NaturopathySasha Thompson is a qualified Naturopath and specialises in: -
(Please see below for more information on above topics) QUALIFICATION DETAILS Bachelor Health Science (Complimentary Medicine) Advanced Diploma Naturopathy Dip Nutrition Dip Remedial Massage ATMS membership no: 11559. Covered by all Health Funds, therefore rebates available on consultations (+/- herbal medicine / supplements).
You are what you eat, and poor diet or digestion will compromise your health and vitality. Discover how you can be free of pain and aid the body’s recovery from ill health by learning about your-self, using specific nutrients and eating nutritious foods to re-balance your body. My overall aim is to use food as medicine to individualise your nutritional intake to gain and then maintain optimal health, wellbeing and longevity.
Specialising in: Digestive Disorders If you are not properly digesting and assimilating your food, your body will not be getting the nutrients needed for normal functioning. Do you experience bloating, abdominal pain / swelling, constipation, diarrhoea, excess wind or burping, a foggy brain, mood swings, poor concentration, memory difficulties, sleep disturbances, headaches, bad breath, muscle and joint pain, congestion, numbness in the face or extremities, tingling sensations, itching, clogged sinuses, a white tongue, extreme fatigue, nausea, PMS, thrush, bladder infections, depression? Do you feel worse after eating bread and sugar or drinking more alcohol than normal? Are you hypersensitive to food or your environment? Experience eczema, arthritis or have a child with autism or ADHD? Do you experience weight loss, large pale stools that float and are light or yellow coloured; irritability, muscle cramps, joint and or bone pain; a burning sensation in the skin? Or have low energy, appetite and weight loss; rectal bleeding, pain in the upper or lower abdomen, fever or headaches? There are many causes of the above symptoms, such as an improper diet, weakened immune system, imbalance of your intestinal microbes (Candida, Bacteria, and Parasites), lowered immune function, stress, medications, sensitivity or allergy to certain foods. A number of conditions that present with many of the above symptoms include: Candida, Thrush, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Celiac Disease, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Gastritis, Hypoacidity, Lactose Intolerance, Food Sensitivity, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Constipation and Diarrhoea There are many ways of normalising your current health. Your symptoms will be evaluated during consultation and initial tests can be taken at the clinic or may be suggested with your GP / lab. Once a diagnosis is obtained you will be supported with a specific program including nutritional supplements and a healing diet to bring relief and then maintain ongoing health. ******* Candida test available ******* Gastrointestinal Rejuvenation and Detoxification Program The Gastrointestinal rejuvenation program is used by healthcare practitioners for those experiencing Leaky Gut Syndrome. This is an example of one method of assisting normal digestive function. When the lining of the gut wall is damaged, gaps occur in between the cells of the intestine. This allows undigested food particles to enter the blood stream and lymph vessels of the intestine. If enough of these gaps are present the situation is known as increased intestinal permeability or “leaky gut syndrome”. Symptoms of leaky gut syndrome include feeling poorly after eating many kinds of foods (or overeating junk food), exhaustion after eating, disabling muscle pain or joint inflammation, memory problems, poor concentration or highly sensitive to environment, disabling hyperactivity in children). The ‘ANT PIE’ program nourishes and strengthens your gut before removing unwanted microbes. It repairs your gut while at the same time re-inoculates your gut with good bacteria. A formal detoxification program helps eliminate toxins which impair brain function and rob your body of vitality. Our bodies absorb and filter food, air and water. Our tissues retain and accumulate a fraction of many of the toxic metals and organic toxins we absorb - like a water filter that eventually becomes loaded with undesirable debris. If you suffer from a chronic health problem you may be particularly inefficient at excreting neurotoxins. This can be due to genetic reasons, nutritional deficiencies, stress, or exposure to high levels of neurotoxins in the womb, during breast feeding or later in life.
Weight Management Programs Do you have difficulty maintaining a healthy weight? Are you carrying extra kilos and need guidance to attain your ideal weight? Would you like to understand what foods are best for your personal constitution, taking into account your level of activity, job, food sensitivities / allergies, specific conditions or symptoms you may be experiencing? There are many causes of being under or overweight. Many of us simply need to understand how much and what type of protein, carbohydrate and fat our bodies require to run and produce energy efficiently. Other causes of being overweight include too much insulin (fat storing hormone), hormone imbalance, hypothyroidism, poor liver function and chronic digestive problems. A number of programs are available according to your current weight / body fat percentage. This is calculated during your first consultation: - Ketogenic Fat Loss System – suggested for Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and Syndrome X Insulin Zone System – for longevity, Hormonal Control, Blood Sugar Control and Cardiovascular disorders A/B/O Blood Type Diet – for those with allergies, food sensitivities or Chronic Inflammatory Disorders.
Fatigue Do you find it especially difficult getting out of bed in the morning or feel groggy and un-refreshed? Are you hit with bouts of tiredness, especially after lunch? Do you know the reason for your fatigue but need some direction to help you combat it? Fatigue is not a disorder but a symptom of health problems such as diabetes, candidiasis, anaemia, cancer, hypoglycaemia, allergies, malabsorption, hypothyroidism, poor circulation and mononucleosis. Boredom and depression will also result in fatigue. Extremely persistent and disabling fatigue is a chief symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome. Fatigue that is not caused by an underlying illness is usually the result of poor dietary and lifestyle habits and emotional stress. Energy levels will be improved by firstly addressing the cause and then altering your diet and supporting your body with the use of natural medicines.
Stress The term “stress” refers to any reaction to a physical, mental, or emotional stimulus that upsets the body’s natural balance. Do you experience fatigue, chronic headaches, irritability, changes in appetite, memory loss, low self-esteem, withdrawal, tooth-grinding, cold hands, high blood pressure, shallow breathing, nervous twitches, lowered sexual drive, insomnia, changes in sleep patterns and / or gastrointestinal disorders etc? Symptoms of stress-related digestive disorders may be a flare-up of an ulcer or irritable bowel syndrome. If stress that produces such symptoms is not handled properly, then more serious illnesses may result. Stress may contribute directly to the production of disease, or it may contribute to the development of behaviours such as smoking, overeating and drug abuse, which increase the risk of disease. For the most part, the stress response (‘fight or flight’) is meant to be acute and of a time-limited nature. This renders the physiological effects that occur within the body as advantageous. It is the chronicity of the stress response that is thought to be disruptive of physical and mental health. Researches estimate that stress contributes to as many as 80% of all major illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, endocrine (hormone) and metabolic disease, skin disorders, and infectious ailments of all kinds. Stress is also a common precursor of psychological difficulties such as anxiety and depression. Almost all body functions and organs react to stress. The pituitary gland increases its production of adrenocorticotropic hormone, which in turn stimulates the release of the hormones cortisol and cortisone (fat storing hormones). These have the effect of inhibiting the functioning of disease-fighting white blood cells and suppressing the immune response. The increased production of adrenal hormones is responsible for most of the symptoms associated with stress. It is also the reason that stress can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Increased adrenaline production causes the body to step up its metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates to quickly produce energy for the body to use. This response causes the body to excrete amino acids, potassium and phosphorus; to deplete magnesium stored in muscle tissue; and to store less calcium. Also, the body does not absorb ingested nutrients well when under stress. Many of the disorders that arise from stress are the result of nutritional deficiencies, especially deficiencies of the B-complex vitamins, which are very important for proper functioning of the nervous system, and of certain electrolytes which are depleted by the bodies stress response. Stress also promotes the formation of free radicals that can become oxidised and damage body tissues, especially cell membranes. If you would like help with devising a diet that high in nutrients that are depleted by the body when under long term stress, stress management techniques and specific nutrients to restore depleted stores, then call the clinic for further information.
Anxiety A normal level of anxiety is a useful reaction to danger, preparing you for flight or fight or enhancing cardiac output and alertness. Long term anxiety however, can produce over active physiological symptoms such as raised pulse rate, increased sweating, reduced salivation and dry mouth and an increase in muscular activity and hyperventilation. Uncontrolled hyperventilation causes numbness of limbs, palpitations, irregular heart beat, chest pain, Raynaud’s disease and deadening of fingers and toes. You may also experience, dizziness, disturbances of vision, tingling sensations, muscle tremors, exhaustion, general weakness and sleep disturbances. If you experience anxiety or panic attacks, I can support you with a specific diet and stress management techniques while checking for any underlying causes such as poor lifestyle habits, Candida albicans infestations, heavy metal toxicity and salicylate sensitivity.
Depression You probably know that many drugs (anti-depressants) are able to modify neurotransmitters in the brain therefore help with normalising your mood. What you may not know is that many food constituents can cause similar changes in the release or action of many of these neurotransmitters and hence modify behaviour or other processes controlled by the brain. One of the major causes of depression is chemical imbalance. It affects approximately 10-30% of the population and many of these problems go undiagnosed. Another common cause is food allergies and hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar). Depression may also be triggered by tension, stress, a traumatic life event, thyroid disorders, even upset stomach, headache, nutritional deficiencies, poor diet, the consumption of sugar, mononucleosis, lack of exercise, endometriosis, any serious physical disorder or allergies. The typical symptoms of depression you may be experiencing include emotional instability, sleep disturbances, loss of energy or fatigue, lowered self esteem, thoughts of suicide, loss of interest in pleasure, headaches, backaches, digestive disorders, restlessness, irritability, quickness to anger, crying, difficulty in performing tasks, loss of weight or appetite, poor concentration and feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy. I can support you by enhancing your current diet, correcting any nutritional deficiencies, addressing life-style factors, stress management techniques and exercise. Any possible underlying factors will also be addressed.
Pregnancy and Childhood Wellbeing Would you like help and support with pre-natal, pregnancy and post natal nutrition for you and your child? Do you experience pregnancy related conditions such as anaemia, constipation, diarrhoea, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, sciatica, heartburn, haemorrhoids, insomnia, nausea? With an understanding of your body’s requirements during this special time in your life, it is possible to address the above symptoms and experience a healthy and comfortable pregnancy. Understand the importance of a nutritious diet before, during and after pregnancy for you and your little one to prevent allergies, hypersensitivities, illness in your newborn / toddler / child. A Natural Approach for Your Child Problems begin when solid foods such as eggs, meat, fish, chicken, cow’s milk and cheese are eaten before the cells of the intestine are fully developed. Because the baby’s intestinal cells are under-developed, proteins from these foods are absorbed into the blood. The proteins are not broken down into amino acids because the baby’s pancreas is not yet sufficiently developed to produce the digestive enzymes needed to do this.’ Does your toddler or child experience digestive upsets (Colic, Reflux, Constipation, Diarrhoea), Allergies / Infections (Glue Ear, Eczema, Cold, Flu, Sinusitis), Food Intolerances / Allergies, Behavioural Disorders (ADD / ADHD, Stress, Anxiety, Insomnia, Bed Wetting)? Diet is assessed and solutions are found employing specific questions concerning pre-conception, pregnancy, breast / bottle feeding, genetic history and medication. The use of natural medicines specifically made for children are used to aid recovery and achieve good health. Would you like help with specific pre-vaccination natural medicines to assist with strengthening you babies / child’s immune system and enhancing detoxification pathways for the removal of preservatives?
Nutrition – Using Food as Medicine Would you like a menu plan devised according to you personal needs? Are you a vegetarian or vegan and want to be sure you are obtaining all the necessary nutrients for a normal functioning body? I have a passion for creating healthy, nutritious and delicious meals that are easy and quick to prepare. Specific foods (as medicine) are adapted into devising personal menu plans to help re-balance the body’s disorders / complaints. Menu plans can be revised according to any changes you may encounter. Many foods have a therapeutic effect due to their natural chemical make-up. For example, Did you know that beans reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol, contain chemicals that inhibit cancer, control insulin and blood sugar, lower blood pressure, regulates functions of the colon, prevents constipation, haemorrhoids and other bowel problems? Did you know that large, green (unripe) plantains (banana) combat ulcers? Fresh cabbage juice heals and wards off ulcers in some people. Did you know that fish (predominantly deep sea, oily) thins the blood, protects arteries from damage, inhibits blood clots, reduces blood triglycerides, lowers ‘bad’ cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, lessens symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, ameliorates migraine headaches, regulates immune system, relieves bronchial asthma, increases mental energy etc. There are hundreds of foods that have been studied to have a positive physiological effect on your body. My primary goal when devising a program to normalise your health, is to put together a food eating plan that you can use to help maintain health and wellbeing. |