Health On The Hill

03/11/2026

This is a question I get asked a lot in the clinic, usually by someone convinced they have thrush or an infection that came out of nowhere after starting a new relationship.

First off, if you have a new s3xual partner and new symptoms, it’s important to rule out an STI rather than assuming it’s a microbiome issue.

A healthy vaginal microbiome is typically dominated by Lactobacillus species, which help maintain the acidic environment that protects against the overgrowth of less desirable organisms.

S3x can temporarily change that environment.

Semen is alkaline, so exposure can raise vaginal pH for a period of time. A new sexual relationship can also mean changes in sexual frequency, condom or lubricant use and exposure to a different microbial environment, all of which can influence that delicate ecosystem.

For some women? Nothing happen but for.others, that shift can be enough to tip an already vulnerable microbiome out of balance, resulting in irritation, unusual discharge, odour or recurring symptoms that feel suspiciously like thrush.

This is where I really want women to stop automatically reaching for another round of thrush treatment because itching + discharge doesn’t always = Candida.

If symptoms are persistent, recurrent or keep returning despite treatment, it’s worth investigating what is actually happening rather than repeatedly treating what you think is happening.

A lot of times the answer is in the microbiome.

www.healthonthehill.com.au

31/10/2026

Sometimes people assume that naturopaths have a single protocol that they dish out to every client presenting with the same symptoms - I’m not one of those naturopaths.

From my experience, effective holistic care is rarely that simple and honestly, I’d be incredibly bored if that were the case.

The reality is, two people can land on the exact same diagnosis and need completely different treatments because a diagnosis doesn’t explain how the patient got there. All it does is label the symptoms that they are experiencing now.

Take a nutrient deficiency as an example. One client’s deficiency might trace back to years of chronic stress, another might have an absorption issue while the third could have had a parasitic infection.

Same surface presentation but a completely different path to getting there.

This is why getting to the root cause takes longer than handing everyone the same supplement protocol and it’s also the reason, we may see long lasting change in our client’s results.

27/10/2026

Social media can often treat detoxification like an event. A cleanse here, a reset there but the reality is your body is running this process constantly, whether you're paying attention to it or not.

Your liver, gut, kidneys, lymphatic system and skin are working around the clock to process and clear substances your body doesn't need. When these systems are working well, you genuinely don't notice them.

The problem is most of us are exposed to more toxins, more often, than these systems were designed to handle. Over years, sometimes decades, that strain accumulates quietly.

This is where a lot of chronic and complex conditions have their roots. Not one dramatic trigger, sustained low grade strain on detoxification pathways that influence:

-metabolic health
-inflammation
-hormonal signaling
-gut health
-oxidative stress
-nutrient status

You'll often see this show up first as fatigue that doesn't shift, skin issues that appear from nowhere, hormone patterns that feel consistently off, or a fog that even the strongest of coffees doesn't touch.

This is why I truly believe that detoxification is truly one of the most underrated tools we have for keeping chronic illness and premature aging at bay.

As a naturopath, my goal is to help your body heal from the symptoms you’re experiencing AND help you create a path forward that is focused on prevention instead of cure.

22/10/2026

Fermented foods are one of the easiest ways to introduce beneficial bacteria straight into your gut, and this quick ferment is one I make on repeat.
Ginger and Turmeric Sauerkraut

Half a red cabbage, shredded. A thumb each of ginger and turmeric, grated. One tablespoon of sea salt. A splash of filtered water if needed.

Massage the salt into the shredded cabbage until it releases its own liquid, usually around ten minutes. Mix through the ginger and turmeric, then pack it tightly into a clean jar, pressing until the liquid covers the cabbage.

Leave it on the counter for five to seven days, pressing it down daily, then move it to the fridge.

You'll know it's ready when it tastes pleasantly sour rather than salty. Add it to literally anything that needs a gut friendly kick.

19/10/2026

The liver seems to get all the credit for what is definitely a group assignment.

Yes, your liver is incredibly important but detoxification and elimination involve multiple systems including the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and lymphatic system.

The gut-liver relationship is super interesting.

When you eat, drink or take medication, compounds absorbed through the intestinal wall enter the bloodstream. Much of this blood travels through the hepatic portal vein directly to the liver before returning to the general circulation.
This means the liver receives many compounds absorbed from the digestive tract and can then process, modify, store or prepare them for elimination.

Some compounds processed by the liver enter bile, which is released into the digestive tract. Meanwhile, your intestinal microbiome interacts with bile acids and influences what happens to them next.

Gut bacteria also produce metabolites that can cross the intestinal barrier and travel through the portal vein to the liver. This is part of the gut–liver axis: the gut influences what reaches the liver, while the liver sends certain compounds back to the gut through bile.

Dietary fibre can modify the gut environment, support microbial fermentation, influence stool transit and, depending on the type of fibre, affect bile acid excretion.

Which means one of the least sexy questions I ask in clinic is also one of the most useful:

How often are you opening your bowels?

Supporting detoxification isn't just about processing things, we also need an exit strategy.

www.healthonthehill.com.au

17/10/2026

Oooh I’m keen to see what this is like…. The add looks promising!

15/10/2026

15/10/2026

A lot of people are curious about Rejuvenast sessions but feel a bit shy asking what's actually involved, so here's the rundown.

You lie down. That's genuinely most of it.

The session is designed to support lymphatic flow, circulation and nervous system regulation, without you needing to do any of the work yourself.

For a lot of clients, this is the first time in a long while their body has had 30 minutes completely out of fight or flight mode.

Paired with pneumatic compression, it becomes a genuinely restorative combination, especially for anyone dealing with fluid retention or a lymphatic system that needs a bit of encouragement.

Most people leave feeling lighter and noticeably calmer. Book a session if your body has been asking for support and you've been ignoring it in favour of doing more.

https://healthonthehill.com.au/

13/10/2026

Well written!

We typically expect that eating fresh and whole foods from your local shops and supermarkets would be healthy foods, and obviously better than processed foods and fast foods (ie take-aways and junk foods). But a recent investigation and published report by an independent group (Pesticide Action Australia) on a large number of fresh foods in several major supermarkets in Australia, found these foods were exposed to an alarming amount of toxic pesticides, forever chemicals, and other issues.

The investigators purchased a total of 78 samples of 13 types of fruit and vegetables from Aldi, Coles and Woolworths stores across five cities (Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Melbourne) in June 2026. Produce was bought and delivered to an independent National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA)-accredited laboratory on the same day of purchase (Pesticide Action Australia, 2026).

The report on the investigations into pesticide exposures found:

1. 201 total pesticides in the 78 samples of vegetables and fruits, or an average of over 2.5 chemicals per item
2. 54 different pesticides detected
3. 56% of these pesticides are not approved in the European Union
4. 44% of items were exposed to “forever chemicals”, which can be hormone-disrupting, cancer-causing, or have other effects on your health
5. 14% of foods were exposed to neonicotinoid pesticides which can kill bees and other insects
6. 8 chemicals found on samples were banned and had no approval to be used on these foods
7. 4 samples had breached approved or accepted levels of pesticide exposure.

Even certified organic foods, which are meant to be safer and healthier, and not exposed to toxic agricultural chemicals, cannot be guaranteed to be free from them. I know of a former Woolies fresh produce employee who told me that she saw her colleagues going around the fresh food section daily in the warmer months, when there were a lot of fruit flies, with cans of insecticide and spraying this all around the exposed fruits and vegetables, including on and around all the “certified organic” produce.

This report, and together with the recent ABC Four Corners investigations into food fraud in Australia, shows a concerning lack of concern by the supermarkets, food industry, and food safety regulators, in the quality or safety of our foods. See my recent articles on this documentary series.

A recent online poll of over 1000 Australians found 80% wanted fewer agricultural chemicals on their foods. (Only 80%?! Who wants more?)

The Pesticide Action Australia group want everyone in our food supply, from the farmers, supermarkets, food industry, regulators, and consumers, to be aware of the issues with these chemicals on the environment and on our health, and to pressure the supermarkets, politicians, and anyone relevant, into making changes to reducing exposure to these chemicals and their effects. Such consumer action resulted in a reduction of chemicals being used in the UK in 2019. We can and should do the same.

Stay healthy!

References:

Pesticide Action Australia. (2026). Australia’s Residue Report 2026. Retrieved 8th October 2026 from https://pesticideaction.org.au/residuereport26/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_source_platform=mailpoet