When feeding baby, breast is always best. A recent study shows that both breast milk and formula encourage the growth of similar types of gut microbes, but the bacteria from the 2 forms of food work differently. [1]
How those differences affect a child’s health are unclear, however.
Mothers of small children ask me about natural health all the time. It happens in the line at my favorite natural grocer, or after a yoga class. Sometimes I receive questions through email or through a friend of a friend. It’s a universal desire for parents to give their children the best start possible, but our medical system is not set up to do that at all. In fact, in 6 key ways, it is harming our children and damaging their prospects for future health. Here’s how:
A new study shows that hospitals have been giving out fewer infant formula discharge packs to new mothers – signaling the recognized importance of breastfeeding for newborns.
The study abstract concludes:
Just how desperate are Big Food companies to get in on the burgeoning organic market? It seems that they are desperate enough to lie about their ingredients – even in baby formula.
Plaintiffs are seeking over $5 million in damages from the well-known baby formula maker, Abbot Laboratories (who makes Similac) for labeling one of their formulas as organic when it is anything but organic.
What kind of person, even as the head of a major food retailer, would want to feed developing children pesticides and questionable genetically modified ingredients? That’s a question to consider when you find out that one of Gerber’s popular baby food items has been found to be full of insecticidal GMOs.
Do these executives not realize they are feeding these to our children or do they just not care?
It’s unfortunate, but mothers and babies who receive federally-funded WIC assistance (Women, Infants and Children Program) are usually provided with formula comprised of GMO ingredients, including GMO corn and GMO soy. Mothers who desire organic baby formula for their developing children are denied it. Are the poor relegated to carcinogenic, developmentally-altering, genetically modified food, and nothing else?
