On the Shelf book review
Lynette Olson, Special to The Gazette
Saturday, July 19, 2008
“Growing Up Green: Baby and Child Care,” by Deirdre Imus, Simon & Schuster (Green This! Vol. 2), April 2008, $15.95.
Are you concerned about raising children in an increasingly toxic environment? Imus tells us in her introduction to “Growing Up Green: Baby and Child Care” that “The World Health Organization estimates that we could prevent more than 80 percent of all chronic illnesses by improving our lifestyles in simple ways, like working to reduce our exposure to environmental pollutants and eating a healthier diet.”
Deirdre Imus is the Founder and President of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology® at Hackensack University Medical Center and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer. Ms. Imus is author of this New York Times bestseller, as well as the first book in the series, the 2007 New York Times bestseller, Green This! Volume 1: Greening Your Cleaning.
The topics in the book span from pre-conception through raising teenagers. The author emphasizes the active role parents must play to ensure their children’s health, explains how toxins in our food and the environment can cause health problems like asthma, autism, and cancer. With a focus on preventing rather than treating childhood illnesses, Deirdre concentrates on educating and empowering parents.
With “prevention is the best cure” in mind, the remaining chapters focus on way to keep your kids healthy, beginning with preparation for pregnancy. This chapter includes information on greening your home by replacing toxic chemicals with safe products. She also discusses green building and specific green tips for the nursery. The following chapter shows the expectant mother how to eat healthy for two. Next, Imus describes how to develop a healthy eating ‘palate’ for your baby, which includes organic and healthy food. Imus writes about all green aspects of your child’s life, including safe toys and personal care products. One of my favorite tips was to use apple cider vinegar in the bath, as it boosts mood and is relaxing for children. Add bubbles to the vinegar in the bath and you get amazing and fun foam! The chapter on pediatrics was excellent and covers vaccinations, antibiotic overload, natural homeopathic cures and more. Imus even includes a section on getting the schools to go green. Finally, the book includes a list of basic foods for your kitchen, healthy breakfast recipes and easy recipes.
Resources include a glossary, recommended reading, web sites selling green products, and biographies of the various medical experts and researchers she consults. Imus writes not only as an educated consumer with spending power but as a citizen willing to advocate for children’s health.
“On the Shelf” is written by staff and volunteers of Emporia Public Library.