Barrier to the Rescue!

We all put up barriers, whether we know it or not. Many of them are mental and I realized that when reading Ina May Gaskin’s book, “Guide to Childbirth” in the chapter called, “Sphincter Law.” For example, when a woman relaxes her throat and mouth it directly links to relaxing the cervix to allow for further dilation. Try telling someone to defecate or urinate on the spot when someone is watching or listening in the stall next to you! When we feel as if our personal space is invaded, performance suffers, ask any doula out there that witnesses an interrupted hospital birth. Definition: Failure to progress. 

In my practice, I deal with physiological along with mental barriers that are extremely important to a pregnant woman and her growing baby. The five physiological barriers in the human body are:

Wikimedia.org

• ·      Blood Brain Barrier
• ·      Gut
• ·      Skin
• ·      Lung
• ·      Placenta

If any one of these barrier systems is compromised, foreign invaders pass through the glue holding the cells together into a battlefield of unsuspecting terrorists and launches an attack. In other words, things go where they don’t belong and bad things happen. Once one barrier has been broken, it is highly likely another barrier will be compromised. The glue that connects one cell to another is composed of our immune system, or immunoglobulins. Experts will tell you, you don’t want to mess with the immune system…keep yourself and those kiddos healthy!

One particular barrier of heightened interest to a pregnant woman is the placental barrier. This is the barrier women are concerned with when they are told not to eat Brie cheese, sushi or deli meat anymore.  Things can pass from mom to baby, but this is a two-way placental street.  Hormones and other cellular material can pass from baby to mom! For example, Mom has adrenal glands that produce the hormone called adrenaline which is the flight or fight hormone. When mom is totally stressed out and in later stages of pregnancy, adrenaline runs low and she can (unintentionally) steal her baby’s adrenaline in order to give her a quick fix. This can lead to compromised barriers in the baby/child which can develop into food and environmental allergies, eczema, asthma, and more in years to come.

If you already have food sensitivities, IBS, skin irritations such as eczema, brain fog, asthma, your barrier is breached. 

Maintaining healthy barrier systems are key to a healthy you, baby and family. I specialize in developing a customized plan of attack for those with compromised barriers by utilizing objective and subjective—thorough detailed assessments and supporting with natural nutritional compounds. It’s the perfect marriage of science, herbal medicine, and communication…explained in a way you understand.