Whether you are a while into your fertility journey or are considering a family in the future, there is much that natural medicine can offer to help support conception, reduce the risk of miscarriage, optimise the health of both you and your baby, and help support a gentle birth. An ideal preconception care plan should start 3 months before trying to conceive, unless there are specific health concerns that need addressing. However, no matter your goals or where you are in your fertility journey, I would be happy to help you.

“Your help and support from the very beginning, even before we fell pregnant has been the most valuable experience through our very long fertility and pregnancy journey. Thank you for your love and guidance through it all, I know the reason we have a very happy and healthy precious little girl has a big part to do with the health and well-being you made possible for us both to achieve.”

A healthy menstrual cycle shouldn't come with symptoms such as pain, mood swings, and skin breakouts. If this is the case, there are some key herbs, nutrients and dietary strategies that can help support a happy, healthy menstrual cycle. In some cases, I’ll use functional testing such as the DUTCH test to pinpoint what is going on with your sex and stress hormones, for a more targeted approach.

“I am amazed at the rate at which my health has improved since working with Alena. I had been suffering with debilitating period pain for 10 years and tried everything to help ease the pain. After a lot of time, money and energy, I was exhausted. Even as I write this I feel elated and joyful as my pain no longer controls me. I feel healthy, happy and better equipped to support my body. Honestly I wish I had gone to a naturopath sooner!”

All too common in the 21st century, stress is a factor in a large majority of my client’s lives. The good news is that there are so many options to help reduce stress and anxiety and improve your mood long-term, without a high risk of side effects. We’ll often start by helping to reduce symptoms for short-term relief, whilst also addressing underlying causes to encourage long-term positive changes.

“I had tried pretty much everything in the natural book to help restore my totally dishevelled nervous system after a very difficult year. I knew seeing a herbalist could help, but I never imagined the depth of restoration my body and mind would receive through working with Alena and taking the herbal combinations we chose together. We built up a complete regimen of care that allowed me to return to feeling like myself for the first time in over 12 months.”

Diet, supplements and herbs can offer incredible benefits to your immune system, whether it is over-active, under-active, or something in between. This may show up as autoimmune conditions such as Hashimotos; skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or fungal overgrowth; frequent colds, flu, or infections; or fatigue and weakness following a virus or infection such as Covid or Epstein–Barr (glandular fever).

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with IBD or IBS, experience bloating, changes in bowel movements, reflux, or something else, most gut concerns can be alleviated or improved by identifying and addressing the root cause/s. If this can’t be identified by your health history, I’ll generally recommend functional testing such as the GI360 or SIBO test to find out more about what is going on in your gut so we can then address it accordingly. P.s. I’m going to say it—a low FODMAP diet isn’t a long-term ‘fix’ either! In most cases, the goal of a gut protocol is to get you back to eating a varied, balanced diet as soon as possible, as opposed to long-term restriction.

“I’ve been working with Alena for the past 6 months and could not be more happy with the results I’ve seen. Our focus has been on gut and skin health, using a combination of nutrition, herbs & lifestyle practices to overcome some challenges I had been facing for years. She has provided a clear and accessible guideline for me to follow and the all of the support necessary for me to fulfil that commitment to myself.”

Through case-taking, carefully considered dietary trials, and functional testing (where required) such as blood antigen tests, we can work to get to the bottom of whether there are any foods that may be contributing to your symptoms, or negatively impacting your health. Together we can then create a plan to address these.

Our skin is a representation of our internal health, so it’s vital to identify and address the causes or drivers of skin conditions, be it hormonal, gut, food intolerances, or something else.

“I had been battling with seborrheic dermatitis which had responded to steroid cream but as soon as I stopped the cream it would come back just as aggressively. My doctor said that there was nothing I could do but to keep using the steroid cream… After exhausting many products from the pharmacy I met with Alena, and I still can't believe it, but the dermatitis site is now perfectly clear and normal. I am so thankful that I don't have to deal with the unsightlyness and chronic itchyness of the dermatitis… I recommend her to everyone I talk to who are struggling with a range of health issues and will continue to do so.”

Even if you don't have a specific health concern at present, annual or biannual naturopathic consultations offer an opportunity for a health review to support good health into the future. This proactive approach to health is also known as “preventative medicine”.