Dr Marike de Klerk M.Tech Hom (UJ)
 
Do you suffer from heartburn? Acid reflux? If you are part of the 10% of the population with gastroesophageal reflux disease who suffers on a daily basis from this disease, don’t believe that you “just need to live with it”.

Conventional treatment will do more harm than good. By lowering your stomach acid using antacids, you will compromise your digestion, as well as letting bacteria into your digestive tract contained in your food, without the usual acids to destroy them. But by treating it naturally you can be healed!
​
GERD is when the stomach valve relaxes abnormally and stomach acid comes back up into your oesophagus. The oesophagus gets burned and without your realizing it, lasting damage can be done.
5 CAUSES of GERD are:

1. Food sensitivities:  Sensitivities inhibits you digestion. Undigested excess food in your stomach can cause acid reflux. Identifying and eliminating these offending foods are the answer to this problem.
2. Poor diet:  GERD is a modern day disease. Certain foods aggravate, especially alcohol, coffee, caffeine and fried foods. Overindulgence causes weight gain that causes the stomach contents to push up.
3. Too little stomach acid:  Contrary to popular belief, GERD is often not caused by an overproduction of acid but because of under production and imperfect digestion of your food.
4. Stress:  A stressed out gut is a sick gut!
5. Small intestinal bowel overgrowth SIBO:  Imbalances in our gut flora can manifest in various diseases of which one is GERD.

Get to the root of your GERD symptoms and say goodbye to your daily acid blocking medications.

By Dr. Chantell Groenewald M. Tech Hom (UJ)
 
What is infertility.
Infertility is defined as not conceiving or carrying an infant full term after having regular unprotected sex for at least 12 months. According to Parent24, an estimated 15-20% of couples in South Africa struggle with infertility.
 
Causes of infertility in women:

1. Age: A women’s peak fertility years is in her 20’s, thereafter fertility decreases proportionately with an estimated third of women struggling with infertility by their 30’s;
2. Hormonal dysregulation: This includes female health issues such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis;
3. Structural issues: An inverted uterus, uterine fibroids (myomas), fibrotic adhesions following pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis and blocked fallopian tubes;
4. Chronic disorders: Including eating disorders, sexually transmitted diseases, hyper-or hypo-functioning of the thyroid gland, tumours, candida overgrowth, certain auto immune conditions such as lupus and celiac’s disease, diabetes and hyperprolactinemia (over production of the hormone prolactin which stimulates breastmilk production);
5. Primary ovarian insufficiency: Commonly referred to as early menopause, when a woman stops ovulating and menstruating before the age of 40;
6. Diet and lifestyle factors: Smoking, being underweight, overweight or obese and alcohol use.

Many of the above-mentioned conditions are as a result of inflammation, hormonal dysregulation and a dysregulation of our body’s natural physiology. This can be as a result of diet and lifestyle, genetics and environmental factors to name a few. We all have a genetic makeup that predisposes us to certain health issues, whether these issues can take root depends on the soil in which it is planted. A healthy neighbourhood is less conducive to chronic illness.
 
Factors that play a crucial role in creating a neighbourhood conducive to conceiving include:

1. Diet: ‘Let food be they medicine, and medicine be they food’ Hippocrates. We are what we eat, and if you are net getting in essential nutrients through your diet to promote and maintain a healthy body, then you will not have the necessary building blocks to create an environment conducive to conceiving and carrying a pregnancy full term. If you have known nutritional deficiencies, then a supplement may be beneficial granted your body is able to assimilate and absorb these nutrients.
2. Heal your gut: An unhealthy gut is a preventable source of inflammation. This is probably the single most important factor to address in the treatment of infertility in the absence of any structural or functional causes for not being able to conceive. Inflammation is associated with and promotes chronic disease and does not create a favourable neighbourhood for fertility.
3. Support the liver: Our liver is responsible for metabolizing our oestrogen. A liver that is struggling with phase I and II detoxification of the liver will lead to unhealthy forms of oestrogen being reabsorbed and causing an oestrogen dominance which will hinder fertility.
4. B-vitamin’s and folate to support methylation: Methylation is a chemical reaction that happens in each of our cells and impacts how a protein functions in our bodies. A study conducted in the USA found that up to 60% of adults had a gene mutation that negatively affected their methylation. B vitamin’s as well as methylated folate plays a crucial role in the methylation process which is important for oestrogen metabolism.
5. Adrenal Health. The adrenal glands secrete a hormone called cortisol which plays a crucial role in regulation many functions in our bodies, including hormone production. During periods of high stress cortisol supresses hormone production to favour the fight or flight response. When stress becomes chronic and a state of adrenal fatigue ensues then our body uses DHAE to favour the production of cortisol rather than oestrogen and progesterone which negatively impacts female health and wellness.

Infertility is becoming a growing problem which some researchers attribute to our poor quality of life, high stress levels and poor nutrition. Healing your gut, managing inflammation as well as stress and incorporating enough nutrition rich food into your diet plays a key role in promoting healthy hormone levels and conceiving
 
“Parenting begins the moment you make any conscious effort to care for your own health in preparation for enhancing your child’s conception.” Carista Luminare-Rosen

By: Dr. Chantell Groenewald (M.Tech Hom UJ)
 
What is inflammation?
Inflammation is our body’s immune reaction following damage to tissue, to localize and eliminate the injury or infection. Acute inflammation has many triggers including:

• Viruses and bacteria
• Physical or chemical injuries
• Chronic allergies and
• Autoimmune reactions

This acute response is crucial to life, however when inflammation become chronic then it negatively impacts our health. Chronic inflammation happens when the triggering substance is not entirely eliminated, this can include but is not limited to:

• Repeated acute inflammatory reactions
• Obesity
• Auto-immune diseases
• Smoking
• Alcohol use
• Leaky gut
• Poor diet and lifestyle
• Chronic stress and
• Long term exposure to certain irritants

 
Chronic inflammation damages healthy tissue. Most adults have chronic inflammation that goes undetected by physicians, fuelling disease. Research suggest that chronic inflammation either promotes or is the direct cause of many diseases including:

• Cancer
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Cognitive decline
• Female hormonal issues including endometriosis
• Hypertension
• Osteoporosis
• Alzheimer’s disease and
• Parkinson’s disease, to name a few.

 
What role do our genes play in inflammation?
Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFA) and Interleukin-1 (IL-1) play a key role in the regulation of inflammation. Some individuals have variations in their nucleotide base pairs that favours the expression of IL-6, IL-1 and TNFA which in turn promotes inflammation. While most underlying causes of inflammation can be addressed, we cannot change our genes, so these individuals need to take special care in terms of diet and lifestyle interventions to combat inflammation.
 
What are the special investigations to identify inflammation?

1. DNA Analysis. Optimizing health based on genetics. Our DNA is made up of only 4 building blocks, adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine. These nucleotides form base pairs. Human DNA consists of more than 3 billion nucleotide base pairs, 99% of which are identical in each human (which is what makes us human). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are variations in a single nucleotide that make up the remaining 1% of our DNA. DNA analysis gives us insight into these SNP’s which effects the functioning of our genes that can have profound effects on our health. Understanding SNP variations can allow us to tailor a diet and lifestyle program to each individual’s needs to compensate for the gene variations and to promote health.
2. Blood tests include C-reactive protein (CRP) and Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). CRP is an inflammatory marker that can be increased in several diseases including infections, inflammatory diseases and heart disease. Moderately elevated levels of ESR is a good predictor of inflammation. These blood tests can give you insight into the state of inflammation within the body.

Five Tips to combat inflammation:

1. Heal your gut: “Disease begins in the gut” Hippocrates. Our gut is a constant source of inflammation due to bacterial overgrowth, poor diet and nutrition as well leaky gut syndrome. A good gut cleanse or detox can help heal the gut lining and reduce inflammation.
2. Omega 3: Omega 3 is a potent anti-inflammatory substance that can down regulate inflammation. A Mediterranean style diet is the ideal source of omega 3, including foods such as avocado, oily fish, olive oil and olives to name a few. If your diet is deficient in omega 3 then you should consider a supplement.
3. Liver support. Increased inflammation causes increased stress on phase 1 detoxification of the liver. Your healthcare professional can recommend various supplements that can support the liver.
4. Eat a pound of vegetables every day. SNP’s impacts the genes in which they are found, which in turn affects our biochemical pathways. Eating enough vegetables packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants can help combat the gene variations and, in this way, rewire our biochemical pathways. Try to incorporate both raw and cooked veggies with each meal and make sure you include the entire colour spectrum of vegetables.
5. Weight management. Losing weight can combat inflammation. Fat cells in our abdomen, called visceral adipocytes, secrete pro-inflammatory markers which causes chronic low-level inflammation. We are all unique and lose weight in different ways, some people need a low-calorie diet or a high intensity training program to mobilise fat stores. Intermittent fasting, low carbohydrate eating plan or ketosis might be for you, or it may not. Find the program that works for you and do not be discouraged with slow and steady weight loss, some SNP genes are prone to difficulty losing weight and in these instances, slow and steady wins the race.

To find out more about DNA analysis, gut health, weight loss and inflammatory related chronic diseases, please do not hesitate to contact us.
 
Article by Dr. Chantell Groenewald M. Tech Hom (UJ)
Instagram: @the_female_health_homeopath

Dr Marike de Klerk M.Tech Hom (UJ)​

Want to be the best you can be? Worried about your health as you get older? Sick and tired of being sick and tired?
Have your genetics tested.

More people are aware of the fact that being healthy does not just come naturally.
But where should you start?
Being healthy might all come down to your genes.

DNA Alysis, a company specializing in genetic testing, now collaborates with your holistic practitioner to give you insight into your genetic make-up. A simple cheek swab is all that is required. It is sent to the laboratory, analysed, results are sent back to your doctor for interpretation and all your health secrets are revealed.

The test only considers those genetic factors that can be modified through appropriate interventions. We cannot change our genes, but we can change the manner in which the genes are expressed and we can implement diet and lifestyle modifications to minimize the risks that comes with genetic mutations.

Doing this genetic test is the first step in taking more responsibility for your own health and being proactive in maintaining good health and addressing health concerns.
Each individual is unique with a unique genetic make-up, and therefore a one-size-fits-all approach is foolish. A vast array of chronic diseases are emerging and most of them are preventable. Genetic tests can serve as the added incentive one needs to adopt for a healthy lifestyle.

A genetic test provides you with the information that stays with you for the rest of your life and puts the power into your hands to make the necessary lifestyle modifications to achieve your optimal health outcome.

Tests available are:
DNA Health
DNA Oestrogen
DNA Diet
DNA Mind
DNA Sport
DNA Skin

Contact us to book your DNA Analysis tests.
info@nahcc.co.za or call us on 012 460 9216/7/8 

SPECIAL OFFER FOR APRIL AND MAY

Dr Marike de Klerk M.Tech Hom (UJ)
 
The link might lie in your genetics and is called methylation. Methylation is a process that happens in every cell of your body. It protects your body by repairing damaged cells, optimizing DNA cell function, processing toxins and hormones, and regulating neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine that regulates mood, behaviour, sleep and overall mental health.
 
Each one of us has a unique genetic makeup. These genes regulate all your body processes and may contain defects or mutations. One of these are found on the MTHFR gene. This gene regulates our methylation as described above. One of the most important functions of methylation is to produce a product called glutathione. Glutathione is your body’s most potent detoxifier. Research has shown that those with autoimmunity and cancer has lower levels of glutathione.

So you are born with these genes but we know now that your genes are not static and  mutation  epigenetics exist, this means that our genes can be turned on and off by certain conditions occurring in our environment and in our bodies.

But firstly we need to understand how we identify a genetic mutation in our genes so that we can move forward in addressing the mutation so as to avoid all the related diseases.  A SNP or “snip” refers to one building block on the DNA strand. One or multiple SNPs occurs on a gene and the more SNPs the more the impact on the body. The MTHFR SNP is very common and occur in around 50% of the general population.
Here is a practical example to demonstrate the impact the mutations have on your ability to detoxify.

Let’s say you eat a piece of tuna, which is a high mercury containing food, containing 10 parts of mercury. If you have no mutations on your MTHFR gene, you will excrete all ten parts of the mercury at 100%, totally detoxified.  If you have one SNP or mutation, then your ability to detoxify is decreased by 50% with means 5 parts are detoxified and 5 parts are stored. It you have 2 mutations or SNPs, your ability to detoxify mercury is decreased by a whopping 90%!!!!This means that you keep 9 parts of mercury and only clear 1 part. This ingested mercury as well as other environmental mercury such as water, amalgam, water and air will with time build up to a staggering amount that remains in your body and then we are amazed when we develop some disease, autoimmunity, cancer or immune dysfunction.

At the NATUROPATHIC healthcare clinic we offer the option for you to have your genetics tested via a competent laboratory, DNAlysis. A comprehensive test, DNAhealth, will test all the MTHFR genes that are believed to have an impact on methylation. It will also test inflammation, detoxification, cholesterol metabolism, bone health, insulin resistance and food responsiveness i.e. sensitivities to lactose, caffeine and salt intake.

And more importantly than identifying the gene mutations is assisting the body to have enough helper building blocks, or co factors to have the ability to complete the methylation process. Various interventions, i.e. dietary changes, environmental changes as well as specific medications needs to be implemented.
​
A DNA test is a simple cheek swab and will open a different view to your health, how to treat current diseases as well as how to make lifestyle changes for the future to avoid any more chronic diseases from developing. Dr Marike de Klerk is trained in interpreting and treating these underlying mutations. Please contact the practice with any other questions and also for prices of various genetic tests.

DR. Chantell Groenewald
M. Tech Hom (UJ)

 
What is PCOS?
 
Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the most common hormonal disorder affecting women of child bearing age. It is a chronic disease affecting the functioning of the ovaries causing excessive male hormones to be secreted and is characterized by:

• Increased androgens (male hormones) as mentioned,
• Insulin resistance (which further exacerbates the excess of male hormones),
• Infrequent or no menstrual cycle,
• Adult acne,
• Accumulation of multiple cysts on the ovaries,
• High cholesterol,
• Obesity and
• Infertility

 
 
What causes of PCOS?
 
The cause for PCOS is poorly understood, but genetic and environmental factors seem to play an important role. There is a hormonal dysregulation at play, which includes

• Higher than normal luthenizing hormone (LH). Produced by the anterior pituitary gland, the LH is required to stimulate the ovarian follicles to secrete oestradiol.  A surge in LH, causes the ovarian follicle to tear and release the ripe egg. Because the LH hormone is already higher than normal in patients with PCOS, there is no LH surge and ovulation does not take place.
• Decreased follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), Also released by the anterior pituitary gland, the FSH is responsible for the growth of the ovarian follicle, as well as secretion of oestrogen,
• Higher than normal levels of testosterone (hyperandrogenism). Testosterone is normally secreted in small amounts by the ovaries as well as the adrenal glands, but in patients with PCOS the ovaries secrete abnormally high levels of testosterone, and
• Elevated levels of insulin. Insulin regulates blood glucose levels, by signalling cells to absorb glucose from the blood stream to use as energy. Insulin is also involved in fat storage.

50-70% of females with PCOS suffer from insulin resistance which exacerbates excess secretion of male hormones by the ovaries. Insulin resistance contributes to obesity, which increases insulin resistance and further aggravates PCOS.
 
What are the diagnostic criteria for PCOS?
 
The current diagnostic criteria for PCOS is at least two of the three following characteristics:

• Infrequent periods (oligoanovulation)
• Increased male hormones (clinical hyperandrogenism)
• Polycystic ovaries on ultrasound (present in only 20-30% of woman with PCOS)

 
What are the signs and symptoms of PCOS?
 
The signs and symptoms of PCOS varies from one woman to the next. Here is a list of the most common symptoms:

• Infertility or difficulty conceiving
• Increased testosterone
• Oligomennorrhea (a woman who regularly goes 35+ days without having a period)
• Insulin resistance
• Gaining weight or difficulty losing weight
• Acne
• Thinning hair (male pattern balding)
• Acanthosis Nigricans (dark patches of skin)
• Hirsutism (abnormal hair growth pattern on a woman’s face or body)
• Hyperlipidemia (High cholesterol)
• Low sex drive (libido)
• Fatigue
• Obesity
• Anxiety and depression

 
What are the natural treatment protocols for PCOS?
 
1. Losing weight
This is vital in controlling insulin sensitivity, reversing insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (triad of elevated insulin, cholesterol and blood pressure) and will aid in controlling the production of excess androgens by the ovaries. A carefully selected diet may assist in weight loss. There are various options including low carbohydrate, intermittent fasting, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic eating programs to choose from. The correct eating plan can reduce inflammation and help control insulin levels and manage dysregulation of hormones.
 
 
2. Controlling stress
Excess cortisol produced by the adrenal glands during periods of high stress has a profound effect on our hormones. Long term expose to higher than normal levels of cortisol translate into insulin resistance, weight gain and hormonal imbalances. Getting enough sleep is also vitally important in regulating cortisol levels.
 
3. Supplements
There are various supplements that can aid in controlling blood sugar, reducing excess androgen production and balancing female hormones. A qualified practitioner can prescribe the correct supplements to help manage each individual case. Some supplements that have been suggested to benefit cases of PCOS include:
I.Chaste Tree: May be beneficial in regulating erratic ovulation, acne, oligomennorrhoea and amenorrhoea, ovarian cysts and assist in sleep maintenance.
II.Inositol: specifically, myo-inositol, is a vitamin like substance found in many plants and produced in our bodies. There are various studies that illustrates the beneficial effects of myo-inositol in the treatment of PCOS.
III.Vitamin D: Vitamin D deficiency effects an estimated 60-70% of people. The only way to test if you are vitamin D deficient is by doing a blood test (supplementing without confirmed deficiency is dangerous and should be done under the supervision of a primary health care physician). Vit D plays an important role in maturation of eggs and ovulation.
IV.Folic acid, omega 3, calcium, magnesium, zinc, n-acetylcysteine and chromium are a group of supplements that may be beneficial in the treatment of PCOS.
 
4. Homeopathy
There are various case studies that demonstrates the beneficial effects of specific homeopathic remedies to aid in the treatment of PCOS. Following a consultation, a homeopath can prescribe a remedy that suites each individual case. 
 
 
5. Exercise
Moderate exercise assists in both stress management and weight loss, which aids in controlling cortisol as well as insulin levels.

PCOS is a silent disorder with an estimated 50% of woman being not being diagnosed correctly. The potential long-term health risks of PCOS include sleep apnoea, endometrial cancer, fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiometabolic disease and more. There are several ways to naturally balance our hormones and reverse the effects of PCOS

By Dr. Chantell Groenewald (M. Tech Hom UJ)

What are Fibroids?
Fibroids, also known as uterine myomas or leiomyomas, are the most common benign (non-cancerous) tumours of the female reproductive system with an estimated 80% of women being affected by the age of 50. Fibroids are abnormal uterine growths composed of smooth muscle cells and fibrotic tissue that can range in size from pea size to the size of a grapefruit. These fibroids may be asymptomatic in some women while causing severe menstrual issues for others and the leading indication for a hysterectomy. 

There are different types of fibroids classified according to their location, these include: 
• Intramural fibroids: Situated within the muscular wall of the uterus,
• Subserosal fibroids: Located on the outside of the uterus called the serosa,
• Pedunculated fibroids: A subserosal tumour that develops a stem, 
• Submucosal fibroids: These fibroids grow in the middle muscular layer of the uterus called the myometrium, and 
• Cervical Fibroids: These fibroids take root at the cervix. 

What causes Fibroids?
The exact cause of fibroids is unknown; however, their growth is dependant on the steroid hormones Oestrogen and Progesterone and specific growth factors. 

Some risk factors for the development of uterine fibroids include:
• Genetics: a family history of fibroids
• Race: Woman of African descent are at a higher risk of developing fibroids
• Puberty: Fibroids have not been observed in girls before their first menses
• Age: Premenopausal woman are exposed to elevated levels of oestrogen for prolonged periods of time
• Consumption of alcohol
• High blood pressure
• Being overweight or obese

Symptoms of Fibroids?
Fibroids can often go unnoticed without symptoms. Symptoms vary depending on the size, number and location of the fibroid or fibroids and include:
• Heavy, prolonged menstrual bleeding, or bleeding between periods;
• Dysmenorrhea (painful periods);
• Pelvic and lower back pain;
• Painful intercourse;
• Difficulty conceiving;
• Urinary frequency; and
• Abdominal distention. 

How are Fibroids diagnosed?
Fibroids are usually diagnosed during a routine pelvic examination. A transvaginal ultrasound or a pelvic MRI is used to confirm the diagnosis. 

What are the natural treatment options for Fibroids? 
Until recently large or multiple fibroids were removed surgically via a myomectomy and in severe cases a hysterectomy is performed. There are also several minimally invasive treatment protocols which include forced ultrasound surgery which uses high frequency sound waves to ablate the fibroids, cryomyolisis, endometrial ablation and uterine artery embolization. These treatment protocols are effective in removing current fibroids, but it does not address the mechanism of the fibroid growth and often fibroids return. 

To naturally treat fibroids, it is important to address the mechanism of fibroid growth and this is focussed on addressing the elevated levels of oestrogen. 

5 Tips to treat fibroids naturally:

1. Eliminate environmental xenoestrogens 

Xenoestrogens are substances that have a hormone like action on the body which are used in but not limited to food production, pesticides, food packaging production and cosmetics. Here are some tips to reduce exposure to xenoestrogens:
• Choose cosmetics and toiletries that do not contain parabens
• Choose organic veggies that have not been exposed to pesticides
• Choose animal products that have been reared without any growth hormones or routine antibiotics
• Stay away from foods packaged in disposable plastic

High fat non-organic processed meat like hamburger patties containing unhealthy saturated and trans-fats should be avoided at all costs
• Rather use a glass water bottle than a plastic water bottle.


2. Losing weight

Fat cells can act as endocrine glands and secrete oestrogen. Although these levels might not be very high it is still significant enough to raise blood levels of oestrogen, especially in obese woman. Weight loss will also assist in not only decreasing insulin resistance which is important for optimal ovarian function but also in regulating blood pressure which is important in preventing uterine fibroids.  A few tips on an effective diet program to combat fibroids include:
.
• Foods high in oestrogens such as soy and commercially raised animal products should be avoided
• Inflammatory foods should be eliminated from the diet, this includes foods such as diary, wheat, processed foods, sugar etc.
• Avoid fresh produce that was not organically grown seeing as pesticides, herbacides, synthetic fertilizers and food preservatives contain xenoestorgens that high jack oestrogen receptors in the body and further exacerbates oestrogen dominance. 

3. Detox the liver and heal the gut
The liver is responsible for metabolising oestrogen. If the liver is not functioning optimally, high levels of oestrogen will further exacerbate oestrogen dominance. There are various supplements including Chedlidonium, Taraxicum and Carduus Marianus, that may be beneficial in supporting liver function.

After oestrogen has been metabolised by the liver, it is excreted via the gut. Leaky gut syndrome causes an up regulation of an enzyme called B-glucuronidase which breaks up bound oestrogen to be excreted and allows these smaller particles to be re absorbed into the system. A gut cleanse diet is essential in the healthy functioning of our hormonal system.


4. Supplements & Herbal treatment

Supplements that may be recommended by a qualified physician include: 
• Chaste tree: Chaste tree may be beneficial in reducing oestrogen dominance by balancing out the oestrogen vs progesterone ratio of the menstrual cycle,
• Progesterone cream: Can be considered under the supervision of your health care practitioner,
• Omega 3 fatty acid: Due to its anti-inflammatory properties,
• B vitamins: To balance hormone levels,
• Liver support: A well formulated herbal mixture to help facilitate phase 1 and 2 detoxification of the liver and support the healthy functioning of the liver,
• Indole 3 carbinol is an antioxidant that helps eliminate excess oestrogen from the body.


5. Homeopathy

There are several homeopathic remedies indicated for the treatment of fibroids. The correct remedy is chosen based on each individual case. Studies suggest that a thorough case taking based on the symptom picture will lead to a similimum prescription to aid in shrinking uterine fibroids.

By: Dr. Chantell Groenewald M. Tech Hom (UJ)

​What is Endometriosis?
 
Endometriosis is an oestrogen-mediated inflammatory disease that occurs when tissue that lines the inside of your uterus (endometrium) is found on other organs outside the uterus. The endometrial tissue can be limited to the pelvic cavity, most commonly involving the:

• ovaries
• lining of the pelvic cavity
• broad ligament
• uterosacral ligaments.

 
       Less commonly it may involve the:

• fallopian tubes
• small and large intestines
• ureters (tubes that transports urine from the kidneys to the bladder)
• bladder
• vagina, and
• cervix.

 
Endometrial tissue can spread beyond the pelvic organs including the lungs as well as the membranes covering the lungs and heart. This functioning extra-uterine endometrial patches responds cyclically to menstrual hormones, it thickens, breaks down and bleeds just like the endometrium lining the uterus often causing painful periods and infertility. The blood associated with the extra uterine endometrial tissue breaking down is trapped within the pelvic cavity causing:

• inflammation,
• formation of scar tissue,
• adhesions, and
• distortion of organs in the pelvic cavity.

 
 
What causes of Endometriosis?
 
The generally accepted hypothesis for the cause of endometriosis is retrograde flow of menstrual tissue through the fallopian tubes which is then inserted in ectopic sites in the pelvis and less commonly outside the pelvic cavity. An estimated 90% of woman experience retrograde flow, hence why a genetic predisposition has been postulated for the survival and growth of this ectopic endometrial tissue.
 
What are the diagnostic criteria for Endometriosis?
 
Endometriosis is diagnosed in an estimated 25-50 % of women who suffer from infertility and 75-80% of woman who suffer from chronic pelvic pain. Endometriosis can only be diagnosed through a pelvic laparoscopy (surgically inserted viewing tube into the pelvic cavity) as well as a biopsy of suspected ectopic endometrial tissue. An estimated 1-7 % of women who are asymptomatic will be diagnosed with endometriosis during unrelated pelvic surgery.
 
What are the signs and symptoms of Endometriosis?
 
The main symptom of endometriosis is chronic pelvic pain which is often worse just before and during menses. Another leading symptom is infertility, with an estimated 20-50% of infertile women being affected. Symptoms may vary depending on where the ectopic tissue has implanted, this includes:

• Painful periods (Dysmenorrhea)
• Heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding
• Spotting before periods
• Painful defecation (Dyschezia)
• Bloating, Nausea and Vomiting
• Cycles of alternating constipation and diarrhoea
• Rectal bleeding during menses
• Painful urination (Dysuria)
• Urinary frequency
• Blood in urine (Hematuria)
• Painful intercourse (Dyspareunia) often worse during menses

 
 
What are the natural treatment protocols for Endometriosis?
 
To fully understand the treatment protocols that may assist in the symptomatic treatment of endometriosis, it is important to understand that ectopic endometrial tissue responds to normal cyclical menstrual hormones. Ectopic endometrial tissue however differs from the normal endometrium lining in that it exhibits variations in gene expressions that undergoes pathological changes which is partly responsible for the pain and structural changes associated with endometriosis. One such gene expression variation explains the oestrogen dominance observed in endometriosis. Keeping this is mind, let us take a closer look at some of the natural treatment protocols for endometriosis:
 
1. Losing weight
Fat cells can act as endocrine glands and secrete oestrogen. Although these levels might not be very high it is still significant enough to raise blood levels of oestrogen, especially in obese woman. Weight loss will also assist in decreasing insulin resistance which is important for optimal ovarian function. A few tips on an effective diet program to combat endometriosis include:

• An anti-inflammatory diet is crucial considering endometriosis is an inflammatory driven disease.
• Foods high in oestrogens such as soy and commercially raised animal products should be avoided
• Inflammatory foods should be eliminated from the diet, this includes foods such as diary, wheat, processed foods, sugar etc.
• Avoid fresh produce that was not organically grown seeing as pesticides contain xenoestorgens that high jack oestrogen receptors in the body further exacerbates and oestrogen dominance.
• Include foods that combat inflammation such as omega 3 fatty acids
• Include phytoestrogens in the diet, seeing as they can bind to oestrogen receptor sites with a much weaker effect than oestrogen from the body.
• Avoid food that you may be sensitive to, as this leads to further inflammation. A food intolerance test or food allergy test is advisable. 

 
2. Detox the liver and heal your gut
The liver is responsible for metabolising oestrogen. If the liver is not functioning optimally, high levels of oestrogen will further exacerbate oestrogen dominance. There are various supplements including Chedlidonium, Taraxicum and Carduus Marianus, that may be beneficial in supporting liver function.
 
After oestrogen has been metabolised by the liver, it is excreted via the gut. Leaky gut syndrome causes an up regulation of an enzyme called B-glucuronidase which breaks up bound oestrogen to be excreted and allows these smaller particles to be re-absorbed into the system. A gut cleanse diet is essential in the healthy functioning of our hormonal system.
 
 
3. Supplements & Herbal treatment
Supplements that may be recommended by a qualified physician include:

• Chaste tree: Chaste tree may be beneficial in reducing oestrogen dominance by balancing out the oestrogen vs progesterone ratio of the menstrual cycle,
• Omega 3 fatty acid: Due to its anti-inflammatory properties,
• B vitamins: To balance hormone levels,
• Liver support: A well formulated herbal mixture to help facilitate phase 1 and 2 detoxification of the liver and support the healthy functioning of the liver,
• Indole 3 carbinol is an antioxidant that helps eliminate excess oestrogen from the body.

 
4. Homeopathy
There are several homeopathic remedies indicated for the treatment of endometriosis. The correct remedy is chosen based on each individual case. Studies suggest that a thorough case taking based on the symptom picture will lead to a similimum prescription to aid in the treatment of endometriosis.
 
5. Environmental factors
Environmental factors include toxins that have a hormone like action on the body. These xenoestrogens are used in but not limited to food production, pesticides, food packaging production and cosmetics. Here are some tips to reduce exposure to xenoestrogens:

• Choose cosmetics and toiletries that do not contain parabens
• Choose organic veggies that have not been exposed to pesticides
• Choose animal products that have been reared without any growth hormones or routine antibiotics
• Stay away from foods packaged in disposable plastic
• Rather use a glass water bottle than a plastic water bottle.

 
6. Exercise
Exercise has a dual purpose, it helps to reduce excess cortisol and assists in weight loss. Both have hugely beneficial effects in reducing oestrogen dominance.

Endometriosis can have little to no symptoms in some women while the disease can have debilitating effects in others. Infertility, subfertility and chronic pelvic pain being the leading symptoms of the disease. Studies have shown women who suffer from endometriosis are at a higher risk of developing cancer, specifically ovarian cancer. This is a disease that responds well to natural and alternative treatment. You are the first step to a healthier you.
 
“Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food.” Hippocrates  

Dr Marike de Klerk M.Tech Hom (UJ)

How is your child’s brain connected to what they eat? It is quite simple, your child is what they eat.
Have you noticed a change in your child’s behaviour with what they eat?
I sure have with my children and mom's often comment on remarkable changes in their children’s behaviour with a change to a healthy diet.
The brain is the most energy dependent organ in the body, therefore what we feed our children will directly impact on their brain function i.e. their ability to focus, their ability to perform mental tasks and their ability for emotional regulation.

When you put junk into your body, you will get junk out, i.e. “junky" behaviour or “junky" “attention.
Many specific nutrients are connected to how our brains function.
Whole foods vs processed or packaged foods?

Whole foods are foods like wholegrains, fruits, vegetables and clean proteins that are in their natural form and does not have multiple ingredients added to it, altered or changed. These are the foods that the brain thrives on. These foods are packed with nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fats and antioxidants.
There is a huge difference between nutrients from whole foods vs packaged foods. The rule of thumb is when you look at the ingredients label, the longer the list is the more processed and the less dense the nutrient value is. These processed foods will also contain more chemicals and additives that has been shown in studies to really affect brain function negatively. Children that eat a better diet are more able to emotionally and intellectually manage themselves.

Sugar is a big evil ingredient in lots of junk foods or processed foods. The body and brain burns through sugar quickly and this results in a sugar crash. This can look like many mental disorders. Sugar metabolites can mimic conditions like ADD, ADHD, anxiety and mood instability.

Being mindful of this can make a huge breakthrough and very often parents are astounded by the results of such a seemingly unimportant change.
Breakfast containing a protein is so important to stabilize blood sugar as it will release energy slowly into the system and keep their bodies and brains nourished for longer.
Children needs carbohydrates in their diet to fuel their brain development, but once again wholegrains and not processed foods. Fruits and vegetables are important, full of fibre and phytonutrients.

If you can start an awareness with your kids to eat veggies, they will continue this into adulthood with huge benefit to their health. Start by introducing whole fruits into their diet and build upon that. Some children will be resistant from the very beginning to new foods. It takes their brains at least 10 exposures to get used to a new taste. Give your child at least that many occasions to try a new food, to develop a taste palate for new foods.

If you have a child with anxiety or rigidity surrounding food, do not focus on what they are putting in their mouths , but rather focus on exposing them to new foods by making them familiar with foods by buying, cooking or growing these foods.
Research says that 4 out of 10 kids these days are overweight, 1 out of 7 has ADD which has been linked to poor diets and Type 2 diabetes has increased 1000% over the last 10 years. One out of 3 babies are born diabetic and one in four teenagers will develop type 2 diabetes. This is frightening! Let’s stop the vicious cycle and let our kids fall in love with food.

Involve your kids in food preparation. Your children will not only perceive having purpose and meaning in their household but it will also enhance their brain function. They will learns maths, planning, creativity, science, culture, reading as well as history when they learn to cook!

Brainstorm with your kids about the menu for meals. Look at different menus and help them to compose a healthy plate of food. Let them help compose a shopping list. Teach them what the healthier options are. Show them to rather shop at the perimeter of the shop for food since the middle aisle will usually contain all the processed foods.
From age 2 or 3 your kids can start to help with the cooking of a meal. They can help with measuring, breaking eggs, making a simple salad etc.

Kids eating solid foods should eat the same foods as the adults and not from a kiddies menu. Food on the kiddies menu is food that we as adults do not want to eat, things like chicken nuggets, chips and pizza. Why do this to them?
Explain healthy nutrition to your children and get them enthusiastic about feeding their body with healthy foods and explain how foods can affect their body functions i.e. their brains, energy and skin. Watch documentaries with them like “Supersize me” so they can see what processed foods to to your body.

Changing the diet in your household  can be a daunting an intimidating but remember to not try to change it all in one day, small steps at a time will culminate in huge a huge improvement over time. And remember to have fun!

By: Dr Chantell Groenewald (M.Tech Hom UJ)

Menopause marks one year after a woman has had her last menstrual period and the end of her fertile years. Menopause is NOT A DISEASE, it is a natural change in a women’s body to mark the end of her fertile years just as menarche was a natural process at the start of her fertile years. Each woman is born with x amount of eggs at birth, menopause marks the end of the growth, development and release of these eggs by the ovaries which is also associated with a sharp decline in the secretion of the female hormone oestrogen.
 
Perimenopause refers to the period before a woman enters menopause and usually starts in your 40’s. This can happen several years before menopause (usually lasting about 4 years) and is characterised by the gradual decline in the production of oestrogen and progesterone by the ovaries as well as irregular periods.
 
Symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause include:

• mood swings
• hot flushes
• night sweats
• loss of libido
• irregular periods
• vaginal dryness
• insomnia
• weight gain
• depression and anxiety
• poor concentration
• dry skin, mouth, and eyes
• increased urination
• recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• frequent headaches
• reduced muscle mass
• painful or stiff joints
• osteoporosis
• less full breasts
• hair thinning or hair loss

 
Natural treatment to help alleviate the severity of the symptoms associated with menopause:

1.  Meditation and breathing exercises
According to the North American Menopause Society, paced breathing exercises and meditation has been shown to decrease the severity and frequency of hot flushes. These techniques can be practiced daily as part of your regular daily routine. There is an abundance of websites available online dedicated to the practice of meditation and paced breathing exercises.

2.  Diet
Eat foods that help promote healthy hormone levels. These include:

• Cruciferous vegetables: contain indole-3-carbinol that promote healthy oestrogen levels.
• Organic fruits and vegetables: grown without the use of pesticides. Eating a pound of vegetables per day helps us maintain a healthy weight and can resets our biochemical pathways.
• High fibre foods: can assist in maintaining a healthy weight, alleviate constipation and may assist in balancing oestrogen levels
• Foods rich in vitamin D and calcium: to assist in the healthy absorption of calcium into the bones and to assist in the prevention of bone mass loss associated with menopause.
• Foods rich in pre and probiotics: assists in maintaining a healthy gut which plays a role in the healthy functioning of our hormones and maintaining a healthy weight
• Omega 3: rich foods or supplementation has anti-inflammatory properties which assist in the healthy production of hormones.
• Avoid processed and commercially raised foods: Cured, smoked, dried and otherwise processed meat or fish
• Avoid animal products raised using growth hormones. Organic free-range animal products are best
• Sugar and sugar containing foods
• Additives and preservatives

3. Weight loss
Maintaining a healthy weight plays a very important role in the healthy production of our hormones and several studies suggest that woman who are over weight or obese can alleviate the severity of hot flushes and night sweats by losing weight. A healthy weight also assists in protecting woman from the heart disease associated with menopause.

4. Homeopathy
There are several well indicated homeopathic remedies that can assist in the alleviation of the unwanted symptoms of menopause. Choosing a carefully selected remedy that fits your menopause picture is key to successfully treating symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, mood swings and depression.
​Homeopathy is a safe and effective treatment for menopause symptoms that does not carry the cancer risks associated with hormone replacement therapy, synthetic or otherwise. 

Dr. Chantell Groenewald 
M. Tech Hom (UJ)

What are the functions of our Adrenal Glands?

Our adrenal glands (or suprarenal glands) sits on top of our kidneys and acts as an endocrine gland which simply means it is responsible for the secretion of various hormones.  One of the hormones secreted by the adrenal glands is the steroid hormone cortisol.

Cortisol is often referred to as the ‘stress hormone’ due to the role it plays in the fight and flight reaction which is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). During a stress response, the adrenal glands are signalled via the HPA axis to secrete cortisol which in turn stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism i.e gluconeogenesis (process by which the level of glucose in the blood stream is increased). This response supplies the body with ‘fast’ energy to run away or fight during the fight or flight response. Cortisol is also responsible for inhibiting the functions of various other non-essential bodily functions during the fight or flight response. Once the fight or flight response is over, cortisol levels return to normal and systems functions are restored to normal.

The role cortisol plays in the fight and flight response is well known, however the effects of cortisol in our day to day functioning is far reaching. Cortisol levels start to increase in the early hours of the morning and is responsible for waking us up and directing the resources of the body to where it is most needed and then decreases again at night preparing us for sleep and maintenance functions in the body. Cortisol plays an important role in our body’s overall functioning and well-being. The systemic effects of cortisol include:

• Gluconeogenesis (mobilizing cortisol from stores in our body)
• Inhibits the effects of insulin
• Metabolism
• Anti-inflammatory
• Immune response
• Water balance
• Controls BP
• Fight and flight response

The stress response is essential for life, without it we would not be able to respond in a life threatening situation to preserve life, for example when we walk in the woods and come face to face with a bear.  In this situation the stress response is good, it will flood our cells with glucose and we can run away from the bear. Once the situation is resolved our stress hormones goes back to normal and our body has burned all the glucose while running away.

Chronic stress is not good. Unlike an acute stress response like running away from a bear, the situation does not resolve and we are chronically exposed to elevated levels of cortisol that is not eliminated from our system. Prolonged stress and exposure to higher than normal cortisol levels have adverse effects on our health for two reasons.

1. Our cells are chronically flooded by glucose
2. Bodily functions that are not essential to the fight and flight reaction are curbed, this includes immune function, digestion, hormone production and metabolism.

Some of the systemic symptoms associated with prolonged exposure to higher than normal cortisol levels include:

• Brain: Irritability, anger, anxiety, depression, poor concentration and memory loss
• Skin: Skin break outs such as psoriasis, eczema and acne
• Digestion: Slow metabolism, insulin resistance, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, decreased nutrient absorption, food allergies and intolerances
• Female health: Decreased levels and impaired production of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone which aggravates female health issues such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis and uterine fibroids.
• Immune system: Recurrent colds and flu and poor recovery from illness
• Cardiac health: Increased blood pressure, triglycerides and increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

 
What is adrenal fatigue?
Adrenal fatigue refers to the period following prolonged periods of stress where your cortisol stores become depleted following prolonged periods of higher than normal cortisol production. There are two phases at play here:

• The ‘wired and tired’ phase usually precedes adrenal fatigue, this phase is characterized by waking up tired every morning and using various stimulants including caffeine to get you through the day until you are so wired at night, you have difficulty sleeping and the process repeats itself again the next day. These individuals are chronically tired yet struggle to sleep. I liken this phase to a tightly stretched elastic band, the slightest touch causes a huge response and it is during this phase that you will suffer from high levels of irritation and anger where you may have visions of getting out of your car and taking a cricket bat to someones car that just cut you off in traffic.
• The ‘tired and fatigued phase’  Your adrenal glands become less than able to respond adequately to stress and a period of extreme fatigue follows. During this phase you wake up tired and go to bed tired. You can sleep 10 restful hours every night and still wake up exhausted each morning. This phase I liken to stretched elastic band that has been cut and now lies on the floor with no potential energy. Instead of road rage you are oblivious to anyone else on the road and operate in a haze. Individuals with adrenal burnout are typically depressed and have no energy to fulfil their daily tasks, they experience low blood pressure, unexplained weight loss, poor immune function and brain fog to name a few. These symptoms mimics primary adrenal insufficiency (called Addidons disease) but with only milder symptoms.

 
How is adrenal fatigue diagnosed?
 Often a practitioner will make a clinical diagnosis based on your symptom picture and personal history. As previously mentioned adrenal fatigue cannot be diagnosed with a blood test. The ranges for serum cortisol levels are very wide and unless there is a primary pituitary insufficiency as with Addison disease, the blood serum levels will be within normal limits. A more accurate test to determine if there is a dysfunction of the adrenal glands production and secretion of cortisol is a salivary cortisol tests. This measures cortisol levels during three key intervals during the night and day to determine if your cortisol levels are reacting according to the normal circadian rhythm (ie high levels in the morning and low levels at night).
 
5 Changes to make to help manage chronic stress and adrenal fatigue.
1. Detox your gut
An unhealthy gut is a continuous source of inflammation. Inflammation triggers the release of cortisol for its anti-inflammatory properties, which can further exacerbate the chronic low grade stress response. Heal your leaky gut by destroying the bad bacteria, healing the gut lining and recolonizing with the good bacteria.
2. Meditation, yoga and breathing exercises
There is sufficient research that shows the calming effects of meditation, yoga and breathing exercises. This is crucial especially if we are continuously exposed to chronic low level stress. By practising relaxation techniques we over ride the bodies stress response and force our adrenal glands to regulate the secretion of cortisol.
3. Consider adaptogens to regulate the function of the adrenal glands
Under the supervision of a qualified physician, adaptogens such as Ashwaganda may be prescribed that function by regulating the secretion of cortisol by the adrenal glands.
4. Get enough sleep
Two hours of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is what is needed to ‘shampoo our brain’ each night. This term coined by Dr. Sara Gottfried MD in the states so adequately describes why we need to get enough sleep at night. Research suggests we need at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night, of which 2 hours has to be deep or REM sleep. Research suggests that even partial sleep deprivation affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis causing higher than normal cortisol secretion by the adrenal glands.
5. Cut the stimulates and clean up your diet:
Stimulants such as caffeine, tobacco and sugar fuels adrenal overproduction of cortisol. Most people who suffer from chronic stress tend to rely heavily on stimulants to get them through the day. This unfortunately will only drain your already taxed adrenal glands. There are various detox, elimination and cleanse diets that will help you cut out all the stimulants and help you feel healthier and more energized than ever by helping you to get the necessary nutrition from your food. People often underestimate the power of healthy eating and I often see patients revived and energised from something as simple as changing their diet. Hippocrates said: “Let food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be food”.

(By Dr. Chantell Groenewald M. Tech Hom UJ)
 
What is a food intolerance?
A food intolerance refers to a hypersensitivity reaction to specific foods vs a food allergy which is an IgE immune mediated allergic reaction. Symptoms associated with food intolerances include but is not limited to:

• Bloating
• Flatulence
• Stomach ache
• Runny nose
• Reflux
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Weight gain
• Wheezing
• Cough
• Hives
• Headache
• Migraine and
• Irritable bowel syndrome.

 
What causes food intolerances?
There are several reasons that you may have a hypersensitivity reaction to specific foods, which we will discuss now. Before we do, it is important to remember that the health of our gut plays a vital role in protecting us from food intolerances. The role of our digestive tract is to form a barrier between the outside of our gut and foods that we ingest. Food is broken down and molecules are selectively transported across the gut barrier. When this gut barrier is damaged (leaky gut syndrome), unwanted molecules escape into our bloodstream often causing an inflammatory reaction. This adverse reaction is not necessarily because of a food intolerance to that specific food but rather because a substance has entered the bloodstream where should not have.
 
There are several other structural abnormalities as well as bacterial overgrowth or parasitic infections which can contribute to or aggravate food intolerance reactions to specific foods. In the absence of any of the above-mentioned issues, specific foods contain various substances which you can react to causing a food intolerance. This includes naturally occurring substances such as amine containing foods as well as substances added to foods such as additives or preservatives. These substances include but are NOT limited to:

• Amines found in cheese
• Caffeine found in coffee
• Toxins such as aflatoxins found in under cooked beans
• Sulphites which are used as a food preservative
• Amines such as histamine which naturally occurs in certain foods such as fish
• Salicylates which occur naturally in most plant-based foods
• Gluten, a protein found in certain grains such as wheat, barley and rye
• FODMAPs a group of short chain carbohydrates found naturally in many foods. FODMAPs are poorly absorbed in the small intestines and travel to the large intestines where they cause bloating and draw water into the digestive tract which causes diarrhoea and bloating

 
Another cause of food intolerance can occur when our digestive tract lacks specific enzymes needed to break down food substances. Lactose intolerance is the best example of such a food intolerance. In the absence of the enzyme lactase, lactose found in dairy products cannot be broken down by our digestive tract, causing abdominal discomfort.
 
What are some of the most common food intolerances?

• Diary
• Gluten
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Yeast
• Corn
• Wheat
• Soy
• Additives and preservatives, to name a few.

 
How to treat symptoms associated with food intolerances?
The first step to treating food intolerances is to identify which foods you are sensitive to. This can be done via a food intolerance test. These foods should then be avoided for several weeks to months and then reintroduced in a specific manner as part of a food elimination diet. Healing the gut with a gut cleanse diet, insures that toxic food reactions due to leaky gut syndrome is also addressed and eliminates chronic gut inflammation which further exacerbates food intolerances and food allergies.
 
What is a food Intolerance test?
There are various tests available to identify food intolerances. The Nutrismart food intolerance rapid test is based on an IgG4 reaction to food substances. It tests 56 of the most common food allergens with 1 drop of blood and you will have your results within 30 minutes.
 
For more information on the Nutrismart food intolerance rapid test, a food elimination and gut cleanse diet, please contact The Naturopathic Health Care Center for more information.  
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A series on female health, by Dr. Chantell Groenewald (M. Tech Hom UJ)
 
Welcome to this series on female hormonal health, where we will focus on female hormones, and the health issues associated with dysregulation of these hormones.

1. Female hormonal function, signs and symptoms of dysregulation
2. Polycystic ovarian syndrome
3. Endometriosis
4. Fibroids
5. Menopause
6. Adrenal fatigue
7. Leaky gut syndrome
8. Weight gain and associated health issues
9. Stress, anxiety and depressive disorders.

 
This week let us start by focusing on the female hormonal system.
 
Female Hormonal Health
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers secreted by a special group of specialized cells called endocrine glands. Hormones function to initiate, coordinate or to control:

• Growth and development processes,
• Sexual development,
• Metabolism, as well as
• Mood and cognitive function.

What hormones play an important role in female health?

• Oestrogen: Produced by the ovaries and to a smaller degree, by the adrenal glands (endocrine glands situated on top of our kidneys) and adipose tissue (fat cells). Responsible for the pre-ovulatory thickening of the uterine wall (endometrium), in preparation for implantation of a fertilized egg, as well as growth and development of our secondary female sexual characteristics, including breasts development, armpit hair, regulation of the menstrual cycle and reproductive system. Oestrogen also plays a role in vaginal wall thickness and lubrication, prevention of bone loss and cholesterol levels.
• Progesterone: Produced by the corpus luteum (remnants of the ovarian follicle, which produces and releases the egg), levels rise during the second part of the menstrual cycle, and is responsible for preparing the body for pregnancy, as well as maintaining the early stages of pregnancy.
• Luteinising Hormone (LH): Produced by the anterior pituitary gland, the LH is required to stimulate the ovarian follicles to secrete oestradiol. A surge in LH, causes the ovarian follicle to tear and release the ripe egg.
• Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH): Also released by the anterior pituitary gland, the FSH is responsible for the growth of the ovarian follicle, as well as secretion of oestrogen.
• Testosterone and androstenedione, the male sex hormones, are also secreted in small amounts, in women, by our ovaries. Although primarily believed to be male hormones, these hormones not only play an important role in female hormonal regulation, but also the functioning of many organs.

All the above-mentioned hormones play a crucial role in not only the regulation of the female cycle, but also in the over all functioning and well being of an individual. Any disruption in the hormonal cycle, can lead to health issues in almost all the bodily systems.
​
To illustrate the previous statement, let us look at the role of oestrogen, in the absorption of calcium from the digestive tract and the maintenance of calcium within the skeleton. Post-menopausal women suffer from a natural case of decreased oestrogen. This leads to a decrease in the amount of calcium absorbed in our bones. Osteopenia is the result of decreased calcium in our bones which causes brittle bones and if left unchecked, will eventually lead to osteoporosis.  This is only one example of the effects of the above-mentioned hormones in the daily functioning of our bodily systems.
 
What causes a dysregulation in female hormones?
There are several factors that play a role, these include:

• STRESS, high cortisol levels supresses all other female hormonal regulation
• Ageing
• Diet and lifestyle
• Phytoestrogens, which can affect your natural oestrogen levels
• Synthetic xenoestrogens, found in facial products, pesticides, disposable plastic water bottles as well as plastic containers, to name a few
• Weight gain
• Insulin resistance
• High Cholesterol (particularly the unhealthy LDL)
• Synthetic hormones such as OCP

 
What are some of the signs and symptoms of female hormonal dysregulation?

• Acne
• Increased facial and or bodily hair
• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Mood swings and PMS
• Heavy menstruation
• Painful menstruation
• Amenorrhea (no menstruation)
• Irregular periods
• Increased abdominal fat
• Ovarian cysts
• Low libido
• Constipation
• Thinning hair
• Low libido
• Irritability
• Anxiety and depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Low bone density
• Infertility
• Insulin resistance
• Bloating and abdominal distention
• Chronic fatigue

The healthy functioning of our hormonal system is crucial to our health and wellbeing. Over the next few weeks, we will be discussing various diseases associated with female health, as well as treatment protocols thereof. If you have any other questions regarding this topic, please feel free to contact The Naturopathic Health Care Centre. Please look out for next week’s article on polycystic ovarian syndrome.  
 
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
-Maya Angelo. 
ere to edit.

(By: Dr. Chantell Groenewald M.Tech Hom UJ)
 
What is homeopathic constitutional prescribing?
 
Homeopathic constitutional prescribing, refers to a holistic form of treatment, aimed at treating a patient as a whole. Every individual, has a unique constitutional remedy that suites their personality. This remedy, will be chosen by your homeopath, after careful assessment of each individual’s mental, emotional and physical state. Information that is considered when choosing a constitutional remedy includes:

• Sleep patterns,
• Appetite,
• Thirst,
• Bowel and urinary movements,
• Fears and phobias
• Personality type,
• Mental and emotional state
• Energy levels and
• Chronic health issues.

 
Why choose constitutional prescribing for your child?
 
That is easy. Children are subject to continuous growth and development. As they reach one milestone, their little bodies start preparing for the next. A carefully selected remedy can assist with issues such as:

• Fears such as the dark, strangers, loud noises etc
• Developmental delays
• Temper tantrums
• Behavioural issues
• Learning difficulties and disabilities
• Sleep difficulties
• Growing pains
• Colic and reflux
• Excessive crying and or irritability
• Children who are excessively shy, nervous, sensitive or anxious
• Hyperactivity
• Frequent colds and flu, otitis (middle ear infection) and tonsillitis
• Eczema, acne, warts, ringworm, impetigo and other skin related issues
• Lower respiratory tract issues, including asthma and recurrent infections (croup, bronchitis and pneumonia)
• Diarrhoea and constipation
• Diaper rash
• Teething difficulties
• Headaches or abdominal migraines
• Potty training and nocturnal enuresis (bed wetting)
• Recurrent urinary tract infections

 
Join me, in this five-week series, as we take an in-depth look at five of the most common constitutional remedy types in paediatrics. When discussing these remedies, it is important to remember that your child will probably not exhibit all the traits of a specific remedy, but should fit the general constitutional type picture depicted. Let us start this series with Calcarea Carbonica constitutional remedy picture. A child may fit more or less of the criteria based on their level of health and emotional well-being.
 
 
Calcarea Carbonica (Calc Carb)
 
KEY: Eczema, Sour discharges, Delayed milestones (crawling, walking, teething), Developmental difficulties, Constant runny nose, Frequent middle ear infection, Cradle cap, Constipation, Cold with perspiration on the head
 
Infants

• Blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin and light complexion
• Very independent and self-content, can play alone with their toys for long periods of time
• Easily startled by loud noises
• Irritable when they are ill, especially during teething
• Fearful and will cling to parent for security when they feel unwell
• Colds may extend to the eyes with a thick bland, yellow or green mucous discharge.
• Frequent runny noses, even when they are not ill
• Many head colds accompanied by much mucous that often descends into the chest
• Oral thrush
• Reflux with or without milk allergy and frequent vomiting of sour milk
• Hiccough easily
• Cradle cap is common
• Recurrent growth difficulties
• Difficult or delayed dentition
• Cold babies with a tendency to perspire on the scalp, especially when nursing
• Babies are often overweight
• They want to be rocked to sleep
• Rubbing or scratching of face when tired
• Infants are obstinate, especially when tired
• Tendency to develop eczema

 
Children
 
The Calc carb personality picture of a child is one of a strong willed, independent and hard-working nature, that requires structure and routine. These children often have delayed developmental milestones, which can be due to their own deliberate slowing down of the process, to more carefully assimilate and take in new information. These are the “slow and steady wins the race” type of children. They desire structure and routine and can become very difficult if plans suddenly change, or if they are interrupted or forced to stop a task before completion.  Often perceived as serious, quiet and even loners. They may become sad and withdrawn. Characteristically there are many fears which include the dark, insects, animals, ghosts and monsters. There may be a tendency to become fascinated with the supernatural, or a general foreboding that something bad will happen. Some of their general ailments include:

• Headaches due to mental strain from study (school girls headache)
• These kids get sick when exposed to cold winds or develop a fever, cough, asthma, sore throat etc
• Recurrent middle ear infections with a thick discharge
• Constant runny nose, even when healthy, especially when playing outside
• Nose obstructed especially at night
• Frequent sore throats with enlarged tonsils
• Asthma
• Recurrent croup
• Constipation
• Malabsorption syndromes and poor assimilation of food
• Recurrent vaginitis due to yeast overgrowth
• Epilepsy
• Diseases associated with the thyroid gland
• Eczema and warts
• Profuse perspiration on hands and feet
• Prone to sprains and strains of ankles
• Hydroceles in boys
• Aversion to slimy food or mixed food
• Dislikes or allergic to milk
• May develop pica (craving for sand, chalk etc) due to iron deficiency

 
These are some of the most important characteristics of Calc Carb children, but there are many more features not discussed above. Again, it is important to remember that a child who exhibits most of these characteristics is most likely a Calc carb constitutionally. How much of the above-mentioned signs and symptoms a child exhibits, also depends on if the child is in a healthy Calc carb state or suffering from an acute or chronic condition.  A child may also change constitutions with age, but that is a discussion for another day.
 
If you would like to find out more about constitutional prescribing or the benefits thereof, please feel free to contact The Naturopathic Health Care Centre. I am looking forward to discussing our next homoeopathic constitutional type, Sulpher, in next week’s article. 
 
Refrences

1. Master, F.J.,Clinical Observations of Children Remedies, 3rd edn., India, B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd., 1999.
2. Herscu, P., The Homeopathic Treatment of Children, Pediatric Constitutional Types, California, North Atlantic Books, 1991.

 

WHAT IS LIVE BLOOD ANALYSIS?
 
LIVE BLOOD ANALYSIS, ALSO KNOWN AS NUTRITIONAL OR DARKFIELD MICROSCOPY , IS IN ESSENCE THE ANALYSIS OF LIVING BLOOD UNDER A POWERFULL MICROSCOPE, CONNECTED TO A CAMERA.
 
Live blood testing enables us to see exactly how one’s blood behaves in the body, giving a clear picture of health at cellular level. The aim of the practitioner is not to make a diagnosis from patterns seen but rather but to see what the biological terrain is manifesting with.

“Terrain” in the blood can be likened to a vegetable garden, the terrain being the soil, where the vegetables will flourish in healthy soil and will be free of disease and parasites. Similarly in the body, if the terrain is healthy, bacteria, fungi and parasites will be repelled, metabolic processes will proceed unhindered and disease will not be enabled. By examining the live blood one can identify aberrations in the terrain, address it and prevent or correct current imbalances and diseases.

The examination of live, capillary blood has been performed by researchers all over the world for many years. It is a quick and efficient way of assessing the health of the patient. A drop of blood is examined under a special microscope which has which has both light and dark field options. Very quickly one can see terrain imbalances such as toxicity, immune disorders, gut issues and cholesterol and so on.

The difference between having blood analysed by a chemical laboratory and viewing live blood, is that one can assess the functioning of  blood cells in a live blood analysis consultation. In contrast the fixed stained cells are analysed in the chemical laboratory, measured against a standard, interpreted and sent to your practitioner whom can than issue a prescription.  Seeing your blood on a live blood screen enables the practitioner to describe your terrain and also for the patient to participate in the discussion.

According to what is viewed, your practitioner will then be able to suggest lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements, homeopathic or functional treatment to correct these imbalances.

Book your free session with Dr Marike de Klerk M.Tech Hom (UJ)
info@nahcc.co.za or call us on 012 460 9216/7/8 

​...And when should you use antibiotics and when not?

1. BOOST YOUR GUT IMMUNITY

Did you know that 80% of your immune system is found in your gut? Therefore if you do not treat your intestines with respect, they will let you down and you will have a rather miserable winter. Be conscious of what you eat. Eating a diet high in antioxidants (highly coloured fruit and veg), low carbohydrate (breads, cookies, starchy veg are all high in carbohydrates), lean clean protein (free range chicken, beef, eggs, lamb), high good fats (coconut products, nuts and seeds, good oils, small dark fishes, avos) and low in sugars. Sugar is a major enemy of your immune system and consuming a lot of sugar will compromise your immune system severely. Also take a probiotics periodically, one of good quality that is stored in the fridge. Contact your health practitioner to guide you in using the correct probiotic for your immune system.

1. Immune stimulators

Various medications are available to optimize your immune system. They are available in liquid, tablet or injectable form. Echinacea is probably the most important of these, but make sure that you use Echinacea Angustifolia and not Purpurea if you want the strongest and most effective stimulation. The former is available just from your health care practitioner and more cost effective that it’s weaker counterpart. Olive leaf extract is another immune stimulator as well as treatment for infections. A variety of homeopathic injectables are available to not only treat infections but also for prevention of viral diseases. Contact your homeopath for these products.

1. Vitamin D3

Deficiency of Vitamin D is linked to not only autoimmune diseases but also increases your susceptibility to infection. It is essential to optimize your Vitamin D levels, and especially in winter when sunlight is less and the synthesis of Vit D less, you need to ensure that you take the correct dosage of a good quality Vit D3. Your level should be checked by your practitioner and supplemented accordingly.

1. Stress

Elevated stress and corresponding increased levels of cortisol has a major effect on your immune system. A broken down constitution is a prime target for viruses and bacteria. Make sure that you try and limit your stress where possible, get good sleep and make an effort to do something relaxing for yourself everyday e.g. exercise, meditation, reading, drawing etc. If you still feel overwhelmed please contact us for adaptogens, herbal treatment to help your system cope with an elevated load of stress.
 
WHEN TO USE AN ANTIBIOTIC AND WHEN NOT
In order to understand this, an explanation of some terms are necessary.
A virus is smaller than a bacteria and is enclosed in a protective coating, so it is more difficult to kill. A virus need a living host to reproduce in, otherwise it cannot survive. In contrast a bacteria can reproduce and live on inanimate objects like doorknobs or be transferred via contaminated water or secretions. Viruses can only be carried in human secretions from one person to another.
The only way to kill a virus is via the body’s own innate immune system. Antibiotics only kill bacteria and have absolutely no effect on a virus.
 
Antibiotics will therefore be of no use in the following diseases:

• Influenza
• Most cases of bronchitis
• Most sore throats not caused by Strep
• Runny noses
• Most coughs
• Most ear infections
• Stomach flu

If you take antibiotics when you do not need them, they may not work when you really do. Taking antibiotics or giving antibiotics to your children unnecessarily will not make them feel better or cure the illness, but may have harmful side effects like nausea, diarrhoea and stomach pain. Antibiotics can also cause IBS, candidiasis as well as lowering your natural defence to invaders by killing all your protective good bacteria.
 
Please contact us with your questions as well as effective and safe treatment and prevention of winter diseases.
Keep well!!
Dr Marike de Klerk
​M.Tech Hom (UJ)
Registered Homeopath

By:  Dr. Chantell Groenewald (M. Tech Hom UJ)
          Homeopath​

After 10 months of anticipation, the day finally arrives. You get to hold your new-born baby for the first time. You are so overcome by emotion, so totally in love with this little being, you feel your heart might burst with happiness. You get to go home, and life with your little miracle begins. The first few days’ worth of awe and excitement starts to wear off, as you try to settle back into your life before your little one (life b.c. - before child). By now, the sleep deprivation starts to set in, and the rose-tinted glasses start to come off. You slowly start wondering, who in their right mind, would send a baby home with you...without supervisor!

You realize you have NO idea what you are doing, and the effects of the sleep deprivation takes an even further toll on you. By now, your hormones are flying the coop, you probably realise you are ill equipped for this parenting thing, you feel 100% overwhelmed, you pretty much want to give the baby back and feel like the worst parent in the world because of it.

You have barely taken a shower, nor managed to drink half a cup of ice cold coffee, eaten half a can of cold soup in divided efforts to get some food into your body. You look like death warmed up, you smell, you are covered in baby vomit and you have baby poop under your finger nails. The most basic task of going to the loo, making dinner, taking a shower, doing laundry and getting dressed, becomes a frantic scramble with zero outcome, because you can't put the baby down for two seconds, or they scream.

By the time your spouse gets home, you basically throw the baby at them, and run to take a wee, shower, anything, that does not involve holding a baby. Three seconds of peace and quiet. But alas, baby starts crying, and despite your spouses’ best efforts to help, baby ends up back in your arms half way through whatever you were trying to do. It finally boils down to you weeping with the baby. And that, is just the day. You start fearing night time, because that is when the screaming begins, and if you are lucky, you will get about two hours of interrupted sleep that night, finally sitting with baby on your chest, praying for morning to come.

To add further insult to injury, you feel like the worst parent ever, wrought with guilt, because you pretty much hate all of this, and you find yourself wishing you could have your old life back. Then on top of everything else, you have post-partum hormones, bouncing off the walls, pushing you over the edge.

It was only after I joined a mommies group, who spoke open and honestly, about what the first few months of motherhood felt like to them, that I started to realize, I was not alone. I am not a bad parent, it is normal to feel totally overwhelmed and ill equipped. Wanting to throw the baby out the window once or twice is normal too. No one tells you how hard it is going to be going in, or maybe they do, but you have zero frame of reference, so you are totally unable to compute the magnitude of what they are saying. The only way to know, really know what it feels like, is to live through it, and nothing and no one can prepare you for it, the only way out, is through.

Finding a group of like minded new mommies, all with the same fears and anxieties, the same doubts and worries, literally saved my life. But many women do not have the opportunity to be surrounded by a such a support network. I often see new mother's in my practice, with dark circles under their eyes, the desperate expression on their faces, the oily hair and pale faces. They try to act 'normal' for two first few minutes (because, surely they are supposed to love this, and any other feelings makes them feel ashamed), then baby starts crying, and I see their shoulders drop. 'Go ahead and feed them, I say'. And as they settle baby on the breast, I smile and say, 'what you are feeling is totally normal'. I can see the tiniest of flicker of hope, as I talk them through the first three months of life with a new born and what to expect, and they sob, because they thought they were awful for feeling totally overwhelmed. Although you love this little being with everything in you, you are not coping and that is okay.
 
Postpartum depression does not affect everyone, and there are many women that flourish during this time, everything seems easy and they are back in their nine-inch heels with perfect hair and make-up within two weeks…making you feel even more inadequate and like a total failure as a mother.  For the rest of us, non-nine-inch heels type of gals, with the reflux baby or the colic baby, let us take a closer look at baby blues and post-partum depression (PPD).
 
Baby Blues vs Post-Partum Depression
All of the above mentioned, can be totally normal, this phase, commonly referred to as Baby Blues, is part of the transitionary phase we go through the first couple of days to one or two weeks after baby is born. The signs and symptoms of baby blues include:

• Mood swings
• Sadness
• Irritability
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Crying
• Anxiety
• Trouble sleeping
• Reduced concentration
• Appetite problems

 
Baby Blues differs from PPD (Post-partum depression) in that the symptoms only lasts a few days to weeks after baby is born, and then improves as time goes by. You should feel better after a week or two, if however, you notice your symptoms worsening after the initial two-week period, you might be suffering from PPD
PPD is a serious mental disease and should be treated immediately by a health care professional. Signs and symptoms of PPD include the following:

• Feeling sad, hopeless and depressed
• Mood swings including intense anger and irritability
• Excessive crying
• Feelings of worthlessness, shame and or guilt
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities
• Feeling inadequate or an overwhelming sense that you are not a good mother
• Indecision, diminished ability to think or concentrate
• Loss of or excessive appetite
• Severe anxiety and panic attacks
• Thoughts of harming yourself and or your baby.

 
All the above symptoms can be normal if experienced for only a brief period. We all feel irritable or sad sometimes, we all suffer from anxiety or feel overwhelmed at times; however, these feelings are fleeting. When your feelings of inadequacy, guilt, sadness etc remains excessive and for prolonged periods of time, it is time to seek urgent medical attention.
 
How can Homeopathy help for Baby Blues and Post- Partum Depression?
Homeopathy works based on ‘like cures like’. If a remedy can produce a symptom picture when administered to a healthy individual, then it should cure the same symptom picture in an unhealthy patient. There are several homeopathic remedies used to treat PPD. Each person is treated as an individual, therefor, after an extensive case taking is performed, your Homeopath will choose a remedy based on your individual needs and your specific symptom picture. Sepia 200 is one such remedy used to treat baby blues and PPD, with the following symptom picture:

• Excessive prostration, exhaustion and faintness in morning on waking
• Indifferent to those loved best
• Aversion to company yet dreads to be alone
• Very sad
• Weeps on telling stories
• Angry
• Sensitive, irritable and easily offended
• Anxious towards evening
• Fearful over trifles
• Poor memory, makes mistakes
• Irritability alternates with indifference
• Wants to commit suicide
• Intolerant to contradiction
• So nervous, she wants to hold on to something or to scream
• Irritability from excursion.

 
This is only one example of several homeopathic remedies, that might fit your symptom picture. Help is out there, and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Do not suffer in silence, if you suspect you might be suffering from PPD, please contact your health care professional to make an appointment as soon as possible. You are not alone, PPD effects 1/5 woman and is a debilitating condition, which is 100% treatable.
 
I will leave you with my five tips for mothers with a new born.

1. GET HELP! Ask your mother, your sister, your best friend, anyone who can take some time off, to help you out for a few days in the week. Even if it is only for an hour over lunch. Just to hold baby, so that you can take a nap, or take a bath, have a warm cup of coffee or something to eat.
2. Find what works for you and yours. With my first child, I tried to do everything by the book, including forcing her to sleep in her own cot, because I was petrified she might stop breathing during the night, so she had to sleep on the Angelcare baby monitor pad in her cot. I NEVER SLEPT. We were up with her every hour on the hour for 20-40 minutes. She had reflux, so she comfort-suckled at my breast, and as soon as I tried to put her down, she would cry. With my second daughter, I knew better, and after a week, we were co sleeping, and mom and baby actually got decent shut eye. No two children are alike. Find what works for you. There really is no right or wrong way of doing things.
3. Baby wearing. My baby wrap saved my life when my first daughter was 6 weeks old. I put her in the wrap, and she LOVED it. Being so close to mom, comforted her, and kept her semi upright while she was sleeping, which soothed the reflux. I had two hands to make coffee, make dinner, do laundry etc, while she peacefully slept against my chest. My go-to baby shower present became a baby wrap...only to find that my second daughter hated being in that wrap. Like I said, there is no mold and every child is different, but it is worth a try.
4. Ignore the "experts", the fanatics, the extreme pro-natural groups or the anti whatever else groups. Always trust your source, only an expert can have an opinion when it comes to the health and well-being of your new-born baby. I have a friend, who is a clinical psychologist. Whenever someone tries to give their opinion on varies subjects, she will always ask them, quite earnestly, "I am sorry, what exactly is your qualification". This is spot on, when it comes sensitive issues like sleep training or baby weaning, co sleeping or bottle feeding, otc remedies or homeopathic treatment for various ailments etc, you need to go to the source (paediatrician, clinical psychologist, homeopath, osteopath, educational psychologist etc). You cannot trust the opinion of individuals who proclaim to be experts in a specific field, but do not have the relevant qualifications. There are so many opinions out there, but try to trust your gut, which is very difficult to do when you are feeling anxious and overwhelmed. You, and only you, are what is best for your baby. No one can do a better job at looking after your little pip than you can. So, get a team behind you that you can trust, and make informed decisions.
5. Breastfeeding. I mention this specifically, because it is such a source of emotional turmoil for so many mothers. I am not going to say anything about this, except to share with you my own personal story. I did not produce enough milk to feed my daughter. I am very pro natural and pro breastfeeding, so I was online reading up on various pro natural fanatic groups. I was basically told, there is no such thing as "not producing enough milk", and that I should just keep feeding on demand. A very long story short, after 6 weeks of basically no sleep, I took my baby to the pead for her check-up, and guess what, she was under weight for her head circumference (not those random charts, this was a reading based on my own daughter and not the average weight charts with average weight gained that you might find at your nearest clinic sister, who might in turn convince you your baby is underweight, when in fact, they are perfectly fine). My paediatrician confirmed my worst fear, so, after crying my eyes out, I bought the formula, and asked my husband to feed her while I cried some more in the other room. She gobbled up that bottle, and we never looked back. So started my journey of co feeding my daughter, and it was not the end of the world like I thought it would be. This is one aspect of breastfeeding, but there are so many issues that might make your journey even more difficult, like cracked nipples and tongue ties, too much milk and mastitis, incorrect latch and lactose intolerance issues. Get the relevant information and make a choice based on what is best for you and your family, even if it does not fit the idealistic idea you had in your head.

I will leave you with the words of Linda Wooten, "Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn't know you had...and dealing with fears you didn't know existed."

 By:  Dr. Chantell Groenewald (M. Tech Hom UJ)
          Homeopath
 
Is your leaky gut causing you to be sick? The short answer...YES. So what is leaky gut syndrome, how did I get it, why is it causing illness and how can I treat it?
 
What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
 
Hippocrates said: “Death begins in the gut”, and I quote him in almost all of my consultations. Leaky gut syndrome refers to intestinal hyperpermeability. Inside our gut, we have what we call, tight junctions, between the intestinal cells. These tight junctions play a very important role, in restricting gut permeability. That is to say, certain nutrients, vitamins and minerals, are selectively transported across our gut lining, while the tight junctions acts as ‘security doors’, preventing undigested food, toxic waste and bacteria from entering our blood stream. When these tight junctions become damaged, the ‘security gate’ flings wide open, and the ‘sewage’ that was meant to pass out of our system, leaks into our blood stream, causing massive amounts of inflammation.
 
Although science has yet to prove that leaky gut syndrome actually directly cause disease, it has found it to occur simultaneously with a whole host of diseases, which should give you some idea of how important gut health is in maintaining good health.
 
15 Signs that you may be suffering from Leaky Gut Syndrome:

• Food sensitivities, intolerances and allergies (chronic inflammation causes an increase in antibodies, which increases the chance of your body reacting to certain food antigens);
• Allergies
• Skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne (skin- gut connection theory);
• Chronic diarrhea, constipation or bloating;
• Irritable bowel syndrome and irritable bowel disease;
• Nutritional deficiencies;
• Excessive fatigue or fibromyalgia;
• Obesity or difficulty loosing weight (in-spite of healthy eating habits);
• Carbohydrate and sugar cravings;
• Joint pain or arthritis;
• Autoimmune conditions (including hashimoto’s);
• Hormonal imbalances, estrogen dominance or PCOS (Poly cystic ovarian syndrome);
• Candida overgrowth
• Depression and anxiety (Intestinal hyperpermiability causes an inflammatory response that releases pro-inflammatory cytokines that are thought to induce depression);
• ADD or ADHD.

 
 
What causes Leaky Gut Syndrome?

• Poor diet;
• Medication: the use of certain medications such as non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and acid neutralizing drugs;
• Environmental toxins;
• Stress (High levels of the stress hormone cortisol, suppresses the immune system and allows an overgrowth of bad bacteria in our gut, which further destroys tight junctions);
• Age (natural ageing process) and
• Certain infectious diseases such as candida and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

 
How can you heal your gut?
 
Healing your gut is an integrative approach. Here are the crucial steps to healing your gut:

• Destroying bad bacteria using antimicrobial herbals as well as antimicrobial foods (herbals such as hydrastis tincture);
• Repairing the gut lining and healing the tight junctions (through restrictive diet, fasting and products such as slippery elm, which can help heal the gut lining);
• Preparing the gut to receive and promote the growth of good bacteria (prebiotics);
• Re-establishing the growth of healthy, gut friendly bacteria (using a very good probiotic);
• Removing foods that damage the gut, and replacing them with gut healthy foods (gut friendly diet); and
• Making use of digestive aids and enzymes for proper assimilation of food.

 
Sounds like a mouth full. It really is easier than you think. There are multiple gut cleansing programs available for you to follow, and various holistic health care practitioners that can assist you on this path towards wellness. Take the first step towards a healthier you, by simply removing the five most pro-inflammatory foods, from your diet, these include:

• Wheat and gluten containing foods
• Diary and diary containing foods
• Sugar and all artificial sugar substitutes
• Additives, preservatives and all processed foods

 
Try it, often, this is enough to have you feeling energised and healthier than before. The next step, would be a thorough gut cleanse and detox, as discussed above, which often resolves most ill effects from an unhealthy gut.
 
I will leave you with the words of Sherry A. Rogers: “The road to health is paved with good intestines”. 

It all starts with peri-menopause, the time period just before menopause hits you with its full force.

What symptoms can you expect? Hot flushes or night sweats, heart palpitations, painful intercourse as a result of vaginal dryness, vaginal itching and infections, headaches as well as mental symptoms like fatigue, irritability, moodiness, depression, sleep disturbances and mental fog.

Peri menopause can last 6 to 13 years, give or take 5 years and during that time guidance by a good holistic practitioner might just make a lifetime difference. Many women end up on synthetic hormonal replacement therapy, oral contraceptives or even have their uteruses removed due to menstrual irregularities.

A thorough work-up of your hormonal profile during this time will guide your doctor as to which hormones need to be supplemented and most of all which lifestyle changes are necessary to bring the balance back.

Menopause is marked by the permanent end of menstruation and fertility and is defined as occurring 12 months after your last menstrual cycle. The average age is 51, but could be anything between 45 and 60.

Symptoms of menopause are the same as may be experienced in the peri-menopause and may extend well into the menopause.

So much emphasis is placed on oestrogen deficiency during menopause but in actual fact symptoms during peri and menopause may be due to oestrogen deficiency, oestrogen dominance or progesterone deficiency.

Symptoms might be aches and pains, depression, tearfulness, fatigue, headaches, heart palpitations, hot flushes, metal fog, short term memory loss, incontinence, vaginal dryness, bone loss, sleep disorder.

Salivary tests are available in our  country now to ascertain which hormones should be addressed and can easily be ordered by your doctor. Once the problem has been identified different forms of treatment can be used. Herbals, homeopathics as well as bio-identical hormones can be used according to your needs.

“Change of life” should be a natural progression in a women’s life and not a cross that needs bearing. Consult with knowledgeable practitioner to guide you through this process.

​Dr Marike de Klerk
M.Tech Hom (UJ)
Registered Homeopath

​Our April newsletter covers the following events and news at the Naturopathic Health Care Centre:

• Connecting with your baby:  The Nervous System is the key to connect with your little one, building a healthy relationship.  Come and join Drickus Blom for this informative talk on 24 April 2018.
• Principles concerning the use of Homoeopathic medicine.
• Meeting/ Training/ Coaching room available
• Meet our team

​Read more:  Newsletter April 2018

YOUR PROBLEM MIGHT LIE IN ONE OF THESE ORGANS
 
1.  MOUTH
​The very first part of your digestion starts in your mouth. Contained within your saliva is digestive enzymes that start the breakdown of your food. It is therefore very important to chew your food properly so that the food can be broken down into smaller pieces, making digestion easier and also mixed thoroughly with your saliva. Larger pieces of food is excreted by the body whilst the smaller pieces can be absorbed easier and therefore insuring better nutrition. The secretion of saliva will also send a message to your stomach to start secreting acid in preparation for the food that it will be receiving soon. CHEW EACH MOUTHFULL AT LEAST 32 TIMES OR UNTILL TEXTURE IS LOST.
 
2.  STOMACH
The job of the stomach is to grind/churn food down to small pieces that can be absorbed easily. The stomach releases a very important stomach acid called hydrochloric acid that is important for the breakdown of protein. Protein is an important building block of all the structures and organs in the body. Your body cannot repair or maintain these organs without protein. Contrary to popular belief 90% of people suffering from heartburn, gas and indigestion has too little stomach acid AND NOT TOO MUCH. This is especially true of those over 40 as acid production decreases with age. Stomach acid also stimulates the pancreas, gallbladder and small intestines to secrete enzymes.

THESE ORGANS ALL WORK TOGETHER LIKE AN ORCHESTRA, IF ONE MEMBER IS MISSING THE SONG IS JUST NOT THE SAME. Improper digestion of protein creates toxins in the intestines that creates acidic blood. Bad bacteria, yeast and parasites present in food and water are killed by stomach acid which is an important prevention of infection and disease. These bacteria upset the delicate balance of the bacterial flora in the gut which lowers immunity, affects mood and cognition, contributes to weight gain and plays a role in chronic fatigue. Leaky gut is another very common result of low stomach acid. If you battle digesting meat (nausea or tiredness after consuming meat), heartburn after meals, bloating or gas, food sensitivities or allergies or symptoms of nutrient deficiency you might have low stomach acid and it is essential that you seek treatment from your doctor.

THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR STOMACH IS TO USE ANTACIDS LIKE RENNIES OR TAKE A PROTON PUMP INHIBITOR LIKE PANTOLOC, LOSEC OR NEXIAM! THEY WILL LOWER YOUR ACID EVEN MORE!!
 
3.  GALLBLADDER
The gallbladder is a tiny sack situated below and behind the gallbladder. Although small it play as very important role in digestion. It holds the bile that is produced by the liver till it is needed for digesting fatty foods in the first part of the small intestines. If the liver is overloaded with too many toxins like from too much use of alcohol, hormones, drugs, junk food as well as being constipated can cause bile to become thickened which clogs up the gallbladder and can form gallstones.

This can cause indigestion and bloating after eating and even acute gallbladder attacks. Any of the following symptoms might be because of a gallbladder problem: - bitter taste in the mouth
                                       -bloating and nausea after eating a high fat meal
                                       -Chronic reoccurring pain behind right shoulder blade
Bile salts, one component of bile is essential in stimulating your bowels to work, so sufficient bile is necessary to prevent constipation So if you are suffering from any menstrual irregularities or female problems as well as male hormone imbalances, get your gallbladder sorted out!
 
4.  SMALL INTESTINES
The small intestines is a tube that carries food from the stomach to the colon. 90% of digestion and absorption of food occurs here, the remaining 10% in the stomach and large intestines. The main function of the intestines is absorption of nutrients and minerals from food. Millions of bacteria live in the small intestines, hopefully most of them good bacteria. It is therefore very important to make sure the environment is conducive for the good bacteria to grow. Things that can make the environment unfavourable is the use of antibiotics, stress, eating foods that cause allergy or sensitivity in the lining of the intestines, not having enough stomach acid therefore allowing bad bacteria to enter the intestines, a diet too high in carbohydrate providing “food “for the bad bacteria to eat. Symptoms of problems in your small intestines are:
- Gas
- Bloating
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Constipation
- Food intolerance to gluten, dairy and sugar
- a Diagnosis of irritable bowel disease
 
5.  LARGE INTESTINES
The major function of the large intestine is to absorb water from the remaining indigestible food and ELIMINATE THE WASTE FROM THE BODY via stools. No digestion or breakdown of nutrients take place here. It takes the colon 24 to 30 hours to complete the process. Bacteria in the large intestines, trillions of them, breaks down fibre from the food and produce large amounts of vitamins.

Probably the most important function of the large intestines is its function in producing antibodies. These antibodies protects the body against harmful pathogens. Many diseases can occur in the colon but cancer is the most feared of all.

​Constipation is probably the most important symptom to consider in colon health and it is vital to make sure that a sufficient bowel movement is had on a daily basis. It is important to eat a fibre rich diet full of fruits and vegetables that are coloured, containing lots of anti-oxidants. In addition to immune cells, some hormones are manufactured in the large intestines including serotonin, a hormone that is essential in good mental health and can cause depression if too low.
 
As you can see each organ plays a vital role and if there is not a balance between all the organs of digestion, you might experience symptoms and even disease in you intestinal tract. Your health practitioner will be able to assist you in optimizing your digestive function with lifestyle changes as well as medications.
 
​Dr Marike de Klerk
M.Tech Hom (UJ)
Registered Homeopath

By: Dr C Groenewald M.Tech Hom (UJ)

​After 10 months of anticipation, the day finally arrives. You get to hold your new-born baby for the first time. You are so overcome by emotion, so totally in love with this little being, you feel your heart might burst with happiness. You get to go home, and life with your little miracle begins. The first few days’ worth of awe and excitement starts to wear off, as you try to settle back into your life before your little one (life b.c. - before child). By now, the sleep deprivation starts to set in, and the rose-tinted glasses start to come off. You slowly start wondering, who in their right mind would send a baby home with you...without supervision!

You realise you have NO idea what you are doing, and the effects of the sleep deprivation takes an even further toll on you. By now, your hormones are flying the coop, you probably realise you are ill equipped for this parenting thing, you feel 100% overwhelmed…You pretty much want to give the baby back and feel like the worst parent in the world because of it.

You have barely taken a shower, nor managed to drink half a cup of ice cold coffee, eaten half a can of cold soup in divided efforts to get some food into your body. You look like death warmed up, you smell, you are covered in baby vomit and you have baby poop under your finger nails. The most basic task of going to the loo, making dinner, taking a shower, doing laundry and getting dressed, becomes a frantic scramble with zero outcome, because you can't put the baby down for two seconds out of fear he/she might start screaming.

By the time your spouse gets home, you basically throw the baby at them, and run to take a wee, shower - anything, that does not involve holding a baby. Three seconds of peace and quiet. But alas, baby starts crying, and despite your spouses’ best efforts to help, baby ends up back in your arms half way through whatever you were trying to do. It finally boils down to you weeping with the baby. And that, is just the day. You start fearing night time, because that is when the screaming begins, and if you are lucky, you will get about two hours of interrupted sleep that night, finally sitting with baby on your chest, praying for morning to come.

To add further insult to injury, you feel like the worst parent ever, wrought with guilt, because you pretty much hate all of this, and you find yourself wishing you could have your old life back. Then on top of everything else, you have post-partum hormones, bouncing off the walls, pushing you over the edge.

It was only after I joined a mommies group, who spoke openly and honestly about what the first few months of motherhood felt like to them that I started to realize - I was not alone. I am not a bad parent, it is normal to feel totally overwhelmed and ill equipped. Wanting to throw the baby out the window once or twice is normal too. No one tells you how hard it is going to be, or maybe they do, but you have zero frame of reference, so you are totally unable to compute the magnitude of what they are saying. The only way to know, really know, what it feels like, is to live through it, and nothing and no one can prepare you for it, the only way out, is through.

Finding a group of likeminded new mommies, all with the same fears and anxieties, the same doubts and worries, literally saved my life. But many women do not have the opportunity to be surrounded by a such a support network. I often see new mothers in my practice, and it is like war flashbacks. I see the dark circles under their eyes, the desperate expression on their faces, the oily hair and pale faces. They try to act 'normal' for the first two minutes (because, surely they are supposed to love this, and any other feelings makes them feel ashamed), then baby starts crying, and I see their shoulders drop. 'Go ahead and feed them, I say'. And as they settle baby on the breast, I smile and say, 'what you are feeling is totally normal'. I can see the tiniest flicker of hope, as I talk them through the first three months of 'hell' and what to expect, and they sob, because they thought they were awful for feeling totally overwhelmed. Although you love this little being with all your heart, you are not coping and that is ok.
 
Postpartum depression does not affect everyone, and there are many women that flourish during this time, everything seems easy and they are back in their nine-inch heels with perfect hair and make up within two weeks…making you feel even more inadequate and total failure as a mother.  For the rest of us, non-nine-inch heels type of gals, with the reflux baby or the colic baby, let us take a closer look at baby blues and post-partum depression (PPD).
 
Baby Blues vs Post-Partum Depression
All of the above mentioned, can be totally normal. This phase, commonly referred to as Baby Blues, is part of the transitionary phase we go through the first couple of days to one or two weeks after baby is born. The signs and symptoms of Baby Blues include:

• Mood swings
• Sadness
• Irritability
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Crying
• Anxiety
• Trouble sleeping
• Reduced concentration
• Appetite problems

 
 
Baby Blues differs from PPD (Post-partum depression) in that the symptoms only lasts a few days to weeks after baby is born, and then improves as time goes by. You should feel better after a week or two, if however, you notice your symptoms worsening after the initial two-week period, you might be suffering from PPD
PPD is a serious mental disease and should be treated immediately by a health care professional. Signs and symptoms of PPD include the following:

• Feeling sad, hopeless and depressed
• Mood swings including intense anger and irritability
• Excessive crying
• Feelings of worthlessness, shame and or guilt
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities
• Feeling inadequate or an overwhelming sense that you are not a good mother
• Indecision, diminished ability to think or concentrate
• Loss of or excessive appetite
• Severe anxiety and panic attacks
• Thoughts of harming yourself and or your baby.

 
All the above symptoms can be normal if experienced for only a brief period. We all feel irritable or sad sometimes, we all suffer from anxiety or feel overwhelmed at times; however, these feelings are fleeting. When your feelings of inadequacy, guilt, sadness etc remains excessive and for prolonged periods of time, it is time to seek urgent medical attention.
 
How can Homeopathy help for Baby Blues and Post- Partum Depression?
Homeopathy works based on ‘like cures like’. If a remedy can produce a symptom picture when administered to a healthy individual, then it should cure the same symptom picture in an unhealthy patient. There are several homeopathic remedies used to treat PPD. Each person is treated as an individual, therefor, after an extensive case taking is performed. Your Homeopath will choose a remedy based on your individual needs and your specific symptom picture. Sepia 200 is one such remedy used to treat baby blues and PPD, with the following symptom picture:

• Excessive prostration, exhaustion and faintness in morning on waking
• Indifferent to those loved best
• Aversion to company yet dreads to be alone
• Very sad
• Weeps on telling stories
• Angry
• Sensitive, irritable and easily offended
• Anxious towards evening
• Fearful over trifles
• Poor memory, makes mistakes
• Irritability alternates with indifference
• Wants to commit suicide
• Intolerant to contradiction
• So nervous, she wants to hold on to something or to scream
• Irritability from excursion.

 
If you suspect you might be suffering from PPD, please contact your health care professional to make an appointment as soon as possible. You are not alone, PPD affects 1/5 woman and is a debilitating condition, which is 100% treatable. Do not suffer in silence.  

“Compassionate Moms” get together  -  Tomorrow, 6 March at 10am.  
 
is  a unique community service to new mothers, so you are empowered to confidently care for yourself and your baby, engaging with health care providers in our support network.  We are excited to offer a compassionate space where mothers can learn, share and make informed choices on health care, lifestyle and well-being.
 
There will be a professional facilitator each Tuesday to help with healthy lifestyle and diet, emotional support and advice on the numerous uncertainties that arise when a new baby is around.
 
Tomorrow, 6th March 2018 you are going to have the opportunity to discuss your questions and concerns with Doddie Boer: Birth Doula, Stress and Trauma release, Personal Growth & Stress Management, Child birth educator

 

• Place: Naturopathic Health Care Centre, 13 Hazelwood rd, Hazelwood
• Time: Tuesday, 6 March 2018. From 10h00 till 12h00
• Coffee and tea will be served.

Read all about what's new at the Naturopathic Health Care Centre in 2018.
• Mom & Baby socialization group
• About our doctors 
• Topic of the Month
• Room to let

Click here to read more:  Newsletter March 2018

Dearest patient,
 
Have you been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, low thyroid function or Hashimoto’s? Are you confused as to what you can do to treat it, how to reverse the condition and also why it happened to you in the first place?
 
Hypothyroidism has various possible causes making the treatment individualistic, but most importantly you first need to be able to determine whether your disease is autoimmune driven, Hashimoto’s disease, or not.
 
Statistics are currently estimating that around 6 out of 10 hypothyroid patients have an autoimmune reaction to their thyroids. What does this mean? The body makes antibodies or white cell soldiers to destroy the thyroid tissue. The mechanism is not 100% percent understood yet but is seems that the immune systems seems to think that thyroid cells resemble other body tissues e.g. gut lining, certain allergenic foods or even certain viruses or bacteria. The immune system will attack the thyroid gland over a period of a few years until it is eventually totally destroyed.
 
Maybe you can understand now that it is important to know whether you have Hashimoto’s so that the underlying cause can be addressed. Your GP will normally only test for TSH or T4 but it is of vital importance to test all the thyroid hormones to get a clear picture. These tests will include the following:

1. TSH
2. T4
3. T3
4. Thyroid antibodies, both Anti-TG as well as anti- TPO.
5. Reverse T3, not a standard test but very helpful to determine whether stress is the cause of your disease.

 
Once your testing has been done your doctor will be able to see clearly whether you have an autoimmunity or not.
If your TSH is high it means that your brain is sending signals to the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone since it is detecting there is not enough of this hormone circulating in the body for proper functioning.
T3 and T4 can give us a clue whether you have enough circulating hormones in your blood and if you have enough of T3 which is your more metabolically active hormone.
Thyroid antibodies with clearly show whether you have auto immunity in your thyroid.
Reverse T3 can be described as the brakes of the thyroid gland and T3 the fuel. This means that T3 will stimulate metabolism and reverse T3 will slow the metabolism. This can often happen during periods where the body is under stress, physically or mentally.
 
When blood tests do not indicate any auto immunity the thyroid might just be lacking building blocks to produce thyroid hormones and this can be supplemented to ensure optimal functioning.
 
Hashimoto’s disease can occur due to various causes. Some of these causes are:

1. Gut or digestive issues
2. Stress
3. Infections, viral or bacterial
4. Toxins
5. Food intolerances and allergies

 
The golden rule when it comes to your thyroid health is not to just assume that taking a thyroid replacement like Eltroxin will solve the problem. Work together with a practitioner to try and find the cause, treat it and reverse the auto immunity.
 
Your thyroid is integral for your body function and without thyroid hormones a person will not be able to survive. It dictates your breathing, heart rate, central and peripheral nervous system, body weight, muscle strength, menstrual cycle, body temperature, cholesterol levels and much more. Therefore, treat it with respect, cherish it and make sure that you have a happy thyroid!!
 
For any questions please contact
DR MARIKE DE KLERK
NATUROPATHIC HEALTH CENTRE
012 460  9216