Naturopath & medical herbalist specialising in women's & children's health. Specific experience in infertility, IVF support, preconception care, pregnancy, postnatal & children's healthcare & menopause.
SERVICES
Karen McElroy is a naturopath and medical herbalist offering an integrative and holistic approach to health care. Karen treats a wide range of disorders in women, men and children, offering naturopathic support for the whole family.
Karen specialises in:
- women’s health
- infertility (including IVF support)
- preconception care
- pregnancy
- postnatal care
- infant and children’s health
- polycystic ovarian syndrome
- endometriosis
- menopause
- digestive disorders (eg. IBS, inflammatory bowel disease)
- allergies
- depression & anxiety
- stress management
- wellness programs
How Karen can help you
Karen undertakes a thorough dietary and lifestyle assessment and designs a treatment plan that is tailored for each individual. Karen also offers personalised wellness programs that can transform your health on all levels - body, mind & spirit.
The modalities that Karen incorporates include:
- herbal medicine
- homeopathy
- nutritional supplements
- flower essences
- counselling
Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a holistic model of healthcare that promotes good health and vitality through attending to nutritious food, clean water, exercise and a relaxed and healthy balance to life. Naturopaths aim to treat the whole person - with an emphasis on prevention and patient education to support each individual’s quest for health. A range of natural medicines such as herbal medicine, homoeopathy & nutritional supplements are utilized to support and restore a healthy body, mind & spirit.
Herbal medicine
Plants have traditionally been the world’s major source of medicine and continue to be so in many countries today. Even many modern pharmaceuticals are derived from plants. Herbs provide a vast array of healing properties that can be effectively applied in many illnesses and diseases. Using whole plants instead of isolated constituents provides, in many cases, protection against unwanted side effects. This is due to the inherent composition of many plants which provide buffering qualities that reduce toxicity. (For example Meadowseet (Filipendulaulmaria) contains tannins & mucilage which offset potential gastric upset from the salicylates that it also contains).
Nutrition For Optimum Health
One of the most important contributions you can make to your health is to eat the healthiest foods possible. The ideal diet is designed to maintain optimum health and encourage vitality and energy. As every individual is different, no one diet is appropriate for everyone. Through careful analysis of each person’s dietary choices & preferences, nutritional strategies can be applied to address health concerns or treat illness. Foods that are fresh, whole, organic/biodynamic and raw or lightly cooked contain the most energy. Plant foods in particular contain an amazing array of vital nutrients that promote health and healing. Quality animal foods also offer specific and important nutrients for the body. Supplements are often necessary to correct deficiencies while diets are being improved and also to provide a desired therapeutic outcome.
Nutritional issues for children include fussy eating, poor food choices, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and allergies. By knowing what foods to include and what to exclude from your child’s diet you can avoid most of these issues. The early years can influence your child’s relationship to food for many years to come – so it is particularly important to develop healthy attitudes and eating habits during this time.
A healthy kitchen assessment can be done in your own home. Karen will assess the foods in your pantry and the cooking methods used and give you practical and personalised advice on making healthy changes. These can be incorporated into a wellness package that is designed to optimise your health.
Homoeopathy
Homoeopathy which originated 200 years ago is a therapy which is based on the principle of ‘like-cures-like’. This is best explained through example – the bee sting which causes swelling, redness, heat and pain can be cured through the remedy Apis (made from highly diluted bee venom). Homoeopathy is very safe and particularly suited to infants and children due to the lack of physical substances in the remedies. It has a vibrational or energetic quality imprinted in the remedy which also suits the inherent vital force of children. Homoeopathic medicines can be applied in acute cases of ill health and also in chronic conditions and they can affect change on a physical, emotional and mental level.
Flower Essences
The Bach Flower Essences were discovered by Dr Edward Bach in England during the 1930s. The essences are derived from 38 different flower or herbs that Dr Bach found to be useful for treating illness through correcting emotional imbalance. The Australian Bush Flower Essences are also a beautiful tool for improving emotional health.
Each remedy is aligned with a different emotional state and can be given alone or mixed together to make an individualized formula. These remedies can work in subtle or profound ways to bring about changes in emotional state which can subsequently influence physical health.
Dispensary
Karen stocks a full dispensary of herbal medicines (liquid, teas & tablets), homoeopathics, Bach flowers and nutritional supplements that are TGA approved for safety and efficacy. Prescriptions can also be filled for external patients with a written script from a qualified practitioner (with TGA registration number).
TESTIMONIALS
Karen is a wonderful naturopath - she is caring, empathetic, knowledgeable and thorough. Karen's approach is holistic - she addresses both emotional and physical issues and how they impact on one another. Her use of flower essences reflects this approach. Seeing Karen over the past five years has had such a huge and positive impact on my health and the way I live my life. Karen's advice, suggestions and support regarding a range of issues such as diet, pregnancy and dealing with stress have been invaluable, so much so that I can't let her go - I am remaining a client via telephone from Melbourne!
Fiona Miles
After having our first baby at 40 years of age I we were keen to have a second baby quickly. After two miscarriages which happened early in both pregnancies a friend from my local play group suggested that I see Karen. After a few months of treatment we tried again and two cycles later I was pregnant again. I continued to see Karen and enjoyed a healthy pregnancy and straight forward delivery. We now have a daughter and son. Our daughter has also visited Karen for help with her asthma. I have recommended Karen to others, some have visited her and experienced great results. At 41 years of age I felt that IVF was not an option for me so to have help in a non-invasive and inexpensive way suited us. We feel that our family is now complete. Also continuing with supplements helps me keep on top of doing everyday activities and breast feeding.
Tracey Henderson
"Being a nurse I have a medical background, and was always skeptical of any alternative therapy that didn't involve a GP and a script pad. However after many months of vague symptoms including nausea, bloating and fatigue, I found myself doing the rounds of GPs trying to find one that would listen to me for longer than 15 minutes. I found myself taking pill after pill with no relief from my symptoms. My girlfriend had suggested for some time that I see her naturopath, who she swore would listen to me! So finally feeling desperate I made an appointment with Karen, with very little faith that she would be able to help me - no one else had been able to!
Sitting in Karen's room at the clinic I recited my long and convoluted history. What a relief! She was the first person who listened to my whole history (the GPs could only focus on one system at a time). Her knowledge blew me away. As I am a nurse I could see that Karen knew her anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology. She explained everything to me including her reasoning. She gave me a plan to follow, as well as a herbal tonic. A month later I was feeling on top of the world! My symptoms had gone!
Jo Smith
For over seven years Karen has been my naturopath and the first point of contact when I or my young family have sought advice and treatment for various health issues as well as pre conception care. Karen is such a skilled and knowledgeable naturopath and health professional. She is easy to talk to, accessible and positive in her approach to dealing with a range of health issues. After moving from Melbourne to Newcastle a couple of years ago I found it difficult to find a practitioner of the same quality and have continued my contact with Karen via phone consultations and email. Each time that I have spoken with Karen I am always left feeling positive and in control of my health and her recommended tonics and supplements have always been successful. Karen’s move to Noosa will not deter me from remaining a client – She is just too good! Now I am living in Brisbane, it will be worth the trip up to see her!
K. Rayner
Brisbane
Qualifications
Bachelor of Arts (UQ, Brisbane)
Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) (SSNT, Melbourne)
Certificate of Massage Therapy (SSNT, Melbourne)
Certificate of Yoga Teaching (AYTN, Melbourne)
Karen is a full member of the National Herbalists Association and a member of the Weston Price Foundation.
QUALIFICATION DETAILS
Flower Essences, Herbalists, Homoeopaths, Iridologists, Natural Fertility Management, Naturopaths, Nutrition
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