Babies are born with particularly vulnerable immune systems, and everything from taking a dose of antibiotics to picking up germs from others at the hospital can have a potentially weakening effect on them. But it’s important for all parents to know that while an infant’s immune system is, indeed, susceptible at this point in life, it is also the …
Bertolli Olive Oil Threatens to Sue Mamavation For Reporting on UC Davis Study
Last week, I received an email from a representative of Bertolli Olive Oil threatening to sue me for reporting on a UC Davis study years ago that found their extra virgin olive oils were not up to standards. Instead of pulling this post, what I've decided to do instead is take a closer look at Bertolli, the olive oil industry and issues around …
Best MLM Companies: Which Ones Should You Choose? Ingredient Investigation
[Update: Comments have been closed due to threats from MLM company representatives. Please see comment policy. For lifestyle & beauty brands we added some additional information. Note: Brands that did not disclose fragrance ingredients were given "bad" rankings regardless of claims if they were not verified by a 3rd party with certification. We …
The American Academy of Pediatrics Cuts Ties with Monsanto
Months ago we learned that the American Academy of Pediatrics was in a sponsorship relationship with Monsanto, a chemical company and makers of DDT, PCBs, Agent Orange, glyphosate & GMOs. In fact, Monsanto has been deemed the 3rd most hated company in the United States by the Harris Poll this year measuring "reputation quotient" which basically …
Iced Tea Culprits: These Brands Can Sour Your Summer
This time of year often means refreshing iced tea to cool your child’s thirst as she plays hard in the summer heat. But not all iced tea brands are equal! While common sense dictates that brewed tea, sugar and water should be all you need in a glass, many brands do much more than just add a little natural preservative to make the shelf. And far too …
The Dangers of Soda: 10 Reasons Your Kids Shouldn’t Drink Soda
Many of us have opted for healthier choices for ourselves and our family. It certainly isn't an easy process to break bad habits and relearn everything you've been taught about food. This is why it's even more important to stop bad habits before they start, whenever possible. We gave you 10 reasons to dump diet soda, which can be the hardest …
Save Money: 13 Foods You Don’t NEED to Buy Organic
I know what you're thinking, Mamavation is big on eating organic, so why are we writing about the opposite? We've shared the reason's why you should feed your family organic as well as the dangers of GMOs and glyphosate. Organic is always the best option to avoid GMOs, synthetic pesticides, biosolids, and artificial ingredients, but eating 100% …
Causes of Allergies: The Top 8 Likely Causes in Your Child
Last summer, teenager Scott Johnson died from a severe dairy allergy after eating pancakes from a restaurant his family trusted. In November, 19-year-old Chandler Swink died from a severe reaction to a peanut allergy. Two years ago, 13-year-old Natalie Giorgi died from a summer camp treat made with peanut butter. Unfortunately, stories like these …
10 Reasons to Avoid School Lunches like the Plague
If I asked you what you had for lunch, you could probably tell me without hesitation. If I asked what your child had for lunch at school, could you answer just as easily? Even if you know the lunch menu, what's actually in the school lunches may be a mystery. A look at one school's burger found it had 26 ingredients. Among those 26 components, it …
10 Processed Foods to Never Feed Your Kids
It may be easy to reach for one of these foods when your child is hungry, but have you ever really thought about what's inside those processed foods targeted at kids? Flip those colorful cartooned packages over and you'll find almost as many artificial colors lurking in the ingredients. That list of ingredients is a long and confusing …
Top 10 Toxic Kids Cereals to Avoid at All Costs
When we think of kids’ breakfast foods in America, we tend to think of the icons we grew up with: Cap’n Crunch, Tony the Tiger, and Count Chocula. This kind of marketing has encouraged kids to demand cereal loaded with sugar, and has also eroded our concept of what comprises of a healthy breakfast. Cold cereals can dominate an entire aisle in your …
10 Cancer Causing Foods in Your Diet
How much have you researched about cancer-causing foods? Did you know the American Cancer Society now reports the chances of getting cancer are now 1 in 2 for men, and 1 in 3 for women? Those staggering numbers indicate a growing epidemic in the U.S., but it isn't time to throw in the towel. In their annual cancer progress report, The American …