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98
fetus at 15 weeks
IMAGE WWW.BIO.M2OSW.COM
 The Natural Approach to
Raising Healthy Children
Randall Neustaedter

h i s a r t i c l e i s intended to offer practical advice to help

T parents raise healthy, vibrant children. In general, it is important

to care for children with the most natural means of treatment fea-
sible. This does not mean that conventional treatment is always
inappropriate for children, especially in emergencies. When there are
physical problems that need to be addressed, there are certainly conven-
tional, allopathic methods of treatment that are essential to saving life
and maintaining health.1 But these conventional forms of treatment—
drugs and surgeries—are overused by far. There are readily available
alternatives that promote rather than disrupt health. These alternatives
include homeopathy, nutrition, and oriental medicine. Many other valu-
able, holistic systems of medicine also treat children, such as Ayurvedic
medicine and chiropractic treatment.2 The consistent goal is the health
of children; much of the information presented here is included in The
Child Health Guide.
One basic principle of holistic pediatrics is that a child’s health is a
continuum. It is useful to separate health-related issues into categories of
foods or practices that should be avoided as much as possible (those that
seasons
adversely affect or disrupt the health of children) and those positive
approaches that can be integrated into your family’s lifestyle to maintain
health in your children. The latter include interventions that you can
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institute both in your personal lives and in your children’s environment

and interventions that become necessary when children are sick or have
symptoms. I will briefly outline some of the most important information
related to child health care, using principles of holistic pediatrics; I begin
with prenatal care, then address issues related to birth, toddlers, and
young children. 
This is an edited transcript of a talk Dr Neustaedter delivered at Zaytuna Institute on June 26, 2004 at
Alhambra Productions and Kinza Academy’s second annual education conference, “ Holistic Children in
Fragmented Times: Nurturing Our Children’s Bodies, Souls, and Minds.”
99
 Prenatal Care
The most important thing an expectant
mother can do for her child is to maintain a
high level of nutrition and health. Perhaps the
most essential aspect of maintaining nutrition
and health is understanding “fats,” which
include fatty acids and oils. Some fats are detri-
mental to people, some fats cause disease, and
some fats are beneficial. The kinds of fats you
eat and the kinds of fats you give your child are
vital to their health.
During pregnancy (and even later in your
child’s diet), it is essential to avoid trans fats or
partially hydrogenated fats. Partially hydro-
genated fats have an interesting history
because they are invented. Before 1900, par-
tially hydrogenated fat or trans fat did not
exist. These fats are a modern invention, intro-
duced to make cooking convenient. (The
major source of trans fats in the early twentieth
century was Crisco, an invented fat.)
Trans fats can only be manufactured in a
laboratory, by using heat and pressure to force
hydrogen into the carbon chains of a fatty acid.
This was done to make Crisco, which the pub-
lic was told is healthy. Margarine was designed
to replace saturated fats, because saturated
fats, unfortunately, got a very bad reputation
through their association with heart disease.
Consequently, a whole industry developed
around trans fats or partially hydrogenated fats
that are now primarily added to packaged
foods.
Today, partially hydrogenated fats are
attractive because they make foods crispy and
oily, and they prevent food from becoming ran-
cid or stale. A bag of name brand chips remains
crisp even after being opened for a week, while
organic chips, without the partially hydro-
genated fats, taste stale after only a few days.
Trans fats are in cookies, crackers, chips, and
other packaged foods; they are also added to
baked products, like breads and muffins, and
to other wheat products, such as cereals. Prod-
uct labels reveal if trans fat or partially
hydrogenated fats are artificially added.
These bad fats have been proven to cause
heart disease and cancer in several studies,3
and they are important to avoid, especially dur-
ing pregnancy. These fats are the primary
reason we are losing the battle against heart
disease. We must focus on eating good fats,
such as omega-3 that comes in the form of fish
oil. Fish oil is really the only accessible source
of omega-3 fats, and it can be taken as a supple-
ment. Perhaps one of the most valuable
benefits of good fats is that they ensure that
healthy cells develop in infants and persist

Dr. Neustaedter has degrees from the University of California at Berkeley, the San
Francisco College of Acupuncture, and the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, as
well as a doctoral degree in Oriental medicine. He was director of the Department of
| spring – summer 2005 | seasons

Homeopathy at the Pacific College of Naturopathic Medicine, and he has lectured at

homeopathic colleges and participated in numerous conferences of homeopathy and
Chinese medicine. He founded both the Hering Family Health Clinic—the first full-
service clinic in the United States to revitalize homeopathic medicine—and the
Classical Medicine Center. Dr. Neustaedter is co-president of the Holistic Pediatric
Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping parents and health care
providers understand the complex issues involved in the natural treatment of children. He is currently vice presi-
dent of the Council for Homeopathic Certification, a national certification board, and a board member of
the California State Oriental Medicine Association.
Dr. Neustaedter has written an authoritative text, Homeopathic Pediatrics (North Atlantic Books, 1991),
and a popular book for parents, The Vaccine Guide: Risks and Benefits for Children and Adults (North
Atlantic Books, 2002), which represents the gold standard on the controversial subject of immunizations and
their adverse effects. His recently publishedbook, The Child Health Guide, will provide parents with the infor-
mation they need to make choices about alternative care and natural cures for children’s common acute ailments.
100
throughout childhood.
All cells in the body are surrounded by a
cell membrane made of a bi-layer of fats; the
cell membrane absorbs the type of fat that
goes into the body. Consequently, the health
of that cell depends on the kind of fat that
enters the body. The function of a nerve cell,
for example, requires that nerve signals (or
chemicals) be transmitted from one cell
membrane to the next or one nerve cell to the
next. Nerves then distribute their signals
through the body and the brain. Therefore,
brain function and nerve development, in the
fetus and in the growing child, depend on a
healthy cell membrane. When a trans fat is
absorbed into the cell membrane, the cell
membrane becomes brittle and easily
inflamed. However, omega-3 fats help devel-
op supple and fluid cell membranes that
function efficiently and easily transmit sig-
nals. This improves a child’s brain function,
cognitive functions, and attention functions.
Cod liver oil is a highly recommended fish
oil supplement because it contains vitamin A
and vitamin D, which are essential for tissue
functions of various kinds.4 The recommend-
ed dose of cod liver oil is one teaspoon per
fifty pounds of body weight. A baby can take a
quarter of a teaspoon after birth, and an
infant or a small child of twenty to twenty-five
pounds can take half a teaspoon, and so forth.
Another source of fish oil is concentrated fish
oil that comes in capsules; however, it may be
easier to take cod liver oil.
Consuming omega-3 fats is very beneficial,
and eating saturated fats is also good for peo-
ple. Hormones depend on the presence of
cholesterol and saturated fats in the diet.
Therefore, ingesting saturated fats is health-
ful, and I encourage their use.
Vegetables oils, which are omega-6 fats and
polyunsaturated fats, are not recommended
for cooking. For example, corn, Mazola, sun-
flower, safflower, and canola oil are all
promoted as health foods but primarily con-
tain omega-6 fats that should be avoided.
People get a sufficient amount of omega-6 fats
from eating vegetables and grains. Most diets
are too high in omega-6 fats, in part due to
these vegetable oils. Hence, there is a need for
more omega-3 fats in most diets. The ratio
should be about 1:1 between omega-3 and
omega-6 fats.
I recommend coconut oil as a fat for cook-
ing. Though most people have never tasted
coconut oil and are unfamiliar with it, it is a
great oil for cooking. It is a saturated fat that is
very high in lauric acid, which is extremely
FOR EXAMPLE, CORN, MAZOLA,
SUNFLOWER, SAFFLOWER, AND
CANOLA OIL ARE ALL PROMOTED AS
HEALTH FOODS BUT PRIMARILY
CONTAIN OMEGA-6 FATS THAT
SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
valuable for nerve function and nerve cells.
Organic coconut oil is inexpensive at health
food stores. It comes in solid form and is stored
at room temperature, and it is appropriate for
all types of cooking. It heats well and is very sta-
ble. (Oils should not be heated to the point of
smoking because that injures the oil.) Olive oil
is also fine for use in cooking (it has some seasons
omega-9 fat but not a harmful amount); butter
is also fine for cooking.
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Birth
Unfortunately, there are many interven-
tions inflicted on children at birth, most of
which are unnecessary. Most of these interven-
tions are legally mandated for health providers
and hospitals in the name of protecting public
health. It is necessary to be aware of all inter-
ventions; some of the most common are
outlined in this section.
Hepatitis B shots: When children are born,
they are given a Hepatitis B shot. These shots 101

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102
are required by state regulations, unless par-
ents communicate their refusal to health care
providers—the parent has the right to refuse
this intervention. Children are given a
Hepatitis B injection at birth to prevent them
from contracting hepatitis from the mother.
Hepatitis B is a disease transmitted through
body fluids. The most common sources of
Hepatitis B transmission in the United States
are shared needles for intravenous drug use
and sexual interaction. The law protects chil-
dren whose mothers may not know their
Hepatitis B status or children whose mothers
did not receive prenatal care. However, the
Hepatitis B vaccine is associated with signifi-
cant adverse side effects including the onset of
childhood diabetes, which is a very serious epi-
demic in the United States. There are grave
concerns that the Hepatitis B vaccine is caus-
ing or contributing to this recent epidemic of
diabetes. Generally, all women are tested for
Hepatitis B during pregnancy. If a mother
knows that she does not have Hepatitis B, then
a Hepatitis B shot is not necessary for the child
and should not be given.
Vitamin K injections: Another unnecessary
intervention is the vitamin K injection, which a
parent also has the right to refuse for their
child. Vitamin K injections are given to pre-
vent clotting, a bleeding problem in children
who may not have the factor to prevent inter-
nal bleeding. This intervention is actually a
good idea, but a newborn does not need a pre-
servative-laden vitamin K injection. Instead,
babies can receive the vitamin in an alternative
oral form through vitamin K drops, which are
readily available from health care providers.
Antibiotic eyedrops or ointments: Another
popular intervention is squeezing antibiotic
drops or ointments into the newborn’s eyes.
The purpose of the antibiotics is, again, to pre-
vent a sexually transmitted disease. The logic is
similar to that of the Hepatitis B shot: to pro-
tect children whose mothers may not know
their health status. Babies do not need to have
their first exposure to antibiotics be that of the
substance being put into their eyes if the moth-
ers are certain they do not have a sexually
transmitted disease.
Blood tests: The blood test that is given to
newborn babies at birth is actually a very good
intervention because it identifies preventable
problems. Most of the diseases being tested for
are those that can cause retardation, and they
can be prevented by simple measures, once
identified. This routine blood test is called a
heel stick test and is a good precautionary, pre-
ventive measure.
In addition to being aware of these interven-
tions, I recommend that parents bring their
babies home from the hospital as soon as possi-
ble after birth, or better yet, that mothers give
birth at home—in a normal, healthy, and sup-
portive atmosphere.
Newborns
Once newborns are brought home, the
main thing to do—a kind of intervention—is
to feed the child. For the vast majority of
women, the appropriate means of feeding
their newborns is breast milk. Breast milk is the
most efficient, healthful, and beneficial food
for a child. Normal, healthy children and nor-
mal, healthy mothers do not need to
supplement breast milk with anything else,
including water and formula. If there are
health problems for the mother or child, then
a pediatric specialist needs to be involved. In
cases where formula becomes necessary, an
organic formula is recommended. There are
two organic formulas available that are made
from cow’s milk; I believe they are the only
form of supplemental nutrition appropriate
for children.
Children should never get soy formula. Soy
causes problems in babies, primarily associat-
ed with thyroid function—because soy
decreases thyroid function. Although many
may find this a controversial stance, my recom-
mendation is that no one eat soy products.
During the 1960s, soy was identified as an alter-
native protein source for people in the western

world.5 Americans adopted soy because of
ethical concerns about how animals were
raised and slaughtered and because of addi-
tional concerns about whether eating animal
products was actually a good idea in the first
place. However, soy is not a beneficial food
for humans or animals.
Mothers should be encouraged to breast-
feed for as long as their babies want, for at
least the first six months. I recommend moth-
ers breast-feed for a year; however, if they
want to breast-feed longer than that and
breastfeed their toddlers, this is completely
appropriate and healthy. Breast milk confers
immunity to many problems and contains
antibodies and immune system stimulants.
Many studies have documented the benefi-
cial effects of breast-feeding on the immune
system, including the prevention of a variety
of diseases, especially intestinal diseases of
children, such as diarrhea. In fact, it is well
documented that in traditional cultures,
when formula is introduced, it causes intestin-
al problems in children, and when
breast-feeding is reintroduced and encour-
aged, those problems decline in both the
individuals and the culture as a whole.
When the mother takes omega-3 supple-
ments, it is transferred through breast milk.
Obviously, anything that is deleterious to
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health is also transferred through breast milk,
including caffeine and toxic products such as
drugs and pesticides. So, if the mother is eating
an organic diet, then she is not transmitting
pesticides through her breast milk. Clearly,
breast-feeding mothers would do well to
ensure that their children are not exposed to
pesticides.
The main problem with pesticides is
estrogen. Pesticides are categorized as a
xenoestrogen, which is an estrogen that comes
from a foreign source outside the body.
Estrogens are ubiquitous in our culture; they
are present in our diet in the form of pesti-
cides. Soy is a phytoestrogen, and this is
another reason to avoid soy. Petrochemicals of seasons
various kinds contain estrogen, including plas-
tics and the petrochemicals that are in
pollution. Our society is exposed inadvertently
| spring – summer 2005 |
to many pesticides and estrogens that we can-
not avoid; this is why it is imperative that we
avoid exposure to those estrogens that we can,
such as pesticides.
The problem with estrogen is that it dis-
rupts hormone function and causes
premature sexual development in children.
For example, girls now develop their periods
and reach sexual maturity at very young ages—
at eight and nine years old—and this is
considered “normal.” However, prior to the 103

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104
Industrial Revolution and the introduction of
modern foods, the onset of menstruation was
generally closer to thirteen or fourteen years
of age. Estrogens can also cause cancer; a
person exposed to estrogen over a lifetime has
an increased risk of cancer.
When babies are six months old, they can be
introduced to solid foods. The best way to do
this is to start with simple carbohydrates, such
as cooked fruits and vegetables. It is best not to
start with complex carbohydrates because the
enzymes that develop in children to digest
foods other than breast milk take a while to
form. If simple foods are introduced first, chil-
dren will have time to develop those enzymes;
after eating for six months, they will be ready
for more complex carbohydrates, like grains.
It is not a good idea to introduce rice as the
first solid food for your child. It is encouraged
a great deal because of iron. However, baby
cereal in the form of rice is stripped of nutri-
ents, stripped of the bran, and the vitamins are
replaced with artificial ingredients, making
the cereal “enriched.” One of the ingredients
introduced into the “enriched” rice cereal is
iron because there is concern about anemia in
infancy. When babies are in the womb, the
mother transfers iron to the baby through her
bloodstream. After babies are born, they do
not have very much iron because breast milk is
not high in iron. By six months of age, the iron
stores the baby received from the mother
begin to diminish. Many people believe that
mothers should start introducing iron in the
form of fortified cereal so that babies will not
become anemic. This does prevent anemia
and its problems, which are primarily develop-
mental delays; however, even though the iron
from breast milk is present only in trace
amounts, it is absorbed about fifty times more
efficiently than iron that is absorbed from solid
foods. Therefore, there is really no need to
introduce iron prior to six months of age. At
twelve months of age, it is appropriate to grad-
ually introduce rice cereals, oatmeal, and
whole-grain products. The American Council
of Pediatrics and other pediatric groups
encourage giving iron to very young babies,
again, as a means of protection since the baby
may not be breast-feeding, may not have pedi-
atric care, or may never have been tested for
anemia. In truth, iron is not so crucial at this
stage, so avoiding grains is a good idea.
Grains are commonly misunderstood to be
very beneficial to one’s diet, especially in the
western world. However, carbohydrates like
breads and baked products are so readily avail-
able that people have come to rely on them for
a huge portion of their diets, and this is leading
to an epidemic of weight gain and other associ-
ated problems. Grains stimulate a strong
insulin response in the body. The goal of
insulin is to clear sugar out of the bloodstream.
When a person eats a carbohydrate, the body
makes insulin, and insulin takes that carbohy-
drate in the form of glucose and transfers it
into the cells of the body. The human brain is
60% – 80% fat, and the insulin delivers the
sugar into fat cells in the brain. This helps peo-
ple think functionally, and, as a result, the low
blood sugar symptoms of disorientation and
light-headedness that come after four or five
hours of not eating go away. However, the
problem is that there are other fat cells in the
body besides the brain, and the insulin
response pushes the sugar into those fat cells as
well. This means that a person eating grains
like wheat for every meal, four or five times a
day, is constantly pushing sugar into fat cells
and increasing the size of the fat cells. Thus,
people inevitably gain weight when they are on
a diet that is high in carbohydrates.
For children, a general rule is that those
children with a very high metabolism, who are
growing and utilizing glucose in an efficient
way, can eat grains and should eat three to six
portions of grains a day. Preferably, they
should eat whole grains that contain vitamins
and minerals that are stripped away in process-
ing (making things white). But as people age,
they should eat less grains. By the time people
are fifty years old, they should not eat grains,

unless they are eating grains with a lower
glycemic index, such as oats, for example.
People should gradually eliminate wheat
from their diets as they grow older—eating
grains will cause weight gain in anyone who
does not have a very high metabolism. High
carbohydrate diets contribute to obesity, dia-
betes, heart disease, and cancer, all of which
can primarily be attributed in the United
States to the consumption of sugar and
grains.
Vaccines
Parents are also faced with the issue of
whether or not to vaccinate their children;
this decision begins at two months of age in
the United States. The widespread dispensa-
tion of vaccines is a very serious problem that
causes a major epidemic of health problems
among children and adults; vaccines destroy
the health of our nations. I encourage all par-
ents to make informed decisions about
vaccines; they should pick and choose vac-
cines for their child, based on individual
needs and preferences. My book, The Vaccine
Guide (North Atlantic Books, 2002), gives
parents the information that they need to
make choices about various vaccines. All vac-
cines cause significant adverse reactions in
the short term, and some have significant
adverse effects on health for the long term,
primarily in the form of immune system
problems.
The bottom line about vaccines is that
infectious diseases of children are being
replaced with chronic autoimmune and
immune system disorders. The manipulation
of the immune system creates immune system
instability and weakness in children. Illness in
children is a healthy manifestation. At birth,
children are immune to all diseases their
mothers have previously encountered.
Children have antibodies that they receive
through the bloodstream of their mothers.
Those antibodies wear off after three to six
months depending on the type of antibody—
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whether it is mumps, a cold virus, and so forth.
This is a very good design because infants are
vulnerable to infections, and infections in
small babies can cause serious risks to life.
On the other hand, infants need to develop
their own antibodies to fight off disease for the
rest of their lives. So, after six months, when
babies are more mature and stable, when they
have homeostasis with their environment, and
when they are used to being in the physical
world, they need to develop their own antibod-
ies. The way that they do this is by getting sick.
If a baby is exposed to a virus at six months old,
nine months old, twelve months old—espe-
cially if there are older siblings who bring
viruses home—then the baby develops anti-
bodies to fight against it. They develop a fever,
and their mucous membranes start reacting by
creating fluids that bring white blood cells to
the area to ingest the virus or bacteria. The
immune system develops antibodies that, the seasons
next time, will recognize that virus or bacteria
and destroy it before it develops into an infec-
tion. That is a natural process of developing
| spring – summer 2005 |
immunity to microbes.
Today, children are, to a large extent,
deprived of those mechanisms. They are given
allopathic medications, such as Tylenol or
Motrin, that reduce fevers and limit their bod-
ies’ abilities to fight off infections. Fever is
good; fever is healthy; and fever is there for a
reason. It speeds up metabolism; it increases
white blood cell production, and helps in the
fight against an invading organism in the body.
Fever is a healthy process that needs to be 105
 interventions, like homeopathic medicine.

IMAGE WWW.ERIGHTS4ALL.COM
Homeopathic medicines are made from natu-
ral substances. They work by stimulating a
healing reaction and encouraging the body’s
own vital mechanisms and healing mecha-
nisms to do their work at an optimum level by
using herbs. Someone who is knowledgeable
in using herbs is perfectly capable of handling
most infections and the variety of symptoms to
which children are commonly susceptible,
such as diarrhea, rashes, and allergic reac-
tions.

encouraged. Children who do not develop
fevers during the first year are much more
inclined to develop allergies later in child-
hood and in life. If the body is deprived of this
natural immune system development because
it is given decongestants to dry up mucous
membranes and prevent the body from get-
ting fluids to the area where the infection is
present, then the child will not develop an ade-
quate immune response.
Therefore, part of the holistic view of pedi-
atrics focuses on encouraging healing
processes to facilitate healing in the body,
rather than suppressing the body’s reactions,
which is what all allopathic drugs are used for.
Drugs are given to suppress symptoms and to
interfere with the body’s ability to fight off a
problem, an imbalance, or an infection.
Parents should encourage natural healing
processes when children are sick or when chil-
| spring – summer 2005 | seasons
Diets for Toddlers and Children
Sooner or later, babies stop breast-feeding
and start relying on nutrients from the foods in
their diet. In addition to aiming toward an
organic diet for children, there are, again, cat-
egories of foods to avoid as well as categories of
foods that are beneficial to consume. These
can be monitored by carefully reading the
labels on household foods and products.
One of the primary substances to avoid in
children’s diets is corn syrup. High fructose
corn syrup is added as a sweetener to most non-
solid, non-brittle items, such as bread, candy,
soft drinks, and artificial juices. Corn syrup
cannot be properly metabolized, and it is asso-
ciated with a variety of health problems, mostly
related to an interference with the absorption
of minerals. The other top two foods to avoid
are partially hydrogenated fats and soy, as elab-
orated on earlier.

dren have symptoms by implementing natural In addition, unfortunately, children should

additional resources
Other health related topics, including a monitor of news that affects child health care and envi-
ronmental issues, can be found in Dr. Neustaedter’s newsletter on his website,
www.cure-guide.com, as well as through the Holistic Pediatric Association (www.hpakids.org). The
goal of the association, which is made up of various holistic health care practitioners—includ-
ing pediatricians, acupuncturists, chiropractors, naturopathic physicians, child-psychologists,
and nutritionists—is to create an alternative to conventional pediatrics in this country. In addi-
tion to regular pediatric/child care, Dr. Neustaedter’s areas of expertise are homeopathic
medicine, nutrition, and Oriental medicine, including Chinese herbs for children.
Information on these topics may also be found on his website.
106

CHILDREN NEED SATURATED FAT,
AND FAT IS IMPORTANT IN MILK IN
ORDER FOR CALCIUM
ABSORPTION TO TAKE PLACE.
not eat fish. Fish is a very healthy food; it is
high in omega-3 fats and provides a good
source of protein. However, currently, fish is
highly contaminated by environmental pollu-
tion and by the practices that are used to raise
fish. Fish is not safe for children to eat, unless
it has been raised organically. Luckily, there
are some companies that are bringing farmed
organic fish to the market.
The most important foods that children
need to eat are fresh fruits and vegetables.
Whole-grain products are also appropriate.
With dairy, it is important to use organic dairy
products because of the pesticides that are
present in milk. The best form is a non-
homogenized form of milk. All children
should drink whole milk—never give chil-
dren low-fat (2%) or non-fat milk. Children
need saturated fat, and fat is important in
milk in order for calcium absorption to take
place. It is also best to eat organic animal
products (chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef) to
avoid ingesting the pesticides, antibiotics,
and hormones fed to most commercially-
raised animals. It is essential to avoid all
antibiotics in foods—at the very least, buy ani-
mal products that have been raised without
hormones and antibiotics, whether they are
organic or not.
The health recommendations presented
here are a basic introduction to the most
important foods to avoid and the most impor-
tant ones to give children. The importance of
starting children out with a healthy diet and
good habits should not be underestimated. It
is a great service to them and can lay a sturdy
foundation for how they view their nutrition
as adults and, eventually, how they choose to
care for their own children’s health.
notes
1
Allo means “contrary” and so, allopathic
means “contrary to disease.”
2
Ayurveda is a holistic system of healing which
evolved among the Brahmin sages of ancient
India some 3000-5000 years ago.
3
The Trans Fat Solution (Berkeley, CA: Ten
Speed Press, 2003), a recent book by Kim
Severson, a journalist for the San Francisco
Chronicle, details trans fats as a major source of
heart disease in the United States.
4
People who have more melanin in their skin
are encouraged to take cod liver oil as well as a vita-
min D supplement because vitamin D deficiency is
rampant, especially in climates above 30 degrees
latitude, which corresponds to places like Cairo
and San Diego. People who live north of 30
degrees latitude are not likely to get adequate vita-
min D from sun exposure in their normal daily
life, especially during the winter months. The only
significant sources of vitamin D are the sun and
animal products. Sun exposure is beneficial: peo-
ple should be in the sun, particularly children.
Babies should also be in the sun, from the time
that they are born, to ensure that they have ade-
quate levels of vitamin D.
5
Interestingly, although the soy industry
would have us believe the opposite, in Asia, soy is
not consumed in very large quantities. The idea
that Asians rely on soy products, that eating soy
products prevents osteoporosis and menopausal
symptoms in Asian women is actually a myth. Now
seasons
Japanese people put a couple of cubes of tofu in
miso soup, and peasants in China eat soy out of
desperation if they do not have other sources of
food. But basically, in Asia, soy is a rotating crop.
| spring – summer 2005 |
It is grown and plowed under the soil because it is
very good nutrition for the soil. Fermented soy
products are used a fair amount in Asian foods,
primarily soy sauce and miso, but these are actual-
ly good sources because the problems of soy are
eliminated with the fermentation process. The
problem with soy is that it depletes thyroid func-
tion in adults and in children, and it interferes
with calcium absorption because it causes a mech-
anism called calcium excretion. Ironically, the
phytates in soy are a cause of calcium loss, result-
ing in weak bones and osteoporosis. 107