Emma Sutherland Preconception & Pregnancy Archives - Page 5 of 11

What Artificial Sweeteners Should You Avoid?

How much do you know about artificial sweeteners? Many people may think they are doing the right thing by choosing ‘sugar-free’ or ‘diet’ products to reduce their sugar intake, but the reality is, many artificial sweeteners have dangerous side effects. The main artificial sweeteners used today are:

Aspartame
Saccharin
Sucralose
Neotame
Acesulfame potassium

Aspartame regularly hits the headlines because it has been studied for decades. Aspartame is essentially made up of 50% phenylalanine, 40% aspartic acid and 10% methanol. The bi-products of these chemicals are formic acid, formaldehyde and Diketopiperazine (DKP), which is a proven brain tumour agent.
Due to the highly addictive nature and overconsumption of aspartame, many studies suggest that this chemical can cause headaches, migraines, confusion, balance problems and seizures. Research also suggests that diet soft drink consumption was linked to higher incidences of stroke, vascular problems and myocardial infarction.
The best thing to do is get to know your labels…look at the food additive names and numbers and know what they mean. If you do need a sweetener try Stevia, which comes from the species Stevia rebaudiana. Stevia is a great alternative as it is about 300-400 sweeter than sugar and is widely available at all health food stores and some supermarkets. For more information on the Top 10 Food Additives that you should avoid, click here.

By admin|August 28th, 2012|Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition, Preconception & Pregnancy, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Teething Problems

Teething in babies usually starts between the ages of 5-7 months, sometimes earlier and sometimes much later. It’s such a massive change in our babies lives and they go through tremendous pain to push those little teeth out. Herbal Medicine is a great way to provide care for their nervous system and to relieve pain during their teething episodes.

Tips To Help Your Baby

Matracaria recutita – this is commonly known as chamomile and is anti-inflammatory, mild sedative and a carminative.

Melissa officinalis – Lemon Balm is another beautiful herb to calm your infant when they are teething. It’s also a carminative and mild sedative and helps with irritability.

A great herbal tea for teething is 1tsp of chamomile and 1tsp of lemon balm in 100mls of boiling water and let it infuse for about 30min, once cooled down try to give it to your baby either in a bottle or sippy cup.

Frozen capsicum – Cut up thick red capsicum and freeze. Give to your baby at dinner time for him/her to chew on, the coolness will help with the pain and they are full of antioxidants.

Teething Toys – Find toys/teething rings that are BPA free. It’s really important for your infant to have something to chew during these times of distress and pain. A worldwide popular chewing toy is Sophie le Giraffe – this French giraffe has been around since 1961 and is made from natural rubber and food painted!

Love them – Even when nothing seems to help the pain or take the tears away, a parents cuddle and kiss can do more than we realise!

By admin|March 23rd, 2012|Children, Health & Wellbeing, Preconception & Pregnancy|0 Comments

Low Iodine is More Common Than You Think, Especially When Pregnant!

Pregnant women have been advised to have a daily supplement of 150 micrograms. 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, often referred to as “iodide”. 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 baby 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 […]

By admin|February 2nd, 2012|Fertility, Health & Wellbeing, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research|0 Comments

Australian Women Not Having the Births They Expect

Pregnant women have unrealistic expectations about their chances of having an uncomplicated birth and may feel cheated and depressed when they have obstetric interventions, a Victorian study has found. A survey of almost 200 women with a first pregnancy at a Melbourne hospital found that they believed they had a 56% chance of having an uncomplicated birth without the need for induction, forceps, suction cup or caesarean. However, Victorian data show that a woman’s actual chance of a medically uncomplicated birth is only 21%.
Does this reflect our medical systems high intervention rate? In my experience when women birth, suggestions for “moving things along” come far too quickly. Is it to free up hospital beds or keep within “time frames”? Either way, the fact that 80% of women have a birth that involves induction, forceps, suction cup or caesarean is unacceptable to me. What happened to the trust and belief that a woman can birth naturally? Of course there are circumstances that require intervention but I don’t believe that it needs to be as high as 80%!
Likewise, women believed they had a 31% chance of having a delivery without the need for sutures, but the actual chance was only 8%! Attending antenatal classes did not give women a more realistic view of childbirth interventions, the study found.
The findings published in the Australia and NZ Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in January 2012 showed that medical staff also had overoptimistic expectations of a natural birth, with obstetricians predicting a 41% chance of uncomplicated delivery and medical students rating the chances as 45%.
This study is groundbreaking as it highlights where we need to focus our work –supporting a mother to trust her body to bright naturally and […]

By admin|January 10th, 2012|Fertility, Hypnobirthing, Preconception & Pregnancy|0 Comments

Children Born to Stressed Mums Have Higher Health Risks – Latest Research

A study just released has demonstrated the strong link between a pregnant woman’s stress levels and the negative effects this has on her child. It is one of the first big studies to prove that while in the womb we are being influenced by maternal hormones and when it comes to high stress levels, that is not a good thing. In fact, it leads to a higher risk factor for malformations, asthma, and mental and behavioural disorders. The study was based on over 66,000 mums and bubs and assessed by a team of clinical psychologists.
Key findings were:

There was an increased risk of mental disorders during the first 2.5 years of life in children of mothers reporting high life stress during pregnancy compared with mothers reporting low life stress.

Maternal life stress during pregnancy was also associated with an increased risk in the diseases of the eye, ear, respiratory system, digestive system, skin, musculoskeletal system and genitourinary system in children.

Maternal life stress during pregnancy was again associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations in offspring.

Maternal emotional stress during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for the first diagnosis of infectious and parasitic diseases.

The analysis of the data revealed that elevated stress levels across pregnancy altered the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (proteins that serve as messengers between cells of the immune system) in the offspring; the dysregulation of cytokine production could cause certain mental disorders, infectious diseases and diseases of the various body systems. This shows the importance of having an anti-inflammatory style diet that is high in vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish and healthy fats. It also supports a place for antioxidants in pregnancy to counter balance cellular stress.
During my pregnancy I ate organic, anti […]

By admin|December 30th, 2011|Children, Fertility, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research|0 Comments

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

Acupuncture May Help Relieve The Symptoms Of PCOS.

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.

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 Stener-Victorin, an associate professor who has led the research at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, […]

By admin|July 5th, 2011|Fertility, Health & Wellbeing, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research|0 Comments

What the Hell Is In Your Body Products and Why are They Legal?

Bio Oil is a topical product that is marketed as a “specialist skincare product that helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone.” It is the number 1 selling scar and stretch mark product in Australia and is the most recommended product for scars and stretch marks by pharmacists.

But did you know what Bio Oil’s ingredients are and how they affect your health? The Environmental Working Groups’ Skin Deep Database (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/) scores Bio Oil a 7 which is “high hazard” and it scores high for health concerns for its ingredients for developmental and reproductive toxicity. Ironic when so many pregnant women use Bio Oil to unknowingly rub harmful chemicals into their skin.

My concerns are the top 4 listed ingredients:

Paraffinum liquidum(mineral oil)
Triisononanon
Cetearyl ethyl hexanoate
Isopropyl myristate

Isopropyl myristate causes irritation to the skin, lungs and eyes.

Triisononanon enhances skin absorption of the product it’s in.

Mineral oil is associated with allergies and may cause organ system toxicity and is derived from petroleum.

Bio Oil also contains fragrance and fragrances are associated with allergies, dermatitis and potential effects of the reproductive system especially if phthalates are involved in the mix. The preservative use is butylated hydroxytoluene which has strong evidence to show developmental effects at high doses in animal studies.

The problem is that we absorb all of these chemicals and bioaccumulate them. The levels build in our bodies as we continue to store them, mainly in fat cells and bones.

When a woman is pregnant, the unborn child becomes a natural detoxifier for her – the baby “downloads” chemicals and heavy metals. Proof of this has been shown in various studies. What you put on your body and in your body has a profound effect on your health […]

By admin|May 31st, 2011|Health & Wellbeing, Naturopathy, Preconception & Pregnancy, Research, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Morning Sickness – It’s In Your Genes

Click the Facebook Like Button and receive a FREE copy of my Detox eBook valued at $29.95!Nausea is a common complaint in pregnancy. More commonly known as morning sickness, nausea, vomiting, lethargy and tiredness can clear up by the end of the first trimester, or for some women, may persist throughout the entire pregnancy. More rarely, severe vomiting that does not stop, a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) requires urgent medical attention and affects about 0.5% – 2% of Australian women during pregnancy.Although the causes of nausea in pregnancy are not yet known, the following have been suggested as contributory factors: low blood sugar, low blood pressure, hormonal changes, emotional ambivalence about the pregnancy, food deficiency (in particular of vitamin B6 and iron), an excess of refined, spicy, or greasy foods, and pressure on the stomach from the growing uterus in the last few weeks of pregnancy.Recent findings have uncovered another possible cause of morning sickness: genetics. Dr. Marlena Fejzo of the University of Southern California-Los Angeles, author of this interesting study explains that women were more likely to experience a serious form of morning sickness if their mothers or sisters did as well. Specifically, HG was studied and it was discovered that women with sisters who had the condition were 17 times more likely to also develop it. HG causes unrelenting, excessive nausea and vomiting that puts the pregnant woman at risk of malnutrition, dehydration and significant weight loss.Dr. Fejzo explained “the degree of heredity is very exciting because it suggests genes are involved, and when we find those genes, we may finally understand the cause of severe nausea in pregnancy and be able to make new treatments that are designed to […]

By |December 9th, 2010|Preconception & Pregnancy|0 Comments

Protecting the Future Fertility of Women

With fertility issues affecting one in six couples in Australia, there is renewed interest in preconception care amongst would- be parents. One expert from First Response advises that women in their 20s need to be aware that their future fertility relies on their current lifestyle practices. Research has proven the importance of vitamins in pregnancy already and a prime example is iodine.Throughout history, ancient civilisations knew that the time before a woman became pregnant was very special and required a specific diet. This primitive wisdom involved feeding special foods rich in fat soluble vitamins as well as macro and trace minerals to both men and women for a period of time before conception.Women today are being urged to consider protecting their chances of getting pregnant, considering what is now known about the connection between the decline of fertility and age. Advanced technology offers procedures and techniques to artificially preserve a woman’s fertility, however, Dr Mike Smith, expert for fertility brand First Response says “Living a healthy lifestyle will help to improve future fertility”.Recent media attention focused on technology enabling a young woman to freeze her ovaries with the idea of delaying motherhood until later in life has divided experts. Dr Sherman Silber, who conducted the first full ovary transplant in 2007, told the American Society for Reproductive Medicine that the procedure would work better than egg freezing. Other experts warn that this technology has not yet been fully tested and gives no guarantee of conception when the ovaries are re-implanted.Tony Rutherford, chairman of the British Fertility Society, said the research was still very recent and much more needed to be done to ensure the procedure’s effectiveness, especially in how successful the re-grafting of the […]

By |November 7th, 2010|Fertility, Men's Health, Preconception & Pregnancy|0 Comments

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