I really enjoyed the camaraderie on the weekend. The Mindd Foundation held their 2014 Forum at the Civic Pavillion in Sydney and it was a chance to take my nutrition knowledge to another level by learning about the biochemical reasons why our bodies acts they way they do.
Here’s what I noticed from the event:
- People are seeking information about the role of diet and lifestyle on chronic disease. Judging from the massive attendance of the Mindd conference, our collective curiousity is peaking. We want to delve deeper and not accept the status quo. This is such good news!
- Health coaching is catching on in the mainstream. Leslie Embersits, the founder of MINDD talked about the importance of health coaches to guide people to make some of the necessary changes to lead a healthier life.
- The evidence of a correlation between diet and lifestyle and disease cannot be ignored. Studies are emerging that are proving this beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Some of the speaker highlights for me:
Dr Christabelle Yeo
When we eat, we are not only feeding ourselves but also our bacteria. The normal adult has 2-3kg of bacteria in their gut!
Nutrient deficiency and biochemical imbalances can lead to suboptimal function of neurotransmitters with resulting effects on brain development and behaviour. Where we are seeing this most is via our children through increased incidence of Autism, Asperger’s, ADD and ADHD.
Dr Libby Weaver
As usual, Libby did not disappoint when talking about her Eating for Brain Health. Here are some facts that got my attention:
- Children on the autism spectrum have different gut flora than other children.
- The prevalence of ear infections in young babies increases autism rates.
- (I love this one) The body is made of 50 trillion nutrient phone calls! The only way for cells to work together is to talk to each other through nutrients.
Leila Masson M.D
Breast feeding promotes good gut flora. When you stop breast feeding it increases the risk of ear infections.
We all know about antibiotic use and the negative impact on gut flora. Interestingly, in 95% of the cases, the ear infection will go away without the use of antibiotics.
Dr Masson talked about depression and not masking the symptoms with a drug. Depression is not a SSRI deficiency, it is due to other issues – low zinc, low Vitamin D, reduced exercise, not spending enough time outside (Nature Deficit Disorder). Why not improve the symptoms instead of administering SSRI’s which have an increased risk of suicide.
She also could not stress the importance of limiting screen time enough, such as TVs, phones and computers.
MINDD is doing such amazing work in this field.
This is the MINDD Mission:
Integrative Healthcare offers real solutions for the whole family by combining diet, nutrient therapy, structural support, energy medicine and lifestyle to restore the body’s natural ability to grow, heal and prevent disease. Sometimes neuro therapies are also needed.
Mindd Foundation helps practitioners and patients discover and implement effective treatments for Metabolic, Immunologic, Neurologic, Digestive, Developmental conditions that often affect the mind. Our focus is on paediatric disorders such as ADHD, Asthma, allergies, autism, chronic illness, depression, learning and language delay, and digestive and behavioural disorders. Research is showing that these children are coming from families with a history of “brain-immuno-gut disorders” triggered by toxins, malnutrition and infections.
The rise in childhood disease signals a need for preventative healthcare that focuses on cellular health by optimising nutrient intake while minimising toxins.
I got to see some ‘old timer’ IIN-ers who are doing great work in this field, as well as a few of my current students. All in all, a lovely inspiring, informative day! To top it off, I came home to a surprise roast prepared by my supportive family (Check out my instagram page to see a photo of the roast, and other Vitamin L magic).
{ 0 comments… add one now }