Give your brain the right nutrients it needs to naturally help boost the neurotransmitters you need to stay focused and energised! High in protein, fibre, and omega-3 fats, these muffins are perfect for a busy weekday breakfast.

Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsps Avocado Oil

• 1 Sweet Potato (medium, peeled and chopped into cubes)

• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 6 cups Baby Spinach

• 8 Egg

• 1/4 cup Water

• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt

• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Directions

1. Preheat and Prep:
   • Preheat your oven to 177ºC.
   • Lightly grease a muffin tray with avocado oil
2. Prepare the Vegetables:
   • Steam sweet potato for eight to ten minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Let it cool slightly.
   • While the sweet potato is steaming, heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the spinach until wilted and tender. Let cool slightly.
   • When spinach and sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, divide evenly into the prepared muffin tray.
3. Combine and Cook:
   • In a mixing bowl whisk eggs until well scrambled. Whisk in water and salt and pepper.
   • Pour the whisked eggs into the prepared muffin tray to cover the sweet potato and spinach.
   • Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or just until the egg is cooked through and no longer liquid on top. Remove from oven, let cool and enjoy!

Notes

• Leftovers: Store in the fridge in an airtight container up to four days. Due to the moisture in the sweet potato and spinach, these egg cups do not freeze well.

Check out some more naturopathic tips and tricks on the blog or to learn about how our team of practitioners can help you, book a FREE Health Reset Consultation today.

Looking for a comforting, nutrient-packed soup that’s perfect for any season? This Roasted Garlic, Cauliflower, and Kale Soup is the answer! It’s creamy, flavourful, and loaded with wholesome ingredients. Plus, it’s vegan and can be stored for easy meal prep. Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

• 12 Garlic cloves (peeled and trimmed)
• 1 large Yellow Onion (roughly chopped)
• 1 head Cauliflower (sliced into florets)
• 3 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
• 1 1/3 tbsps Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 8 cups Kale Leaves (packed)
• 3 3/4 cups Vegetable Broth (divided)

Directions

1. Preheat and Prep:
   • Preheat your oven to 204ºC.
   • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Roast the Vegetables:
   • Arrange the garlic cloves, onion, and cauliflower on the baking sheet.
   • Drizzle with half of the olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt.
   • Toss the vegetables until evenly coated in the spices.
   • Roast for about 40 minutes or until very tender and caramelised, flipping halfway through.
3. Cook the Kale:
   • Heat the remaining olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
   • Add the kale and 1/2 of the vegetable broth to the pot and cover.
   • Let steam for 2 minutes, or until kale is wilted and tender.
4. Combine and Cook:
   • Add the roasted vegetables and the remaining vegetable stock to the pot with the wilted kale.
   • Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then remove from heat.
5. Blend to Perfection:
   • Puree the soup in batches in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
   • Divide into bowls and enjoy!

Notes

• Leftovers: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Serve it with An extra drizzle of olive oil, fresh herbs, or a pinch of red chilli flakes.
• Too Thick?: If the soup is too thick, use water or more stock (1/2 cup at a time) to thin until the desired consistency is reached.

This Roasted Garlic, Cauliflower, and Kale Soup is not only delicious but also packed with vitamins and minerals. It’s perfect for a cozy dinner at home or as a make-ahead meal for busy weeks. Enjoy the delightful combination of roasted garlic, cauliflower, and kale in every creamy spoonful!

Check out some more naturopathic tips and tricks on the blog or to learn about how our team of practitioners can help you, book a FREE Health Reset Consultation today.

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

Alison Patchett

Naturopath

B Health Science (Naturopathy)

Alison is extremely passionate about helping women with pregnancy and postnatal care, particularly the first 18 months of new parenthood.

The first 18 months can be such a challenging time for mums to manage the demands of being a parent with broken sleep, along with fatigue, feeding and nutritional concerns and then later transitioning back to work.

As a mum of 2 children (aged 3 and 1), Alison understand these challenges faced by parents in the busy modern world and provides practical and realistic support to ensure health of the family unit. 

Sparked by her own experiences, Alison initially was inspired to become a naturopath through her own experiences, seeing such a positive impact on her own health. After a corporate career in IT, Alison completed extensive studies at Southern School of Natural Therapies achieved a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) whilst working part-time and raising a young family

ReMed Natural Medicine – Are You Magnesium Deficient? 

My love for Magnesium is two-fold. For one, I love what a difference replenishing someone’s Magnesium levels can make on their health and feeling of wellbeing and two, it was my own Magnesium deficiency that first introduced me to the world of Naturopathy.

I’d been experiencing twitching muscles which over time progressed to constant eye twitching which was driving me crazy! I asked some nurse friends and doctors about it, but no-one could tell me why it was happening or how to stop it. I then met a Naturopath- an industry I didn’t know much about and if I’m honest was a little sceptical about given I studied and worked in Western Medicine- and asked her about my eye twitch. She quickly identified that I was Magnesium deficient and within three days of taking the recommended Magnesium supplement my eye twitch disappeared- my Magnesium Miracle! It wasn’t just my muscle twitches that went away, I also noticed that my body aches and pains had improved, my headaches had lessened in frequency and severity and my body no longer felt like a tight rubber band ready to snap. So what is Magnesium and what happens if we don’t get enough?

Magnesium is a mineral that is crucial to the body’s function, in fact over 300 enzymes require Magnesium to function. In Australia, up to 72% of people don’t get adequate amounts of Magnesium in their diet and this is before we talk about the things that reduce the absorption and increase the excretion of Magnesium. 

Cooking and processing deplete Magnesium from foods while alcohol, coffee, sugar, soft drink, high levels of protein in the diet and some medications such as diuretics, cytotoxic drugs, antibiotics and Beta Blockers (blood pressure medication) cause Magnesium to be excreted through the kidneys. High stress levels also increase the excretion of Magnesium. Even before we start destroying Magnesium in the kitchen, we’ve depleted Magnesium in the soil so the food we’re eating has lower levels of Magnesium than it used to. If you have any sort of digestive disturbance such as coeliac disease, Crohn’s, low stomach acid, dysbiosis or loose stool or have high stress levels then your body will also have trouble absorbing enough Magnesium from foods. 

Signs that you may be deficient in Magnesium include: low energy and fatigue, muscle weakness, muscle aches, twitches and cramps, high blood pressure, asthma, headaches and migraines, period pain and hormone problems, osteoporosis, sleep problems, stress, anxiety, depression and heart ‘flutters’ or palpitations.

How to increase your Magnesium levels

Eating foods high in Magnesium is a great way to improve your Magnesium status so make sure you’re including some of the following foods into your diet every day: dark green leafy vegies like spinach, kale and collard greens, quinoa, nuts eg. almonds, cashews and brazil nuts and seeds eg. flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds, avocados and whole grains. 

For some people just increasing their dietary intake of Magnesium is not enough so taking a Magnesium supplement may be required. There are a number of different types of Magnesium supplements on the market which come in different forms and doses and not all supplements are created equal! In order to ensure you’re taking the most suitable and bioavailable form of Magnesium for you and at the right dose make sure you consult a health professional such as a Naturopath or Nutritionist. 

Take this quick 1-minute survey to identify whether you are at risk of Magnesium deficiency

https://magnesiumguide.com.au/magnesium-minute/

If you think you may not be getting enough Magnesium or want to know more about the role Magnesium plays in health and disease I’d love to talk to you. Call 1300 173 633 or visit www.remed.com.au to book an appointment or a complimentary 20-minute consultation.

Melbourne Naturopathic Clinic

When the weather turns cold I start to make chai tea more often, and when I actually have a weekend afternoon at home I make a big batch and drink it by the bucket (or in the this case my Clifton Hill Pottery cup/bowl). The spices used in chai are antioxidant rich, good for your digestion and anti-inflammatory plus cinnamon helps modulate blood sugar levels, ginger is anti-microbial, chilli is an analgesic and anti-bacterial, cardamom and star anise relieve flatulence while black pepper helps increase gastro-intestinal enzyme secretion and the absorption of a number of nutrients including curcumin (found in turmeric). I do tend to go a bit by “feel” when I make this so feel free to make your own adaptations but do try to make a note of what you do for when someone asks you for your recipe! Here is my version –

This is the amount for one person/cup:

• 1 heaped teaspoon black tea leaves or 1 tea bag (I often use Rooibos or a decaf Ceylon)
• Grind the following in a mortar and pestle
• 4 cloves
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1cm cinnamon quill
• 6-8 pieces kibbled ginger# or a small knob of fresh ginger chopped up (if it’s organic you can leave the skin on)
• Couple of chilli flakes
• 1-2 twists cracked black pepper
• 2 pieces star anise
  

Optional:

• decent sprinkle of turmeric
  

Put the ground spices and tea in a coffee plunger/tea pot with approximately 200ml boiling water, steep for 5 minutes or a tad longer. Pour into a cup until 2/3 full then fill the remainder with warm milk of choice. 

OR – you can make it in a saucepan on the stove top. Boil tea and spices for a similar amount of time, you just want to warm the milk through though, not bring to the boil on the stove. Alternatively, as with the tea pot add separately warmed milk to your cup.

OR – I usually make 6 times this amount (plus a couple of extra everything for the pot) in the Thermomix blitzing the spices for a few seconds then adding 1200-1300g boiling water. Have the blade running backwards, heat at 100, for 5 minutes. Then add 4-500g milk of choice (basically to the maximum fill mark), 1 heaped teaspoon honey (if you like) and reheat to 70 degrees for 2 minutes. This makes enough for 4 large mugs and a couple of top ups or you can reheat and drink it throughout the day. 

P.S. Made with Rooibos which is naturally caffeine free it is perfectly fine to drink before bed.
# kibbled ginger can often be found in Asian grocery stores but if you have fresh ginger use that.

Everyone’s probably heard that antibiotics aren't good for your gut and kill off your healthy bacteria and can cause Dysbiosis but what do they actually do? A team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Steno Diabetes Centre in Copenhagen just published a study showing that when three antibiotics were given to young healthy men for only 4 days it caused an almost complete eradication of gut bacteria.

While after 6 months there was a gradual recovery of some bacterial species, the study participants were still completely missing nine of their common beneficial bacteria and a few new potentially pathogenic bacteria had colonised the gut. This research is actually considered a good news story because the results are more positive that what most other research studies have demonstrated.

Dysbiosis has been shown to be a risk factor in a number of diseases including Inflammatory Bowel Disease, obesity, diabetes, psychiatric conditions, Irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, asthma, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease and can cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, abdominal pain and cramping, indigestion, reflux, heartburn, food intolerances, fatigue, brain fog, lowered mood, joint pain and skin conditions.

If you’re struggling with any of these conditions or symptoms or have had multiple courses of antibiotics throughout your life then make a time to come talk to me about how we can get your gut health back on track. You can book online at www.remed.com.au or call 1300 163 733.

Alternatively book a free 20 minute appointment to find out how Naturopathy can help you.

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.

Gluten Free Quinoa, Fruit, Seed & Nut Loaf

A bit of a sweet, but not too sweet version of my quinoa, nut and seed loaf. Served with homemade jam and greek yoghurt. Kind of reminds me of a healthier/ nutty version of scones with jam and cream.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• ½ cup flax seeds
• ½ cup hazel nuts
• ½ cup pepitas
• ½ cup cranberries
• ½ cup hemp seeds
• 1 ½ cups / quinoa flakes
• ¼ cup acai powder
• 4 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 4 Tbsp. psyllium husk powder
• 2 tsp ginger powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 2 – 2.5 cups water

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
2. Press into a lined loaf pan and smooth top with the back of a spoon
3. Let sit for at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C.
5. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes.
7. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Cool completely before slicing.
8. Store bread in an air-tight container for up to four days or slice and freeze. 
9. Toast and serve with home made jam and greek yoghurt.