Research

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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9 Foods That Decrease Your Risk of Breast Cancer

I recently went to a seminar on female hormonal disorders and one of the key tips I took away was a list of research-based foods that can help your body balance estrogen. Estrogen can be highly problematic if there is too much in your body and is linked to breast cancer, fibroids, endometriosis and heavy periods.
Certain foods can act as “aromatase inhibitors” – aromatase is an enzyme, which converts androgens into estrogen. In fact, synthetic aromatase inhibitors are used to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
By including these therapeutic foods in your diet you can improve your estrogen profile, making sure there isn’t too much estrogen to cause problems.  Now it’s not as simple as “eat these foods and all will be ok” but adding therapeutic foods to your diet can go a long way.

White button mushrooms
Oranges
Parsley
Celery
Coriander
Dill
Fennel
Alfalfa sprouts
Green tea

I am off to the kitchen to a big, delicious salad with lots of these key therapeutic foods! If you know any woman with breast cancer please spread the love and share this post with them.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2965731/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17178902

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By |February 9th, 2015|Health & Wellbeing, Hormones, Naturopathy, Nutrition, Research|0 Comments
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Got Milk? The Dairy Debate

Are you a firm believer in the benefits of milk? Do you believe it is integral to healthy bones, and a healthy life? There have been campaigns promoting milk since the 1940s, so why wouldn’t you believe milk is necessary for a healthy diet. However, you may want to consider this – just because something is accepted as the norm, does not necessary mean it shouldn’t be questioned.
I am a firm believer that dairy is bad for us. I understand that this is still a controversial stance to take, so I wanted to share with you some peer reviewed studies that explores the possibility that dairy consumption could in fact be more harmful than good.
Healthy Bones
The high calcium found in dairy is its most noted nutritional ‘quality’. We know calcium to be important in maintaining healthy bones. Which is true, however, numerous clinical studies question our ability to absorb the calcium from milk, making the high levels of calcium irrelevant to humans. A study published in the Paediatrics journal in 2005 found that milk consumption does not improve the bone health of children, while another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition involving 72,000 women and conducted over 18 years found that milk had no protective effect on bone fracture risk.
On the other hand, adequate calcium intake from plant based foods such as leafy green vegetables and beans has been proven to decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Exercise is another way of maintaining healthy bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Cancer Risk 
Dairy consumption has been linked to an increased risk of some cancers. Most notably it has been linked to breast, prostate and ovarian cancers. A Swedish study found that consumption of […]

By |January 27th, 2015|Community Cleanse, Gut health, Hormones, Nutrition, Research|0 Comments
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Emma’s Book Booster: For the ambitious entrepreneurs

Thrive
How can you not love an entrepreneurial Greek woman who has made it to the top of her field? Thrive is her journey of tips and tricks for juggling a busy career and being a mum. She delves into the research on sleep as well as psychology to explain her compelling view on life. A fascinating read and one which will give you some strategies to make life a little easier.
Ideal for  corporate women and working mums.

The Lean Start Up
Written by entrepreneur Eric Ries, I must have read this book five or six times. My copy is full of highlighter, scrawled pen and Post-It-Notes. It teaches Eric’s strategies on how to start up a business and keep it up. His extensive case studies and research help to cut short so many mistakes that you could make.
Ideal for  business owners, students and entrepreneurs.

Focus
From the author of Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman  describes how the art of Focus is the cornerstone to success in all areas of your life. Let’s face it, our mind wanders up to 40% of the time when we read a text message! Learning this skill may just save you a lot of time, money and effort.
Ideal for students, business owners and ambitious people.

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By |January 14th, 2015|Health & Wellbeing, Research|0 Comments
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The Skinny on Brown Fat

With all the negative press surrounding fat it’s hard to believe that certain fat can help us lose weight, but it’s true! Did you know there are a number of different types of fat, each of them conducting different roles in our bodies?
Some of these fats are not our friend and you need to limit them (i.e. the fat that causes obesity known as white fat). But some fat is on your side and can contribute to helping you maintain a healthy weight, regulating blood sugar levels and increasing insulin sensitivity.
The good fat is known as brown fat or Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT). Brown fat is different to white fat in that it has the ability to burn, rather than store, energy. It does this by directing energy to generate heat. It burns energy to keep us warm, resulting in an increase in our metabolic rate, which ultimately helps to shed the kilos.
While it was originally thought brown fat was only present at birth, studies have found that brown fat in humans’ remains metabolically active throughout child and adulthood. Interestingly it is switched on, in response to exposure to cold conditions. Brown fat is activated as soon as temperatures fall below 27-31 degrees. However, the function of brown fat is impaired by factors including obesity, aging and diabetes.
Because of the link between active brown fat and weight loss, it is unsurprising that it’s a huge focus as a possible solution to the obesity epidemic. However, so far the safety of a pharmacological drug to increase brown fat is yet to be confirmed.
During Community Cleanse we focus on fat loss and I use specialised technology to assess body composition. That way we can target fat […]

By |January 9th, 2015|Community Cleanse, Research, Weight Loss|0 Comments
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Emma’s Book Booster: For the emotionally intelligent

Blink
This book changed the way I think in so many ways. Malcolm Gladwell, a prolific thinker, delves into how a snap judgment can be far more effective than a cautious decision. I run on my gut feeling all the time, but to read the research and case studies was a game changer.
Ideal for everyone!

Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is more important than IQ and although shaped by childhood experience, emotional intelligence (EI) can be strengthened. The fast growing world of EI research is explored and I felt so much more aware after reading this book! I looked out for ways to improve my emotional intelligence and become more adept at this critical skill. Overall, it was incredibly valuable as it changed who I was.

Mindset
Written by one of the most quoted psychologists around, Dr Carol Dweck,   this book explores the power of your mindset. Looking at fixed or growth mindsets, this book reveal how to foster learning and nurture resilience. Despite the big topic, Mindset is an easy read.

Flow
Psychologist Mihaly explores the happy state of mind called Flow, the feeling of complete engagement in a creative or playful activity. Looking at so much research, you will learn what really motivates people.

The Brain That Changes Itself
The world of neuroplasticity is endlessly fascinating for me. This book delves into the research and incredible real stories of how the brain is able to change its structure and function. Human potential is incredibly inspiring and you will find this book changes the way you look at human nature.

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By |January 7th, 2015|Health & Wellbeing, Research|0 Comments
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Emma’s Book Booster: For the dieters & cleansers

Toxin Toxout
Written by the same two incredible researchers who wrote “Slow Death by a Rubber Duck”, this book focuses on how to get harmful chemicals out of your body and life. Using themselves as guinea pigs, they get in depth in their experiments and then provide steps you can take to reduce your body burden.

I loved the section on which detox methods actually work!

Fat Resistance Diet
Research shows that losing weight is not about counting calories in and calories out, it’s far more complicated than that. Leptin resistance is becoming more and more common in my clinic and this book delves into the research behind it. Leptin controls your metabolic rate; it is a natural fat loss hormone. But, just like insulin resistance, many people become leptin-resistant, putting them in a fat storage mode. There is a fat resistance diet that is interesting but it’s the research that I loved.

The Leptin Diet
I have done so much research on leptin resistance and how to treat it. Leptin controls appetite, energy and metabolic rate and communicates directly to your brain, telling us how much fat is in storage. This book highlights 5 easy lifestyle guidelines to help balance leptin.  A great and easy read that is a perfect start if you are struggling with weight loss.

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By |December 30th, 2014|Detox, Gut health, Health & Wellbeing, Mojo, Nutrition, Research, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Emma’s Book Booster: For Foodies and Greenies

Slow Food Nation
This book was written by the founder of the Slow Food Movement, Carlo Petrini, a man who passionately loves food. In this book, he explains his movement of high quality foods, environmental sustainability and social justice. He wants a food system that is good, clean and fair. This is the era of moving away from fast food and the industrial food system in favour of a sustainable food system. It’s a brilliant read, both empowering and hugely passionate.  Ideal for foodies and greenies.

The Great Big Veg Challenge
This is the story of a 7-year old vegetable-phobic Freddie and his mother. She becomes super clever at identifying key strategies to help Freddie learn to love his vegetables. With the A-Z of vegetables and lots of yummy recipes, this is a beautiful book for any parent. The book is a result of Charlotte’s popular blog, The Great Big Vegetable Challenge.

The Root Cause
I treat so many clients for Hashimotos, an autoimmune thyroid condition. What I love about this book is that it looks into the underlying causes of Hashimotos – adrenal depletion, gut dysbiosis, inflammation and poor digestion. As a naturopath, this is exactly what I focus on! Izabella Wentz has written a user-friendly book that covers so many aspects of thyroid health, a must-read for so many people.

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By |December 11th, 2014|Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition, Research, Sustainable and Green, Uncategorized|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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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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