Moonhawk Healing Natural Therapies

Lifestyle

Endometriosis

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Endometriosis

Endometriosis is an insidious female reproductive disease. Statistics indicate that around 10% of women in Australia will suffer from endometriosis at some time in their life. It can take 7-12 years to diagnose; the delay in diagnosis leading to years of pain and discomfort.

Why some women develop endometriosis is not fully understood. One theory is that it may relate back to embryonic development. Another theory is that it is related to retrograde menstrual flow.

While endometriosis is characterised by endometrial tissue outside the uterus, mostly within the pelvic region, endometrial tissue can often be found in distant organs and tissue. Symptoms can occur across a range of body systems. The reproductive, genitourinary and digestive systems are common areas for inflammation and pain; along with nausea, vomiting and headaches. The chronic pain associated with this disease often leads to anxiety and depression.

Microbiome

Back in 2018 there was emerging evidence  that many women who suffer from endometriosis have sub-clinical pelvic infections .Now research has shown that there is a difference between the microbiome of the ‘normal’ uterus and the uterus of women who have endometriosis Bacterial lipopolysaccharides produced by microbes in the uterus promote an inflammatory response worsening pelvic inflammation and pain.

Targeted herbs and supplements may be used to correct dysbiosis in the reproductive tract (and gut).

Diagnosis

Currently diagnosis is through laparoscopy. While an ultrasound can detect endometriomas on the ovaries, it is not a definitive diagnostic tool.

Good news is there is currently a diagnostic blood test in development, which may be ready for release and general use within 2-5 years.

Pain and endometriosis – it’s complicated

There are 4 major components of pain associated with endometriosis:

  1. Pain from pelvic organs
  2. Musculoskeletal response to pain
  3. Sensitisation of pain pathways
  4. The psychological sequelae of chronic pain conditions

To further complicate matters, the pain is often variable and unpredictable. Keeping a pain diary may help your naturopath and health practitioner to understand your pain better, and will help in the development of a suitable pain management plan. Talk to your naturopath, physiotherapist, or health care professional about developing a pain management plan. There are herbal and nutritional supplements which can provide an alternative to pharmaceutical pain medicines.

Role of the Naturopath

Endometriosis is a complex condition that needs a complex solution. There is no one-size-fits all answer. I work with patients to develop an individual treatment plan that suits each patient’s needs. I will work with you to manage the many symptoms associated with endometriosis.

Diet and Lifestyle

Diet and lifestyle have a significant role in managing endometriosis.

A low inflammatory diet forms an essential part of any treatment plan to manage endometriosis. Avoiding the following foods is a step in the right direction:

  • processed foods, saturated fats, trans fats, gluten, dairy, aspartame and other artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and foods in the nightshade family (tomatoes, capsicum, potatoes, capsicum, chilli, cayenne, paprika, goji berries).

Eat Your Way to Happy

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Eat Your Way to Happy

Depression is a global epidemic affecting an estimated 300 million people worldwide. This has generated a lot of research in ways to treat depression, particularly non-pharmaceutical interventions such as yoga, meditation, and exercise. It’s no surprise that research is now turning to diet as a way of managing depression.

The gut-brain connection means that what we eat influences our brain, and our brain determines our actions and moods. Recent research has shown which foods to eat to reduce the symptoms of depression.

Plant foods to eat to ease depression include:

Watercress, spinach mustard/turnip/beet greens (that’s the leaves on top), lettuce, Swiss chard/silver beet, coriander, basil, parsley, chicory greens, pomelo, capsicum, serrano/jalapeno chilli, kale, collard greens, pumpkin, dandelion greens, cauliflower, kohlrabi, red cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, acerola, butternut pumpkin, papaya, lemon, and strawberries.

Animal proteins to ease depression include:

Oysters, liver and other organ meats, poultry giblets, mussels, octopus, crag, goat, tuna, smelt, fish roe, blue fish, wolfish, pollock, lobster, rainbow trout, snails, whelks, spot fish, salmon, herring, emu, snapper.

This research highlighted that many of the foods on the list were high in anti-depressant nutrients like Vitamin B12 and omega 3 fatty acids – found in animal based foods. Although supplements may provide the nutrients missing in a purely plant based diet. .

Clearly there are concerns that some seafoods on the list may be high in heavy metals. So, start by increasing foods from the plant list before adding more seafood.

Keep Your Gut Bugs Happy and You Will be Happy Too

Remember what you eat will influence your gut microbiome, as well as modulating your immune system, and changing systemic inflammation. For this reason, choose to eat a mostly plant based diet with small amounts of animal protein. Include foods high in resistant starch e.glegumes; whole grain; cashews, green peas, green banana flour, unripe bananas.

Your but bugs and brain will thank you for including these foods in your diet.

Key Message

Take a close look at what you eat to see how your food choices may be influencing your diet. Seek professional advice if needed.

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Cardiovascular Health in Women

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Cardiovascular Health in Women

Cardiovascular (CVD), including heart disease, is under-diagnosed in women. This is because symptoms in women are often non-specific, and they develop these symptoms later than men. Sadly this has led to around 50 women in Australia suffering a heart attack every day, with around 24 women dying of heart disease daily. Sad statistics to say the least. 

One of the key Principles of Naturopathy is to educate patients so disease can be prevented, or, at least, risks minimised. 
Risk factors for CVD in women include gestational diabetes and hypertension in pregnancy, early menopause, depression, smoking, obesity, low physical activity, hypertension and high cholesterol. 

Food as Medicine

Including foods in your daily diet like leafy greens, beetroot, high quality chocolate or cacao, berries, raw garlic, green tea, and herbs and spices like ginger and turmeric will help to reduce your risk of developing CVD. 
The Mediterranean Diet is the most researched diet and probably the most recommended for managing risk factors associate with CVD. The Mediterranean Diet is mostly plant based with high amounts of vegetables and fruits and good oil eg olive oil (there is emerging research showing that as little as 20ml of good quality olive oil every day can reduce the risk of developing serious CVD).

Essential Nutrients

While there is a range of nutrients essential to cardiovascular health, perhaps the most important to women who are peri or post-menopausal is Vitamin K2. 
Vitamin K2 is synthesised in the gut, by gut microbes from Vitamin K1, which is found in foods like broccoli, kale, cabbage, eggs and asparagus to name a few. 
Simply put, Vitamin K2 keeps calcium in bones and out of blood vessels. Calcification of blood vessels is linked with vascular diseases like aortic stenosis.

Medicinal Herbs

There is a range of medicinal herbs that can assist with lowering cholesterol, reducing hypertension, stabilising arterial plaque, and reducing other risks associated with CVD. Which herbs are best for you will depend on factors like your overall health, which CVD you have, and your risk factors. For example, someone with elevated cholesterol would be prescribed different herbs to someone with high blood pressure.

Key Message

Eat a mostly plant based diet, manage any CVD risk factors you have, and seek professional advice when needed.

Lyme Disease and Co-Infections

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What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is defined as an infectious disease caused by tick bites infected with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. 

While ticks are the most common source of infection, mosquitos, march/marsh flies, sand flies and midges may also transmit the disease. 

It’s worth noting that not everyone who is bitten by a tick will get Lyme Disease.

Because the species of Borrelia varies across the world, diagnosis of the disease in Australia may be missed. In Australia, Lyme Disease is often referred to as Lyme-like Disease, or Relapsing Fever. The diversity of Borrelia bacteria complicates matters – it is currently thought that some infect humans and some don’t. 

Lyme Disease is a complex interaction of signs and symptoms across many body systems. Key elements are chronic infection, chronic inflammation and immune suppression. Lyme patients may also be more susceptible to environmental toxins, and may be more adversely affected by the toxins released by the pathogens that cause the disease.  

The endocrine system (hormones), nervous system (neurotransmitters and brain function), digestive system, and the cardiovascular system may all be impacted. Added to this is chronic pain, fatigue and insomnia. 

The Lyme Disease Association of Australia has more information on Lyme Disease in Australia.

Co-Infections

Tick bites carry more than the Borrelia species of bacteria, meaning that co-infections are quite common. Often signs and symptoms of Borrelia and the various co-infections are similar. Co-infections can make signs and symptoms more severe. Common co-infections include:

    • Babesia species
    • Bartonella species  
    • Rickettsia
    • Ehrlichia species

Reduced immune function can lead to opportunistic infections such as Mycoplasma, Candida, Epstein Barr virus, and Cytomegalovirus. 

Diagnosis

Clinical diagnosis of Lyme Disease can only be done by a medical professional – GP or Specialist. 

Naturopaths prefer to treat patients based on presenting signs and symptoms, and medical history. While naturopaths and herbalists cannot formally diagnosed Lyme Disease, they can use information from previous test results, along with their own observations, to make an informed decision about how to help people who have been bitten by a tick and suspect they have Lyme Disease, or have a clinical diagnosis of Lyme Disease.   

Signs and Symptoms

Acute Lyme

First signs and symptoms appear soon after the bite – hours or days, and include:

  • Bull’s eye rash – appears in around 30% of cases
  • Flu-like symptoms
  • Aching joints and muscles
  • Heart palpitations
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and/or constipation
  • Vertigo, blurred vision, tinnitus 

If you have been bitten by a tick, and start to feel unwell, see your GP or another medical doctor as soon as possible. Early treatment with appropriate antibiotics can make a difference to recovery. 

Sub-acute Chronic Lyme

Initial symptoms may subside in 2-4 weeks, sometimes leaving the patient feeling weak and exhausted. Signs and symptoms of acute Lyme may continue to a lesser degree. Some patients say that signs and symptoms appear to cycle from good to bad to worse and back to good. 

Chronic Lyme

Undiagnosed and untreated Lyme can result in chronic Lyme. 

Patients I see mostly have chronic Lyme and may have been unwell for months or years. Patients often present with:

  • Chronic fatigue
  • Brain fog
  • Gut problems e.g bloating, diarrhoea/constipation
  • Head and neck pain
  • Muscular aches and pains
  • Mood disorders
  • A range of other symptoms are associated with chronic Lyme. 

Signs and symptoms often reflect the co-infections and opportunistic infections the patient has. 

Naturopathic Treatment of Lyme Disease – it’s complicated

Naturopaths and herbalists will assist people with Lyme Disease by prescribing specific herbs and nutritional supplements. They will assess the patient’s current diet and lifestyle, and recommend changes if needed.  

Acute Lyme needs to be treated by a medical doctor who may prescribe antibiotics. Naturopathic treatments can be given at the same time – the aim being to destroy the bacteria and help the immune system fight the infection. Naturopaths can assist patients taking antibiotics to reduce unpleasant side effects some people experience when taking antibiotics. 

Chronic Lyme is more complicated to treat due to the constellation of symptoms the patient presents with. It’s essential to address underlying microbial infection with appropriate herbs. However, it is often necessary to first stimulate detoxification, reduce inflammation, support the immune system, and address the most pressing symptoms before starting on anti-microbial herbs.

Diet and Lifestyle

Diet and lifestyle can have a very big impact on recovery from Lyme Disease. I usually recommend patients follow a low inflammatory diet – a mostly plant based diet that excludes, for example, processed foods, added sugar, dairy, gluten and foods from the nightshade family (e.g tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, capsicum, chilli, cayenne, paprika, goji berries). Other recommendations around diet will be made depending on individual patient needs. 

As far as possible people with Lyme need to have a stress free or low stress lifestyle. Unfortunately, in the modern world, avoiding stressful situations can be difficult. Most treatment plans will include stress management techniques. While many people with Lyme are too fatigued for formal exercise, undertaking some moderate exercise is essential to recovery. 

Most importantly people with Lyme Disease need to recognise when they have done too much. People recovering from Lyme need lots of rest. Overdoing it can set back recovery. 

Lifestyle changes are often the hardest to make.  

Recovery

It is possible to recover from Lyme Disease. However, the degree of recovery is individual to each patient. Some symptoms can ease within weeks or months, others may take longer. Some patients need ongoing naturopathic support, others do not. Recovery may be dependant on the patient making changes to diet and lifestyle, and generally taking better care of themselves.  

It’s Complicated

There’s no easy one size suits all answer to helping people with Lyme Disease. Each patient will present with a complex interaction of physical, mental and lifestyle factors affecting their day health and wellbeing. 

I think the key to any treatment plan is to make it as simple as possible, and personalise it to each patient I see. 

 Acknowledgements 

I would like to acknowledge the work of Professor Kerry Bone,  Amina Eastham-Hillier ND, and Dr Nicola Ducharme ND. These three people have generously shared their knowledge on how best to treat people with Lyme Disease. I am grateful for their generosity and encouragement.