Infant Probiotics: which brand and how to add to your formula?

Probiotics support your immune system and help complete the breaking down of food in your intestines so that you can absorb all of the nutritents you are eating.  Without them, imcomplete digestion happens, irritation inside the instestines occur and you experience a series of sensations such as fatigue, headaches, joints that ache, blemishes on the skin, acid reflux, depression, migraines, incomplete bowel movements, and this is a short list.

This entry focuses in infant supplementation of probiotics, stay tuned for adult supplementation!

My son, Joseph, is now 11 months and was breastfed up to 8 months but never exclusively.  I would pump and caregivers would feed him with a bottle breast milk but I wasn't always able to pump enough and in the beginning, I wasn't sure even how to pump properly.  I had to make formula for him since he would regurgitate commecrial formula. 

Within the formula, I would alternate which type of probiotic and used 2 different brands of infant probiotics.  You can also add probiotics to commercial formula, it helps  your infant and child fight off colds, better digest formula (commercial or homemade), and supports the proper absorption of vitamins and minerals. 

Udo's Choice - Infant's Probiotic - The manufacturer's suggested serving size 1/2 tsp.  I would use 1/4 tsp. per 4 to 6 oz bottle.  I would heat the formula first.  Never in a microwave, i'd boil the water in a sauce pan, turn it off, place the formula filled bottle in the hot water for 2 to 3 minutes tops.  I always checked the temperature of the formula with my finger.  Then, I'd place 1/4 tsp. of the infant probiotic.  Shake it so that the formula disolves completely and serve!

 Natren - Life Start - The manufacturer's suggested serving size 1/4 tsp.  I would use the same portions in the same way as Udo's Choice.  Even if you are not giving your baby any formula, you can continue using this probiotic in water either through a bottle or a sippy cup.  Any time of day, throughout the day seems to produce the best results for proper digestion and improved bowel movements.

Your local health food store and even Whole Foods carry these supplements.  They should be in the refrigerated section and you should keep the bottles in your fridge, but NOT your freezer.  If they don't, you can ask them to order them for you, you'll save on the additional shipping cost you must pay to keep the probiotics cold during shipping.

Green Vegetable Juice Recipe

Just wanted to share this amazing tasting and easy to make green vegetable juice.  Makes two large juices.

4 celery sticks

1/4 bunch of dandelion leaves

4 kale leaves

4 green lettuce leaves

2 small zuccini

1/4 bunch of parsley

1/4 bunch of spinach

2 lemons peeled

1 pinky's worth of ginger

Juice away!  Don't forget to drink your freshly made juice right away! Sip it, don't gulp it! If you drink more than 8 to 10 ounces at a time, you'll just pee all the nutrients out, so it's better to make a second juice later in the day than to drink a large juice all at once.  Happy juicing!

Liver Flush Season

It's that time of year again, where the winter weather, sedentary lifestyle, overeating from holidays, staying indoors all day has taken its toll on your body and you need to think about cleansing your liver.  Lavage is now hosting free monthly gatherings, the third Monday of the month, to talk about cleansing.  Our particular topic for the next workshop will be "The Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush" by Andreas Moritz.  All are welcome to join us in sharing our experiences with this flush and educate others on what to expect.

Colonics and Migraines

I was asked to write about this from a client who did not know that colonics, relieved migraine headaches. 

In my 10  years of working with clients, this is without a doubt, one of the major benefits of colon hydrotherapy.  It mitigates, relieves and eliminates migraine headaches in all of my clients who suffered from them.  It is such a given that I have forgotten to metion it recently until a new client said he was suffering from headaches and I explained to him that his body was asking for a cleanse: some mild dietary changes with a series of 6 colonics to start and then see how he was feeling.

Here is a link that explains in some detail the whys:

http://www.meridianinstitute.com/migrai2.htm

For the more medically inclined, JAMA did publish an article, http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/summary/106/2/118, from 1936 and you need to have a subscription to JAMA to access the entire article or go to your local library.  This is an article on colon lavage and not so much the benefits on migraines, but so far it is the only medical article from an established medical journal that I have come accross.

If any of you know of medical articles, please post so we can all benefit.

So, for you migraine sufferers, there is a great treatment out there for you with lasting benefits.

Happy Spring!

Cleansing While Pregnant

I am asked often, "Can I get a colonic if I'm pregnant?", or "Is is ok to cleanse or fast while pregnant?".   I'd like to address these two questions.

It is absolutely a good idea to get colonics while pregnant since one of the major complaints of pregnant women is constipation.  You will feel better, lighter and relieved.  Think of a colonic as a more thorough enema.  In my experience, I have seen clients from conception to delivery and they would receive colonics once a week and no less than once a month.

Fasting or cleansing with diet during a pregnancy is absolutely not a good idea.  Fasting or cleansing creates an environment for the body to detoxify, to dump and eliminate toxins.  This is not a good idea during pregnancy.  Your body is doing all that is necessary to adapt to the new life inside of you and cleansing is not recommended.  Toxins circulate through the blood and lymphatic fluids in your body and can be passed onto the unborn life inside of you.