If you look around in the media, you might notice that articles on menopause have exploded recently. It’s not like menopause is a new thing, and if you were to really think about how many women are suffering, it’s almost as though menopause could be an illness given the many and varied symptoms it seems to bring about. But is it really menopause causing all of these issues? Or are we blaming something which just happens to be removing a layer of protection that previously allowed us to “get away with” more potentially damaging behaviours in our past … [Read more...] about The joys of menopause and why progesterone is so important
Natural Support for Tics and Tourette’s
Supporting Tourette's Naturally It was somewhat of an accident that I ended up exploring the world of natural options for tic disorders and Tourette Syndrome. Like everything else, I figured surely there would be a way of supporting Tourette's naturally. My background is focused on the homeopathic and nutritional treatment/support of children with behavioural disorders. It seemed fortuitous, then, that I was approached by one of the administrators of an online group discussing natural options for those with tics or Tourette syndrome. I was asked to give … [Read more...] about Natural Support for Tics and Tourette’s
Is it really perimenopause or is it your thyroid and Hashimoto?
The silent epidemic of Hashimoto Thyroiditis Symptoms of perimenopause Most women I know have had issues going through perimenopause, but there are a smug few who don’t get any symptoms. They’re the ones who sail through their journey with relative ease, don’t even put on a kilo, and don’t even raise a sweat. That wasn’t me. You might be thinking, but Penny is a natural therapist, so surely, she has all the answers to be able to sort herself out. I may have learned a thing or two, but health is super complex and very individualised and it’s a bit of a journey … [Read more...] about Is it really perimenopause or is it your thyroid and Hashimoto?
How do you positively get more out of your blood test results?
Normal results on a blood test when you don’t feel fine? Have you ever decanted what looks like half your blood, for thorough blood tests, hoping they’ll give you some answers to what’s causing your symptoms, only to be told everything has normal levels? This is something I hear so often as I see more and more clients with what I call functional rather than pathological issues. What that means is that people can have symptoms that affect them even though they’re not showing up on your usual types of testing. That often means that whatever is going on hasn’t … [Read more...] about How do you positively get more out of your blood test results?
Rhus tox and a homeopath’s breathless and painful journey through COVID
What does any self-respecting homeopath do when confronted by a positive COVID test? Well, maybe not everyone would do the same as me, but I wrote a bit of a diary and a few notes as I went along in my journey through coronavirus. Upset stomach, severe aches, and feeling breathless. Trying remedies such a Rhus Tox, Gelsenium, Hypericum, and Bryonia. Day 1 How it started My daughter has just rung and told me she’s tested positive (we’d hung out together a couple of days earlier). By the end of her visit, she had been starting to show signs of a fever and … [Read more...] about Rhus tox and a homeopath’s breathless and painful journey through COVID
Probiotics benefits, drawbacks, nutrition
Achieving happy digestive balance through nutrition and homeopathy Probiotics benefits: can have a powerful affect on our gut and overall health. BUT there is an enormous range of different probiotic strains, found in foods as well as products. How do we know which foods and products will benefit us? Our gut microflora Food has an influence over which types of micro-organisms colonise our gut. Our gut flora are responsible for a large proportion of not only digestion, but energy levels, moods and most importantly, immune function. I’m talking mainly about the … [Read more...] about Probiotics benefits, drawbacks, nutrition
The Mysteries of Homeopathy and what I tell my clients
How does Homeopathy work? One of the reasons homeopathy can be so tricky to grasp is because it requires a leap of understanding of concepts. Concepts which are outside the box of mainstream science. Many people dismiss homeopathy outright because we homeopaths use highly diluted substances of all kinds. How could anything so diluted possibly have any effect on the body? It’s no wonder homeopathy is such an enormous stretch for those steeped in mainstream science. But here’s the thing. Homeopathy may not happily be acknowledged by the limited orthodox view. … [Read more...] about The Mysteries of Homeopathy and what I tell my clients
Staying Sane and Connected during Coronavirus Panic
Support yourself emotionally during Coronavirus Lockdowns As natural therapists we’ve been bombarded by calls to our clinic. People are asking what they can do to boost up the immune system and help prevent disease. You can find this kind of thing all over the internet, so I’m going to focus on another, less obvious pandemic sweeping the world – panic. This Coronavirus disease can get pretty horrible, so before I talk about anything else, I’m going to acknowledge rather than minimise people’s fear. This is very real, and I understand there are many people … [Read more...] about Staying Sane and Connected during Coronavirus Panic
My adventures with intermittent fasting diet
Intermittent Fasting - Starving in the midst of Plenty I’ve never been one to follow the diet fads. I love my food too much and really can’t stand feeling hungry. Until recently reaching a stage in my life known as Perimenopause, I’ve been pretty lucky genetically and haven’t had to work too hard at keeping within a healthy body weight. I’ve always been of the mindset that eating healthy food and getting enough exercise are all you need to do. It’s all I’ve ever needed to do, anyway, but now there are questions over insulin resistance in menopause. While I’ve … [Read more...] about My adventures with intermittent fasting diet
Eczema homeopathy and dairy Intolerance
Toby's story A story of homeopathy for eczema in babies What does a homeopath do when she can't fix her own child's eczema? Toby is my third child. When I brought him home from the hospital, I wanted to turn around and go straight back. The food may well be horrendous, but at least someone else makes it for you. There are a lot of jokes going around that once you have three children, you may as well go and have another one because it makes very little difference in the scheme of things. I began to understand exactly what was behind all of those jokes as I did my … [Read more...] about Eczema homeopathy and dairy Intolerance