Naturopath Consult

Top Issues

• Chronic fatigue and afternoon energy crashes (x 6 months)
• Post-prandial abdominal bloating and alternating bowel habits
• Sleep maintenance insomnia and heightened occupational stress

Energy

• Physical energy 4/10 on waking; drops to 2/10 by 15:00
• Mental fog and poor concentration in the afternoons
• Emotionally drained and overwhelmed by daily tasks

Sleep

bed: 22:30

latency: 30–45 mins

disturbed: Wakes 2–3 times per night (typically between 02:00 and 03:30); difficulty returning to sleep due to racing thoughts

quality: Unrefreshing, light, and restless

dreams: Vivid, work-related anxious dreams

wake: 06:30 via alarm

Gut

• Moderate-to-severe lower abdominal bloating, worse late afternoon and post-meals
• Alternating bowel habits: Bristol Stool Chart (BSC) type 2–3 for 3 days, followed by BSC type 6
• Flatulence and mild post-prandial epigastric reflux with heavy meals

Nervous System

• Bilateral tension-type headaches 2x/week, typically late afternoon
• Occasional orthostatic dizziness upon standing quickly
• Mild bilateral palmar paraesthesia when acutely anxious

Mood (Stress, anxiety, irritability, low mood)

• High baseline occupational stress (8/10)
• Increased irritability and low frustration tolerance, particularly pre-menstrually
• Mild generalized anxiety; denies low mood or anhedonia

Repro (periods, cycle, vaginal issues)

• Regular 29-day cycle, 5-day bleed
• Day 1–2 moderate dysmenorrhoea requiring ibuprofen 400 mg PO PRN
• Premenstrual breast tenderness, fluid retention, and mood lability 5 days prior to menses
• No abnormal vaginal discharge or intermenstrual bleeding

Muscles

• Chronic bilateral upper trapezius and cervical hypertonicity
• Nocturnal bilateral calf cramps 1–2x/week
• Post-exercise delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) lasting > 72 hours

Cardio (heart palpitations)

• Occasional benign awareness of heartbeat when lying on left side at night, worsened by > 2 coffees/day
• BP 115/75 mmHg, HR 72 bpm regular

Immune

• Frequent upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) — 4 episodes in the past 12 months, slow recovery
• Mild seasonal allergic rhinitis in spring

Urinary

• Nocturia 1x/night
• Urine clear to pale yellow; denies dysuria, urgency, or frequency

Skin

• Mild perioral and mandibular cystic acne flares pre-menstrually
• Dry, flaky skin on bilateral shins and forearms
• Brittle fingernails with longitudinal ridging

Misc

• Cold intolerance (cold hands and feet)
• Diffuse scalp hair shedding noted over the last 3 months

Exercise

• Clinical Pilates 2x/week (45 mins)
• Brisk walking 20 mins most days
• Avoids high-intensity interval training (HIIT) due to post-exertional malaise

Diet

Breakfast: 07:30 – 2 slices sourdough toast with butter and Vegemite, 1x flat white (full cream cow's milk)

Morning Tea: 10:30 – 1x large almond latte, 1x banana or commercial muesli bar

Lunch: 13:30 – Chicken and salad wrap or sushi rolls (purchased from local cafe)

Afternoon tea: 16:00 – 4–5 squares milk chocolate or 2x sweet biscuits to combat energy slump

Dinner: 19:30 – Stir-fry beef/chicken with white rice, or pasta bolognese with mixed green salad

After Dinner: 21:00 – 1x cup peppermint tea, occasional bowl of vanilla ice cream

snacks: Raw almonds, rice crackers with cheddar cheese

eat out: Takeaway 2x/week (typically Thai or pizza on Friday/Saturday nights)

beverages: 1 L filtered water/day, 2x espresso coffees/day, 1–2 glasses Pinot Noir on Friday and Saturday evenings

Treatment Focus

• Support HPA-axis dysregulation, improve stress resilience, and restore circadian rhythm
• Optimise digestive function, reduce dysbiosis/bloating, and regulate bowel motility
• Address suspected subclinical nutritional deficiencies (iron, magnesium, B vitamins)

Treatment

Diet & Lifestyle

• Increase filtered water intake to 2 L daily, consumed away from main meals.
• Cease caffeine intake after 11:00; limit to 1 espresso coffee daily, consumed after breakfast.
• Increase protein at breakfast (e.g., 2 poached eggs with spinach on sourdough) to stabilise glycaemic control and reduce 16:00 cravings.
• Implement strict sleep hygiene: screen-free 60 mins prior to bed, dim lighting, and 10 mins diaphragmatic breathing at 22:00.

Nutraceuticals & Herbal Medicine

• Magnesium bisglycinate 300 mg PO nocte (30 mins before bed) for nervous system support, sleep quality, and nocturnal muscle cramps.
• Adrenal/Nervous System Herbal Liquid (200 mL): Withania somnifera 1:2 (40 mL), Rhodiola rosea 2:1 (30 mL), Passiflora incarnata 1:2 (40 mL), Matricaria recutita 1:2 (50 mL), Glycyrrhiza glabra 1:1 (40 mL). Dose: 7.5 mL PO BID in water before breakfast and dinner.
• Partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG) 5 g PO mane in water to regulate bowel motility and support microbiome diversity.
• Digestive bitters (Gentian and Dandelion root) 15 drops in 20 mL water PO 10 mins prior to main meals.

Pathology & Follow-up

• Refer to GP for comprehensive pathology: FBC, iron studies, serum B12/folate, vitamin D, TSH, free T3/T4, and fasting insulin/glucose.
• Review in 3 weeks (14/04/2026) to assess symptom progression and pathology results.