Ingesting the Placenta: Is it Healthy for New Moms?

Choosing to ingest your placenta after childbirth is a highly unusual choice for a new mom, and one that I've never heard of before.  Fortunately, there are many steps you can take which will help ensure that both you, and your new baby are healthy.

The primary one is breastfeeding. This truly natural way of feeding your baby will:

• Reduce your baby’s risk of heart disease, asthma, allergies and cancer
• Lower your baby’s risk of being obese as an adult
• Help mom to return to her pre-pregnancy weight faster
• Reduce mom’s risk of cancer
• Promote bonding between mom and baby

As for mom’s health after childbirth, if you are experiencing postpartum depression (a condition that affects more than 10 percent of new moms), you should make sure you are getting plenty of natural sun exposure.  This is a completely natural way to beat the blues.

If you don’t have access to sunlight (such as during the winter), you can get many of the same benefits by using full-spectrum lighting.

Equally, if not more important for new moms (including those who are depressed), is to take a high-quality (purified) omega-3 supplement like krill oil. The benefits of omega-3 for you and your new baby are endless.  In fact, you should really start taking omega-3 before you even become pregnant, and continue it long after childbirth.

Another simple option for moms facing depression?  Start an exercise program; it's clearly the "ultimate drug" for treating depression.

If you are looking for a more natural childbirth, you may want to consider a midwife or doula, who will likely be more open-minded and well-versed in how to keep your baby’s birth a natural, healthy experience instead of a high-tech, medicated one.  

Finally, you may also want to consider having your baby at home.  Home birth has increased in popularity over the years, and has statistically proven to be an incredibly safe option.  There is a low risk of "complications" from delivery for baby or mother, and a much lower risk of infection.  My youngest sister had her son at home, with a doctor who still does house calls, and the birth experience was tremendously positive.

How Vitamin D Performance Testing Can Help Optimize Your Health

Additionally, a robust and growing body of research clearly shows that vitamin D is absolutely critical for good health and disease prevention. Vitamin D affects your DNA through vitamin D receptors (VDRs), which bind to specific locations of the human genome. Scientists have identified nearly 3,000 genes that are influenced by vitamin D levels, and vitamin D receptors have been found throughout the human body.

Is it any wonder then that no matter what disease or condition is investigated, vitamin D appears to play a crucial role? This is why I am so excited about the D*Action Project by GrassrootsHealth. It is showing how you can take action today on known science with a consensus of experts without waiting for institutional lethargy. It has shown how by combining the science of measurement (of vitamin D levels) with the personal choice of taking action and, the value of education about individual measures that one can truly be in charge of their own health.

In order to spread this health movement to more communities, the project needs your involvement. This is an ongoing campaign during the month of February, and will become an annual event.

To participate, simply purchase the D*Action Measurement Kit and follow the registration instructions included. (Please note that 100 percent of the proceeds from the kits go to fund the research project. I do not charge a single dime as a distributor of the test kits.)

As a participant, you agree to test your vitamin D levels twice a year during a five year program, and share your health status to demonstrate the public health impact of this nutrient. There is a $65 fee every 6 months for your sponsorship of the project, which includes a test kit to be used at home, and electronic reports on your ongoing progress. You will get a follow up email every six months reminding you "it's time for your next test and health survey."