Have you ever felt tired & exhausted, yet also wired at the same time? Sounds bizarre I know, yet many women are living with this daily. We are run off our feet &
wanting to collapse at the end of the day, although our minds are in full flight of stimulation with to-do lists & everything in between!

What does this mean?

The body is in ‘fight & flight’ mode, scientifically it is called our sympathetic nervous system. This is where our body is designed to respond to a threat by either staying to fight or running away (like our ancestors needed to from potential animal predators). Ideally, when there are no immediate threats in our day, we should be in ‘rest & digest’ mode, this is called our parasympathetic nervous system. This is where our body is taking care of our digestion & our nutrient absorption & all other processes that make us function. Various methods which relax the nervous system include stimulating the vagus nerve.

Why do we want to stimulate the Vagus nerve?

Various techniques can stimulate the vagus nerve providing rest & digest – parasympathetic nervous system activation. The vagus nerve has direct and indirect
connections to the cortical-limbic-thalamic-striatal neural circuit involving emotional and cognitive functions. Vagal nerve stimulation influences the activity of
norepinephrine and neurotransmitters such as serotonin, assisting in improving mood.

What techniques can we use to activate our ‘Rest & Digest’ Nervous System?

Slow, rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing Try breathing deeply from the diaphragm rather than shallowly from the top of the lungs, and focus on your breath. As the amount of breaths per minute reduces, ideally to about 5-7 times per minute this is when our ‘rest & digest” nervous system is activated. The muscles will become more relaxed and the oxygen supply to the cells will increase producing endorphins; the body’s feel- good hormones. This in turn will help lower heart rate and reduce anxiety & worry.

How to deep breathe?

Take a deep inhalation through your nose into your belly, expanding the diaphragm to the count of five. Pause on the inhalation, and then exhale slowly through a small hole in your mouth to the count of six. Repeating this process for multiple rounds/minutes. The most important part of your breathing is ensuring that the exhale count is longer than the inhale count.

So next time you’re feeling wired & tired try this breathing exercise for some immediate relaxation.

Metabolic Syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors related to heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes. Many of the risk factors are related to diet and lifestyle. Metabolic Syndrome has been defined as the presence of any three of the following five risk factors: 

• Elevated waist circumference (excess weight around the tummy)
  – If your waist measures 102cm or more (men) or 88cm or more (women) you need to reduce your waist measurement.

• Elevated triglycerides in the blood (or drug treatment for elevated triglycerides)
  – Triglycerides come from foods we eat and are also produced by the liver but lifestyle choices like drinking excess alcohol can contribute to an increase. High blood triglycerides tend to be associated with low levels of HDL cholesterol – the ‘good’ or protective cholesterol.

• Low levels of healthy cholesterol (HDL) in the blood (or drug treatment for reduced HDL)
  – Raised triglycerides and reduced HDL cholesterol increase your risk for atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) which is a contributing factor in heart disease.

• Elevated blood pressure (or drug treatment for hypertension) ≥ 130 systolic or ≥ 85 diastolic
  – An ideal blood pressure is 120 / 80. Do you know your numbers?

• Elevated fasting blood glucose (or treatment for elevated glucose)
  – Impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance are sometimes referred to as ‘pre-diabetes’. They occur when your blood glucose level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes. One third of people who have impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose will develop diabetes unless lifestyle changes are made.

Do YOU fit the criteria?

If you fit the criteria for Metabolic Syndrome you are at a greater risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. 

Metabolic Syndrome is reversible. 

At ReMed Natural Medicine Clinic we take pride in our comprehensive approach to heart health. We’ll assess your pathology results, consider further functional pathology testing and put in place evidence-based nutritional and herbal medicines to get results. 

Make an appointment NOW by clicking here

Good skin comes from within.

Have a think about how you might be able to include some more of these nutrients in your diet.

• Fibre. Extremely important for cleaning out your digestive system and moving toxins and excess hormones out of the body. My favourite food sources of fibre include: Flaxseeds, chia seeds, psyllium husk, slippery elm, kiwi fruit and dried figs. 
• Fish Oil. Full of goodness for nourishing skin cells and working on that natural skin glow that we all want. It’s very important you take a good quality brand though. The general rule for fish oil, is the more expensive, the better the quality.
• Zinc. Helps to balance hormones, repair leaky gut and re-train skin cells to bounce back after pimples, reducing the risk of scaring long term. Zinc is present in high levels in nuts and seeds- particularly pumpkin & sesame seeds but also in leafy green vegetables.
• Probiotics. The link between the skin and the gut is very well documented, so any imbalances with your gut microbiome or bacterial overgrowths will be impacting on the microbiome of your skin. Reset this balance with daily probiotics.
• Water. 2 litres a day is vital for not only flushing out toxins and supporting healthy digestive function but it’s also important for hydrating skin.

We are currently experiencing a fatigue epidemic in Australia. Unexplained fatigue is one of the most common complaints to general practitioners. Unfortunately, preliminary blood tests often fail to provide an answer for these patient’s, leaving them more tired, stressed out and fed-up than ever. This desperate search for answers can often lead to a generalised diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), a debilitating disorder of unexplained, persistent and/or relapsing fatigue that results in significant reduction in occupational, social and personal activities. Other diagnostic criteria for CFS includes:

• Impaired memory or concentration that severely impacts daily functioning
• Chronic or recurrent sore throat
• Tender lymph nodes
• Muscle and/or join pain
• Headaches
• Unrefreshing sleep
• Increased levels of fatigue after exercise

Although CFS has no definitive, singular cause, chronic infections such as Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), also known as glandular fever, and biotoxin exposure from tick bites and exposure to mould are among the most commonly associated causes. These suspected infective agents trigger an immune cascade that leads to immune dysfunction, chronic inflammation, hormonal imbalances and oxidative stress, which in turn presents symptomatically with a wide range of symptoms from altered perceptions of fatigue and pain, as well as cognitive, mood and sleep disorders.

However, there are other contributing factors from our modern lifestyles that are having an impact upon our energy deficits:

• Nutritional deficiencies including iron, B vitamins (especially B6, B12 and folate), Magnesium and Zinc.
• Dehydration is a common cause of fatiguability, especially if you regularly consume coffee, tea and/or alcohol.
• An inflammatory diet high in refined carbohydrates i.e. take-out, sugar and ‘white’ foods.
• Chronic stress can offset a number of health conditions affecting the immune system, gut, mind and thyroid health.
• Thyroid disorders exhibit a wide range of metabolic symptoms including fatigue.
• Gut dysbiosis and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) reduce nutritional absorption and are linked to a range of inflammatory and immune conditions.
• Exposure to environmental and household toxins i.e. chemicals in your skin care products, household cleaners, pesticides and fertilisers, mould, heavy metals etc.
• Electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from mobile phones, telephone towers, Bluetooth devices, microwaves etc.
• Insomnia and sleep disturbances

For most people, it is not one singular cause but an accumulation of these modern-day assaults that provides the proverbial ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ when it comes to chronic fatigue symptoms. Considering the potential number of causative agents, as well as the multiplicity of symptomatic presentation when it comes to fatigue issues, is it any wonder that so few people are able to find a long-term resolution?

But there’s hope! From a Naturopathic perspective, there is a lot we can do to correct these imbalances. Such interventions may include:

• Identifying and removing the causative agent i.e. fungal, bacteria or viral infection
• Enhance the health and functionality of mitochondria, the energy powerhouses in our cells.
• Optimise nutritional intake and absorption for energy production
• Reduce inflammation
• Assist detoxification
• Restore gut health
• Normalise immune function
• Mediate stress and personalise some stress-coping mechanisms
• Provide natural pain solutions
• Improve sleep onset and duration
• Implement diet and lifestyle changes suited to the individual

If you or someone you know is suffering from the debilitating effects of chronic fatigue, book in for a complimentary 20-minute consultation to discuss how you can invest in your health for better energy, vitality and quality of life.

As a Nurse and Naturopath, I’m frequently questioning my patients about their sleep- how long do they sleep for, do they wake up overnight- how many times and why, how do they feel when they wake up in the morning?

And the list goes on!

I ask a lot of questions around sleep because I know it’s such an important part of a healthy mind and body and because sleep deprivation can have serious effects on a person’s health.

? Effects of Sleep Deprivation ?

1. Weight Gain- children sleeping <10 hours a night are 89% more likely to be obese while adults sleeping <5 hours a night are 55% more likely to be obese
2. Increased Calories eaten- sleep deprived individuals have a bigger appetite and eat more calories, they have higher levels of ghrelin (hormone that stimulates appetite) and reduced levels of leptin (hormone that suppresses appetite)
3. Reduced Concentration and Productivity- sleep is important for cognition, concentration, productivity and performance. Tasks that require attention are particularly sensitive to sleep loss and sleep deprivation increases distractibility
4. Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke- a review of 15 studies found that people who don’t get enough sleep are at a greater risk of heart disease or stroke than those who sleep for 7-8 hours a night
5. Glucose Metabolism and Type 2 Diabetes Risk- sleep deprivation affects blood sugar and reduces insulin sensitivity. Sleeping less than 6 hours a night has been shown to be a risk factor for developing Type 2 Diabetes
6. Anxiety and Depression- mental health issues are strongly linked to poor sleep quality and quantity
7. Immune Function- sleep deprivation suppresses immune function with people who sleep less than 7 hours a night being 3 times more likely to develop a cold than those who sleep longer than 7 hours
8. Increased Inflammation- sleep loss activates inflammatory mediators in the body which is big risk factor for chronic disease
9. Decreased Sex Drive- sleep deprivation and disturbed sleep are associated with decreased libido and sexual dysfunction
10. Increased risk of accidents- driving when sleep deprived is similar to drunk driving and greatly increases the risk of accidents and near misses
11. Reduced Muscle Building- lack of sleep causes hormonal changes that make it harder for the body to build muscle and heal
12. Increased pain- sleep deprivation may actually cause pain or at least increase people’s sensitivity to pain

How much sleep do you really need?

There isn’t a one size fits all approach to the number of hours of sleep your brain needs. It depends on a variety of factors, one of these being age. Remembering that every person has different needs, research has provided some guides as to the average amount of sleep needed for different age groups:

• 0 to 3 months: should aim to get between 14 and 17 hours in a 24-hour period
• 4 to 11 months: should aim to get between 12 and 15 hours
• 1 to 2 years: should aim to get between 11 and 14 hours
• 3 to 5 years: should aim to get between 10 and 13 hours
• 6 to 13 years: should aim to get between 7 and 8 hours
• 14 to 17 years: should aim to get between 8 and 10 hours
• 18 to 64 years: should aim to get between 7 and 9 hours
• 65 years and above: should aim to get between 7 and 8 hours

Sleeping too much is as bad as sleeping too little

Research findings reveal that sleeping for too many hours can actually be just as damaging as sleeping for too few hours. This means that as tempting as it may be, sleeping for 12 hours on a Sunday night might do your body more harm than good.

Keeping a Sleep Diary

If you’re not exactly sure how much sleep your brain needs, try keeping a sleep diary. Write down the time you go to bed, making adjustments in the morning if it’s taken you a while to fall asleep and log the time you wake up and how you feel when you wake up. At the end of the day, write down your energy level and if you noticed any issues in your daily work. Did you have trouble focusing? Were you more or less productive than normal? Did you feel a little short-tempered? Did you have problems keeping your thinking positive? How was your mood, stress and anxiety levels?
After doing this for a period of time, you can spot the optimal sleep length for your best daily functioning and health. You might even notice the best times for you to head to bed and wake up.

If you’re having trouble getting enough sleep, Naturopaths have plenty of things in their toolbox to help. Make an appointment to see me at ReMed Natural Medicine Clinic in Lower Plenty by booking online or call 1300 163 733.

Will a supplement do anything for me or am I just creating expensive wee to flush down the toilet?

This is a common question asked of Naturopaths and one we are happy to answer. If you self-prescribe supplements without knowing if you actually need them and in what dosage, then you could be wasting your money. However, a qualified Naturopath
may certainly at times prescribe a supplement to benefit your health. Some of these reasons are below:

? If you are suffering from a nutritional deficiency. Many of these are generally picked up through blood tests. Some people find that this may run in their family or maybe due to another underlying health condition. Monitoring and further investigation if necessary by your health professional is vital.

? When your diet is inadequate – there are many reasons a persons diet maybe in adequate. They may skip meals, eat processed foods, have a restricted diet, have restricted food availability or if they are fussy. Sometimes it is due to financial restrictions – unfortunately it is often cheaper to buy a large box of hot chips than it is to buy a salad or a sandwich.

? You may have an increased need – different life stages may require an increase in certain nutrients. Also if you indulge in alcohol, caffeine or smoking regularly you may find your requirement for certain nutrients are increased.

? If your diet is highly processed – during processing, certain nutrients can be stripped or reduced in the food, changing its nutritional profile.

Of course it is ideal to get your nutrients from a dietary source but sometimes this is not possible. And often people are unsure if they are achieving a “healthy, well balanced diet” or if they are eating the right things to satisfy their nutritional needs. With certain nutrients there is such a thing as having too much of a good thing so talking to someone trained before reaching for that supplement is important.

I often ask clients to keep a diet diary for a couple days and send it to me so I can analyse if they are reaching their nutritional needs. This yields valuable insight and allows us to make dietary changes to help each individual or choose the best supplement for them.

If you are concerned about your dietary intake of nutrients or want to know more – you can book a 20 minute free consultation with me at ReMed. Call 1300 173 633 or book online at remed.com.au

HAYFEVER: WHY IT IS YOUR GUT (NOT YOUR NOSE) THAT NEEDS HELP

It is well established that hay fever and other allergies are associated with immune regulation in conjunction with our gut function and health.

is the core of our body’s immune function. But we are now learning, the gut is responsible for so much more.

So what constitutes a healthy gut? Two very important players are prebiotics and probiotics.
I have seen significant change in chronic and long term health conditions after working on the gut. Balancing good gut flora with both prebiotics and probiotics, because the two go hand in hand.

PREBIOTICS

• Are a special form of dietary fiber that acts as a fertilizer for the good bacteria in your gut
  
• Prebiotics nourish the good bacteria that already exist in our gut
  
• May be helpful for several chronic digestive disorders, IBS or inflammatory bowel disease
  

PROBIOTICS

• Are live microorganisms which assist in a healthy digestive tract and a healthy immune system
  
• Are also commonly known as friendly, good, or healthy bacteria
  
• Are beneficial forms of gut bacteria that help stimulate the natural digestive juices and enzymes that keep our digestive organs functioning properly
  
• There are hundreds of love probiotic species available
  
• Probiotic bacteria must be kept alive, kept at a constant temperature 
• Certain probiotic species have been shown to be helpful for specific conditions, such as allergies (hay fever, eczema), diarrhea, irritable bowel disease, candida overgrowth, immune function and for recurrence of certain bowel infections

Research supports the health benefits of prebiotics and probiotics, including a strengthened immune system, better-controlled weight and appetite, and improved bowel regularity. Recent studies have also found strong links between a healthy colonised gut and improved mental health.
Prebiotic fiber is found in many fruits and vegetables, such as the skin of apples, bananas, onions and garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, and beans.
Probiotics are found in yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, dark chocolate, microalgae, miso, kim chi, tempeh and kombucha.

However, sometimes our bodies need a helping hand to achieve a healthy gut balance, and that’s where a qualified Naturopath/Clinical Nutritionist can assist. By testing and assessing your gut microbiome, a ReMed Naturopath/Clinical Nutritionist can work on your nutrition and prescribe specific and tailored prebiotic and probiotic supplementation where necessary.
To book an appointment with a qualified ReMed Naturopath/Clinical Nutritionist, phone 1300 1REMED or 1300 173 633 or book online 

It’s not easy to forget a bad urinary tract infection (UTI). Experiencing one really is something that stays with you. When asking women about whether they have ever had one the ones that aren’t sure usually tells me they haven’t had the pleasure.

Although, it’s super common- Did you know that 25-50% of women will experience a urinary tract infection every year and 27% of them will have a relapse within 6 months of the first infection.

Classic symptoms include cloudy urine, burning pain on urination, increased frequency of urination, abdominal pain, back pain and in severe cases blood in the urine and sometimes changes in mood- mood swings, irritability, fits of rage and/or confusion.

If you ever see blood in your urine, you need to head to your GP as soon as you can. (Note: if you went to see a good Naturopath, that’s also where we would send you too.) Blood in the urine can indicate kidney damage which is irreversible, and you need antibiotics quick smart.

Before this point however, Naturopathy offers some very effective solutions for UTIs and some great interventions for prevention of relapse.

Herbal medicine has provided us with some great urinary antiseptic herbs which can kill off bladder infections very effectively. Lots of women I see have same-day relief of symptoms, which is all you could ever wish for when you have a UTI.

However, once that fire has been put out, so to speak, we need to go back and look at how we can prevent relapse.

The reason behind why women are so much more susceptible than men is mostly put down to anatomy- women have smaller urethras and therefore its more likely that bacteria like E. coli from the intestinal tract can be passed into the bladder causing infection.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

In some women, UTI’s can be an indication of frequent sexual activity but in children and older populations, it’s usually due to personal hygiene.

Either way, we can see that person hygiene is a massive influencer and hygiene before and after sexual activity is really important- especially urinating straight after sex to clear bacteria from the urethra.

ALWAYS wipe front-to-back when you go to the toilet so that you aren’t wiping bacteria into your urethra- seems obvious when you think about it but it’s surprising how many women don’t do this.

WORMS

Intestinal worms are another reason why some women (and young girls in particular) can never get rid of their UTIs. Pinworms are highly infectious and infect humans when the eggs, which can be deposited on any surface, are ingested and travel through the gastrointestinal tract where they hatch before moving to the colon and then exiting through the anus. If an infection is left untreated these pinworms can migrate to the urinary tract and the vagina causing infection wherever they go. Terrifying right?

Again, hygiene is important here, especially washing hands regularly, showering, cleaning under fingernails etc.

Signs of intestinal worms can include an itchy bottom (especially at night), a rash around the anus or the actual visible presence of pinworms around your vagina or in poo. If you think you may have worms, book in, there are some great herbs for killing worms too.

CRANBERRY

Most naturopathic strategies for prevention of UTIs are based around inhibiting the adhesion of bacteria to the lining of the urinary tract.

This is what cranberry does and why cranberry juice is usually the first thing people recommend- bad new: it’s not going to help if you already have an infection but if are someone that gets frequent UTIs maybe think about taking a practitioner-strength dose of cranberry.

Cranberry works by making the lining of the urinary tract super slippery so that bacteria can’t stick to the walls and create infection.

Aim for good quality, high strength, practitioner superscribed tablet rather than the juice as the juice is usually high in sugar and low in therapeutic constituents.

IMMUNE HEALTH

 Something important to assess with every patient with frequent UTI’s is their general immunity- how susceptible are they to opportunistic infections?

I do this but asking someone how often they get sick, how run down are they, I ask about their diet, energy levels and stress. Diet and lifestyle practices are so influential that we can learn so much about the body but looking at what we do every day.

One example of this is chronic stress. Being in a state of constant stress- either emotional stress or just “being busy” constantly, which is a kind of stress causes a depletion in secretory IgA which is an important immune cell that lives in our mucosal membranes- the lining of our digestive systems, mouth, eyes, nose and urinary tract.

Depletion of this cell can cause a suppression of the immune system which means its less able to fight off opportunistic infections when they enter the body.

Probiotics can be great for supporting immune health via many different pathways and finding strains specific to the immune health of the mucous membranes and the urinary tract microflora can been very effective in preventing UTIs.

Overall, good hygiene is probably the biggest take home message and check in with your Naturopath or GP if you have any symptoms “down there.” Suffering in silence isn’t fun and doing round after round of antibiotics is not the best solution long term for UTIs.

To book an appointment with Jessica, phone 1300 1REMED or 1300 173 633 or book in online.

You can’t leave the table until you have eaten all of your veggies!

This was a common phrase used in my household when I was a child and whether or not this created a positive association with food (I am not here to judge) consequently consumption of a variety of foods occurred. In Australia today it can be ascertained that a majority of the population are falling short of the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables and consequently showing signs of nutrient deficiencies affecting our health, not only in adults but also in our children.

There is a rising concern that despite being well-fed that in fact our children are malnourished and are not achieving a sufficient intake of essential nutrients, both macro and micronutrients required for their growth and development. There is a definite relationship between poor growth and development and malnourishment however, it is now well established that poor nutrition and insufficient intake of micronutrients can affect psychosocial development and areas of the brain affecting behaviour, mood and learning. Macronutrient intake which includes protein, fat and carbohydrates can be easier to consume in adequate amounts, however deficiencies in good quality proteins is often observed in children and may have an impact on energy levels, behaviour, muscle development and optimal growth.

Micronutrients are nutrients found in food that are required in smaller amounts however, are essential for biochemical processes and pathways in our body required for energy production and function of many organs. Some of theses specific micronutrients include zinc, vitamin c, d, e, magnesium (to name a few) and have specific functioning in immune health, digestive function, musculoskeletal health, cognitive health and affects on mood and behaviour.

We all know that feeding our little loved ones a nutrient dense diet can prove to be a difficult task for a variety of reasons. Some of our children are fussy eaters, have allergies, poor appetites, are very active or may have an underlying condition that is affecting digestion and absorption of key nutrients. In such circumstances, alongside a whole food diet, supplementation may be required to assist with any suspected nutrient deficiencies, which should be under the supervision of a health care professional. Despite our children being well-fed they may be nutrient deficient highlighting the importance of a nutrient dense diet. As parents or care givers of our children, our intentions are to support our children to thrive in their growth and development. Addressing dietary intake of essential nutrients through a whole food diet is of priority in addition to identifying any underlying factors that may be contributing to symptoms.

As a Naturopath, I see many children and parents in clinic looking for solutions to help them and their child optimise their health through diet and lifestyle choices in conjunction with addressing any underlying conditions that may be present. If you have any concerns about your child’s health please feel free to book an appointment for a free 20 minute health assessment to discuss your health priorities and how I can help.

To book an appointment with Rachel, phone 1300 1REMED or 1300 173 633 or book online