Preconception & Pregnancy

Emma’s Book Boosters: For Parents-To-Be

Thimerosal ~ Let the Science Speak
Robert Kennedy Jr is a best-selling author. In this book he looks at the research on thimerosal in vaccines. The evidence is clear that mercury is a known neurotoxin and thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines. An incredibly well-researched book that holds vital information.
Brighton Baby ~ The Complete Guide to Preconception & Conception
How do you conceive an extraordinary child in a toxic world? Doctor of Oriental Medicine Dr Roy Dittmann provides a comprehensive guide on exactly that. You can profoundly affect the health of your future child by making positive health changes before conception. We see this all the time in clinic – couples who have trouble conceiving or have suffered recurrent miscarriages, once they optimise their health, voila – a vibrantly healthy child is born. The blueprint of our children’s health starts with us.

 

 

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By |July 22nd, 2015|Book Reviews, Fertility, Preconception & Pregnancy|0 Comments
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Nurture your baby: Nurture your microbiome

Key message: Gut health is an important factor in the wellbeing of mothers and their babies. Researchers have discovered that gut health starts as early as in the womb, and can be influenced by factors including diet during pregnancy, medicines given in the first few years of life, and birth and feeding choices.

Action point: Watch the documentary Microbirth, a fascinating documentary on how the events at birth shape our future.

Nurturing the health of our little ones also means taking care of another tiny creature – our microbiome
We all want our babies to have the best possible start in life. Most of us know the choices we make during pregnancy and the first few years of our babies’ lives affect their long-term health. Now science is discovering that baby’s health may well start in an often-overlooked area of the body – the gut.

In the past decade there has been growing awareness of the important role of the human microbiome – all the bacteria, viruses and fungi that live on and in our bodies. Imbalances in this population, which lives in many of our tissues but is particularly concentrated in the gut, have been linked to diseases from diabetes to dementia.

Researchers are now finding that gut health starts as early as in the womb, and can be influenced by factors including diet during pregnancy, medicines given in the first few years of life, and birth and feeding choices.

 

Check out these three research facts about infant and mother gut health:

 
Research fact one:  A mother’s diet may have a significant role to play in their unborn baby’s immunity.
Until recently it was generally thought that babies are born with a sterile gut and they pick up microbes on their journey through their mother’s vagina […]

By |July 4th, 2015|Gut health, Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research|0 Comments
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Alert: Research shows Chemicals cause Early Menopause

An endocrine disrupting chemical is a chemical found outside the body that mimics or alters the endocrine (hormone) system and causes health problems in a person, their offspring and even future generations. Endocrine disrupters exert their effect at levels far below what is considered to be harmful. It is the timing and duration of exposure and not the dose that determines what impact these chemicals have on the body. Often, these health problems don’t become apparent until years down the track.
I have written about EDC before so check out this previous blog.

Researchers studied over 31,500 women and assessed their exposure rate to EDC’s. Astonishingly, women aged 45-55 that had the highest exposure rate went through menopause 1.9-3.8 years earlier than women with the lowest exposure rates. The researchers feel that these harmful chemicals damage the follicles in the ovary, leading to reduced ovarian reserve.
The researchers concluded “Earlier menopause can alter the quantity and quality of a woman’s life and has profound implications for fertility, human reproduction, and our global society.” Another recent study on 501 couples showed that exposures to EDCs was associated with approximately 20% reduced fertility.

The results of this research also suggest that increasing levels of blood or urine EDC’s and NOT just high levels are associated with loss of ovarian function. So for any woman who is having trouble ovulating, with fertility or regulating her hormones, this research is profound. As the researchers note “The health of future generations is at risk, and without further research in this area, those born today could be affected in decades to come.”

Key Message – environmental chemicals negatively affect our hormonesAction Point – remove all plastics, pthalates, pesticides and other man made chemicals from […]

By |April 6th, 2015|Fertility, Hormones, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research|0 Comments
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Woolworths Menu Plans – Disclaimer

As I am sure you know, I used to be the expert Nutritionist for the Woolworths Baby & Toddler Club. This was a fantastic platform for me to share my knowledge with thousands of mums across Australia. Many of you have stayed in touch, joined me on Community Cleanse, chatted to me on social media or cooked meals from Sophia Eat’s. I feel it is an absolute privilege to be a voice for optimal health – both for children and adults. I take it very seriously as people read what I write, listen to what I say, and then follow my advice.
It has come to my attention there are menu plans circulating that have been “written” by me. Until this week, these menu plans were up on the Woolworths Baby & Toddler Club website and included in member emails. They include:

7 day health meal plan for busy mums
7 day weaning plan
7 day meal plan for new dads
7 day pregnancy meal plan
7 day conception meal plan for him
morning sickness meal plan

Let me clarify very clearly – I wrote the original menu plans but the ones recently in Member emails and on the Woolworths Baby & Toddler Club were amended by “Woolworths nutritionists”. In these amended menu plans you will find ingredients that I NEVER WOULD RECOMMENDED. For example margarine (in the pregnancy meal plan of all things!), low fat custard, low fat yoghurt, low fat milk, low fat milk, low fat ricotta.

If you have been following me for a while, you would know I do not recommend such toxic (margarine) and low nutrient based foods (low fat = fat soluble nutrients are removed and usually sugar added). For those of you that followed any of these plans in […]

By |April 2nd, 2015|Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition, Preconception & Pregnancy, Recipes|0 Comments
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Mumma’s – Do you want your sanity back?

 A study released in the Journal of Pediatrics in January this year has shown that specific probiotics can improve colic in babies. I don’t know about you, but when a baby cries endlessly and you are doing everything in your power to help them, it is awful. Your heart breaks, tears roll down your face and you feel so damn helpless.
Colic affects nearly 40% of babies and is defined as crying for more than three hours (OMG!!) each day or more than three days in a week. I think I would go insane if my newborn was crying this much – oh that’s right, I DID!!!
This study looked at 52 breast fed bubbas – half were given the probiotic strain Lactobacillus reutieri and half were given placebo for 21 days. By the end of the 21 days, the bubs receiving the probiotics had 50% reduction in crying time compared to the placebo group. UNBELIEVABLE!!!
I don’t want to sound dramatic, but that 50% improvement could be the difference between totally losing the plot and getting post natal depression or not. I work with so many tired, exhausted mummas and I know this research will now be part of my clinical protocols. It will make an enormous difference to their experience of motherhood. My early motherhood days are clouded with darkness, bone aching fatigue and loneliness. If Sophia had cried 50% less I think it would have be so incredibly different.
Please pass this blog onto any Mumma you know!
Reference:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25444531

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By |March 12th, 2015|Health & Wellbeing, Infant Sleep, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research|0 Comments
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Two Glasses of Wine can Change Your Hormone Levels!

I read some research the other day that I just had to share with you as it freaked me out a little. It was discussing the effects of alcohol on hormone levels and the snapshot is that only two standard drinks a day can increase your estrogen levels by up to 32%!
The study was a thorough one – 34 premenopausal women with a history of regular menstrual cycles were split into two groups. Group one consumed two standard drinks every day for three months, then no alcohol for three months. Group two did it the other way around. All their food was provided in order to make sure their weight stayed the same over the study period.
After three months of daily alcohol intake the average change was:

Day 12-15 (ovulatory phase) – plasma estrone was up by 21%, plasma estradiol was up by 28% and 24 hour urinary estradiol had increased by 32%

Day 21-23 (luteul phase) – all types of estrogen were elevated by 15% or more

This is astounding and very confrontational! I enjoy a glass of wine and now I need to rethink it. I know that long term research has shown an increased breast cancer risk for women who drink moderates amounts of alcohol.
Bad news with the festive season upon us!!
References
http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/85/9/692.long
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8478958

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By |December 11th, 2014|Health & Wellbeing, Hormones, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research|0 Comments
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Is Your Tupperware Container Giving You Hell?

After attending a recent seminar on Female Hormonal Disorders I delved into the current research into plastics and the chemicals found in them.  The World Health Organizations calls them endocrine-disrupting chemicals and in 2012 stated “disease risk from EDC’s may be significantly underestimated.” There are more than 800 chemicals that disrupt hormone function and the vast majority have never been tested.

These chemicals are most dangerous during developmental periods: conception, pregnancy, early childhood, puberty, and menopause.
They are associated with cancers, behavioral and developmental issues, early puberty and fertility problems.

An EDC is a chemical found outside the body that mimics or alters the endocrine (hormone) system and causes health problems in a person, their offspring and even future generations. Endocrine disrupters exert their effect at levels far below what is considered to be harmful. It is the timing and duration of exposure and not the dose that determines what impact these chemicals have on the body. Often, these health problems don’t become apparent until years down the track.
A 2012 report release by the World Health Organisation1 says many endocrine-related diseases and disorders are on the rise across the world, including low sperm count in men, the incidence of genital malformation such as non-descending testes in baby boys, adverse pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight and pre-term bubs, behavioral disorders associated with thyroid malfunction, endocrine-related cancers (breast, endometrial, ovarian, prostate, testicular and thyroid), obesity and type 2 diabetes.
EDCs were discussed at the International Congress of Andrology held in Melbourne in 2013 and in particular the link between these chemicals and the negative impact on male fertility and testicular cancer. 
In the last 12 months the amount of research papers published on this topic has doubled! A recent […]

By |December 2nd, 2014|Community Cleanse, Fertility, Health & Wellbeing, Hormones, Nutrition, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research, Sustainable and Green|0 Comments
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Is the Paleo Diet Killing Our Environment?

The Paleo diet is extremely popular and so many clients tell me they are eating “Paleo.” My first question is always, “tell me what you mean by Paleo?” as, like any diet, there are a 1001 bastardised forms. And the biggest belief is that Paleo equates to high meat consumption – for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
In fact, a true Paleo diet avoids grains, legumes and dairy so if you are eating any of those, then you are not technically eating Paleo.
Let’s have a look at this concept of high meat consumption in more depth. The premise that our ancestors ate a lot of meat is a contentious one. More likely, meat was eaten in smaller portions than most Paleo dieters believe. Amongst eggs, fish, berries, nuts, seeds, fruits and other plant based foods, meat was in the minority. So hold the Paleo sausage feast for breakfast and think again.
When you look at where we came from in an evolutionary way, we were once primates. And interestingly, we still share the closest gut bacteria to our furry friends. And primates don’t eat much meat. Have I got you thinking yet?
Pros of the Paleo Diet

It cuts out all gluten. You must know by now that I am not a fan of gluten and the research backs me on this one
Promotes meat derived from grass fed animals – this will have a lower omega 6 level. Omega 6 is inflammatory and you want to avoid too much of it.
Fibre rich – the consumption of lots of fresh vegetables will provide a fantastic fuel source for your gut bacteria
Encourages nose to tail eating – using the whole animal instead of simply choice cuts
Cuts out processed foods such as […]

By |November 15th, 2014|Health & Wellbeing, Paleo, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research, Sustainable and Green, Weight Loss|0 Comments
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6 Foods You Need To Eat Daily!

Following on from my last blog “6 Foods You Should Never Eat” which received a lot of feedback, here is my list of 6 foods to make sure you eat every single day. I am always asked by my clients what I eat and these feature all the time. Food really is medicine and by eating to support your health, you will save a lot of heartache, time and money in the long term.

Fermented foods – to optimise your gut health, add in some Kim chi, kefir or kombucha to your diet. All these foods contain both pre and probiotics to help keep the right balance between good and bad bacteria in our gut. Research has shown that a healthy gut is essential for reducing the risk of cancer, autoimmune disease and diabetes.

Avocado – a delicious bounty of anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids, which form the building blocks for healthy hormones. Avocado is also packed with vitamin E which helps your skin stay smooth, supple and wrinkle free

Asparagus (when in season such as now!) -1 cup contains 65% of your daily folate requirements, which gives you boundless energy! A natural diuretic, asparagus is perfect for bloating and fluid retention, especially around PMT. Asparagus is rich in prebiotic fibre, which helps to keep your gut microbiome happy.

Quinoa – high in the relaxing mineral magnesium, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids making it the perfect protein hit. A seed and not a true grain, quinoa has high nutritional value. High in magnesium, iron, Vitamin B3 – B6 and phosphorus to supercharge your day!

Organic foods – if you have access to them optimise your nutrition with organic food. It has more flavour, a higher nutritional template and less […]

By |November 8th, 2014|Gut health, Health & Wellbeing, Mojo, Nutrition, Preconception & Pregnancy|0 Comments
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Are You Failing Your Bones?

When it comes to bone health, I recently did some research to see if Sophia and I were eating enough calcium. We don’t eat any cow’s milk dairy as we are both highly intolerant.
Wear and tear on our bones happens as we age and the ability to maintain strong bones is dependent on a few things. Specialized cells called osteoclasts breakdown areas of weakened bones while osteoblasts remodel the bone with new material. Believe it or not, this process occurs every 3-4 months!
As we age, the osteoclasts start to work harder than the osteoblasts and bone strength starts to decline. Due to less digestive enzymes being released as we age, we also absorb less calcium from the diet. A double edge sword, which can result in osteopenia, or thinning of the bones.
So how much calcium should you be eating every single day? 1000mg for women or 1300mg calcium for pregnant and menopausal women. Have a go at this nifty calcium calculator to see just how much calcium you are having.
Partners in Crime
Vitamin D is crucial to be able to absorb dietary calcium in the gut. And vitamin D also helps your body to get calcium into the bones, instead of it floating around in the blood and ending up as calcium deposits on arteries and joints.
Vitamin K2 is incredibly important to help keep bones strong. In Japan, K2 is used to treat osteoporosis and there is good research to show that it can reduce fracture rates and increase bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
How much do I need to eat every day?

Here is a snapshot of how much you need to be eating daily to meet your calcium requirements.

Up the duff for me – 100g canned […]

By |October 23rd, 2014|Children, Health & Wellbeing, Naturopathy, Nutrition, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research|0 Comments
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How to Heal Your Adrenals Naturally

How to Heal Your Adrenals Naturally

Adrenal fatigue is one of the most under diagnosed illnesses in western society. Download a copy of my free ebook to learn about the symptoms and how to heal your Adrenals naturally.

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