Study Shows Healthy Bacteria Flora Starts Before Birth

As is indicated in this article, the role of healthy bacteria, or healthy flora may actually begin in utero.  This suggests that mothers-to-be or women thinking about getting pregnant may want to start addressing their own gut flora now in order to insure healthy flora in their offspring.  Healthy flora helps build a strong digestion and a strong immune system, which helps prevent colic, allergies, eczema and asthma in infants.

I have always advocated that expecting mothers start the process as soon as possible of making sure their gut flora is as healthy as possible.  You can do this by taking a good quality multi-strain probiotic,  and avoiding processed food, such as simple carbs and sweets.  For further recommendations on a healthy diet for establishing healthy gut flora see my link to The Modified Yeast Free Diet.

Beijing

I can understand Gwyneth’s excitement about visiting Beijing. I will never forget the first time I arrived in Beijing in 1998. I had to keep pinching myself to make sure it was really real, and that I indeed had landed in Beijing, a half a world away from New York City, to realize my dream of studying Chinese Medicine in the Mother Land.

I started each morning with a vigorous bicycle ride through the old hu-tong alleys of Beijing to get to the hospital and start treating patients. On the way I would stop and partake in the hot congee soup offered for breakfast along the way. At the hospital clad in my white lab coat I did not exactly blend in, but the patients warmed to my presence and were gracious and very curious. What was an ‘old foreigner’, doing in a hospital for Chinese Medicine? I took great delight in explaining to them, much to their amazement, that Chinese Medicine has a burgeoning tradition in the West. I also took cab rides whenever possible to practice my Chinese on a captive audience, my unsuspecting cab drivers. We always had lively conversations about Chinese Medicine versus Western medicine. It was in these conversations that I learned my first Chinese idiom: “Western medicine treats the branch, Chinese medicine treats the root.”

I cherish the memories of China, from climbing the Great Wall to riding my bicycle through the streets of Beijing to working in the hospitals seeing patients. I hope you enjoy Gwyneth Paltrow’s post in GOOP Go on Beijing.

Yours in health,

Adele

Weekend’s Reading – January 7th, 2010

Happy New Year Everyone,

Healthy resolutions underway? All of the Good Advice about sticking to a resolution emphasizes the importance of starting small with changes that are do-able and sustainable. So the question to start the new year with is, what are the little things we can do on a regular basis that will help us to keep our momentum going all year long? Here are some unique ideas for new year’s resolutions if you haven’t come up with any sticky ones yet:

  1. Get the formaldehyde out of your closet
  1. Add some Seaweed to your meals once a week. It’s simple, nutritious and delicious.
  2. Research your Water sources? Know what’s in your H2O, and then drink plenty every day.
  3. Eat seasonally. Start with a warm Winter Soup.
  4. Hummm your sinuses clear.
  5. Download some new Uplifting Music to accompany you on a walk.
  6. Join in on a cause you believe in, and see the difference you can make.
  7. Read more! Here is a review of an interesting new book to get you started: The Emotional Calender
  8. Make sure your workout routine is targeting for strong, healthy Bones.
  9. Don’t eliminate deserts, just make healthy ones like these Cake Pops. This recipe is Gluten Free & too much fun not to share

Best of luck in your 2011 endeavors.
Warm Wishes,

Adele

Weekend’s Reading – December 17, 2010

Happy Holidays Everyone,

There’s lots of good news in the health and wellness world with so many researchers trying to better understand how the body works. Please check out the articles below which are relevant for you, and feel free to share with us any good news articles that you find about how we can live and be healthy.

Well Wishes,

Adele