The majority of toddlers and babies eat too much added sugar. A recent study shows that 98% of toddlers and two-thirds of babies are consuming added sugars every day. The American Heart Association recommends that children under the age of 2 not have access to any added sugars. The lead author of the study, Dr. Kirsten Herrick, states that added sugars have negative effects on health, causing cavities, asthma, obesity, elevated blood pressure, and altered lipid profiles. She also states:

 Whether these associations exist for even younger children hasn’t been studied,” she added. “The aim of this study was to focus on one aspect of diet — added sugars [and] consumption among US infants and toddlers — that could inform the dietary guidelines.” 

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Infants in the study of ages 6-11 months were commonly given added sugars from yogurt, baby snacks, and sweet baked goods. Children 12-23 months consumed fruit juice, candy, and sweet baked goods. Yogurt was the greatest source of sugar for infants, and fruit drinks supplied the highest level of added sugars for toddlers. Formula and breastmilk were not counted towards sugar intake.  There was no difference found between gender, family income, or level of household education, but there was a difference in consumption by race. The average infant consumed a teaspoon of added sugars, while toddlers on average consumed 6 teaspoons. Non-Hispanic Asian toddlers were shown to consume the least amount of added sugars with an average of 3.7 teaspoons a day while non-Hispanic black toddlers reported consuming the most added sugars with an average of 8.2 teaspoons a day. 

Overall, sugar consumption among toddlers and infants has dropped the last 5 years. This is a beneficial thing, as sugar consumption at such a young age plays a large role in developing taste buds and eating patterns throughout life. 

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Ten people were hospitalized on Wednesday in Bartlesville, Oklahoma after being given insulin instead of the flu shot. Out of the 10 people who were given insulin 8 were residents of Jacquelyn House, an assisted living environment for those with intellectual disabilities. The other 2 were employees of Jacquelyn House. The insulin was given by a pharmacist who was contracted by the business to come to the facility and administer flu vaccines. 

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The patients given the insulin were unresponsive, and many of them were not vocal or able to walk, making it difficult to communicate the symptoms they were experiencing. High levels of insulin can cause dizziness or result in passing out, and in severe cases can cause comas or death. The patients were later taken to Jane Phillips Hospital in Bartlesville where some remained hospitalized for an extended period of time due to the type of long-lasting insulin that was administered. 

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New York Democratic Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has signed a new law that requires manufacturers of menstrual products to disclose the ingredients on their products. The law will be put into effect 180 days from now and gives manufacturers 18 months to develop new packaging and labels. As stated by Gov. Cuomo, many consumers aren’t aware of the toxic and/or allergy-causing ingredients in their menstrual products, and the FDA has avoided requiring manufacturers to disclose ingredients for several decades. 

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The law was signed Friday by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said menstrual products could contain toxic or allergy-causing chemicals unknown to consumers.

The law takes effect in 180 days. Manufacturers of menstrual products, including pads and tampons, will then have 18 months to develop new packaging or labels.

NBC New York

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Tampons are widely reported as containing toxins, allergens, carcinogens, and endocrine disruptors that impact the hormonal system, including but not limited to dioxin, chlorine, rayon, GMO cotton, and fragrances. dioxin and chlorine are both used in the bleaching process and are widely known to cause hormonal issues as well as immunity problems. Rayon is a high absorbency compound linked to toxic shock syndrome, while GMO cotton contains traces of pesticides. Tampons containing fragrance can cause allergies and PH imbalance.  Consumers can avoid these ingredients by choosing menstrual products that disclose their ingredients and by sticking to products that are 100% organic. We at OLM recommend pads over tampons for health and recommend reusable pads over disposable ones for the environment.