Fitch's Pharmacy, 731 Hay St Mall (2025)

29/06/2021

We might not talk about it, but most of us are bloated, or gassy, or just experiencing some kind of abdominal discomfort weekly (if not daily)⠀
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So, what can you do about the bloats?⠀
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👏🏾 BITTERS 👏🏼 BEFORE 👏 MEALS!⠀
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Bitters are the easiest & most cost-effective way to increase your 🔥 ⁠ 🔥 & reduce ⠀
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When we're stressed, nervous or depleted, our sympathetic nervous system is activated. This switches our body into to fight-flight-freeze mode, which does NOT prioritise digestion at all 😫⠀
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When we drink bitters, they interact with receptors on our tongue and throughout our digestive tract. This sends signals to our brain that some food is coming and it's time for digesting
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The result is more secretion of some important juices⁠ for digestion:⠀
• saliva (mouth - where digestion starts) ✅⠀
• hydrochloric acid (stomach) ✅⠀
• bile (liver + gallbladder) ✅⠀
• enzymes (pancreas) ✅⠀
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Having more of these juices working their magic means there's:⠀
🍋 more food breakdown⠀
🍋 less undigested food to be fermented by gut bugs (remember, fermentation creates gas, and gas leads to bloating!)⠀
🍋 more nutrient absorption, so your body can do its beautiful job⠀
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If your digestion just needs a lil support and you're generally healthy, some lemon juice or ACV before big meals could be enough to alleviate all your bloating⁠⠀
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Keep swiping to check my recommended bitters + how to use them⠀

Now go get to squeezin' those lemons⁠ 🍋

28/06/2021

Probiotics. If you've got a foot or even a toe in the "health-world" or industry, you've definitely heard this word before.⁣
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But what are they?
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Probiotics are groups of bacteria that are introduced to the body to obtain a therapeutic effect.
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Most commonly, they can support or modulate the colonies of bacteria that you've already got in your digestive tract. This is referred to as your intestinal microbiota.
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Yep, there's bacteria (and even fungi!) in your gut; mostly in your large intestine (bowel).⁣
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You've also got separate but similar communities in other parts of your body (like in your mouth, bladder, on your skin), but we'll just stick to the gut one for today.
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So what do these bugs even do?⁣
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Amazingly, these [estimated] trillions of bacteria play a role in producing nutrients from the food you eat for you to absorb, maintaining ideal digestion, keeping your immune system in-check, and even managing inflammation in your body.
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More recently, a link has been established between the quality of your gut microbiota and mental health (SUPER important). The various applications of probiotics are always growing, as are the ways that our microbiota affects our whole health.
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So, in short, probiotics are used as a supplement to support, re-establish or modulate what you've already got in your gut.
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But, they're definitely not for everyone, and not all formulas are made the same!
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Depending on what's going on for you, you may need a more specific probiotic formula to help with your health (not just one you can get off the supermarket shelf).
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If gut health is something you'd like to address, or if you're curious about probiotics, feel free to message me to take the guesswork out of choosing your supplements. I also offer INCREDIBLE functional testing that tells us exactly what's going on in your gut, and we can go from there!

27/06/2021

Western Australia has recorded one new case of COVID-19 in the community overnight in relation to NSW travel.

As a result, and until public health can confirm if the virus has spread, restrictions will come into effect immediately for the Perth-Peel region for a minimum period of three days.

These restrictions include:

- Mandatory mask wearing indoors, on public transport, and outdoors where physical distancing is not possible, primary school aged children and those who are exempt are not required to wear masks;
- Public events that cannot be restricted to 150 people will be cancelled or played without spectators today – including the Chicken and Beer Festival and AFL West Coast Eagles vs Western Bulldogs match at Optus Stadium. The match will proceed, but without spectators.
- 30-person limit in all homes for private gatherings;
- Hospitality, entertainment venues (including casino and nightclubs), retail, beauty/hairdressers, recreation centres (including gyms, pilates, yoga, dance and swimming pools) and places of worship can remain open, but must comply with the 2 square metre rule, with a maximum of 150 patrons.
- Community sport is permitted.
- Wedding and funerals can also proceed but will be limited to a maximum of 150 attendees.
- Hospitals will have a maximum of four personal visitors permitted per patient per day – masks will be mandatory for staff and visitors.
- Anyone who enters a regional area from the Perth-Peel region is required to wear a mask as per requirements in Perth-Peel, and travel should be minimised. Travel to remote Aboriginal Communities will be restricted.

All these measures will be reviewed regularly and the Chief Health Officer will continue to monitor the serious situation and provide more ongoing advice.

Everyone is urged to continue checking in using the SafeWA app or contact registers, get tested if you feel unwell and visit wa.gov.au/covid19 for further information.

24/06/2021

People ask me a fair bit what working with a wholistic pharmacy actually entails...⁠
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Consultations make up a large part of my offerings, but they're not just your run-of-the-mill, in-and-out type of consult.⁠
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They're in-depth, fun, mindful, and they're there for you to share your health story in a safe space & for me to understand your whole picture.⁠
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But, there's a lot more involved when working with me.⁠
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You've got a wholistic pharmacist to work through your health struggles with you, creating tailored treatment plans and recommendations specifically for you, prescribing high-quality natural supplements and guiding you along your healing journey.⁠
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My Treatment Plans are the cornerstone & pride of my work 😍 They're custom-made and cover your diet, nutrition, lifestyle, mindset & prescriptions.⁠
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I also include a breakdown of what I think's going on for you & your current state of health. Education is a huge part of healing 👩🏼‍🎓⁠
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If you're looking for a health experience with a difference, we've got your back 🤩

23/06/2021

🌈🌈🌈

22/06/2021

The perfect excuse to go out for oysters, a cheese board and a strawberry daiquiri this weekend 🤫😉

21/06/2021

“Vitamin C? But isn’t that just for colds and immunity and stuff?” 🤧⁠ YES! But wait, there’s more! 🤭⁠
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So we know that Vitamin C is commonly used to prevent + treat colds and flus. It can help shorten the amount of time that you feel "out-of-whack" for, alleviates symptoms of a bad cold and optimises the function of your immune cells, so they can do their jobs RIGHT! 💪🏼⁠
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But C is also a critical nutrient to help with stress management. To understand how this powerful nutrient works on your stress response, let’s do a quick aside on your ADRENAL GLANDS
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~ These small glands sitting on top of each of your kidneys are the POWERHOUSES for producing & releasing the hormones that help your body respond to stress (cortisol, noradrenaline and adrenaline are the main hormonal stars). The glands receive signals from your brain telling them what to produce & secrete, and when, allowing your body to spring into action when needed ~⁠
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Vitamin C comes into the picture as your adrenals have one of the HIGHEST concentrations of C compared to your other organs. This means its uptake and use of C is quite high, making it an adrenal tonic of sorts.⁠
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So, optimal vitamin C intake → optimal adrenal function → optimal stress responses. Yay! 🤩⁠

Other ways it helps with stress:
🔸 Helps convert dopamine to noradrenaline (important for mood, proper muscle function and cognition), which then converts into adrenaline (think of your fight-flight-freeze response, adrenaline is a key hormone in helping you carry out your go-to stress action)
🔸 It’s a cofactor for serotonin production
🔸 As an antioxidant, Vitamin C helps protect ALL your cells from oxidative stress that can result from increased physical or mental demand

Here are my food-as-medicine tips to increase your intake without supps:
🍊 Throw some extra capsicum into your savoury meals
🍊 Enjoy some cups of rosehip tea
🍊Chuck some fresh spinach or kale into your next green smoothie or salad of choice
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Alright, go on now, apply this info to your LIFE to support your immune system as well as your nervous system! I think all our body systems could use a bit of a nutritional cuddle at this point!

20/06/2021

The next nutrient I'd like to slide into your coping-with-stress tool-kit is zinc!
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Much like our dearly beloved magnesium, zinc is crucial in regulating heaps of chemical reactions throughout our body. And, it has some great benefits for our nervous systems, too.
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Mainly, it works synergistically with magnesium to:
→ Enhance GABA release (remember, this is our calming neurotransmitter. Imagine a big, gentle, fluffy St Bernard dog. That's GABA). GABA will help manage anxiety, which can often increase in times of stress
→ Support serotonin production, which is our feel-good/omg-life-is-great neurotransmitter (like... a happy-go-lucky golden retriever!)
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But it also has helpful roles in:
→ Regulating blood sugar levels: blood glucose can be impacted, as our body utilises carbs in a different way when we're stressed, which can be screwing around with your energy levels
→ Supporting thyroid function: your thyroid is the amazing gland that hangs out under your voicebox, chillin', but has the high-stakes role of regulating your metabolism. And we all know that can get a bit out of whack if we’re feeling stressed
→ Maintaining optimal immune function: a big one at the moment, innit? Zinc ensures your immune cells are working properly, sussing out any pathogens lurking in your body and dealing with them as needed.
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Now, you'll need sufficient stomach acid to properly absorb zinc from your diet, so digestive issues may be limiting your uptake of zinc. Also, it's more bioavailable [i.e. your body can use more of it] when it comes from animal sources
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So if you’re a strict vegetarian or vegan, feelin’ stressed, are immuno-compromised or have a digestive disorder, you may want to consider supplementing zinc.
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And if you do, please always take with some food in your tum!
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As always, messages are welcome if you have any questions.
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Take care, and zinc up!

19/06/2021

I think it'd be a fair assumption to say that most of us are experiencing some degree of stress right now; with the current events changing our lives, processing new information daily (if not hourly) and coping with new ways of living.
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I know that there are lots of wonderful tools in the natural world that can help us cope with such stress — tools that help us adapt to stress, help our bodies run smoothly during hard times and support our body in producing hormones & other chemicals that keep us going.
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If there was ONE nutrient I could convince everyone to introduce into their lives, it would be MAGNESIUM!
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Involved in over 300 chemical processes in our bodies, this is a very multi-talented nutrient to say the least.
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Most of us don't consume enough of this nutrient as it is through diet alone, but more importantly, magnesium is rapidly depleted during times of stress. This is because it's drawn from our cells to help our bodies produce hormones that help us function during stress, when our nervous systems are struggling.
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So it's understandable that our health might be suffering when stress is an unaddressed factor, right? Our bodies are always trying to do the best they can with what they got.
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Magnesium gets bonus points for helping with:
• boosting serotonin: our beautiful neurotransmitter that helps with mood & sleep regulation
• activating GABA: our calming neurotransmitter that helps alleviate anxiety
• relaxing muscles: with stress often comes tension, and our muscles hold onto that s**z!
• energy production: stress will chew through your energy, and magnesium can provide a lil lift if you've been feeling like you're running on empty.aaaand double points to mag for helping with lung health & broncho-dilation [shoutout to anyone prone to asthma or poor lung function]
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Do you think mag could do you some good right about now? Let me know your thoughts 'n' Qs!✨

18/06/2021

Do you avoid focusing on your spirituality when it comes to your health? Maybe you think it's not important, or doesn't apply to you?⁠ Or maybe, plain and simply, the word just cringes you out⁠
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Thankfully, spirituality doesn't just mean one thing. It's not a box that you have to fit into⁠
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It's your own, unique aspect. It's how you relate to yourself, to nature, to your being. It's your inner essence. Your beliefs & philosophies that keep you feeling like yourself, and keep you striving toward your best self⁠
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So it's no wonder why if your inner spirituality isn't aligned, or present, you may be feeling out-of-sorts in other areas of your health⁠
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If you're not sure where to start when it comes to your spiritual health, here are some easy pointers / questions to reflect on:⁠
✨ 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: aim to practice mindfulness for just 5 minutes a day. 5 minutes of focusing on your breath, or a sound, or any other sensations around you.⁠
✨ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲⁠: do you feel connected to the Earth? Try walking outdoors, barefoot if possible, or even just sit under a tree. See what you notice.⁠
✨ 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲⁠: what do you wish to do with your time on Earth? How do you want to feel everyday?⁠
✨ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆: what keeps you grounded, inspired and moving forward?⁠
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I find that those with a strong sense of spirituality (that's true, unique and meaningful to them) have a better time overcoming issues within their emotional + physical health. I notice the same in myself, too 🙋🏻‍♀️⁠
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I hope this post shed some insight into holistic health, and maybe even sparked some spiritual inspiration for yourself! Let me know! 👇🏽

17/06/2021

You might've thought physical health is most important, because it's a bit more obvious, more material — but you'd be surprised to learn how deeply our feelings and emotional state can affect our physical being.⁠
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I believe good emotional health is a combo of:⁠
🌟being aware of what you're feeling and your emotions as they arise⁠
🌟staying open + curious about said emotions⁠
🌟having healthy ways of expressing your feels⁠
🌟a sense of self-compassion for what you're feeling⁠
🌟practicing the art of self-regulation⁠
🌟behaving in a way that aligns with your emotions⁠
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I like to use lifestyle habits, nourishing foods, and more subtler forms of medicine to help my clients shift their emotional states that are impacting their overall wellbeing.⁠
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We do not just address the physical: we address the whole individual who sits before us. And that includes their feels. Never ignore the feels.

16/06/2021

When helping clients, I like to distinguish mental health from emotional health⁠ ✨⁠
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I see a difference between feelings that naturally arise, which aren't necessarily associated with the brain and can be dissociated from thought (emotional health), compared to one's thoughts, mental patterns, cognition and neurotransmitter balance⁠ (mental health)⁠ ⚖️⁠
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We've come a long way to NORMALISE mental health and loosen mental illness from the negative stigma that it is so tightly bound to⁠ ⛓️ 🧠⁠
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But I want to take it a step further and promote knowledge on the power of your mind, your thought patterns⁠ and the potential everyone has for mental wellbeing (and how its such an important key in WHOLE health) 🌸⁠
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AND I absolutely love working with the gut-brain connection! Something about this area sings to my soul, and it's so empowering being able to influence clients' gut health (amazing!) and then see the difference in their mental health (doubly amazing!), and vice versa! 🤩⁠
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Another reminder that your body is a whole system, communicating and interacting with itself constantly. 💁🏻‍♀️

15/06/2021

Do you think about your social life when you think about your health?⁠
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Your social environment plays a HUGE part in your overall health — physical, mental, emotional + spiritual.⁠
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This makes your social health a key piece of the puzzle in your optimal health jigsaw 🧩⁠
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If you're feeling less-than-best, here are some things you might like to consider tapping into or focusing on changing to experience a better sense of wellbeing:⁠
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✨ living environment: who is in your living space? can you connect with them authentically + peacefully? is there safety?⁠
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✨ friends + colleagues: who do you surround yourself with on a day-to-day basis? is there a good energy / vibration? are you bringing your best to those social interactions? do they fill up your cup, or drain you?⁠
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✨ family + chosen family: who's in your core network; your main crew? do you have loved ones you can rely on, turn to for support and connect deeply with?⁠
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✨ partners + lovers: how are your intimate relationships? can you hold space for your partner, and can they hold space for you? are your interactions kind, loving + open-minded?⁠
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✨ interpersonal skills: are you able to connect well with others? empathise & sympathise? support and ask for help when needed? can you have an uplifting conversation with a stranger, or does anxiety arise?⁠
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✨ community connection: are you involved in your community/ies? what role do you play in your community? are you showing up for them?⁠
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2020 has certainly tested us socially. How have you adapted to the changing social landscape? How have you been staying connected to your loved ones?⁠
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And if you haven't already, this is your reminder to stay connected. Go tell someone that you love them.

14/06/2021

Holistic may as well be my middle name at this point.⁠
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A part of holistic healthcare that I haven't touched on yet, but is pretty obviously, is your physical health 🏃🏽‍♀️⁠
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It's important⁠. What your body is doing, how it's reacting and responding to the way you live is an important aspect of any healing journey, no doubt 💁🏻‍♀️⁠
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BUT, let's get it clear. Physical health does NOT equal what someone looks like⁠ 🙅🏽‍♀️⁠
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→ It's about how you feel in your body AND what's going on inside (any pathology, inflammation, disease, measurable biomarkers, etc)⁠ ←⁠
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Most people use physical health outcomes as their main driver and desire to get 'better', or usually wait until something goes *really* wrong physically before they do anything for their health. And this is fine if it's what gets people to care about their wellbeing, but...⁠ 😬⁠
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It's only one small piece of your WHOLISTIC HEALTH puzzle⁠ 🧩⁠
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💫⁠ There's so much more to address & get curious about in regards to truly feeling BETTER: living a vibrant life AS WELL AS preventing illness!⁠ 💫⁠
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⁠So, how are you feeling in your body right now? 🤔⁠
No matter what your body + being is going through at the moment, one thing that's universal is that our physical bodies could probs do with a lot more lovin' 💖 💃🏽

13/06/2021

Holism refers to the art of interpreting things as whole systems; acknowledging that separate parts are interconnected, influence each other and complete the big picture 🖼️⁠
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❓ How does this apply to your health and wellbeing?⁠
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The way I approach health is holistic: this means that I see the way your separate body parts and systems impact one another, ultimately contributing to your whole essence and wellbeing 💫⁠
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A good example of this is using food as medicine for most (if not all) health conditions. We’re acknowledging that what occurs in your digestive system, and the nutrients you absorb, absolutely affects other areas of your health: your skin, your energy and stress levels, your cognitive health, stamina, and so on 🌈⁠
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So to me, wholistic health encompasses all the things that make you, you, and make up your life, how those things are influencing each other, and how they add-up to your health status 💖⁠
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I like to break this down into into a few different categories:⁠
⭐ physical + emotional + mental + social + spiritual health + sense of inner balance = your complete health picture ⭐ ⁠
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Keep this in mind for your current health conditions or any issues you might encounter in the future. If you need help navigating all these pieces of your health puzzle, let me know! I would love to help 🙋🏻‍♀️

12/06/2021

DOUBLE ZERO WASTE WIN! 😍

I just saw this cute milk bottle pot idea and I just had to make it myself! How cute is it!? I'm saving a milk bottle from landfill and I'm regrowing my spring onion instead of buying it!

In case you didn't know, you can regrow the spring onion you buy in the shop by keeping the roots and 1-2 cm of stem in water or by potting it🥳

Replanting the spring onion gives my pot a funky hair but the spring onion will now grow faster and healthier now in soil (rather than water) where it can get all the nutrients it needs 🤗

11/06/2021

Self love frog coming in hot with some facts 💯

10/06/2021

Sore b***s? 😖⁠⁠ Mood swings? 😭⁠⁠ Acne & breakouts? 😞⁠⁠
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If you get one or more of these symptoms before your period, it may be PMS!⁠⁠
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There are a few nutrients that are sure to provide a decent amount of relief for your PMS symptoms 💕⁠⁠
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Swipe to see what they are! Could you be deficient in one (or all!) of these nutrients? 🤔⁠⁠
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Remember: this isn't tailored-to-you advice, but it can be a good entry-point into the world of natural + holistic healing for your hormones 🌈

Monday	08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday	08:00 - 18:00
Wednesday	08:00 - 18:00
Thursday	08:00 - 18:00
Friday	08:00 - 18:00
Saturday	09:00 - 17:00
Sunday	12:00 - 17:00

Fitch's Pharmacy