Brain fog...?

Is it just you or is your brain not as smart as it used to be? It's probably not your fault, constant stress can actually negatively impact the effectiveness of your brain function. The good news is that you can do something about it. 

A sense of uncertainty, lack of information and a loss of control - the kind of factors we find ourselves in amidst a pandemic (but also many other life events) create raised cortisol levels and thereby an increased stress response. 

High levels of cortisol in the brain impact neuronal function, cause a reduction in learning ability,  and atrophy of the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory. 

As you are exposed to stressors,  your body makes more and more cortisol, stress and uncertainty continue. You start to notice issues with memory, concentration and a reduction in productivity. This creates more stress and the cycle repeats itself. 

So what can you do?

Allow yourself to de stress. This may mean asking for help and assistance, true rest, mindfulness practice, fun and socialisation, connection, exercise, earthing  (time in nature), laughter. 

Eat in a way that is truly nourishing for your body and soul.

Iron deficiency can be a factor in cognitive impairment so please  look at this iron deficiency quiz and ask your doc to check your levels. 

Magnesium is also essential to good brain biochemistry and adequate magnesium levels have been associated with a reduction in depressive scores in many different cohorts, such as bi-polar individuals, pregnant women, and the elderly.... just to name a few. An Australian population study connected a high dietary magnesium intake with a significantly reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment. Low magnesium intakes are also correlated with increased risk of mood disorders. Leafy greens are excellent sources of magnesium, as is dark chocolate,  use himilayan pink salt on your food, take epsom salt baths. Supplementation is often indicated.

And then, of course, there's plant medicines. Some of my favourite herbs to boost your brain function include Bacopa, Korean Ginseng, Gotu Kola, Rhodiola, Gingko and Rosemary. All of these have shown improvements in cognition and/or memory when researched.  Herbal prescriptions vary greatly depending on the individual however and may also be contraindicated with any medications you may be taking so please book in for a consult to get the best out of your herbs. 

There are always things you can do to make yourself feel better. Come see me in clinic and together we can figure out a course of action. 

Should you become Vego to enhance your fertility? Maybe

Ovulatory infertility accounts for about 25% of all infertility cases. This is when ovulation fails to occur or occurs irregularly and is most common in women experiencing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome aka PCOS.  A 2008 study* that followed 18555 women over 8 years found that the more meat in the diet, the greater the incidence of ovulatory infertility. And further, women who ate mainly vegetarian sources of protein where half as likely to have fertility issues as their meat eating counterparts. The authors concluded that focusing on mainly vegetarian sources of protein may enhance fertility. 

 I don’t think we should use this as a basis to completely toss all animal meats during preconception for most people. Organic, grass fed meat is an excellent source of essential minerals and fats that you need when making a baby, and traditional chinese medicine recommends building the blood with animal meats when wanting to conceive - albeit meat was much rarer for most of the world’s population in the past due to expense and availability, and so wasn’t consumed every day and at most meals, like it commonly is nowadays. Everybody would do well to have a couple of vegetarian days per week. 

 Conversely if you would like to continue your preconception and pregnancy journey as a vegetarian, all the power to you, you can absolutely do this with excellent nutrition and health. 

 There’s a few issues that may have impacted the results of this study. People with vegetarian diets tend to eat a wider variety of plant foods overall and therefore tend to enjoy better health. Those that eat a lot of meat are not only consuming less vegetables, but are perhaps more likely to be consuming fast and convenience foods such as from the local takeout, rich in unhealthy fats that contribute to inflammation and your glycemic index. The diet data was collected via survey four years prior to the study’s conclusion, so there’s plenty of time for individual diet choices to change and more rigorous and thorough study is required to clarify the results. 

 However, the association with meat eating and ovulatory infertility was significant so it’s worth considering. It was found that high intakes of chicken and turkey had the biggest association with ovulatory infertility, and red meat to a lesser extent. Eggs and fish didn’t have a negative effect. Consuming foods rich in vegetable protein had a slightly positive effect however. Vegetarians who ate more carbohydrates and less vegetarian protein also had higher incidence of ovulatory infertility. The consumption of good quality vegetarian protein seemed to be the ticket. And importantly, the positive effects of eating vegetable protein and negative effects of eating animal protein was more prominent in women over the age of 32. For younger women the types of protein didn’t seem to have an effect. 

 As always, moderation is key. This study is saying that with women who exhibit problems with ovulation - which was only 20% of the entire 18555 person study, meat eating tends to make it worse. It’s not saying that meat makes everyone infertile. If you are planning on a pregnancy and are otherwise in excellent health, 1 – 4 serves of red or white meat a week is completely fine and nothing to stress about. 

 If you would like support on your preconception journey you can book in for a discovery call here. If you have been diagnosed as PCOS or see to have irregular periods, there is so much naturopathy can do to relieve your symptoms so please seek assistance.

*Chavarro, J. E. et al. (2008) ‘Protein intake and ovulatory infertility’, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 198(2). doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2007.06.057.

Herbs that can help when you're feeling grumpy

Some days are much harder than others. When things go wrong, or a spanner is thrown in the works  emotions bubble up and you find yourself being a little bit snappy. Wouldn't you know it though, there's a herb for that. 

I practise herbalism on an energetic basis. We all have our different personality's, dispositions, and energetics. What's right for you will be different to what's right for me, and I love finding the right plant medicine for the right person. 

I mixed up the below formula for myself last week when I was a grumpy mcgrump pants, and it worked a treat.

Korean Ginseng 

This one is powerful. So powerful that I find many herbalists shy away from it. it's quite stimulating, so wonderful if you're feeling tired and havn;t had enough sleep. Which was me last week, a combination of staying up a bit too late and my kids needing me in the middle of the night. It's indicated for loss of physical stamina, exhaustion and tiredness, and diminished concentration and memory Just what I needed. I find a few drops of korean ginseng prior to a long drive is excellent for helping concentration. 

Sage

Sage is one of my personal herbal allies and finds it's way into many of my personal blends. It contains rosmarinic acid which is an antioxidant and really good for your brain. Matthew Wood lists one of sages traditional uses (of which there are many) as indicated for 'withered dry skin and withered tendons.' Yes exactly how I feel after not getting enough sleep for a week. Also has traditionally been indicated for mental lethargy, depression, melancholy and poor concentration. There are many other uses - this plant is complex and full of magic as far as I'm concerned - the uses I've listed above seem the most apt here. 

St Mary's Thistle

A powerful liver healer, this herb prevents and reverses damage to the liver induced by alcohol and life in general. Wonderful for strengthening the liver to process all those nasty toxins you don't need. In traditional chinese medicine the liver is associated with the emotion of anger, so by nurturing the liver you nurture your anger. 

Zizyphus

Has a mild tranquilising effect - perhaps downplaying all those irritable emotions. It's indicated for anxiety, nervous exhaustion, restlessness, irritibility and insomnia. Perfect. I always expected this herb to be quite sedative but have found when taking it, it actually has more of a calm your nerves type vibe. It helps you get off to sleep because it calms your irritability and anxiety allowing you to destress. I’ve found it doesn’t make you drowsy if you want to stay awake.

Ginger

Another herbal ally for me that I consider a master healer. just so much awesomeness in one little root. Full of anti-inflammatory, calming goodness, and a little bit of ginger tincture added to a herbal blend improves the taste an awful lot. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list of herbs that can help your mood - there are many more. This mix was exactly what I needed at the time. After taking this blend all noises and mess and annoyance dulled and faded. I managed my tiredness for the rest of the day, and of course, made sure I got into bed early for a goods night sleep. 

If you'd like to experience the gorgeous support offered to us through our herbal allies, please book in for herbal medicine appointment. Appointments are available online or in person in South Fremantle. 

Herbal tincture

7 lifestyle tips to stop getting sick

Confession time: I prefer getting all my nutrients from food rather than popping supplements and powders. I focus on eating healthy and this used to be enough. I’d rarely get sick. Since becoming a Mum it’s a different story. Of course I took supplements prior to conceiving, during pregnancy and most of breastfeeding (I forgot here and there), and I irregularly take them now. Experience is telling me, though, that diet alone isn’t doing enough to build up my nutrient stores post children. It’s hard not to get a cold from a toddler child that needs cuddles and kisses and likes to give cuddles and kisses back. Pre-children I never got sick. I was dedicated to my fitness, ate a pescatarian whole food, low sugar, anti-inflammatory diet, and went years without so much as a cold. 

After two pregnancies and four and a half years of continuous breastfeeding (that’s a lot of nutrients sucked from my tissues) and, 5 years later, I still have my sleep interrupted by babes. I also have a child in day-care a couple of times a week who’s exposed to new pathogens constantly. It feels like I get sick A l l   t h e   t i m e.   I’m actually embarrassed about how often I get a cold. This is postnatal depletion syndrome.  

I’ve had enough. 

I’m boosting my nutritional profile by taking some concentrated vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids and probiotics RELIGIOUSLY. And of course, botanical medicine. Medicinal Mushrooms are renowned for boosting the immune system, but intuitively, they don’t resonate with me at this time. Rather Echinacea, Baical Skullcap, Japanese Knotweed, Siberian Ginseng, Lemon Balm, Nettles and Withania are here to help me. I feel like my immune insufficiency is caused by nutrient depletion, and once I have those stores up, the mushrooms may be ready to help me. 

So here’s 7 lifestyle tips to overcome immune insufficiency caused by postnatal depletion:

1. Antioxidant rich foods. Antioxidants modify your immune response.  The phytochemicals that antioxidant rich foods provide the body help repair damage to your tissues caused by your immune response to infection. When you see colour in your fresh produce, you can safely assume that’s antioxidants, so that’s why the phrase ‘eat the rainbow’ is so popular. 

2. Getting adequate sleep: , the sleep hormone melatonin performs as a potent antioxidant, repairing and restoring your body. I know this is easy to say and not do when you mother small ones, so ask for help where you can, and do your best. It may mean turning off netflix and getting into bed earlier. Your sleep is much too valuable. 

3. Protein: Inadequate protein is linked to dysfunction in the immune system. Protein is available in meat, dairy, beans, legumes, wholegrains, eggs, nuts and seeds.

4. Wholefood diet - one that is based on foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Not only do whole foods contain a wide array of nutrients, wider than foods that have been segmented, they also retain their vital force, or prana. Nutrients in their natural state work synergistically in the body to benefit the immune system. 

   Leave out

5. Sugar: Sugar is an immune suppressant with studies showing intake of sugar reduces the capacity of white blood cells to function properly, so therefore your immune response is weakened. Studies have shown that eating sugar can deplete the immune system for up to two hours after consumption. So that’s every time you eat sugar, you’re weakening your immune response for a time. 

6. Caffeine: Chronic and excessive intake of caffeine is likely to function as a stressor to the already depleted immune system. HOWEVER, in small amounts it’s actually anti-inflammotory, antioxidant and helps modulate the immune system, and may be particularly helpful in auto-immune conditions.  Yes I love caffeine. It’s been a saviour for me these past 5 years as I’m woken up often in the night and unnaturally early as well, that cup in the morning is supportive. If you’re having a lot, or having it with heaps of milk and sugar, then any anti-inflammatory effects may be lost. I try and keep to under 200mg of caffeine a day. For me this means using nespresso pods at home and rarely buying a coffee when out, as the caffeine content can vary greatly in cafe coffee. 

7. Preservatives: additives and colourings - Foods with these additives have, for the most part, long lost their vital force. Overly processed foods, while do provide calories to keep you going, do more harm than good in the long run. Often high in the wrong kinds of fats, sugars and a driver of inflammation, these kinds of foods wear you out. 

   If you’re rundown or experiencing repeated illnesses, nutritional and herbal medicine will help you build up your immune system and resilience. Nature has everything you need to thrive. Please book in for a naturopathic appointment for health coaching and a herbal and nutritional plan to restore your vitality. Life is too short to waste it feeling awful. 

6 household items you should lose to enhance your fertility

Plastics, and in particular BPA, build up in your system and can affect your fertility. The good news is that studies have shown that by reducing exposure, the amount of BPA in your system decreases significantly, and other kinds of plastics will likely reduce also. 

Head to your kitchen. Many kitchen utensils are made of plastics that break down when exposed to heat - directly into your food, and this is what you want to avoid. 

Replace all the following items with ceramic, glass or metal. 

• Reusable food storage containers - Ikea have some fabulous glass containers with timber lids

• Microwave safe bowls (don’t put plastic in the microwave all together)

• Reusable plastic water bottles and cups 

• Plastic tea kettles

• Colanders

• Blender containers that have been used with hot soups 

Although many plastic kitchen items in store are labelled BPA free, often the manufacturers have replaced BPA with a similar compound such as BPS that isn’t as well researched and may be just as damaging. In our society, until plastics are proven unsafe they are assumed safe. Perhaps they are, but then, asbestos was once assumed safe also, and with substances such as BPA proven to adversely affect fertility, it’s wise to err on the side of caution. The Handmaids Tale comes to mind (eep).

The plastics used for bottled water and food products on the supermarket shelf do not contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC’s - the fertility damaging components of plastics) and you don’t need to stress as much about it. Reduce where you can and only drink bottled water when absolutely necessary. Tinned foods are more problematic than other shelf foods as the cans are lined with plastics. Although some are labelled BPA free, there’s no way to know what the replacement lining is, and whether it’s benign or not. In particular it’s important to avoid tinned tomatoes, as these are quite acidic and are therefore much better at leeching fertility damaging plastics into their juices. It’s easy enough to dice up your own tomatoes thankfully. Try and use fresh foods instead or products jarred in glass.

While preparing to conceive, ideally, you’ll be focusing on whole foods prepared from fresh ingredients and steering clear of processed foods. Not only are processed foods more likely to contain EDC’s, they’re also more inflammatory and overloaded with bad fats, sugar and salt.  You need a rainbow banquet of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, protein and wholegrain to nourish your body and optimise your maturing eggs and sperm, so shopping at the farmers market for fresh produce and bulk food stores for nuts, dried beans and grains is not only better for the environment, but better for your future baby as well. 

Gorgeous baby image via upworthy.

Are everyday items destroying your fertility?

We’re nearly at the end of plastic free July, but saving the planet isn’t the only reason to get rid of plastic. Many, if not most, plastics out there have some form of endocrine disrupting chemicals (ie, they mess with your hormones and normal bodily function)  or persistent chemicals that hang out in your fat cells forever. In fact, in one analysis, 500 plastic products labelled ‘BPA free’ were analysed for endocrine disrupting chemicals. 90% were determined to contain endocrine disrupting chemicals and in some cases at higher and more damaging levels than BPA itself.* 

Whenever plastic is heated, frozen or exposed to the elements in any way it breaks down in tiny amounts and you end up ingesting it, such as from water bottles and take away containers, from water pipes in the ground, or through your skin from creams and cosmetics. 

Further to this, during pregnancy and breastfeeding your body will dump any plastic residues from your tissues into your baby while in utero and into breastmilk while breastfeeding. Alarmingly, pregnancy and lactation are the most efficient way for your body to detox these nasties - straight into your baby. Little is known on how much these chemicals affect the developing foetus however animals studies indicate there is a measurable negative effect on gene expression and health of the foetus as she grows to adulthood. 

I’m not here to alarm, don’t panic. Your body is wise and brilliant and can overcome these hurdles. For example getting plenty of folate in the diet has been shown to negate the negative effects of BPA. So there’s ways around it!  But please be wary and reduce usage of plastic products now. 

If you’re planning on starting a family, it’s wise to consider a full detox program approximately 6 to 8 months prior to first trying to conceive, especially if you have been exposed to a higher level of environmental toxins through your work, lifestyle and living environment. A detox takes approximately four to six weeks, and then you can start a preconception care program of approximately four months. You want as many nasties eliminated from your system as possible before starting your conception journey. 

*BPA has been proven to significantly disrupt fertility. Women with high levels of BPA are 87% more likely to suffer a miscarriage than women with low levels of BPA. 

Safe herbal immune support for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

With a global pandemic and winter upon us (here in Perth), this is an anxious time for everyone but especially for those of us due to give birth in the coming months.  I love herbal medicine for protection from illness and immune support however not all herbs are proven safe in pregnancy - so what to do to nurture your health and immune defences while pregnant?

Pregnancy takes more nutrients out of you than any other time in your life - except breastfeeding, which takes more. In classical chinese medicine it is said that pregnancy depletes jing- life force - due to this very nutritionally taxing time. 

If you’re low on certain nutrients your natural immune defences may be reduced leaving you more susceptible to succumbing to illness or suffering a longer duration of infection. 

Eating lots of wholesome, clean and fresh foods is the best response. Think the rainbow of vegetables and fruits, whole milk, whole grains, avoid flour based foods, deep fried foods, overly refined foods (chips, milk chocolate, lollies) Get as much nutrition as possible into your day, and leave out foods that are inflammatory and drain your energy to digest them. this means no overeating, not too much sugar, you know right from wrong. 

Our culinary herbs containing rosmarinic acid are have wonderful immune boosting properties, these include rosemary, thyme, lemon balm, sage and oregano. These are all delicious in soups and stews so add plenty to your meals. Lemon balm is lovely as a tea, is easy to grow, and also calms your nerves and helps you off to sleep. Enhance your connection to the herbs by thanking the plants for helping protect you against illness as you sprinkle them into your dinner.  

IF you are nutrient deplete, supplements are a good way to build up your reserves again. Iron is commonly depleted during pregnancy so get your levels checked and ensure you’ve got good reserves. Zinc, B vitamins and other micro-minerals are important and a good pregnancy multi-vitamin will ensure you get adequate levels of these in combination with a nutritious diet. 

Plant Medicines can help you

Not all herbs are deemed safe in pregnancy however there are plenty of herbs that can be used to help you get over an infection, prevent a virus from doing serious damage, or to boost immunity beforehand.  Echinacea builds up the immune system and staves off colds and flus,  and has been proved quite safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Elder flower is  beautiful and nurturing, as well as delicious. Astragalus and Baical skullcap are especially supportive against Coronaviruses and are both quite safe in pregnancy. I recommend chatting with a qualified herbalist for specific doses. 

And Sleep. 

Personally for me, pregnancy was the only time in my life when I would crash as soon as my head hit the pillow and slumber all night long - until the very last weeks when my belly got in the way. Melatonin is produced at night time and especially while we sleep. Melatonin is also one of the best defences we have against the Coronavirus sweeping the globe right now. This powerful antioxidant repairs and prevents damage caused by the virus and researchers are investigating the possibility of using supplemental melatonin in treating Covid-19 patients in hospital. You can boost your natural reserves by getting up just after sunrise, spending a good amount of time outside during the day (and boosting your vitamin D levels - another important immune defence nutrient) and making sure you turn off screens an hour before bed and have some wind down time. 

Also every hour of sleep you get before midnight is worth twice as much as the sleep you get after midnight. I find for me, lights out at 10pm is optimal, and I’m a night owl, so lights out earlier as you wish. 

Giving your baby your very best genes

Have you heard of epigenetics?

You may have a genetic pre-disposition to a range of conditions. 

But not all genes are expressed automatically. 

Your lifestyle affects whether genes are expressed or not. So for example you may have a gene for varicose veins. Your mother and grandmother each developed varicose veins from an early age. You may also have the gene, but with the right diet and exercise the gene may not be expressed at all or until much later in life.  

With optimal health during the preconception phase when the egg and sperm are developing, the healthiest genes possible will be passed on to the new baby. 

If you’re interested in becoming pregnant soon I’m currently putting together an online course to make the pre-conception care journey as simple as possible for you. You can sign up for updates here through this link, and score a free digital download on ovulation while you’re at it.

Wishing you well,

Libby

5 things to try when your kids are driving you crazy

Roll out your yoga mat and stream a yoga class. 

After weeks of a particularly bad, clingy, tantrummy, destructive terrible twos phase (here’s hoping it’s a phase) I was starting to be worn down and cracks were beginning to show. In a particularly frustrating moment I found myself yelling at my kids and saying things like ‘don’t come near me’ feeing exasperated at the 78 things to be exasperated about. Anyway ‘don’t come near me’ …this is heartbreaking for little people to hear. 

I knew I’d gone way too far and after big cuddles and apologies I sat down to an online yoga class where the teacher asked us to sit in the self-awareness mudra (legs crossed, index fingers to thumb resting on top of your knees) and set an intention. Today’s intention was about giving ourselves a compliment. It was unnatural to give myself a compliment in that moment feeling terrible as I did about my angry mummy self, but also exactly what I needed. I set my intention. “I am a calm, loving and wonderful mother” 

Immediately after a few moments of peace with the intention, my two-year-old interrupted me for something or other, but I already felt so much better. Sometimes he wants to be cuddled for the entire yoga class, and I just do poses around him as best I can. 

I use gaia.com for yoga and I particularly love the ‘yoga every day’ series on Gaia but there are other paid yoga streaming services and free classes on you tube. Find one you like

Get out of the house to the park. 

I prefer parks where the children are fenced in so they can’t run away and force you to chase them. If your kids are past the running-away-to-potential-death phase, then the world is your oyster. Children absolutely thrive in nature. Fresh air, breezy trees and safe places to jump around and socialise. There are other parents for you to chat too. What’s not to like. 

Garden.

Hands on planting, weeding and especially watering with tiny little watering cans, connects you to the earth and brings peace and calm. Plus kids are so cute when completely absorbed in their little gardening tasks that you completely forgive them for being massive pains in the ass. 

Surrender.

Sometimes just lying back on the couch and reading them stories for an hour, running around and playing games and following their lead is the best thing you could possibly do. Forget the housework, and what YOU wanted to get done that day, just be. Janet Lansbury, my go-to toddler parenting guru, says that children are the best directors of their own play. The games and activities they come up with are exactly what they need for their growth and development at that time. So listening to their ideas and following that lead is the best way to go. Requests for screen time apparently don’t count as development though, so when this happen, redirect, wait it out and distract with toys and other games… or just put paw patrol on and have a goddam break for 45 minutes. 

Get Childcare

Give them to their other parent/relative/friend/ babysitter for a couple of hours and take yourself on a date with yourself, for yourself. Long soaks in the tub, art gallery, the movies, or one of my personal faves, staying in bed with books, magazines, netflix and cups of tea all day long. You freaking deserve it. 

An ode to breastfeeding

I once read in the comments section on facebook, that ‘breasts are for sex and for feeding children.’ This was quickly followed up by guffawing of other commenters “Ahem, breasts are for babies!'

After four years of continuous breastfeeding, I can assure you breasts are most definitely for babies. Everything about their design, the softness, the lumpiness, the silky nipples that are such a joy for babies to grab onto, babies love fondling tags on toys, and nipples on boobs. the squishiness, their warmth, the position on the body so you can hold the child to your breast, lie with them and stroke their little heads. The love hormone oxytocin release stimulating bonding between mother and child, all for babies.

When my milk first came in about two days after giving birth to my daughter I looked like I’d had a boob job. They were so big and round and sat up just so. Now I understood that what my culture agrees to be the perfect breast, is the look of a breast engorged with breast milk, and completely capable of sustaining new life. It made sense, I forgave mankind a little bit that day. I hoped my boobs would stay like that, they didn’t.

My time of breastfeeding is drawing to a close. we have no more babies planned. For over four years my boobs have been at the beck and call of my babies. First one, then both, and then the other one.

Now my son is 2 and a half and the weight of his body and the feel of his latch tell me instinctively that it’s time to wean. My daughter, who is 19 months older, was also 2 and a half when I weaned her. I breastfed them both - as in at the same time tandem style, yes one one each boob, - for almost 12 months. They offer the best of convenience, delicious warm milk on demand, comfort when sad, bonding and togetherness, play and enjoyment. A remedy when hurt. My children both loved their boobies.

Breastfeeding hurt at first. They tell you it doesn’t hurt if the latch is right. Not true, it hurt. It hurt no matter how many times I had my child's latch checked and assured it was fine, no matter how many times I ‘made my boob into a burger and squeezed it in her mouth', breastfeeding hurt. They say that fair skinned red heads feel the most pain when breastfeeding. I’m a fair skinned brunette so perhaps I come in in a second or third on the pain stake. My nipples became sore and cracked and bled. By day 11 feeding was agony but I gritted my teeth. I was determined. I used a nipple shield for every feed for three days out of necessity. I healed, and then it never hurt again.

My milk sustained them and though they both were born rather skinny, they grew chubby very quickly. Fat little rolls over their thighs, up their arms and on their cheeks.Sweet little smiles and shiny eyes, only for mummy.

I love the snuggly closeness, the shared bed convenience. How easy it was to stumble out of bed at that first wake up cry at 5.30 and climb back into bed with them, warm and cosy, feeding away. The beautiful smells of my babies head, their chubby little hands, their innocent sweet eyes taking in all around them, always happy to be on the boob.

They say not to feed to sleep, but feeding to sleep was one of the most relaxing parts of my day, and personally one of my favourite things about breastfeeding. Feeding to sleep absolutely saved me when I was home alone with two babies who needed to nap. A chance to lie down and often snooze with my little one. And in the evenings, guilt free time scrolling my phone amidst the dinner/bedtime routine and then the clean up grind.

My child was safe, happy and warm in my arms with all their needs being met.

With my first baby I tried following a sleep routine to get her in the habit of 12 hour nights by three months old. A 12 hour night didn’t happen until she was way over 18 months. I couldn’t follow the advice, it went agains all my mothering instincts: “let baby feed for 40 minutes, otherwise they’ll be hungry and wake up sooner” My child wouldn’t feed longer than 15 or 20. Don’t feed to sleep, put baby down relaxed but awake, yeah right. Being separated from her boob wasn’t relaxing for my baby or for me. Leaving the child on the boob was much more relaxing for everyone involved.

Even now, removing my toddler from the boob isn’t relaxing. We’ve cut out the snuggly wake up morning feed, and my mornings are much more accomplished because of it. Next we’ll cut out the night feed, and last of all, the midday nap feed. This one is last because I’m not convinced I’ll be able to get my son to sleep in the day without breastfeeding, but we shall see.

As I write this, I’m relieved I still have breastfeeds left to give, because the thought of stopping completely will mark the end of my baby-mummy years, and that’s sad. It’s also beautiful, as now I have gaps in my days to create and accomplish what I could never have done with two under two, or even two under three. Coming out the other side of extreme baby years is like rediscovering who you are all over again. And I still get to cuddle (and sniff) my children every day. There’ll be no risk of my child pulling out my breast in public. And I’ll be keeping the necklines of all my clothes intact.

This was the first major family outing I’d been on since giving birth to John John. We’d been driving for about half an hour and the kids were both losing it. We stopped for a booby break.

Tomato Kale Soup with Sausage and Mozzarella

I love it when the whole family savours their dinner because it’s so damn delicious and satisfying. With a couple of picky eaters in the house nothing quite beats the sound of kids quietly slurping their dinner.

This one’s a winner with kids, husbands and wives alike. I used regular sausages to appease the toddlers but feel free to experiment with chorizo or other kinds if your household is less fussy.

Note: I did NOT let my kids eat off my new fancy plates

Ingredients

4 - 6 fresh sausages

1 brown onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 large carrot, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 bay leaves

1 sprig rosemary

2 x 400g cans tomatos

2 cups beef bone broth or 2 cups regular stock with 1 tbs powdered beef broth (I like nutraorganics)

4 - 6 big leaves of kale

Buffalo mozzarella and basil to serve

Method

1. Place a dash of olive oil in a skillet on medium to high heat and cook sausages, turning frequently until brown and cooked through. Remove from heat.

2. Meanwhile, pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into your soup pot, also on medium to high heat and slice the onion and add to the soup pot. Once browned, add the sliced, garlic, carrot and celery. Sautés for a few more minutes until the vegetables have softened.

3. Pour in the bone broth/or stock and bone broth powder. Season with a good pinch of salt. Add in the tomatoes, rosemary and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Wash the kale leaves, tear into pieces a couple of cm across and add to the soup pot. Slice the sausages into bite size rounds and add to the soup also. Simmer until the kale wilts and the sausages are heated through. Turn off heat.

5. Serve into bowls and top with torn mozzarella, basil and parsley if desired. Season to taste.

Note: I served this up with melted cheese on toast for my kids which worked really well. If you like you could place some day old sourdough in the bottom of your serving bowls before ladling soup on top for a traditional style ribollita.

4 surprising ways to get True Rest

So often we hear advice to ‘rest’ but what does that really mean?  I’ve noticed, especially when taking what I think of as physical rest, that I often feel like it goes too quick and I’m not any more energised. 

True rest comes in many forms. 

1 Physical Rest

This is what I most regularly think of when I hear the word rest. Quite often I fantasise about lying on the couch watching netflix for as long as I want. Or even better, lying in my bed reading books, laptop and phone within reach,  teapot at my side, uber eats at my fingertips. And then of course, there’s the holiday style of rest, lying by the pool at the resort, sun on your face. Most importantly of all though, there’s sleep. Adequate sleep. That you need to get every single night. 

I used to consider myself a night owl. What my fuzzy brain struggled to understand at 2pm became clear at 9.00pm and suddenly all my resistance was gone and I could work away. When I would eventually get into bed I’d lie awake for a while, and I’d tell myself because I’m not falling asleep there’s definitely no point in getting to bed earlier. 

But then I discovered that by getting into bed at 9.30, reading for half an hour and turning out the lights strictly at 10pm I’d fall asleep almost immediately. I’d sleep all night long and I’d wake up rested. Absolute game changer. 

A ritual bath is another wonderful way to get some physical rest. Run a bath, add flowers, crystals, magnesium salts, essential oils. Light candles and dot them around the room. Play music. Soak. 

And then of course there’s bodywork and massage therapies. As humans we have a fundamental need for physical touch. Receiving kindness in the form of bodywork therapy heals on several different  levels. 

2. Active Rest

The best way to go about this one is to get into your body. Deeply. Perhaps with exercise, such as a run, yoga poses, breath work, slow and deliberate walks in nature. Wonderful sex. Being present in your body can take you out of your mind in supremely positive way. Have you ever had inspiration hit you right in the throes of some heavy exercise, like in a cycle class? I have. Getting into your body can open up some channels to your higher wisdom, because you’re no longer blocking it with lower vibrational or fear based thoughts. The word Inspire is from the Latin word inspirare meaning ‘to breathe in'

3. Emotional Rest

Sometimes a break from the constant worry and pain we put ourselves through, or our loved ones put us through, is a pure blessing. Life can drag you through the ringer. It’s completely normal to be controlled by our emotions, but it’s not necessary.  And then there’s the tight and restrictive emotional anguish caused by guilt, anger and regret. 

This is where forgiveness practices, gratitude practices and acceptance practices shine their light. Finding peace, even temporary peace, with a situation that has been causing anguish and worry offers immense relief, if only for a short time it’s still worth it. Look our for free meditation podcasts on forgiveness. Practice wild compassion with yourself and others. Come into the present. I love the subtle vibrations of flowers and crystals for helping heal on the emotional sphere. Seek out flowers or rocks that attract you. Sit with them with the intention of relief. Or book a flower essence consultation with a qualified practitioner and get your own personal blend. 

4. Mental Rest

Our inner dialogue can really beat the hell out of us if we leave it unchecked. We are so often our most unforgiving critics. Here forgiveness (of self and others), non-judgement* and again, conscious acceptance practices, can bring happiness. Journalling, with a focus on what you like about yourself, lessons you’ve learnt, and advice to your younger self can really help. Exercise, such as in active rest, is wonderful here. If feeling stressed out and anxiety are common there are many wonderful herbs that can help you boost your resilience and find balance. 

So when you’re feeling worn out consider what kind of rest you could most benefit from. Be kind to yourself and schedule some in. Then you can rock on shining your light and being the beautiful, necessary and important beacon you are with a full cup.

*I loved Gabrielle Bernstein’s book Judgement Detox, for understanding and de-constructing our own judgements (hint: all your judgements about others are a reflection of your own fears or pain). And understanding the judgements of others. 

Fertility: For all the people with heartbreak

It’s national fertility week. Here’s a shout out to the women and couples with heartbreak.   

For the terrible two week wait. Where you wait and hope and believe “this is my month” but then your period arrives, just like all the other times. Your heart sinks.  

When you’re not sure when you ovulate, and the performance anxiety that comes with the pressure.  

Taking yet another pregnancy test. Negative.  

For the losses, all the devastating losses. 

For the expense, those fucking needles. The hope. The disappointment.  

The well meaning acquaintances who ask “when are you having kids”  

the friends that get pregnant at the drop of a hat.  

Infertility is shitty. x 

Sending love.  

When women gather in circle

A few years ago now, I was visiting my in-law's with Evie, who was then perhaps nine or ten months old. I usually dropped in on them at some point during the week so they could see their Grandaughter.  I sat in the light-filled lounge room as Peter interacted with his granddaughter and Judyth arranged masses of tea cups and saucers on her extended dining table. She was expecting her bookclub within the hour. They had been meeting monthly for over 30 years. We chatted and Evie crawled about. Then the women started to arrive.

They began filling the room in a whirl of colour, warmth and grey hair. There was a buzz of chatter and laughter as old friends joined together yet again. Peter politely escaped to his study.

I witnessed the room fill with wisdom, lifetimes, stories, love and heartbreak.  I noticed a shift in energy that was extraordinary, it felt divine. Something about the pure female presence. There were perhaps 15 women, all in their 70's, coming together to share and chat.

It felt like home.

I realised I yearned for this, this supportive group of women. I was living interstate from my mother, my sisters, my aunty's and all my childhood friends.

Several months later I found a womens circle, it was being held almost an hours drive from my house, but I was happy to make the journey at the time. I got a baby-sitter, popped on an audio book and away I went for a couple of hours. The first freedom I'd had since becoming a mother.

I wasn't really sure what to expect at circle but was pleasantly surprised. All the beautiful women, of all ages, who gathered there had a turn at speaking about whatever we felt like that week. We were all heard and celebrated without judgement. The facilitator, the gorgeous Tracie McFie of Wyld Tribe, led us in meditations and a theme. Sometimes we danced, and at the end we'd all choose a card from a oracle deck that had been arranged around an altar in the centre.

It was healing. At the time I was in my third trimester of pregnancy with John John and notably I had this insight into childbirth through one of the meditation sessions there.

When women come together in support of one another, we begin to heal ourselves. And therefore, by healing ourselves, we begin to heal our families, our communities and the world.

I've had my eyes open but I've noticed a lack of circles available in my own home town. So I've hired a room at The Meeting Place South Freo and I'm running a womens circle starting Saturday September 8th.

My wish is to bring women together in community to support each other through discussing what nourishes us and what doesn't. The focus is to begin to heal negative behaviours and self sabotage.

, I'll be honoured to sit in circle with you.

Pre-conception Care Works

If you knew you could enhance the health of your future children wouldn’t you do it?  

You can. There’s good solid evidence that suggests the health of you and you partner at the time you conceive, while you carry and in the early life of your child has a profound outcome on their lifetime health.

At the age of 30 I wanted to conceive a child but I’d literally spent the past 12 years partying almost every weekend, because, well, I like a good time. My party days were over however and I was willing to do ANYTHING to ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby.

I’ve always been into healthy food, and I was a regular exerciser for years. but I also loved good healthy (read robust) drink on the weekends.

I wanted to undo this damage as much as possible before conceiving. I completed a preconception care program, you can read about it here through this link, and I have now have two gorgeous healthy children to show for it.

Your eggs lay dormant in your ovaries your entire life until it’s their time to ovulate.

It’s only in the three months prior to ovulation that the eggs start to mature. It’s during this critical window that your egg determines whether it’s going to have,  say, 23 pairs of chromosomes for example (the ideal number) instead of an anomaly. Sperm are produced in the two months prior to conception and are easily affected by environmental stressors and toxins. Good levels of nutrition and avoidance of toxins - such as those found in plastics and household chemicals, and oxidative stress from both the mother and the father reduce the risk of miscarriage, and support a full term healthy pregnancy.  This is backed by research.

But there’s more. What if your preconception behaviour helped switch on all the healthy genes? The intelligence genes? The creative genius? The athletic prowess? We don’t know for sure what’s possible, and this stuff is hard to prove. But if you’re as healthy as possible wouldn’t it make sense that the healthiest possible DNA is passed on to your offspring and allowed to thrive?

We know that nutritional deficit or absence of health affects the unborn negatively, so couldn’t the opposite be true to?

What we do know for sure is that preconception care DOES impact the success of conception and supports an uncomplicated full term pregnancy. The nutritional status of the mother, her weight, and the population of her micro biome (her gut bacteria) impact whether the child eventually develops allergies, asthma, obesity, autoimmune disease and autism spectrum disorders. Emerging science associates the fathers age, diet, stress levels and alcohol consumption to the health of their offspring.

Pre-conception care really is the ultimate in preventative medicine. And it’s easy. I show you how in my upcoming online course Make the healthiest baby possible: A four month journey preparing your body to conceive. Sign up for my emails to stay in the loop.  In the meantime keep an eye out on my blog and Facebook live vids for tips on a healthy preconception care lifestyle.

Why I'm quitting wine time

When I went on holidays four months ago now I started a nightly wine habit. At the end of the day with all my time taken by the demands of my children, sipping a glass of wine while I cook dinner gives a consistent and easy ‘break.’ An delightful escape while still in the throes of dinner, bath, bedtime and clean-up. Its dependable, wine doesn’t let me down.  The subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle shift in sobriety feels like a reward for being prevented from thinking in complete sentences or following a thought process through to action by the constant interruptions and demands of toddlers.

But it’s bad for me. It’s so bad for me. the sugar, the useless calories, the inflammation.  I’m sure it’s ageing me, and I’ve become such a snacker. I’ve gained weight to a point where I no longer feel that great about my hips. And definitely not my calves. My kids have started talking about my tummy. My intuition is cloudier, and it’s starting to take me longer to get going in the morning. I don’t want this anymore.

I know, from experience that once I abstain for a couple of weeks I won’t ever think about it or miss it. But it hasn’t been easy to stop. I open a bottle and have one, maybe two glasses, Andy has one or two, and then there’s still plenty left for the next night and even the night after that. It becomes a nightly habit so easily.

I might go two or three days without wine most weeks. After this short break it feels like wine is a non-issue and rather fun, so I or my husband get another bottle and then we have another couple of nights supply. The habit is fed. It’s a subtle addiction cycle.

The physiology of addiction generally means a release of neurotransmitters such as GABA and dopamine in a rush that is mildly to strongly euphoric. And then in the absence and lack of the neurotransmitter the cravings come. 'Have that substance again so you can feel good’ Your brain and body calls out to you. It’s a cycle, an unnecessary cycle that keeps you trapped always wanting more.

I need to wade through the discomfort with grace and elegance like a dancing crane, according to a reading of my Kuan Yin oracle* cards today. Wading through the discomfort is most definitely necessary.

The challenge is leaning into the discomfort instead of away from it with yet another glass of wine. It takes is a willingness to get to the other side. When in those moments of discomfort if I just allow myself to be there feeling it (oh my god the kids are driving me crazy…) and experience that it’s really not that bad.  It’s bearable.  I have to keep my own promise to myself by choosing not to pour a glass.

With some patience and focus the cravings will disappear, the habit will be forgotten and I won’t even think about it.

My desire to do better is divinely guided.