Weaning: Baby's first foods; Thoughts on reading material (WAS: Weaning)

[Guest guest]

Hi Jenny and all,

 

I have read such things, too. However, if we pause for a moment and consider the implications, we might realize something like this:

 

Tots, on their own, would choose nut milks zero percent of the time. Why? Because on their own, nut milks would not exist. Tots eat what they can lay their hands upon and what adults feed them, nothing more or less. And there are zero nut milks in Nature for them to lay their hands upon....

 

Fruits and greens, fruits and greens, that's what we are designed to eat, fruits and greens!

 

Fruits are the first foods of weaning ... whole, fresh, ripe, raw, organic or better fruits, one food at a time, whenever the child is hungry, until the child is "full" (i.e., stops eating that particular fruit). Sound familiar? This is the mantra of 80/10/10, this idea is at the very heart of what Doug Graham has been teaching for years. (I've added the "or better" following "organic".)

 

As I wrote yesterday, it is important to encourage the growing child to develop a relationship with food based upon chewing. This allows the toddler to wean naturally, at his/her own pace, as he she fully absorbs the contrast between the two and realizes the variety available from whole foods. In general, this can be a gradual process, beginning perhaps midway during the second year or a bit later, and lasting for quite awhile.

 

Regarding greens, a toddler approaching 2 can definitely begin to eat small portions of greens ... and would benefit from so doing. Not as smoothies, but as whole foods. However, as long as the child continues to breast feed, and assuming that the mother consumes ample portions of greens on a regular (nearly daily) basis, no nutrient deficiency occurs in the child if the introduction of greens is delayed.

 

Regarding "universal weaning age", I imagine that no one alive possesses such knowledge. By this, I mean that there are so few genuinely healthy humans on the planet right now, and virtually none who are the product of multiple generations of healthy humans, that no one honestly knows things such as the natural weaning age, human longevity potential, etc.

 

What we DO know is that, in some societies, children are indeed breast fed until well into their two's, sometimes until the age of four. And this approach to nursing seems to work quite well and naturally in such societies. There is no rush to wean a child by any particular age. If a child is still breast feeding for most of his/her food at age two, that is healthy and just fine ... as long as the mother's consumes an excellent diet.

 

Regarding human brain development, the human brain continues to develop well into adolescence. I have no idea where the notion comes from that this process completes in 2 years, that is simply false, we do know that much.

 

Some additional thoughts on reading material ...

 

In the past, I have encouraged people to exercise discernment in choosing their reading material. What we put into our minds, remains for the rest of our lives. I have found no benefit, and indeed great detriment, in choosing to read (or watch, or listen to) that which points me in an unhealthful direction. I actually read very little nowadays on these topics, for the simple reason that most of what is being published is, in my opinion, tripe. That something is well-written does not make it correct ... I find this distinction useful indeed. And that a piece seems to "agree with what I think" also does not make it valuable to me, unless I am seeking self-justification. For the courage of my convictions is strong indeed, I require no such justification.

 

I prefer that which gives me cause to pause, and think. In this sense, Plato and Aristotle, Euclid and Einstein provide much better fodder for my mind than most of what is being published these days.

 

I know that some in this group have already chosen to let go of many RF and other health-related books and such, finding them to be off the path of health. I, too, have done this. I once held the belief, learned from my parents and others, that all books are sort of "sacred" and should never be discarded. What a relief, finally, to let go of that one!!!

 

For these reasons, when you join our PathOfHealth group, we send you a message containing a very short suggested reading list. We need to update that list to include Doug's new book, The 80/10/10 Diet. (We plan to update all our new member files sometime soon. Ah, a moderator's work is never done. Sigh :) In that short list are three books by Ross Horne. All three are available at a cost of zero ... you need simply download them and begin reading. Just a reminder!

 

Best to all,

Elchanan

 

PS If anyone in another group in which I am posting this message would like our PathOfHealth reading list, you may download it at

 

www.pathofhealth.org/Library/YPoH/PathOfHealth Recommended Reading List.doc

 

 

 

PathOfHealth [PathOfHealth ] On Behalf Of JA SmithSaturday, January 20, 2007 7:10 AMPathOfHealth Subject: [PathOfHealth] Weaning

 

I read that if tots only chose raw fruit and nuts (mylks, etc) (no greens), they would thrive.BTW, universal weaning age is 4 ...it takes 2 yrs for brain to finish growing, so the longer you can BF the better.

 

Jenny, 49 yo momma to 4 1/2 yo unschooling son vegan 2001, raw vegan 2003 slc, utah

"Behavior follows consciousness." George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

______

Harmony

Saturday, Jan 20, 2007 3:25 am

 

I'm trying to get my toddler to get more calories from fruit and less from BFing (because he BFs at least 80% of the time nearing age 2).

 

Harmony

[Guest guest]

Some questions come to mind here...Granted fruit being a great first food

for weaning.. Given in nature as you state, a child does not be eat fruit

that has been picked unripe and forced ripened, what is the compensation for

the nutrition deficiencies in these fruits? Another thing to consider when

following someones protocol is, are they following it, and if they are is it

creating the results for them that you seek in yourself.....I like Cousen's

approach w/individual adjustments for constitutions, activity level, and

whatever factors need to be considered... Some of the folks, even the

spokespersons on a live food diet, do not appear healthy....... In our

searching for solutions, and growth let's not forget the information we each

already have inside us... Many of us are not living in ideal situations, and

may need various ways to compensate as best we can... I tend to consume a

large amount of green juices and green smoothies..I also work w/toxic

chemicals, and dust, rarely get tree ripened fruits... So what I would do in

a natural environment, is not my current situation, or in fact what I do is

natural, I adapt/compensate as best I can, as I seek to create a healthier

environment internally and externally...

peace and strength,

Mark

 

 

> " Elchanan " <Elchanan

>

><PathOfHealth >

>CC: " Rawfood Group "

><RawFood >,<RawSeattle >,< \

>, " RawSchool "

><Rawschool >

> Weaning: Baby's first foods; Thoughts on reading

>material (WAS: Weaning)

>Sat, 20 Jan 2007 10:43:10 -0700

>

>Hi Jenny and all,

>

>I have read such things, too. However, if we pause for a moment and

>consider

>the implications, we might realize something like this:

>

>Tots, on their own, would choose nut milks zero percent of the time. Why?

>Because on their own, nut milks would not exist. Tots eat what they can lay

>their hands upon and what adults feed them, nothing more or less. And there

>are zero nut milks in Nature for them to lay their hands upon....

>

>Fruits and greens, fruits and greens, that's what we are designed to eat,

>fruits and greens!

>

>Fruits are the first foods of weaning ... whole, fresh, ripe, raw, organic

>or better fruits, one food at a time, whenever the child is hungry, until

>the child is " full " (i.e., stops eating that particular fruit). Sound

>familiar? This is the mantra of 80/10/10, this idea is at the very heart of

>what Doug Graham has been teaching for years. (I've added the " or better "

>following " organic " .)

>

>As I wrote yesterday, it is important to encourage the growing child to

>develop a relationship with food based upon chewing. This allows the

>toddler

>to wean naturally, at his/her own pace, as he she fully absorbs the

>contrast

>between the two and realizes the variety available from whole foods. In

>general, this can be a gradual process, beginning perhaps midway during the

>second year or a bit later, and lasting for quite awhile.

>

>Regarding greens, a toddler approaching 2 can definitely begin to eat small

>portions of greens ... and would benefit from so doing. Not as smoothies,

>but as whole foods. However, as long as the child continues to breast feed,

>and assuming that the mother consumes ample portions of greens on a regular

>(nearly daily) basis, no nutrient deficiency occurs in the child if the

>introduction of greens is delayed.

>

>Regarding " universal weaning age " , I imagine that no one alive possesses

>such knowledge. By this, I mean that there are so few genuinely healthy

>humans on the planet right now, and virtually none who are the product of

>multiple generations of healthy humans, that no one honestly knows things

>such as the natural weaning age, human longevity potential, etc.

>

>What we DO know is that, in some societies, children are indeed breast fed

>until well into their two's, sometimes until the age of four. And this

>approach to nursing seems to work quite well and naturally in such

>societies. There is no rush to wean a child by any particular age. If a

>child is still breast feeding for most of his/her food at age two, that is

>healthy and just fine ... as long as the mother's consumes an excellent

>diet.

>

>Regarding human brain development, the human brain continues to develop

>well

>into adolescence. I have no idea where the notion comes from that this

>process completes in 2 years, that is simply false, we do know that much.

>

>Some additional thoughts on reading material ...

>

>In the past, I have encouraged people to exercise discernment in choosing

>their reading material. What we put into our minds, remains for the rest of

>our lives. I have found no benefit, and indeed great detriment, in choosing

>to read (or watch, or listen to) that which points me in an unhealthful

>direction. I actually read very little nowadays on these topics, for the

>simple reason that most of what is being published is, in my opinion,

>tripe.

>That something is well-written does not make it correct ... I find this

>distinction useful indeed. And that a piece seems to " agree with what I

>think " also does not make it valuable to me, unless I am seeking

>self-justification. For the courage of my convictions is strong indeed, I

>require no such justification.

>

>I prefer that which gives me cause to pause, and think. In this sense,

>Plato

>and Aristotle, Euclid and Einstein provide much better fodder for my mind

>than most of what is being published these days.

>

>I know that some in this group have already chosen to let go of many RF and

>other health-related books and such, finding them to be off the path of

>health. I, too, have done this. I once held the belief, learned from my

>parents and others, that all books are sort of " sacred " and should never be

>discarded. What a relief, finally, to let go of that one!!!

>

>For these reasons, when you join our PathOfHealth group, we send you a

>message containing a very short suggested reading list. We need to update

>that list to include Doug's new book, The 80/10/10 Diet. (We plan to update

>all our new member files sometime soon. Ah, a moderator's work is never

>done. Sigh :) In that short list are three books by Ross Horne. All

>three

>are available at a cost of zero ... you need simply download them and begin

>reading. Just a reminder!

>

>Best to all,

>Elchanan

>

>PS If anyone in another group in which I am posting this message would

>like

>our PathOfHealth reading list, you may download it at

>

> www.pathofhealth.org/Library/YPoH/PathOfHealth

><http://www.pathofhealth.org/Library/YPoH/PathOfHealth Recommended Reading

>List.doc> Recommended Reading List.doc

>

> _____

>

>PathOfHealth [PathOfHealth ] On

>Behalf Of JA Smith

>Saturday, January 20, 2007 7:10 AM

>PathOfHealth

>[PathOfHealth] Weaning

>

>

>I read that if tots only chose raw fruit and nuts (mylks, etc) (no greens),

>they would thrive.

>BTW, universal weaning age is 4 ...it takes 2 yrs for brain to finish

>growing, so the longer you can BF the better.

>

>Jenny, 49 yo momma to 4 1/2 yo unschooling son vegan 2001, raw vegan 2003

>slc, utah

> " Behavior follows consciousness. " George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

>______

>Harmony

> Saturday, Jan 20, 2007 3:25 am

>

> I'm trying to get my toddler to get more calories from fruit and less

>from

>BFing (because he BFs at least 80% of the time nearing age 2).

>

>Harmony

>

><http://geo./serv?s=97359714/grpId=18358471/grpspId=1705062215/msgI

>d=6582/stime=1169302587/nc1=1/nc2=2/nc3=3>

>