An article on placenta encapsulation and its benefits was recently mentioned in the media in Puerto Rico.  PBi’s very own Kiani Torres, was interviewed for the article, stating the benefits of placentophagia to new mothers during the postpartum recovery process.  Kiani is a breastfeeding advocate and mother who is passionate about helping the women in Puerto Rico feel their best during their postpartum experience.  PBi is grateful for all of Kiani’s efforts in helping the organization achieve its mission.

PBi, a network of placenta encapsulation specialists, is dedicated to providing quality placenta encapsulation services and education, while normalizing the use of placenta for postpartum recovery.  PBi is an international organization that is growing every single day.  With specialists in six countries, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, and Puerto Rico, Placenta Benefits is spreading the word to help new mothers enjoy their postpartum experience in a balanced, healthy way while avoiding the blues and postpartum depression.

Pregnant?  Find a specialist in your city.

There was a recent segment on NPR about our environment and its impact on our breast health.  Breast tissue, consisting of mostly fat, acts as a sponge absorbing all the elements of our surroundings.

When Florence Williams, author of Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History, read an article about toxins, she became curious about what was in her breast milk.  After hearing back from the lab, she discovered her milk contained pesticides, dioxin, a jet fuel ingredient, and a high volume of flame retardants.

Flame retardants, present in household furniture and other everyday products, can have an impact on hormone levels and thyroid function, impacting everything from neuro development to metabolism.

It is obvious we should strive to avoid chemical exposure as much as possible, but  unfortunately, it is impossible to always know for sure what we are being exposed to.  While there are many things in our environment that we can’t control, one thing we should try to limit our exposure to is BPA.  BPA is a plastics additive that acts like estrogen and could be causing cancer and reproductive issues.

“We know that if pregnant rats are dosed with BPA, their pups will grow up with altered mammary glands … in ways that predispose that animal to breast cancer later on,” she says. “A lot of people would say, ‘A rat is a rat. It’s not a human. What do we know about humans?’ And we actually don’t know that much. But recently a study just came out doing the same experiment but using Rhesus monkeys and, unfortunately, the results were very, very similar. Those monkeys ended up developing mammary glands that were altered by the chemical in ways that made it more likely to get breast cancer.” -Florence Williams

Aside from skin, the breasts are the one body part that has the most incidence of cancer.  After learning that breasts absorb so many toxins, is it surprising?

Read a transcript of the interview with Florence Williams on NPR’s Fresh Air.

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Carmen Calvo, CPES

Congratulations to Lindsey Snopek, the newest PBi-Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, now serving Flower Mound, TX.  With a background in Biology and Pharmacy in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lindsey’s placenta encapsulation services are the perfect fit.

Lindsey suffered from hormone imbalance and the baby blues for several months after the birth of her son in 2010.  Lindsey understands how difficult it can be to get back to baseline after birth and is excited to be helping other moms avoid the experience she had.

Through my research on ways to heal myself I found placenta encapsulation. I read all about it’s wonderful hormone containing properties and its ability to help with fatigue and the baby blues. I had so wished I would have found this prior to the birth of my son and been able to use the valuable tool in my postpartum recovery. -Lindsey Snopek

In order to become certified, a PES must complete the readings on placentophagy research and write response papers demonstrating an understanding of the material.  The PES must also encapsulate 3 placentas using the PBi method and take a food safety course in her state.

Congratulations Lindsey!  Thank you for all your hard work!

38-year-old Victoria Beckham wants to keep her youthful glow and she’s turned to New Zealand sheep placenta to achieve just that.  The former Spice Girl pays between $500-$670 to have regular sheep placenta facials from Dr. Lancer, an Beverly Hills dermatologist.

Sheep placenta used for anti-aging.

“The treatment provides instant results. Patients report decreased wrinkles and a glowing complexion.  The stem cells interact with your own cells, basically telling them to wake up, produce collagen and stimulate new cell growth. Gold particles are included as gold helps to diffuse the stem cells and acts as the transdermal delivery system to help it work into the skin.”  Dr. Lancer said.

No wrinkles and an instant glow?  Now, that’s just one more reason to love placenta!

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Carmen Calvo, CPES

When I was pregnant with my second son and my blood pressure became a concern, my midwife put me on an egg-eating regimen.  With a history of pre-eclampsia, we were on a mission to avoid that diagnosis at all costs.  I was advised to eat one egg and drink a half cup of milk every hour for 17 hours per day.  I was to do this for 3 days.

Yes, that’s 51 eggs in three days.  The result?  A blood pressure that was somewhere in the ballpark of 117/78.

What I didn’t know back then was that choline, a main component in eggs and milk, not only has an impact on gestational hypertension, but can also impact the fetus’ health later in life.  By ingesting increased choline during the third trimester of pregnancy, the baby is less at risk for hypertension and diabetes as they age.

A study found that pregnant women ingesting more than 900 milligrams of choline have babies with a decreased concentration of cortisol, a stress hormone.  By having a decreased cortisol level, the child is less likely to suffer from stress related illnesses such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

It looks like eggs should be a staple in any expecting mamas diet, not only for her health, but the health of her baby, too.

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Carmen Calvo, CPES

Congratulations to Michelle Jones on becoming a PBi-Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist!

Michelle is the mother of 4, who is very knowledgeable about natural childbirth.  In addition to helping new mothers with placenta encapsulation, Michelle is a birth and postpartum doula and a Lamaze Childbirth Educator.  Michelle became interested in placenta encapsulation after the birth of her child in 2006.  Hearing other women’s positive postpartum experiences was what inspired her journey to becoming a PES.

I love helping new mother’s navigate though the trying postpartum period. I almost get giddy with excitement when a new mom signs up for encapsulation, as I know that her postpartum will likely be smoother and more pleasant for the entire family. -Michelle Jones

Certification takes a lot of hard work, time, and commitment.  In order to be certified through PBi, a candidate must read and write response papers to research related to placentophagy.  A candidate must also pass a written exam, prepare three placentas using the PBi method, and complete a food safety course to adhere to local and state health regulations.

Michelle, the PBi Network of Specialists congratulates you on your certification and we thank you for helping the women in your community achieve an optimal postpartum experience.

It’s no secret that every pregnancy a woman experiences leaves its impact on her forever.  Experiencing a life growing inside of you and becoming a mother can change you forever.  But did you know that fetal cells from every pregnancy remain in the mother, sometimes even 50 years later?

During pregnancy, fetal cells cross the placental wall and make themselves at home in the mother’s body.  Sometimes some of the cells die off, while others stick around for decades.  Dr. Kirby Johnson of Tufts University has been studying these fetal cells for years, wondering what their purpose was in the mother’s body.

It appears some of the fetal cells can often help in healing, especially in livers, and fight to keep the mother healthy.  Conversely, other fetal cells can attack the mother, making ailments such as arthritis worse.  There are many determining factors into why the cells behave as they do.

What produces these behaviors? Dr. Johnson sighed and said the list of explanations keeps getting longer. It could depend on the disease. It could depend on the type of fetal cell (they can be different). It may depend on the mother’s age, how many conceptions she’s had, or who the father was. (Fathers can be genetically similar to the mother or genetically very different, and that variance seems to matter.) (Source)

This is not where fetal cell swapping ends, either.  The cells from siblings, mothers, and fathers can all be transferred from one individual to another.  An older sibling’s cells can cross through the placenta and into the subsequent fetus.  Similarly, the father’s cells, which make up half the fetus’ DNA, can enter into the mother as well.

The fetal cells from each pregnancy, flowing in a mother’s bloodstream, can be passed on to her successive kids. If we have an older sibling, that older sibling’s cells may be in us. The baby in a large family may harbor the genes of many brothers and sisters. My mother’s cells are in my body, and so are my daughter’s cells, and half my daughter’s DNA comes from her dad. Some of those cells may be in my brain. (http://jenapincott.com/)

Steven O'Connor, M.D.

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Carmen Calvo, CPES

The PBi Network of Specialists would like to extend a warm welcome to Alexis Brown, Placenta Encapsulation Specialist.

Alexis is the mother of a terrific little boy and is the ONLY specialist in North and South Dakota.  Alexis is committed to providing new mothers with her placenta encapsulation services and is willing to travel in order to make that happen.

With an interest in the childbearing year, the women in North and South Dakota are fortunate to have access to the benefits of placenta encapsulation with Alexis Brown, PES.

Thank you Alexis for your hard work!

Orange County, CA has a new Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, Missy Garcia.

Missy is a holistically trained registered nurse and certified lactation educator who enjoys working with women and children.  Missy is a believer in holistic medicine and thinks it is all too often overlooked.

“Many things are overlooked in regards to a more holistic approach, but my belief is if it has worked for thousands of years and our species is still around then that obviously says something.” - Missy Garcia

Missy became interested in placenta encapsulation after the birth of her daughter.  She wanted to encapsulate her daughter’s placenta herself, but unfortunately was unable, resulting in a more difficult postpartum experience.  Missy does not want other women having a slow and painful recovery from childbirth and is excited to be helping the women in Orange County.

Last week we talked about the Ayurvedic method of heating the placenta to revive an unresponsive newborn.  Another Ayurvedic technique that may be able to boost your health is oil pulling.

Oil Pulling is the act of swishing 1 tablespoon of a healthy oil (olive or coconut will do the trick) in your mouth for 20 minutes first thing in the morning.  It is important that you do this prior to eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth.  The oil will collect the toxins from your mouth, which often are what can cause disease.

Oil Pulling has reportedly cured or aided in the treatment of many diseases; Mouth & Gum Disease; Stiff Joints; Allergies; Asthma; High Blood Sugar; Constipation; Migraines; Bronchitis; Eczema; Heart, Kidney, Lung Diseases; Leukemia; Arthritis; Meningitis; Insomnia; Menopause (hormonal issues); Cancer; AIDS; Chronic Infections; Varicose Veins; High Blood Pressure; Diabetes; Polio; Cracked Heels.

“When Dr Karsch examined the gargled milk-white oil under a microscope with 600 magnification, he saw live organisms swimming in it. It’s poisonous, so never swallow it, he warns. These poisons are bacteria-embryos, which, if not eliminated, cause diseases. Apparently, Dr Karsach cured his own chronic blood disease and 15-year-old arthritis.” -www.earthclinic.com

It sounds like oil pulling may be a great way to help you on your journey to achieving wellness.  At the very least, it will whiten your teeth.

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Carmen Calvo, PES