Natural Moms Talk Radio » Podcast

My guest this week is Dr. Michal Regev. She is a Registered Psychologist and a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist.  Her website is at http://www.drregev.com/ Our topic is mood disorders and depression during pregnancy. We discuss why women get depressed during pregnancy, symptoms that present and what treatment options are available. While postpartum depression has received much media attention, many of us are in the dark regarding mood disorders during pregnancy. According to Dr. Regev, “Between 10-15% of pregnant women develop serious depression while some struggle with anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bi-polar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.” Health care professionals (and families) often fail to recognize the symptoms, so it’s important that we educate ourselves for the well-being of ourselves and our babies.

My guest for this episode is David Burton. David is a registered nurse who works in Tampa, FL at an acute care cardiac ward. David is also the director of a new movie called InGREEDients, a documentary about chemical food additives and nutrition in America. InGREEDients is educational for the whole family (although you might want to be careful when viewing certain scenes with some sensitive children). My children have even told some of their friends and grandparents about its message and have become even more avid label readers. InGREEDients exposes the shocking lack of education in the medical community about how food affects our health, and the manufacturer’s refusal to be honest about what’s in their products. * Friend InGREEDients on Facebook * If you want to buy the DVD, enter the code “naturalmom” at checkout to get another copy for a friend FREE! (Buy one get one free)

photo credit: N.R. (Does this child look unsafe to you?) Safe Babywearing On Friday, March 12, 2010, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning about carrying babies in sling carriers. Is babywearing dangerous? Are some baby carriers safe? How can a parent distinguish which ones are safe and which ones aren’t? My guest this week is Stephanie Banguilan of GentleJourneysBirthing.com. Stephanie is a childbirth instructor who also hosts babywearing classes in her Georgia hometown. We’re discussing the specifics of the CPSC warning, which baby carriers may be unsafe, some of the benefits to babywearing as well as common sense safety tip for parents who embrace this ancient practice. Read more posts and interviews on babywearing. Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

My guest this week is Dr. Charlotte Reznick, nationally recognized child educational psychologist, and associate clinical professor of psychology at UCLA. Dr. Reznick is the author of The Power of Your Child’s Imagination: How to Transform Stress and Anxiety into Joy and Success The book describes easy to use imagination techniques that can help kids with stress, pain, fears, and even treat sleep issues. Most parents realize that children are very good at using their imaginations, why not teach them imagery techniques that they can use for a lifetime? Find Dr. Reznick online at Imagery for Kids and on Twitter.

My guest this week is Dr. Denise Lamothe, clinical psychologist, doctor of holistic health and the Bach Resident Psychologist. She is also author of the popular book, The Taming of the Chew. Dr. Denise is talking with us today about Bach Flower essences, especially for use with kids. Bach Flower essences are natural plant essences which are used to restore emotional balance. They are safe, not habit forming and are used around the world. You can learn more about using Bach Flowers for kids  at http://www.bachkids.com/ (Note from Carrie: Last week when my youngest had some dental work, she asked for Rescue Remedy specifically. I had given her an OTC pain reliever for soreness in her mouth, but she didn’t want another dose. She wanted the Rescue Remedy instead!) Mentioned on the show: Bach Flower Essence Remedy Chooser and Bach Flower Essences Emotional Eating Support Kit

My guest this week is Ivanna Campbell. She is a mom of 3 little ones and the owner of an online advocacy site, community and resource site for mothers called Empowered Mommies. Ivanna shares her vision with us of what an empowered mom looks like and how she hopes to provide support to moms who want to make the best decisions for their families.

My guest this week is John Monroe. He is sharing “eye-opening” information with us on natural vision improvement based on the work of Deborah Banker, M.D., an ophthalmologist/general practitioner and internationally known expert on health and vision improvement. Is it possible to eliminate the need for glasses and improve and prevent eye diseases? Have you ever wondered if eyeglasses actually accelerate the degeneration of your eyes? Listen in and find out! Learn more about Dr. Banker’s Home Study Vision Improvement Kit here.

My guest this week is Joyce Cooper-Kahn PhD, coauthor of “Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parents’ Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning” While it sounds complicated, “executive functioning” basically refers to kids with weaknesses in planning and organization. These kids face all kinds of challenges–at school, in sports, in the family, and among their peers. Do these traits sound familiar? :  Your child often forgets to turn in assignments at school. :  S/he arrives at important places unprepared. : Underestimates the effort involved in projects, has trouble getting started. : Has trouble organizing space. Dr. Cooper-Kahn is a clinical psychologist and learning specialist and offers tips for gently parenting a disorganized child.

My guest this week is Laurel McCarthy of CarryMeAway.com Laurel’s topic is how babywearing can make life with littles a whole lot easier – especially when traveling and visiting relatives, such as around the holiday season. Laurel contributed an article with more tips on holiday babywearing that you can read here. Read Carrie’s reviews of two of her favorite baby slings: the Maya Wrap and the Moby Wrap

My guest this week is ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner Dr. Raymond Hatland, DDS We’re talking about bottled versus tap water. In our modern age with its focus on convenience, bottled water has become extremely popular. But the plastic bottles are also spawning  massive amounts of trash. The debate between whether or not bottled water or tap water is better to drink has recently become a hot topic for discussion. Dr. Hatland breaks down the pros and cons of bottled and tap water. Among them: Bottled water may contain unacceptable levels of the plastic chemicals. i.e. Bpa. (Bisphenol-A) is made from a combination of phenol and acetone. Bottled water usually has a very acidic pH – this can lead to more inflammation in the body, fluid retention etc. Tap water generally has a neutral or slightly alkaline pH. If you opt for tap water, try an activated carbon filter with silver to reduce bacterial count as well as an alkalinizing unit. Carrie recommends: Kleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottles photo credit: SuperFantastic

My guest this week is Dr. Arculeo of Peak Performance Health Care Our topic? Detoxification. Detox is a buzz word but the concept is certainly not new, and there are many approaches to detoxification that are appropriate for everyone. How do you know you need to detox? A few signs of the body not eliminating waste properly: dandruff, psoriasis, acne, dry skin, ezcema, fatigue, headaches, poor digestion, constipation. This interview will explain what a “nutritional cleanse” is and tell you which foods produce congestion in the body. You will also learn: Why detoxification is necessary and beneficial Signs your body needs to detoxify Who should not go on a cleanse How to find a health care practitioner who can guide you through a cleanse More info on this site about detoxification: The Detox Bath photo credit: tallkev

Vitamin D is critical for health. Vitamin D promotes your immune system, and your body needs vitamin D in ample quantities to provide  protection against microbial invaders like bacteria and viruses (including the H1N1 ‘swine flu’ virus). Are you a good host (to disease), or a bad one? Recent studies show that as many as 87% of adults are vitamin D deficient by late winter, and 61% remain deficient even during summer months. My guest this week is Steven V. Joyal, MD, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at the Life Extension Foundation Did you know these facts about Vitamin D? It benefits cardiovascular function Women with higher blood levels of Vitamin D have reduced breast cancer. Vitamin D also helps prostate issues Vitamin D is not a vitamin! (explained in the interview) Current levels of supplementation frequently recommended (such as the RDA) are inadequate – listen to find out what is the proper dose. 30 minutes of sun exposure at noon = 10,000 i.u. Vitamin D. Learn about a safe and healthy level of sun exposure. Carrie’s favorite source of Vitamin D:  Nordic Naturals – Lemon Flavored Arctic-D Cod Liver Oil

My guest this week is Dr. Perry Wolk-Weiss, D.C.  of Get Well Center Dr. Wolk-Weiss is a Chiropractor and author of Ten Commandments for a Healthy Lifestyle. We’re talking about NAET (Allergy Elimination Technique). Let’s face it, allergies are a pain. Avoiding foods and other substances that cause reactions is time consuming and frustrating. NAET utilizes acupressure to retrain the brain to not overreact to allergens. NAET is not painful and can be done even on babies. While it’s impossible to say exactly how many treatment sessions a patient will need, typical scenario is 6-12 sessions,  making NAET less expensive than a life of allergy suffering! Dr. Perry shares stories of individuals whose lifestyles have dramatically changed because of their allergies resolving thanks to NAET. Read about NAET and its founder: Naet: Say Good-Bye to Your Allergies

Hysterectomy Risks and Alternatives My guest this week is Nora Coffey, president of the HERS Foundation. Nora was a guest on the show about a year ago. You can listen to that interview here. Now she joins us again to talk about her new book  (co-authored with Rick Schweikert). The H Word: The diagnostic studies to evaluate symptoms, alternatives in treatment, and coping with the aftereffects of hysterectomy. If you think you don’t need to listen to this interview because noone is telling you to get a hysterectomy (castration) right now, I respectfully disagree. Every woman should inform herself NOW before she’s faced with the decision. photo credit: cliff1066™ After talking with Nora these two times, reading her book and from my own life hearing stories of women and their experience with hysterectomy (castration), I am convinced that there is a dreadful LACK of appreciation and understanding of the purpose of the female organs – on the part of medical professionals and we women ourselves. The H Word tells you why hysterectomy is so commonly recommended, the diagnostic studies that should be performed first to evaluate suspect diagnoses, the treatment alternatives that exist, the benefits and risks of those treatments, and probably most importantly – the lifelong functions of the uterus and ovaries, and the lifelong consequences of their removal (castration). I urge you to listen to this interview and spread the word amongst women you care about!

Mindy Meyer (@Meymin) of  Nourish Your Children is our guest this week. Mindy is a homeschooling mom of 5 who recently completed an ebook and is generously offering a free copy to a listener! More info below. photo credit: dslrninja What Are Excitotoxins? Just as it sounds, excitotoxins “excite” the body tissues, starting with the tongue (wow! that tastes good! want more!) – but not in a good way.  Many of us think of “Chinese restaurant syndrome” and MSG (monosodium glutamates) when we hear the word. Glutamates exist naturally in some natural, healthy foods but your body is able to handle those without problems. During certain processes (for instance the refining of foods) these are turned into “free glutamates” that do damage to the body.  Sadly, even “organic/natural” foods that are highly processed can contain these excitotoxins. Mindy’s free worksheet with more information on excitotoxins and how to avoid them is available here:  Nourish Your Children Mentioned on the show: - The Weston A. Price Foundation To win a copy of Mindy’s ebook: Simply leave a comment below (with a valid email address so I can contact you). The winner will be chosen and notified on Wednesday, October 21 at NOON Eastern time.