Herlistic Nutrition

03/09/2025

Recurrent vulvova**nal candidiasis (RVVC) is a debilitating condition that affects a significant percentage of reproductive-aged women, negatively impacting quality of life.
Recent global analyses estimate that 138 million women are affected each year.

📌 What is RVVC?

RVVC is defined as four or more symptomatic episodes within 12 months.

Common symptoms include:

🔴White, cottage cheese–like va**nal discharge
🔴Intense itching (pruritus), often worse before menstruation
🔴Redness, burning, and swelling
🔴Vaginal inflammation and tenderness
🔴Pain during or after in*******se (dyspareunia)
🔴Cyclical flares, often premenstrually

Because these symptoms overlap with other conditions such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), aerobic vaginitis, or genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), accurate diagnosis and microbiome assessment are essential.

🦠 Why Does RVVC Happen?

RVVC is now considered a public health concern due to:

🔴Virulence characteristics of Candida albicans
🔴Its ability to form biofilms (protective communities of microbes)
🔴Coexistence of different organisms within these biofilms, which makes infections harder to treat
🔴Rising antifungal resistance, especially to azoles, creating the need for new therapeutic approaches

🌿 A Holistic Perspective

As a holistic genitourinary practitioner, we view Candida albicans not only as an opportunistic fungus but also as a marker of deeper imbalance in immune, mucosal, or metabolic function. While often a harmless commensal organism in the gut and va**na, shifts in host immunity, hormones, or microbial diversity can transform Candida into a driver of chronic symptoms.





**nahealth

30/08/2025

Finnish sauna, Roman balneae, Japanese onsen, and Indigenous American sweat lodges are just a few examples of how cultures across the globe have long considered exposure to extreme temperatures therapeutic. But today scientists are only just beginning to unravel how and why this may be the case. So,...

24/08/2025

Poor oral bacteria may hinder blood pressure benefits, but a new study from the University of Exeter, England, finds beetroot juice’s nitrates restore balance, cutting BP by 7 mm Hg in older adults. http://ms.spr.ly/6183sVtKS

24/08/2025

Researchers found that scratched Teflon cookware can release at least 9,000 microplastics and up to 2.3 million particles in just 30 seconds of cooking. These PTFE fragments may pose health risks, from inflammation to immune disruption. Experts advise replacing damaged pans, avoiding metal utensils, and choosing safer alternatives like cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic, or carbon steel.

22/08/2025

There are certainly groups of bacteria in the microbiome linked to Colon cancer. E.coli, and other bacterial species, like Fusobacterium nucleatum, Bacteroides fragilis, Enterococcus faecalis.

Colon cancer is rising among people under 55, and new research points to a surprising cause: early exposure to a bacterial toxin called colibactin that damages DNA. The study found that about half of colon cancer cases in those under 40 show signs of this toxin’s effect.

Analyzing nearly 1,000 cancer genomes worldwide, scientists saw colibactin-related DNA mutations were 3.3 times more common in patients under 40 than those over 70. These mutations often appear within the first 10 years of life, meaning some kids might be on a cancer path decades before symptoms show.

Colibactin comes from certain E. coli strains living in the gut. Researchers think modern factors like antibiotics, processed foods, less breastfeeding, C-sections, and group childcare might help these bacteria settle early. Though exact causes aren’t clear, the finding is a major breakthrough.

Scientists are now working on stool tests to detect these mutations early and exploring probiotics to remove harmful bacteria. This discovery could change cancer prevention by focusing on childhood gut health.

RESEARCH PAPER 📄
Nature 643, 230–240 (2025)

19/08/2025

Pea and Watercress Soup

1 leek
2 cloves of garlic
1 carrot chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1 red potato, chopped
1 bunch of watercress
2 C of Green split peas
(soaked overnight) to remove phytates - anti-nutrients
4-5 C of veggie stock

Method:

Done in thermomix, however can do in a big pot.

1. Sauté leek, carrot, celery, garlic till soft.
3. Add potato
2. Add soaked and well drained split peas
3. Poor in Vegetable stock
4. Simmer 30mins
5. Add watercress in last 5 minutes of cooking.
6. Blend
7. Add Olive oil, lemon zest and optional avocado

High in fibre, prebiotics, sulforaphane, antioxidants, calcium, vitamin K - both crucial for bone health

🌱Watercress is part of the brassica family - According to newly published meta-analysis
there is strong evidence that consuming more brassica vegetables 🥦 have a chemoprotective role against colon cancer.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12337427/





🍲

15/08/2025

Menopause changes more than hormones — it changes your intimate health. 🌸

Genitourinary syndrome effects 40-54% of menopausal and postmenopausal women.

GSM can really affect quality of life. Addressing GSM early can help prevent progression, and reduce complications.

If you’re experiencing va**nal dryness, UTIs, BV or discomfort, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to put up with it. Let’s talk about GSM

Effective treatment requires open conversation with integration of both holistic and conventional approaches ensuring comprehensive care.


Both a consult via link in bio

05/08/2025

AHCC is an extract from Lentinula edodes mycelia (shiitake mushroom), a natural immunomodulator with potent benefits for persistent HPV!

AHCC suppresses HPV oncogenes and enhances viral clearance.

Note: The va**na microbiome plays a significant role in the acquisition and persistence of HPV

**namicrobiome

According to recent NIH-supported research, AHCC has shown significant promise in helping women clear persistent high-risk HPV infections.

This Phase II study found that 63.6% of women taking AHCC became HPV-negative, suggesting AHCC may enhance the immune system's ability to fight the virus.

Importantly, the supplement was shown to be safe and well-tolerated. With no other effective treatments available, AHCC® offers hope as a safe and accessible option for patients looking to strengthen their immune system.

Want to learn more? Keep reading!

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-06-treatment-option-hpv-infection.html

02/08/2025

We accumulate heavy metals over time through:

🐟 Food and water: Contaminated fish (e.g., tuna, swordfish), non-organic produce, and unfiltered water
☣️Environmental exposure: Air pollution, industrial areas, old lead-based paint
💄Personal care products: Certain cosmetics, hair dyes, and deodorants
🦷Dental work: Amalgam fillings containing mercury
👷Occupational hazards:
Welding, construction, farming, mining, and battery manufacturing.


Their accumulation can interact and impact the activity of enzymes, proteins, and metabolism.

Long-term exposure to heavy metals will stimulate the body to produce oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions, which are associated with a variety of health consequences, such as neurotoxicity and respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, and renal toxicity.

Heavy metals—like lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic—can significantly disrupt hormonal balance acting as endocrine disruptors.

These toxic elements interfere with the endocrine system, which regulates hormones across the body, including thyroid, adrenal, s*x, and metabolic hormones.

Why Consider Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis HTMA? 🧐

You suspect hidden heavy metal burden contributing to hormone issues like PMDD, fatigue, or thyroid imbalance and oestrogen driven conditions.

You’ve had ongoing symptoms despite clean blood work
You want a big-picture look at stress, detox, adrenal activity, and nutritional balance.

Once heavy metals are determined with results recieved:

Aim to reduce exposure

We tailor nutritional support - balance key minerals and ratios.

Support detox pathways gently and appropriately (e.g., with binders, glutathione, sweating, liver support).

We use a targeted approach to help address underlying biochemical imbalances.

17/07/2025

🌟 5 Star Review!
Thank you 🙏

25/05/2025

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is the most common va**nal infection occurring in women. A whopping 30% of women get BV each year.

BV involves a reduction of key lactobacillus bacteria, replaced by and an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria such as Gardnerella va**nalis, Prevotella, Atopobium.

It commonly occurs due to hormonal changes, which leads to imbalance of the healthy lactobacillus bacteria which usually keeps the delicate ecosystem acidic to help prevent infection.

There are also other reasons to consider e.g., s*xual activity, diet, immunity, hygiene and STRESS.

60% of women will have relapse within 6-12 months after treatment, and if
left untreated, BV increases the risk of:

🔴Pelvic infections
🔴Miscarriage
🔴Preterm birth
🔴Increased STI susceptibility

WHY RE-OCCURRENCE -

Bacteria like Gardnerella va**nalis can form sneaky biofilms protecting itself from standard treatments like (metronidazole or clindamycin). The antibiotics cannot break the biofilms barricade; therefore the bacteria hide and reemerge.
Think of a biofilm like a slimy fortress where microbes collaborate and resist being cleared out—especially when BV keeps coming back.

Reinfection also re-occurs due to s*xual translocation. The latest research has proven that men can translocate BV meaning it “acts like an STI” therefore if we also treat men too there may be less chance of re-occurrence.

What a holistic genitourinary practitioner can do -
➡️We can order you a va**na microbiome test to establish which bacteria are at play.
➡️We can assist in breaking down biofilm’s
➡️Help restore Lactobacilli
➡️Monitor pH. to identify patterns, and advise you not to use douches, soaps, washes that disrupt pH.
➡️Advise to use barrier methods
➡️Address lifestyle risks - lower systemic inflammation (sugar, alcohol, stress) and support the terrain.

Please like and share 🙏



**namicrobiome