So I had mentioned delving into the world of additives and preservatives a few weeks ago, which started in hopes that some miracle would happen and I would find whatever it is that is still triggering Ryder's Eczema. I am 99% confident that it is something he is ingesting, not only because my house has NOTHING in it that could create a reaction in my opinion, but other mom's I have talked to with similar issues, and magazine and online articles I have read, all suggest that food allergies play a huge role in flare ups of Eczema. Considering Ryder has reactions to every allergen category,with the exception of sesame seeds (Stay tuned to my blog for a new post updating the newest allergies to make their presence known), how can I not think that food has something to do with it. However, my adventures into the unknown world of processed food have shown me things I would never have expected, brought about a small amount of fear, but instilled in me the confidence to continue in my quest to be as "natural" as possible. Not only for Ryder's allergies, but for the future health of my entire family.
The first food to go was freezies. True, this is not a food by any scientific description, but it is the perfect little treat to keep my little man from scratching his skin open after bath while I cover him in his ritual creams twice a day. After making our own banana freezie pops in dental cups with Popsicle sticks,and explaining more than once why we cannot have our daily dose of blue and red sugar, we went an entire 24 hour period and I immediately noticed a difference.The constant red, swollen rash on his belly was significantly decreased! So with my trusty notebook in one hand, and the giant box of freezies in the other, off to my best friend, the Internet, I went.
Typing in the ingredients from the box was scary. You know how they say you shouldn't eat anything your 3 year old cant pronounce? What if the word is to difficult for the parent? Should I have even let this product into the house?
Tartrazine was the first ingredient I looked up, as I had seen it on many labels, and more then a few of the things I allowed Ryder to eat. Tartrazine is simply a Yellow Dye which is also called lemon yellow azodye E102, FD&C Yellow 5 or C.I 19140. My first thought, am I choosing paint for the kitchen or food to help nurture my child's mind and body? Next were Titanium Dioxide, Allurea Red, and Brilliant Blue, all of which are just different coloured dyes, with many different names. What scared me more then the chemical names these "food" ingredients seem to share are the possible side effects that they carry with them and the other "products" they are used for. For example, Titanium Dioxide. When used as a pigment it is called titanium white. It is used in paint, sun screen,plastics, paper, inks, medicine,as coatings and thickeners as well as an ingredient in most toothpastes.It has also been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a possible carcinogen to humans. True, the research suggests that a person must be exposed to high levels of Titanium Dioxide to be considered a danger, but this is just an example of the chemicals that we are putting into our bodies without even knowing the possible long term side effects. I know that I am thinking twice before feeding Ryder a snack that is made up of the same ingredients that we use in plastic and paint.
Next on my list, and worth an honourable mention, was Sodium Benzoate. If you are a label reader, like me, you have probably seen this word many times. And like me, you have probably just passed it off as if it had said sugar-you know its not good for you, but you will over look it because whatever the processed "food" is that you are about to eat is tasty. Well, you may want to re think that. Sodium Benzoate is a type of salt that may occur naturally in some foods but is also chemically produced and used as a preservative in many foods,mostly those with a high acid content such as soft drinks, vinegar and fruit juice, because it will only work when the pH Balance of food is less then 3.6. Sodium Benzoate is also known for its ability to kill bacteria, such as yeast and fungi, which is why so many of our processed food friends will have this on their ingredient list. What is not mentioned along with the ingredient list is that the combination of Sodium Benzoate and ascorbic acid or vitamin c can potentially form a carcinogen known as Chemical Benzene. It is said that separately, the two are not carcinogenic, but scientists have called for the US Drug Administration to retest the potential dangers of Sodium Benzoate and Citric Acid in soft drinks because the current test results are very old.
So the next time you are chugging down your favourite soft drink for the 3rd time that week, or feeding your kids those ever so popular freezies, think about whether the convenience is worth the possible long term risks. Sure, I am not going to be boycotting all of my favourites. For anyone who knows me,knows I just can't pass by a Mc-y D's without craving my favourite cheese burger.But every time I give into my cravings, or give into the convenience of quick and easy, I think about the number of people I know who are affected by cancer, and the growing number of people that are affected by so many diseases that were not prevalent 50 years ago, and I have to wonder if what we are eating has more to do with it then most of us are willing to accept.
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