This week

I think we have to accept that summer is finally over. The cats join the blanket in the evening, and I am sure the first fire in the chimney won’t be far off. It’s time to look at the different infusions Zone Bébé has to offer to make those cold evenings more bearable… AND, perfect for baby’s sippy cup…

Sippy cups

Babies are eager to learn: at around their first birthday, some a few months earlier, others later, want drink independently like their parents. But every beginning is difficult, coordination is difficult - and to try to drink from an open cup or glass, the liquid sometimes ends up everywhere but in the mouth.
In order to facilitate children’s transition from breast or bottle to drinking from a cup, sippy cups or beakers are offered. Condition is that the child can hold the cup alone. Handles on the left and right simplify the grip.

The spouts of the cups are available in different versions. One provider writes about his product: ”The drinking spout made ​​from TPE is soft and allows learning – but also that something can be spilled.” In addition to the soft spouts on offer for children from six months for sensitive gums there are hard spouts for children from twelve months

With the introduction of complementary foods many children get extra drinks. The experts of Network Young Families recommend additional fluid until the third cereal is introduced so at the earliest with the start of the seventh month. This does not include situations with increased fluid requirements, for example, if the baby has a fever or diarrhoea. For one-year olds, it should be about 600 millilitres (ml), preferably water or unsweetened herbal or fruit teas. The reality is different: boys drink only 343 ml, girls only 239 ml, the nutrition report from the German Society for Nutrition points out. Milk is not included here; it counts as a nutrient-rich food.

The cup should not act, however as a solace, so that baby sucks on it for a long time. Sugar and acid-containing beverages such as juice/water mixes can lead to decay of the milk teeth. The problem can be avoided with normal beakers or cups: if the cup initially is filled almost to the edge, baby opens its mouth as soon as the upper lip is moistened. The Mannheim-based paediatrician and Öko-Test consultant Dr. Falko Panzer regards sippy cups only as a gimmick, “When from the outset you get the child used to a normal cup, learning how to drink works extremely well,” he says.

Nonetheless,  sippy cups are very popular with parents, as they are practically indestructible and more or less leakage-free. Öko-Test bought twelve products and had them laboratory-tested for contaminants as well as odour and taste properties.

The Result

Almost everything is good: When buying a sippy cup nothing much can be done wrong: ten of the twelve tested products end the test with “very good” or ”good”. Only one product falls through with a “poor” result.

Many examinations, surprisingly little evidence: traces of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in all the cups. In only one sippy cup slightly higher amounts were detected (a compound greater than 100 micrograms / kg). Otherwise, however, all other cups turned out as unremarkable in the material screening: neither plasticiser (phthalates both legally regulated and alternative plasticisers) or phenolic compounds such as bisphenol A (BPA) were detected in the products. The same goes for heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, chromium or mercury.

Smell and taste okay: Uncleaned all cups exuded an aroma, which in its strength ranged from “just perceptible” to “distinct” and was described by the auditors as ”of plastic”, ”musty” or “sweet”. After a normal household cleaning with warm water and detergent only a weak note was left. Even the taste of still mineral water after 24 hours in the cleaned cups was inconspicuous.

The way Öko-Test has tested

The Purchase

Sippy cups equipped with handles on each side are to facilitate the transition from bottle and the independent drinking from a glass or cup. Most of the purchased cups were provided with the indication from the age of six months. Prices ranged from just under € 2.50 up to almost nine euros.

The Material

The majority of the cup is made ​​of polypropylene, according to data by the provider, the mouth pieces are often made of silicone. A laboratory examined whether or not somewhere PVC/PVDC/chlorinated plastics were processed. Further analysis was made to detect unsafe and harmful plasticisers, phenols such as bisphenol A and contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, some of which are carcinogenic.

Sensory properties

Freshly unwrapped, plastic products often give off an unpleasant chemical odour. This must not be due to substances hazardous to health, but may adversely affect the content’s flavour content of the sippy cup. To test this, six experts in accordance with DIN standard10955 (2004) smelled only on the uncleaned, then rinsed cups and tasted in accordance with standard still water, which was allowed to stand in the cleaned cups for 24 hours.

The Verdict

Ideally, a sippy cup is free of contaminants, does not smell and does not alter the taste of its contents. Therefore, the test result is the composition of the overall assessment of the material and sensory test results and cannot be better than the worst individual result.

Some advice

A cup should always be cleaned with warm water and washing-up liquid before its first use.

Cups with a round bottom (weevil-effect) are not to be recommended should the cup soon be used without its lid.

Only water or unsweetened tea should be given if at all possible, in order to avoid tooth decay.

Ref:. Öko-Test 10/2011

New

Some Christmas catalogues have just arrived, yes, indeed, not long to go… Let me know if you are interested in decorations or ecological wrapping paper and cards.

Next week

Zone Bébé is taking a week off to lovely Corsica. Maybe even bringing back some new essential oils?

If you have a topic, you would like to see, don’t hesitate to suggest it.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Have a wonderful week.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans

This week

And now we are in autumn! The change has been pretty drastic after all. Look after yourselves as this is the time to catch colds and flus easily. And I am sure you are already preparing for the autumn holidays, believe it or not, just 2 weeks to the next set of school holidays. Time just flies, ‘la rentrée’ seems only a short while away…

Therapeutic Infant Formula

Infant colic, wind, spitting, diarrhoea - all of these ailments can be a problem for babies and have parents worried. The industry offers special diets. But their usefulness is far from proven. In addition there are harmful substances from the fat and some products contain genetically modified substances.

The first burps in life are considered cute but necessary. Babies rid themselves of excess air they have swallowed with the milk while breast feeding or drinking from a bottle. If the air would remain in the gastro-intestinal tract, it turns into painful bloating. You can help your baby to burp, by taking it into your arms, letting it look over your shoulder and patting gently on the back.

It is best to place a burp cloth over your shoulder. Because with the air, baby usually brings a little milk back up - it is spitting. This burping and spitting is a completely normal process, which must give no cause for concern as long as the baby is growing appropriately and well. The sphincter of the stomach allows a little milk to always flow back into the oesophagus. The oesophagus is so small in infants that it exceeds the capacity and the milk is regurgitated.

Only in very, very few cases there is a reflux disease which requires treatment. If the little ones do not put on enough weight, because they regurgitate a lot of milk, a thickened formula feed may be useful. This is, announce the providers of such products on their packaging, for the milk to better stay in the infant’s stomach, and so the reflux of food into the oesophagus and thus the spitting is minimised.

These products are marketed as dietary foods for special medical purposes. According to dietary regulation, they are ”for the exclusive or partial feeding of patients with a limited, impaired or disturbed capacity to ingestion, digestion, absorption, metabolism or excretion of ordinary (…) food or nutrition or for patients with other medically related nutritional requirements (…)”.

The industry uses this to make money with a whole series of so-called therapeutic infant formula. Parents who are worried about their babies and abdominal pain, colic, spitting or diarrhoea find on drugstore shelves next to conventional infant formula, a series of special diets. A doctor’s visit is seemingly superfluous.

But are these effective? Has their effectiveness achieved tangible proof in clinical trials? Öko-Test has bought twelve infant formulas, asked the manufacturers for a copy of the studies and had them inspected by a paediatrician and a nutrition expert. In addition, they audited the declaration on the packaging and instructed the laboratory with the analysis of problematic ingredients. Eleven products are sold as dietary foods for special medical purposes, one is called «Dietary Food for infants based on goat’s milk.” All products are declared suitable for babies from birth or from the first week according to the declaration.

The result

Devastating: no product reached a “satisfactory” overall rating. The products do not meet at all the requirements of an infant food or a food for special medical purposes. For quite a few specialty foods there is no reliable clinical data or the benefits are doubtful.

Questionable clinical significance: an increased tendency to spitting does not initially require treatment. Therefore the use in healthy infants does not make sense. Only under medical supervision and for infants with severe reflux disease or grave malnutrition can they be used so that less food is lost through vomiting. In addition, the effect of thickened (“Anti-Reflux – AR-”) foods is of questionable clinical significance: although it can be determined statistically that with AR- foods there is less burping and spitting, but on average there are only slightly fewer i.e. 0.6 less spittings daily.

Therapeutic formulas are out of place in cases of diarrhoea. Two formulas for diarrhoea in the test contain little or no lactose. One product is also enriched with dietary fibre (prebiotics and banana powder). Both are expected to normalise the stools quickly. But: in case of diarrhoea, the primary goal should be to compensate for the loss of fluid, for example, with specific glucose-electrolyte solutions, and then to resume a normal diet. Paediatric societies are against the use of special foods for diarrhoea: they are superfluous and useless.

Soy products should only be used in justified cases. The German Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin  - DGKJ) regards formulas based on soy protein in case of cow’s milk intolerance as suitable, but only in justified cases and after consultation with the doctor. Soy foods are considered in cases of a rare congenital lactose intolerance, a vegan or kosher lifestyle or a diet, where the treatment of cow’s milk allergy is not practical with formula diets. For the nutrition of healthy breast-fed babies, soy foods can only be second choice after cow’s milk foods. The disadvantages of soy protein isolates are phytates, which can reduce the absorption of iron and zinc, and the uncertainty regarding the biological effects of phytoestrogens. In addition, the DGKJ advises not to use soy foods in the first six months of life as a treatment of food allergies. All three soy-based products in the test contained genetically modified ingredients. The tolerance limit of 0.9 percent GM soy has not been exceeded, so that there was no legal requirement to identify it within the ingredients’ declaration.

Also not useful in cases of flatulence: two products in the test are recommended by the manufacturer against constipation and bloating or against infant colic, bloating and diarrhoea caused by lactose intolerance. Both contain partially split proteins from cow’s milk and have reduced lactose content. But so far there is no proof that flatulence is reduced with a lower intake of milk sugar. In the opinion of Öko-Test’s expert, both products are recommended for mild gastro-intestinal complaints, which is not the intention of the legislature in the definition of a food for special medical purposes.

Goat milk does not meet the requirements: under current European law, one product in the test does not meet the requirements for goat’s milk-based infant foods for 0-6 months old babies. Because it corresponds to the initial requirement of an infant formula, for which protein sources from cow’s milk, protein hydrolysates and soy protein isolates are permitted but not goat’s milk. So far the evidence is also lacking that goat milk is a safe and suitable nutrition for infants, especially as the sole source of protein. In addition, there is no controlled study to demonstrate the benefits of a goat’s milk diet for the prevention or treatment of cow’s milk protein intolerance or allergy.

Harmful substances in the fat are of concern: a major problem is the detected harmful fat in the products, the 3-MCPD fatty acid esters. 3-MCPD released from these have changed the renal tubules in animal experiments. The tolerable daily intake (tolerierbare tägliche Aufnahmemenge  - TDI) for 3-MCPD exceed all analysed amounts , two products in the test even by more than tenfold. Although a TDI value for 3-MCPD exists only for adults, and not for infants, and the value relates to a lifelong intake, Öko-Test has applied strict criteria, because the specialty foods are basically used as a sole diet, and fed from birth or from the first week.

The authorities are sleeping

“It is intolerable that the regulatory authorities in Germany do not interfere in the ongoing violations of the law. Products are sold in retail and mail order business as foods for special medical purposes, without meeting the prescribed requirements, and without the ensured medical supervision stipulated by the legislation. ”
Professor Berthold Koletzko, Children’s Hospital of the University of Munich

The way Öko-Test performed their tests

The purchase

Most of the specialty, medical and dairy-free foods we bought in drugstores and large (organic) supermarkets. None of the formula foods recommended by professional bodies that the doctor may prescribe for treatment of cow’s milk protein allergy, were not considered.
The assessment

Öko-Test has commissioned Professor Berthold Koletzko with an expert’s opinion. He heads the department of nutrition and metabolism at the Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital of the University Hospital Munich and is among other things, chairman of the Nutrition Committee of the German Society for Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. He has looked primarily at the question of whether the claims by the manufacturers are covered by studies and thus provide benefit for the infant.

The ingredients

Since the infant formulas are enriched with processed vegetable fats, Öko-Test had the harmful substances 3-MCPD and glycidyl analysed. The released 3-MCPD had damaged the kidneys in animal experiments. Because of the increasing cultivation of GM soy, Öko-Test had the soy-based infant formula investigated for genetically modified material.

The evaluation

As long as full-bodied promises are not backed up with solid research, the assessment by the expert cannot be better than ”poor”. And yet, should one benefit be recognisable, it is that baby food should just be free of harmful or controversial ingredients.

Some tips from Öko-Test

The tested specialty formulas should stay where you found them, on the supermarket shelves.

There are many special formulas for babies with diagnosed lactose intolerance, but they should be recommended by the doctor. Maybe they can even be reimbursed by the social security or Mutuelle.

Ref:. Öko-Test 9/2011

New

Some Christmas catalogues have just arrived, yes, indeed, not long to go… Let me know if you are interested in decorations or ecological wrapping paper and cards.

Next week

A few people have requested recommendations for sippy (Learn to Drink) cups, which ones and whether they are recommendable. Especially since they are just so useful! Well, Öko-Test has done us a favour and tested them in their last issue. Next week I will let you know.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Have a wonderful week.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans

This week

So much for autumn! Temperatures of 30°C, literally everywhere in Europe, sunshine and heat, what is the weather coming to? Thank you global warming! And with that mosquitoes are still flying heavily around, annoying everyone and disturbing a good night’s sleep.       (don’t forget essential care’s Mosimix, perfect or young and old!).

This week, I had a look at multi-vitamins for children and I found a very interesting test and article, see below. Also, mark your calendars for this coming weekend with two wonderful events in our area.

Multi-vitamins – a bitter pill to swallow

Many parents know this: the little ones have a hard time with fruit and vegetables. It is therefore understandable that parents are getting nervous when facing the one-sided diet by their offspring.

Nutritional supplements that are specifically designed for children make promises of remedy. Although a normal diet is sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of children according to scientists.

Only doses of vitamin D are useful, which would benefit all age groups.

Despite the dubious benefits of multi-vitamins, Öko-Test sent 15 products from different vendors to the laboratory to be evaluated. They have examined, among other things, whether the composition of the products conforms to the recommended levels of vitamins and - if included -minerals by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung – BfR).
The result

No product tested was rated “very good”, four are at least “good”. More than one-third falls through as “unsatisfactory”.

Especially critical are the fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A because they can accumulate in the body. Some products contain more vitamin A than is recommended by the BfR in food supplements for children aged between four and ten years.  Some products contain an isolated form of beta carotene (provitamin A) which experts assess as being critical.

In four products vitamins B6 and/or niacin are overdosed. Because these vitamins are water soluble, however, and an excess is excreted, there is only one point deduction.

Some products contain either zinc, iron, molybdenum, copper and/or manganese, in one product the caplets even contained four of these minerals. Iron, copper and manganese should not be included in food supplements, according to the BfR. Molybdenum should not be present in preparations for children under ten years, zinc should not be present  for children under 18. Too much iron and manganese quickly turns into a health risk.

Seven products include information on colds and flu or advertise the strengthening of the body’s defences which Öko-Test marks down with negative points. Such effects are not recorded with the intake of vitamin supplements.

Öko-Test’s recommendations: children do not need multi-vitamin preparations. Normal food especially fruit and veg do deliver all that is needed. If your child does not like veg, offer plenty of potatoes and fruit, which cover most of the nutritional requirements. If you believe that your child suffers from a vitamin deficiency, consult your doctor who will prescribe a preparation adapted to the actual need, should there be a need.

Ref:. Öko-Test  Toddler’s  Annuary 2011

For your calendars

October 8^th:

Café Librairie Libellule is celebrating their first anniversary

Et oui, déjà un an !

L’équipe Libellule est heureuse de vous accueillir

SAMEDI 8 OCTOBRE de 10h30 à 17h30

10h30 12h30 Ateliers créatifs : origami, collages …

Concours de dessins (lots Libellule)

13h30 15h30 Contes, Atelier Maquillage, Concours de dessins 16h00 Gâteau D’ANNIVERSAIRE :

1 bougie à souffler tous ensemble

16h30 – 17h30 SPECTACLE DE MAGIE

STRUCTURE GONFLABLE A LA DISPOSITION DES ENFANTS TOUT AU LONG DE LA JOURNEE

POSSIBILITE DE DEJEUNER SUR PLACE

NOUS VOUS ATTENDONS NOMBREUX, c’est l’OCCASION de  FAIRE DECOUVRIR LIBELLULE A VOS AMIS !

Pour plus de renseignements vous pouvez nous contacter au 04 93 12 27 26 – http://www.libellule-librairie.fr/

October 9th:

Une journée cocooning dédiée uniquement à la femme enceinte!/ A day dedicated solely to pampering the pregnant woman !

Taking place in the Château de Bar-sur-Loup from 09:00 – 18:00

Next week

Finally, unless I find more important topics in the meantime… Therapeutic infant formula? Does such a thing exist from the supermarket?  Some helpful pointers next week provided by Öko-Test.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Have a wonderful week.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans

This week

Autumn is definitely on its way! Even though we can enjoy an Indian summer during the day, the evenings are getting chilly, and the mornings are quite cold! Well at least at Zone Bébé’s headquarters in the hills.  ;-)

Rubber Boots – they stink to high heavens

In addition to last week’s newsletter topic, anti-slip socks and harmful substances, and the lack of regulations, here is a short overview of the test performed by Öko-Test on rubber boots.

Moving into the autumn season, rubber boots become indispensable part of a child’s wardrobe at home and at school. Unfortunately, even though extremely useful in bad weather conditions, they are not quite as brilliant for a child’s health. Öko-Test tested 16 pairs and none of them came out better than barely adequate, because of the harmful substances contained in the plastic mix used to manufacture the boots. Substances such as: Benzo[a]pyrene, a five-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon whose metabolites are mutagenic and highly carcinogenic; carcinogenic chlorinated paraffins; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), they are of concern because some compounds have been identified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic; PVC soles containing phthalates, to name just a few. And most of these substances are present in high concentration, and since clothing does not fall under any regulation that determines safe upper limits, these boots can be sold freely on the market.

Some tips from Öko-Test

Since these boots are so practical, and sometimes we just cannot do without them, they should be worn with woollen socks that absorb moisture but keep feet warm.

Go without a second pair of boots, use lamb’s skin insoles to keep feet warm during colder days and opt for proper winter shoes when it gets real cold and rainy.

Leave the boots to dry out slowly after each use and do not be tempted to dry them on the heating.

Do not be tempted to buy the soft rubber boots for small children, as they will have problems finding their feet when learning and improving their walk. The boots are too soft to provide a proper foothold for those first tentative steps. Wait until children are older and more established in their walking capabilities. But nonetheless even rubber boots should not be too small nor too big, a sufficient space of about 1.2cm in front should be available. For children with narrow feet, opt for an extra sole.

Ref:. Öko-Test 9/2011

How do essential oils work by Eliane Zimmermann

It’s always exciting to me to look at the mode of action of natural scents. And the human sense of smell is capable to respond in an almost uncanny way to fragrant molecules. However, both smell and fragrance are not particularly taken seriously by research. All the more uplifting is the feeling, if I can dig up new studies on this subject!

I’ve always dreamed on and off, very aware and very intensely of smells. And it’s not just me who is asking: can the human brain imagine scents, to so to speak think about them, that impulses of the nerve cells are activated, which is also the result when smelling the real scent molecules?  Do neurons actually produce electrical signals that can be made visible with modern imaging techniques? Only recently have scientists supported the idea that people actually do exist out there with a ”mental nose ‘. I guess that I belong to this group, I can think of fragrance mixtures in my head. If they smell fresh or dull, whether the individual scents match, whether they fit the person concerned.  A very interesting dissertation (thesis) exists on this subject , written last year by Heike Astrid Weitz, at the Technical University of Dresden: Mental scent representations during sleep. (in German)

Also last year a groundbreaking finding was published, which confirms that essential oils have not only antibacterial properties, by killing the bacteria, but also by interrupting their communication processes among themselves. As if an army just about to attack is distracted from their goal by loud music and colourful laser projections in the sky. Thus, there is now the first explanation of why mixtures of oils that do not act primarily as an antiseptic (meaning killing bacteria), can be helpful in the fight against infection.

A conference recently held in Heidelberg, reported the latest findings about the interaction between emotion and smell. At the Ruhr-University Bochum, the team of Bettina Pause intensively researches this topic:

Thus, it was first shown with various psycho-physiological methods, that the socially anxious have a hyper reactivity to chemosensory anxiety signals [fragrances in sweat] and chemical signals of aggression. Also under the influence of various chemo signals, which were obtained either during exercise or anxiety-producing situations, the risk assumption of test persons who received this chemo signals changed.

I have written elsewhere about the already documented findings that essential oils affect different structures of bacterial and human cell membranes and thus hold a destructive measure for one and a health-promoting measure for the latter, (e.g. here and here in German).

And those insights are just some of so very many on the wide world of web! You just have to read it! And talk about it. And thus bring the grandiose and health-promoting uses of essential oils “among the people.” I for one will give talks on the above and many more topics in Germany. Although the seminars are officially called ”Chemistry of Essential Oils” and ”Botany of the essential oil plants,” these two and three-day seminars are exactly about the above issues, which of course mainly deal with the scent molecule, because that is how the world of science works: the active ingredient and its effects on people need to be explained. Naturally the oils bring about much, much more, especially with our emotions, but that is the subject of a very different course!

©copyright by Eliane Zimmermann – http://blog.aromapraxis.de

Eliane Zimmermann, a German naturopath and book author about the safe use of essential oils in therapy and nursing with more than 20 years of experience.

New (ish)

Also I have a few Natracare Organic Baby Wipes, which expire this month at -50% €2.50 instead of €4.95.

Too short a notice

Today, Monday 26th September mums to newborn (ish) babies were welcome to come for a tea/coffee @ KidooLand.
It’s free, friendly and informal. It’s a great way for new mums to meet one another.
The aim of the meet up is to provide a place on a semi regular basis where new mums can meet other new mums and exchange information and ask any questions they have on their new role. We will have access to a professional who will be able to answer questions and point us in the right direction no question is too small.
We will also be on hand to provide lots of info on living as a family on the Côte d’Azur.

For the next meeting please contact Kidooland to reserve your place. info@kidooland.com

Also, as a reminder there is the free baby osteopathic clinic that runs on Tuesday 4th October, please contact Kidooland for details.

Next week

Therapeutic infant formula? Does such a thing exist from the supermarket?  Some helpful pointers next week provided by Öko-Test.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Have a wonderful week.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans

This week

Now the “normal” world has us back. School, work, extra-curricular activities are booked and we are heading into autumn. Even though the days are nice and warm, night time and mornings are a bit chilly.

Anti-slip socks

Anti-slip socks are virtually unbeatable. Where it is not possible to walk barefoot, even doctors recommend them as an alternative. But unfortunately, many models still contain harmful substances. The test performed by Öko-Test shows that it also could be different.

Many parents do not want to go without anti-slip socks. So that parquet and tiles do not turn into uncontrollable slides, kids should wear something on their feet. The Munich-based paediatrician Dr. Thomas Fendel recommends the socks with a non-slip sole, where walking barefoot is not possible. The socks offer more freedom than shoes, and the arch can better be developed.

Nevertheless, these knobbly socks are not without concern. Many manufacturers use plasticisers to soften the knobbly bits. This does not have to necessarily be the way, as the sock textile manufacturer Hirsch Natur shows. Here silicone which is flexible on its own is used to manufacture the anti-slip surface. ”Since 2002 when we looked closely at the health effects of phthalates it became clear: we did no longer want to use PVC,” says Managing Director Matthias Kloppenborg.

The company changed to silicone. ”It took some years until the right formula was found,” recalls Kloppenborg. ”Silicone is difficult to process because it gels quickly.” The company based in Germany’s Münsterland happily accepted the fact that the production of the socks also became more expensive, with the introduction of silicone.

Öko-Test wanted to know about the quality of anti-slip socks that are currently available commercially, and bought 14 different pairs of socks to send to the test lab. There they were subjected to extensive testing for harmful substances.

The test result

Obviously, only a few manufacturers have understood the responsibility they have. More than half of the products tested failed. One should not have even been sold; five other products finished the test with “unsatisfactory”, two with ”poor”. Fortunately there are alternatives. Falke Catspads Saisonal, Baby Dream ABS-socks and the Hirsch Natur Stopper Socks contain no harmful or controversial ingredients and are so rated as “very good”.

One pair of socks should have never been on sale. After all, in eight out of the 14 socks were PVC/PVDC/chlorinated plastics to be found. For the flexibility of the sole, many manufacturers now use as replacement plasticiser diethylhexylterephthalate (DEHT). Still two products though contained the as toxic classified plasticiser diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). In the pink socks by Bruin of Toys ”R” Us, DEHP content even exceeds the legal limit for baby products. They should therefore not even have been allowed to be placed in the market; the State Health Agency (Landesuntersuchungsanstalt – LUA) Saxony confirms the request by Öko-Test. Here, the authority refers to the Equipment and Product Safety Act, under which a product must be such that it does not endanger the health of the user. ”This condition is not adhered to with these high DEHP levels in baby socks,” says Dr. Gerlinde Schneider of the LUA Saxony, ”it is well known that babies, to get to know  an object, take it into their mouths and suck on textiles and shoe. ”

Less plasticiser, but suspected carcinogenic PAHs: even if the legislature formally distinguishes between a toy and clothing, babies and toddlers do not. Therefore, Öko-Test also assesses the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some of which are suspected carcinogens, more severe than for adults’ textiles. In the laboratory six products have been identified with strongly elevated levels of PAHs. The problem has also reached politics. That the regulations for chemical safety of toys and childcare articles are inadequate and, in particular, that the PAH levels must be reduced significantly, all factions in the German Bundestag agreed.
Organotin compounds have no place in anti-slip socks. And yet the lab found two substances that are very toxic dibutyltin (DBT) and tributyltin (TBT) in the Toys”R” Us-product. Already small quantities are enough to affect the immune and endocrine systems of animals and probably also in the humans.
The good news:  some manufacturers have learned and use silicone for the production of the anti-slip sole.  Just a pity that this is not so easy for the consumer to recognise, because only the Hirsch Natur Anti-slip socks show all materials on the packaging. If you have a choice, always opt for a silicone sole as these seem to have fewer problems with harmful substances.

Zone Bébé offers Popolini Curvechamps Antislip socks, with a sole made of phthalate free silicone and organic cotton with a tiy bit of elasthan.
Stricter permissible values for children’s clothing

“I think it is scandalous that baby socks include plasticisers such as DEHP. We demand that the strict limits required on food packaging that are also used for toys, must also apply for children’s clothing. After all, little children suck and chew on clothes and not just on toys.”

Elvira Drobinski-Weiß, consumer affairs spokesperson of the SPD parliamentary group

The Substances

The anti-slip material that turns a regular sock into an anti-slip sock can pose many problems. So Öko-Test looked particularly at all the coatings. The laboratories tested not only the PVC/PVDC/chlorinated plastics content, but also the in baby products banned phthalates and replacement plasticisers, which make the material more pliable. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which reach the plastic through the addition of extender oils  and organotin compounds to stabilise the material also formed part of the test. In addition, Öko-Test had the fabric of the socks examined for prohibited or questionable dyes and halogenated organic compounds that can be dissolved from dyes. It was also examined whether the manufacturers have helped the white tones with optical brighteners.
The Evaluation

Öko-Test believes that it is important that not only toys but also children and baby clothes are free of harmful substances. Therefore, they strictly downgraded phthalates, which are banned in toys and childcare articles. They were also rigorous with high levels of PAH, even if they are not sufficiently regulated by law.

Patients is key when learning how to walk

Less is more when learning to walk. The Munich-based paediatrician Dr Thomas Fendel warns in particular against baby walkers. ”These products hinder more than they help, as they do not train the child’s sense of equilibrium,” says Fendel, ”therefore often serious fall injuries occur with the baby walkers.” Also, walking with the help of an adult’s hand does not accelerate the learning how to walk according to the experience of the paediatrician. He recommends: leave kids alone and wait for them to sit up by themselves. In general, junior makes his first steps along the furniture. Therefore it is paramount to secure shelves and render carpets skid-proof.

Reference: Öko-Test September 2011

New (ish)

There is still a promotion with essential care, for every essential care product  bought, a free 75ml Organic Baby Gentle Wash&Shampoo is offered. I would like to extend the promotion for another  week.

Also I have a few Natracare Organic Baby Wipes, which expire this month at -50% €2.50 instead of €4.95.

Next week

Öko-Test has tested children’s rubber boots. A few surprises here too. And what about therapeutic infant formula? Do you know your stuff? Some helpful pointers next week.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Have a wonderful week.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans

This week

The first week is behind us. Kids are settled at school, and the day to day routine has us back. And with the start of the new school year, old acquaintances make a new appearance: head lice. A very uncomfortable topic, but by all means not a dangerous one!  This week’s newsletter deals with this subject. Have a great week, enjoying this Indian summer before we head into autumn.

Head lice

A definition from Wikipedia

Pediculosis capitis^[1] (also known as head lice infestation,”nits” and cooties) is a human medical condition caused by the colonization of the hair and skin by the parasitic insect Pediculus humanus capitis—the head louse. Typically, only the head or scalp of the host is infested, although the disease can occur in other hairy parts of the body, like leg hairs. Head lice feed on human blood (hematophagy), and itching from lice bites is a common symptom of this condition. Treatment typically includes application of topical insecticides such as a pyrethrin or permethrin, although a variety of herbal remedies are also common.

Eliane Zimmermann, German aromatherapist and author reports the following on her blog:

The infestation of head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) is indeed not dangerous, but extremely annoying. The entire family and entire schools can be affected - especially in the colder months. The little pests are difficult to eradicate, unless you use questionable chemicals that act mostly nerve damaging.
The fatty oil of the neem tree Azadirachta indica oder Antelaea/Melia Azadirachta offers a safe alternative because it has proven very successful against many types of parasites. Its relative from South America, the Andiroba tree and its oil (Carapa guianensis) has similar properties. These fatty plant oils do not kill the lice; however, they make them infertile, so that the plague does not drag on unnecessarily. Unfortunately, the smell of these oils needs getting used to, it is reminiscent of roasted onions. The following mixture takes this into account, i.e. the essential oils mask the for some people unpleasant odour.

• Neem oil and/or Andiroba oil with jojoba oil (50:50 or 30:70) mix, a total of 50 ml
• 10 drops of Melaleuca alternifolia oil (tea tree)
• 10 drops of Eucalyptus smithii oil (eucalyptus, which is very well tolerated by children, alternatively
Eucalyptus radiata)
• 10 drops of oil Lavandula latifolia (Spike lavender, alternatively Lavandin oil)

Apply this mixture onto the scalp, cover with a plastic shower cap and blow-dry as warm as possible for several minutes. Then wash the hair with a neutral shampoo that is enriched with 10 drops of the above essential oils and 5ml of neem oil for 100ml shampoo. Allow the shampoo to be absorbed for a while before rinsing. This procedure can also be done vice versa, and leave the oil for a few hours on the head.
It is very important, to always comb the nits (lice eggs) with a special comb and repeat the applications at least twice a day for eight days, since you have to catch every last nit. Lice are about eight days in nit stage where they are particularly difficult to kill. Nits are not transparent, if they are already transparent; it means that the lice have already hatched. According to the biologist Lowana Veal healthy head lice live only within a centimetre of the scalp, they are transmitted from head to head and not through combs, brushes, furniture, and they do not live in domestic carpets or in school buildings. And contrary to popular belief, they cannot jump.
The researcher stress that head lice are not a sign of poor hygiene, they prefer to live rather in clean hair.

Veal studied various essential oils against head lice with scientific methods, most oils, which were very effective, are too dangerous for use in children, such as “red” thyme (kills 84% lice, 92% nits), oregano (100%) and cinnamon leaves (86%). These were incorporated in hair rinses, which are left on the scalp for some time. Anise oil and tea tree, however, have similar anti-lice levels.
Veal preferred after her studies, a dilution in 40 percent alcohol (e.g. vodka, she suggests 10 drops of essential oil to 50 ml of vodka. A hair rinse may consist of 50ml good wine vinegar and 50ml (Rose) water, to a total of 20 drops of the chosen  essential oil (s). Myrtle and rose geranium may also be used.

Andiroba oil and Neem oil can be purchased here. Most recommended essential oils can be purchased at Zone Bébé.

Zone Bébé offers an alternative with products from essential care:

Organic Hair Lice Therapy Oil – a combination of potent pure essential oils, all of which have a long tradition of use for the natural treatment of head lice. To complete the treatment, wash hair with Tea Tree and Herb Shampoo. And the good thing about it? It has a pleasant smell.

New (ish)

Last week saw the first Riviera Family Info Day, quite a few of us showing off their services available to families and an opporunity to provide help in finding schools, authorities, medical personnel etc. etc.  For this event Zone Bébé ran a small promotion with essential care, for every essential care product  bought, a free 75ml Organic Baby Gentle Wash&Shampoo was offered. Since I have a few left, I would like to extend the promotion for this week.

Also I have a few Natracare Organic Baby Wipes, which expire this month at -50% €2.50 instead of €4.95.

Next week

Öko-Test has tested anti-slip socks and children’s rubber boots. I’ll let you know the verdict. Sorry for not including this in today’s issue, but I have not received the magazine yet. So – topic for next week.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Have a wonderful week.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans

This week

This is it! The summer holidays are over. School starts again and the usual routine will set in. But in general life will restart with “La rentree”. And here at Zone Bébé, life will take its usual ways again, deliveries, open days, new products and the weekly newsletters. Have a safe start.

Green washing

An article about Green washing featured in a recent issue of the Öko-Test magazine. A very nice account of how the big cosmetics manufacturers just want to consciously fool the consumer.

A very interesting read!

“Beauty is greener,” says Elfriede Dambacher of the consulting firm Naturkosmetik Konzepte (Natural Beauty Concepts). Today’s consumer has a greater need for health and sustainability. While the market share of natural cosmetics only totals about six percent, revenue has risen sharply in recent years.  And companies that have so far only offered conventional cosmetics want to benefit. ”Manufacturers are testing out how much green washing is possible with positioning and advertising,” said Dambacher.

Also the perfumeries react to the ”green” trend. Douglas offers in their online shop brands such as Origins and Kiehl’s, under the slogan ”Plant cosmetics”. The term “Natural” is now emblazoned on many creams and Co., decorated with crisp fruit, fresh herbs and bright flowers. ”But the consumer in fact is not in a position to examine how natural a cosmetic product actually is – for example by looking at the list of ingredients. Here natural cosmetics labels give an important seal of orientation,” said Dambacher.

Even experts of official controls are in a dilemma when it comes to control misleading terms of natural cosmetics. Although there are legal provisions to protect against fraud in cosmetics. But since the law did not define “nature” or “natural”, the rules for the investigating authorities are not practically possible. In addition, the consumer expectation is unclear and difficult to identify, the State Office for Consumer Protection of Saxony-Anhalt told us.

Is the industry making a fool of the consumer? Öko-Test asked the industry association for personal care and detergents (IKW – Industrieverband Körperpflege- und Waschmittel) as to what they think about green washing in cosmetics. “The official authorities are responsible for the monitoring of cosmetics,” explained Birgit Huber of the IKW. “There is no review of whether the association members adhere to a voluntary agreement dating back from 1992/93. This agreement stipulates that natural cosmetics are manufactured exclusively from plant, animal and mineral natural substances and only contain certain preservatives. This ”original” definition of natural cosmetics, served as the basis for the recognized standards such as natural cosmetics BDIH or Natrue,” Huber said.

Would a Quid-rule such as a quantity-based indication of the highlighted ingredients in cosmetics, provide a clearer view? Such an arrangement has long been requirement for food. This is how the consumer could compare, for example, the proportion of the eponymous ingredient in various creams, in which for example olive oil is highlighted as an ingredient. The Consumer Federation already called for a Quid-rule for cosmetics in 2007, as well as the clarification of definitions such as “natural” or ”from nature” in the cosmetics legislation. The Consumer Advice Centre in Hamburg had tried in recent years to warn many manufacturers of pseudo organic cosmetics such as Schauma Organic Pomegranate Shampoo because of deception. The references to laws against deception proved to be too weak in many cases.

The conventional producers apparently are aware that their as green advertised products are not really natural. At Schwarzkopf & Henkel they have opted deliberately against a concept of natural cosmetics for the classic Aok products. Origins announced, the efficacy was more important, and as far as possible to renounce chemical ingredients. Artdeco intended with the Skin Yoga series only an approximation to nature. The series Skin Yoga Biolab has a stronger natural approach and emerged due to the “nature” trend. And The Body Shop stands for nature-inspired products. Yves Rocher expressed equally vague: All products are based on plants and we count on synthetic substances if they are safer and more efficient.

Öko-Test wanted to know how much nature is in ”green” cosmetics without Natrue, Ecocert or BDIH seal, which represent genuine natural cosmetics. Therefore, Öko-Test bought 34 cosmetics with “green paint” and scoured the list of ingredients for chemical and natural ingredients.

Test result

The false green labelling is huge. The products with green paint tested by Öko-Test contained between 15 and more than 60 percent definite chemical and synthetic ingredients. This concerns both the classical or conventional manufacturers like Garnier, Schwarzkopf & Henkel and brands that represent themselves clearly as green, such as The Body Shop and Yves Rocher.

Only a mini dose of nature: of the 59 substances contained in the Biotherm Multi Recharge Ginseng facial care are 28 purely chemically, including UV filters, artificial dyes or petroleum-based fats. The in the name highlighted ginseng extract is found far down the list of ingredients: still behind the chemical preservative chlorphenesin, which may be used in a maximum dose of 0.3 percent. Since the ingredients are listed in descending order according to their share, but the ingredients of one percent or less in any order, the ginseng extract is only present in a miniscule dose in this facial cream.
On the box, Colgate-Palmolive is advertising the Palmolive Naturals Olive & Moisturising Lotion Shower Cream “with 100% natural ingredients.” The olive and aloe vera extract are only in trace amounts in the shower cream. Both natural substances are listed in the ingredient list after the preservative sodium salicylate, which is limited to 0.5 percent in cosmetics.

The PEG/PEG-derivatives in the Caudalíe Pulpe Vitaminée cream for eyes and lips should be based on plants. But the applied chemical process plays no role in nature. In addition, PEG/PEG-derivatives are produced using a problematic source material, which carries a risk of contamination with potentially carcinogenic dioxane. In true natural cosmetics PEG/PEG-derivatives are not allowed.
Artificial fragrances are the rule. Many brands smell of artificial fragrance compounds, such as the Burt’s Bees product, the L’Occitane Rose Body Milk 4 Reines or the shower gels from Crabtree & Evelyn or Bronnley adorned with large flower prints. The “Natural Soap” by Nesti Dante is spiced up with artificial dyes, as well as the Yves Rocher Skin Care and Body Butter by The Body Shop.

Many of the synthetic materials used are controversial and/or unsafe. These are substances that can split off the potentially carcinogenic formaldehyde, or that belong to the group of halogenated organic compounds.
Natural or chemical?

Definite natural substances

Natural substances are clearly “green” in Öko-Test’s table. These include vegetable oils/extracts, regardless of whether they come from organic agriculture or minerals such as titanium dioxide, as well as salts and water. In addition, Öko-Test has designated substances such as citric acid, hydrolyzed sweet almond protein, decyl polyglucose, xanthan gum, cera alba, fructose or algin as clearly natural.
Definite chemical substances

Chemical substances are “red” in Öko-Test’s table. These include artificial colourants such as tartrazine (CI 19140), synthetic preservatives such as parabens, silicones, paraffin/petroleum products, chemical UV filters, and more purely chemical ingredients with very different functions in cosmetics. Artificial fragrances are butylphenyl methylpropional, lyral and methyl 2-octynoate, they are purely synthetic. Alpha-isomethyl ionone, hexyl cinnamal and hydroxycitronellal occur in natural, essential oils in such low concentrations that if used in significant amounts, requiring declaration their synthetic representatives are used. Chemical preservatives like sodium benzoate or salicylates, which are tolerated in true natural cosmetics, were not captured as chemical substances, because they keep the products stable.
Ref.: Öko-Test  8/2011

New

Nothing new this week, but sure enough, watch this space.

Next week

Öko-Test has tested anti-slip socks and children’s rubber boots. I’ll let you know the verdict.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

And a reminder:

September 7^th will see the first “Riviera Family Info day” at Kidooland.

This day is dedicated to provide information for international families in the 06 area. Services present will include a photographer, osteopath, homeopath, books and toys stores, first aid courses, English midwife, and the informative website for services for the Riviera amongst others. Bring some of your unwanted toys too, for a children’s charity.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Have a wonderful week.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans

This week

Well into August already! But somehow this year summer seems to have a life of its own! The weather is bizarre, maybe just here on the Côte d’Azur. Rain chases sunshine, cold weather chases hot spells.

Puzzle mats

Öko-Test tested puzzle mats in last month’s issue, and the result was devastating. Their recommendation went even as far as to completely abstain from buying one for the moment.

Puzzle mats are fabulous for children to play on, and they provide a safe, soft and warm surface for even the littlest ones.

The material from which these popular mats are made, is EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate)or  foam rubber. It can be produced very cheaply and as a foamed plastic it has the advantage that no harmful plasticisers need to be used to produce it.  Also problematic solvents are suspected in children’s products made ​​from EVA the moment, the material gives off an unpleasant odour.

A mistake, because depending on which source materials they have been produced, EVA products also give the odourless compound formamide. Formamide (not to be confused with formaldehyde) is classified as a teratogenic risk material. The substance can be absorbed via inhalation and through the skin or when children put their toys in their mouths.

After a Belgian consumer magazine had in 2009 called attention to formamide evaporation of puzzle mats, governments in Belgium, France and Luxembourg have taken action: puzzle mats made from EVA cannot be sold in these countries since early 2011  - unless it is demonstrated in a laboratory test that they are almost formamide free. In part, the regulations also apply only temporarily, until more accurate information is available about the potential danger. In France, the ban has been extended to July 15^th July 2011. Then the government will decide on permanent measures.

At EU level and in Germany the mills grind slowly. On behalf of the EU Commission, an expert committee is researching the issue. According to how things are at the moment, formamide will be regulated by law in the remaining EU countries by 2013 with the new toys directive – and this only from a very high content of 0.1 percent. 

Ref.: Öko-Test 7/2011

New

Baby tea was tested again by Öko-Test . And Lebensbaum’s Organic Baby Tea was amongst the two that finished with a “good” rating. Short of very good, as a certain advice is missing on the packaging: do not sweeten/leave to cool.

This Baby tea is a mild herb infusion suitable for babies as young as 2 weeks and also for breastfeeding mothers. It contains fennel*, caraway*, chamomile*, anise* – all from organic agriculture.

Next week

Next week, Zone Bébé will be on holidays, yes, again.

Lovely Germany this time. So we will take a little break this time and will be back week starting 22^nd August.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

And a reminder:

September 7^th will see the first “Riviera Family Info day” at Kidooland.

This day is dedicated to provide information for international families in the 06 area. Services present will include a photographer, osteopath, homeopath, books and toys stores, first aid courses, English midwife, and the informative website for services for the Riviera amongst others.

Flyers should be coming around soon.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Enjoy the rest of your holidays.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans

This week

Happy 1^st of August! Time just flies and we are nearly on the half way point of the summer holidays.

August being the busiest of months on the Cote d’Azur, many tourists will descend upon our beaches and countryside. Remember to drive safe and always keep water in the car for those dreaded traffic jams.

Having spent a week on the wonderful Atlantic coast, I am always amazed how irresponsible some people are when it comes to sun protection. How many people did I see with painfully red skin, burnt from the day’s visit to the beach. But also parents with their children and toddlers – no protection for eyes, face or head. Especially for children, a sun burn has far worse consequences than for adults since the skin of an infant is still not fully developed in its protection capabilities.

Have a safe visit to the beach!

Milkfat – Quality depends on animal keeping

A recent visit to our pediatrician resulted in the comment: Milk is bad for your health. Especially conventionally produced milk, mainly due to the way cows are kept for mass production. Whatever the cows are fed on, ends up in the milk. Makes sense. Also milk and milk products are known for their allergy potential. But when asked, whether organic milk is no better, our pediatrician had to admit that organically kept cattle produce “better “ milk.

A recent article in Öko-Test kind of confirms this.

Fat , especially saturated fatty acids are bad for your health, since they increase the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Scientist at the University of Jean, Germany had a closer look at milkfat which consists mainly of saturated fatty acids and also contains bad transfatty acids. A moderate intake of milk and milk products does not increase the risk of heart disease. “The quality of milk depends on the keeping and feeding of the animals.” Explains Professor Gerhard Jahreis, Professor for nutrition physiology at the University of Jena. Milk is composed of many different fatty acids. Is the cow mainly fed on green fodder, her milk contains more fatty acids that are more beneficial for human health. On the contrary, is the cow fed on concentrate, fatty acids that have a negative impact are increased. Theoretically, there is no difference between organic and conventional. Having said this, organic milk is more often better composed than conventional milk.

Ref.: Öko-Test 7/2011

New

Nothing new this week. It is summer after all.

Next week

Recently Öko-Test has tested puzzle mats for kids. The results are devastating! Read how to deal with them next week.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

And a reminder:

September 7^th will see the first “Riviera Family Info day” at Kidooland.

This day is dedicated to provide information for international families in the 06 area. Services present will include a photographer, osteopath, homeopath, books and toys stores, first aid courses, English midwife, and the informative website for services for the Riviera amongst others.

Flyers should be coming around soon.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Have a wonderful week and safe holidays.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans

This week

We are already well into our summer holidays, but somehow the weather is not playing it nicely. At least down here on the Cote d’Azur. Storms, torrential rain, cooler than usual temperature must play havoc with holiday makers’ plans.

I hope where ever you are, you are enjoying your holidays and that the weather god is treating you nicely. J

Here are some good articles I have found recently.

Why do you cough?

A small article that caught my eye in the most recent consom’action (N° 58 July-August 2011), the bi-monthly magazine by biocoop.

Referred to the Court of Justice by the European Commission, France is threatened by a record fine of 10 to 30 million Euros: It has ”not taken effective measures to address the problem of excessive emissions offine prticules in several areas of the country.” Sources for the microparticles  are transport, burning wood, coal and oil, the manufacturing industry, agriculture and forestry.

The microparticles are particularly carcinogenic and cause respiratory diseases. According to the National Agency for food safety, pollution peaks are not the most harmful , but rather the frequent exposure to moderate levels.

A 2008 directive requires EU member states to limit public exposure to the microparticles below certain values. But since 2005, 16 towns or cities, including Paris, Lyon, Marseille, coastal urban area of the Alpes-Maritimes, Lille, Grenoble, Bordeaux, for example, are regularly outside the law.

To know the air quality in your neighbourhood:  http://prtr.ec.europa.eu heading Releases Diffuse Sources.

Longer Pollen season

Climate change is responsible for a longer pollen season. The flight from birch, hazel and alder pollen begins now about 10 days earlier than they did 20 years ago, says the German Foundation for pollen information service.

The last flight of the pollen can in some years even drag into December. On average, the end of the season has been moved by about two weeks. This is especially problematic for people who react equally to tree, grass and herb pollen.

Ref: Ökot-Test 7/2011

New

Finally the new teas and coffees are online, check it out!

Next week

Zone Bébé will be on holidays for a week. So your next newsletter will come out beginning of August. Have a great holiday in the meantime.

If you have some ideas, wishes or suggestion what you would like to see in the newsletter, let me know: contact@zonebebe.fr.

And a little heads-up:

September 7^th will see the first “Riviera Family Info day” at Kidooland.

This day is dedicated to provide information for international families in the 06 area. Services present will include a photographer, osteopath, homeopath, books and toys stores, first aid courses, English midwife, and the informative website for services for the Riviera amongst others.

Should you ever be on Facebook, please have a look at the Zone Bébé page and click on the “Like” button. Maybe even suggest it to your friends? That would be great, thank you!

Have a wonderful week and even better holidays.

Claudia/Zone Bébé

www.zonebebe.fr

Le bio for bébés et mamans