Well Being

Are you being Persistent with your Toddler?

Many parents find feeding their young children can be quite challenging. Often toddlers around 2 to 3 years show a variable interest in food. It is absolutely natural for a toddler to be curious around food – especially with what you happen to be eating, only to spit it out when given a taste!

When was the Last Time you Rested and Renewed?

I am 2 days shy of 45 years and yet I am still learning the age old law of trying to reap more than I can sow. It was an all too familiar scene - last Sunday afternoon lying on the bed in tears (hoping the kids wouldn't find me) lamenting to my husband about my endless "to do list"; my anger at not being able to say "no" to many seemingly urgent yet unimportant priorities that I had inevitably responded "yes" to (I often think it is my way of procrastinating about the really important things that I REALLY need to do); and my inevitable feelings of being overwhelmed and exhausted.

What does Wellness mean to you?

Wellness is a term we hear frequently, but what does wellness mean to you? It can mean a range of different things to people. Is it good health? The ability to carry out your daily activities? A feeling of contentment? Pause for a moment and think, what does Wellness mean to you, jot down some thoughts that come to you, and if for some reason, something happened to your health, how would your lifestyle change?.......

Did you know that Thyroids play an important part in conceiving?

  If you have been trying to conceive for 6 months or longer it is well worth getting your thyroid health checked. For such a small gland situated at the front of the throat the thyroid has a big job to perform. It is essential for regulating metabolism, blood calcium levels, energy production, fat metabolism, oxygen utilization, balance of other hormones and weight maintenance. I find that with my clients sub optimal thyroid health is often overlooked by your G.P and thyroid blood tests are not preformed as part of a standard pre conception blood panel.

How Do We Help Our Teenagers Build Resilience In The Face Of Adversity?

Have you ever wondered why bad things happen?

Let me share an event that happened a week ago to my teenager, my 12 year old son. Once a week after school my teenager, Oscar likes to head down to Fremantle with a few of his mates to enjoy some of the newly discovered freedoms of youth - namely - eating junk food and going to Esplanade Park to try out their parkour moves (-an urban sport involving jumping from one urban structure to another - kind of like Neo in the Matrix - albeit a much tamer version!).

Re-inventing the Pyramid: Are you confused about how to eat?

An interview with NatMed's associate nutritionist, Adrian Adams

A new food pyramid has been released by Nutrition Australia and has made some rather dramatic changes compared to previous revisions of the pyramid. Currently, Australia is exposed to a handful of large organisations that release national food guidelines working off the back of the governments “Dietary Guidelines for Australians 2013”. For the most part, these organisations (Nutrition Australia being one of them) have followed the guidelines set by the government. So, why has this organisation changed its pyramid? Is there new evidence of certain food groups being recommended in too high amounts? Or is it just representing what clinicians are actually recommending? Why the change? To answer these questions and more I have NatMed's resident associate nutritionist, Adrian Adams.

Winter: Time to check in with our body's defence systems

It’s that time of year again when you can feel the sun outside starting to change and the days are getting shorter. How do our bodies cope with the change in season? As we are now in the last month before Winter is upon us, it’s the perfect time to check in and support our immune system.

Vitamin D and Food Allergies

The Murdoch Research Institute in Melbourne has been looking into why Australia has the highest reported prevalence of food allergy in the world. Results from the studies being carried out point to diet, vitamin D, hygiene and skin care as important factors.

How A Scarf Can Ward Off A Cold This Season

As we shift seasons from summer to autumn, and on to winter, we are more prone to invasion by viral and bacterial colds and flu. This susceptibility is enhanced by the erratic movement of the weather from hotter days to cooler days and back again, and by our daily movements into air-conditioning to the hotter air outside, then from heated rooms to the cooler air outside.

What is MTHFR?

MTHFR is an enzyme that controls the formation of folate or vitamin B9 compounds within the body. Folate is important for a process called methylation, where by the body donates chemical groups to make other important compounds vital to the body’s health.