Anita Bhikha-Willan - Naturopath

Anita Bhikha-Willan - Naturopath I bridge the gap between pharmaceutical medications & a whole food and lifestyle approach.

Balancing hormones so that you have better metabolic health, ideal cholesterol & blood pressure and reduce your risk of developing diabetes using the power of food. After extensive travelling around the world in 2000, I left Nepal with a bad stomach bug. Antibiotics helped clear it up but a couple of years later, I started suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. At the time, I was travelling a lot for work and I knew where the closest toilet was on my travels around the country. Some days I would have to excuse myself from my working environment in the pharmacy to discretely pass wind away from everyone else or race off to the nearest bathroom (not fun when you work in a Mall). Luckily, one of my pharmacy roles bought to a pharmacy with an in-store Naturopath. With her help, I was able travel and work without the fear and anxiety of needing a bathroom close by. I am passionate about helping people to feel better, have more energy and not have to suffer like I did.

17/12/2025

What’s in your favourite Christmas dessert and is it affecting your health?

BMJ Article: The association of health benefits and harms of Christmas dessert ingredients
Desserts have been an important part of Christmas celebrations for centuries. In this umbrella review of meta-analysis of observational studies, the researchers found that the most common ingredient groups associated with a reduced risk of death or disease were fruit (40%), coffee (16%) and nuts (13%). Detrimental associates were mostly seen with alcohol (51%) and sugar (13%), therefore concluding that this Christmas, if concerns about the limitations of observational nutrition research can be set aside, everyone can have their cake and eat it too.

“Did you know chronic stress affects your blood pressure, blood sugar, and hormone balance? If you’re feeling more react...
13/12/2025

“Did you know chronic stress affects your blood pressure, blood sugar, and hormone balance? If you’re feeling more reactive lately, it’s not just the holidays — it’s your nervous system calling for support.”

Chronic stress increases cortisol which can affect your blood pressure and your blood sugar regulation. Cholesterol is the starting material for cortisol and your reproductive hormones. When we are under a lot of stress, your oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels can get depleted, causing hormonal fluctuations which may mean more hot flushes, more sleepless nights and moodiness, not to mention changes in cycle length for those still menstruating.

It's that time of the year when we really do depend on the entries we have made in our diaries! Between work events, sch...
12/12/2025

It's that time of the year when we really do depend on the entries we have made in our diaries! Between work events, school assemblies and sports events, I'm feeling overwhelmed.

So I understand when clients don't follow though with all of my recommendations as something has to give. But we navigate what is the bare minimum that stops them regressing and that becomes their non-negotiables for the festive season.

For me, i'm loving my walk after dinner each night. Lately my husband has been joining me and its a chance to talk, connect and not be attached to devices.

04/12/2025

Ultra-processed foods now comprise around half of New Zealanders' diets with health implications including diabetes, obesity, heart disease and depression.

Ultra-processed foods are made from cheap ingredients using industrial methods, contain a lot of sugar, salt, fat and additives, and are heavily promoted.

“In Aotearoa, New Zealand, it is likely that consumption of ultra-processed food is around 50 to 60 percent of the nation’s diet, similar to other high-income, English-speaking countries,” says Professor Boyd Swinburn, a population nutrition researcher from the University.

“We do know that unhealthy diets and obesity are our biggest risk factor for disease and death in New Zealand, and this is driven by our high intake of ultra-processed foods,” Swinburn says. “We really need policies to create healthier food environments if we want to make a difference to our increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, and mental health problems.”

“Ultra-processed foods are harmful products and their marketing to children should be banned – New Zealand has the second highest rate of child obesity in the OECD, yet no policies to address this.”

Swinburn is an author of one of the three papers comprising The Lancet’s Series on Ultra-Processed Foods and Human Health. Read more here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2025/11/20/upf-now-comprise-half-nz-diets.html

27/11/2025

If your middle feels a little fuller these days,
it can help to understand what’s happening inside.

Belly fat isn’t just about what you see on the outside –
some of it can settle around the organs.
This deeper fat is more active, placing pressure on the body,
driving inflammation, and increasing long-term health risks.

The sleep–stress–belly fat cycle can feed into this,
and over time it becomes a loop:
stress builds belly fat, belly fat disrupts sleep,
poor sleep raises stress hormones, and the cycle keeps turning.

Understanding this chain helps people see
why supporting sleep and lowering stress
can make such a big difference to weight, energy, and overall wellbeing.

Take the first step toward better sleep and balance
contact a Metabolic Balance® practitioner near you today.

23/11/2025

Sure coffee......provides key micronutrients..is rich in Antioxidants..supports brain function..helps mobilise stored fat for energy..increases adrenaline output..improves insulin sensitivity..creates better liver enzyme profiles..reduces risk of fatty liver disease

But it is not a suitable breakfast 🙅‍♂️

Coffee spikes cortisol and blood sugar without providing fuel leaving you running on stress hormones instead of real energy 👎

Small changes can lead to big energy and who wouldn't want more energy everyday!For me, no caffeine after 2pm makes a hu...
21/11/2025

Small changes can lead to big energy and who wouldn't want more energy everyday!

For me, no caffeine after 2pm makes a huge difference to my sleep. Lately, I've compared cocoa or chocolate at lunch time does not affect my sleep, but a small amount of dark chocolate after dinner does.

We are all unique and what works for me may not work for you.

Let me know which small change you will embrace this week and mention it the comments below.

It gives me the warm fuzzies when clients give me feedback between appointments and as much as their symptoms that drove...
17/11/2025

It gives me the warm fuzzies when clients give me feedback between appointments and as much as their symptoms that drove them to see me have improved they are now working on the underlying cause of what precipitated these events.

Moving from symptoms of dis-ease to feeling better and then onto thriving!

And even at 77 years old, she is learning about her body and what works and what doesn't work. This has allowed her to be able to leave the house to meet friends feeling confident that her colitis is not going to rear is ugly effects that makes her feel socially isolated and letting her friends and family down.

How would life look for you if you made changes that moved you way from dis-ease?

Address

Southland Road
Hastings
4122

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5am
Wednesday 9am - 5am
Friday 9am - 2pm

Telephone

+64212274375

Website

https://www.otago.ac.nz/, https://www.spcnm.ac.nz/, https://www.csu.edu.au/, https://www.sp

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Anita Bhikha-Willan - Naturopath

After extensive travelling around the world in 2000, I left Nepal with a bad stomach bug. Antibiotics helped clear it up but a couple of years later, I started suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. At the time, I was travelling a lot for work and I knew where the closest toilet was on my travels around the country. Some days I would have to excuse myself from my working environment in the pharmacy to discretely pass wind away from everyone else or race off to the nearest bathroom (not fun when you work in a Mall). Luckily, one of my pharmacy roles bought to a pharmacy with an in-store Naturopath. With her help, I was able travel and work without the fear and anxiety of needing a bathroom close by. I am passionate about helping people to feel better, have more energy and not have to suffer like I did.