LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

Healthy Pregnancy

Problems Getting Pregnant? Cure Infertility Naturally

by

Infertility, or problems getting pregnant, is becoming a greater burden for couples today. Luckily, with the right tips you can cure infertility naturally.

Sometimes, this is obvious, like adopting an anti-diabetic lifestyle (prediabetes is a MAJOR cause of infertility), reducing stress and exercising consistently. Sometimes, the problem is not so obvious.

Ninety-seven (yes…pretty much all of us) of Americans have a chemical in their bloodstream that makes pregnancy difficult.  I think that most of us live in a comfortable oblivion when it comes to just how many chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis and how much effect they have on our overall health and risk of chronic disease.  But if we just ignore them, they won’t bother us, right??

Wrong.

PBDEs are chemicals used in flame retardants (furniture, clothing, dog beds, mattresses, etc…). As mentioned, the CDC states that they are present in the blood of 97% of Americans.

In this particular study, researchers tested the levels of certain PBDE’s in the blood of a group of pregnant women and asked them how long it took them to become pregnant.

Overall, the higher the levels in the blood stream of PBDEs, the longer it took for these women to get pregnant.  At the high end, those women with the higher levels in their bloodstream took 40-50% longer to get pregnant.

This further reinforces the idea that infertility is a very systemic process, and forcing a woman’s body into pregnancy through fertility “experts” with medication can be a dangerous thing.

In this particular case, if PBDEs were higher, it means that the developing baby will ALSO be exposed to higher levels.

Bottom line?  Evaluate constantly how many chemicals you and your children are exposed to and do your best to lower your exposure in any way possible.

So what changes did you or are you going to make to ensure that you had or have a healthy pregnancy?

Vitamin D During Pregnancy Helps Childhood Obesity Statistics

by

Childhood obesity statistics are clearly increasing. The causes are many, but some stand out. Some actually start in pregnancy and can be very easy to address.

After a child is born, there are many factors that have been proven to affect childhood obesity.  Things like:

But can factors that occur during pregnancy be playing a role in rising childhood obesity statistics?

Mom’s diet and exercise levels during pregnancy are obviously critical as well as the avoidance of every possible pharmaceutical drug possible.  In adults, there have been links between something as simple as vitamin D levels and obesity.  As it turns out, this relationship may also play a strong role when vitamin D is used during pregnancy.

This particular study looked at the levels of vitamin D in pregnancy and the risk of their child being obese or overweight 6 years later.  There was a clear correlation, with those moms having higher levels of vitamin D in their bloodstream being less likely to have 6 year olds with too much body fat.  The authors suggest that vitamin D may play a role in the early programming of fat cells while the infant is still in the womb developing.

So this generally shouldn’t be a problem, right?  Most women are taking prenatals, and prenatals have vitamin D in them, right??

Most prescription prenatal vitamins have a mere 400 IU.  Not the mention the fact that ever one I have ever looked at are of very low quality and ridiculously expensive (although many pregnant women do not realize the true cost because of insurance coverage).  Combine this knowledge with studies that have shown that many newborns and their moms are deficient in vitamin D and you’ve got quite a potential mess.  A good dose of vitamin D during pregnancy usually starts around 2,000 IU per day and may go higher depending upon skin color, body mass index and latitude.

The bottom line is that, if you are pregnant or considering getting pregnant, supplemental vitamin D is probably a very good idea.

If you are pregnant or have had a baby, were you aware that taking supplemental vitamin D during pregnancy is a very good idea?  What other measures have you taken to ensure that your child will maintain an ideal body weight?

REPRODUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR UNHEALTHY MOMS – (08-28-06)

by

Fetal Programming of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome by Androgen Excess

Chalk up another chronic disease that begins in the womb. Again, we see quite a bit of validation on the part of some researchers suggesting that maybe we shouldn’t off assisted reproductive techniques for patients who have not first tried lifestyle changes.

This may sound unfair or cruel, but look at the alternatives–an unhealthy mom can’t get pregnant because her body isn’t ready. We use the “best” of modern medicine to force reproduction, but in the process we are literally tearing apart the health of our community a generation at a time.

Read entire article here

Breastfeeding vs Bottle Feeding – New Findings

by

There has always been debate on the breastfeeding vs bottle feeding topic.  Clearly, 100 years ago this was not a discussion.  Hence the term “wet nurse.”

Beginning in the 20’s and 30’s, formula feeding became more popular as a result of lowered costs and better production methods.  By the end of WWII, breastfeeding rates were down to 20% and the American public was completely drinking the Kool Aid of formula being even better than breastmilk.  At times, the La Leche League seemed to be the sole voice supporting nursing as a needed benefit to the baby.

Over the years, manufacturers have slowly added things into formula.  DHA, ARA and probiotics have only recently been added based on evidence of their benefit to newborn and infants.  I remember the first time that I came to understand that certain probiotic bacteria end up in breastmilk–I was incredulous, to say the least.  The steps that are required to actively put bacteria from mom’s gut into breastmilk are quite lengthy.  Few things tell me more strongly that Mother Nature wants those bacteria in our system than their presence in breastmilk.

So how many other nutrients are in breastmilk that we have not yet discovered?  Only time will tell, but we do have a new one to add to the list.

Visfatin is a hormone that is produced by fat cells and is believed to play a role in the protection against diabetes, although it’s complete role is not yet fully understood.

This particular study found much higher levels of visfatin in breast milk than is normally found in the bloodstream.  Since visfatin may play a role in diabetes and body weight, the authors suggest that this compound may play a strong role in the development of healthy weight gain in the infant.

Whether or not this plays out, it is yet another example of just how little we know about the human body.  In generally, the more we rely on the way our bodies were designed (i.e. nursing), the less problems we are going to have.  Period.

This is not to point a disparaging fingers at mothers who do not breast feed, but every effort needs to be undertaken to nurse for the first 6 months.  Some women truly have difficulties, but some just choose not to nurse.  This is a decision for the baby, not for you.

If you are a mother who nursed your child, what difficulties did you encounter and how did you overcome them?

Major Reason Why Stress Reduction is Vital Before Pregnancy

by

Preparation for a healthy pregnancy begins years before conception. A vital part of this includes managing stress.  But the reasons why may surprise you.

Every pregnant mom worries about having a healthy, happy baby.  They will do everything possible to make this happen.  Some changes are obvious–quit smoking, eat more fruits and vegetables, don’t clean the cat’s litterbox, take a good prenatal vitamin (which does NOT include the prescription brands!).  Others are more subtle.  These may include:

  1. Chemical exposure like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from grilling meats and burning candles and incense may affect your baby’s IQ
  2. Pesticides in fruits and vegetables may also lead to brain damage in the child
  3. Making sure you are taking adequate levels of vitamin D supplements

The list is actually quite a bit longer.  These items probably make sense because we know that things like chemicals are bad for a developing nervous system and that certain vitamins are absolutely essential.  But what about stress?

No one would be shocked to discover that stress is very bad for our health.  Studies have shown that stress almost doubles cancer risk as well as contributes to pretty much every chronic disease.  So what does this have to do with pregnancy?

Well, we already know that when we eat food that has been under stress, stress signals are passed up the food chain in a concept called xenohormesis.  This leads to the organism becoming more stressed because of the food they are eating.

In this particular study, researchers looked at what effect stress had on the offspring of rats.  The results do not bode well for the overly stressed human population of the developing world.  They found that a stressful exposure led to changes in the brain up to THREE generations later.

These changes were not changes in the genetics of the rats’ offspring, but rather the manner in which the genes were expressed.  Let’s look at it this way.  As a human, we do not have genes that predestine us to be obese.  But clearly we all have the potential to become obese.  This is not genetic, but rather it is the way our genes are behaving (and behaving badly, at that…) that produces the obesity.

When brought into this study and used in the obesity example, it would mean that you are obese because your great grandfather was obese.

Now, it’s not that simple for obesity and it’s certainly not be that simple for stress.  But imagine the ramifications if this is true.  Being a stress monster in your life may lead your child to respond poorly to stress in their lives.

Kind of puts stress into perspective, huh?

With this in mind, what could you possibly be stressing about that is THAT important?

GINGER PREVENTS NAUSEA AND VOMITING – (02-13-06)

by

The efficacy of ginger for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting: A meta-analysis

Ginger is one of those knee-jerk natural compounds that I always think of first when it comes to nausea.

This review of 5 separate studies found ginger very effective at reducing post surgical nausea and vomiting. Given the high safety level and low cost, this one makes ginger a no-brainer for first line of defense in many cases of nausea.

Read entire article here

Attention Deficit Disorder: Avoid This While Pregnant

by

Conditions like autism, attention deficit disorder & asthma in children continue to increase. I believe that exposures in the womb are playing a major role.

The amount of chemicals we are now exposed to are legendary.  The EPA registers some 82,000+ chemicals for use in the US, the vast majority of which have never been tested for safety.  Then, we have chemicals produced because of the lifestyle choices that we make.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are compounds that are created when fossil fuels are burned.  This can include fats (when grilled), incense and candles.  Exposure also occurs when PAH hitch rides on dust particles.

The way we prepare our grilled meats can affect the levels of PAH present.  Things like cooking slower, adding spices and basting your meat will help to lower the production of PAH.

These compounds and other environmental toxicants have already been shown to affect pregnancy and lead to lower birth weights.  Exposure to other toxic compounds in the womb have been linked to the presence of autism.

This particular study looks closer at the affect of exposure to PAH on the development of attention deficit disorder and anxiety in children 6-7 years later.  Researchers determined exposures either by sampling the air the pregnant mom was exposed to for contamination or looking at the damage these compounds cause to the blood in the mom or umbilical cord.

There was a clear relationship between the higher exposure levels and the child’s behavior years later.

This is obviously a concern.  Dietary choices, exercise, stress levels and choice of a prenatal vitamin are all conscious choices during pregnancy.  But not so much for these environmental exposures.  These tips may help:

  1. Grill meat slowly, loaded with spices and marinated (or avoid altogether)
  2. Avoid incense and candle burning
  3. Take your shoes off at the door, use air cleaners in larger rooms and dust frequently
  4. Strictly avoid sealing your driveway while pregnant (just in case it was on the to-do list…)

These approaches, coupled with a good quality diet and a good prenatal, should go a long way to protect your little developing baby for decades to come.

(Side note:  If this information managed to get to your or a family member years later and you’re dealing with a child who has attention issues anywhere along the spectrum, there are many alternative approaches to using medications to help the brain.  This article is a good start to understanding these options better)

How have you cut your toxic exposure in your life, pregnant or not?

How to Avoid Brain Damage in the Womb in 5 Easy Steps

by

We used to think that the placenta guards the developing baby and filters out everything but the needed nutrients for strong development in the womb.  This thought process was smashed with the 10 Americans Study done by the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org).

This study measured the presence of chemicals in umbilical cord samples of newborns and found literally hundreds of chemicals that the newborns had been exposed to in the imagined safety of the womb.  Many of these chemicals are well known to cause neurological damage, reproductive damage and cancer.

Chlorpyrifos is a pesticide that used to be in very heavy use in both agriculture and home use until January of 2002, when the amount in products for home use was restricted, but agricultural use continued.  As a result, most of us, when tested, have levels of chlorpyrifos in our bloodstream.  In other words, it is a chemical still widely used and you are very likely to have it in your bloodstream.

This would be all fine and dandy if it was glucosinolates from brocolli we were talking about.  But it’s not.  Chlorpyrifos has been linked to many health concerns, the most recent of which, in this particular study, to brain damage in children who were heavily exposed in the womb.  Pretty scary for any couple looking to get pregnant.

So what can you do to lower your developing baby’s exposure to harmful chemicals while in the womb (and after)?  Follow these tips:

  1. Switch to organic fruits and vegetables, particularly those on EWG’s Dirty Dozen list
  2. Avoid all pain medications, even over the counter Tylenol
  3. Supplement with at least 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily
  4. Avoid rapidly grilled meat
  5. Supplement with probiotics during both pregnancy and nursing
  6. Avoid drinking out of plastic water bottles
  7. Do NOT spray your house for bugs or weeds beginning for several months prior to getting pregnant

Overall, the task may initially seem daunting given the high levels of chemicals in our environment.  However, with some education and conscientious decisions about the exposures and dietary choices, there should be little cause for concern.

What did you, are are you going to, give up for your pregnancy?