The Naturopathic Care Clinic

Pink lemonade at the pub/club for dinner!

Argh! It's one of my cringe moments.
But, do I cave?

Yes, now my kids are older I do. BUT....

This is the only time they have soft drink (unless at a party......or when I'm not there to control it!! :)

Kids, especially young kids, really don't need the sugar filled soft drink.
A can of coke has about 10 teaspoons of sugar (about 4 tablespoons) and Mountain Dew has 11 teaspoons!
When we really only want our kids to have a maximum of 6 teaspoons a day - you can see why some kids go crazy on soft drinks!!

As an alternative I suggest mineral water with lemon or lime, or even half juice half mineral water.
Using ice cubes with flowers or fruit frozen in them is also a way to make it special.
Add a colourful paper straw and you have hit the big time!!

So, if you can introduce your kids to mineral or soda water, rather then a pink lemonade - you may prevent the sugar crash, the sleepless night and the crazy mood from your child/ren!

That's right!
95% OF YOUR FEEL GOOD NEUROTRANSMITTER IS MADE IN THE GUT!

This is why it is extremely important to have a healthy gut.
If you find that you are dealing with issues like anxiety, mood swings, poor sleep and depression, then maybe looking into your gut health!!

You don't have to have constipation or diarrhoea to have poor gut health.

Needing to control your mental health?
Let's assess your gut health and feel the change!

Blood testing isn't everyones favourite thing to do.
And for kids, it can be such a traumatic experience.

Blood testing can be extremely helpful, and for adults, it is usually my first go to as an overall look at what is happening within the body.

However, sometimes we need to be more specific.

Three tests I find provide valuable insights inclide:
1. Stool Test
2. Organic Acid Test (OAT)
3. Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)

These are also tests that are not done by a blood draw.

This makes it much more accessible for kids.

These test target specific areas of the body systems- therefore providing me more information about my client and their health.

The stool test is obviously taken from a stool.
The OAT is a urine sample.
HTMA is a hair sample.

Testing allows for individualised treatment - providing better and quicker results.


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Two herbal medicines have shown great promise in both recent studies and clinical practice, to help with symptoms of ADHD in children.

Valerian and Lemon Balm can reduce hyperactivity and improve concentration in children, with one study showing:
Focus and concentration problems decreased from 75% to 14%
Hyperactivity decreased from 61% to 13%
Impulsiveness reduced from 59% to 22%.

With ADHD medication not suitable for everyone due to side effects, these two long-standing herbals can be a fantastic alternative.

Recent study details how pesticides have a strong cancer link.....

'Our findings demonstrated an association between pesticide use and increased incidence of leukemia; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; bladder, colon, lung, and pancreatic cancer; and all cancers combined that are comparable to smoking for some cancer types'.
Article Publication Date: 25/07/2024
DOI: 10.3389/fcacs.2024.1368086

While eating completely organic may be difficult for most of us due to the added cost (Why eating healthy costs more I'll never know!), choosing to eat the 'dirty dozen' organically is a very good place to start!!

And its not just cancers that are linked to pesticides.
There is also hormonal conditions and behavioural problems in children, that can be traced back to pesticide interference.

Oestrogen excess (or progesterone loss), can be a problem when it comes to females.

PMS, Fibroid, Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, perimenopause etc are all dominated by the levels of female hormones.

Having a healthy liver, and therefore a good detoxification system, can improve many female health conditions, by improving the removal of oestrogen.

How is your liver health ???

There are three types of oestrogen in a females body.
Estradiol, Estrone and Estriol.
These are not only made in our ovaries but also produced in our adrenal glands and fat tissue.

Oestrogen is delivered, and required, by most tissues throughout the body.

Estradiol is beneficial for a healthy mood, sleep, strong bones, cognition and for cardiovascular health.

Menopause doesn't mean a complete removal of oestrogen.
Women still have low levels of estrone, often stored in fat tissue (hence the change in body shape), to support the above oestrogen needs.

Noise sensitivity is a common reason why some children have meltdowns or unsettled behaviour.

It is not just neurodivergent children who can react to noises.
Start to take note if your child reacts when the TV is on, traffic noise or even hearing a group sing happy birthday!

Did you know kids tantrums are a form of communication.

Children often haven't the words, or even understand the feeling, of what is causing them to be uncomfortable.
Uncomfortable isn't just a 'my shoes are too tight' thing. It can be a feeling of fear, frustration or confusion.
Uncomfortable can also come stomach pains, growing pains, headaches - all of which a child might not understand or articulate.

So, when your child is having a tantrum - stop for a moment and consider what they may be trying to tell you.

When we think of tantrums we immediately go to a child trowing themselves on the floor, yelling and screaming.

For some children - a tantrum could be 'going within'.

For some children - a tantrum can be repetitive movements like rocking or doing the same thing over and over again.

It is always good to have at he back of your mind that a tantrum could actually be a signal for 'Help, Im overloaded'.

Or it could be the 100 red frogs they ate!

Calming kids can be easier said than done!

We all know one sure way to stop the kids on the spot - and that's offering them food!

Here's where the tip comes in....

Make sure the food you present to kids when they are 'going crazy' is a protein rich food.

Offering kids a sweet treat or packet of chips is unfortunately not going to do the trick in the long run.

Treats and chips may stop them in their tracks while they are eating - but then will often heighten their internal chaos and send then off the richter scale!!

Protein is used to make neurotransmitters like serotonin - your calming chemical.

Offering protein treats can improve overall behaviour and attention.

Teflon coating can come off in the cooking process.
Non-stick cookware just isn't worth the health risks associated.

Reducing chemical that enter the body can make a massive difference to your health.

Go for cast iron or stainless steel cookware.
I like my frypan, but there are many out there to choose from.

Constipation is not nice for the little ones.

It can be extremely painful.

Dehydration can be a large part of constipation. A dehydrated stool is hard, lumpy and difficult to pass.

Lack of fibre prevents the stool moving along the digestive tract. This can eventually lead to feacal loading - when stool stays in the intestines.

Grounded Flaxseeds in water can provide much needed fibre and hydration.
Start with 1 teaspoon mixed in water, taken daily. You can work you way up to 1 tablespoon if need be.

Kiwi fruit is a yummy way to encourage a stool to pass. For kids, eating 1 kiwi fruit (even the flesh if you can) can improve the stool.

Have you considered what chemicals you are putting on your skin?
These ingredients can move into your blood stream and cause problems!
Known as Endocrine Distruptors, some chemicals can change the way oestrogen and other prominent hormones work.
If you are experiencing PMS or perimenopause symptoms, I highly urge you to check out your skin and body care products for the following ingredients.
If they are on the list - time for a change!

ALUMINIUM
PHTHALATES
PROPYLENE GLYCOL
PARABENS
SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES

Low iron can be caused by a number of things.

Loss of blood.
Low iron diet.
Disease or health conditions.

Did you know your liver health has alot to do with your iron levels too??

Hepcidin is a hormone produced by the liver that is involved in regulating iron metabolism.
A struggling liver may not allow iron be released for use, leading to low iron.

Struggling with your iron levels?
Let's take a look at your liver health.

CORTISOL IS AN IMPORTANT CHEMICAL MESSENGER FOR MANY REASONS

Cortisol is needed in the mornings to wake up.
This will equate to a better nights sleep and provide energy and motivation to start he day.
Without this spike of cortisol in the morning, we feel sleepy and hard to wake. We struggle to go to sleep at night and it mean that cortisol rises through the night instead of the morning (typically 2-3am) and wakes us.

When cortisol is too high, due to excessive stress, we see weight gain around the middle, feelings of overwhelm and anxiety and contributes to brain fog.

Balancing cortisol is important over the perimenopause transition.
Saying 'Reduce your stress" doesn't quite fix it though, does it.
Sometimes you need extra help.

I'll start this post first by saying it is a family decision and not one to be made by your doctor, or naturopath.

The decision on whether to medicate children for ADHD symptoms has been a long and complex one.

There are known side effects of ADHD medication:
loss of appetite
sleep problems
mood disturbances
headaches
nausea
high blood pressure
depression risk
seizures
And then there is the big drop when the medication wears off!

This is my personal opinion and what I tell my clients.

My thoughts are to always try natural medicine first.

Some children may only need a few changes in diet, or improved gut health or increased iron, and the severity of symptoms decrease.
If this is not helpful, there are herbal medicines that can work similar to ADHD medications, without the side effects.

There are many options when it comes to natural medicine and children with ADHD. It is a trial sometimes to find exactly what works best for your child.

BUT, if the symptoms are to breaking point for both family and child, there is no reason why ADHD medication cannot be used.

Preferably, while they are taking the medication, we work together, bringing the child to a good place (ADHD medication and natural medicine work great together!) and slowly, under doctors supervision, transition off the medication onto stabilising natural medicine.

For some, ADHD medication changes everything and is a blessing.
For some, it just doesn't fit.

Knowledge is always best when making decisions regarding your child.
Why not chat to BOTH your doctor, and a children's naturopath such as myself, to gain an insight into both worlds.
And remember - for those who have your children on ADHD medication already, both worlds can go together!

Yes! Food is very involved in reducing hot flushes.

Due to the ability of foods to 'heat' the body, we really do need to watch what we eat, to prevent hot flushes.

Food one I know you'll agree with:
Coffee.
You know it warms your body on a cold winters day - so yep, reduce or remove.

Food Two:
Ever feel warm faced when you drink alcohol?
Another beverage that turns up the heat!

Migraines are a common symptom of perimenopause.
But they don't have to be YOUR symptom.

Oestrogen fluctuation is a trigger during perimenopause.
Histamine intolerance is another trigger.
And there are others.

The secret is to find out what YOUR trigger is, and address that!