I enjoy eating half a dozen free range eggs a week and was delighted to read that the Heart Foundation now recommends that most Australians can consume up to six eggs a week, as part of a healthy balanced diet low in saturated fat.

A client saw me with worsening abdominal bloating. It started an hour after what is usually regarded as a healthy breakfast of muesli and yoghurt and got progressively worse as the day progressed. Another client knew she was intolerant to cow’s milk, but also wondered if some types of cheese were also contributing to bloating and wind. What does this mean to other people with bloating, wind or tiredness?

Have you ever heard someone say that multivitamins are a waste of money and their only benefit is expensive urine?

My Naturopathic hat used to shake with despair when this sort of claim was voiced. Depending on the person involved, I would decide whether any sort of reasonable answer had a chance of being received. More often than not, I decided not to waste my breath.

But now, thanks to the urine and saliva testing we are now doing in our new clinic laboratory, I am seeing a lot of people with significantly imbalanced biochemistry.

This diet is specific in that the carbohydrates are predominantly single sugars – those found in fruit, honey, properly made yoghurt and certain vegetables. Complex sugars are avoided as they overly nourish the wrong intestinal microorganisms which are involved in the vicious cycle of many intestinal disorders.

Multiple studies show that, after 5 years, 90% of people end up weighing 15% more than when they started. This in spite of knowing the differences between healthy unprocessed foods and the energy dense alternatives. The increased risks of high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol problems, a sluggish liver and gall bladder, heart disease and strokes are also well known facts. And the popular media pounds us with images of slim looking people.

Which brings me back to the title of this article. What motivates or drives you to make changes in your life? Because unless you are really clear, excuses will cause any changes to fall by the wayside…and you certainly won’t get to be a successful contestant in life, or reality TV shows!