FX Medicine Podcast Central

In the 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey 1.3million Australians (6.3%) over the age of 14 reported having ever used methamphetamine, with 1.4% reporting recent use, within the previous twelve months. Worse still, of meth/amphetamine users, "ice" is fast becoming the preferred form of the drug, with increases in Australia from 22% to 57% in just 6 years. Ice addiction has been a growing...

Those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are often the victim of ill-informed stereotypes and lack of compassion for the internal agony they're suffering. Helping patients with OCD can mean peeling back the layers of guilt, shame, self-doubt and paranoiac behaviour that obstruct their ability to function in everyday life. In today's podcast we are joined by Francesca Eldridge, who shares her...

How well do you understand pyrroles? At a cellular level - what are they, how are they formed and does their presence always herald ill-health? Kryptopyrroles are still widely regarded in medicine as a disproven and irrelevant, yet emerging research is starting to make connections with high urinary pyrroles and mood disorders. Today we are joined by Dr Brad McEwen who seeks to bring clarity to pra...

In this increasingly digital age, there are more opportunities than ever to diversify how you practice, or use your health care qualifications. In today's podcast, Naturopath Jules Galloway shares her journey of how a wayward, homeless teenager with a penchant for partying went on to become an entrepreneurial naturopath following her dreams. Jules discusses how she strategically took her business...

Once upon a time mineral therapy was an intrinsic part of naturopathic practice. In the modern curriculum it's offered primarily as an elective subject and, as a result, many of the practitioners from recent generations lack experience in applying this therapy clinically.   Today we're talking to Dan Jones who has a passion for educating his peers on how mineral therapy is a core element of his pr...

Carla Wrenn is on a mission to change the face of chronic disease in Australia. Not only is Carla a passionate clinical detective and problem-solver of complex conditions but she has become a pioneer for rationalising chronic care through teaching a system she has developed called, Vitae Mosaic. Today Carla shares her passion for taking a functional medicine approach to care and breaking down case...

Are you confident in the art of naturopathic physical examination techniques? Today we are talking to Naturopath, Katie Barron who has a passion for enhancing her peers' clinicals skills in the art of physical examination. Katie is touring Australia running workshops to help practitioners build confidence in naturopathic examination techniques to answer a need she identified amongst her profession...

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is often a poorly understood, stigmatised disorder and more common than you think, with between 1-3% of the population suffering a breakdown at some stage. BPD can encompass feelings of depression, hopelessness, obsessive behaviors, self harm, suicide, substance abuse and unstable relationships. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is the new psychotherapy of c...

Psoriasis is a challenging condition for both patients and practitioners. With multiple clinical presentations and a laundry list of triggers and exacerbating factors, what's clear, is that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to treatment. Today we are joined by integrative dermatologist Prof Michael Tirant who has a passion for sharing the knowledge he's amassed over three decades as a cl...

How well do you understand the inner workings of the brain? We're well aware of the effects that poor nutrition, lack of sleep, excessive or chronic stress and toxins can play on brain and cognitive health. But what are the actual mechanisms of damage to the brain? How does the brain clean away damaged cellular debris and what happens when our normal healing mechanisms don't work? Furthermore, how...

What can genes tell us about our personal or cultural food choices? Ahead of her visit to Australia in May 2019 for the 7th BioCeuticals Research Symposium, Andrew talks to nutritionist and nutrigenomics expert, Amanda Archibald. Amanda is the mastermind behind The Genomic Kitchen and a founding pioneer in the field of culinary genomics. Today Amanda shares with us an insight into her career journ...

Everyday too many women are enduring chronic pelvic pain from menstruation and endometriosis. What's more, sufferers often have to resist strong pain relief as it renders them unable to function in their occupation or to meet the needs of their family obligations. It's clear that more options need to be explored and that begins largely, with more research and this is where Dr Mike Armour comes in....

Today we are joined by Australasian Integrative Medicine Association (AIMA) president, Dr Penny Caldicott to draw attention to a recent public consultation paper released by the Medical Board of Australia in February 2019 and its potential for negative impact on the complementary medicine industry. Find today's show notes here: https://www.fxmedicine.com.au/blog-post/breaking-news-concerns-over-co...

Are natural therapies being systematically targeted?   This seems to be the sentiment of many within the complementary medicine industry. Fringe groups and lobbyists are constantly citing that "there's no evidence for complementary and integrative medicine practices". But what are the facts and where can we find them? Prof Stephen Myers is both a respected academic and passionate advocate of the c...

Is the Medical Board of Australia attempting to suppress the use of complementary medicines by lumping them into the same category as "unconventional medicine and emerging treatments"? Today we are joined by Prof Stephen Myers, a respected academic in complementary and integrative medicine, who shares his educated opinion on this recent move by the Medical Board of Australia. Find today's show not...

Have you heard of microchimerism? Today we are joined by Leah Hechtman to give us an insight into the topics she is lecturing on at the forthcoming Mindd Forum Conference 2019 in Sydney on the 23rd - 24th March. Leah talks us through the various forms of microchimerism and why it really highlights the significance that pre and post conception care play in the health of future generations. Leah sha...

What role do healing cycles, the cell-danger response and the mitochondria play in restoring balance to children's overloaded neurological systems? Ahead of the 2019 Mindd Forum Conference we chat to integrative paediatric clinician, Dr Elizabeth Mumper about the core pillars she employs in her own practice when working with children with neurodevelopmental disorders. She also shares what she is m...

The terminology "adrenal fatigue" may be the incorrect vernacular to describe what is actually happening at a physiological level. It's far more complex than "worn out adrenals." So what's going on - is cortisol low, or high? It seems that this old Naturopathic axiom may have been born from a misinterpretation of Hans Selye's work and that it needs adjustment, to bring it back into alignment with...

Mood disorders are rising exponentially in the younger population, affecting around 20% of young Australians. We are well-aware of the effects of computer gaming, social media and the "online life" of teenagers, and how these influence mood, but what about dietary effects on depression, anxiety, anger and aggression? Compounding this is the fact that teenagers are notorious for poor sleep hygiene...

One in seven males can expect to suffer with a problem with their prostate by age 40, the most common being benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. However prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of mortality for males in Australia today. Despite these health issues being exceedingly common they remain chronically...

Are you having a discussion about phthalate exposure to your male and female fertility clients? Male fertility is a growing issue, from penile and genitourinary deformities to low sperm counts, the evidence is becoming clear; this is an issue that needs more attention. Today we're joined by Anna Sangster who specialises in not only helping potential fathers to optimise the health of their sperm, b...

The diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a crushing one, with the medical treatment still being one of support instead of improvement in prognosis and only a few potential treatments on the horizon. Yet there may be some hope in easing symptoms and improving quality of life (QoL) for those afflicted with this devastating disease. In today's podcast, Vanita Dahia, pharmacist and expert in am...

Is there a place for naturopathic medicine in palliative care? What is the active role a naturopath can play within a patient's healthcare team when a person's illness progresses to a palliative care phase? Sarah Franklin is a Registered Nurse, Naturopath and Acupuncturist with a vast breadth of expertise in oncology care and today we'll discuss the more personal, sometimes confronting aspects of...

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is so much more than just a curious double-jointed ability…so much more! Imagine your limbs giving way as you run, jump, and play. Imagine your developing teeth dislodging from their sockets. Imagine the connective tissue structure of your bladder, your skin, even the integrity of your cardiovascular and digestive system constantly being compromised. This is what Cindy...

Those patients for which medicine has no answers or solutions are very often the ones ending up in front of an integrative medicine practitioner. The time spent with patients is often longer, the investigations, sometimes deeper and in that process comes a mutual connection between patient and practitioner as they attempt together, to piece that person's health and wellbeing back together. The dar...