Meet Compass, our resucued injured Pigeon.

For me, caring about our planet is directly linked to caring about all of it's inhabitants.  Sometimes this level of caring lands an adorable yet hopelessly injured pigeon in your lap, who quickly earns himself a spot on the spoonfeeding schedule.  Meet Compass, so named for my 4 year old's friend of a friend, the later being a curious monkey named George.

Besides looking good in turquoise, Compass has a perfect disposition.  He sleeps all day, eats what's in his syringe and never sqwaks back.  But then he has had a concusion, been in shock and doped up on pain meds for the past two days.  Actually, he showed his first sign of spunk when the meds kicked in and he, thinking himself healed tried to hoble over the 6 inch side of his box.  (Hey, who hasn't made the same mistake?  Take it easy there Compass!)

What I hope to deliver with this post is the documented recovery and hopefully sucessful release of this bird back into the wild/Springboro city streets.  Actually, we'll be happy to take care of him indefinately but are sincerely hoping he learns to feed himself and fly again.  Here is his story.

My husband found him unconscious on the side of the road near a highway ramp.  He called every wildlife rescue around and they all said that because pigeons are not a native species (where are they from? Mars?) that the only assistance they could offer is euthanasia.  So, we decided to care for him ourselves and took him to a local vet that treats pet birds.  Turns out he has a fractured wing and a broken jaw bone causing his beak to line up crooked.  The vet gave him a pain shot and an antibiotic prescription and advised me how to syringe feed him until he learns to eat again.  This is what I will be doing for the next 4 weeks, as well as taking photos to update his progress.

My boys are 4 and 21 months and they couldn't be happier to have a bird around.  They love birds and feel like real animal rescuers!  Don't worry, I don't let them touch him and he has his own warm, quiet room to rest in when he's not in his net covered box on the back porch.  Please, if any readers have experience with wild birds, drop me a line of adivce!  Otherwise I'm operating on my love, instincts, google and the vet in the next town over to keep this bird comfortable and having a chance a life.

Follow Compass's journey here.

Natural Salmonella Treatments for Food Poisoning

I'm offering this post in response to the recent recall of salmonella tainted peanut butter and some products containing it.  My family and I were affected by the tainted product and personally, this is the third time I've had food poisoning.  So, I'd like to offer you a compilation of the best natural treatment advice for salmonella or other food poisoning that I've found, some of which I've had results with.

• Balancing beneficial intestinal flora should be a first line of defense.  Probiotics such as  Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and/or Bifidobacterium are available as powders, tablets, or capsules from health food stores; soy yogurt with live L. acidophilus cultures can also be eaten.   Because dairy products are generally harder on your digestive system, I recommend non-dairy yogurt, especially when your immune system is stressed.
• Fasting or a liquid-only diet can be beneficial for food poisoning.   Most likely your body has let you know this already by ridding itself of everything you attempt to ingest.  Sometimes even plain water seems like too much for the affected stomach to take.  I've found that electrolites drinks stay down easier; such as vitamin water, or even water with a little lemon.  Just sip slowly for best results.
•  Homeopathic treatment can work very effectively in the treatment of Salmonella food poisoning. Some examples of remedies commonly used are Chamomilla, Nux vomica, Ipecac, and Colchicum.  Consult a homeopathic practitioner for correct dosage.
• Pharmecutical grade charcoal tablets can help absorb toxins and remove them from the digestive tract through bowel elimination.  These can be foud at your local health food store.
• Bentonite clay works much in the same way as charcoal in that it is poreus and locks toxins in itself like a sponge.  Can cause constipation though, so drink plenty of fluids if you take this.
•  Natural sugars in breast milk (and some fruits and vegetables such as bananas, berries, asparagus, garlic and wholegrains ) could be an effective treatment for salmonella and other food poisoning bugs, scientists say at Telegraph UK.  This could explain why my 16 month old nurseling who also ate the Peanut Butter Larabar was unaffected.  Breast milk contains prebiotics which are sugars that feed the beneficial bacteria in the stomach.  Salmonella can not be transfered to the baby through the mother's milk.

Remember that unprocessed, plant based foods in their whole form such as fruits, vegetables and grains; when properly washed have the least risk of carrying food-borne illness.  I used to think that only meat and dairy products were at risk for poisonous bacteria; but as we've seen in recent years, many vegetable fields are being contaminated by runoff from factory farms.  As with the General Mills/Larabar incident, even processed vegan foods are not guarenteed to be free of harmful bacteria.  If you buy produce locally when possible and wash it yourself, those extra measures will help safeguard your health.

Peanut Butter Larabar Recall Hits Home

Micah and I were hit with mysterious flu like symptoms last week that lasted only half a day or so. I tucked him into my bed with me and put a towel over the blanket which proved to be of great Mommy foresight three hours and 4 towels later. I also brought my thermos filled with ice-water to bed and sipped ever so slightly at it throughout the night to prevent dehydration since I'm still nursing. My gracious husband took the next day off work and cleaned the house, so overall I can say that I benefited from the rest and help. I kept wondering if it could've been something we ate. Then today I got a call from our local grocery store. An automated message alerted me that I should not consume the Peanut Butter Larabars that I bought there recently. Well, a week late and $1.29 short, but I was grateful for the call none the less. I didn't realize that signing up for the local grocery store "club card" would benefit my family in this way, but I am glad to know that I will receive product recall notices on the items that I buy! That's great. "Peanut butter produced by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) has been implicated in an outbreak of salmonella." hit the headlines today, affirming my ordeal once more. Specific recall information and natural salmonella treatment suggestions below:Credit: Rocky Mountain Laboratories,NIAID,NIH Color-enhanced scanning electron micrograph showing Salmonella typhimurium (red) invading cultured human cells.

The specific products in this recall include:

Larabar peanut butter cookie

LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie Individual Bar / UPC code number
Individual Bar / 54818-00014-7
Caddy (16-bar sleeve) / 54818-00064-2
6-bar pack / 93759-00298-8
6-bar, 6-pack case / 93759-00299-5
UPC Case Code / 54818-00085-7

JamFrakas Peanut Butter Blisscrisp snack bars / UPC code number
Individual bar / 93759-00212-4
Caddy (18-bar sleeve) / 93759-00213-1
UPC Case Code / 93759-00214-8

Salmonella bacteria is found wherever animals live.  Recently we've seen the rise of vegetable crop contamination due to runoff of unprocessed waste from factory farms.  Tomatoes, cantalopes, spinach, green onions and now peanuts have all been in the media in to past decade or so for serious salmonella outbreaks. 

"During slaughtering and processing, salmonella may contaminate animal carcasses. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates, nearly 40 percent of the American poultry supply, 12 percent of the pork and 5 percent of the beef are contaminated with salmonella.
Because fruits and vegetables have now been identified as a source of salmonella, it is important that these food items be thoroughly washed in running water before they are eaten.

Wash utensils and wooden cutting boards thoroughly with hot, soapy water. Salmonella may lie dormant for a year or more and then "wake up" when food is present. They also may live in the cut marks on a wooden cutting board. Use an acrylic board that can go in the dishwasher. Rub down or spray wooden boards with a solution of one ounce bleach to one gallon water and allow to air dry. "
Quoted from: Healthbeat

Natural Salmonella Treatment (found at Health A-Z)

A number of alternative treatments have been recommended for food poisoning. One very effective treatment that is stongly recommended is supplementation with Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and/or Bifidobacterium to restore essential bacteria in the digestive tract. These preparations are available as powders, tablets, or capsules from health food stores; soy yogurt with live L. acidophilus cultures can also be eaten. Fasting or a liquid-only diet is often used for food poisoning.  Homeopathic treatment can work very effectively in the treatment of Salmonella food poisoning. Some examples of remedies commonly used are Chamomilla, Nux vomica, Ipecac, and Colchicum.  Charcoal tablets can help absorb toxins and remove them from the digestive tract through bowel elimination.  

Personally, I have used charcoal tablets for food poisoning relief in the past and have had sucess.  Bentonite clay can also be used in the same way.  Follow dosage instructions on the package.

If any of you have eaten the Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar and are pulling an all-nighter with your small children, you have my sympothies and encouragement that tomorrow will bring wellness again.  Until then, keep plenty of towels on hand and get some  rest.

The lesson for me is has been the confimation that whole fruits and vegetables properly washed have the highest level of nutrients and lowest level of poisoning risk of any food we can eat!

Review: Organic Cotton Fireside Throw by Gaiam

Every milestone of independance in my young son's life has been marked with a symbolic gift of sorts.  When he learned to "go potty" we got him a "potty-train" (it was a wooden Diesel from the Thomas and friends set).   When he weaned himself from breastmilk to almond milk, we bought him a snuggle toy (a soft baby giraffe).

So when he was ready to sleep in his own room and bed, I wanted to give him a special blanket that would comfort him and keep him warm and cozy.  I didn't know exactly where to look, but I knew that it had to be just the right size for a three year old, made from organically grown cotton, a soothing color and ultra sweetly soft.

Thats when I discovered the Organic Cotton Fireside Throw from Gaiam. It's name evokes a well deserved romantic self-indulgence, however you mom's will buy one for your kid first and use it as an extra reason to snuggle them to sleep at night.  My husband is the first to covet it for TV time if we  leave one in the living room, although at 6 feet tall it's still just a throw for him.  For a small child however, whose just moving into the big boy world of his first single bed, the Organic Cotton Fireside Throw is plenty roomy enough for nightly slumber.

Micah has been sleeping in his own bed for a year or so now, every night with a rotating snuggle buddy and his special blanket.  I recently got myself one to help lure me out of bed for early morning meditation... "Okay, I'll get up... if I can bring the blanket."    So far it has worked like a charm!

More organic bedding by Gaiam can be found in their Eco-Living section.  My family also enjoys their organic sheets, various pillows, pillow cases and comforters; drop me a line if you have any questions about those!