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Children’s Health
Naturopathy works very well with children’s ailments, as it is gentle and effective, with few side effects. In fact Naturopathic care can start as early as preconception, to ensure optimum health of Mum and Dad prior to conceiving, throughout the 9 months of pregnancy, and of course breastfeeding.
Some dietary tips for encouraging healthy children are as follows;
- Ensure your children are eating a healthy breakfast every day as the brain needs fuel to work efficiently. This will be giving your child the best start to a good day, and ensure optimum learning and concentration
- Ensure there is protein with each meal as proteins are essential for growth, repair and maintenance of all body tissues. They act as building blocks for hormones, antibodies, immune compounds, enzymes and neurotransmitters. Examples are meat, chicken, seafood, nuts, seeds and pulses.
- Adequate fibre is essential for digestive health, cleaning the digestive tract, lowering risk for many diseases, binding toxins and removing them from the body. Fibre is found in fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and cereals.
- Vitamins and Minerals – there are water-soluble (vitamin B’s and C) and fat soluble (vitamins A, D, E, K), it’s important to include healthy fats in the diet to ensure fat-soluble vitamins are being absorbed. Most of these nutrients can be found in a healthful diet of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates
- Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) – the body does not make it’s own EFA’s, so these must be obtained through diet. They are important for many functions in the body such as a healthy immune system, reducing cholesterol levels, reducing inflammation, building hormones and promoting a healthy nervous system and brain function. Examples of these foods are cold-water fish, dried legumes and raw nuts and seeds.
- Probiotic foods such as yoghurt, fermented vegetables and miso. These foods are also an important part of your child’s diet as they have been proven to be beneficial for the immune system, as well as so many other illnesses as a healthy gut is an important factor for long term health.
Naturopathy can help with many conditions that affect children such as asthma, colds and flu, constipation, recurrent ear infections, eczema, hyperactivity, impetigo, sleeplessness, insomnia and many more. Treatment is very individualised based on the symptoms that the child is presenting with. Your Naturopath will help guide you through making the necessary dietary changes, as well as supplementing with herbs or nutrients if needed to get a result faster. If you’re not sure, get in touch to see if we can help!
Tips for staying well this Winter
It’s always a sad time of year for me when the days start to get shorter and colder! It can also be a difficult time with people that are prone to cold and flu symptoms such as coughs, sore throats, headaches, sneezing and blocked noses, and muscular aches.
If you or your family dread this time of year as you seem to be afflicted with illness, it might be a good time to reassess your diet and lifestyle, and possibly go that step further and see a qualified Naturopath to help you whilst coming in to those colder months.
Include these to help boost your Immune System.
- Zinc – this mineral is found in most protein containing foods, eg chicken, beef, fish, nuts, seeds (pumpkin seeds are an excellent source). Zinc deficiency can be one of many reasons for repetitive illness, poor wound healing, skin disorders and white spots on your nails. Zinc and Copper are competing minerals, so if one is low then the other may be high, which can then drive the deficiency down further. Another problem can be low stomach acid, which means you are not breaking down proteins efficiently and therefore not absorbing the zinc.
- Vitamin C – this vitamin is important in preventing illness as well as speeding up recovery times, as it increases the activity of infection fighting white blood cells. Good sources of vitamin C are berries, oranges, kiwifruit, guava, tomatoes, capsicum, dark green leafy vegetables and broccoli.
- Mushrooms – are also an excellent food source for improving the function the immune system, the best varieties are shiitake, maitake and reishi so add as many of these as possible.
- Add lots of ginger, garlic and onion to your diet – they have great pathogen fighting properties and are very beneficial to the immune system.
- Probiotic foods – such as yoghurt (if tolerated), miso, sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables. A big part of the immune system is in the gut, so ensuring sufficient good bacteria is another way to maximise your immune function.
- Get outside more – part of the problem with the colder months is that we stay inside to keep warm. By doing this we are missing out on the benefits of sunshine and fresh air, and allowing exposure to harmful pathogens that others in the room may have.
Avoid these if you are prone to infections.
Sugar – it is very important to minimise or eliminate sugar from your diet, as it reduces the capacity of your white blood cells to engulf invading pathogens. This effect has been proven to last for up to 5 hours after eating a high sugar food.
Mucus forming foods – especially if you are prone to congestion and phlegm, the foods to avoid are mostly dairy, sugar and refined foods.
Avoiding illness this winter.
The best thing you can do is to prevent infection. However if you have made all of the mentioned changes to your diet and lifestyle and are still getting sick, it may be time to see a Naturopath that can investigate further and prescribe a herbal remedy and/or appropriate supplementation.
Naturopathy and Digestive Disorders
Digestive disorders can be a very frustrating condition to have, with the stomach aches, urgent trips to the toilet, bloating, pain, avoiding certain foods and many more embarrassing situations. It comes as a very welcome relief for patients when they seek help for these conditions.
The gastrointestinal system is so important for overall health of every other organ and body system. It is needed for proper digestion, absorption and assimilation of nutrients, without these the body would not be able to function. It is no wonder why people that complain of problems associated with poor digestion are often sluggish, lethargic and lacking in vitality
Naturopathy can help with a range of digestive complaints, are few are listed below;
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Coeliac disease
- Pain, bloating, discomfort
- Constipation and/or diarrhoea
- Diverticular disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Prevention of travellers diarrhoea
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disorder
How can Naturopathy help with digestive disorders?
There is great potential for naturopathy to help with digestive disorders, quite often is can be due to certain food intolerances or allergies. Sometimes if the food is removed for 3 months, and then reintroduced it can be tolerated again, and sometimes the food needs to be avoided on a more permanent basis.
Your naturopath will take a thorough case history as well as observe your body, as there are physical manifestations of poor digestion that will appear in the hair, nails and/or skin.
NET and Pregnancy
We have all heard the stories of couples trying to have babies for years and years without any luck. Often times these couples try with undying focus and commitment. Making sure that ovulation is timed to the hour, that their diets are organic, in bed by 9pm every night and that they swallow so many supplements they almost rattle. And then after several years of fruitless trying, disappointed and sad, they take a break from trying, go on holidays, and then surprisingly realise they are pregnant once they return from their trip.
There’s nothing new about this story, in fact its been told and heard so many times its probably a good idea to look as what is actually going on there. How is it that for many couples that struggle to fall pregnant, all the effort, planning and commitment in the world brings no results, but when they let it all go and focus on something else, a baby is on the way?
Enter the theories of the Quantum world. In recent decades the field of Quantum physics has taught us a lot about how our intentions and thoughts impact the cellular and biological structure of our bodies. We have learnt that the smaller the biological structure, the more easily our thoughts, emotions and intentions influence it. For example, we know that when we feel happy, neurotransmitters are created and up taken in the brain. Said another way, our happiness biologically creates chemicals. Just like when we feel fear, our body creates a reaction whereby adrenalin is produced. So our fear is a creative process also. On some level, all our thoughts, emotions and beliefs are creative within our biology.
So, how does this relate to pregnancy? If our beliefs, thoughts and emotions can create hormones and neurotransmitters and alter cellular structures in our body, is it possible that they can also influence ones ability to fall pregnant or not? N.E.T practitioners answer with a resounding YES!
A woman’s beliefs and emotions, conscious or unconscious, seem to have a powerful relationship to challenges with falling pregnant. The simplest example of this is when a woman becomes stressed, sometimes her reproductive cycle changes, and under high stress, the menstrual cycle can even stop.
Beyond common stress, there are more subtle emotional influences that don’t necessarily stop the menstrual cycle but can inhibit and stop one becoming pregnant. With NET the practitioner uses muscle testing as a diagnostic tool to discover what emotions are blocked within the system, and where they are stored within the body. Once these are cleared the reproductive system can regulate normally once again.
Some common examples of the typical kinds of emotions that have blocked the reproductive system are;
- Being unconsciously fearful that a newborn will mean the end of their much-revered career.
- Unconsciously feeling that one will not be a “good enough” mother.
- Having been raised by parents that were abusive, fearing that the cycle will continue.
- Fearing not knowing how to attend to a baby due to not having been attended to well when they were a baby also.
- Fearing that there will not be enough space, time or support (for mother or child) if one was to fall pregnant.
- Unconsciously buying into the “rules” of the family that the older sister must give birth before I can fall pregnant.
- A belief that my child will be somehow different if I fall pregnant through IVF.
These memories, beliefs and emotions are stored in the body at a cellular level and bind the body into biological structures that inhibit and stop reproduction. Typically these emotions will also enhance or inhibit hormone levels within the body, which we know to be a key factor in successful pregnancy. Once the emotions and beliefs are discovered and released as a cellular level, their influence on hormones is also released, and their hold over the reproductive system is removed.
Improving your chances of conceiving
Preconceptual Care
Preconceptual care involves getting both partners into the best possible physical and mental shape to maximise your chances of creating a pregnancy that lasts to full term, and brings you a healthy baby at the end of it. Research indicates that a three to four month programme of healthy living will get you into excellent shape before trying for a baby, help you become pregnant more quickly and reduce the chance of miscarriage.
Preconceptual care is a common sense approach, and when both couples adopt these principles, it can dramatically increase the chances of a healthy conception.
Five Steps to Fertility
For 3-4 months, both partners should:
- Eat only health, fresh foods
- Eliminate any toxic substances from your system – for example give up smoking and drinking alcohol
- Find out which vitamins and minerals you are short of, and top up
- Become as fit and well as you can – for example exercise regularly and get checked and treated for any low level genito-urinary infections such as thrush
- Reduce the level of stress in your life
Complementary therapy treatments including herbal medicine, reflexology, chiropractic, acupuncture and even counselling can work gently and effectively to eliminate some of the obstacles to conception. Everyone and every couple is unique, and complementary therapies excels at holistically addressing individual health concerns.
Phytotherapy (Herbal Medicine).
Various herbal medicines are available to us to balance and enhance reproductive health, fertility and sexual vitality in both men and women. Herbs can have a potent effect on the reproductive system, and you will get the best results if you see a qualified naturopath or herbalist who are trained in the actions and administration of herbal medicine.
Some herbal remedies especially for women:
Vitex agnus-castus (Chaste Tree) – can assist to regulate periods and balance out the oestrogen and progesterone levels and rations.
Chamaelirium luteum (False Unicorn Root) – this North American herb has an excellent reputation as a tonic for the uterus and ovaries, and a balancing effect on the sex hormones. It is traditionally used for encouraging fertility in women.
Angelica sinensis (Dong Quai) – a traditional Chinese herbal tonic for women to regulate hormones and ovulation. This herb should not be taken in early pregnancy and avoided if there is a possibility you could be pregnant.
Withania somnifera (Winter Cherry) – is strengthening, rejuvenating and an important herb for stress and fatigue.
Asparagus racemosa (Shatavari) – a hormone balancer from India, which also enhances libido in women.
Some herbal remedies for men:
Turnera diffusa (Damiana) – strengthens the male reproductive system and also has a reputation as an aphrodisiac.
Panax ginseng (Korean Ginseng) – a useful herb for impotence, stress, low sperm count and fatigue.
Nutrition.
Both prospective parents should consider adequate intake of:
- Protein
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B-complex
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Essential Fatty Acids
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Iodine
- Iron
- Copper
- Boron
- Selenium
- Chromium
Where possible, minerals should be chelated and from an organic, natural source.
Finally, positive thinking is important. Whether this is through visualisation, verbal affirmations, hypnosis, meditation or other relaxation techniques, it can be a wonderful way to create change in your body.
Chiropractics role in fertility.
Most people think of seeing a Chiropractor for body pains and headaches, but Chiropractic care does have an impact on the whole body, including organ systems. In that way it does have a small role in helping with infertility, but is best used as an adjunct to other treatments such as Acupuncture or Naturopathy.
The principle of Chiropractic is to balance the physical body and allow it to function as it is designed to. This will in turn reduce any tension in the muscles, and pressure on the joints and spinal discs, and hence reduce pain. It also has the effect of reducing any pressure on the nerves. If the nervous system is free of pressure it is also able to function as normally as possible, hence the body’s organ systems will receive the optimal nerve supply and hence function optimally also. In this way Chiropractic can have an impact on systems including digestion, circulation and fertility.
The nerves that originate from the lumbar and sacral spine, ie the lower back and pelvis, supply the reproductive system, so if there is some imbalance to these structures there may be interference to how well the reproductive system works and hence possibly affect fertility.
Another way a Chiropractor may help when it comes to fertility, is with the Neuro Emotional Technique (NET), described in our June newsletter. Sometimes we can have fears that hold us back in life, and these fears and emotions can be strong enough to affect our body and how well it functions. When it comes to fertility, pregnancy and parenthood, there are many emotions that can come up, and potentially impact on our fertility (either by increasing stress levels or by affecting hormone levels). These can include fear of being pregnant or the birth, or self esteem issues around being a good parent. Commonly it can also bring up concerns of how a baby will impact your career, social life, relationship with your partner to name just a few. NET can be a great tool to allow you to be free those emotional blocks and hence function more optimally.
Once you fall pregnant, then Chiropractic can be of a great benefit in reducing any discomfort that can come about due to all the changes your body will be going through. See next month newsletter article, Chiropractic and Pregnancy.
Astragalus for immune system recovery
Astragalus is an extremely valuable herb for restoring immune function after illness and can also be used to maintain the body’s normal defences against cold and flu. It is the number one remedy for preventing post-viral fatigue (including chronic fatigue syndrome) that can proceed the flu and other viruses such as glandular fever.
Astragalus should not be taken during the initial viral infection, its function is more specific afterwards (you are looking at using herbs such as Olive leaf, Echinacea and Andrographis during an acute infection).
Feel free to ask for a free taste test of the Astragalus herb on Thursday afternoon and Saturday mornings when our resident Naturopath, Josie, is in clinic.
Other factors to consider when undertaking a program to boost immune function are:
- Cod Liver Oil which is high in vitamins A and D as well as essential fatty acids, all of which are necessary to boost and maintain the immune system.
- Vitamin C with bioflavonoids. Vitamin C is the single most important nutrient for immune function and should always be taken with bioflavonoids to improve absorption.
- Zinc boosts the immune response and aids in healing.
- Probiotics should be taken to replace bowel flora if antibiotics were taken during the initial infection.
Diet and lifestyle suggestions
- Get plenty of rest and good quality sleep (if you’re not sleeping well it is important to address that)
- Skin brushing to stimulate the lymphatic system which in turn supports proper immune function by removing waste and toxins from cells
- If you have any known allergies try to avoid contact with the offending allergens as much as possible as these place stress on the immune system.
- Eat a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds and wholegrains
- Great immune boosting foods are kelp, garlic, pearl barley, shitake mushrooms and umeboshi plums.
- Avoid sugar and caffeine as they both deplete your body of essential nutrients and exacerbate fatigue.
- Regular moderate exercise is essential for rebuilding and maintaining immune function.