Gift Wrapping Ideas
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Eco-friendly gift wrapping is a wonderful way to reduce waste and minimize your environmental impact during special occasions. Here are some ideas for eco-friendly gift wrapping.

​So beautiful to catch up for a picnic lunch with a colleague/friend under the shade of a beautiful tree in Ballarat. Loved it! Discussion from case management, and herbal medicine to iridology, to life, in general, feels so much more connected under a beautiful tree. All of this added to the current book I am reading about authentic living. Love this statement. ( KISS) "keep it simple sweetheart - you don't live only once, YOU Live every day but you die Only once." Love it!

Love the phrase "Success is consistency over time" which emphasizes the importance of commitment. The "Long slow road to" is so versatile and can be applied to various contexts depending on the specific situation or goal in mind. I love the fact that it underscores the idea that meaningful achievements or transformations often unfold gradually and require sustained effort over time.
Changing ingrained thought patterns takes time and consistent effort.

I recently watched “ The antidepressant story” on Four Corners. Then, an acquaintance suggested I watch the true story of Painkiller on Netflix. By this stage, I could not bring myself to watch Pain Hustlers on Netflix based on a true story.
An increasing problem, prescription drug use can affect all age groups, including teens”. Worse is the compounding nature of “Symptomatic treatments” where medications are continually added to address the side effects of the primary (main) medications.
An ideal approach would be where treatment options focus on symptoms and the cause of the disease; with a holistic approach to preventative care that includes medicines, nutrition, diet and lifestyle options.
Please do not change your medication or regime unless discussed with your health care professional.

Heart Health Matters
For some reason, a lot of us believe that heart health is generally relegated to the elderly or even worse that it occurs mostly in men. According to the Heart Association, 90% of women have at least one risk factor for heart disease at some point in their lives, especially postmenopausal women. However many heart diseases are under our control to some extent where we can control diet, exercise, sleep and manage stress.

​Always had a fascination with Energy medicine but found it hard to wrap my brain around it. When I first saw Dr Masaru’s video on water consciousness I was blown away.
Love the phrase "pay attention to intentions." This phrase highlights the importance of considering the motivations and goals behind actions or words. The concept of karma plays a significant role in these energy medicine belief systems and is often understood as a fundamental principle governing the consequences of one's actions. Have an awesome week.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common disorder affecting 1 out of 10 young women with distressing symptoms, such as irregular menstrual cycles, excessive facial and body hair growth, acne, obesity, reduced fertility and increased risk of diabetes. Treatment for PCOS includes a healthy lifestyle, weight loss if overweight, and targeted therapy such as balancing the hormones.

After a long slow lunch with great company, delicious food, bottomless cups of tea/coffee and lots of laugh-out-loud moments. A New discovery for me, you can practice the art of being lazy with good company, it doesn't have to be done in solitude.
The art of being lazy, often referred to as "productive laziness" or "strategic laziness," is about finding ways to maintain a balanced life while minimizing unnecessary effort. It's not about being unproductive, but rather about working smarter, not harder. Here's to the practice of "the art of being lazy"

It's important to note that kidney disease can affect people of all ages, and early detection is key to preventing complications. Often referred to as the "silent disease," it is a term used to describe various conditions that affect the kidneys' ability to function properly. The reason it's often called "silent" is because kidney disease can progress without noticeable symptoms in its early stages.
Regular check-ups and a healthy lifestyle can go a long way in managing kidney health and preventing the progression of kidney disease.

Cross my heart. My moments of pure joy are capturing those moments between my husband and children whether it is them discussing technology, filling out forms, feasting, holidays or working with pesky chainsaws, machinery or doing the hard yakka.

Happy Father’s Day to my husband and all fathers out there.

This is my opinion in a nutshell on redefining masculinity which is a complex, controversial and layered subject.
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With strong leadership role models like Germaine Greer, women jumped on the feminist bandwagon as though we individually discovered it, no longer sacrificing our choices, freedom, family, career and health. In my opinion, I feel men have marched at a slower pace in expressing themselves authentically and securing their needs in health, work-life balance, family issues and advocating for themselves with strong clear leadership and mentoring. Individually and collectively we must all pull together to promote true equality, and inclusivity and uphold the dignity of every individual.

Dietary Fiber
Following the Bristol Stool Chart post, here is some more information on dietary Fiber. Please keep it simple by gradually increasing fiber intake, staying hydrated to prevent any digestive discomfort, and striking a healthy balance for a well-rounded diet.

​Recently I was talking to someone about Ageism and was surprised about her perceptions of Ageism. Well, we have our son home for the weekend, hubby and I welcomed Ageism as we got our 21-year-old to do all the hard work setting up my veggie garden. Love the kid! And my revamped veggie/ herb beds without a weed in them (only for a short time I am sure).

Most people attribute sore back, neck, pelvis, legs, and feet to tired muscles or stiff joints. But these symptoms can also be caused by fascia. Although designed to stretch as you move, it can become thick, damaged or sticky causing painful knots to develop during movement, when pressure is applied or referred pain post-surgery. Treatment focuses on relieving pain and getting tight fascia and muscle fibers to relax.

A timely reminder by a gorgeous young lady about “The power of the pause” to celebrate the good times but also a great tool to practice self-care, and manage thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
Love this little concept.

Acid Alkaline balance
 
It's only in the last few years I realised I have bones - shoulders, knees and hips. Recently I was talking to an elderly person who had brittle bones and realised for a long time she had a lot of stress and digestive problems.
A PH basics, knowledge is a simple approach that can be used every day for health and well-being. Our Standard Australian Diet (SAD) is a bit more acidic; combined with our stress-induced lifestyle over a long period can cause damage by constant leeching of nutrients to keep us alkaline.
We can relieve this acidic burden. Your body will thank you in the long run!

Bristol Stool chart
We wrapped up our research project last week. Thanks to everyone who participated, it was greatly appreciated. One of the tools we used was the Bristol Stool chart. I might share it with some additional information.
The Bristol Stool Chart is widely used as a research tool to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for various diseases of the bowel. The chart describes the shapes and types of stools and what they mean to our health. It is also used as a tool to diagnose constipation, diarrhoea and irritable bowel syndrome and the impact of these on health and well-being.
As we welcome winter, it can be an opportunity for some of us to start prepping for the slower days to be a time for rest and renewal with warming healing foods and lifestyle changes.

The Gift of Winter. Lazy days spent reading with soft music, candles flickering, comforting fires, heart-warming food and sounds of nature. Feeling the cold air, the welcoming platter of the rain.
I am reading “Seeds to Dust” by Marc Hamer, who was homeless but developed a love of books and gardening. I adore his style of writing, where he brings the ordinary to feel extraordinary. Combined with watching the RHS Chelsea Flower show on Brit box, which this year like Marc Hamer is a celebration of the weeds and a focus to be wilder and naturalistic.
Describes my garden to a T.
On a more serious note. As we welcome winter and start prepping for the slower days it can be a time for rest and renewal. Several studies have shown we have enhanced mental function during the winter, providing more opportunities to rest and benefit from a period of slower recuperation while continuing to operate at a high level.

(NHAA) Naturopathic Symposium gala dinner 27 05 2023
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Oh, What a night! Feeling humbled and grateful to be invited as a guest for the Naturopath & Herbalists Association of Australia's (NHAA) Naturopathic Symposium gala dinner and 2023 Awards for Excellence in the industry.
The most amazing, full of knowledge peers at our table with lots of laughs, sharing information, great food and drinks. Loved the night.
Fantastic to see the ever-humble Professor Kerry Bone the founding father of Medi-herb get an award. I was so lucky a few years ago with some other naturopaths to be invited to meet Kerry and visit the Mediherb testing, research and manufacturing facilities in QLD. (It was like a kid in a candy shop)
OMG! had a quick chat with my herbal medicine lecturer Ian Breakspear who collected multiple awards. He has the same passion and drive as he did when I studied under him. I was so surprised that he actually remembered me but we both had a laugh about my unexpected pregnancy in my final year of full-time study over 21 years ago.
Saving the best for last it was awesome catching up with our gorgeous son (21 years old lol), who took a break from Uni to join us for a delicious Argentinian feast at Southbank. Awesome weekend.

​For some of us, this is the time we celebrate the incredible women who helped raise and support us. For those whose mums have passed, it is a time of reminiscing. For some, this is a difficult time of disappointment. Whatever this Mother’s Day may mean for you my sincere hope is that you find the strength and resilience in yourself to live your Best Life.
 
Have an awesome Mother’s Day 2023.

​Exciting research continues to explore the bi-directional interactions between the Gut-Brain-Immune link for multiple disorders from gut issues, to skin, to mood. The emerging studies around the different strains of gut bugs (microbiota) and their impact on regulating and influencing our health and well-being continue to fascinate in clinics. For those who are interested I have listed some of the research studies.

​Love these touching poems written by Rob Aitchison for his grandfather and Hayley & Lachy. Beautiful day to remember.

Perimenopause, a time to thrive
 
Recently at lunch, a colleague and I got the giggles reading the article " Perimenopause, a time to thrive" but by the time we analysed the article and the research we both decided that with a few specific inclusions and exclusions women can thrive in their prime.

Love this quote on this glorious day. Have an awesome week. " Life has no remote control. Get up and change it yourself".

A few years ago I spent 10 long months doing a comprehensive course on maximizing the potential of genetic testing to personalize patient health and wellness outcomes. I am always amazed at the continuous advances in science and research.
So on a gloomy day in Ballarat, I thought I would revisit it.

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