By Tim Altman 11/03/2021 Breathing Dynamics, Events, Evolutionary Medicine, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Performance, Sleep Enhancement Breathing, Breathing coach melbourne, Breathing for Performance, Breathing For Relaxation, Breathing retraining, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, Diaphragm Breathing, Fatigue, fibromyalgia, Healthy Nutrition, immune system, mental health, Nose breathing, nutrition, Online consultation, Performance, sleep enhancement, sleep hygiene, Tim Altman, Well-being

The Anti-Snooze Webinar: March 30th at 12 Noon

I’m really looking forward to hosting Anti- Snooze Lunch Webinar: March 30, 12 pm
It will explore a variety of ways to beat the 3.30 slump. Understanding and managing fatigue. Preventing Burnout :
The MLT WELLBEING Team invite you to a FREE anti snooze Zoom lunch with Tim Altman, Kay Clancy and Jen Bishop.

We use a multifactorial approach to preventing and treating fatigue, burn-out and overwhelm in the work place and creating a balance between work and family life.

Our approach is based on the understanding and research that has stemmed from the field of evolutionary medicine, which draws from genetics, epigenetics and anthropology.

In short, we discuss the mismatch theory of human evolution with research suggesting that the assimilation of change in our environment takes tens of thousands of years for our body to assimilate.

As such, we’ve created a huge mismatch between the body we have inherited from our hunter gatherer ancestors some 40,000 years ago or more, and the high paced, intense world we have created via rapid technological advancement over a comparatively much, much shorter period of time.

To quote world leading evolutionary medicine expert from Harvard University, Dr Daniel Lieberman:

“Interactions between the bodies we inherited, the environment we create, and the decisions we sometimes make have set in motion an insidious feedback loop. We get sick from chronic diseases by doing what we evolved to do but under conditions for which our bodies are poorly adapted, and we then pass on those same conditions to our children, who also then get sick. If we wish to halt this vicious circle then we need to figure out how to respectfully and sensibly nudge, push and sometimes oblige ourselves to eat foods that promote health and to be more physically active. That too, is what we evolved to do.” Daniel Lieberman, ‘The Story of the Human Body. Evolution, Health & Disease.’

In this webinar we explore a number of aspects of how we live or interface with the world that dramatically influence our well-being, energy levels, immune system, and our mental health. In each of these aspects, we compare how we typically perform these functions in the modern world with how the body we inherited would ideally perform these functions – in an environment in which we thrived.

I will cover tips and strategies on how to manage all aspects that affect fatigue and energy levels including specifics on:

1. Breathing techniques to regulate your autonomic nervous system.
2. Daily nutrition strategies for peak mental/brain performance.
3. Sleep hygiene, managing airways and new dental approaches for fatigue prevention.
4. Movement, exercise and stabilising for energy.
5. Techniques and workplace tools for managing stress in the new pivot economy.

MLT colleague and super coach Kay Clancy, will discuss the PERMA model of well-being and how to apply this to your workplace and lifestyle.

Finally, MLT Wellbeing founder Jen Bishop will discuss the gut/brain connection latest research from the Florey Institute and the impacts on fatigue, sleep and function.

Come join us March 30 packed with deep info and insight on harnessing and your greatest resource – your energy. Bring loads of questions and lots of water !

Click on this link to register:

By Tim Altman 08/01/2021 Breathing Dynamics, Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Fasting, Latest News, Mickel Therapy, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Testimonials Breathing retraining, cfs, CFS recovery, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Fasting, Fatigue, fibromyalgia, IBS, immune system, juice fast, mental health, mickel therapy, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Tim Altman

Testimonial: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Recovery

“Hi Tim, just wanted to say thanks for all the guidance over the last 12 months. My physical health is at it’s best since getting crook, and my mental health, and my ability to handle stress has improved greatly. This has been from all the little things that I have implemented through your guidance. Looking forward to taking that next step in my health this year.” Brandon, Colac

Above is a lovely new year’s message from a client who came to me just over 12 months ago with chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS.

His main, or most prominent symptoms were chronic fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, anxiety and shortness of breath.

His program included a combination of

Behavioural and lifestyle modifications based on the neuroscience principles of Mickel Therapy aimed at detecting the triggers that lead to or increase symptoms and lessening the impact of these, or changing the behaviours or subconscious habits that lead to symptoms. This aspect is grossly underrated, but essential in the recovery from any chronic illness.
Breath retraining using diaphragmatic breathing rhythms taught in a 4-5 stage process over time to increase energy production, regulate the autonomic nervous system and increase blood and lymph flow throughout the body.
Nutritional changes and optimisation, culminating in a comprehensive 7-10 day juice fast followed by 3-4 week re-introduction to food process.
The use of a small range of specifically targeted herbs and nutritional medicines that are all pure extracts (derived directly from plants rather than being synthetically manufactured) for increased bio-availability.

If you or someone you know has chronic fatigue syndrome, CFS, post-viral syndrome, adrenal fatigue, fibromyalgia, IBS, anxiety or any other chronic complaint, contact me via tim@timaltman.com.au or 0425 739 918.

My work is equally effective online as it is in person – in fact the client who is the subject of this post was an online client.

By Tim Altman 28/09/2020 Breathing Dynamics, Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Latest News, Mickel Therapy, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Performance, Sleep Enhancement blood sugar, Breathing, Breathing coach melbourne, Breathing coach Torquay, Breathing for Performance, Breathing For Relaxation, Breathing retraining, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Diaphragm Breathing, Fatigue, fibromyalgia, IBS, immune system, Melbourne, mental health, mickel therapy, naturopath melbourne, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Performance, Tim Altman

3 Top Health Tips For Surviving CoVid and Thriving Beyond

After having specialised for many years in treating people with chronic illnesses such as CFS, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive complaints, as well as working at the other end of the well-being spectrum with corporates and athletes to improve performance, here are my top three well-being tips for surviving/thriving during CoVid and lessons we can learn so we thrive, going beyond.

These draw from research in nutritional medicine, neuroscience, psychoneuroimmunology, epigenetics, evolutionary medicine, physiology and biochemistry.

1. Practice diaphragmatic breathing rhythms 3 times daily for 10 minutes ea.

Most people breathe nowhere near their full potential – twice as often as we should (according to diagnostic norms) using our chest and shoulders instead of our diaphragm, and with our mouth in addition to, or instead of our nose. This impairs energy production by the cells, upsets our nervous system putting us in constant low to mid-level fight or flight mode, and can significantly reduce our performance and contribute to many health conditions, including:

asthma and breathing difficulties
sleep issues – including snoring and sleep apnoea
fatigue and chronic pain
anxiety and depression
headaches and migraines
allergies and sinusitis
IBS and other digestive complaints

Breathing is also the central, or base practice in meditation, most martial arts, yoga, tai-chi etc. The volume of research on breath practice, and particularly meditation is now huge.

Enough to say that breath-work and meditation are medicine – both physically and mentally.

If you already have a meditation practice, incorporate the breathing rhythms into your practice, especially at the start, as it will settle your nervous system into relaxation mode more quickly, and take the practice to a deeper level.

If you don’t, start with the regular breathing rhythms.

To start, see my online breathing course via https://timaltman.com.au/

2. Eat more fruit and vegetables.

The most common denominator from the last 100 years or so of nutritional research is that the more fruit and vegetables you eat, the better your quality of life, and immune system, and the more you prevent the chronic illnesses that account for 90% of medical expenses and deaths in the western world.

Aim for a minimum of 6 full handfuls (your handful) of vegetables and 3 handfuls of seasonal fruit to your climate daily.

That = 9 handfuls of fruit and vegetables daily. If you struggle to achieve it, reduce your intake of processed foods, grains, dairy etc. as they provide nowhere the bang for buck nutritionally that fruit and vegetables do, but fill you up so there’s less room for the quality stuff.

If you eat meat (read meat, fish, poultry etc), have no more than a palm size portion in each meal, and buy organic wherever possible as the quality of the meat and the fats is much, much better.

3. Get more variety and reward in your day.

Research in genetics, anthropology and evolutionary medicine tells us that it takes 40,000 to 100,000 years for change in our environment to be assimilated by our bodies at DNA level, meaning that our body evolved to thrive as we lived 40,000 years ago at least, as hunter-gatherers. The way we spend our days has changed dramatically since then, but we can learn plenty about what our bodies are built for, or what environments cause them to thrive or fail.

The average hunter-gatherer population spent 15-25 hours per week hunting and gathering. So they got far more variety, balance and down time in their day than we did. We are simply not built to work as much as we do, and it takes its toll on our physical and mental health in more ways than we may realise.

Whilst, for a number of reasons it may not be easy or realistic to reduce your working hours so much straight away, or at all, we can learn so much from what our body is built for and apply the following principles into each day. Some tips include:

Combine work with reward; i.e. 45 minutes on, 15 minutes reward, or 2 hours on, half and hour reward, 3 hours on, 1 hour reward etc.
In your reward time, gut up from your desk and do something different – that you enjoy.
On that note, spend more time each day on activities you enjoy for no reason – your brain and nervous system will love you for it. If the list of things you enjoy has grown small over the years of grinding at work, think back to what you used to enjoy or what you’d like to do more of, and start applying them.
Get more variety in the tasks you do each working day. For example, if you spend long hours at your computer, then schedule in work calls regularly, and get up from your desk if you can and move around or go somewhere else whilst taking the call.
Sit less. Find ways of working in different postures – a standing desk, ergonomic chairs etc. I often lie on the floor and work on my computer when working from home.
Spend more time outside every day.
Take time after work to transition from work to home/social life. The breathing techniques above are great for this.
These adjustments require a significant shift in attitude, but most people who take the leap and start to implement these changes find they get far more done in each day, in less time than they did previously. Plus they don’t experience the burn-out and lack of joy that so many of us do.

I work one on one in clinic and with corporate or sporting groups as a natural medicine practitioner, breath coach, wellbeing coach, and also coaching paddlers ranging from beginners to international level. See https://timaltman.com.au/ and https://www.worldpaddle.com/

I also work with wellbeing and performance online and in person in the corporate sector (see https://www.mindfullife.com.au/?loaded), and now have an online breathing course available via https://timaltman.com.au/ or https://www.lionheartworkshops.com/breathing-dynamics-tim-altman

By Tim Altman 27/08/2018 Evolutionary Medicine, Fasting, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Performance, Sleep Enhancement, Testimonials Barwon Heads Naturopath, Bowel health, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Clean, Detox, Fasting, fibromyalgia, IBS, immune system, intermittent fasting, juice fast, Melbourne, mental health, Natuopath, naturopath melbourne, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Performance, sauna therapy, Tim Altman

5 Day Juice Fast: A Super Thorough Case Study

Article: “My Guided 5 Days of Fasting / Juice Cleanse (What Really Happened)”, by Cam Nicholls of www.bikechaser.com.au

Linked below is an article written by a client who embarked on a 5 day fast with me supervising him, as an experiment to improve his immune system and performance in criterium cycling races.

I won’t say too much here as the article, videos and podcasts say it all. He has certainly been thorough in his application, and documentation of the process. It was a pleasure working with him, and despite his difficulty in giving up coffee and his impatience to recommence, we are both glad he didn’t as it gave him an opportunity to experience some of the benefits of fasting, and therefore experience the level of health, energy and clarity that is inherent in us all – if we give our bodies a chance to show it 🙂

The benefits included:

Improved and sustained energy levels.
Great sleep.
His sinuses are the clearest they’ve ever been.
Dramatically improved concentration and mental aptitude.

Whilst it’s super thorough, if you’re interested in fasting or considering doing a fast/cleanse, I highly recommend you have a read, listen, watch as he covers just about everything you’ll need to know. Obviously, if this motivates you to act, then i can help you. I offer supervised fasts in my clinic addresses in Torquay, Sth Melbourne and Barwon Heads, or online.

My Guided 5 Days of Fasting / Juice Cleanse (What Really Happened)

By Tim Altman 24/07/2018 Breathing Dynamics, Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Fasting, Mickel Therapy, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Performance Barwon Heads Naturopath, Bowel health, Breathing, Breathing retraining, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Detox, Diaphragm Breathing, Digestive health, Fasting, Fatigue, fibromyalgia, Gut Microbiome, IBS, immune system, intermittent fasting, juice fast, Melbourne, mental health, mental illness, Natuopath, naturopath melbourne, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Tim Altman

Video: There’s Far More to Healing The Gut Than Correcting The Microbiome.

There’s Far More To Treating IBS, Reflux & Other Digestive Issues Than Correcting The Gut Microbiome

The gut has been topical of late – with terms such as ‘gut microbiome’, the ‘third brain’ etc. becoming very popular. It has certainly become evident that gut function plays a huge role in both our physical and mental health, and we have seen an increase in digestive issues such as reflux, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s Disease, Coeliac’s Disease etc. etc.

In treating such conditions, and indeed in exploring optimal health and well-being, we need to focus on correcting and optimising the internal environment of our digestive system. Treatments have included stool analyses, detox diets, eliminative diets such as FODMAP, paleo and gluten free programs, antibiotic treatments, prebiotic and probiotic treatments, digestive enzyme therapy etc. have become extremely useful strategies. However, very often these treatments struggle to yield significant or complete resolutions.

Given this, it is worth considering that there are other influences on digestive or gut function, other than what goes on inside the digestive system, and that ignoring these can lead to less than complete resolutions. 2 other influences that have a significant impact on gut function, and must be attended to in order to treat the gut more completely, include:

1. Our breathing via the smooth muscle that surrounds the digestive tract – the average person over-breathes, meaning they breathe twice as often as they should, and with far too much volume (because they use mouth and nose rather than nose only). This upsets the delicate biochemical balance in our respiratory system that governs how we get oxygen from the air we inhale into our cells for energy production (the mechanism of which is known as ‘The Bohr Effect’). One of the compensations that result from the upset in the respiratory system by over-breathing is for the body to constrict the smooth muscle around our breathing tubes – and we experience symptoms of breathing difficulties and asthma as a result. Yet, the rest of the tubes that service our body are also surrounded by smooth muscle and over-breathing can lead to constriction and spasm in our digestive system, which is in itself a large tube, forcing it into lock down and preventing the peristaltic action of the digestive system to work effectively, leading to digestive symptoms. This is particularly highlighted by the fact that a vast majority of digestive symptoms and ailments are exacerbated by stress, are often see associated anxiety along with them (especially IBS or reflux). When we are stressed or anxious we over-breathe or hyperventilate even more, which can really exacerbate this constriction and spasm in the digestive system.

2. How we process stress – which is regulated via our hypothalamus. Our hypothalamus, in the brain stem, regulates the automatic bodily functions (including the gut, breathing, circulation etc.), endocrine function (glands and hormones), immune function, sleep cycle, neurotransmitters, some cognitive function etc. It’s job is homeostasis, and it really is the general in regulating our body and keeping it ‘purring’ along. But a hypothalamus that is ‘angry’ or ‘overdrive’ because it is working too hard as we live in constant low level fight or flight in this modern world, can then dys-regulate the function of many o all of our automatic functions – including digestion and the gut. How we process stress in the brain is governed by the healthy working relationship between our two intelligence systems: our thinking, or rational brain, whose job it is to allow us to interface with the world we live in by analysing and interpreting information, data processing, solving problems (the world of thoughts and rational – including our story of our past, and future); and the pre-thinking, instinctive emotional brain whose role is to keep us safe, happy and comfortable by constantly scanning the environment around us (in the now) and warning us of any threat, or stress, via emotions, which serve as a call to action to deal with the threat. If these two work together we attend to emotions as they arise, our thinking brain interpreting the call to action and activating action, then we process stress effectively and we go back to being happy, safe and comfortable. However, we have created a big mismatch between the bodies we have inherited (from our hunter gatherer ancestors) and the high tech, high paced world we have created, and we are taught to ignore emotions and discomfort (therefore the call to action to deal with stress) – be tough, don’t be so sensitive/emotional/irrational, don’t be a girl/sissy, push though, tough it out, don’t show weakness etc. As such we have become top of the animal kingdom, but have forgotten how to be an animal, so we internalise stress rather that dealing with it effectively. This sends us into permanent low-level ‘fight or flight’ activation, leading to symptoms.

We must attend to more than just the inside of the gut to treat it effectively!!

By Tim Altman 26/02/2018 Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Fasting, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Performance, Sleep Enhancement Benefits of Fasting, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Detox, Fasting, Fatigue, fibromyalgia, IBS, immune system, intermittent fasting, juice fast, Melbourne, mental health, mental illness, naturopath melbourne, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Tim Altman

Research: Intermittent Fasting Slows Down The Ageing Process

Harvard Study Shows The Surprising Impact of Intermittent Fasting On The Ageing Process

More evidence (linked at the bottom) showing the outstanding benefits of fasting and intermittent fasting.

If not for weight loss, detoxification, reducing inflammation, treating chronic illness, CFS, fibromyalgia, IBS, depression, anxiety or boosting your immune system, why not try it so that you live longer…

I offer intermittent and extended fasting progams one on one with individuals or with groups. I use bio-impedance testing along the way to monitor energy levels, inflammation, body composition, biological age. See these link for more details:

Bio-Impedance Analysis

https://timaltman.com.au/case-study-weight-loss-intermittent-fasting/

Contact me at tim@timaltman.com.au or phone 0425 739 918 to make an appointment.

https://ideapod.com/harvard-study-shows-impact-intermittent-fasting-aging-process/?utm_content=buffer8ddc4&utm_medium=share&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=mam

By Tim Altman 28/11/2017 Evolutionary Medicine, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Testimonials blood sugar, Bowel health, chronic fatigue syndrome, Fasting, Fatigue, intermittent fasting, juice fast, Melbourne, mental health, mental illness, Natuopath, naturopath melbourne, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation

Fasting Testimonial

Another Fasting Success Story

The following quote came to me as a text message less than a week after she started a program combining intermittent fasting with blood sugar regulation.

“I FEEL AMAZING. I woke up after my fast day and my skin is glowing and I have so much motivation and energy. Oh my goodness, I’ve never felt this good.”

This is from an 18 year old woman who was struggling with depression, weight gain, poor energy and her skin had really broken out in rashes and pimples.
She had experienced skin reactions to certain foods (particularly dairy) for most of her life. Unfortunately, her diet was poor, so she failed to regulate blood sugar levels (as she had never learned how to do so) and, as such, she craved processed foods and sugar – many of which were exacerbating her intolerances, poor skin, lack of energy and depression.

So, we introduced intermittent fasting in combination with regulating her blood sugar levels (during non-fasting periods) as a way of changing her eating habits, creating permanent weight loss, and allowing her body to regulate rest and cleanse itself internally.

I am also monitoring her body composition, inflammation levels and energy production via bio-impedance testing. It was clear on the initial test that, whilst she carries too much body fat, her muscle mass is also quite deficient (which will ultimately mean that it will be harder for her to burn fat, and have consistent energy levels). So we also recommended that she do regular resistance training along with regular protein in her diet to improve muscle mass.

From the above, it seems that it is ‘so far, so good’.

I saw her a week later and her skin is much clearer, she had lost fat, her energy was great, her disposition much brighter, and her attitude was much more positive. As is so often the case, her body responded extremely well to her regular short one day (or 36 hour) fast, combined with keeping blood sugar levels regular, and some minor fasts during the week (akin to the 16:8 program).

She is not clear yet. These are only the early stages, However, the changes we have made have stimulated the necessary internal improvements we are seeking. Persistence and consistency will be required to continue these improvements, and maintain them long term.

But, for now, it is great that she feels so positive, and that her skin and weight have responded so well.

By Tim Altman 23/11/2017 Breathing Dynamics, Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Mickel Therapy, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Performance, Sleep Enhancement Breathing, Breathing retraining, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Diaphragm Breathing, diet, Fasting, Fatigue, fibromyalgia, health, IBS, immune system, Melbourne, mental health, mental illness, mickel therapy, Natuopath, naturopath melbourne, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Performance, Tim Altman, torquay

Evolutionary Biology and Mismatch Diseases

The Story of the Human Body – Evolution, Health and Disease.

Evolutionary biologist, Daniel Lieberman in his book ‘The Story of the Human Body’ suggested that medicine could benefit from a dose of evolution. Whilst evolution may appear irrelevant to medicine at first glance, our body is not engineered like a car; rather it evolved over time with modification. It therefore follows that knowing your body’s evolutionary history helps us understand why your body looks and works as it does, hence why you get sick.

Although scientific fields such as physiology and biochemistry can help us understand the proximate mechanisms that underlie a disease, evolutionary medicine helps us make sense of why the disease occurs in the first place.

Over time, natural selection adapts (matches) organisms to particular environmental conditions and this process occurs over tens of thousands of years. Research suggested that it takes 40,000 to 100,000 years for an environmental change to assimilated (genetically) by the body.

However, as innovation has accelerated, initially since farming began (approximately 2,000 to 10,000 years ago), and especially over the last few hundred years as a result of the industrial and technological revolutions, we have devised or adopted a growing list of novel cultural practices that have conflicting effects on our bodies. Many of these cultural changes have altered interactions between our genes and our environments in ways that contribute to a wide range of health problems known as mismatch diseases – which are defined as diseases that result from our Paleolithic bodies being poorly or inadequately adapted to certain modern behaviours and conditions.

Most mismatch diseases occur when a common stimulus either increases or decreases beyond levels for which the body is adapted, or when the body is not adapted for it at all. Moreover a common characteristic of these diseases, is that they occur from interactions whose cause and effect are not immediate or otherwise obvious. And most of these mismatch diseases are ailments that, as far as we can tell, were rare in our Paleolithic ancestors.

In other words, we get sick because we do what we evolved to do in an environment to which we have not adapted, and then pass these habits and illnesses onto future generations, who also get sick..

Hypothesised mismatch diseases account for a vast majority of deaths in the modern Western World. These are the chronic, insidious onset ailments that include heart disease, cancers (some), stroke, diabetes (Type II), obesity, chronic respiratory conditions, cavities, apnoea, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, ADHD, depression, anxiety, insomnia, IBS/Crohn’s disease, OCD, hypertension Alzheimer’s disease to name a few.

Following this understanding, it makes sense that in preventing and treating these mismatch diseases, we apply what is understood of how we lived and therefore, how our bodies are structured to function ideally.

The aspects of living that most impact our health include:

Nutrition
How we move and stabilise
Breathing
Sleep
How we think and emote – which influences how we process stress (which subsequently affects all other aspects of living).

This is the primary influence or core philosophy in my approach to treatment and prevention of disease, performance and optimal living. Using what understanding we have of how we performed these aspects of living as we were evolving and applying this in an approach to treatment or living can yield outstanding and life changing results. And, over time, it reduces or eliminates the need or reliance on synthetic or artificial medicines.

Further, the use of accurate and reliable biofeedback to provide information on the efficiency that one is achieving in performing these aspects of living, makes learning much easier and more rapid.

Finally, the use of pure extracts as medicines and supplements, where necessary, provide the perfect balance. As opposed to manufactures and synthetic, or new to nature, pharmaceuticals and supplements, pure extract herbs and nutritional medicines exist in the form that our bodies were exposed to them over millions of years and are therefore far more easily assimilated, or are more bio-available than artificial chemicals and lead to no side effects as a result.

Modalities used to bring about recoveries from these chronic illnesses include:

Mickel Therapy – which addresses imbalance at higher levels – specifically, the hypothalamus which regulates all automatic functions, endocrine function, immune, cognitive function, sleep cycles, neurotransmitters etc.
Nutritional medicine
Breathing retraining
Therapeutic fasting
Herbal medicine

The more we begin to understand how nature has adapted us to live and living our lives in accord with this, and using foods and medicines provided to us by nature throughout our evolutionary history, the more we will shift the focus of medicine from treatment to prevention and optimal living.

By Tim Altman 07/11/2017 Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Performance, Sleep Enhancement blood sugar, Bowel health, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Clean, Detox, Fasting, Fatigue, fibromyalgia, IBS, immune system, Melbourne, mental health, mental illness, Natuopath, naturopath melbourne, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Performance, Tim Altman, torquay

The Nasty Side-Effects of Too Much Sugar

What Sugar Does To Your Body and Brain

I’ll let this image do the talking for itself, other than to say that all of the nutritional programs I run focus on moderating sugar intake and regulating blood sugar levels – be they programs for energy and vitality; optimal wellness; weight loss; weight gain; fasting; intermittent fasting; detox; performance; boosting the immune system; ketogenic programs; paleo; elimination diets; FODMAP etc. etc.

I have found after close to 20 years of doing clinic and askingmost clients their average daily diet, that very few people actually regulate their blood sugar levels well, or at all. This includes many apparently ‘healthy’ people who eat organic foods etc.

Regulating blood sugar levels does the following:

Allows the cells to produce energy more efficiently.
Eliminates insulin resistance.
Reduces inflammation.
Regulates other hormones.
Detoxes your system.
Improves your immune system.
Mobilises the body to burn fat for energy – so you can lose weight more easily.
Prevents and treats many chronic illnesses – diabetes Types I & II, fatigue, hormonal issues, heart disease, stroke, gastro-intestinal problems, headaches and migraines, sleep disturbance etc.

If you’d like to learn how to regulate you blood sugar levels and function so much better,contact me at tim@timaltman.com.au or 0425 739 918 for an appointment.

By Tim Altman 01/09/2017 Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Performance, Sleep Enhancement Asthma, Bowel health, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, Detox, Fatigue, Gluten Free, health, IBS, immune system, Melbourne, mental health, Natuopath, naturopath melbourne, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Paleo Diet, Performance, Tim Altman, Wheat

Video: The Dangers of a Gluten Free Diet by Dr John Douillard

Dr John Douillard Attempts to Debunk Some Myths About Wheat and Gluten

Further to a blog I shared recently (see below) questioning whether gluten and/or wheat is as evil as it is now suggested, I thought I’d share this video by Dr John Douillard as some further food for thought – https://timaltman.com.au/opinion-article-myth-big-bad-gluten/

I like this guy’s work. He’s also done some great work on breathing.

Dr Douillard offers a different perspective on the gluten/wheat subject and attempts to debunk some of the current myths about wheat and gluten – that wheat has only been available for 10,000 years; that there is more gluten in modern wheat; that wheat is indigestible; phytic acids in grain are toxins etc. etc.

He suggests that sugars and processed foods are a poison to the brain and body, not wheat or gluten as such, and that eliminating wheat maybe be going too far. We need to look at the bigger picture around this topic rather than focusing on the negatives about wheat and gluten.

For example, a lot of the foreign chemicals in modern wheat (pesticides, toxins in the environment etc) kill the microbes in our digestive system that are involved in breaking down wheat.

Also, whilst wheat is harder to digest that many vegetables and fruit etc., this may be beneficial, even necessary to our immune systems; and it this many of the other additives in processed foods (of which wheat is a major constituent) that make them so hard to digest. These include indigestible olis and fats that make the bread etc. stick together and not go off so quickly. These additives are indigestible and accumulate in our liver and arteries, so it is so often these that are the poisons or the toxins rather than wheat per se. The solution being not to eat processed wheat and grains, but to source high quality, whole grain, non-processed, even sour dough products that are as natural and low in chemicals as possible.

My 20 cents on this is that Dr Douillard’s point is definitely worth considering, and we have perhaps become far too hard line on wheat and gluten (unless you have Coeliac’s disease), however I still stick to my long held belief that the more wheat one eats, especially wheat in processed foods, the less vegetables and fruit one eats. And these are jam packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre etc. So, whilst I’m happy to include some good quality wheat and grain in my diet, I still focus on trying to eat as many vegetables and fruit (fruit in season for the climate I live) as I can – aiming for at least 9 whole handfuls per day of vegetables and fruit. That is where you will get bang for your buck in terms of nutrient value….

If you’d like to improve how you can optimise your nutrition, book an appointment via the calendar on this website or email me at tim@timaltman.com.au or call 0425 739 918.

By Tim Altman 04/08/2017 Breathing Dynamics, Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Latest News, Mickel Therapy, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Performance, Sleep Enhancement Breathing, Breathing retraining, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Fatigue, fibromyalgia, health, hormetic stress, IBS, immune system, Melbourne, mickel therapy, Natuopath, Naturopath Torquay, Nose breathing, nutrition, Online consultation, Performance, stress, Tim Altman, torquay

How You Deal With Stress is the Number One Contributor to Your Mortality

Our Cortisol Slope, via Our Relationship to Stress, is The Greatest Predictor of Total Mortality

A fascinating video (linked at the bottom) from Food Matters TV during their recent Sleep and Stress Online Event chatting with Dr Alan Chritianson discussing the relationship with stress and mortality and highlighted some findings from the Whitehall II study in the UK, which revealed that for cardiovascular mortality, cigarette smoking was the number one predictor of mortality, with cortisol slope (via our relationship to stress) following closely behind. They also compares these with the usual health metrics such as exercise levels, blood pressure, cholesterol levels etc. etc.

Yet, for overall mortality, cortisol slope was the highest predictor of mortality.

The implications for this on how to prioritise your health incentives are huge – Dr Christianson, said these results hit him like a tonne of bricks. You could be a non smoker, non-alcohol drinking, clean food eating, exercise loving health nut, yet if your relationship with stress, or how you deal with stress is dysfunctional, it could make you ill or kill you quicker than a smoking, drinking, junk food eating couch potato who doesn’t get overly stressed too much. That sucks!!

These results basically suggest that, whilst it is important to focus on our nutrition, exercise, alcohol consumption, eliminating cigarette smoking etc. for our health, we should make how we deal with stress our number one priority.

Fortunately, two of the modalities I use with clients focus one exactly that.

Diaphragmatic breathing – of all of the automatic functions that our body performs, breathing is the only one that we can consciously control, with ease. And the same nervous system that regulates our automatic functions (including breathing), the autonomic nervous system (ANS), is also the same nervous system that regulates stress. Moreover, most of us breathe in emergency mode, far too quickly, with an exhale to inhale ratio that is out of whack, so we end up in permanent emergency mode, or ‘fight or flight’ functioning. By learning how to diaphragm breathe in certain rhythms, we can get out of emergency, or ‘fight or flight’ mode, and restore a nervous system that is more restful and relaxed, than it is on the go.
Mickel Therapy – this technique, which is far from therapy as you might think of it, is an ‘action based’ technique that focuses on restoring harmony and optimal function to the ‘hypothalamus’ gland in our brain stem, which is the gland responsible for regulating the function or our autonomic nervous system, and therefore our stress response, all automatic and endocrine gland functions of our body, our immune system, our sleep cycles, neurotransmitter levels and many other bodily functions. It is like the ‘general’ of our bodily functions and it’s job is to maintain homeostasis, or efficient, healthy functioning of our body. It is also like a link between our brain and our body. A healthy relationship with stress requires, at the highest levels of our functioning (in our brain) a healthy relationship between our instinctive, emotional brain (which registers threats to our system and, therefore, stress) and our thinking, or rational brain (which, ideally, interprets the signals of stress sent by the emotional brain, negative emotions, and creates actions to deal with them). This allows us to functionally deal with stress as it arises. However, we ‘modern’ humans have created a huge mismatch between the bodies we have inherited (from our hunter gatherer ancestors) and the culture we have created, and this mismatch leads this healthy relationship in our brain between our instinctive emotions and our thinking, to break down. The result being that rather than dealing with stress functionally, most of us, most of the time, suppress it; and the hypothalamus is the gland in the body that first deals with this suppressed stress, causing it to go into overdrive. The follow on effect of this is that homeostasis within our body is upset and our automatic functions start to go into emergency mode, resulting often in symptoms of acute and/or chronic illness.

Hopefully these explanations may shed some light on why our relationship to stress is the number one predictor of overall mortality.

If you would like to explore using these modalities to improve your relationship with stress, overcome any chronic illness that you believe stress may play a role in (CFS, Fibromylagia, IBS, Anxiety/Depression, Auto-Immune etc), or you would like to explore increasing your quality of life, or the duration between now and your inevitable mortality :-), then contact me via tim@timaltman.com.au or call 0425 739 918.

https://www.facebook.com/foodmatters/videos/10154761999126570/

By Tim Altman 09/07/2017 Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Clean, Fatigue, health, immune system, Melbourne, mental health, Natuopath, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Performance, Tim Altman

TED Talk: Research Reveals Nutrition Improves Mental Health Better Than Prescription Medication

A great TED talk and article outlining that good nutrition is often more potent than medication. It doesn’t just stop at mental health.

The findings cross over to longevity, chronic illness and the immune system.

If you want to get the most out of your nutrition and yourself, email me at tim@timaltman.com.au or call to book on 0425 739 918

In the mean time, it’s definitely worth watching this great TED talk

Research Reveals Nutrition Improves Mental Health Better Than Prescription Medication

By Tim Altman 23/06/2017 Evolutionary Medicine, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss blood sugar, juice fast, Melbourne, Natuopath, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Tim Altman

Research: Dietary Sugar from Fruit Enhances Mineral Balance

An interesting study (abstract Iinked) that compares the effect of dietary starch and fructose on mineral balance in humans.

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/49/6/1290.abstract

I will quote the words of Josh Lamaro, Paleo Osteo from a Facebook post of his on this this study:

“Did you know the ingestion of fructose can help the body retain magnesium, copper, calcium and other minerals? Glucose alone did not have this effect.
This is one of many reasons why carbohydrates that contain fructose (sugars, fruits, juice, honey, fruit vegetables) are superior to carbohydrates that contain only glucose (starchy grains.)
The war on sugar needs careful contextualisation.”

Definitely some food for thought 🙂

And lends weight to the idea of eating a diet similar to that of our hunter gatherer ancestors – from whom we inherited the bodies in which we habitate. Sugars from fruits are safer than those from starchy grains. Makes sense…

Whilst fructose, is also in table sugar, agave syrup, molasses, fruit juice and honey, stepping back 40,000 years or so, most of these were not available, so we can use this study to compare the sugar we were ‘built’ to eat from fruit, to that we a majority of now from starch. As such, from the evolutionary perspective, it is no surprise that fructose sugars enhance mineral balances whereas sugars from starch (gains etc.) do not.

By Tim Altman 07/03/2017 Chronic Illness, Evolutionary Medicine, Naturopathy, Nutrition and Weight Loss, Other, Performance Bowel health, cfs, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic illness, Clean, Detox, diet, Fasting, Fatigue, IBS, immune system, juice fast, Melbourne, Naturopath Torquay, nutrition, Online consultation, Tim Altman

Fasting As a Solution To Optimal Health

Introduction to Fasting

Fasting is a process that allows us to see from direct experience the incredible innate healing and restorative powers that our bodies possess as well as the incredible inherent capacity for health that we all possess as our birthright – a capacity for which most people only ever experience a fraction of its ultimate potential.

In his book ‘Staying Healthy With Nutrition’, Dr Elson, M Haas M.D. describes fasting as nature’s ancient, universal “remedy” for many problems and the single greatest natural healing therapy. Animals instinctively fast when ill. It is the oldest treatment known to us, the instinctive therapy for many illnesses, nature’s doctor and knifeless surgeon and the greatest therapist and tool for preventing disease.

Further, Dr Haas calls fasting, or the cleansing process, the “missing link in the Western diet”.

Most of the conditions for which fasting is recommended are ones that result from the discord to the human system created Western diet and lifestyle. Conditions which are best described as resulting from “chronic sub-clinical malnourishment” (despite having more choice than ever before in human history) in the face of severe “over-consumption or over-nutrition”. In other words, we consume excessive amounts of toxic nutrients such as refined sugars, saturated and trans fats, and chemicals, yet receive inadequate amounts of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential fats.

These conditions are the chronic degenerative diseases including:

Atherosclerosis
Heart disease
Cancer
Stroke
Diabetes
Obesity
Allergies
Chronic immune system disorders or deficiencies.
Weight Loss – via intermittent fasting only.

Over 90% of deaths in Western countries result from these chronic degenerative disorders. Indeed, ignorance (of how to live in accordance with nature) may be our greatest disease.

Fasting is therapeutic and, more importantly, preventative of many of these diseases.

The term fasting here is used to describe the avoidance of solid foods and the intake of liquids only and we offer mainly juice fasts. Juice fasts support the body nutritionally by providing some of the essential nutrients it requires whilst offering a deep and profound cleansing and detoxification of the system.

Dr Haas describes detoxification via fasting as an important “corrective and rejuvenating process in our cycle of nutrition” (balancing and building being other processes), and a time when we allow our cells to “breathe out, become current and restore themselves”.

It was through the use of fasting to heal a very chronic and debilitating illness that I became involved in natural medicine and nutrition. It literally changed my life and gave me a completely new outlook on food and the incredible innate capacity our bodies have for health if we only take a step back and live our lives naturally in accord with how our evolutionary history has modelled our systems’ to function optimally.

Instead of suffocating my cells and organs via overconsumption of processed and refined foods and ‘new to nature’ chemicals, I simply started eating and living naturally. As such, I have continued to fast occasionally and have continued to enjoy the preventative, healing and transformative benefits that this beautiful and natural cleaning process avails.

Intermittent fasting, or fasting over smaller intervals, but more regularly, has been heavily researched and implemented as an extremely effective solution for reducing weight and inflammation (that contributes to most of the chronic degenerative disorders we suffer and die from).

We now offer a variety of fasting options to clients as a fantastic way of enhancing wellness, slowing down ageing, treating a variety of illnesses and increasing resistance to disease.

Contact me via email, tim@timaltman.com.au or 0425 739 918 to book in or discuss what type of fast would most suit you. I offer consultations in Melbourne and Torquay, or online via Skype…

By Tim Altman 23/01/2015 Latest News Detox, health, juice fast, nutrition, torquay

February 2015 Detox and Juice Fast

Starting in early February I will be offering a group (or individual) juice fast and/or clean food driven detox as a way of eliminating the toxins accumulated throughout 2014 and the festive season, and cleansing from the inside out to improve energy levels, digestive function, mental clarity, sleep quality and the immune system to prevent the 2015 winter colds and flus and spring hayfever – amongst other benefits.

There will be 5 different juice fast or clean food driven detox options offered.

I will monitor all participants along the way, including using Bio-Impedance testing which will offer measures of biologocal age, cellular energy production, toxicity and inflammation levels and muscle and fat mass levels.

As an introduction, I will be offering a free talk at Surfcoast Wholefoods on Thursday 29th January at 7pm, where I will discuss the benefits of fasting and outline all of the details of the 5 fast or detox options. And the differences between each option.

Give your body a fresh start and a head start for 2015. It will love you!!

Below is a testimonial from a client who has previously conducted my longest juice fast on offer.

“I would absolutely recommend to anyone to do the 2 week fast followed by the 4 week detox which Tim recommends and supports you through.

You must be mentally prepared. Fasting is not an easy challenge, it is breaking all habits and living a very clean and simple life with minimum intake. Fast = juicing + herbal teals…THAT IS IT for 2 weeks!!!

Therefore some days are extremely tough and you just want to throw it all in…however you get past day 3, coffee cravings have gone as have the thirst for wine!

Day 4 is onward and upwards. Certainly not the energy you are use to but a lighter feeling indeed and not just because you are losing weight (which was not the reason I signed up to do this!!) but there is a sense of feeling very clean…cleansed!

Fast is finally over and onto the detox program, reintroducing simple, fresh, raw foods. Eating small meals, regularly. Not too dissimilar to the way I was eating but no wine, less socialising but a great new outlook on life.

My new outlook was you can socialise without food, without alcohol. You can sit around a pot of herbal tea of veggie meal and have an amazing time with your friends.

The process was to cleanse my body, which it did, then reintroduce whole foods which I did, and gradually bring back meat, poultry, fish, etc.

My partner and I did this together, his support was crucial, very much leant on each other. We didn’t exercise throughout the fast for obvious reasons, but once we started getting our energy back from our food intake we had healthy minds and so much energy. We achieved so much personally and physically throughout this program.

We met Tim weekly and had our tests done, I decreased weight, lost necessary fluids, lost inches and gained my youth. I am 33 years of age and came out as a 29 year old!! Got to love that.

Tim would talk us through the different stages, the feelings we were having, encourage us when we were at a low and reassured us we were on the right track.

Tim has been through the fast/detox many times and can help you through the feelings of doubt and can share the celebrations at the end of each week’s measurements.

Almost 3 months on and I still very much feel the benefit of the program.

My mind is clearer, I don’t feel the need to have a wine with dinner, eat a lot of raw, organic food, a lot of juices. I don’t crave sugar like I use to and I just simply feel great, healthy and full of energy.

Good luck!”

Melinda Cummins