Natalie K. Douglas | Medical service

Natalie K. Douglas

Phone: +61 2 8055 3727

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23.01.2022 5 quick fixes for period pain I will preface this by saying that your best bet is definitely getting to the root cause of your period pain. However there are some extra herbs and nutrients that can help short term. The doses will depend on you as an individual so definitely discuss this with your practitioner to get the right dose for you: Magnesium - orally and topically... Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) Curcumin Ginger Cramp bark Is there anything you've found to be really helpful for your period pain? See more

22.01.2022 Come join us! I'm SO excited to share that we are looking for another amazing practitioner to join our team. SO scroll through the pics and if it sounds like you then head on over to the link in my bio and apply. ... I can't wait to meet you! And of course, please feel free to tag/share with your friends who might be interested. Happy Monday friends x See more

22.01.2022 Checking your breasts + why you should even when you are "healthy" When we lost beautiful Kate (@theholisticnutritionist ) to Breast Cancer earlier this year I felt many many things (as you do with grief), and one of them was utter disbelief, which I know I am not alone in feeling. I had many of you in our community message me or comment saying "how can someone so healthy and who is doing all of the right things have that happen?"... I don't have the answer. However, I know that if Kate were here with me she'd be telling you all to check your boobs regularly and to not make assumptions. She'd tell you not to let a niggle slide and to always get a second opinion when your gut is telling you to do so. She wouldn't want you to be scared, but empowered and proactive. And she'd also invite one her favourite functional doctors onto the podcast and ask her all of the questions to help raise awareness around this issue. So today I invite you to listen to this very special + important episode of The Holistic Nutritionists Podcast where I get the lowdown from beautiful Dr. Tracy Chandler (@drwellness_ )who beyond being an incredible doctor, was also a very special part of Kate's support team in many ways during her journey. She has so kindly shared with us how to be diligent in checking our breasts for any red flags in a way that is empowering + has answered so many of the questions I had about Breast checks which I know will help you too. Please tag + share with your friends far and wide because if this episode prevents just one human from going through the pain of losing someone far too soon then what a special gift that is. See more

20.01.2022 Constipated every month after you ovulate? Here is what you can do Firstly, if you missed yesterdays post, jump back over to understand why this happens. My top tips for mitigating this are: ... Take magnesium about 300-600mg daily Trial some PHGG (see my post a few days ago on what this is and how to use it) Up your fibre AND water (e.g. try having some chia seed puddings for breaky, extra herbal teas, and perhaps add some cooked and cooled sweet potato or potato to your lunch/dinner for the resistant starch content) Keep up your movement Do some yoga poses involving twists Do you have any strategies that work for you when feeling more backed up? See more

19.01.2022 Are you pooing incorrectly? I have to giggle a little to myself that I even think this is worthy of a post when having a bowel motion is so natural but alas friends, it's time to learn to poo 101 because I think that doing so can actually make a pretty big difference. Here are 4 simple tips to have better bowel motions:... Don't hold it in. When you get the urge to go, go! (I mean, within reason...) Prop your feet up on a stool so that your knees are higher than your hips. This gets your body in the correct position for a smooth exit. Honestly, sometimes this recommendation alone has had clients raving about their well formed, deep "plonk", satisfying poos. Check out @theproppr if you're after a great footstool Don't strain. If you see your neck veins popping you've definitely gone to far. Calm your farm, relax your sphincter and let it come Make TIME to poo. I know the Mums are like "yeah, right, have we met!?" but this is so important, even if you're being watched by a toddler Happy pooing! p.s. Christmas is coming so perhaps you want to gift someone a footstool See more

18.01.2022 Sundays are for nature, good food and good company

17.01.2022 Is low stomach acid causing your digestive issues? (part 1) Stomach acid or hydrochloric acid (HCl) is needed for us to breakdown our foods, especially proteins and without enough of it you won't be getting the nutrients you need. As they say "you aren't what you eat, you're what you digest"... Here are 5 common signs of low stomach acid: Visible food bits in your stool Difficulty digesting animal protein or generally feeling a sense of fullness after eating Heartburn Gas, belching or bloating after meals Deficiencies in B12 and iron despite eating adequate amounts Do you tick these boxes? See more

16.01.2022 3 Supplements To Ease Constipation There is no replacement for getting to the root cause of digestive issues and eating a gut friendly anti-inflammatory diet but if you're struggling to get your daily bowel motion looking and feeling good then here are three supplements to consider: Partially Hydrolysed Guar Gum (PHGG), this is a prebiotic that can help ease constipation and also has some antimicrobial actions. I find it's generally well tolerated but you... may need to start low (1/4 tsp) and increase slowly up to 1-2 tsp. to avoid any transient increases in gas Magnesium! - this one helps by pulling water into your gut to help passing a bowel motion easier Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 - this is a specific strain of probiotic that I find works really well in constipated clients and has some good clinical research to back it Have you used any of the above with success? or has something else helped you? See more

15.01.2022 Does getting my period mean I ovulated? Nope, it doesn't, and it's important to remember that OVULATION is the MAIN EVENT of your cycle, NOT your period (though both are important). Here's the thing - you can get your period WITHOUT releasing an egg (ovulation). This kind of cycle is called an anovulatory cycle.... How do you know if you've ovulated or not? Well there are lots of ways/hints. For example: Track your basal body temperature and look for a temperature shift that is sustained Measure your progesterone in the second half of your cycle, ideally about 5-7 days after you THINK you've ovulated, or 5-7 days before you expect to get your period (if you have regular cycles) Tune into changes in libido and mucus (increases in both, and in particular watery or egg white mucus can be signs of ovulation pending, though even this does not guarantee you have ovulated). The rise in mucus is more reflective of a rise in Estrogen and not necessarily a guarantee of ovulation Look out for signs mid cycle like little twinges/sensations in one side of your pelvic area Are you tuned into when you ovulate? See more

14.01.2022 Constipation - it's perhaps not what you think + the most common causes... First up lets just get on the same page with what constipation IS because I find that there is a large difference in perception around what constitutes being constipated. (Why yes, this is a daily conversation in why world...)... SO for the context of this post constipation is any or the following: Having less than 1 complete bowel movement a day Having incomplete evacuations. You'll know if it's happening, it feels like you've done a poop but there is more in the tank but you just can't get the sucker out Needing to strain to pass a bowel motion. NB: this includes toilet acrobatics and bum dances while on the loo Having bowel motions that are not well formed. Note: you can have LOOSE stools or even squirter stools and STILL be constipated. Often what is happening is there is bowel impacted and your poop bursts (technical term, of course) are just coming out "around" it and not necessarily clearing the back-up The top 3 causes I personally see in clinic are: An underactive thyroid Undiagnosed SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), or often it's MISDIAGNOSED as "IBS" Dehydration (yep, surprisingly very very common). Hydrate friends, hydrate... If this resonates, it's time to do something about it. I'd say tag a friend but I am not sure how much engagement I'll get, so maybe tag a friend who might be "asking for a friend" See more

13.01.2022 Friday celebrations! Today I’m celebrating an epic week of client wins: A period returning... Energy increases allowing more space to play with kids and catch up with friends without watching the clock Uncovering a 10+ year gut issue which is now on the mend PMS and painful periods going from 9/10 to I didn’t even know it was coming A beautiful client with a history of miscarriage entering trimester 3 The beautiful women in this round Thyroid Rescue practising consistency over perfection and empowering/supporting each other What are you celebrating this week? See more

11.01.2022 What are you grateful for today? Me first - The feeling of invigoration after diving under the water SUNSHINE - it's such a mood booster for me... Breath - knowing it's always there for me to tap into and use as a tool to reset my nervous system Your turn... my fave beach in AUS See more

11.01.2022 Hormones + Your Bowels - Here is what you need to know... Most women I speak to intuitively know that at certain points in their cycle their bowels feel different. Does that feel true for you? Well there is certainly a reason for this and I love explaining the connection because I feel as females the more we understand + work with our body, the more room there is for compassion + feeling at home there. It no longer becomes a mystery, yet something you can ...embrace (I hope!) So let's talk about the two most common points in your cycle where you may notice some shifts: After Ovulation - around this time we see a rise in progesterone which has a "slowing" influence on your system because its a muscle relaxant. Enter feeling more constipated The first couple of days of your cycle - progesterone drops dramatically and there is also an influx of prostaglandins (pro inflammatory substances). These both constrict blood vessels AND cause the muscles in your uterus to contract. Because your bowel and your uterus are neighbours, there is often a flow on effect. Enter period poops I will share some tips in the next post about what you can do to help mitigate the constipation that can happen in your luteal phase post ovulation. Does this resonate with you? Pop a below if you love learning more about your body and how it works See more

10.01.2022 Is low stomach acid causing your digestive issues? (part 2) See yesterdays post for what the common signs of low stomach acid are and why we need it. Today I want to share some of the most common reasons WHY stomach acid can be low:... Having an underactive thyroid Using PPIs Stress Chronic H.Pylori Infection Pernicious anemia Age Chronic low calorie intake It's super important that you address these because chronic low stomach acid opens you up to an increase chance of having parasites, bacterial overgrowth, fungal infections and nutrient deficiencies. Work with a practitioner that can help you get to the bottom of it because going down the path of bandaid solutions for some of the common symptoms of low stomach acid e.g.heartburn, can end up creating more harm than good. See more

09.01.2022 Should I be taking a probiotic all of the time to optimise my gut health? It's a common question flying across my radar weekly both from clients + from those of you here. My opinion is - no. Allow me to explain...... I see probiotics as a therpautive intervention that we use for a purpose when trying to correct an imbalance or treat something specific. That imbalance/issue could be in the gut itself, or it could be for another reason like skin support, vaginal microbiome health, mental health, or for immune support (to name a few). Probiotics are somewhat transient. What we need to actually do to allow the beneficial bacteria to continue to hang around/grow, diversify and keep doing there thing is to FEED THEM. We feed them by consuming prebiotic rich foods such as all different kinds of fruits/veggies "eat the rainbow" is a good guide, legumes/lentils if tolerated, properly prepared grains if tolerated, nuts and seeds. So if you're taking a probiotic just for maintenance, I'd perhaps save your money and look more at prebiotic rich foods or supplements as this will give you more bang for your buck because it will be feeding and promoting the growth of MANY beneficial bacteria instead of ingesting only one. See more

08.01.2022 Do you emotionally eat? I feel like it's taken me the better part of a decade to really get on top of this for myself and I'd say at least 90% of women I work with can relate in some way. We often turn to food when we are feeling something that we want to avoid or when we are disconnected.... Disconnection from ourselves, others, or our environment often happens when a trigger arises (something unpleasant, or that we don’t like feeling/experiencing), and we want to avoid it so we eat as a way of distracting ourselves from our emotional state (enter: the pleasure of eating). This is not a coincidence - unconsciously we associate eating with nurturing, love, attachment, security, nourishment and connection. Emotional eating has little to do with willpower, and much more to do with the above. Which means, it isn’t a matter of just being stronger, better, more disciplined. It’s about understanding yourself, acknowledging your needs, and learning how to meet them. The way I've approached tackling emotional eating for myself is both through practical "quick fix or short term solutions (more on that later) as well as (most importantly) working on self awareness + meeting my own needs. With the latter being something that I've had a lot of help unravelling. For me - putting in the work to really get to the root of these kinds of patterns has been an absolute game changer. It's been energy giving because relying on willpower and shaming myself constantly when things didn't go right was bloody EXHAUSTING. If this resonates with you then this is my invitation to let go of any self limiting labels or boxes you've put yourself in when it comes to "self control" around food, and actually do the deeper work. It won't just change your relationship with food - it will change your relationship with everything. See more

04.01.2022 Your kids won't poop, now what? Although that may have come in handy during the toilet paper shortage of 2020, not having regular bowel motions generally = grumpy + unhealthy kids. Just think of how irritable and ick you feel when you don’t poo regularly...same goes for your little humans. On this weeks podcast I chat to one of my favourite humans EVER + a kids digestion specialist @sonya_reynolds_nutriton... We chat all things kids digestion and in particular constipation including: What IS constipation in kids + how to recognise it Common causes of constipation in kids Dietary strategies to combat constipation Kid friendly supplements for better bowel motions What tests are available and helpful in identifying the cause of constipation Food intolerances, parasites, overgrowths and so much more If you have a kid, know a kid, know someone who knows or has a kid then I highly recommend following this incredible human and giving this episode a listen. Tag your Mum pals and let's get our kids pooping like a boss (if that’s a thing ) See more

04.01.2022 If you're not sprinkling your salad into your bowl at unnecessary heights, are you really even that dedicated to the process? MEAL PREP TIPS - Part 2 below... Continuing on from yesterdays meal preppin' like a boss 101. I am going to share my final 5 tips with you but please make sure you go back and read yesterdays post for the whole shebang:... Learn to multitask in the kitchen. It is absolutely possible to chop something while baking something else etc. If you have to use alarms to avoid unintentionally opening your open charcoal kitchen shop then go for it Get yourself a food processor. This has changed how I feel about grated vegetables. No more psyching myself up for the forearm burn of grating a carrot. Surely I'm not alone? Make a few dressing to keep things interesting. Some of my faves are tahini/lemon, olive oil/lemon, or hemp seed pesto. Google recipes for these, you'll find a bunch, promise. Hint: @liv.kaplan recipes frequents in my recommendations to clients Change your language around food prep. Instead of "Sorry Karen, I CAN'T come and have fun I HAVE to #mealprep *roles eyes*". Turn it into "Kazza, babe, that's my meal prep time which is a nonnegotiable that I CHOOSE so I can nourish my body like a boss all week". Although Karen probably does not want your life story. You get the point. Practise gratitude! The food you are preparing and consuming is literally giving you LIFE. What a blessing to have access to something so powerful. Do you have any to add? Pop them below See more

03.01.2022 Sick of emotionally eating? Last week I spoke about emotional eating + I mentioned that there are TWO big things I do/recommend The first + most important is addressing the deeper why. It's the "long game" work that is truly the path to liberation. However, it is not an overnight turnaround in my experience + there are many things we can do to help make life easier for ourselves along the way.... Here are my top tips to help reduce emotional eating while you do the underlying work: Don't buy your trigger foods when you're feeling anxious or stressed Save the above foods for social situations or when you're going out of the house Don't go shopping when you're hungry, upset or overwhelmed. Try to ground yourself beforehand. If there are certain trigger foods in your fridge/pantry that other people in your house refuse to stop buying then try hiding them out of your direct line of sight or putting them in more difficult to reach places Change your language around food choices. The reality is you CAN eat whatever the F you want. However you make CHOICES whether to do so or not. This is SUPER key when you're following a therapeutic intervention or "diet" to help heal something in your body. Saying "I can't...I'm not allowed" feels so heavy and disempowering versus "I CHOOSE" If after dinner is a challenging time for you opt NOT to be the one to put the leftovers away. If that's not an option then brush your teeth before you go back to the kitchen to clean up. It can be really helpful to avoid post-meal picking If mid-afternoon or after dinner is a time where you often find yourself wanting a "treat" choose something that you know is still works for YOUR body. Enjoy it mindfully and continue doing the underlying work knowing you can revisit addressing this habit when you're ready to. Do you have any to add? See more

03.01.2022 Hand up if you look at your poo? You should, legit. Do you know how many nuggets of info are in there? Pun not intended... Here are 10 examples of what your poo could be telling you:... Shiny - you're not digesting your fats properly and you may need some digestive and/or liver/gallbladder support Floating - excess gas, malabsorption of your nutrients or difficulty digesting fats Fluffy or Mushy Piles - food intolerances and/or not absorbing your nutrients properly Food bits - you haven't chewed your food enough, low stomach acid, or needing some pancreatic/digestive support Pebbles - dehydration, lack of fibre, too much protein for your digestive capacity or imbalances in your gut flora Skinny ribbons - This can be a sign that there is something obstructing the bowel passage and could be anything from fecal impaction (shit stuck to the wall), tumours or polyps. Again, all of which should be investigated Pale poops - you're not digesting fats and need some liver/gallbladder support Mucous poops (sometimes they look cloudy) - Inflammation in the gut is usually the common culprit + you need to find out why Super duper dark - this could be from eating too many refined foods, it can also be a sign of gastrointestinal bleeding and/or parasites (all which should be investigated), or it may be due to some medications/supplements Watery - this can be due to infection or food intolerances Happy poo investigating friends, tag your friends and fam who love a good chat about bowel motions, we all have one right!? See more