Natural Medicine

All of these conditions  are related to allergies/sensitivities to common foods you eat every day!

The first step in healing any disease is to get the diet right and that means right for you. Bio-compatibility testing is therefore integral to regaining your health. This testing is a form of modern bio-energetic science that will assess your sensitivity to over 400 common foods and household products using a sample of your hair. Our new list available from 1st March 2011 includes gluten free products and common supplements available from health food shops. This list offers many more safe foods for you to build a healthy satisfying diet.

If you have tried elimination diets in the past you will know how hard it is to pinpoint the reactive foods. Bio-Compatibility testing does the hard work for you. Your test results will  alert you to exactly what foods are causing your symptoms and making you ill.

If you eliminate these foods from the diet for a while the immune system will come back into balance and the body will begin to repair. Eliminating reactive foods will also reduce the stress placed on the  liver, adrenal glands and digestive system therefore some symptoms will begin to disappear within the first week.

How do food sensitivities cause these problems? Food sensitivities cause the immune system to become overactive and produce excessive amounts of inflammatory mediators like histamine. Most medical practitioners do not understand that these inflammatory mediators can migrate to any area of the body causing inflammation in glands, joints, muscles, tendons, mucous membranes and skin and are the cause of many health problems. Once this inflammation accumulates in a certain area, we give that inflamed area a name. In the joints it can cause or aggravate arthritic pains. In the respiratory tract it can cause or aggravate sinus, asthma and excess mucous. In the nervous system it can cause or aggravate headaches, migraine, depression, tiredness and add to ADHD. In the skin it can cause or aggravate rashes, eczema, psoriasis and hives.

An extra list available for babies; if your baby is unsettled, has digestive troubles or more serious health concerns he or she may be allergic to the infant formula, fruits, vegetables or processed baby food. Food antigens can even cross to the baby via breast milk.

We now have a new extra list of Indian foods including many herbs, spices and packaged foods available at Indian Supermarkets.

Call Linda Lowen to arrange your test today; results are available in 3 to 5 working days. Mob 0415 630 844

Health Conditions

Digestive Disorders

Natural Medicine can often help conditions where conventional medical treatment seems inadequate; this is especially true of digestive disorders. Our new IBS Clinic has been developed in response to increased community demand for an informative, practical and clinical approach to treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn's Disease, Coeliac's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. These conditions can be resolved in a relatively short time without the need of prescription medication.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Food allergy, sensitivity or intolerance are always found to be at the core of these digestive complaints especially bloating, nausea, colicky pains, diarrhoea and constipation. Bio-Compatibility testing is the key to resolving IBS. Debilitating symptoms usually resolve in a few days of  eliminating reactive foods. If left untreated IBS can lead to more severe inflammatory bowel disease. see IBS Clinic

Crohn’s disease, & ulcerative colitis - these conditions are severe auto immune diseases; their symptoms involve pain, inflammation, ulceration and bleeding of the small or large bowel wall. Herbal and nutritional medicines are used to soothe, line and heal the gastro intestinal tract to relieve symptoms and restore structure and optimal digestion. The autoimmunity is usually triggered by food allergy or dysbiosis. An elimination diet, herbal and probiotic treatment help to down regulate the immune system, thus halting the process of auto immunity and restoring health.

diverticulitis - brought about by a life long low fibre diet, pockets are formed in the bowel wall which can accumulate waste and become inflamed and very painful. Herbal and nutritional medicine will cover the key areas of anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and soothing demulcent. The diverticuli can be reduced in size by about 30%, using nutrients to support connective tissue and herbal medicine to tone and tighten the digestive tract. With an optimal diet the condition can then be controlled with minimal episodes of inflammation and infection.

coeliac disease – natural medicine can restore structure and function to the damaged small intestine while increasing integrity so that small amounts of gluten may be tolerated without gastric upset. Some people find they can cope with gluten found in other grains and only need to avoid wheat, making life much easier. Common nutrient deficiencies that result from coeliac disease include iron, folate, calcium and vitamin D, so coeliac disease can be linked with a host of conditions caused by malabsorption of these nutrients. Most people with coeliac disease are just told to avoid gluten for the rest of their life and are unaware that naturopathic nutritional medicine can greatly improve this condition and give them a better quality of life. I also recommend Bio-Compatibility testing to identify food sensitivities which can contribute to symptoms.

Infertility

If you begin with the basics; suitable diet & optimal nutrition for both prospective parents you are half way there. For men nutritional supplements can improve sperm count, health and motility. For women treatment is very individual for there are many different reasons for infertility including failure to ovulate, failure to conceive, and failure to implant. Natural medicine can help establish ovulation and a regular cycle; reduce scarring to fallopian tubes to assist with conception; improve the health and tone of the womb increasing the chance of implantation.

Pregnancy

Natural medicine can assist you safely through your pregnancy and prepare you for the birth. Optimal nutrition and supplementation can support you through your pregnancy by easing morning sickness and by reducing the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, anemia and premature labour.

Female Health

Natural medicine can safely treat conditions arising from female hormone imbalance. These include endometriosis, poly cystic ovaries, irregular periods, pre-menstrual syndrome, fibrocystic breast disease, period pain, monthly migraine, menstrual hemorrhage and fibroids. Herbal and nutritional medicines are prescribed to restore hormone balance, alleviating what can be distressing symptoms while restoring health and vitality and often eliminating the need for surgery.

Menopause
Peri-menopause can be a distressing time for some women; mood swings, hot flushes, memory loss, foggy thinking, insomnia, night sweats, fatigue and loss of libido are just some of the symptoms of fluctuating hormones during this transition. Many women are now questioning the safety of HRT and turning to natural medicine. But beware; some over the counter herbal medications can also be harmful or they may not be suitable for you. To get the best from natural medicines you need to consult with a qualified Naturopath. This way you will be assured of the safety of your medication and get the right dose for you with no need to waste money on supplements you don’t need.

Diabetes

In the early stages of Type 2 diabetes, insulin levels are elevated this is called hyper-insulinemia. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body has trouble using its own insulin to control the blood sugar. At the time of diagnosis, pancreatic beta cells are often producing as much or more insulin as would be needed by someone else of equal weight, however changes in liver, fat and muscle cells have created a resistance to the insulin.
By the time Type 2 diabetes is discovered, 10 to 15 years of high blood sugars often have passed. Symptoms in Type 2 diabetes often start gradually and can easily be confused with normal aging. These may include tiredness, irritability, blurred vision or changes in vision, numbness and tingling in the feet and legs, and frequent infections that don't heal quickly.

Type 2 diabetes is at the beginning a less serious disease, however it probably causes more heart attacks, strokes, and amputations than Type 1. These complications of Type 2 proliferate, no doubt, because it is initially milder and is often left untreated or treated poorly.
The single most important thing a Natural Therapist can do for the diabetic patient is reduce the risk of diabetic complications by normalizing blood sugar levels.
Every time blood sugar is raised above 11mmol/l damage is being done to nerves, organs and blood vessels. It is therefore very important for blood sugar levels to be as close to normal as possible. Many Type1 diabetics using insulin therapy also lack good glycaemic control. Treatment strategies of diet and nutritional supplements can help establish a better blood sugar profile in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, greatly reducing the risk of diabetic complications and improving general health, wellbeing & lifestyle. (see weight loss page)

Skin Conditions

Eczema and Dermatitis
The most common causes of these conditions are dietary allergens; dairy, wheat, eggs, citrus fruits and artificial food additives. Contact dermatitis can be caused by cleaning products and perfumes in soaps, body wash etc.
Eczema is not a skin disease and can not be resolved using topical treatment. Cortizone creams thin the skin leaving it dry and fragile.
Treatment begins with Bio-Compatibility testing and eliminating reactive foods to reduce the allergenic load to the body; this will tone down the immune system which is over reacting to ingested food. The largest part of your immune system is in the abdomen and is called the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) it makes sense therefore to treat the immune system via the gastro intestinal tract. This is achieved with dietary change, nutritional supplements and probiotics. Herbal creams can be used to reduce inflammation and itching to the skin.

Acne
There are many factors that can stimulate an outbreak of acne including diet, hormonal changes, digestion and stress. Many teenagers will experience it from simple pimples to disfiguring cystic acne. However for some people acne can continue on into adulthood. Treatment begins with dietary revision and herbal medicine to support the lymphatic system and elimination. Severe infection is treated with antibiotic herbs both internally and topically, a soothing cream will also help to reduce inflammation and encourage healing.