Annette Barker Naturopath

03/05/2021

TO ALL SOLAR PANEL OWNERS

If you are like me and felt you wanted to install solar panels to help preserve the environment, but you also wanted to decrease your power bills, are you aware the Australian Government has a proposal to charge you for putting your power into the grid?

It was very difficult to get information about this proposal.
I found it almost hidden on the Australian Energy Marketing Commission website - aemc@gov.au
It was under the heading HAVE YOUR SAY: MAKING ROOM FOR MORE SOLAR AND NEW TECH ENERGY. Draft determination 25 March 2021.

On the first page, down the right hand side in the third box down, there is a very brief reference to two way pricing. It sates; “ Networks may reward you for sending power when it’s needed and charge you for exporting when demand is low ...options could include free export up to a limit or paying extra for access in busy times”.

This does not seem fair and could not have been predicted when people in good faith spent money to put solar panels on the roof.

They are accepting submissions until 13 May 2021.
Please put in a submission and ask your friends to do so too as I believe this is not fair.

It also was very difficult to find this information which I feel was hidden on their website.

Please help stop any potential payments or taxes to be raised against solar panel owners.

Thanks

07/04/2021

I am so over incorrect and unfair criticism of Naturopathy.

The latest attack I heard, was an item on the ABC TV morning news program where a Dr Brad McKay was claiming Naturopaths are quacks.

He has written a book called Fake Medicine. There is absolutely no doubt some dubious medical claims are very concerning, if not very dangerous. And many Naturopaths share these concerns.

It is totally wrong to assume that Naturopathy condones those dubious practices.

Perhaps Dr McKay must be unaware of what the Bachelor Health Science (Naturopathy) 4 Year Degree involves?

The following compulsory subjects are required to be successfully completed to gain a Naturopathy Degree:
- Human Biological Science 1 & 2
- Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Foundations in Critical Enquiry
- Pharmacology
- Pathology and Clinical Science 1, 2 & 3
- Clinical Examination
- Foundations of Public Health
And then there are evidenced based specialist subjects in Nutritional Medicine and Herbal Medicine as well as Dietary subjects.

Have the critics not researched what Naturopathy is?

Ideally Doctors and Naturopaths should work together for optimal health care.

Doctors usually focus on treating symptoms and Naturopaths focus, for a large part, on the reasons why the symptoms have occurred. During the Naturopathy degree students are strongly encouraged to develop an effective working relationship with Doctors (when they start practicing) to enable Naturopaths to be part of providing the best possible health care for people.

There are some excellent Integrative Medical Practices starting in Australia, where Medicine and Naturopathy can work together. This is surely the way ahead for improved health outcomes for all of us.

15/07/2020

NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO REDUCE STRESS

Going back into to lockdown can be really stressful for so many reasons. Even for people who previously didn’t think they were easily stressed.

So, I hope you are or will consider:
- excerising appropriately for your current level of fitness.
- meditation. There are plenty of options on the Internet and You- tube.
- relaxation breathing techniques. You can also find them online.
I know people have many ways to relax. Have you got any suggestions?

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF BREATHING THROUGH YOUR NOSE

In the latest edition of the ATMS (professional association) magazine Dr Rosalba Courtney PhD reports on the benefits of nasal breathing.

It is generally known that breathing through your nose warms and moistens air before it enters your lungs. Dr Courtney explains it has been found your nose produces nitric oxide. Nitric oxide may increase blood oxygen levels by about 10% and it may have some antibacterial and antiviral properties in the respiratory system. Not enough to protect you from COVID 19 though so wearing a mask in public and following the social distancing and hygiene recommendations are vital.

It has been good to see more kindness and consideration in our society, although that doesn’t seem to get reported too often.

I hope by all working together we can get out of this current situation sooner than anticipated.

Safe safe.

09/07/2020

ARE YOU STRESSED?

Going back into lock down can be very stressful for a lot of people. Even people who previously didn't think they were easily stressed.

So I hope you are or will consider meditation. Even simple Mindfulness techniques can be helpful.

There is plenty of information on the internet and You-tube. It is just a matter of finding what suits you.

I hope you can find ways to relax.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF BREATHING THROUGH YOUR NOSE.

In the latest edition of the magazine of ATMS (professional association) Dr Rosalba Courtney (PhD) reports the benefits of breathing through your nose.

It is generally known that nasal breathing warms and moistens the air we breath. Dr Courtney has written about breathing through your nose and the protective function of nitric oxide.

She explains that nitric oxide is produced when we breath through our noses. Nitric oxide may assist with some antiviral and antibacterial action within the respiratory system and also may increase blood oxygen levels by about 10%.

I think it is worth the effort, so if you can, breathe through your nose.

BUT for protection from COVID 19 wear a mask when you are in public and abide by the social distancing and hygiene rules. There is plenty of professional/medical advice to support wearing a mask.

Stay safe.

10/06/2020

My posts are for those interested in what is happening with COVID 19.
If you are not interested there are other places you can express your views.
I personally support the views of Black Lives Matter and think it is a disgrace that there is such inequality in Australia. But posting here won’t change anything.
Thanks to those who have made valuable contributions on this page.

07/06/2020

IF YOU ARE 65yrs PLUS OR HAVE A HEALTH CONDITION (putting you in a COVID19 vulnerability group)
YOU MAY WISH TO STICK TO THE HIGHER LEVEL RESTRICTIONS. (Just an OPINION - what do you think?)

In Australia we are very fortunate to have had our state and federal governments making good decisions. And the majority of Australians following the rules. Australia is tracking so well compared to some other countries.

However in my opinion people over 65 yrs should consider keeping their risks low. Yes I am very risk adverse.

Statistically your risk of catching COVID 19 in Australia is very low but it is not impossible.

The health authorities and the government expect clusters of people with the virus to appear. They have management plans for when that happens. It appears they cannot predict when and where the virus clusters will be.

So by minimising your contact, social distancing, hand sanitising / washing and keeping your home a safe haven (please see an earlier post) you can minimise your low risk even further.

Don’t forget that when indoors the virus can linger in the air. The scientific research has found after 15 minutes you can breath in enough virus particles to catch COVID 19. Of course someone with the virus would have had to have been in that room prior to or at the same time as you. The particles survive in the air for hours. The COVID 19 app only records contacts after 15 minutes for that reason.

Also we have no way of knowing where carriers without symptoms are or have been. Taking people’s temperature will detect when a person has that symptom.

Being in the more vulnerable category makes a difference to the potential seriousness of contracting COVID.

Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle may be helpful. There have been some reports of having a healthy level of Vitamin D being protective if people get the virus.
In order to absorb Vitamin D, to enable the body to do its thing, it is necessary to take it with Calcium. Importantly, too much Vitamin D is harmful so it is vital to follow the dose advice correctly.

What are you doing to protect yourself?

09/05/2020

How true

Don't forget.

12/04/2020

Thanks to those who suggested washing veggies and fruit in a hydrogen peroxide solution.

I found a research review on Wiley Online a reputable scientific database.

In this research review called “Decontamination of micro organisms and pesticides from fresh fruit and vegetables: a comprehensive review from common household processes to modern techniques” by Bhilwadika, Pounraj, Manivannan & Rastogi 2019, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is considered safe. It is a bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal disinfectant which is also good for removing pesticides.

I can’t find any research about whether it has been tested for killing viruses (like many products). However it has been found that a hydrogen peroxide solution is safe as it breaks down into water and oxygen. Does anyone have any more info about hydrogen peroxide?

Worth a try?

31/03/2020

KEEPING OUR HOME A SAFE HAVEN
(or how to suddenly become a clean freak)

The aim is to keep the virus out of your home then you can relax inside.

I sanitise my keys and door handles and car door handles as well as my hands.

SHOES

Divide your veranda or porch into 2 areas using a bench or table or a line of coloured tape. Keep one area for the shoes you wear out in public places.
And on the other side keep your indoor shoes.

Sanitise or wash hands after touching your shoes.

OR you could wipe over the tops, soles and laces with disinfectant before going inside.
Disinfect hands before you touch your door handle.

I was shocked to find out how many bacteria and viruses can live on your shoes.

BRINGING IN MAIL, GROCERIES AND DELIVERIES

Divide your table into 2 sections with coloured tape - one side for the deliveries or groceries you’ve bought and the other side to put the sanitised items on. I do this on the table outside. See the YouTube mentioned below for doing this inside.

Use paper towel or a rag wet with disinfectant cleaner or spray and wipe over the bags or boxes.

Throw away any packaging you can. For example throw away cereal boxes and just put the plastic inner bags in you cupboards or pantry.

Things like nuts, chips, rice, pasta etc. thoroughly wipe over the plastic bags.

With letters or any packages wipe over or spray the envelopes or bags before you open them and throw the envelopes and /or packaging out.
Spray papers or advertising material and your hands before taking inside.
Vegetables may be difficult. Washing the vegetable with soap and water and then rinsing throughly has been suggested and questioned. Perhaps you could sanitise the bags and then tip the veggies straight into the pot or pan you are cooking them in. Has anyone got any ideas here?
WASHING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES WELL WITH JUST WATER IS RECOMMENDED AND THEN WASH OR SANITISE HANDS AND SURFACES TOUCHED.

Basically you need to disinfect any surface anybody could have touched before you. Like the groceries.

They have discovered that the virus can live on cardboard for 24 hours, and plastic or metal for up to 72 hours.

I think that stopping the virus coming into the house may be helpful but I have no research or evidence to support that.

There is a YouTube by a Dr Jeffery Van Wingen showing how to sanitise groceries. I found this under “US doctor shares sterilisation technique for risky groceries...”

He also suggest if you can leave groceries without touching them outside or in a garage for 72 hours that would be ideal.

29/03/2020

Meditation

I have had this book delivered and I really like some of the ideas written by the author Caitlin Cady.

Details:

“heavily meditated” published by Hardy Grant, 2020, Melbourne.

It was news to me that you don’t need to completely still your mind. (I find that impossible so thought I was a meditation failure.) The author said understanding that your mind does not need to be still makes meditation a lot easier.

The author also writes that your mind will wander and bringing your “mind back to the focal point is what mediation is all about” p45.

She describes techniques such as:
- the breathe, which is tangible, rhythmic and it can lull you into a “deeply relaxed state” p54.

Mantras, sounds and visualisation are also covered by the author.

It is an interesting point that even sounds around you such as the nose of people speaking in another room can be a focus for meditation

Does anyone have suggestions that work well for them?

There is information about how to meditation on the web, it is just a matter of finding what works for you.

21/03/2020

Let’s talk about health.

Naturopathy is about nutritional medicine, food as medicine, herbal medicine and lifestyle options. And ideally it should work along side western medicine.

So tell me about what you think is really worthwhile and what works for you to improve health naturally.

Let’s leave the corona virus out of this discussion as there is enough information available elsewhere.

Looking forward to reading about your ideas.