How to have a healthy baby

19/10/2025

Ladies - did you know that your ovarian reserve is determined in utero?

This means that, as women, we have the power to determine the fertility levels of our daughters and grand-daughters before they are born. Amazing!

Learn more at

You may, or may not, be surprised at the regularity with which I see women in my clinic who have been told they have low ovarian reserve. Many of these women are as young as 25 years of age.

18/10/2025

Medication usage is a known contributor to the inter-individual variability of the gut microbiome. However, medications are often used repeatedly and for long periods, a notion yet unaccounted for in microbiome studies. Recently, we and others showed that not only the usage of antibiotics and antide...

17/10/2025

Mandatory food fortification using folic acid began in the USA in 1998 and has spread through other countries, including Australia. What was considered a move to prevent folate deficiency in pregnancy may have led to a rise in unmetabolised folic acid or UMFA. Why is this a problem? Read on.

UMFA builds up when folic acid from supplements and fortified foods exceeds the body’s ability to convert it into methylfolate. This results in signs of folate deficiency on a cellular level despite appearing “replete” on blood tests.

This is an issue that is particularly relevant to fertility and pregnancy. Read on....

https://dagmarganser.au/blogs/f/are-fortified-foods-the-problem

15/10/2025

Forums may be interesting groups to share experiences but they often don't provide professional health advice. Recently I have received a few enquiries regarding the MTHFR polymorphism and getting tested. The best method to check any epigenetic changes is with a quality DNA test - https://truemedicine.com.au/tips/disease-is-not-caused-by-your-genes/

You can also learn more about MTHFR and methylation in my book as well as blogs - the most recent one here - https://dagmarganser.au/blogs/f/are-fortified-foods-the-problem

When it comes to understanding and supporting our body's complex biochemistry, it is always best to consult a qualified naturopath rather than rely on what may or may not have worked for someone else. Everyone is different.

14/10/2025

Great news! My book is now available to purchase in store at https://www.facebook.com/PapandCo/ in Hope Island. Get a copy for yourself or gift to a friend.

Gold Coast gift shop based in Hope Island stocking cards and wrap, interiors and homewares, gifts, specialty toys, stationery, newspapers and more.

14/10/2025

www.dagmarganser.au/blogs/f/monash-university-study

It's not often that I am able to share information relating to a specific remedy. The health benefits of supplementing with a quality, practitioner-only clean brand of activated sulforaphane (SFN) to mother and baby are ...

09/10/2025

Did you know you could have normal serum folate… yet be functionally folate deficient inside your cells?

The Reduced Folate Carrier (RFC), is a critical gene that quietly determines how effectively folate reaches your tissues, brain, and even developing embryos.

If this transporter is compromised, it can disrupt:

* Methylation and neurotransmitter synthesis — impacting mental health and mood

* Immune resilience and cell division — leading to infections, cytopenias, and poor recovery

* Foetal development — this polymorphism is linked to a higher risk of congenital heart defects and Down syndrome when folate supply is low.

The above is yet another example why genetic testing can be the difference of having a healthy baby or one that is born with one or more defects.

It's all in the preparation - always consult a qualified, fertility and genetics trained naturopath for support.

08/10/2025

Caffeine is best avoided during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. For some women, it is also better avoided during preconception.

Did you know caffeine clears at wildly different speeds in different people?

For some, it’s gone in as little as 2 hours. For others, it can linger for more than 10 hours!

What affects it?

• Genetics: fast vs slow metabolisers (CYP1A2 gene is key).
• S*x: men generally clear caffeine faster than women.
• Menstrual cycle: clearance slows in the luteal phase.
• Hormonal birth control: the pill can slow caffeine’s clearance by half.

That means the same cup of coffee can feel totally different depending on who you are and when you drink it.

08/10/2025

Protein is a vital nutrient but especially during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Contrary to common belief, a chia pudding will not provide sufficient levels of protein.

A big dose of protein in the morning (25–40 grams) can make a huge difference to mood, energy, and satiety.

There are lots of ways to get there: eggs, yoghurt, cheese, protein powder, or leftover chicken, fish, or meat. (My personal favourite is chicken soup.)

As yummy as chia pudding is, it’s not a protein breakfast on its own. A standard serve of chia seeds gives only about 5 grams of protein.

You can bump that up slightly with almond milk (+1 g) or nuts (+3–5 g), or make it genuinely high-protein by adding protein powder. But in that case, the protein is from the powder, not the chia seeds.

And just a quick ps: there’s essentially no protein in coconut milk or coconut yoghurt. 🥥

08/10/2025

Keeping your microbiome healthy, varied and study for optimal fertility outcomes ranks highly on the list of considerations.

The following research highlights the dangers of common medications. Remember, everything you put into your body can affect your fertility as well as the future health of your children.

I recently posted a study suggesting that non-antibiotic drugs may have an unexpected disruptive effect on gut flora. Now a study from Australia has generated findings suggesting that certain drugs might also contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). While antibiotic overuse is a primary driver, emerging evidence suggests that non-antibiotic medications (NAMs) may also play a role. The authors note that this concern is particularly relevant in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), where both NAMs and antibiotics are frequently used.

They investigated nine NAMs commonly used in RACFs, including ibuprofen, diclofenac, paracetamol (acetaminophen), furosemide, metformin, atorvastatin, tramadol, temazepam and pseudoephedrine at gut-relevant concentrations in a test tube model of ciprofloxacin-induced mutagenesis in Escherichia coli.

Findings showed that ibuprofen and paracetamol significantly increased mutation frequency and conferred high-level ciprofloxacin resistance. Whole-genome sequencing identified mutations in the regulatory genes GyrA, MarR, and AcrR, with the latter two correlated with overexpression of a key drug efflux pump (a bacterial defense mechanism). Co-exposure to two NAMs further elevated mutation rates and ciprofloxacin resistance levels. Mutants showed ≥4 fold increased resistance, not only for ciprofloxacin but also for other antibiotic classes such as β lactams, levofloxacin and minocycline. Notably, ciprofloxacin resistance rose by up to 32 fold.

The authors suggested their findings underscored the overlooked role of NAMs in driving AMR and highlighted the need to reassess polypharmacy risks in aged care settings.

The University of South Australia’s official media release (dated 26 August 2025) emphasised that common painkillers "quietly fuel one of the world’s biggest health threats: antibiotic resistance" by increasing bacterial mutations and resistance.
However, it should be noted that this work needs to be repeated, and the findings were laboratory-generated and may not reflect the real-world situation.

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40855113/

07/10/2025

Did you know that histamine can affect more than itchy eyes and sneezing? It also plays a role in hormones and reproduction.

Read more at

When we think 'histamine' most of us may think of allergies, hay fever, itchy eyes, etc. But did you know that histamine is an essential organic nitrogenous compound involved in local immune response communication, as w...

03/10/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJJYwyKlxZg

Morning sickness can make you feel so desperate especially since it’s normal to be all day and all night. Not to despair though, I have 7 fantastic natural r...