"mother" news and stories

There has been a 75% increase in the "twinning" rate since 1980 and a new study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine is saying that it has to do with dairy consumption. In a study that compared omnivores, lacto-vegetarians and vegans, omnivores were the most likely to have twins. The scientists attributed this to the fact that they had much higher levels of  insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in their bloodstream, and that those levels, which were also lowest in the vegan women, directly corresponded to the likelihood of having twins.

Common sense should tell you that humans have been consuming animal products - including dairy - for thousands of years. A change in the birthrate over the last two decades is indicative of something that happened in the last several decades, not with dairy in general. And, in fact, the physician in charge of the study noted that the increase "may also be a consequence of the introduction of growth-hormone treatment of cows to enhance their milk and beef production." This seems like a logical explanation, since it offers a reason why dairy may now be having an effect on the birth rate of twins.

Doctors in the study suggested that women consider non-animal protein sources during their pregnancies to help decrease the risks associated with multiple births. It sounds like they should be recommending that women increase their non-animal diet before becoming pregnant, as well.

Source

Apparently, some "experts" want Mother's Day to be canceled on the grounds that there "should be no such thing" and mothers should be appreciated every day. True enough, but in my experience, everyone likes to feel special sometimes, and having one day that is a little extra special is a very enjoyable thing. It's like treating yourself to an ice cream cone on a hot day instead of just having a Coke to cool down. It is possible, however, that things are getting a little out of control - especially when it comes to dining out.

Mother's Day is the most popular day of the year for dining out, followed by Valentine's Day. I've already speculated as to why this is, but that's not the issue. The issue is where people are eating. I remember walking down the street to have a pancake breakfast with my mom, or perhaps driving out to the beach to be near the water. I was definitely not paying $70 per person for a prix fixe menu, as touted in my local paper by some establishments, nor do I intend to in the future. It's not that my mom doesn't "deserve" that, it's just that Mother's Day is about spending time with your mom and appreciating her, even if it's just over a cup of coffee.

Are you taking your mom out to eat this year? Is it somewhere really "special" or just somewhere you can enjoy her company?

In another effort to stem criticism about their lack of concern for kids' nutrition, McDonald's has created a Global Panel of Moms to discuss issues like health, nutrition and overall well-being. The nine women on the panel come from six countries, including Argentina, Germany and China, and are a diverse group in terms of accomplishment. Four are former Olympians, one is a cooking show personality, and others include an artist, a childhood development expert and a PTA (a school parent organization) president. McDonalds says that they plan to establish additional panels for individual countries. It sounds as though they plan to use these panels to brainstorm new and healthier offerings for kids, such as the packaged apple slices that were introduced as an alternative to fries over a year ago.

Of course, it remains to be seen as to how much McDonald's will change its menu. Healthy or not, their offerings are still popular, and that is something that is difficult for a business to even consider walking away from.

Source

The World's Greatest Mom cookie collection is offered for Mother's Day from Eleni's Bakery in New York, though there is no doubt that Mom deserves something special more than once a year. Eleni's specializes in elaborately decorated cookies, all done by hand, that are as much a treat for the eyes as they are for the taste buds. This cookie gift set includes 21 iced sugar cookies, each one unique and mom-related. It's $65 for the cookies, which come packaged in a lovely gift tin.

Eleni's also has an I Love Mom set and a floral Mom's Bouquet collection, both of which would also be great choices for a Mother's Day treat. 

For the full assortment in the World's Greatest Mom tin and the other collections, click past the jump.

Source

Scientists at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Pennsylvania claim to have found periods in the first seven months of life in which taste preferences are developed. If it is true, it might mean that the foods that the mother eats during pregnancy will influence what foods the child prefers later in life. It also means that, since the taste of a mother's milk can vary according to her diet, that the foods a mother eats while breast feeding could also have a long-term impact on a child.

I have a hard time believing this, aside from the bit about finding flavor variation in mother's milk. As anyone with a sibling (or with multiple children) will note, most kids have different eating preferences. Most mothers do not radically change their diet from one pregnancy to another. I think that children develop tastes depending on what they are exposed to and how they are introduced to it, not based on some residual "memory" from infancy.

ABC News also notes that "the data could be used to influence how baby formula is designed, so infants are exposed to tastes that will help them enjoy healthy foods later in life." Attempting to program children, in infancy, to pick spinach over sugar? Excuse me while I laugh at how ridiculous that sounds. Just because a child was given spinach flavored formula does not change the fact that they will probably like ice cream the first time they try it.

Source