Sunday, June 30, 2013

How's your zinc status?

People with mild depression or anxiety may have modified perceptions of how fat, sweet and bitter flavours which could result in higher consumption levels of unhealthy foods, researchers suggest.

I wonder if the authors of this latest study made the possible trace element connection? The researchers, from University of Wurzburg, Germany published their findings in PLoS One. They showed that people suffering from mild depression or anxiety also have modified perceptions of how fat, sweet or bitter particular foods are.  

Could zinc be a missing link? Zinc is one of the most important trace elements, but zinc deficiency is also the most widespread deficiency in the Western world. Compromised zinc status has been linked to a multitude of issues, including both depression and poor taste sensation. Compromised zinc status can have affect every aspect of reproduction from how fertile you are to how easily your baby will settle. There’s a very simple, inexpensive test for zinc status - all the details here and in Healthy Parents, Healthy Baby.




Friday, June 28, 2013

GM - a threat to wheat exports?

If you’ve been following the GM vs non-GM debate, you’ll be well aware that those espousing the benefits of GM-produce trot out arguments along the lines of ... “in every respect equivalent to conventional produce”, “no harm to human health”, “the only way we can hope to feed the burgeoning human population” and so on.

But in addition to the spin trotted out by Big Farming (e.g. Monsanto and its like), another story is beginning to emerge. The natural wariness with which Europeans (in particular) have approached GM-produce, is proving to be well-founded. For example, in 2006 the presence of GM-strains of rice earmarked for export from the US resulted in BayerCropScience paying out $750 million to 11,000 rice farmers who mounted a class action for loss of income. Now non-approved GM strains of wheat have been identified in fields in Oregon (US), a decade after the trials were halted. The potential damages claim for lost export earnings could dwarf that to the rice farmers, but more to the point, the loss of the wheat export dollar could seriously damage the already fragile US economy.

Then there’s evidence that the Monsanto herbicide “Roundup Ready” developed specifically for use with GM crops is not as benign as we were told. Rather the glyphosate and its metabolites inhibit the major detoxification enzymes in the body and now, adding insult to a lot of injury, the nutritional content of GM produce is demonstrated to be a mere fraction of conventionally farmed produce. 
  • Calcium: GMO corn = 14 ppm / Non-GMO corn = 6,130 ppm (437 times more)
  • Magnesium: GMO corn = 2 ppm / Non-GMO corn = 113 ppm (56 times more)
  • Manganese: GMO corn = 2 ppm / Non-GMO corn = 14 ppm (7 times more)
In short, GM produce needs mandatory labeling immediately and governments need to do a serious rethink over the wisdom of allowing any more GM seeds to be patented or crops to be planted. How likely that is remains open for debate - Big Farming, like Big Pharma donates Big Dollars to politicians, scientists and opinion leaders of all creeds and colours.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The "breast cancer" gene - another perspective

Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine says that mammography doesn’t save lives - in fact the number of women dying from breast cancer is exactly the same as it was when screening was introduced to the UK 40 years ago. However there is a greatly increased rate of false positives leading to additional stress and uncertainty, further testing and unnecessary treatment!

Meanwhile the media circus continues to swirl around Angelina Jolie, applauding her courageous decision to have a double mastectomy and to make it public. But there’s a sobering reminder of the real likelihood of breast cancer from What Doctors Don’t Tell You (WDDTY).

“Around 85 per cent of women whose BRCA gene is first-degree—in other words, it affects only her mother or sister rather than generations of women in the family—will never develop breast cancer.  Paradoxically, 85 per cent of women who have breast cancer don’t have the genetic malfunction. Studies have also demonstrated that genes play a secondary role in determining whether or not someone develops breast cancer.”

Scientifically proven as one of the primary role players, is HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). About ten years ago, the Women’s Health Initiative first raised the alarm.  Confusion and debate ensured, but in March 2013 the definitive word from The National Cancer Institute. Women who have taken HRT have a much greater risk of developing breast cancer and of dying from it. A recent conversation with a colleague who has a holistic practice specialising in natural fertility enhancement provided a further reminder that we put synthetic hormones into women’s bodies at our peril! She told me that every single one of her patients who had attempted IVF (with its mega-dose chemical cocktail of hormonal stimulation), before coming to her clinic was now suffering from breast cancer. These are all women in their 30s and 40s, all women with young families. Angelina’s courage notwithstanding, breast cancer is about a great deal more than your genetic lottery! One very protective factor is prolonged breastfeeding! Read about all the other benefits for you and your children...



Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Gut microbiota linked to infant growth rate

"The composition of the gut microbiota in a new-born baby may have a significant impact on the rate of growth during early infancy" according to new research.

Yes, I know I keep saying it, but the evidence just keeps piling up. The gut microbiota holds the more general and long-term physical and mental health of the individual in its little bacterial hands. Here’s another study providing confirmation. 

Researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health have linked the presence of specific microbial strains to both increased and reduced growth rate in infants. They studied fecal samples of 218 infants when they were 4,10,30 and 120 days old and identified the healthy strains that led to expected growth rate, also the unhealthy strains that reduced expected growth. Their studies add weight (sorry, bad joke) to the argument that it’s the composition of the gut microbiota that predispose to obesity, and conversely to lean. 

My mantra - ensure the healthiest possible gut population for the whole family, whether you’re planning pregnancy, already pregnant, or raising toddlers. It’s easy to make a multi-strained probiotic supplement into a yoghurt that the whole family can enjoy every day.

Friday, June 21, 2013

In love with fat babies?

Yet another study demonstrating the perfectly obvious. Excessive weight gain in infancy is linked to inappropriate weight gain in adulthood and to all the various co-morbidities suffered by the overweight and obese. Despite the fact that a fat baby is headed for a lifetime of being overweight and unhealthy, some cultures still set great store by having an overly-large infant. That means the new parents of China and India are well placed to see their fondness for infant chubbiness translated into later problems. When exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months is directly linked to leaner, healthier adults, the rise and rise of infant formula as the preferred form of early infant nutrition in those regions means absolute certainty of increased health problems down the track. 

Where are the regulators who have the power to curtail the sale of infant formula (at least in the first six months of life)? Don’t ask - maybe they’re held in thrall by the infant formula manufacturers. China may even make matters worse by cleaning up their local milk production and setting more stringent standards for the manufacturers of infant formula. While the regulatory moves are positive from the consumer's point of view (no more melamine scandals), they could also be seen as tacit endorsement of formula feeding.  Only one country so far has moved in the right direction. In South Africa, infant formula is now only available on prescription. 


Thursday, June 20, 2013

Monsanto - taking a backward step?

Good news - at least in one part of the world. Europeans have long been wary of embracing GM-produce, to the point that Monsanto says it will cease its lobbying activities in that region. Announcing that they plan to focus their activities in areas that are more receptive to their GM-technology, Monsanto cited low demand from European farmers and “stiff opposition” from the general public as the reason for their decision. Let’s hope the rest of the world catches up with those stiff European sentiments soon. 

On another front, Monsanto is under a different sort of attack. A non-approved, experimental strain of wheat has been found growing in Oregon, several years after Monsanto concluded its trials there. In response, Japan has placed an outright ban on imports of wheat from the USA, with other markets likely to follow suit. If the hip pockets of grain and other exporters start to feel the effects of their embrace of GM, we might see further curtailment of the activities of Monsanto and its ilk. Meanwhile lobbying for all produce to be labelled as GM-containing or otherwise is gathering momentum state by state across the USA and a class action has been mounted by farmers claiming loss of income due to import bans.

Closer to home, The Safe Food Foundation tells us that wheat is Australia's most profitable commodity, worth $7.5 billion in 2011-12, with about two thirds of that production earmarked for export. Safe Food Foundation continues ... “Twenty five major food companies, including Barilla, Bakers Delight, Carrefour, Sanitarium, and General Mills state that they are not interested in buying GM wheat, or have a policy excluding all GM ingredients. This is clear indication that growing GM wheat would have devastating economic consequences for tax payers, wheat farmers and the food industry.” Australia should take note. 

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Breast vs bottle - must it always be one or t’other?

Make no mistake - I’m a passionate breastfeeding advocate, and particularly passionate about prolonged breast-feeding and infant-led weaning. I say “ask the experts, only 3 year olds need apply!”

But I’m also a pragmatist. In Australia, the baby-friendly initiative in hospitals has meant a big increase in the number of women who are confidently and securely breastfeeding on discharge.  But twelve months down the track, the number still breastfeeding remains static at around ten percent - despite the fact that WHO recommends a minimum period of at least two years. The number remains static despite better adherence by formula manufacturers to the MAIF Code. The number remains static despite the mass of material suggesting that there is no substitute for breastmilk, that breastfed babies are healthier, brighter, more secure and that their mothers enjoy a whole host of physical, mental and emotional benefits that continue long after the breastfeeding period is over. 

So as a very practical woman, with 45 years in both orthodox and complementary medicine, with a variety of educational roles and as a spokesperson for numerous health-promoting products and services, I’ve come to the conclusion that women need to hear a different message. We need to tell them that whatever their reason for initiating formula feeds and whatever their timing, they shouldn’t make it an either/or decision. The benefits of “nursing” (and I deliberately choose that instead of the more prescriptive “breastfeeding”) go far beyond the delivery of food and drink to a baby. 

But the reality? A Mexican stand-off between infant formula manufacturers and breastfeeding associations. Cowboy companies who capitalise on ignorance and fear in emerging markets. Mums who for a multitude of real or spurious reasons choose a supplemental product. The biggest loser in all of this is the baby. I believe that breastfeeding is a child’s birthright. Encouraging mothers to provide at least some of that birthright is better than providing none at all. Meanwhile formula manufacturers must work towards a product that is as close as possible to Nature's design. Some examples include strains of probiotic isolated from breastmilk (not from the gut), fatty acid content closer to breastmilk and staged levels of protein that is more akin to the real thing. Or human milk banks? Now there's an opportunity for an enterprising company...

On a slightly different note, this video is almost 30 years old, in about 5 minutes a good way to explain to children about breastfeeding. 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Obesity during pregnancy - lifetime risk for the baby

A woman’s diet and lifestyle before and during pregnancy, can affect her baby's health for a lifetime a new scientific report has concluded.

Jeez, how many more studies do we need?? Just this week I had a meeting with the Development Officer at my old alma mater - Sydney University. We discussed my involvement in a research project (or projects) around my Healthy Parents, Healthy Baby program and I made it clear that I would not support yet another study to confirm what we already know. 

But here’s another one! From the British Nutrition Foundation and titled Nutrition and Development: short and long term consequences for health, it was presented at a conference for health professionals in London May 21 2013. The report states “A woman’s diet and lifestyle before and during pregnancy, and her baby’s diet in early life, can affect the infant’s risk of succumbing to disease later.”

We know, we know, we’ve known for years and years, but what we need now is a way to ensure that the population not only accept this, but act on it. Julian Savulescu, Uehiro Professor of Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford speaking on SBS Insight, October 2012 said “Parents have a moral responsibility to create the healthiest baby possible.” 
All you need to know about creating that optimally healthy baby right here ...

Monday, June 17, 2013

Reward sales of fresh, healthy food?

A recent letter published in the British Medical Journal suggests that providing incentives for the sale of healthy foods at supermarket checkouts could be more effective than putting a tax (e.g. "fat tax") on unhealthy foods. 

This guy sounds like he’s got his thinking cap on straight. Rather than taxing the unhealthy foods, let’s give the healthy ones a tax break ... Dr. Ian Lake, general practitioner and obesity researcher has made a novel proposal. Taking the example of the five major UK supermarkets, Lake suggests linking loyalty cards to an incentive scheme that rewards those stores that reach a target of spending on healthy foods. While he admits that the identification of those foods which are healthy could prove contentious, he also suggests that the carrot might work better than the stick. 

I agree and while we’re at it, let’s reward those individuals who through their own positive actions, keep themselves and their familes healthy. 


Saturday, June 15, 2013

Infant-led weaning? The when and the why...

While in touch with my old school mates over our impending 50-year reunion, I exchanged an email with lo-and-behold, another mother who defied the odds and let her daughter wean in her own time. Nothing like birds of a feather flocking together...

Then later that day a Mercola article and advice from a “Darwinian dentist” who explains how a child’s teeth and palate develop optimally, without occlusion when the child is exclusively breastfed for at least six months, then introduced to pre-masticated food (in lieu of processed baby foods) prior to finger foods of the whole, unrefined, organic variety. Breastfeeding should continue until the child decides he’s had enough. When might that be you ask? Anthropologists validate what the West perversely terms “prolonged” with the breastfeeding period for all species of primates equivalent to six times (x6) the period of gestation. That means 54 months = 4.5 years for humans! 

Or you can simply ask another sort of expert - and only three year olds need apply. More on the subject in Healthy Parents, Healthy Toddler.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Takeaway? Takeout? How often do you eat it?

"A survey of more than 5,000 users of a leading online food ordering service shows that 88 percent of young US urbanites buy lunch at least once a week and a quarter buy lunch every day."  

Scary statistic - and that’s just the lunchtime takeout! I suggest Australia is probably not far behind. How long since you took a packed lunch from home? If you can’t remember, maybe you could try getting up ten minutes earlier and putting together something fresh, whole and nutritious. Of course your ability to do that depends on what’s in your fridge and also on your having made extra portions when you cooked dinner. Can’t remember the last time you cooked dinner? Can’t imagine anything other than a peanut butter sandwich for your lunch box, then listen up...

Healthy food grown on healthy soil, a rainbow every day, more red, orange, green, yellow and purple - less white? Whatever your particular mantra around your eating habits, your physical and mental health will benefit. If you’re thinking babies you can head off fussy eaters at the pass, but that means a complete overhaul of your own shopping and eating preferences. So whether it’s just for you wanting more than peanut butter, for your kids who can do a lot better than a canteen lunch or for a yet-to-be-conceived next generation I’ve got all the information you need. Shopping lists, beginner’s kitchen garden, simple, delicious recipes, getting kids involved and best of all  ... lunchbox suggestions!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Swamped by the cost of the healthcare system?

Professor Paul Clayton from Oxford University’s Institute of Food Brain and Behaviour says  “public health is in a desperate state and it is getting worse!” Adding that there are “grotesque public health problems that are overwhelming our facilities” Professor Clayton suggests we need to find a way for the industry and the regulatory sector to communicate more effectively and work better together...mmmmmmmmm

Having worked for more than 45 years in the “healthcare” industry, I can say with confidence that it’s really a “disease care” industry and disease care is extremely profitable. Without resolve to draconian measures, that situation won’t resolve anytime soon. 

However, were the current situation to reverse, in other words were money only paid out when the individual stayed well, Big Pharma and all its acolytes e.g. hospitals, doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists and yes, those in natural medicine who do no more than dispense band-aids from a different sort of medicine cabinet, might operate under different parameters. Right now there is little incentive for a health professional  to dispense diet and lifestyle advice when a prescription can be offered in a fraction of the time and when such prescribing often comes attached to a grab bag of freebies. Providing financial incentives to those individuals who stay well might also change the way the general population responds to health-promotion measures. Most significant benefits should be handed to those couples who set the foundation of better health long before conception occurs! 



Tuesday, June 11, 2013

It's a job that really matters

Interesting and thought-provoking article. In a society where many are privileged enough to delegate tedious household chores to others - cleaning, ironing, cooking just some examples - where do we draw the line? If we are also able to delegate many of our parenting 'chores' - school drop-offs and pick-ups, induction and graduation ceremonies, homework and more - do we simply become women who betray other women? The author of this article set me thinking.


In response, I ask my own question - ‘why bother?’ If the demands of raising children consistently take a back seat to your ‘real’ life and your professional responsibilities, maybe parenting isn’t a career you should embark on. Today there’s a problem in our perception of what becoming a mum or a dad actually means. Quite simply, parenting just doesn’t feature very highly on anyone’s list of worthwhile or meaningful jobs. For many, having kids is just another box ticked or another score on the board. Yet no job is more important and none more rewarding! My final question ... at the end of your life, will you wish you’d spent more time in the office? I reckon you'll wish you’d spent more time with your kids. 
More on this topic in Healthy Parents, Healthy Toddler.


Monday, June 10, 2013

The brains of boys ...

Great article that should alert every mother of sons. Politically incorrect as it may be, the aptitudes, abilities and needs of boys and girls are very different. Or to put it in the more eloquent words of a very wise woman “there are rich and rare differences between males and females and we ignore them at our peril!”

Maggie Dent points to the differences in the brain development of young children, explaining that the left and right sides of the brains of little girls develop at the same rate. Boys however lag far behind in left brain development, their right brain forging ahead and making optimum learning for boys occur through activity and doing. Passivity numbs boys’ brains!

The solution of course isn’t always in the hands of pre and primary schools, where there is generally a significant teacher gender imbalance. However, little boys are disadvantaged when offered quiet, craft and indoor activities when they should be running, climbing, jumping and tumbling. This is not to denigrate the wonderful creativity, patience, forbearance and nurturing abilities of women teachers, just a reminder that little boys do best when in action, not when sitting still. We might see a reduction in the number of boys on the so-called “spectrum” of learning and behaviour disorders if they were simply given more opportunity to spread their wings, get out of the classroom and into the fresh air.   

I reckon Mikey, my younger son, now half way through his primary teaching degree will be in high demand. He’s already hot property at our local after-school and vacation-care where he tells me the little boys in his care constantly eschew indoor creativity for a wild game of “tips”. Bet they'll love his tattoo and his earrings too.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Preventing disability - let's start before conception

Not for one minute do I suggest that Australia’s proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) should not go ahead. However, what I would dearly love to see, is some of the allocated funds go towards prevention! 

Yes, I’m on my soapbox again but am asking the question ... What would it take for every child-bearing individual in this country to be made intimately aware of the effects of their own actions, in the time before they conceive, on the health of their future children? Young people (teenagers in particular) have a strong sense of being bullet proof. What would it take to mount a public education campaign to educate them otherwise? We do it around the impact of smoking, drinking and drug-taking on teenagers' health. But we also need to instill in them the knowledge that they hold the physical and mental health of the next generation in the health of their own eggs and sperm? We must show them that a child who suffers a disability from birth is not simply the bad luck of the draw, but something over which prospective parents exercise a very large degree of control. 


I’d personally feel a lot happier about my increased Medicare levy - about $1/day it seems - funding some prevention along with the ongoing support for the current disabled population.




Thursday, June 6, 2013

"Roundup" ... leads to toxic overload

Dr. Mercola’s newsletter should be obligatory reading for anyone who wants to enjoy optimal health thanks to the best natural products, while avoiding the many toxins that slip into the environment courtesy of the vested interests of big Pharma and big Farming. 

Latest warning bell from Dr. M is not a new one, but the research now gathers momentum. The latest findings demonstrate more downsides of GM produce and the heavy use of Monsanto’s broad-spectrum “Roundup” on GM crops. First up, the researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) show that GM-corn is not equivalent nutritionally, but more frightening is the fact that glyphosate (Roundup), which has been deemed “minimally toxic to humans” actually inhibits cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. The major function of these vitally important enzymes is to detoxify xenobiotic (foreign) substances in the body. Inhibited by glyphosate, there is no pathway for the conjugation and excretion of these foreign chemicals. The toxic burden in the body accumulates and with it the likelihood of ill-health and later disease. 

According to the authors: "Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body.”

I’ve always advocated the consumption of organic produce, but if you were ever in any doubt, this latest scientific finding should be the clincher. 


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Toxic burden? You can reduce it ...

“Virtually all pregnant women in the U.S. carry multiple chemicals in their bodies. This chemical load includes some banned since the 1970's, as well as others used in common products such as non-stick cookware, processed foods and personal care products.”

I’d suggest that pregnant women in Australia would be close behind in the toxic burden stakes. And I don’t say this to alarm you, simply to make you aware of the need to reduce your exposure to chemicals wherever possible. They’re affecting your health and the likelihood that they will affect your unborn (or yet-to-be-conceived) baby is certain. So your awareness and subsequent avoidance measures must extend to the time before conception and must include your partner!

Here are some of my key recommendations for reducing your toxic exposure and giving your body the tools to support ongoing detoxification
  • organic produce (whole, unrefined, in season)
  • avoid food in cans, packets, bottles
  • chemical-free personal care (shampoo, conditioner, skincare etc)
  • natural, low-toxicity domestic care products (kitchen, bathroom, laundry)
  • exercise away from heavy traffic
  • reduce workplace exposure (solvents, heavy metals, chemicals)
  • drink only purified water 
  • regular dose of potent probiotic
  • daily dose of comprehensive combination of vitamins and trace elements specific for reproduction
All in place for a minimum of four months before conception and throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. But the need to keep toxic levels low doesn’t really ever stop - the above recommendations must simply become conscious, healthy lifestyle choices for your whole family. Particularly important that your children grown in a toxicity-free environment. Learn more ...

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Get good guys into your newborn baby's belly

"A mother's gut microbiota may transfer and colonise newborn infants intestines in the first few days after birth, according to new research from Yakult."

Yep, that’s right, so make sure you’re passing on good gut bacteria. That simply means getting your own gut house in order long before you conceive and then maintaining it during your pregnancy. It also means avoiding C-sections and formula feeds, both of which interfere with the appropriate colonisation of your baby’s gut. But if you get your infant's gut health right in that brief window that exists post-natally you’ve given him or her a lifetime of better health. 

Simple equation and it all starts with the right product and the right supporting health-promotion measures. But your partner’s part of this equation too. His gut health can benefit from a tune-up, in fact the general population would benefit from a mouth to rectum overhaul of their insides. If that sounds like an invasive procedure, it can be easily accomplished with a potent probiotic, mixing strains that colonise the whole length of your intestines and taken on a regular and ongoing basis.


Monday, June 3, 2013

Fifty years on - and looking back

In recent weeks I’ve watched as girls from my long-ago school days join the group that, come November, will celebrate fifty years since graduating from Narrabeen Girls’ High. Thanks to the sleuthing efforts of a committed few, our group grows bigger and more involved with ways to mark this milestone. First of all it was news that a favourite English teacher is still alive and will turn 91 in September. Miss Collins was clearly an inspiration to many, her ex-students claiming true mastery of grammar (not just by themselves but by their children), constant critical eyes cast over modern journalism, a lifetime love of literature, a career as an English teacher, and my own claim - an ability to write.

Then the memories started pouring in - our misdemeanours probably sound tame to modern-day students, although leaving the music room via the window and re-appearing through the classroom door, transposing student names in the process, would surely frustrate any teacher, then or now. Thankfully, some of the teaching styles and ways of addressing or chastising students are long gone. 

Next to come are our one-page summaries of lives, loves, achievements and dreams ... I feel a Wiki coming on!

That's me, top row, third from right - I was soon to turn 16 years old and head off to university.



Saturday, June 1, 2013

Speaking of brain food


It’s official - the average Western diet damages your brain! Of course lots of people have known that fact for a very long time - but now Australian researchers at Macquarie University, reviewing decades of evidence, have linked the high-fat, high-sugar, typical Western-style diet to impaired brain functioning and development of neurodegenerative conditions. They make it clear that the same foods that are making us fat are impairing our mental function and are also disturbing our appetite regulation.

The bad news ... there is limited evidence to show that the neurodegenerative decline is reversible. 

Another study on the subject of memory and improving cognition, a topic very dear to every baby-boomer’s heart, the Mediterranean diet rears its healthy head again. Yep, the benefits of olive oil, lots of red, purple and green vegetables, plus seafood, nuts and legumes is undisputed. In other words, the things to avoid are red meat and dairy, those saturated fats that the Macquarie researchers identified as the trouble-makers. 

The good news ... you can set your children on the right path, give them the very best possible start in mental (and physical) health. The introduction to what you and your partner need to eat and do in the time before you get pregnant in my new mini ebooks.