What is Naturopathy?
What does a naturopath do?
I take a holistic, evidence-based approach to your health care, combining nutrition, lifestyle changes, and herbal medicine to improve overall well-being and address the root cause of health issues. As a Bachelor of Health Science graduate, I bring the expertise of a nutritionist, enhanced by the use of herbal medicine, using the latest research to guide my practice.
Naturopathy is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It treats the person as a whole—body, mind, and emotions—recognising their interconnection. Through personalised care, I work to correct imbalances, address deficiencies, and remove barriers to wellness, while supporting the body’s systems to restore optimal function. This approach not only helps resolve current health challenges but also focuses on preventing future illness.
By staying up-to-date with the latest advances in nutrition, pathology testing, nutraceuticals, and herbal medicine, I provide effective, tailored care. My goal is to empower you with the tools and knowledge to thrive.
What treatments do you use?
Each patient receives a tailored treatment plan with a range of recommendations designed to achieve their health goals, including:
- Personalised dietary and nutritional advice to improve nutrient availability, gut health, correct imbalances, and support overall wellbeing.
- Lifestyle recommendations, including specific techniques for stress reduction, exercise guidance, and recommendations for psychological health, promoting long-term wellness.
- Nutritional supplements to correct deficiencies and aid the body’s healing processes.
- Herbal medicine to support your body’s function.
My approach is grounded in scientific research, focusing on optimising patient outcomes and enhancing quality of life. I empower my clients with the knowledge and support they need to navigate their unique path toward better health and wellbeing.
What conditions can naturopathy benefit?
Naturopathy offers holistic support for a wide range of conditions and is beneficial for individuals of all ages. Here are some common conditions that I work with:
- Mental Health: stress, anxiety, depression.
- Digestive Issues: IBS, bloating, constipation, urgency
- Poor sleep
- Fatigue
- Thyroid disorders
- Metabolic Concerns: weight gain, high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Immune Health: colds and flu, frequent illness, allergies, eczema and psoriasis.
- Female Hormonal Imbalances: acne, PMS, cramps, irregular cycles, infertility, thrush, and menopausal symptoms.
- Male Hormonal Imbalances: prostate health, infertility and acne.
- Musculoskeletal Issues: Alleviate pain from arthritis, cramps, and other related conditions.
What are the naturopathic principles?
Naturopathic treatment is based on the following principles:
- First Do No Harm – Treatment should be gentle and avoid adverse effects. The client’s safety is of utmost importance. The treatment should work with the body’s natural healing tendencies rather than in the suppression of symptoms.
- Identify and Treat the Cause (not just the symptom) – We become ill for many reasons, whether it be stress, physical injury, poor diet etc. It is important to find the root cause of disease rather than suppress the symptoms.
- The Healing Power of Nature – The body’s innate healing ability is stimulated through treatments including whole foods, herbs and a healthy lifestyle.
- Treat the Whole Person – the body, mind and emotions must all be assessed and treated rather than only looking at the disease and symptoms.
- The Practitioner is a Teacher – clients are educated on better ways to support their health and are empowered to seek further information for preventative health.
- Prevention is the best cure – This speaks for its self. Prevention of disease through a healthy diet and lifestyle is much cheaper and more pleasant. This also includes proactively preventing minor illnesses from developing into serious or chronic degenerative diseases.
Advanced pathology and functional medicine testing
You may be referred for laboratory functional medicine testing to obtain a detailed picture of your health. This includes looking for nutritional deficiencies, toxicities, genetic predispositions, gut microbiome imbalances, hormonal imbalances and metabolic disorders.
Standard and advanced blood pathology testing
Standard and advanced blood tests are available to better understand your health. I may also work with your GP to obtain blood, stool and urine tests with Medicare rebates.
Advanced blood testing includes:
- Comprehensive thyroid testing to assess the cause of your energy and thyroid problems and direct treatment protocols.
- Adrenal function.
- Sex hormones.
- Allergy testing to determine the foods and chemicals that you may be reacting to.
Nutrigenomic DNA Testing
Nutrigenomics is the study of how our genes and nutrients in our food interact. I use this genetic information to find how your genes may be affecting your body’s function and then personalise your nutrition, lifestyle and supplement prescription accordingly.
Genetic testing profiles available:
- Methylation profile (MTHFR genes) and biochemical markers.
- Comprehensive report including 113 SNP’s (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) across digestion, energy, hormones, stress & cognitive performance, inflammation, athletic performance, DNA protection & repair and detoxification.
Microbiome and digestive marker testing
Digestive and stool analysis for gut conditions such as IBS, and to determine how your gut health may be affecting the rest of your body.
Gut health testing includes:
- Microbiome mapping (gut bacteria imbalances)
- SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
- Intestinal (gut) permeability
- Pathogenic parasites and bacteria
- Inflammatory bowel markers
Mental health & biomarker testing
We assess key nutrients and the function of genetic pathways to produce neurotransmitters associated with mood. Neurotransmitter imbalances are associated with depression, anxiety and excessive stress.
What to Expect from Your First Naturopathic Consultation
During our initial 90-minute consultation, I take the time to truly understand you—your unique health concerns and your wellness goals. This personalised approach ensures we can work together to uncover the root cause of the issues you’re experiencing. Here’s what to expect:
1. Deep Dive into Your Health
Information gathering is the most important part of the initial consultation. During this 45-minute phase, we’ll explore your overall health and how your body’s systems are functioning, including your immune, endocrine, nervous, cardiovascular, digestive, and reproductive systems as required. We look at how stress, sleep, and mental health are influencing your current state of wellness. I also focus on:
- Identifying any nutritional gaps or deficiencies.
- Reviewing recent pathology tests.
- Assessing your full medical and family history.
- Analysing your diet, current medications, and supplements.
- Conducting any necessary in-house tests (such as blood pressure checks).
2. Connecting the Dots
From this detailed information, I’ll begin to piece together the puzzle of your health and why you may be feeling the way you do. To complete this picture, I may:
- Refer you for further testing (such as blood, gut health, or genetic tests).
- Request additional health, diet or lifestyle questionnaires.
3. Your Personalized Treatment Plan
Once we have all the information we need, I’ll create a treatment plan tailored just for you. This will include:
- A clear explanation of what’s going on in your body and why you feel the way you do.
- The first steps in your health restoration program to help you reach your short- and long-term wellness goals.
- Recommendations for diet and lifestyle changes, and how to implement these.
- Personalised prescription for herbal or nutraceutical supplements if needed (note: supplements are additional cost items).