Your Best Fit in Hervey Bay, Queensland | Alternative & holistic health service

Your Best Fit

Locality: Hervey Bay, Queensland

Phone: +61 7 4128 3000

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• Medical and health
• Alternative & holistic health service

25.01.2022 Un-busy-ness is almost an unachievable art form. It’s not easy to do ‘nothing’, in a world where we wear our busy-ness and our ability to consume like a badge of honour. We are constantly seeking more. We are constantly consuming more (mostly useless shit, devices and gadgets that are supposed to make our lives easier, to give us more time. Or the newest and best of everything, to confirm our sense of achievement or to reward ourselves for how hard we’ve worked.)... We create a sense of busy-ness, a sense of being time poor, so we can be seen to be achieving more, so ultimately we can have more.....but more of what? Is it quality time, is it feeling truly connected, is it unconditional love? We push our children to work harder, perform harder, get the best grades. Why? All so that they can attend the most prestigious schools, so that they can grow up seemingly successful, only to take on careers that mean they work long hours and end up feeling disconnected, depressed, or worse, suicidal. Why do we keep doing this? Pushing ourselves so hard I mean? It’s so that we can earn lots of money so that we can afford to consume even more of this already exhausted planet’s finite resources. It’s so that we can afford to spend more on leisure activities and therapy, ironically to help us learn how to unwind and cope with the stresses of being so time poor. Once our basic human survival needs are met, and I emphasise basic, everything else beyond that is a choice. (You might want to read that sentence again.) We choose to consume. We choose to push ourselves to burnout. We choose to disconnect on a deep level. We choose to be busy, beyond repair. So as I reflect on the true purpose of a weekend, I choose un-busy-ness, and I wear that like a badge of honour.

25.01.2022 Summer salads are my favourite part of holiday entertaining. Bright, fresh, vibrant and crunchy...... This is one of my favourite salads from my Nurture my Heart program, packed full of antioxidants, fibre and flavour.... Red cabbage, cucumber, snow peas, apple, mint, coriander with a lemon juice and olive oil dressing.

24.01.2022 2 kilos of cherry tomatoes from one plant..... and that’s just the beginning. Considering this was a plant that just popped up under the balcony, free food makes me very excited. Now I need help deciding what to do with them all?

23.01.2022 What is your favourite festive cocktail.....either alcoholic or non-alcoholic? Mine would have to include either some pomegranate or bilberry, lime or ruby grapefruit, and plenty of aromatics like mint.

23.01.2022 Our most frequently asked question is What is an apothecary? Imagine this...... A room filled with pure therapeutic ingredients that can be combined in such a...s way that you could have a uniquely formulated remedy for either internal or external application, to address just about any health concern. And all you need to do is ask, and you can trust that someone highly qualified and experienced is creating this remedy, just for you. Sounds good doesn’t it? Well it’s not too good to be true. It’s what we do! As a qualified health practitioner, I have access to the purest of raw ingredients, high quality therapeutic herbs, nutrients and more..... and the knowledge and experience to tailor make a powder, a tonic, an essence, a cream, a gel, an ointment or an oil, just for you. Over 350 different essential oils Over 200 different liquid herbal tinctures Over 120 different flower essences Over 60 different nutrient and supplement ingredients And a whole lot of other therapeutic base ingredients, oils, creams, dried herbs and more. Our apothecary and compounding services are already available to hundreds of our very happy clients, as well as other health care practitioners. But the exciting news is this service is about to become made available to everyone. This will allow compounding and dispensing to be accessible more readily, without waiting weeks for an appointment.....most remedies can be prepared within 24 hours or less. Please note, that while many of these products can be created without requiring a consultation or prescription, some items & prescription only ingredients may require a minimum acute assessment by a practitioner. Stay tuned for more exciting developments and expansion of these incredibly sought after services. If you have any questions you’d like to add to our FAQ posts, please let me know.

23.01.2022 I am so blessed to have so many wonderful kids to work with everyday..... they really can brighten the lowest of moods, especially when they come in so proud of sticking to their plans and seeing great improvements. Oh,and I really do love my own kids more than life itself. I can’t pick a favourite!

23.01.2022 Saturday night prawns and margaritas..... hard job, but someone has to do it! Smoked chipotle bbq’d prawns, mango, avocado and macadamia salad. The only dilemma was as the kids were making the salad they realised we didn’t have any lettuce or baby spinach in the fridge, so they had to go foraging. So the salad leaves were a chopped up combo of everything they could find growing on the balcony.... baby rocket, water cress, salad burnett, radish leaves, Lebanese cress, sorrel, ...kangkong and perilla leaves. So good!!!!!

22.01.2022 Does it get any more summer BBQ than the Aussie Greek salad?? ..... you know, the traditional Greek salad, but with all the extra things that you don’t normally find in a Greek salad. Aussies are really good at that kind of stuff. I usually take a salad to any BBQ I’m invited to, just in case they don’t have salad on offer. I’m back on meat protein (and thriving!!!) but I can’t go a meal without fresh, live (and usually homegrown) ingredients. What’s your go-to BBQ staple???

22.01.2022 Who doesn’t love a midweek BBQ??? Hmmmmm lemony potatoes make the kitchen smell like I know what I’m doing! But the green goddess salad takes centre stage, especially when it’s your kids favourite salad. The boys don’t know I call it a goddess salad, but that’s ok....don’t tell them!

22.01.2022 I might love a good gin, but I love my liver and everything it does for me so much more. So when we head into the festive season, I am always conscious of limiting my intake of alcohol to social occasions, keeping the number of drinks I enjoy to a minimum, only drinking good quality alcohol, avoiding pre-mixed drinks, and taking my twice daily liver antioxidant herbal tablet. Prevention is far easier and cheaper than trying to fix something once its already broken.... I do indeed have a favourite liver loving formula, and we are ordering plenty to get you through the festivities, possibly in better shape than what you started. With some of my favourite liver antioxidant herbs, and the essential ingredients to help detoxify oestrogen (always made worse with alcohol!!), this staple becomes a part of many clients regimes over the next month. Make sure you add this to your must ask Rita list before your next appointment

20.01.2022 I’m pretty sure there are at least a dozen claims to the most authentic souvlaki, but my kids only know mine..... And they love it! Midweek winning like it’s already Friday!!!! ... Lashings of hummus and tzatziki, handfuls of fresh mint and parsley, slices of cucumber and avocado (okay, that’s not traditional but it tastes good!), and deliciously tender lamb. I actually don’t even like lamb, but I’ll make an exception when it tasted like garlic, lemon and herbs. Oh, and don’t forget the because we like it spicy! What’s your family feasting favourite?

20.01.2022 Don’t forget to call Nick before the end of this week if you need to place an order for supplements to get you through the Christmas break.

19.01.2022 Success is not measured by social status, by income, by job title. Success is measured by your ability to get to eat your blueberries before the birds find them.

19.01.2022 Photos taken 18 hours apart..... after treatment with natural anti-inflammatory herbs, arnica, and my magic oil rub (as the kids call it). My little one said to me when he got his bandage unwrapped this afternoon Is there anything you cannot fix mumma? Let’s not try to find out, was the first thought that crossed my mind...... oh to survive being the mother of boys!

19.01.2022 Repeat after me......Let tiny drops of stillness fall gently through my day. (Then repeat it again, every single morning when you wake.) This beautiful phrase couldn’t have found a more significant place in my heart.... How do you feel when you say this phrase out loud? We could indeed learn a lot from the time honoured traditions and beliefs of our indigenous people who have inherited this land. The Ngangikurungkurr language uses a word, ‘dadirri’, which essentially means ‘inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness’. To listen, we first need to stop making noise. Everyone has this in them, they just haven’t necessarily found it yet. Whether you practice meditation, beach walking, star gazing, forest bathing, camping, ocean swimming or anything that returns you to a peaceful (and almost silent state in nature), you are allowing a deeper understanding and connection to the vital components of living (and healing). Children perform better academically and socially after spending as little as 15 minutes per day playing in nature. Adult students also perform better in exams after spending time gazing at green spaces. Cardiovascular health is significantly improved by as little as 30 minutes per week in nature. The science is in. Spending time in nature is better for our health. And we are seeking this out, in epidemic proportions. Why? Because we are in desperate need of quiet contemplation, of connection, and we are yearning for ‘dadirri’.

18.01.2022 The worst part of coming home from holidays is the empty fridge, but I’m always surprised at what can be put together without much effort (thank you veggie patch!). After the first day back at school the kids have come home super tired and hungry. After the first day back at work (and what a challenging and very long day that was!) we have come home exhausted. So anything more than 10 minutes in the kitchen wasn’t going to happen. Thank you to the almost 9 year old who rolled... up his sleeves and did all that chopping and mixing while I pan fried some prawns. Hello prawn tacos!

18.01.2022 This is a must read!

17.01.2022 Naturopaths, no matter how qualified or experienced they are, cannot claim they have a speciality or specialise in any particular area of health..... it’s against the law, as this is a term exclusively delegated to medical specialists. But..... we can certainly have areas that we focus all of our education on, conditions and concerns that we excel in helping clients with, and areas of therapeutic or professional interest...... And there is no secret what mine is..... ... As we head into the tail end of this year (*breathe a massive sigh of relief everyone*), our plans for 2021 will become more apparent. I’m confident these changes will prove incredibly beneficial to so many of my clients, and I know without a shred of doubt, that they will be incredibly beneficial for me (currently seeking a new level of professional satisfaction that comes with so many years of private practice). If there is one thing you can be completely confident in, you will not find a practitioner more passionate about creating hormonal harmony..... it’s my thing, even if it cannot be my speciality. What does creating hormonal harmony include? physical, mental and emotional support for your hormonal imbalances fertility & reproductive health for both men and women pregnancy, preconception care, and post natal care period problems peri-menopause, menopause and post menopause health thyroid issues breast health (including cancer support)

16.01.2022 It’s vanilla orchid pollinating time at my house, so over the next month, I have the daily task of hand pollinating these gorgeous flowers, one by one as they open. Given I have over a hundred buds, this could take a while. But it’s all worth it, when you have been able to produce your own organic vanilla pods! Did you know that vanilla offers more than a culinary delight?... It’s compounds have been extensively studied and shown to have both anti-tumour and anti-inflammatory properties. A recent study I was reading showed positive benefits against neuro-inflammation and neuro-degeneration, which could be preventative and therapeutically effective in diseases of the brain, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Another study looked at its very positive cardio-protective benefits as well. And you just thought it was good in ice cream! The miracles of nature and herbal medicine will never cease to amaze, so during this week of celebration for National Hebal Medicine Week, enjoy a little bit of vanilla, knowing it’s doing you good.

16.01.2022 To all of the amazing clients that helped today be so spectacular, thank you! (Actually, it’s been a pretty wonderful week.) I FRIDAYS!!! Ok weekend..... now you need to pull your weight and bring something fabulous to the table!

14.01.2022 How much do you prioritise sleep in your health conscious attempts to restore vitality? Are the extra hours of working harder or longer (at the expense of good sleep) worth it in the long run? Does stress keep you awake at night? Does a poor night of sleep leave you feeling less able to cope the next day?... Sleep is indeed crucial for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing..... and it is worth achieving good quality, non-drug-induced restorative sleep. I am currently working on the final touches of an Achieving Restorative Sleep program to support clients with all sorts of sleep issues..... and will be looking for volunteers in the near future to trial the program. [Details of eligibility criteria and how to put your name forward for consideration will be shared on this page once we are ready to start the trial,]

13.01.2022 I think it is high time the processed food manufacturing industry came up with a more honest and representative name for the so called plant based meat alternatives! There is no such thing as a plant based chicken, or a plant based beef. Quite simply, chicken is chicken. Beef is beef, and bacon is bacon. Plants are plants. Maybe the term meat alternative or meat substitute doesn’t sound as appealing or on trend. But stop calling something manufactured in a lab a plant ...based meat. And for goodness sake, stop marketing these products as health food. They are far from healthy. [On a side note, I pose the question as to whether the ingredients in these manufactured meats are even worthy of the claim of plant based ingredients?] When you combine genetically modified soy, defatted soy protein, genetically modified wheat protein, vegetable oil, titanium dioxide, dipotassium phosphate, maltodextrin, cultured dextrose, emulsifiers, preservatives, flavours, colours and about 16 other ingredients, you can end up with a substance that somewhat looks like an animal flesh once you cook it. But would you consider those ingredients plants? When I think of plants, I think of whole foods, vegetables, seeds, legumes, whole grains, nuts etc. When I think of plant-based meat alternatives, I think of a freshly made black bean and beetroot burger, or a chickpea and lentil burger. Not something with highly processed industrialised ingredients that not only lack nutritional value, but offer a whole lot of indigestible foreign fake foods into our system. That’s not nutrition! I don’t care whether you are a diehard carnivore or a hard core vegan, you are meant to eat real food. End of story.

13.01.2022 The making of a great hit of protein and iron for the kids. While they are on school holidays I make sure we use the time to boost their immune system, so that they go back to school fighting fit. [And it takes a lot of concerted effort on my behalf to get their iron levels into an optimal range, because no matter how well they eat, they both struggle with low iron.] Neither of them eat a lot of red meat, but a tasty Thai beef salad gives them around 30 grams of protein. For ...growing bodies, it’s easy to work out how much protein is needed on a daily basis. Simply multiply their weight (in kilograms) by 1.5. This number is the amount of pure protein required, in grams. So a 40kg growing boy needs 40 x 1.5 = 60 grams of protein. Here we have half their daily protein requirements in one delicious meal. My work here is done!

12.01.2022 As all good things come to an end, we can say with a great deal of confidence that our soul batterries have been recharged, our connection with Mother Earth has been strengthened, and for the the first time in as long as I can remember, I made a good dent in my holiday reading list, and still managed to get a tan. My cup is overflowing Who is not quite ready to head back to school or work tomorrow?

12.01.2022 I think the decision was made....... Oh the aromas coming from my kitchen right now! Balsamic vinegar, garlic infused olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and a generous sprinkling of thyme..... then patience.

11.01.2022 Breakfast for under 15 grams of carbohydrates is not always easy unless you love eggs, meat or protein shakes.....until now! This flavour packed triple mushroom and avocado toast comes in at just over 12 grams of carbs and is not only full of immune boosting nutrients, it provides a wonderful fibre hit to keep the good tummy bugs happy. One thing most low carb diets are missing is adequate fibre, especially when they are not appropriately planned out. Did you know that wit...hin 3 days of following a low fibre diet (a.k.a. the average keto diet), your microbiome shows significant detrimental changes? These changes can lead to increased cellular inflammation (something we measure with our in-clinic Quadscan testing), increased endotoxins, and inevitably, the dreaded weight loss plateau phase because the body cannot clear toxic waste appropriately. Did you know that most people can still maintain a consistent level of fat loss on a fibre filled keto program if they enjoy between 30-60 grams of low GI carbohydrates per day, which includes plenty of fresh vegetables? What’s your fave fibre filled feast?

11.01.2022 Love Mondays, especially when I have time to think about what I put in my belly, rather than storming through the day on autopilot. Experimenting with some low carb wraps to find one that actually does what it says it will do.... wrap, rather than crumble. To be totally satisfying, it needs to hold together nicely, even when overstuffed with freshness.... So far, so good!! And at under 10grams of carbohydrates, today’s lunch ticks all the right boxes.

10.01.2022 A lunchtime of learning requires an antioxidant rich bowl of brain food, especially when we are discussing complex mental health issues, such as addiction. A wonderful presentation today, looking at addiction behaviour from both a brain disease versus a process of deep learning point of view. All technical jargon aside, understanding the biochemistry, the neurobiology, the neurotransmitters, the mesolimbic pathways and the impact on the prefrontal cortex of the brain only g...ets us so far .... addiction still needs to be addressed wholistically, from a point of compassion and support. People don’t set out in life planning or anticipating becoming an addict. And I am not just referring to substance abuse, drugs or alcohol. It could be shopping, gaming, exercise, gambling, pharmaceuticals or other habitual and detrimental behaviours. Addiction takes many forms. Recovery requires more than will power. It requires a team. It can involve adequate social support networks, changes in environment, nutrition, medical and psychological interventions. Seeking help is not always easy. Often there is a sense of guilt or shame associated with addiction. I recall one of my first ever clients seeking help from me via a mutual friend for addction.... it was for me as a new practitioner a case of sink or swim. We were not really trained adequately to support addictions, even though we left college with adequate training in nutrient recovery and detoxifcaiton. But for this young man suffering a heroin addiction, I become an integral part of his recovery. He considered me a shining light, when others turned their backs, either through fear or ignorance. I still wonder to this day how hard it must have been for him to take that first step and ask for help. To those suffering, take strength in the thought that there are people in this world that want to help.

10.01.2022 Did you know that the prefrontal cortex (the front part of your brain) has actually only been developing in humans for a mere 40,000 years? We haven’t always had this part of the brain. So it is relatively new in evolutionary terms. And it’s still evolving and developing today. An adult’s ability to cope with stress is determined by the structure and development of the prefrontal cortex as a young child. So if this part of the brain doesn’t get to develop adequately, then an ...adult is more prone to stress, anxiety, depression and a lack of ability to adapt. The one thing that research consistently confirms is critical for prefrontal cortex development is utilising fine motor skills. So basically, play. Playing with small objects, Building blocks and creating, Craft (cutting and pasting) and most importantly, Holding a pencil and writing. And this means that children not offered those fundamental, yet basic opportunities are deprived the opportunity to have strong stress coping mechanisms later in life. How sad. And how sad that more and more of early education in this country is turning its back on those necessary learning and playing skills, and instead relying heavily on screens and tablets as learning tools. [Many teachers will confirm that the use of play based learning for the younger years is being pushed aside with increased expectations for students to perform and be assessed.] I said it last week, and I’ll say it again, bring back the pen and paper!!!! This poor stress coping mechanism as an adult is further compounded by early childhood trauma, and increases the risk of not just mental health disorders, but genuine addiction behaviours. Studies also confirm an already high rate of anxiety and depression in the 3-14 year age group, which is increasing at an alarming rate. These tendencies towards addiction behaviours have already formed by excessive screen time in children under 14 years. What might start off as seemingly harmless screen time addiction fuels and develops the addiction centre in the brain, which hardwires children to grow up with further and potentially more harmful addiction.... alcohol, drugs, sexual, violence etc. Having recently learnt about some eye opening research into this field by highly experienced neuroscientist, Professor Selena Bartlett, she also delved into the possible recommendations and treatment strategies. However, the one thing that will forever be critical for proper prefrontal cortex development in children is play, holding and learning to write with pencils, not swiping a screen. Professor Bartlett says Brain health starts with the little things! BRING BACK THE PENS & PAPER!

09.01.2022 Why fix it if it isn’t broken? This is the question posed by so many friends and industry colleagues as they get wind of what I’m doing. I can pose a few questions of my own....Continue reading

08.01.2022 It’s very hard to feel even an inkling of Mondayitis when you’re day starts with this much sunshine and goodness. Oven-dried cherry tomatoes, avocado and a generous drizzle of lemon-infused olive oil.

08.01.2022 Just sampling a delish tomato relish that a beautiful client made for us. Feeling spoilt

08.01.2022 School holidays..... you either love them or hate them! I love them, and not just because I don’t have to think about school lunches, but because I get to see more of my favourite humans. I snapped this shot today, after they had been busy unpacking orders, and remembered a photo I’d taken not long after opening the clinic, of the boys in a similar place. It’s hard to comprehend they’ve been coming to work to be my little helpers for over 5 years!?!? Well not so little anymo...re, and they ask to be paid at a higher rate of course! So when people ask if they are having fun over the holidays, it’s not really fun, it’s just what we do. We work as a team. They love having responsibilities. And they love giving me a hug in between appointments, just because they can (don’t let them know I told you so!)..... We will be taking next Friday off, as a family, so that we can enjoy a long weekend together before school goes back. But for now, it’s back to work! The clinic will be open next week (Monday-Thursday) between 8:30am - 4:30pm if you need to collect any supplies. Appointments are fully booked, but if you need any emergency treatment simply give us a call.

07.01.2022 Who else freezes their surplus chillies whole???? This is one of my favourite way to preserve chillies, especially these fleshy Brazilian chillies. Then when I need a pop of flavour, I either grate or slice it straight from the freezer. The perfect addition to my chargrilled chipotle corn salsa, my famous guacamole and of course, the accompanying grilled barramundi for our family taco feast tonight. Getting prepped early, so I just need to show up, put the food on the tabl...e, then mix myself a margarita. Who’s hungry??????

07.01.2022 When your 8 year old whips you up a Sunday breakfast and it tastes like you’ve made it yourself, you know you’ve smashed out parenting 101! It even came with an iced espresso (because I know you’ve stopped drinking hot coffee Mum. ) This was a thank you for fixing the knee.

06.01.2022 Bring on 2021!!!!!

05.01.2022 How often do we see a blog or a post with the warning Vegans may prefer to look away now! when the message is about non-vegan-friendly issues? Well I urge you to not look away, not overt your eyes, not scroll past. I urge you to read this. And not just my avid vegan friends. Anyone that identifies strongly with their own food philosophy, and perhaps even more so, those that don’t even have a so called food philosophy, but are quick to judge other people’s choices. So the s...Continue reading

04.01.2022 Whether it’s stress, anxiety, overwhelm or just flat out exhausted, we live in a society that wears it’s busy-ness as a badge of honour. If you’re not up to your eyeballs in overcommitted, then you must be lazy or have no goals and direction. You must be lacking? We over schedule our social lives, our work lives, our family time. Then we get busy over scheduling our children’s lives, because they need to be the best, do the most and if they don’t their future prospects are in... jeopardy. We work so hard so that we can afford to do the things we don’t have time to do. How crazy have we let this get?!?!?!??! I don’t know what your plans for 2021 are, but mine will include NOT wearing the busy-ness badge of honour, not feeling compelled to get through every day exhausted, and do less. Gee, that makes for a fantastic New Year Resolution doesn’t it? I’m going to do as little as possible beyond what is necessary for survival, or better still, THRIVAL (it’s a word I must made up)!

02.01.2022 While on holidays we always do a mix of good nutritious foods and some less than ideal foods, or sometimes foods as my kids call it.... because life is about relaxation, connection, laughter and creating memories, not rigid diets. So a typical pre-surf breakfast looks a little like fruit, yoghurt and a green juice. Then as you all know, a swim makes kids hungry (especially the big kid!) so they are looking for brunch within a few hours. And this looks a little more like veggie fritters, pancakes or something hearty. Balance!

01.01.2022 The anticipation for this conference has been bubbling away inside me all year, so when a pandemic almost cancelled it, I wasn’t sure I was going to get through mentally or emotionally. But now, I get to plug in, put my headphones on, and get my highlighters primed for 2 big days of Woman’s Health education by the best in the business. My conference pack arrived a few days ago, and packed safely away inside was more than notes and extra reading.... it came with snacks, herbal... tea, peppermint oil for alertness, vitamin tablets and and nutrient powders. Now what other conference in any industry provides so much personal care? How wonderful! What ever you are doing this glorious weekend, enjoy it. Because I have no doubt I will be. Who wants to guess which is my most anticipated speaker this weekend??? (Those who know me well won’t struggle to guess this one ).

01.01.2022 There is no greater nutritional demands on a woman than during pregnancy. This statistic sounds shocking, almost unbelievable, but masses of nutrients, not just calcium, are lost during pregnancy.... lost probably isn’t the right word. Donated to the amazing process of developing a completely new human, is more appropriate. If she has only one pregnancy, supplements appropriately, and nourishes herself adequately throughout & after the birth, she has the chance to recover... these tremendous losses. But this recovery takes time. If she chooses to fall pregnant again within 2 years (after already birthIng a child), or she doesn’t focus her best efforts on adequate nutrition during and after birth, then she risks not recovering from these losses. And again, I’m not only referring to calcium here, but iron, zinc, essential fatty acids, and so much more, A nutritionally depleted mum is often exhausted, may not be able to breastfeed well, may not sleep well, may suffer post natal depression, may get sick too often, may have heavier menstrual periods once they return, may feel like she has nothing more to give. This often leads to feelings of inadequacy or an inability to cope with day-to-day demands. This is often the mum that seeks my help, claiming they are broken. This is referred to as post natal depletion syndrome, and it’s a very real and very common senario. A nutritionally depleted mum, more often than not, leads to nutritionally depleted children. Did you know that almost all of the diagnosable symptoms of ADHD are identical to the symptoms of low iron in a child? And that’s iron, but what about calcium, magnesium, zinc, essential fatty acids? This could result in failure to thrive, or less obvious symptoms such as poor teeth quality, brittle bones, poor concentration and lower learning ability, poor sleep, allergies, aches and pains, lowered immune system, increased risk of auto immune conditions, trouble with digestion or reflux, increased risk of diabetes and obesity later on down the track....and the list goes on. This isn’t a guilt trip..... this is a let’s work together to replete a depleted mum (and infant if necessary)..... so that she can continue to achieve the unachievable, to nurture herself and her children, to radiate happiness and vitality. To give her the best chance of recovery after such a life altering event, known as pregnancy. X Rita

01.01.2022 If there was an official year for education then 2020 would be my year. I cannot even list the number of conferences, symposiums, and clinical education events I’ve been a part of since March, and it’s not even close to finished for the year (the climax for me is definitely getting closer, with a 2 day Women’s health symposium towards the end of October.... yay!! I don’t really know how I’ve found time to even study this year, given we certainly haven’t been siting with... our feet up doing nothing for the last 6 months??? Everything from hormonal disorders to nutritional psychiatry, integrated oncology to clinical dermatology..... the topics I’ve covered so far definitely had a subtle mental health theme behind much of the content, simply because stress has been a driving force for so many lives and so many emerging health complaints this year. Not a surprise really! Over the next 5 weeks I am delving deep into mental health conditions, and today was the first of these training modules, focusing on PTSD. (Next week we look at Addictions, followed by Insomnia, Anxiety & Depression, then a huge current issue of the Adolescent Brain.) So much amazing content to this training today, and I feel so grateful for having even more tools in the toolkit to assist and screen for PTSD with clients. Amongst all the clinical and technical jargon, we were also reminded of some of the clinically effective tools that were once considered a little left of centre. Things like EFT (tapping) and yoga received a mention. It was wonderful to look at studies that confirm EFT is more effective than other therapies such as CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), and the use of SSRI medication. I need to give my good friend Lou Coles a shout out, as a brilliant local EFT practitioner, qualified to use Matrix Re-imprinting technique. You can contact Lou at www.evolvewithlou.com PTSD is such a significant contributor to the mental health arena, and in stressful times, it’s likely to become more prevalent. Rest assured, natural medicine has a lot to offer patients, alongside first line medical therapies. If you suffer from PTSD there is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign that the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of the brain need support, to allow resolution of the trauma that still has a hold over you. Over the next few weeks, I will be offering additional assistance to help you identify if PTSD or any form of mental health stress is impacting your health and wellbeing.

01.01.2022 Bitter greens.... you either love them or you hate them. No matter what your palette prefers, let me reassure you that there is no more important food group on your daily menu than bitter greens. We live in a society that has long forgotten the health benefits of bitter foods, especially when it comes to digestion, liver and gallbladder health, fat metabolism and heart health. Many cultures traditionally included a bitter drink (aperitif) or salad before the main meal, to sti...mulate digestion and stomach acid secretion, which essentially tells the brain that food is coming, get ready to start your digestive actions. Sadly, we are turning away from those health saving habits, in the insatiable quest for sweeter tastes. So for the last 48 hours, I’ve been debating with myself whether to harvest or leave my heirloom lettuces another day.... because for anyone that knows about growing lettuce, you have a day where the lettuce will look ready, then the very next day it bolts and becomes bitter. Well I’m chasing that bitter perfection, so it’s still pleasing to eat, but let’s your taste buds know it went right to the edge. And I nailed it! This ginormous specimen couldn’t even fit on my chopping board, but boy, did it make the perfect wrap for my prawns, avocado, chives and black salt. Hmm mmm mmm! Are you eating your greens????

01.01.2022 Did you even know that cardiovascular disease kills more women than men globally, and in Australia? Until recently, CVD was considered a man’s disease. Clinical trials and studies did not include women, because they were not considered at risk, even though the study results were irrelevantly applied to woman. So interventions, investigations, pathology reference ranges and treatment guidelines were (and to some extent still are) mostly focused on men. And no, I’m not talk...Continue reading