This is fantastic research and reaffirms my belief that natural birth can take time. Often, the birth process can slow down and rest for a while – this doesn’t automatically call for intervention! All of the women in the study experienced active phase arrest which is defined as no cervical change for 2 hours despite adequate uterine contractions. The 67% of women who went on to have a Caesar experienced more complications than the 33% of women who had a vaginal birth. There were no differences in infant outcomes. The researchers concluded that encouraging vaginal birth in the presence of a slowed or resting birth would reduce adverse reactions for the mother and not cause any additional risk for the baby.So, I strongly encourage you to allow birth to take its natural course as long as it is safe for mum and bub. Medical emergencies can occur but in the majority of cases, it is very safe to take your time and embrace your unique birth process.Perinatal outcomes in the setting of active phase arrest of laborOBJECTIVE: To examine the association between active phase arrest and perinatal outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of women with term, singleton, cephalic gestations diagnosed with active phase arrest of labor, defined as no cervical change for 2 hours despite adequate uterine contractions. Women with active phase arrest who underwent a cesarean delivery were compared with those who delivered vaginally, and women who delivered vaginally with active phase arrest were compared with those without active phase arrest. The association between active phase arrest, mode of delivery, and perinatal outcomes was evaluated using univariable and multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: We identified 1,014 women with active phase […]
Submissions to the government’s food labelling review close this Friday 20th November!
Ok, it’s time to get active and also activate your networks – we need to let the government know how important it is that GE foods are labelled properly. Many governments in Europe have either banned GE or implemented mandatory labelling already. The only way to completely avoid GE foods is to eat organic.We all have a right to know what we’re eating. That’s why over 30,000 people signed the ‘Our Right to Know’ petition calling on the government to label genetically engineered (GE) foods. On October 23, the federal government finally announced it would review food labelling laws in Australia and promised to take GE ingredients into consideration. We’ve managed to get the government to listen to our concerns about GE food. But will it act? We now have an important chance to make sure it does.The review has only allowed a four-week period for public submissions, which closes this Friday, November 20. Take action now by emailing a quick submission to FoodLabellingReview@health.gov.au and copy in the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mark Butler: mark.butler.mp@aph.gov.au. Your submission doesn’t have to be long; it can be a few lines on your personal feelings on GE food and why you want it labelled.You can also help increase the pressure on the government to label GE food asking your friends and family to make a quick submission to the review.Read more about it here. Make sure you watch this fabulous video on organics, makes me warm and fuzzy! Store Wars
Broccoli Sprouts – A Superfood That I Love!
I go to the organic markets each Saturday and buy fresh 3 day old broccoli sprouts I love adding them to my salads and their taste is absolutely delicious. I am always hearing about the latest “super food” that cures everything from insomnia to cancer. The vast amount of research that I have read on broccoli sprouts is very compelling – I am convinced that the high levels of sulphoraphane are incredibly beneficial. So, go ahead and start adding this incredibly therapeutic food to your diet. This is the epitome of “food as medicine!” A new study suggests an easy way to reduce the risk of a bacteria associated with stomach cancer: eat broccoli sprouts. In a study conducted among 48 men and women from Japan, Johns Hopkins investigators found those who ate 70 grams of fresh broccoli sprouts a day significantly reduced the H. pylori in their stomachs.All of the participants tested positive for the bacteria. The researchers then randomized them to either 70 grams of broccoli sprouts per day or a similar amount of alfalfa sprouts. The subjects were retested for H. pylori at four and eight weeks. By the final follow up, the broccoli sprouts had done the trick. People who ate the alfalfa sprouts showed no change in the degree of infection.This study supports the emerging evidence that broccoli sprouts may be able to prevent cancer in humans, not just in lab animals, study author Jed Fahey, Sc.D., was quoted as saying. Broccoli sprouts are rich in Sulforaphane, a naturally occurring phytochemical that enhances the cancer-protective capacity of animal cells. According to studies by Dr. Paul Talalay and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, sulforaphane […]
Acupuncture May Help Relieve Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Acupuncture and exercise may help women better handle the symptoms and risks that come with hormone imbalances caused by certain ovarian cysts, Swedish researchers report. I refer patients to an acupuncturist for many fertility issues and see wonderful results with this supportive therapy.About one in 10 women of reproductive age have polycystic ovarian syndrome, a condition that can start in the teen years and cause irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. Small immature cysts on the ovaries disrupt hormone production, causing excessive secretion of testosterone, the male sex hormone. In addition to infertility, it can increase a woman’s odds of becoming obese and developing type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease, the study authors explained.While the syndrome’s cause remains mysterious, researchers believe it is linked to a highly active sympathetic nervous system, part of the body’s internal controls that regulate several functions one cannot willingly manage, such as how wide one’s pupils dilate.In the study, women with polycystic ovarian syndrome were separated into three groups: one group received regular electro-acupuncture, in which weak electric current is sent through the needles; another group was given heart-rate monitors and told to exercise three or more times per week; the last group was given no additional treatment or instructions. After a four-month period, women in the acupuncture and exercise groups ended up with lower sympathetic nervous system activity, though the acupuncture group received additional benefits, the researchers found.”Those who received acupuncture found that their menstruation became more normal. We could also see that their levels of testosterone became significantly lower, and this is an important observation, since elevated testosterone levels are closely connected with the increased activity in the sympathetic nervous system of women,” study author Elisabet […]
