Here I discuss the Naturopathic approach to getting the most out of your physical training and Meal Planning, keep reading for a couple of amazing resources.
A naturopath is a complementary therapist, who should be degree qualified at the least. Many have post-grad qualifications – I’m currently completing a Grad Dip Psych because I see so many people with anxiety and depression, and my colleague has a Masters in Chronic Pain Management.
As a Naturopath, I focus on long-term health and prevention, although I can also help with acute conditions – such as viruses, migraines, insomnia or joint pain – but I more commonly see and treat chronic conditions – such as endometriosis, PCOS, arthritis, autoimmune thyroid conditions, infertility, anxiety, depression and Cardio-Metabolic syndromes like type 2 diabetes.
I have an integrated approach to health and work in a clinic with an acupuncturist, osteopath, remedial massage, pelvic floor physiotherapist, hypnotherapist and NLP practitioners and I have a network of psychologists and General Practitioners, Gynaecologists and other specialists that I refer to.
I can work with you to address a wide range of conditions including gastrointestinal issues, stress and nervous tension, sleeplessness, fertility problems, PMS, headaches, joint health, and skin conditions.
We provide counseling and accountability
Naturopathy takes a holistic approach to wellness. This means looking at the whole person in front of me – not at what is needed for your age group or gender – but what your genetics, symptoms and lifestyle needs are.
Naturopathy supports a person to live a healthy lifestyle – and correct one which is not. We gently nudge you back to health with foods, exercise, plant medicines and mind-body techniques – rather than a sledgehammer approach. Although, I appreciate conventional medicine, and if my arm ever gets cut off I want to go straight to ER please!
The foundations of naturopathy are based on the importance of a healthy diet, clean fresh water, sunlight, exercise and stress management. Then we build on these foundations of health by:
- addressing deficiencies,
- correcting hormones, and
- correcting pathological conditions by supporting the body systems to correct themselves – looking upstream at the root cause.
I believe the body wants to heal. It will work so hard to correct itself, you may have experienced this when you get sick, you feel tired. Well that’s your body putting up a fight! It can be exhausting, especially in chronic conditions.
The foundations to health are based on a healthy weight range for the individual and physical movement and activity suited to the person.
Naturopathy aims to educate the person to look after their own health and the health of their family, minimising symptoms of any illness, supporting the body’s capacity to heal, and balancing the body so that illness is less likely to occur in the future. I want to give you the tools to help yourself, so I aim to only see you for a short while to achieve this.
A range of therapies are used to support the person. Therapies may include nutritional medicine, diet advice, herbal medicine, hydrotherapy, counseling techniques, lifestyle advice, and tactile therapies, such as massage and acupuncture. I work in an integrated clinic – so I am lucky to be able to co-care with say a pelvic floor physiotherapist, a remedial massage therapist or an osteopath to ensure you get the right practitioner for your needs, and a targeted approach.
So how can a Naturopath help with my weight loss – or muscle building goals – and improve my physical fitness?
Have you heard the saying “Abs are made in the kitchen”, when I owned a wholefoods meal delivery business and was into Crossfit, I used to say this ALL THE TIME!!
Because it’s true. Basically, you can’t out-train a bad diet.
There is no one-size fits all diet…it has to be an individual approach, based on your genetics, lifestyle and goals
There are hundreds of diets out there all claiming it worked for them… the author, the seller – and that’s the take-away right there, there is often nothing scientific at all about them and they are selling books based on data from n = 1 (population of 1).
I often choose between Low GI, Intermittent Fasting, Kilojoule restricted, Low Carb/Paleo and high fibre diet styles – and always base my plan on the Mediterranean Diet and Lifestyle with the aim to reduce inflammation, balance hormones and reduce belly fat.
The good news is, it’s actually a pretty simple equation – energy in versus energy out… Yep, good old fashioned dietary intake of macros and physical exercise suited to your goals, your current weight and height and energy output. The question is, what will work for you? And how do you stay on track?
In a Naturopathic consultation with me, I take anthropometric measurements and base the calculations for your dietary needs on your Estimated Energy Requirement (EER), (you can work your needs out at the link).
Are you hitting your macros? I generally start with your protein calculation – because it’s easy to get enough carbs right – they’re basically everywhere, so is fat – just got to make sure they’re the right kind of carbs and fats that will benefit you!
I start with a protein calculation for your needs based on your “body weight x (0.8) or (1.0) or (1.2)” considering your digestive function and whether you eat a vegan or omnivore diet. To this I add non-starchy and starch vegetables (again based on your needs and goals), pre-biotic fibres and probiotic foods.
I create a Diet Guideline for you which will include the nutrients you need and what foods contain them. In a practical sense, it includes recipes that guarantee those nutrients are covered.
I also create Meal Plans. These are based on your needs and could have a High-Protein-Low-Carb, Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), Low G.I., Plant-based, Heart Health or Foods for Stress and Anxiety focus, just to name a few options. We can also discuss if Intermittent Fasting is suitable for you.
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Some of the common pitfalls people face when trying to lose weight without support are:
- Not eating enough for their EER, and therefore contributing to stress hormone production
- Not eating enough protein – this is not as easy as eating a steak
- Eating too many simple carbohydrates – spikes and then lows
- Not eating at the right time – this is individual!
Can Hormones affect my weight?
The endocrine system is an incredible cascade involving stress hormones, reproductive, metabolic and digestive, they are all interrelated and contribute to whether you lose weight, maintain it or gain it.
Stress!!! Cortisol, our stress hormone will get all the nourishment it needs FIRST. No ifs or buts. It is essential to our survival. When people live in a stressed state, we call this Sympathetic dominance – and a holistic approach to managing this includes: nutritional and herbal medicine adaptogens, supportive diet and lifestyle including emotional and mindfulness techniques to bring you back into balance.
A note on Cortisol
- High cortisol causes you to feel tired but wired, and prompts your body to store ‘fuel’ in places it can be used easily, as fat. Such as at your waist.
- Low cortisol (and you can have both simultaneously) makes you feel exhausted and drained. Like a car trying to run on an empty tank.
It is essentially the most important hormone in the body as it’s what gives us our ‘get-up-and-go’ to run away from the saber-tooth tiger. And is constantly switched on by the many life stressors of the modern day life.
It will also take all the ingredients to make steroid hormones (all sex hormones) as it is the most important for survival.
Managing stress and eating a nourishing diet is the best way to modulate hormones.
In order of survival importance
- Stress response
- Metabolism
- Reproductive – can’t make a baby where you’re running away from a tiger
If this sounds like something you would like help and support with, I have packaged up a neat pack for a low cost, see below.
Personalised Weight-loss Plan – 6 pack – $410
- Initial Assessment, pathology review, anthropometric measurements and case taking – 1 hour
- Meal Plan presentation and any supplements* needed – 30 mins
- Review – 30 mins
- Accountability 1 – 15 mins
- Accountability 2 – 15 mins
- Accountability 3 – 15 mins
For now, please email me or use my contact form to book this in, as it’s not live in my booking software just yet – I wanted my lovely readers to be the first to know, so you don’t miss out on the booking availability convenient to you.
This is also an introductory price and will be launched at the full price in 2 weeks. *Supplement cost not included.
