Cancer

One of the most common questions I hear in clinic is, “What can I do to help my digestion during treatment?”
It’s no surprise — cancer treatment can be incredibly tough on the gut. You might notice changes in appetite, reflux, constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, or just a general sense that your digestion isn’t working the way it usually does.

The good news is that there are gentle, practical things you can do to feel more comfortable and support your recovery. You don’t need a perfect diet or…

One of the most common and frustrating side effects of cancer treatment is fatigue — the kind that doesn’t always go away with a good night’s sleep. It can linger for weeks or months after treatment, leaving you feeling flat, foggy and frustrated.

Cancer-related fatigue is different from ordinary tiredness. It’s a whole-body exhaustion that affects your physical energy, mental focus, and motivation. The good news is that with the right mix of nutrition, gentle movement, supplements and resto…

For a lot of people when they are diagnosed with cancer they feel guilty about the choices they have made and worry that they may have contributed to the diagnosis. One of the more common dietary choices raised is protein and a recent study published looked at the evidence from a review of ten studies.

We hear a lot about the link between red meat and cancer. But is it really the meat itself, the protein, or something else? A large review of the research has just taken a closer look, and the…

If you’re looking to lower the chances of cancer coming back, incorporating certain foods into your diet can be a helpful step. Some foods are packed with natural compounds that can support your body in ways beyond just basic nutrition. These foods, which are known as functional foods, may help reduce inflammation, boost your immune system, and promote healthy cell function—all things that can play a role in lowering the risk of cancer recurrence. While no food can replace medical treatments,…

One intriguing aspect of aging is the accumulation of senescent cells—cells that have stopped dividing and in fact contribute to conditions that are associated with age-related decline. In this blog post, we’ll explore what senescent cells are, how they relate to aging, and which foods, including green tea, can help mitigate their effects.

What Are Senescent Cells?

Senescent cells are damaged or dysfunctional cells that have exited the cell cycle but do not undergo …

A couple of years ago I was working with a wonderful group in a program called Maverick. We were encouraged to think about our vision for our healthcare practice. Mine was to reduce the burden of chronic disease by 50%. A big goal but we need some big goals in healthcare as our current system is not always delivering good outcomes for people.

What are these chronic diseases that affect 46.6% of Australians? They include cancer, arthritis, type two diabetes, respiratory diseases and heart di…

A key factor in accelerating ageing is long term inflammation and it can be damaging both to our bodies and in particular to our skin. Inflammation is a complex defence mechanism in which white blood cells move from from the circulation into damaged tissues to destroy the agents that potentially may cause tissue injury. Acute inflammation is a helpful response, particularly during an infection, whereas chronic inflammation is persistent and can lead to tissue damage. 

What are the usual ind…

For many people bodywork therapies, such as massage, chiropractic and osteopathy are an effective way to support themselves when they are managing pain and particularly chronic pain. At a recent symposium on pain it was surprising to hear that the research really wasn't there to support the use of bodywork therapies for reducing chronic pain long term, however there were studies to show that it did have benefit in the short term for symptom relief. The absence of studies does not mean that it…

Many people over fifty are on a range of medications to manage chronic health problems. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 47% of the population is managing chronic health conditions which include arthritis, asthma, back pain, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, mental health conditions and osteoporosis. Whilst these medications are often essential the side effects of some of these common …

Attending an Integrative Oncology conference online in June 2021 was an interesting experience. The organiser provided an extensive program looking at treatment options and naturopathic support. One in three people will develop cancer at some point and improvements in testing and treatment have resulted in significant improvements in survival rates with those for breast cancer increasing from 75% to 91% over the past twenty years.

In addition to medical treatment there is also useful researc…