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Is Posture Affecting Your Digestion? The Connection Between How You Sit and Your Gut Health

29/4/2026

Guest Blog by Milosz Kalotka at MK Osteopathy

Have you ever noticed your bloating feels worse after a long day at your desk? Or that your digestion seems more uncomfortable when you’ve been hunched over a computer? It’s not just in your head, posture really can influence how your digestive system feels.

Insulin Resistance: Simple Ways to Reverse It Naturally

13/4/2026

New Zealand does not routinely report insulin resistance prevalence, but national data shows around 25% of adults have prediabetes, a key clinical marker of insulin resistance, suggesting that roughly 30–40% of adults may have underlying metabolic dysfunction.

Yet many people remain unaware of their condition until it becomes more serious.

Supporting SIBO: A Naturopathic Framework for Restoring Balance

30/3/2026

Research suggests that over 50% of people diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may also have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

In earlier blog articles, we explored what SIBO is, how it shows up, what drives it, and how it is tested. This next step is about understanding how to support the body in a way that leads to lasting change, rather than short-term symptom relief.

Screen Time and Sleep: What Research Actually Shows (2026)

16/3/2026

For years, advice about sleep has been simple: avoid screens before bed. Phones, computers and televisions have often been blamed for insomnia, poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue.

But research over the last decade has become far more nuanced. Some studies do show links between nighttime technology use and sleep disruption. Others have found very small effects, or none at all. In some cases, the relationship appears to depend more on how and when screens are used, rather than the presence of screens themselves. So what does current research actually say?

How SIBO Is Tested: Breath Tests, Limitations, and Clinical Context

2/3/2026

Testing for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, most commonly involves breath testing. It is simple, non-invasive, and widely available, which is why it is frequently used in clinical practice.

However, breath tests do not measure bacteria directly. They measure gases produced by microbes. That distinction is important. Understanding what these tests actually detect, and where their limitations lie, helps prevent over-interpretation of results.

As with everything in gut health, testing is one piece of a larger clinical picture.

Why Choosing a Degree-Qualified Naturopath Matters: A Client’s Perspective

16/2/2026

If you are considering working with a naturopath, you are likely seeking thoughtful, comprehensive support for your health. You may be navigating ongoing symptoms, looking for a more personalised approach, or wanting care that considers the broader picture of your wellbeing. In a world saturated with wellness advice, how do you know who to trust?

One of the most important decisions you can make is choosing a degree-qualified naturopath. From a client’s perspective, this is not about prestige or titles. It is about safety, depth of knowledge, professional standards, and long-term results.

Why SIBO Develops: Root Causes and Contributing Factors for Bacterial Overgrowth

3/2/2026

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or SIBO, does not happen for just one reason. It is not simply a bacterial infection that appears out of nowhere.

SIBO develops when bacteria that normally belong in the large intestine begin to multiply excessively in the small intestine, where bacterial numbers are usually kept very low.

What Is the Blood–Brain Barrier & What Can Cross It?

22/1/2026

The Vital Shield That Protects Your Brain

Your brain is one of the most important and sensitive organs in your body. To keep it safe, nature has designed an extraordinary protective system known as the blood–brain barrier, often shortened to the BBB.

This barrier acts like a highly selective security checkpoint between your bloodstream and your brain tissue. In an average adult, the blood–brain barrier covers an estimated 12–18 square metres, making it one of the largest protective interfaces in the body.

Can Your Headache Be Caused by Spinal Misalignment?

5/1/2026

Guest Blog by Milosz Kalotka at MK Osteopathy

If you've been reaching for painkillers every time a headache strikes, you might be treating the symptom rather than the cause. Many people don't realise that their recurring headaches could actually be originating from their neck and spine rather than their head.

SIBO Symptoms: Digestive and Whole-Body Effects

18/12/2025

SIBO symptoms can be confusing, frustrating, and easy to dismiss, especially when they do not follow a neat pattern. Many people live with symptoms for years before realising that bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine could be involved.

In the first article in this series, I explained what SIBO is and how it develops. Here we look more closely at how SIBO shows up in the body.

What Is SIBO? A Naturopathic Overview of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

11/12/2025

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SIBO is one of the most poorly understood digestive conditions I see as a naturopath. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth affects many people who struggle with ongoing digestive discomfort, often for years, without clear answers. Research shows that SIBO is found in anywhere from 4 to 78 percent of people diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, while rates in people without digestive symptoms range between 1 and 40 percent.

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The Health of Your Gut: A Practical Nutrition Guide

1/12/2025

Your gut plays a central role in your overall wellbeing. Through your digestive system, your body absorbs the nutrients from food that keep every cell functioning. Yet many people struggle with gut discomfort, low energy, bloating, or irregularity — often without realising daily habits can make a meaningful difference.

Below are simple, gut-friendly practices you can weave into your routine to support better digestion, a healthier microbiome, and improved overall health.

Is Coeliac Disease Underdiagnosed in New Zealand?

24/11/2025

As a naturopath, I often see clients who have been dealing for years with vague or nonspecific symptoms that don’t clearly point to one cause. For some, the missing piece turns out to be coeliac disease, and for others it does not. What is clear is that a significant number of people in New Zealand have coeliac disease without knowing it, making this a topic worth exploring.

Understanding Histamine Intolerance and High Histamine Foods

18/11/2025

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A Naturopathic Guide
About one in four people experience some form of food intolerance, and a common question I hear from clients is about histamine intolerance. This is not an allergy. It simply means your body has more histamine than it can comfortably process. Histamine is a natural chemical your body produces to support digestion, immunity, and alertness. Issues arise when histamine accumulates faster than your body can break it down.

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Why Your Gut Health Could Be Behind Your Food Sensitivities

4/11/2025

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Do you feel bloated, foggy, or fatigued after eating certain foods? You are not alone. Research shows that one in five people will experience food sensitivities at some point in their lives. That is millions worldwide.

As a naturopath, I see this every week in practice: people frustrated by unpredictable reactions to foods they have eaten for years. What I have learned, and what research consistently confirms, is that the key often lies in the gut.

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Perimenopause and Gut Health: Your Guide to Digestive Relief

30/10/2025

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If you’ve noticed changes in your digestion during perimenopause such as bloating, constipation, or that uncomfortable heavy feeling after meals, you are not alone.

Research shows that more than 90% of women experience digestive changes during this stage, with bloating (77%), constipation (54%), and acid reflux (49%) among the most common. Many find these symptoms begin or intensify as they transition through menopause.

But why does this happen? And more importantly, what can you do about it?

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Why Menopause Weight Gain Happens (and How to Beat It)

20/10/2025

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Menopause weight gain affects more than half of all women, making it one of the most common and frustrating symptoms of this hormonal transition. For many, the changes begin during perimenopause, years before the final menstrual period. Research shows women gain an average of 1–1.5 kg per year, totalling around 10 kg by menopause.

Q. What causes weight gain during menopause?

A. Menopause weight gain is mainly caused by falling oestrogen levels, slower metabolism, and increased insulin resistance. These changes shift fat storage to the abdomen and reduce muscle mass. Stress, poor sleep, and thyroid slowdown can make it worse — which is why a holistic, hormone-balancing approach is most effective.

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Perimenopause and Anxiety: When Hormones Hijack Your Nervous System

13/10/2025

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Does your mind race?

Do you feel tightness in your chest or lie awake at night with anxiety since entering perimenopause? You’re not alone. Around four in ten women experience mood symptoms during this hormonal transition. Perimenopausal anxiety can catch anyone off guard, even women who’ve never struggled with anxiety before.

Many of my clients are surprised by these mood changes and relieved to discover they’re not “just in their head.” These feelings often stem from shifting hormones and changes within the nervous system.

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Why Do Older Women Get UTIs? A Naturopath’s Guide to Prevention

9/10/2025

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Around half to two thirds of women will experience a urinary tract infection at some point in their lives, and the risk rises with age. Many women first notice recurrent bladder infections during perimenopause, when changing hormones alter the tissues and microbiome that normally protect the urinary tract. If you are frustrated by repeat infections, understanding what changes with menopause is the first step to prevention.

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Why Do My Joints Hurt in Menopause? Simple Natural Solutions

30/9/2025

More than half of all women going through perimenopause experience joint pain. Yet, the connection between aching joints and hormonal changes often goes un-recognised, despite how common this symptom is.

As a naturopath, I've seen many clients who are puzzled by unexpected discomfort in their knees, hips, hands, or spine during perimenopause and menopause. Perimenopause indeed triggers joint pain through several mechanisms: hormonal fluctuations, natural aging processes, and changes in weight distribution

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The Vital Shield That Protects Your Brain

Does your mind race?