Time to 'un normalize' menstrual cramps or period pain: Understanding your root causes.

If your struggling with period pain, uncomfortable menstrual cramps, or mildly annoying and painful periods each month your not alone. About 50% of all women are struggling with you. In one study in New Zealand half the women reported some dysmenorrhea, and 520 had 'significant period pain (1). It is so common that women often think it’s normal (2) and don’t seek help for it (3). I am here to tell you that pain is never normal, and you don’t have to put up with it! There are effective, natural ways to combat period pain, so you can feel more like yourself all month long.

Female Health, Hormonal balanceKatherine Matthews4 July 2021Period pain, dysmenorrhea, menstrual crampsComment

Tackling Traveler's Diarrhea aka Bali Belly Naturally: How to Get Your Gut Back on Track After Getting Sick on Holiday

Evading this season’s colds, coughs and flu can feel like an uphill battle through a treacherous warzone. As you forge through uncharted territory, you remain constantly vulnerable to an enemy ambush closing in on you. The same can be said of your body during winter, when it must regularly defend against viruses and bacteria. Poor battle tactics, such as inadequate immune defenses, can increase the chance of viruses and bacteria leading to an infection. Fortunately, arming yourself with tools that enhance your immune response can turn the tables on the enemy and mount a counterattack that could win the war, allowing you to conquer any bugs that may come your way.

Natural Resilience Against Colds and Flus: Lifestyle Habits that puts you at risk and how to fix them.

Evading this season’s colds, coughs and flu can feel like an uphill battle through a treacherous warzone. As you forge through uncharted territory, you remain constantly vulnerable to an enemy ambush closing in on you. The same can be said of your body during winter, when it must regularly defend against viruses and bacteria. Poor battle tactics, such as inadequate immune defenses, can increase the chance of viruses and bacteria leading to an infection. Fortunately, arming yourself with tools that enhance your immune response can turn the tables on the enemy and mount a counterattack that could win the war, allowing you to conquer any bugs that may come your way.

Sleep, Immunity, microbiome, Vitamin CKatherine Matthews21 April 2021Immune System, colds, flus, sleeo, microbiome Comment

How to recover from Glandular Fever, naturally.

Sick and tired of being tired and sick? You may want to do some investigating, especially if you are noticing symptoms persisting for longer than a few days. Glandular fever or mononucleosis (mono), often transmitted through saliva, is commonly known as the kissing disease. It is a potentially debilitating illness that is most commonly seen in young adults and adolescents. The most common cause of mono is the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

Pregnant and Plant Based? Your Guide to a Healthy Vegan/Vegetarian pregnancy.

Eating whole food plant based has many benefits. However sometimes finding trusted information for how to do this in pregnancy can be hard. Plant foods provide plenty of vitamins and minerals that keep you feeling healthy, however, like any other diet it requires careful planning to prevent nutritional deficiencies. This is particularly the case during pregnancy, when nutrient requirements skyrocket to support the growth of your baby, making deficiency more likely to occur. The key to a healthy pregnancy is ensuring you have your fill of key nutrients so that you and bub remain healthy and happy.

Pregnancy, PreconceptionKatherine Matthews8 March 2021pregnancy, pregnant, vegan, vegetarianComment

Pregnancy & Omega 3's: Why they are Essential For Your Baby’s Brain.

If you have ever browsed the shelves of your local supermarket or Pharmacy, you will have seen bottles of omega-3 capsules, typically recommended for maintaining a healthy heart and for reducing inflammation in conditions such as arthritis. Did you know that these essential fatty acids are also vital for a healthy pregnancy and for the health of your baby?

Pregnancy, Preconception, BreastfeedingKatherine Matthews4 March 2021pregnant, pregnancy, Baby, Preconception, omega 3Comment

Planning Pregnancy? Create your Dream Team of Pregnancy Health Experts.

The time and effort you spend optimising your health during pregnancy can provide your baby with the best start in life, and have lasting effects on your child’s health for years to come. It can also make pregnancy an easier and more enjoyable experience for you.

Pregnancy, PreconceptionKatherine Matthews24 February 2021pregnant, pregnancy, Baby, PreconceptionComment

Lifestyle and Herbal support for Anxiety

Every year, around one in four New Zealanders experience anxiety in a way that makes it difficult to cope with daily life. Ranging in severity from a background level of worry to an overpowering force, anxiety can lead to difficulty sleeping, a racing heart, panic attacks, fatigue, digestive upset, sweating or headaches – interfering with your ability to live your life.

While anxiety can often feel insurmountable, there are several worry-busting habits you can develop to help minimize its effects. Read on to discover these top four habits that can leave you feeling more calm and in control.

Mental Health, Anxiety, MindfulnessKatherine Matthews22 November 2020anxiety, mental health, fibre, Inflammation, meditation, relaxationComment

Anxiety in an unpredictable world: Creating head space naturally.

Feeling occasionally anxious is a normal response to modern life especially in the unpredictable events of 2020. However we don’t want this feeling to overwhelm and fill most of our days. It is hard when we are in this anxiety loop to get out of it which is where herbal medicine and specific nutrients can be our greatest friend. In this article I will list some of my favourite herbs and nutrients that regulate calming neurotransmitter production, calm down the fight flight response and help create that brain space so you can create shifts for long term reduction in your anxiety.

Mental Health, AnxietyKatherine Matthews29 September 2020anxiety, mental health, fibre, InflammationComment

The microbiome-fibre connection

When it comes to regularity, its all about the fibre!

Did you know there are some indigenous populations that eat over 500 different kinds of plant fibres every year? Most of us are hoping to get 30 different kinds a week let alone 500. As you will be reading about soon, a variety of plant foods builds ‘microbiota variety’ in the microbiome which supports regularity when it comes to using the rest room.

Gut Health, Energy, Immunity, microbiomeKatherine Matthews22 August 2020Gut Health, bloating, gas, fibre fueledComment

Probiotics 101

Now days there are so many probiotics on the shelf. Should I buy refrigerated or shelf stable? Multi strain or single strain? This article will answer some of the many questions around probiotics and how they may help in different ages and stages of life.

Getting to the Guts of your Health

Great health is all in the Gut. From the first day of school through to your well-deserved retirement, challenges can arise at every age; your health is no exception to this. More and more, research is showing that your microbiome (i.e. your gut bacteria) is foundational for good health.

Fatigue, Inflammation, Gut Health, Energy, Immunity, microbiomeKatherine Matthews10 July 2020Pain, Inflammation, Gut Health, bloating, gasComment

Reducing Pain and Inflammation Naturally

Pain is a burden we carry that often we hide. 20% of New Zealanders are suffering from chronic pain, and pain is the most common reason someone will visit a healthcare Practitioner in New Zealand. There is no question that we’re a nation in pain and inflamed. To understand how to reduce pain, we need to look at its main cause, inflammation, which is triggered in response to tissue injury or infection.

Fatigue, Inflammation, Muscle PainKatherine Matthews24 June 2020Tumeric, Pain, Inflammation, MagnesiumComment

Understanding Fatigue

As a collective we’re experiencing unparalleled levels of fatigue, but why? Simply put, our bodies are trying to function in a world they just weren’t designed to live in. On top of that we are dealing with a pandemic, social distancing, and unprecedented changes in our working lives. A far cry from the simpler hunter-gatherer world our genes evolved in, each day we are exposed to an increasing amount of stressors.

Sleep, Energy, FatigueKatherine Matthews19 June 2020Winter Wellness, magnesium, CoQ10, B VitaminsComment

Vitamin C: Immune System Benefits, Liposomal vs Other Forms, and Dosage for Cold Prevention.

It's that time of year where mandarins are plentiful and the vitamin C rich fruit are everywhere. Mother nature is just subtly reminding us of an important ally during winter.

Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid and is widely recognised as a potent antioxidant that also enhances our immune system. It is found in many areas of the body.

Lifestyle Habits and Herbs for a Restful Night Sleep

Most people have been asked at some point in life, “Are you getting enough sleep?” Though some people sleep consistently well, for others a good night’s sleep may be a distant memory. No matter where you fit on the scale of good sleep, it is important to consider both the quantity, but also the quality of your sleep.

SleepKatherine Matthews5 June 2020sleep, herbs, insomnia Comment

Four Steps to a Stronger Immune System

Keep it simple! With the four 'S's.

These days we have more information than we can digest and we can struggle to find what is most important. I have scoured the scientific research and information for you to provide you with these four steps. I choose them as they have a big impact leading to a stronger immune system and more vibrant health. .

Immunity, Gut HealthKatherine Matthews12 May 2017 Comments

Immune Broth Recipe

A few years ago when I was living in Japan I was privileged to the availability of various kinds of mushrooms. Inspired by the Japanese cuisine which is filled with the most delectable broths that surround their noodle dishes such as ramen, I tried my hand at making some mushroom soups. Unknown to me then, these mushrooms were going to become a huge focus in science as we became aware of their immune enhancing benefits

Recipes, Immunity, Gut HealthKatherine Matthews9 May 2017 Comment

When it comes to regularity, its all about the fibre!

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