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Ask Emma the Naturopath!

October 20, 2014 · 2 Comments

emma

 

Welcome to Ask Emma! 

We are very lucky to have leading Aussie naturopath and nutritionist, Emma Sutherland here on the blog today, answering your questions!

 

 

1. SANDRA asks….. I would be interested to know what advice you would give for my friend’s son who is 11 and has suffered from chronic constipation all his life. He is a lovely, bright active boy but his mood changes when his constipation is at it’s worse and he can become very aggressive and violent. They have been to specialists and done a few alternative medicine treatments but I don’t think they’ve been given much information other than reactive ways to help him void. What are some ways that they can promote healing for his overdistended bowel?  

 

I would bet my life on this poor little boy having gut dysbiosis. This means the balance between the good and bad bacteria in his digestive system is out. Gut dysbiosis has been linked to antibiotic use, poor maternal gut health during pregnancy, lack of breastfeeding, C-sections, a lack of fibre, as well as processed foods. In fact, the research is really starting to emerge on how profoundly gut dysbiosis impacts overall health.

 

It’s no wonder he gets aggressive when he is constipated – the enteric nervous system lines the digestive system and is negatively affected by gut dysbiosis! Levels of serotonin can drop and cause mood swings. I would suggest probiotic therapy, lots of fibre in the form of resistant starch as well as bone broth to help reduce inflammation on the gut lining. The fact is, unless you treat the gut dysbiosis, the constipation will probably never completely go away.

 

 

2. DIMITRA asks……..I would like to know what I can do to alleviate my PMS symptoms, in particular headaches.  

 

The relative drop of estrogen compared to progesterone that occurs just before your period can cause hormonal headaches and migraines. Actually, most PMT symptoms can be linked back to a hormone imbalance. To help ease the acute headache, load up on magnesium and rescue remedy. To help prevent them, reduce the amount of inflammatory foods in your daily diet – this includes sugar, caffeine, alcohol and gluten. The herb Vitex agnus castus is incredibly effective at supporting progesterone levels and balancing estrogen so take it daily for 2 months to see the best results. I have had so many clients say their PMT is so much better on this amazing herb!

 

 

3. LEA asks ………I would love some advice on everyday eating without a gallbladder please! My Gallbladder was removed when I was 16 yrs. old in 1989, and I don’t seem to have a straight answer on what foods I should avoid to help with digestion and bloating.

 

First of all let’s look at some biology – your gallbladder concentrates bile, which has two major functions. It emulsifies fats in the first part of the small intestine. It also alkalizes the highly acidic contents of the stomach as they are released into the small intestine. Without a gall bladder, you don’t produce concentrated forms of bile so these two functions can get compromised hence the bloating! I would make sure you take a teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar in a touch of water just before you eat to help your body break down your food. And then take half a teaspoon of bicarb in a little water 30 minutes after your main meal. This will help to alkalise the small intestine. If the small intestine becomes too acidic, pathogenic bacteria will flourish, causing pain and trapped wind. From a food perspective always avoid fried foods, transfats and cream.

 

 

4. TASH asks ……… My 6 year old girl is a bit on the heavy side (size 12/14), I do all I can to control what she eats. Plus she does gymnastic twice a week for one hour each day.  We eat a healthy and sugar free diet (95% of the time), for sometime now I have been thinking that she might have a food intolerance, could this be a contributor? What can I do?  

 

I actually had a 7 year old boy see me in clinic yesterday for the same reason and I have ordered a food intolerance test for him! Yes it definitely sounds like your daughter could be intolerant to certain foods. When this happens, the immune system produces antibodies and a cascade of inflammation occurs. When we become inflamed our body holds on to fluid and weight in a survival response to try and dilute the inflammation. If she has a hard, distended tummy by the end of the day, sniffs often or has loads of earwax, then you can be pretty sure she has a food intolerance. See a naturopath and make sure you have the proper test done – finger prick for IgG antibodies to around 96 different foods.

 

 

5. MEL asks……. My daughter has what appears to be allergies, sneezing running and stuffy nose etc but has tested negative in allergy tests both blood and scratch test hasn’t responded to nasonex and has some relief from clarentyne. 

 

This again sounds like a classic case of food intolerances. I see so many children in clinic who have done the rounds of doctors and tests but are still unwell. Food intolerances are very different to food allergies. Food allergies are immediate, fast, result in IgE antibodies and you know when they happen! Food intolerances are slower to happen. You can eat a certain food and be ok, eat it again and still be ok, then the next time you eat it your immune system responds and forms IgG antibodies. Bam, then you are primed against that food! Each time you eat it after that, your gut gets inflamed and your immune system goes crazy. Make sure you get a proper food intolerance test done – I use a lab called Nutripath based in Melbourne.

 

 

6.   I have IBS and have been on a Low FODMAP diet for 12 months now. It’s great when I’m on the diet but would really like to transition back to normal eating again eventually. Was wondering if there was anything I could do to restore my gut health, or if this was at all possible. Really hoping I don’t have to remain on this diet forever. 

 

Wow congratulations on your progress so far! I am hoping you have worked out what group of FODMAPs you react to the most. The groups are:

 

Fructose – mainly fruits, honey

Fructans – grains such as wheat, rye, barley, cashews, pistachios some fruits, & vegetables such as garlic, onions

Galactans – legumes, soy

Lactose – all dairy

Polyols – sweeteners such as sorbitol, vegetables such as mushrooms and fruit such as apricots.

 

I find with most clients that once they have done a good gut repair program, they can tolerant most FODMAPs better. There tends to be one group that will always be problematic and that is usually fructans. It can look like gluten intolerance but often it is fructans intolerance. For improving gut health, first look at healing the gut lining with the amino acid glutamine, zinc and the anti inflammatory herb turmeric. Probiotic and prebiotic therapy is also needed so top up on both of those as well. Stress will always negatively impact gut health so implementing lifestyle factors to reduce stress is essential.

 

 

 

Ask Emma:

Emma Sutherland is a successful mum, author, naturopath and TV presenter and her mission in life is to inspire women to get their mojo back.

Her first book “50 Foods That Will Change Your Life” is co written with leading home economist Michelle Thrift and is the ultimate guide to healthy eating for women.

She was the expert nutritionist on the popular TV show “Eat Yourself Sexy” on Lifestyle You. Inspiring and uplifting, Eat Yourself Sexy encourages women to take control of their lives and get back on the road to loving themselves.

Emma’s baby daughter, Sophia was born in November 2011 and has been the delight of her life since. Along with Sophia’s arrival, Emma picked up an addiction to every Superfood she can get her hands on! Motherhood has been the most amazing feat she has accomplished and it has only reaffirmed her desire to work more strongly with mums-to-be, mums and their bubbas. In fact, Sophia has inspired Emma’s second book “Sophia Eats – a Parents Guide to Toddler Health and Wellbeing”.

Emma is a fully qualified Naturopath, having completed four years of training in Herbal Medicine, Nutrition and Homoeopathy as well as a Bachelor of Health Science. She has years of experience in treating women and children throughout the preconception to post natal period. She has completed post graduate training in women’s health and is a certified Infant Sleep Consultant. Emma is a registered Naturopath with membership to the Australian Traditional Medicine Society.

Follow Emma:

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   Youtube   

Filed In: HEALTH / Tagged: ask Emma, Emma Sutherland, naturopath, nutritionist, questions

Ask Emma !

September 1, 2014 · 10 Comments

 emma

 

Welcome to Ask Emma! 

We are very lucky to have leading Aussie naturopath and nutritionist, Emma Sutherland here on the blog today, answering your questions!

 

 

1. Is hair sampling a good way to get an understanding of what you’re lacking and what you need? If not, what is a good straightforward test you recommend for overall issues like nutrients, hormones, leaky gut, thyroid or gluten sensitivities?

 

Hair analysis is fantastic to determine your mineral template and if you have any heavy metals in your body. Unfortunately there is not one single test that will assess nutrients, hormones, leaky gut, thyroid and gluten sensitivities. As a clinical naturopath I conduct a lot of functional testing and these tests are extremely valuable to work out what is going on in your body. Your GP can assess for nutrients and basic hormones which is a great place to start. A naturopath will be able to read these tests and make sure you are in the optimal range. As for gluten, avoid it completely for 4 weeks and then have three serves in 24 hours and see how your body reacts. I find that almost 95% of my clients are gluten sensitive.

 

 

2. How much can you trust your ‘cravings’? I often crave cold juicy things when I am getting a migraine, like fruit salad or melon, or cold meat (leftover cooked chicken or steak for example). Should I listen to my cravings, or better yet, is there a way to differentiate between a ‘want’ craving and a ‘need’ craving, if there is a difference at all?

 

I always feel it’s important to listen to your body and try to determine what it’s telling you. You may be low in a particular vitamin or mineral and your body is driving you to eat a food rich in that nutrient.  That being said, it is important to differentiate between emotional hunger and true hunger as they often get mixed up. Emotional hunger is felt in your head, wants to be satisfied instantly and leaves guilt in its wake. True hunger is felt in the gut, doesn’t need instant gratification and is guilt free. When you feel a craving, stop, have a glass of water and ask whether it is emotional hunger or true hunger.

 

 

3. What are some diet-based/supplement-based tools to rebalance hormones postpartum?

 

In the first few months after your new baby has arrived, the need for many nutrients is high as sleep levels are low and all your energy is going into your little one.  Rebalancing hormones will also depend on whether you are breast feeding or not. In the few weeks after birth, there is a cascade of very strong hormones that initiates breastfeeding. Your levels of estrogen and progesterone change from pregnancy and this can all leave you feeling highly emotional.

 

The single most important thing you can do to support your hormones in those early weeks is to sleep as much as possible. When we sleep, our body heals, repairs and works hard to restore equilibrium.

 

Once you are past the first three weeks, turn your focus onto your diet and ensure you are eating well. Prioritise time when your baby is napping to organise food in advance. Cut up enough fruit for 2 days, chop veggies for 3 days, make soups and casseroles that can freeze and if anyone asks what they can do to help I say “make me some healthy food!”

 

I strongly recommend taking high quality fish oils as the omega 3 fatty acids help support stable hormones and good mental health. Magnesium is our number one relaxing mineral so perfect to help a tired nervous system. B vitamins are critical for hormone balance and are best taken in the morning.

 

 

4. My very picker eater son who is 2 and a half – I’ve heard this could be a zinc deficiency? Is that true? Or just being a frustrating toddler 

 

At this age most toddlers go through a stage of fussy eating, in fact around 65% become picker eaters so you are not alone! Being consistent and repetitious with routine is important as research shows that picky eaters need to be exposed to a food at least 21 times before they even consider eating it. Zinc is certainly in high demand as it is a structural component of growing cells and plays a key role in immunity. Make sure you increase all zinc containing foods to ensure he is getting enough – grass fed beef & lamb, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, egg yolks and Brazil nuts.

 

 

5. Are allergies related to gut health?? If so, is there anything you can do nutritionally to help restore good gut health?? I have a 2yr old and 10 month old diagnosed with severe allergies, we have no history of any allergies in either side of our families. I have done some research and there are studies out there that link gut health with allergic reactions. Unfortunately both my boys were given antibiotics at birth due to meconium, I was never advised to give them probiotics at all and I have watched them both suffer with severe constipation and stomach pain and then the allergies. I am wondering if there is anything I can do to help them??

 

There is so much you can do to help them! You are right there is a lot of very good research on how important gut health is and Catalyst had a brilliant documentary about it recently (). I would see a naturopath for support as there are many different strains of probiotics and you want to ensure you give the right ones. I would recommend doing a stool test with a functional lab such as Bioscreen or Nutripath to assess the current gut flora, which can be organized through your practitioner. A type of fibre called resistant starch is important as it provides fuel for healthy bacteria to thrive on. Fermented foods such as kefir, kombucha and kim chi are fantastic and bone broth can help to heal an inflamed gut lining.

 

6. What are your recommendations for courses for those wanting to study nutrition? Any online courses?


It depends on why you want to study nutrition. If you want to have more knowledge so that you can ensure your family is eating the right foods and they are healthy, then online courses can be suitable. If you want to go into business and work with clients to help them improve their health, then its best to do a face to face course and get yourself a Bachelor of Science.

 

About Emma:

Emma Sutherland is a successful mum, author, naturopath and TV presenter and her mission in life is to inspire women to get their mojo back.

Her first book “50 Foods That Will Change Your Life” is co written with leading home economist Michelle Thrift and is the ultimate guide to healthy eating for women.

She was the expert nutritionist on the popular TV show “Eat Yourself Sexy” on Lifestyle You. Inspiring and uplifting, Eat Yourself Sexy encourages women to take control of their lives and get back on the road to loving themselves.

Emma’s baby daughter, Sophia was born in November 2011 and has been the delight of her life since. Along with Sophia’s arrival, Emma picked up an addiction to every Superfood she can get her hands on! Motherhood has been the most amazing feat she has accomplished and it has only reaffirmed her desire to work more strongly with mums-to-be, mums and their bubbas. In fact, Sophia has inspired Emma’s second book “Sophia Eats – a Parents Guide to Toddler Health and Wellbeing”.

Emma is a fully qualified Naturopath, having completed four years of training in Herbal Medicine, Nutrition and Homoeopathy as well as a Bachelor of Health Science. She has years of experience in treating women and children throughout the preconception to post natal period. She has completed post graduate training in women’s health and is a certified Infant Sleep Consultant. Emma is a registered Naturopath with membership to the Australian Traditional Medicine Society.

Follow Emma:

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   Youtube   

Got a question for Emma?

Leave it here in the comments or email sonia@naturalnewagemum.com and Emma will select six to answer next month.

 

 

Filed In: HEALTH / Tagged: ask Emma, Emma Sutherland, naturopath, nutritionist

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