FOR ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY IN HEALTH, FITNESS AND BEAUTY SUMMER 2013 VOL. 2, ISSUE 4

COME CHAI WITH ME MELBOURNE COUPLE SHAKES UP TEA INDUSTRY P.4 THE DAIRY WARS PSYCHIATRIST PAVES WAY FOR INTEGRATIVE CARE ENTREPRENEURS ON OVERSEAS SUCCESS TURBOCHARGE YOUR BUSINESS WITH A BLOG NATURAL BEAUTY WEEK SEES AUSTRALIANS SWITCH TO NATURAL

$3.90 OR FREE FOR ALUMNI

IN THIS ISSUE 3

Healthy Bites: Unmissable health and wellbeing events

3

Survey: Endeavour graduates as entrepreneurial as ever

4

Melbourne couple leads new market niche

8

The Dairy Wars

10 An Australian in Paris: One naturopath lives the dream 12 A few of my favourite things… with Anthia Koullouros

Cover: Love chai Love tea founders Emma Watson and Damien Amos

14 A truly complementary approach: Applying complementary medicine principles to psychiatry 16 How my blog landed me a book deal 17

Book Review: Optimum Health the Paleo Way

18 Consumers switch to natural for Natural Beauty Week 19 Dear Me: A letter to myself as a fresh graduate

Wellspring is published by the Endeavour Learning Group – Level 2, 269 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Qld 4006 Editor: David Hoey Features Writer: Nina Tovey Design: Raymond Koo Cover Photographer: Arnaud Domange Editorial enquiries: [email protected] Phone: +61 7 3257 1883 Fax: +61 7 3257 1889

Wellspring is printed on paper which is certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and is ISO 14001 EMS accredited. We have also made an online version available at endeavour.edu.au/wellspring as part of our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and paper consumption.

The possibilities are limitless… The Endeavour Learning Group alumni network is made up of over 25,000 graduates who have completed educational programs with Endeavour College of Natural Health, FIAFitnation, the College of Natural Beauty and our predecessor organisations including the Australian College of Natural Medicine and the South Australian Health Education Centre. Each issue I love to read the stories in the pages of Wellspring about prominent alumni who are forging new career paths around the globe in their particular area of expertise. In doing so they are ensuring the wellbeing sector is becoming better known and respected. The alumni network is a living community of practice – a group who can and does make a real difference by preventing illness and increasing the quality of life of others. This edition’s cover story is a perfect example. You’ll delight in reading how Endeavour College graduate Emma Watson has paired the art of tea making with her passion for healing others as a practising naturopath (page 4).

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The future of the health and wellbeing sector in Australia and across the world is limitless. In regards to career outcomes I believe that more than half of the job types available to natural health and wellness professionals are yet to be invented. They will be forged by sector leaders and market demands in the coming years. Need convincing? Just think about the tremendous advancements in technology in the past decade alone and the broad range of new careers and employment categories that growth has generated. Who had heard of a social media manager 10 years ago? According to the Australian Trade Commission the Australian complementary healthcare industry has domestic sales of over $1 billion per year. Three-quarters of Australians take at least one dietary supplement and a quarter of the population visit complementary healthcare practitioners each year – and the industry continues to grow to meet these requirements. As our sector expands we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to develop first rate educational programs that enable people to better understand, contextualise and work within the natural health and wellbeing arena. I’m pleased to announce that Endeavour College will offer a new non-

All material in Wellspring is wholly copyright and reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is forbidden. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Endeavour Learning Group shall not have any liability for errors or omissions.

clinical degree in the field of complementary medicine from Semester 1, 2014. The Bachelor of Complementary Medicine will provide students with a broad perspective on the scope of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in the overall context of today’s healthcare environment including public health, ethics, research, health promotion and health behaviour. I hope that Emma Watson’s journey… and each of the stories you find inside… is a reminder to you of the endless opportunities within our grasp. Yours in natural health

Carolyn Barker AM Chief Executive Officer Endeavour Learning Group

@carolynjbarker

HEALTHY BITES Unmissable health and wellbeing events from January to February

JANUARY

Tui Na Short Course

Endeavour College of Natural Health Open Day

11 & 12 January, 9am to 4.30pm

19 January, 10am to 12.30pm

This two day short course introduces participants to Tui Na, a traditional style of Chinese massage performed on a fully clothed client to address tension in the body. The course covers a hands-on sequence that encompasses the entire body using various massage and stretching techniques.

awareness of Australia’s biggest killer – heart disease. redfeb.com.au

DonateLife Week 4 February to 3 March

This course offers CPE points from ANTA, AAMT and ATMS. endeavourshortcourses.edu.au

All Endeavour College of Natural Health campuses will open their doors to give potential students the opportunity to chat with expert academic staff about the Bachelor of Health Science and VET programs and flexible study options on offer.

FEBRUARY RedFeb

naturalhealthopenday.com.au

DonateLife Week is a national awareness week to promote organ and tissue donation in Australia. Display the DonateLife “Twibbon” to show your support for organ and tissue donation and to encourage people to discover, decide and discuss their organ and tissue donation wishes with their family members. DonateLife Week is the official “Twibbon” of the Organ and Tissue Authority. donatelife.gov.au

As part of Heart Research Month, RedFeb is a fun and active way to support heart research by raising funds and increasing

Survey: Endeavour graduates as entrepreneurial as ever The 2013 alumni survey confirmed for the second year running that Endeavour College graduates working in private practice are almost twice as likely to be running their own clinic than working as an employee. The survey showed 43% of alumni working in clinical practice either owned or operated the clinic compared with 26% of respondents who worked for a clinic they did not own.

Endeavour graduate and multi modality clinic Go2 Human Performance owner Rod Martin said the unique blend of skills Endeavour offers gave Endeavour alumni a unique advantage.

“It is wonderful to see so many of our graduates taking the bold step to build their own business and contribute in such a meaningful way to the booming natural health industry,” said Endeavour Learning Group CEO Carolyn Barker AM.

“Endeavour graduates are armed with the support and knowledge to create something bigger than themselves. Personally, the sense of direction and empowerment I gained from studying has helped me hone my skills – and gave me the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Rod.

The results also confirmed graduate confidence was high, with 69% of Endeavour higher education alumni and 71% of vocational education graduates reporting they were happy with their ability to work in their chosen field. Of those respondents not working in clinical practice, the majority were working in retail, health promotion or government and community roles. In this category the majority derived their primary income from that job (67%).

SUMMER 2013 WELLSPRING

3

MELBOURNE COUPLE LEADS NEW MARKET NICHE

A determination to shake up the tea industry through the application of naturopathic principles is reaping major rewards for naturopath and Endeavour College alumna Emma Watson through her growing organic tea business Love chai Love tea. by Nina Tovey

Emma and Damien take a tea break

Love chai Love tea creators Emma Watson and Damien Amos with a selection of their tea blends.

Emma has spent the last seven years working with husband Damien Amos to build a range of 30 organic, fair-trade tea blends and secure more than 150 stockists across the country together with a thriving online business… A focus on developing a unique herbal tea range with no preservatives, colours or sweeteners coupled with strong therapeutic benefits has seen Love chai Love tea’s growth triple in the last twelve months alone. “In essence we want to offer consumers interested in natural health an alternative by offering them access to therapeutic herbs to help alleviate their health conditions,” said Emma. “For those times where it isn’t feasible to see your naturopath or invest in supplements, we want consumers to have access to herbal blends of the highest quality which can help them on their journey towards maximum health.” The idea behind Love chai Love tea began in Emma’s second year of naturopathy studies when she became consumed by the idea of making her own herbal teas. 6

WELLSPRING SUMMER 2013

“I became really interested in chai blends and noticed that most of the products on the market were heavy black teas with lots of sugar and weren’t organic, so I started making my own,” Emma said. Emma shortly crossed paths with her future business partner in the form of her now husband Damien, who grew up on a biodynamic organic farm and had a strong interest in naturopathy himself. “I remember enjoying a cup of Dandelion tea together and not being able to stop talking about my hopes to build a tea line based on the health principles I was learning about at Endeavour College,” Emma said. This led Damien to join Emma by enrolling to study naturopathy before the couple went on to develop their first organic, fair trade chai blend and tried their hand at securing local stockists.

This involved holding taste testing after taste testing to ensure their recipe had the right blend of therapeutic benefits and taste appeal. “When we had people tell us our chai blend was the closest they had tasted to the chai they had experienced in India we took comfort we were on the right track.” The couple has also invested in sustainable packaging which ensures all aspects of the product are biodegradable and can be thrown straight into the compost. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with a raft of cafes, restaurants, gift stores and retail outlets signing up, including Endeavour’s Bookstore in Melbourne and Brisbane. The initial reception was so positive Emma and Damien quickly moved to develop two new chai blends. This was followed by a range of twelve different teas and the launch of their naturopathic range with blends to help with everything from pregnancy, detox, breast feeding, menopause, skin health and sleep. This resulted in some of their most popular blends to date, including their Sleep Tea (which the couple’s daughter Arrabella has declared her favourite).

The couple scored a major coup when grocery store giant IGA signed as a stockist followed by wholesaler OBorne Health Supplies, which sells Love chai Love tea to naturopaths and health professionals. Despite Love chai Love tea’s continued growth, Emma still spends part of her week practising as a naturopath from Geelong’s thriving endota spa to remain connected to the natural health world. “I’ve loved helping people since I was young and continue to get a lot of fulfilment from giving people the knowledge of how to improve their health, so my client work is really important to me. It helps me stay in touch with the industry and current research which flows on to our tea business.” Love chai Love tea is also committed to its philanthropic partnership with One Percent for the Planet, a charity which encourages businesses to donate at least 1% of their revenue to some 2000 environmental organisations worldwide.

needed to commit to in order to grow. It was a huge amount of work to source each individual ingredient – some of our blends have over 10 ingredients!” she said. When it comes to the future of Love chai Love tea, Emma has bold plans. “Besides making our tea accessible to more people by securing more stockists in Australia and across the world, we want to visit more tea plantations and uncover untouched herbs with great medicinal qualities we can use in new blends.” “We want to provide the healthiest, tastiest, most sustainable and ethical tea blends available for our customers to share with the people they love.” Love chai Love tea is stocked at Endeavour Bookstores in Brisbane and Melbourne. lovechai.com.au

“We are sourcing our products from tea plantations around the world, and it’s important for us to give back to those areas,” Emma said.

“Becoming certified as organic and fair trade was a mission in itself, and securing the funds to launch a really large range was very scary, although it was clearly something we

We want to provide the healthiest, tastiest, most sustainable and ethical tea blends available for our customers to share with the people they love.”

What is chai?

What is Fairtrade?

Chai is a spiced milk tea originating from India and has become increasingly popular around the world. It is generally made up of tea, herbs and spices – most commonly cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and pepper. Chai tea is thought to help improve digestion, enhance the immune system, fight inflammation and has antioxidant properties.

Fairtrade is a movement to secure better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices, Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional tea trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

When reflecting on their journey, Emma recalls challenging moments during the business’ infancy.

Emma’s tips for brewing chai • Place 1/2 cup of boiling water into a small saucepan • Add 1 heaped tablespoon of Love chai and simmer for up to 5 minutes

Why is Fairtrade so important? Today, more than six million people – farmers, producers, workers and their families – from around 77 countries benefit from the unique, independent Fairtrade system (according to Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand). Fairtrade provides farmers and workers in developing countries with a fair price (the Fairtrade Price) for their produce, helping protect them from damaging fluctuations in world market prices. They also receive an additional sum of money (The Fairtrade Premium) for investment in social, economic and environmental development in their community, such as educational and medical facilities. Fairtrade Certification standards also prohibit the use of forced and abusive child labour.

• Add 1/2 cup of regular, soy or nut milk and bring to near boil • Strain into your favourite mug, add honey & sweeten to taste if desired… • Most importantly, have fun brewing and enjoy your chai experience!

SUMMER 2013 WELLSPRING

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YES

THE DAIRY WARS Wellspring asks two experts to respond to the theory ‘There is no place for dairy in an adult’s diet’

The consumption of dairy products is one of the most contentious topics debated in nutrition circles today. As consumers, we are bombarded with passionate arguments outlining the health benefits and risks associated with this much loved food group. We put the statement ‘there is no place for dairy in an adult’s diet’ to two of our nutrition authors for their views with one rule only – their arguments had to be backed by scientific research.

Miranda said…

additionally provide probiotics that support the function of the gut and immune system.

Let me start by saying I can’t consume dairy products as I am lactose intolerant. However, that doesn’t stop me from disagreeing with this statement. I certainly wouldn’t recommend dairy products for those who feel sick, bloated or experience rashes or other symptoms after eating or drinking dairy products. However, for most people who don’t experience any adverse reactions, why not get the nutritional benefits of such a nutrient rich food?

Diets containing two daily servings of dairy as a protein source within a weight loss diet have been shown to facilitate weight loss in adults compared to diets of a similar caloric intake, and to preserve bone mineralisation to provide protective support against osteoporosis3. Diets high in dairy have also been shown to improve blood pressure parameters and reduce the risk of hypertension in adults1.

Dairy foods are a rich source of protein, fatty acids, carbohydrate, iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, D and E, riboflavin, folate, trace amounts of iodine, selenium and zinc1. Many of these nutrients are commonly deficient in Australians due to poor intake and are crucial for the function and integrity of the body and preventing disease2. When fermented forms of dairy are included in an adult diet (such as yoghurt and kefir) they 8

WELLSPRING SUMMER 2013

Fermented dairy products provide further cardiovascular disease protection when included in an adult’s diet by providing a significant reduction in total cholesterol4. The inclusion of yoghurt in an adult diet also significantly reduces the risk of colorectal cancers, especially in men, regardless of fat content5. It is believed to provide this effect by providing anti-inflammatory effects on the colonic mucosa while reducing the occurrence of cancer causing substances

and soluble bile acids in the gut that have been shown to promote tumour growth within the colon5. The nutritional composition of milk varies by how it is produced, including what the animals are fed, so if you choose to consume dairy, milk from certified organic grassfed cows provides milk from a low-input farming system with no chemical pesticides and fertilizers to feed, which improves the composition of nutrients in the product6.

About Miranda Partridge Miranda Partridge is currently in her final year of a Nutritional Medicine degree at Endeavour College of Natural Health. She is a food and wellness enthusiast, posting recipes and wellness tips regularly on her blog, Miranda’s Nutrition & Wellness, and Facebook page, with a focus on affordable and practical meals.

NO

Samantha said… When it comes to making your decision about whether consuming dairy is right for you, I encourage you to do your research before you make your choice. My professional advice is to err towards the side of caution where dairy consumption is concerned in light of the various health risks supported by research. Milk is produced from pregnant cows which results in the milk containing large amounts of exogenous hormones – hormones humans are not designed to consume, especially not on top of our endogenous hormones1,2,3. Humans are the first species in history to drink milk after the age of two, and the first to drink the milk of an entirely different species. Cow’s milk was designed to provide exactly the right balance of nutrients to turn a calf into a fully grown cow within a year – not for humans to mix into their coffee and cereal3. As we leave infancy our natural levels of lactase decrease and our body can no longer easily digest lactose4. In fact, it is estimated 75% of people in the world are unable to digest dairy at all due to lactose intolerance4. Dairy consumption causes Estrogen levels to significantly rise along with the levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) while testosterone levels dramatically decrease1,2,3. Girls consuming dairy are likely to begin puberty earlier which may

lead to a shorter lifespan, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk of hormonal related cancers5,6,7. The link between milk consumption and the presence of acne has been found in multiple studies due to imbalanced hormones11,12,14,15, and the influence on eczema and psoriasis is attributed to the inflammatory response produced from consuming dairy13,15. Milk also blocks the absorption of the phytonutrients in chocolate, the beneficial phytonutrients in tea16, and the ellagic acid in berries17,18. Dairy contains anywhere from 1-5% transfats19,20. The National Academics of Science has concluded that the safe level of trans fat consumption is zero and have said “any incremental increase in trans fatty acid intake increases coronary heart disease risk.”20 Dairy products are often praised for their high calcium levels, however it is worth noting that plant sources of calcium such as kale, broccoli, silver beet, bok choy and tahini have an calcium absorption rate twice as high as that of cow’s milk21. It is also worth noting that consuming dairy has never been shown to reduce the risk of bone fractures. It appears that we may have even been somewhat misinformed about calcium’s role in bone health – Vitamin D has shown far greater affect in reducing bone fractures than calcium22,23,24. Dairy cows inevitably develop mastitis which leads to a raised white cell count and the development of pus in their teats21 and faeces is also commonly found in their milk.

Documentation over 50 years has consistently shown a strong association between dairy consumption and ear infections due to allergies32. Chronic ear infections can not only damage the ear and hearing but they can cause significant speech delay in children32. There have also been scientific studies linking dairy consumption to increased mucous productions leading to snotty noses or phlegmy throats26, delays in psychomotor and muscle development in infants, sudden infant death syndrome29,30,31, ear infections due to allergies32, Parkinson’s disease37, autism and various other cognitive disorders28.

About Samantha Ward Samantha Ward is a nutritionist passionate about fostering evidencebased, holistic health and uses a variety of tools to rebuild physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing in her clients. She is also committed to providing nutritional education to school children in Melbourne and assisting disadvantaged communities overseas. Samantha is a member of the Australian Natural Therapists Association, a graduate and tutor of Endeavour College of Natural Health and the founder of Invora Health.

Visit endeavour.edu.au/wellspring-blog for the references from this article. SUMMER 2013 WELLSPRING

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An Australian in Paris: One naturopath lives the dream When Melbourne naturopath Jill Thomas decided to write a short booklet about fatigue and sell it through her clinic, she couldn’t have imagined the wheels she was setting in motion. Major book deals, readers around the world and the chance to practise each year in Paris were a taste of what was to follow. Wellspring caught up with the ambitious entrepreneur and Endeavour alumna to get a behind the scenes look at her inspiring journey.

Jill Thomas’ home in the Loire Valley in France where she is setting up a clinic.

It was after a stint in the public service that Jill first connected with natural health. She decided she would prefer to be selfemployed and opened a health food store in Melbourne which she ran for five years. “I always had an interest in nutrition and health and remember borrowing books on the subject from my local library as a teenager. I then developed such an interest in natural health through the shop that I decided I would prefer to be giving naturopathic advice than working in the business. This led me to enrol with the Australian College of Natural Medicine [now Endeavour College of Natural Health],” Jill said. Jill went on to graduate as the dux of her year in 1997 and said being a mature aged student worked in her favour. “I really felt I needed to have everything I had been taught and studied utmost in my mind, so I could hit the ground running,” Jill said. Jill lectured for five years at Endeavour College’s Melbourne campus and picked up a regular spot on Melbourne’s 3AW talkback radio station as its resident naturopath. She also opened her clinic Albert Park Naturopathic Centre in inner Melbourne where she has been practising naturopathy, iridology and herbalism for 16 years. Jill made the strategic decision to open her clinic within a medical centre to offer an integrative form of care. “In the late 90s naturopathy didn’t have the profile it does today so I found working with a group of doctors and psychologists made a lot of sense. One of the doctors within the practice was interested in natural therapies which was a helpful way to secure referrals,” Jill said. “I have always advocated a holistic approach to healthcare and work effectively with conventional medicine professionals, as I believe it often takes practitioners of several different modalities to treat a chronic illness.” Jill quickly built a loyal client base through her Melbourne clinic, many of whom she still sees today. “I have such a wonderful group of patients and I’ve found one of the keys to making that strong connection is by giving them time. People don’t want to be rushed and they want to be heard. I help them prioritise their health concerns and make sure I’m explaining the reasons behind my treatment choices and how they will work on the body,” Jill said.

the publication into a book and pitch it to Australia’s leading publishers. “I wrote the first two chapters along with an introduction and sent it to 20 publishers, and three came back with offers, including Penguin Books who I ended up signing with,” Jill said. It was an extremely busy time, with Jill running her practice five days a week and writing her book Revive: How to Overcome Fatigue Naturally on the other two days. “I didn’t realise how gruelling that period was until it was over. I certainly had no social life, but I enjoyed the process,” Jill said. Jill went on to explore her interest in digestive health with her second book the Healthy Gut Guide which was published by Penguin to acclaim in 2007. Good news followed when Italian publisher Red Edizioni contacted Jill to secure the rights to publish her first book in Italian in 2011.

Jill Thomas

into French, along with advertising more widely in Paris. At the same time Jill continues to take her Melbourne clinic to new heights and support clients around the world through Skype. She stays energised through early nights and starts which see her at the gym at 4.30am every morning.

Nothing beats being able to turn things around for a patient who has suffered through chronic illness. Working in natural health has been the most satisfying career to have. “The books have been an amazing bonus for my practice through boosting my profile which has allowed my business to continually expand. I also write a newsletter each month which has been the only form of marketing I’ve needed,” Jill said. As a lover of all things French, Jill had a serendipitous moment in 2007 when she met a young female patient sent over from France to stay with her grandparents in Melbourne. Encouraged by the support of her patient’s family, Jill decided to take a leap of faith to see if she could take her business to Paris for a short period each year. “It was an overwhelming but exciting idea, and I thought it was the perfect time to see if I could build my business there. It had its nerve wracking moments, as part of me wondered if I would manage to attract clients once I was there,” Jill said. It was a bold but fruitful move, with Jill collecting more regular patients with each visit since 2009, and eventually buying a home in the Loire Valley where she is currently setting up a clinic.

“I have also found many patients feel overwhelmed with the overprescribing of treatments, and I have always made a point of keeping to exactly what they need and no more.”

“Ideally I would love to live in France six months of the year and that is certainly what I am working towards. Nothing much beats sitting in a café and walking through parks in Paris watching the world go by in my down time,” Jill said.

It was when Jill’s $5 short booklet on fatigue struck a chord with her clients that she developed the confidence to turn

Jill is actively chasing this vision through plans to translate her website and books

“A regular exercise routine works wonders to keep me focussed. I also take off two days a week to recharge – whether it be to read a book in the sun or pot around in the garden,” Jill said. “This helps me give the best of myself to my patients, which is what makes me truly happy. Nothing beats being able to turn things around for a patient who has suffered through chronic illness. Working in natural health has been the most satisfying career to have.” albertparknaturopathy.com.au

Book Review Healthy Gut Guide “This book gives clear, succinct advice to anyone suffering from digestive dysfunction. I got great info from it and am already feeling better!” Kristy Lemmon Reader

Buy this book online at

endeavourbookstore.com.au SUMMER 2013 WELLSPRING

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A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS… with Anthia Koullouros With a myriad of sustainable products and services vying for our attention, the choice of how best to spend our health and wellness dollars can be confusing at times. With this in mind, Wellspring’s new regular feature will ask Australia’s leading health and wellness experts to share the products they can’t do without. This edition we spoke with renowned naturopath, author and owner of Ovvio Organic Health and Lifestyle Store, Anthia Koullouros.

3. Nolan’s Road Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Brigadoon Harvest Pastured Eggs

I’m so obsessed with olive oil and add it to everything. I also cook with it once I’ve added butter as a stabilizer. This Australian brand is certified organic and their farming processes are completely aligned with my nolansroad.com philosophies.

Pastured eggs are an important part of my diet. After much searching I came across farmers John and Estelle Joseph from Brigadoon Harvest chicken farm who pride themselves on using no sprays or artificial fertilisers on the grass, no chemical medications, no hormones, no yolk colourants, no artificial lighting and no beak trimming – just lots of sunshine, wholefoods, grass and bugs. Animals are dear to my heart and John and Estelle treat their chickens so well. I sell them through Ovvio every second Saturday and they are always popular. brigadoonharvest.com.au

$17.95 RRP for 250ml

From $7 per dozen

7. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon This is one of our best selling products and one of my favourites too. I love adding it to my English breakfast tea and enjoying it with my smoothies, yoghurt and fresh fruit. It is wild crafted and is less refined than some other powders. I love the smooth, luscious and natural sweet quality vanilla adds to foods. ovvioorganics.com.au

In my eyes there is no other book on nutrition that can rival this one – it is the original. The big lesson from the book for me was that it taught me how and why we should ferment our own foods. It is a well researched and thought provoking guide to traditional foods, and a must have for anyone interested in nutrition. flannerys.com.au

$19.95 for 40g

$43.95

2. Ovvio Vanilla Powder

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4. Ovvio Organics Pure English Breakfast Tea Not many people know how much I love English breakfast tea. It reminds me of my grandma and always brings a lot of comfort. I couldn’t find a type that I liked so I created my own which is low in caffeine and tannins and made with a full leaf orange pekoe. It unfolds beautifully for a full extraction. ovvioorganics.com.au

$12 for 80g

6. Kitchen by Mike in Rosebery, Sydney I love eating lunch here because Mike knows how to source and prepare food so well, and as it is set in an old warehouse the atmosphere is always great. I love his different roasts and salads, plus the fact that he uses real butter. The menu is set daily based on what Mike finds at the markets and revolves around seasonality, simplicity and freshness. kitchenbymike.com.au

8. How to Get Well by Paavo Airola I read this naturopathic book as a girl and it inspired me to do what I do today. It taught me the difference between synthetic and natural supplements and prompted me to started to think about food as medicine. amazon.com

$30

5. Pure Jojoba by MV Organic Skin care I just love this product – it is wonderful for removing makeup, particularly eye makeup, while strengthening the lashes and conditioning the skin. You can also use this product for dry skin, damaged hair, shaving rash, heat rash and infant skin care. Everything else she [creator Sharon McGlinchey] makes is also golden. mvskincare.com

$39.99

About Anthia

and is the a naturopath consulting as s ar ye pathy clinic ro 20 tu t na en Anthia has sp tyle store and es lif on gt tion to in lar Padd icine and nutri owner of popu y, herbal med th pa pions eo m am ho ch ning alth, Anthia Ovvio. Combi ng tools for he ditional lo etra , lif ng ith hi w is s ur provide client ith simple, no w e, in ic ed m timate y. food as the ul g her philosoph ns underscorin tio da un fo Food: y ar diet ooks, the I Am renowned eB o tw ok, Bo ed as pe le ci re od: The Re Anthia has also ver by panion I Am Fo m co rd co d ha an in d ok he The Guidebo n, to be publis tio tri nu y tif demys which aim to ril 2013. Ap in n ui ng Pe com.au ovvioorganics.

A TRULY COMPLEMENTARY APPROACH Applying complementary medicine principles to psychiatry A determination to combine the teachings of herbal medicine with expertise in mental health has seen one Sydney psychiatrist pave the way towards a more integrative approach within the medical healthcare model.

by Nina Tovey

Dr Clayton Smith

As a qualified psychiatrist and naturopath currently practising at St John of God Private Hospital in Burwood, Dr Clayton Smith has built a loyal patient following based on his holistic approach to treating mental illness. “Being qualified as both a conventional and complementary health practitioner has broadened my perspective when it comes to patient care,” said Dr Smith. “Both forms of healthcare have their place. This isn’t about encouraging patients to manage their illness without medicine as many of my patients absolutely require conventional medicines as part of their treatment. This is about looking deeper when advising a patient to ensure they receive holistic care which will better improve their quality of life in the long-term.” Dr Smith said there were several methods he drew upon to support patients who had become dependent on the ‘medicine treadmill’. “I discuss lifestyle and diet with all my patients as a rule which is where I leverage my background in naturopathy. Sometimes there are changes that can be made and dietary supplements that can effectively complement orthodox treatments,” Dr Smith said. Practising mindfulness-based cognitive therapy techniques, Dr Smith helps patients with a history of depression work against a tendency to return back to automatic thought processes which can trigger depressive episodes. This is achieved through teaching patients to focus less on reacting to incoming thoughts and feelings, and instead accepting and observing them without judgement. “The most effective type of care is always going to be patient-focussed. After all, the patient is the expert on themselves. We’re just here to support them through their treatment.” “At the end of the day, people gravitate towards others that treat them with warmth and respect. For these reasons I believe the shift we are seeing away from the more paternalistic healthcare approach to a more collaborative system is the right one.” Dr Smith is also raising the profile of evidence-based complementary therapies within his own profession. “I have found the psychiatry profession in Australia to be open to integrative medicine, as long as there is credible research to back the findings of complementary treatments.

The good news is the studies being released in this area are getting better and better.” This was demonstrated earlier this year when Dr Smith presented research which shows Omega 3 fatty acids can be used to treat mood disorders to his colleagues.

Dr Smith isn’t alone. A study conducted by Melbourne’s La Trobe University in 2009 interviewed doctors working in integrative medicine and found all respondents believed a holistic and patient-centred approach was central to their practice.

“I realised the appetite was there when the hospital pharmacist was inundated with Omega 3 purchases after the talk.”

The study found that doctors’ motivations for choosing an integrative approach were influenced by personal and professional experiences.

Building on this foundation to encourage the integration of more evidence-based natural therapies into the field of psychiatry is something Dr Smith plans to pursue.

Does the research support an integrative approach?

“The way I can achieve this is to remain abreast of the literature and distil the evidence available for complementary medicine and present it in the language of conventional medicine.” “I also hope to make more linkages with other medical practitioners and leading researchers to help spread the word further.” Dr Smith originally decided to study naturopathy after developing a strong interest in herbs which stemmed from being a keen gardener. He went on to study naturopathy at Endeavour College of Natural Health’s Sydney campus. “I loved the course and found it fascinating. It stimulated my interest to learn more, and many of the people I met there remain my dearest friends to this day.” After working in health food stores, Dr Smith enrolled in a Bachelor of Medicine degree at the University of Newcastle. “I became interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine and this directed me towards further study in psychiatry, as it is the practise within medicine most linked to the mind body philosophy.”

Dr Jerome Sarris, a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne recently released research which found that naturopathic medicine may be an effective integrative solution for improving mental health. Specifically, his study has found that kava, a plant-based relaxant used in the Pacific, is moderately effective at reducing short-term anxiety. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, involved a group of 75 people with Generalised Anxiety Disorder. At the conclusion of the trial, the researchers found that 37% of the kava group reported reduced anxiety symptoms compared with 23% of the placebo group. A quarter of the kava group reported complete remission of their anxiety symptoms at the end of the trial, compared to 6% of the placebo group. “We are not saying we are looking at kava as a replacement for conventional care but we see it as an additional option,” Dr Sarris said. The researchers noted that their study did not examine the long term health effects of kava use and the drug may not be appropriate for those using other psychotropic medication.

The most effective type of care is always going to be patient-focussed. After all, the patient is the expert on themselves. We’re just here to support them through their treatment. SUMMER 2013 WELLSPRING

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How my blog landed me a book deal Naturopath, nutritionist and Endeavour alumna Meg Thompson launched her blog My Wholefood Romance with the hope of finding her voice and sharing her love of nutritional medicine. Meg has since achieved this and more, with her blog currently attracting 9,000 unique visitors around the world each month. Wellspring caught up with the budding entrepreneur to get an inside look at the art of blogging and how it sent her career into overdrive. Tell us about your website mywholefoodromance.com I started the blog to inspire others to step into the beautiful world of wholefoods. I share thoughtful, nutritious recipes that are bursting with goodness, and blend those with tasty morsels of information to inspire my readers to try new things. Food is so much more than something that fills our bellies. It provides us with nourishment, joy, deliciousness, ritual and a social connection that is a common thread throughout the world.

Tell us about finding your own voice through the blog. I was a little reluctant to begin with given the huge number of amazing food blogs out there and doubts around my writing skills, but I thought why not. I ended up writing the way I speak, which is what people connected with. I don’t like to preach, and prefer to just offer up information with a fun recipe to hopefully inspire someone to try something new!

What has been your most popular post since you launched the blog? That would be a toss up between the recipes for vegan breakfast pancakes, the maple walnut butter chocolate cups and instructions on how to make a green smoothie.

Was it difficult to set up your blog from a technology perspective? No. I started with blogger which is very easy to use, and have since switched to wordpress, which is better from a tech perspective. Even if I don’t completely know how to use all the functions yet, there are

loads of online videos and tutorials. You just learn as you go!

How has it helped your business grow? Starting the blog and then the website has been great for my business. Most of my new patients aside from word of mouth are directly from the website, my blog or Instagram. It has also allowed me to branch out into other areas, which gives me great variety in my working week as I’m not consulting 100% of the time.

What type of people have you connected with as a result of your blog? My publisher for one. My book is being published in June 2014 on fermented drinks (kombucha and kefir) and their effects on the gut, immune system, skin and mind. It also includes a load of easy to make at home recipes. I have also partnered with Simple Green Smoothies in the US to create a 21 day cleanse program available online which has been downloaded by thousands of customers. It has also been a great way to build my profile around the world. They have such a huge following, with 224,000 Instagram followers alone. I’ve found it to be a fabulous way to connect with people and pick up opportunities that you would never normally come across.

How do you decide on what to write about? Often I take inspiration from my patients, friends and family and what is happening for me that week. For example, I suggest green smoothies to a lot of patients, so writing

Meg Thompson

a post about it gives me a credible article I feel comfortable referring my patients to. Alternatively, if I find my little girl is not loving breakfast and I develop a recipe she loves then I will share that.

When do you do most of the writing for your blog? At night, after my little one is in bed. It’s the main time I do any of my online work, as it’s just too difficult during the day.

What have you found to be the most effective way to grow your blog numbers? One of the best ways of doing this is by writing guest posts on other people’s blogs. This exposes you to a completely different, engaged community that you may not normally have access to. Aim high with this. Choose someone in the industry that you respect, and send them an email! There are a lot of bloggers who do weekly features on other people, and they are always looking for content, so give it a go.

What is your advice for others who are interested in starting their own blog? Just start! Put yourself out there. Be as true to yourself as you can, as people will recognise that you are genuine and appreciate you for your individual voice. Comment on other people’s posts and Instagram pictures or Facebook pages. Most importantly – have fun with it! Blogging shouldn’t feel like a chore. If you enjoy what you are doing, it will show though. mywholefoodromance.com

Who reads blogs, anyway? • Five million Australians visit WordPress.com blogs every month, and over four million visit Tumblr blogs, according to Frank Media (September 2013). • The Australian newspaper estimated there are currently 800 food blogs in Australia. • Nuffnang Australia recently launched a blogger survey that showed 92% of readers used a search engine to find more info about a brand, after reading about it on a blog. • 78% of the survey respondents claimed they have made a purchase of a brand/service as a result of reading a blog post.

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Book Review Optimum Health the Paleo Way Review by Tina Taylor As an evidence-based naturopath, nutritionist and health professional, I can’t say one dietary theory ever suits everyone. There are many aspects to take into account when recommending or considering a new dietary plan or theory. These include evaluating macronutrient and micronutrient requirements, and non-traditional nutrients (such as phytochemicals). In addition to this, the needs of the individual are paramount and multifactorial when considering dietary recommendations. When I was asked to read Endeavour alumna Claire Yates’s book Optimum Health the Paleo Way, I was wondering whether it would suggest one strict dietary theory is suitable for everyone and the only way to go. I was delighted to find this was not the case, as Claire offers an open-minded and evidence-based approach. As the title suggests, there is a clear intention toward a Paleo style diet, and this style of eating is currently gaining popularity, and may be suitable for some. However, this book does not advocate a strict, rigid ‘you must only eat this, or else’ approach. Rather, it is a well devised and executed explanation of the factors that contribute to ill health, including stress, inflammation, blood sugar fluctuations, and hormones. Important issues such as lifestyle, exercise, and gastrointestinal health are discussed in detail, and the emphasis is on clean eating and consuming plenty of vegetables.

About Optimum Health The Paleo Way by Claire Yates The Perth based nutritionist and Endeavour alumna explains the key aspects of the Paleo lifestyle, the metabolic and hormonal changes that can occur from eating certain foods and the importance of food as medicine in her first book. Drawing on evidence and science, Claire provides her take on fats, carbs, protein and fibre, and takes her readers through a 28-day reset protocol that includes weekly meal plans and more than 100 original Paleo recipes.

The Paleo diet gone wrong could include the overconsumption of animal protein, however with Claire’s guidance, including the transition to Paleo eating, and fabulous recipes, this won’t be the case. We know eating well should not be a fad, but a lifelong plan. Appropriately, Claire discusses how sticking to a paleo way of eating 80-100% of the time should be determined by each individual, essentially giving the reader permission to integrate this eating plan with flexibility depending on their needs. To take a quote out of the book ‘Do not be so rigid or self-righteous about your diet as to annoy anyone. A bad relationship is more poisonous than one of Grandma’s sugar cookies’. Well said, and I agree! We know we need to eat well, but we shouldn’t be overstressing about food, as that’s not healthy either (see the chapter on stress!). When we are able to obtain sound dietary advice, good quality books such as this can facilitate our journey to health in a safe and effective way, taking us to the next level in sustaining health and vitality, and making informed choices.

It is also reassuring to see that there is a reference section toward the back of the book that lists the published journal articles utilised in the compilation of each chapter, which is not commonly found in retail health books today. I love how this book doesn’t calorie count. Instead, and appropriately, the emphasis in on consuming nutrient dense foods. And on that note, the recipes look fantastic, with many accompanied by mouth-watering photos. This a comprehensive and thorough guide toward a Paleo style diet, written by a qualified health professional in easy to understand language, with an all important balanced approach. Well done to Claire, the hard work put into the book is evident. This is a book I am happy to recommend, and I’ll certainly be trying out some of the recipes.

Copies available through: indinature.com endeavourbookstore.com.au

College of Natural Beauty staff and students go make up free

Consumers switch to natural for Natural Beauty Week Australia’s first Natural Beauty Week saw consumers across the country sit up and take notice of the impacts of chemicals used in cosmetics and beauty products, with more than 500 people pledging to switch to beauty products with less harmful chemicals.

Presented by the College of Natural Beauty on October 21 – 25, 2013, Natural Beauty Week was launched to remind Australians of the important fact that what goes on the skin goes in, and to encourage greater usage of natural products. “We were thrilled with the spirit in which Australians took up the cause, with hundreds of beauty lovers hitting Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to pledge their support, sharing pictures of their natural hair products, deodorant, makeup, perfume and some impressive homemade concoctions,” said Director Aesthetic Education College of Natural Beauty Heddy Butler. Natural Beauty Week received support from high profile health and wellness personalities including Miranda Kerr’s mother Therese Kerr and Lorna Jane Clarkson, who rallied their supporters to participate in the campaign. “We were touched by those who were inspired to research and share their own articles on the topic of chemicals in beauty products as a way to raise further awareness of this extremely important cause. It was truly rewarding to see the inaugural Natural Beauty Week take on a 18

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momentum of its own, with a waiting list of companies interested in coming on board as supporters in 2014.” “It was also great to see so many people take part in our makeup free day to give their skin time to breathe, with hundreds of Australians joining our trainers, staff and students in letting their natural beauty shine.” “Above all, Natural Beauty Week is the ideal time to reflect on the fact that companies will only supply what demand dictates, and we should take the opportunity to make our dollars count.” “We’d like to thank our supporters who helped us spread the message far and wide – particularly Kora Organics, Shine from Within, Pure Indulgence, Synthesis and Jasmin Aromatique.” Natural Beauty Week spokesperson and renowned eco-model Amanda Rootsey said harmful chemicals in beauty products was a hugely important issue to shed light on. “It’s a fact that of more than 10,000 chemicals found in cosmetic and beauty products, about 90% haven’t yet been tested for safety,” Amanda said.

“When you consider the skin is our largest organ and the products we use are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, we owe it to ourselves to be our own watchdogs and do our best to find natural products. The beautiful and bright pigments that can be found in nature are incredible.” Even making one small change to your choice of shampoo, makeup, deodorant or perfume can help over time.” Consumers were encouraged to visit naturalbeautyweek.com.au for inspiration and ideas on how to make the switch to natural, instructions on how to read labels, ingredients to watch out for and skin-friendly beauty foods. The College of Natural Beauty Clinic donated 10% of profits generated through its clinic treatments during Natural Beauty Week to the Butterfly Foundation for Eating Disorders to help support Australians who suffer from eating disorders and negative body image issues, and their carers. naturalbeautyweek.com.au

Dear Me A letter to myself as a fresh graduate If you had the chance to write a letter to yourself as a first year graduate about what you had learnt throughout your career, what would you say? This edition Wellspring asked leading nutritionist, researcher and Endeavour alumna Claudette Casey Freeman to share her thoughts with her younger self.

Dear Claudette As you take this next step you can feel the bright lights re-emerging and are wondering how this knowledge will transform your life. Will it be brighter than anticipated? There will be times you fear your light has diminished and vanished, however you need to remember you simply cannot fail… there is no such thing as failure if you follow your passion and do your best with the knowledge you have whilst holding compassion in your heart. Realise you are on your own unique pathway with lessons to learn and teach, people to meet and opportunities to discover. Take a step back and look at the entire picture with an open mind and realise your journey will always lead you exactly where you need to be. Imagine your destiny to be like a tree - each branch encompasses a thousand ways to achieve your destination. Sometimes you need to retreat back from an extended branch to get back on the right path and climb upwards. Essentially this tree of life will always try to guide you back to the roots of your existence, and lead you to your true principles and core essence. Ultimately, if you continue to learn and follow your path, you will always accomplish your full potential and you will grow into a strong, courageous and wise tree. Be patient! Trust that the universe is “always” moving towards your dreams, desires and goals. Aim to do something towards your goals every day, even if it’s something very small. Do not feel disillusioned when it is not running fast enough for your liking - timing is all part of the essence! You will often feel overwhelmed that the more you study and learn, the less you feel you know. Research is forever changing and it can be influenced, manipulated and controlled. Bacteria become smarter and physiological processes become more complex. It is important to trust the foundations of knowledge you have gained and be open to expanding and intensifying this knowledge. You are not always going to get it right! And it’s ok to get things wrong sometimes…

Claudette Casey Freeman

You are relentless in your pursuit to make big changes for the future of nutritionists. You feel that nutritionists are currently not being recognised and appreciated for where they stand in the industry and public eye. You have big plans to prove to the world that foods and nutraceuticals can play a huge role in healing symptoms, syndromes, conditions and diseases. You will start a Facebook network group called “Nutritional Medicine Practitioners Network” to establish a progressive community through tapping into the collective power of nutritionists, students and food experts from around the world. It is an enormous mission to take on but trust that you will achieve your goals. And so now, you realise the light will never really diminish, it will always simply be a matter of recapturing your peripheral vision, listening, waiting and taking a different perspective on the matter that was required in order for you to see it… glowing forever bright, in your heart and always within sight. Love and light,

Claudette

Claudette is a re spected nutrition ist writer who works with her clients to and use food as medicine to ai d in syndromes, obesit weight loss, metabolic y nutrition and ac prevention, sports hieving optimum health. She has extensive rese ar been interviewed ch experience and has by fitness and welln a wide range of health, ess magazines in Australia. Claudette was aw arded an Advan ced Level General Certifica te Psychology and So of Education in both ci in her work to gu ology, which she leverages ide her clients th roug their own unique journey, rather th h an using generic formulat ions.

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