Question 1

What is SIBO?

Accepted Answer

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth is caused by too many bacteria moving from the large intestine into the small intestine. Symptoms are bloating, painful stomach and diarrhoea or constipation.

The causes of SIBO tend to originate from insufficient digestion of your food leading to fermentation in the small intestine attracting the bacteria to migrate upwards, combined with slow movement of partially digested food through the gastric cavity.

Working on why the SIBO dynamic is happening and not just throwing antimicrobials in to kill off the bacteria is the best route.  If this still doesn’t resolve the SIBO, we can add in some natural antimicrobials like Allicin or Oregano oil to tackle this.

Question 2

What is Leaky Gut?

Accepted Answer

Leaky gut or enhanced intestinal permeability causes the gaps in the lining of the intestinal walls to become enlarged allowing food particles, bacteria and waste products to enter the systemic body when they shouldn’t be allowed through. This causes the immune system to become overwrought and can lead to chronic inflammation and eventually an autoimmune illness.

Question 3

What does Hypothyroid mean?

Accepted Answer

Symptoms of a low functioning Thyroid (hypothyroid) are: low energy, dry skin, constipation, always feeling cold, mild depression, aching joints and weak muscles. Your thyroid produces the hormones that allow every cell in the body to work at optimal speed i.e. when it is low/hypo, your metabolism of all your cells slows down! Therefore you need it working optimally to maintain a healthy weight and to allow all the functions in the body to run as they should. The thyroid is like the canary in the coal mine, it tends to slow down when other functions in the body are not balanced.

There are many reasons why people are hypothyroid like unrelenting ongoing stress, severe calorie restriction, emotional/physical trauma, high alcohol intake, toxic exposure, food allergy/sensitivities, estrogen dominance, low nutrients like Iodine, Selenium, Iron, Zinc or Vitamin A, poor liver health/fatty liver and low liver enzymes, insulin resistance, inflammation, infection, bacterial/fungal or parasitic infections, heavy metal toxicity and insufficient protein intake leads to low levels of the amino acid Tyrosine, which is the building block for thyroid hormone.

By working on the underlying cause of why the thyroid isn’t working optimally, we can restore thyroid hormone production, however sometime it is necessary to support the thyroid with either NDT (Natural Desiccated Thyroid) or synthetic T4 and T3 hormone to get the body back in to balance in order to heal fully.

Reading a full thyroid panel – Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, TPO and Tg antibodies to understand the level of underactivity is the best way to gauge the plan of treatment.

Question 4

Why am I so tired all the time?

Accepted Answer

The cause of extreme fatigue and issues with energy production can frequently be caused by Adrenal imbalance.  The Adrenal glands produce cortisol which is your master hormone needed to maintain blood sugar, liberate amino acids (protein) from your food, release fatty acids from cells into the bloodstream as metabolic fuel and enable thyroid hormone to pass from blood into cells.

Chronic long-term stress can lead to the Adrenal glands downregulating the production of cortisol to force the body to adopt a parasympathetic dominant state and preserve itself.

Question 5

Why am I experiencing so many issues now I’m approaching Menopause?

Accepted Answer

Perimenopause is a time of hormone change in a woman’s body which can prove to be very challenging if they have led an unhealthy lifestyle filled with stress, low quality food and lack of movement, prior to their 40s.

As a woman’s ovaries slow down the production of estrogen and progesterone, the Adrenal gland needs to take over production.  If they have been stressed and have a compromised adrenal health, then perimenopause can be rocky!

I like to run group classes to tackle this as I feel the women enjoy having a kindred spirit to help them on the journey to vitality again.

Question 6

I can’t seem to loose weight, no matter how little I eat!

Accepted Answer

My weight loss groups (which are really overall wellness classes) are targeted for people who want to understand how to lose weight in a healthy sustainable way. I tend to work with clients, who’s goals are weight-loss, in my group sessions rather than one on one.  I do not promote crash dieting where you restrict calories for prolonged periods of time.

I follow a weight loss format where you measure your progress through weigh ins and body measurements, however the group sessions have advanced and morphed into overall wellness groups where the member gains a deeper understanding of how so many other aspects of health, like their stress levels, emotional wellbeing and sleep habits are connected to their ability to lose weight and feel amazing.

Group sharing helps to empower and inspire each member to explore new strategies to understand themselves a little better.

Working on key areas like dietary choices, exercise, sleep and gut health, tackle the physical changes that each member may need to make. However, emotional areas like fulfillment, mindfulness and stress levels are the key to sustaining the lifelong changes that each member may need to make.

Changing habits can be very hard when approached in the wrong way. Setting huge goals without preparing properly tend to lead to failure. By working with a methodical, step by step approach, amazing transformations can be achieved which stick!!

Question 7

I’ve got chronic acid reflux, what can I do to stop it?

Accepted Answer

Most people assume that acid reflux is caused by too much stomach acid… in fact the main cause of reflux is a bacteria called H (Heliobacter) Pylori which is endemic in your gut but when you have a good immune system, it tends to be kept in check by the other bacteria and doesn’t overgrow.  When someone experiences a stress on the body, which could be emotional or physiological, their immune system can become out of balance, leading to H Pylori overgrowth, leading to chronic GERD.

Taking a PPI to reduce the acid in your stomach, to reduce the pain, is a short term fix, however using PPIs long term leads to low stomach acid and an inability to properly digest food, which could then cause fermentation, slow transit time, bloating and even chronic inflammation, which further exacerbates the discomfort.

Therefore when a client comes to me with GERD, we try and work out what has suppressed their immune system in the first place to heal that area first. If the GERD persists, I can advise on natural herbal remedies that can kill off the H Pylori.

Question 8

Since I had Covid, I have brain fog, extreme fatigue and just feel awful all the time, what can I do about it?

Accepted Answer

There are an increasing number of people who are suffering from Post Covid syndrome and there are some strategies you can adopt to help get your immune system get back on track after Covid.

Covid causes a flood of oxidative stress and inflammatory fire in the body, which can be hard to counter if your lifestyle prior to getting sick wasn’t optimal.

Long haul Covid has a variety of symptoms display brain fog, extreme ongoing fatigue, loss of muscle strength and mild or sometimes severe depression.  
I will work with you to improve your metabolic state, improve sleep, reduce overall inflammation, rebalance your immune system and heal gastrointestinal dysbiosis and permeability.

A key nutrient that may be out of balance is Zinc, however neurotransmitters are also affected and may need their nutrient cofactors to help boost serotonin synthesis, melatonin production and GABA:Glutamate balance.

Question 9

I’m living in a mouldy apartment- I think it’s making me sick!

Accepted Answer

Yes it very well could be!!!

Toxicity and inability to detoxify are key areas to tackle when looking for root cause resolution of someone’s chronic health issues.  Mould toxicity is prevalent nowadays, but there are numerous other toxic substances like heavy metals in the environment (mercury amalgam fillings, mercury in tuna, cadmium in cigarette smoke, aluminium in deodorant) that a person can be exposed to, which can cause similar symptoms to mould toxicity..

Symptoms of toxicity caused by mould or heavy metals range from headache, sinus issues, memory loss, rashes, depression, anxiety, coughing and asthma.

The Functional Medicine approach to treating these issues is to first boost immune system, open detoxification pathways and boost overall health so that the person can handle the detoxification process.  The next step is to bind the toxins for excretion from the body. You need to ensure that a person's detoxification pathways are open i.e. they are having regular bowel movements, sweating regularly and drinking plenty of fluids.

Question 10

I crave carbs and sugar, and I’ve been told by my doctor I am Prediabetic, what can I do to help myself?

Accepted Answer

Metabolic syndrome or Insulin Resistance/Type 2  diabetes manifests in most people, slowly over a number of years.  High Fasting glucose levels tend to occur later in the progression of the disease, but it is the marker that allopathic doctors use to diagnose Type 2 Diabetes.

I work with my client to see the trends in their blood-work over time so that we can catch their disease progression before they are diagnosed with Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes.  If we see a rise in fasting Insulin or C Peptide marker we can predict whether they are progressing towards  being prediabetic/insulin resistant, prior to being diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic. An overproduction of insulin leads to hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, which in turn induces constant sugar cravings and weight gain.

Insulin’s primary function is to regulate blood sugar levels however it is also the hormone that facilitates the transport of fat (triglycerides) into the fat cells.   Even worse, it “locks” the fat in the fat cell, preventing it from being used as a source of energy. Now, because the blood sugar has dropped (and we can’t access the fat as a fuel source) it creates “sugar cravings” and the vicious cycle begins again. In other words, an overabundance of insulin causes weight gain.

If you are showing signs of Insulin resistance i.e. increased body fat,   inflammation, have a sedentary lifestyle, have a stressful life and eat a diet high in refined carbs, then I can implement a plan to reverse this dynamic and reduce the sugar cravings.

Question 11

What are the 5 R's of gut healing?

Accepted Answer

The 5 R's of gut healing are the best way of reversing gut dysbiosis and leaky gut.  
It involves Removing the causes of the dysbiosis which could be eating too many inflammatory foods, taking NSAID's and other drugs, chronic stress leading to high blood sugar, a diet full of processed foods and microbial overgrowths... the list goes on!

The next step is to Replace what is missing which could be digestive enzymes, stomach acid and Bile to effectively breakdown food properly to absorb the nutrients.

Then we need to Reinoculate with probiotics and boost the gut flora with fibrous vegetables.

Repair the gut lining with collagen and other mucilaginous herbs to stop the inflammatory particles from getting in to the systemic body.

Finally Rebalance which is the focus on lifestyle-reducing stress and focus on ongoing health of the gut (i.e. eating the right foods to support the gut flora).

Question 12

I can't seem to get a good night sleep, how do I improve it?

Accepted Answer

Insomnia is defined as the inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep, which effects mood and cognitive function and can accelerate the degenerative process of ageing. 
Symptoms include taking a very long time to fall asleep, waking up frequently in the middle of the night, and fatigue and cognitive impairment as a result of too little sleep.

Adequate sleep – at least six hours a night – is one of the most critical factors to good health. Ignoring sleep problems can lead to increased weight gain and decreased immunity, making you more susceptible to a range of illnesses. And over time, these side effects can compound, resulting in serious, life-threatening conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

To get to the root of the problem, I examine a wide variety of factors, such as your sleep-wake cycle, diet, lifestyle habits, and pain and stress levels. Making gradual lifestyle shifts can greatly help to regulate sleep patterns. Good sleep habits including exercising daily, a healthy diet, certain supplements and stress relief methods can all help make it easier for you to fall – and stay – asleep.

Question 13

I am suffering with brain fog, how do I regain clarity?

Accepted Answer

Brain fog is a telling symptom of dysfunction elsewhere in the body that affects the way the brain processes information. Symptoms include inability to concentrate, memory issues and slow thinking.

A key cause of brain fog is neurotransmitter imbalance.  Such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA/Glutamate, norepinephrine and epinephrine and these can be evaluated by carrying out a OATS test from a urine sample.

Some of the most common root causes of brain fog are: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Autoimmune diseases, Leaky Gut, ADHD, hormone imbalances and viral infections like Covid-19.

Some lifestyle changes that help relieve brain fog are getting regular exercise, improve sleep habits and decrease your stress levels. 
I can help relieve your brain fog with nutrition, enhancement of the microbiome, further testing and supplementation.

Question 14

I frequently get headaches, what can I do to help relieve them naturally rather than resorting to pain relief medication?

Accepted Answer

There are many causes of headaches which range from dehydration, stress, caffeine withdrawl, low magnesium levels or even bad posture.

Stress headaches indicate there is an adrenal imbalance and can be aided by deep breathing techniques as the headache is triggered by shallow breathing leading to lack of oxygen.

Diet related headaches can be caused by low blood sugar or high blood sugar and therefore the best solution is to cut down dramatically on refined carbohydrates and embrace healthy proteins, good fats and vegetables low in starch.

Hormonal headaches can be triggered by high estrogen at certain times of your cycle and linked to histamine intolerance so trialling avoidance of high histamine foods can be helpful here.

Toxicity headaches are often centred over the right eye and may be due to a liver imbalance.  Take extra minerals, lower the fried and refined carbohydrate foods as well as trans fats from your diet and consider a liver detox plan.

When we run through your symptoms questionnaire we can puzzle piece the causes and decide on the best plan to reduce them going forward.

Question 15

My son has many allergies, is there any way I can help him?

Accepted Answer

Allergies are IgE mediated reactions, which are immediate and severe reactions to environmental triggers, symptoms of which are itchy watery eyes, sneezing, sinusitis, headaches, stomach discomfort and diarrhoea/constipation.

Allergies to substances are often indication of inflammation somewhere in the GI Tract which can be secondary to a food sensitivity or allergy which creates chronic inflammation in the body.

Food allergies can develop in the body by ingestion of toxic substances or toxicity in every day environmental triggers which can cause inflammation and leaky gut.  
An Allergic reaction to a substance is different to a food sensitivity which are IgG or IgA mediated.  These reactions give a reaction which takes 24-48 hours for a symptom of occur and upon removal has a 21 day half life.

When I work with a client with airborne allergies I tend to go back to the root and work on gut healing as this will have an upstream effect on the allergic reaction.

Question 16

Skin issues are making me very uncomfortable, how can I treat it naturally?

Accepted Answer

The skin is your largest organ and one of the greatest indicators of overall health.  A skin issue tends to be an indication that the body is having trouble detoxifying and releasing through the easiest organ, the skin.

Examples of skin conditions are Eczema and bumpy skin which can indicate compromised liver function, Psoriasis an autoimmune illness which can be related to low bile function and food sensitivities like gluten and dairy and Hives which can be triggered by histamine overload or inability to break it down because of damage to the gut lining.

By working on improving liver, gallbladder function and the health of the gut, skin issues can be relieved.

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