Wings for Wellness Naturopathy

Wings for Wellness Naturopathy Accredited in Clinical Nutritional & Herbal Medicine. PANS/PANDAS, ASD, ADHD & Mental Health, Stress

It's August in Melbourne, and if I have buzzing bees on my rosemary, it tells me Spring is not far away.Yes, 1 more mont...
02/08/2025

It's August in Melbourne, and if I have buzzing bees on my rosemary, it tells me Spring is not far away.
Yes, 1 more month to go, and weather changes, but I'm enjoying this sunny day 🌞 Could write all the reasons why a sunny day is good for you, like I usually do, but don't have time because I'm enjoying mine right now.
Do the same ❤️

Is Gluten the problem, or us?I hear from many patients that they feel better when they cut out gluten. I also hear that ...
25/04/2025

Is Gluten the problem, or us?

I hear from many patients that they feel better when they cut out gluten. I also hear that when they go to Europe, they can eat all the banquettes and pasta they desire, and not one single bloat. I put this out to my colleagues a few years ago,and they all confirmed the same thing.

I started buying imported flour from France for our family, and surprise, no tummy issues.

This is what I now know about wheat flour from "Western" countries:

🥖The grain is often genetically modified for a higher yield and to ward off pests. Great for production, but our bodies don't know how to digest something that has been chemically changed.

🥐Grain is sprayed with glyphosate (herbicide) 2 weeks before harvest. The International Journal of Molecular Sciences has shown again what we know: that glyphosate causes intestinal damage, gut dysbiosis (kills good bacteria), and behavioural changes.

🥨Potassium Bromate is added to the flour to make bread fluffy and rise high, but it's banned in Europe, UK, Canada and Brazil for its links to cancer.

🥞FOLIC acid (the synthetic version of Folate) is added by law in Australia to acknowledge the chronic deficiency amongst the population, but this synthetic version can cause issues. We need to focus on FOLINIC acid, which is the natural form of folate found in leafy greens, citrus, legumes, and eggs.

In 2023, Australia exported 16.74 billion dollars’ worth of wheat. I get why the above measures are done - it’s a great business model, but not a great health one. We stuffed up wheat, and our bodies have no idea how to digest it anymore.

I buy Italian flour and make my own bread and egg pasta. This is why:

✅️Italy has banned glyphosate spraying on wheat before harvest

✅️They use a more ancient grain that has not been modified, and their flour is not bromated or fortified with folic acid. It’s just flour in its natural state.

On top of this, our hydrochloric acid production in the stomach isn’t the best and we don’t digest out food well, causing tummy problems- that’s another post.

Seriously, is there anything better than organic grassfed butter on a piece of crusty sourdough bread? 🤤 Enjoy real food 🍞

RESEARCH says eggs are back on the menu to live longer 🍳 Bit confusing as in the past we were told to avoid them to live...
05/02/2025

RESEARCH says eggs are back on the menu to live longer 🍳 Bit confusing as in the past we were told to avoid them to live longer 🤦‍♀️ Oh my. This is why I love eggs:
When a human Mama grows a baby, we feed them through the placenta. We need to eat nutritious food so our baby can access that nutrition and grow healthy and strong. Their health depends on our food choices. Now, a Mama Hen has no connection to her baby chic. She has a fertilised egg, which she sits on, keeps warm, and gets clucky over. The yolk in that egg is so nutrient dense that it has enough vitamins, minerals, healthy fats & proteins to grow a baby chick. Yep, all that chick needs is the nutrition from the yolk mainly and her Mamas warmth.

Let me share a few fun facts about why eggs are great:

Contains the amino acid Methionine, which we need to make the neurotransmitter Serotonin.

Contains Tyrosine, which we need to make Dopamine.

Contains Glutamic acid, which we need to make GABA.

Contains Choline ,which we need to make Acetylcholine.

The above neurotransmitters contribute to good mood, ability to focus and keep attention, sleep well, have a great memory, be less anxious, have more motivation, and improve cognitive function.

There is great research telling us that we can achieve these great things by improving the diet, and eggs are only ONE of these foods. There are many more. This is why I always say to my patients, it's all about VARIETY.

Now that I've promoted eggs... where do we get them from? I know, the shops are a bit empty these days. Here is where I go:

🐥 Josh's Rainbow Eggs, Monegeetta farm gate sales (incredible eggs and cheaper than the supermarket price)
🐥 Madelaine's eggs (not far from Josh, farm gate sales & organic)
🐥 Get on your local community FB page and ask (many have backyard chooks and want to sell their excess)
🐥 Take a drive countryside and look for the signs. Many farms will have an esky out front filled with eggs.

How do we eat our eggs? Sunny side up, frittata, crème anglaise on baked apples, custard, in a potato salad, egg salad sandwich, just boiled and in the fridge, omelette, shakshuka, and you can even make your own egg pasta.

Real food, just eat real food. And variety- this is always my most important discussion point to patients. It really does make a difference. ,

Kids feel stress too, and it will show in their behaviour. This case study highlights how little changes make a BIG diff...
02/12/2024

Kids feel stress too, and it will show in their behaviour. This case study highlights how little changes make a BIG difference. I see cases like this a lot! Meet Ted (name changed, obviously):

1ST CONSULTATION: At the start of Prep, Ted's teacher observed inattentiveness, poor concentration, schoolwork refusal, defiance & poor short-term memory. Pediatrician ordered blood work & IRON was very low. Mum described Ted as motivated, street-smart, poor eater, engaging, and he says he "doesn't understand his schoolwork." I put him on an iron supplement (increases appetite & brain needs oxygen to stay focused), some nutrients for central nervous system support, some essential fatty acids (the brain is made of fat), a herbal mix for cognition & stress response (Bacopa, Ginkgo plus more) and we had a talk about his diet. He needed more protein and variety. Oh, and bedtime was a nightmare- constant excuses.

2ND CONSULT: Mum reported significant improvement. Ted is more engaging, willing to learn, an increase in cognition and attention, sleeping better, and is now having a stool motion every day (the gut brain connection is real!). His appetite has improved (thank you IRON) and his breakfast is now scrambled eggs with yoghurt, nuts, and fruit (previously cereal). He is retelling what he learnt at school and asking to visit the library.

3RD CONSULTATION: Teds' diet has improved so much that we have removed half the supplements & herbs and all is still going really well. Pediatrician and teacher have no concerns.

Every now and then I would prescribe a supplement or herbal mix when life's been busy & the diet hasn't been the best (hey, we've all been there) but otherwise, Ted is doing great and figuring out life like every other kid in school.

If you don't give the body what it needs to function, it will show, especially in kids! Western lifestyles and diets don't help.

I'm proud of Teds mum for being open-minded, willing to learn, and putting in the effort to make changes. She learned a lot!

The best question you need to ask when it comes to your child's health is "what else could be causing or contributing to this situation?". There are many pieces in the miraculous puzzle of YOU. ❤️

This is what the LOW IRON merry-go-round looks like: Iron is low, take a supplement, nothing changes, get iron infusion...
29/10/2024

This is what the LOW IRON merry-go-round looks like: Iron is low, take a supplement, nothing changes, get iron infusion, feel great... iron plummets and we start the whole cycle again.

There are many reasons why iron can be low and why you find it hard to get your levels up. One is absorption. We need around 18mg a day and from that we only absorb approx 3mg! So how is it possible to get your levels up then? Let me tell you a fun fact about iron:

Our body actually makes it own iron. When our red blood cells have reached the end of their life cycle, they get broken down into little bits and pieces and get stored in our bone marrow. When the body needs more iron (because it could only absorb 3mg from your steak) it pulls out those bits and pieces and turns it back into iron again. It literally recycles it own iron. So technically, iron never leaves your body, it just gets pulled apart and put back together again. BUT, this process requires COPPER... no copper, no iron.

Now lets look at what you are eating. Do these copper rich foods appear on your menu? Lets start with my favourite...

DARK CHOCOLATE: a 100gm piece contains 200% of your recommended daily intake (RDI)! It also contains 67% of your iron RDI

NUTS & SEEDS: Almonds are great but cashews are better at 67% RDI

LOBSTER: A very fancy 85gms gives you 178 RDI

SH*TAKE MUSHROOMS: 15gms provides 89% RDI. I put these in pork dumplings with cabbage and spring onions

LIVER: An adventurous 1144% in 67gm

OYSTERS: 844% in 100gms

SPIRULINA: 44% RDI in 7gms

Like I said, copper is just one small piece of the puzzle when looking into iron issues, but it is still a conversation that I have with my patients who are on the low iron merry-go-round.

And it's not just the ladies! I see so many kids with low iron levels. Iron is needed to make the neurotransmitter DOPAMINE and carry oxygen to the brain for clarity, focus and concentration. Something to think about ❤

I should add, never self diagnose and self prescribe iron without a blood test first!! You need to rule out hemochromatosis before any iron supplementation is taken

DEMENTIA & TYPE 3 DIABETES:He's the most iconic action actor out there! Fit, strong, can't be killed as he defeats the e...
19/09/2024

DEMENTIA & TYPE 3 DIABETES:
He's the most iconic action actor out there! Fit, strong, can't be killed as he defeats the enemy in his white singlet 😍... so how can a man in his prime have dementia? 😔

Anyone who has a loved one with Dementia knows how awful it is. It is often thought to be genetic, but we know a lot more about it and how we can stop it's ugly increase.

Research from the International Journal of Molecular Sciences tells us that type 3 diabetes plays a part in its progression. Bet you've never heard of T3D before... let's break it down.

It all comes down to INSULIN RESISTANCE which is how type 2 diabetes starts. Our body uses glucose (sugars from the breakdown of carbs) as a form of energy. It does this by producing the hormone INSULIN which brings the glucose in the cell for it to be converted into energy. If there is an increase of glucose in the blood (after a high sugar/carb meal) the body will produce extra insulin to fix the problem. If there is constant, elevated glucose in the blood stream (from high sugar/carb diets) over time the body can't keep up with the demand for insulin. It's exhausted and basically thinks "what's the point, I'll never produce enough insulin to deal with all this sugar" and gives up leaving too much glucose in your bloodstream and a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Note, different to type 1 diabetes which is an autoimmune condition where the body can't produce insulin.

Type 3 diabetes is where there is insulin resistance within the brain and linked to Alzheimers which is a form of Dementia.

Sugar is the one thing that I always tell my clients to significantly reduce- nothing good comes from it. This also includes things that breakdown in sugar including refined carbs.

Always try to include protein and healthy fats with all meals and lay low on the lollies & soft drinks, especially for kids. Change breakfast from toast to yoghurt with muesli or scrambled eggs. Take left over dinner for lunch instead of another sandwich. Meat and 3 veg for dinner instead of pasta. Ditch the food that comes in boxes and packets, they are usually the worst!

Use the food that nature provides ❤🍎
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7246646/

MOULD EXPOSURE, pain, fatigue, cognitive deficits and immune issues....Never did I ever think that I would be buying our...
22/08/2024

MOULD EXPOSURE, pain, fatigue, cognitive deficits and immune issues....
Never did I ever think that I would be buying our daughter a $60 drink bottle a few years ago 😆 But, I remember what it's like (still upset that I had volleys instead of reeboks) and she has since been gifted two more. I found one that hadn't been used for a while, and there it was... mould 😕 It doesn't matter what brand you have, it will grow in places.

I get a bit fanatical with mould because I have seen the damage it can do. I've had patients whose health went downhill dramatically after exposure. Research published in the "Brain, Behavior, and Immunity" Journal explain that inhaled mould spores can cause immune issues, altered memory, pain sensitivity, anxiety-like behavior, behavioral problems, fatigue plus more. Here's one reason why...

Remember all those times I've said that we need exposure to microbes to create a healthy microbiome, that we need to protect the healthy bacteria in our gut/intestines/skin... well if one bad microbe dominates and upsets the balance then health problems arise, and that's what mould does.

If mould and bacteria were in a UFC fight, mould would win, hands down! It's just a superior microbe that has learned to evolve to survive. SO, if we have been exposed to mould spores, then our good bacteria can suffer causing an unbalanced microbiome... and we know that this can cause anxiety, behavioral issues, autoimmunity, basically don't have enough room to type them all 🤷‍♀️

Mould within the house is the biggest problem and VENTILATION is so important here. Open your windows often, and always where there is water (bathrooms). Keep things dry. Open blinds and let the sun in 🌞 Mould loves to grow in moist places with no air or light, just like the plastic cavities in drink bottles 😕

With our drink bottle situation, I took apart what I could (not the plastic bit that connects to the straw, wasn't sure I could get it back on, just pushed it up a bit and gave the base a good scrub) and cleaned it. I soaked all parts in a bowl with water and vinegar for an hour, rinsed, and put back together ❤

So let me tell you a little story about stress, blood pressure and my husband...It's crazy how much pressure we put on o...
17/05/2024

So let me tell you a little story about stress, blood pressure and my husband...

It's crazy how much pressure we put on ourselves. I get why, there's a lot going on in this world and we are trying to absorb it all. It is definitely affecting our health and here is a classic example...

Love my husband, but he can be a stress head 😆
Seriously, he is one of the most hardworking men out there, and I often say he needs a pause button.

After a routine check up (which we all need) the GP checked his blood pressure which was 140/80, on the higher end. He came home, I checked it with my monitor and it was the same.... I then told him to sit back for 5 min, close your eyes and breath... the next reading was 118/80 which is perfect. He managed to control an inner stress response and it significantly changed his blood pressure.

So, stress is huge, absolutely huge when it comes to our health and wellbeing. Also, consider the positive things that you can do to counter balance this. Maybe, just start with breathing... ❤

Also, I heard the best saying the other day.... "turn the page"... don't dwell on things, just turn the page 😊

EDit: post was husband approved 👍🏻👍🏻❤

GUT HEATH: There's a lot of research telling us that gut health is connected to autoimmune conditions, behavioral issues...
02/05/2024

GUT HEATH: There's a lot of research telling us that gut health is connected to autoimmune conditions, behavioral issues, poor immune health, mental health, plus more.

The one that I found really concerning was showing that 1 round of antibiotics increased your chances of anxiety and depression, and another round that year increased your chances again, significantly. These are my two thoughts:

1. Are we unnecessarily prescribing antibiotics?
2. Are we not supporting our immunes systems enough, so we don’t need as many antibiotics?

No one wants a world without antibiotics- they are life saving in many situations. My first thought relates to my clients that say, “I’m sick again and I’ve just been prescribed another round of antibiotics”. My second thought comes from a preventative perspective that I think we should focus more on so hopefully we don’t need the reliance.

THE GUT: We are born with an immune system which is a collection of microbes that we got from the birth canal when we were born (and skin contact and breast feeding) and we need to protect them and encourage their growth. If we kill them, well, we can’t be born again to get another dose.

ANTIBIOTIC DILEMMA: Kills all bad bugs, but also the good bugs, those microbes that we were born with.

We often think that it’s a lack of neurotransmitters in our brain that cause anxiety and depression (which is muti-factorial), BUT these neurotransmitters are created in our gut by a range of microbes. So, if they get killed off by antibiotics… well, that’s why this study came to its findings.

If you need to take a round of antibiotics, make sure that you focus on supporting the regrowth of that commensal bacteria.

Also, let’s focus on prevention. This doesn't mean hand sanitisers that kill the good microbes which create your immune system. It’s important to be clean, but not sterile. Wash your hands with soap.

Your immune system requires the right nutrients to do its job and fight off infections with a reduced recovery time.

You & your body are quite amazing, and you both need the love and attention you deserve. Need some immune support this winter? Book an acute consultation via our website

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26580313/

If you were to come to my house, you will most likely see random trays of herbs drying by the windows. You all know I lo...
25/01/2024

If you were to come to my house, you will most likely see random trays of herbs drying by the windows. You all know I love my veggie patch 🥰 but now I'm trying to focus on how to make all that home grown goodness last throughout the year.

Preserving is one way (I've made quite a few jars of zucchini pickle- doesn't sound appealing, but it's seriously good stuff 👌🏻) but another way is to dry your herbs, or flowers 🌷

Rosemary (improves memory), thyme (helps chest infections), chamomile (calms and heals), lemon balm (insomnia and irritability), lemon verbena (anti-inflammatory), mint (digestion), oregano (fungal and bacterial infections) are the ones I have dried so far and are in jars. On the list to be harvested in the next few days are Californian Poppy (good for anxiety and pain) and Wormwood (great for digestion and all sorts of parasites and worms 😕)

Today it was... rose petals 🌹 I have a climbing rose and when it blooms, it's just gorgeous 🤗 I have been meaning to pick some flowers for a while, but then the wind comes 🌬 my driveway is covered in petals, everywhere! As soon as I heard the rain today, I ran out and picked the best blooms 😆

Whilst most of the herbs I listed above are great for your roast chicken, rose petals are more for tea... a luxurious, fragrant, relaxing cup of tea. Pukka teas (one of my favorite teas) use rose petals in their Love Tea blend ❤

I very often say, one of the best things you can do is to get back to basics with your food... old school ways of growing, preparing and preserving food. Real ingredients, real food. If you're not a gardener, or are limited with your time, plant some herb bushes! There is nothing worse than paying $4 for a few sprigs of wilted herbs from the supermarket because your recipe required it. Instead, just walk into your backyard and pick what you need 🥰 AND, you get the added benefits of all those beautiful medicinal properties that mother nature popped in them.

Give it a go, you've got nothing to loose 👊

21/11/2023

START YOUR HERBAL MEDICINE GARDEN 🌱🌸
I decided to grow chamomile this season, and I'm so glad I did 😊 It has definitely loved me back and for the past 3 weeks I have been constantly harvesting it's flowers.

Chamomile is mostly known as the tea you drink to calm down when you're a bit flustered 😆 It is definitely more than that!

When used as a herbal infusion (1tsp dried herb sitting in a cup of boiling water for 10min, basically a cup of tea) it can be helpful for:
IBS
Colic and flatulence
Diarrhea
Teething
Peptic Ulcers and reflux

When cooled, dab it onto irritated skin. Perfect for dermatitis and eczema. For little kids with angry eczema, fill a bath with hot water, throw in a few chamomile tea bags and once cooled let them sit in it. The chamomile will sooth the inflammation and help take the edge off. Any kind of hot, angry, inflamed skin will benefit from chamomile.

When frozen into ice cubes, use on sunburned skin 🔥 It will cool the skin and help with healing.

To grow Chamomile you must plant Matricaria recutita or Chamomilla recutita. These are the Latin names and the species that are edible and have been studied for their medicinal properties.

To use, you must harvest the flower (cut the stem away right at the base). Use a teaspoon of fresh flowers in a cup of tea, or lay them on a tray to completely dry and store in a glass jar for a year.

To have something growing right in your backyard that can help you medicinally, I think that's pretty special... and I think we need to get back to these ways of living ❤

Rapid heartbeat, sweaty hands, shortness of breath, dizziness, feeling numb... these are the signs of a panic attack and...
09/11/2023

Rapid heartbeat, sweaty hands, shortness of breath, dizziness, feeling numb... these are the signs of a panic attack and anyone who has had one knows that they are scary, debilitating, and can happen at any time.

With panic disorder and anxiety, I've had many patients who have said that medication was a real game changer for them and I've had patients where it did nothing at all. You see, especially with anxiety, there can be MANY different reasons as to what could be causing that anxiety, and depending on the cause, the treatment or support will be different.

With my anxiety patients, I find that they tend to fall into these categories:

NEUROTRANSMITTERS: It is always assumed that anxiety comes from low serotonin or low GABA. If I feel this is the case, then we focus on increasing amino acid intake (your body makes neurotransmitters from amino acids which are certain types of proteins) and including the vitamins and minerals that are involved in the process. Lots of research showing a significant improvement in anxiety simply by increasing amino acids through food.

INFLAMMATION: This is a really big one and I am seeing it increase over time! Let's face it, we live in a very different world today and we are very inflamed people. We're not consuming enough anti-inflammatory foods and our environments are contributing to the problem (wifi, air pollutants, treated water, mould). This sends the immune system into overdrive and it creates inflammation, particularly within the brain. In these situations, I go after the inflammation and support the immune system- can be absolutely life changing for some.

STRESS SUPPORT: As well as being inflamed, we are also stressed out and this puts us in a constant state of "fight or flight" where the central nervous system is constantly activated. This is a natural survival mechanism, but our body should deactivate it when there is no danger. If we are not consuming the right vitamins and minerals, then our body cannot clear the adrenalin and we constantly feel "on edge". Our busy lifestyles also mean that we are burning through these vital nutrients which causes deficiencies and adds to the problem. Here, it's all about nutritional and herbal support that is specific to the central nervous system.

Let's look at one study that took people with PANIC DISORDER.... one group took Fluvoxamine (SSRI medication) and one group took Inositol (a type of B vitamin/sugar). Those taking the inositol had fewer panic attacks compared to the medicated group.

Mental health is a hot topic at the moment and the rates of occurrence are increasing, rapidly. So what's causing the spike? The 3 categories I listed above can all be supported through diet, lifestyle and environment.

The human body is phenomenal in the way it works, but we need to give it what it needs for it to do its job 👍🏻 When it comes to food, it's all about variety. Maybe it's time to add something new to the weekly menu ❤

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Wings for Wellness Naturopathy- About

Christine is a qualified Naturopath, a member of the Complementary Medicine Association and specialises in PANS/PANDAS (Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus). Having both personal and professional experience in this area, she approaches her clients with empathy and understanding which allows for trust and support to be established. As PANS/PANDAS is an area which many practitioners do not understand or know about, Christine offers her clients hope and a road for recovery.

After the birth of her second child, Christine continued tertiary education, completing an Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy. She did this as she saw that there was a gap in the healthcare system, where underlying causes were not routinely explored and children were given particular diagnoses based on their presentation alone. Today, Christine helps her clients explore what could be causing or contributing to their behaviour and works towards fixing the root cause of the problem.