Naturopath To You

08/04/2026

Instead of taking Melatonin…support the pathway that MAKES it 😴💤🫩

Sleep starts long before your head hits the pillow.
Melatonin production depends on:• Amino acids•Nutrients• Gut health• Nervous system balance
Support the pathway, not just the hormone.

Melatonin doesn’t just appear in the body. It’s made through a biochemical pathway that starts with tryptophan → serotonin → melatonin. If the body is missing key nutrients, stressed, or gut health is compromised, this pathway struggles.

The nutrients we need to make Melatonin are -
1️⃣ Tryptophan (the starting amino acid) ~ Needed to begin the serotonin → melatonin pathway.

2️⃣ Vitamin B6 ~ Essential for converting tryptophan into serotonin.

3️⃣ Magnesium ~ Calms the nervous system and supports relaxation.

4️⃣ Zinc ~ Supports neurotransmitter balance and sleep regulation.

5️⃣ Gut Health ~ Around 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, so poor microbiome balance can impact sleep hormones.

Some lifestyle factors that support melatonin production are
✔ Morning sunlight exposure�✔ Dim lights at night�✔ Reduce blue light after sunset�✔ Balanced blood sugar�✔ Stress management

Your Naturopath ~ Leisa 🍃

07/04/2026

Back pain, shoulder pain, leg pain, moving pain and other areas you experience pain and inflammation are not always just due to physical injury.

🧡Pain can be caused by a physical trauma, leading to inflammation.
🧡Pain isn’t always bad in the body, its a natural inflammatory response from the immune system to kick the body into hear to respond to the trauma of an area when there is injury, however….

🦠Inflammation also can be coming from other areas within the body, which will exacerbate how much pain, how often and how well the body is going to repair.
🦠The diversity and balance of the good bugs in our digestive tract, leaky gut, dysbiosis and other disruptive digestive presentations has the potential to increase pain and inflammation.
🦠Food choices - processed foods, alcohol, excessive caffeine can drive further inflammation.
🦠Nutrient deficiencies - specific nutrients are required to down regulate the inflammatory responses of high histamine, cytokines and other inflammatory mediators, if these nutrients are low, poor immune regulation and recovery of an inflammatory response occurs.

Conclusion ~~ 🍃Finding the driving cause of your inflammation when it isn’t just due to physical injury is important as inflammation leads to further inflammation in other areas of the body and potential for further disease processes to occur.

30/03/2026

Education around progesterone and its role in supporting mood is always a hot topic in clinic. Great research 🙌

The brain changes shape and function across the menstrual cycle. And a new imaging study suggests that progesterone (not estrogen) may be a key driver of that change.

So, progesterone is far more than just a “calming” hormone. Instead, it appears to actively shape brain networks, emotional processing, and cognition in real time.

Big picture, that progesterone-driven change is likely to be very good for the brain. But it can also feel disruptive.

Links:
Progesterone linked to brain structure changes: https://conexiant.com/neurology/articles/progesterone-linked-to-brain-structure-changes/

Troubleshooting progesterone: A practical guide to making progesterone therapy work for you: https://www.larabriden.com/troubleshooting-progesterone/

image by Light & Paper

22/02/2026

**MEN’S HEALTH MATTERS 🧬💪**

Testosterone isn’t just about aging — it’s about your whole system. Many men experience hormone shifts (often called *andropause*) due to stress, inflammation, poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, and lifestyle load — not just birthdays.

**Common signs of low testosterone 👇**
⚡ Low energy or fatigue
🧠 Brain fog & poor focus
📉 Low libido
😴 Poor sleep
🏋️ Loss of strength or muscle
😠 Mood changes or irritability
🧊 Increased body fat

**What can impact testosterone levels?**
• Chronic stress & high cortisol
• Poor diet or gut health
• Lack of resistance training
• Alcohol excess
• Sleep deprivation
• Inflammation
• Nutrient deficiencies (zinc, magnesium, vitamin D)

✨ *The good news? Hormones respond to lifestyle.*
Small daily changes can create powerful shifts in energy, mood, and vitality.

A range of functional pathology testing is used within clinic to determine men’s testosterone levels, adrenal function, endocrine disrupters and nutrient deficiencies. A holistic approach is important to access the best way to support your body with a realistic treatment approach 🔥

Your Naturopath ~~ Leisa 🍃

15/02/2026

Peri-menopausal symptoms is a transitional phase for women and no two women’s hormones are exactly the same. In fact, what affects your hormone levels is more so cortisol, insulin, food, sleep quality, gut microbiome health, nutritional status and more! Inflammation increases, neurochemistry may shift, but there is more to the picture than just your hormone levels.

Don’t guess, understand through seeking advice to gain understanding into the driving causes of your inflammation and peri-menopausal symptoms today 🫶🏻

Your Naturopath ~~ Leisa 🌱 🍃

27/10/2025

Eating a healthy diet full of Wholefoods is super important, however…are you actually breaking down and absorbing your nutrients from your food?! 🤔

Digestive health goes so much deeper than just eating healthy, there are a range of digestive symptoms that can occur and we need to investigate further 🌱.

Your Naturopath ~~ Leisa

11/10/2025

Sunday Meal Planning for the week can really set the tone for your week ahead 🧑‍🍳. Not only to save time on multiple grocery shops but also helps to prevent food waste and cost.

🍓Have 2-3 different simple and healthy Breakfast options to rotate between
🍍Make extra protein at Dinner to save time for Lunch prep the next day
🥬Fill your fridge with Wholefoods you enjoy - salads / vegetables / protein snacks / sometimes treats
🥚Fill up on the good stuff and allow yourself to not feel restricted
🥑Have a rough plan of Dinner meals and purchase ingredients for 3 days, then you can always do a top up or use ingredients you still have.
🥕A little forward planning may seem a lot at the time, but your future self with be thankful!

What’s on your menu for this week? 😃

Your Naturopath ~~ Leisa 🍃

29/09/2025

Taking a little break from the clinic to wind down, take deep breathes, recharge my brain, go on an adventure and spend time with my family 🏝️🥰.

I will be ready and refreshed to support all your health and wellness needs on Thursday 9th October 🙏🏻.

Your Naturopath ~~ Leisa 🍃

16/07/2025

You just never know what someone has going on in their lives even though you may think you do. Not everyone speaks openly about their struggles, their losses, insecurities, fears, trauma or financial burdens. Life is hard enough as it is, let’s be kind 🫶🏻.

15/07/2025

Hormone testing through blood is not going to tell you what your hormones are doing within the body (for both men and woman) It’s only a small piece of the puzzle!

I often have people telling me they have had their hormones tested, unfortunately there are some very key factors such as was the test done on day 21 of your cycle? What hormones are actually tested?

There a difference between your circulating hormone levels (which changes throughout the month and also month to month depending on lifestyle factors - stress etc). The liver is our bodies filter and plays a critical role in metabolising, detoxifying and excreting our hormones. Analysing many functional pathology tests over the years indicates many individuals aren’t excreting these free oestrogen metabolites effectively via the liver, kidneys and bowel (yes there is a link between gut health and your hormones!!). This is when the term oestrogen dominance can occur and also contributing to thickening of the uterine lining (hello heavy periods).

Hormone health is complex and requires all the information to understand and make an assessment on your hormone health. The correct testing and tools is essential for men and women’s hormones 🌸

Your Naturopath ~~ Leisa 🍃

22/06/2025

Taking your supplements for some can be challenging and you’re not alone! It’s finding what works best for you and how you can incorporate these into your morning (or night) routine.

Keeping in mind there is purpose and reason for me to specifically prescribe a supplement to treat and support body ailments. If you’re not getting these in, the progress in your results may also be impacted 🌱.

Your Naturopath ~~ Leisa 🍃

05/06/2025

Microbial Imbalance in Children