HEALTH HUB Latest Articles
Fatty liver causes harm to other parts of your body
Fatty liver causes harm to other parts of your body By naturopath Margaret Jasinska A fatty liver is a serious condition that can place other organs in your body at risk of disease. Research published in the medical journal Diabetologia found that approximately every third adult in industrialized countries has a fatty liver. This significantly increases the risk of chronic liver diseases including cirrhosis and liver cancer. It also raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney disease. People with a fatty liver are at greater risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney damage [...]
5 Tips for fostering healthy eating in your children
5 Tips for fostering healthy eating in your children By Jessah Shaw, Adv Dip (Nut Med) If you are anything like myself or other mums I have spoken to, it can certainly be challenging at times to get kids to eat healthy foods. The number of times I have prepared a lovely meal from scratch to have my child outright refuse to eat it or have the tiniest bite and loudly say “yuck!”. Nevertheless, here are some tips to encourage healthy eating in your children: 1) Have healthy snacks on hand This is [...]
Case study: Insulin resistance standing in the way of weight loss
Case study: Insulin resistance standing in the way of weight loss By naturopath Margaret Jasinska I recently saw a 33 year old lady at my clinic who wanted help with losing weight. She had two young children and had a part time job in sales. Rebecca weighed 86 kilos and was only 165cm tall. Rebecca was effortlessly slim for most of her life but found it impossible to lose weight after having her children. She had gestational diabetes during her second pregnancy. Rebecca’s doctor did comprehensive blood tests and did detect some metabolic abnormalities. Rebecca had a very [...]
5 Exercises for Building Strong Bones
5 Exercises for Building Strong Bones By Jessah Shaw, Adv Dip ( Nut Med) Whether you’ve got osteoporosis and want to improve bone health or are simply being proactive and want to avoid getting osteoporosis in the first place, keep reading for 5 exercises to build strong bones: 1) Tai Chi Tai Chi, often called meditation in motion, is an ancient Chinese martial art that involves sequences of slow, flowing movements that promote both fitness and relaxation. The weight-bearing nature of tai chi helps to strengthen leg muscles, and also increases flexibility, particularly [...]
Carpel tunnel syndrome may be an early diabetes warning
Carpel tunnel syndrome may be an early diabetes warning By naturopath Margaret Jasinska New research has found that people who develop carpel tunnel syndrome are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Carpel tunnel syndrome is quite common, there are mild cases and more severe cases. A study has found that people who undergo surgery for carpel tunnel syndrome are more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within a year. This finding was published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. Patients who had surgery to both wrists had the highest risk of type 2 [...]
Blood sugar spikes could be harming your brain
Blood sugar spikes could be harming your brain By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Abnormally high blood sugar can cause inflammation in your brain. It is well known that type 2 diabetics are at higher risk of dementia. It’s not just diabetics who need to be careful. Experiencing a big spike in blood sugar after eating a sugary or starchy food can still harm the brain in people who are not considered diabetic. Sugar is sticky; it can bind to structures in the brain, raising the risk of plaques and tangles. Research conducted by the Alzheimer’s Research Trust and published [...]
5 Tips for Increased Energy
5 tips for increased energy By Jessah Shaw, Adv Dip (Nut Med) More than ever we are seeing an increasing number of people with low energy and reasons for this can vary for each individual. Many people experience this due to excessive stress, a nutrient deficient diet, an overworked liver, lack of exercise and other reasons. Keep reading to discover 5 tips that can boost your energy levels: 1) Drink more water So simple, yet effective. The majority of individuals are chronically dehydrated which can make you feel fatigued, contribute to constipation and [...]
Gout raises the risk of heart disease
Gout raises the risk of heart disease By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Did you know gout doesn’t only cause painful arthritis in the feet? It actually places your heart at risk. Elevated uric acid is usually an indicator of metabolic syndrome, or insulin resistance. This is the leading risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. People with gout are 58 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. The increased risk was seen across 12 different cardiovascular conditions, including heart failure, arrhythmias, and valve diseases. According to Nathalie Conrad, PhD, senior author of the study, "These findings suggest that the [...]
SIBO raises the risk of gallbladder polyps
SIBO raises the risk of gallbladder polyps Gallbladder polyps are quite common. They usually do not cause any symptoms and are generally discovered incidentally during an upper abdominal ultrasound. Fortunately, approximately 95 percent of gallbladder polyps are benign, meaning they are not cancerous. There is potential for them to become cancerous in the future, so it’s best to be monitored and try your best to improve your health. New research has shown that people with Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) are more likely to develop gallbladder polyps; particularly women. Research conducted at the Department of Gastroenterology, School of [...]
5 foods to boost your immune system
5 foods to boost your immune system By Jessah Shaw, Adv Dip (Nut Med) Strengthening your immune system is critical for the protection and health of your body such as keeping colds and flu at bay as well as enabling faster wound healing, less fatigue, clearer skin and healthier hair and nails. Read on for 5 foods that will boost your immune system: Onion The onion family encompasses onions, chives, leeks, shallots, and garlic. Onions are the most reliable food source of the flavonoid quercetin, which has scientific support as an anti-inflammatory and [...]