Being told you’ve tested positive for HPV on a cervical screening test can be worrying. In many cases, the recommendation is to wait and repeat testing in 12 months, but this can raise questions: How did this happen? Is there anything I can do to help my body clear it? The short answer is that you didn't do anything wrong, and most HPV infections clear spontaneously. But the longer answer is more nuanced. HPV clearance depends on the immune system, the local cervical environm

Every month, like clockwork, it happens. A few days before your period arrives you start to feel run down. Body aches you cannot explain. A heaviness and fatigue that sleep doesn't touch. Maybe a headache, hayfever, some nausea, digestive upset. You feel, in a word, terrible. And then your period starts and within a day or two you feel almost normal again. If this sounds familiar, there is a name for what you are experiencing. It is informally called period flu. And while it

Most people don’t set out intending to follow a restrictive diet. It often starts with a genuine attempt to feel better. You remove gluten because you’ve heard it might help bloating. You reduce dairy because sometimes it upsets your tummy. You try low FODMAP after weeks of cramping and discomfort. Your symptoms improve, at least temporarily, and the change feels justified. Over time, another food seems to cause a reaction. Then another. The list of safe foods gets shorter an

If you live with menstrual migraines, you often know they’re coming before they arrive. There’s a familiar window in the month when you brace yourself for what might unfold. For many, these migraines cluster in the days just before a period begins, sometimes with striking predictability. They’re often described as “just hormonal,” but that phrase doesn’t really do them justice. What’s actually happening is far more involved. In many cases, menstrual migraine is linked to some

Learn how to read food labels, compare products, and understand ingredient lists so you can make intentional, informed food choices.

Persistent period or pelvic pain can be deeply impact your quality of life. It affects not only your how physically feel, but also your energy, work capacity, relationships, and just about everything else. Many women plan their month around when pain might strike, often bracing for impact before a period even begins. For good reason, endometriosis is frequently the first condition that comes to mind. It is common, often underdiagnosed, and diagnosis is still significantly del

If you’ve treated thrush with an over-the-counter cream or tablet and symptoms are still there, it’s important not to assume the treatment simply wasn’t strong enough. There are a number of different species of Candida - the yeast that causes thrush - and not all of them respond the same way to treatment. While Candida albicans  is the most common cause of vulvovaginal candidiasis (or thrush) and usually responds to azole antifungals such as fluconazole or clotrimazole, anot

Sleep disruption is one of the earliest and most frustrating changes many women notice as hormones begin to change. Difficulty falling asleep, lighter sleep, early waking, or feeling alert despite being tired are often attributed to stress or poor sleep habits. But for many, the timing tells a different story. Sleep quality often changes in step with fluctuations in progesterone, particularly in the second half of the menstrual cycle (after ovulation), and during perimenopaus

Hormones don’t exist in isolation from the nervous system. In practice, many of the hormone-related symptoms women experience have at least something to do with how consistently the body feels safe, fuelled, and supported in day-to-day life. When the nervous system is under ongoing strain, hormone signalling becomes less predictable. Cycles feel more irregular. Mood swings are more common. Sleep becomes lighter or more disrupted. Small stressors feel bigger than they used t

Why preconception care matters before IVF, including cycle education, inflammation, nutrition and the foundational factors that influence fertility and pregnancy outcomes.

A common pattern I see in clinic is someone who does exactly what they’re supposed to do. They develop symptoms, see their doctor, receive a clear diagnosis such as bacterial vaginosis, thrush, or a urinary tract infection, and take the appropriate medication. Symptoms settle. For a time, things feel better. Then days, weeks, or months later, the same symptoms return. The cycle repeats. Another diagnosis. Another course of treatment. Temporary relief, but never a sense that t

A lot of the women I work with don’t come to clinic because they’ve done nothing to make things better. They come because they’ve tried. They’ve read, researched, adjusted, cut things out, added things in. They’ve had periods where they were “on top of it” and things briefly improved, only to slide back to the beginning again when life inevitably took over. What they usually feel is tired of trying so hard for so little return. This is where the foundations matter, and why I

Many women are taught to ignore their symptoms or push through them. Period pain is brushed off as “normal,” bloating is dismissed as “just something you live with,” and fatigue is explained away as “busyness.” Over time, this can create a disconnect between what your body is trying to communicate and what you have been told to tolerate. But symptoms are not overreactions or signs of weakness. They are messages; a form of communication designed to help you understand what you

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals for women’s health, yet many women fall short of their daily needs. Stress, poor sleep, heavy periods, perimenopause, digestive issues and certain medications can all increase magnesium requirements, making it even more important to focus on good dietary intake. Because magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions, low levels can affect everything from nervous system regulation to muscle relaxation, hormone balance an

Bloating is one of the most common digestive symptoms women experience, yet it is also one of the most misunderstood. Occasional bloating is normal, but feeling uncomfortable, swollen, “six months pregnant,” or noticing bloating that worsens throughout the day is a sign that something in the digestive system needs support. In your 30s and 40s, bloating often becomes more noticeable as hormones change, stress increases and gut health becomes more sensitive. The good news is th

Understanding what’s normal, what’s not, and why so many women are unsure. Many women I work with feel uncertain about whether their period is “normal.” Maybe you’ve always had heavy bleeding but never questioned it, or you’ve been told painful periods are just “part of being a woman.”It’s not surprising that many women aren’t sure what healthy periods actually look like. We’re never really taught this, and when symptoms creep in slowly over months or years, it’s easy to assu

In a world of quick fixes and one-size-fits-all advice, it’s easy to feel frustrated when you’re doing “all the right things” and still don’t feel like you're getting better. Maybe your blood tests come back “normal,” but your energy is low, your digestion is unpredictable, or your hormones feel all over the place. That’s where naturopathic care offers something different, a truly personalised, whole-body approach designed to help you understand what’s going on beneath the su

If your period arrives earlier than expected, drags on longer, or feels completely different over the festive season, please know this is really common. Many women notice changes to their cycle or the return of symptoms they thought they’d left behind during busy or stressful times of the year. While it’s easy to blame indulgent food or a few extra glasses of champagne, the biggest disruptors are often stress, travel, disrupted sleep, and a lack of downtime. These factors all

If you’ve ever had “butterflies” before a big event or noticed your digestion go haywire during stressful times, you’ve already experienced the gut–brain connection in action. We often think of the gut and brain as separate systems but in reality they’re constantly communicating. And when that communication becomes disrupted, it can affect everything from your digestion and sleep to your mood and ability to cope with stress. The gut and brain talk — a lot Your gut and brain a

The festive season is a time for connection, celebration and good food, but it can also challenge even the healthiest digestive system. Between richer meals, extra drinks, late nights and a disrupted routine, it’s common to notice symptoms like bloating, reflux, sluggish digestion or general discomfort creeping in. The good news is that these changes are usually temporary, and with a little extra care and awareness, you can help your digestive system to handle the season with