 This year, I have joined the wonderful team of women at the Red Tent Health Centre in Woollahra. The Red Tent is the base for a dedicated group of practitioners who have a broad range of healing skills and a passion for providing the best possible care for you and your family.
The Red Tent Health Centre offers treatment for pregnant women, mums, their children, their partners, women wanting to conceive, women going through IVF cycles and women who generally want to improve their health. I am very excited to have joined this inspiring team and look forward to working together. Please call me on 0400 551 622 to make an appointment or enquiry. I will still also be available at Darling Street Health Centre in Balmain. Research has shown that more than a half of Australian children are deficient in iodine. Studies have shown that even a mild deficiency can reduce a child's intellectual potential! As Australian soil is extremely iodine-deficient, supplementation is considered the best way to increase and maintain iodine levels. Iodine levels are tested by a simple and non-invasive urine test so make an appointment to test your child's levels today. A Swedish study published in April 2010, linking multivitamin use to breast cancer, has recently received much media attention. The study had many limitations and is not considered to show a conclusive link. Women should not feel hesitant about taking multivitamins and supplements prescribed to them by Belinda as only quality, practitioner-only supplements are used after a full case history is taken and specific needs are evaluated. Click here to read more about this study . Monthly newsletters are sent out to website members and clients. To view this month's newsletter, focusing on women's health and breast cancer, please click on this heading. To become a website member, please go to the 'join here' page via the button on the top, right hand side of this page. Recently, there has been much media coverage of the 'egg timer' or AMH hormone test to assess female fertility. Belinda has been using this test in clinic for over a year and has found it very useful for many women. While the test does not indicate how many years of fertility a woman has left, it does show whether her ovarian reserve is strong or diminishing. While there is nothing that can be done to change how many fertile eggs a woman has left, the test provides an indication of whether a woman should or should not delay conception by choice. If you are interested in having your AMH hormone levels tested, please make an appointment with Belinda. Click here for more information. We all know that alcohol is not good for fertility and should be kept to a minimum in the pre-conception period. A US study has recently shown that white wine can dramatically reduce the chances of a successful pregnancy for women undergoing IVF. Sharing one bottle of wine a week could cut a couple's chances of having a baby by 26 per cent! The study also advised men to avoid beer to maximise their chances of becoming a father. It is a short term sacrifice for the success of conception and the future health of your baby! Click here for more information. Iodine deficiency in AustraliaIodine deficiency in pregnancy can lead to a wide range of neurological defects including problems with auditory and cognitive function. In 2009, researchers looked at the iodine status of Australian pregnant women. (Charlton KE, Gemming L, Yeatman H, Ma G. Suboptimal iodine status of Australian pregnant women reflects poor knowledge and practices related to iodine nutrition. Nutrition 2010 Jan 14). When iodine status was assessed: 85.5% of the women had INADEQUATE iodine status; 10.9% were adequate; 3.6% were more than adequate; 0% had an excessive level of iodine. For those of you who have done preconception or pregnancy care with me – you will now know why I am always testing your urinary iodine levels! Iodine is also important for many other body functions and is vital for proper thyroid function. If you have not already been tested, make an appointment now to have your iodine status and diet assessed. Most babies should take a daily vitamin D supplement, a new study shows (Adherence to Vitamin D Recommendations Among U.S. Infants,"published in the April issue of Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics). This finding will be a big change for most parents -- and even many pediatricians. Only 1% to 13% of infants under 1 year now get a vitamin D supplement, available in inexpensive drops, according to the study. Those drops are needed, the study says, because only 5% to 37% of American infants met the standard for vitamin D set by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2008: 400 international units a day. It is believed that similar low levels are found in Australian infants. Vitamin D strengthens bone and the immune system and also appears to prevent type 1 diabetes, heart disease and cancer, the paper says. Another study has shown that Vitamin D could cut the risk of flu infection in school-aged children by half. This finding has implications for flu epidemics since vitamin D, which is naturally produced by the human body when exposed to direct sunlight, has no significant side effects, costs little and can be several times more effective than anti-viral drugs or vaccine. Please click this link for more information. Birthday RewardsBelinda is celebrating your birthday! During the month of your birthday, you are eligible for one complementary consultation with Belinda in Woollahra or Balmain. That is a saving of $85! Soon, existing patients will be sent a voucher, but until the computer system catches up, don't miss out - just mention your birthday at the time of booking. The journey towards health and wellness is Belinda's present for you. Happy Birthday! Belinda is the resident naturopath on Corby-Sue's Bondi FM program, 'Corby's Table'. The program from 12-2pm every Sunday on 88.0 FM for those who live in Bondi and surrounding suburbs. Belinda is on air each month to discuss healthy , fun and interesting topics. For this month's link to 'Corby's Table - Good Food Made Simple' with Corby-Sue and myself, please click here! | 
