The Natural Health Clinic

07/09/2026

04/09/2026

QUICK & EASY SAUSAGE “LASAGNE” 💙

I made this the other night from a recipe in The Ultimate Fast 800 Recipe Book and it was quick, easy and everyone enjoyed it. My photo doesn't do it justice 😬

My version used:

6 good-quality sausages
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tin chopped tomatoes
250g spinach
2 zucchini's, sliced lengthways
200g full-fat crème fraiche
40g grated Parmesan or other cheese
a little nutmeg
salt and pepper

➡️ Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.

Take the sausage meat out of the skins and cook it in a frying pan with the onion for about 8–10 minutes, breaking it up into little bits. Add the garlic and oregano, then stir in the chopped tomatoes and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

Wilt the spinach in a separate pan, then squeeze out as much water as you can. This helps stop the lasagne becoming watery.

Spread the sausage mixture over the bottom of a baking dish. Lay the zucchini slices over the top, then add the spinach.

Mix a little nutmeg through the crème fraiche, spread it over the spinach, then sprinkle over the cheese.

Bake for around 20–25 minutes, until hot and lightly browned on top.

✨ Around 16g protein and 10g carbs per serve.

You could use mince instead if you prefer, but the sausages make it really quick.

Dairy-free? Use a thick unsweetened coconut yoghurt or coconut cream instead of crème fraiche, and a dairy-free cheese on top.

💚 Definitely one I’d make again.

03/09/2026

Food can absolutely be part of the picture. But when I test people using Nutrition Response Testing, the body may show there are other things getting in the way as well. 💫

👉One of the common ones I see is chemical interference.

Every day we are exposed to many chemicals, such as:

➡️ Chlorine in water
➡️ Pesticides on food
➡️ Plastics from bottles and food containers
➡️ Chemicals in make-up and skincare
➡️ Perfume and fragranced products
➡️ Shampoo and hair treatments

When chemicals show up as a problem, we work on reducing exposure where we can and supporting the body to handle what is getting in the way. ✨

That is why I look at the whole picture — not only the food, but the other things that may be making it harder for your body to respond and function well. 💚

02/09/2026

Did you know I didn’t set out to work in natural health?

Before I had children, I was a medical scientist and, in all honesty, I probably wouldn’t have been interested in any of this.

Then I had an autistic son who rarely slept, had food sensitivities and seemed uncomfortable much of the time.

We tried a lot of things that should have helped. Some did nothing. Some seemed to make him worse.

But I couldn't figure out, why does something help one person so much and make absolutely no difference to another?

That question eventually led me to Nutrition Response Testing — and completely changed the way I look at health.

I’ve written a little more about that story in this week’s newsletter. 💙

The biggest lesson for me? I stopped assuming what the body needed and started asking.

➡️ If you’re on my email list, have a look in your inbox.

01/09/2026

HOW CAN YOU BE EATING WELL AND STILL TEST AS MALNOURISHED?

This is something I hear from clients quite a lot.

They’re eating good quality protein, plenty of whole foods, not much junk, processed food or sugar… and yet when I evaluate them using Nutrition Response Testing, their body is still showing signs that it isn’t getting the nutrients it needs.

And they’ll say to me:

“But I eat really well.”

And often, I agree. Sometimes the food itself isn’t the problem.

The problem is - they may not be digesting and absorbing it properly.

If your digestive system isn’t breaking food down well, simply adding in more good food doesn’t necessarily help — because you still may not be extracting the goodness from it.

➡️ This is why digestion is such an important part of what I look at.

I often use specific digestive support to help strengthen the digestive system so the body can start using food — and supplements — more effectively. 💙

Which means your body is able to use the nutrition to heal and function better💗

28/08/2026

EGG & BACON PROTEIN MUFFINS 💙

I love these kind of things when I need something quick to eat that's' good for me.

These are so easy & yum — and they have a good amount of protein to keep you full, so you’re less likely to find yourself eating the ice-cream tub an hour later. 😄

I’ve based the proportions on RecipeTin Eats’ Frittata Egg Muffins, then changed the ingredients to things I actually tend to have in the fridge.

Makes 6

You’ll need:

6 eggs
about 100g nitrate-free bacon — I use Pestell’s or Henderson’s
70g grated cheese or more! Blue cheese or feta would give extra flavour
¾ cup chopped spinach
¼–½ onion, finely chopped
a small handful of sliced olives
salt and pepper, herbs if you like.

➡️ Cook the bacon first. I’d throw the onion in for the last couple of minutes as well.

Whisk the eggs, then stir through the bacon, onion, cheese, spinach and olives and whatever else you've found in the fridge.

Divide between 6 well-greased muffin holes and bake at 180°C for around 20 minutes, or until the centres are set.

✨ Roughly 12g of protein per muffin, so two will give you around 24g of protein depending on the bacon and cheese you use.

You can jazz these up with whatever you fancy too — capsicum, sundried tomatoes, herbs, feta or leftover cooked vegetables all work well.

💚These freeze well too but that rarely ever happens for me as they all tend to get eaten pretty quickly.

27/08/2026

One client I saw had such severe gut pain she had been to A&E, but nothing had explained what was going on.

When I tested her using Nutrition Response Testing, chlorine showed up as a significant stressor for her.

She removed chlorinated water and found the appropriate supplement to help her body clear the chorine.💙 The pain settled. Interestingly, while away on holiday she accidentally drank chlorinated water again — and the pain returned.

I’ve seen chlorine come up in clients with other problems too, including chronic coughs, eczema and severe dizziness.

Of course that doesn't mean that chlorine is behind everyone’s symptoms? But it is a common one, and it’s something you're usually exposed to every single day. (unless you don't drink water or shower🫣)

➡️ The first step is reducing the exposure as much as possible. A good water filter makes this relatively easy — just remember to change the filter! 😄

I personally like the filters from Ionza in Takaka. They’re a local business, their filters last well, and they also have shower filters.

✨ Sometimes it pays to ask:

👉What am I being exposed to every day that I haven’t even thought about?

26/08/2026

“I DON’T KNOW WHAT I CAN EAT ANYMORE.” 🩷

I hear this quite often.

Someone is bloated after meals, constipated/diarrhea, getting reflux, their skin is playing up, or they simply don't feel good after eating.

So they start experimenting.

They cut out dairy, then gluten, maybe meat and then something else.

And pretty soon eating becomes rather complicated. 😄

👉This lovely feedback came from a mum who brought her daughter to see me:

“Since cutting out gluten and lactose, she’s a different girl! No tummy pains, increased appetite, no more constipation (and no more lactulose required), and she’s dry every night!”

In her daughter's case, knowing which foods were actually a problem made a big difference. No more QUESSING!

And that's the important bit.

➡️ You don't need to assume every food is bad.

One simple thing to try is the Everyday Rule:

If you have a symptom every day, look at what you're eating every day.

That doesn't prove a food is causing it, but it might give you a clue.

✨ Try this yourself: for the next 14 days, write down what you eat and when your symptoms appear. Don't change everything at once. Look for patterns.

If you're still struggling, that's where food sensitivity testing can be helpful.💗

I offer standalone Food Sensitivity Testing for adults and children in my Richmond office. It can be a simple place to start when you want some direction about what you're eating. 💙

25/08/2026

BLOATED AFTER MEAT? DON’T BLAME THE MEAT JUST YET. 💫

One thing I’ve noticed in my office is that people can start removing perfectly good foods because they feel awful after eating them.

Red meat is a good example.

You eat a steak and afterwards you feel heavy, bloated, or as though it’s sitting like a brick in your stomach.

So naturally you think, “I obviously don’t tolerate red meat.”

But that isn’t always the issue.

Sometimes your digestive system simply isn’t doing a very good job of breaking that food down at the moment.

➡️ First, chew your food, really well.

We’re often eating on the run, stuffing food in and gulping it down. But your teeth are there for a reason!

Breaking and grinding your food properly gives your digestive juices much more surface area to work on.

If you don’t, that poorly digested food can sit around in your gut — and before you know it you’re bloated, constipated or producing some pretty room-clearing gas. 😄

➡️ Second, make the meat easier to digest.

Try swapping steak or large pieces of meat for slow-cooked beef, mince, casseroles or tender shredded meat for a while. Or try lighter proteins like fish, chicken or eggs.

Try eating like a toddler” — softer, well-cooked food that gives your digestion less work to do. 🩷

Many of the people I see with bloating, reflux, constipation or that heavy-after-eating feeling already have pretty weak digestion. Even if they chew their food, their digestive juices aren't up to the job yet.

That can improve over time as we work on what’s aggravating or inflaming the gut and give it time for healing and repair.

✨ One simple thing you can also try is a little apple c***r vinegar before a meal to help support digestion.

If you have an ulcer, don’t try this, and if it causes burning or irritation, stop.

💚 If your list of foods you “can’t eat” keeps getting longer, don’t automatically blame the food.

Sometimes the better question is: “Why am I struggling to digest it?”💗

24/08/2026

Same amount of yoghurt. Very different numbers. 💫

Here’s why I always turn the tub around and check the nutritional panel.

Two tubs can both say Greek yoghurt, but the protein and carbs can be surprisingly different.

For 200 g:

➡️ Fresh ’n Fruity Natural Greek 💗 (My Pick)
Protein: 12.8 g | Carbs: 3 g

➡️ Cyclops Greek
Protein: 17.4 g | Carbs: 14.4 g

➡️ Fresh ’n Fruity Vanilla Greek
Protein: 11.2 g | Carbs: 15.4 g

➡️ De Winkel Natural Unsweetened
Protein: 11.2 g | Carbs: 1.6 g

There’s nothing complicated about it. I’m simply making a smarter choice for what I want from my breakfast.

My usual choice is Fresh ’n Fruity Natural Greek because I like it nice and thick. De Winkel Natural Unsweetened is another very good option, and there are others out there too.

My usual bowl is 200 g of Fresh ’n Fruity Natural Greek, a few defrosted raspberries and a couple of walnuts crumbled over the top for crunch.

That gives me approximately 14 g protein and 6 g carbs, along with some good-quality fat from the walnuts. ❤️

👉 The point isn't that you have to buy the yoghurt I buy. Turn the tub around, compare the numbers and make the choice that works for you.