Katherine Matthews Naturopathy

Vitamin D, Are You Getting Enough?

This week I am absolutely thrilled to be collaborating with Green Goddess by writing a article for them on Vitamin D where I ask the question 'Are we getting enough?'🌞. The answer may surprise you. The Green Goddess philosophy is about working with things from the earth that are in tune with our whole selves – mind, body and soul. They make eco laundry, body, and cleaning products right here in Auckland New Zealand. Check out the article through the link below: https://greengoddess.co.nz/vitamin-d-are-you-getting-enough/

Vitamin D, Are You Getting Enough? This informative article on Vitamin D tells us why we may not be getting enough and how to prevent deficiency.

So excited to have my article published in @wholefoodliving.life magazine spring edition!

The article outlines the benefits of water 💦only fasting and my experience working at the renowned True North Health Center in California.

Everyday I use my knowledge in fasting to support and guide my client's. Their are many ways to incorporate fasting into our lives to reap the benefits. For example intermittent fasting, time restricted eating, long term fasting, weekend fast, 24hour fast etc. Fasting needs to be personalized to fit our individual health goals.

It's also so supportive to have someone to talk to about the many changes you feel in your body during fasting, and to guide you on what is safe and what may be a sign to stop the fast.

Check out @wholefoodliving.life for the full article and other amazing pieces including one from one of my teachers Dr Michael Klapher 😃

#waterfasting #naturopathicmedicine #nutrition #wellness #intermittentfasting #fastingforweightloss #wholefoods #plantbaseddiet #naturopath #naturopathicnutrition #fastingtips #truenorthhealthcenter

Vitamin D : Why you may not be getting enough and how to prevent deficiency. — Katherine Matthews

Are you getting enough vitamin D? As some of us remain in lockdown and others are transitioning out, I know many of us have spent a lot of time inside in the last months, due to lockdown and winter. We have been missing those important rays of sunshine that helps us make vitamin D. So how do you know if you are getting enough Vitamin D? In New Zealand with our long summers at our batches, the many days we spend outdoors, and lying on the beach, you wouldn't think we were susceptible to vitamin D deficiency. Commonly I hear from my clients, “I only need to expose myself for 10-20 minutes a day to get my vitamin D, right?” Unfortunately it's just not that simple, as studies estimate that almost half of the population in New Zealand have average vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/L classified as a mild deficiency, while 3-4% of people have levels lower than 17.5 nmol/L, classified as a severe deficiency. However, there are many ways in which you can prevent becoming deficient.

Click below to read the article so that you can prevent deficiency and make sure your vitamin D levels are optimal for yourself and your family's health.
#vitamind #VitaminD3 #sunshinevitamin#strongbones
https://www.katherinematthews.co.nz/blog/vitamin-d-how-to-prevent-deficiency

Vitamin D : Why you may not be getting enough and how to prevent deficiency. — Katherine Matthews Vitamin D is commonly known as the sunshine vitamin, this amazing vitamin that is synthesized from liquid light, aka sunlight on our skin. In New Zealand with our long summers at our batches and with the many days we spend outdoors or lying on the beach you wouldn't think we were susceptible to vita

Time to 'un normalize' menstrual cramps or period pain: Understanding your root causes. — Katherine Matthews

In my clinic I see a lot of women with painful periods. The system is rigged against our hormones, from our stress levels, inflammatory food products, to environmental endocrine disruptors its hard work being a women and keeping our hormones balanced without a extra bit of support. 😄

If your struggling with period pain, uncomfortable menstrual cramps, or mildly annoying and painful periods each month your not alone. About 50% of all women are struggling with you. In one study in New Zealand half the women reported some dysmenorrhea, and 520 had 'significant period pain. It is so common that women often think it’s normal and don’t seek help for it.

I am here to tell you that pain is never normal, and you don’t have to put up with it! There are effective, natural ways to combat period pain, so you can feel more like yourself all month long. Its time to 'un normalize' period pain. 🥳
https://www.katherinematthews.co.nz/blog/menstrual-cramps-or-period-pain-understanding-your-root-cause

Time to 'un normalize' menstrual cramps or period pain: Understanding your root causes. — Katherine Matthews If your struggling with period pain, uncomfortable menstrual cramps, or mildly annoying and painful periods each month your not alone. About 50% of all women are struggling with you. In one study in New Zealand half the women reported some dysmenorrhea, and 520 had 'significant period pain (1). It i

Tackling Traveler's Diarrhea aka Bali Belly Naturally: How to Get Your Gut Back on Track After Getting Sick on Holiday — Katherine Matthews

When it comes to the gut we can be experiencing symptoms from a event that happened many years ago! I often meet clients who when we go through their health history say " It all started after I came back from 'insert name of country' or " I haven't felt well since I went overseas 3 years ago". When asked they usually state they had a illness or travelers diarrhea at one point in their trip. They often are experiencing a range of symptoms from bloating and food sensitivities to stomach pains and fatigue. If this sounds like you or someone you know I recommend having a read of the article below to see how you may be able to get your gut health back on track.
https://www.katherinematthews.co.nz/blog/Bali%20Belly:%20How%20to%20Get%20Your%20Gut%20Back%20on%20Track%20After%20Getting%20Sick%20on%20Holiday

Tackling Traveler's Diarrhea aka Bali Belly Naturally: How to Get Your Gut Back on Track After Getting Sick on Holiday — Katherine Matthews Evading this season’s colds, coughs and flu can feel like an uphill battle through a treacherous warzone. As you forge through uncharted territory, you remain constantly vulnerable to an enemy ambush closing in on you. The same can be said of your body during winter, when it must regularly defend ...

New Blog post on looking after your immunity this winter that I wrote for WYLD. Enjoy :)

Read this weeks WYLD life blog on how to combat colds + flu.

Did you know that having poor gut health, poor sleep quality, chronic stress and not enough exercise can make it more difficult for your immune soldiers to defend your body?

https://wyldchiropractic.co.nz/wyldlife/natural-resilience-against-colds-and-flu

What a blessing to spend 4 hours connecting with the @kanukayoga community at Wellness by the Water !

We covered a lot in an hour, from the benefits of fasting, to the microbiome and women's hormonal wellbeing. 🙌

So many questions were asked and it was great to be able to provide clarity for the huge amount of misinformation that exists in the health and wellness sphere.

I met so many lovely people! Thank you all who attended.

So much gratitude to @elijahblue_ for hosting us and the awesome humans at @kanukayoga for the lovely yoga class! And of course the lovely Triona Daly from greengoddess for her lovely organic goodies! 😍

Natural Resilience Against Colds and Flus: Lifestyle Habits that puts you at risk and how to fix them. — Katherine Matthews

Its that time of year when the winter chills and sniffles are almost upon us. There are so many things we can do naturally to support our resilience this winter, to shorten duration of colds, and to avoid getting sick all together. The question is what do you need to focus on to strengthen your immune system? There is so many ways I love to support my clients with herbs and extra nutrients so their immune systems are strong. I also remind them of everyday practices we have that they can focus on themselves, so their immune system is not vulnerable to catching every bug over winter. Enjoy reading how upgrading certain lifestyle practices we do everyday can contribute to preventing you from getting sick this winter.
https://www.katherinematthews.co.nz/blog/natural-resilience-against-colds-and-flu

Natural Resilience Against Colds and Flus: Lifestyle Habits that puts you at risk and how to fix them. — Katherine Matthews Evading this season’s colds, coughs and flu can feel like an uphill battle through a treacherous warzone. As you forge through uncharted territory, you remain constantly vulnerable to an enemy ambush closing in on you. The same can be said of your body during winter, when it must regularly defend ...

Meet the amazing team I work with WYLD Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic . :)

I am so excited 😆to share with you all the blog post this week as it has a powerful story behind it. It features my colleague the amazing Dr Stephanie Peacock who co authored this blog with me. A Chiropractic Doctor and Wellness Coach Stephanie is a force of nature, supporting people to increase their wellness and reverse chronic disease in America. Last year whilst I was working in California at the True North Health Center we worked closely together. At this time Dr Peacock was diagnosed with Glandular Fever. Gathering a team of support around you while you go through and recover from this debilitating illness is essential. I came on board to support Dr Peacock to return to her full strength and vitality with naturopathic care. By using herbal medicine, nutrition and lifestyle change, Stephanie recovered fully from this illness. We were inspired to write about how you can overcome Glandular Fever, naturally. We both want to share with you what tools we used, and what we learned was effective in treating this illness. I hope you enjoy the read 🤩. https://www.katherinematthews.co.nz/blog/how-to-recover-from-glandular-fever-naturally

Pregnant and Plant Based? Your Guide to a Healthy Vegan/Vegetarian pregnancy. — Katherine Matthews

Supporting women through all stages of pregnancy is one of my passions. The health of our children are affected in preconception and pregnancy, and my mission to to increase the beneficial affects. This week I look at plant based diets and pregnancy. Eating a whole foods plant based diet provides plenty of vitamins and minerals that keep you feeling healthy, and eating more fruits and vegetables during pregnancy has been linked to many beneficial health outcomes for your baby. In fact, what a woman eats during pregnancy not only nourishes her baby in the womb, but may also shape the food preferences of her child later in life. No matter whether your an omnivore, everything-vore, plant based, vegan or vegetarian, its important to have careful planning to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Pregnant and Plant Based? Your Guide to a Healthy Vegan/Vegetarian pregnancy. — Katherine Matthews Eating whole food plant based has many benefits. However sometimes finding trusted information for how to do this in pregnancy can be hard. Plant foods provide plenty of vitamins and minerals that keep you feeling healthy, however, like any other diet it requires careful planning to prevent nutritio

Being human is to move. In our day to day lives we have very linear repetitive forms of movement. Think computer work, leaning forward to type, watching a video, & driving. This creates an imbalance in our body's muscular system, spine, nervous system and mind. Our bodies are made to move in so many interesting ways from jumping, rolling, tumbling, swimming, to hula hooping and crawling. For me, I love to move in ways that are dynamic, that make me feel connected to my body and strong. It hasn’t always been this way. For many years I abused my body doing two high performance adrenaline sports at the expense of my health and eventually burnout. Through my recovery journey I found yoga and this has been an integral part of my life since. Training as a yoga teacher was one of the best decisions I ever made. Yoga has taught me to check in with my body and mind every day. It's a form of movement that can be adjusted to energy levels and physical capabilities. I love to assist my clients to integrate a yoga practice into their lives, often focused on being a restful restorative practice. From injuries to adrenal fatigue, to hormonal concerns, my clients have come back with an awareness of their bodies, a sense of feeling rested and what they need to reach their health goals. As women we have a cycle that creates variation in our energy and motivation across a month. Choosing movement in alignment with our hormonal cycle sends a signal to our body that we are listening. Our body responds by giving us stability in our hormones, energy and health. So what is your body telling you today? and what movement would best support you to feel balanced, inspired, strong, rested and connected? #moveyourbody #movewithyourcycle #exerciseforhormonehealth #hormonalhealth #yogapractice #yoga #yogainspiration #yogawithfightmaster #fightmasteryoga #strongwomen #balancedinmyownway #nutritionist #hathayoga #lovemyskin #dynamicmovement #womensupportingwomen #movement #movementculture #movementlifestyle #movementislife

Pregnancy & Omega 3's: Why they are Essential For Your Baby’s Brain. — Katherine Matthews

Continuing the pregnancy theme this week we are talking about omega 3. Did you know that studies have linked high-DHA supplements taken in pregnancy with greater memory and problem-solving ability in babies and better hand-eye co-ordination in children? There are many important roles of omega 3's in pregnancy one of which is baby's brain development and improving overall cognitive function. Its essential to understand how much to take across all stages of pregnancy and to take a high quality uncontaminated supplement to make sure you and your baby are getting enough omega 3. This article outlines this and so much more :) Enjoy.

Pregnancy & Omega 3's: Why they are Essential For Your Baby’s Brain. — Katherine Matthews If you have ever browsed the shelves of your local supermarket or Pharmacy, you will have seen bottles of omega-3 capsules, typically recommended for maintaining a healthy heart and for reducing inflammation in conditions such as arthritis. Did you know that these essential fatty acids are also vita