Mothering Magazine Sponsored Chat with
Cynthia Lair - Author, Feeding
The Whole Family.
Cynthia Lair graduated as a Certified Health and Nutrition Counselor
from the Health and Nutrition Program (NYC) in 1987. A member of the
Nutrition faculty at Bastyr University, School of Natural Medicine,
since 1994, she has written articles for many publications,
including Mothering Magazine. She has lectured and taught cooking
classes for parenting organizations, medical practitioners, special
interest groups throughout the Pacific NW and Canada . The revised
edition of her popular cookbook, Feeding the
Whole Family was released in January 1998 and has sold over
25,000 copies. Her latest book is Feeding the
Young Athlete: Sports Nutrition Made
Easy for Players and Parents was released in 2002. For more
information on Cynthia Lair and her books, visit
www.feedingfamily.com.
www.mothering.com
1/26/05
38 mamas in attendance
Books by Guest Speaker Cynthia Lair:
Webmama_Tina: ok, our guest speaker today is
cynthia lair...cynthia why don't you tell us a little about
yourself and your experience, in relation to the topic of
this chat feeding the whole family"?"
Webmama_Tina: angie will be tracking who's
next, so you can start posting ?" at any time and she'll
keep track of who's in line to ask a question"
CynthiaLair: Hello from Seattle! I got my
training to become a Health and Nutrition Counselor in NYC.
Started teaching nutrition and cooking, also private
counseling. Preferred the former. Moved to Seattle when my
daughter was 2 (she's 17!). Have been teaching at Bastyr
University for the nutrition Dept since 1994. Have written 2
books - Feeding the Whole Family and Feeding the Young
Athlete. Both nutrition information laden cookbooks. Both
focus on a whole foods approach to eating.
kaylasmommy: ?
Webmama_Tina: oh and cynthia, just let me
know when you're done by saying something like ready for the
first question....something along those lines...:)
CynthiaLair: Ready for the first question.
MOD_Angie: upcoming chatter(s):
kaylasmommy
kaylasmommy: I've been researching the
proper foods to start my almost 6-mo old on....hearing a lot
of different things about rice cereal. What is your opinion?
happytails: ?
beth: ?
CynthiaLair: Babies come out with rather
unformed digestive systems so its good to start with
something easy to digest. I prefer pureed fresh fruits and
vegetables for starters. Rice cereal is great - especially
homemade brown rice cereal - but a more complex food than
fruits and vegetables.
Webmama_Tina: don't mind me as i periodically
will repost the intro welcome and any other messages that
are relevant...just keep going. :)
SandraMort: ?
CynthiaLair: Most commercial rice cereals
are highly processed refined stuff. Check it out. Try some
yourself. Not a great deal of nutrition or vitality.
Webmama_Tina: oh and cynthia...when you're
done answering questions...you can just say next" or "next
question"...so angie will know to tell you who's next. :)"
CynthiaLair: next.
MOD_Angie: upcoming chatter(s): happytails
beth SandraMort
happytails: Recently. Mothering ran an
article on the dangers of overuse of soy. What is your
opinion? I ask this as Whole Foods has a good amount of
recipes that include soy.
Webmama_Tina: Welcome to this week's
Mothering Sponsored chat! This is a moderated chat. Please
make sure you read and fully understand the Moderated Chat
Instructions before participating in this chat. Instructions
can be found here:
http://www.mommychats.com/modrules.htm
...A Friendly Reminder: Please do not post unless it is your
turn to ask a question. If you have a question, please post
a single ?" and you'll be added to the queue. Have your
question ready when your name is called."
faithnj: Mothering_Mag Mothering_Mag
Hello!
CynthiaLair: Hi Sandra. Yes that was very
interesting article with many good points! I find that
occasional dishes made with traditional soy products like
miso, tamari and tempeh are just fine. Where we get into
trouble is overdoing soy - like soy milk and soy powder in
everything. And also using processed soy that doesn't have
the natural fermentation that gives us the enzymes to digest
soy foods. Also most cultures that use soy foods also have
sea vegetables in their diet. That is because soy lowers
thyroid and sea vegetables contatin iodine which ups thyroid
function.
Webmama_Tina: hello faithnj! glad you made
it! we're taking turns asking cynthia our questions....
CynthiaLair: Next.
MOD_Angie: upcoming chatter(s): beth
SandraMort steffanie3
happytails: ty
faithnj: ?
CynthiaLair: Please pardon my typos. I am
trying to type too fast!
Webmama_Tina: no worries, cynthia...you're
doing great!
kaylasmommy: ?
beth: First let me say, you book has
TOTALLY changed how our family eats...thank you so much!
CynthiaLair: It is important not to demonize
any natural-occurring food. They all have good attributes
and a negative side as well. Particularly if over eaten or
abstained from. - back on soy question a bit...
beth: my question is, and forgive me
if you have addressed this as I was late to chat, but many
of your recipes are high in tofu or soy products. Soy seems
to be quite controversial. Could you please discuss this and
your choice to include soy in a family's die
CynthiaLair: I am so happy when anyone finds
the books I've written useful Beth!
Melissa_S: ?
CynthiaLair: See the above answer. Soy is
not bad nor good. Like everything it has a back and a front.
On the good side it is an inexpensive protein source that
when carefully crafted - like fine unpasteurized miso - can
have many healthful qualities. Soy also has excellent
essential fatty acids. Processed soy foods are however not
so great - hard to digest. We're overusing soy in this
culture. Over using it in highly processed forms and in the
wrong places - like soy formula.
happytails: beth beth lol that was the q i
just asked her before you!
CynthiaLair: Next
Webmama_Tina: lol, that's ok....the
transcripts will be posted later and you can read her
answer....
Webmama_Tina: do you want to ask a different
question beth?
MOD_Angie: upcoming chatter(s): SandraMort
steffanie3 faithnj kaylasmommy Melissa_S
beth: my question has been answered..
thank you!
Webmama_Tina: ok cool
sanguinegirl83: ?
SandraMort: Should I post the q now?
MOD_Angie: upcoming chatter(s): SandraMort
steffanie3 faithnj kaylasmommy Melissa_S sanguinegirl83
MOD_Angie: yes plz Sandra
SandraMort: GAH! Having trouble
copy/pasting...
SandraMort: I'm pregnant with my third
child and had planned to approach solids the same as I had
with my other two children.
Webmama_Tina: there is a button above where
you type
SandraMort: Which button?
Webmama_Tina: if you hover over the buttons,
it will say what it is in the toolbar....the one you want is
called copy content" which is between the audio an dthe
larger font button"
Webmama_Tina: it looks like 2 pieces of paper
Webmama_Tina: this will give you a new window
that you can copy from
SandraMort: I didn't see what you said.
Nevermind, I'll just type.
SandraMort: I'm pregnant with my third
child and had planned to approach solids the same as I had
with the first two.
Webmama_Tina: lol, no worries
SandraMort: I waited until they exhibited
all of the signs of readiness for solids, then offered table
foods, either cut up small enough to pincer grasp or large
enough to not pose a choking hazard,
SandraMort: making sure to follow the
guidelines that recommend starting with single ingredient
foods and waiting about a week in between introducing new
ones.
SandraMort: My question is, since I've
never understood why people bother with starting babies with
purees, is there any advantage to it that I'm just not
seeing?
SandraMort: It just seems to create a
situation where babies who aren't truly ready for solids get
them too soon, expose them to potential allergens before
their bodies are ready to handle them, facilitate premature
weaning, create huge messes,
SandraMort: cost a lot of money (if you use
jars), take a lot of unnecessary effort to feed the babies
and eventually delay the transition to real food.
SandraMort: ok
SandraMort: Sorry if this is addressed in
your book -- I'm not familiar with it.
Webmama_Tina: hang tight mamas, sometimes it
takes a bit to type a response
CynthiaLair: I like your common sense
questions Sandra! The puree is used mostly for digestibility.
Baby food manufacturers would have you believe it is for
blandness and special properties" which is hype. As long as
the food is soft enough to be gummed and tongued a bit and
as long as your baby is not pooping the food out whole, one
doesn't HAVE to use purees at all. In my book I recommend
mashing up a bit of table foods so that it IS a transition
to real food. An education of the taste buds and everything
else of "How to eat with the family.""
SandraMort: So there's really nothing my
kids are missing out on, then? :) OK.
SandraMort: Thanks
MOD_Angie: upcoming chatter(s): steffanie3
faithnj kaylasmommy Melissa_S sanguinegirl83 MOD_Angie
steffanie3: I am wondering if you have l
favorite foods for toddlers like a top five or something?
Sometimes it is hard to get my DS to eat much, so I am
wondering if there are any foods I should have on hand.
CynthiaLair: Starting solids is not just
about nutrition. It is also about training your baby to eat
the foods that the other family members eat. Your kids are
great Sandra! My child was also not much of a puree eater -
went for things she could grab by 9-10 months.
kaylasmommy: I'm quite concerned about the
levels of mercury found in seafood....any thoughts on that?
kaylasmommy: (hope I didn't butt in!)
CynthiaLair: Steffanie. Food for toddlers -
we want to use feeding children as an educational
opportunity whenever possible. Let snacks be simple things
that will help your child grow strong. Fresh organic
seasonal fruits. Fresh vegetables - lightly steamed. Whole
grains cereals. Nothing wrong with a bowl of rice as a
snack! Nuts and seeds. Nut butters on whole grain crackers.
All good stuff.
Webmama_Tina: woops, i think its still
steffanie3's turn?
kaylasmommy: sorry bout that
Webmama_Tina: angie is posting who's in line
next...when you are the first name in the list, its your
turn. :)
Webmama_Tina: no worries, it happens
steffanie3: thanks
moonchile: ?
CynthiaLair: Kayla, there is a web site put
out by the Monterey Bay Aquarium that talks about seafood
safety. I'm sure you can find it by googling. As far as
mercury is concerned - it is mostly found in larger older
fish. Fisherman who use a line generally do not catch the
older bigger fish. Chat it up with your local fishmonger.
Buy tuna from a fisherman who fishes the smaller, younger
fish and you'll find much less mercury content.
CynthiaLair: next?
kaylasmommy: thanks
CynthiaLair: I think I'm caught up?
Melissa_S: I already consider myself
fairly nutritionally minded - eating right balance of food
categories, whole grains, lots of whole fruits and veggies,
sugarless options for syrups, etc... what other
modifications can my family make to keep our weight in
check?
Webmama_Tina: i think we skipped over faithnj
since kaylasmommy was confused and posted out of turn (no
worries, we can sort it out)...am i right angie?
faithnj: I'm lacto/ovo veg & my newborn
appears to be in serious distress after drinking my breast
milk. Can you answer a BF question?
Webmama_Tina: FYI, according to my clock we
have just 10min left in the chat
faithnj: Ha ha! Us newbies are making a
mess of things aren't we?
CynthiaLair: Melissa, sounds like you're
doing a great job! To keep weight in check avoid processed
food like white flour - which it sounds like you are doing.
Also choose sweeteners like fruit juice and maple syrup -
more natural. Avoid high fructose corn syrup, splenda and
sweeteners that are supposedly no calorie." Very little is
known about how these sweeteners metabolize and I have a
suspicion that they are piling on weight."
CynthiaLair: Yes I can answer a
breastfeeding question.
Webmama_Tina: lol, no worries, y'all will get
it :)
faithnj: Great! She's in crazy distress
after Bfeeding, so I put her on soy formula on Friday, and
now she seems fine.
faithnj: My pediatrician said do an
elimination diet and get rid of all dairy foods. (Now I'm an
ovo veg! LOL!) And I'm waiting to see if that helps. Was it
wrong to switch her to soy formula? And how long should I
wait before going back to BFding. I'm reading
faithnj: it can take 2 weeks to get the
dairy out of our systems! Yikes!
CynthiaLair: Distress after breastfeeding can
certainly be due to the mom's diet. Would need to check out
what you're eating. Common culprits are foods dairy just as
your doctor says. I think it's worth it to try eliminating
some foods and stick with the breastfeeding. If you are
lacto ovo you will really need to step up your calorie
amount - nuts, nut butter, olive oil - with good fats such
as these.
faithnj: But do I continue to BF while I
do the elimination diet, or do I stick to formula until I
get the dairy out of my system? I'm asking because some
people seem to imply that I should never use formula....but
the intestinal distress the baby goes through...
Webmama_Tina: i'm sorry folks, my daughter is
having a constipation issue...i'll be right back
faithnj: with each feeding is downright
heartbreaking.
CynthiaLair: I'd not worry about the wait
time before all dairy out of your system and such. Start
eating a real simple diet - whole grains, beans, fruits and
vegetables. Keep the breast milk flowing while you're
eliminating and maybe use the formula intermittently while
baby is still in distress.
CynthiaLair: My timing on that question was
backwards! :(
faithnj: Thanks for the advice. Also,
could I be sensitizing her to soy by using the formula?
Cause if this baby can't eat soy products or dairy products
when she's older, it's gonna
faithnj: be slim pickin's around this
house! LOL! (But that's not really funny, if you know what I
mean.)
Webmama_Tina: ok i'm back...sorry about that
CynthiaLair: Faith, most important to do
what you believe is right. Breastmilk is an amazing food.
Never use formula is a judgemental statement. Stay clear.
MOD_Angie: upcoming chatter(s): Melissa_S
sanguinegirl83 moonchile altheasmommy
CynthiaLair: Wow this is going so fast!
faithnj: Are you saying stay clear of
formula? Or stay clear of the people who judge and say never
use formula?
faithnj: And thankyou. Faith steps down
now.
CynthiaLair: Stay clear of people who judge.
faithnj: You're the best. (Just had to
slip that in. Smile)
Webmama_Tina: ok my clock says time is
up...cynthia are you able to stay any longer or do you need
to go? that's entirely up to you
CynthiaLair: I have time for about 2 more
questions.
Melissa_S: I already had my question
answered
sanguinegirl83: I read a while back about a
connection between flax seed oil and prostate cancer in men.
Is there a certain age where this starts, and is there a
difference if I were to use organic oil and/or high lingen
oil (it is rather hard for me to get my 5 1/2 year
MOD_Angie: upcoming chatter(s):
sanguinegirl83
sanguinegirl83: old to eat flax seeds)-also,
with regard to no calorie sweeteners you mentioned before;
we use stevia-do you see any problems with using that plant
fiber?
sanguinegirl83: I have tried different things
with the flax seeds, such as crackers and toppings on
things, mixing it into our hot whole grain porridge... I
just haven't found something ideal.
sanguinegirl83: (Plus, the oil capsules are
just SO convenient... :) )
CynthiaLair: I have not heard the flax
seed/prostrate connection. View the big picture on the omega
3 & 6 thing. The ddeal is that most Americans get all their
fat calories from rancid processed oils and from meat and
adiry. Meat and dairy are cool but biochemically they are
pro inflammatory. That's why the need for fats and oils that
are anti-inflammatory and high in omega # - protective. If we
ate a more varied diet that included fish and fats that go
into the anti-inflammatory processes and AVOIDED processed
refined oils (yes like canola) we wouldn't need to
supplement/medicate. Yes?
sanguinegirl83: true-I'm sure that study did
not take more natural lifestyles and diets into
consideration. Mothers always worry about causing damage to
their children, though... :)
CynthiaLair: Flax seeds are cool but you
don't need to use it every day for a young child. Stevia is
fine, I just don't like the aftertaste.
sanguinegirl83: Thank you!
CynthiaLair: One more?
Webmama_Tina: i have one if we have time
Webmama_Tina: unless sanguine wasn't the
last?
CynthiaLair: great.
birth_junky: sanguine was the last . . .
Webmama_Tina: don't want to cut in line :)
moonchile: ?
MOD_Angela: and altheasmommy also had a
question
CynthiaLair: birth junky - now that is a
great name...
Webmama_Tina: ok, so since this just
happened, and has been happening off and on
lately...constipation has become an issue for my 4yr old
lately....wanting to know your food recommendations to
prevent constipation
Webmama_Tina: oh sorry altheasmommy!
Webmama_Tina: my computer is running
sloooooooooooooow and i'm not getting the posts
immediately...woops...
CynthiaLair: Tough to diagnose without
knowing what the 4 year old is eating. Have you tried water?
More water is usually the first thing to try. Then try
stopping the refined flours. They are very constipating. Also
make sure no high fructose corn syrup is in the diet. Usually
whole grains, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables are efficient
moving foods.
MOD_Angela: Sorry, MOd Angie I think
Moonchile was next then altheasmommy if there was time right?
Webmama_Tina: she said she only had time for
2 more questions...i'm so sorry, i wouldn't have posted if i
had known there were others...
Webmama_Tina: perhaps cynthia will come back
again sometime?
steffanie3: thanks for the time you have
given us Cynthia
Webmama_Tina: thanks for answering my
question, cynthia
CynthiaLair: Sure. This was fun. Went
fast!!!
steffanie3: and mods
CynthiaLair: Thank you to all for your good
questions.
Webmama_Tina: yes, cynthia, you have given us
all a lot of very valuable info!
beth: thank you!
Webmama_Tina: we really appreciate it cynthia!
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