Our bacteria affect our brain function

Been bleating about importance of the gut microbiome for ages, but here’s a new connection that should give seniors cause for pause - our bacteria affect our brain function.

Of course, this is not exactly related to Better Babies, but if you’re worried about those increasingly frequent senior moments - a forgotten word or phrase, a face you can’t put a name to, no recollection of what you did yesterday - listen up!

If you want the Better Babies version of the microbiome story - the infant gut and skin are inoculated with good bacteria during the baby’s journey down the birth canal, and with exclusive breastfeeding until at least six months. Then an organic whole food diet, purified water, probiotic supplementation and no antibiotics, are other factors needed to ensure an optimally healthy microbiome in the child, which should be well-established by the age of two or three.

Lots more details in both my books

Getting iron levels up to speed ... before pregnancy

Get your iron levels up to speed before you start trying to conceive because 'More iron equals bigger babies, research suggests; personalised nutrition can help. Depleted maternal iron levels in early pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of the baby being ‘small for gestational age’.

Yet another one of those hugely frustrating studies that leaves me wondering how many more years must pass before the importance of preconception care is shouted from every rooftop and promoted by every health care professional worldwide! 

For thirty years I’ve been promoting serum ferritin levels as the test of choice for iron status and of establishment of optimal iron levels well before conception. It’s simple, if the mother begins her pregnancy in an iron-depleted state, no amount of supplementation can make up for the deficit. End of story! Oh actually, not quite …

When supplementing to restore iron status, iron must be in an organic form (not the cheap and ever-popular ferrous sulphate) and must be accompanied by all the other trace minerals and co-factors such as vitamin C. While the authors are talking about the need for personalised nutrition, I hope they recognise and promote the vital importance of an all-organic, whole food diet. Much more in my easy to read mini ebooks.