We recently had a long, slow outdoor lunch with some very special people. It had a Christmas vibe, so I wanted to share some recipes and tips.
Tip - when baking with kids use a base cookie, biscuit or truffle recipe then divide into batches and let the kids have fun decorating. Guaranteed a big mess to clean up, but happy kids.
For adults, you cannot go wrong with fresh ingredients, sumptuous quantities of delicious olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dips, grilled meats and delicious cheeses.
Stirring with love just brings it all together perfectly!

Love Christmas with all its trimmings. It is a time to slow down and reflect after the busyness of the end of the year.
This season is about immersing oneself in experiencing and appreciating the joy and warmth it brings, sharing, making memories, and celebrating what matters most.
Wishing one and all a Very Merry Xmas and a Fabulous New Year.

"Dance to your own music" I believe is a beautiful metaphor for living authentically and embracing your unique rhythm in life.
When paired with intuition, it emphasizes trusting your inner voice to guide your steps, even when the world plays a different tune.
Yes, dancing to your own music can be hard, but it’s worth the effort. The challenges are stepping stones to greater self-awareness, joy, and fulfillment.
By staying true to your rhythm, you honour your unique essence and inspire others to do the same.

Deep down, we all know what is required of us when we pile on the weight or things start to move south.
Fad diets can be tempting when we want fast results, feel pressured by the promotion of unrealistic beauty and fitness standards and misperceptions of health benefits in the long term.
Most fad diets lack balance, can be unsustainable in the long term, and may lead to nutrient deficiencies or other serious health issues such as cardiovascular risk, and digestive problems. Rapid weight loss is often followed by increased rebound weight gain.
A sustainable, healthy weight is typically achieved through intermittent diet breaks (if that is what you want) that can prevent metabolic adaption, a healthy balanced diet with fresh whole foods, portion control, and regular physical activity.

I love blending liquid herbs in the silence of my clinic. It is common for me to use over a dozen herbs in a single 300 mL formula of herbal medicine. I love how they work with measurable outcomes within a couple of weeks.
It is sad to see our formulas becoming standardised with a few herbs and losing that individualised approach to health and wellbeing.
There is a global shift toward natural, holistic, and preventative health approaches. Consumers are seeking alternatives to synthetic drugs due to concerns about side effects, long-term use, and antibiotic resistance. This has fuelled a multi-billion-dollar herbal supplement and natural remedies market, with many Pharmaceutical companies increasingly venturing into herbal medicine.

A simple but complex issue. Reflecting through the different lenses of perception.
My perception as a victim would be very different from that of a perpetrator.
My perception of striding the mountain of success differs greatly from my perception as someone who strolls down the easy lane of life.
My life of privilege, money and power is a stark contrast to my perception of living in poverty and being powerless.
Indigenous culture's perceptions can focus on embracing the millennium of their existence and experiences. Traditional Western worldview perceptions are more concerned with science and can concentrate on compartmentalized knowledge.
It is all about Perception. Your perception creates your reality. The only thing you can control is your perception. However, using the lens of perception can open us up to see how others can perceive things a bit differently from us.
You can change your reality once you’ve changed your perceptions.
“Your innate power lies in the ‘meaning’ you assign to any person, place, event or thing.”.

​It worries me whenever I hear people leaving the workforce for maternity leave, work cover or retirement.
While leaving the workforce can reduce stress and allow for more leisure time, it can also lead to mental and social disengagement, negatively affecting cognitive health and well-being.
Maintaining a healthy brain and overall well-being requires a balanced, consistent lifestyle. Establishing regular habits and patterns is key to preserving cognitive function, emotional stability, and physical health.
Balance is a key principle in maintaining overall health and well-being, particularly for brain health. Whether referring to physical balance, emotional equilibrium, or lifestyle balance, achieving harmony across different aspects of life contributes to optimal cognitive function, emotional resilience, and physical vitality.

When studying Naturopathy, one of the best advice I got was "When in doubt treat the gut". Digestive dysfunction caused by malabsorption is one of the most common conditions in the clinic, especially in chronic and complex conditions.
The reasons for malabsorption are as varied as the condition itself. The best approach is restoring optimal digestive health by combining dietary guidelines, herbal medicine (love it), and supplements, and never forgetting simple lifestyle modifications to prevent long-term complications.

Super spring specials on Gut Repair. The focus is on treating mindset with an annual subscription to an evidence-based hypnotherapy app and it includes (3 packets of 60 tablets ) of Gut repair supplements with prebiotics all for $200.

Please note consultation charges will apply.
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The Enteric Nervous System or the "second brain" is significant as it controls digestion and is closely linked to overall health and well-being. This can impact gastrointestinal, mental and even metabolic health.

​I wish my husband and all Fathers "A Very Happy Father's Day."
This is one day we can take to appreciate and be grateful for all that men contribute to our lives. " Thank you."
This poem sums up my hubby to the T.

Every man and his dog is being diagnosed/misdiagnosed as having some form of ADHD or ADD from kids to adults. In no way am I trying to minimise the condition and I fully appreciate that it is a complex condition to live with and doesn’t have a simple answer.
However, given what life throws at us, I am sure if we all took the screening assessments, we would all have some deficits. Are some of the misdiagnoses of symptoms linked to chronic stress and pressure to perform and conform to an established norm in school, at home, and at work?
If we took an alternative approach to embracing the diversity in each of us and what makes us unique and individual, promoting inclusive, safe environments and empowering individuals to be themselves, acceptance might just be the answer for some of us.
Self-acceptance is without condition; it means you accept yourself as is, flaws and all.

Often in my clinic, one of the most detrimental things I see is “ negative or stuck mindsets”.
Getting people to change their ‘mindset’ or make sense of their situation can be helpful by breaking it down into small pieces and seeing it from different angles.
The integration of ‘mindset’ using affirmations in naturopathy is a powerful way of enhancing patient outcomes, combined with herbal medicine (my favourite), diet and nutrition and lifestyle changes.
One of the cheapest and most powerful ways is self-affirmations or short meditations for mindset.
Like most things, when used properly with other therapeutic strategies they work well but they are not without their limitations. To maximise their effectiveness it is important to avoid potential pitfalls, especially in addressing deeper issues for personal growth and wellbeing.

Last weekend we were in NSW celebrating my Mother-in-law's 90th birthday and a very dear neighbour's 92nd birthday. Sitting across the dining table from these 2 glamorous beauties riddled with chronic illnesses and having the time of their lives. Their resilience struck me.
Our neighbour at 90 boarded a plane and went to Europe to celebrate her birthday. Listening to my mother-in-law's activities was impressive, from her home and garden projects to teaching catechism to organising Valentine's Day parties, including finding time to dine and visit casinos.
Both women despite their illnesses embrace life with both hands.
In the clinic, the majority of my patients have chronic diseases from mental health, gut problems, heart disease, degenerative illnesses and reproductive issues. I find that the ones that have resilience and are proactive do much better in disease management and their quality of life.

Last weekend Ballarat’s weather lived up to its reputation with slapping winds and rain.
Unbeknown to the weather Gods our gorgeous son had planned on hosting 10 of his Uni friends from Melbourne for a long weekend. Love the young people who said, “Besides the weather, they had a good time”. They checked out the Aura Sound and Light Show, Yacht Club, Daylesford, and dining in Ballarat.
Hubby and I decided we would invite the group to the farm for a long slow rustic lunch on Sunday. Unlike the young ones, we consulted with the weather Gods and had a contingency plan. Indoor dining, or an enclosed patio dining or dining on rustic tables and benches beside the ½ empty dam, bracing the elements with a flimsy gazebo and an ineffective wood fire pit. Of course, they choose to brace the elements.
I love cooking and having a table full of people, food and drinks. I have shared some recipes and hopefully some non-identifiable photos from the day and another party we hosted in our tiny courtyard. The boys did perfectly BBQ some eye fillet steaks on the outdoor BBQ. Since it was a large group I have not included quantities of ingredients in the recipes.

Stress. We all have some stress in our lives or we would not be living life. But for some of us, stress has become a vicious cycle keeping us in a state of fight, flight or freeze response. This can impact our physical, mental and social health and wellbeing.
Self-empowerment is critical in managing and responding to stress for better health outcomes. This can be from making simple lifestyle changes to seeking professional help to navigate symptoms.
Treatment is complex but must be based on personalised care as individuals respond differently to stressors and coping strategies.

​I was excited to find that a herbal medicine formula I contributed for digestive dysfunction was included in a publication by one of our herbal medicine manufacturers “ Clinical Herbal Formulas. A collection of herbal formulas from Australian practitioners for Healthcare professionals only”.
Although the formula was a neat little package, our formulas and treatment plans are a bit more complex ensuring therapeutic goals are met with measurable outcomes for our patients, generally within a fortnight.
Formulating a naturopathic treatment plan is multi-layered using herbal medicine, supplements, dietary guidelines, testing, education and advice on lifestyle factors. It is a balancing act treating symptoms, supporting the function of the organs such as the digestive system, liver or kidneys, and raising the patient's immunity and/or vitality.
The focus of any treatment plan is always addressing the root cause of the problem rather than suppressing symptoms.

The thesis for my Masters in Psychotherapy was expected to be “ Treating Depression – Psychotherapy/Counselling versus Psychotherapy/Counselling and Herbal Medicine”. However, after a run-in with my professor and clinical placement, I changed my thesis to “ The Innocence, ignorance and arrogance of family violence”. Promptly after finishing my Degree I rolled a weely bin to my door and threw all my thesis material in it. In another set of circumstances, besides being in private clinical practice, I worked as a sessional facilitator of voluntary and court-mandated family violence group programs for over 10 years.
But deep down I have always been uncomfortable with the subject matter due to its complexity, and the pain of all parties; there are no winners. It is hard navigating the thin line between getting people to take responsibility and be accountable versus the levelling of shame and blame.
In March 2022, I dressed this post up in my blog as " Recognizing abusive relationships" because a lot of us including me a professional who has studied and worked in the family violence sector dislike the word " Family Violence".
But I think as individuals, then as a collective we need to face the facts and the devasting impact of family violence and rise to name it, label it and address it.

Creating a successful detox program requires an understanding of the body's detoxification process, the use of evidence-based nutritional and lifestyle strategies and a personalised holistic approach to health and wellbeing.
By combining the science of detoxification with the art of customization and holistic wellness a detox program can be effective, enjoyable and sustainable with measurable outcomes.
Winter is a good time not only to detox your body but also to detox your emotional and mental health along with decluttering your lifestyle.

Last month hubby and I did a quick runner to the wilderness of Tasmania for a long weekend. We loved the solitude of fresh mountain air, sunshine, delicious food, warm log fireplace and jazz blasting, as we admired the silent reflection of the lake. Hubby enjoyed star gazing with an app on his phone that showed the constellations and stars. Lol.
Although we didn't have electricity or internet service. Nothing could beat the time spent admiring nature with gratitude and deep-down joy. So true the simple things in life are the best... It was peace and contentment with a dash of sunshine and music.

A common condition that can affect most of us at some time in our lives. It is more than just tiredness it is a dragging feeling of mental and physical exhaustion where you get to a point of " I don't care".
By itself, it is not a serious condition but it can be a sign of other underlying causes. It should be addressed if it is not relieved by healthy food, good sleep, fresh air, sunshine and feeling the love around you.

For a lot of us, we often accept the chaos or are dragged into chaos and we sacrifice our inner peace to keep other people happy or maintain the status quo.
Just to shake things up can you imagine what life would be like if we -
#Choose to break patterns and be assertive.
#Accepted that our sense of peace is just as important.
#Sat with the discomfort of being judged, and feelings of guilt.
#Revelled in the sense of peace and empowerment when we decide on self-care.
My suggestion is to go for inner peace………..

With an increase in allergies and sensitivities, we are seeing a lot more skin conditions in the clinic. It is hard for adults but it is especially hard with children as it affects them on multiple levels.
Sometimes simple measures such as a change in diet can make a huge difference, hydration, outdoors and basic essential supplements.

​As a nutritionist, I often get asked about supplementation and review people's self-medication of vitamins and supplements and a range of products.
My general rule is "If you don't need it, don't take it". "Less is often more" and " if it has the power to heal it has the power to harm". You need to take into account the dosage and timing of taking the supplements as they can compete with other nutrients or need other nutrients to be absorbed. So it is important to always seek professional advice, especially for health conditions. When taken correctly for the right reasons supplementation should have measurable health outcomes.
Like a lot of natural products, the quality is graded (low grade vs high good quality) and subject to multiple factors; including price where you pay for what you get.
As a nutritionist, I often get asked about supplementation and review people's self-medication of vitamins and supplements and a range of products.
My general rule is "If you don't need it, don't take it". "Less is often more" and " if it has the power to heal it has the power to harm". You need to take into account the dosage and timing of taking the supplements as they can compete with other nutrients or need other nutrients to be absorbed. So it is important to always seek professional advice, especially for health conditions. When taken correctly for the right reasons supplementation should have measurable health outcomes.
Like a lot of natural products, the quality is graded (low grade vs high good quality) and subject to multiple factors; including price where you pay for what you get.

​This was a difficult post to do, given that in Ballarat we are still in shock and disbelief with the loss of 3 women in a very short time.
For a lot of us, we are still processing and trying to make sense of these recent multiple events. This has been compounded by the events in Sydney.
As a community, we are united in our collective grief and loss as our hearts reach out to the loved ones of all involved.
For some of us, during this time of mixed emotions, a silent prayer is all we might have to offer. Please take care and lots of love and hugs.
Please reach out if needed to support services Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732.