Breastfeeding: Nutrition for Better Brains and Super Moms Breastfeeding can’t guarantee a super baby who walks at 4 months and differentiates colors, letters, and numbers by 6 months, but research does indicate that it is the best nutrition for your baby, helps fight infection, promotes brain development, and may even increase academic performance and IQ. And breastfeeding definitely makes you a super mom! The best nutrition for your baby: Breastfeeding provides the calories and nutrients that are just right for your baby. The composition of breast milk changes as your baby grows to meet her nutritional needs. Breastfed babies may need a vitamin D supplement, so ask your pediatrician. Breast milk passes antibodies to your baby. In addition to nutrients, breast milk also gives your baby protection against infection and disease.   Breastfeeding may also prevent or delay allergies.   Remember that any amount of breast milk that you are able to provide for your baby is beneficial.

Countless articles, reports and doctors assure us that “breast is best,” and in terms of a newborn’s nutritional needs, of course it is. Thankfully, there are alternatives in the rare cases where breastfeeding, or feeding breast milk, is not possible. Those instances are rare, and as The World Health Organization states, “Only under exceptional circumstances can a mother’s milk be considered unsuitable for her infant. For those few health situations where infants cannot, or should not, be breastfed, the choices of the best alternatives are–expressed breast milk from an infant’s own mother, breast milk from a healthy wet-nurse or a human-milk bank, or a breast-milk substitute fed with a cup, which is a safer method than a feeding bottle and teat–depends on individual circumstances.” [WHO 2003] Breast milk contains the hormone oxytocin, the feel good hormone, which promotes bonding. It reduces the chances of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer, and may reduce the rate and intensity

Start before you conceive: Women that start pregnancy in good health and at a normal weight are more likely to have better outcomes. If you are thinking of becoming pregnant, try to maintain a healthy weight and eat a balanced diet. Be sure to include a folic acid supplement, which is critical for fetal development.  It is optimal to begin folic acid supplements even before you become pregnant. Remember quality is better than quantity: It is easy to convince yourself that eating for two means that you can eat whatever you want. But, in reality, you only need a few hundred extra calories a day and a lot more nutrients than you normally do. Be sure that most of your food choices are nutrient dense and not just empty calories. For example, a half of veggie sandwich on whole wheat bread (nutrient dense) for a snack is a better choice than a donut (empty calories). Avoid potentially dangerous foods: Some foods have a higher risk of carrying microbes that cause food borne illness

This Recipe is dedicated to making your airplane travel with children as easy as a picnic on the plane. Picking at airline food can be discouraging. Make it easy on yourself and take along some healthier choices that your whole family can enjoy. Having taken 30 flights in 3 months for work one year, I speak from experience here. The bit of attention and energy it takes to prepare your own food is guaranteed to be returned to you in feeling better during your flight, and having more energy after you arrive at your destination. Drink plenty of water during the days and hours leading up to your flight, and be sure to walk and stretch in flight. Flights are drying to the body and skin, and contracting. Travel security restrictions for liquids can be confusing. To simplify, here are the TSA’s rules at this link on what you can bring on the plane to eat. http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/formula.shtm The issues of smelling up the plane with food odors, and

Protein is a vital key to a sharp, clear-thinking brain, and a strong, well-fueled body. Here we discover the ease of grabbing something delicious as well as nourishing, with our bare hands. These beautifully browned muffins are full of protein, alkalizing green veggies that detoxify the liver, and onions, which feed probiotics; the good bacteria that fuel optimal digestion in the intestines. Onions also have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial properties, and can lower blood sugar. These hearty muffins have been tested by family and friends, proving what every parent will love: Starting the morning with Claire’s Eggs & Bacon Flourless Muffins, we can move easily into our fullest day with confidence, enjoying stable blood sugar that will last for many productive and playful hours. Step-by-Baby-Step: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Makes 24 small muffins) Preparation time: Approx. 1 hour = 35 mins. prep., plus cooking time: 11-15 mins. 1 - 8 oz. package turkey bacon; cooked to perfection.

I love February 14th — what girl doesn't — so I start experimenting early with new Valentine's Day recipes. For the occasion, I stocked up at the Farmer's Market on baskets of fresh, juicy red raspberries. I was mashing some with banana as the base for a Valentine's dessert idea I had when Chloe looked at the contents of the bowl and started shrieking "I want some!!! My girl went on to eat every last drop when suddenly, it hit me: what baby wouldn't love this bright, pink homemade puree that's packed with potassium and Vitamin C? Luckily I had pints more of raspberries on hand, so I quickly mixed up a new batch to taste for myself. What can I say, my daughter has good taste. It was delicious. Even though this recipe is perfect for babies given it's smooth texture and simple composition, there's no reason adults won't love it too. Swirled into plain Greek yogurt or even served on top of ice cream, it's a treat that you can serve your special someone this Valentine's Day or any day you want

All the major news networks now have segments on Heroes. It appears to be a time in our history when we need to bring them to mass media to remind us that altruism is a virtue. Some are soldiers who have died in the line of duty under heroic circumstances. Some are individuals who have found special ways to give of their time, energy and money to make a difference and help others in need. Heroes are amazing examples of unselfish concern for the welfare of others entirely without ulterior motive: selflessness. It is the philosophical doctrine that right action is that which produces the greatest benefit to others. And then there are Heroines, women who possess heroic qualities. I personally have a heroine whose story I would like to tell. She is Josephine Nalugo, a young woman in Kampala, Uganda, Africa. I first met Josephine in July of 2007 when she emailed my company asking for a donation of a baby carrier. She introduced herself as a member of the Children in Africa Project. This was