Taylor-Made Nutrition

07/04/2026

First day in my new home clinic. Best clients, best day!

In my 17 years of practice, I've never had a window. It's the little things!

Room needs some finishing touches to give it some character, but its working well already.

So much went into preparing this (previously hot pink) room. Thanks to hubby for all your amazing work painting ad infinitum and completing countless other tasks.

Now to the house declutter, incorporating and discarding the inordinate amount of detritus from my gym clinic. This will take a while.

Clinic now open. Call me on 0438 043 818 for appointments. Karen xoxo

28/03/2026

Big news!

After 10 years within Sylvania Fitness First, and 6 years in North Strathfield Fitness First, I've decided to close my physical Taylor Made Nutrition office and move to an online (telehealth) consultation space.

I'm taking final appointments for InBody scans in Sylvania this coming week up until Thursday 2 April, which will be my final day.

Call me on 0438 043 818 for a spot.

It's been an absolute pleasure to be a part of your health wins and weight loss journeys over the years. I value every one of you and will still be here for years to come to be your health advocate.

It has taken me a long time to make this decision. During a period of great flux in the naturopathic space, more and more of you have preferred the convenience online (telehealth) consultations from your homes and offices.

So, I will be transitioning fully to an online clinic, open to clients across Australia from Tuesday 7 April.

A limited number of spaces in my new physical clinic in Padstow Heights will, however, be available by appointment, and InBody scans will also still be available from here.

I will also be popping up for InBody scan sessions in selected gyms throughout the year. These will be announced here.

Call me if you have any questions or would like to make an appointment.

Yours in good health, Karen Taylor xoxo

13/11/2025

Just a friendly reminder to my patients for whom I have prescribed Metagenics products over the years, they are now available for you to purchase directly on their website at www.metagenics.com.au

Before you order, don't forget to connect me as your practitioner with the following referral code, or via the QR code below.

kata-0910-7593

As always, I am available anytime via Messenger to prescribe the best bang-for-your-buck supplements in line with your goals. As you know, we don't want to waste any money on supplements you don't need or are not prescribed accurately for your goals.

And if you are not a current patient and would like to try Metagenics products for yourself, comment below or contact me via Messenger and we'll have a chat and I'll prescribe the right ones for you. Cheers, Karen Taylor

17/01/2025

At the very least, a natural healthcare practitioner can help optimise your supplements so you get the most bang for your buck.

We are also here to help support you with any health condition, give you the tools and accountability you need to lose weight, and guide you in the right direction (Taylored to you) with your diet.

Achieve results in 2025 by working on your health goals with the support of a natural healthcare practitioner. Think of them as your own personal health coach and mentor who:

🟣 Keeps you focused on your health goals for the year ahead

🟣 Holds you accountable to help develop healthy habits for life

🟣 Challenges you to make positive change

🟣 Champions your progress and celebrates the wins

🟣 Helps you develop a health-promoting mindset to support your journey towards vibrant health

Natural healthcare practitioners prescribe specific herbs and nutrients in therapeutic doses to address the unique causes of your health imbalances and coach you on practical diet and lifestyle strategies for optimal health.

Holistic care addresses a wide range of symptoms and health conditions affecting all organs and body systems. These include supporting energy levels, healthy mood and mental health (including stress support), sleep, digestive function, immunity, cardiovascular and metabolic health, urinary health, neurological and brain health, hormonal balance, and healthy ageing.

Contact your natural healthcare practitioner for more information, or find a practitioner by visiting: mediherb.com/en-au/find-a-practitioner

15/01/2025

Interesting work on updated “obesity” definition acknowledges the nuanced nature of “overweight”.

The context of Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measure upon on which too much weight is often assigned (pun intended), must be considered.

The Global Commission on Clinical Obesity has put forward 18 criteria for diagnosing clinical obesity, moving away from the use of the Body Mass Index.

05/12/2024

Scientists have discovered a simple brain circuit that controls when we eat. Researchers identified a neural circuit connecting hunger signals to jaw movements, showing that BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) neurons in the hypothalamus regulate eating behaviour and suppress compulsive chewing, acting much like a reflex.

The study found that a simple brain circuit involving BDNF neurons controls jaw movements and eating behaviour, acting like a reflex. This discovery could shed light on obesity and other eating-related behaviours by showing how signals regulating appetite directly influence chewing.

It turns out that the neural circuit behind the jaw movement most essential to survival—eating—is surprisingly simple, as researchers from Rockefeller University recently described in a new paper in Nature. They have identified a three-neuron circuit that connects the hunger-signaling hormone leptin to the jaw movements of chewing. The intermediary between these two is a cluster of neurons in a specific area of the hypothalamus that, when damaged, has long been known to cause obesity.

Strikingly, inhibiting these so-called BDNF neurons not only leads animals to consume more food but also triggers the jaw to make chewing motions even in the absence of food or other sensory input. And stimulating them reduces food intake and puts a halt to the chewing motions, acting as an effective curb against hunger.
“It’s surprising that these neurons are so keyed to motor control,” says study first author Christin Kosse, a research associate in the lab. “We didn’t expect that limiting physical jaw motion could act as a kind of appetite suppressant.”

The causes of obesity are complex, the result of a dynamic interplay of diet, environment and genes. For example, mutations in several genes, including leptin, the hunger-suppressing hormone, and BDNF lead to gross overeating, metabolic changes, and extreme obesity, suggesting that these factors normally suppress appetite.

By mapping the inputs and outputs of the BDNF neurons, the researchers discovered that BDNF neurons are in fact the linchpin of the three-part neural circuit linking the hormonal signals that regulate appetite to the movements required to consume food.

It is interesting to speculate whether the four key herbs that clinically boost BDNF might also help to regulate appetite. See my YouTube channel for the video on these herbs and BDNF: https://youtu.be/WwRpZwKDYDY?si=VLsZ59beTyWiNgDQ

For more information on the studies:
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-have-discovered-a-simple-brain-circuit-that-controls-when-you-eat/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08098-1

29/09/2024

The problem of substituting one plant species for another for economic or supply chain reasons is all too common with medicinal plants. But it appears this problem also occurs in the food industry. One glaring example that has been recently highlighted is wasabi.

Wasabi is an essential element of sushi, but many sushi lovers have not experienced real wasabi. Even in upscale restaurants, a European horseradish-based substitute died green is often served (unless you are in Japan, or imported the valuable plant at a hefty price, or found one of the few growers outside Japan). Even in Japan, only a minority of restaurants serve real thing.

This is because true Japanese wasabi is extremely tricky to cultivate. Wasabi likes to be enveloped in a steady stream of water, reminiscent of the rocky Japanese mountain stream beds where the plant grows endemically. Also, when planted en masse in a greenhouse, the plant can easily succumb to infectious disease.

How does true wasabi compare to its common substitute horseradish? The dominant flavour in both is due to a chemical called allyl isothiocyanate. The main phytochemical differences in wasabi and horseradish come from the differing relative proportions of other isothiocyanates. For example, wasabi has more 6-methylsulfinylhexyl isothiocyanate (6-MITC).

6-MITC might underpin some unique health promoting properties of wasabi. For example, a recent study (involving 72 older adults using a double-blinded, randomised controlled design) investigated the impact of 6-MSITC on cognitive function in older adults. Over 12 weeks, participants took either a 6-MSITC supplement or a placebo. Results showed significant improvements in working and episodic memory in the 6-MSITC group, but with no improvements in other cognitive areas.

The 6-MSITC group took one capsule per day that contained 100 mg wasabi extract powder containing 6-MSITC (0.8 mg) absorbed onto α cyclodextrin.
For more information:
https://scitechdaily.com/real-vs-fake-wasabi-the-surprising-truth-on-your-sushi-plate/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37960261/

12/07/2024

12/07/2024

Our InBody scanner has performed almost 9,000 scans over the last eight years, making ours the foremost InBody scanning clinic in the Sutherland Shire.

InBody scans go beyond basic weight measurement. Their advanced technology provides insights into ALL markers of body composition, including fat and muscle mass.

And it's not enough to get the piece of paper, you need to know what to do with it. Every one of our scan appointments includes an explanation of all markers and their significance in the context of your goals.

Get a baseline, then measure your progress.

My name is Karen Taylor and I am an official body composition analyser, naturopath and accredited nutritionist. I will perform your scan and answer any questions you have on your nutrition in our time together. My mission is to ensure you walk out with a spring in your step, motivated to work towards your goals, whatever your results.

If you're not assessing, you're guessing!

Book your scan at bookings link:

taylormadenutrition.cliniko.com/bookings

Scans are great value at $40 for a 10-minute express scan or $99 for a 30 minute scan consultation.

18/04/2024

28/02/2024

If you know this place, you’ll know where the heart of our business lies.

Naturopathy, nutrition and beautiful organic teas, honouring the stunning beauty of the shire’s waterways.

chai