Highlands Naturopathy

29/01/2026

Dear Community,

I’m writing to share an important update regarding my naturopathy practice.

For the time being, I will be placing Highlands Naturopathy on a temporary hiatus while I focus my energy and resources on completing my psychology studies. This period of study is an important and intentional step for me, with the longer-term aim of returning to clinical practice at Highlands Naturopathy with a more specialised service that integrates naturopathy and psychology. After years of working with natural chronic disease management plans, I have come to see even more clearly that truly holistic care must thoughtfully incorporate both body and mind. In my experience, addressing one without the other can limit the depth and sustainability of healing.

While it isn’t easy to step back in the short term, this decision comes from a place of care and respect, both for managing workload sustainably and for maintaining the quality, depth, and evidence-based approach you are used to at Highlands Naturopathy. My intention is very much to resume clinical services in the near future with a more integrated and refined offering. I look forward to sharing more about this next phase as I approach the completion of my studies.

I want to sincerely thank you for the past two years. It has been a privilege to work with this community, to support your health journeys, and to be trusted with your care. I’m deeply grateful for the relationships built, the conversations shared, and the confidence you placed in me as your practitioner.

During this hiatus, for ongoing naturopathic support, I warmly recommend Kerry Bone, based in Toowoomba and also available via Telehealth (0458 736 830). When choosing a practitioner, I encourage seeking someone with a Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy and an evidence-based, integrative approach, to ensure safe and informed care.

Thank you again for your understanding and support as I take this next step. I truly value this community and look forward to reconnecting when Highlands Naturopathy resumes in its next phase.

With appreciation and warm regards,
Jean Martain BHSc Nat ATMS

30/12/2025

✨ Important Update on Consultation Fees ✨

From 1/1/26, our consultation fees will be changing to better reflect the time, care, and expertise that goes into each appointment.

🔹 Initial consultation: $200 (previously $150) 90minutes (previously 60 minutes)
🔹 Follow-up consultations: $120 (previously $89) 45 minutes (previously 30 minutes)
🔹 NEW option: 15-minute short check-in — $50
(Perfect for quick reviews, adjustments, or questions between visits)
*Telephone fees will be the same for in person appointments.

This update allows us to continue providing thorough, personalised care while keeping our services sustainable long-term. 💛

We’re so grateful for your trust and ongoing support. If you have any questions, feel free to email us: admin@highlandsnaturopathy.com.au.

Wishing you a Happy New Year and looking forward to seeing you in 2026.

16/12/2025

Our thoughts are with every person and community impacted by the terrible attack at Bondi yesterday 🧡

In the aftermath of traumatic events, you might be feeling distressed, tearful and anxious, this is entirely normal and could linger for many days or even weeks.

Trauma can have far-reaching effects on the mind and body. It can cause people to have difficulty sleeping or to feel very anxious, especially about returning to the scene of a trauma.

It can be hard to know what to do or how to help others who may need it. Below you will find some practical ways to take care of yourself after a traumatic event has occurred 👇

11/12/2025

It's been a while since posting on socials, as the year has been a very busy one but I want to say a big warm thank you for your business and trusting me with your well being this year.

Clinic is booked out and closed over Christmas and New year, with the next available appointments from Thursday the 15th of January.

Have a safe and healthy finish to 2025 and I look forward to seeing you all in 2026 🙏🎄🎊

27/08/2025

Clinic update:

Please note there is no availability until Thursday the 25th September 2025. Appointments from that date are now open and can be booked online via the website.

Thank you for your patience during this time, we look forward to seeing you in clinic again soon!

www.highlandsnaturopathy.com.au

25/08/2025

How to make a nutritionally balanced lunch.

Protein + fibre + good fats

Base: grain + legume + nut + seed + vegetable + avocado + olive

Optional extras: egg, olive oil, chilli, balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs

Mix and match to rotate through a variety of different types to nourish your gut microbiome diversity 🎉

Enjoy

17/08/2025

A fresh loaf 🍞

This is very easy to make and very nutrient dense.

No gluten, fillers, or GMO.

Goes beautifully toasted with avocado, or tomato or banana 🍌

It is very high in fibre so make sure to hydrate well.

Find the recipe and method here:
https://www.mynewroots.org/2013/02/the-life-changing-loaf-of-bread/

Enjoy 💫

08/08/2025

A phyto what?

A phytoceutical refers to the use of a plant medicine, in a similar way that we use a pharmaceutical drug.

At the risk of over doing this message, I don't think I can say this enough, herbal medicine is only one tool in the naturopathic tool box.

Naturopathy is an ecclectic modality, that aims to treat underlying causes of imbalance that lead to illness.

A phytoceutical may help treat a symptom, but you don't want to have symptoms return when you stop taking something.

Suppressing symptoms really only leads to muddier water when you look at the whole picture of a persons health. Something that can take years of study to fully grasp.

So often people take natural medicines without consulting a naturopath, and when symptoms return on cessation, they think.. well that didn't work!

If you haven't had a one on one consultation that considers all aspects of your individual health case and history, you might be dabbling in phytoceuticals.

I'm here to let you know that unless you have a holistic understanding of whats driving your imbalance, and a long term plan to address the causes, you might be dabbling in phytoceuticals 😊

Dabbling with phytoceuticals may delay a diagnosis, suppress or hide a diagnosis, delay treatment, and waste time and money.

Degree qualified and experienced naturopathy consultations are available every Thursday Glen Innes Highlands Hub on Grey St.

Convenient online bookings are available via the website:
www.highlandsnaturopathy.com.au

No judgement
Professional but friendly
Evidence based
Holistic
Collaborative and empowering

17/07/2025

Hello 👋

Things you can expect from me in the Naturopathy clinic 🌱

👂 I will listen to you
🧠 No judgement
🤝 I won't tell you to go against medical advice
👣 I will guide you through your wellness goals
👏 I will celebrate your wins
🧁 I won't sugar coat things
🗣️ I will explain risks and benefits for your prescription
🙌 I will empower you to optimise your health outcomes
💩 I will ask you about your bowel movements 😊
✨ I will recommend diet and lifestyle modifications
🙏 I will treat you not your disease

I will show up for you.

10/07/2025

The photo doesn't really do it justice, you can almost see sunlight in this yacon.
It's such a delightful winter harvest, it's on my plate with plain yoghurt for desert every night at the moment.

It's so delicious raw, especially after it sweetens with the frost, but also goes well in stews or baked.

It's been a really nice experience sharing rhizomes with the community, it's amazing how many just one plant reproduces! Certainly far too many for me, I need beds for other vegetables too 😊

Yacon - the highlight of winter on the Northern Tablelands ❄️🌱

Don't forget, what's good for the gut, is good for the immune system and the brain 🧠

09/07/2025

This is your mid winter reminder to make sure you are getting sunlight every day to support natural production of vitamin D ☀️
Vitamin D is important for mental health, immune function and bone health! 😊

It's a fat soluble vitamin that is stored in the body, so you don't want too much or too little. Testing your level is the best way to gauge where you are at.✅

*this is general information not individual health advice.

08/07/2025

Manufacturing herbal medicine requires precision plant identification, extensive knowledge of phytochemistry and which part of the plant is used, sound health and safety procedures to avoid microbial contamination, sound quality assurance practices, appropriate formulation of active constituents and much more.

Don't forget that many pharmaceuticals are synthesized from actives found in plants (eg. Aspirin).

Products are not all the same.

If you have seen the news recently about the toxicity potential of vitamin B6, you might be realising that self diagnosis and self prescribing, or prescriptions from unqualified people carries a risk of harm.

A skilled Naturopath studies for 4 years to assess a risk benefit profile for every prescription after an in depth individual holistic health assessment.

Are you using natural medicine to suppress symptoms? This is natural pharmacy not Naturopathy 🌱

Naturopathy is individualised health care that targets underlying drivers of disease with key diet and lifestyle modifications alongside nutritional and herbal medicine.

We only prescribe TGA registered or listed products, and recommend herbal medicines with the highest standards in Australian manufacturing.

Manufacturing herbal products poses several quality challenges due to the complex and variable nature of botanical ingredients and challenges in sourcing, identification, analysis, processing and formulation. But unfortunately, some manufacturers do not even perform the basic requirements to meet these challenges.

UK-based scientists undertook to evaluate the pharmaceutical performance quality, particularly in terms of the in vitro disintegration and phytochemical quality, of 73 lavender (Lavandula) oral dosage forms (single and multi-ingredient products). Phytochemical quality testing showed that 63 % of products contained less or none of the main marker compounds expected for lavender (such as linalool, linalyl acetate and cineole). There was also considerable variability of the main marker compounds between products, with some containing 'often/sometimes undeclared' significant amounts of rapeseed and sunflower oils as excipients. The pharmaceutical performance quality testing showed that 30 % of oral solid formulations always failed disintegration testing (seven soft gels, ten hard shells, and five tablets/caplets). Pass rates for gelatine-based capsules were higher than for non-gelatine (cellulose-based) capsules.

The authors stated that overall, their findings highlighted problems with the pharmaceutical performance and phytochemical quality of the investigated products. These results have implications for the interpretations of the benefits and risks of such herbal products.

The herbal market is definitely buyer beware, as I am sure many of you already know.

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39952369/