Q&A with OXPIP’s founder Sue Gerhardt  

 

OXPIP’s founder Sue Gerhardt is an internationally renowned author. Her 2003 book Why Love Matters became a bestseller and essential reading for anyone interested in the social and emotional needs of babies.  In March this year, Sue released another book, 1001 Days: How Our First Years Shape Our Lifelong Health, which deals with all aspects of a child’s health and development. 

 

 

What prompted you to write the book? 

 

I hadn’t planned to write another book. But as I spent my time reading the latest thinking about health - exploring new research in epigenetics,  inflammatory response, the microbiome, the oxytocin system – I suddenly had an aha! moment. I began to realise that scientists working in these different specialities were mentioning, almost in passing, the central role of very early development – something I thought deserved to be better highlighted. 

 

What is 1001 Days about? 

 

It’s about the way that very early experience can either set up positive ‘health capital’ or long-term health risks and vulnerabilities. And how we need to invest much more in early care to prevent future ill health. 

Two factors stood out to me:  both early psychological stress and poor early nutrition could alter the biology of the developing fetus and baby. These drivers of ill-health often overlap. For example, both can reduce gut microbiome diversity and can lead to increased chronic inflammation which underlies a lot of later illness in older age. 

 

How does the book develop the ideas of Why Love Matters? 

 

As the book emerged, it became clear that in many ways, it was the sequel to Why Love Matters.  It has a similar emphasis on the interactive nature of development, and the importance of prevention, but it focuses less on the brain and more on whole body systems that affect our health and well-being. 

 

OXPIP was delighted to support Sue with the launch of this brilliant new book, which is available from all good booksellers.