Tag Archives: Weight Gain

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.

Is Weight Loss a Misnomer?

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Everyone likes to talk about weight loss but what type of weight are people actually losing? In this article, you’ll discover the truth about the term collectively known as weight loss.

In 2003 I attended a seminar entitled “Fat Loss not Weight Loss” as part of my Naturopathic training. Early in the day the lecturer made a comment that I have never forgotten. “You can lose weight just by going to the toilet!” Although Mr. Eddy ND was stating the obvious; it wasn’t until that moment that it dawned on me just how misleading the term weight loss can be. Losing excess fat, fluid, waste or toxins, should be the goal of any healthy weight reduction program. However, for most people, the success of a weight loss program is measured simply by a decrease in kilograms on the scales.

So when “Anita” weighs herself on the scales and she’s 2 kg lighter, she assumes that this is healthy and what she is doing is working. And of course this is understandable given that the generalized notion of weight loss, is all anybody ever talks about! But what if that 2 kg weight loss came at the expense of a reduction in muscle and bone mass? Muscle mass is heavier than fat mass so when it is lost it has a dramatic effect on the scales. The irony is that muscle mass drives metabolism and enables you to burn fat more effectively. So while losing muscle mass might look good on the scales, it actually weakens your overall physique and body structure, decreases your immunity and slows fat loss.

Therefore, as any of my clients can attest, it is essential that you know what type of weight you are actually losing. There have been instances among my male clientele where their overall weight has increased but their physique has improved substantially. This is because their increased weight came from muscle mass which enabled them to burn more fat. It should also be remembered that muscle mass also adds tone to the body and improves its overall appearance. It also produces increased stamina, strength and energy.

Overall physique is a very important consideration when attempting to reduce body weight. Many people have large frames with a high degree of muscle and bone mass. This can weigh quite heavily on the scales but it is very important for the body to have a strong structural framework. The body’s bone mass peaks at 20 years of age but according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 5 to 7 years after menopause bone mass declines by a whopping 20%.

This is because women lose the protective effects of estrogen after menopause which predisposes them to developing Osteoporosis (porous bones) which fracture and break easily. Therefore, maintaining a healthy amount of bone mass is essential to offset this hormonal change.

My advice to anyone undertaking a weight loss program is to make sure that they monitor and manage their progress with regular Body Composition Assessments (BCA) to ensure that muscle and bone mass is not being sacrificed in an effort to weigh less on the scales. Ideally BCA’s need to be done every three weeks as bone and muscle loss can occur with surprising speed.

On a final note I believe it’s unrealistic to compare one person’s weight loss success with another because there are so many variables. Among my clients there are examples of people who weigh lighter simply because they have a smaller frame. There are also examples of people who are heavier yet healthier than others, simply because they have more muscle and less fat mass overall.

Having conducted countless Body Composition Assessments, I can assure readers that there are definitely risks associated with weight loss if it is not monitored and managed correctly. Bathroom scales are next to useless because they do not give you the full picture. Be fully informed about your weight loss program and the type of weight you are losing to avoid serious health issues down the track.

Natural Medicine, Why it’s for YOU

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Recent research has shown that 75% of those surveyed had tried Natural Medicine in the last 12 months. As a Naturopath this comes as no surprise. My clinical experience has shown that my clients typically fit into one of four categories, especially if you’re over the age of 30.

1. The first group of clients are those who are passionate about healing themselves through natural medicine supplementation, improved nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. They prefer to use natural medicine in preference to pharmaceutical drugs to treat their health conditions.

2. The second group are those clients that know that their diet is not healthy and they are experiencing health concerns such as weight gain, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, etc. but feel sure they can get on top of it, given the right information. Many of my clients who come for weight loss are already doing an exercise program but are just not getting the results that they desire because they don’t have all the information they need from a dietary or nutritional perspective to put it all together. There are also other things that affect a person’s ability to lose weight such as hormonal changes in the body (i.e. menopause, andropause, high cortisol levels, adrenal and thyroid issues), toxins, stress, inflammation, infection and allergies). Only by addressing all of these health concerns through natural medicine and diet, can real progress be made.

3. Another type of client that I regularly see are those using pharmaceutical drugs and experiencing lots of side-effects such as weight gain, reduced libido, reduced energy, etc. These clients are looking for a natural alternative to address their health concerns safely and without side-effects. A Naturopath is focused on treating the root cause of the illness rather than simply masking the symptoms. For example, instead of using antihistamines for Hay fever and affecting no real change, the Naturopathic approach would be to rebalance their immune system and supplement their diet with nutrients such as Omega 3 fatty acids, magnesium and zinc.

4. Finally, I see an increasing number of clients who have done the rounds of doctors and specialists and have completed untold numbers of tests, only to be given a complete bill of health. All the while these clients know in themselves that they are not well. In this instance the Naturopath is seen as someone who can explain why their body is producing the symptoms that it is and give them a holistic treatment plan incorporating natural medicine.

So did any of these client categories sound familiar to you?

Natural medicine focuses on changes to the diet, nutritional supplementation and herbal medicine. The treatment plan may also take into account environmental and emotional aspects of your health. For instance, what toxins have you been exposed to and what are your relationships like? Do you enjoy your work and how stressful is your life? Only by looking at the whole picture can potential explanations be given as to why your health has reached the state that it has. What is your body trying to tell you? What changes need to be made to ensure you have optimal health in the future?

Being the practitioner of last resort is not a glamorous title but it is an important one. When clients come to see me they’re frustrated, overwhelmed and at their wits end. They cannot understand why no-one can tell them what’s wrong with them let alone how to fix it. While these people are among my most challenging clients, they are also incredibly rewarding to work with, as each naturopathic consultation brings new information and improvements to their health.

As a Naturopath I get an unbelievable buzz out of helping people to help themselves. There is nothing better than providing an alternative to people who have tried everything else with little success. So if you fall into one of the above categories, you now know that Natural Medicine can help you to improve your health, not only for now but also well into the future.

Phone 9217 6410 for an appointment today.

Naturopathic Weight Loss

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What makes Naturopathic Weight Loss is so popular and successful?

When you come to GWN for weight loss, be excited, because what you’re about to learn explains why so many people struggle to lose weight and keep it off.

You’ll also learn why so many factors have contributed to the frustration and heartache that so many people experience when their weight loss attempts are two steps forward and one step backwards.

Many people get a couple of things right but their efforts can be thwarted completely, by the one or two things that they didn’t know to do.

Working with a GWN can give you a significant edge in your weight loss efforts. When you get your biochemistry right and all the other factors sorted, there’s absolutely no reason why you won’t achieve your goal weight.

Society seems to treat being overweight as normal. Many people expect to gain weight as they get older or have children. Men wear a beer belly as if it is an inevitable part of aging.

But if you’re carrying extra weight, you need to approach it as a serious health issue. Weight gain is a sign that there is inflammation in the body, a build up of toxins, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal dysregulation and a myraid of other medical concerns.

If walking up a flight of stairs leaves you puffing and sweating, now is the time to take action. Your heart and circulation are not coping with the small demands you’re placing on them. So what’s liable to happen when you get a bigger stressor in your life? A heart attack, a stroke? What if you’re only in your 30’s or 40’s and you have a young family who depend on you?

Do you’re muscles, back or joints hurt if you’re bend down or you’re legs for too long?

Is you blood pressure dangerously high? Is your cholesterol high, blood glucose levels high?

Gaining weight is not healthy. It’s not normal and it’s no joke.

The consequences are dire.

The question is: Are you ready to learn why GWN Naturopathic Weight Loss is so successful?

There’s no less than 26 factors that a GWN takes into consideration when assessing your weight concerns.

And let me tell you. No other professional will assess all of these things for you. A gym or GP can only assist with a fraction of these issues.

So if you’re not getting the results you need right now, why not experience Naturopathic Weight Loss and find out the keys to successful weight loss.

Be the exception. Call today and show your family & friends how it’s done. Call 0409 352 478 today.