Balanced Health for Life

03/12/2025

A different kind of Christmas countdown (a couple of days behind!). This year, let’s take a gentler, nourishing approach to the silly season — one that puts you back on the list.
December can be full, fast and overwhelming, and your own wellbeing often slips to the bottom. But the greatest gift you can give yourself (and everyone you love) is feeling grounded, nourished, calm and well.

This Christmas Well-Being Calendar is your invitation to slow down, breathe deeper, and prioritise your health — not someday, but now. Because your wellbeing isn’t a luxury.
It’s the gift that keeps on giving — into 2026 and far beyond.

I'd love to hear your favourite "gift". Enjoy :-)

03/12/2025

gosh look at the 'stuff' in our food!

02/12/2025

You might have a hundred things on your mind right now — work, family, Christmas lists, the IKEA opening…
and your own health might not even make the top five.

But here’s the truth:

What better gift could you give yourself — or your future self — than the gift of great health?
Imagine feeling energised, clear-headed, comfortable in your clothes, emotionally steady, strong, resilient…
Imagine waking up and actually feeling good.

Because if you’re dealing with things like:

• Migraines
• Endometriosis
• PCOS
• PMDD, anxiety or premenstrual irritability/emotional
• Cystic acne
• Heavy, irregular or painful periods → needing days off work/life
• Constant tiredness or trouble sleeping
• Ovulation pain (or no ovulation signs at all)
• Difficulty conceiving
• Vaginal thrush

…it’s not “just hormones” & it's "not just your lot."
Your body is signalling imbalance, inflammation, stress load or metabolic change.

You don’t just have to push through it. And you don’t have to wait for things to get worse before you make yourself a priority.

These symptoms so many women carry for years are not only hormonal — they’re also:
• metabolic
• inflammatory
• gut–immune-brain
• stress-nervous-system mediated
• conditioned
• environmental etc

Hormonal symptoms are the output, not the cause.
Which means there is so much we can transform when we address the whole system. Women’s healthcare that actually makes sense — personalised, holistic and deeply supportive.

As you think about the end of this year — and what 2026 means for you —
consider what’s truly important:
your health, your energy, your emotional wellbeing, your long-term vitality.

If you’re ready to feel strong, balanced, and well again…
I would love to support you. Send me a message if you’d like to work together.

www.BalancedHealthforLife.co.nz
Women’s hormonal, metabolic & reproductive wellbeing — at every age.

30/10/2025

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV): Restoring Balance. Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common causes of va**nal imbalance, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood.

BV is not about hygiene or promiscuity. It’s about balance — an ecological shift within the va**nal microbiome where protective Lactobacillus bacteria decline and anaerobic species such as Gardnerella begin to overgrow.

This change can be influenced by many factors including antibiotic use, semen/s&x (which raises va**nal pH), stress, hormonal fluctuations, diet, and gut dysbiosis. When we only treat symptoms, BV often returns.

True healing involves looking deeper — understanding why the imbalance occurred and how to restore harmony long-term. That means supporting pH and microbiome restoration, improving gut health, managing stress, addressing hormonal influences, and in many cases, treating sexual partners as well. Research shows that partner microbiome balance plays an important role in recurrence rates.

BV is not a reflection of poor self-care; it’s a biological signal that your internal environment needs support. With the right combination of clinical testing, probiotic therapy, nutritional and herbal support, and lifestyle adjustments, the cycle can be broken.

If BV keeps coming back, it’s time for a more holistic approach that considers both symptom relief and the root cause. If you'd like support reach out to book a consultation with me to create a personalised, evidence-based plan to restore balance gently and effectively.

27/10/2025

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) — the herb for anxious hearts. 💗 Wonderful herbal ally for my Nourishing your Nervous System series.
Traditionally used to calm stress, soothe palpitations, and support emotional balance through life transitions-> think menopause, postpartum.
It strengthens while it softens — helping you return to your centre when life feels overwhelming.
Always consult your naturopath or herbalist for personalised guidance and if pregnant or breastfeeding. Need support? www.balancedhealthforlife.co.nz

20/10/2025

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is a bright, calming herb that soothes the nervous system while gently lifting mood. Next up in my Nervous System Nourishment - Herbal Allies Series.
Research shows it reduces anxiety, improves sleep, and even supports cognitive focus during stress — perfect for today’s busy, overstimulated minds.
It’s one of my go-to herbs for emotional balance as Lemon Balm enhances GABA and acetylcholine activity — and stress-related digestive discomfort.
Always check with your herbalist or naturopath before adding new herbs, especially if on medications and have chronic medical conditions.

15/10/2025

Sooo fascinating...

You may think of the va**nal and endometrial microbiomes as separate ecosystems, but their proximity and shared regulation make them more like roommates sharing a wall. Both belong to the female reproductive tract microbiome continuum, yet each has its own micro-identity and immune tone.

Both are shaped by hormonal cycling, mucosal immunity, and sexual or reproductive activity. In health, Lactobacillus species dominate particularly: L. crispatus, L. jensenii, and L. gasseri, maintaining low pH and producing lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins for protection.

The va**nal microbiome is the frontline defender, dense, acidic (pH 3.8–4.5), and highly responsive to hormones, systemic health, and lifestyle.

The endometrial microbiome, though connected via the cervix, is a quieter, low-biomass environment. It’s less acidic (pH 6–7) and detectable only with ultra-sensitive tools such as qPCR, 16S rRNA, or metagenomic sequencing. It’s typically Lactobacillus-dominant but can include Bifidobacterium, Gardnerella, Cutibacterium, and, in imbalance, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, and anaerobes.

A Lactobacillus-rich endometrium supports implantation and pregnancy. Dysbiosis, however, can trigger inflammation, chronic endometritis, or fertility challenges.
Because of its low biomass, endometrial microbiome sampling demands care, contamination from the va**na is a known confounder. Some clinics use sterile catheter-based sampling; others assess menstrual blood, ideally paired with va**nal testing for context.
Supporting both microbiomes means considering their shared influences, the gut, hormones, immune tone, and mucosal resilience.

Naturopathic and holistic care can individualise this support, complementing or standing alongside standard interventions.

Ultimately, we’re not just “balancing bugs”, we’re restoring harmony across interconnected eco-niches.
Have you heard of the endometrial microbiome before?

15/10/2025

Hot off the press: For the first time, researchers have systematically assessed the impact of long-term medication use on the gut microbiome.

This 2025 retrospective study, "A hidden confounder for microbiome studies: medications used years before sample collection," found that multiple medicines affected the gut microbiome for many years after use.

Typically, we think of antibiotics as the primary medication that alters the gut ecosystem in the long term. However, this study found that beta-blockers, benzodiazepine derivatives, glucocorticoids, PPIs, biguanides (metformin is the most widely prescribed drug in this class), and antidepressants affected the gut microbiome for several years after discontinuing use. And for many of them, the effects at the microbiome level are additive.

Overall, of the 186 drugs analyzed, 167 were found to be associated with the microbiome—affecting alpha diversity, beta diversity, or the abundance of at least one bacterial species—and 78 of those exhibited long-term effects on the gut.

Of note, benzodiazepines—nervous system depressants commonly prescribed for anxiety—impact the microbiome even more than several broad-spectrum antibiotics. The impacts of benzodiazepines and broad-spectrum antibiotics were detectable even when the drugs had not been used for over three years prior to microbiome sampling.

Read the full study at PMID: 40910778

14/10/2025

Brilliant swaps...less non food things

14/10/2025

Food not food

13/10/2025

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is more than a bedtime tea — she's a gentle nervine herb that soothes both the mind and digestion, supporting deeper rest and calm. Chamomile is one of my herbal allies for nourishing your nervous system.
Research shows chamomile can reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality — without sedation or side effects.
It’s one of my favourite herbs for those who feel tense, tired, over-thinkers or wired at night - and she smells wonderful. The gentle soother and wise nurturer, Chamomile enhances subtle energy bodies.

10/10/2025

First up in my "Nourishing Your Nervous System - herbal allies series" : PASSIONFLOWER - > Natures calm, think of it as the herb that helps you exhale.

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a gentle nervine that helps quiet the busy mind and ease tension in the body. Traditionally used for anxiety, restlessness, and sleeplessness, it supports the nervous system to unwind — without sedation or dependency.

Always check with your naturopath or herbalist to find out if this is the herb for you and the best form and dose for you.
www.balancedhealthforlife.co.nz