Is it too late for dietary changes?

[ccasanova]

Just want to make sure that I'm clear about not trying to stop natural puberty. If it is really time then nature knows best and I would not mess with it. My only concern is horomone laden food induced puberty. That in my mind would not be nature taking its course. It would be man getting in the way of things and messing up what nature was trying to do.

I'm pretty sure that DD aged 8 (almost 9) is developing breast buds. And I had never thought about it but at times (for at least a year) she had adult like B.O.

We have not exclusively eaten organic dairy/meat/produce. All in all probably less than half was organic/non horomone but I did keep them away from soy when possible.

If her developing now is diet realated, would it help to switch to non horomone foods on a more regular basis?

I read online somewhere that B.O. at the age she had could lead to health problems later on (some kind of ovarian syndrome, infertility, breast cancer) because her adrenals were working too much like an adults for her age.

That is scary to me. We won't have health ins. until July and I'm thinking about taking her to get checked as long as it's not too invasive.

Although what could be done after this long a time anyway?

Would the stopping of horomone laden foods slow down the puberty if that is what was causing it?

[One_Girl]

I think you should go talk to her pediatrician about this. Girls start developing breast buds at between 8 and 13. Anything before 8 is considered early, but my dd is seven and started getting breast buds and her doctor said she isn't that early and there should be no worries as long as she doesn't develop super rapidly. Talking to the pediatrician can help put your mind at ease. The things that are on the internet are more for early puberty (before 8) and there are a lot of inaccurate statements there. You can also get information about puberty at the library for both of you. I think it is important that you don't freak out about this because it is a big change that some girls are nervous about. Your feelings will show and may make your dd feel like something is wrong with her which would be very sad because puberty is a very normal process and she sounds like she is right on track.

I have also heard that the hormone stuff is a bunch of bunk and there was a lady on here a couple months ago talking about her organic only kid going through early puberty so I don't know that it is really something to worry about. There have also been some studies linking early puberty to the better nutrition and access to regular food that we now have. It is never too late to eat healthy organic food, but I don't think it will stop your dd from going through puberty.

[LynnS6]

Puberty is a fairly long process. Beginning to develop about age 9 is on the early side, but it's not considered early puberty.

If you can change your diet, I would think that hormone free food is always a good idea. On the other hand, I began puberty by 9-10 and was fed hormone free food. It's just my family's pattern.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by ccasanova

Would the stopping of horomone laden foods slow down the puberty if that is what was causing it?

No, because hormones in food and dairy don't affect puberty... even precocious puberty.

I have a friend (dd's best friend's mother) that is a pediatric endocrinologist at one of the leading research/teaching medical schools in the country. This is exactly her research and she's top of her field.

My niece's dd went into early puberty at age 7, having her period at age 8. My friend explained to me that weight and genetics are the key factors and hormones in food has nothing at all to do with it. If your dd is overweight or if the women in your family tend to enter puberty at a young age, then those are the factors you want to look at.

They still are not good for anyone, especially growing children, so even if it's not organic, it's never too late to switch to all natural foods and get the hormones out of your diet. You'll see an improvement in overall health.

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

i don't know if it possible to slow it down now that your daughter may be starting to go through it, but honestly switching to less hormones laden food will definitely better for you and your family. Alot of development depends on genetics, like i can say my mom and sister both started the menses at 11 and so did i, but early onset of menses also increases lifetime exposure to estrogen and increases your risk of reproductive cancers. How is your daughters diet and weight? Studies i've read suggest diets rich in animal protein are those that are at increased risk of cancer too.

[SaoirseC]

IIRC, exposure to soy products can have an impact on precocious puberty in girls (and development of breast buds in boys). Soy is in just about everything, so read ingredients labels well. IF your daughter's puberty is precocious, I don't think you can necessarily halt it now, but cutting out soy can't hurt.

Here's more that might be helpful, it appears to be pretty unbiased and in search of facts rather than leaning toward one side or another.
http://www.lehigh.edu/~inbios/schneider/soy.htm
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocente...iso/index.html

[LaurieG]

Our old pediatrician, who is also a pediatric endocrinologist, has told me about children she has worked with who began early puberty but they were able to slow down or even stop the development for a time by switching to a "vegetarian" diet. I don't know if that diet included soy. I assumed it did and this was several years ago before I was aware of the issues with soy so I didn't ask. But her point of the diet was to reduce exposure to hormones in foods so I would think you would have the same effect by switching to hormone free foods.

Obviously a few case studies don't hold as much weight as larger studies looking specifically at this issue, so take it FWIW.

[PJJ]

Originally Posted by velochic

No, because hormones in food and dairy don't affect puberty... even precocious puberty.

I have a friend (dd's best friend's mother) that is a pediatric endocrinologist at one of the leading research/teaching medical schools in the country. This is exactly her research and she's top of her field.

My niece's dd went into early puberty at age 7, having her period at age 8. My friend explained to me that weight and genetics are the key factors and hormones in food has nothing at all to do with it. If your dd is overweight or if the women in your family tend to enter puberty at a young age, then those are the factors you want to look at.

They still are not good for anyone, especially growing children, so even if it's not organic, it's never too late to switch to all natural foods and get the hormones out of your diet. You'll see an improvement in overall health.

Please realize that just because someone is a leading researcher, does not mean that they do not have any competing interests or have some funding that no one knows about. The cause of many medical issues are related to the food we eat.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by PJJ

Please realize that just because someone is a leading researcher, does not mean that they do not have any competing interests or have some funding that no one knows about. The cause of many medical issues are related to the food we eat.

Please realize that peer-reviewed scientific publications with these findings are pretty convincing when there are no peer-reviewed scientific publications with opposing findings. If there are, I'd love to read them, as I'm always open to seeing all the evidence. I'm not close-minded, but I do respect those that are the experts.

[serenbat]

if my child entered what I considered early I would see a pediatric endocrinologist and have hormonal blood work done to see the levels

I have a friend's who daughter was give medication to slow down the early stage of puberty (under the endocrinologist) and the dr also advised diet changes, and no soy

Please realize that peer-reviewed scientific publications with these findings are pretty convincing when there are no peer-reviewed scientific publications with opposing findings.

that being said-unless you are under a Dr.'s care, you are not recorded for going into early puberty and there are many who's diet is not followed-so to simply dismiss it as no proof found- I don't -far to much real evidence supports the role diet plays on adults and hormones and I would venture in time we will have the same on children