Category Archives: Uncategorized

Office lockdown, health anxiety running high?

There’s never been a better time to invest in preventative healthcare. To date it’s the only protection we have.

You can make the difference.

As we grapple with avoiding large gatherings, distancing ourselves from our co-workers and avoiding the vulnerable, we can feel completely overwhelmed.

If you have been ordered to work from home, you may be wondering what you can do to fortify your health and wellbeing, aside from restricting your movements throughout the day.

This really is the best time to look at prevenative health care measures. If you have an hour to do a Skype consultation or attend our Northcote or Yarraville clinics, it could be the best time and money you’ve ever spent.

Take the time to learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones by being proactive. Learn how to keep yourself healthy, it’s the best protection you’ll ever have.

Right now we have extended our special offer on Naturopathic and Nutrition consultations to Save $30 (normally $160). We have also set up Skype consultations for those who are in lockdown.

Book online today or email gettingwellnaturally.com.au for more information.

Clinic Update March 16, 2020

At present the clinic continues to operate as normal, however, contingencies are being put into place to protect the health and wellness of our clients and coworkers, as we are now in unchartered waters with regard to Victoria being placed in a state of emergency.

We are monitoring the situation and as yet there is no advice to abstain from normal daily activities, work, school, etc. However, if we follow the lead of our European counterparts and restrict all unnecessary movement outside of the home, we may have to move to online appointments.

Please note if you have an upcoming appointment at the Northcote or Yarraville clinic, we will contact you the day prior with an update on where your appointment will be conducted.

Fingers crossed, it will continue to be business as usual as we love meeting all of our valued clients in person.

Feel free to email us at gettingwellnaturally@gmail.com if you have any other concerns.

Amid the Covid-19 virus outbreak, how do we stay healthy & prevent becoming infected?

In these uncertain times it’s comforting to know that we have enough toilet paper to ensure bathroom happiness lest we’re confined to our homes, to ride out a viral attack.

Seriously though, what can we do to fortify our immunity in a world which revolves around travel, study and work? Not to mention sporting and entertainment events, family committments and more?

Hand sanitiser can be helpful in situations were you cannot clean your hands after touching surfaces in public spaces (The Thank-You brand is a natural option.)

However, washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water is equally good if done frequently and for at least a minute, cleaning between the fingers and under the nails, etc.

Staying well hydrated is absolutely essential to keep the mucous membranes of the nose and throat moist and able to capture viral invaders so they can be coughed out (hand over mouth) or blown out (tissue flushed or binned as soon as possible and hands washed after).

Drink plenty of water with added lemon and peppermint (vitamin C) to bloster the immune system.

At the first sign of a sore throat gargle with warm water and sea salt.

To cough up phlegm try Bonnington’s Irish Moss a natural cough liquid.

Nature’s pharmacy encompasses healing foods which not only kill viruses but also enhance the immune system to prevent infections from occurring.

One of the best anti-viral foods is garlic. (It is also anti-bacterial & anti-fungal.) Forget supplemental odourless garlic though, it’s the odour that’s the active ingredient for killing viruses. Crush the garlic clove to allow these essential compounds to be released and ideally eaten raw for the best results.

If garlic breath is a concern simply take with parsley which is also high in Vitamin C.

Maintaining your immunity also requires getting plenty of fresh air, sunshine and rest. Stress will dampen your body’s ability to fight off an infection and keep you sick longer.

Some herbal medicines work better once you already have an infection (ie Echinacea) while others can be taken as a daily preventative (ie Astragalus).

However, it’s best to get individual advice on the best remedy for your particular situation, rather than simply buying off the shelf and hopeing for the best. Herbs are natural but they should be prescribed for your unique needs and everyone is different.

Most importantly though, maintain a postive outlook and prepare for this just as you would any other winter or flu season. Unnecessary panic will only add to your stress levels and put you further at risk.

Seek medical advice if you become unwell after being in the company of someone who has been in an infected area.

If you need extra advice on how to stay healthy, book an Initial Naturopathic consult today!

Feeling lack luster? How to regain your mojo now that the holidays are over…

The kids are finally back at school and the working year is well underway. Everyone is back in routine, school drop offs, lunches, weekend grocery trips and sports practice.

But are you feeling energized and refreshed or exhaused from having extra demands to keep everyone happy and entertained over the holiday break?

As human beings we need a balance of rest and activity to optimize our health and wellness. While holidays should be a time of rest, the reality is that we can end up feeling like we have gone from one extreme to the other.

Suddenly, you’re able to sleep in until 9am instead of getting up and going to work and school by 8am and our bodies are thrown by this new freedom. Oversleeping and waking up feeling groggy with a headache is a common experience.

The more tired and stressed you were before the holidays, the more exaggerated the body’s response. As the weeks roll by you may find yourself having to reset an alarm just so you can make the most of the day.

At a certain point you decide to start planning activities to keep the kids and yourself busy to prevent the new experience of ‘boredom’ that arises after several weeks away from your usual commitments.

While this is a positive sign that energy levels and motivation are returning, it’s all too easy to overdo this stage of the holidays and end up feeling exhaused when work and school returns.

Again balance is the key here. Our bodies like a certain amount of routine.

By reseting your alarm a little later than you normally do you can ease yourself back into a more regular regime a week or so before you return to your normal activities.

Having a plan of attack for each day is important to make you feel like you have achieved something instead of wasting the day. Even if it’s only a shopping trip or another type of outing.

Gradually your body will ramp up again to accommodate your usual routine. However, you need to remember that a body in motion stays in motion. Committments and routine keep us going.

The key to staying energized is to combine rest with activity all throughout the year, instead of just waiting for the holidays. If you can enjoy some downtime in the evenings or weekends you will benefit from it.

Cutting back on holiday fare will also help recharge your energy levels. Too much alcohol and junk food will leave you feeling tired, bloated and heavy.

Swaping to fresh whole foods will help to clear these food toxins (ie preservatives, added sugars, colors, flavors, etc.) and give your liver a healthy kickstart.

If you are not feeling like you’ve had a holiday and need help to rebalance your health and diet, book an appointment today and enjoy 2020 the way it should be.

How do you fortify your health to survive & thrive in the workplace?

If the thought of endless workplace demands and drama is almost too much to bear, be kind to yourself and follow the steps below to maximise your productivity, creativity and enjoyment at work.

Step One

Recognise that to function at your best at work and to have energy left to enjoy life outside of work, you need to nourish yourself well with lots of wholefoods, quality protein and fat and make sure you get enough sleep.

Nutritional demands are different for everyone depending your age, existing medical conditions, activity level, medications, etc. Eating foods that gell with your unique needs is the key sustaining your wellness.

Step Two

Source high quality nutrients and herbal supplements to keep you firing all day and into the night. Depending on your underlying health status, there are a multitude of very effective natural products that can make a world of difference to how you tackle your job and your home life.

In the world of natural medicine herbs and nutrients are used to address health concerns at their root cause. Working with a Naturopath and Nutritionist can help you to identify why your body is out of balance or not as vibrant as you would like and then a targeted treatment plan can be created just for you to address your overall health goals.

While it is possible to source these products over the counter and over the internet; it’s still advisable to do a Naturopathic consultation and be given a treatment plan after a thorough review of your past and present health concerns, medications, etc.

Self prescribing can limit your options, stress your body and drain your wallet. Always seek professional Naturopathic/Nutritional advice first before taking any nutrient or supplement.

Step Three

Energy levels are influenced by many things including nutritional deficiencies, poor immunity, electromagnetic radiation from mobiles, computers, tv’s, etc, co-worker and family dramas, stimulants such as caffiene (coffee, tea, chocolate), exercise of lack thereof, chemicals, pollution and stress.

The degree to which these things impact you, comes down to how well you can negate their effects. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to minimise your energy being drained by electromagnetic smog. Among the easiest of these is to purchase some tumbled gemstones which block this radiation and promote a happy environment with coworkers and family.

Among the best of these are Smoky Quartz and Hematite gemstones. Small gems will only set you back about $3.00 but they are worth their weight in gold. There are also gems to help with improving focus, creativity, motivation, reducing stress and negative self-talk, etc. They are an invaluable and easy to source shortcut to improving your energy and zest for life. Some are also available as jewellery!

Drinking plenty of water is also essential for the body to filter all environmental and internal toxins from the body.

Essential oils can help with improving the air quality especially if people are coughing (disinfect workspace with Eucalyptus or Tea Tree Oil). And they can also assist with reducing stress (Lavender) and improving focus (citrus oils). Depending on your workplace scented candles or diffusers may be used. Beware some oils are less therapeutic and more synthetic, so it’s best to source good quality oils where possible and only use a drop or two as they are very strong. (Always ask coworkers if they are okay with it as some people are very sensitive to perfumes, etc.) If so plants such as Peace Lillies can be very beneficial in improving indoor air quality.

Step Four

Exercise at lunch time or break, even if only to get up to use the photocopier or make a cup of tea. Any type of movement can help to keep your energy up throughout the day. Standing desks are another fantastic idea. Everything slows down when we sit so the more active you are the better. If you can get outside for some sunshine (Vitamin D) you will feel better for it.

If you need help with assessing your nutritional needs an Initial Nutrition consult can do wonders for tailoring a diet and nutritional treatment plan just for you.

Likewise an Initial Naturoapthic consult can be invaluable for devising a holistic treatment plan to enhance your overall health and wellbeing.

Be quick both consultations are currently being offered as a new year special for $110. (Please note this consult is normallly $160 and is only valid if booked online. Rescheduled appointments forfeit this special offer.)

Why do people book an appointment with GWN?

Have you always wanted to see a Naturopath or a Nutritionist but haven’t booked in yet? If so you may wonder what motivates people to book in with me.

In almost 13 years of practice in the health and wellness industry, I’ve heard all manner of reasons why people have sought my services.

My clients typically fall into 3 categories:

1) Clients who received a glowing referrence.

By far the most common of my clients are those who contact me because someone they work with or a member of their family or friends recently saw a Naturopath and had great results. Inspired by their story, they book an appointment to get themselves on a holistic health plan and achieve the same great results!

2) Clients who have had enough of the health-merry-go-round.

 These clients also make up a significant proportion of the people that book an appointment with me. After years of seeing lots of different medical practitioners (including specialists) doing tests, taking medications and undergoing surgeries with varied results, they decide to take a different route.

This leads my clients to exploring complementary medicines (nutritional and herbal), dietary and lifestyle advice and learning to take back control of their health.

By educating and empowering my clients to understand what created their health challenges and what dietary and lifestyle habits worsen or improve their health condition, they regain a sense of confidence and enjoyment of life. (Leading them to becoming the referring clients listed above!)

3) The health conscious consumer.

Another big sector of clients that I see are those who are very committed to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Often eating well and exercising, these clients seek out my services to deal with any health challenge that could otherwise involve more invasive medical interventions or the need to take prescription drugs.

So if you have resonated with any of previous clients above then please feel very welcome to join them. However, one word of caution. There is one type of client that may not be a good candidate for my services.

4) The significant other or parent made me do it client.

Thankfully, these clients are relatively rare but they do book in from time to time. Often coming in accompanied by their concerned person, they relay their health concerns under duress.

Whilst I am happy to assist my clients with any health related matters, it’s very important that they are willing to take on board my suggestions and treatment plan without feeling like they were forced into it.

Taking personal respnsibility for your health is key to my client’s success.

So if you are feeling inspired to book an appointment, go to the Contact Us page at www.gettingwellnaturally.com.au and click on the Halaxy booking icon.

Is affordable natural healthcare for all, a pipe dream or an unmissable opportunity?

After having worked in the field of natural medicine for almost 13 years, I’ve often thought how awesome it would be able to offer Naturopathic services to more people by providing a service that’s truely affordable.

I’ve spoken to many people who’d love to see a Naturopath but the out of pocket expense it just too much. Sadly, a vast array of consumers are locked out of discovering that they can help themselves with diet, nutrition and natural ways of healing, simply because this appointments are viewed as expensive in comparison to a bulk billed GP visit.

This expense is a reflection of the amount of time spent with each client (1 hr on first visit, 30-40 minutes on repeat visits) the complexity of the cases that we treat and the degree of information that a Naturopath will provide.

It also takes into account business operating costs and continuing education expenses that practitioners have to fund each year.

Unfortunately, without Medicare or Health Fund Rebates for Naturopathy, creating an affordable and accessable natural healthcare service can seem to be just a pipe dream. Or is it?

Many industries have faced the same dilemma. How can we allow more people to access our services by reducing the cost? Virgin Airlines is a fantastic example. Nowadays, we think nothing of getting great rates on airfares. Prior to Virgin, Jetstar and other airlines such as Tiger, consumers had two evenly priced airlines (Qantas and Ansett) to choose from. Low cost carriers opened up the airline industry to a massive new pool of flying passengers. And once Covid-19 is under control, jetset Aussies will once again take advantage of fantastic airline deals.

With the case for reinstating Naturopathic health care rebates the subject of an ongoing government review, we can only hope that the health minister will listen to the Australian public who petitioned in larged numbers against the removal of this service in April last year.

Australians want greater access to Naturopatic healthcare and are prepared to cover a significant portion of the costs themselves, becuase they know the value of being proactive with their health and learning how they can get well and stay well.

In the meanwhile, Getting Well Naturally is providing $99 initial consultations for Naturopathic & Nutrition appointments (normally $130) to clients who want to experience the best of natural healthcare.

Hurry, book online at www.gettingwellnaturally.com.au or email gettingwellnatually.com.au for an appointment.

Melbourne’s ever changing weather and smoke haze is serving up a mixed bag of emotions and ailments.

Maintaining healthy lungs in toxic air is largely a case of avoiding the outdoors and apply a P2 breathing mask if you do venture out. Smoke inhalation is most often associated with an increased risk of asthma and breathing problems in the elderly and very young. This is especially concerning when you consider that bushfire smoke has the some of the same components as tobacco smoke, just in a different composition.

But aside from the physical symptoms, this bushfire emergency has brought with it feelings of being overwhelmed, saddened, fearful, angry and oppressed.

The recent bushfire smoke haze over Melbourne impacts our health in a myraid of ways. On an emotional level the overcast, smoggy weather can create feelings of depression and anxiety.

When once clear air is replaced with heavily polluted smog, smoke and little visability, it can feel very oppressive. Having to keep our windows and doors closed and taped up to avoid breathing the toxic air and limiting our time outdoors, can make us feel trapped in our own homes.

The light rain and cool temperatures on Sunday only intensified the mental and emotional distress that may Melbournians were experiencing.

For people such as tradies who work in the outdoors this is just one more thing to contend with. Heat, cold, fire, wind, smoke and rain.

Thankfully, Melbourne’s air quality has improved quickly after two spates of smoke haze in the last week. (Not so for Sydney and Canberra who have endured much worse smoke over their cities.)

So what can be done to improve mental health in these conditions?

Firstly, there is a fine line between being ‘aware’ and being ‘alarmed’. Repeated exposure to news stories with almost blanket coverage of our fire ravaged state and country, while necessary, can increase feelings of anxiety and helplessness.

If you live in a fire prone area then you must stay alert to potential fire risk, but in the city it’s usually just dealing with the aftermath, smoke, news, etc. which can be every bit as nerve racking as being on the ground in the bush.

If you are experiencing emotional distress from the bushfires, I encourage you to book an Initial Nutrition or Naturopathic consult to learn how you can fortify yourself mentally and physically through natural means so that you can deal with this situation better.

Conquering the last 10+Kilos

Have your weight loss efforts stalled despite continuing to eat well and exercise?

Losing the last 10+kilos is a challenge but it’s not an insurmountable obstacle. The weight loss plateau is a common problem on the journey to lose weight.

But with regular body composition testing and tailored dietary and lifestyle advice, we can have you on a weight loss fast track in no time at all!

Book a Women’s Wellness Package today for just $297 (Save over $200) for 3 Naturopathic/Nutrition Consultations plus regular body composition testing (in addition to other tests as required) and you will create a body that looks and feels stunning for the warmer months.

(Please note supplements are not included and all three appointments are to be completed within 2 months of your first appointment. This is a stand alone offer, not to be used in conjunction with any other promotion.)

If you want to discuss you health concerns further before booking, feel free to email us at gettingwellnaturally@gmail.com.

Or, you can simply book an initial Naturopathic or Nutrition Consultation on the Contact Us page.

Are you Zinc (Zn) deficient?

Throughout the month of October you can have your zinc level tested on site at Westgarth Pharmacy, Northcote.

Zinc is an essential mineral used extensively throughout the body.

Zinc deficiencies range from outright deficiency through to mid range or sub-optimal status. At this point, you will have multiple health concerns throughout the body all linked to an inadequate dietary intake of zinc.

Optimal zinc status on the other hand, is the best preventative medicine you could have against a dizzying array of symptoms and health concerns.

However, this in not a mineral to self-prescribe off the shelf at the pharmacy.

It is a trace but essential mineral that needs to be balanced with a range of other nutrients. Too much zinc and you risk a lowered iron status which comes with it’s own set of complications.

Below is just a partial list of health concerns associated with a low or sub-optimal zinc status:

Compromised Immunity

Recurrent infections such as colds, sore throats and chest infections due to lowered immunity and allergies such as hayfever.

Skin Conditions

Slow wound healing and skin issues such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Mental Health Conditions

Such as mood swings, anxiety and depression. Frank deficiency or sub-optimal zinc levels can also contribute to behavioral conditions such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.