Rachel's Blogs
The Protein & Potassium Riddle of Ageing – Muscles and Bones
Notice a bit of a theme? Me too. Ok, so 50 is a landmark year, for lots of great reasons & they are all staring me right in my (increasingly wrinkled) face. But just at the edges of my now newly bespectacled visual field, I catch a glimpse of that stealth threat...
My Big Fat Greek Feast Continues
But just like so many well-meaning researchers who purport to employ 'THE' Mediterranean diet while their dietary intervention is actually just a rough approximation, I can't claim that what I ate over my month in Greece was an identical replica of what the...
Browse all…
What Does the new RACGP Guideline re Naturopathic Requests Mean?
It's taken a little while for me to collect my thoughts on this one. Initially there was a little flash of anger, frustration and a good deal of huffing and puffing when I heard about the RACGP guidelines recommending GPs say no to any requests from naturopaths for...
Ten Quick Tips for Identifying High Oestrogen & its Causes
During mentoring sessions over the last week I've been prompted to ask a few practitioners if their patient had any signs, either clinically or in their pathology results, of high oestrogen. Each time it kind of caught the practitioner off guard because their...
The Beauty of the Basics
Howdy practitioners - I've had an inspiring month of clients. Not because I cured anyone, answered some major riddle previously unsolved by modern medicine or any of these enormous tasks we or our patients often set ourselves but rather because I got back to basics....
I need a (Local) Hero!
Well here's a thought...the 'Superfood' nutrition movement has just about eaten the South Americans out of quinoa and the Pacific Islanders out of coconuts..isn't it time for a local hero? I get a bit despondent when any new food is touted as a 'Superfood' anyway for...
When I Would Give Withania A Miss
We kicked off mentoring this year with some great cases last week. One was a pregnant hyperthyroid client. During the session the wonderful practitioner mentions that the client is using Withania somnifera as required for anxiety. Insert sound of brakes screeching...
Turning the Spotlight on the Low Dopamine Depressive
Low dopamine as an underpinning cause of depression, anxiety and even addiction (illicit drugs, sex, gambling) has been gaining increased recognition in research. In spite of this there are no antidepressants currently on the Australian market that address...
The Awake Delta Wave Experience
There's taking a break and then there's taking a break. For most of us Christmas does not fit the definition of a break but rather simply an altered version of our escalated pre-Christmas frenzy. The crazy end of year work wrap up replaced by the equally crazy...
Pssssst! I’ve got something very exciting to tell you…
It is with great excitement & enthusiasm that today I can announce the launch of our crowdfunding campaign for the first independent Australian Naturopathic Summit to be held in Byron Bay on the 27-28th August 2016 (check out our campaign video below!). This...
December’s Case of the Month – 47yo Male with Anxiety, Panic & Depression
Come along and be a part of the final case of the month session this Monday at 3.30pm AEDT. A 47yo male initially presents with anxiety, panic and depression. He also has had chronic sleep disruption for 4 years due to vivid dreaming and nocturia and works in a...
Are you ready to accelerate your clinical skills in 2016?
It’s here!...The New Look Mentoring for 2016. We’re so excited to announce the new mentoring program for 2016, specifically designed to add more value and provide greater skills and knowledge acceleration to Integrative Nutrition Practitioners. Introducing the Rachel...
A Duck Called Homer? (HOMA-IR)
Most of us know that measuring a fasting blood glucose to assess how well someone is managing their glucose levels is about as crude and insensitive as waiting for the smoke detector alarm to tell you your dinner is cooked! If we wait to see an abnormal result here...
Supersize Me SAMe!
If you're left wondering why on earth Rachel undertook the "Supersize Me Month" (see previous post here) then you may have missed her SAMe: Mental Health & Beyond tour. It's funny really because one of the key areas Rachel discussed in this presentation is the...
Is This How Other People Feel?
One thing that you need to know about me is that I consider myself pretty healthy...surprise! :0) As in, I wake with energy, I love exercising and on a typical day I am blissfully ignorant of my digestive system..as in it doesn't speak to me via oohs aahs gripes and...
Bali Beauty Beware!
I've just come across yet another woman who has developed an unprecedented fungal nail infection (Onychomycosis) in her toenails following a trip to Bali. This infection is usually due to a species of tinnea that has managed to infiltrate the nail structure....
More on Men…now from the Medicos
Medical Observer recently highlighted the increasing issue of Erectile Dysfunction amongst males and specifically made some points that I think we can all be in agreement about: Initiate the discussion - the more comfortable the practitioner is in asking about this...
Get In Line for Great Deals: New Look Group Mentoring for 2016!
I know…it’s unbelievable right but it’s that time of year again! While we’re all madly finishing off our to-do lists for 2015 you might want to cross the ‘Attend a Group Mentoring Session with Rachel Arthur’ one off the list? We have limited sessions left before the...
Looks like an allergy, sounds like an allergy but it’s not! Are you missing Histamine Excess?
In walks a patient with recurrent episodes of swelling (lips, fingers), hayfever and hive like eruptions all over – it’s got to be an allergy right? Not necessarily. Of course we should follow the classic allergy investigation path but what happens when you discover...
Imagine No Days Off…
A few weeks ago I was camping with my kids in rural northern NSW. We'd gone there for a long weekend to sail on the glorious Clarence river... yes that is literally what floats our boat! Anyway, thanks to a public holiday we all planned to stay on for the Monday,...
Correcting Urinary Iodine Results – A Newsflash!
Howdy hard working praccies 🙂 well I received a very interesting email this week from someone asking me if I thought her urinary iodine result was accurate or if, as I have written about previously...
The Case Is In – The Jury is Out
We have a case being presented on Monday at 3.30pm EDST on a 32yo Female presenting with hives, swollen lips and eyelids but minus the classic biochemical markers of allergy (IgE and eosinophil elevation)..what's going on? To boot she has very high stress levels,...
Sensational SAMe – National Tour in November
We're super excited to announce Rachel’s upcoming tour Sensational SAMe – Mental Health and Beyond with Nutrition Care & based on the incredible feedback about Rachel's last tour...you should be too! 🙂 "I love having the opportunity to share what I know about one...