As much as I hated dealing with my allergies every Spring growing up, they were nothing compared to what we have been through with our son’s eczema! Blesshis heart.
It’s hard to see your child suffer … from itching so much that he has a hard time falling asleep and then you can hear him scratching in his sleep at times to having to constantly watch for food triggers, which means he rarely can eat what all the other kids are eating.
So.
Not.
Fun.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Core Bamboo, who provided 4 sets of wood flatware for us to review. All opinions are 100% mine and not influenced in any way by Core Bamboo. Affiliate links are contained in this post. Full disclosure policy here.
A couple weeks ago, we started an allergy makeover developed by Dr. Susanne Bennett and outlined in detail in her book, The 7 Day Allergy Makeover. We are slowly working through it, making as many of the changes that we can in the short term and working on some of the bigger changes long-term.
Every time Dr. Susanne mentioned itchy skin in her book, I made a note so that we could focus first on changes directly related to this since it is the biggest allergy symptom in our family by far. All of us have some symptoms, with our daughter being least reactive.
I suspect this is because by the time she was born, we realized that since The Chef and I both have some level of allergies, she was susceptible. We have been able to identify a few things we believe she is reactive to, and since we’ve tried to manage those well with her from Day 1 and now we are working on this more as a family, her exposure to allergens has been much less than any of ours.
So one of the first changes we’ve been working on is reducing our exposure to metals in our kitchenware. Your mind most likely goes right to stainless steel pots and pans, but in her book, Dr. Susanne Bennett also brought up the issue of stainless steel flatware when considering things in your environment that may be contributing to allergies.
Here are 10 Big Health Reasons to Consider Using Wood Flatware Instead of Stainless Steel!
Dr. Susanne says on Day 5, Cleaning Up Your Kitchen, that metals (such as aluminum and nickel from stainless steel) and toxins from kitchenware can easily build up in your system and can cause:
- Damage to the helpful bioflora in the gut
- Digestive sensitivities
- Contact Dermatitis
- Rashes
- Hives
- Low energy
- Undue stress on your liver, kidneys, and other vital organs, including your brain and heart
- Nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting
- Severe damage to the lungs and kidneys (if inhaled)
- Beyond these potential symptoms and health concerns, some studies have shown that at high levels, nickel may be linked to Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Like many metals such as arsenic and mercury, nickel isn’t easily processed and detoxified by the body, so it accumulates in tissues and organs. Avoiding it is the best policy.” (pp. 164-165)
So I felt that this was one change we needed to make sooner rather than later.
We had the opportunity to review some flatware by Core Bamboo.
They have an assortment of colored handles, but since we were getting these for the allergy makeover, we decided Natural was the way for us to go. You can see the different gorgeous color options available here on their website if you would rather consider those. They are excellent quality and reasonably priced. We have really enjoyed using this flatware.
The only con that I can see is you do have to wash them by hand, but that is a minor detail, in my mind, for the pros of the negative effects that can be avoided by using them instead of stainless steel! The long-term health of my family is certainly worth a few extra things to hand wash.
We are still in the process of implementing the allergy makeover. I will be sharing more in the future as we see progress, but right now, I believe my son’s skin is beginning to heal from this most recent eczema outbreak. I look forward to sharing our “after” pic in comparison to the before pic and updating on our progress with the makeover again soon.
If you’d like to check out Core Bamboo’s line of products, you can do that at their website here or they also sell on Amazon. Their complete inventory of products on Amazon can be viewed here
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Have you ever thought about the impact metals may be having on your health?
About the Author
Adopted at age 2, grew up in the Charlotte, NC area. Obtained Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Appalachian State University. Loves being a Mom of two and taste-testing Chef John's culinary creations and sharing them with readers.
I have a lot of allergies but I have never heard of such. Thanks for the info. I will definitely research this further.
Dawn recently posted…Have A Nice Smelling Summer With 48 Hour Protection From Dove #sponsored #MC
Wow, I did not even know that they made wood flatware! I’ll have to keep these in mind!
Courtney Pies recently posted…How To Train Your Dragon 2 Coming To IMAX 6/13/14!
I had no idea metal utensils could cause these problems. Switching to a healthier alternative is a great ide!
April @ Everyday Fitness and Nutrition recently posted…This week in training #2
I’ve never used wood. I did switch from stainless steel to plastic. Definitely considering the wood flatware. Thank you for the tips.
According to Dr. Susanne, wood is the way to go (over plastics too … which can also be problematic).
I am trying to be more health conscious, but I never thought about the difference between wood and stainless steel. Thanks for sharing!
I wonder if this is working for you guys? Do you notice a decrease in eczema flare ups? I have eczema & I’m curious about it.
Annie recently posted…Fanime & Clockwork Alchemy 2014
Hey Annie … we just started the makeover a few weeks ago. His skin is starting to clear up from the most recent flare up, which was one of the worst he’s ever had, and I do believe I know what caused it. But … after reading the book I think it may have taken much longer to get any better had we not started working on some of the other issues (aside from what I think the primary/main trigger was). I think the main trigger mostly caused the bad flareup but then it was like a vicious cycle with his system so inundated by other things, too.
We will continue sharing as we go through the makeover and making additional changes over time. It’s hard to tell for sure after just a few weeks and a handful of changes out of a number of things overall that she recommends, some that will take some time to implement … but I do believe we eventually will see a huge change. I have seen a change in myself but my allergy symptoms/issues were not quite as severe as his had gotten and most of the dietary things she recommends we had already been working on for a few years (for me I do not have to eliminate completely, but drastically reduce certain foods).
Very interesting. I use wooden utensils to cook with I really like them because they don’t scratch up my pots and pans.
Danielle recently posted…7 Things Only Parents Of Twins Understand
I never knew there was any difference. Sounds like I need to switch to wood from now on!
I’ve actually heard that using metal silverware will not just affect the taste but also the composition of the food. Wood does seem like a better alternative!
Ronnie recently posted…Travel Tips for Baltic Sea Cruises
This would be great for all that are allergic. I have some wooden spoons already and like them.
Tess recently posted…Little Morocco 50% off With Tea Collection
Wow, now this is new learning for me - thanks for sharing
Aisha Kristine Chong recently posted…An Essential Guide to Dieting For Over 65s
I have never even considered this before! I didn’t even know that they made silverware out of wood. I do use wood utensils for cooking. I would definitely be open to switching out my metal silverware in favor of wood ones!
Theresa recently posted…The Fault In Our Stars Cake
Interesting. I never really thought about the nickel in silverware. Nickel is something I have a problem with in earrings and I have to buy special earring that are nickel free. I will have to give this some thought.
Definitely, Pam!
I love wood and bamboo utensils. I have an entire drawer of them!
krystalskitsch recently posted…30 Before 30 | k.m. hutton clutch
I never thought anything about this before. I mean I use wood utensils for cooking but never thought to eat with them.
becca recently posted…Books-N-Blogger Swap
This is the first time I am hearing anything about wood vs. metal. Thank you for the helpful post. This is something I should be looking into.
Lady Lilith recently posted…Arrival of Honey Swamp
I’ve never really used wood flateware, I’ve been using stainless steel for so long I never thought about it.
I have to admit I love wood flatware - I think they always look really nice for some reason as well as working well. x
Sarah Bailey recently posted…Father’s Day Collection from Hotel Chocolat: Review
I never even considered that connection. Very interesting! I like wooden tools anyhow.
Liz Mays recently posted…Asian-style Pan Noodles + #CookWithKohls Sweepstakes
We use some wooden cooking utensils but I’ve never seen wooden flatware. These look really neat. Thanks for sharing!
It’s nice to hear your son is showing improvement. I like bamboo utensils because they don’t scratch the pans.
Rosey recently posted…Sports Unlimited: Franklin Wooden Washer Set
Another ‘con’ is that they’ll probably wear out much quicker. Our stainless set has 20+ years on it and still looks new. Our wood mixing spoon, not so much.
Scott recently posted…Let the Gurus Help in the Kitchen
I knew I loved bamboo utensils for a reason! Who would have thought your utensils could cause that kind of issue.
I have never really thought of this.Wooden things i thought did not last as long and got more damaged and i do not really like the look of them after a while using them.But since you have told us about the reasons these would be better i think i will start using them more.
Kay Adeola recently posted…Popcorn Chicken.
I know, Kay. For us, the health risks of stainless, coming from a doctor, along with our problems already with allergy symptoms are plenty for us to make the switch! Even if our son’s eczema wasn’t as bad as it has been and if we didn’t have allergies at all, I’m not fond of the idea of potentially increasing my risk for Alzheimer’s either.
That is interesting about the metals causing allergic reactions in some folks. While I do like bamboo products (like my floor), I just don’t see our family ever switching to bamboo utensils. Glad to know this change has helped others.
kristi recently posted…Our Visit to Great Wolf Lodge New England #GWLNewEngland
I have some wooden spoons, but they get stained after a while, so I normally go with stainless because they last longer.
Robin (Masshole Mommy) recently posted…The Condor Trail at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
I have really been getting into using bamboo for my cooking. I even have a bunch of bamboo cutting boards.
Terry recently posted…Everything Tablet 360* Case Review For The iPad 2, 3, and 4
I think this would make a great alternative to someone who is allergic to metals.
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