Author Archives: Merril

Do you really know what your eating & more importantly, do you know what it’s doing to you?

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Without knowing this essential information you and your family can be unwittingly consuming artifical colors, flavors, neurotoxins, sweetners, sugars, harmful trans fats, unwanted calories, empty calories (from sugar and all of it’s cousins) and poor quality nutrition.

Foods (especially processed foods) affect attention span, mood, behavior, skin health, motivation, weight gain, immunity, reproductive and digestive health to name a few. The body struggles to deal with all of these foreign chemicals and will instead store them as fat. So anyone wanting to lose weight in 2021, really needs to know what’s in the food their consuming if weight loss is to be successful.

Comparing groceries in terms of their health ratings, ingredients, nutritional profile and packaging can be difficult for the untrained eye.

How do you know if one product at the supermaket is better than another on the same shelf? The sheer volume of different choices all vying for your attention can be overwhelming.

Terms such as low fat, gluten free, high fibre, lactose free, low sodium and sugar free can further complicate matters and make it more difficult to discern the best option for you and your family.

It’s often the small print on the ingredients list or nutrition panel that defines the best choice. Knowing how to read these key points can help you make an informed, healthy choice.

So with this in mind, I am offering Supermarket Shopping Tours in Yarraville & Caroline Springs, Victoria in Melbourne’s western suburbs for the first time in 2021!

It takes just 30 minutes to learn how to read ingredients lists, nutrition labels and to understand how to compare one product against another.

This service would normally be $79, however, for a limited time you can book a 30 minute tour for just $50!

To book for this service please email gettingwellnaturally@gmail.com.

5 tips for overcoming stress this festive season

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With less than a month until Christmas, it’s natural to feel a little overwhelmed. This anxiety is compounded this year by Melbourians being fresh out of lockdown.

Suddenly family and friends are back on the must see list, along with all of the usual work and home commitments.

Adjusting to this change of pace (not to mention the traffic) has left many of my clients feeling absolutely exhausted.

Scheduling flights to fly interstate to see family adds another layer of complexity to the mix, when Australian borders outside of Victoria have been rigid for so long.

Now amid the rush to prepare for hosting Christmas lunch or simply buying presents, we are thrust into a very stressful period.

So what can be done to enjoy Christmas this year and have energy to burn:

  • Be realistic about what you have time to get done. It’s very easy to run yourself raggard by wanting everything to be perfect. (The reality is that you family will love you regardless of whether our house is pristine, remember it’s your home not a display home!)
  • Be kind to yourself. Delegate responsibilites to others and don’t be afraid of asking for help, everyone wants to pitch in and contribute their favorite dish, etc.
  • Do as much preparation the day before or early on the day so you have time to relax with a cuppa and some nibbles before the guests arrive. After all, you deserve a little time to enjoy the serenity as you will be flat strap entertaining throughout much of the day and taking a short break for yourself can do wonder for frayed nerves.
  • Once the dessert is out of the way, let the guests help you with cleaning up the dishes, they’re dying to help! (Seriously anyone who hasn’t had to cook or host Christmas is so grateful they can just come and enjoy that they are more than happy to be given a job to do.)
  • And finally clock off for the afternoon. Set up a self serve afternoon tea station so guests can make their own cuppas and move as far away from the kitchen as possible. (Your guests want you to enjoy yourself and they want to talk to you too. So make yourself available and someone will happily bring you anything you desire.

Often we feel anxious and overwhelmed because we feel like we are being taken for granted. By being a ‘team leader’ you can get everyone involved in the Christmas day festivities and take some of the pressure off.

When all else fails nutrients & natural medicine can help immensly to help calm your nerves and give you a spring in your step.

If you feel that you need help preparing for Christmas we have a special offer for our female clients in Melbourne’s western suburbs. Book an initial Naturopathic or Nutrition consultation for just $99 (normally $130) to get the help you need to thrive this festive season.

GWN services the entire western suburban corridor from Caroline Springs to Keilor, Cairnlea to Derrimut, Sunshine to Yarraville and everywhere inbetween!

To book visit the Contact Us page of gettingwellnaturally.com.au

Could you be experiencing Perimenopause without even realising it?

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If you’re a female aged 35 yrs or older, you may have a sneaking suspicion that your hormones are changing and are creating havoc in your life.

Periods may have become a little less predictable, longer or shorter cycles and heavier or lighter bleeds.

Recently you have noticed an increasing amount of anxiety, bloating, headaches and unexplained tiredness. Perhaps even hot flushes and night sweats. Not to mention aches and pains which seem to have come out of nowhere.

And alarmingly, you may also be experiencing stubborn weight gain and feeling more irritable or emotional of late.

Most women are familiar with Menopause, the time of life when periods cease. Once a woman has not had a period for 12 months she is technically in Menopause. This creates a hormonal deficiency of progesterone which the body no longer makes and a huge reduction in estrogen (down to 40%) and testosterone.

However, in the 10+ years in the lead up to Menopause the female body undergoes a lot of hormonal upheaveal. There are months when ovulation does not occur and this creates a complete deficiency of progesterone which has a vital role in creating not only fertility but also in being a calming hormone with anti-inflammatory effects, body composition improving effects (ie it helps to reduce pain and keep your weight stable).

At Getting Well Naturally we’ve been supporting perimenopausal women in Melbourne’s western suburbs for more than 13 years. This is such a tranformative experience in a woman’s life, that it’s important to be guided by a specialist in effective natural medicine at this time.

So many of these symptoms can be safely and effectively managed through diet, nutrition and natural treatments that work in harmony with your body.

Best of all, at GWN we’re offering Telehealth consultations which can be done from home and as we are your local area natural health specialist, we can deliver supplements to your home if you live in a 20 km radius within the western suburbs of Melbourne.

So whether you’re in Derrimut, Tarniet, Caroline Springs, Taylors Hill, Hillside, Keilor, Cairnlea, Sunshine, Yarraville or anywhere in between we are here for you.

So if these symptoms have rang a bell with you don’t hesitate to book an appointment online today. We have a special offer (initial consultation just $99) visit the Contact Us page for more details.

Introducing a NEW approach to personalized Wellness & Weight Loss!

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Very exciting news. We’ve just received a new test to enable our clients to see a cross section of their genes (DNA) to gain a very personalized weight loss treatment plan based on their genetic make-up.

As we approach the warmer months this test can give you much needed advice on how to mitigate any genetic variations that can limit weight loss and enhance your ability to lose weight based on your unique DNA profile.

Individually tailored weight loss recommendations are a hallmark of our successful Naturopathic/Nutritional treatment. And this gives you one more tool in your arsenal for safe and effective weight loss.

It can also provide information and treatment recommendations regarding the following:

Your ability to lose weight.
Your appetite and eating behaviours.
How your body stores and processes dietary fats.
Your risk of having an abnormal cholesterol profile.
Your vitamin, mineral and other nutrient needs.
Your sensitivity to specific tastes, foods and drinks.

And much more…this very comprehensive report is available to all clients of Getting Well Naturally, exclusively here in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

It can also give you a complete understanding of the type of exercise you are best suited to and your ability to recover. It also looks at your muscle, strength, endurance, recovery and injury risk when you exercise.

Individualized DNA based reports and treatment plans are the future of healthy, achieveable weight loss. The more you can understand about your body’s ability to process nutrients based on genetic variations, the great the likihood of being successful in creating the body of your dreams.

Taking a generic approach to diet and exercise will achieve some results but using a tailored treatment plan based on your unique make up will always provide better results. This is why there is no one size fits all weight loss program. We are all unique.

This report in conjunction with your individual health history and current circumstances, medications, etc. provides the basis for the most comprehensive approach to sustained weight loss.

So if you’re ready for a new approach to weight loss email us today at gettingwellnaturally@gmail.com with your name and contact number and we will kick start your weight loss journey.

How do I treat Hayfever naturally in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

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Welcome to spring Melbourne!

Warm windy days are a definite respite from the cold dreary weather that we’ve been experiencing but now we have another health concern to deal with!

Seasonal hayfever is just ramping up as we enter Springtime in Melbourne. Pollens and grass chemicals floating in the air trigger the unwanted symptoms of sneezing, watery eyes, tickling throat, mucous congestion and fatigue.

If you suffer from these seasonal symptoms, now is the time to learn how to fortify yourself from hayfever misery and to help prevent it from coming back.

The body’s allergic reaction to pollens is not a normal, healthy response. It is an immune system over reaction to an everyday substance. While almost all of the symptoms of hayfever are in the upper respiratory area, the root cause is in the gut.

From a Naturopathic/Nutritional point of view, healing the gut and providing the body with tailored nutrition, is the key to successful resolution of hayfever, not just for this season but for life long improvement/elimination.

Diet as always, can have a significant impact on our quality of life. Some foods such as dairy products can make hayfever ten times worse. The increase in mucous production created by the diary adds fuel to the fire.

Reducing this fuel load by having less dairy overall, can have a dramatic impact on hayfever symptoms.

Nutrients such as Zinc and Omega 3’s are also beneficial in supporting the immune system and decreasing inflammation. This can be done with by adding more food sources of these nutrients into the diet as well as incorporating therapeutic doeses of these nutrients into your daily routine.

From a nutritional perspective, it’s about reducing foods which are known to exaccerbate symptoms and increasing foods which are beneficial to fortifying the body against over reactions to airborne triggers.

From a lifestyle point of view, getting a daily dose of sunshine is about the best thing you could do to improve your hayfever. However, the irony is that going ‘outside’ is deemed to be too risky for many people with severe hayfever. Never fear, Vitamin D comes in liquid form and capsules so therapeutic doses can be taken in lieu of actual sunshine until symptoms subside.

Vitamin D has a long list of beneficial uses but it this instance, it’s modulating the immune system by dampening down the over reaction to airborne triggers and it’s also a very powerful anti-inflammatory agent which reduces the symptoms considerably.

Vitamin D also assists with improving mental health which can be affected by having to repeatedly deal with hayfever symptoms.

A word or caution though. You should always consult with a your Naturopath/Nutritionist before self-prescribing any nutrients. Doses depend on your unique circumstances, so please be sure to follow the prescription given to you rather than sourcing these nutrients off the shelf.

While all of these nutrients will create an improvement in your hayfever they only do half the job. Really knocking this on the head comes from working with through your health history and applying a functional medicine approach to addressing the root cause of your allergic/gut problem.

As a Naturopathic Nutritionist who has consulted with hundreds of clients in Melbourne’s western corridor, I can attest to the vast improvement my clients make when they address all of the underlying drivers of this condition.

And as an added bonus, when the gut and immune system is healthy, so too is the rest of the body. Clients report feeling better all over once they follow the advice and recommendations that are provided for them.

Things change, when we change so if you’re ready to tackle hayfever head on, we’re ready to assist you.

We service the entire western suburbs of Melboune including suburbs such as Caroline Springs, Taylors Hill, Taylors Lakes, Keilor, Deer Park, Cairnlea, Tarniet, Derrimut, Sunshine, Brooklyn, Footscray, Moonee Ponds, Essendon, Altona, Yarraville, Kingsville, Williamstown and many more.

Email gettingwellnaturally.com.au to book an initial appointment today!

Ask about our September Hayfever special and save on your initial consult!

Western Subrubs Naturopathy & Covid normal consulting

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If you’ve ever Googled ‘Naturopath near me’ or ‘Naturopath western suburbs Melbourne’, then you’ve likely seen the list of local Naturopathic practitioners at your disposal. We’re an eclectic bunch of professionals all ready, willing and able to assist our clients with the very best of natural healthcare solutions.

As your local Naturopath I can assure you that while clinics may be closed practitioners are using online and phone consultations to great effect in supporting their clients to get well and stay well.

Here in Melbourne, Covid normal consulting has become a new way of life for practitioners and clients alike.

Pivoting to an online consulting method has created a fantastic opportunity for people who who may be too busy to otherwise attend a clinic, to get a really in depth Naturopathic or Nutrition consultation in the comfort of their own home.

Clients who are juggling home schooling, young children, working from home and a myraid of other committments, are just some of the people who are benefiting from this more flexible approach to natural healthcare.

There’s really no need to put off booking a Naturopathic or Nutriton appointment as we have made it so easy for you to book, pay, attend and recieve treatment (home delivered of course).

Need a lunch time appointment? No problem we can schedule appointments to suit your schedule. Saturdays are also a popular choice for those clients who work full time.

No more rushinng to make your appointment, navigating traffic and unfamiliar streets. Simply turn on your computer, tablet or phone and click our special link and you’re set! No need to download an App either. Simply connect whenever and wherever it suits you.

Telehealth consulting has been in force since March 2020 in Melbourne and I am now being asked to continue to work this way as it’s very convenient for my clients to schedule appointments without even needing to leave home.

Covid has changed the way we do everything. Our homes are now the centre of our world and we all need to evolve to a new way or working and interacting with our healthcare practitioners.

So if you’re ready to kickstart your Spring health makeover simply email us at gettingwellnatually.com.au with your name, contact number and preferred appointment days/times and we will book you in pronto!

Does your health fund cover Nutrition?

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Are you making the most of your health insurance?

If you’re considering changing health funds or selecting which Extras you would like to be covered for, then it’s important to know that Nutrition is a popular choice for anyone who is focused on health and fitness or overhauling their health and wellbeing from the ground up.

And now is an especially great time to discover how your diet and nutritional status affects every aspect of your mental and physical health.

There’s never been a better time to focus on wellness, diet and nutrients and Nutrition consultations covered by almost all health funds.

To claim for a Nutrition consultation see the list of health funds below:

  • AHM 
  • Australian Unity 
  • Medibank Private
  • NIB 
  • ARHG several health funds are included under this umbrella including:
  • CUA
  • HBF
  • Health.com.au (HCA)
  • Phoenix Health
  • Westfund
  • QCH
  • MDHF

Great health and wellness starts when we make a decision to live our best lives. To understand the correlation between what we feed ourselves and how it makes us feel and act.

Leveraging your health insurance to work for you in a proactive way is what you deserve for your investment in health insurance and preventative healthcare.

So make your health insurance work for you and contact us to arrange an initial Nutrition consultation today!

Melbourne’s western suburbs best kept natural health secret….

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Soon after graduating, I began my Naturopathic practice, aptly named Getting Well Naturally, in the Melbourne suburb of Caroline Springs in 2007.

Until that time, Naturopathic treatment was mostly only available in the inner western suburbs and people wanting holistic herbal and nutritional treatment had to travel quite a way to access it.

After 10 years based in Caroline Springs, I ventured further in towards the city and practiced in a multi disciplinary clinic in Yarraville for two years.

I have also done some stints in Brighton, Kew, Northcote and Moonee Ponds along the way.

But my heartland is the western suburbs. I honestly think that it’s Melbourne’s best kept secret. And to be able to provide a Naturopathic service to my clients in the west, is an absolute delight.

Fast forward to 2020 and my practice has relocated again. This time to my home! The beauty of this is that I can provide a natural healthcare service the entire western suburbs without anyone needing to travel to see me!

Telehealth consulting has changed the face of health care. Now so long as you have a phone, tablet or laptop you can access the best natural medicine solutions I can prescribe for you.

Connecting to our telehealth service is fast and easy and doesn’t require you to download any apps.

Payment methods allow for BPay and credit card to be used to pay for your appointments and it is all done securely through our patient management system.

Supplements can be couriered straight to your door so treatment can begin as soon as possible after your treatment plan has been emailled to you.

So if you live in Melbourne’s western suburbs simply email us at: gettingwellnaturally@gmail.com and we will schedule an initial consultation for you. (All we need is you full name, contact number, a brief description of your health concern and your availability.)

And as a special treat we are offering initial consultations for $130 (save $30) for a limited time.

How to gain control of Thrush once & for all

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Living life with persistent thrush (vaginal fungal infection) can be debilitating for many women. It can disrupt their work, family, social and intimate relationships and leave them feeling distressed and miserable.

Having to restort to topical anti-fungal treatments seems to be the only solution for many.

These over the counter treatments for acute infections can reduce the symptoms of thrush temporarily, however, they are unable to prevent it from coming back.

Time and again topical treatments are used to manage outbreaks but what if you could learn how to prevent an attack from happening in the first place?

Did you know that over the past 13+ years I have been assisting clients with chronic candidiasis (fungal/yeast infection) to get on top of their reoccuring Thrush by addressing the root causes of the infection.

You see when you tackle Thrush on all fronts, you regain control of your of your life and your health.

Candida is a naturally occuring organism in our bodies but it only becomes and issue when certain aspects of your health are disrupted.

Medications such as antiboitics when precribed or overused can destroy the body’s ability to keep Candida in check.

Add to this the effect of diet and lifestyle, stress and other factors and you have the recipe for persistent thrush.

Without having an understanding of these root causes and a tailored plan to address them, women are stuck in a never ending cycle of thrush flare ups and short term treatments.

My role is to educate and empower my clients to take control of their health. Knowledge is power and when you understand the many contributing factors that are keeping you in this endless loop, you have the key to regaining your health and wellness in your hands.

Add to this highly effective, natural treatments and you have winning strategy for getting on top of Thrush once and for all. And should you ever get another bout of Thrush, you will know exactly what caused it and what you need to do to prevent it from reoccuring.

If you live in Melbourne’s western suburbs from Caroline Springs to Taylors Hill to Keilor, Cairnlea, Sunshine, Yarraville, Altona, Williamstown and anywhere in between we have you covered.

Don’t delay book an initial Nurtition or Naturpathic appointment.

Normally $130, currently only $99 for a limited time.

Book online through our booking system Halaxy, on the Contact Us page of www.gettingwellnatually.com.au. based in Melbourne’s western suburbs, Australia.

Is anxiety stopping you from living the life of your dreams?

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2020 has certainly been a year of challenges, not the least of which is from a mental health point of view. And while our Australian government has provided a plethora of mental health services to deal with the flow on effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, Aussies are increasingly looking for ways to reinvent themselves, pivot to new circumstances and explore new options in achieving their dreams whilst dealing with circumstances that no one could have forseen.

Now more than ever, it’s time to use a complementary health approach to achieve a happy, focused and postive state of mind.

Along with accessing the vast array of mental health support available, you can speed up your progress of dealing with fear and anxiey by combining it with dietary and nutritional support along with other natural and holistic treatments.

Tacking the issue from all angles gives you a sense of being in control of your life and health. Empowering you to do whatever it takes to achieve mental wellness is very effective in quelling anxiety and depression.

Making simple lifestyle changes can have a massive effect on mental health.

For instance, have you ever experienced the difference a walk in nature or sitting in the sun can have on your emotions and outlook?

Sunshine and exercise are just two very effective, yet often overlooked interventions for anxiety and depression.

Regular access to green space and vitamin D can naturally increase endorphins and serotonin to create a feeling of happiness and ease in the body.

Anxiety and depression can stem from an array of physical, emotional and situational issues. If the issue itself cannot be changed, your abilty to react to it can. Learning how to adjust your mental outlook by consuming good mood foods is just one way of dealing with negative emotions. Diet and nutrients have a profound effect on the the way we experience the world.

By addressing all aspects your health you will reach your wellness goals faster. And in the field of complimentary health, there are always additional things you can try to improve your metal wellbeing.

So if you’re ready to explore additional self-help options to combine with traditional mental health consultations book an appointment today and start living a better life tomorrow.

Email gettingwellnaturally@gmail.com to book an appointment.