Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease 8 Tips to help you heal your liver

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease  (NAFLD) is the most common liver condition seen in westernised countries.  Mostly commonly affecting men, however it also effects women and seen to be somewhat prevalent in 9.6% of children in the USA. (1)   As the name suggests, it is not associated specifically with alcohol or alcoholism, more so with obesity in both adults and children.  I will say in clinic I have also seen seemingly healthy individuals diagnosed with NAFLD who are not obese at all as there is also a genetic link.

NAFLD has a strong association with metabolic disease, which is also seen with with high levels of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

So what can you do if you are diagnosed with fatty liver disease?

- The answer is plenty!

The good thing with treating NAFLD is that we get back to grass roots in our approach.  This is really exciting for me as a naturopath, as not only do I get to prescribe some really tried and true herbal interventions.  We also get to work together utilising most important diet and lifestyle changes.

For some people, we may need to focus on long term controlled weight loss.  As rapid fluctuations are associated with an increase in visceral adipose tissue. – That is, the fat around our waist.   Rapid weight loss is also linked with metabolic syndrome, inflammation and insulin resistance.

Here are 8 Tips to help you heal your liver.

1.     Drink fresh, carrot, beetroot, celery, spinach and pear juice daily. – This juice is perfect for liver cleansing.  It is also nutrient dense, detoxifying and blood building.

2.     Eat Raw Bitter foods daily – Bitter green leafy veg including; chicory, rocket, dandelion leaf and dark leafy greens, Brussels sprouts.  These also wake up your digestion from the moment you put them in your mouth (causing salivation) helps cleanse at the other end…if you know what I mean?  Click here for some inspiration Easy Lunches.   For some of you we may need to support your gut health first, due to digestive issues.

3.     Drink a dandelion root and chicory root coffee each day.  These two herbs are well known for their liver supporting values and can help replace coffee.

4.     Turmeric latte – grab a ‘very now’ turmeric latte with almond, whole organic soy or coconut milk.  Turmeric supports for phase 2 liver detoxification and is known for its therapeutic value in reducing inflammation in general.

5.     Eat real food – anything that comes in a packet, jar or can is pretty much processed food.  Eat fresh vegetables daily, 1-2 pieces of fruit.  Include oily fish twice a week, chicken once and lean red meat once per week.  Click here for some lunchtime inspiration...

6.     Avoid white food – pasta, bread, white potato and rice etc.  These are high GI foods and will contribute to your blood sugar issues and add to the fat around your waist.

7.     Sip lemon in warm water – This is an old favourite.   It is stimulating for your digestive system and a perfect opportunity to help cleanse your system.  You can also use apple cider vinegar.

8.     Start Exercising 15-20mins daily – do something you love.  It doesn’t have to be the gym.  Dance at home to 3 of your favourite songs (You may not be able to stop at 3. ha!)  or take a fun dance class.  Take the dog for a walk to the park and play running games at the same time every day. – He or she will love it too.  Walk in nature.

As well as the herbal suggestions above, StMary's Thistle (Silymarin) is one of the most researched herbal interventions when it comes to all things liver health.  It is a beautiful herb that can be used in conjunction with a holistic health program to support you.

As you can see there is a lot we can do to help support this very important organ in our body.  If you are feeling fatigued, flat and generally low in energy and mood, getting your liver functioning optimally and reducing toxins in your body will help support your overall health.

If you believe you have issues with your liver health, please get in touch to find out more about how I can help.  I may refer you to to GP for further testing. You can book a free 10min phone consultation online at Love Thy Health to ask me questions or find out more.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE

Health and Wellness to you.

Christine Carley is a bachelor qualified naturopath, with a focus on women’s health and wellness. She passionately supports her clients with, fertility and IVF optimisation, menopause and hormonal health as well as gut health. She spent most of her early clinical practice working with people with chronic and complex autoimmune condition, whilst working in a clinic with cardiologist, psychologists, podiatrist and allied health professionals. She loves assisting those stress, anxiety, fatigue and sleep. She is a passionate health ambassador who takes a holistic, person centred approach to the wellness model of health.

Book an appointment or free online discovery call here: bookings here: LOVE THY HEALTH or call 0409027221

*National and International Telehealth available

Lose Weight While You Sleep

Lose Weight While You Sleep

Did you know that insufficient sleep is seen to be directly associated with weight gain and obesity?   

So before you pay for that new gym membership to start off your 2020.   Consider giving yourself permission to sleep and commit some time and energy to improving your sleep quantity and quality by making some changes.

I am thinking if you are like me you have probably been enjoying the festive season and staying up later.  This can have a significant impact on our circadian rhythm / sleep cycle.

Disruption to this system and lack of sleep can affect our caloric intake and increase consumption of unhealthy foods.  Alterations in appetite regulation can also affect our hormone production and regulation  while promoting weight gain.1,2.

Following is a full list of effects of short sleep duration compiled from Bioconcepts Research.

Short sleep duration in humans has been shown to: 3

• Shift the balance of reward and impulse control toward enhanced reward and impaired executive functioning and impulse control

• Increase stress and activate the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis

• Decrease leptin levels

• Increase ghrelin levels

• Decrease Glucagon-like peptide-1 levels

• Increase the opportunity to eat

• Delay and enhance the endocannabinoid signaling pathway

Each of these pathways has been shown to increase food intake in human study participants.3

Additionally, while an unhealthy diet, obesity and poor sleep appear to be a vicious cycle, a recent systematic review and meta-analysis concluded short sleep as a causal factor driving obesity risk.4

It also doesn’t hurt to hydrate well, eat your greens, move your body, plan your meals, track your symptoms, snack smart, remove sugary triggers from your pantry and solidify your new health routine commitments with a friend. But perhaps getting your 7-8 hours of sleep a night could be a more relaxing approach to your new year and could prove to be a more effective weight loss tool in the long run.

If you are struggling with sleep here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Love Thy Health ARTICLE: Good sleep & How to Get it.

Make a time to see me to support you to find a cause for your sleep issues. To discuss herbal and supplemental interventions to support better sleep quality and quantity.

Christine Carley is a bachelor qualified naturopath, with a focus on women’s health and wellness. She passionately supports her clients with, fertility and IVF optimisation, menopause and hormonal health as well as gut health. She spent most of her early clinical practice working with people with chronic and complex autoimmune condition, whilst working in a clinic with cardiologist, psychologists, podiatrist and allied health professionals. She loves assisting those stress, anxiety, fatigue and sleep. She is a passionate health ambassador who takes a holistic, person centred approach to the wellness model of health.

Book an appointment or free online discovery call here: LOVE THY HEALTH or call 0409027221

*National and International Telehealth available

References

1. Isaac Smith, Katherine Saed, M.-P. S.-O. Sleep and food intake. in Sleep and Health (ed. Grandner, M. A.) 243–255 (Elsevier, 2019).

2. Kelly Glazer Baron, E. C. Sleep and healthy decision making. in Sleep and Health (ed. Grandner, M. A.) 359–369 (Elsevier, 2019).

3. Spaeth, A. M. Insufficient sleep and obesity. in Sleep and Health (ed. Grandner, M. A.) 189–201 (Elsevier, 2019).

4. Patrice L. Capers, Aaron D. Fobian, Kathryn A. Kaiser, Rohit Borah, and D. & B.Allison. A systematic Review and meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials of the impact of Sleep Duration on ADiposity and Components of Energy Balance. Obes. Rev. 9, 771–782 (2015).

B12 Supplements & Long-Term Toxicity

Hello Lovers of Health,

this week I had a patient come to see me for long-term fatigue and generally just not feeling like himself for years.

He said: "I just feel toxic and tired...I have been like this for years" .

I discovered that he had been taking an over the counter B12 supplement for about 15+ years for no apparent reason. - He said: "I read that is good for me and I may need it?".

This is something I hear all of the time! B12 supplementation. Especially with my vegan patients. And this really concerns me. There is so much on Dr Google, recommending B12 and how safe it is because it is water soluble....this is Not true.

So anyway we did a preliminary urinary metal test and found excessive amounts of cobalt in his urine. Do you know where this comes from? ANSWER: Excessive amounts of B12 supplementation.

He had also chosen a cheep over the counter B12, which was just not absorbing in his system and it seemed, to put it simply, his kidneys were trying to get rid of the excess for a very very long time. Further investigation found he had reduced kidney function in his pathology. - A study found, B12 may lead to negative health outcomes in those with diabetes or kidney disease, including 1mg per day.

I have also seen over supplementation of those taking zinc, which can also displace copper (required by the body for the nervousness system) and over supplementation of iron, which can also effect liver function long term. - This is why testing is so important. 

Other common supplements that may be toxic or have side effects:
Selenium
Vitamin K, B6, A, E, Iron to name a few.

Please make a free 10min booking if you or friends & family have any questions at all about the supplements and forms you are taking.  I am more than happy to support you all where I can.

If you or a family member are confused about your medications I recommend you go to your GP or pharmacist and ask for a medication review.

ASK QUESTIONS:  "Why am I taking this?  What are the side effects?   Do I still need it?  How long will I need to be on it?  Are there any other options?"  

If you want to find out exactly what forms and dosages of supplementation are best for you, please call me.  This is what we are trained specifically to help you with.

Love, Health & Healing to ALL!
Christine x

Christine Carley is a bachelor qualified naturopath, with a focus on women’s health and wellness. She passionately supports her clients with, fertility and IVF optimisation, menopause and hormonal health as well as gut health. She spent most of her early clinical practice working with people with chronic and complex autoimmune condition, whilst working in a clinic with cardiologist, psychologists, podiatrist and allied health professionals. She loves assisting those stress, anxiety, fatigue and sleep. She is a passionate health ambassador who takes a holistic, person centred approach to the wellness model of health.

Book an appointment or free online discovery call here: LOVE THY HEALTH or call 0409027221

*National and International Telehealth available

5 Tips On How To Increase Your Iron

5 Tips On How To Increase Your Iron

Although it is very common, many people do not realise they have iron deficiency anaemia.  Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia.  It occurs when our body is low in iron.  Your body is able to store iron, however it is not able to produce it.   Therefore we must obtain our iron from foods or through supplementation.

Here are 5 easy ways you can increase your iron through diet

1.     Eat vitamin C rich foods with an iron rich meal. Eg: kiwi fruit, red capsicum, 1/2 lemon squeezed in water, berries.

2.     Include iron rich foods in your diet such as:  red meat and offal,  liver (try liver pate).  chicken, duck, turkey and fish also have iron.

3.     Include iron rich veggies and legumes in your diet daily:  broccoli, spinach, silver beet, fresh raw grated beetroot, kidney beans and lentils.  Almonds, pumpkin seeds, prunes.

4.     If you are really low in iron and need to supplement, take a quality powdered vitamin C supplement prior to your iron supplement.

5.     Coffee and tea may hinder absorption of iron, so don’t drink them close to your meal or supplementation.

Vegetarians, be mindful that you are getting enough Iron and B12. – You may have to supplement.

If you experience constipation due to your supplement, a naturopath should be able to help you find a supplement that does not cause this side effect.

If you experience any of the symptoms listed below, get your blood checked with your doctor.  You can have your iron checked with a simple blood test through your GP.  Your doctor will do a complete blood count (CBC) as well as iron and ferritin (your iron stores). 

Sometimes the test will come back within range, however as a naturopath, I like to see your Iron stores within optimal range, not just within range.   At the lower end is not always good enough for optimal health and well being.    This means, I don’t want to see your iron and ferritin at the lower end of normal, as you can still be experiencing fatigue and several of the common symptoms listed below. 

Symptoms of low iron may include:

Fatigue

Weakness

Shortness of breath

Dizziness

Headaches

Brittle nails

Pale skin and

Tongue swelling, soreness and a pale tongue

Irregular or fast heartbeat

Unusual food cravings

Please consult your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.

If you believe you have issues with low iron, iron absorption due to your gut health or menstrual issues, please get in touch to find out more about how I can help.  You can book a FREE 10min phone consultation online: http://lovethyhealth.com.au/contact/

Christine Carley

Naturopath BHlthSc. (Nat) NHAA ECNH

Christine Carley is a bachelor qualified naturopath, with a focus on women’s health and wellness. She passionately supports her clients with, fertility and IVF optimisation, menopause and hormonal health as well as gut health. She spent most of her early clinical practice working with people with chronic and complex autoimmune condition, whilst working in a clinic with cardiologist, psychologists, podiatrist and allied health professionals. She loves assisting those stress, anxiety, fatigue and sleep. She is a passionate health ambassador who takes a holistic, person centred approach to the wellness model of health.

Book an appointment or free online discovery call here: LOVE THY HEALTH or call 0409027221

*National and International Telehealth available

For more on her retreats and holistic wellness program touch here:

FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM

or call (61+) 0409027221