- Some Health Insurance funds provide rebates on Naturopathic Weight Loss Consultations (using the Shake-It Professional Weight Loss Program) over and above your existing level of extras cover. This can provide a significant saving for you. For a full list of Health Insurance funds currently offering this service please go to the Weight Loss page on this website.
- Finding time for our health isn’t always easy. Competing pressures of work, family and day to day chores, makes scheduling appointments for check-ups a near impossibility. Prioritizing our health when our lives are so chaotic can be a real challenge but those that do, are amply rewarded. At GWN we offer after hours and weekend appointments to help accommodate our busiest clients. Making the most of your health insurance cover can save you time and money by reducing the amount of appointments you need to attend with other health providers who can only offer acute or symptomatic relief. This is because a Naturopath fixes the root cause of your health problem. By teaching you strategies to improve or eliminate your health condition, a Naturopath puts you on the right track and enables you to maintain your health in the future. Over time this knowledge can save you a bundle on consultations and frees up more of your valuable time.
- If you have private health cover and have not seen a Naturopath, you could be missing out on vital information that could make a world of difference to your health and wellbeing. Even if you think that your health ailments are minor, you might be surprised to learn that nutritional deficiencies can often turn up in a range of signs and symptoms. A Naturopath can join the dots and make health connections that can improve your vitality and help you to get more out of life. Naturopathic consultations are a fantastic means of preventative medicine. If you have private health cover you owe it to yourself to experience a Naturopathic check-up. We guarantee you it will be the best time and money you’ve ever spent.
How the Naturopathic Shake It Professional Weight Loss Program Guarantee’s Weight Loss and gives you a Bundle of Energy
If you’ve tried to lose weight unsuccessfully in the past then this may be the most important information you’ll read all day.
No one weight loss approach will work for everyone.
This is abundantly clear when we look at the plethora of diets, products and fitness programs available today. These programs fail to recognize that every person who gains weight is a unique individual with their own unique life situation, medical history, stress coping strategies, workload and biochemistry.
The Naturopathic Shake It Professional Weight Loss Program is different.
The reason that Getting Well Naturally clients consistently lose weight (every single one) is that we monitor and modify their nutritional requirements every 2-3 weeks.
“Thank you so much for helping me. I feel healthier and happier. I don’t feel like the world is crashing in on me anymore. I feel my family is also benefiting from the new me and losing 7kg is just an added bonus.
Karen, Woodend Vic.
At Getting Well Naturally we have an abundance of nutritional and herbal treatment options to address all the biochemical imbalances that occur in the body which create a state of inflammation and weight gain.
When you’re subject to stress, acidity, hormone imbalances, toxicity, nutritional deficiencies, thyroid abnormalities, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, high cholesterol or fatty liver/pancreas; self-medicating with an over the counter weight loss smoothie simply won’t do it.
You need a Professional Weight Loss Program and dedicated Naturopathic practitioner help you to identify the root cause of your weight gain and treat it effectively.
Diet and exercise is vitally important but how do you know that you’re eating the right foods for you? How often do you see one person do incredibly well eating a certain diet, whilst another person has little if any success?
The Shake It Professional Weight Loss Program has a range of medical foods which can assist with providing just the right nutrition for your individual needs; including specialized bars which can be used as snacks to keep you full while burning fat at the same time.
These bars are a multivitamin/fibre supplement come meal replacement all in one and they come in a delicious range of flavors including; Caramel, Cherry Coconut, Vanilla Nougat, Almond and Cranberry Crunch and my personal favorite Choc Mint (the peppermint is delicious).
In fact, the whole system is designed to ensure you eat plenty. Most clients find it very easy to follow and 0.5 to 2.0 kg weight loss per week is not uncommon. Best of all the Shake It Professional Weight Loss Program is designed to preserve skeletal muscle mass, thereby increasing your metabolic rate.
This is important so that your body will burn fat for energy and heat instead of storing it in fat cells.
A specialized range of shakes and soups are also available to ensure your success on the program. These are fantastic for keeping you in ‘ketosis’ or fat burning mode if you are a busy person.
Alternatively, there are plenty of dietary options to assist you if meal replacements are not your cup of tea.
The whole program is also supported by a dedicated website with recipes and other hints and tips to keep you motivated.
See more below………
Contact us today at Getting Well Naturally in Moonee Ponds or Caroline Springs to make your appointment to start losing weight as soon as possible.
Caroline Springs (03) 9217 6410
Moonee Ponds (03) 9370 7674
You might be surprised to learn that food can be addictive and act like a drug in your body, but it’s true.
Some of the most troublesome food addictions include:
Sugar cravings (chocolate, cakes, lollies, biscutes, pasteries), carbohydrate cravings (bread & pasta).
Refined sugar has very little to recommend it. Once consumed it rapidly goes about increasing your blood glucose and insulin levels and giving you a short lived energy burst. Sadly, when it’s effects wear off you are dumped back down again. In the meanwhile unstable blood glucose levels can create headaches, irritability, tiredness, an inability to concentrate and feelings of being faint or shaky. Even worse high sugar diets can predispose you to Type II Diabetes Mellitus.
You may wonder then why we crave sugar in the first place? Isn’t glucose meant to be good for us? Don’t we need it for our brains and to power our muscles during exercise?
The answer is Yes and No.
All carbohydrates break down to glucose. That includes all grains, fruits and produce made from sugar. Clearly there are good and bad carbohydrates. The difference is the rate they covert to glucose. Refined carbohydrates such as added sugar or cakes, biscutes, white bread, white rice, etc., have a high GI Factor. This means that they are coverted to glucose very rapidly. Therefore, the side-effects mentioned above are far more likely to occur with these types of sugar products.
Complex carbohydrates have a low GI Factor which mean that they covert to glucose much slower. This gives you sustained energy without the sugar highs and lows. This group includes wholegrains, vegetables and fruit.
If you want to exercise effectively, eating complex carbohydrates in conjunction with protein is optimal for energy.
We used to think that the brain needed glucose to function. In recent years we’ve learnt that the brain is more than happy to run on ketones which are made from the breakdown of fats. Energy converted from fat is almost double that of carbohydrates and proteins. Good fats are those of the omega 3 and 6 variety found in fish, nuts, seeds and advocados, olive oil and eggs.
Craving sugary foods for a quick fix is usually a sign of an underlying health condition such as: fatigue, mineral/vitamin deficiencies, yeast infections, low iron levels, hypoglycemia (low blood glucose), Type II Diabetes or emotional problems ie anxiety or depression. Often it presents during the later phase of the menstrual cycle. Craving carbohydrates and sugars to ward of PMS is a common finding among women. This is a form of self-medication to help offset the estrogen deficiency and balance moods, energy and emotions.
Sometimes its just a habit that once formed is difficult to break. Often its a lack of real food in the diet to sustain your appetite between meals.
Whatever the cause it’s worth having it checked out if it becomes more of a persistent craving. Call Getting Well Naturally today 8683 9487.
Upcoming Health & Wellness Events for 2010:
Getting Well Naturally in conjunction with the Shire of Melton and the Caroline Springs Leisure Centre are pleased to announce a series of health and wellness events in Caroline Springs throughout 2010.
The Pipes Pantry Program incorporates a fun exercise workshop, followed by a talk from Naturopathic Nutritionist, Merril Bowater ND on nutrition and natural means to achieve optimal health and wellbeing, followed by a meal in the cafe known as Pipe’s Pantry. The Caroline Springs Leisure Centre is hosting these events and all bookings need to be arranged through the lesiure centre.
Contact: Margaret Zerafa, Sports Program Officer on 9747 5356 to book. (Places are limited and filling fast)
Venue: Caroline Springs Leisure Centre , 9-19 The Parade Caroline Springs, Caroline Springs Vic 3023
Email: margaretz@melton.vic.gov.au
Cost: $8.00
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Come along and enjoy a plethora of thought provoking and entertaining seminars.
Feb 10 Healthy Wellness. A Celebration of Naturopathy Week.
If you’ve ever considered seeing a Naturopath, this seminar is not to be missed. Find out the questions you need to answer to discover if you ready to join the millions of Australians who view their Naturopaths as a vital health coach for their ongoing health & wellbeing.
May 12 Natural Solutions to improve Heart Health
Beyond beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and diuretics, lies a world of natural and nutritional means to deal with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart palpitations. Come and learn how you can improve the health of your heart and circulatory system.
Jul 14 Nutritional Deficiencies in the Land of Plenty
Throughout Australia and the western world nutritional deficiencies are rampant. Come along and discover the most common deficiencies nutritionists see everyday. Learn if you are at risk of deficiencies and some simple things you can do to protect yourself in the future.
Aug 11 Andropause and the Male Midlife Crisis
This is a vitally important seminar for every man over the age of 40. As there is only seating for 25 people, we urge you to book early to avoid disappointment.
Just as women experience Menopause, men experience Andropause. This can have a dramatic effect upon a man’s mental and physical, health and wellbeing. (Fatigue, weight gain, muscle loss, depression/anxiety, loss of drive, libido problems, etc.)
Can along and learn how to get on top of Andropause and feel healthy and happy again.
Oct 13 “Let Food be Thy Medicine” (Hippocrates the father of Modern Medicine)
This fascinating seminar will open your eyes to the importance of food in the prevention and treatment of ill health. This seminar will equip you with the basic information you need to make informed food choices for your continued health and wellbeing.Upcomim
Getting Well Naturally, Naturopathic, Nutrition & Weight Loss Clinic, is situated opposite Lake Caroline and Caroline Springs Square. Cafes, restaurants and wonderful walking paths are on our doorstep. Clients are encouraged to take in a walk around the lake when they visit the clinic as fresh air, exercise and sunshine are integral components of healthy living.
Getting Well Naturally’s clients can also soak up views of the lake and it’s surrounds which provides a relaxing ambiance for Naturopathic check-ups.
Ten years ago Caroline Springs was vacant land full of rocks, clay and thistles. Developer Lend Lease, saw an opportunity to create a whole new community and town centre. Indeed, Melbourne’s western suburbs growth corridor, is truly a phenomenon. Caroline Springs is now a thriving metropolis dotted with with lakes, wetlands and cutting edge architecture. It is home to over 16,000 residents with more land to be built on!
Incredibly this very popular new suburb is only 20 km from Melbourne’s CBD and has freeway access directly into the city via the Western Ring Road and West Gate Bridge. Being so close to the CBD enables clients from all over Melbourne, to travel to Getting Well Naturally (GWN – Naturopathic Clinic) through a network of freeways across the city.
Having worked in Kew (10 mintues from the CBD) I regularly saw clients from throughout Melbourne’s eastern and south eastern suburbs. Indeed, many of these clients continue to visit Getting Well Naturally in our new home at 1 Greville Street, Caroline Springs.
As a Naturopath, I couldn’t have hoped for a more idealic setting for my practice. With stress such a part of our daily lives, to work in such a beautiful environment does wonders for my health and wellbeing and that of my clients.
If you live in Melbourne and like what Getting Well Naturally has to offer, don’t be deterred by venturing into new territory. Seeking out services that are convenient to your home is understandable but exploring new horizons is where the magic happens.
We guarantee you’ll will enjoy visiting Getting Well Naturally and Caroline Springs and your health and wellbeing will thank-you for it.
Among my clients a thyroid imbalance often the culprit responsible for unwanted weight gain, fatigue and depression.
It’s not uncommon for my clients to present with blood test results which indicate that their Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is within the normal range. Therefore, any notion that the thyroid is out of balance is dismissed by their GP’s.
However, there is now much evidence to support the notion of subclinical hypothryoidism. In other words, if your TSH blood tests show that you are on the lower end of the range, there’s a good chance that your thyroid may not be functioning as well as it could.
Iodine deficiency is extremely common and without sufficient iodine, the thyroid cannot make T4 or T3, both of which govern metabolism throughout the body.
The thyroid is also significantly affected by stress and infection. Both of which can produce thyroid abnormalities.
Women who experience PMS and peri-menopausal symptoms may also be suffering from thyroid imbalances.
Interestingly, thyroid function flutuates throughout the menstrual cycle. It’s generally, more sluggish in the premenstrual and menstrual phases and more efficient during the remainder of the cycle.
Balancing the thyroid through targeted supplementation (I prescribe ‘Thyrobalance’ by Metagenics) has worked wonders for many of my clients. Not only for weight loss but also for increasing energy and alleviating feelings of depression.
If you feel the cold, experience fatigue, depression, weight gain, dry skin or a horse voice, it’s worth investigating a possible thyroid link, regardless of your TSH results.
Visit www.gettingwellnaturally.com.au for an appointment.
Your ability to lose weight largely comes down to the food choices that you make. The more heavily processed a grocery item is, the more it costs you to buy. For instance, a box of cereal costs over $5.00 and might last you a week max. It’s loaded with ingredients and additives not to mention a cardboard box and plastic inner bag. Compare this to a bag of quick cook oats. You can buy a 750 g bag of oats which would make you breakfast for a approx 3 weeks for a less an $1.00. This is seriously the best value and most nutritious breakfast cereal on the planet. It’s also minimally processed in comparison to a box of cereal. There’s no added anything. Just 100% oats which are a great source of B vitamins for mood, energy and metabolism. It also contains minerals and essential fatty acids such as Omega 3′s.
Best of all, in terms of herbal medicine, oats act as a nervine. This means that they nourish and tone the nervous system and reduce stress. To make oats into porridge it’s just a 1/2 cup or less of oats to a cup of water and cook. This rich, creamy mixture is also fantastic for stabilizing blood glucose levels and keeping you fuller for longer. Oats were originally used as the first medicine for diabetes. It was known as the oat cure. In addition to being a source of complex carbohydrates, oats are also a source of protein, the building blocks of the body. Oats are also a source of fibre which is essential for weight loss as a bowel that moves daily reduces additional weight from fecal matter. Oats are also a source of Beta-glycan which reduces cholesterol. It makes good nutritional and economic sense to eat foods which are minimally processed.
Fruits and vegies are another classic example of foods which are very cheap to buy in comparison to processed foods and yet the difference in price and nutrients is staggering. The empty calories in a couple of slices of white bread pale in comparison to an apple/pear.
White bread has been so refined that vitamins such as folate and B1 have had to be added back in to make up for the the absolute lack of nutrition that the refining process has created. White bread breaks down to a very simple sugar – glucose which causes a spike in blood glucose and insulin levels. In someone who is insulin resistant (significantly overweight) this means that the glucose will be converted into more fat stores as the body is unable to process it effectively.
In comparison, apples and pears while also a source of glucose, contain large amounts of fibre which slows down the absorption of glucose and helps to stabilize blood glucose levels. This reduces the risk of diabetes and weight gain. They also fill you up for longer. Interestingly, apples and pears also act as prebiotics in the gut. This means that they produce beneficial bacteria which assists with immunity, maintaining the pH of the blood, reducing cholesterol and creating some B vitamins. Bowel function is also greatly assisted, lessening the risk of bowel cancer.
Vegetables are very economical to buy and can really bulk up a meal. If you spent $30 a week on fruit and vegetables you would be astonished at how many meals you could create. It you combined this with $25-$30 worth of meat, fish and eggs plus $20 worth of nuts, you would have the basis for multiple meals and snacks. In these economically challenging times, a diet based on wholefoods can go a long way towards achieving a healthy weight and bank balance.
The Rudd Government is about to overhaul our healthcare system and is asking for suggestions from the Australian public on how best to achieve this.
The website www.yourhealth.gov.au is where you need to go to make your comments.
As a Naturopath my focus is largely on preventing ill health through dietary and lifestyle advice and natural medicine. I believe that educating people on the benefits of healthy living is the key to a healthier and happier Australia. The following is my submission to the Rudd Government on healthcare reform:
Submission to the Health Reform Taskforce
11 September, 2009
My name is Merril Bowater and I work as a Naturopathic Nutritionist in Melbourne’s west.
I am fortunate to be able to spend up to an hour with new clients discussing the benefits of healthy dietary and lifestyle choices to address their health concerns. This education encourages my clients to learn how to keep themselves healthy in the future.
Our doctors are under enormous time constraints and do not have time to discuss preventative medicine, dietary and lifestyle issues with patients.
My clients often comment that they appreciate the extra time that a Naturopath spends with them and the focus on ongoing wellness. Giving people greater responsibility for their health is empowering and cost saving for the health care system in general. This in turn, produces a healthier and more productive nation.
A recent client of mine was prescribed a cholesterol lowering medication but he confessed to spending $200 a week on fast food. Clearly this is counter-productive. With the right dietary/lifestyle advice he could reduce or eliminate the need for expensive prescription drugs and learn how to manage this condition himself. This would produce a significant saving for the PBS.
Medical intervention with drugs can be life saving. However, many of my clients discontinue their prescribed medications due to the side-effects which are often worse than the original condition. If they do continue with their prescribed medication, they often have to resort to taking additional prescription drugs to deal with the side-effects of the original drugs that they are taking.
Most Naturopathic clients are looking for a safe and effective way to manage their health conditions with few or no side-effects. Naturopaths are often sought out as a ‘last resort’ by frustrated and very ill people with multiple pathologies, who have been through a battery of tests, procedures and prescriptions. Having reached the end of their tether with the healthcare system, they are willing to pay for consultations and natural medications out of their own pocket to achieve a sense of wellbeing and control over their health.
However, many more people are unable to access Naturopathic healthcare due to the cost.
Health funds cover Naturopathic consultations with good reason. They know that it makes sound economic sense to keep people well with education, rather than to foot the bill for surgeries, hospital stays and specialists which runs into the thousands.
If people could be given the opportunity to consult with a Naturopath to enhance their ongoing healthcare, I believe it would be very well received and the outcome could be dramatic for the nation.
Most of our most serious health concerns are entirely preventable with the right knowledge. I see weight loss clients every week who are in danger of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, reduce their risk of these conditions simply by changing their diet and lifestyle. On a large scale, this could save the country billions.
I’m not advocating Medicare coverage for Naturopaths but other incentives such as one off discount vouchers for an initial consultation with a Naturopath could work very well indeed.
We have the opportunity to change our health care system for the better. Let’s combine complementary medicine with western medicine for the best health outcome for our nation.
Merril Bowater ND ATMS
Getting Well Naturally, Naturopathic, Nutrition & Weight Loss Clinic
1 Greville Street, Caroline Springs Vic. 3023
Ph: (03) 8683 9487
gettingwellnaturally@gmail.com
www.gettingwellnaturally.com.au
If you would like to send comments longer than 500 words I’d recommend mailing your letter to the: Health Reform Taskforce, MDP 155, GPO Box 9848, Woden ACT 2601 (as the comments box on the website cannot handle submissions longer than 500 words).
In an ideal world your body would perform and function the way nature intended.
There would be no pain or depression, no allergies or constant infections. No irritating skin problems or difficulties conceiving a baby. No obesity or heart disease.
Alas, life is complex and our bodies are subject to stress, pollution, internal toxins, bad diets, a lack of fresh air and exercise, work and family commitments and a myriad of other stressors that detract from your health and wellbeing.
Maintaining abundant health in this scenario is a challenge but it’s not inconceivable.
All it takes is a conscious commitment to live well and be well.
We live in a society were ill health is tolerated as the ‘norm’. If you’ve got a headache then reach for a pain reliever. If you’ve got a bad back take an
anti-inflammatory.
There’s no doubt that these drugs do work, the pain subsides but the problem remains. Symptomatic relief is very tempting but at some stage wouldn’t you want to get to cause of that discomfort and fix it if you could?
Let’s take the example of a reoccurring headache. Would you be surprised to learn that it may simply be a sign of dehydration? Alternatively, your blood glucose levels may have dropped or you may have a sinus infection or eye strain, neck and shoulder tension, a vitamin/mineral deficiency or any one of a myriad of other potential causes.
As a Naturopath I’m trained to take everything into consideration and view your life holistically. Therefore, during an initial consultation while discussing your medical history (past and present) I’ll be looking for clues to explain the cause(s) of your discomfort.
Your diet speaks volumes about your health both past and present and your potential to develop preventable health concerns in the future. Your working and living environment and past and present stressors also provide clues. Risk factors such as being overweight, smoking, high blood pressure, etc. all impact significantly on your current and future health.
Despite the myriad of health concerns that my clients present with, there is infinite potential for every client to achieve greatly improved health and wellbeing.
It‘s not uncommon for my clients to present with 2-3+ serious health concerns during their initial consultation. The second consultation is very exciting as many positive changes have typically occurred. From a practitioner’s point of view this is very rewarding. From the client’s point of view this is a definite improvement and the start of a wellness journey.
I don’t see you as you are…but as you can be
Welcome to wellness medicine.
I envisage your body full of youthful energy. Fit and capable of fighting infection and disease naturally. Your body is designed to heal itself and given the right ingredients, I can help your body to do just that.
Almost every cell in your body is renewed every 100 days. So by making some positive changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can look forward to a body which is strong and healthy for a lifetime.
It’s time to think about your health in a whole new light. It’s time to put your health first and realize that it is your most important asset. Make abundant health and wellness your priority today.
You have only one life to live and only one body to see you through it. Choose wellness and feel fantastic again.
As a Naturopath my goal is to improve the lives of my clients in ways they could only imagine. One of the best things about being a Naturopath is that once people are optimally nourished, everything improves. Not just the ailment they originally came in for.
Unlike pharmaceuticals where one drug is prescribed for one ailment only. Natural medicine, diet and lifestyle advice has a domino effect on the whole body.
For instance, the absence of just one nutrient such as zinc, has wide ranging affects on the body. It affects the health of the immune system, leaving the individual prone to viral infections. It can affect reproduction and hormone synthesis (especially Testosterone in men). Zinc deficiency can also exacerbate skin conditions such as eczema and acne and insufficient zinc is also a factor in depression and anxiety.
For most clients this would simply be an unrelated mix of ailments. But to a trained Naturopath there is an undeniable link between these symptoms. So instead of their GP prescribing an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drug and a cortisone cream for their skin, a Naturopath would prescribe the missing ‘ingredient’ in this case zinc and the ailments could all be treated safely and effectively.
Indeed there are countless other uses for zinc in the body as it is involved with some 500 chemical reactions throughout the body. But supplementing with zinc alone is often not sufficient to affect any real change. The reason for this is that zinc requires other co-factors such as vitamins and minerals for it to be absorbed properly.
Dosage is also an issue. Using the Zinc Taste Tally the degree of zinc deficiency can be determined. The client is asked to hold the zinc liquid in their mouth until they can taste it. The longer it takes to taste the zinc the more deficient they are. Using this very simple test a Naturopathic Nutritionist can determine the extent of the deficiency and the relevant dosage required to replete it in the body.
If the client is extremely zinc deficient a special zinc drink may be prescribed to bring zinc levels up quickly.
