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Claridge Naturopathics

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Claridge Naturopathics

Specialist Naturopaths: Robert Claridge, Claire Hosking, Sarah Harris and Matthew Burrell

12/11/2025

THE QUIET ARCHITECTURE OF KINDNESS

Today we celebrate WORLD KINDNESS DAY. Kindness, in its simplest attire, is the deliberate act of easing another’s burden whether through word, gesture, or quiet presence. Yet beneath that modest cloak lies something grander: a social force woven into our biology that affirms our shared humanity.

Imagine a traveller offering their seat to a weary stranger on a crowded tram. The gesture is small, almost forgettable. But in that instant according to the quiet machinery of the nervous system two hearts perform a duet. Studies from Stanford and Oxford show that acts of kindness release oxytocin, lowering blood pressure, steadying the pulse, and deepening trust (1)(2). The giver feels the same gentle uplift as the receiver a physiological echo of connection.

Neuroscientists at the University of Zurich have found that kindness activates the ventral striatum, the brain’s reward centre the same region stirred by music, laughter and a hug from a friend (3). The brain, it seems, rewards benevolence with pleasure, as though nature were encouraging us to look out for one another.

Psychologists have turned their lens to this ancient currency. A 2018 meta-analysis from Oxford, spanning 400 studies, revealed that regular acts of kindness volunteering, offering help, or a simple compliment enhance well-being, heighten life satisfaction, and soften anxiety and melancholy (4). The benefit grows when given without expectation of return.

Perhaps most telling: researchers from Harvard and the University of British Columbia found that those who spend money on others report greater happiness than those who spend it on themselves (5). Generosity is not merely noble it is neurologically rewarding.

In these times, kindness is not an accessory to civility but its cornerstone a quiet revolution enacted one human encounter at a time. It is sentiment and science, grace and neurochemistry. Society may prize ambition, but kindness leaves the deeper imprint: a soft touch that steadies the world, and in steadying it, steadies us.

Be the reason someone believes in kindness.

Rob

(Please see the references in the comments).

18/10/2025

UNDERSTANDING OSTEOPOROSIS - HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR BONES

Osteoporosis is common in Australia, especially for those over 50.

More than a million Australians live with osteoporosis, and another 6 million have osteopenia (low bone mass). With numbers this high, it’s worth knowing what makes up healthy bone – and what you can do to protect yours.

WHY BONE HEALTH MATTERS
Bone does far more than hold us upright.
• It provides structure and movement
• It protects vital organs
• It stores and releases essential minerals
• It produces blood cells
• It regulates hormones and even helps balance pH

Bone is living, dynamic tissue – a blend of minerals for strength, collagen for flexibility, and water for resilience. Specialised cells constantly build, repair, and maintain it. True bone health means more than density alone; flexibility and quality matter just as much when it comes to preventing fractures.

WHAT HAPPENS AS BONES AGE
As we get older, bones naturally change. Factors such as inflammation, hormonal shifts, oxidative stress, poor nutrition, inactivity, and chronic illness can speed up bone loss. The results are:
• Lower bone mass and density
• Reduced strength and flexibility
• Impaired bone function overall

THE LIMITS OF CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT
Medicines like Denosumab (Prolia) can increase bone density by slowing bone breakdown. However, they reduce the clearance of ageing and unhealthy bone cells, have no impact on collagen restoration and don’t support the bone-building cells we rely on for long-term strength. In short, density improves, but bone quality and health does not.

A WHOLISTIC APPROACH
The good news? While bones respond slowly, they do respond. By targeting both the causes (inflammation, oxidation, hormonal change, lifestyle) and the effects (loss of minerals, collagen, and cell function), it’s possible to support real bone health.
Naturopathic care focuses on this broader picture – helping you protect, nourish, and even rebuild your bones naturally.

If you’d like to take proactive steps for stronger, healthier bones, we’d love to help.
Please call our reception team on (03) 5221 8220 to book an appointment.

Yours in good health,

Rob

05/10/2025

Did you know anxiety is the most common mental health challenge in Australia?

The latest National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing (1) found that nearly 1 in 5 Australians aged 16–85 experienced an anxiety disorder in the past year. More than 3.4 million people sought help from health professionals for mental health concerns in that same period. Despite these numbers, many still wait months before getting support, and often the treatment addresses only symptoms and not what’s truly going on inside the brain.

That’s why understanding how the brain’s communication system works is so important.

Imagine the brain as a fire safety team.

The brainstem is the smoke alarm. It detects threats and responds instantly with basic survival responses like increased heart rate, enhanced reflexes, and muscle readiness. It doesn’t ask questions, it just screams “Danger!” In anxiety, this alarm becomes over-sensitive, with strong reactions to small triggers.

The limbic brain acts like the firefighter, rushing in with emotion and memory. It decides how bad the danger is using past experiences as a reference. The emotions associated with these references influence the actions that follow. High emotional history equals amplified response. In anxiety, the firefighter’s actions are amplified!

Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex is the fire chief. Without panic, the chief assesses the situation and then adds a considered strategy to the situation, providing calm to the chaos. In anxiety, the fire chief’s message is not heard!

(To continue reading Matthew Burrell - Naturopath N.D's post, please click on the link below)

https://claridgenaturopathics.com.au/anxiety-a-fire-in-the-brain/

If anxiety is weighing you down and your current strategies aren’t enough, know that you don’t have to navigate this alone. I’d be honoured to support you.

You can call us on (03) 5221 8220, book online, or drop by and see us at 114 West Fyans St, Newtown, 3222.

Take care,

Matt
B.H.Sc. N.D.

(1) National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022 | Australian Bureau of Statistics Major Mental Health Study Released | Health, Disability and Ageing Ministers | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

10/09/2025

R U OK? Day 2025 – Rethinking Mental Health

Today, September 11th, we pause for R U OK? Day, a gentle but powerful reminder to check in with the people around us and, just as importantly, with ourselves. It’s about more than asking a question. It’s about opening space for real conversations, truly listening, and letting each other know that support is always possible.

Mental health is one of Australia’s biggest challenges. More than 3 million Australians experience anxiety or depression each year, and if you’ve ever felt low, stuck, or overwhelmed, you’re certainly not alone. The encouraging news is that our mental health is not fixed. It can be supported, nourished, and strengthened in ways that bring us more calmness, clarity, and resilience.

At its core, mental wellbeing is about connection, both with others and within our own brain.

The brainstem helps us feel safe by managing stress and survival responses.

The limbic system processes our emotions.

The prefrontal cortex gives us perspective, focus, and clarity.

When these areas “talk” smoothly through chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, life feels easier. Emotions settle, stress feels manageable, and we bounce back quicker from challenges. But when that communication breaks down, the opposite can happen, stress feels overwhelming, emotions spiral, and focus becomes harder to hold.

Too often, treatment focuses only on pharmaceuticals. While medication can be very helpful, it often doesn’t address the root causes of imbalance. For example, a poor diet might trigger nutrient deficiencies that affect how the brainstem regulates stress signals. This, in turn, can create heightened emotional responses in the limbic system and reduce the prefrontal cortex’s ability to calm things down. The result? Anxiety that feels relentless, fatigue that lingers, and a loop that keeps feeding itself.

The good news? There are ways to break that loop. Holistic strategies, through nutrition, lifestyle, and personalised care, can restore balance, improve resilience, and give you back a sense of control. This is what I’ve been trained to support people with, and it’s why I’m so passionate about helping you feel not just “okay” but truly well.

If you’d like to start this conversation for yourself, I’d love to walk alongside you.
You can book an appointment by calling our reception team on (03) 5221 8220 or book online via our website.

Take care of yourself, and remember, you’re never alone in this.

Warmly,

Matt

24/08/2025

Last weekend I had the privilege of presenting at the International Integria Healthcare Practitioner Symposium, at the Sofitel in Brisbane.

To stand in front of around 300 practitioners and know that just as many more were tuning in online from across the world was both humbling and uplifting.

I shared my keynote on ‘The Formula for Flourishing’. It centred on the power of lifestyle coaching and focused on how to find our unique habit change bullseyes from the clutter of information we are now bombarded with. Although prescriptions can give momentum to our health, it is the changes we make in our lifestyle habits that deliver the true health rewards.

The best part of the weekend wasn’t just having the opportunity to share my presentation. It was being in the room with so many dedicated practitioners who care deeply about moving holistic healthcare forward.
The conversations, the curiosity, the insights, and learnings reminded me how powerful it is when we come together and learn from one another.

I left feeling inspired, energized and incredibly grateful for the chance to contribute, and for the connections with colleagues both old and new.

After more than 40 years of practice, my hope remains unchanged that together we continue to shape a world where people don’t just make it through each day, but rise each morning with the energy and spirit to truly flourish.

Take care,

Rob

21/08/2025

The daffodil doesn’t ask for much.

It pushes through the cold ground, first thing in spring, a splash of yellow against the grey. A reminder that light always finds its way back.

Today, this flower stands for more than the season changing.
It stands for fight.
For courage.
For hope when the road feels impossibly long.

We pause to honour the people who carry that fight every day, our patients, their families, their loved ones.

Your strength is stitched into the heart of our work.

For four decades, Rob has walked alongside you.
Listening.
Learning.
Sharing in your battles.

That trust is something we never take lightly.
You are always in our thoughts, but today, on Daffodil day, we hold you a little closer.

With love,

The Claridge Naturopathics team

Address

114 West Fyans Street
Geelong, VIC
3220

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 12pm

Website

http://www.claridgenaturopathics.com.au/

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