Phillip Chua - Naturopath & Herbalist

01/04/2026

What are the signs things are off track?
The colon is meant to be a thriving ecosystem. When diversity drops (antibiotics, processed food, chronic stress), the lining weakens. The immune system reacts before long inflammation becomes chronic.

Here are some ways that your body might be telling you that things aren’t going to plan:
Diarrhoea
Constipation
Changes in urgency
Bloating - acute or persistent
Mucus
Blood in stool
Abdominal cramping
Fatigue
Anaemia

If you are experiencing any of the above, please get in touch with me. I’d love to help you.

30/03/2026

Next month, we will be getting to the bottom of large bowel disorders.

Large bowel disorders are not random immune mistakes. They’re signs of deep microbial imbalance, gut lining compromise, and often years of accumulated stress on the system.

Tune in over the next month to get a deeper understanding of what is happening.

29/03/2026

What has affected your sleep the most in your life?
Life has its peaks and valleys for all things, and it is worth noting that there will be times when you have better sleep and other times when you have worse sleep.

What has changed your sleep for the better or worse the most over the years?

28/03/2026

𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 & 𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩: 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞
When a child struggles with sleep, we often focus on behaviour: routines, boundaries, consistency. These matter, but physiology matters too.

Children with frequent night waking, restless sleep, teeth grinding or difficulty settling may have underlying drivers such as:
• blood sugar instability
• nutrient deficiencies (magnesium, iron, zinc)
• gut dysbiosis
• food sensitivities
• elevated stress hormones.

If a child is constipated, bloated, frequently ill or has eczema, their sleep is unlikely to be deeply restorative.

Remember: growth hormone is released during deep sleep. Immune memory develops during sleep. Brain development depends on it.

From a traditional nutrition perspective, children require adequate protein, quality fats, fat-soluble vitamins and mineral-rich foods. Highly processed, low-fat, high-sugar patterns can destabilise both mood and sleep.

Before assuming behavioural resistance, we ask:
Is this nervous system regulated?
Is this digestion functioning?
Is this child nourished?

Sleep struggles are often communication.

When physiology is supported, routines become easier to implement.
If you need help with your child’s sleep, please get in touch. 🔗 Link in bio: https://www.phillipchua.com/book-online-1

27/03/2026

If you need caffeine to function, your body may be running on borrowed reserves.
Coffee doesn’t create energy. It blocks adenosine – the chemical that signals fatigue – and stimulates cortisol and adrenaline.

If sleep has been compromised, caffeine masks the signal but doesn’t resolve the deficit.

Over time, cortisol patterns flatten, blood sugar becomes unstable, digestion weakens, anxiety increases and sleep becomes lighter. Then we wake tired and reach for more coffee.

This cycle is common in busy professionals and parents. It’s also common in people with gut dysfunction, where nutrient absorption is already compromised.

True energy comes from restorative sleep, stable blood sugar, effective digestion, adequate micronutrients and nervous system regulation.

You don’t have to eliminate coffee completely. But if you cannot function without it, that’s data.

Instead of asking “How do I boost energy?”
Ask, “Why is my energy depleted?”

Sometimes the most productive step forward is an earlier bedtime.
Sleep isn’t laziness. It’s metabolic investment.

Get in touch today if you’d like to improve your sleep – and your health and wellbeing. 🔗 Link in bio: https://www.phillipchua.com/book-online-1

26/03/2026

If it is after 9 pm and you are just staring at a screen to ‘wind down’ for the day, try actually going to bed at 9 pm every day for a week and just notice what happens to your energy, food choices and mental health that week.

Want to learn more about sleep and your health? Make a booking with me today. 🔗 Link in bio: https://www.phillipchua.com/book-online-1

25/03/2026

Because there are just some days that you want to indulge in a brownie. (But is it possible to do it and still have a grain-free recipe??)

https://www.phillipchua.com/post/2017/12/15/cacao-chickpea-brownies

There are just sometimes that you want to indulge in a brownie. But is it possible to do it and still have a grain free recipe?! Of course it is, I have been sharing this recipe with others and they all comment that they wouldn't of picked that it is chickpeas and then there is more surprise when I....

23/03/2026

Your gut plays a central role in your overall health. As a naturopath and GAPS practitioner with over 10 years of clinical experience, I work with individuals and families to support digestive health so the body can heal effectively. When digestion improves, everything from energy to immunity can improve too.

🔗 Link in bio: https://www.phillipchua.com/book-online-1

22/03/2026

Can you remember the last time that you were so excited about something coming up in your life that you lost sleep over it? Leave a comment.

20/03/2026

How do you actually feel when you wake up?
If it is not vital, refreshed and ready to go for the day then this might be the sign you need to do something about it.

Let’s chat. 🔗 Link in bio: https://www.phillipchua.com/book-online-1

19/03/2026

Did you know that skin issues like eczema, acne or rashes can start in the gut?
As a GAPS practitioner, I help you identify the foods that promote healing and support your body from the inside out – so you can see and feel the difference.
Let’s have a conversation.

🔗 Link in bio: https://www.phillipchua.com/book-online-1

18/03/2026

We often treat sleep like a luxury, something we’ll ‘catch up on later’. But sleep is not passive downtime; it is active biological repair.

While you’re asleep, your brain clears metabolic waste through the glymphatic system. Your nervous system recalibrates, hormones reset, tissue repair accelerates and immune coordination improves. And, importantly, your gut rests and restores.

Chronic sleep deprivation increases cortisol. Elevated cortisol can weaken digestion, alter stomach acid production, impair motility and shift microbial balance. Over time, this can contribute to bloating, inflammation, cravings and mood instability.

Then the cycle continues: Poor sleep → poorer digestion → unstable blood sugar → night waking → more stress hormones.

From a GAPS perspective, we don’t separate systems. The gut, brain, hormones and immune system are constantly interacting.

If someone is waking between 1–3 am, wired but tired, craving sugar or caffeine, experiencing nighttime anxiety and/or struggling with inflammation, sleep must become foundational, not optional.

Start simple:
• Keep a consistent bedtime (before 10.30 pm ideally)
• Reduce artificial light after sunset
• Eat a protein and fat-containing dinner
• Keep screens out of the bedroom

Healing isn’t just about what you add during the day. It’s also about protecting what happens at night.

Sleep is not weakness.
It’s strategy.

For guidance and help with your sleep, make a booking today. 🔗 Link in bio: https://www.phillipchua.com/book-online-1