Rewilding health

♀️ Women Are Not Small Men

For centuries, women’s reproductive health has been under-researched, underfunded and too often dismissed.

We now know that severe period pain is not something women should simply “put up with.” Heavy bleeding isn’t always “just bad periods.” Chronic pelvic pain deserves investigation—not reassurance that it’s normal.

Yet many women still spend years searching for answers.

Endometriosis affects around 1 in 7 Australian women by midlife, yet the average time from symptom onset to diagnosis remains 6–8 years. Some women see multiple doctors before receiving a diagnosis.

Recent Australian research found women diagnosed with endometriosis had an average of 15 GP visits in the five years before diagnosis. Pelvic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding and painful periods were commonly documented long before the diagnosis was made.

And endometriosis isn’t the only condition.

Fibroids.

Adenomyosis.

PCOS.

Heavy menstrual bleeding.

These conditions can significantly affect quality of life, yet many women are still told that painful or debilitating periods are simply part of being female.

Women’s health is improving. New Australian endometriosis guidelines encourage earlier investigation and better access to imaging, reflecting a welcome shift in how these symptoms are recognised.

But there is still work to do.

Women’s pain deserves to be believed.

Women’s symptoms deserve investigation.

Women’s health deserves the same curiosity, urgency and scientific investment as every other field of medicine.

Because women are not small men.

And healthcare shouldn’t treat them as though they are.

We often think of hormones as something controlled by the ovaries, thyroid or adrenal glands.

But there’s another organ quietly involved in the conversation—your gut.

Hidden within your microbiome is a group of bacteria known as the estrobolome. These microbes help determine what happens to oestrogen after being processed by the liver. This group of bacteria can influence whether some oestrogen is eliminated through the bowel or recycled back into circulation.

This doesn’t mean every hormonal symptom starts in the gut. Hormones are influenced by many factors, including stress, sleep, nutrition, genetics and overall health.

But it does remind us that our bodies don’t work in isolation.

Your gut, liver, brain, immune system and hormones are constantly communicating.

Looking after your microbiome isn’t just about better digestion—it’s one way of supporting the intricate systems that help keep your hormones in balance.

🌿 Next in the series we’ll explore simple foods and lifestyle habits that help support a healthy estrobolome.

hormones naturopathy rewildinghealth

🚺 Women are not small men.

For decades, much of the research that shaped health advice—from exercise and nutrition to intermittent fasting and recovery—was conducted predominantly on men.

Women were often excluded because our hormones were considered “too complicated” or “too variable.”
The result?
Many of the health recommendations we’ve grown up hearing were based on male physiology and then applied broadly to women.

That doesn’t mean they’re wrong.

It means they may not always be the best fit.

Take intermittent fasting.
Many studies have shown impressive improvements in metabolic health—but much of the early research was conducted in men or male animals. Emerging evidence suggests women may respond differently, particularly during times of hormonal change such as perimenopause.

The same is true for exercise.
Women don’t always recover, adapt or utilise fuel in the same way men do. Hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle can influence energy, strength, temperature regulation and recovery.

Even popular wellness trends like cold-water immersion are beginning to reveal sex-specific differences in stress responses, metabolism and hormone signalling.
The more we study women, the more we realise there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach.

Women’s health shouldn’t be an afterthought or an adaptation of men’s health.

It deserves to be studied in its own right.

As the research evolves, so should our advice.

Because better science leads to better care—and women deserve healthcare that reflects the way our bodies actually work.

💬 Have you ever tried a health trend that worked brilliantly for someone else but left you feeling worse?

ExerciseScience HormoneHealth GutHealth Naturopathy Women’sResearch

🌿 Rewilding the Microbiome | Part 5
Feeding Your Estrobolome
Foods and habits that support healthy oestrogen metabolism

Your estrobolome is the collection of gut bacteria involved in metabolising and eliminating oestrogen. Like the rest of your microbiome, it thrives on diversity—not perfection.

Here’s how to support it:

🥦 Eat plenty of fibre
Vegetables, legumes, oats, fruit, nuts and seeds help bind and eliminate used oestrogen through the bowel.

🥬 Include cruciferous vegetables
Broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and bok choy provide compounds that support healthy oestrogen metabolism.

🫐 Eat the rainbow
Colourful fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices provide polyphenols that nourish beneficial gut bacteria.

🧄 Feed your microbes
Garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus and resistant starch act as prebiotics, feeding the bacteria that help keep your microbiome resilient.

🥣 Enjoy fermented foods
If tolerated, foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and natural yoghurt can support microbial diversity.

💩 Keep your bowels moving
Regular bowel motions are one of the simplest ways to support healthy oestrogen elimination.

🌿 Support your whole body
Prioritise sleep, move daily, manage stress and moderate alcohol—your hormones and your microbiome are deeply connected.

Remember, the goal isn’t to “detox” your hormones. It’s to support the natural systems your body already has.

✨ If you’re experiencing bloating, constipation, recurrent thrush, heavy or painful periods, worsening PMS or changing perimenopausal symptoms, your gut may be one piece of the puzzle. Personalised nutrition and herbal medicine can often help restore microbial balance and support healthy hormone metabolism.

➡️ Next in the series: Could your gut be affecting your hormones?

🚺 Women are not small men.

For decades, much of the research that shaped health advice—from exercise and nutrition to intermittent fasting and recovery—was conducted predominantly on men.

Women were often excluded because our hormones were considered “too complicated” or “too variable.”
The result?
Many of the health recommendations we’ve grown up hearing were based on male physiology and then applied broadly to women.

That doesn’t mean they’re wrong.
It means they may not always be the best fit.

Take intermittent fasting.
Many studies have shown impressive improvements in metabolic health—but much of the early research was conducted in men or male animals. Emerging evidence suggests women may respond differently, particularly during times of hormonal change such as perimenopause.

The same is true for exercise.
Women don’t always recover, adapt or utilise fuel in the same way men do. Hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle can influence energy, strength, temperature regulation and recovery.

Even popular wellness trends like cold-water immersion are beginning to reveal sex-specific differences in stress responses, metabolism and hormone signalling

The more we study women, the more we realise there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach.

Women’s health shouldn’t be an afterthought or an adaptation of men’s health.

It deserves to be studied in its own right.

As the research evolves, so should our advice.
Because better science leads to better care—and women deserve healthcare that reflects the way our bodies actually work.

💬 Have you ever tried a health trend that worked brilliantly for someone else but left you feeling worse?

ExerciseScience HormoneHealth GutHealth Naturopathy Women’sResearch

🌿 Rewilding the Microbiome | Part 4

The Estrobolome: Why Every Woman Should Know About It

When we think about women’s hormones, we usually think about the ovaries.

But your gut has an important role too.

Hidden within your gut microbiome is a collection of bacteria known as the estrobolome—microbes that help regulate oestrogen metabolism.

Here’s why that matters.

Your liver processes used oestrogen and prepares it for elimination through the digestive tract.

Once it reaches the gut, one of two things happens:

➡️ It leaves the body through your bowel motions.

Or...

➡️ Certain gut bacteria produce an enzyme called β-glucuronidase, which can “unpackage” some of that oestrogen, allowing it to be reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

Healthy hormone regulation depends on balance.

A healthy, diverse microbiome supports healthy oestrogen metabolism. When the microbiome becomes disrupted (dysbiosis), that balance can be affected.

Your gut doesn’t replace your ovaries—but it does influence what happens to your hormones after they’ve done their job.

That’s why supporting your microbiome isn’t just about digestion.

It’s about supporting your hormones, immune system, metabolism and overall health.

If you’re experiencing heavy or painful periods, worsening PMS, recurrent thrush, bloating, constipation or changing perimenopausal symptoms, your gut microbiome may be one piece of the puzzle.

The good news? The microbiome is remarkably adaptable.

With personalised nutrition, targeted herbal medicine and lifestyle changes, dysbiosis can often be improved under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional.

✨ Sometimes supporting your hormones starts with supporting your gut.

➡️ Next in the series: Foods that nourish the estrobolome and support healthy oestrogen metabolism.

Modern science is increasingly recognising something Aboriginal people have long understood —that our health is deeply connected to our relationship with the natural world.

One expression of this is the concept of connection to Country. While science can’t capture its full cultural meaning, growing evidence continues to show just how profoundly nature influences our physical and mental wellbeing

Research consistently shows that spending time in nature lowers stress, reduces cortisol and blood pressure, supports immune function, improves mood and attention, and reduces anxiety. Brain imaging studies have even found that time in green spaces quietens areas of the brain associated with rumination and self-critical thinking—changes similar to those seen during mindfulness and meditation.
The research into earthing; walking barefoot on grass, sand or soil, is newer but promising, with studies suggesting benefits for sleep, stress, inflammation and pain.

Maybe the lesson isn’t that we need another wellness trend.
Maybe we simply need to reconnect with the natural world a little more often.

🌿 Walk barefoot on grass.
🌿 Plant a vegetable garden.
🌿 Go for a hike without your phone.
🌿 Feel the sand beneath your feet.

These moments won’t replace good healthcare, but they might remind us that we’re part of nature—not separate from it.

A special mention to , who run beautiful workshops through the Selby Community House in the Dandenong Ranges. Led by herbalist Sonia Marie, the workshops share indigenous knowledge of native plants, bush-foods, traditional medicine and weaving. I’ve attended Sonia’s workshops and came away with a much deeper appreciation for the knowledge held within our native plants.
Wellbeing

Now taking new clients ✨

I am currently welcoming new clients for naturopathy, myotherapy and massage therapy consultations.

If you’re ready to better understand your body and feel more supported in your wellbeing journey, bookings are now open!

🌿 Book your initial consultation via the link in my bio

Hi my name is Lisa,

I am a naturopath, myotherapist and massage therapist.

As a naturopath I believe that the body tells its story in more than one way.

Myotherapy allows me to see how pain, posture, movement and muscle tension affect daily life.

Naturopathy explores the underlying factors that may be contributing to those pattern from nutrition, gut health, inflammation, stress and hormonal health.

One helps me understand how the body is functioning from the inside out while the other allows me to assess and treat what the body is expressing through movement tension and pain.

My special interests are gut health, emotional and mental wellbeing as well as women’s reproductive health and rights.

My aim as an alternative healthcare provider is to empower my clients to take autonomy of their health and make it as easy and as accessible as possible.

Reach out and book your initial consultation with me today through my website (link in bio).

The Last of Summer, The Start of Something New 🍂🌿

As the final summer harvest rolls in—tomatoes, zucchinis, cucumber and late berries—we welcome the slow shift into autumn. A season of letting go, replenishing, and planting new seeds (both in the garden and within). 🌱✨

🌾 Garden Tips for the Seasonal Shift:
🍁 Harvest & Preserve – Pick the last of summer crops and start fermenting, drying, or freezing for nourishment through cooler months.
🌿 Prepare the Soil – Enrich your garden with compost and mulch to restore nutrients for autumn planting.
🥬 Plant for the Cooler Days – Now’s the time for leafy greens (spinach, kale), brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower), and root veggies (carrots, beetroot).

Just like the garden, autumn invites us to turn inward—reflect, declutter, and nurture what truly matters. What seeds are you planting for your next season of growth? 🌾✨