milk for baby

[Guest guest]

that is incredibly sad.

great that the dad is so aware. what a thing to deal with.

Depsite not being in good health I would say that the friend is the

very best option and an incredibly selfless and loving thing for this

woman to offer. wow! I would not look a gift horse like that in the

mouth.

a human mother's milk is always best and generally the best will go

into the milk.

especially for the first few months

it is easy to ask her to take some nutrients - would benefit her too.

I would recommend spirulina and essential fatty acids. that would take

care of most things and just generally avoiding anything too toxic.

still it is an ideal solution in a very un-ideal situation.

a sedond choice would have to be goats milk. I know it is not vegan but

organic goats milk from well cared for animals is probably the best

option health wise. It has to be done properly - I am sure there is

lots of info online - I am no expert.

Soy should never ever be considered a part of a baby formula - it has

hiddeous consequneces as formula and in commonly prepared forms

THE VITAL

ROLE OF ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS FOR

PREGNANT AND NURSING WOMEN

by

Finnegan

Recently it

has been

discovered that the Omega-3 fats are necessary for the complete

development of

the human brain during pregnancy and the first two years of life. The

Omega-3

fat and its derivative, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), is so essential to

a

child's development that if a mother and infant are deficient in it,

the

child's nervous system and immune system may never fully develop, and

it can

cause a lifetime of unexplained emotional, learning, and immune system

disorders.

Considering

the enormous

increase in emotional, learning, and immune system disorders in our

population

today, one cannot help but wonder what effect this widespread

nutritional

deficiency is having on the breakdown in people's health.

One also

wonders whether

the prevalence of infant and childhood illnesses like Epstein Barr;

Candida

albicans overgrowth; sinus allergies; chronic ear, nose, and throat

infections;

as well as so-called emotional disorders like hyperactivity and

autistic

behavior, also have their basis in nutritional deficiencies,

particularly in

the lack of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Further

compounding the

problem, an estimated 60-70% of all two-month-old babies are

bottle-fed, and

75-80% of all four-month-old babies are bottle-fed; none of the

powdered baby

formulas such as Isomil, Similac, Gerber, and Carnation contain Omega-3

fatty

acids.1 To my knowledge, all baby formulas are made with commercially

processed

oils which contain high levels of poisonous trans fatty acids and other

harmful

compounds.2

Dr.

Rudin, in his

excellent book The Omega-3 Phenomenon, states the issue succinctly:

There is no

comparable substitute for the remarkable mix of nutrients and

immunity-boosting

factors provided by mother's milk, as long as the mother is eating

properly. A

well-nourished nursing mother provides her infant with a perfect blend

of

essential fatty acids and their long-chained derivatives, assuring the

fast-growing brain and body tissues a rich supply. Mother's milk also

supplies

important antibodies not present in cow's milk or in artificial

formula. Here

is a nutritive comparison:

Breast milk

may have five times more arachidonic acid and two and a half times more

EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) than formula.

Breast milk

may have 30 times more DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) than formula.

Compared

with mother's milk, formulas are also low in selenium and biotin.

Sadly, the

breast milk of

many mothers in our country reflects the high trans fatty acid and low

Omega-3

content in the average diet. American mothers produce milk that often

has only

one-fifth to one-tenth of the Omega-3 content of the milk that

well-nourished,

nut-eating Nigerian mothers provide their infants.

This

discovery has far-reaching

implications. A study in March, 1991 at the Mayo Clinic of 19 'normal'

pregnant

women consuming normal diets indicated all were deficient in the

Omega-3 fats

and to a lesser degree, Omega-6 fats.3 Another study of Inuit (Eskimo)

women,

compared to Canadian women, revealed the same deficiencies in the milk

of

Canadian nursing mothers.4

Compounding

the problem

is our nation's pervasive obsession with weight loss programs, which

induce

women to avoid all fats. The frightening news is that for the past

three

generations (since the advent of refined oils), the vast majority of

the

population in North America has not

been given adequate

nourishment for complete brain development. The part of the brain that

Omega-3

affects is the learning ability, anxiety/depression, and auditory and

visual

perception. The Omega-3 fats also aid in balancing the autoimmune

system, and

there seem to be a growing number of children with allergies, colic,

and skin

problems.

There are

also

indications that Omega-3 fats play an ongoing role in brain function,

healthy

immune system function, and general growth throughout childhood and

adolescence. One study revealed that Omega-3 supplementation induced

catch-up

growth in a deficient, underdeveloped seven-year-old.5

Since our

mental

apparatus is developed in the mother's womb and during the first two

years of

life, one would be wise to heed the advice of the researchers from the

Mayo

Clinic study.6 They suggest that this important fat be supplemented in

every

pregnancy, and that refined and hydrogenated fats be avoided during

this

critical period.

For these

conservative

researchers to include a message like this in their research paper

should make

us concerned for our future. I have personal experience with families

who have

had 'flax' babies. These children (now 3 and 6 years old) are very

bright and

healthy and have been free from many health problems most young

children now

experience.

A deficiency

of the

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats causes insufficient milk production and breast

engorgement. Flax seed oil has been found to substantially increase

milk

production in women who are not producing enough milk to nurse their

infants.

It also often clears up breast engorgement. One woman I know was having

great

difficulty producing enough milk to nurse her newborn child. Within

twenty-four

hours of taking flax seed oil, her milk production doubled, and one

breast that

was engorged opened up, allowing the milk to flow freely.

Many

authorities

recommend that pregnant and nursing women consume fatty fish two to

three times

weekly and/or add a minimal amount of flax seed oil to their diets to

insure

adequate intake of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Another

paper worth

reading is the report given by Artemis Simopoulos, M.D., a pediatrician

and

endocrinologist from the International Life Sciences Institute. 7 She takes a comprehensive look at how the

Omega-3 deficiency affects many areas, from fetal growth to arthritis

and

cancer.

A healthy

mother's milk

is high in essential fatty acids, GLA, and other precursors to

prostaglandins.

Cow's milk is low in essential fatty acids, and other prostaglandin

precursors,

and is high in saturated fats. For this reason, cow's milk is not an

adequate

substitute for mother's milk. Neither is baby formula. At a recent

international symposium on Dietary Omega-3 and -6 Fatty acids Dr.

Neuringer, an

authority on infant milk, stated that the low Omega-3, high Omega-6

content in

infant formulas is of great concern because of the imbalance it causes

among

the resultant prostaglandins. These imbalances could impair the immune

system

and predispose the infant to cancer and heart trouble later in life.

Feeding a

nonnursing baby a few drops of flax seed oil will provide the Omega-3

and

Omega-6 essential fatty acids.

Note: Since most

adults today

are deficient in the Omega-3 fatty acids, nursing mothers may not have

sufficient amounts to pass along to their infants. It is especially

important,

therefore, for pregnant and nursing women to supplement their diets…

Generational

Consequences of Deficiency

There are

many serious

consequences of generation after generation having diets deficient in

an

element essential for normal development of the nervous system.

Following are a

few observations of the effects that inadequate nutrition is having on

social

and economic conditions today.

A widespread

alienation and pervasive depression in young people, truly alarming to

observe in an age group usually known for its boundless enthusiasm and

enjoyment of life.

An increase

in suicides and killings among young children, almost unheard of a

generation ago.

The ongoing

increase in drug and alcohol abuse.

An

unparalleled growth of immune system disorders like Epstein Barr,

Candida, allergies, chronic sinus and ear infections, and digestive

disorders.

A serious

decline in the level of scholastic achievement among school children.

A continued

deterioration of the quality of goods produced by American industries.

(A nation of people that lives on hamburgers, french fries, milk

shakes, cola drinks, TV dinners, and other toxic foods is destined to

lose its competitive edge, and will continue to foster drug abuse in

the workplace.)

Certainly,

there are many

social and economic factors contributing to this disturbing state. But

there is

also a great deal of sound scientific research that clearly

demonstrates that,

when populations are subjected to serious, continued nutritional

deficiencies,

the offspring of each successive generation shows an increased

deterioration in

physical and mental health.8-13 I have spoken with many older doctors

who have

told me that they find most people in their fifties and sixties to be

constitutionally stronger and healthier than those of the next

generation, in

their thirties and forties.

In his

classic work,

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Dr. Weston Price presents

remarkable

observations on the diets and health of different cultures around the

world..

He has extensively documented the degeneration that occurs when healthy

peoples, eating traditional diets, convert to modern foods.

Weston

Price's time in

history was unique. He was able to observe many cultures, living and

eating as

they had for thousands of years. When these people met the modern age

and

converted to modern diets, they experienced disastrous consequences to

their

physical and emotional health.

He studied

society after

society, from Swiss farmers living in high Alpine valleys to Gaelics on

islands

of the outer Hebrides, from descendants of ancient civilizations living

in Peru

to the Maori in New Zealand, the Eskimos in Alaska, Indians in Canada

and the

United States, Melanesians and Polynesians in the South Pacific,

Africans and

Malay tribes on islands north of Australia. Again and again, he found

the same

story repeated. The indigenous peoples had strong, healthy bodies, free

from

cancer, heart disease, and immune system weakness. And surprisingly,

tooth

decay and cavities were almost nonexistent, despite the fact that these

peoples

usually had no dentists or fluoride toothpaste.l4-15

He saw,

firsthand, how

each succeeding generation that converted their diets to modern,

refined foods

experienced a continued deterioration in health. He also met several

doctors

who told him that, in several decades of living among native peoples,

they never

saw a single case of cancer.

This article

is an

excerpt from The Facts About Fats, by Finnegan, published by

Celestial

Arts, 1993.

References

1. Liu, C.

CF, et al.

ÒIncrease in plasma phasonalipid DHA and EFAs as a reflection of their

intake

and mode of administration,Ó Pediatr. Res., 1987: 22: 292-6.

2. Liebman,

Bonnie, ÒBaby

Formula: Missing Key Fats?~ Nutrition Action Healthletter, p. 8-9,

(October

1990.

3. Holman,

Ralph T.,

, , Ogburn, , ÒDeficiency of essential fatty acids and

membrane

fluidity during pregnancy and lactation,Ó Biochemistry, Proc. Natl.

Acad. Sci.

USA, Vol. 88: 4835-4839, June 1991.

4. Innis,

Sheila M., and

Kuhnlein, Harriet V., ÒLong-chain n-3 fatty adds in breast milk of

Inuit women

consuming traditional foods,Ó Early Human Development, Elsevier

Scientific

Publishers Ireland Ltd., 18: 185-189, 1988.

5. Bjerve

K.S.,

Thoereson, ÒLinseed oil and cod liver oil induce rapid growth in a

seven-year-old girl with a N-3 fatty acid deficient,Ó JPEN, J.

Parenter, Enteral

Nutr., Sept.-Oct., 12(5): 521-5, 1988.

6. Holman,

Ralph, et al.,

op. cit.

7.

Simopoulos, Artemis,

M.D., Nutrition Today, March/April 1988 & May/June 1988.

8. Price,

Weston,

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, La Mesa, California:

Price-Pottenger Nutrition

Foundation, 1954.

9.

Pottenger, Elaine, and

Pottenger, Jr., eds. PottengerÕs Cats: A Study in Nutrition

(edited

writings of Francis Pottenger), La Mesa, California: The

Price-Pottenger

Nutrition Foundation, 1983.

10. Schauss,

G.,

M.D., Crime, Diet & Delinquency, California:

House, 1981.

11. Jensen,

Bernard, and , Mark,

Empty Harvest, New York: Avery,

1990.

12. Budwig,

Dr. Johanna,

Flax Oil as a True Aid against Arthritis, Heart Infarction, Cancer and

Other

Diseases, Vancouver, Canada: Apple

Publishing, 1992.

13. Schmid,

F.,

M.D., Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine, New York:

Ballantine, 1987.

14. Price,

op. cit.

15. Schmid,

op. cit.

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Ms Ilanit Tof

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