Your Health Fund, Your Gut, Your Hormones: What the Naturopathy Rebate Means for You in 2026

Australia has legislated the reinstatement of private health insurance rebates for naturopathy. For the millions of women navigating perimenopause, many of whom have been managing gut symptoms and hormonal changes with natural therapies at full cost, this is a significant shift. Here is what it means for you, and what to do next.

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Heart Health After Menopause: Why Cholesterol Is Only Part of the Story

If you've arrived at this article because your cholesterol went up and you weren't sure why, there's a good chance the answer is hormonal. Perimenopause-related cholesterol changes are real, well-documented, and largely under-discussed in clinical settings. Understanding them as part of a broader biological picture, rather than a dietary or lifestyle failure, is the first step toward a genuinely informed response.

Heart disease isn't explained by cholesterol alone. High LDL significantly raises risk and the evidence for that is strong and consistent. But whether that risk actually leads to disease depends on the health of your artery walls, the degree of inflammation in your body, your hormonal environment, your sleep and daily rhythms, and a complex web of factors that a single number on a blood test simply can't capture.

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Natural alternatives vs GLP-1 drugs… or both?

It’s hard to avoid the talk about Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy or other GLP-1 receptor agonists and obesity. Everyone seems to be taking it, and for some, it’s the answer!
For some, the risks, side effects or their own medications or health conditions mean they can’t take them. Others don’t want to take any kind of drugs. This comprehensive article describes what these drugs are, what they do, and how natural ozempic (GLP-1) alternatives can help get better results out of alongside drug treatment, or as an alternative solution. The risks, the pros and cons of GLP-1 drugs, versus natural alternatives and how you can decide which might be the best for you.

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Sunlight's Critical Role in Metabolism & Weight Management

Sunlight's Critical Role in Metabolism & Weight Management
Sunlight is more than just a source of warmth—it's a powerful metabolic catalyst that can transform your body's energy production. Our cells contain tiny power plants called mitochondria, which respond dramatically to light exposure. By understanding how strategic sun interaction works, you can boost metabolism, enhance weight management, and improve overall health.

This exploration reveals how just 10-15 minutes of daily sunlight can:

  • Accelerate cellular energy production

  • Support natural weight loss

  • Improve metabolic flexibility

  • Reduce inflammation

  • Enhance overall physiological functioning

Discover how nature's most accessible resource can become your wellness ally.

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Julie Forrester Julie Forrester

Taking vitamin D versus Making vitamin D

The Surprising Truth About Vitamin D: Sunlight vs. Supplements

Vitamin D3 has become a hot topic in health conversations, shifting focus from calcium to its critical role in bone health and beyond. Research links deficiency to suppressed immunity, autoimmune diseases, and more, though supplement studies have fallen short of expectations. During the COVID pandemic, its importance was highlighted, with low levels tied to worse outcomes. But is the vitamin D we make from sunlight the same as what’s in capsules? This article explores the benefits of natural vitamin D production, other molecules made from sun exposure, and whether supplements are truly the answer—or if we’ve misunderstood this vital nutrient.

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Julie Forrester Julie Forrester

How sunshine influences gut health

Circadian rhythm is so much more than the sleep and wake cycle, or even when to eat. It governs every cell to optimise tasks at different times of the day. The microbiome, too, works differently depending on the time of day, and a number of aspects of digestion are timed. So, how does the body tell the time? How does circadian signalling impact digestion and the microbiome? And, how can you improve your gut health with getting your light exposure right? This post explains why circadian signalling is important for the whole body, in particular the gastrointestinal tract and all of the organs of digestion, and how to optimise your digestive health by improving your circadian rhythm.

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Julie Forrester Julie Forrester

Mitochondrial health, sunshine, sleep and frequencies

The most important regulator of ALL health in the body is a tiny little bean-like structure contained in all of our cells. Called the mitochondria it’s commonly known as ‘the powerhouse of the cell’, and new advances in science that bring Quantum physics and biology together, shows that this powerhouse is SO much more than that. And the ways we can improve it are literally outside our front door, free, and easy.

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