Breastfeeding

Breast milk is nature's baby food and is perfectly designed for your baby's physical and mental development. The composition of breast milk is constantly changing to meet the needs of your baby at each feeding - it is dynamic and alive. Breast milk can help boost an infant's immunity and has been shown to positively affect both the infant's and mom's future health.

Breastfeeding Pointers
A well-balanced, high quality and nourishing diet is vitally important not only to you, as you rebuild your nutrient stores, but also to your nursing newborn. To get the most from dietary choices while nursing, always include fresh, wholesome foods in your daily diet, including the Power Foods for Pregnant and Lactating Women. Despite the desire to lose weight, do not limit nutrient-rich foods during breastfeeding — your growing baby needs the nutrients.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that breastfeeding should begin immediately after birth and that babies be breastfed for at least one year, with exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.

Challenges and obstacles can most often be alleviated with information and support. The first week can be difficult for first time parents, so it could be helpful to meet with a lactation consultant or expert even before birth.

Many herbs promote the secretion and flow of breast milk. Look for herb teas specific for nursing mothers. Special creams are also available to help sooth sore nipples.

Certain foods eaten by mom can disagree with some breast-fed babies. Keep a food journal to determine what, if anything, in your diet may cause discomfort or reaction from your breastfeeding baby. If you are experiencing problems, experiment by eliminating: broccoli family vegetables (such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli), eggs, milk, soy, peanuts, citrus fruits, gluten-containing grains, spicy foods, or chocolate. Mom can also try drinking soothing teas made from chamomile, fennel or lemon balm or taking probiotic supplements to help baby's digestion.

Babies will develop a taste for whatever Mom eats, during lactation and even during pregnancy. It is known that breast milk and amniotic fluid provide flavor exposure to the baby. These exposures influence taste preferences and food choices after weaning and are critical in determining food preferences later in life.

Garlic: An Immunity-Boosting Superstar

For thousands of years, people all over the world have hailed garlic as an elixir of health. Its cloves are said to help treat the common cold, keep the plague at bay, and even ward off vampires. Despite its notorious odor, this veggie is the bulb of a plant in the sweet-smelling lily family. Ancient writings show that garlic was used as an aphrodisiac in India and as currency in Egypt.

Today, at just 4 calories per clove, it’s a low-cal immunity-boosting superstar. One clove contains 5 mg of calcium, 12 mg of potassium, and more than 100 sulfuric compounds -- powerful enough to wipe out bacteria and infection (it was used to prevent gangrene in both world wars). Raw garlic, not cooked or dried, is most beneficial for health, since heat and water inactivate sulfur enzymes, which can diminish garlic’s antibiotic effects. In clinical trials, the toxin-fighting staple seems to lower blood pressure and cholesterol and kill parasites in the body.

Other Immunity Boosters

Sulfuric compounds are also in brussels sprouts, cabbage, chives, kale, leeks, onions, and shallots.

Recipe

Roasted Garlic and Garlic Oil

Makes 2 2/3 cups garlic oil and 2/3 cup garlic mash

4 large heads garlic

3 cups olive oil

4 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Break the garlic heads into quarters with skins intact. Do not peel the cloves.
Place quarters in a small ovenproof casserole dish. Pour olive oil over garlic to cover. Add herbs and pepper. Cover.
Bake slowly for about one hour until the cloves are soft.
Cool. Strain the garlic oil into a bottle and store at room temperature.
Squeeze the garlic from the skins and mash. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three weeks.
Use garlic mash in soups, stews, egg dishes, or pizza. Spread on baguette slices for garlic bruschetta, and on grilled chicken or roasted meats. You can substitute garlic oil, which has a subtle hint of garlic plus rosemary or thyme, in any dish that calls for olive oil. You can also use garlic oil to roast tomatoes, drizzle on grilled vegetables, or moisten cooked pasta.

Per serving (1 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon garlic mash): 45 calories, 0.2 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 4.5 g fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 3.3 g monounsaturated fat, 0.4 g polyunsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 0.5 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 90%.

Genetic Cause of Rare Immune Disorder Discovered

The genetic cause of Job’s Syndrome — a rare disorder of the immune system and connective tissue — has been identified by U.S. researchers.

People with the disorder suffer boils, inflamed skin, bone abnormalities, teeth deformities and cyst-forming pneumonias. There have been fewer than 250 reported cases of the disease — named for the Biblical figure Job who had painful sores over his entire body — which was first described in 1966.

The disease is also called Hyper IgE Recurrent Infection Syndrome.

“The genetic origins of this disease have been a mystery since it was first identified decades ago. These results may lead to new diagnostic tests and new treatments to help patients afflicted with Job’s Syndrome,” study co-author Dr. James M. Musser, co-director of the Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston, said in a prepared statement.

In this study, conducted at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Musser and his colleagues identified mutations in the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 gene as the cause of Job’s Syndrome.

The researchers made the discovery using molecular and bioinformatics tools. Bioinformatics uses math and computers to interpret the huge amount of data involved in molecular and genetic analysis.

“Although this is a rare disease, the novel strategies we developed can be applied to many other genetic diseases of unknown cause,” Musser said.

The study is in the Sept. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

SOURCE: Methodist Hospital, news release, Sept. 18, 2007

Increase your immunity with Echinacea

According to NCCAM, there are nine known species of echinacea, all of
which are native to the United States and southern Canada. The most
commonly used, Echinacea purpurea, is believed to offer the most health
benefits. The common names include echinacea, purple coneflower,
coneflower, American coneflower.

What are the health benefits of echinacea? Echinacea has traditionally
been used to treat or prevent colds, flu and other infections. Echinacea
is believed to stimulate the immune system to help fight infections.
Echinacea is thought to benefit people suffered from skin issues, such as
acene or boils, and wounds. [NCCAM]

How is echinacea used? The aboveground parts and roots of echinacea
are used fresh or dried to make teas, squeezed (expressed) juice,
extracts, or preparations for external use.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ECHINACEA? --
based on research findings?..

Immunomodulatory Effect
Goel et al studied the immunomodulatory effects of preparations of
Echinacea containing cichoric acid, polysaccharides and alkylamides at
different concentrations on male Sprague-Dawley rats. They found that
Echinacea preparations are effective in stimulating an in vivo, non-
specific immune rsponse, such as increased release of cytokines, only
when cichoric acid, polysaccharides and alkylamides at certain
concentrations. [Echinacea stimulates macrophage function in the lung
and spleen of normal rats. Goel et al, University of Alberta, Canada. J
Nutr Biochem. 2002 Aug;13(8):487.

O'Neill et al also concluded that Echinacea effectively stimulates
immunocompetence, and the Echinacea extract improves the quality of
blood by increasing haemoglobin levels and the number of erthrocytes
from their studies on eight horses. [ Immunological and haematinic
consequences of feeding a standardized Echinacea extract to healthy
horses. O'Neill et al, Equine Research Centre, Canada, Equine Vet J.
2002 May;34(3):222-7.

HEALTH BENEFITS ON COMMON COLD, RHINOVIRUS
INFECTIONS SAFETY AND SIDE EFFECTS OF ECHINACEA
Common colds are one of the most fequent acute illnesses and
Echinaceae purpureae herba has shown promising results in the relief of
common cold symptoms and shortening the duration for improvement. A
randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 80 adult
patients with first signs of a cold has shown that echinacea supplement
was effective in alleviating symptoms more rapidly than placebo. The
researchers also observed that echinacea supplements were well-
tolerated in the study. [8]

Furthermore, a few more studies also concluded that Echinacea
effectively reduced the symptoms and duration of the common cold. [9]
Echinacea appeared to be safe and no serious side effects were shown
up in these studies. [9, 10]

However, Yale et al. failed to replicate such benefits using 100 mg of
freeze-dried pressed juice from the aerial portion of the echinacea
purpurea. [7] Turner RB et al also failed to repicate the findings in
experimental rhinovirus infections. [1] In the study, Turner utilized three
doses of about 300 milligrams of the dried powdered echinacea root.
[2]

The American Botanical Council (ABC), has pointed out that:
{1} the extracts used were made in a university laboratory are different
to commercial echinacea products. (2), the dosages used in this trial
were also too low. According to ABC, various international monographs
have acknowledged the generally higher dose used for echinacea root
products. The World Health Organization (WHO) monograph for
Echinacea root (“Radix Echniaceae”) has a dosage for Echinacea
angustifolia root at the equivalence of 3 gm per day of the dried root.
[3] This same dosage is also acknowledged in the more recently
developed draft monographs on Echinacea from the Canadian Natural
Health Products Directorate. [4] This dosage level is about 330% higher
than the dosage of the echinacea preparations given in the Turner's trial.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF ECHINACEA?
When taken by mouth, echinacea usually does not cause side effects.
However, some people experience allergic reactions, including rashes,
increased asthma, and anaphylaxis. In clinical trials, gastrointestinal side
effects were most common. [NCCAM]

People are more likely to experience allergic reactions to echinacea if
they are allergic to related plants in the daisy family, which includes
ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies. Also, people with
asthma or atopy may be more likely to have an allergic reaction when
taking echinacea. [NCCAM]

Jerald C. Foote, assistant professor at University of Arkansas reported
intake of echinacea supplements linked to increased amounts of certain
bacteria. such as Bacteroides fragilis in the gastrointestinal tract. The
increase in amount of Bacteroides fragilis may contribute to inflammatory
bowel disease and diarrhea. [X1]

References
1. Turner RB, Bauer R, Woelkart K, Hulsey TC, Gangemi DJ. An evaluation of
Echinacea angustifolia preparations in experimental rhinovirus infections. N Engl J
Med 2005;353:341-348. 2. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, Hall T, Riggins
CW, Rister RS, eds. Klein S, Rister RS, trans. The Complete German Commission
E Monographs – Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston: Integrative
Medicine Communications; Austin, TX: American Botanical Council, 1998. 3.
Echinacea Radix. In: WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants. Geneva:
World Health Organization, 1999. 4. Ehinacea. Natural Health Products
Directorate. Health Canada. Draft Jan 2004. 5. Blumenthal M. Herb sales down
7.4 percent in mainstream market. HerbalGram 2005;66:63. 6. Echinacea. In:
Blumenthal M, Hall T, Goldberg A, Kunz T, Dinda K, Brinckmann J, et al, eds. The
ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs. Austin, TX: American Botanical Council, 2003. [7]
Echinacea purpurea therapy for the treatment of the common cold: a randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Yale et al, Marshfield Clinic, USA.
Arch Intern Med. 2004 Jun 14; 164(11):1237-41. [8] Schulten B et al, Efficacy of
Euchinacea purpurea in patients with a common cold. A placebo-controlled,
randomised, double-blind clinical trial. Arzneimittelforschung. 2001;51(7):563-8.
[9] Lindenmuth GF et al, The efficacy of echinacea compound herbal tea
preparation on the severity and duration of upper respiratory and flu symptoms:
a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. J Altern Complement Med.
2000 Aug;6(4):327-34. [10] Giles JT et al, Evaluation of echinacea for tratment of
the common cold, Pharmacotherapy; 2000 Jun;20(6):690-7. Herbal Science
Group Says Dosage Too Low in New Echinacea Trial, citizens. org Aug 9, 2005
[NCCAM] NCCAM Publication No D271 July 2005. [x1] Study connects echinacea,
tract bacteria AP December 20, 2006.