Places in San Diego that will Entertain your Kids (and You!)

The Usual Places

There are, of course, the usual places that are more expensive that will entertain your entire family. These include Legoland, the Wild Animal Park, San Diego Zoo and Sea World. These places are great, but tickets and annual passes are expensive.

Quail Botanical Gardens

The San Diego Botanical Gardens is located off of Encinitas Blvd at Interstate 5. Admission price is $12 for adults and $6 for kids 3-12. Younger children are free. The first Tuesday of the month, however, admission is free for all; one only has to pay the $2 for parking. The park itself is 35 acres of trails, with an area call Seeds of Wonder which is especially for kids. Here one can watch the miniature train run its course, play in the playhouse, in the dinosaur garden, or check out the bamboo tunnel, sculptures or topiaries. There is also a section with bubble making mixture and utensils with a nice grass area to eat lunch. The trails take you through the flora of Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and many other areas. There is a lookout point where one can can see the ocean and everything nearby. It is a great place to meet someone and hang out or just relax with the kids. They recently finished the Hamilton Children’s Garden, which is a beautiful area for both children and adults. This new area boasts a tree house with jungle canopy, a music area and much more.

Parent Movie Morning at UltraStar Cinemas

Ultra Star Cinemas in La Costa, Poway and Del Mar have a Parent Movie Morning on Wednesday and in Mission Valley on Thursday at 10 AM. It costs $5.50 for parents and children 4 and up. Younger children are free. The movies they show are movies adults want to see, not children’s or animated movies. This is perfect for parents with infants and toddlers since “Crying, feeding and diaper changing are expected.” The features include stroller parking, dimmed lights, reduced volume and changing facilities in the auditorium. Movies change weekly.

Miniature Railroad

Balboa Park

Balboa Park is a place that should be a requirement for everyone with kids. The 1200 acres of beautiful grounds is located next to the San Diego Zoo, admission to the Park grounds is free, but each institution has its own admission fee. The Botanical Building, outdoor gardens and some additional attractions are also offered free of charge. The Balboa Park Miniature Railroad takes a 3-minute, ½-mile trip through four acres of Balboa Park. Kids crazy about cars, trains and planes or dinosaurs, planets or sports or art, flowers and animals will all find something to enjoy. There are 13 museums, including the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center which is home to Southern California’s only IMAX® Dome Theater and 100+ hands-on science exhibits for all ages. There are also railroad, natural history, air and space and automotive museums. Please check out the website because there is way too much to go into here and the pictures of the Park tell the story of how beautiful it is.

Bates Nut Farm

Bates Nut Farm is a 100 acre ranch in Escondido that is perfect if you want a relaxing day to have a picnic in a tree filled park or feed the menagerie of farm animals. In October they have the oldest, largest and most well-known Pumpkin Patch in San Diego County. They also have arts and crafts fairs and other shows throughout the year. The store carries many fresh products and unique gifts. It is a fun place to go for all.

Escondido Children’s Museum

The Escondido Children’s Museum is a fun and educational place to spend a day. Admission is $5 for anyone 12 and over, free for kids under 12. Various structures and multi-sensory activities develop gross and fine motor skills in 0-4 year olds with plenty of seating room for “kids at heart”. The Wildlife Treehouse features an amazing climbing structure with a growing array of exhibitry on native plants and animals. They also have puppet shows, information on fires, places for group activities and birthday parties, gardening and other outdoor activites to keep everyone happy.

Dove Library

Dove Library is a kid friendly 64,000 square foot library located in Plaza Paseo Real near the Ultra Star Cinemas at Aviara Parkway and El Camino Real. It has a young adult area and children’s program area and garden. They offer stories, songs and a puppet show. There are 2 shows: the 10:00am show is for 2 yr olds and younger and the one at 11:00am is for 3-4 yr olds. There is also a great grassy patio/garden area in the back of the children’s portion of the library if you want to let your kids roam and play back there.

Kid-Friendly Parks in North County

Several parks stand out as being better than most.

1. Cottonwood Park is perfect for a picnic. This park has a toddler and bigger kids play area – they even have a miniature rock climbing wall. The kids love the park and it is just beautiful. There is flowing water in the play area so if you have a water lover, bring a change of clothes 🙂
2. Stagecoach Park is a 28 acre park that offers topnotch facilities. It has a picnic area and tot lot in which the sand lot features a variety of children’s playground equipment, including a scaled-down version of a stagecoach to echo the historic background of the park. The park has a community center, multi-use playing fields, active and passive play areas. The City Recreation Department has various instructional classes, Youth and Adult Sports leagues at the park. Community groups also use the park for sports leagues and organizational meetings.
3. Calaveras Park has nice bathrooms for potty-trainers, shade and a pretty large play structure surrounded by sand.
4. Discovery Lake Park is located in San Marcos. It has an easy, flat 0.8 mile loop around the lake. Children will enjoy fishing or feeding the ducks from a dock that extends into the lake, and a playground in the adjacent park has a small fountain area for children to splash in. The trails are populated with walkers out for an evening stroll, parents pushing baby strollers, teens rollerblading, high school runners practicing, people walking dogs, etc. This is a very enjoyable area. The link on the bottom of the wesite shows a map of where it is.
5. Hidden Canyon Park has nice bathrooms for potty-trainers, shade and a pretty large play structure surrounded by sand. The park is a passive recreational park with walking paths, scenic seating and picnic areas, rest room, turfed areas, two tot lots and a recreational trail leading to Carlsbad’s ever popular and first “Dog Park”. This park is formerly known as Larwin Park. The 22 acre park site (3.5 acres developed) is divided by a large canyon which contains vegetation that supports endangered wildlife (the California gnatcatcher). For that reason, much of the park will remain as undisturbed permanent open space with trails that connect to the Carlsbad. It is located at 2685 Vancouver St., Carlsbad, CA 92010.

Nutritional Tips for Mother-to-be, Mother and Infant

What to Eat While you are Pregnant

A pregnant woman should not diet. Baby needs a certain amount of nutrition to grow and thrive. She needs to eat 300 extra calories per day. These calories are the amount of energy supplied by the carbohydrates, protein and fats in foods. But these calories should be from nutritious foods, not empty calories.

Protein is made up of the most important building blocks that will make your baby. Pregnant mother-to-be should have no fewer than 60-75 grams of protein per day. This would equal three servings. These can include: milk, cheese and cottage cheese, eggs, yogurt, tuna and sardines, seafood, salmon and other fresh fish, poultry and meat.

Pregnant women need an adequate and continuous supply of iron for both themselves and baby. The daily recommended intake of iron is 27 mg. Some foods rich in iron include iron-fortified cereals, spinach, dried beans, peas, potatoes, lentils, dried apricots, oatmeal and lean red meat. Your practitioner should inform you if you need an iron supplement.

Iron can block the body’s absorption of zinc. Zinc is essential for the development of your baby’s brain and nervous system. Therefore, mom-to-be needs to eat zinc-rich food, such as fish and wheat germ, separately from iron-rich food. The daily recommended intake of zinc is 11 mg.

Remember to always take your prenatal pills. These will have a basic supply of what you need for the day. But they will not be sufficient alone. It must be supplemented with a good diet of healthy foods as well. Friut, vegetables, lean meat and whole grains are very important. Water and drinks that have no caffiene should be consumed liberally. Drink at least 12 cups of water a day.

Eat wild salmon frequently – brain development is going on like crazy for your baby now. It is also needed for lung surfactant. But it’s not just omega fatty acids – you have to eat the fish. Many grocery stores sell frozen fillets of wild salmon at a reasonable price. If you can not find wild salmon or it is too expensive, eat farmed salmon.

Nursing

Feels strange doesn’t it? So many receptors in our brain for that event have been growing in you while you were pregnant. Oxytocin stimulation is changing your behavior – making you into a good mom. Give in to that happy clam feeling and don’t let your rational smart brain interfere with the normal day to day. Take lots of video, as I think this time really doesn’t allow for memory making – maybe because of the other things going on biologically. Small frequent meals may help you fell less emotional. Drink decaf tea but give up coffee for a month or two……

Keep breast feeding if you can or pump and feed breast milk from the bottle. Avoid formula if you can for the first three months until the intestinal tract is a better barrier. Drink lots of liquid and pump. Formula will change the epithelia of the intestinal tract. Continue eating salmon. The blood brain barrier: brain development is still in full swing up to three months after birth.

Some tips

One should plan on feeling a bit blue and this is natural. Don’t skimp on the salmon as this may help that feeling. Your breast must supply fat for your baby and unfortunately the richest source is your brain! There has been some research suggesting depression postpartum may be linked to this but the evidence is sparse. Unfortunately, most of 21st century women don’t eat enough fish. So when our babies develop they steal the smaller amount we have.

Minimize your corn and safflower oil intake and avoid margarine. Switch to olive oil.

Take naps when the baby does; just drop into his little circle of life. Your brain will help you stay connected to him, hear him, respond to him – but try not to feel anxious. Let your biological reflexes take over. You’ve got two million years of reproductive development behind you.

Definitely don’t worry about any messes or cleaning. It is not going anywhere. Maybe dad or a friend can help out. Always accept help when it is offered. Someone coming over to visit the baby will not mind picking up some lunch on the way and will actually appreciate being able to be helpful. Feel free to allow neighbors to walk to dog – just offer a leash and a plastic bag. When baby is older, Doggy will be happy to join you on your walk down the street.

If you have to go anywhere, remember to do a lot of handwashing and infection control until he’s at least 6 weeks. I would only let persons living with you hold him. Especially, don’t you get sick – as you might give it to him. A friend’s baby got a cold at less than 6 weeks, they went to the hospital and doctors insisted on a spinal tap – horrible..

What you need to feed your older baby

Until the baby’s sixth month most nutritional requirements are filled by breast milk or formula. After this time, however, baby’s dietary needs will be supplemented by other sources. By 9 months baby will be eating a variety of foods to make meal time more fun and nutritious. Meat is a good source of protein, iron and zinc. Protein is very important since it is made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of which your baby is made. Baby needs about 1.5 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight. This can be most easily supplied by straight potted meat and eggs (when they are introduced). Baby should eat a high iron fortified cereal each day.

 

Suggestions for Strollers and Carriers

Baby Bjorn carrier

This carrier is extremely useful, looks great and is easy to use. It is for babies from 21″ and 8 lb up to 25 lb. Baby must face you until he/she can hold its head upright. When used correctly, it is comfortable for both parent and baby and is much easier than carrying baby around. This devise gives the parent the use of the arms. The instruction label is printed on the front piece to remind you how to put it on. It is possible to nurse in privacy as well. Once you get used to putting the baby in and taking it out, it is truly a wonderful tool.

Graco SnugRider Infant Carseat Stroller Frame

This stroller is excellent for the times when you don’t want to lug around the real deal. It has an extra large storage space under the car seat for bags and gear and two cup holders on the handle. But one needs to use the carseat unless you want to give the baby a “charriot ride” which is unsafe. It is great for travel since it is so light. It is about 15 pounds, is durable and maneuverable. The height of the handle is adjustable.

Graco Metrolite Stroller

The Graco Metrolite stroller is a larger, heavier stroller that is good for longer days when one would prefer to have the capability to close the The lightweight aluminum frame makes the entire thing weigh only 22 pounds. One can lift it out of the trunk and open it with one hand. The tires can not go flat since they are solid. It has cupholders for the parent and a small tray for baby. There is a reclining seat when the carseat is not attached. It has a five point restarint system to ensure the baby will not escape.

Suggestions for High Chair etc for Newborn Baby

Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer

This bouncer is wonderful because the baby straps in with a three point restraint and the parent can look away to do something and not worry. It is especially useful once baby starts rolling. Always strap baby in because he eventually will fall out if you don’t. The toys on it, music and light keep the baby entertained. Even now when my baby is 10 months old, he still enjoys chewing on the teething rings that come off. The one drawback was that the hanging toys are positioned a bit low, but it is still worth it for the amount of time you can use it. It can be used without the tool bar and this alleviates the problem. It has a volume control for the music, which is also capable of being mom or baby activated. It can vibrate as well to sooth the baby.

Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo

This jumperoo brought our entire family hours of fun and laughs. There are three settings for different height babies. The first time our baby jumped, it was as if he finally had some freedom and he giggled like mad. One shouldn’t keep them in it for over 30 minutes per day, but those 30 minutes are worth it. There are fun little toys all the way around the seat and the seat swivels 360 degrees so the baby makes use of them all. Even now when our baby doesn’t like to be restrained in it because he walks, he still enjoys standing next to it and playing with the toys. It is only for babies who can hold their heads up unassisted and for those who can not climb out. The child must weigh less than 25 lb and be less than 3 inches in height. There are hanging down toys that the baby can reach and jump for and they can be lowered. Also the music is baby activated when he/she jumps. It is loads of fun!

Fisher-Price Rainforest Healthy Care High Chair

This chair is very useful and entertains baby while you make food, etc. It has a toy insert which fits into the tray which is baby-activated to make music and lights flash. It also has a spinning part which is fun. The chair itself has 7 different height levels, an easy to clean material the covers the seat and a 5 point restraint system. The tray is dishwasher safe and can be removed with one hand. This chair makes feeding baby much easier.

Fisher-Price Kick’n Crawl Aquarium

This piece can convert from an overhead gym for newborn, tummy time play for young baby and crawl-through aquarium for the crawling baby. It is really not all that special except for the fact that our boy still enjoys playing with the blow up ball and the fish that plays music. These are two of his favorite toys. The ball has a rattle inside and he loves shaking it to hear the noise. He truly enjoys the fish and has since he first got it. The mirror was also a plus, but someone has to hold it at the correct angle so he can see himself.

 

Suggestions for new Parents: Monitor and Thermometer for Baby

Philips Digital Baby Monitor

This monitor may cost more, but it definitely makes up for it in the reassurance one feels when you have to leave your baby alone in a room. This monitor can play 5 lullabies, has a night light on the base and lets you know the temperature in the room and alerts you with an alarm when it is too cold or too warm. One can set the sensitivity of the microphone and change the volume. There is also a battery indicator to let you know how much time you have left before it needs to be placed back on the charger. The charge supposedly allows for 8 hours of monitoring, but I think that is pushing it a bit; 6 hours is more like it. It is long enough for naps, which is what I use it for. It will also alert you when the monitor is not linked with base. Philips’ new DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication) technology guarantees a crystal clear connection with zero interference between the baby’s monitor and the parent unit and finds an unused channel so you are the only one listening to your baby. It has a range of about 900 feet. I can go outside and garden around the house and be confident that I will hear my baby.

Braun Thermoscan Ear Thermometer

This is a great thermometer for baby because it only takes a couple of seconds to determine the body temperature in the ear. It is accurate if taken correctly since it takes the temperature of the eardrum which shares the blood supply with the temperature control center of the brain. Therefore, temperature changes are reflected sooner in the ear than on the skin, in the mouth or in the rectum. It is easy to clean with the lens filters and can not be inserted to far into the ear canal because of its shape.

 

Breastfeeding is Good for Mother and Baby

Mothers find many reasons to excuse themselves from nursing their baby. Although some are valid, quite a few are not completely fair to the baby. The benefits of feeding a baby breast milk are far too important to give a half hearted effort and decide to give up. Especially after a difficult birth, it is not easy to try to “force” the little one to latch on and suck. This is even truer when the breast does not give forth much milk until several days after birth. Even if mother has to supplement with formula, a small amount of breast milk does wonders for the newborn.

Nursing also brings about benefits for mother. The hormone oxytocin is released into the mother’s body giving her a motherly feeling. It helps the bonding occur between mom and baby. You may not be your same rational self, but give in to the happy feeling. Also, your memory will not be what it was before, but that is why you take pictures and videos. The loss of memory is probably so you will agree to do all this again without thinking about all the sleepless nights!

Be aware that the breast may become infected. When a milk duct within the breast or under the armpit becomes blocked, an infection may occur. The area becomes swollen and red. It is warm to the touch and mom gets a fever. Call or see your doctor and ask for antibiotics as soon as possible. This can be very dangerous if not treated. Continue feeding from this breast and attempt to drain it first before starting on the second breast. A warm compress can be placed on the breast.

Pumping milk from the breast has made it easier to feed the baby even if breast feeding is too uncomfortable. It makes mom feel a bit like a cow when she looks down and sees milk squirting out of multiple holes in the nipple, but remember this is for baby. This allows dad to bond with baby as well. It can give mom a rest during the middle of the night. There are little tubes attached to a syringe so parents can trick baby into thinking it is sucking on the breast when it is actually sucking on a finger. This is important since baby must not bottle feed in the first month or else it will prefer the bottle over the breast since the bottle is easier to get milk out of.

Please try to nurse baby for a week before you quit. If it is not working at this point, please pump what you can and feed it with formula. But don’t stop just because it feels funny, is inconvenient, you are too shy or you want to indulge in alcohol or drugs. Wait at least two hours after each drink before nursing or pumping. If you still feel drunk, there is a good chance the milk will come back up if you try feeding it to baby. In any case, drink a lot of nonalcoholic fluids to increase milk production and pump and store some when you can. You never know when you might need it.

Good luck!

25 Reasons to Breastfeed

1.               Breast milk is free

2.               The American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend it

3.               It is easier than formula

4.               It is always at the right temperature

5.               It stimulates the release of the hormone oxytocin and promotes bonding

6.               It provides perfect infant nutrition

7.               It is associated with higher IQ

8.               There is less waste in packaging products

9.               Being held and cuddled satisfies baby’s emotional needs

10.           It aids in the development of baby’s immune system

11.           It acts as a natural tranquilizer for baby

12.           It is more digestible than formula

13.           It contains endorphins and is a natural pain relief for baby

14.           It decreases mother’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer

15.           It has antibacterial properties

16.           It is a good natural antibiotic

17.           Spit up stains are easier to clean

18.           It facilitates in the passing of meconium

19.           Diapers smell better with breastfed babies

20.           It burns 500 calories per day

21.           It is a good source of vitamin A for baby’s vision

22.           It decreases the occurrence of sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections, asthma, eczema, and allergies in baby

23.           It decreases the occurrence of obesity in baby in later life

24.           It decreases the occurrence of cavities and promotes proper dental and jaw development

25.           It helps mother’s uterus shrink back to normal size

 

What to do to Prepare for a House Fire and After a House Fire

A house fire that destroys everything that you own can be one of the most devastating things in one’s life. It takes at least a year to get back to a half way normal way of life. First, after seeing the horrible sight, one must sift through the remaining items, if there are any, and decide what to keep and what to throw out. And this is while you are breathing in soot and walking through caution tape and debris that is hazardous to say the least. You may think there are many remaining items that look OK and maybe it isn’t all THAT bad.

But then the vultures start arriving to let you know that your insurance is not going to treat you right and they have better options for you. They don’t care that you are in one of the lowest places you will ever be. And they don’t go away. These people are some of the worst people I can think of. They will not let you ignore them so you have to tell them politely to go away. But they will be back tomorrow…

This is in no way a complete list but a few salient points that one may not think about unless one has been through such an ordeal. Certain things depend on what insurance one has and what situation has occurred – a massive fire engulfing 100 houses or one lone house fire. Some people can be back to work in two days while others must take a leave of absence. Anyway, here are some tips to think about before you have a fire, some thoughts on what you might want to do after a fire and some ideas on what you could do for a friend or nieghbor who has been through a fire.

Some Things to Do Before You Have a Fire

Buy a decent fire safe and put things in there that you can not replace or do not want to replace. Place these items in plastic zipper bags. If you do not, water from fire hoses will penetrate the safe and get everything inside wet.

Copy computer data and make backups frequently of important photos, data and other things you may have. Keep these in the safe and/or at another location such as your parents’ or sibling’s home or in a safe deposit box.

Do not have a lot of ammunition and if you have some, keep it in an ammunition box or somewhere safe. Firefighters will not enter a house and try to fight a fire if they think they may get shot in the process by stay bullets going off.

Have appropriate fire extinguishers in different places of the house, especially in the kitchen and garage. Make sure these are checked yearly. Take a short course that allows you to use a fire extinguisher so you are familiar with how it works and are not scared of it.

 

Things to Do After you Have a Fire

One has to have a place to stay that is not temporary, at least a week. That may seem short but it establishes a sense of normalcy. The insurance company should put you up in a hotel nearby for up to a month until you can find someplace to stay or rent a place comparable to what you have. They will pay for both while you continue to pay your mortgage. They don’t usually pay anything for pets – boarding or vet bills.

Storage is another big deal. One can take things to the hotel room they put you in at first. But after a while the smell of burnt possessions gets to you and then you have to find alternate storage. It is best if you can find someone who has some free space or rent a storage space.

The other big item, albeit a luxury, would be something like an air purifier. You come home from working in the fire. You have possessions that are partially burned. They all smell like smoke. You can’t get away from it. Something to help alleviate that particular issue would be very nice in dealing with the evenings during the fire recovery.

The next most important things are what you will need for the first weeks and the initial weeks after that. This includes things like throw away clothing that you can wear when you go through the rubble. Trust me, you will never want to keep that clothing. This includes anything from cheap boots to overalls ( you really don’t care what you look like ). You will need the items when you get to “semi” permanent housing – an air mattress and sheets so that you have a place to sleep when move into your rental property. This is where all the little things come into play. Things like towels, toilet paper, toiletries, shower curtain, cooler, etc.

Kitchenware is another item to replace. Don’t get me wrong you will need the right spoon for everything, but the basics are necessary in the beginning. One thing to add here is that you should get things that you enjoy and will be worth keeping. Keep the receipts for everything because you will be sending or faxing them to insurance to be reimbursed. These things will be what you repopulate your future house with.

You may get some stuff back after the fire – like Pyrex measuring cups. But you have to wait until insurance inventories everything. Then restoration people come in, pack it all up, clean it and give it back to you after several months. Most stuff will not be returned to you since they are not allowed to give you back electronic things and regular glass has a tendency to break after being in such high heat.

Keep receipts for groceries and restaurants as well. They pay you back for groceries – up to what they estimate you had in your house. They will give you a percentage of restaurant bills back until you live in your more permanent housing. Go out to a nice restaurant even if you don’t feel like it. It will make you feel better. Make sure you have a few drinks if that helps you.

When you go through the item in your home with the insurance agent, they will ask you how old each item was and how much it costs. They will photograph it and record all their comments and these will be written down later. Eventually, they will have some company go through and estimate what each item costs and they will calculate the depreciation. Different things depreciate at different rates. Some insurance companies offer to replace things at the value they cost today. So, if you bought a radio five years ago at $50 and it depreciates 10% per year, you would get $25 back. Or you could go out and buy a similar radio again for $60 or so.

One problem is that they usually determine worth of contents of the hosue as a percentage of the cost of rebuilding your house. This means that if you have a cheaper house and more expensive contents, you must increase the amount of insurance you have. If you have a lot of computer equipment, get additional insurance. Usually, they only insure up to $5000. Things like jewelry should also be appraised and insured.

They will tell you to throw out everything. Please don’t. You will regret this for the rest of your life. If you have something that means a lot to you, give it to the restoration people and they will do their best to clean it up and return it to you. In the worst case, it falls apart and you never see it again. If it smells like smoke, you can put it in a case. If you are not happy with it, you can still call it a loss and get reimbursed up to a year (or two?) later. Just think about it before you let them throw your possessions into a trash container.

 

Things You Can Do for Others after They Had a Fire

One thing that may not seem like a big deal is home-cooked meals. Bring over meals for them to eat. It can even be people you have never met before, but the fact of the matter is that the next couple of weeks are going to be a blur for them. Not having to worry about food is a serious plus. These will be extremely appreciated. McDonalds only goes so far and it becomes the staple for too many meals during this time period. If you know someone well, some of you could come up with a weekly calendar for volunteers to do a meal for the family. That would be a huge help.

Gift certificates are one of the best things you could possibly give. If you come home from your burnt out house, the last thing you want to do is deal with basic stuff like food or supplies. Gift certificates can be used right away and people will be very grateful for them. One way to give them is in a basket with a plant like a Lily as the centerpiece and a bottle of wine. The reality is that the little things that you don’t have to deal with are some of the best things that may help during this time. For these certificates I would recommend things like Vons, Wal-Mart, and restaurants that are everywhere.

If they have a pet and you have a place for it to stay while they are in a hotel, it would be better for the pet and the owner. Unless they need to comfort one another, being locked up in a hotel room for weeks is no fun for anyone.

Depending on their situation, things like old shoes and clothing for taking inventory of the house would be thoughtful. Why buy a new pair of shoes for that? Also, if the family is not insured, the real help needs to start. They will not have ANYTHING. At this point absolutely anything will be of help.

An Ounce of Prevention…

Hopefully, no one will ever have to go through a house fire. But these tips are things to consider if you or someone you know does. Be safe and prepared!

Splenda and Sucralose: Friend or Foe

Splenda

Many people have embraced Splenda as a new miracle sugar. What some people may not realize, however, is that Splenda can cause rashes and other negative reactions in a small percentage of people. It is a very difficult thing to diagnose, but once it has been, it is easy to track .

Splenda is a no calorie sweetener that can be used much like sugar. It is actually a modified sugar that is called sucralose. The process selectively replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule with chlorine atoms. This changes the sucrose to sucralose, which is supposedly inert. It passes through the body without it being recognized as a carbohydrate.

Although they label it as being safe, it is known to cause negative reactions in a small subset of the population.

My Story

In November 2006 I bought a pumpkin pie and did not realize it was made with Splenda until I got it home. Even then, I did not really mind since it would supposedly be healthier than one made with normal sugar. Each day we had a piece of pie after dinner until it was gone. I had severe intestinal discomfort and gas very soon after eating the pie. By the end of the week, I had a horrible rash on my right ear and could not sleep because of the itch. It was very swollen, red and painful. Finally, I went to the doctor and they said it was an allergic reaction to something. They asked if I had been into anything new. I thought back and decided the only thing to change was the Splenda. When I returned home, I looked it up online and found many websites to confirm my suspicion.

Some Possible Symptoms

Some symptoms include rash, abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, gas, difficulty breathing, swollen eyes, red face, cramps, bladder pain, numbness in arms and legs and depression. Other symptoms probably exist.

My Purpose

I am not attempting to tell anyone not to buy Splenda. I merely want to let people know that this happened to me and it has happened to others. If you get a rash or other symptom, please consider if Splenda or sucralose has been ingested in the near past. It is easy to treat: just stop eating or drinking it and you will improve. In severe cases hydrocortisone cream worked for me, but others had to visit the emergency room to get medical care.