Articles | Balm Natural Health

3 Essential Nutrients Every Woman Needs After Menopause

Oestrogen is extremely important and protective during the reproductive years. However, maintaining such high oestrogen levels post menopause is dangerous.

The Surprising Link Between Vitamin B6 and Tingling Nerves

Vitamin B6 is a powerful little nutrient that helps with everything from energy to mood to keeping your nerves healthy

Aging and Longevity – The Best Years Are To Come

Even if your family history includes conditions like heart disease, cancer, dementia, or diabetes, your future health isn’t set in stone

The link between gut health and mood

your mood can impact the functioning of your gut, but also your gut health and the make up of your microbiome can have a huge influence on your mood.

Resetting Your Metabolism

I’ve recently started reading a fabulous book by one of my most admired peers, Naturopath and author Lara Briden. Many of the pearls of wisdom I’ve read in this book…

5 emerging health themes I’ve noticed

Over the last few years, I’ve noticed some consistent themes emerging in the health of my clients.

6 red flags your gut is waving at you

Modern medicine has not only lost sight of this to an extent, but also the idea that our bodies give us signs when something is not quite right in the…

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

Physical Stress

Life is pretty cruisey these days right! We have air-conditioned homes, cars and offices, calorie rich food in ready supply, (often at the touch of a button), we have machines…

So is fat okay now?

There has been a lot of new information coming out lately regarding fat and sugar. First fat was the big nasty and everyone steered clear of any fat, often favouring…

Self Prescribing from the internet – What could go wrong?

There is so much information available on the internet right now, as well as plenty of opportunities to purchase “miracle cures”. Many people self prescribe according to “Dr Google” but…

Stressed about your cholesterol?

For years we have been avoiding fat in our diets wherever we can, believing that by doing so, we will keep our all important cholesterol number down, saving us from…

Recent Successes at Balm

Here at Balm Naturopathy we believe in celebrating our successes. Below are a couple of success stories that have emerged from the last month.

Winter programs at Balm

This winter Balm has a couple of new programs, in addition to general naturopathic consultations. Free health checks and a 2 visit detoxification program.

What the MTHFR!

Ever heard of MTHFR? It’s a somewhat suggestive acronym for an important enzyme in the body used to convert folic acid into a useable form. It’s been getting a lot…

Naturopathy’s sweet spot in healthcare

Naturopathic Medicine

Have you ever felt “not quite right” or suffered vague, non-specific symptoms, but been told by your doctor they can’t find anything wrong? Until doctors can name your illness, they…

In just the last 2-4 generations, the number and concentration of toxins we are exposed to everyday has exploded exponentially, however, our inbuilt detoxification processes have hardly evolved at all…

What causes IBS?

FODMAPs – A simple solution for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

In a previous post I spoke about small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) as one of the main causes of IBS. I briefly mentioned that one of the main treatments which…

The Human Naturopath

What type of naturopath would you prefer to see? One who’s just like you who has a few vices and enjoys their life (but knows when and what to rein…

Eliminating intolerant foods – good idea or not?

Food elimination can sometimes change the quality of your life for the better, once you’ve worked out what food it is you need to avoid. But is this a good…

Changing Bad Habits

Approximately 45% of what we do each day is habit. All habits were once conscious decisions we made which we continued with until it became an automatic behaviour.

What is the Microbiome and does it need probiotics? Part 1

Researchers have spent a lot of time trying to work out which microbiome composition is the most healthy. They found there isn’t one! They tested the microbiomes of a number…

What is the Microbiome and does it need probiotics? Part 2

Many people believe that taking a probiotic simply puts back the good bacteria into the gut. However, this is not the case. In fact, many of the strains of microbes…

Private health rebate removal – why?

As you are probably aware by now, as of 1 April you will no longer be able to claim part of your naturopathic consultation on your private health insurance. This…

Sleep and the modern day body clock

In our modern day lifestyles, our body’s desire to stick closely to a set sleep/wake time (our body clock or our circadian rhythm) is often overridden, ignored and generally abused.…

Why take fish oils?

Most people know that fish oils are anti-inflammatory and good for joints and skin health, but that’s generally where public awareness ends. Fish oils are a cornerstone treatment for so…

3 foods to eat before Christmas

Do you sometimes worry about how the excesses of food and alcohol at Christmas time will affect your health and digestion? Do you sometimes deny yourself that extra serving of…

Why do some women breeze through menopause while others suffer?

Menopause seems to be a uniquely different experience for every woman. However in my experience as a naturopath helping women through the transition, a few symptoms seem to be more…

Who will you be post-social isolation?

Most people are going to go one of 2 possible ways during the months of home isolation we are facing. They will use the time to keep fit, using a…

Lockdown Stress and Anxiety

Just when we thought we were beginning to head back to some sort of new normal, here we are back in lockdown again. How you dealt with lockdown back in…

Why do we even have an appendix?

Have you had your appendix removed? Ever wondered what you’re missing? We’ve always been told that it serves no known purpose and is removed routinely at the first hint of…

Hot flush or power surge?

One of the most troublesome and common symptoms of menopause. Some women report just a few mild flushes per week while others report debilitating extreme flushes every hour. The natural…

How do you know if you’re in perimenopause?

Many people don’t realise that you are not in menopause until you have been an entire year without a period. Until then you are considered to be in perimenopause and…

COVID-19 Vaccines – What you need to know and do before getting one

This blog is designed to inform and provide some advice regarding the different vaccines on offer in Australia, and to advise those wishing to get a vaccine on the best…

Lockdown Fatigue

How are you coping with lockdown this year? Are you experiencing lockdown fatigue?

Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

I often have patients come to me and say, “after my last blood test, my doctor told me to stop drinking alcohol because I’m developing a fatty liver, however, I…

5 reasons why the weight won’t shift?

Maintaining weight gets harder as we get older. But why is that? With so many people having gained weight during Covid, which they are now finding it really difficult to…

How to age well

The ultimate goal of ageing well is to maintain your independence which means still being able to get around, think well, and physically do what you need to look after…

Burnout

In today's fast-paced and demanding, post-Covid world, burnout has become a prevalent issue. I’m seeing more of it in my practice now than ever before.

The danger of reflux medications

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD or GERD) medications were only ever designed to be used for a short period of time. Two weeks to two months maximum.

Detoxification – is it necessary?

Our bodies are busily detoxifying all the time, so is it really necessary to do a detox? The answer is yes due to the dramatic changes we’ve seen over the…

A quick guide to fasting in 2024

Intermittent fasting, time restricted eating are probably terms you’ve heard about, but what is the difference and what does it achieve?

Acidosis and how it impacts weight

Natural medicine is all about catching an imbalance in the body. We want to pick up acidosis and intervene early to prevent more serious health conditions.

Helping You Take Control Of Your Own Health, Naturally

Free Menopause Handout

THE ONE PERFECT DAY CHALLENGE