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Cambridge University released the results of a study on saturated fat last month that has turned the mainstream health community on its head about the matter. Saturated fat has been given a bad wrap by the medical community for a very long time. It has been blamed for obesity and heart disease, with the promotion of low fat products being standard practice for years.

As those that are patients of mine will know, I have always been against the use of low fat products as a health tool – they have no health benefit and in fact are often unhealthier than their full fat counterparts.

Much of the information that has been propagated about saturated fat is without much scientific ground. In fact there is mounting evidence that low fat products are detrimental to our health. The nurse’s health study even found that a high intake of low fat dairy caused an increase in infertility.

This new study shows that saturated fat does not increase cholesterol or ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, event though this is what is what the heart foundation claims that is does.

Cutting out saturated fat from the diet poses several health issues – it can lead to a deficiency in the fat soluble vitamins A and D, which are found in butter and other full fat dairy products. When it is replaced with highly processed polyunsaturated fats such as margarine, it can cause increases in LDL cholesterol and lead to hardening of the arteries. Low fat products are also often high in sugar, which is the real culprit when it comes to obesity and heart disease.

Saturated fat is an important part of a healthy diet and should be included in meals in small amounts. Use butter instead of margarine and eat the skin off your chicken if it’s organic. Coconut oil is another very healthy saturated fat source that you can eat daily to improve your fat profile.

Check in with a qualified naturopath to get your diet analyzed to find the right balance of fats for you.

There is a lot of mounting evidence for the role of bacterial biofilms in the persistence of chronic infections and the associated conditions that they cause or exacerbate. Bacteria are becoming increasing resistant to antibiotics and attack by your immune system. The reason for this is that bacteria are evolving to thwart efforts to kill them.

Many bacteria will lose their cell membranes – making them impermeable to certain antibiotics. Perhaps an even more effective defense is that of biofilms – where the bacteria group together, sometimes with other types of bacteria and create a natural biofilm – a cover made from proteins that very effectively protect the bacteria from attack.

Within this biofilm, bacteria are safe from attack from your immune system and any herbal or medical antibiotic therapy. This can lead to very slow progress for the patient and a long drawn out treatment time, if they are able to get on top of it at all.

What conditions are biofilms associated with?

This is not a complete list – nearly any bacterial infection has the potential for biofilm creation.

Lyme Disease – The spiral bacteria Borellia is difficult to eradicate due to the presence of biofilms.
Chronic Sinusitis – some studies have shown up to 80% of patients with surgery due to chronic sinusitis have evidence of bacteria within biofilms.
Mouth and teeth problems – plaque is a biofilm, harboring bacteria, which can lead to cavities and gingivitis
Chronic wounds – bacterial biofilms in wounds can prevent wounds from healing.
Cystic fibrosis – Individuals with cystic fibrosis have bacteria colonizing in the lungs from a young age. Early on Staphylococcus aureus and Hemophilus influenza can form biofilms but in later stages Pseudomonas aeruginosa is more virulent. P. aeruginosa is associated with mortality in cystic fibrosis.
Recurring urinary tract infections – recurring UTIs may be due to the presence of biofilm on the bladder wall, preventing effective treatment of the infection.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and Fibromyalgia – CFS and FM can be associated with many different bacterial infections, many of which can remain virulent with biofilms.

How do you treat biofilms?

Treatment to breakdown biofilms is essential in and disease which involves chronic infection. In my patients I use a biofilm breakdown protocol which can involve the use of specific enzyme therapy to ‘digest’ the film, along with specific herbs which have been shown to be effective in targeting biofilms.

Fortunately, herbal antibacterials and antifungals do not have the same problems as antibiotics around bacterial resistance, and a targeted biofilm attack protocol along with specific antibacterial or antifungal treatments is usually very effective in bringing down levels of overgrown or infectious pathogens.

If you’d like to know if Katherine can help with your particular condition, ask her a question or call 07 3367 0337.

This is a great video about biofilms with some imagery on how they work…

Green smoothies are great for detoxification and reducing inflammation in the body. Don’t give up if it doesn’t work well the first time, you may need to play with the ingredients to get it right for your taste.

In a blender, place:

2 handfuls of any green leafies – baby spinach, mesculin lettuce, romaine lettuce, rocket, silverbeet, watercress…
1 – 3 pieces of fruit – banana, pawpaw, kiwifruit, peaches, apricots, pineapple, berries etc.
A little water to make desired consistency.

Simply blend until super smooth and drink!

To get more out of your green smoothie, consider adding any of the following:

Spirulina – full of mineral and vitamins
LSA – for omega 3, fibre, minerals and protein
Flaxseed oil – for Omega 3
Lecithin – good for brain health and absorption of your good fats

Easter can easily be all about giving chocolate to children. Try these tips for some family fun over the easter break, and make easter more than just a time to eat chocolate.

Decorating easter eggs

An oldie but a goodie, children love to make their own coloured eggs. Make sure you wear old clothes and cover your table with a thick layer of newspaper before you begin.

First, hard boil some organic eggs
In large cups put 1 cup water, 1 tsp vinegar and a small amount of food dye
Dip eggs in with a spoon, and leave until you are happy with the colour
Put in an empty egg carton to dry

Try drawing on the eggs with a white crayon, wrapping tape of rubber bands around or putting stickers on them before dying them to make different patterns.

For a demonstration, check out this youtube video:

Making your own easter eggs

To make your own easter eggs you can buy easter egg moulds from craft shops and department stores, or online. They come in all shapes, from the easter bunny to eggs of all shapes and sizes.

They come in two halves, so you melt the chocolate, add to the two halves, let it set a little then add some melted chocolate to one side and join together. Easy!

Try using over 70% cocoa chocolate. You can add crushed nuts, a few drops of peppermint oil, shredded coconut or even dried fruit and rum!

The easter egg hunt

Every child loves and easter egg hunt. You can wrap up your homemade chocolate for them to find, or use regular easter eggs.

Make it a challenge so that they have to work for their chocolate! You may even want to go to a park for the hunt, so that the kids have plenty of room to run around and burn off all of that energy.

Good food substitutes

Try organic spelt hot cross buns from Sol Breads, or make your own!
The very best chocolate is raw chocolate, which is made with untoasted cocoa. Try Loving Earth raw chocolate from a health food shop.
Leave some carrots for the easter bunny and encourage your children to eat the leftovers!

Plastics are so common in society today that they are generally regarded as a safe and useful product. Although plastics do have many advantages and indeed it would be difficult to do without them, many studies are now confirming that there is more in plastic than meets the eye.

Bisphenol A

One of the most widely studied chemicals contained in everyday plastics is Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is an oestrogenic compound contained in plastics and now in most human bodies in the developed world. After studies published in the Journal of the Americal Medical Association (JAMA) in 2008 associated BPA with serious diseases and infertility it has been brought into the spotlight.

In March last year, BPA in food and beverage containers and utensils marketed to children were banned, and several international companies also voluntarily ceased using BPA in their infant products.

In June, Canada brought in regulations to to prohibit the use of BPA in babies bottles. Babies bottles usually are made with plastics containing BPA in Australia, as are the majority of water bottles and containers sold.

Plastics with a 3, 6 and especially 7 in the recycling symbol contain BPA and should therefore be avoided. You will commonly see these symbols on water cooler bottles, hard and soft plastic drink bottles, babies bottles and many other common household items.

Phthalates

Like BPA, phthalates have the ability to disrupt hormones, mimicking the female hormone oestrogen in the body. Phthalates are found in high concentrations in shower curtains and vinyl flooring.

There has been a EU ban on the use of phthalates however they are still used in many household items such as plastic furniture and packaging.

A recent study tested urine samples of pregnant women for phthalates. The mothers, who gave birth to 74 boys and 71 girls were followed up until the children were 7 years of age.

One of the remarkable findings of this study was that the boys of mothers who had high pregnancy levels of phthalates were less likely to play with cars, trains and guns and engage in rougher games like play fighting.

The researchers of the study described phthalates as “gender benders”, having feminising qualities in children.
Two of the most common phthalates are DEHP, which is used to make PVC soft and pliable in products like flooring, and DBP, used as a plasticiser in glues, dyes and textiles.

Some non-toxic plastic alternatives

There are many alternatives to these plastics becoming available on the market. Try some of these tips to lower your toxin input:

Use a glass or stainless steel drinking bottle for your water only.
Avoid using plastics to store food in – especially if being heated. A good alternative is pyrex food containers, which are made of glass.
Opt for living with carpet or hardwood flooring instead of plastics, especially if you have babies crawling around.
Look for products that state that they are BPA and phthalate free.