Brunswick Naturopathy

03/07/2025

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🌿 Navigating Menopause with Nature’s Wisdom

Menopause is more than a phase; it's a powerful transition. With the right herbal allies, we can move beyond just relieving symptoms and embrace this time as a window of opportunity for long-term wellness.

✨ Here are some of nature’s most trusted herbal supporters:
1) Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) - Supports oestrogen levels in perimenopause and is traditionally used in Ayurveda as an adaptogen to support healthy sleep and stress resilience.

2) Ziziphus (Ziziphus jujuba) – Traditionally used in Chinese medicine for its sedative and anxiolytic properties to support sleep regulation and nervous system balance.

3) Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) – Known for its hepatoprotective effects and reducing hot flush frequency and severity.

4) Sage (Salvia officinalis) - Traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to relieve spontaneous and excessive sweating.

5) Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa) – A kidney yin tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine, used to support healthy adrenal gland function, and relieve sleeplessness and excessive sweating.

6) Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) – Long used in in Ayurvedic herbal medicine to relieve symptoms of menopause and support healthy sexual function.

📘 Want to learn more?
Explore our Chaos to Calm flyer on Bio Concepts Engage for a deeper dive into how these botanicals can support your journey. https://hubs.la/Q03tZrsW0

03/07/2025

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A new study has found that a low omega-3 level was an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and that increasing the intake of EPA and DHA might reduce the risk of developing atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD). In fact, the omega-3 Index (the relative levels of EPA and DHA determined in red blood cell membranes), smoking and cholesterol were found to be equally strong CVD risk factors.

In the study, researchers determined the omega-3 index of 2,550 participants of the Framingham Offspring cohort who were free of ASCVD at baseline, and the follow-up period lasted around 10 years on average.

The omega-3 index contributed significantly to the prediction of the future risk of CVD events, to roughly the same extent as diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking. Because the association was independent of other factors, the findings suggest that the health effects of omega-3 operate via different mechanisms than cholesterol or blood pressure, according to the authors.

Specifically, the study examined the extent to which the omega-3 index (O3I) improved the predictive capability of the Pooled Cohort Equation (PCE). The PCE is a tool used to estimate a person's 10-year risk of developing ASCVD, which includes nonfatal myocardial infarction (heart attack), coronary heart disease death, and nonfatal or fatal stroke. The 9 inputs normally used for the equation are age, sex, race, total and HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, treatment for hypertension, diabetes and smoking status.

In the study cohort the predictive value for 10-year ASCVD events using the PCE was 0.689. It increased to 0.698 (P < 0.05) upon the addition of the O3I. The predictive weightings in the basic model were 0.028 (blood pressure, HDL-C), 0.020 (diabetes), 0.012 (O3I), 0.006 (total cholesterol), and 0.004 (smoking); all but smoking were significant (P < 0.05). Also, the O3I significantly (P < 0.05) improved the predictive ability of each of these risk factors when analysed separately.

“If people are concerned about correcting their high cholesterol level to reduce their risk for CVD, then they should be equally concerned about correcting their Omega-3 Index,” said William S. Harris, PhD, senior investigator of this study, and President of the Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI). “People can test their Omega-3 Index and if it is sub-optimal, they can take steps to correct; and those steps are very safe, cheap and simple: consume more oily fish on a regular basis and/or take omega-3 dietary supplements.”

For more information see: https://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/breaking-news/omega-3-index-smoking-cholesterol-found-to-be-equally-strong-cvd-risk-factors-study/?utm_campaign=NUT%20eNewsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Fq_nFWWd1r7P0-Nd_flOh5c_yYmDUshSLOp3Y5cjXhQpWoZq0I0sg9YSpjqKNF-bXRMlx7JKmkQl2UA8bUM1Csk4CkQ&_hsmi=353948583&utm_content=353948583&utm_source=hs_email

and

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40074603/

14/05/2025

Fermented foods can be great for gut health and improving our microbiome. However, they may cause uncomfortable symptoms if you have digestive issues, histamine intolerance, IBS or sensitivity to yeast. If not, enjoy! ...

Fermented foods are produced when microorganisms convert the carbohydrate in a food to lactic acid. Fermentation is a great way to preserve foods, but also creates beneficial probiotics to support a h

03/05/2025

New research suggests that current vitamin B12 guidelines might be outdated, as even “normal” levels could still risk optimal brain function, with scientists warning that a subtle cognitive decline linked to B12 insufficiency might affect more people than expected.

A study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) found that healthy older adults with lower B12 levels showed more signs of neurological and cognitive decline. These people had more damage to the brain’s white matter and performed worse on tests measuring cognitive and visual processing speeds, compared to those with higher B12 levels.

Senior study author Dr. Ari J. Green, from UCSF’s Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology and the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, says the findings raise concerns about current B12 recommendations.

“Previous studies that defined healthy amounts of B12 may have missed subtle functional manifestations of high or low levels that can affect people without causing overt symptoms,” said Green. “Revisiting the definition of B12 deficiency to incorporate functional biomarkers could lead to earlier intervention and prevention of cognitive decline.”

In the study, researchers enrolled 231 healthy participants without dementia or mild cognitive impairment, whose average age was 71. They were recruited through the Brain Aging Network for Cognitive Health (BrANCH) study at UCSF. Their blood B12 amounts averaged 414.8 pmol/L, well above the accepted minimum of 148 pmol/L. Participants with lower active B12 were found to have slower processing speed, relating to subtle cognitive decline. Such impact was amplified by older age. They also showed significant delays responding to visual stimuli, indicating slower visual processing speeds and generally slower brain conductivity. MRI revealed a higher volume of lesions in the participants’ white matter, which may be associated with cognitive decline, dementia or stroke.

“In addition to redefining B12 deficiency, clinicians should consider supplementation in older patients with neurological symptoms even if their levels are within normal limits,” co-first author Alexandra Beaudry-Richard said. “Ultimately, we need to invest in more research about the underlying biology of B12 insufficiency, since it may be a preventable cause of cognitive decline.”

These days, many biomedical scientists are speaking the same language as natural therapists.

For more information see: https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-just-found-a-major-problem-with-vitamin-b12-guidelines-and-your-brain-might-be-at-risk/

11/03/2025

Aim for a rainbow of veggies everyday 😁

'Eat the rainbow' is common healthy eating advice. See why it’s important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to stay healthy.

13/01/2025

12/11/2024

Researchers find certain bacteria may make compounds that affect mental well-being

05/10/2024

There are powerful, all-natural solutions to restore your health and reclaim balance and joy. Angela McTaggart is a naturopath in Brunswick East Victoria

14/09/2024

Looking forward to this years Food Revolution Summit again. September 18th to the 25th. It's free and always inspirational. Even if you're not vegetarian 😊. I highly recommend it. Some of you may have watched it earlier this year.

Embark on a journey to a healthier you with the 2024 Food Revolution Summit Docuseries. Join 45 top food experts in this 8-part series. Sign up for free now!

23/07/2024

Exercise is so important to all areas of our health. Any amount is beneficial. Find something you enjoy 😁

Alzheimer's is a devastating disease. Find out the relationship between exercise and dementia, and what you need to prevent cognitive decline.

15/07/2024

Are you worried that you may have a food allergy?
Naturopathy can help identify allergies and sensitivities. Start to keep a food journal and take note of any reactions, including gut symptoms, mental health, skin, energy, and respiratory. All can be related to the foods you eat. It doesn’t mean you’ll always have to omit these foods forever. You may need a short-term break from them, while regulating your immune responses, healing the gut, and building resilience. Then you may be able gradually and safely reintroduce many of those foods. You may need some nutritional and herbal support along the way. This approach isn't suitable for severe and anaphylactic allergy. Let me know if you need some guidance through this.
Angela x