The subject of nutrition is obviously very important to me. Contrary to implications here--I do not think there are good or bad foods, but I do think there are many non-foods masquerading as food on the market and on people's plates. People may be able to survive on synthetic and GMO "foods", but they do not support health and well-being in any way. Just like cigarette smoking, which only has a negative impact on the body, these synthetic foods diminish the life force. Susan Burger's comments on her experiences in the Peace Corps are, IMO, quite interesting, but not really applicable to the issues I see among the families I see. When people use fermentation and other traditional food preparation methods, using primarily whole foods (limited though they may be), they tend to have far healthier guts than the average Westerner today. As a matter of fact, one of the most significant, simple and inexpensive ways to heal the gut is to eat fermented foods. As the gut heals, so do food sensitivities. The body also relies on ketones as fuel for the brain when carbohydrates are absent and uses "bad cholesterol" to synthesize ketones. The human body is brilliant in its ability to adapt and survive, but I would argue that we are more capable of adapting under the conditions Susan experienced than those of a Western fast/processed/junk/GMO/synthetic food diet. 

I also understand the concern that there are many differing opinions of what might be a healthy diet, but some things are common among most of the people whose work I read and that's a great place to begin. In the US, at least, inflammation rules the day. So, in my mind a diet the quells the inflammation is necessary for healing to take place. From there, you need to look at the culture and ask what the predominant concerns might be. Within this framework there is a lot of room for vast differences in religious, ethical, cultural or personal preferences. I have watched closely to see what works for people in healing and maintaining health and I am always learning, but I have found a lot of common ground. Healing diets use whole foods, preferentially eliminate all grains and eliminate sugar, processed, GMO and factory-farmed food. They use soaked, fermented and sprouted foods. They rely heavily on vegetables and other nutrient-dense foods. Whether to then eat primarily raw, paleo, vegan, raw dairy or no dairy, high saturated fat, or whatever is very individual and folks are able to sort that out for themselves much better once their bodies are clean of inflammatory foods. 

As to enjoyment of food--I have three children who LOVE food. I have taught them all to feed themselves and others. They love to buy food (my kids love the markets here in Paris and know quite well how to shop for produce), to prepare it and of course to eat it. They love to cook for one another and for others. My oldest son (22) is a fabulous chef and my 12 year old has a blog called AnAmericanSpeedskaterinFrance on which he writes about skating, writing and making food--his three passions! One can absolutely take great pleasure in the joy of food and in sharing food with others, while making health supportive choices. Frankly I do not see how one can actually take pleasure in making oneself and one's family sick. 

As to domperidone--I do not like this drug--and I say that having facilitated hundreds of mothers using it. Personally, I would use it before I would give my baby AIM, but I am unhappy with what I believe may be a negative impact on the hypothalamus. So, I would far rather see moms using food and herbs to support lactation than a drug. One of the reasons I prefer herbal infusions (teas) over capsules or tinctures is bc I love the process of nourishing the body with tea. I think the method of delivery of galactogogues does matter very much and I think there is something very healing in making ourselves food or drink that nourishes our bodies. I am certainly not opposed to mothers making cookies!!! I just do not like the poor quality ingredients in most commercially prepared products. 

So, when I say I think we need to have a solid knowledge base in nutrition, I do indeed think there is some solid ground on which we could build that education. In my workshop "Heal the Mother/Heal the Baby", I teach LCs and others how to help mothers restore healthy gut function in themselves and their babies response to the onslaught of food and environmental allergies, colic, reflux, post-partum depression, thrush, recurrent plugged ducts and mastitis, unstable milk supplies, PCOS and infertility. I don't think it's fair to think that the tools we have typically learned to date are sufficient to address these problems and I think there is a nutritional component that can be learned by all of us to better address these issues.

 

 

Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, France
Intuitive Parenting Network, LLC
 



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