Ep 20: More Than Tired ~ Postpartum Depletion, Iron Deficiency, and What Nobody Told Me After Having My Babies

Ep 20: More Than Tired ~ Postpartum Depletion, Iron Deficiency, and What Nobody Told Me After Having My Babies

Could what you're feeling after having your baby be more than just tiredness? What if the fatigue, brain fog, and the emotional flatness have a physical explanation that nobody has properly investigated? And why does being told your blood tests are "normal" not always mean what you think it means? In this episode I'm getting personal. I'm sharing my own experience of significant blood loss after the birth of my twins, how it went largely unaddressed by the medical system, and how the depletion that followed affected me for years without me fully understanding why. I'm also walking through the clinical side of postpartum depletion ~ what we really need to look at beyond a standard blood panel, the difference between iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia, why the most commonly recommended iron supplements are often not the best approach, and what I wish I had known sooner. If you are postpartum and still not feeling like yourself, or if you felt that way for years after having your babies and just accepted it as part of motherhood, this episode is for you. We explore: ✨ What postpartum depletion actually is, and why it goes so much deeper than sleep deprivation ✨ My personal story of significant blood loss after the birth of my twins, and what happened (and didn't happen) in the care that followed ✨ The difference between iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia ✨ Why standard iron supplements are often poorly absorbed, hard on the gut, and not always the right first step ✨ The other key nutrients commonly depleted after birth ✨ How postpartum thyroid changes and adrenal load fit into the picture ✨ Why "normal" on a blood test does not always mean optimal, and what a more thorough investigation can reveal ✨ What I wish I had known sooner, and what I want you to take away from this episode Postpartum depletion is real, it runs deep, and it is far more common than we tend to acknowledge. So many women are told they are tired because they have a newborn, and while that is true, it is not always the whole story. When significant blood loss goes uninvestigated, when a standard blood panel misses key markers, or when nutrient stores are drawn down over months and years of pregnancy and breastfeeding, the effects on energy, mood, physical recovery, and how you show up in your relationships can be profound. You do not have to just push through. You do not have to accept that this is simply what motherhood feels like. A thorough look at what is actually happening in your body, interpreted properly and in the context of your individual history, can change everything. And the sooner that happens, the better. Normal is not the same as optimal. You deserve to know the difference. 🧡 Work with me If this episode resonated and you'd like to explore what support might look like for you, I offer complimentary discovery sessions. It's genuinely just a conversation ~ no commitment, no pressure. We chat about what you've been experiencing, what you've already tried, and whether working together feels like a good fit. Book your complimentary discovery session here [https://nature-nurture-co.simplecliniconline.com/diary] If you're ready to dive in, you can also find out how to work with me by booking an Initial Consultation or exploring my long-term care packages, at the link below. These are designed for those who are ready to stop coping and start actually feeling well again. Find out how to work with me here [https://www.natureandnurture.au/how-to-work-with-me] 🧡 Where to find me: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.natureandnurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [www.natureandnurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/nature.nurture.au/] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/nature.nurture.au] 🧡 Disclaimer The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace individualised medical or naturopathic advice. The content discussed does not constitute a diagnosis or treatment recommendation. Please work with a qualified healthcare provider for guidance that is specific to your individual situation and health history.

Ep 19: Interview with Kate Webbe ~ supporting ARFID from lived experience and nutritionist perspective

Understanding ARFID: What It Is, How It Presents, and How to Support Your Selective Eater ~ with Kate Webbe, Certified Practising Nutritionist Is your child's selective eating more than just fussiness ~ and how would you even know the difference? What does it actually look like to take the pressure off at mealtimes, and why does that matter more than you might think? Could there be something deeper driving your child's relationship with food, and where do you even start? If you've ever sat at the dinner table feeling completely stuck, watching your child refuse almost everything and wondering whether you're doing something wrong, this episode is for you. I'm joined by Kate, a certified practising nutritionist who not only works with families navigating ARFID and selective eating, but also lives with it herself. We talk about what ARFID actually is, how it presents, why it can be so easily missed or dismissed, and what parents can do right now to take some of the pressure off ~ for their kids and for themselves. We explore: ✨ What ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) actually is, and the 3 different ways it can present ✨ Why ARFID is so often confused with behavioural challenges or simple sensory sensitivities ~ and how that leads to families going years without answers ✨ Kate's own lived experience, including the diary entries her mum kept from when Kate was just 14 months old ✨ What "safe foods" actually are and why predictability and consistency matter so much for sensitive eaters ✨ How taking the pressure completely off mealtimes can be the most effective starting point ~ and what that actually looks like in practice ✨ The surprising role that TV, outdoor eating, and movement can play in supporting a child with ARFID ✨ Why supporting the parents' nervous system is just as important as supporting the child ✨ Practical first steps for families who are just starting to recognise what might be going on ✨ Kate's course Supporting Your Selective Eater and her membership for neurodivergent adults This conversation genuinely shifted some of my own thinking, and I hope it does the same for you. What strikes me most about Kate's approach is how much it mirrors what I see in clinic every day ~ that when we reduce pressure, meet people where they are, and look at the whole picture rather than just one symptom or one mealtime, we get so much further. If any of this resonated ~ whether you're navigating this with your own child or wondering if your own relationship with food might finally have a name ~ please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. It might just be the thing that helps them feel a little less alone. 💌 Connect with Kate You can find Kate on Instagram at @plenanutrition_kate [https://www.instagram.com/plenanutrition_kate/], where she shares almost daily about living with ARFID and advocates for neurodivergent eaters of all ages. Kate offers one-on-one consultations, discovery calls, and her course Supporting Your Selective Eater is now available on demand ~ perfect if you're up at 3am Googling and need answers now. Find the links to all of Kate's goodies here [https://bio.site/plenanutrition] 💌 Work with me If this episode brought up questions about your child's gut health, nervous system, or nutritional foundations, I'd love to help you look at the bigger picture. As a clinical naturopath specialising in family health, I work with children and parents together ~ because supporting the whole family always gets better results. I offer in-clinic consultations in Whittlesea, VIC and Telehealth consults Australia-wide. You can find out how to work with me on my website⁠ ⁠here [https://www.natureandnurture.au/how-to-work-with-me] 🧡 Where to find me: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.natureandnurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [www.natureandnurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/nature.nurture.au/] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/nature.nurture.au] Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualised medical or naturopathic advice. Please consult a qualified health professional for support with your or your child's specific health needs.

Ep 18: Thyroid 101 ~ What It Actually Does, Why It Matters, and Why "Normal" Doesn't Always Mean Optimal

Have you ever had your thyroid checked, been told everything looks fine, and still felt exhausted, cold, foggy, and unlike yourself? Could your thyroid be quietly affecting your energy, your mood, your weight, and your digestion ~ without ever showing up on a standard blood test? And what does "normal" actually mean when it comes to your thyroid, and is it the same as optimal? In this episode I'm doing a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood areas of women's health ~ the thyroid. It comes up in my clinic constantly, and so often the people sitting across from me have already had their thyroid "checked" and been told it's fine. Today I want to unpack why that doesn't always tell the full story, what your thyroid is actually doing behind the scenes, what to look for if something feels off, and what you can do to support it in everyday life. We explore: ✨ What the thyroid actually does and why it affects so much more than just your metabolism ✨ The difference between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, and the symptoms of each ✨ Autoimmune thyroid conditions including Hashimoto's and Graves' disease, and why they so often go undetected ✨ Why TSH-only testing misses the bigger picture, and what a complete thyroid panel actually looks like ✨ The T4 to T3 conversion process, and how your gut and liver play a bigger role than most people realise ✨ The key nutrients that support thyroid function, including iodine, selenium, zinc, and protein ✨ How chronic stress, poor sleep, and endocrine disruptors can quietly disrupt thyroid health ✨ How to advocate for yourself with your GP and what to ask for if you're still not getting answers If you've been walking around feeling exhausted, foggy, cold, or just not like yourself ~ and you've been told your results are fine ~ this episode is for you. The thyroid touches almost every system in the body, and when it's not functioning optimally, you feel it in a lot of different ways at once. The good news is that with the right testing, the right support, and a practitioner who actually takes the time to look at the full picture, there are usually answers. You're not imagining it, and you don't have to keep accepting it. Resources Mentioned in This Episode 👉 Yuka App ~ A free app that scans the barcodes of food products, cosmetics and personal care products and gives them an instant health rating. It flags additives, potential endocrine disruptors, allergens, and irritants so you can see exactly what's in the products you're buying. It's a really practical tool if you want to start making more informed swaps without having to become an ingredient expert overnight. Download it free on the App Store or Google Play, or visit yuka.io [https://yuka.io/en/] 💌 Work with me If anything in today's episode resonated and you're wondering whether your thyroid could be part of what's going on for you, I'd love to help you look at it properly. At Nature & Nurture Co., I offer thorough consultations where we look at your full history, your symptoms, and your testing together ~ not just a single number on a page. Whether you're starting from scratch or you've been trying to get answers for years, there's a lot we can explore. 🧡 Where to find me: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.natureandnurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [www.natureandnurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/nature.nurture.au/] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/nature.nurture.au] Disclaimer The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace personalised medical advice. Please always work with your healthcare practitioner for diagnosis and treatment specific to your individual needs.

Ep 17: Interview with Jade Walker ~ Has Your Teen Got Endo?

Could your teen's painful periods actually be something more? What if the gut symptoms, fatigue, anxiety and missed school days were all connected to something that has a name and a path forward? Endometriosis affects roughly one in nine people who menstruate, yet the average time to diagnosis is still far too long. In this episode I sit down with Jade Walker, degree-qualified naturopath, endometriosis advocate and creator of the Endo Care Collective, to talk about what to look for, when to push for answers, and how to support your teen when the system isn't listening. We explore: ✨ What endo actually is and why it's more than painful periods ✨ Signs in teenagers that parents often miss ✨ How to advocate when your daughter isn't being taken seriously ✨ Why early intervention matters for fertility and quality of life ✨ Practical support while waiting for diagnosis or referral ✨ Jade's own story of misdiagnosis and finding her way to healing Pain that disrupts your teenager's life is not something she should have to accept as normal. I hope this conversation gives you the language, the awareness and the confidence to advocate for her. Resources Mentioned in This Episode 👉 Matilda [https://www.matilda.health/], an endometriosis support resource for young people and their families 👉 Hey Sister [https://heysister.com/⁠], a supplement range designed to support people with endo 🎉 Exciting News + A Special Offer I've recently joined Jade's team as her resident metabolic health naturopath. If you've been experiencing energy crashes, sugar cravings, unexplained weight changes, or you've been told your levels are normal but something still feels off, think insulin resistance, PCOS, underactive thyroid or prediabetes, this is for you. To celebrate, we've put together a Metabolic Reset Package. We're not guessing, we're testing. The package includes fasting insulin, fasting glucose and HOMA-IR, a calculated marker that can reveal early insulin resistance even when individual results look normal on paper. From there we build a plan around your symptoms, history and goals. The package includes a 60-minute initial consult, 45-minute follow-up, personalised treatment plan and blood test. Valued at $489, available this month for $420. You can find the details and grab this great package through the links below. If you'd prefer to spread the cost over a payment plan, there's an option for that too 🧡 👉 Purchase the Metabolic Reset Package here [https://jade-walker-health.simplecliniconline.com/bundles/rkpB] 👉 Payment plan option here [https://courses.jadewalker.com.au/offers/yxXzJ5m8⁠] 💌 Work with me If today's episode sparked something for you and you're looking for support with your own health or your family's wellbeing, I'd love to connect. I offer in-clinic consultations in Whittlesea and telehealth appointments Australia-wide. You can find out how to work with me on my website ⁠here⁠ [https://www.natureandnurture.au/how-to-work-with-me] 🧡 Where to find me: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.natureandnurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [www.natureandnurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/nature.nurture.au/] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/nature.nurture.au] 💌 Connect with Jade Walker Jade's website here [https://www.jadewalker.com.au/⁠] Endo Care Collective here [https://www.jadewalker.com.au/endo-care-collective/⁠] Endo Belly Packages here [https://www.jadewalker.com.au/endo-belly-packages/⁠] Jade's podcast here [https://www.jadewalker.com.au/podcast/⁠] Jade on Instagram here [https://www.instagram.com/jadewalkerhealth/⁠] Jade on TikTok here [https://www.tiktok.com/@jadewalkerhealth⁠] Disclaimer This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to replace personalised medical advice. If you or your teenager are experiencing symptoms, please consult a qualified healthcare professional. Nothing discussed in this episode constitutes a diagnosis.

Ep 16: Gut Feelings ~ What Stress and Depletion Are Really Doing to Your Digestion

Why do so many people struggle with bloating, loose stools, and unpredictable digestion, even when they're eating well? Could your nervous system be the missing piece in your gut health puzzle? And what does chronic low-grade stress and depletion actually do to your digestive system over time? If your gut feels like it has a mind of its own, you're not imagining it. In this episode, I'm getting personal about my own experience with stress and digestion, and unpacking why gut symptoms so often have very little to do with what you're actually eating. We explore the gut-brain connection, what cortisol does to your digestive system, the role of metagenomic microbiome testing in getting real answers, and some simple, realistic shifts that can genuinely make a difference. We explore: ✨ Why the gut and the nervous system are in constant communication, and what that means for your digestion ✨ What chronic low-grade stress and depletion actually do to your bowels, bloating, and appetite ✨ The role cortisol plays in gut permeability, motility, and your microbiome ✨ Why eating well isn't always enough when your nervous system is dysregulated ✨ How metagenomic microbiome testing gives us real data to target treatment, rather than guessing ✨ Practical, realistic shifts to support both your nervous system and your digestion Your gut symptoms might not be a food problem. Bloating, irregular bowels, and low appetite are often patterns that connect back to the nervous system and the ongoing stress and depletion of daily life. This episode is about understanding what's happening beneath the surface so that the changes you make actually work. And when you combine that understanding with the right testing, you stop guessing and start treating what's actually there. 💌 Work with me If this episode resonated and you'd like some support in understanding what's going on for you, I'd love to work with you. I offer initial consultations in clinic in Whittlesea and via telehealth Australia-wide. All of my packages include metagenomic microbiome testing as standard, because I believe having that detailed data about your gut is one of the most valuable things we can do at the start of your care. Some packages also include functional pathology to look at the full picture, including markers that support nervous system care. Having everything included in one package means you get comprehensive, targeted support from the very beginning. You can find out how to work with me on my website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.natureandnurture.au/how-to-work-with-me] This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalised medical or naturopathic advice. Please consult your healthcare practitioner before making any changes to your health care routine. Where to find me: 🧡 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.natureandnurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🧡 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🧡 Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nature.nurture.au⁠⁠⁠ Listening on Spotify? You can leave a comment or question directly on this episode and I'll do my best to reply. On Apple Podcasts? I'd be so grateful if you took a moment to leave a review. It helps more people find the show and means the world to me. 🥰