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Casey's blog

Individualism in Wellness Culture

25/4/2025

 
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If you’ve ever fallen ill and wondered “what did I do wrong?” – or had someone suggest that you brought your illness upon yourself – then this is for you.
 
A little personal story. Recently I was at the end stage of a cold and had to attend a community meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, I apologised for any disruption my cough might cause, that it was the tail end of a cold and I was no longer at the contagious stage but that I’d sit at the end of the table so as not to make anyone feel uncomfortable.
 
I was immediately told by someone that, “we only get sick when we’re not right in our body… when we’re not healthy.” 
 
Since we were at a meeting I dismissed this with “I don’t agree with that,” and continued with the meeting. The person later told me they were simply trying to say they weren’t worried about getting sick because they were healthy, that they were not a “germ phobe or a virus phobe” and that no offence was meant…
 
This “germ theory vs inner terrain” polarity is common in wellness culture and reflective of how individualist and over-simplified it has become.
​

The “Germ theory VS Inner Terrain” false dichotomy

Really quick summary. Germ theory basically says that external bacteria, viruses and so on are what we need to think about and we need to focus our efforts into killing the germs. Whereas terrain theory (or "inner terrain" as it's sometimes referred to) argues that if the body is well and balanced, then germs that are a natural part of life and will be dealt with by the body without causing sickness.
 
Both theories are, in fact, important. But in many wellness circles there’s a pervasive belief that if we’re healthy and not stressed, we will never get sick. That pathogenic viruses, bacteria, fungi, cancer, and so on can’t affect us if we just look after ourselves properly. And conversely, that if we do get sick, it is because we were somehow not “right” in body or mind. That somewhere, we dropped the ball. In this mindset, wellness is entirely the individual's personal responsibility and pursuit, with a focus on self-reliance, thinking positive emotions, that sort of thing.
 
This attitude is harmful. It’s health shaming. It’s wellness culture’s form of victim blaming. On a personal level, as an able and small-bodied cis-het woman under 40 who lifts weights, takes all the herbs, does all the yoga, doesn’t get sick often and has never experienced severe chronic illness, this was one of the rare times in my life I felt health shamed. And it sucked.
 
I can’t imagine what people with chronic illness, bodies that don’t adhere to the cultural standard, and people with disabilities experience every day when confronted with such an individualist attitude to wellness. I can imagine this health shaming attitude wouldn’t improve their health but have the opposite effect. To tell a sick person that one’s health outcomes are 100% the individual’s responsibility is - to put it lightly - not very nice.
 

health - it's complicated

It’s also inaccurate. Yes, our physical, mental and spiritual health can contribute to our susceptibility to illness. As a naturopath, dietitian, and yoga teacher I’m in the business of helping people with diet and exercise, determinants of health that are somewhat within our control. But it’s naive to think that keeping yourself healthy confers invincibility from the maladies of life.
 
People who do yoga, eat organic and exercise can still get head colds, depression, and cancer. Illness can and does happen to those who follow wellness culture’s rules, and this shouldn’t be an invitation to question what that person did wrong - or pat oneself on the back for “doing it right” and avoiding illness. Rather, it should be an invitation to empathise, remember our collective vulnerability and interconnectedness, and care about the person in front of you rather than blame them.
 
Inner terrain counts. So does germ theory. So do genetics, access to health care, social support systems, soil health, the public health environment, and disparities such as systematic racism, ableism, fat phobia, homophobia, transphobia, and many other factors out of our control.

We can do our best to look after ourselves. And we all want to feel like we are completely in control of our bodies and our health, but the truth is we never can be. And that truth is uncomfortable. Especially in an unpredictable world where our needs for safety and security are increasingly harder to meet.

 
Health is not a gauge of “rightness” in your body, of purity, or of how well you’ve performed wellness. It’s just not that straightforward. Individual health is tied to the health of our communities, the land and every part of our ecosystems. It’s not just about whether or not you grow your own vegetables and meditate.

I would love to see us redefine wellness so that it better serves the collective and is rooted in fairness, critical analysis, and access. We can start by not stigmatising people with acute or chronic illness by insinuating that their sickness is somehow their fault. By not stigmatising people in larger bodies by implying that their body size is completely under their control and they just haven’t tried hard enough to lose weight. By learning to accept, appreciate, and accommodate the needs of neurodivergent folk, rather than trying to ‘cure’ them or assigning blame for their neurodivergence.

I could go on.
 
Please, let’s embrace nuance and empathy. And maybe read up on the determinants of health. Because health is complicated, illness is complicated, life is complicated and unpredictable.

​And sometimes, people get sick for no discernible reason, simply because
 shit happens.

Have I Fully Recovered Yet?

7/11/2024

 
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"How will I know when I have fully recovered?" This is a question many of my clients in eating disorder (ED) recovery ask. And the answer is multi-faceted.

As a teacher and student of ancient systems for comprehending the patterns in nature and applying them to our own healing processes, I offer these aspects of ED recovery through a 5-element lens. This approach is founded in the wisdom of both Ayurveda (the ancient medicine system of India) and Chinese medicine. I've written other articles on how these systems can support (or if used incorrectly, hinder) your intuitive eating journey here and here.

Whilst full recovery looks different for everyone, and we all have our personal idea of what it looks like, here are five basic elements to consider when asking the question, "have I fully recovered yet?"
​
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The Beauty of Bitters

10/10/2024

 
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Do you eat your bitters? Bitter foods offer a multitude of health benefits, such as improving digestion, enhancing liver detoxification, and clearing up your skin when hormonal issues lie at the root of issues like acne. But did you know bitters can also improve your mood, clearing feelings of depressed malaise and calming the fires of impatience and anger?

​In Chinese medicine and in Ayurveda, the hallmark of a balanced meal is the inclusion of all of the flavours. ​​By including all of the flavours in a meal, you’re probably going to feel very satisfied. And satisfaction is a crucial element of enjoyable, intuitive eating.

One of these flavours is bitter, a very important taste that many of us are missing on our plates.


Throughout Spring and Summer in 
my Southeast Queensland neighbourhood, edible weeds pop up everywhere including in my own my backyard.

​Under the kids’ trampoline out of the lawnmower’s reach, I find dandelion greens, sow thistle, sheep sorrel, and wild carrot, among other largely unknown yet freely available sources of nutrition (always correctly identify plants before eating them, come to one of my Herb Walks to help you with this!). At the farmer’s market I uncover a similar array: mustard greens, endive, chicory, kale, parsley, rocket.​
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The "This Herb for That" Conundrum

13/3/2024

 
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When I'm wearing my naturopath hat and deciding on which herbs to prescribe for you, there are many things I take into consideration.
​
If you ask me, "what herb is good for IBS?" or "what'll work for headaches?", you're going to get a long (and perhaps, unintentionally cryptic) answer.

This is because traditional herbal medicine is nuanced and individualised. Unlike in modern pharmacology, where you might pop a Panadol for a headache (regardless of what kind of headache it is), there are no herbs "for" any one disease state.

Instead, there are herbs that can exert certain influences on the body, and those herbs may or may not suit a specific person's constitution and current physiological and energetic state.

For instance, some people run hot, others easily feel the cold. We all know that friend who wears multiple layers of clothing and loves sipping on hot tea, even in the middle of Summer - chances are they have a cooler constitution.

Some people tend towards dryness, others towards dampness. You can likely bring to mind that person in your life who sweats really easily, or is always blowing their nose, or maybe experiences a lot of fluid retention in their hands and feet. Maybe that person is you.

Finally, some of us have contracted, tight tissues and others more relaxed or even too lax. As a yoga teacher I see the extremes of this when teaching students, with some folks hypermobile and others telling me they shouldn't be in class because they "can't even touch their toes" (by the way, that's a really good reason to come to yoga!)

These configurations aren't static. You can be both dry and damp, for instance, in different parts of the body at one time. You can be someone who normally runs cold, but you may catch a cold and run a fever and feel uncomfortably hot. And you may change states depending on your life, seasonal and hormonal cycles.

All of these considerations, and more, are taken into account when I am with you. I'm taking note not only of the words you are saying about your health or what you wrote in your diet diary, but also the way you walk into the room, your voice. In addition to analysing pathology results or calculating the nutritional adequacy of your diet, I may look at your tongue, feel your pulse, look at your irises.

All of these things point towards your unique energetics, your constitution. And if I can figure that out, then I am better equipped to choose the herb/s that are going to best support you at any one time, based on their energetics.

Some herbs are cooling, some are warming. Some reduce excess dampness, and others are nutritive and help bring hydration and softness to certain tissues. Some herbs encourage tightening up of the tissues, and others help unwind and relax them.

The form of herbs I prescribe for you is also important, with herbal teas sometimes trumping tinctures, or topical preparations being the most effective option.

Similarly, the timing and size of the dose is highly individualised. Drop dosing works best for more sensitive people, whilst larger doses are necessary to get things moving in other folks.

And then there's taste, energetics and balance between herbs to consider in the formulation you take home to experiment with. And do note, we are "experimenting" with the herbs and adjusting as time goes on!

So for that headache, I'm more interested in the pattern causing the headache than just giving a "headache herb". Is there heat, dryness, tension, and/or stagnation behind it? And is it a frontal headache, or does it radiate up from your shoulders? Is it sharp and stabbing or dull? Does it come and go or is it always there? Does the headache piss you off mightily, or make you want to curl up in bed and cry? When a naturopath asks these seemingly random questions, I promise it is all with intention!

On top of all these energetic considerations, of course I'm bringing in the clinical evidence, i.e. what the scientific literature tells us about the herb's phytochemistry and how to use it. I'm also checking your medications and supplements, scanning for potential interactions, looking at your pathology results, investigating genetic polymorphisms, analysing your diet, and considering where you're at in your menstrual and other physiological cycles. This analytical approach is what my 4-year naturopathy degree focussed on, and what my three science degrees have taught me.

However, there are aspects of herbal medicine that aren't covered in the literature, including the intuitive sense one gets about a herb and about the person in front of me. This energetic aspect of herbalism can be just as (if not more) complex as the biomedical model.

I hope this is a helpful answer to the "what herb is good for this?" conundrum. I promise my "it depends" and "it's complicated" answer is genuine, and I'm not holding out on you!

Since I've recently picked up a little work as a naturopath at my local co-op, I expect I'll be asked many more a "what'll work for this?" question :) I’ve also recently embarked upon some additional study into herbal energetics. It’s been so lovely to meet other herb nerds who froth over this stuff!

FYI I'm Pitta-Vata (Ayurveda) / sanguine-choleric (Humoral) / Wood-Fire element (TCM), and I have a lot of air in my astrological chart (at this point, anyone who knows me well would eye roll knowingly). I tend to run warm and experience overly tense tissues, although this has changed over my lifetime, and changes throughout the seasons and my cycle! As it does for all of us.

Now you know a little more about why taking the time for a 1-on-1 consultation is so valuable for cases that aren't incredibly simple and straightforward (so, in most cases). For acute conditions like a cold or cut, a “this for that” approach to herbs can definitely work, and work well. But the more chronic your condition/s are, the more nuance and detail needs to be considered in your treatment approach. Good case taking really become important, and that takes more than 5-10 minutes. I take 90 minutes for an initial naturopathic consultation, which is usually long enough to begin peeling back some layers and getting to know you well enough to address multiple facets of your health situation.

It’s in treating chronic and complex conditions that considering herbal energetics - and your energetics - can make the difference between a so-so herbal prescription, and one that hits the sweet spot and gets the job done.
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Check out these pretty chillies growing in my garden, a little nod to all the HOT people!
If you’re interested in a thorough and conscientious naturopathic work up that takes the whole of you into consideration, get in touch for a 1:1 consultation!

Wishing you all the constitutional support you need,

Casey

9 Nutrients To Consider When Taking Antidepressants

28/11/2023

 
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It's tempting to believe that depression is all about a lack of connection.
Or trauma.
Or inflammation.

(If you're an integrative health practitioner like me, inflammation seems to be the scapegoat for everything these days!)

But depression isn't about any one of these things. Depression is the final common pathway of many biological, psychological, interpersonal and social problems.

Not all depression is the same. There are many different types of depression, many causes of depression, and many reasons why someone might decide to start taking antidepressants.

And many of us have decided to support ourselves this way. With 1 in 8 Australians on antidepressants, these medications continue to be prescribed at an increasing rate, especially among young people (1). In 2018, over 3 million Australians were prescribed an antidepressant, mainly Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression or anxiety (2).

As a dietitian and naturopath I work with many clients who have taken these medications for years, yet unfortunately have no idea that the chronic use of certain antidepressants can induce subclinical and clinical micronutrient deficiencies. 

Over time (months to years), these deficiencies can cause additional symptoms and increase the side effects of the medication.

What are these side effects? In a 2016 study of 180 long-term users of antidepressants (3–15 years of use), common side effects included:
  • withdrawal effects (73.5%)
  • sexual problems (71.8%)
  • weight gain (65.3%)
  • feeling emotionally numb (64.5%)
  • feeling addicted (43%)
  • feeling moderate-to-severe depression despite being on antidepressants (30%) (3).

​To some extent, in some individuals, these side effects will be driven by nutrient deficiencies.

​There are two ways that certain vital nutrients and antidepressant medications can form a vicious cycle of deficiency:

1. Nutrient deficiencies can drive depression and anxiety

Interestingly, nutrient deficiencies can be one of the causes of depression and anxiety, two of the most common symptoms these medications are prescribed to treat.

Being deficient in vitamin D, B vitamins (such as B2, B12 and folate) and calcium can make you more prone to depression and anxiety (4). Inadequate levels of t
hese simple, powerful nutrients can be a huge driving factor behind a person's mood disorder. This is why anyone presenting to their health care practitioner with these issues should really be assessed for nutritional deficiencies.

Unfortunately, a thorough nutritional assessment does not always happen.

To add insult to injury, having preexisting low stores of some nutrients (e.g. folate) drastically reduces the efficacy of antidepressants like SSRIs. Nutrient deficiencies can increase the time taken to respond to medication, decrease overall response rate, and increase relapse rate.



2. Antidepressants can further deplete nutrient stores

Antidepressant medications can then further deplete certain vitamins, minerals and hormones from your body. This can lead to more symptoms down the road, such as a return of the depression plus additional side effects like increased anxiety, struggle with focus, and feeling detached emotionally.

Before you accuse me of being a big pharma hating hippie, this article is not a vendetta against these medications. A
u contraire. Time and time again I've seen these medications save lives and bring people back from a very deep, dark abyss without which they would have struggled immensely - or simply not made it out.

This article is not a plea for my many wonderful clients and loved ones taking these medications to discontinue their antidepressants. Not only is this out of my scope, but it's a decision that can only be instigated by the person taking the medication and the practitioner (a GP or psychiatrist) who prescribes their medication.


Antidepressant medications have a place and serve an extremely important purpose. I have no doubt about that.

And before any of you hippies accuse me of being a big pharma shill*, I fully support those clients who decide they're dissatisfied with the side effects of antidepressants and wish to reduce their dose or wean off them entirely.


The purpose of this article is to help those taking antidepressants
  1. to be aware of the potential nutrient deficiencies that can initiate depression and/or come with long term use, and
  2. to know how to detect, prevent and mitigate these deficiencies in the case that you want or need to keep taking your medication.

Knowledge is power, and in knowing more about this topic you can:

  • improve the efficacy and safety of your antidepressant medication/s
  • reduce the dose of antidepressants you require for mood stabilisation (always under the supervision of your GP)
  • if you choose to, work collaboratively with your GP, psychiatrist and/or nutrition professional (e.g. dietitian, naturopath, nutritionist) to slowly wean off of antidepressants with minimal withdrawal symptoms.

If any of that sounds good to you, or you're a health practitioner who wishes to support those of your clients who are taking antidepressants, I invite you to read on!
​


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Foundations of eating for mental health

7/11/2023

 
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Did you know that depression and anxiety are the most common mental health conditions worldwide? Perhaps. But even if you don't have an official diagnosis, subclinical symptoms of depression and anxiety also heavily impact the wellbeing and functioning of many people (1). If this is you, read on.
​

We know there's a huge connection between how you eat and your mental health, with studies showing that dietary improvement is one of the most effective and accessible treatment strategies for managing depression (2). Wild-caught salmon, matcha, blackberries, cacao, probiotic foods, and turmeric are the mental health superfoods du jour. And "cutting out sugar and anything processed!" is a catch cry in the wellness worlds I inhabit.

But the thing is, SO many people I see in clinic are under eating or cutting out foods unnecessarily. It's this that's leaving them in a worse state of mental health, rather than not eating aaaallll the superfoods.

When it comes to mood support, rather than ask yourself, "What should I be taking away?", consider, "What can I add to my diet?"

Here are the four big basics of eating to support mental health that need to be in place before things like matcha and curcumin can actually be of benefit:
​

1. Regular eating

Your brain needs fuel every few hours to keep it functioning and to keep your mood at an even keel throughout your day. Eating breakfast and eating every 3-5 hours after that are super important.

For some people, skipping meals temporarily provides a surge of energy and sharper focus. This "energy boost" is really just the up-regulation of stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) by your body in response to perceived famine. Your body is screaming at you to go and find food, and the energy and hyper-focus that follows prolonged fasting are meant to help you to go hunting and/or foraging so that you can feed your body! Not to push a little harder at work or in the gym. Besides the stress hormone injection, the effects of an irregular dietary pattern on glycaemia (blood glucose regulation), immune activation, and the gut microbiome likely disrupt mood (2). ​

So whether I'm working with a client in recovery from a severe eating disorder, or with someone who skips breakfast and is experiencing mood crashes later in the day, addressing meal regularity is usually the first place I start.
​

2. Adequate dietary fat

Fat can be scary for many of my clients, but eating what's considered a low-fat diet (less than 45g of fat each day) can worsen your mental health. We need at least 65g of fat daily, from sources like olive oil, butter, avocados, and nut butters. To achieve this, aim to include a source of added fat at least twice a day. Luckily, fat is naturally found in many foods that also contain proteins or carbohydrates, for example dairy products. Fat maintains the cell structure of the brain's communication network, so we need it for brain function!
​

3. Adequate carbohydrates

The scapegoat macro of the day! Your brain can't store glucose so it needs a constant supply. The type of carbohydrates youn get from grains, starchy vegetables, legumes, fruit, and dairy supply glucose which can be used right away for energy by your brain, muscles, and nervous system.

Low-carb intake contributes to brain fog, depression, fatigue, crappy sleep, and muscle breakdown. I see inadvertent carb-phobia in so many of my female clients (especially physically active women and newly postpartum mums), it's almost surprising when someone is eating enough low GI, slow-burning carbohydrate! For best functioning, your body needs ~50% of your daily intake as carbs. I know, I know... that's a lot more than your average paleo or keto coach suggests. But it's what I've seen work best in female clients, especially busy, active, pre-menopausal women. Do your body, brain and moods a favour and carb up.
​

4. Adequate protein

Protein is made up of amino acids = the building blocks of neurotransmitters, the chemicals that allow your cells to communicate messages about sleep, appetite, and mood. Beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, meat and poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products are all great sources!

Protein should be between 15-20% of your total daily intake. I frequently see clients consuming well over this, sometimes eating two or three times their actual requirements! When you're eating this much protein, it is likely to be displacing carbohydrate and fat in the diet. Because it's been near-eroticised in fitness culture protein is the sexy macro, and many of my clients have a "more is better" attitude - often at the detriment of their sleep, mood and - ironically - performance in the gym. My challenge to these folks is to up their carbs and fat and watch their mental health improve!

Once these fundamental pieces of the puzzle are in place, then sure let's get excited about wild-caught salmon, probiotics, and turmeric! But unless we're already eating regular meals with adequate calories and macronutrients, adding superfoods to improve your mental health symptoms is a mere drop of matcha tea in the ocean.

​

Benefits of adequate eating for mental health

As a naturopath and dietitian I have seen, time and time again, the incredible power of nutrition and herbal medicine in helping clients to:

  • Alleviate anxiety
  • Reduce severity of depressive episodes
  • Improve sleep
  • Support more stable moods
  • Recover from eating disorders
  • Reduce the risk of nutrient and antioxidant deficiencies when taking mood-altering medications like SSRIs and anti-psychotics
  • Improve focus and reduce limiting behaviours (including in ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence)
  • Replete nutrients in alcohol and drug addiction recovery
  • Support mental health during hormonal transitions such as PMS, postpartum and peri-menopause

If you're looking for guidance on how to support your mental health, I'm offering 20% off all naturopathic appointments for the rest of 2023, limited spaces available (limited because I'm a busy mum and need to look after my own mental health too!)
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Here's to calm, stable moods and a well-nourished brain!
Casey
​

References

  1. Johnson, J., Weissman, M. M., & Klerman, G. L. (1992). Service utilization and social morbidity associated with depressive symptoms in the community. JAMA, 267(11), 1478–1483.
  2. ​Jacka, F. N., O'Neil, A., Opie, R., Itsiopoulos, C., Cotton, S., Mohebbi, M., Castle, D., Dash, S., Mihalopoulos, C., Chatterton, M. L., Brazionis, L., Dean, O. M., Hodge, A. M., & Berk, M. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the 'SMILES' trial). BMC medicine, 15(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y

Impacts of RED-S on Sports Performance

9/6/2023

 
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Timing your nutrition to your workouts can make a huge difference to your enjoyment and adaptations (i.e. gains) from your training. But even the most well-meaning athlete can have big gaps in their intake compared to their actual needs.

Have you ever:
​
  • Worked out (running, weights, team sports etc.), then forgotten to eat until a few hours afterwards when you are STARVING and CRASHING?
  • Trained as a dancer, weightlifter, martial artist, rower, runner... and intentionally eaten "a bit less" for a while to make weight or to increase power to weight ratio?
  • Not been able to afford to eat as much as you needed whilst training for an event? Or felt you didn't have the time?
  • Practised some form of clean eating / low carb / meal skipping (e.g. intermittent fasting) or have special dietary requirements (e.g. vegan, low FODMAP) whilst partaking in an intense 12-week gym fitness challenge?

Yes? Then you may have experienced RED-S, or Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport.

As a triathlete in my 20's I experienced first hand the impacts of under eating on both my sports performance and my health. I lost my period for a year, suffered multiple recurrent ankle injuries, and my energy and moods SUCKED, among other crappy health consequences.

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) describes a bunch of health and performance consequences of low energy availability. Low energy availability lies at the core of RED-S and results from over-training, under-fuelling, or both.

I've spoken here and here about the negative effects of under-fuelling on our health - whether or not you are an "athlete". But not eating enough can also impact your sports performance in not-so-great ways.

Low energy availability can INCREASE:
  • fatigue
  • irritability
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • injury risk
  • impaired judgement
  • muscle cramps
  • recurrent illnesses

... and it can DECREASE:
  • muscle strength
  • glycogen stores
  • endurance performance
  • training response
  • concentration
  • coordination

The impacts of RED-S on health may be subtle or visible for some time. However, impacts on performance can be easier to notice. They include anything from mild fatigue, muscle cramps, and niggling repeated injuries, to career-ending health conditions.

Are you fuelling enough for your training load?

If you want to ensure your diet is balanced and supports your fitness goals, speak to a sports dietitian. I'm a provisional SD and love supporting people to optimise their eating for their sports and movement goals! Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to book a 1-on-1 consultation to untangle your sports nutrition questions and get the very most out of your training.


References


Mountjoy, M., Sundgot-Borgen, J., Burke, L., Carter, S., Constantini, N., Lebrun, C., Meyer, N., Sherman, R., Steffen, K., Budgett, R., & Ljungqvist, A. (2014). The IOC consensus statement: beyond the Female Athlete Triad--Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). British journal of sports medicine, 48(7), 491–497. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2014-093502

Herbs for Eating Disorder Recovery

4/5/2023

 
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Have you considered using herbal medicines as an adjunct to ED/DE recovery in yourself or your clients? 

This is a controversial topic that I think needs discussion. As an eating disorder dietitian and nearly-qualified naturopath, I believe that we ought to consider the potentially significant support that plant medicine can offer to those experiencing food and body image concerns.

When it comes to eating disorders and disordered eating, herbs can be used for good or harm. Unfortunately, many health practitioners in the ED space have witnessed the latter. Obviously, the abuse of stimulant herbal laxatives and appetite suppressants in service of an eating disorder is not therapeutic and something to watch out for.


However, under the guidance of a qualified naturopath or herbalist, botanical medicines can offer a highly valuable adjunct to psychotherapy and nutritional rehabilitation. Here are some of the ways I have used them in practice...

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11 Essential tips for Autumn health

27/4/2023

 
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Constipation, colds and flu start to rear their heads in autumn as we transition into the colder months. Here are 11 tips to help you move through the season with strength and grace.

Updated April 2023. Originally published in Living Now magazine, 2016.

At this time of year, as the sap of the trees and flowers returns to their root systems, we too are preparing to turn inward. In virtually every ancient medicine system, this season of harvest was seen as the time of the year to pull inward and gather together on all levels; a time to plan for the approaching darkness and stillness of winter.

In TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), autumn is associated with wind and dryness. It’s also the season associated with the lungs and large intestine, which are responsible for releasing carbon dioxide and food wastes, respectively. It follows that the energy of both these organs is ‘letting go’. Elimination problems like chronic constipation can be exacerbated at this time of year. Emotionally, it’s the time of year to look at things we are hanging onto that are no longer serving us, and to let them go for good.

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Should you reduce caffeine? Part 2

19/4/2023

 
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This is part 2 of this series on caffeine - if you haven't read part 1, I highly recommend you do that first. It's here.

In part 2 of this article I discuss:​​
  • How to know if coffee is right for you
  • Gentle ways to reduce your consumption, if you choose to​ ​

Article originally published at Evolution Botanicals.
​

So do I give it up completely, just cut back... or keep enjoying my daily bulletproof coffee?

Before we make any decisions about coffee, the most important question to ask is, “does it work for me?” Whether you’re using it to sharpen focus and concentration, improve sports performance, or simply to feel more energised, does it fulfil the intended purpose with minimal to no negative side effects? Answering these questions necessitates paying attention to what’s happening inside your own body. This kind of mindfulness will give you more answers than any scientific study. 

Observe your body during and after you drink coffee. Does your breathing become more rapid, and are you comfortable with that? Do your muscles tense up? How you feel immediately afterwards, a few hours later, and later on in the day? What is your quality of sleep like that night? Do you feel hyper-stimulated, jittery, anxious or overly wired after drinking coffee? 

You may drink your daily cup of coffee and experience mental clarity, have no troubles falling asleep and no signs of HPA axis dysfunction, in which case coffee might not be affecting you negatively. Or you may feel sweaty, extremely nervous and unable to fall asleep hours after having just one coffee. 

If you’re using it to enhance sports performance, is it actually working for you? Even though caffeine is used by many athletes to lower perceived exertion and increase power output, individual variability should still be considered. Exercise physiologist Stacy Sims reports, “I’ve seen athletes experience big heart-rate and blood pressure swings and become too amped to focus even with low doses (of caffeine).”

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