The Social Taboo: A Mothers Tale

I recently reached out to fellow mothers, as I had been thinking quite a lot about the controversial act of breastfeeding in public and mothers with tattoos. I asked if anyone had faced adversity and discrimination as a mother who breastfed publicly or had tattoos. I was fortunate enough to receive a generous response by one who happily shared their story with me. Now I am sharing it with you.

"When I think about Breastfeeding and Tattoos several things come to mind and they both have positives and negatives, today I will share both with you."

My life experience some would say has been troubled and when you look at me you wouldn’t be able to see my daily struggles and how they have affected me over time. Some would say "how did you deal with all that?" Well in response to this, to start off I have 3 children ages between 19 and 8 and in my first pregnancy I wasn’t able to breastfeed due to mental and physical health issues. With my first child I couldn't breastfeed as I hoped and I suffered from depression, panic attacks and had complications with my c-section, which took quite a toll on my body.

Baby number two came along and during my pregnancy she kicked me and found out I had a broken tail bone from this, which as you can imagine caused a lot of pain during pregnancy, birth and postpartum, resulting in an excruciating pain still till this day. I tried very hard to breastfeed and care for my child but I just couldn’t as I was in so much pain from the broken tailbone which resulted in my milk eventually dried up. I was devastated and this really knocked my mental health for a six. 

Many years passed and we finally added to our family and our lives were complete. I had a new found determination that I was certainly going to breastfed my last child with all my motherly might. At first all went smoothly and according to plan, until she was 18 months old. I was only night time feeding then and wasn’t quite ready to give up, however I started getting pressure from family to give up. My husband during this time was completely supportive and so were some closer friends and honestly, I was surprised that my siblings and parents were not. Snide remarks about my daughters age, phone calls to my friends asking them to tell me to give it up, that me that my child was too old to breastfeed any longer. Of course the usual stares and comments were to follow in my home when I'd leave a gathering to feed my daughter and put her to bed. 

In the end the stress from it all made my milk dry up once again and I still feel to this day I was pressured into not giving my last child what she needed. Despite the fact I was already talking to my husband about our daughter and when we would start the transition, but there is nothing worse than having a decision forced upon you causing you to feel extra stress and pressure as a parent to do essentially "the right thing". I can honestly say that I can, sometimes, have the most amazing supportive family and friends around me and at other times, not so much.  This is where having my tattoos has also been tied into certain unwelcome and unsupportive responses from others. I do have two tattoos, one on my back with my children’s names which was done several years ago, which received some comments which wasn't too bad at the time, more so as it was obviously why I had done it and people questioning it. 

My second tattoo was last year on my left wrist and for me it is a daily reminder of HOPE, HOPE for the future, HOPE for a cure to cancer, HOPE for understanding, HOPE for Support and HOPE for Community awareness, I'm sure you get the picture. In response to this tattoo that signified something so important for me, I received the usual comments such as, "why would I want a reminder that I had Cancer, why do I want prospective employers to see that I have a medical history that could impact my work, why mark myself with something I would want to forget, why have a constant reminder of that trauma?" 

All those types of questions and statements fuelled my response and I would answer any of these questions quite simply, as for me, I believe the answer is the same when anyone would also ask about my scars. My response to these questions are that they are a reminder and a powerful one at that, that no matter what happens in life, I can move forward, I can hope for a better future for my husband, my children and most important, myself. It is a reminder that I am stronger that all the things that have tried to beat me down.  For me and many out there, even mums, tattoos are living art, something that each person has made a definitive decision to have a moment in time imprinted to last a life time. A constant reminder of things that may have been and are to come, the we are now stronger because of it. 

At the end of the day, all you need to know is that it is my body my decision and my beliefs and values that guide me. These are my decisions, from breastfeeding my child to having tattoos. These things have no impact what so ever on the wellbeing of an onlooking stranger, friend or even family, who may or may not know the struggles I face as a mother. Nor does my image as a mother become defined by societies negative view on mothers whether it is them breastfeeding, formula feeding, wearing certain clothing or having tattoos. 

These things are a reminder of something important, something that helps them remain powerful and that is they are mothers and what they do in public does give society an invitation to define them. 

"People need to accept that they have no influence over another person’s decisions."

Thank you Anonymous. 

OPENING A CAN OF WORMS WITH DIET SODA

Almost everyone now knows that fizzy drinks are one of the worst things you can put into your body, full of chemicals, corn syrup, sugar, and other health problems.     

                                                  

Most people also believe that “diet” drinks are in some way a good thing for losing body fat. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact several studies have shown that diet soda drinkers actually gain more weight than those who drink the normal full sugar sodas. An 8 year study at The University of Texas found that although regular soft drink use caused weight gain and risk of obesity, the use of diet sodas caused a higher risk of obesity. There is a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person drinks each day.                                                    

One of the reasons this occurs is because of the artificial sweeteners used to substitute sugar. These sweeteners cause a negative hormonal response in the body which increases fat storing hormone production and increase cravings for more sweets and refine carbohydrates for a time after consuming the diet soft drink.                 

Another reason is that people may think that because they are drinking a diet soft drink they can afford to eat more of the refined carbohydrate/ sugary foods, in the end consuming more calories overall than if they were to just drink a full sugar soft drink.

The best thing to do if you are serious about your health and body is to avoid all food and drink that contain refined sugar and or artificial sweeteners.

A good substitute for artificial sweetener is a natural non-caloric sweetener STEVIA. Add it to iced red, green, white, or oolong teas for a delicious refreshing drink that is also high in antioxidants.

Nutritional Information Provided by David Sheehan (Trident Fitness Club)

WHAT THE DAIRY GIANTS WILL NEVER TELL YOU

We all know the ads - “dem bones dem bones need calcium.., help your child grow fit and strong by giving them milk everyday...” We are continually bombarded with ads telling us to drink milk everyday throughout our lives.  

        

If we look at nature we see that that young feed only on milk until they are old enough to be weaned off it and onto other foods. In humans, the natural disappearance of the milk digesting enzyme lactase from the human system upon reaching maturity shows that we have no more need for milk than adult tigers or chimps. Although milk is a complete food when taken raw, it also contains fat which combines poorly with any other food. Yet today humans regularly wash down meals with glasses and pints of milk. Milk curdles immediately when it enters the stomach, so if there is any other food present, the curds stick to the food particles and insulate them from digestive juices. This delays the digestive process and allows bad bacteria to attack the food, causing putrefaction. The best way to take milk is to follow the rule: drink it alone or leave alone.  

Milk today is made even more indigestible through the process of pasteurisation. This destroys milks natural enzymes and alters its delicate proteins. Raw milk contains the active enzymes lipase and lactase, which allow raw milk to digest itself. Pasteurised milk, which kills off these enzymes, cannot be digested by adult stomachs, and even babies have trouble with it. We see the proof of this in colic, rashes, respiratory problems, gas etc., common symptoms among bottle fed babies. The destruction of the active enzymes and alteration of proteins also make calcium and other minerals in milk almost totally unassimilable. 

In the 1930’s a ten year study on the effects of pasteurised milk and raw milk on 900 cats was conducted by Dr Francis Pottenger. One group was fed exclusively with raw whole milk while the other group was fed only pasteurised whole milk, both from the same source. The group on the raw milk thrived and stayed active and healthy all their lives. The group on the pasteurised milk soon became lethargic, confused and highly susceptible to a range of diseases normally associated with humans- heart disease, kidney failure, thyroid dysfunction, respiratory problems, brittle bones, loss of teeth, liver inflammation etc. 

The offspring of the raw milk group were just as healthy as their parents, while the first offspring of the pasteurised group were all born with poor teeth and small weak bones- a sure sign of calcium deficiency, which showed a lack of calcium absorption from pasteurised milk. Many of the following offspring of the pasteurised group were stillborn and those that survived were unable to reproduce. The experiment had to end there, even though the raw milk group continued to reproduce. 

Another experiment has shown that even newborn calves fed on pasteurised milk from their own mothers usually die within six months, something the dairy is not too keen to admit. Despite the evidence from the above experiments, it is actually illegal to sell raw milk in many countries. It is far more profitable for dairy companies to extend the shelf life of milk by pasteurising it, even though it shortens the shelf life of humans. Pasteurisation also makes milk from sick cows relatively safe by killing off some, but not all, dangerous germs, and this also means bigger profits. 

         

Another big word on the side of your carton of milk is “homogenised”. This means the fat molecules in the milk have been fragmented and pulverised to stop them separating from the milk. It may stop the cream from separating from the milk in the carton, but it also permits these tiny fragments of milk fat to pass through the small intestine. This increases the amount of denatured fat and cholesterol absorbed by the body. You can actually absorb more milk fat from homogenised milk than from full cream!        

Women who worry about osteoporosis should be aware of the nature of “modern milk”. American women, who consume large quantities of pasteurised milk products, suffer the world’s highest incidence of osteoporosis. Raw cabbage supplies far more assimilable calcium than any denatured milk product.

Adults should seriously reconsider milk as part of their daily diet, unless they can get raw certified milk, which is an excellent food. To stuff children with pasteurised milk to make them strong and healthy is pure rubbish because they simply cannot assimilate the nutrients. Instead, all pasteurised dairy products should be eliminated from the diet. 

Nutritional Information Provided by David Sheehan (Trident Fitness Club)

The Big 'C' - Part 2

In the last article we had a look at how an inactive lifestyle and poor dietary choices can lead to the development of cancers. In this article I would like to focus on external factors. The modern world in which we live contains many hidden cancer- causing agents, and the governments are doing their best to make sure they stay hidden. Poisons such as chlorine and fluoride are approved for addition to drinking water, microwave ovens are promoted to be used as a quick and safe way to defrost, reheat and cook foods, artificial safety guidelines are given for living in close proximity to power lines, fluorescent lighting, which upsets the central nervous system, is permitted and widely used domestically and commercially. The list goes on but let us have a look at the above mentioned.                

Tap water can contain any of over 1,000 toxic contaminants, such as lead, aluminium, mercury, cadmium, asbestos, benzene, nitrates, pesticides, and radon. Chlorine and fluoride are added to “kill germs”. Chlorine builds up in your system and can cause heart and circulatory diseases and other problems. It also kills all the friendly bacteria in your digestive tract. Fluoride is even worse. A study was conducted of 40,000 children in 84 regions around the US and the concluded that fluoride had no significant impact on preventing tooth decay. Instead fluoride is associated with a rise in cancer in areas where it has been added to the drinking water.  Another study by scientists in Japan showed that exposing normal cells to fluoride turned them into cancer cells. 

There have been over 50 studies conducted on fluoridated water since the 1950’s; all with the same conclusion, yet nothing is done to stop this practise because it’s cheaper than filtering the water. Even the US Food and Drug Administration warn that ingesting more than 2mg of fluorine daily is toxic, but you can take in up to 5mg daily through drinking tap water, cooking with tap water, or eating processed foods and drinks containing it. Three pints of fluoridated tap water taken daily can cause your entire body to become toxic. The best solution is to install an activated carbon filter to the mains water supply in your home. There are many types available but be sure to get a good quality one and change the carbon element regularly.                                                                                   

Microwave ovens have become as common in today’s household as the toaster, and are advertised as being perfectly safe. However many studies, which are ignored by government health agencies, have shown the serious dangers of being exposed to microwaves. Microwaves “cook” food by alternating the magnetic polarity of the foods atoms thousands of times per second. This causes heat by atomic friction and changes the molecular structure of the food. The food then looks feels and tastes like it has been cooked. The process ruptures the cell walls of the food and releases huge amounts of free radicals which are known to be carcinogenic, immunosuppressive and major causes of ageing and degeneration of the body. Microwaves also destroy enzymes in food, which are responsible for the first stages of digestion in the stomach. These enzymes are only found in fresh raw food. Your body cannot make them and they cannot be substituted with any supplements. Without them food can only ever be partly digested and this allows bad bacteria to putrefy what’s left.                                                                                              

Microwave ovens, power lines, T.V’s, computers and video games, mobile phones, fluorescent lights and other modern gadgets all emit microwaves and artificial light rays which enter the eyes, travel along the optic nerve and into the brain where they interfere with cerebral functions and suppress the pituitary and pineal glands. The pineal gland secretes hormones which influence almost all bodily functions, such as sleep/ wake cycles, moods, appetite and sexual drive. It is also highly sensitive to the earth’s magnetic field, which has a strength of only 0.5 milligauss. A study done in the US in 1980 of the effect of power lines on people living near them found that over 20% of the childhood cancers in those areas were caused by exposure to power lines with fields as weak as 3 milligauss. It also found that production of neurohormones in the brain was suppressed which results in severe behaviour disorders and learning disabilities. A field of 100 milligauss is generated by power lines at 50 feet. This is considered “safe” by many governments.  

There may not be much you can do about exposure to radar stations, broadcasting towers, or power lines- unless you are willing to move to somewhere less exposed, but you can make changes in the home. Throw out the microwave, electric blanket, electric razor, and fluorescent lights. Sit further from the T.V and use it and your PC less frequently, use disposable razors, fit light fittings that use normal bulbs, keep the hairdryer further from your body and use for minimum time, do not have an electric clock beside the bed and keep the mobile phone off the bedside locker at night.    

                                                             

If you start to make these changes in the home, along with the dietary changes mentioned in my previous articles, you are guaranteed to see and feel the many benefits in you and your family, especially in your children who are most vulnerable. Remember, when the government says 2everything is alright” or your doctor says “there’s nothing to worry about”, it doesn't mean there’s no risk. It wasn’t very long ago the same people denied there was any health risk in smoking, and they still deny that white sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oil and food additives can cause cancers. It is up to each of us to get to know the facts and make changes in our own lives.

Nutritional Information Provided by David Sheehan (Trident Fitness Club)

The Big 'C' - Part 1

It’s one of the most dreaded words in the world today and one that nobody ever wants to hear in relation to their own health: CANCER. Yet for all the millions of pounds being pumped into research and cures, conventional Western medicine has failed to deal successfully with this fatal condition.      

           

According to traditional Chinese medicine (T.C.M.) there are 4 foundations to health: blood, energy, resistance, nourishment. The cornerstone of these is blood and its condition determines the level of the body’s resistance to negative external energies as well as immunity and disease. In TCM cancer is regarded as a blood disease because weak, toxic, or impaired blood cannot carry out its vital functions of nourishing and cleansing bodily tissues. Unhealthy blood allows cell wastes and pollutants to build in tissues until they become so toxic they start to fester like rotting flesh, forming malignant tumours which spread to other tissues. This can be caused by a number of factors, the leading one being a chronic poor diet heavy in cooked meat eggs, refined starch and sugars, and low in fresh raw foods. Poor circulation of blood and energy caused by lack of exercise and shallow breathing are another cause, as are chronic stress and depression.   

                             

Conventional Western medicine treats cancer with surgery, radiation, and toxic chemicals, attacking the tumours but doing nothing at all to treat the extreme toxicity of the blood which causes the problem in the first place. Instead, such aggressive therapy further weakens the blood and energy so that even if a temporary remission occurs, the cancer usually recurs with a vengeance. There are many documented cases of people who have beaten cancer naturally by rebuilding the 4 foundations, and countless cases of those who have died prematurely by allowing doctors to cut, burn, or poison their tumorous tissues; yet natural cancer therapies remain illegal in many industrialised countries. In 1925 a South African called Johanna Brandt cured herself of cancer with an exclusive grape diet and wrote about it called The Grape Cure. Jay Kordish, a well known raw juice diet advocate in America, was cured of bladder cancer at the age of 25 with a blend of raw carrot and apple juice, under supervision of the famous juice therapist Dr. Max Gersen.                        

                                                                           

The most logical and effective therapy for cancer is to first detoxify and purify the blood, then rebuild it with proper nutrition and suitable supplements. Scavenger cells and enzymes carried in the healthy blood can then go to work and attack the cancerous tissues, digest and dissolve the tumours, and get rid of the waste through the excretory organs. The most effective way to detoxify the blood and the rest of the body is through a series of 7-10 day fasts with daily colonic irrigations. When completed a diet of raw fruit and vegetable juices is recommended. Breathing exercises are also very beneficial at this stage because they help circulate the blood to circulate the nutrients assimilated from the raw foods to the cells, and supply all tissues with an abundance of pure fresh energy.                              

The following is a list of beneficial foods and juices, as well as a list of foods to avoid:                                   

Carrot Juice - the best vegetable juice foe detoxifying tissues. It alkalises the bloodstream, which is always highly acidic in cases of toxaemia. Raw carrot juice is also loaded with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes to rebuild diseased cells and rid them of toxic wastes. Drink at least one and a half litres of freshly extracted juice daily, along with deep breathing and other exercises.  

Grapes - raw grapes, especially the dark variety, are an excellent cancer therapy when taken on their own for prolonged periods. There are entire sanatoriums in Russia devoted to this cure. Grapes detoxify all tissues and organs and deliver nutrients to starved cells. Take 2-4 pounds of dark grapes daily, for a week to a month, chewing the skin and seeds as well.                       

                                                                          

Cabbage Juice - fresh raw cabbage juice has been proven to cure severe ulcers in the stomach, duodenum, and intestines.  It is also an effective therapy for cancers of the stomach and intestinal tract. High concentrations of organic sulphur and chlorine in raw cabbage clean the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines where cancerous cells often form. Take mixed with carrot juice, 4 oz cabbage juice to 8 oz carrot juice, 3 times daily.                                                                                                    

Raw Beet Juice - a great liver detoxifier and blood cleanser. In regards to cancer, it purifies the bloodstream so the blood can work on detoxifying the body and bring nutrition to cells. By detoxifying the liver it further promotes clean blood, which is filtered by the liver. Take 8oz pure beet juice twice daily or 6 oz beet with 6 oz carrot juice 3 times a day.

Foods to Avoid: 

ALL animal products, especially proteins and fats, i.e. No cooked meat, fat, milk, eggs etc., all refined sugars and starches, carbohydrates, oils-especially anything hydrogenated, eat only fresh raw fruits and vegetables, juices and extracts. Avoid all food defrosted, cooked or reheated in a microwave. 

If you want to get healthy and stay healthy you would be well advised to rid your diet of all processed foods. It may seem difficult to stay away from the glut of “convenience” foods on the market today, with supermarkets bombarding us with all kinds of fast food, pre-cooked frozen dinners, packaged snacks etc., but in fact it’s only a matter of habit. It’s just as quick to eat an apple as a packet of crisps, or just as easy to have nuts, seeds and dried fruit for breakfast as packaged cereal with cow’s milk. There are over 6,000 synthetic chemicals officially permitted for use in food processing, and some of those are known to have carcinogenic properties. Processed foods also contain large amounts of denatured ingredients like white sugar, refined starch, pasteurised milk, land- mined salt and hydrogenated vegetable oils. 

Your immune system recognises chemical food additives as foreign toxins and tries hard to rid the body of them. This puts huge stress on the immune system and can cause severe reactions. After years of fighting the immune system eventually burns out and breaks down; this leaves the body wide open to attack by toxins, microbes, and cancerous cells. The government and food manufacturers have done a great job fooling the public into thinking processed foods are healthy but there is a mountain of scientific proof to the contrary. This evidence is available to anyone who looks for it so there is really no excuse. 

Remember only you control what goes into your mouth and down into your stomach.

Nutritional Information Provided by David Sheehan (Trident Fitness Club)