Beautiful bones

BONES….something most of us don’t give a second thought to until there is a problem. However, if you’re a menopausal woman, have been/are a heavy drinker or smoker, have a family history of osteoporosis, have any type of gastrointestinal disease causing malabsorption, or have been on medications such as glucocorticoids long-term; then it may be something to start thinking about.

Bone is living tissue that, as well as giving our body structure and protecting vital organs, plays many other important roles including being crucial to immune health and acting as a storehouse for many nutrients, minerals and even fats. It really doesn’t get the kudos it deserves!

Often it’s ongoing back pain, a fracture or broken bone that will be a clue that there's a problem, or a DEXA scan will show low bone mineral density. Menopausal women are particularly at risk as the low oestrogen state that comes with this stage of life results in increased bone loss, in tandem with a markedly decreased ability to absorb Calcium.

So is it as simple as popping a Calcium tablet or increasing intake in the diet? Unfortunately the answer is no. In fact, taking Calcium in isolation has been found to be anything but helpful. Calcium works best when surrounded by its buddies - in particular Vitamin D and Vitamin K2, and Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin C also have important roles to play. I also like to include collagen peptides specific to bone-building in the diet, along with Silica for its important role in formation of the bone matrix and collagen stimulation.

Menstrual migraine

Menstrual migraine….what a doozy…if you experience these you’ll know what I’m talking about. A monthly dose of fatigue, brain fog and anxiety that leads into a stiff neck, throbbing head pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and if you’re really unlucky - nausea and vomiting to boot! It’s enough to leave you counting down the days till menopause….

Some women only ever experience headache or migraine around their period, and for migraine sufferers this can be a ‘danger time’ where they are much more susceptible than other times of the month. There are many factors at play here, one of the most important being the drop in oestrogen that occurs just before your period - the bigger the drop and the less progesterone available to cushion the fall, the more intense your monthly brain pain will potentially be. Thus, ensuring hormones are in balance is a priority of treatment.

Managing menstrual migraine is also about the choices you make every other day of your cycle as much as anything. Reducing inflammation is a big one so this might mean omitting dairy or cutting way back on sugary and processed foods. Going gluten free can also be a game changer - wheat has been found to be a common migraine trigger and this certainly made a difference for me. Stress management throughout the month will also influence how your period plays out.

In the days before and during your period it will likely also help to avoid alcohol completely, and try to minimise your intake of high histamine foods such as aged meats and cheeses, fermented foods, and anything cured or smoked. And finally, take this time to give yourself a break - don’t overcommit to things and try to avoid stressful situations.

Of course, there are also important nutrients that may be required such as Magnesium and B vitamins, and potentially iron if there is a deficiency present. I also like to support my client’s nervous system and stress response throughout the month with liquid herbs to encourage hormonal balance and healthy neurotransmitter production.

Perimenopause mayhem

PERIMENOPAUSE….Heard of it? It’s that bit before you go into actual menopause, which is officially 12 months after your final period. Most women hit perimenopause sometime in their 40’s and for some it goes virtually unnoticed, but for others this can be a really horrible time that can last for up to 10 years!

Heavier menstrual flow, irregular periods with shorter cycles, increased headaches/migraines, irritability, mood swings and tender lumpy breasts preceding periods, new night-time disturbances/hot flushes and unexplained weight gain….what a barrel of laughs! No it isn’t, but unfortunately many women suffer through this without realising that there are many solutions to be found in natural medicine.

In a nutshell this is a time when a woman’s oestrogen levels can be higher than ever before, but then also lower than is optimal, and with this hormonal see-saw comes the corresponding symptoms which are often made worse as a result of diet and lifestyle choices. But the great news is that these imbalances are easily addressed with the right guidance and the added support of herbs and nutrients such as Withania, Magnesium, and B vitamins.

Sunspots - prevention all the way

SUNSPOTS….otherwise known as solar keratosis, the most common skin condition caused by sun damage. These small, rough and scaly patches are common on areas repeatedly exposed to the sun such as the face and backs of the hands. They are considered to be precancerous or an early form of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Not great!

Despite all my years of protecting my skin and being sun smart, I recently developed one of these on my face and subsequently had it ‘frozen’ with liquid nitrogen spray to remove the defective skin cells. This is the normal treatment, but it’s not something I want to make a regular occurrence! So, in addition to having an annual skin check and continuing to protect my skin in all the usual ways, I have been scouring the research to identify additional preventative measures to avoid further skin damage. Here are some key points:

☀️Consumption of foods high in vitamin C has been shown to statistically decrease risk of both Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCC) and SCCs. Good sources are green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes and herbs

☀️In vitro studies suggest that selenium may be protective against UVB damage - Brazil nuts are a great source!

☀️A diet high in meat and fats from fried and take-away foods increases the risk of SCC compared to a diet high in vegetables and fruit. Another vote for antioxidants!

☀️Green tea has been shown to prevent non-melanoma skin cancer by enhancing DNA repair. I’ll be upping my matcha beverages to maximise my intake of green tea polyphenols

☀️Nicotinamide (a form of Vitamin B3) has been shown to cut the rate of new BCCs and SCCs by 23% compared to placebo. It also reduces the risk of developing solar keratosis. As well as ingesting B3 via lots of avocado, mushrooms, nuts, legumes and some lean meat; I’ll also be applying it topically via a special cream

Here’s to no more sunspots!

Detox - why do one?

The beginning of the year is always a good time to talk about detox after the excitement of Christmas holiday eating and drinking has worn off and you find yourself feeling pretty average. However, this year it seems even more relevant in light of all the changes that came about in 2020, and are still upon us now. Working from home, potentially less structure to days and eating times and habits, as well as possibly more alcohol than usual – sometimes you just need a bit of a reset. And a detox is a great way to do this.

How do you know when a detox may be a good idea? You might start to notice things like lower energy levels, headaches, more/different gut issues, weird skin breakouts, upsets to the menstrual cycle, or just feeling generally sluggish and sub-par.

Of course, any changes like this should be properly investigated by a health practitioner in the first instance, however, it may also be a sign that toxins and metabolic wastes have started to accumulate and your liver and other detox organs are under pressure. It might be time to consciously reduce the toxic load and allow the body to do what it does best when its not being bombarded with a whole bunch of toxic chemicals and foods/drinks (which is quite difficult in modern-day society)!

Those who have looked into or tried detoxing in the past will know there are some pretty crazy approaches out there, however, the reality is that the human body is perfectly designed to detoxify and clear wastes all on its own given the right nutrients and conditions. It is already doing it every minute of every day. We just need to get out of the way and let it do its thing!

There are several organs and processes responsible for detoxification and removal of cellular wastes from the body, but one of the most important is the liver. This superstar organ carries out more that 500 essential tasks with one of the most important being to filter the blood coming from the digestive tract before it goes out to the rest of the body. The liver detoxifies not only chemicals and toxic substances, but also hormones (such as oestrogen), and metabolises drugs.

So we want the liver to be in good working order and not overloaded by things like excessive alcohol consumption, medications and drugs, too many ‘bad’ fats and processed foods in the diet, and exposure to environmental chemicals and toxins. Thus, when doing a detox it’s really important that we give the liver a break from these things and support it to do its job properly by providing the nutrients it needs to perform the different phases of detoxification.

How do we do this? As well as through the food and drinks that we choose, reducing exposure to other toxins that we encounter in daily life is really important. This means things like reducing our use of plastics, trying to stop using anything that contains ‘fragrance’ as these contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and making sure we are opening doors and windows at home to counteract the indoor pollution from furniture and carpets ‘outgassing’ their nasty chemicals.

In terms of food, trying to source organic, fresh and in-season fruit and vegetables can’t be beaten; along with giving the diet an overhaul to cut out processed foods and sugar, dairy, caffeine and alcohol. A good meal plan with corresponding recipes can help to make this process easier. There are also many herbs and nutrients such as St. Mary’s Thistle and B Vitamins that can support detox and liver function and this can be discussed with your practitioner.  

Postnatal depletion - it's a thing

Yes it sure is….and if you’ve had a baby in the past few years (or even the past decade), and are asking yourself whether you will ever feel energised and vital again, you may well be suffering from this under-recognised syndrome.

Postnatal depletion is a collection of symptoms that encompass not only the physical, but also the psychological and emotional aspects of many new mothers. Prompted by the huge amounts of nutrients required to carry, birth and then potentially breastfeed a baby; then compounded by chronic sleep deprivation and the stress of motherhood, postnatal depletion can really take the joy out of being a mum if left unchecked.

With so much focus placed on the pregnancy and birth of the child, many mums feel that post-birth they are really left to struggle through on their own, often with minimal physical or emotional support. At a time when they have never felt like they needed more care and support, many mums are left to their own devices, trying to manage all the tasks they always did but now with the addition of extreme sleep deprivation, a new job they have no idea how to do, and ongoing demands on their physical and emotional resources. This can lead to a plethora of physical symptoms including brain fog, (often extreme) fatigue, heightened sensitivity to light/sound/smells, and other fun stuff like hair loss, dry skin and brittle nails, and receding gums.

Emotionally there are also big changes that take place. During pregnancy, a mothers’ brain physically changes to develop the areas that will make her more attuned to the needs of her child. This, combined with major hormonal changes, disrupted circadian rhythm, and the inevitable social and psychological pressures that come with being a new mum, can be a recipe for a barrage of unwanted emotional symptoms. These may include fear and hypervigilance, anxiety, anger, guilt, overwhelm, feelings of isolation and insignificance, and loss of libido.

These symptoms may persist for years, and with the birth of subsequent children may even continue to worsen. Hence the importance of starting to rectify some of the areas that have been affected in order to work back toward good health sooner rather than later. Many mothers are lacking in key micronutrients such as iron and zinc and these deficiencies need to be identified through blood testing and treated accordingly before other areas can be addressed.

Macronutrients need to be rebuilt as well and this involves implementing a wholefood diet with appropriate levels of fats, protein and carbohydrates. Whilst this may seem like mission impossible for a fatigued and time-poor mother, it is highly achievable with the correct guidance and support. Similarly, the hormone depletion present in postnatal depletion can be addressed through appropriate diet and lifestyle changes which ARE possible with the right guidance. The addition of herbal medicine is a major component here, with a wide range of herbs available to support the restoration and revitalisation of the body and mind.

Postnatal depletion can feel like wading through cement, however, the upshot is that you CAN return to your pre-baby levels of energy and vitality, and feel once again that you are on top of things and can fully enjoy the experience of motherhood. You just need the right support!  

So, what exactly is naturopathy?

If you’re visiting this website you probably have some idea about what naturopathy is and why you might like to visit a naturopath, however, unless you’ve seen a naturopath before, it’s probably still a bit of an unknown. 

So let’s start with a bit of background. Naturopathic philosophy and principles can be traced as far back as 16th/ 17th century Europe, when naturopaths were trained by doctors in the healing arts. Modern day naturopathy, however, was spearheaded in North America in the early 20th century by Dr. Benedict Lust, who introduced the modality to the country through experiencing the healing power of nature first-hand after conventional medicine was ineffective in curing his severe tuberculosis. Naturopathy is now practiced in every region of the world across more than 80 countries, and in Australia plays an important role in primary healthcare with more than 16% of the population visiting a naturopath for a chronic condition.

Naturopathy is a holistic approach to health, based on prevention of disease and belief in the inherent ability of the body to heal itself given the right conditions. The healing power of nature is at its core, and gentle therapeutic techniques are used to stimulate the vitality of the patient in order to support the body as it regains balance. Naturopaths believe in identifying and treating the cause of disease, minimising the risk of any harm in the process, and educating and empowering the patient as an important aspect of treatment. 

Naturopathic care is suitable at any age or stage of life, is effective for both acute and chronic conditions, and offers a safe and efficacious solution for many common health complaints. Modern naturopathy incorporates a number of modalities that may be utilised by the practitioner, including nutritional medicine, dietary and lifestyle advice, herbal medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, iridology and flower essences. In all cases the aim of these therapies is to remove or minimise obstacles that are preventing the body from attaining its natural state of health; be it nutrition or lifestyle-related, stress related, or due to some other disturbance to the organism such as toxin exposure.

Whilst naturopathy is firmly rooted in thousands of years of traditional medicine, the addition of modern-day scientific evidence to clinical practice has resulted in a healing modality so powerful that there is now evidence for the efficacy of naturopathy and Western Herbal Medicine for virtually every body system and all major disease states. It has also been proven to be effective in treating a range of complex chronic conditions including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anxiety and depression, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and musculoskeletal pain. With 1 in 2 Australians suffering from a chronic health condition, naturopathy provides a safe, accessible and efficacious addition to mainstream medicine.