Vitamins could help nutrient-deficient mothers have healthier babies a study has found.402 poorly nourished women from a socially deprived area in east London were given a multivitamin and mineral supplement (including iron and folic acid) or a placebo from their first trimester of pregnancy to see if it would have any effect on their health and the health of their babies.Women who took the supplement were found to have better nutrient status at 36 weeks than those who took placebo. Women taking the supplement were less likely to have a baby who was small-forgestational age.It makes sense that pregnant women should have a healthy diet and take a multivitamin supplement in order to ensure that they are taking in, and passing on, all the essential micronutrients. There is a school of thought that in developed countries, there is no need for pregnant women to take a supplement as diets in these countries are adequate, but one of the study authors says that the results “blows out of the water the idea that all women in the UK are adequately nourished”. The trial of 400 women in east London, found the number of “small-for-gestational age” babies was reduced among those who took a multivitamin supplement compared with those given a placebo.http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007114510000747
Pregnancy&Vitamin D – Latest Research
Pregnant women should take 4,000 IU vitamin D daily recommend researchers after publishing their study.494 pregnant women were given a daily dose of vitamin D (400, 2000 or 4000 IU) from 12-16 weeks’ gestation until delivery to evaluate the effects of vitamin D during pregnancy. Women who took the highest vitamin D dosage had the lowest rates of preterm labour and preterm birth, and the lowest rates of infection. No adverse events related to vitamin D were reported for mothers or babies with any of the doses tested.Recent studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is a serious public health issue and this study found that not only was taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy safe for mother and baby, but also that it can prevent preterm labour/births and infections.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100501013417.htm
Pregnancy & Vitamin D – Latest Research
Pregnant women should take 4,000 IU vitamin D daily recommend researchers after publishing their study.
494 pregnant women were given a daily dose of vitamin D (400, 2000 or 4000 IU) from 12-16 weeks’ gestation until delivery to evaluate the effects of vitamin D during pregnancy. Women who took the highest vitamin D dosage had the lowest rates of preterm labour and preterm birth, and the lowest rates of infection. No adverse events related to vitamin D were reported for mothers or babies with any of the doses tested.
Recent studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is a serious public health issue and this study found that not only was taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy safe for mother and baby, but also that it can prevent preterm labour/births and infections.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100501013417.htm
Mediterranean diet increases chances of pregnancy after infertility treatment
The diets of 161 women undergoing IVF treatment were evaluated to see if their dietary habits affected their chances of becoming pregnant.Two main dietary patterns were observed: a healthy diet characterised by high intakes of fruit, vegetables, fish, and wholegrains, and a Mediterranean diet characterised by high intake of vegetable oils, vegetables, fish and beans.Women who most closely adhered to a Mediterranean diet had a 40% greater chance of pregnancy after infertility treatment than those who ate the least Mediterranean-like diet.In vitro fertilisation is a costly and emotionally stressful experience – anything that increases the chances of a successful pregnancy would be of huge benefit for thousands of women and couples. This study from the Netherlands found that adhering to a Mediterranean diet could increase the chances of success by 40%. The authors stress that this was an observational study and cause-and-effect have not been proved. But given that it is a very healthy diet anyway, it is strongly recommended for women undergoing IVF and the studies that prove that it works are eagerly awaited.http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(09)04338-6/abstract
Coconut Water – the Facts on the Fad
I am just back from an amazing trip to Bali where the beautiful weather and amazing food have totally rejuvenated me! The organic movement is strong there and I discovered many cafes and eco resorts that served incredible juices – my pick was aloe vera juice, tumeric and celery! I met a lot of great people and had my all time best ever yoga class at Desa Seni.I have posted a video on my You Tube channel of the most gorgeous organic cafe so check it out here.So, while in Bali I had coconut water every day and after speaking to the locals realised that it was not just a Western fad. Read further for the scoop!The Facts• Coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most sports drinks (117 mg) and most energy drinks.• Coconut water has less sodium (25mg) where sports drinks have around 41mg and energy drinks have about 200 mg.• Coconut water has 5mg of Natural Sugars where sports and energy drinks range from 10-25mg of Altered Sugars.• Coconut water is very high in Chloride at 118mg, compared to sports drinks at about 39mg. Data is based on a 100ml drinkCoconut water is the liquid that is taken from unripe coconuts. If coconuts get ripe the liquid that is inside will harden and become a part of the white flesh of the coconutCoconut Water Hydrates the BodyCoconut water is an isotonic solution which replaces the fluids and minerals that the body loses during physical activities. For this reason, many athletes and persons who work out regularly are encouraged to drink coconut water to replace all the minerals and fluid that they lose while working out. Even the United […]
Low iodine puts baby brains at risk
Health experts are urging pregnant women in Tasmania to take iodine supplements to lessen the chances of their children developing low IQ’s. The Director of Public Health, Dr Roscoe Taylor, says most Tasmanians are iodine deficient because of low levels in soil and water. He says the health consequences of iodine deficiency in pregnant and breastfeeding women is greater because of the risk to babies.Dr Taylor says Iodine is essential to ensure normal development of the brain and nervous system. Low levels in pregnant mothers could result in their babies having lower IQ’s. He has written to all health practitioners around the state asking them to encourage expectant mothers to take an iodine supplement of 150 micrograms every day, equivalent to eating nine cans of tuna.Iodine is a trace mineral. Iodine is vital for the thyroid hormones that regulate our metabolism, body temperature, reproduction, growth, blood cell production as well as nerve and muscle function. Low thyroid hormones can cause a person to become sluggish and gain weight, affecting their general health, their fertility and ability to carry a pregnancy.It is important to ensure adequate iodine intake during preconception, pregnancy and breast feeding. During pregnancy, the foetus is entirely dependent upon maternal iodine, which plays a significant role in normal central nervous system formation and maturation. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy is the commonest worldwide cause of preventable intellectual impairment and can be associated with losses of up to 10 -15 IQ points.Around 60% of pregnant Australian women in a recent survey had low iodine levels -mainly due to decreased consumption of iodised salt and changes within the dairy industry. The recently published Australian National Iodine Nutrition Study in the Medical Journal of Australia has […]
HypnoBirthing Makes the Media!
I have just had the most wonderful experience – a newspaper wants to feature me and HypnoBirthing! I have already been interviewed and this was one of the quotes:What are the benefits of Hypno-birthing?”From the statistics collected by the HypnoBirthing Institute, we know that caesarean rates are halved! 65% of HypnoBirthing women do not use any pain medication and the epidural rate is decreased by two thirds. I would say that these are very impressive statistics as in Australia we have one of the highest Caesarean rates in the world – 30.8%. That’s double the World Health Organisations recommendation of no more than 15%. In my experience HypnoBirthing promotes a rapid postnatal recovery, facilitates a beautiful bonding experience and returns birth to the natural process it is meant to be.”HypnoBirthing is an incredible tool that I teach people and I recommend that you read more about it here if you are pregnant. Or forward this on to any pregnant friends.I did a photo shoot this morning with the gorgeous Noah Raeburn who was such a star! He slept peacefully throughout the whole shoot and only stirred briefly with the sounds of the shutter. I want to thank Noah’s parents, Ash and Brian, for letting me come to their home and take these photos. I will let you all know when the article comes out!
Day 25 of Detox
I woke early to go to the gym and felt rather tired for the first time in weeks. I did my cardio which all seemed very difficult and my time on the rower was 10minutes, 48 seconds, which as you know, was not great. Then I realised that I had my period – oh, it all clicks into place now!Day 23 was a shocker for me – unorganised, cranky, I think I cried 3 times in that day and I was so irritated. You know what makes me chuckle quietly? It’s the fact that every time I get my period I have an “ahaa!” moment, like it is so unexpected! I can hear the mental process now “so that explains why I felt so emotional, tired, irrational etc”. It occurs every month but each month it still comes as a surprise. So anyway, I left the gym and came home to do a 20 minute express Pilates DVD (love these when I am feeling lazy) and have a nice breakfast of gluten free cereal, white peach and apple juice.I made a smoothie to take to clinic – a banana, 2 passion fruits, frozen berries, oat milk, flaxseed oil and probiotic. I then had my last watercress soup from the freezer and I had forgotten how nutritious it is. It is packed with antioxidants, minerals and especially iron which I really need right now. I can feel the goodness seeping into my cells! Todays photo is my soup.Dinner was stunning red snapper fillets, which are perfect on the BBQ. Ensure you have a really hot surface, a little olive oil, put the fish skin side up and sear the surface, turn it over just briefly […]
Proof is in the Research – Pthalates are linked to ADHD
Phthalates – the ubiquitous plasticizing chemicals found in bottles, dishes, toys, cleaning and personal care products – are a smoking gun, maybe the next tobacco. They need to be dealt with yesterday because it is children who are most vulnerable to them, and the effects of exposure to phthalates may not surface for years. By then, damage is done.Korean researchers have found a significant positive association between urine phthalate concentrations and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a study of 261 Korean children aged between 8 and 11 years old. Here is the abstract of the scientific article in the peer-reviewed journal Biological Psychiatry.And if you are looking for an overview of the toxic chemicals that surround us in everyday life, then check out the highly readable, utterly shockingly eye-opening Slow Death by Rubber Duck. I have just finished and it made me feel sick, horrified and angry all the way through. Positive action is needed when it comes to industrial chemicals and we are yet to fully understand how they will affect us in the years to come. Anyone seen “The Children of Men” with Clive Owen – it may be our future if we don’t act NOW!Phthalates exposure and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in school-age children.BACKGROUND: Very few studies have examined the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and phthalate exposure in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of phthalates on symptoms of ADHD in school-age children. METHODS: A cross-sectional examination of urine phthalate concentrations was performed, and scores on measures of ADHD symptoms and neuropsychological dysfunction with regard to attention and impulsivity were obtained from 261 Korean children, age 8-11 years. RESULTS: Mono-2-ethylheyl phthalate (MEHP) and mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexylphthalate (MEOP) for […]
Fertility Drugs May Increase Your Chance of Cancer
A very interesting video on the effect of fertility drugs on cancer risk – mentioned is the number 1 fertility drug Clomid. I think the main thing to remember is that you need to ensure that you lower all your other risk factors for cancer in order to balance this out – improve your diet, eat organic, exercise, breathe deeply and see a naturopath to treat any existing problems. Click the link below:Fertility Drugs may increase your chance of Cancer
