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Naturopath

23rd March 2018

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Welcome!

I’m Alison, a clinical naturopath with a passion for helping people achieve that amazing feeling of good health, by blending traditional naturopathic wisdom with up-to-date scientific research and a lot of love and care. Here you'll find my collection of health articles, podcasts and recipes.

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I’m writing a book! I’m taking all of the content I’m writing a book!
I’m taking all of the content that I made when I created @natural_menopause_support ecourse a few years ago and turning it into a print and digital book, with lots of added goodness.
I don’t know why I didn’t do this sooner, maybe procrastination, maybe self doubt.
But it’s on the way and I’m pretty excited!
PCOS got a name change - finally! It only took 14 PCOS got a name change - finally! It only took 14 years but now PCOS has been renamed to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). 
Given this condition affects 1 in 8 women it’s important that it is better understood, and with an inaccurate title it gets misunderstood and that can result in mismanagement and dismissal. 
So I’m pretty happy to see this name change come into place.
If you or your child has ADHD, here are some thing If you or your child has ADHD, here are some things I think you really need to know about gut health. 👇
Because the brain and the gut are in constant conversation - and for a lot of people with ADHD, the gut is where a big piece of the puzzle has been hiding.
Here’s what the research is telling us:
- Your gut produces around 90% of your body’s serotonin. Yes, in your gut. Not your brain.
- People with ADHD that is flaring up (when the pain points are loudest) consistently show differences in their gut microbiome - including lower levels of the bacteria involved in making dopamine precursors and calming neurotransmitters like GABA.
- There’s a 63% increased risk of IBS in people with ADHD (2025 research). Constipation, bloating and food sensitivities are also far more common. This is not a coincidence.
- When the gut lining becomes compromised (hello, leaky gut), it can trigger neuroinflammation - which directly impacts focus, mood, and behaviour.
None of this means gut health is the only answer. But it does mean it’s worth looking at - especially if you’ve already tried a lot of things and still feel like something’s missing.
Save this post if you found it helpful, and drop a ❤️ below if this is something you’re navigating. I’d love to know.
And if you want to go deeper, the full blog post is linked in my bio.
Not all endometriosis is the same, and understandi Not all endometriosis is the same, and understanding the different types can really change how we approach treatment and support.
Endometriosis generally falls into three categories:
1. Superficial Peritoneal Endometriosis
The most common type - thin, freckle-like spots on the pelvic lining. Despite looking minor, this type can cause significant pain. Here's the thing though - the pain with superficial endo is often less about the lesions themselves and more about visceral hypersensitivity, where the nervous system becomes highly sensitised and amplifies pain signals. This means surgery often isn't the answer here. 
What tends to help more is:
- Reducing systemic inflammation
- Supporting nervous system health and regulation
- Addressing gut health and the gut-brain connection
- Stress and nervous system support
2. Endometriomas (Ovarian Cysts)
These are cysts that form directly on the ovaries. They can impact ovarian reserve and fertility, and often cause a deep, aching pelvic pain, particularly around ovulation. These are typically visible on ultrasound, which makes them one of the more straightforward types to identify without surgery.
3. Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis 
The most complex type, affecting around 20% of people with endometriosis. Lesions grow beyond the surface and can penetrate into structures like the bowel, bladder, or uterosacral ligaments. 
Symptoms can include:
-Painful or difficult bowel movements, especially during your period
-Pain with urination
-Deep, stabbing pelvic pain
-Pain with sex (particularly deep penetration)
-Back and leg pain
This type is more likely to respond well to surgical excision when performed by a skilled endo specialist - and getting the right surgeon really matters here.
The takeaway? Endo is not one size fits all, and neither is treatment. 
Have questions about your type of endo and what natural support might look like for you? Feel free to reach out or book a consult.
It's Endometriosis Awareness Month, and this year It's Endometriosis Awareness Month, and this year there's genuinely exciting news for the endo community!
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has just released its very first comprehensive guidelines specifically on *diagnosing* endometriosis, and honestly, it's a big deal.
For so long, getting a diagnosis has meant years of being dismissed, told your pain is "normal," or waiting for surgery just to have someone believe you. On average, people wait between 4 and 11 years from the onset of symptoms to finally receiving a diagnosis, and that wait comes at a real cost to quality of life, fertility, and emotional wellbeing.
These new guidelines are pushing for real change:
- Clinicians can now make a *presumptive clinical diagnosis* based on history, symptoms, and physical examination alone, meaning treatment can begin sooner without waiting for surgery to "prove" what you've been feeling all along
- The guidelines formally acknowledge that dismissal of symptoms causes harm, prolonging physical suffering and significantly impacting psychological and emotional wellbeing (finally in writing! 🙌)
- The goal is to shorten that agonising diagnostic gap and improve access to care
Your pain is real. Your symptoms matter. You deserve to be heard. 💛
If you've been living with painful periods, pelvic pain, pain with intimacy, bloating, or unexplained fatigue, please don't wait to seek support. You don't have to just push through.
As always, my door is open and I would love to be part of your care team if you are seeking natural support for endo. 🌿
You can find the updated guideline here 
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/clinical-practice-guideline/articles/2026/03/diagnosis-of-endometriosis
📷sourced Pinterest, photographer unknown
#EndometriosisAwarenessMonth #Endometriosis #EndoWarrior #WomensHealth #NaturopathNSW #EndoSupport #HormonalHealth #ChronicPain
Have you noticed your hair thinning or shedding mo Have you noticed your hair thinning or shedding more than usual? 
Hair loss in women 30–50 is unfortunately very common, and a major source of stress. Even though it's common, it shouldn't be something you feel you have to put up with.
When working with hair loss issues, we need to look first for the why. Your skin and hair are often one of the first places your body shows imbalance.
There's plenty of reasons for hair loss. Low iron. Hormone shifts. Thyroid changes. Chronic stress. Gut inflammation.
I wrote an article about this, and in it I break down:
• The different types of hair loss
• What blood tests to ask for, and other functional tests we can look into
• The stress/HPA axis connection
• When hair will grow back
• And what to do next
If you’re tired of guessing and want real answers — this one’s for you.
If you want to read the full article comment HAIR to get the link sent to you
P.S Soon I'll be uploading another podcast episode on this topic, so if you haven't already subscribed to my podcast Guts and Girl Bits, do it, so that you get notified as soon as it's published. Comment PODCAST and I'll send you the links.
#hairloss #hairthinning #perimenopause #naturopathnsw #hormonehealth #guthealth #womenshealth #telogeneffluvium #androgenicalopecia
When it comes to your health, who you listen to ma When it comes to your health, who you listen to matters.
There is an overwhelming amount of information online, and it can be so tempting to try the magic supplement recommended by the hot girl in the bikini with the perfect life, to ask a forum or FB or reddit, or to ask AI what your diagnosis and what you should do about it. 
I'm not against people taking more charge of their own health, in fact I regularly advocate for health sovereignity but there are so many risks with these tactics.
Influencers are often incentivised to sell a specific product, or are trying to build likes and views. You can't go viral with common sense recommendations, you have to be radical and make extreme claims. Health care professionals aren't allowed to give individualised health advise on social media (for good reason) but influencers aren't regulated, so they can make whatever claim they want in order to make their affiliate sale or collect views.
AI can be a helpful tool in so many regards, but there's so many risks in putting your health in it's hands. It pulls it's information from what is readily available online, which is often very generalised, or perhaps incorrect. In many cases I have seen AI hallucinate journal articles to justify it's recommendations, provide wildly inaccurate reference ranges for pathology tests and dosages of nutritionals, and don't even get me started about the lack of good information on herbal medicine online. 
Health isn’t about finding the loudest answer or the fastest fix.
It’s about understanding context, patterns and root causes.
By all means, learn. Get curious. Educate yourself.
But when it comes to making decisions that affect your long-term wellbeing, choose guidance that is ethical, individualised and grounded in care.
Photo dump from the last few weeks - Good time an Photo dump from the last few weeks - 
Good time and good food with friends and family. 
Camping, bush walking, looots of reading and getting into fishing.
So many photos not shared because I’m not going to post more photos of kiddos outside of stories anymore and I don’t take that many photos generally lol
Taking some time off even sporadically recently  has made me realise how essential it is, and how much of an impact taking time away from demands and screens can make on our nervous system. 
Definitely recommend A+
A lovely evening at the Twilight Market. A lovely evening at the Twilight Market.
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Naturopath
B. App. Sc (Nat Stud); Post Grad Dip (Nat); MNHAA, MATMS
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