Page 39 - Winter2020

may also feature fluoride, aluminum, cadmium, and infant constipation demonstrated by the Fully half
glyphosate residues, hexane-extracted soybean Turkish study is an important warning to
oil and other toxic ingredients. In addition to mothers-to-be to get their microbial house in of the
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digestive distress, researchers have linked soy order. Unfortunately, factors such as industri- constipated
formula to seizures, autistic behavior and other alized foods, birth control pills, antibiotics and infants had
neurological symptoms. glyphosate can make this extremely challeng-
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ing. A new study from Finland (in the Journal constipated
LIKE MOTHER, LIKE BABY? of Hazardous Materials, no less) reports that 54 mothers.
A study conducted in rural Turkey, pub- percent “of around 101 species of bacteria com-
lished in late 2019, found that half the number monly found in our guts could be damaged or
of infants whose first food was breast milk killed if exposed to glyphosate in high enough
suffered from constipation compared to non- quantities.” 17,18
breastfed infants (15.4 percent versus 32.1
percent). Twenty-one percent of the constipated HOMEMADE FORMULA:
5
infants defecated twice or fewer times per week, TROUBLESHOOTING CONSTIPATION
and 5 percent “had stools that were like goat When breastfeeding is not possible (for
droppings.” Interestingly, sales of breast milk whatever reason), feeding baby one of the two
“substitutes” have skyrocketed in Turkey in types of nutrient-dense homemade formulas rec-
recent years, growing by 72 percent between ommended by the Weston A. Price Foundation is
2008 and 2013. by far the best option (see sidebar below). Many
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In addition to a decline in breastfeeding, families report considerable success giving their
factors that increased the Turkish infants’ risk of young ones either the raw milk formula or the
constipation included starting on supplementary liver-based formula. 19
foods before the age of six months, being mildly However, some parents who turn to the
or fully obese (a likely proxy for a diet high in raw milk formula report that their babies be-
processed junk foods) and having a mother who come constipated. For a constipated infant, the
also suffered from constipation. In fact, fully first explanation to consider is dehydration.
5
half of the constipated infants had constipated Campbell-McBride instructs parents to care-
mothers, and the presence of constipation in fully monitor baby’s urine, making sure it is
the mother was statistically significant at the pale yellow; dark yellow (or even brown) urine
p<0.0001 level, reflecting a 4.7-fold increased is a sure sign of dehydration. In addition, the
risk. baby should be producing normal amounts of
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, author of urine—as indicated by a diaper that is full of
Gut and Psychology Syndrome, observes that urine and requires changing after a feeding.
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constipation is “always a sign of deficient gut The AskDrSears website describes the colon as
flora.” In her estimation, the majority of babies the body’s “fluid regulator” and points out that
in the modern world have an imbalanced gut dehydration can cause the stools to harden and
microbiome. Thus the link between maternal become “water-deprived.” 20

HOMEMADE INFANT FORMULA
Breast milk from a healthy mother is usually the best food for baby. However, the quality of a mother’s milk depends
on her own diet. Lactating women’s diets should include plentiful animal products and fats, pastured eggs, liver, bone
broths, high-quality raw dairy and cod liver oil.

In situations where breastfeeding is difficult or impossible, or if baby is not gaining weight on breast milk or seems
always hungry, the Weston A. Price Foundation recommends homemade rather than commercial formula. The foun-
dation’s website provides detailed recipes and instructions for making raw milk baby formula and liver-based formula
(westonaprice.org/health-topics/childrens-health/formula-homemade-baby-formula/). Both recipes incorporate a variety
of nutrient-dense ingredients, including whole-fat raw milk from pastured cows (for the raw milk formula) and liver and
homemade broth (for the liver-based formula), along with cod liver oil, coconut oil, Bifidobacterium infantis and other
components designed to mimic the nutrient profile of mother’s milk as closely as possible.

WINTER 2020 Wise Traditions 37