Naturopathy Articles

Still Suffering Unexplainable Side-Effects After Antibiotics?

Antibiotic- associated side effects (AASE) such as diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal bloating and pain, constipation, or H.pylori infection have been found to be common after treatment with antibiotics. Researchers investigating the effectiveness of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri have found that it had a significant effect on the reduction of symptoms of AASE during and after treatment with antibiotics. L.reuteri- strain DSM17938 is one of very few probiotics that has co-evolved with humans since the beginning of time but due to modern diet and lifestyle is now very rare in people. It is one of the most researched probiotics on the market today with over 130 human clinical trials and numerous experimental studies as well. It has shown benefit in the following areas:

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Managing Female Reproductive conditions

It’s been estimated that 80-90% of women of reproductive ages experience hormonal or menstrual disorders that affects their lives on a regular basis. These can include PMS, Endometriosis, PCOS, heavy or painful periods, uterine fibroids or cysts.

Many women who seek natural solutions, find complementary medicine highly effective for the management of these conditions. If you suffer from any of these conditions, nutritional and herbal medicine is available to suit your individual needs. Here are some lifestyle and environmental tips for healthy hormones:

Hayfever and Allergies in the Redlands

Hayfever and spring allergies

Allergic rhinitis (hayfever) is an inflammatory disorder which occurs seasonally or perennially due to exposure to certain allergens with most cases occurring typically during spring. It is the hypersensitivity of the immune system to allergens such as pollens which results in excessive release of histamine, causing symptoms such as a runny and itchy nose, sneezing, red and itchy eyes, fatigue and stuffy nose.

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Vitamin D Deficiency | Cleveland Naturopath

Vitamin D

Most of us are aware that vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin and that it’s important for bone health. However, the humble Vitamin D is so much more important than that.

Vitamin D is important for immune system health:

A healthy immune system is our defence system against infections, allergic conditions such as eczema, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer. Vitamin D has been identified in research as a crucial vitamin for optimal functioning of the immune system. Studies show, however, that at least one in three Australians are deficient in Vitamin D, which may result in higher risk of inflammation, bone issues and an impaired immune system which is prone to infections. Do you wonder why we tend to get sick with colds and flu mainly in winter? Winter months correlate with time when our vitamin D levels decline since we tend to stay indoors. Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to reduce the risk of getting respiratory infections such as the flu, however healthy eating – full of antioxidant vegetables and fruit and also regular exercise will also help to achieve optimal immune function during the winter months.

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Are You Producing Enough Acid?

One of the most important factors in digestion is stomach acid. Too little acid or too much can cause digestive problems. Stomach acid (Hydrochloric acid) is critical for not only all protein digestion, but also for mineral absorption and more importantly it is the first line of defence against infections such as bacteria entering your body.

Lack of acid makes you prone to infections and it can lead to indigestion and bloating. The likelihood of developing allergies can also increase because large undigested food enters the small intestine and triggers allergic reactions. What are the signs of not enough acid?

Gut Health | Redlands Naturopath

Good digestion and absorption are crucial to good health. Research is telling us that healing your gut is the most important thing you can do to get your health back on track. Even the ancient healers such as Hippocrates stated 2000 years ago that “All disease begins in the gut.

Some examples of autoimmune diseases are Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Crohn’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, Diabetes, Celiac disease, Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Genetic predisposition makes up about one-third of your risk of developing an autoimmune disease. The other two-thirds of your risk come from environmental factors, which include: diet, lifestyle, infections, mineral deficiencies, exposure to toxins – such as heavy metals mercury or cadmium, hormones, weight and others. Statistically, nearly 1 in 5 people now have an autoimmune disorder, and having a first-degree relative with an auto-immune disease will dramatically increase your risk of developing some form of autoimmunity.

The Treatment Of Digestive Disorders

Did you know that about 80% of our immune system is located in the gut? Unhealthy gut has been linked to a multitude of imbalances in the rest of the body such as hormonal issues, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, skin issues and other chronic health problems.

There are 4 steps to follow when treating digestive issues:

The first stage of the treatment is to remove the things that negatively affect the gut environment and cause inflammation. These things may include some foods such as gluten or dairy which the body is reacting to; heavy metals such as mercury or cadmium; yeast or parasites or bacteria. One of the most common causes of IBS is SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) in which case following a low FODMAP diet combined with specific treatment plan using herbal medicine is needed to remove the bacteria that are causing the bloating.
The second stage is the repair of the damaged gut by addressing the inflammation of the gut wall and leaky gut using nutritional supplements.
The third stage involves adding back the essential nutrients to restore proper digestion and absorption of food. This step usually involves supplementing with enzymes and bitters to get the digestion on the right track.
The fourth and the last step is to reinoculate or re-introduce the beneficial bacteria which helps to regulate digestion and elimination and play a crucial role in keeping our immune system functioning properly

Meet Our Microbiome | Bayside Naturopath

Did you know that more than 100 trillion microorganisms live in our gut, skin, mouth and other parts of our bodies? Most of these organisms live in our digestive tract and are composed of fungi, viruses and mostly bacteria, and these influence every aspect of our health.

The microbiome affects our metabolism, immunity, mood and brain function. It affects every aspect of our everyday life! Scientists have also linked allergies, obesity and many chronic illnesses such as diabetes and autoimmune disorders to our microbiome. Our gut health can have a significant impact on ADHD, autism, asthma, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, IBS and IBD, memory issues, fibromyalgia, arthritis, atherosclerosis, menstrual issues, skin problems eg. eczema and acne, frequent colds and infections etc. Your intestinal flora determines whether your body is in a state on inflammation or not.

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Chronic Stress

Chronic ongoing stress can negatively affect your nervous system, your adrenals and your hormones. Stress can have a major impact on your body as a whole!

Some strategies that you can adapt to better cope with stress include: talking to a professional (psychologist or a counsellor), relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation, a healthy diet, exercise and natural supplements.

There are many types of herbal medicines that help with sleep issues, relaxing the body and boosting your energy levels. Chronic stress can lead to imbalances in the chemicals in your brain, which can often contribute to depression or feelings of negativity and anxiety. Your naturopath can discuss with you the use of herbals and nutrients to help decrease stress.

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Why Test For Minerals?

Minerals are the spark- plugs of life as they are needed for almost every metabolic process in the body. They are essential for healing, immunity, growth, vitality and wellbeing.

Ideally, we should be getting all our minerals from our diet. Unfortunately, due to modern farming techniques using fertilisers and pesticides which reduce the mineral content in soil, our bodies are significantly deficient in minerals. Consequently, the need for testing and monitoring our nutritional status is more important now than ever before.

Other factors that cause mineral imbalances are stress, medications, pollution, genetic factors and also improper use of nutritional supplements.

The Oligoscan can be used for detection of early mineral imbalances at the cellular level, it can show the accumulation of toxic elements and also detects metabolic issues as early as possible.