Emma Sutherland Blog - Page 23 of 42

How To Prevent & Treat UTI’s

UTIs are 50 times more common in women than men and it is estimated that 20% of women are affected by UTIs at some time during their lives- many of these women will also experience recurrent episodes of UTI throughout their lifetime.As the urinary tract is usually sterile, UTI’s occur when bacteria are introduced. Most commonly it is E.coli (70-90%) and less commonly Staphylococcus (5-10%).
Underlying issues that can cause urinary tract infections:

Changes in estrogen levels as seen in menopause, pregnancy & pre period alter the delicate balance between good & bad bacteria in the vaginal tract
Dehydration
Antibiotics, oral contraceptive pill & spermicides all alter vaginal flora
Stress has the effect of suppressing the immune system allowing E.coli to proliferate
Caffeine, alcohol, sugar also suppress the immune system and can increase risk of UTI’s
Pelvic floor dysfunction
Sex – nuns have 10% incidence of UTI’s compared to the average woman

What I recommend to prevent UTI’s:

drink at least 8 glasses of filtered water very day
always wipe from front to back as E.Coli live in the colon and are introduced into the vagina when wiping from back to front
avoid tight fitting underwear and clothes
wear cotton lingerie and stockings rather than pantyhose
avoid the use of feminine hygiene sprays and powders
urinate after sexual intercourse
women with recurrent infections should avoid the use of possibly irritant contraceptive devices such as diaphragms with spermicides. Make sure to use organic tampons
avoid sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and animal fats as these have been to show to suppress the immune system.
eliminate food sensitivities in the diet as they may contribute to pH changes that weaken the immune system
Shower after swimming in a chlorinated […]

By admin|November 22nd, 2011|Health & Wellbeing, Naturopathy, Preconception & Pregnancy|0 Comments

Kiddy Delights Via the Amazon!

Those clever RioLife boys are at it again – creating a sensational product that gives a little back to local Brazilian communities! They have released a tasty treat that will be popular in every mum’s emergency stash for supermarket melt downs.
Acai berries are incredibly high in anti oxidants which protect your body from disease and keep you feeling energetic and healthy. Acai also contain plenty of fibre as well as beneficial Omega 3 essential fatty acids.
The fruit flakes are a combination of organic Acai berries and natural fruits, are free of preservatives as well as added sugar. The 21 gram packet contains the same level of antioxidants as 120 blueberries! They do contain natural sugar so don’t give them to your kids as an after dinner treat, pop them in their lunch box instead.
1% of all sales are donated to charity to ensure quality schooling for Amazonian children and this is just so close to my heart – every child deserves the opportunity to improve their situation in life.
We take this for granted in our lovely Australian country but this is not an option for many children around the world!

By admin|November 16th, 2011|Children, Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition|0 Comments

Healthy Ways To A Happy Heart…

Over the past couple of decades, there has been an improvement in the number of cardiovascular disease cases, however it still remains one of the biggest causes of death in Australia! Modifying your diet and lifestyle can make a huge impact on your chances of dying from cardiovascular disease so here’s a snapshot of ways you can turn your life around…

DIET

• Eat fresh fruit and vegetables – berries, grapefruit, oranges
• Whole grains – oats, barley, quinoa, millet, spelt
• Legumes – chick peas, cannelloni beans, adzuki beans, lentils
• Nuts and seeds – a handful of walnuts or almonds daily
• Include olive oil (in place of saturated fats)
• Reduce refined sugar intake
• Cut back on red meat
• Include foods that are low GI
• Eat foods rich in essential fatty acids – salmon
• Increase water intake – 2 to 3 litres of water daily
• Include garlic, tumeric and rosemary to meals for their cardioprotective properties
• Look at diets like the Mediterranean Diet, The DASH diet or The Portfolio Diet for more ideas

SUPPLEMENTS
CoQ10 – Provides energy nutrients and is great for people using cholesterol lowering drugs. The use of CoQ10 pre cardiac surgery has been studied extensively since the 80’s and as a result, it is has been shown to reduce complications and improve recovery. It works as an antioxidant and has an effect on every cell in the body, thus improving heart function and a reduction in blood pressure.

Magnesium – Low levels of magnesium have been linked to cardiovascular disease therefore.

Fish Oils – Studies suggest that fish oils may play a cardioprotective role on the heart and vessels. Regular consumption may reduce death caused by heart disease.

HERBS
There are sooo many herbs to help with heart disease but a few specific ones are:
Crataegus spp – Research suggests that the leaves […]

By admin|November 1st, 2011|Health & Wellbeing, Naturopathy, Nutrition, Research, Uncategorized|0 Comments

The Benefits of Eating Your Greens!

When preparing our food for a meal, we don’t always think about the health benefits we may be receiving from each mouthful. There have been numerous studies conducted on different green vegetables and what medicinal properties they hold, here my top 5 green vegetables:

Asparagus – Just one cup of asparagus contains 65% of your daily folate requirements therefore giving you enormous amounts of energy!!

Broccoli – This particular vegetable goes with absolutely every meal so there is no reason not to eat broccoli. Broccoli has the highest amount of the isothiocyanates and according to a study conducted at U.C Santa Barbara, a compound of isothiocyanates called sulforaphane works in a similar way to anti-cancer drugs by inhibiting proliferation of human tumor cells. Therefore broccoli has been shown to contain cancer-fighting compounds!!

Avocado – By far, this is my number #1 sexy food. Avocados are full of essential fatty acids and are great for anti ageing, fertility, cancer and low libido.

Kale – High in vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. Kale is such a therapeutic food and a powerful antioxidant – it will keep you looking and feeling fabulous! It also promotes the breakdown of toxins in the liver so a perfect addition to any detox.

Sea Vegetables – Packed full of nutrients and minerals like iron, iodine, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, manganese and magnesium. A small study was conducted on 32 men with hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) over a 12 week period. Each person consumed 150ml of kale juice daily and at the end of the study, it was concluded that kale juice favorably influenced serum lipid profiles and antioxidant systems, and hence contribute to reduce the risks of coronary artery disease in […]

By admin|October 25th, 2011|Detox, Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition, Research, Sustainable and Green|0 Comments

What Are Sea Vegetables?

These interesting sea creatures are packed full of nutrients and minerals like iron, iodine, calcium, Vitamin A,B,C, manganese and magnesium. Sea Vegetables are great for your teeth, bones, hair, skin and nails and help to keep your thyroid in good health. Research has investigated the cholesterol lowering properties as well as positive effects on cancer prevention.

You may be thinking that they are going to taste like seaweed fresh from the sea but they really don’t have a strong taste especially once you add them to your food.

Different types of sea vegetables.

Kombu: Looks like a long stick of seaweed and is highly alkaline. When added to water it becomes soft so add it to soups, brown rice and quinoa.

Nori: Sheets of nori is what is wrapped around nori rolls. You can use these sheets by adding your own ingredients to them and rolling up or otherwise tear the nori into strips and add to salads, rice dishes, vegies and soups.

Arame: This a species of kelp and can also be added as a garnish to dishes or eaten on its on own with some tamari and ginger.

Wakame: Soak wakame in water before adding to salads or add it in the last couple of minutes to your cooking. Wakame has probably the strongest taste out of all the varieties but super delicious!

Start experimenting with sea vegetable today!

By admin|October 17th, 2011|Detox, Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition, Research|0 Comments

Slow Cooked Organic Chicken with Aromatics

On a recent trip to Bangalow I had the luck of staying at a gorgeous farm right in the heart of Nashua. It was unexpectedly cold and each night we lit the open fire and enjoyed the novelty of crackling warmth. This kind of environment absolutely fuels my passion for cooking and I found myself wandering the Bangalow fresh produce markets early Sunday morning.
After talking to the seafood supplier, I discovered that this market has a very strict policy – each vendor must grow the produce they sell. I love this as it means I am directly giving my money to the producer and there is no middle man or food miles involved!
The produce was simply spectacular and a reflection of the high mineral content of the local area. From the deep green of the kale to the brilliant purple of fresh mulberries, it was hard not to buy everything in sight!
That night I made this very simple yet utterly delicious dish with my purchases.
Ingredients
Organic Chicken breast – I work with 120gr/person
1 onion
3 tomatoes
Fennel
Garlic
Chilli
Lemongrass
Ginger
Dill
Mint
1 cup white wine
Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Finely slice the garlic, chilli, dill, ginger and pound the lemongrass until it has broken. In a large baking dish add the chicken and marinate with extra virgin olive oil, the herbs and salt & pepper. Leave for 1 hour.
Add diced tomatoes, fennel cut into quarters and white wine. Cover with foil or a lid and put into an oven on 180C for half an hour, stirring every 10 minutes. To serve, add fresh mint and a side of quinoa.
Options
Add preserved lemons or shallots

By admin|October 7th, 2011|Health & Wellbeing, Naturopathy, Sustainable and Green|0 Comments

What Skincare Do I Use?

I am often asked by clients what I use on a daily basis so thought I would do an inventory and share the results. First of all, I only use organic and completely natural products.
I am really fussy about this and have been for a long time. The skin is our largest organ and easily absorbs what we put on topically.
During a ground breaking study in 2005 the Environmental Working Group (EWG) collaborated with researchers and studied the cord blood of newborns only to find an average of 200 chemicals were present. Of the total 287 chemicals found, 180 cause cancer in humans or animals while 208 cause birth defects in animal studies. Read more about this here. So it really is a no brainer – we must avoid these toxic chemicals wherever possible!
This means you need to reassess not just what you put on your skin topically but your home environment as well. If you need more convincing on this please read the brilliantly researched book “Slow Death by a Rubber Duck”.
One of my favourite resources is the EWG Skin Deep Database where you can look up a product and see exactly whether each ingredient is nasty or not. I also love the quick and easy reference book “The Chemical Maze” by Bill Statham which lists both alphabetically and numerically every chemical and if it is ok or toxic.
My Bathroom Stocktake

Use
What I Use

Deodorant
Weleda sage deoderant

Shampoo & Conditioner
Springfield’s

Soap
If I use it is goat’s milk soap that I buy at Orange Grove organic markets from the same man who makes the goats cheese!

Facial Cleaner
MV Skincare Gentle Cream Cleanser

Body Moisturiser
Coconut oil and […]

By admin|August 30th, 2011|Health & Wellbeing, Naturopathy, Sustainable and Green|0 Comments

Andrographis and its Benefits in the Common Cold

With the constant change in weather, it’s no wonder the common cold is still lurking around! The herb Andrographis paniculata is in my top 10 of effective therapeutic herbal medicines. It is incredibly powerful as an immune enhancer and is effective against viruses, bacteria and parasites. At the initial signs of a cold, it is one of the first herbs that I think of and I have seen it literally stop a cold from taking hold. Andrographis is an Indian herb and is also known as “The King of Bitters” and it must the strongest tasting herb in my dispensary. That is why I often use it in tablet form as most patients really don’t appreciate its taste!

This lovely piece of research came from a systematic review, which means that the researchers summarise the results from all the controlled trials completed to date on Andrographis. They concluded that Andrographis is an effective treatment for the common cold. I educate patients to think of this herb as part of their first aide box – keep a bottle in the cupboard and at the first signs of a cold start on an acute dose and nip it in the bud!

Andrographis paniculata in the symptomatic treatment of uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection: systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Poolsup N, Suthisisang C, Prathanturarug S, Asawamekin A, Chanchareon U.

Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University, Nakhon-Pathom, Thailand. nalinee@email.pharm.su.ac.th

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Andrographis paniculata in the symptomatic treatment of uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection. METHODS: Systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Mean difference in the reduction in symptom severity scores between treatment and control groups was calculated to obtain an overall […]

By admin|August 16th, 2011|Health & Wellbeing, Naturopathy, Research|0 Comments

Link Between Abdominal Fat and Breast Cancer

Do you need more motivation do lose that tummy fat? Well new research from a Harvard study suggests that excess fat around your tummy is linked to breast cancer that is not oestrogen dominant. Women who carry more fat around their organs are more likely to develop insulin issues and it appears that insulin may be the link between abdominal fat and premenstrual breast cancer!

Premenopausal women who carry excess fat around their abdomen or have a large waist relative to their hip size may face a higher risk for breast cancer that is estrogen receptor (ER)-negative, new research reveals.

The research team noted that such body fat distribution was linked more strongly to the risk for developing this particular type of cancer than it was to a risk for ER-positive breast cancer.

Body fat distribution of this kind was not associated with an increased risk for breast cancer generally, according to the study, published Dec. 15 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer means that the cancer lacks receptors for the female hormone estrogen, so the hormone does not stimulate the cancer to grow.

The research team, led by Holly R. Harris of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, pointed out that prior research had suggested that body fat composition (as indicated by body mass index, or BMI) has a complex relationship with cancer risk.

For example, having a higher BMI has previously been linked to a rise in the risk for postmenopausal breast cancer, but not premenopausal breast cancer.

On the other hand, the researchers said that premenopausal women who carry excess fat that wraps around organs in the abdominal region are more likely to develop the pre-diabetic condition […]

By admin|August 10th, 2011|Health & Wellbeing, Research|0 Comments

How to prepare for surgery…

Our bodies have incredible ways of healing themselves however it’s important to prepare yourself for surgery with herbs, nutrients and lifestyle choices to maximise the quickest recovery time.

First and foremost you need to build up your immune system to discourage any infections post surgery! Eating nutritious food and maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle will help with healing and reduce inflammation.

Pre & post surgery tips:

Eat antioxidant rich food: Organic fruit & vegetables (especially orange coloured), berries, legumes, seeds, broad beans, soybeans, oats, corn, kale, peppers, parsley, ginger.

Vitamin C: This nutrient has a huge list of health benefits and should be a staple in every household! Vitamin C is an antioxidant, maintains connective tissue, helps with brain and nerve function, stimulates the immune system and research suggests that it has the ability to assist in wound healing.

Zinc: A trace element that is an essential cofactor for many chemical reactions. Zinc protects cell membranes from oxidative stress therefore is an antioxidant as well as an important nutrient for growth and development, immune responses and reproduction. Research into zinc has found that it improves wound healing therefore it should be part of your pre/post surgery care.

Bromelain: A mixture of proteolytic enzymes that are found in pineapples! It has been used for centuries to treat inflammation and swelling associated with surgery. Studies into bromelain have found it is an effective way to help heal wounds, burns and physical injuries.

Arnica: Take arnica homoeopathically pre and post surgery to assist with swelling and bruising as well as help the body deal with the trauma and shock of the surgery. One study using 227 patients in 3 separate trials, measured the outcome of homoeopathic arnica vs. placebo on postoperative swelling and pain. […]

By admin|July 12th, 2011|Health & Wellbeing, Naturopathy, Nutrition, Research|0 Comments

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