Living Holistically

I was grocery shopping yesterday and passing quickly down the baking aisle and noticed a new product on the shelf.  I was looking at all the new stevia products and then something caught my eye "NEVELLA with Probiotics".  HUH?  How can a sugar product have probiotics.  So I flipped it over and looked at the ingredients. 

Dextrose with Maltodextrin, Sucralose,Bacillus Coagulans GBI-30 6086

So lets start at the beginning:

Dextrose (Glucose):   is a high glycemic index, fast absorbing type of simple carbohydrate. Dextrose is used by bodybuilders and athletes to induce an insulin spike and replace glycogen in muscle cells which is lost during training.  This is not something good for the average person to be consuming since it sets you up for insulin resistance by constantly flooding the body with glucose.

Maltodextrin:  It is a polysaccharide that is used as a food additive.  Maltodextrin is easily digestible, being absorbed as rapidly as glucose, and might be either moderately sweet or almost flavorless.  It contains less calories than sugar.  This is a processed additive -both of which are a bad idea.

Sucralose:  A zero calorie artificial sweetener.  It is approximately 600 times sweeter than table sugar.  Sucralose belongs to a class of compounds known as organochlorides (or chlorocarbons).  They store in the fatty tissues of the body.  Anything with a chloride content will be an endocrine disruptor and will cause issues with hormone imbalances.

GanedenBC30: is the trademarked name for the patented strain of probiotic bacteria, Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 manufactured by Ganeden Biotech. GanedenBC30 is not a drug. It is a natural supplement developed to help support digestive and immune health.

The fact that a probiotic has been added may look like a good thing but the question is, why would you add it in the first place to something so toxic as an artificial sugar?  You can't balance out a totally toxic substance with a product like this.  Not being able to find too much about this probiotic I am wondering how good it is.  The best probiotics can be found naturally in foods.  Try eating some of the following rather than a toxic no calorie sweetener.

Yogurt -low / no sugar and sweeten with honey or pure maple syrup and fresh fruit
Kefier - low / no sugar and add natural sweetners or use in smoothies
Sauerkraut - great probiotics
Any fermented food
Kombucha - I love making this drink.  It uses a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria & yeast) to create a fermented drink that is slightly fizzy and can be sweetened with fruit. 

Priobiotics are great for you and very important.  They line the gut and assist in defense against illness (60% of your immune system is in your gut). 

If you don't like probiotic type foods then get a good probiotic like UDO's Choice Super 8 Probiotic.  You'll find the best forms of probiotics in the refrigerator section of a Whole Foods Market or your local heath food store. 

Hippocrates said it best -  Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.

Each year with the beginning of school I dread packing lunches each morning.  What do you put in the lunches of two children who are gluten free, soy free, dye and chemical free?  During the summer they feast off of left overs or I cook something for them but in school it is a bit more difficult with no access to a stove or the ability to keep things cold / frozen. 

Other mom's have offered some advice that I have found helpful and I thought it would be good to share with you. 

It's almost time for many students to return to school.  Parents will carefully purchase clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes, pencils and more to prepare their child for a sucessful year.  But are they safe?  Many dangerous chemicals are lurking in items used by your children and in things found in the schools your children attend that have been linked to asthma and even autism.  I read a great article today regarding where these toxins can be found and how you can protect your children from them. 

PVC, the Poison Plastic - Unhealthy for Our Nation’s Children and Schools

Even lunch boxes can be dangerous as many have been found to contain lead.   The safe option we have been using for 4 years and love is the Laptop Lunchbox system which are great for the *green* consience family.  They can be purchased from Laptop Lunches, Amazon or Ebay.  You should also make sure that you are buying a good quality stainless water bottle to avoid BPA's that interfere with hormones in developing bodies.

Speaking of lunch boxes.  It's time to consider some healthy options to put into their tummys.  The Laptop Lunches website has some great meal ideas.  The little containers can make some eye pleasing lunch options.

Along with school comes sickness in many cases as children have new schedules, are exposed to other children's germs and are a bit stressed.  There are things you can do to help your child stay on top of his game.  First of all we use good old fashioned Vitamin C.  We love the Ultra Potent C from Metagenics.  They offer a chewable form that is orange flavor that contains lysine as well as Vit C for immune boosting properties.  Along with the vitamin C my supplement cupboard (we have no medicine cupboard) always contains Sambucol.  This is a syrup from elderberries.  Did you know that elderberries have been shown to be effective against the H1N1 virus (just a side bar in case the *scare* comes up again)?   If your child does get sick there is a wonderful homeopathic product  from BORON called Oscillcoccinum.  It is small tubes of tiny pellets like sprinkles on a cupcake.  They are sweet too so the child will not mind taking it.  Both items can be purchased from your local pharmacy like Walgreens or CVS. 

To your health....Naturally!

Stephanie