Verde Naturopathy - Mel Cann

08/12/2025

True or false: is food always the culprit? 🧐
It's more likely underlying issues beneath the surface causing your bloating, but food always gets the blame!

If your gut is inflamed, your immune system can overreact to certain foods, causing bloating and other symptoms (remember, a good chunk of your immune system lies within your gut). Is it food that's the bad guy, or is it the terrain causing the response? The answer lies within rebalancing the microbiome, reducing inflammation and improving digestion (chewing your food properly is an easy way to start!)

Don't rush to blame your food - dig deeper to find the cause of your gut symptoms. I do a lot of gut testing for these reasons ✨️

02/12/2025

Acne basics - foundations first 🤓

Before we start working on finding the root cause of a client’s skin presentation, we need to nail the basics otherwise it’s all for naught!🫣

✔️Cut out dairy: dairy increases insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) which activates mTORC1 signalling in the skin, an important driver of acne. Higher IGF-1 = increased sebaceous gland growth, more sebum and increased keratinocyte proliferation, meaning a tendency towards an increase in clogged pores. It may not be forever but cutting out dairy short term takes the load off the skin!

✔️Use less skincare products: acne sufferers are unfortunately marketed harsh skincare products which worsen the skin microbiome. I recommend cleansing only at night (splashing water on the face in the morning is sufficient, before moisturising), and limiting it to a cleanser and moisturiser. We discuss homemade green tea toners (green tea = anti acne) and a targeted serum, but that’s about it! If we overwash, we disrupt the skin barrier = acne can flourish.

✔️Focus on wholefoods: we know processed foods ain’t good the skin! Aim for lots of colour: berries, green tea, turmeric, oily fish, nuts, seeds and leafy greens which reduce skin inflammation and support gut health.

✔️Drink at least 2L water/day: with dehydration we have thicker sebum, uneven skin shedding causing pore clogging and increased skin inflammation. 

✔️Aim to open bowels 1-2x daily: if we are constipated, oestrogen and androgens can get reabsorbed ending up in recirculation, worsening acne. It also leads to dysbiosis, and we know an unhappy gut does not equal happy skin! If the cause of your constipation is poor bile flow, there is the potential for poor absorption of important skin nutrients like vitamin A and D.

Basics first for healthy skin✨️

25/11/2025

Are you taking reflux medication long term? Make sure you take a good quality magnesium alongside it!
Proton pump inhibitors i.e. Nexium, interfere with magnesium absorption. This is compounded in those also taking diuretics, so double whammy magnesium loss can occur.

I had a client this morning who has recently ceased taking PPIs after 18 years. As you can imagine, she's displaying all the hallmark signs of magnesium deficiency: restless legs, headaches, muscle aches and cramps, intolerance to stress, mood swings 🫣

PPIs also negatively affect the microbiome, leading to decreased diversity and increased risk of gut infections, so all the more reason to find and treat the root cause (in this client's case, it was a hiatal hernia, with surgery proving life changing in her ability to cease taking the meds!). If you're currently taking PPIs, seek professional advice on the best magnesium to take to ensure your levels stay adequate🌸

17/11/2025

Acne that won't quit despite all the treatments you throw at it? You might be dealing with fungal acne 🧐

Fungal acne is caused by an overgrowth of Malassezia yeast in the hair follicles. It behaves differently to regular acne, and requires different treatment. But similarly to acne, it involves a compromised skin barrier so avoid harsh skin products (looking at you benzoyl peroxide...) and get the right treatment 💚

13/11/2025

Can you tell I live to eat? 🐟🍩🍅🍇🫒🐙

07/11/2025

I love this herb💚
It's in most stress/hypothyroid/fertility/insomnia mixes I make! There's a reason it's referred to as the king of adaptogens✨️

It's nuanced though so it's important to seek advice before using it, as it might not be right for you particularly if you're on prescription meds. I've had a run of clients coming to me using retail brands which unfortunately can be sub par. If you're sifting through the options at Chemist Warehouse (and there are a LOT of options), you'll find a lot of products that give less than the recommended 600mg of extract daily. This is where it pays to get good quality advice to get the best for your health. To me, nothing beats a liquid extract anyway💚

03/11/2025

What do liquid herbs taste like? I'm always up front with my clients: they taste like dirt 🤣
BUT... they are so effective that it's worth it, I promise!

The great thing about liquid herbs is the ability to tailor the blend to exactly what you need; tablet formulas may contain herbs you don't tolerate or that may interact with your prescription meds. We can avoid this with custom herbal liquid blends. They're also well absorbed and work fast ✨️

To make the process easier, ensure you top your measuring cup with water and shot it back - don't prolong the process by pouring it into a glass of water to sip. Rinsing your mouth with water after is also highly recommended.
Chilling the herbs can also take the edge off the strong taste 🫶

Feat. a blend that's been phenomenal in bringing all markers of metabolic dysfunction down within 3 months🥹

27/10/2025

Honoured to be up against other fabulous health practitioners ❤️

This category celebrates the dedicated professionals who keep our community healthy, supported, and thriving. A huge congratulations to our 2025 finalists for Allied Healthcare!

Brighter Healthcare, LifeLift, Mead Physio Group, , Verde Naturopathy - Mel Cann

These finalists represent care, compassion, and commitment to the wellbeing of our community.

We can’t wait to celebrate you at the Outstanding Enterprise Awards Gala Dinner at Chalet Rigi on Saturday 8 November.

Tickets are on sale now! https://www.kalamundachamber.com/2025-gala-awards-dinner/

Huge thanks to category sponsor Zanthorrea Nursery

27/10/2025

A few tips and tricks to improve your va**nal health ✨️
Bottom line: don't be fooled by all the shiny intimate wash products you see at the supermarket; your va**na is a low-maintenance gal, she only needs water 💅

And if you're experiencing chronic symptoms, it's time to dig deeper and investigate with testing 🧐❤️

**nalhealth

24/10/2025

Some of the amazing results we've achieved for clients within the past few weeks✨️

Nothing better than seeing chronic health conditions improve when we treat the root cause ❤️

20/10/2025

Lil logo refresh💦

This year's been big and I've been wanting to update my branding for a while now to celebrate, but I truly had no idea what I wanted 😅

Thank you for helping me figure that out! You definitely made it a fun and seamless process, I couldn't be happier✨️❤️