Bottle feeding teeth debate

I had the happy experience to be on the Morning Show with Larry Edmur and Kylie Gillies on Monday morning.

The hot topic of bottle feeding babies was on the lips of many parents this week, after a study conducted by Westmed hospital in Sydney found that leaving bottles in a baby’s mouth for long periods of time can lead to significant tooth decay. Babies as young as 12 months are having their teeth removed due to decay.

See what I have to say here:

Since then I have been asked my stance on bottle feeding and breastfeeding.

I am an advocate of breastfeeding when this is possible. That said, if for whatever reason (and I realise there are so many) a woman is unable to breastfeed there are certainly things you can do to help support your baby. I recently wrote two blogs for the practical parenting website on these topics.

You (and your baby) are what you eat

It's all in the formula

As for the tooth decay? There are several things that can lead to tooth decay in small children. As Dr Richard Widmer mentioned in the segment, lactose (sugar) in milk is one contributing factor as are sugary drinks - including fruit juices.

Pharmaceuticals (including anti-biotics) can also lead to tooth erosion. It's a good idea to be mindful that if you or your child is taking medication, you can support the body with a good pro-biotic as well as other healing such as spinal care to maximise immunity and lessen side effects.

Supporting a formula fed baby with these things could also lessen infections.

Good Food Friday Treats :: Double Trouble!

This week - you're getting two! Two treats to add to your plate. I called out on facebook to ask what you wanted and you asked for both recipes I spoke of - with these recipes. So enjoy your weekend because I've got it covered when it comes to gourmet healthy eats.

chickpea & silverbeet curry

ingredients:

1 onion

1 garlic clove

1 small piece of ginger (2cm x 2cm)

coconut oil (this is my preference - it isn't carcinogenic like frying other oils can be)

2 tbs of curry paste - good quality, proper stuff without additives. It should be only made up of ground herbs and spices.

250ml cold water

1 can of organic chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 can of organic crushed tomatoes or passata

1 bunch of silverbeet chopped

basil to garnish

Chop onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor (or by hand if you don't have one)

Place a tablespoon of coconut oil in a fry pan, adding onion, garlic & ginger and cook for 5 minutes.

Add Curry paste and allow to simmer for a few minutes to allow the aromatic flavours to be released.

Add tomatoes, water and chick peas and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add chopped silver beet and cook for a further few minutes until silver beet is wilted and cooked.

Place in serving dish and top with basil. Serve with flat bread and a dollop of yoghurt. Scrummo.

granola topped apple crumble

This recipe actually allows for extra granola to be made up and stored. Granola is wonderful for breakfast or as a desert with yoghurt. In my quest to avoid sugar - I have removed it from this recipe all together. If you don't want extra granola, then you would probably divide the recipe by 5 (it makes enough for approximately 4 cups left over)

Peel and slice 8 apples and place in a saucepan with enough water to come 2cm up the side. Stew apples - cooking for approximately 30 minutes or until tender. Keep liquid.

granola

Combine 5 cups of whole oats (I used the 5 grains mix that has rice and barley in it), 3 cups of chopped walnuts, 1 cup chopped mixed nuts, 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds & 1/2 cup almond meal.

In a separate bowl, place 1 cup of the stewed apple - mashed, 1 cup of the liquid left from the stewing process and 3 tbs of coconut oil (or similar).

Combine the two bowls - add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix well adding more liquid if necessary (stewed liquid).

Line two trays with baking paper and divide mixture between the two, then place into a 180 degree oven and bake for 40 - 50, stirring every 10 minutes until mixture is completely golden and begins to dry out and harden.

Remove from oven and mix through dried fruit of your choice. I chose to chop dates and add currants.

apple crumble

Place apples in a baking dish. Place the granola mixture on top of the apples and bake in the oven for a further 5 minutes.

Serve with greek yoghurt.

Store the left over granola in an airtight container.

Giving without expectation of reward

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I've been challenged over recent months to give more back to the community. One way that I contribute is through my blog and making the most of my opportunity to talk to patients, but I have been feeling the urge to get out amongst it. My desire to get my hands dirty may have been sparked by the generosity and community spirit I witnessed during the recent floods that hit Australia. We all felt the impact. The way Australians come together to build a stronger unit is something we can all be very proud of.

I've long been of the belief that if we give, we receive. This doesn't have to necessarily be a monetary thing (although since I'm doing Feb Fast - do feel free to sponsor me), there are so many ways we can contribute to the greater good. The best way to practice generosity is to give energy where you can, and where there is a need. As I was searching for some ways to express this idea, I came across one kind act.com which sums it up beautifully give without expectation of anything in return, and what comes back will astound you.

What a lovely way to live! I'm adopting this idea - starting now.

So here is what I'm into at the moment:

Feb Fast

As you would have already seen - I'm doing Feb Fast. I want to use this opportunity to educate and share my experience over the next month - specifically focusing on fertility and the effects alcohol has on our health.

Run for Kids

I'm going to run. I'm really excited about this for many reasons. I get to train for a purpose other than for me - I know that exercise is so vital to my overall health but exercising with a goal is even more rewarding. Plus, I'm raising money for the Royal Childrens Hospital (RCH). What a wonderful organisation. When my best friend’s little boy was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, suddenly I had a new found appreciation for RCH. This is something that is very close to my heart . I run, I raise money, I get fit and I have fun! It is a win/win situation.

We have a team - team Pagoda Tree. Feel free to join us - the password is pagoda.

Dare to Dream : Dream to Dance

This is a youth project taking place in the western suburbs of Melbourne - kind of like a 'so you think you can dance-esque' event. They are looking for volunteers and professionals who may be able to give them time and skills. I'm spreading the word with this one. Perhaps you know somebody who might be able to give their time to this youth event?

Giving is rewarding. It's also good for your mind - and when our mind is healthy, we are healthier on the whole. Our body benefits, creating a fertile body, heart and soul.

I really encourage you to practice random acts of kindness without expectation of reward.

Sometime soon something awesome will come back to you.

Me, Feb Fast, Alcohol & Fertility

This year for the first time, I'm taking part in Feb Fast. I'm not doing this because I need time off alcohol - I'm doing End of Body Summer Cleanse anyway. I am doing this because I see first hand how alcohol can affect the body and most relevant to me and my practice, affects fertility.

Feb Fast is a program run to encourage people to pause, clean their body and raise awareness and money to assist resource centres around Australia. You can read more here.

Alcohol consumption is up there with stress when it comes to being a fertility zapper. We know that by cutting out alcohol, we increase a couple’s chance of conceiving by up to 50%. We also increase their health at the same time; a huge bonus! This may be more relevant to men, who are often able to drink more than women can. Our recommendation for couples who come into the clinic with fertility in mind, is two standard drinks per week – many of us would be guilty of far more than that, especially during a weekend.

Over the month of February I will be writing more about Feb Fast, alcohol, fertility and health. I encourage you to think about taking part - there are so many great reasons to participate –both for the individual and for the greater community. I'm on team for Sarah Wilson - her team last year raised over $8K. Top effort that.

If you can’t survive the month - you could always support me here. (hint hint, nudge nudge - I would love that!)

Good Food Friday Treats :: veggie burgers

Each week we get a delivery box of produce from Aussie Farmers Direct. I'm not kidding you when I say I'm like a kid at Christmas when this arrives. I get a present every Wednesday, waiting on my door step for when I get in from work. A box packed full of the best local produce - no stress and for the same price I might pay if I took a trip to the market. Aussie Farmers have introduced an organic range recently - this has completed our little love affair. Check out their website for delivery locations and variety of produce they have on offer. I get the large box of veggies which can last up to 2 weeks (even though I get a weekly order). The quality is second to none.

At the end of each week, I take a look in my fridge and aim to use up most of what is left to make room for the new box of fruit and veg that is eagerly on it's way. This week I whipped up a batch of lip smacking veggie burgers. These were so full of flavour, the mixture saw me eating it out of the bowl! You could add or subtract any veggies from the base mixture - and best of all they are free of gluten - perfect for the weekend BBQ.

Nat's Veggie Burgers

4 peeled potatos

1 cup of peas (I prefer fresh but frozen are ok)

2 grated carrots

8 mushrooms (I used button), chopped

2 diced shallots

1/4 cup basil shredded

1 nob of butter

salt and pepper to taste

Coconut oil to fry

In a steamer, steam potatoes until almost soft. Add peas and cook until both peas and potatoes are very soft.

Mash together peas and potato with a potato masher. Add butter, carrots, mushrooms, shallots, basil, salt and pepper and mix well.

Scoop small handfuls of mixture and work into a patty shape and size of your choice. Repeat until the mixture is finished. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes).

Heat a tsp of Coconut Oil in a fry pan and cook patties in batches.

Serve with Salad or in between bread to make an awesome burger.

talking fake stuff :: artificial sweeteners

original image here

If you think about it, nothing fake is ever that great. Fake tans are bad. Fake handbags, not so great. Fake chesticles, (aka breasts) very often bad! (although some may argue that one, especially those who enjoy the sport of spectating) I'm yet to come across anything good that is pretending to be something else. At the top of this list of bade fakes is fake sugar - really bad!

Aspartame is horrible stuff. So horrible in fact that it was denied eight times by Food and Drug Administration Department (FDA), before it snuck through a loophole and made it's way into food. If you're scratching your head wondering what I'm talking about - I'm talking fake sugar aka artificial sweetener.

Let's talk about the side effects:

Memory loss, nerve cell damage, migraines, reproductive disorders, mental confusion and brain lesions, blindness, joint pain, Alzheimer's, bloating, nervous system disorders, hair loss, food cravings and surprise surprise, weight gain!

Let's talk ingredients:

Aspartame contains a substance called methyl alcohol which, once ingested turns into a formaldehyde - a deadly neurotoxin. Some sweetners also contain Phenylalanine. Phenylalanine naturally occurs in our brain, however high levels of this can lead to seizures, depression and schizophrenia. It is pretty simple to see there is no way known that any of this stuff is good.

Let's talk weight:

The whole point of fake stuff like this is to combat the weight gain associated with sugar consumption. There has been evidence to suggest that these products actually stimulate appetite and therefore increase food intake. On top of that, there is actually no clear evidence to support the theory that these products are useful in weight reduction. There really is no point is there? You are far better off having the real thing, although in most cases steering clear of high sugar foods is the best option.

I have written about cleansing and keeping your body more alkaline than acidic. Acidic forming foods lead to acidic bodies - resulting in lowered immunity, greater illness and a host of other issues. The upcoming End of Summer Body Cleanse I'm running, is one of the best ways to get your body clean and alkaline - sweeping out all the gunk that has formed over time.

My best suggestion is to stick with real sugar - nature has provided us with some great options. Mayple syrup is my personal pick. It tastes wonderful and in its pure form it is nutritious. Depending on how you are using it, raw cane sugar is also a good choice. It's all a matter of combination and what foods you are putting together.

Base your diet around whole food and you really can't go wrong.

A good thought to have is if it isn't off the land, it is probably isn't very good for your insides. What you put into your body - you can expect out of it.

Nutritious v New-trick-ious.

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I've just watched the umpteenth breakfast cereal advertisement selling foodstuffs (I love that word) promoted as highly nutritious, full of this and that, promising you can travel to the moon and back and then some. Well, I have one word for all of this. Fib. From now on I am re-labeling these sorts of products as “new-trick-ious”.

These ads are fibbing. They are telling Big Fibs!

It's not just limited to breakfast cereals - these advertising tricks are everywhere. Unfortunately we often believe them and who can blame us? The products always look awesome, and why shouldn’t we believe their claims? However these very fibs are making us extremely unhealthy, contributing to poor diet and unhealthy guts. A result of these choices is one that I see every day at the clinic - decreased fertility in men and in women. With this in mind, I want to talk a bit about food choices. Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said, "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are" (wiki answers told me so) - what a clever man he was! With this at the forefront of my mind, today I am not so good. This hasn’t really been as a result of a fib, but as a result of my breakfast choice.

This morning I went for breakfast to my favourite haunt. They serve the most lip-licking breaky dish my tongue has ever placed it's buds on. I asked for it to be served on the gluten free bread however they had unfortunately run out. I decided to suck it up and order it anyway, choosing to eat just half the bread serve. I thought this would be okay and that my tummy would be fine. I was wrong. I sit here now, bloated and I am actually in pain - with a stretched, tummy gurgling ache.

So here I sit bloated and I am inflamed. I'm gluten inflamed to the max. My little gut is working overtime to try and process the culprit and as a result I am really tired. When this happens as a one off - my body is fine. I cope okay with gluten in dribs and drabs but to include large portions of this at every meal sets my gut into a crazy spasm. If this crazy spasm is maintained every day, body systems just like the reproductive kind, are compromised.

A chain of events occur from the gut, bowel and beyond. Because the bowel and the uterus are innervated by the same nerve supply, if one be placed under strain (requiring more energy) the other misses out. This yin/yang struggle sees the reproductive organs excluded or substantially deprived .This results in a less fertile woman. Fellas - don't think you are exempt here - your fertility also starts with your gut. Healthy sperm rely on all the good stuff taken from your food. It's equally important both parties are eating themselves fertile.

Not everybody reacts to gluten, although I suspect that the majority of us function better with less of it in our diets. We don't all fit the same bill when it comes to what works best in our diets however, when it comes to fertility, in the clinic we suggest that all our patients follow our fertility eating plan. As health professionals we know that the right combination of essential protein, carbohydrate and fat, is one of the best ways to maximise a healthy gut and therefore gain higher fertility. The gut is the pivot point of our health – once we get this little baby working properly and many of our health concerns are no longer.

Learn from my lesson, don't be tricked into eating foods that are hindering your health. If you're unsure, ask a professional, read up - and educate yourself. Know what the side of the box really means. New-trick-ious food is everywhere. Be vigilant!