Article Library
This week's article
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GLP-1 agonist weight loss drugs: Leaning the ladder against
1 April 2024 In his best-selling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey caut
The high price of weight loss: GLP-1 agonist side-effects
25 March 2024 In Part 1 of this miniseries on GLP-1 agonists, I summarised the actions exerted by
GLP-1 agonists: Weight loss wonder-drugs, or disaster in the
18 March 2023 A couple of months ago, I caught up with a cousin whom I hadn’t seen for several
Ultra-processed foods: Cheap, tasty, convenient, and deadly
Nutritional reductionism is getting us nowhere. Let's look at the big picture. 11 March 2024 I
Diving down the low-carb rabbit hole - Part 2
4 March 2024 Let's pick up where I left off in Part 1 of this mini-series dissecting claims made
Aging & Longevity
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Why you're never too old to go plant-based
The Million Dollar Vegan campaign, the brainchild of 12 year old activist Genesis Butler, is urging
Are you fit enough to save your brain?
George Bernard Shaw famously quipped that "youth is wasted on the young"... and the same may be true
Preventing dementia
I'm devoting this, my fifth update on the 5th International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Confe
Autoimmune disease
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How the Pill and HRT affect your gut... and your risk of aut
With roughly one quarter of Australian women aged 18-49 using the oral contraceptive pill, and aroun
Diet and immunity: What's the connection?
I have a confession to make. Sometimes, I spend too much time on Facebook. In my defence, I don't po
Autoimmune disorders
Have you been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease such as Rheumatoid arthritis Lupus (systemic
Cardiovascular disease
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The futility of risk factor management: Cholesterol-lowering
A meta-analysis of observational studies published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Ca
5 cholesterol myths - busted
Cholesterol. Just about everyone has heard of it, but myths and misunderstandings about it are r
Plant-Based Nutrition and Coronary Artery Disease
Dr Caldwell Esselstyn is a force of nature. At 82, he still directs the cardiovascular prevention a
Conference & seminar reports
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PBNHC 2019 - the rise and rise of plant-based healthcare
As I mentioned in last week's post, San Francisco Days… and PBNHC 2019, it was my great pleasure a
Report from the inaugural Australasian Nutrition in Healthca
The inaugural 2019 Australasian Nutrition in Healthcare Conference has officially wrapped up - and t
Dr Klaper Healthcare in Nutrition Symposium
According to conventional wisdom, you should never meet your heroes because it's bound to end in dis
Critical Thinking
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My (non)submission to the Ministry of Truth
7 August 2023 As I hope all my Australian readers already know, a bill is currently before the Au
Academia and the new dark age: Part 5 - Revenge of the Nerds
Will STEM students save us from the Dark Age? 31 July 2023 There is a long tradition of academ
Diabetes
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Cardiometabolic disease - is sugar or fat to blame?
In this, my fourth report on the 5th International Plant-Based Nutrition Hea
Beating diabetes
In this, my second report on the 5th International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference (
How not to die of heart disease, stroke or diabetes if you'r
A US study has shed light on which foods to eat, and which to avoid, if you don't want to die of hea
Emotional eating/food addiction
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The #1 barrier to change... and how to overcome it
Ever tried to change? Difficult, isn't it? Most of my clients come to me knowing that they need to c
The pleasure trap - or how your brain gets tricked into thin
The human brain and body are both adapted to live in a very different world than the one we inhabit
Understanding - and beating - food cravings
Food cravings - those bouts of intense, seemingly uncontrollable desire to get hold of and eat a par
Exercise & fitness
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Strong body, healthy brain
What mental picture do you conjure up, when you think of elderly people? Do you picture frail, stoop
Exercise is useless for weight loss... but you should do it
Every week, I see clients who have been struggling with their weight for years, sometimes decade
5 surprising benefits of exercise you never knew about
You already know how important exercise is for your physical health, right? A varied, balanced exerc
Health & medical care issues
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COVID-19 and philanthrocapitalism's War on Public Health: Pa
During my Honours degree in public health, I learned about the history of the public health movement
Dietary advice from doctors
One of the most common complaints I hear from my clients about the various medical professionals the
Should you get an annual check-up? The experts say 'no'
During an Ask Robyn session - one of the membership benefits of the EmpowerEd program - a member as
Immune system & immunity
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Can getting in the green help beat COVID-19?
Updated 16 November 2020 Of the many confusing, contradictory, nonsensical and even bizarre edict
Flu vaccination and faith-based medicine
I have to tell you, I am having an absolute ball with the EmpowerEd membership program (and thankful
Diet and immunity: What's the connection?
I have a confession to make. Sometimes, I spend too much time on Facebook. In my defence, I don't po
Mental health
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5 reasons to think twice before taking an antidepressant
Updated 5 February 2024 A letter published in the BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) in D
Sugar: Not so sweet for your mood
Updated 26 December 2022 It's that time of year again. Christmas carols blaring from the stores t
Healing the past... changing the future
Does your life ever feel like the movie Groundhog Day? The same conflict playing out over and over a
Plant-based diet
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Veganism - risk factor or protective factor for eating disor
As a practitioner specialising in plant-based diets, and with a counselling background in addition t
Get the facts on iron
The widely-held stereotype of vegans as pale and anaemic doesn’t fit with the research, which clea
All plant foods are not created equal when it comes to your
In last week's post, I wrote about the dangers of saturated fat for heart health... including fo
Relationship issues
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Lost your mojo? Check your lipid levels!
Let's talk about sex. To be more specific, let's talk about enjoying sex, especially if you're a wom
Finding love... when you don't have a map
Ahhh, love! Everybody wants to find it, but many of us don't quite know where to look. We may find o
Healing your relationship with your parents - even if they'r
Joseph came to see me after finding a suspicious lump, in a location where he had previously had a b
Travel
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Plant-based on the road in Aotearoa New Zealand
One of the questions I'm asked most frequently by clients who are considering adopting a plant-based
California Dreamin'
As I mentioned in last week’s post, my family and I are touring California for 2 weeks before I at
Staying on track while you're on the road
By the time you read this, I'll be in San Francisco, one of my favourite cities in the world. My hus
Women's health
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Breast cancer screening - when 'talking to your doctor' may
15 October 2018 Oh boy, October really is the month for 'health awareness'! Aside from Sleep Awar
Hormonal contraception and women's mental health
A massive Danish study has sounded alarm bells about the effect of hormonal contraceptives (incl
Why do women hate their bodies so much?
Note to men trying to decide whether to bother reading this post: please do! Not only will it help y
Asthma
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The sweet truth about bitter foods
Back in school, you probably learned that your tongue has receptors ('taste buds') for four distinct
Acid suppressors and antibiotics increase allergic disease
These days, it seems every disease condition has its own day, week or even month. World Allergy Week
Answers for Asthma
Add New Row
Cancer
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40% of cancer deaths in Australia are preventable - so why a
It's World Cancer Day on Sunday 4 February, and you're probably going to be seeing a lot of stor
Cancer prevention and treatment
In this, my third update on the 5th International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference (P
In your genes, or in your hands? The epigenetics of cancer
In a previous post, I wrote about epigenetics, the exciting new science that's illuminating how our
Children’s health & wellbeing
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Healthy mum, healthy baby: Part 1
Updated 22 February 2021 Over the last few months, I've been collecting numerous medical journal
Early-life antibiotic use makes kids fatter
I've written previously about the alarming rise in childhood obesity in Australia (see Obesity: An i
Junk food makes kids dumber
If you're old enough to remember the Skyhooks song 'Horror Movie' (and not too embarrassed to admit
Covid-19
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Questions we must all keep asking about COVID-19
8 March 2021 I was honoured to be invited back to Clare Mann and Mark Doneddu's Second Stage Vyst
The PCR test and asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2
Please enjoy and share my conversation on the PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 and the contentious issue of a
COVID-19: What you need to know
I have been contacted by my many clients and subscribers with concerns about the current COVID-19 ou
Diet & food
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How a plant-based diet helps overcome food addiction
It's nearly the end of January... and for most people, that means their New Year's Resolutions to ea
99% of Aussie kids don't eat enough vegetables - and their p
The latest report on the state of the nation's eating habits has just been released by the Australia
Ketogenic diets: Part 1 - The Basics
Listen to the Influential Wellnesspreneur podcast interview with me on ketogenic diets: Part 1
Emotional healing with EFT and Matrix Reimprinting
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How childhood trauma changes the brain... and how EFT and Ma
It's a truism that childhood experiences continue to influence our emotional reactions and behaviour
Where is your emotional pain showing up?
After over 10 years of incorporating EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) into my practice, I'm pretty
Gut microbiome
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Deep dive into gut health
A couple of years ago, I sat down with Anna Chisholm to record this interview on gut health for her
Gut bugs and human health: A tale of two evolutionary trajec
In the wonderful Pixar film WALL-E, 29th century humans are depicted as helpless, indolent, obese cr
Of bugs and brains - how your gut microbiome affects mental
As I discussed in last week's blog post, Drugs and gut bugs, research on the human gut microbiome is
Hormonal/endocrine issues
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Menopause, gut bugs and oestrogen - how nurturing the 'garde
When I was in my early twenties, I became very close to my boyfriend's Mum, who was going through me
For an easier menopause, eat plants!
A recently-published study confirms what plant-based practitioners have observed in clinical practic
Thyroid myths and misunderstandings
One of the most frustrating elements of my work as a health practitioner is having to dispel misinfo
Men’s health issues
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Prostate cancer: duplicity, deception and betrayal
10 September 2018 September has been designated 'International Prostate Cancer Awareness Month' b
PSA screening leads to unnecessary treatment... and sufferin
Are you a male over 50? Has your GP advised you to have a PSA (prostate specific antigen) test, "Jus
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH, is a non-cancerous
Osteoporosis & bone health
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Osteoarthritis: Curse of old age or plague of modernity?
30 October 2023 Osteoarthritis is one of our most common chronic health conditions, afflicting an
The great osteoporosis scam
Updated 3 October 2022 Bone mineral density (BMD) scanning using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
5 reasons to think twice before taking osteoporosis drugs
Updated 10 October 2022 In previous articles, I've discussed the dubious science behind the diagn
Psychology of lifestyle change
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How to change - Part 1: Cybernetics
Have you ever been inspired to improve your eating habits after you read a book, watched a documenta
The 3 secrets of transforming your life
In my first report on the 5th International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference (PBNHC),
What helps people change?
That's a question that's preoccupied me since I graduated from naturopathic college and set up my ow
Sleep issues
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Sleep yourself slim and healthy
Readers of a certain age may remember the Bon Jovi song 'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead', which featured t
How much sleep do I really need?
I get asked this question by my clients a lot. And sleep related issues were coming up so often in m
5 reasons to think twice before taking sleeping pills
"Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together," wrote Thomas Dekker. Yet for t
Weight loss
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Obesity: Bad to the Brain
28 June 2021 Research on the effects of obesity on the human brain has made significant progress
Larger body, shorter life
A couple of months ago, I wrote a post called Is the 'Health At Every Size' movement helping or hurt
Struggling to lose weight? Ditch the salt!
Many people are inspired to try a wholefood plant-based diet by the plethora of anecdotes about the
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