Page 125 - April Issue

Are we poisoning
our children?
Most babies come into the world healthy,
innocent, and untouched by the sea of
toxins they’ll soon encounter by living life perfect surroundings for our children, so
on this planet.They’ll breathe in airborne
pollutants and swallow foods containing a
myriad of unregulated chemicals that can
alter their DNA. Even more disturbingly,
they’ll be exposed to the many toxins
in baby products that can be readily
absorbed by the skin and exert their
effects on the inner machinery of the body.
in focus: infant
Problems
We as parents try so hard to create the
they may grow and thrive and be healthy
and happy, says Marlene Sirota, CEO of
Healthy House Party in Dubai. “The truth
of the matter is that many of us have no
idea that the baby bag, baby bottle, the
crib, powdered formula, and the paint
in these “perfect” surroundings can be
toxic to our children,” says Sirota. In fact
environmental toxic exposure is an issue
that can affect the baby, into and through mother, baby & child April 2011
its life. According to Sirota, learning
early about the sources of environmental
toxic exposures and how to avoid them
during pregnancy, and through the baby’s
vulnerable first years is very important.
“Many countries are reporting an increase
in the levels of childhood cancers, birth
defects, attention deficit disorders, early
onset of puberty, childhood obesity,
and autoimmune diseases these have
dramatically increased in the past fifty
years,” she says and coinciding with the
rise in these conditions in our youth has
been the increase in environmental toxic
exposure.
Infants
The fetus in-utero gets its blood and
oxygen supply directly from the mother
until birth, says Sirota, therefore whatever
the mother ingests or absorbs, the baby
also receives. “Studies have shown that
our “babies are being born polluted”
as toxins are crossing the placenta
barrier and reaching directly, affecting
the foetus,” she says, “At birth, the skin
is more permeable than it will be at
any other time in life and newborn skin
especially needs to be treated with much
care.” The skin is our largest organ and it
works like a sponge. During this period,
Sirota strongly advises to be vigilant as to
the products you use on your babies skin
and in their bath. “The reason is because
while adults absorb an average of 60
percent of whatever is applied to the skin,
babies absorb an average of 80 percent of
everything applied,” she says, “Absorbed
essentially means “finds its way right into
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