A weather change can be just as good as a wardrobe change for most people but on the other hand it can be problematic for some!
Why is this so? With the weather now heating up and the barometric pressure rising, it can bring challenges in resetting the body’s thermostat, which can lead to sinus issues such as migraine headaches, changes in blood pressure, and more! According to the weather forecasts I have reviewed for Melbourne, over the next 15 days including today (06-12-18 to 20-12-18) it shows a high risk for sinus related migraine headaches for 12 of these days! If you are someone who has difficulties in adapting to weather changes and is seeking relief you might benefit from a consultation from a friendly Naturopath and Nutritionist (i.e. myself). Stay tuned for the next installment and please keep hydrated! The skin consists of three layers the Epidermis; Dermis and Hyperdermis.
The epidermis is the thin outermost layer which acts as a protective barrier from pathogens and toxins from invading the body. The Dermis is the inner layer which is situated between the epidermis and hyperdermis. The dermis comprises of hair follicles, sweat glands, blood vessels, nerve receptors, and connective tissue which all help with sweat production; regulating body temperature through increasing and/or decreasing blood flow to the skin depending on whether it is hold or cold; tissue repair; sensing pain and differentiating between hot and cold objects. The hyperdermis is located below the dermis it serves to insulate the body from fluctuating temperatures; provides additional cushioning and acts as a energy storage area. I am sure you have all dreamt about what you want when you were growing up like a new car, a nice house, inner peace, a loving relationship, amazing career opportunities, etc. You go out to earn the rights to have what you want in life by working for it. Your working away hard at it and your mind is being used a lot, then things crop up and stuff happens - life throws you curve balls whilst society sends out mixed messages on health and body image and all the while looming deadlines are approaching. It feels like that peaceful path of life you were driving on with purpose is turning into a raging super highway where the overtaking lanes seem to have overtaken you. You get upset, irritable and snap at family and friends when you don’t really mean to. You get worried about not coping with day to day demands. You experience bouts of confusion, sadness and anger for no real reason. You question your own sanity. And feel your life is out of control. Frustration waltzes on in. If you push yourself too hard as you are being pushed beyond what you can handle, you are exposing yourself to stress! During stress the body rebels and its inner peace falls out of touch with reality. This can create a cascade of physical and emotional responses irrespective of the causes of the stress exposure. Some of which may not come to surface until after the time of exposure has been stopped. These responses can make quite an impact on various functions of the body which should not be ignored!! Prolonged exposure to stress can lead to chronic illness!!! Finding answers to those questions cannot be found when looking at a locked door. An experienced navigator can though like me can help you find the answers to unlock the door to create your peaceful path back to wellness. Regardless of the kind of stress exposure and its effects an individual treatment plan can be specifically devised.
Naturopathic and Nutritional treatment can balance the peace in your body, through innervating many actions on the body which utilise various pathways in the body to exchange information and bring different elements of action together to synchronise and restore natural balance of your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual functions. Our level of confidence is set, to a point, by how we deal with dissonance in our lives!
The difference we feel between what is, what might have been and what might be; the gap between our belief system and its own credibility; between fantasy and reality and the gap we perceive between ourselves and other people. The more we close these gaps the more at ease we feel. Cognitive Dissonance isn't always a bad thing if it's easily recognised and reconciled however it can cause harm to our health and well-being if its not recognised and not reconciled which can potentially lead to having a low mood, anxiety, depression and/or post traumatic stress disorder. Seeing a Naturopath and/or Nutritionist (i.e. me) can help with strategies that can easily be implemented to help close the gaps. The respiratory system is located in the thorax; it is comprised of an upper and lower respiratory tract. The upper respiratory tract contains organs situated outside of the chest cavity being the frontal sinus, sphenoidal sinus, nose, nasal cavities, nasal conchae, pharynx, larynx and upper trachea. The lower respiratory tract sits inside the chest cavity and it contains the lower trachea; bronchi; bronchioles; alveoli, left and right lungs and diaphragm. The function of the respiratory system is to distribute air and exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide gases between the air and blood and between blood and the body’s cells.
The respiratory system filters, warms and humidifies the air on inhalation, it assists with speech and smell along with maintaining homeostasis. The urinary system is comprised of two kidneys, two ureters, one urinary bladder, and one urethra. The kidneys are situated on the rear wall of the abdomen laying either side of the vertebrae between T12 and L3, with the right kidney sitting lower than the left.
The ureters are muscular tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. The bladder lies between the ureters and the urethra which lies within the lower abdominal region. The function of the urinary system is to filter blood and eliminate waste such as urea, uric acid and creatnine from the body; it regulates blood volume and blood pressure by secreting the enzyme rennin from the juxtaglomerular cells, it regulates blood pH and maintains homeostasis of water, electrolytes and metabolites. The urinary system also plays an integral role in the activation of vitamin d for calcium absorption and also in the maintenance of homeostasis. Uterine Fibroids are common non-cancerous lumps which form inside the muscular wall of the uterus. There are three types of fibroids sub mucosal, intramural or subserosa. The most common type of fibroid is the intramural which is where the fibroids grow inside the lining of the uterus. Subserosa the fibroids grow on the outside of the uterus. Sub mucosal are least common they grow in the inner lining of the uterus.
The cause is unknown; however it appears that hormonal imbalance in oestrogen and progesterone can encourage fibroid growth, which leads to pain, abdominal distension, heavy bleeding, clotting and emotional irritability during menstrual cycles. Abdominal distension seen in women with uterine fibroids is closely associated to intramural fibroids. Intramural fibroids form in the lining of the uterus and grow inwards resulting in the uterus to expand in size thus the abdominal distension. As the fibroids cause the uterus to be enlarged this puts pressure on the bladder and bowel. The bladder sits above the uterus and the rectum is below the uterus with the intestines encompassing it. Due to the close proximity of these organs and the way fibroids can grow can lead to the frequency of urinating and abnormalities in bowel function. The presence of emotional irritability prior to menstruation indicates there is oestrogen dominance, which is also related to uterine fibroids. Excess intake of sugar, caffeine and/or alcohol contributes to emotional irritability along with hormonal imbalances as the liver is not optimally functioning to metabolise and regulate oestrogen and progesterone. Heavy bleeding indicates the fibroids are making the uterus become bigger leading to a larger uterus lining which has to bleed each month. The pressure alone from the fibroids can also interfere with blood flow. Heavy bleeding can also indicate that anti clotting factors are not able to control the flow this would explain why women with fibroids can clot during menstruation. Pain felt with uterine fibroids is possibly related to the way the fibroids move and grow such as twisting of fibroids can cause extreme pain in the abdomen, lower back, legs and pelvis. If you or someone you know has any of the symptoms listed above, then it might be worthwhile investing in seeing a Naturopath and Nutritionist like me, who can check if you have a hormonal imbalance that is promoting your symptoms and once validated through pathology testing, then an individualised treatment plan for you can be created and put into action. H₂O + CO₂ ↔ H₂CO₃↔ H⁺ + HCO₃⁻ Homeostasis is a feature of a system that normalises its internal environment irrespective of the external environment. As an example our internal body temperature will be kept as close as possible to 36.5 to 37.5 degrees irrespective of hot or cold external temperature.
If ill health is not controlled homeostasis will eventually no longer be able to normalise its internal environment. This means internal temperature increases or decreases, if this is not corrected it will lead to death. An internal environment that is of great significance is Blood pH. It plays a pivotal role in many biological functions. Blood pH is kept at a fixed value of 7.35 to 7.45 – slightly acidic through the blood buffer system. The blood buffer system compensates for excess carbon dioxide in the blood by altering the rate of respiration which releases carbon dioxide, this shifts the reaction to the right producing carbonic acid leading to a donation of hydrogen ions and increasing bicarbonate production. The renal and respiratory systems being kidneys and lungs are both involved in the regulation of blood pH by excreting respiratory and fixed acids. The kidneys excrete hydrogen ions if blood pH is acidic and if blood pH is alkaline they release hydrogen ions back to the blood to reabsorb filtered bicarbonate. If the body is unable to regulate blood pH it can lead to respiratory organ failure, kidney failure, shock, coma and inevitably death. Honey is a pure organic form of sugar which contains a highly complex mixture of carbohydrates, enzymes, amino acids, organic acids, minerals, vitamins, aromatic substances, pigments and waxes. It is a sweetener that is made naturally by bees for their own use, using nectar from flowers.
Honey has been used both as a food and as a medicine since the ancient times. The practice of beekeeping to make honey is known as “Apiculture”. It dates as far back to at least 700BC. Honey was praised for being wonderfully sweet and it was also a rarity. Some of it’s uses back then was for use in ceremonies and unusually embalming the deceased. Honey was also used for a variety of medicinal and cosmetic purposes. In the early days, honey’s use in cooking was considered only for the wealthy as it was an expense that only they could afford. Once refined sugar became more widely available, honey went out of favour, due to the fact that refined sugar was a relatively inexpensive form of sweetening. As the popularity grew with the refined sugars honey became displaced by sugar for culinary advantages. Since then, although honey still gets used for sweetening, much of its use has been used for medicinal purposes and its use in confectionary. The process of making honey starts as soon as the nectar is collected by bees from flowers. The nectar once it’s in the bees mouth combines with special enzymes in the bee’s saliva, which turns it into honey. The bees carry honey back to the hive, where they deposit it into the tiny cells of the hive’s walls. The flapping of their wings provides necessary air to limit the honeys moisture content, making it ready to eat. Before the turn of modern medicine, traditional methods of healing using foods and herbs were a big thing. In particular one remedy being the natural concoction of honey and lemon - a traditional mixture that is used to ease sore throats. The lemon juice in this combination makes sense as lemons contain vitamin C which is known to have immune stimulating and anti-infective effects in the body. When it comes to the honey side it is a known fact that it was used as a natural healing method dating back to ancient Egyptian times. Scientific research has found that the application of honey can aide in resolving a variety of wounds such as burns, the ability to starve off wound infections, reduce inflammation and healing. I like to use honey as it is a natural sweetener better for the body and is full of natural healing nutrients for both inside and outside of the body. Honey is also a natural source of energy for the whole body. The Nervous System processes electrical stimulus from sensory receptors, it transfers and interprets signals to control the body’s muscles and organs. The nervous system is comprised of the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and autonomic nervous system.
There are three main anatomical structures that play a pivotal role in the nervous system being the brain, nervous tissue and the spinal cord. The brain The brain comprises of the brain stem, cerebellum and cerebrum. The brain stem is located at the base of the brain and starts from the upper cervical spinal cord and finishes at the diencephalon of the cerebrum. The brain stem is split into medulla, pons and mid brain. Behind the brain stem is the cerebellum which is located below the cerebrum. Its role is to co-ordinate musculoskeletal movement, control posture and balance. The cerebrum is made up of 4 lobes being frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital. These four lobes are associated with reasoning, movement, visual processing and auditory perception. Nervous Tissue Nervous tissue is comprised of neurons and glial cells which both play a role in cell to cell signalling. Neurons are the main type of cells held accountable for the computation and communication that the nervous system produces. Glial cells play a supporting role for the nervous tissue to function. The Spinal Cord The spinal cord and its associated nerves are the most important structure between the body and the brain. They are a vital link between the brain and the body, and from the body to the brain structured by sensory and motor tracts and complex pathways (afferent and efferent). The spinal cord is a tubular collection of nerve fibres measuring approx. 40 – 50cm long that extends from the brain stem running down through the foramen magnum and ending at the lumbar region (L1-L2) at this point it becomes the cauda equina and continues through the remainder of the spinal column which is part of the central nervous system. The spinal cord is protected by 24 vetebrae that is known as the spine, it is split into 5 regions referred to as cervical region C1-C7 (neck); thoracic region T1-T8 (chest) lumbar region L1-L5 (lower back); sacral region S1-S5 (posterior of the pelvis) and coccygeal region C1-C4 (rear of the spine). There are 31 pairs of associated nerves which attaches from the junction between each vertebra and innervates to the body to perform certain actions such as the cervical nerves control breathing and arm movements; thoracic nerves control chest and abdominal muscle movements; lumbar nerves control hip and leg movements along with bowel and bladder function; sacral and coccyx nerves control balance, bladder, bowel and sexual function. What is Oxidative Stress/Free Radicals?
Oxidative stress is a physiological stress response in the body that results from an imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals (reactive oxygen species) which are waste matter derived from series of cellular reactions. Free radicals to some extent are considered to be normal and essential for the healing process. However when antioxidants become overwhelmed by free radicals over time this leads to virtually an open invitation to leaving you exposed to tissue and cell damage and result in laying the foundations to a chronic disease. Possible causes of Free Radicals? There are many internal and external contributing factors that can cause free radicals to overwhelm antioxidants such as:
How does it affect health? Oxidative stress affects every cell in the body which means it affects every tissue, organ and system and plays a role in many chronic health conditions including:
Symptoms of Oxidative Stress
How to prevent oxidative stress? A great place to start is by getting to know what is causing the higher ratio of free radicals. Once the cause is known then an action plan can be implemented in order to avoid the causes. Unsure of what is causing you to have symptoms of ill-health? Don’t worry a naturopath and nutritionist like me can help you identify the causes and assist you back to good health so you can create your path to wellness. Acute pain (Sudden) is the body's way of saying something specific is wrong! Chronic pain (Persistent) is defined as pain that lasts for 3 months or more! What causes chronic pain? Chronic pain can come from infection, injuries, depression, arthritis, neuralgia, a lack of physical activity, poor diet, inadequate sleep, medications and many other causes!
Five out of six people with chronic pain take painkillers and/or non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but 70% still remain with pain!! Why is this so? Chronic pain does not respond well to conventional medicine like painkillers (paracetamol, aspirin, codeine and opioids); anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen); antidepressants (amitriptyline) and/or anticonvulsants (carbamazepine) and can actually be made worse by people having good intentions despite a lack of success in treating it! Conventional medicine treatment might be beneficial for a short amount of time in other words for a quick fix and it comes with side effects but is not ideal for a long-term solution! Finding other ways on how to cope can often be the answer such the likes of seeing a qualified naturopath and nutritionist like my-self who looks for the causes and treats those causes along with providing symptomatic relief as well! What can you do to help reduce your pain, lift your mood and improve your well-being?
Conventional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Practitioners all diagnose illness and disease however when making a diagnosis the way it is made differs in the approaches used. Conventional practitioners rely on symptoms and signs, possibly uses tests to make a diagnosis. Complementary practitioners spend more time looking at diet, lifestyle and medical history. Integrative practitioners employ a combination of both. Conventional Diagnosis
Complementary Diagnosis
Integrative Approach Integrative medicine relies on both conventional and complementary medicine approaches to make a diagnosis and treat the whole person. If you want to improve your life mentally, physically, emotionally, socially environmentally and spiritually; It's important to understand how Nutrition plays a huge role in your life! Have you heard the saying, "You are what you eat"? You are what you Digest don’t forget to chew! You are what you absorb so don’t forget to say thank-you! When you eat a lot of junk food, what happens? You will feel like junk! You are not getting the nutrition you need and you feel tired and miserable! When you start adding fruits and vegetables to your diet, you feel better because you are eating high vibrational foods! When you eat a raw piece of fruit, the live enzymes are all going into your body and giving you the nutrition it needs! So how can you start changing your nutritional habits? Start by making an appointment to see a nutritionist like myself who can help you to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your daily nutritional regimes and make small steps to start making your meals give you energy, motivation, happiness, and appreciation to achieve optimal health through nutrition! Remember, an apple a day or one serve of omega-3 fatty acids helps keep the doctor away! Naturopathy maintains a liking with the father of western medicine namely; “Hippocrates” and medical practices of ancient Egypt which follows the natural healing philosophy by using the healing power of nature through incorporating food, air, light, water, and herbs to prevent and cure disease. The natural healing philosophy has been traced as far back to an Austrian Silesian farmer namely; Vincenz Priessntz (1791-1851) where he saw that injured animals regularly resorted to streams of cold water and realised when they came out they were better, from this point he presumed that cold water was nature’s cure.
Vincenz then tested his theory on himself and fellow village people commencing from sprains and bruises, then cholera and diseases of the heart, lungs, kidney, liver, and brain. From then he created a group of spa’s around Europe where it grew into therapeutic communities and through this naturopathic practices of today can offer a broad selection of alternative therapies such as herbal medicines, mineral therapies, flower essences, massage therapy, nutritional supplementation, diet and lifestyle support following the healing power of nature philosophy as a preventative and rehabilitative treatments as opposed to antidotes to particular diseases to treat the whole person and restore homeostasis. The Historical Development of Mineral Therapy
Treating human disease and illness with mineral therapy dates back to the 16th century when a Swiss physician namely Phillippus Aureolus Paracleus (1493 – 1541) altered how medicine was used by the introduction of chemistry. Dr Samuel Christian Frederic Hahnemann (1755 – 1843) a German physician who conducted in depth research and analysis on how minerals affect human physiology. Hahnemann developed the homeopathic system. During Hahnemann’s research on all the clinical signs he discovered more than 100 years ago aligns to medical findings and research work of today. Dr William Scheussler (1822 – 1898) another German homeopathic physician identified 12 mineral salts in ashes of a burnt body. Upon Scheussler’s findings more research showed that different organs and segments were made up of different minerals in different divisions. Shcuessler concluded that mineral elements are crucial to anatomical principle and practical movement; and that any disruption caused by deficiency would embody disease that could only be fixed by giving the matching mineral salts in small homeopathic amounts. In 1938 Australian Naturopathic Physician Dr Maurice Blackburn (1906 – 1978) expanded on Schuessler’s work to make his own mineral salts in tablet form which are referred to as Celloids. Forty years on in 1978 another Australia Practitioner – Dr Leslie Fisher came up with a new procedure into prescribing which he had set up after a dozen years of scientific prescription and observation. The new procedure came about by a theorised basis for the action of the salts, which included the works of Schuessler and Blackmore along with application to his own findings from his scientific researches plus with the more current findings of therapeutical research. How does Mineral therapy apply in the treatment of disease Mineral therapy treats the body as a whole to heal itself from indications of a cellular imbalance/deficiencies in tissue salts within the body that results in ill health and disease such as poor circulation; nerve dysfunction, infection and poor nutrition. Prescribing of Mineral Therapy The current procedure of prescribing employs a blend of traditional homeopathic and naturopathic diagnostics, current knowledge of biochemistry and extensive scientific experiment whilst taking into consideration characteristics like location of pain, current mental and emotional states, food and weather patterns that aggravate or ameliorate the symptoms, physical changes such as skin, eyes, fingernails and tongue, nature of any exudatioc ns or discharges, individual constitutional needs for particular minerals. To find out more about Mineral therapy and its benefits in promoting wellness and disease prevention and if it will benefit your whole health and well-being get in touch with a non-judgemental and caring naturopath and nutritionist like myself. The belief of depression being a disorder of prolonged sadness is not always the case! If it is it is only a minor part of depression! Depression is a multifaceted condition involving both psychological and physiological factors with no one unified hypothesis however it is perceived that there is close relevance with anxiety. Depression is not defined as a sign of emotional weakness nor is it considered as a personality trait or a character flaw. Symptoms of Depression
Symptoms of depression in children and adolescents
Symptoms of dysthymia (minor chronic depression) are less intense however longer-lasting and the number of symptoms will be less. The majority of depression and anxiety happens to go undiagnosed and untreated, regularly because people report only some symptoms they experience! Primary care doctors/ general practitioners fail to see those symptoms as a possibility of someone having depression! Which does not benefit people who are experiencing those symptoms; they are left not knowing where to turn to or look for help! If you are someone or know someone who is experiencing four or more of the symptoms listed above for more than 2 weeks please know that support and help is available! As a naturopath and nutritionist it is my job to look for the causes of disease and treat those accordingly! Possible causes for depression could be derived from physical sources, hormonal disorders, infections, pre-existing medical conditions, medications both prescribed and non-prescribed and/or environmental influences! Having depressed feelings is quite different to having a depressive illness! It takes a world full of darkness to see a world full of darkness and to see a world full of light! Everyone has a shining star within them if your star has low light in other words if you have low spirits for a while don’t be concerned! However if you feel you can’t shine your star brightly in other words cannot lift yourself out of your misery please consider seeking help from a non-judgemental naturopath and nutritionist like me! Cardiovascular disease is a broad description that refers to conditions involving the heart and blood vessels which affects the cardiovascular system such as Atherosclerosis (Plaque build up in-side arterial wall) and Angina (Chest pain resulting from impaired blood and oxygen flow to the heart).
Possible risk factors that may play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease are: Hypertension Hypertension is associated to atherosclerosis by a high diastolic reading alone of 100. Diastolic readings indicate the amount of pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. A diastolic reading of 90 and higher is considered hypertension and if left untreated can result in atherosclerosis and angina upon exertion. Dyslipidemia High total cholesterol and LDL levels are resultant from prior damage and inflammation to the endothelium being vulnerable to circulating fatty substances such as in this case LDL cholesterol particles which enter into the endothelial lining due to the white blood cells inability to mop excesses up; this results in a build up of plaque which gradually over time leads to artherosclerosis. Cigarette Smoking Free radical components of cigarette smoke are what is considered to impair the form; structure and functionality of the endothelium (inner lining of blood vessels) which results in atherosclerosis. Poor sleep quality Broken sleep and constant tiredness indicates a sign of unstable angina. Unstable angina occurs at rest with little to no physical exertion. It is the extreme amount of chest pain that results in broken sleep. Diabetes mellitus/Insulin Resistance/Metabolic Syndrome Impaired glucose metabolism coupled with cardiovascular disease has an increased risk of further cardiovascular events. Elevated risk is associated to hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinemia with both being atherogenic in nature. Metabolic syndrome is related with an inflammatory state, higher level of clotting factors, decreased ability to break down clots and endothelial dysfunction that notably increases the risk of cardiovascular events. Obesity and Diet Obesity and consumption of saturated fats has no direct correlation to suggest a cause to cardiovascular disease. Obesity may increase the risk factors like hypertension and elevated blood cholesterol levels which if left untreated can lead to cardiovascular disease. Trans-fatty acids increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by promotion of pro-inflammatory responses and endothelial dysfunction. Nutritional deficiencies like B6, Folic acid and B12 are involved in the development of cardiovascular disease as they all lead to increasing homocysteine. Homocysteine when in excess stimulates inflammatory pathways in vascular cells. Psychological Stress Psychological stress and depression has potential to provoke or maintain inflammatory processes implicated in cardiovascular disease. Depression and stress along with isolation are separate risk factors for cardiovascular disease. After major depressive episodes there is a three to five fold increase in developing cardiovascular disease if left untreated. Signs and symptoms Cardiovascular disease does not align to one unified collection of symptoms. In saying this though given its association with obesity, hypertension and metabolic conditions, any diagnosis of either one or more should note the possibility of existing atherosclerosis and dyslipidemia. A presenting symptom of chest pain could indicate atherosclerosis, dyslipidemia, angina, myocardial infarction, insulin resistance and/or metabolic syndrome. Treating cardiovascular disease through nutritional medicine comes with many benefits without causing harm such as:
Bacteria are free-living organisms, with intracellular processes that may be susceptible to chemical interference—antibiotics. Some of these processes are similar to those used in our own, or our commensals’ (e.g., bacteria in our gut) cells, accounting for many side effects. “Stages” may refer to the bacterial load or to the physical effects caused by the infection but don’t refer to the life cycle of the bacteria themselves—syphilis, a bacterial disease that can progress in stages, is the same germ whether it is in a genital chancre or the brain, and can be transmitted—or eradicated—while completely asymptomatic. Viruses are chunks of genetic code, wrapped in protein, that are able to penetrate host cells (often species-specific) and insert themselves into the nuclear (in the cells’ nucleus) DNA, where they can commandeer the cells’ reproductive machinery to replicate themselves and spread to other cells or tissues (or organisms). Because replication, host cellular injury, and immune response may all produce symptoms related to the infection, and because viral replication may not occur at a constant rate, some viral infections may be thought of as having “stages:” Herpes simplex virus may be “latent” (asymptomatic) or “active” (causing blistering), though the period of infection is permanent—antivirals (and normal immune function) suppress replication and symptoms but don’t eradicate the viral DNA. Only eradication of the infected cells—as with common colds—clears the infection. Common signs and symptoms that may be experienced with an infection are fever; stomach upset; changes in bowel motions; fluid retention; headaches; changes in appearance of skin i.e. shiny raised rash or blisters anywhere on the surface of the skin. Signs and Symptoms of an infection are difficult to diagnose whether its bacteria or virus invading the body!! Antibiotics might kill bacteria but cannot kill a virus!! Antibiotics also may not succeed to kill a bacteria if the bacteria is super resistant if you are someone who experiences frequent bouts of infection and antibiotic treatment is not proving its effectiveness optimally, then have you considered a second opinion maybe try a third opinion to heal from the inside out by finding the root cause to the infection!! Could it be your experiencing changes in your life, and/or diet and lifestyle that has slowed you down? Unsure of the cause? Let me help you find it so you can defeat infection and dis-ease to create and encourage wellness and vitality!! Do you want to find out how strong you truly are it doesn't take much? Just small changes can make the world a difference on your perceived outlook on life! One of those is by means of communication which some males have tendencies to not do when it comes to their own health and well-being! Strength does not come about by harboring and suppressing emotions and feelings that need to be listened to and heard! The moment you start to hold on to everything internally your body physically is beginning to manifest chronic illness! Mentally you are experiencing anxiety and potentially other affective disorders i.e depression or perhaps you may be experiencing PTSD which is inhibiting communication (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)! Emotionally and Spiritually you lose connection with your own worth and value! If your a male that relates to harboring and suppressing how you feel about life i.e. health; work/career; studies; finances; family; children's health and welfare; relationships; etc you should consider investing in some time to communicate how you feel to a holistic health care practitioner like me who is only to happy to listen to you and if desired provide you some professional advice and recommendations on what you can do further to help yourself realise how strong you truly are! The digestive system is comprised of a gastrointestinal tract which is a muscular tube extending from the mouth to the anus including organs of the pharynx; oesophagus; stomach; small intestine; large intestine and accessory organs of the liver; gallbladder and pancreas that form secretions for digestion.
The digestive system plays a role in the process of mechanically and biochemically breaking down foods to extract nutrients for absorption into the body through the gastrointestinal tract to support vital bodily functions. Mechanical Process of Digestion and Absorption
Digestive Enzymes are secreted along the gastrointestinal tract and break down foods enabling the nutrients to be absorbed into the blood stream for use in various bodily functions and movements. There are three types of Digestive Enzymes they are:
These enzymes break down food particles for energy and storage in liver and muscles. The breakdown chemical reaction is known as Hydrolysis. It requires water to separate the bonds to convert food to energy. Energy that is stored is converted by other enzymes that the body can use when required. The digestive system plays an integral role in relation to the body’s defences and immune system homeostasis by preventing exposure to pathogens in foods consumed by the secretion of liposomes in saliva which breaks down bacterial cells and the stomach acid provides defence as bacteria do not survive well in low acidity. The mucosal membranes of the gastrointestinal tract provide a protective barrier to further prevent exposure to pathogens. Disease in any of the organs can affect the digestive system and thus the ability of the digestive system to break down food for energy. Migraines are a multifaceted condition that disturbs brain function that is attributed to lessen nerve signalling, chemicals and blood flow in the brain.
Consuming cheese and chocolate along with experiencing high stress levels and poor sleep quality is an indication that people who suffer from migraines may have a tyramine sensitivity. What is Tyramine? Tyramine is a naturally occurring monoamine compound that is present in some foods which gets produced when tyrosine a naturally occuring amino acid/protein breaks down. High amounts of tyramine found in foods like cheese and chocolate is thought to be a trigger for migraine. This is due to the tyramine decreasing serotonin levels in the brain and increasing dopamine production which impairs the ability to breakdown tyramine. Thereby leading to tyramine sensitivity and an increase in blood pressure which cause abnormalities in nerve signalling and blood flow to the brain which is what is thought to be perceived as a migraine. Stress is known to have an impact on raising blood pressure when in combination with other triggering factors such as the consuming foods high in tyramine through activating vasoconstricting hormones that act on the blood vessels like dopamine and serotonin. With both playing a non typical role that leads to impaired nerve signalling and blood flow to the brain which again is what is thought to be perceived as a migraine. Poor sleep quality is also associated with migraines through elevated tyramine levels forcing the adrenal glands to secrete norepinepherine, the precursor for a flight/fight/freeze response which leads to the disruption in the melantonin cycle altering sleep patterns due to perceived threat of a migraine attack. Did you know a Nutritionist can help people who experience Migraines? As a Nutritionist myself, here is what I would aim to do to help someone who experiences migraines
What can you do to prevent future onset of a Migraine?
To find out if you have a tyramine sensitiivty book an appointment with me. Anxiety is a disorder of continual worrying characterised by the inability to identify what is a problem-solving thought and what is a nagging thought! This inability leads to mind chatter, racy thoughts, poor sleep quality, high stress and heightened inflammatory responses which is all brought about by hyper-excitability in brain neurons! All this leads to a disconnection of the mind from the body!
In a prolonged state of anxiety it can lead to adrenal fatigue as the adrenal gland can only produce so much stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline! When this becomes too high fatigue becomes more leading to burn-out causing a depressed immune system, low resilience to infections, gastrointestinal upsets, hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies and many other issues associated with chronic health conditions! It’s quite concerning how our emotional and mental health can negatively impact on our physical health! It does not have to if we acknowledge how we are feeling! Once we acknowledge how we feel we can then put into place things that we can do to improve how we are feeling! Here are some tips I have put together on things that I know through my own experience and professional expertise can help with improving how you feel which also helps to build resilience, boosts self confidence and prevents chronic disease! Eat a nutritious diet
Avoid inflammatory foods
Ensure you get adequate sleep
Exercise accordingly
Evaluate your exposure to light
Support your gut
Manage your stress
Prioritise your social life
Take time to play
Avoid toxins
Erectile dysfunction is distinguished by decreased nerve and endothelium function that impacts the balance between contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle of the blood vessels in the penis. In other words the inability to gain or sustain
an erection for intercourse. Common symptoms such as low libido, stress and fatigue are an indication other underlying causes are involved such as atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, low testosterone, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Any combination of the above underlying causative factors influences circulatory and structural alterations in penile tissue which leads to reduced arterial flow and dysfunctional smooth muscle relaxation, which is a precursor to a potential heart attack and affects vascular, neurological and hormonal functions. If your a male that has Erectile Dysfunction issues please consider speaking with a Naturopath and Nutritionist like myself as many things can be done to improve your manly health and well-being and prevent the potential of a heart attack. What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is an oestrogen dominant condition where tissue of the endometrium gets displaced and grows outside of the uterine cavity such as on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel, bladder, ligaments and other areas within the abdominal region and chest wall. The displaced tissue acts the same way it does inside the uterus during menstrual cycles however it does not leave the body during menstruation as it is stuck which leads to inflammation, internal bleeding and stagnation. Symptoms such as heavy periods with clotting, pain, nausea, constipation, breast pain, infertility suggest other factors are implicated such as retrograde menstruation from using tampons, hormonal imbalances between oestrogen and progesterone, family history, excessive consumption of red meat, nutritional deficiencies, abnormal immune system function, benign uterine fibroids and exposure to hormonal disrupting toxins in the environment and in personal care products such as triclosan and plastics. These combined factors stimulate prostaglandin production leading to excess oestrogen production and encourage endometrial tissue to become displaced and attach to organs outside the uterine cavity. How can Naturopathic Medicine Help? Nautropathic medicine works in two ways to help treat Endometriosis that is through acute pain management and by hormonal balancing. Acute pain management aims to reduce pain, uterine cramping, bleeding and clotting. Hormonal balancing aims to reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, regulate immune system function, improve vitality and energy production, regulate hormones, reduce stress and support nervous system function, improve uterine health, support liver function to assist with clearing excess oestrogen and toxins, improve vitality of reproductive function and improve digestive motility. |
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November 2023
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