What is a Naturopath?

As a Naturopath, I am a Herbalist and Nutritionist…. With a few extra hidden talents

Every now and then it gets brought to my attention that not everyone knows what a Naturopath is! These are things you forget when you work in the industry!

Each Naturopath is different as we often continue to study throughout our careers to add extra tools to our belts. But generally a Naturopath is someone who works with natural medicines including Herbs, Vitamins, Minerals, Homoeopathics and Flower Essences.

In addition to the above modalities their studies should have included Nutrition, Iridology, Counselling, Pharmacology (to learn about pharmaceutical drugs and how they interact with natural medicine), Anatomy, Chemistry, Biochemistry and courses about symptoms of disease. The older courses, like the one I studied also included body work such as Remedial Massage.

Your Naturopath should have an industry recognised Advanced Diploma or Bachelor level qualification and they should be registered with an association such as ATMS or NHAA. Registration with one of the associations means that their qualifications meet a high standard and it should enable them to provide you with private health fund rebates. It also means that your practitioner is monitored to ensure they keep their knowledge up to date with courses and seminars every year.

As a Naturopath, I believe that it is my role to work alongside other health care practitioners whether that be Acupuncturists, Energetic Healers or GPs. I don’t believe that a one size fits all approach should be taken to health care and I think that every form of healing has its place. Usually its just about finding the right practitioner to suit your needs.

When you are looking for a new practitioner, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your health is your most important asset and you should feel confident that you have the right person looking after you.

Lime and chilli chicken stir-fry

This week I have been craving a spicy stir-fry. No need to dial take-away this one is super easy.

Ingredients:

·         2 chicken breasts, sliced

·         ½ brown onion sliced

·         ½ small red chilli

·         1.5 tablespoons sesame oil

·         150g bean sprouts

·         2 cloves of garlic, crushed

·         1.5 teaspoons grated ginger

·         90g snow peas

·         100g sliced red capsicum

·         100g shitake mushrooms

·         2/3 cup flaked almonds

·         Juice of 1 lime

Method:

1.       Sauté onion and garlic then add chicken and chilli until chicken is cooked through

2.       Add vegetables and cook for 2 to 3 minutes

3.       Add most of the almonds and stir through then drizzle over lime juice and sesame oil.

4.       Serve with cauliflower rice, brown or basmati rice and sprinkle remaining almonds on top.

10 reasons to eat Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are likely to help balance blood sugar, improve heart health, reduce inflammation, aid weight loss and improve digestive function. All fantastic reasons to include them in your diet!

I am a little bit obsessed with chia seeds at the moment. I add them to my oat bran of a morning, make puddings, put them in my banana muffins, choc mint brain power bites, smoothies, yoghurt, salads and pretty much anything else I can think of!

Here are 10 reasons why you should add
some chia seeds to your diet:

1. They are high in fibre which improves digestive function and bulks up the stool to make bowels more regular
2. Chia seeds contain all 8 of the essential amino acids making them a complete protein. Protein helps with muscle repair, blood sugar balancing and appetite regulation.
3. They are high in antioxidants so they help to destroy disease causing free radicals.
4. Chia contains good amounts of lots of essential nutrients including calcium, iron, vitamin c and potassium.
5. They are mucilaginous which means they secrete a gel like substance that is nice and soothing and healing to the gut – put some chia seeds in a small amount of water and watch it turn to jelly. Now imagine this in your digestive system. So good!!
6. Can be used to substitute egg. Yep! If you’re allergic to egg you can mix chia seeds with water so it goes all jelly-ish and use that in place of egg in your recipes! To make Chia gel mix 1 part Chia seed with 10 parts water, stir, then let it sit for around 10 minutes
7. Chia is full of omega 3 ALA fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory and good for cardiovascular health as well as arthritis sufferers. If you’re a vegetarian you can use chia seeds as one of your non-meat or fish sources of omega 3.
8. Chia slows the digestion of carbohydrates to glucose which provides a slow release of energy to keep you going and going and going.
9. Chia seeds have been shown to increase HDL cholesterol and lower Triglycerides as well as lower blood pressure all good news for heart health.
10. Chia seeds are gluten free so can be enjoyed by coeliacs and those with gluten sensitivities.

If you are a naughty person who doesn't drink water, you will need to start if you are going to include chia seeds in your diet. A lack of water may result in constipation due to the high fibre content.

While chia seeds are an amazing superfood to include in your diet to boost overall health and nutrition, if you do have any medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, you still need to seek professional medical advice for your condition.

Giveaway - Closed, sorry!

The lovely people at The Chia Cohave given me one prize pack to give away to a lucky Burton Health friend :)

The pack includes:

• 1 x 150g black Chia
• 1 x 150g white Chia
• Sunscreen
• Jute bag with recipe card

Just head over to the Burton Health Naturopathy Facebook page to enter. You will need to 'Like' our page and comment on the competition picture to tell us how you will use your chia seeds if you win. Winner will be drawn on Monday 26th August. Good Luck xx

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Chia Pudding

If you don't have time to make breakfast in the morning chia puddings are great because you can make it the night before and have it ready to eat in the morning. And if you make it in a jar it's easy to take with you if you run out of time to eat it at home!

• 3 tbs chia seeds (I used 2 white & 1 black)
• 1/2 grated apple
• A few crushed cashews
• 3 strawberries (mine were frozen)
• A few raisins
• Desiccated coconut
• 1 cup milk (almond, coconut etc)

Mix all ingredients together and leave over night in fridge. The chia seeds will absorb the milk and become soft and gooey.

In the morning your pudding will be ready to eat!

Enjoy at breakfast or any time of day :)

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Becoming a truer you

I recently answered a call out for an article that asked "What have you given up to make your life better?" My answer was about my journey to becoming the best version of myself and giving up worrying, shyness and fear in order to achieve this. The process to become my best self will never end. There will always be something to work and improve upon but when I look back at who I was 3, 4 or 5 years ago I see a completely different person and I love how much I have changed! This is not a physical change and its not something many people would notice. This change has been within me and it was a change that I wanted for so many years.

So, answering this call out got me thinking that I really should share this very personal story because being a Naturopath is much more than just advising on diet and supplements. For me, being a naturopath is about helping people to truly be themselves and I often share snippets of my story with clients who I think will benefit from hearing it, but this is the first time I have actually written it down and shared it properly. I really hope that it helps anyone who feels a little lost and out of touch with who they are or like me, if you know who you are but just have trouble expressing it and being comfortable in your own skin.

Who I was - Shy, self conscious, fearful, day dreamer, worrier, judgemental, insecure.

I was pretty good at keeping all of that negative stuff to myself. And I was still a nice person and happy and functional and normal! I just wasn't me. I knew who I was inside but I didn't feel like I was being that person on the outside. I haven't actually changed at all. It's just that now I have cleared a lot of the mental rubbish and I can allow myself to just be me without worrying if people are judging me.

I think judgement was my main issue. I knew that I judged other people and I just expected that everyone was judging me. I think this fear of being judged all started when we emigrated to Australia. I was 9 years old and I guess I didn't really like being teased about my accent or about saying words 'wrong'. I lost my English accent pretty quickly just to fit in and I suppose to stop nasty kids from telling me to go back to my own country. I can still vividly remember the day in year 5 when I did a topic talk and afterwards in the questions and comments time a girl in my class said "It was very good but its actually viiiitamin (Aussie pronunciation), not vitamin (English-ly pronounced)." Even though the teacher told her that there are two ways to pronounce vitamin I still felt silly knowing that all of the kids had been sitting there thinking I didn't know what I was talking about.

Its amazing that little things that happen when you're a child can so significantly impact your adult life. I used to be so self conscious and shy that talking to clients in the waiting room or being in social situations where people were listening to me talk would turn me bright red and nervous. As soon as I felt myself going red I'd try to end the conversation and pretty much run away. It got to the point that I'd be saying in my head "don't go red, don't go red, don't go red" instead of concentrating on what I was saying or doing.

I was fine around my close friends but when I came to meeting new people or mingling with my boyfriends friends I would be so nervous before hand and worried about what I would have to talk about that I would feel sick and really not want to go out at all. I felt embarrassed about starting conversations or about jumping in to a conversation that someone else was having so I would pretty much just not say anything unless someone specifically asked me a question.

I had a hundred and one fears including public speaking (obviously), the dark, bridges, tunnels, trucks, ships, pipes, lifts, cockroaches, apple stickers, going red, introducing myself in class, well anyway, I can't remember them all but you get the gist!

I would also worry about things that hadn't happend and find myself in deep day dreams about these negative scenarios (things like a loved one dying) and then feel so guilty that I'd even thought about it! I thought there was something seriously wrong with me. I knew it was just a fear of those things happening that had me day dreaming about them but I just couldn't understand why I couldn't stop myself from doing it!

My transformational journey

When I started my naturopathic studies I also began a journey to improve myself and I decided a few years ago that I was on a mission to become the best version of myself.

My transformation started very slowly and has sped up significantly in the last three years. I tried a lot of different modalities to clear my clutter and if you're inspired to start a journey to clear your own clutter the best piece of advice I can give you is not to give up. If you try one thing a few times and don't see any changes, try something else. Everything I have used over the past few years has worked. And I actually think the combination of modalities has made the transformation stronger.

The first thing I noticed that made a significant change was Bach Flowers. We had to choose one to take for an assignment so I took mimulus for 'known fears'. After a few months I noticed that I no longer ran to my room after turning the lights off at night, all of a sudden one night I went 'hang on? something's different?!' and realised that the house was dark but I was WALKING to my room! Crazy! The other thing I noticed was that I was able to actually kill a cockroach instead of descending into a full on panic attack! I still hate cockroaches A LOT but its nice to know that if I'm home alone and one comes to visit, I can deal with it if I have to.

Then, as part of my studies I started using Homoeopathy and was seeing a great Homoeopath and Astrologer in Sydney, Michael Neil, who taught me a lot about myself and helped me calm down in public situations.

For a while I worked in a clinic with a Hypnotherapist. I think I had about 3 sessions with her and I found it quite amazing. She would get me to identify the negative thought patterns and replace them with positive or constructive versions. After the session I would know what we had worked on but I couldn't, for the life of me remember what the negative sentences or thought patterns were!

And of course I've used a lot of Herbal medicine and Nutritionals for my nervous system and adrenals. Magnesium, B vitamins, Withania, Codonopsis, Lavendar, Oats, Rehmannia, Liquorice, Passionflower, Magnolia, Rhodiola and so many more! Luckily for my clients, all of this experimenting on myself has lead me to find the stress and anxiety supplements that really work. So the same tablets, powders and liquids that I've taken are still available in my dispensary today.

The two things that have made the most significant change to my emotional wellbeing are Kinesiology and Energetic Healing.

First the Kinesiology with Barbara Smith helped me to stop worrying about being judged and this stopped me from turning red and going silent in social situations. I still blush from time to time and I'm still pretty reserved but I can now comfortably and confidently be myself and converse with people naturally.

Then the Energetic Healing with Sarah Binet has allowed me to let go of the unnessesary worrying and story creating and has freed up my mind for greater things! I don't get lost in elaborate day dreams, I don't worry all the time and I just feel so... me! I am going to be working with Sarah for quite a while I think as there are many more layers to get through but so far the changes have been amazing!

When I look back over the past couple of years I can see such a huge transformation in myself. I am happier, more comfortable in my own skin, open and accepting. I'm not a different person, I'm allowing my true self to shine through instead of worrying what people will think! I am a better person and a better practitioner because I have released my insecurities. And now I get to help other people on their path to find their truest self and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world

Laura Burton today - happy, content, true, present and still a work in progress!

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A Naturopaths view on coffee

A question that comes up a lot in my clinic is “can I still drink coffee?” or sometimes it can be a statement “Don’t tell me to give up coffee, because I won’t!”.

Coffee is something that ignites passion in
the hearts of many!

So what is the answer when it comes to your cappuccino, latte, macchiato, flat white, espresso etc? My standard answer is pretty much in line with my whole approach to health: everything in moderation.

It’s important to have balance in our lives and our diets and if coffee makes you happy I’d be reluctant to say you can never have it again. Having said that, there may be cases where I suggest that people do cut it out because it is making their condition worse, for example women suffering menopausal hot flushes, or someone with anxiety or migraines.

My general compromise for a person without these conditions is: 1 good quality coffee per day. What do I mean by good quality coffee? Coffee made by running water through ground coffee beans with an espresso machine, plunger etc. Instant coffee is not OK as it is high in a chemical called acrylamide which has been shown to cause nerve damage and some research suggests that it is carcinogenic (cancer causing).

Studies have shown that if you drink 1 cup of coffee daily your concentration improves. However, more than one coffee daily can reduce your ability to absorb nutrients so no more than one is the rule I impose. Personally, I can’t even drink that much. If I start having one coffee every day, after a few weeks I start to get heartburn and what I describe as a livery taste and smell on my breath. So for me, 2-3 per week is my limit.

Coffee really is a substance that can divide opinions because there are good sides to coffee or more specifically caffeine but there are also bad sides and in my opinion, the bad usually comes from over consumption. So let’s break it down to the good and the bad of that delicious black elixir.

Good:

• As stated above, one cup of coffee per day can help improve concentration and learning.
• Caffeine extracts are used in a lot of fat burning pills to increase metabolism. Studies suggest that caffeine does help with fat loss if used short term.
• Contains antioxidants

Bad:

• Coffee consumption can result in deficiencies of vitamin B1 and other vital nutrients in the body
• Caffeine has been shown to contribute to insulin resistance therefore has the potential to hinder weight loss.
• Coffee can exacerbate anxiety, hot flushes, migraines and long term over use can lead to dysfunction of the adrenal gland.
• Coffee increases blood pressure

Now, you've probably noticed that I've missed one important point from my good list and the main reason why most people tell me they drink coffee; to wake up in the morning. The reason I haven’t added it to the list is because I don’t agree with it. I understand that it feels like coffee is the only thing that gets your brain started in the morning and you just can’t function until you've had a cup but you’re wrong.Caffeine is addictive and this is your addiction talking.

Out of the patients I’ve taken off coffee, whether it’s for a 6 week cleanse or because of a medical condition, 99% of them tell me that they feel better when they’re off coffee, once they’ve made it through the withdrawals of course. Their energy is better and lasts longer, their bowel function becomes more regular, solid and less urgent, their appetite is more balanced and their general feeling of well-being is improved. If you think you’re not addicted, why not stop for 2 weeks and see how you go?

Do you really like the taste of coffee but want to cut out the caffeine? Lots of decaffeinated coffees are made by using chemicals to strip out the caffeine which is not ideal. But you can get decaffeinated coffee that has had the caffeine removed using a Swiss method that is natural (the green beans are immersed in water until there is only 1% caffeine remaining). I recently came across Adelaide company Baristador coffee who make organic coffee in three levels of Swiss decaffeination 70%, 30% and 1% (Decaf). I have been trialing the 1% and 30%. Both are delicious and I have noticed that I am not left feeling dehydrated, jittery or “livery” - this is exciting!

So, you’ve decided your coffee intake is acceptable, you’re not addicted and you’re happy to just have one cup per day. The next question is when is the best time to drink your one cup of coffee per day? I recommend no coffee after midday.

If you are using coffee/caffeine to enhance your performance at the gym then the research points towards drinking coffee before you work out. This is supposed to increase your energy and make you burn more calories. As we know, coffee increases blood pressure as does intensive exercise so I would not recommend this practice for you if you have high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, please speak to your health care practitioner before using coffee to enhance your work out.

I think, in the morning, with or after breakfast is a pretty reasonable time to have your coffee. On an empty stomach you may find that it makes you jittery so ensure you have something else in your belly. And my number one rule when it comes to drinking coffee – for every cup of coffee you must add an extra glass of water (in addition to your daily requirement) as coffee is dehydrating and must be processed by the body so let’s help it out by flushing the body with pure water to hydrate the cells and aid detoxification.

The info above is my general advice for fit and healthy people. If you have any medical conditions please speak to your Naturopath or health care provider to get a specific answer as to whether you should be drinking coffee or not.

Interview with Steve Davis from Baristador Coffee

1. Why did you decide to start making reduced caffeine coffee?

A few years ago, I went to a naturopath in Adelaide for a general check-up. At the end of the consultation she was telling me she wanted me to abstain from caffeine for six weeks. I knew my head was nodding as she spoke but inside I was shaking my head and thinking, there is no way I'm going to subject myself to vial, decaf coffee.

At that time, I had been perfecting an espresso blend for myself and decided to experiment with a new decaf bean my coffee supplier had obtained. It was much more pleasing than I had experienced previously but it wasn't until I met my current coffee roaster that we were able to extract its full flavour.

With friends 'pestering' me for my blend, I decided to start Baristador Coffee to make it available as a coffee service, rather than a full on coffee conglomerate!

2. What health benefits have you seen since you started drinking Baristador coffee?

I initially found that just going cold turkey from full caffeine coffee to decaf, led to hideous headaches and a really unwell feeling. But as I moved forward with my new health plan in conjunction with my exercise physiologist who encouraged me to move away from my carbohydrate-intense diet towards a more protein-forward diet, I found I 'needed' the caffeine hit less.

In fact, these days I never drink coffee for the caffeine, I drink it for the flavour.

At the same time, I know that fear of the withdrawal symptoms can stop some people from easing off their caffeine reliance, which is why I crafted the 30% less caffeine, 70% less caffeine and decaf options, to make it easier to 'come down'.

3. What is the difference between the decaffeination method of Baristador coffee compared to traditional methods?

A local Naturopath, Phil Sheldon, discussed Baristador Coffee with me on his radio show and was quite impressed by my decision to use a Swiss Water Method decaf coffee. Traditional decaf is made by using chemicals that Phil says are virtually identical to those used in dry cleaning! I couldn't think of anything worse; no wonder that style of decaf tastes awful.

In the Swiss Water Method, the beans are immersed in water releasing some of the oils and the caffeine. The caffeine is naturally removed from the water, and then the beans are resoaked to restore their original flavours before being dried, roasted, etc.

It is worth noting that this natural method does result in some trace elements of caffeine remaining, but I would much prefer that than dry cleaning fluid residue.

4. What is the key to making really good coffee?

This is a personal question, in many ways, because it comes down to your preferences and palate.

Some rules of thumb are:

• Use fresh coffee. Coffee that has been roasted, ground and stored in an airtight bag with a one-way valve for letting unwanted gases escape, can stay fresh, unopened for quite a few months - around 6 months, in my opinion. However, once opened, I suggest using it in 2-3 weeks at the most. Note that some of the coffee you see in supermarkets has already spent 3-12 months in storage and      transit!
• Fill your container. Whatever coffee appliance you use, do not skimp on the coffee. Fill the coffee holder to its maximum height. Most appliances and makers have a specific capacity and to reduce the coffee you use can lead to too much      extraction and lead to the coffee becoming bitter.
• Warm your utensils. It really does make a difference if  you warm cups and makers before making coffee.
• Store in a cupboard. In a proper bag like we use at Baristador, keeping your coffee in a dark, cool cupboard is perfect. I recommend NOT using a fridge or freezer because the condensation that occurs every time to remove and replace your coffee can spoil your coffee very quickly.

Perhaps the best advice is to point you to my most popular blog post ever: Three reasons why your cup of coffee tastes bitter 

5. Do you have an interesting coffee fact or quote you’d like to share?

Actually, I have a surprising book. It is called, The Various Flavors of Coffee: A Novel, which I picked up on impulse in an op shop. It is an exotic story about a man involved in the beginning of the organised coffee culture in the 1800s. I learned a few things about coffee, blushed during a few scenes and was quite moved in parts. Not what you expected, I'm sure.