Nicole Tricarico Naturopath

Nicole Tricarico Naturopath Nicole has almost 30 years of experience specialising in women & children's health, and fertility.

With over 25 years experience, Nicole is providing naturopathic support and solutions for health and well being. Nicole specialises in women's health, fertility, pregnancy support and children's health. She is also a Metabolic Balance Coach and brought this to Shepparton in 2019. Nicole worked for over 20 years at Natremed in Shepparton, before starting her own business when Natremed closed it's doors in 2017. She also offers birth and parenting preparation, birth story medicine, A Celebration Day for Girls. You can visit her Your Birth Support page here: https://www.facebook.com/yourbirthsupportshepparton/

Would you expect to feel great with these results?This client came in feeling fatigued and flat, with low mood that just...
08/02/2026

Would you expect to feel great with these results?

This client came in feeling fatigued and flat, with low mood that just wouldn’t lift.

There wasn't any obvious reason why.
But when we looked deeper, patterns started to emerge.

Not dramatic deficiencies.
Not a single smoking gun.
But multiple low-optimal markers all pointing in the same direction.

👉 Energy production struggling
👉 Nutrients required for energy and mood support running low
👉 Thyroid and cholesterol markers not where you’d expect for someone who feels well
👉 Iron transport and key cofactors not quite doing their job

Individually, each result might be dismissed.
Together, they tell a very different story.

This is why I don’t chase symptoms,
I look for patterns, connections, and root causes.

Because fatigue isn’t random.
Low mood isn’t a character flaw.
And “normal” results don’t always equal optimal health.

If you’ve ever felt like your body is trying to tell you something,
it’s worth listening.

✨ There are answers when you know how to look. Check out how my Optimal Blood Health Review can support you. https://nicoletricarico.com/your-optimal-blood-health-review/

Just because a diet helps you lose weightdoesn’t mean it’s nourishing you.Recently I met with a new female client who ha...
05/02/2026

Just because a diet helps you lose weight
doesn’t mean it’s nourishing you.

Recently I met with a new female client who had been following a strict keto / near-100% animal-based diet.

✔️ She’d lost weight
✔️ Some symptoms initially improved

But when we looked at her bloods, a different story emerged.

What showed up:
• Multiple white blood cell abnormalities
• Low B12 (surprising on an all-animal diet, but not uncommon clinically)
• Cholesterol above optimal functional ranges
• Signs of a more acidic internal environment
• Kidney stress markers
• Low blood sugars (likely reflecting very low carbohydrate and fibre intake)
• Zinc and vitamin D just under optimal

And most importantly
❌ Her energy was poor
❌ Her mental health hadn’t improved

She said something insightful herself:

“Maybe I felt better at first because I cut out processed food and sugar.”

That’s often true.

Sometimes people feel better on keto not because carbs or vegetables are the problem, but because ultra-processed foods are removed.

Another layer I see often:
Some people notice their gut feels calmer when vegetables and fibre are removed.
This doesn’t mean vegetables are the enemy.

It usually means:
👉 there’s an underlying gut issue that needs support, not avoidance.

Removing fibre can mask a problem, not resolve it.

✨ Key takeaway:
There is no one “perfect” diet.

A diet can:
• help weight loss
• reduce symptoms short-term

…and still deplete nutrients, stress organs, and fail to support long-term health.

This is why I now come back to blood work.

Your bloods can tell us whether the way you’re eating is:
• nourishing you
• stressing your system
• supporting energy, mood, immunity and metabolism — or not

Not every diet suits every body.
And the data often knows before symptoms fully catch up.

If you’re eating “clean” but still tired, flat, anxious, foggy —
it may not be you.
It may be the mismatch.






’sHealth



If you only changed three things in your life, they could make a real difference to your health, without fads or extreme...
04/02/2026

If you only changed three things in your life, they could make a real difference to your health, without fads or extremes.

1. Eat protein regularly (especially at breakfast)
Protein supports blood sugar stability, energy, mood, hormone balance and focus. Skipping it often leads to crashes, cravings and relying on stress hormones to get through the day.

2. Support digestion before perfecting your diet
How you eat matters just as much as what you eat. Slowing down, chewing well and eating in a calmer state can improve digestion, absorption and gut comfort more than cutting out more foods.

3. Protect your sleep and nervous system
Sleep is where repair, hormone regulation and detoxification happen. Late nights, constant stimulation and chronic stress quietly undermine everything else you’re trying to do.

You don’t need to do everything at once.
Start with the basics, they work.

There are a few health myths I hear almost daily, and they often keep people stuck.🍏Being told your blood tests are “nor...
03/02/2026

There are a few health myths I hear almost daily, and they often keep people stuck.

🍏Being told your blood tests are “normal” doesn’t always explain symptoms.

🍏Taking more supplements doesn’t always fix deficiencies.

🍏Feeling exhausted, bloated or flat isn’t something you’re meant to just live with.

Health is rarely about one marker, one nutrient or one quick fix. It’s about patterns, context and how systems work together.

This is why personalised, functional assessment matters , it helps us understand why the body is struggling, not just label the result.

One of the biggest misunderstandings I see is this:If a nutrient is low, just take more of it.But the body doesn’t work ...
02/02/2026

One of the biggest misunderstandings I see is this:
If a nutrient is low, just take more of it.

But the body doesn’t work like that.

I often see people taking iron, B12, folate or other supplements consistently, yet their blood results and symptoms don’t improve. That’s because absorption, utilisation and demand matter just as much as intake.

Some common reasons nutrients don’t move as expected include:
• poor gut function or inflammation
• missing cofactors (nutrients work in teams)
• chronic stress increasing nutrient demand
• liver or kidney stress affecting processing and clearance
• immune activation, parasites or heavy metals interfering
• insulin resistance or metabolic stress altering utilisation

This is why, for example, low haemoglobin with good iron stores isn’t fixed by more iron, and why high or low folate can mean very different things depending on context.

Looking at nutrients in isolation rarely gives answers. Looking at patterns usually does.

I’ve looked at many clients’ blood test results recently, and what stands out most is how often the blood patterns line ...
01/02/2026

I’ve looked at many clients’ blood test results recently, and what stands out most is how often the blood patterns line up clearly with how people are actually feeling.

Some of the common themes I’m seeing include:
• Low B12, matching fatigue, brain fog and low resilience
• Good iron stores but low haemoglobin, meaning oxygen delivery to cells is compromised — and the answer is not more iron
• White blood cell abnormalities, prompting a deeper look at parasites, heavy metals, immune stress and other drivers
• Early signs of declining kidney function
• Insulin resistance and metabolic stress
• Stressed livers
• Both high and low folate patterns, each with different implications
• High and low lipids and triglycerides, reflecting very different metabolic states

This is why simply being told bloods are “normal” doesn’t always explain symptoms. When you look at results as patterns, not isolated numbers, the picture becomes much clearer.

This is exactly what I do in my Optimal Blood Health Review: taking the time to interpret blood tests through a functional, naturopathic lens to uncover underlying drivers and guide meaningful, targeted support.

Lately I’ve been seeing more teenagers in clinic, and their blood results are telling important stories.Not dramatic. No...
29/01/2026

Lately I’ve been seeing more teenagers in clinic, and their blood results are telling important stories.

Not dramatic. Not scary.
But meaningful.

One teen was depleted in several key nutrients. Her blood results clearly reflected the low energy and flatness she’d been experiencing, with multiple contributing factors, not just one missing nutrient.

Another had struggled for a long time to raise iron levels, alongside low energy and mood changes. Looking deeper, we found clues as to why iron wasn’t improving, and patterns that suggested further investigation, including possible heavy metal involvement.

Another is already showing early signs of metabolic stress and depletion, the kind that, if left unaddressed, can quietly track into adulthood.

Teen health isn’t just about “growing pains” or brushing things off as normal for their age. Early patterns matter. When we understand what the body is asking for, we can support it before bigger issues develop.

This is where thoughtful, individualised assessment makes a difference, especially during such a critical stage of growth.

Get in touch about how my Optimal Blood Health Review can help.

You don’t need to be seriously unwell to pay attention to your health.The body rarely goes from “fine” to burnt out over...
28/01/2026

You don’t need to be seriously unwell to pay attention to your health.

The body rarely goes from “fine” to burnt out overnight. More often, it whispers first:
• poor or unrefreshing sleep
• frequent headaches
• low motivation or brain fog
• digestive changes
• getting sick more often
• feeling flat, wired or overwhelmed

Prevention is about responding to these early signals, not pushing through until things become unmanageable. Small, timely adjustments can prevent bigger problems later on.

Naturopathic care is especially powerful here. It’s about noticing patterns early, supporting the body before depletion sets in, and helping you stay well, not just recover when things fall apart.

Health myth: If something is popular, natural, or trending, it must be good for everyone.Reality: Your body doesn’t care...
27/01/2026

Health myth: If something is popular, natural, or trending, it must be good for everyone.

Reality: Your body doesn’t care what’s trending. It responds to what’s appropriate for you.

I regularly see people struggling after trying:
• extreme fasting
• cutting entire food groups
• copying influencer protocols
• taking supplements without testing

What works brilliantly for one person can worsen symptoms for another, especially when hormones, gut health, stress load, life stage or nutrient status are different.

This is why personalised care matters. Naturopathy isn’t about following rules or trends, it’s about understanding patterns, context and individuality.

Healing isn’t found in the latest hack.
It’s found in the right support, at the right time, for the right person.

Your Optimal Blood Health Review tracks what's going on in your body chemistry right now. HTMA hair analysis can show longer-term patterns and heavy metal load. Metabolic Balance devises a unique eating plan for your body.

Digestion isn’t just about what you eat; it’s about the state of your nervous system when you eat.Your gut and brain are...
26/01/2026

Digestion isn’t just about what you eat; it’s about the state of your nervous system when you eat.

Your gut and brain are in constant conversation. When you’re stressed, rushing, multitasking or running on adrenaline, digestion gets down-regulated. Less stomach acid, less enzyme output, slower motility, and more bloating, reflux, constipation or food reactions.

This is why someone can be eating “all the right foods” and still feel uncomfortable after meals. The body needs to feel safe to digest properly.

Gentle ways to support the gut–nervous system connection:
• Eat sitting down (not in the car or standing at the bench)
• Take a few slow breaths before meals
• Chew more than you think you need to
• Avoid screens while eating when possible
• Support the nervous system alongside gut protocols

Healing digestion often starts with regulation, not restriction.

26/01/2026

Do you need remedy repeats or an appointment this week?

There are appointment options on Tuesday (one left) Thursday, Saturday (one left) this week, but its almost full, so book in now via my website.

Email for remedy repeats: naturopathnicole@gmail.com

Have a great week!

Why “Normal” Blood Sugar Still Leaves You Feeling AwfulFeeling tired, irritable, foggy or flat, but being told your bloo...
25/01/2026

Why “Normal” Blood Sugar Still Leaves You Feeling Awful

Feeling tired, irritable, foggy or flat, but being told your blood sugar is “normal”?

This is something I see every single week in clinic.

Blood sugar doesn’t have to be diabetic-level high or low to cause problems. Even subtle swings can drive:
• fatigue and energy crashes
• anxiety or mood dips
• headaches
• cravings (especially mid-afternoon or late at night)
• hormonal symptoms and sleep disruption

When blood sugar isn’t well regulated, the body leans on stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to keep you going — and that comes at a cost.

Simple ways to support steadier blood sugar:
✔️ Eat protein at every meal (especially breakfast)
✔️ Avoid “naked carbs” — pair carbs with fats or protein
✔️ Don’t skip meals when you’re already run down
✔️ Prioritise regular, balanced meals over extremes

This isn’t about restriction or perfection.
It’s about giving your body the stability it needs to function well.

If you’ve ever felt like something’s off despite “normal” results, there’s usually more to the story.

Address

122 Archer Street
Shepparton, VIC
3630

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 12:30pm

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With over 23 years experience, Nicole is providing naturopathic support and solutions for health and well being. Nicole specialises in women's health, fertility, pregnancy support and children's health. Nicole worked for over 20 years at Natremed in Shepparton, before starting her own business when Natremed closed it's doors in 2017. She also offers birth and parenting preparation via Birthing From Within Classes as well as Birth Story Medicine and A Celebration Day for Girls. She is a Trainer/Facilitator for Birthing From Within, Birth Story Listening and A Celebration Day for Girls.

Nicole is also a speaker and writer on birth and birth trauma.

You can visit her Your Birth Support page here: https://www.facebook.com/yourbirthsupportshepparton/