It’s extraordinary that I was present when my father passed suddenly. Mainly because we live on opposite sides of the country, and I’ve only seen my dad for a handful of days in the last 15 months. I have shared the story of our last day here.
Read MoreFlowers are the fertile expression of plants, they are the nectar, they are creative manifestations of divine love and life force. Flower essences capture the subtle healing properties of flowers in a safe and affordable way. It’s incredibly easy to make your own flower essences, and you can do so safely with any flowers you have in your garden.
Read MoreSome 'to-do's' have significantly more positive impact on your life than others.
Read MoreFor the sake of better health, I want you to think seriously and honestly about what habits are impacting negatively on your health and what can you can do to avoid those triggers.
Read MoreIf you have chronic disordered digestive function, irritable bowel, weight gain, inflammation, low energy, autoimmune or chronic mental illness a thorough investigation into your microbiome can provide a very solid basis upon which to build a treatment plan and resolve your symptoms.
Read MoreWe all have a dialogue in our heads with a running commentary about our lives and opportunities. Do you let that voice diminish and debase you? Or do you train that voice to be on your team?
Read MoreCreating a ritual bath (aka medicine bath, healing bath) is more about intention than having the exact ingredients listed and performing elaborate opening and closing rituals.
Read MoreNature has a special way of healing and resetting, always with the goal of evolution in mind.
Read MoreTulsi tea is a wonderful dietary addition for those who may be diabetic, healing metabolic syndrome, diabetes or polycystic ovarian syndrome . Tulsi is best known for its adaptogenic properties. This means it helps your body adapt and thrive during times of stress. It's also inflammatory and antioxidant.
Read MoreA little while back I had an uncharacteristically difficult morning getting my kids to school. It was all going well at first but kids arn't on the same agenda as adults and on this particular morning, our conflicting desires clashed terribly. I exploded in anger at them.
Read MoreMagnolia has a range of surprising health benefits, from relieving depression, aiding digestion and squishing your comparitinitis!
Read More
If you, your child, or someone you love has been diagnosed with ADHD, you will be familiar with the memory problems, anxious thoughts, difficulty concentrating, agitation, moodiness and irritability.
These are also signs of stress in (apparently) neuro-typical individuals. Children with ADHD particularly are more prone to stress than other kids which can compound symptoms, making symptoms worse and increasing stress further still. This is because executive function is located in our prefrontal cortex, which is especially vulnerable to the elevation of brain chemicals caused by stress. The prefrontal cortex matures later in childhood. This maturity is delayed in kids with ADHD. In short, stress makes ADHD worse.
Reducing stressors is an absolute must for all beings, but especially our neuro-divergent loved ones, particularly our children. Spending time in nature with our feet in the grass or sand. Fun and laughter. Interaction with friends and family. Daily exercise in the sunshine. Avoiding processed foods, artificial colours and flavourings and prioritising good sleep are essential for healthy brain function and development.
This is where adaptogenic herbs can gently help reduce stress response and improve cognition, memory and learning. Depending on the individual, there are a range of nutraceuticals that also show good results in improving ADHD symptoms. You can read about some of these here. It’s pertinent to note that there are a range of pathologies and intolerances that contribute to ADHD, or that may exist as a co-morbidities to ADHD, and taking a bottle of vitamins off the shelf may include ingredients that elevate symptoms rather than calm them.
Natural medicine is effective at improving ADHD symptoms. If you’d like to explore the options available to you please book an appointment. Through Wild Grace Health you can access extensive testing and a full health assessment to determine a personalised treatment plan for you.
Is it just you or is your brain not as smart as it used to be? It's probably not your fault, constant stress can actually negatively impact the effectiveness of your brain function. The good news is that you can do something about it.
A sense of uncertainty, lack of information and a loss of control - the kind of factors we find ourselves in amidst a pandemic (but also many other life events) create raised cortisol levels and thereby an increased stress response.
High levels of cortisol in the brain impact neuronal function, cause a reduction in learning ability, and atrophy of the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory.
As you are exposed to stressors, your body makes more and more cortisol, stress and uncertainty continue. You start to notice issues with memory, concentration and a reduction in productivity. This creates more stress and the cycle repeats itself.
So what can you do?
Allow yourself to de stress. This may mean asking for help and assistance, true rest, mindfulness practice, fun and socialisation, connection, exercise, earthing (time in nature), laughter.
Eat in a way that is truly nourishing for your body and soul.
Iron deficiency can be a factor in cognitive impairment so please look at this iron deficiency quiz and ask your doc to check your levels.
Magnesium is also essential to good brain biochemistry and adequate magnesium levels have been associated with a reduction in depressive scores in many different cohorts, such as bi-polar individuals, pregnant women, and the elderly.... just to name a few. An Australian population study connected a high dietary magnesium intake with a significantly reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment. Low magnesium intakes are also correlated with increased risk of mood disorders. Leafy greens are excellent sources of magnesium, as is dark chocolate, use himilayan pink salt on your food, take epsom salt baths. Supplementation is often indicated.
And then, of course, there's plant medicines. Some of my favourite herbs to boost your brain function include Bacopa, Korean Ginseng, Gotu Kola, Rhodiola, Gingko and Rosemary. All of these have shown improvements in cognition and/or memory when researched. Herbal prescriptions vary greatly depending on the individual however and may also be contraindicated with any medications you may be taking so please book in for a consult to get the best out of your herbs.
There are always things you can do to make yourself feel better. Come see me in clinic and together we can figure out a course of action.
If you need to be woken up in the morning – either by an alarm clock or by another person, then you’re not getting enough sleep. Many of my naturopath and massage clients report they have trouble sleeping. You can give yourself a better chance of a good night by following your body’s natural rhythms and these guidelines. .
Below I’ve listed nineteen - yes that’s NINETEEN - things you can do to improve your sleep at night.
Have a regular time of getting up out of bed. Regardless of what time you were in bed the night before get up at the same time each day.
Avoid lying in bed for long amounts of time worrying about sleeping. If you’ve been in bed for more than 30 minutes – or what feels like 30 minutes and your worried about sleeping – get up and go do something else in dim light (a few yoga stretches are ideal here) and then go back to bed when you’re sleepy.
Avoid napping during the day – limit to a 20 minute powernap in the afternoon if necessary.
Spend time outside in natural light during the day
Avoid eating foods that may interrupt sleep such as acidic citrus, wine, beer or fatty foods that may cause indigestion.
Avoid Bright light exposure late in the evening, particularly blue light from electronic device screens. Turn off your devices at least half an hour and ideally an hour before bed. Sorry, no more scrolling your phone in the middle of the night.
Avoid big heavy meals or sweaty workouts in the three hours before bed as the can be stimulating for your body and brain.
Make your room as dark as possible – remove all sources of light, such as digital clocks and the little lights that might be admitted from electronic equipment such as stereos or laptop charging plugs. This is because light interrupts your production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
Use a comfortable mattress and pillow for comfort and support
Reserve your bedroom for sleeping and making love
Avoid thinking about troubling issues before bed. Allocate time earlier in the evening or day to worry and problem solve
Eliminate all stimulants such as caffeine, sugar, soft drinks and nicotine, completely if possible but particularly after 3pm
Reduce or eliminate alcohol – even one glass of wine interferes with healthy sleep and you wake feeling tired.
Avoid illicit drugs – these mess with you and your sleep
Avoid having pets in the bedroom, and children (joke!). This is a tough one, obviously this comes down to personal choice and many of us choose to sacrifice good sleep in order to make our loved ones feel secure. The kids may take a few years to grow up and forgo their midnight cuddles, but if you can at least make a special sleeping space for your pets that’s not on your head, your health will be better for it.
Try drinking a herbal tea before bed. Chamomile is wonderful, so is lavender, passionflower, lemon balm and oat straw. I’ve put all these gorgeous sleepy herbs in a delicious Sleep Tea blend, available in the Wild Grace Tea Shop.
Have a warm bath before bed – extra points for placing Epsom or magnesium salts in the bath, lavender essential oil is wonderful for inducing sleep also.
19 degrees celsius is the optimal temperature for good sleeping.
Create a bedtime routine for yourself: Set aside 30 – 60 minutes for winding down with a bath, self massage, breathwork, yoga, a meditation and listening to sleepy music. Spotify have some great playlists.
Some days are much harder than others. When things go wrong, or a spanner is thrown in the works emotions bubble up and you find yourself being a little bit snappy. Wouldn't you know it though, there's a herb for that.
I practise herbalism on an energetic basis. We all have our different personality's, dispositions, and energetics. What's right for you will be different to what's right for me, and I love finding the right plant medicine for the right person.
I mixed up the below formula for myself last week when I was a grumpy mcgrump pants, and it worked a treat.
Korean Ginseng
This one is powerful. So powerful that I find many herbalists shy away from it. it's quite stimulating, so wonderful if you're feeling tired and havn;t had enough sleep. Which was me last week, a combination of staying up a bit too late and my kids needing me in the middle of the night. It's indicated for loss of physical stamina, exhaustion and tiredness, and diminished concentration and memory Just what I needed. I find a few drops of korean ginseng prior to a long drive is excellent for helping concentration.
Sage
Sage is one of my personal herbal allies and finds it's way into many of my personal blends. It contains rosmarinic acid which is an antioxidant and really good for your brain. Matthew Wood lists one of sages traditional uses (of which there are many) as indicated for 'withered dry skin and withered tendons.' Yes exactly how I feel after not getting enough sleep for a week. Also has traditionally been indicated for mental lethargy, depression, melancholy and poor concentration. There are many other uses - this plant is complex and full of magic as far as I'm concerned - the uses I've listed above seem the most apt here.
St Mary's Thistle
A powerful liver healer, this herb prevents and reverses damage to the liver induced by alcohol and life in general. Wonderful for strengthening the liver to process all those nasty toxins you don't need. In traditional chinese medicine the liver is associated with the emotion of anger, so by nurturing the liver you nurture your anger.
Zizyphus
Has a mild tranquilising effect - perhaps downplaying all those irritable emotions. It's indicated for anxiety, nervous exhaustion, restlessness, irritibility and insomnia. Perfect. I always expected this herb to be quite sedative but have found when taking it, it actually has more of a calm your nerves type vibe. It helps you get off to sleep because it calms your irritability and anxiety allowing you to destress. I’ve found it doesn’t make you drowsy if you want to stay awake.
Ginger
Another herbal ally for me that I consider a master healer. just so much awesomeness in one little root. Full of anti-inflammatory, calming goodness, and a little bit of ginger tincture added to a herbal blend improves the taste an awful lot.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of herbs that can help your mood - there are many more. This mix was exactly what I needed at the time. After taking this blend all noises and mess and annoyance dulled and faded. I managed my tiredness for the rest of the day, and of course, made sure I got into bed early for a goods night sleep.
If you'd like to experience the gorgeous support offered to us through our herbal allies, please book in for herbal medicine appointment. Appointments are available online or in person in South Fremantle.
Herbal tincture
The numbing of the tongue and throat is immediately noticeable when first taking Kava. I find the relaxation and anti-anxiety effects are obvious within minutes. Studies have shown that the higher your level of anxiety, the better Kava works at settling your nerves.
Kava has been used as a ceremonial drink in the Pacific Islands for thousands of years. When taken, it brings relaxation, sociability and a mild euphoria followed by a relaxing sleep. Partakers wake refreshed and hangover free. Until a couple of years ago, Kava was prohibited in West Australia, but that prohibition has now been lifted.
Kava is an important anxiolytic. It offers just as much anti-anxiety action as more standard anti-anxiety pharmaceuticals yet doesn’t result in the bad moods that accompany these medications.
Kava connects the mind with the heart, binging a deeper sense of love and security. If taken just before retiring it will help lull you off into a deep and relaxing sleep.
In the early 2000’s liver disease and a few deaths were attributed to Kava consumption. A herb that had been used for over 3000 years was suddenly not safe. However in 2008 WHO declared Kava safe for use. It was determined the alcohol based extracts, the use of leaves and branches instead of just the roots, and possibly the varieties of Kava were the cause of the adverse affects. Piper Methysticum (which translates to intoxicating pepper) prepared traditionally or in a water based extract is completely safe and too important as an anxiolytic and sleep aid to not use.
Kava not recommended for pregnancy and breastfeeding, or for long term use. Overuse can result in stupour and a scaly rash. Traditionally it was used ceremonially, not as an everyday thing. However one group of study participants took Kava for 6 months without adverse effects.
There was a magnificent passionflower vine in the backyard of a long term rental house I had in my twenties. I was enchanted at the rather trippy flowers with their intricate and unusual structures, shapes and the colours. This is an artful plant indeed.
When I started studying herbal medicine I was amused to learn that passionflower is an anxiolytic, nervine tonic and - in higher doses - a sedative. It’s as if the flower gives clues to it’s medicine. Working with the plant opens doors to alternative insights, the bigger picture, and enables relaxation and enjoyment at the same time. It can be used to support withdrawal from opiates, alcohol and cannabis. It can be used for anxiety, insomnia and restlessness and is safe in children (in adjusted doses).Passionflower is especially great for gastrointestinal problems related to anxiety and nervousness.
One small study found that in a group of 36 people with Generalised Anxiety Disorder, passionflower was just as effective as reducing anxiety after four weeks as Oxazepam - a benzodiazapene - and it was better tolerated. Another study found that patients given passionflower 90 minutes before surgery scored much better on anxiety scores than a placebo group.
The anti-anxiety relax and chill out vibe of passionflower and it’s aphrodisiac properties can make this a rather nice herb to have around in these housebound isolation times.
Passionflower is contraindicated in pregnancy due to uterine contractions.
If you would like some herbs for yourself please book in for an online appointment with myself. There are many herbs out there and different herbs are suited to different people - and I’ve got quite a knack for matching herbs with people. I’ve created a new appointment type - A herbal medicine consult - which is shorter than a traditional initial naturopathic appointment and is more affordable. $88 includes a 200ml herbal, a personalised flower essence and postage . Or $66 for a 100ml herbal, flower essence+ postage. After your initial appointment refill’s can be arranged for the cost of herbs + postage (or pick up in South Fremantle). All initial appointments are online with zoom, follow ups can be over the phone or video link.
Stress causes cortisol to rise, and high levels of cortisol affect brain function. As you know, we all have stress, stress is normal, some of us deal with it better than others. Some times of our lives are way too stressful. Too much stress causes problems, and so can too little. So self care, giving yourself breaks. Investing time in your relationships, allowing time for play, and laughter. Giving yourself down time and allowing for adequate sleep. These will all help keep you well. If you can’t destress adequately on your own, there are herbs for that, seek help.
It’s understandable to reach out for numbing when we’re down in the dumps. Ciggies, alcohol, caffeine , drugs, junky food, sugar, fried things, too much TV, no exercise.
These things cause inflammation in your body- including -your brain in varying degrees. Some of these things cause neurotransmitter imbalances that lead to depression. The subtle inflammation in your brain degrades your mental health.
When in the habit of excessive use of any of these numbing behaviours your mental health suffers. All the discomfort of addiction is caused by the withdrawal of the substance your using. Continuing to use perpetuates the discomfort. The only way to end it is to break the cycle and sit through the discomfort.
It’s been conventional to treat mental illness purely as a physical imbalance in brain chemicals. Patients are treated with medication, a bottle of pills … or several.. .depending on how ’serious’ your mental illness is, and sent home.
But this isn’t working, consistent data from scientific reviews shows that targeting one or two neurotransmitters with pharmaceuticals often fails to provide overall meaningful clinical efficacy. Enormous amounts of randomised controlled trials have been used to study antidepressants, with the majority demonstrating only moderate superiority compared to placebo, leaving many patients experiencing treatment-resistant depression. Medication helps, no doubt it helps, and many people really do need their meds to function from day to day. But while benefitting from the ‘balance’ found through the meds, patients need healing. Mental illness is every bit spiritual as it is physical I have no doubt. And we are severely doing a disservice on the spiritual healing side of things for the average mental health patient in our country. They are given a bottle of pills and left to their own devices. - And this means not even assisting to get in to see a psychologist. The psychiatrist doesn’t do any cognitive therapy anymore, they just prescribe in 15 minute appointments.
You need a good healthy gut and a solid nutritional profile to be mentally well. Most of your serotonin - aka happy juice - is made in your gut. You need a complete amino acid profile, healthy fats, some nourishing carbohydrates and all the colours of the rainbow for minerals and vitamins to keep your neurotransmitters firing happy. You need to eat well to be well. If you are deplete you are not going to be as well as you could be. There are a range of nutritional supplements and herbs that can help you get to where you need to be, so book a naturopathic appointment for help to make some health goals, get some investigations done and receive evidence based guidance on what you need to eat and take.
Naturopath and Shiatsu Massage therapist with a great wellness blog
An analysis of the clinical evidence regarding Andrographis indicates that it increases's immune response to pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and parasites, reducing the duration and severity of infection for minor illness.
The part of this story I am thinking about the most though, is the way my hand jumped when writing his name.
When a high-profile case like this becomes news, the language used by the media and the outspoken medical professionals is around holistic medicine being 'alternative' and not effective.
It’s extraordinary that I was present when my father passed suddenly. Mainly because we live on opposite sides of the country, and I’ve only seen my dad for a handful of days in the last 15 months. I have shared the story of our last day here.
Flowers are the fertile expression of plants, they are the nectar, they are creative manifestations of divine love and life force. Flower essences capture the subtle healing properties of flowers in a safe and affordable way. It’s incredibly easy to make your own flower essences, and you can do so safely with any flowers you have in your garden.
This is a great example of how chemicals in many household cleaning and personal care products are assumed safe until proven harmful, when perhaps they should be assumed harmful until proven safe.
Both ultra processed foods and tobacco 'are legal, easily accessible, inexpensive, lack an intoxication syndrome, and are major causes of preventable death."
Some 'to-do's' have significantly more positive impact on your life than others.
This is a really simple, nourishing and easy one pot dinner, with plenty of protein and fibre and some healthy fat.
It's the kind of soup where you know you're looking after yourself with every slurp. The spices and ginger have some wonderful anti-inflammatory properties. It's inexpensive, easy, and counts as self-care points for the day.
A shiatsu at Wild Grace is a spiritual experience. Healing occurs in both physical and spiritual planes. A shiatsu involves breathwork, massage to physically manipulate and stretch muscles, and the use of healing sound to move energy out and through. At times I may guide you through healing imagery, and you may receive guidance from your spiritual support crew.
Here are some of most medicinal foods for your immune system, chosen for the phytochemical properties:
New research with some surprising new information on preventing and treating long covid, with some tips to make it accessible at home.
I’m always on a mission to eat the healthiest foods possible. Here’s twelve of the most nutritionally dense foods in our supermarkets and tips on how to eat them.
Have you noticed that you're gaining weight but don't think you've made any change to diet and lifestyle? Or it used to be easy to drop a couple of kg by cutting out snacks and exercising a little more but now that doesn't seem to be working. In fact, your jeans just keep getting smaller.
If you have chronic disordered digestive function, irritable bowel, weight gain, inflammation, low energy, autoimmune or chronic mental illness a thorough investigation into your microbiome can provide a very solid basis upon which to build a treatment plan and resolve your symptoms.
and maybe it was a missed opportunity to role model healthy self esteem and masterful life skills.
a gentle reminder to bring mindfulness to your dinner table and as an in-depth guide to how you can nourish yourself and your family with ease and joy.
Some herbs, like licorice, can interfere with the attachment of viruses to host cells and prevent their entry into the cell, helping prevent an infection from taking place.
I woke up minus the sore throat albeit with a husky voice, and no snot has overcome me.
Shiatsu is it's a combination of lightwork and deep physical manipulation of musculature. Rhythmic breathing and meditative music means you float out of the massage room feeling like you're walking on a cloud.
For the sake of better health, I want you to think seriously and honestly about what habits are impacting negatively on your health and what can you can do to avoid those triggers.