The Live Lightly Centre in Perth, Western Australia | Medical and health

The Live Lightly Centre

Locality: Perth, Western Australia

Phone: +61 8 6355 6246

Address: 34 Ellen Stirling Parade Ellenbrook 6069 Perth, WA, Australia

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• Medical and health
• Alternative & holistic health service
• Naturopath

25.01.2022 Never in any of my posts have I said what we do is easy. Never have I ever said what I want YOU to do is easy. I don't lie. I don't sugar coat stuff in my consults. I'll tell you if something is going to be hard or taste awful or you'll get detox effects or your skin may break out. I leave nothing on the table with my consults knowing I have told you everything and you will leave my office with as much information as I can possibly squeeze in that hour. The rest is up t...o you. People don't like hearing that their life choices are their own because we like to blame others but in truth, once you are an adult, your decisions are yours and yours alone. Even blaming others is a choice not to take responsibility for your own actions. My job is to make those choices as easy as possible for you within my limitations but in the end my friends, the choice is yours. Life is hard, in fact I would go as far as saying that sometimes it just downright sucks but you know that, I'm not telling you anything new. Choose your hard, and if you need help with MY kind of hard, then you know where to find me.

25.01.2022 Today's post may be a little off piste (and possibly longer than usual once I get a head of steam up) because its about something very close to my heart - "isms" of any kind. Chauvinism, sexism, racism, homophobia (not strictly an "ism" but same sort of thing), bullying and gaslighting. Something happened to me yesterday that threw me right back into my old insurance days and how I used to feel back then. It wasn't a bad thing, it wasn't even directly aimed at me but that...Continue reading

22.01.2022 HOURS SATURDAY 31st October Clinic open between 9am - 1pm for retail shop, food, household items, organic products, gut healing products, retail supplements cough/cold/hayfever herbals, teas etc. Infrared sauna: Several appointments between 9.30 and 12.00 available... Me (naturopath) - unavailable To make an appointment please call reception on 6355 6246, send us a message via this post or book online from any device using the blue "Book Now" button top right of page. Cheers and have a great weekend!

22.01.2022 Husband went down like a ton of bricks last night with a fever. He rarely ever gets sick so I was a little worried but dosed him up with some of my goodies and sent him to bed. Fever broke over night but was still a bit dodge this morning - more goodies, sent back to bed for a few hours and this arvo he's putting out washing and kicking the footy with the kid. Asked what he wants for dinner and this is the answer, guess what it is? Okay I'll tell you, my famous chicken so...up. Well, famous for him and I, the kids hate it but what would they know? Simplest recipe in the world - lots of green stuff, preferably stinky greens like the brassica family (caulis, broccoli, Asian greens etc) and the most wonderful of all families the allium family (all of the oniony/garlicky critters) and you have yourself a POWERFUL cleansing and nutritious beast of a meal. That whole head of celery went in too, don't be shy with the veg. Saute the hard veg, peel the chook (even though its organic I don't like the fact that animals, including humans!, store a lot of their toxins in their fat), cover with water, add flavourings (I used salt, pepper, chilli flakes, garlic, ginger, turmeric, sumac) and bring slowly to the boil. Cook for however long it takes to be ready, maybe an hour or so then add the softer veg (the leaves of what you see in the pic), some chopped fresh tomato for added flavour and freshness, check the seasoning and to serve you can either add some rice noodles or just have as is. I just serve in huge chunks in the bowl, usually the whole drumstick/thigh plonked on top of the veg and liquid and if there is any left I shred the chicken after its cooled and either add back to the liquid or keep aside for the kids' lunches. There is something about a home made chicken soup that makes me feel good. I feel good thinking about it, I feel good shopping for it, I feel good eating it and I feel good sharing it. If there were any sign of that illness left in his body this should put paid to that. Best medicine there is, food for the soul.

21.01.2022 Clearly as you know I see a lot of people with food intolerances or sensitivities and food then becomes a bit of a battleground for them. They can really start to resent their lives, their diets, their situations and just food in general and it makes me sad. Food, for me, is everything. I love everything about it from the shopping for it (okay, would PREFER if the shopping was in Campo Di Fiori in Rome rather than Ellenbrook Woollies), the preparation, the cooking and of co...urse the eating. Even better if that eating is with appreciative family (HAH!!! TWO TEENAGE BOYS!!!) and friends. Anyhoo, back to the post. I try to encourage people to look at food as their friend instead. Or even at bare minimum worst as a medical tool to help them get better rather than a mortal enemy out to make their lives a misery. Often food sensitivities can be resolved with some careful avoidance, some gut healing, some immune balancing and some patience but sometimes no matter what we do, you ain't gonna be able to chow down on that beautiful piece of crusty sourdough ever again. And that can be depressing. I try not to dwell on what I CAN'T do, I rather focus on what I CAN so that's how I coach my clients into dealing with their foody blues. Food is, by far, the greatest medicine in the world bar none and I mean that. Doesn't mean you have to live like a culinary pious monk but it does mean you need to show it some respect and hopefully, just a little bit of love. If you're eating with good intention and gratitude it will do you a whole lot more good than eating with bitterness and resentment. Poor food. Its only trying to help.

21.01.2022 I hear a lot of negative self talk in my consults and it always upsets me. So many people thinking they are not worth happiness or health or love or all of the other goodies that life has to offer and its a big problem. One that's out of my pay grade to help you with! But I WILL point it out to you and tell you that its just not on. Some people don't even realise they're doing it (you're welcome) and others know it has been a life long problem for them and are struggling t...o cope with their inner saboteur. I used to be like that but in high school (after a bout of severe bullying in grade 7) I made it my mission to increase my body armour to such an extent that no one could ever hurt me again and I did it by working on my self talk. I read a few books, the one that stands out most was "Your Erroneous Zones" by Dr Wayne Dyer but the most important thing I did was that once I recognised it, I worked every single second of every single day in changing the way I spoke to myself (and hence others). I became the protector of the weak (still am) and the first person I protected was ME. I changed every negative into a positive even if I didn't feel it at the time. I have two sayings, "fake it til you make it" and "where the thoughts go energy flows" so make them good thoughts!!! Even if you feel like a dick saying nice things to yourself or accepting people's compliments, oh how HARD that can be for some people, just do it. At some stage it will become easier and at a further stage it will become second nature. Now I am an awesome compliment receiver because I know I deserve them. I believe that if people are giving them, they genuinely mean them otherwise I'm caller them a liar right? And when I give a compliment it is from the full generosity and heartfelt belief in my soul. You know if I say something nice to you, its the real deal!! So my room is a no-negative-self-talk-zone. I should have Ali make up a sign for the door stating that but she's got enough to do training my boy at the moment! Happy to talk about WHY you do it to try and find a way out, but when you walk into my office its all about YOU and when you walk out I want you to take that feeling with you. There's enough people in the world who will be more than happy to put you down. You don't need to be one of them.

20.01.2022 I'm going down the "discomfort" path now. When I get on a new thing everything seems to be presented to me about that particular thing - call it the universe working its mystical magic or call it Facebook algorithms, who knows what forces are at play here. Anyway, discomfort. Getting out of your comfort zone, being comfortable with being uncomfortable, stretching your limits, trying new things, facing your pain or fear instead of trying to avoid or suppress it, taking on new...Continue reading

19.01.2022 HOURS SATURDAY 7th November Clinic open between 9am - 1pm for retail shop, food, household items, organic products, gut healing products, retail supplements cough/cold/hayfever herbals, teas etc. Infrared sauna: Several appointments between 9.30 and 12.00 available... Me (naturopath) - unavailable except by prior arrangement To make an appointment please call reception on 6355 6246, send us a message via this post or book online from any device using the blue "Book Now" button top right of page. Cheers and have a great weekend!

18.01.2022 This is the problem with this job, if you want to be legit you have to make sure what you're posting is the real deal, ie: not scare mongering or "fake news" or just plain incorrect. I was trying to find out how many toxic chemicals are now in our environment currently used in commerce and agriculture and the answers range from over 8000 to 84,000 so the truth is probably somewhere in between. All I know is that it is at least 8000 more than it would have been several centur...Continue reading

16.01.2022 My poor family. I do have a bit of a giggle to myself when I say to them "hey, have you guys ever heard of ...." then go on to explain to them some new and wacky thing I've just unearthed in my treasure trove of podcast trawling. I can just see the fear in the boys' eyes as they think "oh no, please don't tell me she's gonna make us do that!!!" So far its been herbals (they still hate them), all sorts of weird and wonderful powder concoctions, different types of cooking/mea...ls/styles of eating, shakti mats, yoga, stretches, how to use foam rollers, red light therapy, meditation apps, natural skin care routines (ever see a boy religiously put coconut oil on his face? Come to my place and you'll get two.....) and now its the Wim Hof method of breathing. I'll write more on this dude later, I'd like to say he's a freak of nature but all he self admittedly is is a bloke who has learned how to tap into the pure potential of the human body mainly using breathing techniques but he's a bit of a nutter for doing things in the freezing cold wearing nothing but his togs and a smile. Or is that a grimace? Probably a grimace actually. Poked and prodded by scientists all over the world to prove he's not a genetic freak, he's just a human who's managed to push himself out of his comfort zone to the extent that being out of his comfort zone actually IS his comfort zone now. Anyway in two days I have managed to hold my breath with no air in my lungs going from 1 minute 9 seconds yesterday to 1 minute 47 seconds today. AFTER exhaling your last drop of air. Apparently the average person can hold their breath for 30 - 60 seconds with a full lungful of air so that's interesting. He reckons the more times you do it the longer you can hold your breath because the more oxygenated your body has become. He's a freaking legend - looks like Catweazel, swears like a trooper and sticks the middle finger right up to societal and scientific constraints and old beliefs about the human body, mind and spirit. I'm doing more research on him, he's my kinda guy.

16.01.2022 If you wait til something is accepted by modern science and medicine, you'll be missing out on a WHOLE lotta goodies I gotta tell ya! Unfortunately science is a big cumbersome lumbering beast and it takes decades before enough "evidence" is accrued to be acceptable in medical practice and then decades more for it to dribble down to your local GP's office. I tell my oncologist all the time about stuff I've discovered and learned and you know what? He's all over it like a chea...p suit. He knows about it (kudos to him, a lot don't even bother with non medical science) so I ask "why don't you do this with your patients? its harmless, it won't hurt, why can't you do it??" And his heartbroken answer is always "there's not enough evidence for it!" Well there's enough that he and a whole lot of others have it on their radar and that any Tom Dick or Harry can research on the internet, but not enough to allow them to practice in mainstream medicine and it breaks my heart. I think the science is well and truly in that people who practice BOTH together - medical and complementary - are the ones who have the best outcomes, least side effects, least medications, least complications and who get better quicker but unfortunately, the wheels of science turn slowly so it will have to be YOU (or me ) who gives you that information and support. The biggest problem with medical science and complementary therapies such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, red light therapy, meditation, nutritional studies etc is that there is NO MONEY IN IT for the researchers. Unfortunately science, for the most part, is not there for the common good of the people, it is often there for the profiteering of big companies who can afford the expensive clinical trials. I hate even saying that because it makes me sound like a "Big Pharma" basher (I even hate that term because it puts you in the crazy bucket) but its true. Where there is great wealth there is great corruption and where there is a buck to be made, money will be invested. That's not just pharmaceutical products, that's in every industry in the world. There ain't no money to be made out of water fasting, nutritional science, herbal remedies or studying the power of the mind. But there is an ABUNDANCE of clinical evidence, pilot trials, animal studies (yuck, sorry ) and even instances of other countries taking on board these sorts of things as normal evidence based standard of care. If you wait til it hits your GP's desk or gets on Current Affair (you know you've made it as a treatment when you've hit that bastion of quality television journalism) then you'll have missed out on some of the greatest healing "things" known to man. Don't throw out ancient wisdom (and common sense) whilst waiting for modern science to "prove it".

15.01.2022 Oh my Lordy Lordy Lordy, just realised its almost half way through November!!! Including this week there's only 6 more weeks til we are closed for our Christmas break (so take this as gentle reminder number 1!) and then closing off what can only be described as probably one of the toughest years in our family's (and the world's) recent history. I am excited for the year to end (I need a break!) and I am excited for the new year to begin as I always am so lets bring this baby... to a close with a bang. If this year was the year you were "going to get healthy" or make that booking and you haven't yet, you've still got time. Lots of it. Don't wait for an arbitrary line in the sand to start changing your life, the absolute best time to do that is NOW. If you wanted to buy loved ones a naturopathic consult voucher for Christmas you are able to do that, just contact the lovely Ali at reception but make sure they want it first! There'd be nothing worse than giving them the "gift of health", especially if it means they are going to have to make some changes themselves, if they are not ready or worse, they don't actually believe they need it. Totes awkies. Anyway, got 'em here if you need 'em. Other than that I am feeling extremely positive at the moment. Looking forward to bringing another busy and complicated year to a close, desperately looking forward to catching up with loved ones in Tassie on our break and totally 1 million per cent looking forward to a raging red hot year of health and happiness, for myself, my family, my clients and all of you in 2021. Hey, I know its only November but I like to get in early. Never been one to follow the rules.

14.01.2022 Things that make you go hmm (sung to the tune of "Things that Make You Go Hmmm") Prolia which is a drug used to help prevent bone loss and treat osteoporosis has a common side effect of reducing calcium in the blood and a serious side effect of increased risk of femur and multiple spine fractures, and decreased bone production. I mean, what's with that??? These people seriously need a new PR team!!! Saxenda, a weight loss drug has a serious side effect of possible thyroid t...Continue reading

13.01.2022 Yesterday's post seemed to gain a bit of traction and I wonder if its because deep down, discerning people have often wondered about the "inconsistencies" between the way naturopathic and allopathic medicine are portrayed. We're often portrayed not even as the poorer cousin of Western medicine, even that would be a compliment, but as a bunch of ill informed and sometimes dangerous quacks and it just simply couldn't be further from the truth. I can't tell you the amount of tim...Continue reading

09.01.2022 "At least I'm not as bad as so and so!" I hear it a lot. People justifying their poor behaviour or choices by comparing themselves to someone who is worse. I've never known such idiocy. Why would you want to compare who you are and what you do to someone who is WORSE than you? Are you setting the bar that low that you can crawl over it? "At least I don't drink as much as so and so." "At least I'm not as fat as so and so." "At least I'm not as mean as so and so". Well c...ongratulations, you're not as boozy, fat and mean as so and so!!! Its 1 million per cent irrelevant what anyone else is doing in their lives and to their bodies. The only person you have to be accountable to is you. Does so and so have your genetic make up? Your spouse? Your kids? Your hormonal issues? Your stresses? Your dreams and your goals? I dare say not. Comparing yourself to someone who is worse off than you to make yourself feel better is both disrespectful to that person and to yourself. Its not an excuse to not do better because someone else is doing worse. In fact, why are you even looking at them? Look in the mirror baby, that is the ONLY person you should be looking at. But if you can't help yourself and you love to play the compare game then do yourself a favour and look at someone who is doing better than you. Someone you can look up to, to aspire to, to follow in their footsteps should you need that kind of motivation, but not to feel badly about because you are not as good or successful as you perceive them to be. That's a mug's game too. We are a society of chronic comparers with YouTube and Instagram perfection staring back at us every second of every day, no wonder everyone is feeling insecure. Turn the bloody things off. Unfollow the perfection hunters and show offs and blowhards and find some realness in your life. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is yourself yesterday. Can you do better today? Do you want to?

08.01.2022 Oops, forgot to put my weekly reminder up! Including next week there are only 3 working weeks left in our year, we close up shop for about 2 weeks from the 21st December. Now is the time to check your supplements or if you need a final kick up the pants (sorry, I mean supportive naturopathic follow up ) to get you through Chrissy again, now is the time. Don't forget Ali can post your supps if you need them, pretty much next day delivery in local metro areas so you don't ha...ve to pick them up. Bookings can be made online or by calling the lovely Ali on 6355 6246. Have a fabulous week and enjoy that gorgeous sun!

07.01.2022 Haha! I've just read a Facebook tip that says "short visual posts aimed at the right audience are the most successful." Seems I missed the memo!

07.01.2022 I take a long time to turn. What does that mean you ask? It means I am not easily swayed by shiny new baubles that get thrown up every year (in fact nearly every week now) on the health circuit. I'm not easily swayed by new dietary fads or trends, I'm not easily swayed by new exercise fads or body "hacks", I'm not easily swayed by new supplements or programs or anything that promises you anything and I'm DEFINTELY not swayed by anything with the word "celebrity" attached to...Continue reading

06.01.2022 Veggies for the barbie tonight - capsicum, cherry tomatoes and rosemary, garlic and parsley mushies and bok choy and asparagus in lemon/parsley dressing. Never tried bok choy on the barbecue before but can’t see why it wouldn’t be as beautiful as any other barbecued veg. And how good do those greens look eh? Can feel the goodness bursting out of them. Thanks Swan Valley Sisters, it was lovely seeing you again!

05.01.2022 There are a few things I never give advice on without actually seeing a person as a client - mental health issues, weight loss, hormonal issues, sleep disorders, adrenal/stress issues and pretty much anything to do with kids. There are of course others but these are the top few that people come in to see Ali for to ask for "something to help with" all the time. The causes and complexities of all of these issues are so wide and varied it is unethical of me to prescribe someth...Continue reading

04.01.2022 Ever heard of bracket creep? Its a fiscal term that basically means your wages sneak up (usually by inflation but it could be a pay rise) so you end up paying more taxes for little to no monetary advantage. Well what I see all the time is health creep. In so many ways! We have stress creep where we keep on taking more and more without realising it. Just little things - another kid event, a little extra at work, offering to help a friend in need, taking more responsibility ...in your kids' sporting team (), a family member gets sick and you siphon your time off looking after them - usually things that just sneak into your life without you realising or having control over til you look back and think "Bloody hell, when did I get so BUSY again???" We have food creep. We start out eating well and mostly enjoying it. Then we get bored or miss our prep day or someone invites us out for drinks or Christmas arrives and before we know it we're eating crap and drinking a bucket load of grog or sugar or caffeine and wondering why we feel like we're drowning in quicksand. Stress creep tends to lead to food creep too by the way. Then we have exercise creep. I think everyone recognises this one but it works in the negative, we start out being really good and then life gets in the way and we end up couch potatoing again because we are too tired, busy and stressed to exercise! There is gaslight creep, emotional blackmail creep, bullying creep (these people really ARE creeps ) when a significant other systematically chips away at your self esteem at such a glacial pace you don't realise its happening til you're an emotional, insecure crying puddle on the floor and the way back or out seems impossible. Financial creep - as mentioned above but also when we don't budget and start spending just a bit more here and a bit more there and all of a sudden we have whittled away our savings and the kids need braces. Um, queue stress creep, food creep, exercise creep and any other creep you can think of! The creeps are everywhere!! So the best way to deal with health creep is to do regular life stocktakes. Sit down and logically look at all that you do, what you've taken on, what you can jettison and make clear cut definite decisions about what you're willing to take on, what you can physically, mentally, financially and emotionally handle, and what you can't. I know that sounds like a lot but just Marie Kondo it, do one mental room at a time, tidy that one and then move on to the next. I suggest starting with the creep that's causing you the most concern then you can deal with all of the other little creeps in turn!

03.01.2022 I love it that people get excited about me getting excited about them getting excited about their health. It's exciting.

03.01.2022 If you pop in this week and see an extremely handsome lad sitting next to Ali don't worry, it's only my son on work experience. I'm sure you'll make him welcome and and let him see just why I love my job so much.

02.01.2022 Unfortunately by the time people come to see me they are at breaking point and I always implore people to come BEFORE that happens as its a lot easier to prevent breakdown than heal from it. Signs that you may be heading into full physical or mental breakdown: Suicidal thoughts... Extreme anxiety or depression to the point it ends in panic attacks or inability to do normal daily tasks. Often ends in hospital visits because you think you've had a heart attack but all tests and scans show otherwise Avoiding those you love and who love you Lack of joy in anything Increasing and worsening gut issues and multiple food intolerances/sensitivities Extreme emotional swings that are uncontrolled That sort of "out of body" feeling when you are angry or crying and you know you shouldn't be but you just can't stop it Severe sleep disturbances. Going to bed exhausted, waking exhausted, going through the day exhausted Increasing joint or muscular aches and pains for no good reason (ie: injury or exercise) Extreme loss of self confidence or motivation Sleeping many hours of the day and not feeling refreshed Chronic skin breakouts and immune deficiency Constant jittery irritability and feeling like you're "switched on" all the time. Loss of sex drive Hair falling out in clumps Body temperature going from one extreme to another - shivering or cold extremities to hot flushes and uncontrolled sweating Vision issues not related to eyesight (blurriness, floaters etc not fixed by glasses or contacts) Complete brain fog, inability to concentrate for more than a few minutes and lack of focus Paranoia Extreme changes in menstrual cycle that leads to time off work or severe anxiety/depression Shaky or wobbly legs for no reason Migraines where you never had them before Severe lack of appetite - inability to eat or lack of desire to eat These are but a few of the symptoms of many people I have seen over the years who have "left it too late". Once you get to this stage it is very difficult to pull you back although of course it can be done. One or two of these things might not be a concern (clearly apart from the suicidal thoughts etc, that one's a dead giveaway and needs immediate medical attention) however when you can tick off a few of these babies right here and now, the time is 2 years ago when you should book in to see me before the rest can take hold! Seriously though, you need to see a doctor AND a naturopath when you are in this state because it is far beyond a quick fix or anything that medication alone can help with. I know it because I see it all the time.

01.01.2022 A lot of you seemed really interested in the Wim Hof post I wrote the other day (the "Ice Man") so I thought I'd give you a little update. You know I love my stats right so I've been taking notes. I have been doing the breathing technique for a week today where basically you hyperventilate for 30-40 breaths (sounds worse and more dangerous than it actually is!) and then fully exhale on the last breath and hold your breath for as long as you can. Or technically you're not ...holding your breath coz you ain't got none in you but you're not breathing on empty lungs for as long as you can. I went from day one first trial at 1.09 no breathing, 1.22 after the second round to today where my first hold was 1.33 and my last hold was over 3 minutes. With no air in my lungs. Pretty massive leap in figures I'd have to say and I'm impressed with myself! The second part of his "thing" is cold showers or cold immersion. Now anyone who knows me knows how much I HATE the cold (and still do!) but I have managed to get a cold shower from 10 seconds (literally this was all I could stand) to now comfortably standing under there for two minutes. A monumental effort for someone like me who is a sauna girl through and through. Oh I do the cold showers now after the sauna too for another free high. So, what's the point of all this you may ask? For me, pretty much everything I do now is with an eye to cancer prevention and cure so that's the point for me. Wim and his methods have been brutally scientifically ripped bare and he's come out on top every time, proving what we've known all along, that the human body and mind can achieve far greater things than we had ever given it credit for. The main reason I'm doing it is to oxygenate my blood, improve immunity, improve my breathwork and focus, improve my adrenal/cortisol response and there's even evidence that it can help with hypothyroidism and I've had a dodgy thyroid for years which is probably why I hate the cold so much! Also, really, I'm doing it to prove I can. I think when you've felt so helpless and out of control for a period of time you crave that sense of control over your life, your mind and your health. This is giving me that at the moment as it’s a powerful motivational tool when you can literally see your body getting better and your mind getting stronger. How long will I do this for? Probably the cold showers for life, the breathing for as long as I can or am feeling the love for it and the research on the benefits forever. As I do for everything else!