Blog News
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Unlocking Mental and Digestive Wellbeing: Exploring the Heavy Metal Connection
Are you are experiencing anxiety, stress, depression, brain fog, poor concentration or sleep issues? Are you seeking holistic pathways towards your mental health. In a lot of cases, heavy metals were one of the underlying causes of my clients mood and digestive disorders.
Heavy metals enter our body through the gastrointestinal tract, skin, or via inhalation. Toxic metals have proven to be a major threat to human health, mostly because of their ability to cause membrane and DNA damage, and to disrupt protein function and enzyme activity.
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Why test your Gut Microbiome? Unlocking the secrets of your gut health
Did you know that your gut microbiome plays a crucial role in your overall health and well-being? That's right! Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that impact everything from digestion and nutrient absorption to immune function and mood regulation.
Gut microbiome testing is one test that I love to prescribe for my clients, especially if they have been searching (Dr Google) or working with other health professionals for answers and not getting to the bottom of their health issues.
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Staying hydrated for optimum health
Staying hydrated is crucial for optimum health because water plays a vital role in various physiological functions within the body. Here are some key reasons why hydration is essential: Cellular Function, Temperature Regulation, Nutrient Transport, Joint Lubrication, Digestive Health, Detoxification, Cognitive Function, Skin Health and Heart Health. -
Could your digestive issues be caused by a Parasite infection?
Parasites are a part of the natural world, but it's important to be aware of their potential presence in our bodies. Understanding the symptoms associated with parasitic infections can help you seek timely intervention. As a naturopath, my focus is on holistic health, and I encourage a balanced lifestyle, clean eating, and natural remedies to support your body's defenses against these tiny intruders. Remember, knowledge and prevention are your best allies in the battle against parasites, ensuring a healthier and more vibrant life. -
Understanding Histamine: Impact on your immune system, skin, gut health and why it flares up more during perimenopause
Histamine is a chemical substance that is both a neurotransmitter and a hormone. It is a mediator of wakefulness, alertness, reaction times, sleep cycles, memory, stress, sexual function and digestion. Histamine is a natural compound that plays a significant role in our immune system, skin health, and gut functions. It is produced by Mast Cells and are involved in nerve transmissions and immune response regulation. -
What are FODMAPs and can following a low FODMAP diet help reduce IBS and/or SIBO symptoms?
A popular diet that I prescribed in clinic for my IBS clients is the low FODMAP diet. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that the small intestine absorbs poorly.
This diet has been designed to help people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and/or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) figure out which foods are problematic and which foods reduce symptoms. Low FODMAP foods also help relieve symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
I’m curious to know ‘Have you tried the Low FODMAP Diet to help relieve your digestive issues?’
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Are you travelling over the holidays?
As you know, we haven’t been able to travel much over the past few years, especially internationally and this time last year our boarders were still closed! Now we’re able to travel again it can be quiet stressful organizing flights, accommodation and for some people, catching up with family over Christmas is an added stress. -
What does anxiety feel like for you?
While anxiety is usually a natural and short-lived reaction to a stressful situation, for some people anxious thoughts, feelings, or physical symptoms can become chronic, severe and upsetting, and interrupt daily life. Anxiety can affect both women, men and children and has increased over the past 2 years due to all the uncertainty that we have gone through. What is 2022 going to be like?
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What's causing my bloated belly?
There are many reasons as to why we suffer from bloating. Digestive dysfunction (dyspepsia or indigestion) is one of the main reasons as to why this is occurring.
For some people, this is an all-day problem that starts the moment they wake up (with a nice flat tummy) and gradually gets worse throughout the day and for others, it comes and goes. What could be causing this? Maybe it's related to a food trigger, maybe low stomach acid or low amounts of digestive enzymes are to blame. But there is definitely an imbalance of good gut bacteria within your digestive tract!
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My digestive health issues were one of the main reasons as to why I became a Naturopath
I have experienced digestive health issues since birth and through out my childhood, teenage years, my 20s, 30s and 40s. I was finally diagnosed with SIBO in my late 40s - what a relief it was to finally have some answers as to why I didn't 'feel quite right!'
Due to my previous digestive health issues I love working with Women, Men and Children who are experiencing all types of digestive health issues.
Digestive health issues such as SIBO or IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) can flare at any stage through out our lives due to hormonal changes, chronic stress, abdominal surgery (C-sections, Hysterectomies, Cholecystectomy, Gastric Sleeve (Gastric Bypass Surgery etc) and taking medications such as birth control, antibiotics, pain killers, anti-depressants, PPIs and many more.
I think it's important to work with a Naturopath that knows what its like to feel 'not quite right' and has tried many treatment options and diets over the years. I know what works and what doesn't, as a lot of diets and treatments relieve your symptoms but they don't treat the root cause which is so necessary for successful treatment and healing. It feels so good to have great gut health - finally!!!
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Could you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)?
There are many common presenting symptoms that both irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) have. These include - abdominal pain or cramping, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea or both, burping, flatulence, reflux and food sensitivities.
As a SIBO Naturopath I work with many people who have these symptoms as they have digestive issues. I find that it is important to be tested for SIBO, so that you are on the correct treatment plan as these symptoms are very common. Research has shown that 84% of people who have IBS and who do the SIBO Lactulose Breath Test (the most common one) test positive to SIBO.