Posts

Cardiovascular Disease

/in /by

Cardiovascular DiseaseCardiovascular disease is a scary disease as it’s also known as the “silent killer” and often presents with no symptoms, it is just in routine check ups that a problem may become apparent. It is something we all need to be aware of, as it is the number one killer in Australia, with 45,600 deaths in 2011. Heart disease is more common in men in the earlier years, however once a woman has gone through menopause and she doesn’t have the protective effects of oestrogen, her risk for cardiovascular disease increases.

It’s never too early to start looking after your cardiovascular health as atherosclerotic plaque has been found in children’s arteries! This definitely should not be happening, so it’s important to ensure you are educating your children on the importance of a healthful diet and exercise, as well as leading by example.

 

Risk Factors.

  • Smoking
  • Stress, anger, depression and anxiety
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Diet high in trans fats and sugar
  • Obesity
  • Social isolation
  • Hypertension
  • Abnormal lipids and/or homocysteine
  • Diabetes
  • Family history
  • Insomnia, sleep deprivation and sleep apnoea

A lot of these risk factors are preventable, so you can make positive changes by adjusting your diet and lifestyle accordingly. Cardiovascular disease risks may be higher in certain families due to genetics, this doesn’t mean you are destined to have heart disease, but it’s imperative you make the positive changes in your life. If you are not seeing positive results it may be worth talking to your Doctor/Naturopath about medication/supplementation.

 

What can you do that’s good for your heart?

  • Quit smoking. Now
  • Manage stress and mood disorders with meditation, exercise and/or herbal remedies
  • Minimum of 30 minutes exercise most days, with a mix of cardio, strength and stretching
  • Cut out all trans fats from your diet and minimise sugar or find sugar alternatives
  • Consume lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats
  • Maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise, if this doesn’t work you may need to look at other reasons for weight gain (your Naturopath can help you with this)
  • Work on your social relationships and interact with people other than immediate family on a regular basis
  • Have routine check ups with your Doctor
  • Reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption

If you have tried these methods and not had any success, or would like a little guidance then it might be time to consult a Naturopath.  A Naturopath with talk in detail about your current health and future health goals, and support you in making the necessary dietary and lifestyle changes with appropriate herbal and/or nutritional supplementation.

 

Naturopathy and Skin Disease

/in /by

naturopathy skin deseaseThe skin is an organ of elimination, and often we find that when skin problems arise, it can be a manifestation of something else that is going on within.  This could be toxicity, liver dysfunction, allergic reactions to foods and other substances, food intolerances, hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies and digestive disorders.

What sort of skin conditions can a Naturopath treat?

  • Psoriasis,
  • Eczema/Dermatitis
  • Acne
  • Rosacea
  • Dry flaky skin
  • Fungal infections
  • Bacterial infections
  • Slow wound healing

Conventionally, skin problems may be treated with steroids, antibiotics, and the oral contraceptive pill. If you do not react well to these, or are looking for a natural alternative, your naturopath could help. We look at things in a holistic way, with an assessment of diet, lifestyle and digestion. Getting to the cause of the problem, will give us the best chance to clear things up more permanently.

 

What to expect from your Naturopath?

The initial consultation goes for approximately 1 hour, your naturopath will take a thorough case history, as well as physical examination (depending on the location) and then work out a program that will best help your condition. You will be advised on dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as medicinal herbs and/or nutritional supplements. There will generally be a follow up 2 weeks later to assess the changes, and from there the appointments are less frequent, depending on your progress.

 

Naturopathy and Mental Health

/in /by

naturopathy mental healthWe live in a stressful and busy world. Once upon a time our bodies went into fight or flight when we were chasing the woolly mammoth or sabre tooth tiger, and then we could sit back and relax and enjoy our well earned meal. Now many of us are in a constant state of stress, which leaves cortisol and adrenalin levels high and therefore contributes to a host of other problems such as cardiovascular disease, reproductive difficulties, digestive complaints and poor immunity to name a few.

What you may not realise is that diet and lifestyle are a major contributing factor to stress, anxiety and depression. There are certain things that would be beneficial to cut out, and other things that would be very helpful to add, to help balance your some of your neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin.

Can Naturopathy help with those not wanting to take medication, or reacting poorly to it?

If you are looking for natural alternatives for anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications, then your naturopath may be able to help. We will conduct a thorough investigation into your health, with initial consultations going for approximately 1 hour. We will then devise a treatment plan with food as medicine, necessary lifestyle changes and appropriate nutritional and herbal supplementation.

Some of the conditions Naturopathy can help with

  • Insomnia and sleep disorders
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Stress
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • PMS moodiness
  • Low energy and motivation

Naturopathy and Fertility

/in /by

Naturopathic FertilityUnfortunately, couples are having more and more trouble conceiving in this modern age.  Once upon a time most of the blame lay with the woman, however it is currently believed that 40% rest with the male, 40% rests with the female, 10% is with both and 10% is unknown.

Common causes for infertility;

  • Medication
  • Subnormal semen analysis results
  • Infection
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Stress
  • Cigarettes, alcohol and recreational drugs
  • Toxicity
  • Aging
  • Thyroid abnormalities
  • PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids
  • Obesity and low BMI

 

How can Naturopathy help with fertility?

Your naturopath will take a very thorough case history as well as review any medical tests that you have, so please bring these all with you. We will then suggest dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as necessary medicinal herbs and nutritional supplements. Ideally, it is beneficial to be on a 3 month pre conception plan, as this will give your bodies the best chance for conception and prevention of miscarriage.

 

Can I use natural therapies in conjunction with IVF?

Yes naturopathy can be very complementary to IVF and works well with couples who are taking this route due to medical reasons.

 

Can a Naturopath help with both male and female infertility?

Yes we can help both male and female infertility. It is very important that the male’s health is considered and addressed, as 50% DNA will come from the male.

 

Interesting facts about fertility.

A woman ovulates only 12-24 hours of her monthly cycle, the window of opportunity is small, however luckily the sperm are persistent and can survive 4-5 days

A woman’s basal temperature will rise the day after ovulation due to a spike in progesterone levels, this will stay high until menstruation where progesterone levels drop off, or stay high if implantation is successful and progesterone levels continue to rise

Approximately 200-500 million sperm cells are released during ejaculation, most of these die immediately, and the remainder make their difficult journey to the newly released egg. At this point there are roughly 200 sperm remaining

Naturopathy For Kids (1-18)

/in /by

Health In The Bay Natuorpathy For KidsFirstly, what is Naturopathy?

Naturopathy is a generic term used to describe a philosophy of healing and wellness. It covers many different types of healing methods or modalities, some of which have been around for thousands of years.

It is an holistic approach that works with the natural healing properties of the body. This method requires a total health picture based on current symptoms, health/family history and life interactions (diet, stress, activity levels, environmental factors). Treatment is then a process which addresses the symptoms, stimulates the body’s healing mechanisms and recommends specific lifestyle changes to maintain health and wellness.

 

What Can Naturopathy Do For Your Child?

Josie believes Naturopathy has a lot to offer children (1-18yrs). Primarily it will help create and maintain good health and wellbeing by:

  • Focusing on the causes of your child’s condition while treating the symptoms.
  • Strengthening the immune system – helping them to better deal with everyday toxins/pollution. This also contributes to longevity.
  • Using treatments that are safe, non-invasive, with no side effects.
  • Educating you and your child about the components that contribute to good health.
  • Allowing your child to grow up with a sense of knowledge and responsibility for his/her own health.

 

Usual treatments used by our Naturopath with kids.

  • Naturopathy
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Vitamins & Supplements

 

Natural medicine is safe, gentle and effective for a wide range of health conditions in children and adolescents. These conditions can be greatly improved by naturopathic treatment:

  • ADHD
  • Allergies
  • Anxiety
  • Appetite Loss
  • Asthma
  • Behaviour & Learning
  • Bronchitis
  • Colds & Flu
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhoea
  • Eczema
  • Obesity
  • Reflux
  • Skin Conditions
  • Sleeping Problems

Naturopathy is also about prevention. A regular visit with a Naturopath can help you to maintain the good health of your family by assessing lifestyle choices and ensuring they nourish your family’s physical, mental and emotional needs.

 

More on Naturopathy

/in /by
Health In The Bay Aloe

What happens in a Naturopathic appointment?

An initial consultation takes an hour or so. Your Naturopath will take an extensive medical history and will ask many questions about your past and present health – physically, mentally and emotionally. Sometimes a physical examination will be required, and your Naturopath may take blood pressure and use diagnostic tools such as iridology, tongue and nail analysis to help get a complete picture of health. You may also be referred for allergy testing, blood, stool or salivary hormone tests.

 

What’s so good about Naturopathy?

Importantly, a reputable Naturopath will work with you to establish which particular health priorities need to be addressed, and to develop a treatment protocol that best suits your individual situation and requirements. Naturopaths also educate and empower their clients to make the necessary lifestyle changes to improve health.

Naturopathy treats the whole person, not just a single symptom, and the brilliant thing about this is that a client may come in to have one health problem treated, and as that problem is being treated, other health issues clear up at the same time! This is because Naturopathy addresses the cause, and this underlying problem may be affecting other systems of the body.

Naturopathy is a complementary medicine, rather than alternative medicine. In many cases, a Naturopath prefers to work with and in consultation with other health care providers including your GP, specialist and other health care practitioners to ensure the best long-term health solution.

 

Is Natural Medicine safe?

Generally speaking, nutritional supplements and herbal remedies are safe whilst being effective. They usually have less side effects than pharmaceutical medicines. However, herbs and nutrients do have potent actions, and so it is always best to see a naturopath, nutritionist or medical herbalist to ensure that the supplements you take are the most suitable for you and won’t interact with any other medicines you may be taking.