Health Conditions and Natural Treatments

Women’s Health

Women and girls can and will experience the many phases of their reproductive life which often brings unrelenting challenges such as heavy or irregular periods, PCOS, endometriosis, skin issues, PMS, infertility and more. The arrival of perimenopause and menopause will alter the hormonal terrain yet again. Saliva hormone testing and other useful diagnostics can become a part of unravelling these issues to gain a greater understanding of the appropriate solutions for each condition.

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• Endometriosis
• Fibroids
• Infertility
• Acne
• Menopausal symptoms
• Thrush
• Ovarian cysts
• Premenstrual migraine
• Preconception health care
• Heavy and irregular periods
• Painful periods
• Bacterial vaginosis
• Adenomyosis
• Bladder incontinence
• Cystitis and interstitial cystitis

Men’s Health

Men are often the ‘silent sufferers’ preferring not to seek advice where possible but their issues are usually less complicated in many ways than women’s health concerns. I will often start with gut health and diet, remove yeast from the body and gut, stabilize eating to enliven energy and cognition then assess symptoms. I always use a foundational starting point with all clients because if the basics haven’t been addressed and treated, the symptoms will remain.

• Impotence
• Infertility
• Low libido
• Erectile dysfunction
• Acne
• Gut and weight management
• Low sperm count
• Prostate enlargement (BPH)
• Testosterone deficiency

Digestive Disorders

The entire digestive system is governed by the nervous system, in particular, the Vagus (wandering) nerve. Stress places too much pressure on the smooth manner in which this nerve governs the whole process of swallowing food, churning it in the stomach, ensuring it flows down to the small intestine and then the large bowel with much activity along the way. If stress is excessive, many end up with reflux, or IBS or ulcers. The gut microbiome influences our thinking, mood, bowel movements, skin and immune system. The Gut is a master controller of health and wellbeing. If you understand your gut you will regain your health, energy and zest for life and many symptoms disappear.

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Indigestion/ bloating/ gas
• H. Pylori
• Food intolerance
• Colitis
• Gut pain
• Pre-prep for colonoscopies
• Children’s bowel issues

Immune Disorders

Immune disorders are many and vast but there is yet again a direct link to how healthy the gut is and what you are feeding it. 90% of our immune system is located within the gut. You can either be born with a weak immune system, get a disease that weakens your immune system, have an immune system that is too active or have an immune system that turns against you. Whichever category you fall in, there will be overlap and the gut function/biochemistry will be a large treatment focus.

• Eczema/psoriasis
• Dermatitis
• All children’s illnesses
• Acne
• Asthma/hay fever
• Frequent infections
• Thrush
• Viral infections
• Cold sores/herpes
• Tired all the Time syndrome
• Lyme’s disease
• All skin conditions

Autoimmune Disorders

Autoimmune diseases can affect many types of tissues and nearly any organ in the body. Something triggers the immune system to recognize the body as the enemy and wrongly commences to attack the targeted glands or organs. They may cause a variety of symptoms including pain, fatigue, rashes, nausea, joint and muscle pain, headaches, dizziness and more. Common ones include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.

• Grave’s Disease
• Hashimoto’s Disease
• SLE
• Psoriasis
• Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
• Raynaud’s Disease
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Diabetes type 2
• Ulcerative Colitis

Thyroid and Metabolic Disorders

Metabolic disorders include obesity, hyperglycemia, cholesterol imbalance and hypertension and thyroid dysfunction impacts at various levels of these disorders. Thyroid dysfunction (Hashimotos/Graves, nodules, low T4 to T3 conversion) and sub clinical hypothyroidism combined with metabolic disorders may further add to cardiovascular disease risk thereby increasing mortality. The thyroid needs a daily supply of minerals including iodine to keep the functional balance.

• Adrenal insufficiency
• Hormonal imbalance
• Diabetes
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypothyroidism
• Weight Gain
• Insulin resistance
• PCOS

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are a group of conditions that affect the ability to sleep well on a regular basis. There are many different types of sleep disorders. Some may be caused by other underlying health conditions. The most common includes insomnia, sleep apnoea (breathing stops regularly), parasomnias (sleepwalking/talking/nightmares, bed wetting, tooth grinding), restless leg syndrome and more. A lack of quality uninterrupted sleep is linked to weight gain and higher cortisol levels, depression, eating disorders, fatigue, irritability and anxiety. Magnesium and anti-anxiety herbs are useful modulators of sleep for many but so are adjustments to lifestyle.

• Apnoea
• Snoring
• Wakefulness
• Inability to get back to sleep
• Cortisol/melatonin disruption
• Sleep/wake cycle irregularity

Musculoskeletal Disorders

The major musculoskeletal disorders include tendinitis (inflammation), osteoarthritis, RA, fibromyalgia and bone fractures. On another level there are other conditions linked to imbalance in body biochemistry such as gout, leg cramps and some joint and muscles aches. Often, magnesium is low in diets which is necessary to adjust tissue pH levels which then helps acidity which then reduces pain in certain conditions. Alongside stretching before bed or exercise, it is also useful for leg cramps. Addressing cortisol, diet and exercise type is included in a treatment programme.

• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Leg cramps
• Fibromyalgia
• Pain and stiffness
• Acidity/alkalinity imbalance
• Joint pain
• Gout

Testing and Other Services

When looking for further causes of certain conditions, appropriate diagnostic testing can be utilised to flesh out the story. Salivary hormonal test kits can be sent out and done easily at home. Testing for both male and female hormones (sex hormones/stress hormones, sleep:wake cycle hormones, thyroid etc.) are all catered for using the testing labs for integrated practitioners in Melbourne. Stool analysis, gut health, cholesterol and MTHFR genetic testing are also available. They give a world of insight when we seek more knowledge about the particular problem. Testing is done only when needed and rarely at the beginning of a treatment programme. Blood testing via standard pathology labs via your doctor can also be of immense use.

• Weight Management Programmes
• Preconception Care
• Pregnancy and Post Natal care
• Detoxification Programmes
• Hormonal Saliva/urine testing (free kits, do at home)
• Complete Digestive Stool analysis including Parasite tests (free kits)
• Cortisol/melatonin/sleep cycle assessments and testing
• Cancer support

Articles by Kim Piper

Here are some topical articles written by Naturopath Kim Piper.  These cover common health and wellbeing questions that clients raise.

Put a little Spring back into your skin

Using naturopathy you can fight dry and flaky skin in the Winter months and put the Spring back into your skin.

Skin article Scene Mag 2021

Frustrated that you can’t lose weight?

Managing weight is integral to health and wellbeing and naturopathic principles can provide a lasting solution to help you lose weight.

Why you cant lose weight Scene article 2021

Struggling to manage your stress?

Understanding and managing stress can give you peace of mind.

Scene Stress Article

The New Healthy Eating Plate

What we eat plays an important role in preventing disease, managing weight and improving health.

Healthy Eating Plate Scene Article