With the right advise, treating a stomach ache or digestive problem can be easy.

We all know that gut problems can bring about some embarrassing moments with the noisy or aromatic release of unwanted gas from the upper or lower end. But on a more serious note, these symptoms can be an indication of poor digestion which can increase the risk of numerous short and long term health problems.

Poor gut function is related to diverse disorders such as depression, food intolerances, fatigue,  rheumatoid arthritis and even obesity. How can this be? In the case of depression, research has found that around 70% of the ‘feel good hormone’ serotonin is made in the gut. Fatigue can be related to poor absorption of nutrients in the gut particularly B12 and iron. Damage to the wall of the intestine otherwise known as “leaky gut” can trigger the immune system which can produce a cascade of health issues. Meanwhile an abnormal level of hydrochloric acid is linked to problems such as fatigue, rosacea and bloating.

Gut function is complex and most problems require more attention than simply taking a probiotic. By doing a faecal Functional Pathology test, your naturopath can design a treatment program based around your pathology results. Such a test will reveal the levels of things needed for good gut function such as adequate hydrochloric acid, good gut bacteria, pancreatic enzymes and bile. It can also reveal the presence of unwanted problems such as a yeast overgrowth, various parasites or bacteria that contribute to diarrhoea or other gut symptoms. Inadequately digested  fats, proteins & carbohydrates can also be detected.

For a naturopath treating the gut is not just about helping you to get rid of unpleasant symptoms, but also about correcting problems that can affect your health long term. After all, prevention is always better than a cure. Call Vivienne on 89810047 to find out how to achieve good gut health and avoid those embarrassing moments.

Healthy skin in Darwin

Fortunately new fields of studies such as gerontology are shedding new light on how we age. The so called “micro-inflammatory model” explains the causes of aging skin and has revealed that inflammation, lack of antioxidants and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can have a negative impact. New anti-ageing products have largely been developed around this theory.

So how can you decrease your levels of ROS and inflammation?

1. Cease smoking. Smoking impairs the production of collagen and substances that degrade matrix proteins and elastic fibers plus increases ROS by decreasing the levels of vitamins such as carotene and antioxidants;
2.  Ensure the diet contains adequate antioxidants and minerals, such as selenium, vitamin C and E to decrease ROS levels. One study found that in people with good antioxidant levels the furrows and wrinkles were not so deep and dense as in the skin of individuals with low antioxidant levels;
3.  Avoid lengthy exposure to the sun. Twenty minutes is required daily to assist with vitamin D production but remember that excessive exposure greatly accelerates ageing of the skin;
4. Control a healthy body weight. Aconthosis nigricans, a dirty looking, striated condition that occurs on the back of the neck, is related to abnormal insulin levels. Skin tags are similarly related to weight related disorders including raised glucose levels, C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation, uric acid, free fatty acid and cholesterol levels.
5.  When purchasing skin products looks for neutroceutical products which contain antioxidants, anti-inflammatory herbs and oils, as well as good moisturizers and ceramide boosters.
6. Of course in Darwin we can’t forget about the effects of dehydration. Not only is it important to drink at least 2 litres a day, you need to ensure that you are getting adequate water. Water helps stabilize the bodies pH and flushes out toxins. Drinks such as alcohol, tea and coffee are diuretics (making you urinate more) plus they have a pH between 2.5 and 4 compared to water which is 7. 

Darwin Naturopath, Vivienne Savill is currently studying to be a Formulating Chemist in the Personal Care industry. Stay tuned for some exciting product releases to help you stay healthy and beautiful.

The downside of having a regulatory body such as the TGA is that for businesses who want to bring a therapeutic product to the market, it can create huge expense in terms of time and money.What we need to understand however, is that the TGA is essentially there to protect the public. To get a product either registered or listed, the minimum cost is around $10,000 per product. When an application is put to the TGA a huge amount of research must be supplied about each ingredient, to back up the companies claim.

The TGA regulates all products that make a claim about health or changes to the body including creams, oral products and machinery. So what is a “claim”? An example is where a company has a skin care product and their promotion states something like “helps relieve the pain or minor burns” or “the relief of the symptoms of eczema”.This is a low level claim meaning that the product will need to be licenced. If the product states “for the prevention of eczema”, it is considered a high level claim and the product (usually a drug) must be registered and is usually only available with a prescription.

A listed product can be purchased at a supermarket, health food store or over the counter products in a chemist. They will have the letter L followed by a number, printed on the label. You can see an example of this on the essential oil bottle above.

With the great cost involved in getting a product registered or listed with the TGA it is not surprising that many great products don’t make it to the market place. Occasionally however, company’s disregard TGA requirements and take the risk that they won’t get caught. Financially this could be a disaster for the company with fines in the $100’s of thousands of dollars. Often products suddenly disappear from the market – frequently because TGA has given them the option to withdraw the product or cop the fine. Company’s with unapproved products are also taking a huge gamble when it comes to protecting themselves legally. For example if a customer has some type of reaction to a product that does not have the proper approval, the company is unlikely to be covered by their product liability insurance and this could cost them thousands or even millions of dollars.

You will see in the diagram above the specific things that you need to look for to ensure your product is approved for sale. In the example above, the company has made a claim that their Lavender essential oil can relieve headaches, insomnia and anxiety. TheTGA has subsequently allowed this claim by the company.

The TGA stipulates exactly what can and cannot be put on the label. This company is permitted to put in its advertising such as pamphlets, information sheets or on the internet, that it can relieve headaches, insomnia and anxiety. Take a look at the Directions. It is approved for use as a massage oil, in a vaporizer or a bath. The allergies and alerts inform the public of how it should not be used. Essential oils are not recommended for oral use in Australia and therefore the alert says NOT FOR  INTERNAL USE.

Remember that whenever a company refers to their product as therapeutic, it means that they are saying that it brings about changes in the body and it is subject to TGA approval.

Why should you as a consumer, check to see that your product is listed?

TGA approval basically means that a product has been checked to see that it does what it says it does. It also means that the product has been tested to ensure it contains what it says it contains. For example, tablets purchased overseas that have claimed to be fish oil tablets, when tested, have been found to contain only olive oil. These days it is easy to buy a non-TGA approved products and put a label on the product. Many of these products are coming from China. An internet search for “private label supplements” brings up many such products, that anybody, trained or otherwise can stick their label on. Homeopathics and other liquid products such as essential oils are particularly susceptible to this misleading practice.

Not only can these products not contain what you think they do, but they can also contain dubious ingredients that TGA approved facilities would reject.The use of approved substances even extends to specific species of plants. For example the essential oil Frankincense comes from several species of boswellia. Boswellia Boswellia carterii, Boswellia serrata , Boswellia thurifera are approved for use but Boswellia frereana is not.

For the consumer, purchasing a non TGA approved products means that they cannot guarantee that they are getting what they think they are. They cannot be sure of the real dose inside the container or that they are not buying expensive fillers. If a product is being purchased to treat a specific disorder, money may well be wasted on something that is not going to make any difference to their health problem.

The modern form of the HCG diet is based on the work done by British Physician, Dr Simeons who worked in Italy for some years, treating patients who were overweight. Dr Simeons published his report on weight loss in 1954. His theory was based around his belief that the body stores fat due to a dysfunction occurring in a part of the brain known as the diencephalon. In his book Dr Simeons writes;

“It was therefore not unreasonable to suppose that the complex operation of storing and issuing fuel to the bo

dy might also be controlled by the diencephalon. It has long been known that the content of sugar – another form of fuel – in the blood depends on a certain nervous center in the diencephalon. When this center is destroyed in laboratory animals, they develop a condition rather similar to human stable diabetes. It has also long been known that the destruction of another diencephalic center produces a voracious appetite and a rapid gain in weight in animals which never get fat spontaneously.”

The brain is responsible for the production of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin hormone. Dr Simeon’s believed that is was a deficiency of this hormone that was responsible for the production of “the fat bank”.

HCG injections are not allowed in Australia; however HCG homeopathic drops have been developed. Some of these drops have approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), so it is safer to buy this version. This way, you know you are getting what it says on the label and their effectiveness has been supported with research. The drops produced by Assoc. Professor Howard Talbot at Bio-medicals have been listed with TGA.

Along with a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD), this program is successfully shedding the fat and helping curb the appetite. The program has 3 phases – the preparatory phase which lasts 2 days, followed by the 21 or 40 day VLCD part of the program. And lastly at Phase 3, a maintenance program which should go for 6 weeks. If you still have more fat to shed, you can recommence the whole program until you reach your desired weight.

How much fat would you expect to lose? On average people lose between 6 and 8 kilos over the 3 week period. Even people who have problems shedding the weight in the past, seem to do fine on this program. Interestingly, despite the restrictive diet, hunger is not normally a problem.

How safe is the HCG Diet and the VLCD diet? There are few reports of problems with this diet, but it is recommended that you seek guidance from a trained health practitioner such as a naturopath. Minor problems might include such things as irregular bowel function or just not knowing what can be or can’t be eaten on the program. Your naturopath may also recommend other supplements that compliment this program and provide additional nutrition to the body whilst assisting with weight loss.

The HCG Diet is now available from Darwin Naturopath, Vivienne Savill. Vivienne can also guide you as to what you should weigh, based on your height, frame size and the results of your Cellular Health Analysis. Monitoring fat and muscle mass is important during the program, so getting these tests done can play an important part when it comes to setting goals and making realistic time frames.

Call Darwin Naturopath Vivienne Savill, to get some advice about starting your HCG weight loss program.

Here’s a few healthier Christmas dinner or lunch options. By replacing the sugar and gluten with healthier options, you can still enjoy a yummy Christmas meal.

Chocolate Self   Saucing Pudding With Cherries

• 1/3 cup gluten free self raising flour
• 3 tablespoons shredded or desiccated coconut
• 2/3 cup xylitol
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cacao (chocolate) powder –
• ¼ cup dairy, rice, soy or nut milk
• 20g melted butter (preferably organic)
• 1 free range or organic egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 500g fresh cherries (pitted) or 410g jar drained cherries
• 1 cup water
• Greens organic chocolate

Lightly grease 4 ramekins or small, one person, baking dishes. If you don’t have these use a muffin tray. Grease the containers and place on a baking tray.

Place the flour and coconut into a bowl and mix. Add 2 tablespoons of the cacao and half of the xylitol. Place the remainder xylitol and cacao into a separate small bowl and set aside.

To the flour, coconut, cacao and xylitol mixture, add the milk, melted butter, egg and vanilla. Mix well. Add the cherry halves. Half fill each container.

Take the xylitol and cacao mixture that you have set to one side and sift it over the top of the mixture.

Boil some water. Using the back of a spoon, gently top up each container with ¼ cup of boiling water. Place into an oven heated to around 1700C and cook for 20 -25 minutes.

Serve the puddings and shave some Greens organic chocolate over the top of each one.

Pine nut & Pumpkin Salad

• 600g of pumpkin with seeds
• 100g baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
• 100g dandelion leaves, washed and dried
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 75g pine nuts
• 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
• ½ packet goat’s cheese
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Greek yoghurt

Cut the pumpkin into large chunks, with seeds intact. Grease an oven tray. Place the pumpkin on the tray and cook on a moderate oven for around 45 minutes or until browned and soft. Remove the pumpkin from the tray, leaving behind the seeds. Cook the seeds for another 5 minutes on a heat of 1500C. Add the pine nuts to the pumpkin seeds. Cook until lightly browned. Keep a very close eye on them as the pine nuts burn easily.

Meanwhile combine the washed spinach and dandelion leaves in a large serving salad bowl.

To make the dressing, mix the honey, olive oil, lime juice, yoghurt and mustard in a small jar with a lid. Shake well until combined.

Cut the pumpkin into mouth sized chunks and put on top of the salad leaves. Crumb the cheese and sprinkle over the top. Pour over the dressing. Finish by sprinkling the pumpkin seeds and pine nuts over the top.

Refreshing Sangria

• 1 bottle of red wine
• 1.25 litres of soda water (low sugar) or lemonade
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 lime
• 1 cup fresh cherries.
• Ice
• Mint leaves (optional)

In a large punch bowl, combine some ice with 1 bottle of red wine, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 cup orange juice and 1 cup of pineapple juice. Pit the cherries. Cut up 1 lime into fine slices. Place the limes, cherries and mint leaves over the top of the sangria. Lastly, when you are ready to serve add some soda water or lemonade. Soda is the better choice if you are trying to control your weight, insulin or blood sugar levels.

Gluten Free Stuffed Bird

• 1 turkey or chicken for chicken – giblets removed
• Olive oil or organic butter
• 1 onion
• 75g craisins
• ¼ cup chopped pistachio nuts
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 shallots
• 2 cups of gluten free crumbs for example rice crumbs, gluten free bread or gluten free crackers
• 2 whisked eggs
• ½ cup parsley
• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
• 1 cup almond meal

Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil or organic butter into a fry pan. Heat the oil and then add your chopped garlic, shallots, cranberries and pistachios. Meanwhile put your gluten free crumbs and almond meal into a bowl. Add the whiskey egg, mixed herbs and parsley.

When lightly browned, remove the shallot mixture from the stove and add to the other ingredients. Combine them well. Add salt and pepper to your liking.

Prepare your chicken or turkey. Add the stuffing mixture. You may need to tie the ends with skewers and some string. Baste the bird with organic butter or olive oil. Place in a preheated oven on 1700C. Cook for around 1 hour, depending on the size of your bird of course. Remove when it is browned on top and cooked through. Serve with vegetables or a salad with your stuffing on the side.

 Roasted Beetroot

• 4 to 5 fresh beetroots
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
• Rosemary

Peel the beetroot and cut each one into about 4 pieces. Place onto a greased baking dish.Mix the balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a container. Pour onto the beetroot. Sprinkle with dried or fresh rosemary. Place into a moderately hot oven and cook until they are softening. Serve hot or cold with your turkey or chicken.

Enjoy your christmas.

Written by Darwin Naturopath and Nurse, Vivienne Savill

Firstly consider what is going on in your life at present? Is stress high? Are there problems at work or home?

Stress is one of the leading causes of health problems and sleep is frequently affected. Why? Because stress affects the chemical and nutritional balances within the body. When you are stressed the body can lose magnesium, a relaxant mineral that is deficient in many of us. There are many other symptoms of magnesium deficiency, but taking a magnesium supplement may be helpful.

Stress also affects cortisol levels – the hormone that is produced by your adrenal glands. Cortisol levels should be high at certain times of the day to keep you alert and low at other times to promote sleep. This balance can become reversed making you alert at night and sleepy in the mornings.

Next, think about if you are working with or against your body’s natural (circadian) rhythm. Your inbuilt clock wants you to go to bed a few hours after dark and get up with the sunrise. Regularly staying up to watch TV or play on the computer disrupts good sleep habits.

Another common cause is diet. Wherever possible avoid eating late at night and avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, cola, or drinks containing guarana? If you have slow Phase 1 Liver function just one cup of coffee in the afternoon could keep you awake for hours.

Of course there are many natural supplements that can be taken to relax the body. But first talk to your naturopath about the most likely cause of your sleep difficulty. Ask your naturopath to order you a test for adrenal hormones if you are stressed or have sleep problems. And remember; always work on the cause not the symptoms.

To find out more about natural stress treatment, click here. Darwin Naturopath and Nurse Vivienne Savill, is skilled in treating stress and other mental health issues and can organize the relevant tests and treatments to stop stress fast.

PS. Don’t count sheep – it is guaranteed to keep you awake.

Written by Naturopath, Nurse and Author Vivienne Savill

Now you can quickly and easily measure your body’s ageing using a Bioimpedance (Cellular Health) Analysis.

By running a small current through the body, measuring weight, height, waist and wrist size the Cellular Health Analysis can tell you your biological age. This can be good news for some, but a real shock for other people. The main causes of advanced body ageing and disease development include:
• Excess body fat
• Inadequate muscle mass
• Low nutritional status and free radical damage

How to avoid premature aging

• Toxicity
• Inflammation
• Insulin resistance
• Acidity
• Genetics

Interestingly we now know that genetics do not necessarily predict what diseases we will or won’t get. Whilst your parents may have health issues such as heart disease, this does not mean that you are heading for the same fate. It all comes down to the lifestyle and dietary choices that you make. It is these choices that largely determine which genes are expressed.

In my clinic it is not unusual to see clients who have a biologicaI age 25 or more years older than their actual age. Unfortunately there is not much point on spending lots of money doing up the outside if the inside of your body is deteriorating fast. The best way to ensure you age beautifully on the inside and the outside, is to stay healthy and regularly monitor your fat, muscle, inflammation, nutritional status and body’s ageing.

Want to measure your body’s age?

To find out more about Bioimpedance Analysis click here.

Written by Darwin Naturopath, Nurse and Author, Vivienne Savill

Whilst we know the key to good health is “everything in moderation”, the temptation to over indulge can be too great. So here are a few tips to help you stay healthy and reduce your risk of a hangover.

1. Prepare yourself for the night ahead. Drink at least 2 litres of water during the day to ensure you are well hydrated. Remember alcohol is a diuretic – so to avoid waking up feeling “as dry as a chip”, drink water before, during and after the big night;
2.  Eat a good healthy meal before you go out and avoid tucking into the greasy offerings like spring rolls and pizza;
3.  Stock up your fridge with healthy food. When you are tired, it is easy to grab the simplest food available and that is often unhealthy “junk food”. Stabilize your blood sugar level & support your liver by having a high protein meal;
4.  The morning after, drink ginger or peppermint tea to settle your stomach and your nausea. Fresh ginger with lemon or lime juice is best;
5.  Calm your jitters and help your rehydration with the relaxant mineral, magnesium. Magnesium is also great for relieving headaches and stabilizing your blood sugar;
6.  Assist your liver function by taking some Saint Mary’s Thistle, turmeric and green tea.

Of course the smarter option is to have a raging good time, without overindulging in excess alcohol. Regular excessive alcohol intake increases your risk of chronic health problems by increasing acidity, adding excess empty calories, diminishing valuable nutrients and increasing toxicity. So for a healthy, long and enjoyable life, remember the message – everything in moderation.

If you have problems with your sleep, Darwin Naturopath & Nurse Vivienne Savill, would love to help you out. Phone 8981 0047 

To find out more about naturopathy in Darwin for stress and insomnia click on the link, http://bodymindsoulhealth.com.au/conditions-pain-control.php

Most of us know someone with the symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome such as raised blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol or someone who has obesity and excess body fat. This disorder can have a terrible effect upon health and increase the risk of problems such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Written by Darwin Naturopath, Vivienne Savill