasy while baby nurses are the best ever and that it's so worth the baracuda jaws for two weeks. Also I have seen and heard so much about how the baby when first put on the chest immediately after birth will crawl up to your nipple after a while and open its mouth like a little bird looking for the nipple. How cute and precious is that?

Kelly: Breastfeeding is a learned process. As much as we want it to be completely intuitive it just isn't. We are no longer raising babies in villages filled with other women who are breastfeeding. We don't see it often. We don't grow up seeing our mothers sisters aunts cousins and friends openly breastfeeding. It is sad but it is our reality. I recommend that every woman who is about to have a baby have a very good lactation consultant available to them after the birth of the baby. Some hospitals offer lactation consultants but they only serve a few hours a day and are not available all the time or after the mother goes home. Have someone you can call at anytime who can come to you and help you. There are so many teeny tiny things that can cause major problems and pain if not corrected right away. You would never know what these are unless you have someone very experienced to help you.
 
For most breastfeeding is uncomfortable for the first couple of weeks. Mostly because you have never had someone stimulating your nipples constantly for hours and days at a time before! That being said if there is excruciating pain cracking or bleeding that is not normal and you should absolutely seek out help from a good lactation consultant.  
 
Can a vegan diet promote allergies in a baby?
 
Alicia: No way! Susan and Christina addressed this in my second pregnancy blog.  
 
Where exactly is isolated soy found so we can avoid it?
 
Alicia: I go into detail about this in my recent blog about soy. Check it out if you haven't had a chance to read it yet!
 
Would you like to share your breastfeeding advice with the community? Share your thoughts in the comments below and I may feature them on the homepage of The Kind Life!

Enter For A Chance To Win A Bottle of Natural Calm The Anti-Stress Drink Sponsored Post

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Magnesium is an essential mineral that can only be obtained through diet. In fact most people don't get enough magnesium. But this essential mineral is required for hundreds of chemical reactions in the body and deficiency can result in a wide variety of symptoms such as:

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Magnesium and calcium are fundamental nutrients that need to be in balance with each other in order for you to fully experience good health. Women are told to take calcium for their bone health but little if any mention is made of magnesium. The importance of these two minerals on a cellular level is critical. Calcium and magnesium are like opposite sides of a coin. Calcium excites nerves while magnesium calms them down. Calcium makes muscles contract. Magnesium is necessary for muscles to relax. Calcium is needed for blood clotting but magnesium keeps the blood flowing freely.

Magnesium helps your muscles and nerves function properly; it keeps your heart rhythm steady supports a healthy immune system and also assists in keeping your bones strong. This essential mineral helps regulate blood sugar levels promotes normal blood pressure and is required for producing and storing energy. It's easy to see why many researchers say that no single dietary factor is as critical as magnesium.

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kind lifers debate the continuum concept

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Over the last month you Kind Lifers engaged in a thoughtful discussion about our Kind Book Club selection for April The Continuum Concept by the late Jean Liedloff.
 
While you all agreed that the idea of attachment parenting is healthy some of you thought it is hard to implement in modern society. Take a look at the comments below and let me know what you think!
 
From Kind Lifer Michelle
 
I have been reading this book and it's amazing! Although I know I'm not ready to have a child it feels so good to become conscious about the way I know I want to raise/care for  him/her. This book has given me such vivid dreams and although I can wait a bit I'm excited to become a mother one day and experience the connection between my child and me in the transition from the womb to in arms!
 
From Kind Lifer Ann
 
Just want to let all the non-parents know it is worth reading! I read it years ago - and again since - and have no children have no interest in having children.....hell I don't even really like children.....ha! My point being that this book is definitely not just for people thinking about having kids; it's a really interesting anthropological study and I have often thought about a lot of her findings/observations in the years since reading it.
 
From Kind Lifer Brit B
 
I am a vegan mother of 3 and my youngest is 5 months now. I just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. The philosophy espoused by this book sounds great in theory but unfortunately our culture does not support this type of parenting which can lead to exhaustion and mental health problems in new moms. Carrying your baby 24 hours a day sleeping with your baby at night and nursing on demand sound fantastic until you are so sleep deprived that you start to hallucinate. Unless you have a live-in nanny a caring relative that lives close by or a partner that is home often and can support you and you can hand the baby off to a helper regularly similar to those in village type cultures that can really thrive with this type of parenting the realities of our culture make this style of parenting very difficult to achieve. I've nursed my 3 til they self-weaned had blissfully unmedicated births did kangaroo care for the first month after birth and live a pretty kind life but my family and I were much healthier and happier when baby slept in her own bed was put down to play by herself at times stuck to a sleep/eat routine and let mama get at least 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night.
 
From Kind Lifer Angelique
 
Before I had my son I never knew anything about the term "attachment parenting". It also wasn't until just before his birth that I had a change of heart and decided to have him naturally. Something in me just clicked.. and after some reading documentary-watching Ricki Lake! and soul searching I began to change. I had a natural birth and that just started my path into natural parenting. We co-slept since day one I had some really progressive nurses in a hospital that showed me how and encouraged it. I wore him non-stop in this beautiful organic sling... I nursed him until he self-weened at age 2. He has since moved into his own room but he is in a full size bed so I can help him drift off to sleep and sneak into bed with him if he wakes up scared to be alone. Yes of course this arrangement is not easy on the parent.. nor the marriage. It has taken its toll.. but thankfully.. my husband has been understanding throughout this process and we are pretty much on the same page. I read this book a few months ago and cried because it was validation that my gut feeling as a mother was right. I went against my friends and pediatrician and mother's! advice and never let my son cry it out.. and I am so happy to know that I am not alone in that.. i am giving my son the best start to his life.. and although it's not easy in this modern society.. it is right... and it follows my basic instincts.
 
From Kind Lifer Tara
 
I'm a neonatal ICU nurse and I see the broken bonding with parents parents afraid to touch hold care for their child because they are in an isolette or are attached to respiratory equipment. In our hospital we do have a developmental care committee to promote bonding kangaroo care breastfeeding and try to promote a more natural environment for the family but I wish we could do more!
 
From Kind Lifer Mistie
 
Wow! I'm so glad you are reading and recommending this book!  It has helped guide me through parenting from day one with my little ones and thankfully has helped us create a secure attachment based on love and intuition.. not on doctors or salesperson instructions lol!  Not even mother-in-laws ; When my boys are proud of something they did I just give them a sincere "Awesome." and a hug.  No need to dramatize or overreact just acknowledge that they are cool beings who have a lot of great talents. :  Being genuine doesn't mean never praising or giving compliments... it means just being sincere. Kids can tell if you mean what you say or are just propping them up. They appreciate honesty in all forms even gentle criticism when needed.
 
Thank you all so much for sharing your parenting experiences and your candid reactions to The Continuum Concept. I'll be announcing our next Kind Book Club selection soon so stay tuned!

taylors stuffed peppers

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Kind Lifer Taylor recently shared how a vegan diet helped her overcome her digestive issues. Now she shares her favorite vegan recipe stuffed peppers. This is not a superhero recipe but if you are a flirt or new vegan you may love these!
 
Taylor's Stuffed Peppers
 
4 Servings
 
Ingredients

1 cup quinoa or rice as pictured
2 cups water
6 medium bell peppers any color you like
1 medium onion diced
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms sliced
2 Tbsp. Earth Balance Spread
1 - 28 oz can organic tomatoes coarsely diced reserve juice
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 - 12 oz jar salsa or make your own!
2 Tbs. dry sherry
1 - 10 oz package Daiya Mozzarella Cheese shredded
Cayenne optional

Steps

Pre-heat oven to 325° F
Cook the quinoa according to package instructions
Steam 6 medium peppers until soft but not floppy
In a large skillet sauté the onion and mushrooms in the Earth Balance
Add the crushed garlic salsa and diced tomatoes to the skillet reserve the juice from the tomatoes
Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes
Add the sherry and simmer 10 more minutes
Fold in quinoa
Place peppers in baking dish and fill with quinoa mixture This will take about half the mixture
Thin remainder of the quinoa mixture with reserved tomato juice and pour around peppers
Sprinkle shredded Daiya mozzarella over peppers
Bake for 30-35 minutes
If you like sprinkle some cayenne pepper on top

Thanks Taylor! If any of you have a recipe you'd like to share be sure to post it to your profile and submit it to the recipe gallery!

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more superhero cooking classes!

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Macrobiotic chefs Karen and Laura are kicking off the summer with more cooking classes! This time they'll be featuring summer grain dishes warm weather soups cooling salads fresh and light desserts and protein-rich energy foods. If you're in LA and you want to be more superhero or if you're already superhero and just want to expand your repertoire this is a great place to start.
 
Classes start May 17 in Studio City. Call Karen at 818.766.8804 for directions and reservations.

orgasmic birth

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A while back a few members of the community suggested the book Orgasmic Birth to me and I happened to be reading it at the time. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to or thinking about having a baby! I think this book was my favorite birth book of all the books I read. If you are pregnant now read it ASAP. It was such a good read and there is also a great film called Orgasmic Birth. The film was just amazing - I can't recommend it enough! I hope every woman in the world gets to see this film and read this book. What a gift!

The film is a documentary about the natural process of birth and how women can get back to experiencing birth as an intensely joyful event. It was very informative.
 
I watched the film with my dear friend Alex you know her from her previous guest blog who was visiting me from Alabama. She said she couldn't stop talking about the film to all her friends after she saw it. She felt kind of gypped because she saw it after she'd already given birth to her three super cute healthy babies! I couldn't stop talking about it either – it was so trippy and intense and wonderful – it made me almost cry every single time a woman held her baby!
 
So for any of you who are contemplating a new baby this documentary is a must-see! And be sure to pick up the book too. Are there any other great pregnancy or childrearing books you would recommend?