Big Pharma vs. Big Nature: Patient Advocacy and Ethics with Geraldine Headley

05/03/23 • 38 min

In today's episode we explore the paradigms of bias in the natural and orthodox health care profession. As my guest, naturopath Geraldine Headley explains, we need to be aware of how insidiously our unconcious bias to "big nature" may be influencing therapeutic decisions.
In our candid discussion, Geraldine urges practitioners to explore whether pecuniary interests are playing a role in clinical decision making. As a mentor to the complementary medicine profession, I love how Geraldine raises this issue for discussion and brings awareness to the fact that 'big pharma' isn't the only player influencing health care.
Connect with Geraldine Headley
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:
Vitamin D interactions:
Diamanti-Kandarakis E, Duntas L, Kanakis GA, et al. Drug-induced endocrinopathies and diabetes: a combo-endocrinology overview. Eur J Endocrinol. 2019. 181:R73-R105.
Coenzyme Q10 does not interact with warfarin:
Engelsen J, Nielsen JD, Hansen KFW. [Article in Danish] [Effect of Coenzyme Q10 and Ginkgo biloba on warfarin dosage in patients on long-term warfarin treatment. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial]. Ugeskr Laeger. 2003 Apr 28;165(18):1868-71.
Coenzyme Q10 does interact with warfarin (look closely at the wording!):
Shalansky S, Lynd L, Richardson K, et al. Risk of warfarin-related bleeding events and supratherapeutic international normalized ratios associated with complementary and alternative medicine: a longitudinal analysis. Pharmacotherapy. 2007 Sep;27(9):1237-47.

Previous Episode

Post Natal Depletion Recovery with Georgia Marrion

We know that pregnancy can take a toll on a woman's body and involves prioritisation of nutrition to the fetus (foetus) at the expense of the mother. We also know that this can result in significant depletion of nutrients, and furthermore can even result in structural changes to the mother's brain tissue.
It's no wonder, then, that there's a thing called pregnancy brain, and that women suffer from extreme fatigue, sometimes months, or even years after giving birth.
Stress hormones play havoc with maternal hormonal balance and immunity. When does this depletion become pathological? When does post-partum fatigue become a problem? And what other issues face women after giving birth?
Today we are joined by naturopath, Georgia Marrion. Georgia is an expert in supporting women both during their pregnancy and in the post-partum period.
Join us as we delve into the aetiology and supportive measures we can offer women who suffer from prolonged fatigue, stress and ensuing mental health issues which impede optimal family functioning.
RESOURCES FROM TODAY'S EPISODE
Discover Georgia Marrion
Fertile Ground- Forth Trimester Support
REFERENCES
Huntley R. What is postnatal depletion and do I have it? ABC Everyday. Posted 6 Mar 20196 Mar 2019, updated 19 Oct 2020. (Accessed 3023 Apr 3).
Hoekzema E, Barba-Müller E, Pozzobon C, et al. Pregnancy leads to long-lasting changes in human brain structure. Nat Neurosci. 2017 Feb;20(2):287-296. DOI:
10.1038/nn.4458
Barba-Müller E, Craddock S, Carmona S, et al. Brain plasticity in pregnancy and the postpartum period: links to maternal caregiving and mental health. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2019 Apr;22(2):289-299. DOI: 10.1007/s00737-018-0889-z
Chenko N, Dukart J, Tchaikovski S, et al. The expectant brain-pregnancy leads to changes in brain morphology in the early postpartum period. Cereb Cortex. 2022 Sep 4;32(18):4025-4038. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab463
Kim P, Leckman JF, Mayes LC, et al. The plasticity of human maternal brain: longitudinal changes in brain anatomy during the early postpartum period. Behav Neurosci. 2010 Oct;124(5):695-700. DOI: 10.1037/a0020884
Zeisel SH, Niculescu MD. Perinatal choline influences brain structure and function. Nutr Rev. 2006 Apr;64(4):197-203. DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2006.tb00202.x
Dhiman P, Pillai RR, Wilson AB, et al. Cross-sectional association between vitamin B12 status and probable postpartum depression in Indian women. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021 Feb 17;21(1):146. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-03622-x
Houghton LA, Yang J, O'Connor DL. Unmetabolized folic acid and total folate concentrations in breast milk are unaffected by low-dose folate supplements. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jan;89(1):216-20. DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.26564
Williamson JM, Arthurs AL, Smith MD, et al. High Folate, Perturbed One-Carbon Metabolism and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Nutrients. 2022 Sep 22;14(19):3930. DOI: 10.3390/nu14193930

Next Episode

Transitioning from Student to Practitioner with Naomi Read

The transition from student to fully-fledged practitioner is daunting for any professional, but every once in a while you meet someone who really got organised from the get-go for their future career.

Meet Naomi Read, a Nutritionist who furthered her acumen to be a Naturopath (about to graduate when this podcast was recorded) and was so uninspired by the business curriculum during her college degree that she wrote an eBook to help not only herself, but her student friends.

Naomi personifies the true health professional and her words, "...holding space for the patient" reveal a wisdom beyond her youth.

In this podcast we discuss Naomi's impression of the shortcomings of preparation for a practitioner business, how developing an eBook was borne from her verbatim answering of questions from her cohort, how her attending an NHAA event cemented her connection to her colleagues and her chosen career and how a bowl of lemons on her kitchen table was a lightbulb moment for her business.

Listen in if you're a student Nutritionist, Herbalist or Naturopath and want a head start on preparing your future self for successful business life.

Naomi Read:
[email protected]
www.bowloflemons.com.au
eBook: https://www.thebowloflemons.com.au/store/p/startingabusiness
Book - Starting business for Dummies by Veechi Curtis:
https://booko.com.au/w/1213887/Small-Business-for-Dummies_by_Veechi-Curtis
Jon Wardle, SCU:
https://www.scu.edu.au/about/contacts/staff-directory/staff/48453.php
NHAA:
https://nhaa.org.au/why-join/how-to-join/
Nutrition Consultants Australia - Yvonne Coleman: https://nutritionconsultantsaustralia.com.au/products/medications-and-nutrition/manual.aspx