The Mind & Gut Clinic

03/10/2024

More ‘forever chemicals’ to avoid! - PHTHALATES.
These nasties disrupt the endocrine (hormonal) system, are detrimental to human health, and if you are pregnant, avoiding these chemicals is a priority.

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that phthalates were negatively associated with breast cancer among females (1) and another (2) found associations with obesity, Type II Diabetes, Thyroid dysfunction, high BP, poor semen quality, pregnancy loss and early menopause.

Looks like it’s time to clean out the bathroom, kitchen and laundry cupboards!

◼ Make sure all products are as natural as possible
◼ Use organic & natural makeup, skincare, lotions, sunscreens etc
◼ Don’t use perfumes or products with ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’ written on the ingredients list

Can you test your body for phthalates?
Yes you can. It’s as simple as a urine test. If you are concerned about your level of exposure please give me a call and we can organise pathology testing.

(1) Liu G, Cai W, Liu H, Jiang H, Bi Y, Wang H. The Association of Bisphenol A and Phthalates with Risk of Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(5):2375. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052375

(2) Wang Y, Qian H. Phthalates and Their Impacts on Human Health. Healthcare. 2021; 9(5):603. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9050603

29/09/2024

MYTH #342 - Period pain is normal.

NO. it. is. NOT. normal.

It's common, though suffering every month where you need to take a day off work or medicate yourself to simply get through the day (no judgement if you do of course) and to be told this is a normal part of being a woman is incredibly frustrating to hear.

There is so much we can do...

FIRST.🩸Figure out what is going on. Do all the tests. Check adrenal function, thyroid hormones (test all of them plus antibodies, not just TSH - please), s*x hormones (not just bloods, do a urinary DUTCH test), nutrient deficiencies etc. Talk to me, your natural health practitioner or holistic gp to get all of these done.

Get an ultrasound or other investigations referred by a Dr to check for Endometriosis, Fibroids, Adenomyosis etc. We want to rule things out

SECOND.🩸Treat the pain (and the underlying cause).
Herbal medicine is my go-to here. I often include the following herbs in a mix:
🌿 BLUE COHOSH
🌿 CRAMP BARK
🌿 BOSWELLIA
🌿 CHASTE TREE
🌿 PAEONIA
🌿 LICORICE
and there are so many more to choose from!
also don't forget your nervous system health, lifestyle & food choices.

If you want help to reduce period pain or improve your menstrual cycle symptoms, give me a call x

27/09/2024

PFAS - they are called forever chemicals for a reason!

These synthetic, man-made chemicals don’t break down easily in the environment, and can bioaccumulate in people & wildlife. a.k.a a big problem for human health

In 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared PFOA (a type of PFAS), a category one human carcinogen; and numerous studies show associations with fertility issues, metabolic & hormone dysfunction plus more health issues.

Minimising exposure where possible is the key. So how do we do this?

AVOID using non stick cookware, baking paper, cling wrap, sandwich bags & takeaway containers
Use ORGANIC tampons/pads, toilet paper, dental floss & lip balms
Use cast iron or stainless steel cookware & swap plastic for glass, & natural fibres only for your yoga pants!

Most importantly. FILTER YOUR WATER. Make sure the filters are certified to remove PFAS or use NSF certified granular activated carbon, micro filtration technology and ion exchange resins

Unfortunately, there is no quick fix to detox these chemicals from our bodies - avoidance is best.
However there was a study looking at blood serum of firefighters, and in those who donated blood their PFAS levels went down. Therefore having blood drawn could potentially reduce your levels.
A silver lining :) ?

Watch out for the next in the series…

25/08/2024

I’m so excited to have another Naturopathic student from Southern Cross Uni coming through the clinic over the next 2 weeks! 🌟

This will be her ‘practical placement’ which means not only observing but more ‘hands on’ i.e.: taking cases, asking questions and of course being mentored & guided from me.

We will be offering these sessions for $100 (a saving of $70!) So if you’ve been thinking of coming in for a naturopath session now is the time. We’ve got some space on the following days…

💫 Tuesday 27 & Thursday 29 August

💫 Tuesday 3 & Tuesday 5 September

You can book this via the website,
or call/text 0468 333 293
and we will organise it for you.
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09/11/2023

Mould. How do we get rid of it? … from our home (& our bodies)

#1 Forget the bleach! Why? Because many fungi (mould) use it as a food source, and even if you do kill the mould, the dead mould spores contain mycotoxins and these are hazardous to our health.

If you want to clean the walls in your bathroom (& other non porous surfaces), soak a microfibre cloth in a solution of 20% water : 80% fermented white vinegar. Rinse after each wash and repeat. For porous surfaces (like unsealed timber) this requires a solution of 70% alcohol (ethanol).

Mycotoxins from mould can also cause symptoms like sinus congestion, headaches, foggy thinking, insomnia, fatigue, depression, anxiety, skin rashes plus more.

So, is there a test to see if you’re suffering from mould toxicity? YES (ask me how). Can we treat it? Again, YES with herbs, nutrients & therapies such as infra red sauna.

If you think you are suffering from mould toxicity, contact me to book an appointment & discuss your individualised treatment plan

NB: This post follows on from my email about Mould … (if you didn’t receive one, signup on my website for the latest :)

21/12/2022

Holidays are almost here! 🥂☀️💃🕺Friday 23rd is my last day in clinic for the year so if you would like to place an order for a refill of herbal medicine, send me a text or email by noon Friday. My first day back in clinic for 2023 is Monday 16th January. X

18/10/2022

worth a read...

More evidence of regulatory and corporate media capture

24/05/2022

Thought of the day…

30/10/2021

We are led to believe that there’s only one way to deal with the pandemic - our way - but the story of the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) in India suggests an alternative. Before looking at their strategy, let’s take a look at the results.

UP’s population is over 200 million, close to four times that of the UK. They’ve had 22,899 deaths up to October. The UK has had 138,000. That means we’ve had over 2,000 deaths per million and they’ve had 114.5 – that’s 18 times better than the UK. Have more people been infected in the UK? I looked at the confirmed cases divided by the number of tests for both the UK and UP and they come out about the same at 0.2% - 0.26% for UP vs UK. The UK has tested more and thus has more confirmed more cases.

Are less covid deaths reported in UP? It’s entirely possible. Or are the UK’s covid deaths, within 28 days of a test an over-exaggeration of the actual covid death toll? That’s possible too. With a greater proportion of people being tested that could doubly skew the figures. What else is different? 79% of people in the UK have been double jabbed. In UP it’s 13% - a sixth.

But here’s a big difference. The UK largely ignore treatment of mild symptoms. UP, on the other hand, provide kits to covid patients with mild symptoms including vitamin C, D, zinc, Ivermectin, plus painkillers and antibiotics (contrary to a BBC report UP has not stopped using Ivermectin for covid patients.) The vitamin D is given as a weekly tablet of 60,000ius for three weeks. The Ivermectin dose is 12mg. Ten vitamin C and zinc tablets are provided.

Why do we, in the UK, not get supplied with, or told to take vitamin C, D, zinc on infection? Why can UK GPs not even prescribe Ivermectin for their covid patients? Isn’t it time that other approaches were seriously considered?

02/08/2021

However long this lockdown goes on for I will be open! Helping anyone & everyone who needs a little Acu Nap! I’m ‘essential’ so make a booking & I’ll see you soon. PS. If you catch me with a little needle in my head, don’t worry. I’m taking some of my own de stress Acu medicine 😘