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?

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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.

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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:

  1. 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.
  2. The second stage is the repair of the damaged gut by addressing the inflammation of the gut wall and leaky gut using nutritional supplements.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

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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.

Panacea Naturopathy takes no ownership of any of the images used in this blog article. All credit to images belongs to their original source. Panacea Naturopathy has credited all copy write material where plausible.

Essential Fatty Acids: Why Are They So Important?

Omega 3 fatty acids have an important role to play in maintaining optimal health.

  • They reduce pain and inflammation
  • They support healthy cognitive function – enhance memory, learning and brain development from infancy to adult life
  • They support healthy heart function and help maintain healthy blood pressure and help lower cholesterol
  • They help improve mood
  • They help improve the condition of skin, hair and nails: one of the signs  of omega 3 fatty acids deficiency is dry skin
  • They help maintain healthy cell membrane integrity

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Magnesium | Cleveland Naturopath

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Magnesium is an essential mineral for maintaining health and vitality. Did you know that magnesium is required for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body?

Is your body telling you that you are deficient in magnesium? Signs of magnesium deficiency include muscle cramps, muscle tension, migraines, stress or anxiety, fatigue and low energy, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, irregular heart beat and these are only the more common symptoms.

There are many forms of magnesium on the market, but all are not created equal. Commonly used sources of magnesium which are found in sports drinks or supplements in the supermarket might not be well absorbed and can even cause stomach problems. Your naturopath can help you choose the right magnesium combination suitable for your specific condition.

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Panacea Naturopathy takes no ownership of any of the images used in this blog article. All credit to images belongs to their original source. Panacea Naturopathy has credited all copy write material where plausible.

Winter Detox

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Winter is an ideal time to detox in order to avoid getting sick during the cold and flu season and keep us healthy and energised.

The goal is to change the way we eat and live, just as the season changes too. Winter is a time of rest and nourishment – eating warm foods that are rich in nutrients; as well as getting involved in some gentle exercises such as yoga, pilates or walking. Here are some handy tips to get the best results out of your winter detox:

– Wear warm clothes inside and outside your home as the temperatures drops. Wearing natural fibres such as wool or cotton are preferable as they allow your skin to breathe.

– Wear warm socks inside the house as heat leaves our bodies through hands and feet, so wearing cotton or woollen socks will make a big difference in keeping us warm.

– Try skin brushing. Before your shower or bath – move a loofah in a gentle circular motion for 5-10 minutes a day – from your feet up to thighs and buttocks and from hands to arms and shoulders and the back, avoiding the face. Skin brushing helps to increase circulation and helps us detox.

– Drink hot herbal teas to keep us warm – ginger and lemon, green tea, rosehip, turmeric – are all excellent choices.

– Have warming meals such as soups, bone broths and slow cooked stews instead of cold juices and smoothies.

– Avoid cold foods, iced water, sugar, excess alcohol, cereal grains, processed foods, and excess raw foods.

Here is a sample meal menu:

-upon rising – warm water with juice from half a lemon
-Breakfast – egg frittata with spinach, sweet potato and kale
-Mid-morning – cup of herbal tea
-Lunch – pumpkin and lentil soup
-Afternoon snack – a handful of mixed nuts and seeds; cup of herbal
tea with lemon and half teaspoon of honey
-Dinner – 1 cup of miso soup; poached salmon with broccolini, brussel sprouts and roast beetroot and sweet potatoes
– half a cup of stewed apple and rhubarb with cinnamon
– Get active – commit to 45 minutes of exercise a day. Gentle yoga or pilates are a great way to start or end the day as these exercises help to move the lymph – which is important in your body’s detox.

– Herbals containing Andrographis, Astragalus or Echinacea can also be useful in improving your immune system to ward off colds and flu.

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What Does A Naturopath Do?

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One question that I get asked most frequently is “What does a naturopath do?”

Naturopaths are health practitioners that focus on preventative health by utilising holistic methods of healing. We can provide relief from your symptoms with natural remedies as well as addressing the underlying cause of the disease. Treatments include vitamin therapy, botanical medicine and homoeopathic preparations. We are trained in nutrition, biochemistry, physiology, orthomolecular medicine and herbal medicine. We work with other healthcare providers such as doctors to ensure that patients receive the most effective care. We utilise conventional pathology tests with functional pathology. Naturopaths are often successful with treating chronic conditions that don’t respond well to conventional medicine such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, digestive disorders, stress, autoimmune disorders among many others.

What happens at a naturopathic appointment?

The first appointment tends to be about 1 hour long. We take thorough medical history and look at any blood tests to see what is going on in the body. Some in-house tests may be performed in the clinic such as urine tests, blood glucose levels, zinc status or heavy metal testing. Individually tailored treatment plan is then discussed with the patient. Subsequent appointments generally last only half hour and your progress and symptoms are discussed and treatment adjusted accordingly.

Are you ready to take the first step in becoming the healthiest you can be?

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Leaky gut syndrome | Brisbane Naturopathy

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The small intestine absorbs nutrients from food and passes them to the blood stream as amino acids, sugars and fats.

If the lining of the small intestine is damaged, it may become “leakier” – or have increased permeability – meaning larger particles can potentially pass through to the blood stream. This alerts the immune cells which treat these larger particles as invaders and an allergic reaction is triggered causing a range of health problems including food allergies, migraines and chronic fatigue. Stress, foods such as gluten and dairy and also medications, have all been suggested as causes of increased gut permeability. Other inflammatory foods such as sugar and excessive alcohol are suspected as well. The most common infectious causes are candida overgrowth, intestinal parasites, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Environmental toxins like mercury, pesticides and BPA from plastics are suspected as well.

Several symptoms such as those listed below can indicate the presence of leaky gut:


  • [list_item icon=”fa-angle-right”]Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhoea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).[/list_item]
    [list_item icon=”fa-angle-right”]Chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia[/list_item]
    [list_item icon=”fa-angle-right”]Candida overgrowth[/list_item]
    [list_item icon=”fa-angle-right”]Mood disorders such as anxiety, depression, ADHD[/list_item]
    [list_item icon=”fa-angle-right”]Skin problems such as eczema or acne[/list_item]
    [list_item icon=”fa-angle-right”]Food allergies or intolerances[/list_item]
    [list_item icon=”fa-angle-right”]Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthrisis[/list_item]
    [list_item icon=”fa-angle-right”]Seasonal allergies or asthma[/list_item]

    • The best ways to repair a leaky gut is by following the 4 R’s:

    Remove: intestinal infections, inflammatory foods, toxins
    Replace: and add back the enzymes and hydrochloric acid which are essential for proper digestion
    Re-inoculate: with good bacteria to re-establish healthy gut flora
    Repair: the gut with nutrients such as glutamine, turmeric and slippery elm

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    Chicken bone broth

    Bone broths are extremely nourishing and easy to digest and are rich sources of minerals and amino acids.

    Ingredients:

    1 large organic chicken
    2 carrots – peeled
    1 large onion and 1 leek
    1 parsnip – peeled
    1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    3 stalks of celery
    1 bunch parsley
    1 tablespoon salt and some peppercorns
    2 cloves of garlic

    Method:

    Place washed chicken and roughly chopped vegetables in a large stock pot and add filtered water to cover. Add garlic, spices, salt and herbs and bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer on lowest heat for 8 hours but can be simmered for up to 24 hours for maximum benefit. Enjoy!

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    Gut healing smoothie

    Ingredients:

    1½ cups of coconut water
    ½ cup frozen mangos
    ½ cup fresh papaya
    1 cm fresh ginger root
    1 cm fresh turmeric root
    ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 Tablespoon chia seeds
    1 Tablespoon flax seeds
    1 scoop L-glutamine powder
    ¼ teaspoon probiotic powder

    Method:

    Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix thoroughly.

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