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Most diets can make it seem like life just isn’t worth living – they leave you feeling hungry, weak and irritable.

And then, you’re expected to exercise!

Thankfully, the HcG weight loss program is very different. Imagine – a diet where you don’t feel hungry, and keep your energy and motivation! It’s no wonder we have seen so many of our clients find success with the HcG diet!

What is the HCG Diet?

The HcG diet is based on the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone, which is produced by the placenta in early pregnancy.

It changes the body’s metabolism and triggers the body to burn excess fat or energy. This means you can lose a large amount of weight – quickly – without the need for exercise, and your appetite also diminishes.

There are three phases of the HcG diet: 

Phase 1: the Loading Phase, where you begin taking HcG drops and eat high fat, high calorie foods for 2 days. 

Phase 2: Weight Loss Phase. As you move into this stage, you continue taking HcG but only eat 500 calories per day. This is achieved by eating two main meals per day – usually lunch and dinner – plus snacks consisting of fruit and rice crackers for between 3 to 7 weeks.

Phase 3: Maintenance Phase. During this phase, you stop taking HcG then gradually increase your food intake for 3 weeks.

As with many diets, it’s recommended to avoid sugar as it interferes with the body’s metabolism and can undo all your hard work.

That said, we all hanker for a bit of a treat every now and then, so we’ve pulled together some ideas for HcG diet desserts and drinks.

HCG Diet Desserts, Drinks, and Recipes

Guilt-Free Chocolate:  Chocoholics rejoice! Our guilt-free chocolate recipe is a decadent mix of coconut, sultanas, goji berries and cacao. You can even include some salted caramel, rum, almond or peppermint essence … or grated orange peel to take it to the next level.

Spicy Stewed Apples: Apple and cinnamon were made for each other, and are easy to make when you use our recipe for spicy stewed apples.

In addition to being helpful for digestive issues, apples are known to satiate your appetite – while cinnamon helps to boost metabolism and balance blood sugar levels.

Baked Pears: Pears and peaches are also delicious when halved, sprinkled with cinnamon and baked in the oven.

Other HcG Diet Dessert Ideas

Strawberries can be enjoyed on their own, or how about making strawberry chips? Slice the berries finely, then place on an oven tray covered in baking paper. Bake for approximately 2 hours or until crisp; turning them over about halfway through. They’re sensational straight out of the oven or can be put in an airtight container once they’ve cooled.

Some clients also dip their strawberries in the Guilt Free Chocolate for another delicious twist!

During Phase 3, the range of HcG diet desserts can be expanded with delectable dishes such as this avocado chocolate mousse.

These dessert ideas prove that while sugary treats are off-limits when on the HcG diet, there are other, healthier alternatives.

Delicious HcG-Friendly Drinks

There are many delicious drinks that can be used on the HcG diet to add some sparkle and a twist to your day. How about a Sparkling Citrus and Mint Drink? Maybe a Lemon Slushy or Tony’s favourite Hot (Or Cold) Chocolate?

Yummy Hot Chocolate: Tony’s yummy Hot Chocolate is delicious and easy to make. Simply add 1-2 teaspoons of Cacao, 1 teaspoon of Xylitol (Natural sugar alternative), ¾ cup of boiling water and top up with milk or soya milk.

If you want to achieve your weight loss goals and rediscover your health and vitality, book an appointment with our award-winning naturopath today to find out if the HcG diet is suitable for you!

 We’ve all heard the phrase, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”.  But does it really?

Most of us probably interpret this popular saying as a general encouragement to eat an apple (or other piece of fruit) daily, to help keep our body healthy.

However there’s a lot more to it than that – apples have been found to have a number of real and measurable health benefits.

For example, did you know that apples can be good for an upset stomach? Let’s find out more about this common everyday super food!

1. Apples lower cholesterol and blood pressure

Apples are rich in fibre; in fact they have more fibre per serve than some of your more popular breakfast cereals.

Soluble fibre helps prevent cholesterol build up in the lining of blood vessel walls. A study published in the American Journal of Nutrition showed that eating two apples per day can reduce cholesterol levels.

2. Apple is good for an upset stomach

Apples are great for aiding digestion at any time – but have you ever noticed that when your tummy is feeling a little off, one of the few foods you may turn to is apple?

Grated apple is ideal for an upset stomach, as the small pieces are easy to chew and digest.

So, why is apple good for an upset stomach? Apples contain pectin, a type of fibre that acts as a prebiotic. This means that it feeds your gut microbiome – the good bacteria that live in your gut.

Stewing the apples can help to increase the level of pectin, while providing a little less fibre than raw apples. For this reason, it can be helpful in combating the symptoms of diarrhea.

Click here for our delicious recipe for Stewed Apples. They are delicious and can also be used as part of our naturopathic weight loss diets.

And if constipation is your issue, then try dried apple. It’s extremely high in fibre and will help to get your digestion system moving again!

3. Apples support a healthy immune system

Did you know that apple skins contain the antioxidant, quercetin? This is a type of plant pigment flavonoid that help boosts your immune system and reduces inflammation.

Apples also contain large amounts of vitamin C which helps your body to produce white blood cells, to fight infection and bacteria.

4. Apples are diabetes friendly

When it comes to diabetes management, apple cider vinegar is a good way to consume your apples. Apple cider vinegar is made of apples that have been fermented a couple of times. Fermented foods are fabulous for your gut health!

Apple cider vinegar can improve insulin response and lower blood sugar levels after meals. Consuming apple cider vinegar before going to sleep has also been shown to reduce fasting blood sugar levels by 4-6% after waking.

5. Apples are good at increasing stomach acid levels

As we get older our stomach acid reduces and this is often the cause of reflux. Stomach acid is one of our first lines of defence against bugs, fungus and parasites. It also helps to break down your foods so that they can be absorbed properly. Most importantly it helps breakdown and absorb proteins which are vital for detoxification, organ and structure repair plus neurotransmitter and hormone production.

Taking 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a small amount of water prior to eating meals which contain protein will help with the digestion process and reduce the incidence of reflux.

It’s amazing how much truth is captured in that one small saying:

An apple a day keeps the doctor away”

So next time you’re experiencing a digestive problem, see if an apple is good for your upset stomach.

For ongoing digestive issues however, our award-winning naturopath Tony has spent over 17 years as a gut health specialist helping people just like you. By identifying the underlying causes and providing you with natural solutions, Tony can help you leave your digestive problems behind!

Feeling rundown seems to be the socially accepted way of living these days. Between juggling work, kids, schools, sports, activities and running a home, why wouldn’t we all feel … well, tired?!

However, there may be more to it than just a lack of sleep. Have you ever heard of the term ‘adrenal fatigue’?

Find out how Naturopathy can Help Reverse Adrenal Fatigue Naturally

 

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Your adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and produce important hormones that help our bodies to cope and respond to everyday situations. One example is the hormone, cortisol, which is produced to help us cope with stress.

As with any part of your body which has been working overtime for a lengthy period, your adrenal glands can become exhausted and may no longer be working in the way that they should.

Chronic Stress

Adrenal fatigue is often caused by prolonged periods of high stress.  We are not just talking about a few stressful days, or even a week of crazy deadlines – but rather acute stress compounded over a long period of time.

It most commonly develops in middle aged women, who all too often are so caught up in the responsibilities of raising children, working, looking after the home, perhaps even helping to care for elderly parents, that taking care of themselves tends to slide down to the bottom of the priority list.

It’s also very common in ‘Type A’ individuals with high pressure jobs or people with long term anxiety and depression.

This ongoing stress can compromise the workings of your adrenal glands and see them just as burnt out as you feel. This depletion can start to affect every system in your body.

Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

While symptoms vary depending on the individual, some of the more common ones include:

• Tiredness
• Body aches
• Menopause flushes
• Night Sweats
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Low blood pressure
• Sleep disturbances
• Digestive issues
• Craving sugar and salt
• Irritability
• Weight gain
• Brain Fog
• Skin Issues

Did you also know!!!

Tired adrenals are the primary cause of menopause flushes. When a woman moves into menopause her ovaries cease producing estrogen; her body will ask the adrenal glands to compensate and produce low levels of estrogen which will stop flushes and night sweats.

If there have been periods of high, long term stress then the adrenals become tired and they are unable to do this extra work, can’t produce adequate estrogen, and flushes and night sweats result.

If we nourish the adrenals we are addressing the underlying drivers of the symptoms and not only do we get rid of night sweats and flushes, but stress levels reduce and energy goes up as well.

How to Reverse Adrenal Fatigue Naturally

The good news is that our award-winning Naturopath Tony Daniel can offer a natural adrenal fatigue treatment. Adrenal fatigue can show up in many ways and identifying what stage of fatigue you are in and how it is presenting for you is the key to overcoming fatigue.

Some people present as having a flat battery. Often these people’s adrenals are very tired and need nourishing and stimulating.

On the other hand a person may present as having anxiety and panic attacks. In this case the nervous system needs to be calmed down while the adrenals need nurturance and nourishment … but not stimulation. Overstimulation would drive the anxiety further and exasperate the fatigue.

Through taking a thorough case history, experience, intuition and questionnaires our Naturopath will chose the right combination of herbs or nutrients to help you overcome your adrenal fatigue and eliminate the symptoms it is presenting in your case.

In addition to using natural remedies and supplements for adrenal fatigue, Tony may recommend our Frequency Specific Microcurrent to quickly reduce your stress levels and anxiety and to nourish your adrenals.

Your treatment plan may also include further steps, such as:

• Eliminating foods that you may be intolerant to;
• Incorporating gentle exercise into your routine – going for a walk or doing a meditative yoga class (nothing high intensity);
• Changing your work habits;
• Supplement for adrenal fatigue
• Ensuring adequate self-care, and taking time out to read a book, enjoy nature, take a bath, get a massage or anything else that fills your emotional tank.

While there is no magic cure for adrenal fatigue, but using various natural treatments for adrenal fatigue … it can be reversed.

If you suffer from the symptoms of adrenal fatigue, it’s time to put your health and wellbeing at the top of the priority list.

Booking a Naturopathic appointment at Capalaba Natural Health today is the first step towards feeling great once again!

Getting older is not for the faint of heart, and for women, reaching a “certain age” can come with a whole host of symptoms which can range from occasional discomfort to downright debilitating.

Women’s Health during Menopause

Most women enter perimenopause or menopause between the ages of 45 and 55; with the supply of eggs in the ovaries now exhausted, the menstrual cycle wanes and eventually ceases, and oestrogen levels drop.

While the experience of menopause is different for every woman, it is quite common to feel that your health, vitality and energy levels are suffering as a result of:

• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Night sweats and hot flushes
• Anxiety and depression
• Aches and pains
• Brain fog
• Digestive issues
• Low libido
• Reproductive dryness
• Painful, heavy or irregular periods (Perimenopause)
• Mood swings
• Hair thinning

They say that women in their 40’s and 50’s are in the “prime of life” – but it’s hard to feel that way when you are dealing with symptoms like these!

Some women breeze through menopause with little to no symptoms; others have issues that come and go; but many struggle with symptoms for years.

However, just because you’ve reached a certain age, doesn’t mean that you should assume it’s “just menopause”. While these types of women’s health issues could very well be related to the change of life, there could be other factors at play.

Naturopath for Women’s Health

A naturopathic approach involves treating you as a whole person, not just as a collection of symptoms. When you see our award-winning naturopath, you can be confident that no stone will be left unturned to get to the heart of your women’s health issues – whether that’s due to hormones, or something else entirely.

There are many natural ways of treating the symptoms of menopause. For example herbs such as Rehmannia help to cool the body, while Black Cohosh and sage will reduce or eliminate flushes and sweats.

Tony’s approach to treating menopause is to help with the immediate symptoms such as the flushes and sweats, but he also likes to work on the underlying drivers of these symptoms.

Did You Know!!!

When a woman’s cycle stops her oestrogen drops significantly and this is one of the main reasons behind the symptoms of menopause. At this point the adrenal glands are meant to compensate by producing small amounts of oestrogen, therefore ‘keeping symptoms at bay’. If you have had a stressful life, worked hard, raised kids etc … then your adrenals are often too tired to do this extra job, can’t produce the oestrogen required, and therefore you have symptoms.

There are many ways we can naturopathically nourish your adrenals. If we nourish the adrenals not only will you get rid of flushes and sweats but we will also increase your energy levels, reduce stress or anxiety, plus increase your bodies coping mechanisms.

This approach not only gets rid of your symptoms but works on the underlying drivers of those symptoms.

In addition to increasing your energy levels and eliminating menopausal symptoms, if necessary, we can also help you lose weight.

Most woman typically lose between 1-1.5kg of weight per week.

This will help improve energy levels, self-esteem and reduce your risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cholesterol issues and cardiovascular disease. Reducing fat typically results in a lowering of menopause symptoms plus improves general help and vitality. For more information on how we can help you lose weight and feel great, see our article on “How a Naturopath can help me Lose Weight“. 

If you are experiencing other symptoms, then Tony our Naturopath can also help bring your body back into balance using proven, natural treatment approaches. This may include other testing options or other treatment options …

Naturopathic Testing and Treatment Options

Hormone Testing: When it comes to women’s health issues, hormone testing is often the first port of call. The human body has a delicate chemistry so even small fluctuations can have big consequences – no wonder many women suffer during menopause! The good news is that our naturopath can prescribe natural herbal remedies that are effective in addressing hormone imbalances, thus reducing troublesome symptoms.

FSM Frequency Specific Microcurrent: Our naturopath is trained in FSM (Frequency Specific Microcurrent), which is a non-invasive, painless treatment that reduces pain and inflammation, anxiety and stress. FSM uses specific electrical frequencies to encourage natural healing in your body; you can read more about its effectiveness in our blog post “FSM Therapy for Natural Pain Relief”.

Food Intolerance Testing: As you grow older, certain foods may no longer agree with you – even if you’ve never had any issues before. You may think you are doing the right thing by consuming “healthy” foods such as bananas, nuts, capsicum or avocado, not realising that they are in fact the culprit causing you to feel unwell!

A simple food intolerance test at Capalaba Natural Health will assess your reaction to 59 common food items. Once any intolerances are detected, we will work with you to create a dietary plan that eliminates the triggering foods – and our patients are frequently amazed at how quickly this gets rid of bloating, abdominal pain and discomfort.

Check Essential Minerals and Heavy Metals: Ensuring we have the right balance of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium in our bodies is vital for optimum health. Magnesium deficiency for example can cause muscle cramps or annoying restless leg syndrome, preventing you from enjoying a good night’s sleep – which can further impact on your overall wellbeing.

But not only will a deficiency in these minerals lead to health problems, they are often exacerbated by excess heavy metals. By testing the levels of minerals and heavy metals in your body, our naturopath can then advise you of the best way to eliminate the toxins, and address any mineral deficiencies that are affecting your health.

Naturopath for Menopause Redlands

If you live or work in the Redlands area or in nearby suburbs on Brisbane’s southside, your nearest naturopath for women’s health issues such as menopause is located at Capalaba Natural Health.

So, take the first step towards a healthier and happier lifestyle and contact us today on (07) 3823 3103 to book a consultation today.  We look forward to hearing from you!