Green Mother E-Book

Sarah Myhill

• Herausgeber: Hammersmith Health Books
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

In this no-nonsense guide to parenting, beautifully illustrated by Michelle McCullagh based on her immediate family and friends, Dr Sarah Myhill shows us how we can grow healthy, confident children by feeding and nurturing their first (immune system), second (emotional) and third (intellectual) brains based on a paleo-ketogenic diet and lifestyle. Michelle describes how this is working for her and her young family and provides the recipes that have made this easy and sustainable. This combination of 'paleo' (no dairy, no grains) and 'ketogenic' (low-starchy-carb, high-fat but NOT high-protein/meat) gives the best of both worlds for a long and healthy life and all the benefits of growing resilient, contented children.

Leseprobe

This book is dedicated to the amazing Nim Barnes whose knowledge, energy and enthusiasm made her the Mary Poppins of preconceptual care. She transformed families from the misery of infertility, recurrent miscarriages and obstetric disasters to joyful pregnancies, happy families and healthy babies. Her vital statistics for those families with such problems are, to quote Professor Neil Ward in the Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine 1995 (with permission from Taylor & Francis Ltd):

Written and telephone follow-ups carried out in 1993 revealed that 327 (89%) of women had become pregnant and 327 children had been born since enrolment. There were no multiple pregnancies. In remarkable contrast to the couples’ previous experience, all their babies (137 males and 190 females) were born healthy and were well developed at birth which occurred from 36 to 41 weeks (mean 38.5 weeks). Average birth weight was 3265 g (2368 – 4145). None were malformed and none were transferred to special care baby units. Among 204 couples with infertility problems, 175 (86%) had achieved healthy pregnancies.1

I hope that Craig, Michelle and Iare worthy bearers of that ‘Foresight’ which sheignited and fuelled and which must be keptburning forevermore.

First published in 2022 by Hammersmith Health Books

– an imprint of Hammersmith Books Limited

4/4A Bloomsbury Square, London WC1A 2RP, UK

www.hammersmithbooks.co.uk

© 2022, Dr Sarah Myhill and Michelle McCullagh

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers and copyright holders.

The information contained in this book is for educational purposes only. It is the result of the study and the experience of the authors. Whilst the information and advice offered are believed to be true and accurate at the time of going to press, neither the authors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may have been made or for any adverse effects which may occur as a result of following the recommendations given herein. Always consult a qualified medical practitioner if you have any concerns regarding your health.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data: A CIP recordof this book is available from the British Library.

Print ISBN 978-1-78161-204-0

Ebook ISBN 978-1-78161-205-7

Commissioning editor: Georgina Bentliff

Designed and typeset by: Madeline Meckiffe

Cover design by: Madeline Meckiffe

Illustrations by: Michelle McCullagh, based on her own family

Cover image by: Michelle McCullagh

Index: Dr Laurence Errington

Production: Deborah Wehner, Moatvale Press, UK

Printed and bound by: T J Books Ltd, UK, Cornwall, UK

CONTENTS

About the Tribe

Acknowledgements

Preface

Introduction

1. Mothers and fathers

2. The Paleo-Ketogenic (PK) diet

3. Pregnancy

4. Childbirth and immediately after

5. Breastfeeding and weaning

6. Sleep

7. The baby who cries

8. The first brain: the immune system

9. Minor and common childhood ailments

10. Serious and avoidable childhood problems

11. The second brain: emotional confidence

12. The third brain: learning to learn

13. Infertility

Appendices

A1. Groundhog Basic

A2. Groundhog Acute

A3. Groundhog Chronic

A4. Diet, detox and die-off reactions

A5. Michelle’s top PK recipes

Useful resources and products

Glossary

References

Further reading

Index

ABOUT THE TRIBE

Green Mother is the product of group experience

– the experience of our particular Tribe which is made up of:

Dr Sarah Myhill, author, independent medicalpractitioner and early Green Mother

Craig Robinson, editor, first class mathematician, doting Green Father

Michelle McCullagh, Green Mother and artist (www.mccullagh.co.uk/)

Peter Wilson, farmer, Olympic Gold Medallist 2012(shooting) and Green Father

Bobby and Etta, Green Kids fit for the future

Charlotte Sainsbury Plaice, dear friend and early Green Mother

Michelle’s wider family circle, on whom the illustrations are based

NOTE:

Since this book is largely aimed at mothers, I have bestowed honorary womanhood upon Craig, but I know that he is a Gentleman. He used to work for the regulatory arm of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), rooting out the bad eggs in the financial world. During one visit to a large financial institution he uncovered a particularly large bad egg. The vested interests of the City of London did not appreciate this and Craig was sacked. On his last day he received a ‘Sorry you’re leaving’ card signed by the secretaries, the cleaners, the doorman, but by only one of his colleagues. The card was addressed: ‘To the Last Gentleman in the City of London’ and was presented to him by the doorman. The doorman was ex-army, saluted and shouted ‘Sah’. He had only ever saluted British army officers and gentlemen. Proof conclusive about Craig’s gentleman status.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the following for permission to reproduce the quotations on these pages throughout the book:

Page ii: Taylor & Francis Ltd, for the quotation from Ward N, J Nutri Environ Med 1995

Chapter 3 (page 25): Wiley, publishers of Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews5w

Chapter 4 (page 38): Marie Ann Liebert, Inc, publishers for the quotation from Cinisomo, 2017 in Breastfeeding Medicine3

Chapter 8 (page 85): NVKP for the quotation from Zndvliet et al.3

Chapter 8 (page 85): Montella et al, 2006 in Leukaemia Research 2006.8

Chapter 8 (page 90): Walker et al, 1987 in the American Journal of Public Health19

Chapter 10 (page 108): Elizabeth Dowsett and Jane Colby for their article in Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 1997.7

Chapter 10 (page 109): Education Policy Institute for their 2017 article.9

Chapter 11 (page 115-116): Peter Gray for his article in Psychology Today2

Chapter 12 (page 121): Lee Durrell as the executrix of the estate of the late Gerald Durrell.

We would also like to thank the authors of the following quotations/references for making their published research ‘open access’ for us to quote and our readers to refer to for further information:

Chapter 5 (page 58): Sutharson et al, 2015.5

Chapter 8 (page 85): West, 1966.6

Chapter 8 (page 89): Mogensen et al, 2017.14

Chapter 8 (page 89): Mawson et al, 2017.15

Chapter 8 (page 89): Miller & Goldman, 2011.17

Chapter 8 (page 89): Institute of Medicine, US.18

Chapter 8 (page 91): Exley & Clarkson, 2020.23

Chapter 8 (page 92): Leslie et al, 2017.25

Chapter 8 (page 93): Khan, 2020.26

Chapter 8 (page 93): Lyons-Weiler & Thomas, 2020.27

Chapter 8 (page 96-97): Tseng et al, 2012.35

Chapter 8 (page 98): Wu et al, 2015.39

Chapter 10 (page 108): Glowinska-Olszewska et al, 2020.6

Chapter 10 (page 109): Cancer Research UK.9 (Donations to Cancer Research

UK’s are encouraged in return for open access publishing.)

PREFACE

I applied to deregister from the General Medical Council in 2020 and I write this book as a Naturopathic Physician. This has become necessary because the GMC denies doctors the right to freedom of medical opinion and of freedom of speech. Now I can write what I think without fear of GMC prosecution. This is the book I did not dare to publish!

Despite no patient ever complaining about me to any Authority, I have been subject to 43 GMC investigations. All such investigations have arisen because my medical opinions do not accord with Establishment dogma. The current score is Myhill 38, GMC nil. I cannot be bothered anymore with the time-consuming and energy-sapping business of fighting dinosaurs. More importantly, I have discovered the ‘Rules of the Game’ and the ‘Tools of the Trade’ for people to manage their own health through Natural Medicine. It is vital that we all take back control because much of Western medicine is leading us astray. Nowhere is this more vital than in the business of procreation.

This book is based on my experience of four decades of NHS General Practice and independent medical practice. In addition, I can support every statement with evidence from the scientific literature (see the reference list, page 186, plus more extensive referencing in our comprehensive book, Ecological Medicine). Read Green Mother, do it and render your family fit for the future. The Table on the next page is a summary of what I cover, illustrated by Michelle’s personal experiences and beautiful drawings, and ably and humorously edited by Craig as ever. We detail both the intellectual reasoning and the practical hands-on. What follows is tough, but get it right from the start and child-rearing becomes a joy, a breeze, a walk in the park, a time to treasure. Read, enjoy and just do it!

Table P1.1 - What Green Mother includes

Chapter

Name

Summary

Introduction

Western children are becoming less fit for purpose. We are failing them with soft living and killing with kindness. This book is about getting the best of both worlds – the past and the present. We cover the theoretical imperatives and the practical hands-on.

1

Mothers and fathers

Antenatal care should start at least six months before conception. Done well, this prevents pregnancy and childbirth complications and reduces the risk of birth defects to virtually zero. Just do it!

2

The Paleo-Ketogenic diet

This is the foundation stone of success. Without this all else is to little avail. Michelle and Peter discuss this at length, and so must you.

3

Normal pregnancy

Groundhog Chuckling (GHC – the ‘Groundhog’ regime for making healthy babies, a ‘chuckling’ being a young groundhog) prevents all complications of pregnancy.

Should you miss out on the perfect GHC much can still be done so do not give up.

4

Childbirth and immediately after

Get the best of both worlds. Prepare well with GHC but be informed by good doctors and your own research. Make sure you are involved in all decision-making processes. Always ask the question ‘why?’

5

Breastfeeding and weaning

The best and the easiest way to nourish your baby.

6

Sleep

This becomes a walk in the park for Green Mothers.

7

The baby who cries

Why? Techniques for coping.

8

The first brain: the immune system, including

To be vaccinated or not?

Training the immune system correctly

We simply need good diet, good nutrition and Groundhogs.

Febrile illnesses are an essential part of childhood immune programming and protect against cancer and other such pathology.

Vaccinations do more harm than good.

9

Minor childhood ailments

These are an inevitable part of life, an essential part of training the immune system and can be effectively treated with natural medicines. Do not symptom suppress.

10

Serious avoidable childhood problems

Instigate Groundhog Chuckling (see page 4) and avoid these diseases.

Groundhog Chuckling is also the starting point to treat all these problems.

An understanding of the why provides powerful incentives to do this.

11

The second brain: emotional confidence

Benign neglect is key. Leave kids alone with other kids to make them streetwise for adult life. This is called free play.

12:

The third brain: sub-conscious, conscious and intellectual

Teach by learning to learn. Yes, give them the tools to learn: reading, watching, listening, using their hands and brains, but allow each child to walk their own walk. Proper education is not spoon-feeding.

13

Infertility and assisted conception

Infertility affects one in seven couples. Falling sperm counts mean 20% of men born in the 1960s will never father children. Treat this with Groundhogs and a little science.

Appendices

1

Groundhog Basic

A summary of what we should all be doing all the time to live to our full potential.

2

Groundhog Acute

How to treat acute infections.

Chapter

Name

Summary

3

Groundhog Chronic

A summary of what we should all be doing all the time, as we age and acquire symptoms or diseases.

4

DDD reactions

These are diet, detox and die-off reactions. Expect to get worse before you get better.

5

Michelle’s favourite PK recipes

For full details of the PK diet see our book Paleo-Ketogenic: the Why and the How but here are Michelle’s top recipes.

INTRODUCTION

Throughout history, wise, mature and older people have despaired for the next generation. Those despairs have not been realised because the young have always had the physical energy, the mental agility and the drive to achieve great things and have themselves become wise. We now have many new reasons for despair. Modern Western life is eroding the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health of our children so seriously that the very survival of our species is threatened. More children than ever are fat and fatigued, learning disabled and emotionally damaged, and many live in a soul-less world. More resources than ever go into the care of this ‘deficient’ generation. These children are not fit for purpose. And the responsibility lies with us.

Babies and children are damaged by soft food (carbohydrate-based diets), soft living (indoor life with no exercise or sunshine), soft medicine (vaccinations and pills for all ills) and soft education and entertainment (TV, iPads and mobiles). We are killing with kindness in an attempt to provide a stress-free, safe environment for our most loved.

It is as though we have developed our own kind of multi-faceted ‘soma’, the drug taken by humanity in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World so that the people in this dystopian future do not have to face the world with all its challenges, and so that they can be forever ‘happy’, avoid difficult decisions and be shielded in a false kindness. As Benito said to Bernard when Bernard saw the beauty of the blue sky, and the distant horizon, and also of Lenina’s face as he was trying to snap Bernard back into the soft world of soma: ‘ What you need is a gramme of soma.’ (Aldous Huxley, 1894 – 1963).

The relationship between the generations is complex and ever changing, and blame flows both ways. Perhaps, this ancient proverb describes things better than most: ‘We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.’ (The exact origin of this proverb is not known, but it is often attributed to Native American roots.)

In essence then, we have a duty to do our best by our children, because it is they who will have to deal with the consequences, and currently we, in the West, are failing miserably in that duty. Old, wise women like me remember our childhoods when we walked 2 miles to school and back. Regardless of the weather we were banned from the house during the day, disappeared into the countryside, cooked sausages in the woods, smoked and choked our way through dried rolled up oak leaves, poked sticks at ants and woodlice and were as brown as berries by the end of the summer. We had pet rats and mice who lived in pockets and we made mazes for them out of bricks. We spent hours reading whatever we could find. Mother had no idea where we were but, like ‘bad pennies’, we seemed to turn up for mealtimes. Thankfully, she was a good cook. Breakfast was always a fry up, supper was meat and vegetables, lunch leftovers. It was a childhood characterised by love and benign neglect.

We now know that this unstructured ‘free play’, without adult supervision, is vital for learning social skills – to be streetwise, to interact with others and to develop self-confidence. We had free rein to try anything, fail miserably, not be judged and try again. It was a microcosm of life to be. For me this engendered an inner self-belief which sustained me through decades of professional opprobrium and persecution by the General Medical Council. In response to an ask from the main protagonists of Swallows and Amazons, John, Susan, Titty and Roger aged 7-12, looking for permission to disappear into the islands of the Lake District for two weeks in sailboats, their father, Captain Walker, replied by telegram: ‘ Better drowned than duffers. If not duffers, won’t drown.’ (Arthur Ransome, 1884 – 1967).

In my other books, especially Ecological Medicine and The Infection Game, I detail how this soft living is driving disease and premature death. The principles of prevention, which I call ‘Groundhog regimes’ because, as in the film Groundhog Day where a single day repeats over and over again, I constantly refer back to and return to these fundamental health strategies, apply equally to children. Prevention should start with Mother’s health, preconception and during pregnancy, and be maintained throughout life.

The principles that determine successful procreation have been well established through millions of years of evolution, honed by natural selection and survival of the fittest. The business of rearing children is hugely demanding of energy and resources. Thankfully, we live in a modern world where most of us are secure and warm and have a plentiful food supply. (I realise this is not true of low-income countries but am writing principally for the developed, English-speaking world.) This does, however, have a downside – we spoil and poison our children because we can.

I was reared in a window of time when we had such food and life security. However, Mum and Dad simply did not have the time or energy to do anything other than earn a living, feed us and love us. We four children entertained ourselves with neighbours, friends and relatives – we were uncontrolled except by the threat of no supper and possibly a thrashing if a report of misbehaviour got back to base. To quote Richmal Crompton (1890 – 1969), the author of the wonderful Just William books, William says: ‘Why can’t grown-ups just give me stuff, let me do what I like and then go away A LOT?’ (from William Again). Further evidence, if needed, comes from Gina, daughter of Penny and Craig, who, when asked at school, aged 4, what she thought a good parent was, answered: ‘To feed and love me’.

Nowadays parents control children because they can and feel they must. They have the time and resources to transport children to structured activities. We can all choose to eat anything and because so many adults are carbohydrate addicts, they impose their addiction on their children in the name of love. Sweets are hailed as treats instead of the poison they are. Children entertain themselves with electronic gadgetry, which poisons the brain, leading to digital dementia. The social isolation fostered by screens leads to impoverished emotional and spiritual well-being. Children grow up, not with a Life, but rather an Existence fashioned by modern social expectations. They cannot become themselves but are products of social media ‘likes’ and can only fail by comparison with sporting or fashion icons. As Winnie the Pooh observed: ‘When life throws you a rainy day, play in the puddles.’ (AA Milne, 1882 – 1956).

Green Mother is for those who want the best of both worlds – to reap the advantages of modern Western life but recognise and eschew the pitfalls. It is not an easy path to tread. We hope this book will give you the theoretical and intellectual imperatives together with the practical day-to-day realities and encouragement to guide you. The stimulus to write this came from my lovely neighbours Michelle and Peter who applied these principles to their daughters Bobby and Etta. Their experience has been used to illustrate and add practical details. This book is a tribal effort combining the theoretical and the practical. Read on!

Dr Sarah Myhill, 2021

INTRODUCING MICHELLE AND PETER, BOBBY AND ETTA

Peter and I have been partners for years. We both live and love the countryside. I am an artist specialising in large oil paintings capturing the movement of animals. Peter is a farmer and professional shot, winning a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics in double trap. You can see me at www.mccullagh.co.uk/ and Peter at Peter at www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP69x_dEKtA

Having established our careers, babies came naturally onto the agenda. We had been trying to conceive for nearly two years without a result. Then we moved to mid-Wales, living at the farm next to Sarah’s, and we found ourselves soul mates and best friends. She is a persuasive character! In June 2017 I bought her book Prevent & Cure Diabetes for my mother-in-law, thinking it would be a good present, but first I read it cover to cover. Gosh, it made sense. I did not need much convincing and I quit sugar there and then and changed my diet to Paleo-Ketogenic. This was five months before I became pregnant with our first daughter, Robyn, nicknamed ‘the Bobs’, born August 2018. Etta followed in February 2020. I have no doubt that the PK diet and our move to the Welsh Borders played a huge part in the creation of our gorgeous girls. And gorgeous they are! As I write, Bobby is 3 years old and Etta is 20 months. I love them so much; they are my heaven. I just get so excited every morning as I go to wake them up. I remember the words of a dear friend of mine, Charlotte, who has four children: ‘Every morning you wake up with them it’s like the excitement of Christmas morning, and you feel so lucky.’

Michelle McCullagh, 2021

CHAPTER 1

MOTHERS AND FATHERS

All babies start life as ‘a chip off the old blocks’

(sic – with apologies)

New life starts with a fusion of Father’s DNA with Mother’s DNA plus Mother’s mitochondria, resulting in a single cell. This pluri-potential stem cell matures into 200 different tissues and 20 different cell organelles, all of which must grow in the correct three-dimensional space, and then interact perfectly. This process continues right through childhood. Words fail me in my attempt to describe this miraculous process; it is a delicate and intricate business which demands all the right raw materials, good energy delivery mechanisms and freedom from poisons, like toxic metals, pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mycotoxins, endotoxins, infectious microbes and EMF (electromagnetic frequency) radiation. Exposure to such is like throwing a handful of sand into a finely tuned engine – disaster – but get the regimes right and you will set up your children for good physical, mental and immunological health for life – the best birthday present of all.*

The model as noted below is dependent on probabilities relating directly to a cell’s energy – it has to be because nothing happens without energy. Although the maths helps a bit, it does not, and does not pretend, to have all the answers. Much of what follows is about ensuring good energy delivery and avoiding wasteful energy loss. Laura Wadkin and I, then, agree.

HOW TO ENSURE YOU ARE ‘FIT FOR PURPOSE’

Four decades of clinical ecological medicine have boiled me down to my Groundhog strategies – named as such after the film Groundhog Day in which a time loop repeatedly brings the hero back to Day One to have another go at ‘getting it right’. As I get older, and perhaps wiser, I find the very basic things done really well prevent a plethora of pathology. I still spend more time talking about food, cooking, growing vegetables, feeding pigs and shovelling shit than all other subjects put together!†Appendix 1 (Groundhog Basic) gives you an overview and checklist.

If there is any one moment in your life to do Groundhog, it should be during this precious window of time when you are nurturing the next generation. Feel free to mess your own life up, but do not impose that on the next generation – remember, again: ‘We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children’.

The business of building and programming our lovely children is far more complex than normal adult biology and biochemistry. Interference with this process means malign effects may persist for life and even affect subsequent generations. This was established in the 1930s by Francis Pottenger, who experimented with cats by feeding them cooked meat diets. Of course, Groundhog for cats is raw meat and raw milk. The cats fed a cooked diet by Pottenger developed degenerative diseases. When they bred, by the third generation they had lost fertility and, of those that did manage to conceive, no kittens survived.2

A human example of Pottenger’s cats phenomenon is the stilboestrol story. This hormone was prescribed to thousands of women during pregnancy in an attempt to prevent miscarriage. Many of the girls born to these women developed vaginal cancer as teenagers, with some new cases appearing in their sixth decade. Sons acquired an increased risk of testicular cancer. Grandsons were born with genital abnormalities.3

Children born around the nuclear power station Sellafield had a high risk of leukaemia. No – this was not due to radioactive leaks. It was due to preconception radiation of fathers who worked there.4 Veterans of the Gulf War returned home to father children who were afflicted with the craniofacial birth defect Goldenhar syndrome.5 This was due to paternal chromosome damage from this most toxic of wars. We also know that paternal sperm defects are a cause of miscarriage.6

I learned much from the amazing Arthur and Margaret Wynn, who published their research on mother and child health. In their paper ‘No Nation Can Rise Above the Level of its Women’ they argue that during the period of time before and after conception, there exists a window of ‘highest susceptibility’. Inadequate maternal diet and depressed sex hormone levels can slow embryonic growth and lead to low-weight babies and birth defects. Other problems they cite include slowing down of ovulatory maturation leading to genomic damage and toxic substances causing mutations.7

Table 1.1, listing the dos and don’ts of preconceptual care, is a counsel of perfection, but as the Wynns tell us, this is the time for a virtuoso Groundhog performance. Mum and Dad need to do Groundhog Basic. The body renews itself every six months so allow this time for the perfect preconception programme.

Given that young Groundhogs are called ‘chucklings’, maybe we should call this ‘Groundhog Chuckling’? This formula for success is the same for all and results in happy families.

All happy families are alike; each unhappyfamily is unhappy in its own way.

Leo Tolstoy, 1828 – 1910, Anna Karenina

Importantly, these regimes are of proven benefit, as demonstrated by the Foresight regimes pioneered by the formidable Nim Barnes. The results of her nutritional treatments applied to couples who had already experienced infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy problems and/or abnormal babies were: ‘Between 2002 and 2009, 1578 couples completed the full Foresight programme. 1417 babies were born. There was an 89.8% success rate. There were 52 pairs of twins and three sets of triplets. There were 42 miscarriages. Only two single births were premature, there were no birth defects and no low birth-weight babies.’ 8

TABLE 1.1: The Groundhog Chuckling of preconceptual care

What

Especially

Why

Get Groundhog Basic (Appendix 1) well established:

The PK diet – perhaps the single most important intervention

The perfect fuels for foetal growth and energy, especially brain and immune development, are fat and ketones whereas carbohydrates encourage infections

Micronutrients

In the doses recommended these are completely safe, indeed desirable, during pregnancy. Vitamin K prevents haemorrhagic disease of the newborn. Vitamin C is essential for elastic connective tissue so prevents stretch marks, softens tissues and facilitates the progress of baby down Mother’s birth canal. Protein and magnesium prevent pre-eclampsia

Avoid vaccinations…

…because of toxicity and immunotoxicity (see Chapter 6)

Do tests to exclude sexually transmitted disease

Should be done if either you or your partner are not virgins and/or have been unfaithful

Many STDs are associated with pregnancy problems and birth defects, especially HIV, syphilis, CMV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, bacterial vaginosis, herpes, streptococci and other such. You may need prescription drugs to get rid of these (see our book The Infection Game)

Test for rubella antibodies

Make sure you are immune before conception. If you need the rubella vaccine, make sure this is given well before pregnancy. Should you require the rubella vaccine, do protect against potential malign effects (see Chapter 6)

It is an illogical nonsense that these tests are not normally done until 12 weeks of pregnancy, by which time it is too late. The damage of new rubella infection occurs during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy

Test for blood groups

If you are rhesus negative, you will need anti D globulin injected during pregnancy to avoid haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN)…

…BUT this contains thimerosal 30 mcg/ml. Thimerosal is about 50% ethyl mercury by weight, hence, a patient who has received a dose of RhoGAM (0.7 ml on average) will have received 10.5 mcg ethyl mercury – bad news, but better than risking HDN (see Chapter 6 for how to mitigate the toxicity of vaccinations)

Do routine blood tests to check for anaemia and liver or kidney disease

If any history of problems

See Ecological MedicineAppendix 4 to help you to interpret these tests

Do routine blood tests for thyroid function

If any problems with fatigue, or family history or other thyroid symptoms, e.g. nerve compression syndromes (see Ecological MedicineChapters 5 and 13).

Re-check blood thyroid hormone levels every 12 weeks and again post-partum (see Ecological MedicineAppendix 4 to interpret these test results)

The IQ of the baby is inversely proportional to the TSH level. My view is if the TSH is above 1.5, consider treatment with thyroid hormones. The need for thyroid hormones increases by 50% during pregnancy and hypothyroidism can develop rapidly and at a stage of foetal development when they are most vital

Test for toxic metals (urine elements with DMSA)

I often recommend this since toxic metal problems are almost impossible to avoid and impossible to predict abnormalities. Inevitable exposures come from dental amalgam, braces and bridgework, aluminium in vaccines, nickel from piercings. Tattoos may contain chromium, manganese, nickel, copper, barium, and lead

Mercury, lead, arsenic and nickel are all mutagens. Aluminium probably is. Platinum and palladium may be. The lower the total body load the better for reasons of cocktail and biochemical bottlenecks see Ecological Medicine Chapter 15)

Sort out any dental problems prior to pregnancy

You do not want to be mobilising dental amalgams and other metals during pregnancy with the risk of foetal toxicity

What

Especially

Why

If there is any history of exposure to toxic chemicals do the Genova toxic effects CORE test9

This is done on a urine sample. It is a bit pricey but vital in order to prevent foetal damage. Heating regimes are effective in reducing the body burden reliably well (see Ecological Medicine Chapter 34; also Chapter 25 to review possible toxins)

Tests of toxicity are more vital if you are planning to breastfeed

Breast milk is a fatty liquid and fat-soluble pesticides, VOCs and toxic metals will be excreted in breast milk. Indeed, it is estimated that one third of Mother’s body burden of chemicals will be dumped into the baby.

There is a global distillation of organochlorine pesticides with bioaccumulation in the food chain from plankton upwards. Inuit Indian mothers can no longer safely breastfeed – they risk seriously poisoning their babies10 ††

Stop the Pill at least six months before conception

The Pill is dangerous medicine – it induces micronutrient deficiencies and is carcinogenic and immunosuppressive

I know – I have undergone a whole GMC hearing on this subject! (See Ecological MedicineChapter 5§)

Pre-existing medical problem…

…for which prescription drugs are taken

Such prescription drugs may be problematic. Read Ecological Medicine to work out the root cause of any medical issues and aim to stop taking the drug

Allow time – at least six months – for all the above to establish…

…so you will not expose your baby to detox, diet and die-off reactions (see Appendix 4)

Pre-existing family genetic problem

Such as cystic fibrosis

Do genetic tests (easy to do – blood, saliva or cheek swab) on one parent and, if positive, the other parent

Anything else

Consult a geneticist