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Detoxification is the body's natural process of eliminating toxins and waste to keep you feeling your best. This is done by our lymphatic system (spleen, thymus and lymph nodes) along with our livers, lungs and kidneys. But sometimes, our bodies can use a little extra support to handle the challenges of modern living. It is important to seek the help and assistance of a naturopath as we have been trained through our degrees to support a healthy way of detoxing.

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?’

I thought that January is the perfect time to celebrate our livers and show it some love as our livers really do work overtime especially during the holiday season and throughout the year.

There are many health conditions that are liver related that I treat on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Fatty liver disease, hormonal imbalances, weight gain, constipation, diarrhoea, tummy issues, insomnia, brain fog, itchy skin, acne, PCOS viral flare ups and cardiovascular health are some of the conditions that I work with in clinic.

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!

Stress is everywhere in our society, especially with snap lock downs and boarder closures along with the pressure to be vaccinated (I'm not anti vax) but I am seeing so much stress in regards to this with my clients and people that I meet. This is triggering so many emotions - sadness, grief, anxiety and anger.

Our skin is our largest organ and protects our internal organs from environmental toxins. The appearance of our skin is important especially for our self esteem, if you are suffering from acne, eczema or dermatitis this can cause added stress and can make these conditions worse.  Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition of the skin.

The cooler months can cause these conditions to worsen as the dry winds outside combined with warm rooms and/or electric blankets aren't kind to our skin. We also need to be mindful about what we apply to our skin as it is absorbed into our lymphatic system, blood stream and digestive system. Our endocrine system and hormones can be affected by what we put on our skin too. 

The food that we eat and what we drink also affects our skin. Have you noticed a link to what you are eating and how your skin reacts? 

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!!!