Haumanu Herbal Healing

01/12/2025

Herbal medicine in pregnancy...

I've been doing a lot of reading, writing, and researching lately. And I'd love to hear from you. What do you think or what do you know, or what would you like to know about herbal medicine in pregnancy?

I have alot id love to share, but i thought before i did, id ask you first about what youd like to hear.

24/11/2025

I put up a story last week asking about flower essences, if you knew about them and if you'd be interested in knowing more. But as life does, it got busy. But now Id love to know if flower essences is something youd like to see in consults with me?

I've been considering adding flower essences as an option to be prescribed through a consult with me, but to be a bit different, I've been looking at First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand.

These gentle vibrational remedies are made from native Aotearoa plants and are designed to support emotional balance, clarity, and a deeper sense of well-being. Each essence works on a different layer of your energetic and emotional well-being, helping with things like stress, overwhelm, feeling stuck, transitions, confidence, and reconnecting with your inner strength.
In a consultation, I create a personalized blend just for you, based on what's happening in your life right now. It's a beautiful, subtle way of supporting healing, growth, and emotional resilience.

I would love to know if this is something you'd be interested in?

Should this be something I add to appointments when needed? Either comment on this post or send me a message. Id love to hear from you

24/11/2025

Interesting read about blueberries and childrens allergies 💙

Could the answer to the current allergy epidemic in our children be as simple as feeding them blueberries? A rigorously run infant RCT suggests that adding blueberries as one of the first solids may nudge immune balance in an anti-allergic direction and help allergy-type symptoms settle during the first year—while also shifting the gut microbiome in potentially favourable ways.

The first year of life is a critical window for establishing immune competence and preventing allergic diseases. Dietary exposures during this period can influence the induction of immune tolerance, epigenetic programming, and gut microbial succession.

In a double blind, randomised, placebo-controlled feeding trial in Denver, USA, exclusively breast-fed infants (n=61, start age 5–6 months) received freeze-dried blueberry powder (10 g/day) or an isocaloric, colour/flavour-matched placebo until 12 months of age.

The blueberry group started out with more respiratory/allergy-like symptoms at baseline yet showed a greater resolution over time vs placebo (trajectory p=0.05). Immune biomarkers: IL-13 (pro-allergic/Th2 response) fell significantly with blueberries (p=0.035); IL-10 (anti-inflammatory/regulatory) trended up (p=0.052). However, the changes in these cytokines could not directly explain symptom changes. However, specific gut microbiome changes at 12 months correlated with the cytokine changes, hinting at gut-immune crosstalk.

In a companion paper in the same cohort, blueberry introduction altered gut microbiota composition/diversity (trends toward higher alpha diversity; increases in short-chain fatty acid-associated genera such as Subdoligranulum/Butyricicoccus and reductions in potentially unfavourable organisms such as Escherichia/Streptococcus).

The findings align with broader evidence showing that diverse, fibre- and polyphenol-rich complementary diets plus early allergen introduction help shape the gut-immune axis toward tolerance.

For more information see: https://bit.ly/4i7mr2M
and
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40944184/

22/11/2025

As a mama, I can understand how busy life can get and how hard it can be to make an appointment. Because of this, I am opening up more availabilities for telehealth appointments, allowing me the opportunity to meet you where you are.

Telehealth is available for anyone living anywhere in Australia and Aotearoa

Thursday bookings are still available via

tinyurl.com/Book-with-Shaan.

But if Thursday doesn't suit, please feel free to contact me via

Shaan.rakatau@herbsonthehill.com.au

or comment on this post to arrange a more suitable time.

And a little reminder: all follow-up appointments are 50% off until April 2026, so it’s a great opportunity to book in and make the most of your ongoing care.

21/11/2025

Ever had a question for our Herbs on the Hill team but weren’t quite sure where to start? We’ve got good news! our new live chat feature is now available on our website.

From Monday to Friday, one of our team members will be there to answer simple queries, guide you through our services, or help you with booking an appointment.

Making connecting with us easier than ever.

Head over to https://www.herbsonthehill.com.au/ to start the converstation

20/11/2025

Discover the beauty and magic of herbal medicine and its wondrous capacity to nourish, tone, regulate, and stimulate the body’s own innate healing capacity without suppressing or over-riding any system or organ.

The beauty and magic of herbal medicine is its wondrous capacity to nourish, tone, regulate, and stimulate the body’s own innate healing capacity without suppressing or over-riding any system or organ.  Ultimately our bodies want to heal and be well.  They are constantly healing and renewing the...

20/11/2025

Back at my happy place today at Herbs on the Hill.

I am so lucky to be able to work alongside such amazing, knowledgeable practitoners. If you'd like to book in to come and share our beautiful space just head to

https://www.herbsonthehill.com.au/practitioners/

To 'meet' our wonderful team

19/11/2025

After my post the other day I had a couple of questions about what an acute appointment is. So i thought id just do a quick post about the different types of appointments I offer.

🌿 Initial Appointment

This is our very first session together and runs for around one hour. It’s a chance for us to get to know each other so I can understand your story, your health goals, and how I can best support you.
The more information the better, nothing is ever “too much.” Every detail helps me select the herbs and treatment approaches that will be the most effective for you.

🌿 Follow-Up Appointment

A follow-up runs for about 30 minutes. Your first follow-up is usually scheduled for two weeks after your initial appointment so we can check in, see how you’re feeling, and make any necessary adjustments.
From there, we continue fine-tuning your plan or exploring your next steps.
And a little reminder: all follow-up appointments are 50% off until April, so it’s a perfect time to fit in some extra support

🌿Acute appointments

These appointments are for current clients and are ideal when you need a quick adjustment or check in. Perhaps you’re starting or stopping a prescribed medication, experiencing unexpected life changes, or simply feeling unwell with something like a cold and need so extra short-term herbal support.

All of these appointments are available via telehealth for anywhere in Aotearoa and Australia.

Or in person, on a Thursday in Woolloongabba, Brisbane.

If you are ready to make an appointment, booking is easy...

🌿 Book directly with me on tinyurl.com/Book-with-Shaan

🌿 Head to www.herbsonthehill.com.au for simple booking and some extra information on me, my amazing colleagues, and our wonderful clinic.

📞 Or call 07 3166 1549; our reception team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment them, or email me on shaan.rakatau@herbsonthehill.com.au

18/11/2025

Making things offically offical 🥳🥰

14/11/2025

In this video I explore recent research on Gymnema and the implications for your clinical practice.