What is a naturopath?

I often get a puzzled look when someone asks me what 'I do'. So I thought there must be a lot of people that don't know what a naturopath is. And it's kinda tricky to say too, isn't it?

What a naturopath studies...…

A naturopath student requires four years of studying to get their degree. And over this time we are taught many things such as:

• Herbal medicine- how to use herbs to treat common health conditions that will enable your body to regain balance, support and tonify any weakened systems.

• Nutrition- nutritional bio-chemistry was one of my favourite subjects when I was studying. I loved learning all about the vitamins and minerals (it doesn't just end there either) and what foods they are found in, how your body processes them and what functions they have within our body. Food and what you eat is such an integral part of what naturopaths do!

• Body systems- from the immune to reproductive, naturopaths learn all about the body and how the systems work together (and perhaps not work together).

• Diseases- yep, we know the basics AND the not so easy ones too. This is when you might come across a naturopath that 'specialises' in a particular area. Just like you find specialists like a gynaecologist in main stream health care.

• Diagnostic Testing- to help get a better picture on your health, a naturopath might ask you to go for extra testing. This can be from bloods to stool or even your hair! Naturopaths will have a general understanding of any previous tests that you may have had done in the past too.

 Naturopaths treat the whole person, not just the symptoms.

• Case taking- Your first consultation with a naturopath will be generally the longest. We take your full health history, talk about what is happening in your body systems and what has been working for you or not working for you. Some naturopaths might even do a little bit of 'in house' testing such as, take your blood pressure, weight or blood glucose.

• Iridology- Naturopaths have studied iridology as a student. this is where a microscope is used to look at your iris and see if there are any weakened areas within your body. Did you know your organs are represented in your eyes?

• Tongue and nail analysis- checking your tongue and nails give naturopaths extra clues on how your body is functioning. Every little bit of information helps.

• Emotions- How you are as a person is very important to us. Are you sensitive? Do you get stressed easily? Do you loose your temper? Sometimes this can take a little bit of time to work out, especially in the early days.

• Lifestyle- How do you live your life? Do you work full time? do you care for others? How do you destress? Your lifestyle plays a huge part in your current health status. Diet and lifestyle advice is always given.

• Evidence Based Research- Naturopaths use critical based research to support their treatment protocols.

• Treatment- Naturopaths will generally offer herbal and nutritional support to help with your healing. Diet advice is given and if this is not enough supplements are prescribed when needed. Short term and long term treatment plans are established, so you don't feel overwhelmed. After all, we just really want you to feel great again!

In a nut shell...…..

A naturopath offers support, education and treatment that you want to do. Our job is to empower you and take control of your health, so that you can achieve your health goals.If you would like to book an appointment to reach your health goals, check out what is available in the online booking system below. var initResizer = function() { iframes = iFrameResize({}, "#widget-inline-embed"); }

Why Short Chain Fatty Acids are the Key to Optimal Health

Short chain fatty acids (S.C.F.A's), sounds like something that you should be avoiding all together. But you couldn't be more further from the truth.https://www.facebook.com/Thenaturopathshop/videos/2196534210567444/?ref_page_id=1518149341739271&acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A5%2C%22action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22main_list%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%5C%22[]%5C%22%22%7D]%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D

So what are SCFA's?

SCFA's are made in your colon. They are produced by your gut bacteria, when you consume carbohydrates and I'm not taking about refined carbs either- more on this later). SCFA's are a 6 carbon chain (hence the name short) and can either be of 3 metabolites- butyrate, propionate, acetate (there are a couple of others but they only make up 5% of total SCFA's).Butyrate can be used instantly by some cells in your colon; while the rest can transported to your liver and enter the rest of your system by your blood.

The benefits of SCFA's..............

Studies have shown that SCFA's reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity (basically metabolic syndrome) and some colon cancers.Research has also shown that SCFA's are anti-inflammatory, and that people who had ulcerative colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), had lower than normal levels of SCFA's.

How Do I Increase my SCFA's Levels?

SCFA's are influenced by diet. Yes, the food you eat. As I mentioned before; SCFA's are made by your bacteria when they digest certain carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are mostly found in vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and legumes.All these foods also have one thing in common, they contain high amounts of fibre.

What FIBRE????

Yes! Here's the glitch.....you might be currently following a low FODMAP, SIBO, or a High FAT/Low Carb diet. All of these diets dramatically reduce your intake of natural fibre. You can avoid this by really focusing on the vegetables you can eat, so this doesn't happen. This is why long term Low FODMAP diets aren't recommended for long periods.This can be the hardest part when you are healing your gut. Especially if you have IBS/SIBO and feel like you bloat even from water. This is because your gut lining is hyper-sensitive and you need to go extremely slowly when you are starting to re-introduce regular foods.Legumes are a fantastic source of fibre, but many people just can't tolerate them. So after you have done adequate healing of your gut (can be different for everyone). You can start with brown lentils, drain the can, and freeze them into ice cube trays. This way you are just introducing a tiny amount daily.There are many types of fibre, but some fibres in food are also called 'prebiotics'. This term is used a lot more these days. The way I like to explain it is that prebiotics are 'feeding' your gut bacteria, which will make them grow big and strong. This method is excellent when you have low numbers in a beneficial bacteria (all you need to do is eat the right foods to build them up again). The end result will be that you have built up your gut ecosystem naturally with foods.

Foods That Feed Your Gut Microbiome

Listed below is a snap shot of foods that feed your healthy gut bugs - these foods contain either inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides.Jerusalem artichoke, yacon tubers burdock roots, chicory roots, dandelion roots, garlic, onion, leeks, asparagus, globe artichoke.Legumes, Brassica-family, vegetables, fresh beans, rye sourdough, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, LSA mix.Polyphenols also feed your gut bugs. Polyphenol foods are:black elderberries, black currants, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, plums, raspberries, apples, black grapesFlaxseed meal, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, purple carrots, red carrots, purple potatoes, red cabbage, spinach, red onions, broccoli, carrots, red lettuceRed rice, black rice, red and white quinoa, whole grain, rye brad, olives and olive oil

How Do I Measure SCFA's?

This can be done only by stool testing. There are quite a few on the market that give you varying results. But you can easily find more about your SCFA's levels by completing a CDSA (Comprehensive Diagnostic Stool Analysis) or by a UBIOME test.If you would like to know more about SCFA's or specific stool tests; fill out the contact form below and I will get back to you.[contact_bank form_id="2" form_title="show" form_description="show"][/contact_bank]REFERENCESCheng et. al. (2017) Effects of Functional Oligosaccharides and ordinary dietary fibre on intestinal microbiota diversity, Frontiers in Microbiology, 1-11Edwards et. al. (2017) Polyphenols and Health- interactions between fibre, plant polyphenols and the gut microbiota, Nutrition Bulletin, 42, 356-360Ros-Covian et. al. (2016) Intestinal short chain fatty acids and their link with diet and human health, Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol.7, Article 185, pg.1-9Singh et. al. Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health, (2017), Journal of Translational Medicine, 15:73, 1-17      

Things to consider before you detox!

This time of the year always brings the need for a spring detox!But before you go out and buy your next 'detox' kit , I wanted to go over a few things with you that you should be aware of (in a mum voice).Firstly, your body is CONSTANTLY detoxing. We have 5 main organs that are involved in the detoxification process:

1. Your lungs- We breathe in toxins (air pollution, cigarette smoke, pesticides etc. ), but we also breathe a lot of the bad stuff out too.
2. Kidneys- These little guys act as a filter system. If they are suffering, you will definitely know about it!
3. Your bowels- Regular bowel motions eliminate toxins. Our bile binds to these toxins and then we poop them away. So if your constipated....where are your toxins going? They are getting re-absorbed!!
4. The liver- Your liver is SO SO busy! Blood gets filtered through the liver and toxins are being constantly removed. things like: bacteria, hormones, prescription medication, fats, coffee, alcohol etc.
5. The skin- This is the last area that your body has to eliminate toxins. Sweat is the most common way toxins are released, but when your skin has rashes (if not from direct contact), acne, eczema and rosacea, this can be also due to a clogged detoxification pathway.

Generally when you embark on a detox, the standard is eliminated:

• coffee
• alcohol
• gluten
• refined sugar
• dairy

It can be quite a shock for some people. I am all for a good detox (don't get me wrong), but you need to take baby steps so you're not putting too much strain on your organs.Ensuring you have regular bowel motions is a start. There is no use supporting your detoxification process if your not able to excrete out the toxins. Usually this is rectified by the diet changes you have made, but sometimes by adding in some probiotics (strain specific for constipation) and even digestive support (such as pancreatic enzymes or hydrochloric acid), can help with regular bowel motion.Drinking filtered water not only helps your kidneys, but your also avoiding all of the little extras that are being added to your tap water. Chlorine and nitrate are some big factors here.Using activated charcoal in your regime can help bind the toxins for elimination. This can cause constipation in some people, so adequate water in take is needed.It might not be until a week or so later that you may add liver support. For some people, there genetic profile may mean they lack a few enzymes in the liver detoxification process, so caution is required. but liver support herbs such as:

• St. Mary's thistle
• Dandelion root
• Turmeric
• Fennel
• Fenugreek

Are all generally safe to consume. Amino acids are also a great addition for your liver too. As these are used in phase 2 of the liver detoxification process. Amino acids such taurine, glutathione, cysteine, glycine and methionine (to name a few) are all required for the liver to work efficiently.And a few extras?

• Dry skin brushing
• Epsom salt baths
• Sleep and rest
• Movement

I recently did a FB Live on the topic. 

The Top 5 Causes of Stomach Pain

When I meet a new client in my clinic, they are already eating a clean diet........

What do I mean by clean?

I'm talking about natural wholefoods, no preservatives and additives, very little alcohol and a lot of home made meals.

So what happens when the food you eat is still giving you pain and bloating?

The top 5 causes:

1. Low stomach acid- When your digestive system isn't producing enough digestive enzymes to break down your food, it will ferment and release gas. This causes bloating and quite often pain across your abdomen.
2. Fructose malabsorption- You can't get my natural than fruit, but it can cause complete mayhem in your gut if you can't digest it properly. Fruit contains fibre, high water content, various vitamins and fructose. Fructose is another highly fermentable food that can cause pain in your gut if your digestion is feeling sluggish.
3. Inflammation- No one wants an angry gut! Stress, toxins and some foods can trigger an inflammatory response. Not so bad if it's for the short term, but long term your absorption will be impacted and not function efficiently.
4. High fibrous foods- The benefits of fibre are crucial to long term optimal health. They keep us feeling full, reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. But when your gut has too much unwanted bacteria in the small intestine; high fibre foods such as pasta, bread and legumes will feed the bacteria. The bacteria release gases after eating the fibre and cause bloating and possible pain.
5. Food intolerance- Have you noticed when you eat a specific food group your tummy bloats up and a dull aching pain crosses your lower abdomen? Or it might even be single item such as eggs or a specific nut type. The problem with identifying food intolerances is that reactions can occur up to 48 hours after ingestion. You can create a food diary and write down all food and drink you have eaten. Or you can test for food intolerances via a blood test.

So what can you do?

• Take a digestive enzyme before each meal. This will activate you stomach acid or digestive enzymes, so your food can be broken down easier.
• Eat more alkaline based foods. This would include vegetables and fruit.
• If you are reacting to fruit, try cooking it. Start with apple or pear and eat it by itself. this way you don't run the risk of it fermenting when other food is being digested first.
• Stress less. Try not to eat on the run, chew your food and take time out for you!
• Avoid problematic foods and reduce introduce slowly after your tummy has had a chance to heal.
• If your concerned about not knowing what foods are causing the problem, have a blood test to take the guess work out of the situation.
• Like to know more? fill out the form below!
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