Buderim Natural Health and Massage

21/06/2026

This is a great visual to explain why I test ferritin, transferrin and getting an Iron Studies panel.

Testing haemoglobin on Full Blood Count is important too but is way down the line, often months of iron deficiency before it is seen in low haemoglobin levels.

It’s so preventable by checking with Iron Studies.

So many women I see with low ferritin, low transferrin levels and many are pregnant. They are exhausted at 36-38weeks and then don’t have time to address the iron levels and get them in range before birth. Then it’s a panic and doctors refer for an iron infusion.

The secret: test! Earlier so you know if your numbers are great or need work.

buderimnaturalhealth.com.au

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You can have iron deficiency for months while your bloodwork looks completely normal.
This isn't a screening failure. It's how the disease actually progresses.

Iron leaves the body in stages. The first stage is your storage iron emptying out, measured by a blood marker called ferritin. Ferritin lives in cells throughout your liver, spleen, and bone marrow as a reservoir. When iron intake doesn't keep up with iron loss (menstrual blood, GI bleeding, pregnancy, restricted diets, donation), ferritin starts to drop. You can lose most of your stored iron and still feel fine because the iron in active circulation is being maintained. A standard CBC at this point will look completely normal. Hemoglobin, MCV, red cell count, all unremarkable. The only test that would catch what's happening is a separately ordered ferritin and iron panel.

The second stage is what hematologists call iron-deficient erythropoiesis. Your stores are empty, so the iron carrier protein in your blood (transferrin) starts running short on cargo. Transferrin saturation (TSAT) falls below 20 percent. Your bone marrow is now making red blood cells with less iron available. Some people start to feel it here, some don't. Verdon and colleagues at the University of Lausanne ran a randomized trial in 144 women with low ferritin but no anemia and showed that iron sulfate reduced their fatigue scores compared to placebo (BMJ 2003). Vaucher later replicated this finding in 198 women over 12 weeks (CMAJ 2012). A 2024 analysis of nearly 10,000 blood donors complicated the picture by showing the fatigue association was strongest in men and weaker than commonly claimed in the general population. So Stage 2 symptoms are real but variable. Your CBC is still normal.

The third stage is when hemoglobin finally drops. The bone marrow is running out of usable iron and starts producing smaller, less-loaded red cells. MCV falls. Hemoglobin falls. Your CBC finally flags "anemia." By the time this happens, iron deficiency has been present for months, possibly longer.
The clinical implication is straightforward. If you have a reason to suspect iron deficiency (menstruation, heavy training, restricted diet, GI symptoms, chronic fatigue), don't rely on a CBC alone. Ask for ferritin and transferrin saturation.

The CBC tells you when anemia has set in. Ferritin helps inform you as to whether iron deficiency has begun.

Citations: Camaschella, NEJM 2015; Verdon et al., BMJ 2003; Vaucher et al., CMAJ 2012

03/06/2026

Not being discussed enough. Something to consider.

30/05/2026

Really interesting. Food combining. Don’t put bananas in your smoothies if you add berries. It interferes with the absorption of polyphenols from the berries.

Don’t stop eating bananas or making banana smoothies! (Just not with berries). 🍌

A banana cancels most of your berry smoothie's antioxidants.

Firstly, bananas are a good food. This is about an enzyme and what it does to a specific group of compounds.

Flavanols are antioxidants found in berries, cocoa, grapes, and apples that have been linked to heart and brain health. Bananas are high in polyphenol oxidase (PPO), the enzyme that turns a cut banana brown within minutes. PPO breaks flavanols down into forms the body absorbs poorly.

The study that measured this was careful about one thing worth understanding. Ottaviani et al. (2023) did not simply compare a berry smoothie to a banana smoothie and assume berries had more to begin with. They added the same standardized dose of cocoa flavanols to every drink, so the starting amount was identical. Then they gave healthy volunteers three things on separate days: that flavanol dose in a capsule, the same dose in a low-PPO berry smoothie, and the same dose in a high-PPO banana smoothie.

The capsule produced peak blood flavanols of about 680 nmol/L. The berry smoothie landed in the same range. The banana smoothie reached only about 96 nmol/L, roughly 84 percent lower than the capsule, from an identical starting dose. The only thing that changed was the enzyme it was blended with.

A second detail sharpens the mechanism. When the banana drink and the flavanols were swallowed together but not blended beforehand, levels still dropped. That points to PPO continuing to act after you swallow it, likely in the stomach, not only during blending.

Two honest limits. This was a small mechanistic study. The comparison behind the 84 percent figure was a crossover in eight healthy men, and it measured absorption, not a long-term health outcome. It was also funded by Mars, Inc., which has a commercial interest in cocoa flavanols. That does not change the underlying chemistry, which is well established, but it is worth knowing.

The practical takeaway is narrow and specific. This does not mean bananas reduce the nutritional value of your food, and it is not a reason to stop eating them. It means that if flavanol intake is something you care about, the fruit you blend with your flavanol source is worth considering. Berries and pineapple are low in PPO. If you want those compounds to reach your blood, keeping the banana out of that particular smoothie, or eating it on the side, is a reasonable choice.

Ottaviani et al., Food & Function, 2023 (DOI: 10.1039/d3fo01599h)

26/05/2026

Over the years I've had many people ask if organic matters, or if organic fruit and vegetables are worth the extra money.

There's a building body of evidence supporting the accumulative effects of pesticides we are consuming, and how they're affecting our health.

Fertility rates have plummeted since the 1970's. S***m count alone has dropped 59.3% (1973-2011).

Stick to Dirty Dozen for ORGANIC FRUIT AND VEG (the worst, heavily sprayed) and Clean Fifteen CONVENTIONAL FRUIT AND VEG to save money on the less contaminated.

Buderim Natural Health and Massage
www.buderimnaturalhealth.com.au

The 2026 “Dirty Dozen” list of most contaminated produce has a worrisome finding. Many of the most common pesticides are also potentially toxic “forever chemicals.”

23/04/2026

🌿 Fibre: One of the Simplest Ways to Live Longer 🌿

Did you know that increasing your fibre intake could significantly reduce your risk of early death?

Research consistently shows that people who eat more dietary fibre have:
✔️ Lower risk of heart disease
✔️ Reduced rates of type 2 diabetes
✔️ Better gut health and digestion
✔️ Lower inflammation levels
✔️ Reduced risk of certain cancers (especially bowel cancer)

In fact, higher fibre intake has been linked to a 15–30% reduction in overall mortality. That’s a powerful reason to start paying attention to what’s on your plate.

💡 So what counts as fibre-rich foods?
🥦 Vegetables (especially leafy greens & cruciferous veg)
🍎 Fruits (eat the skin where possible!)
🌾 Whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa)
🥜 Nuts & seeds
🫘 Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)

👉 Most people are not getting enough — aim for at least 25–30g of fibre per day.

Small changes add up:
✔️ Swap white bread for wholegrain
✔️ Add seeds to your breakfast
✔️ Include vegetables with every meal
✔️ Snack on fruit instead of processed foods

Your gut (and your future self) will thank you.

If you’d like help improving your diet or gut health, feel free to reach out 🌱

www.buderimnaturalhealth.com.au

Ph 0412 360 962

At Buderim Natural Health and Massage, we believe in the power of nature and the body’s innate ability to heal, when given the right tools. Buderim Natural Health and Massage offers a range of services to safely and effectively promote and restore health.

05/03/2026

https://buderimnaturalhealth.com.au

New website went live yesterday. 🥳.

Bookings can be made online or I can help book you in.

Get in touch if you have questions or need support. Ph 0412 360 962 or you can make contact through the website. 🌱🍏🌿Jennifer

22/02/2026

Do you suffer from digestive complaints such as :

🌱bloating

🌱abdominal discomfort or reflux

🌱excessive burping or flatulence

🌱constipation

🌱diarrhoea or abnormally rapid bowel movements?

Know that relief is possible.

A Naturopath can offer individual advice on dietary modifications and supplements, prescribe appropriate herbal remedies, and a referral for necessary pathology tests.

A complimentary 10 minute phone call is available to discuss your concerns. 25+ years clinical experience.

Ph Jennifer 0412 360 962

01/01/2026

Wishing you, your family and friends a very JOYFUL and HEALTHY 2026!

Thanks for another year of supporting my business. Ready to do it all again in 2026! 25 years a Naturopath and 29 Massaging.

Back to work tomorrow . Appointments still available next Thursday and Friday 🎊💪🌱☀️🍏

24/12/2025

24/12/2025

Lost for Christmas present ideas? 🎁🎄

People tell me they’re thrilled to receive a Voucher. 💫

Massages and Health consultations (Naturopathic) Vouchers. From $80

Vouchers still available today for those who have been busy! Can be collected from Buderim or emailed. 🎅🏻🎄