While my kids dug outside in the melting snow and mud this weekend, I devoured the newly-released book, The Dirt Cure: Growing Healthy Kids with Food Straight from Soil, by Maya Shetreat-Klein, MD. Board-certified in pediatrics and neurology, Dr. Shetreat-Klein challenges mainstream medicine and conventional practices that, in many ways, are making our children sicker today than ever before. She writes:
"Somehow, when no one was paying attention, chronic illness became the new 'normal' for children. Instead of catching the occasional bug with clear onset and recovery, many children get sick, get a little better, and get sick again. And the illnesses evolve." (p. 5).
I am completely blown away by this book! Even though I, gratefully, don't have children with chronic illnesses or ailments, I find this book incredibly informative on how to maintain and enhance my children's health and well-being.
In short, the book explains--with meticulous research and citations--that some of the primary reasons our nation's children have more incidences of chronic and recurrent illness, asthma, allergies, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, autoimmune issues, continuous colds and coughs, and so on is that their internal microbiomes have become depleted and stressed due to a whole host of things, including environmental toxins, processed food, plastics, antibiotic use, and overly "clean" living spaces.
The author challenges us parents to put the dirt back in our children's lives and bodies by making sure they eat whole foods grown in great soil, have plenty of time outside digging and exploring, and avoid conventional medicines, foods, cleaners, and materials that can make them sicker. Shetreat-Klein writes:
"Health is a function of a healthy terrain. A healthy terrain is dirty, messy, complex, and doesn't come in a pill or package. It's a process that begins with eating and living in alignment with the natural world. It's the very messiness of the natural world that makes us resilient, which is the key to robust health." (p. 48).
This book is a must-read for parents! I cannot recommend it highly enough. It reinforces so many of the habits I have adopted for my family, and challenges me to do even more. Here is a great overview of some of the book's key concepts. Some of the natural living suggestions in her book include:
- Drink raw (unpasteurized) milk.
- Make sure your drinking water does not contain fluoride.
- Avoid the use of Tylenol and ibuprofen in children, which interfere with the body's natural healing mechanisms.
- Don't use bleach or other abrasive chemical cleaners and sanitizers that actually make kids sicker!
- Avoid antibiotics.
- Eat foods straight from healthy soil, including pastured meats, fruits and vegetables, eggs, and dairy.
- Grow whatever food you can yourself and get the rest directly from chemical-free farms and farmers' markets.
- "Pay the farmer instead of the doctor." (p. 139).
I think this book is so spectacular that I am excited to do a book giveaway here on the blog! Whether you are new to natural family living and nourishing your children with whole foods from healthy soil, or you have been on this path for quite some time, you will find this book to be eye-opening, provocative, affirming, and inspirational, taking you to a whole new level of family health and well-being.
To enter the book giveway, please click on the Rafflecopter Giveaway icon below, leave a comment, and connect with our Facebook community! The winner will be announced this Friday!a Rafflecopter giveaway
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This sounds like a great book; right up my family's alley. My husband has said for years that I have to let the kids get dirtier - his favorite line is "They have immune systems for a REASON." ;) I love the quote about paying the farmer, not the doctor. That's a good one for so many reasons, not only for our family's health but for supporting our local farmers/farms/markets.
ReplyDeleteI just heard about this book and would love to read it!
ReplyDeleteThis is one I am passing on to other like minded friends!!
ReplyDeleteSo excite dot pass this on to like-minded friends.
ReplyDeleteOur family could use a reboot with a book like this. Great rec!
ReplyDeleteWe could definitely use a little more guidance & encouragement. This looks like a fantastic read & a great resource.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the new direction your blog has taken! Such an exciting time for your family. I would love to read the book!
ReplyDeleteLove the new blog, Kerry!! And this sounds like an amazing book, thanks!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book!
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful, looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting. I feel like I've tried to do this for my kids, but somehow we still have one with asthma. Not badly, but she's currently on a preventative inhaler for it. I'll be interested in reading this!
ReplyDeleteWould love to get my hands on this book!
ReplyDeleteInspiring pictures of kids + dirt. We followed suit and brought shovels out today. I'd love to read this book.
ReplyDeleteI love kids playing in dirt and growing some of our own food.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this book and how it reinforces some healthy choices you're already making. I look forward to reading it too!
ReplyDeleteI would really like to read this book
ReplyDelete