Chronic UTI and Next Generation Gene Tests

Having complicated or chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) is a health burden many women shoulder. The discomfort, fatigue, and emotional toll of recurring infections can be immense — especially when there seem to be no clear answers.

Routine UTI testing is only around 50% accurate, which means that for people who experience UTI after UTI, standard culture tests often miss the underlying cause. You may be told your test is “negative,” yet your body tells a very different story.

Let’s explore what’s really happening when infections persist, the systemic health risks of chronic UTIs, and a more comprehensive test that can identify all the bacteria and fungi living within your urinary and vaginal microbiome.

Microgen: The New Generation of Testing

If you think of the vaginal swab you do at the doctor’s as equivalent to the internet in the 1990s—it shows some information but it’s limited and often leaves out crucial details—then MicroGenDX is like the internet in 2025: fast, efficient, and able to show us nearly everything we need to know.

No more guessing! Those frustrating, recurrent infections that don’t respond to antibiotics or antifungal treatments? No problem. Those lingering UTIs with no apparent cause? We’ll find it.

The Millennial Male: Common Health concerns in your 30s and how natural medicine can help.

For many men, your 30s feel like the start of a new chapter. You may be more settled in your career and relationships, but health-wise, it can also be a time when cracks begin to show. Fatigue that doesn’t shift, stubborn weight gain, slower recovery after workouts, and changes in libido or mood are all common. Read on to see how addressing underlying mitochondrial and metabolic changes can improve your health.

The vaginal microbiome: 4 predominant species to prevent dysbiosis

You’ve addressed biofilms, cleared your thrush and or bacterial vaginosis — now what? Prevention is everything. Once the infection is removed or reduced, the next step is to recolonise with protective species and maintain an environment that keeps those opportunists in check. Read on to see what the science says works and other helpful tips.

Candida Biofilms: Are they really that bad?

Recurrent or resistant thrush can be incredibly frustrating—especially when you've done all the “right” things, and yet the symptoms persist. One lesser-known reason why some yeast infections don’t fully resolve is the presence of biofilms.

Understanding what biofilms are—and how they can protect Candida (the yeast responsible for thrush)—can offer a clearer path to lasting relief.

Recurrent Thrush Infections? You probably haven't addressed biofilm formation and PH.

Tired of having the itch down there? That fishy odor getting you down? Resistant thrush infections, particularly recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC), pose significant challenges for 138 million women globally each year. That’s 138 million women that do not have success with prescription fungal suppositories like clotrimazole. That is too many for a condition that we actually know how to treat effectively. Read on to find out about two key elements that may be the difference for the future of your vaginal microbiome.

What’s Driving PMDD? The Latest Science on a Misunderstood Disorder.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe and often debilitating condition affecting around 5-8% of women of reproductive age. Although initially thought to be a disorder of hormonal imbalance, recent research is supporting the notion that it is more so a sensitivity to hormonal fluctuations. While the exact cause of PMDD remains elusive, emerging scientific research has shed light on potential drivers, offering hope for more targeted treatment approaches.

Natural Strategies to Reverse Pre-Diabetes: The Role of Naturopathic Medicine, Diet, Berberine, and Vitamin D

Pre-diabetes is a critical health condition characterized by elevated blood sugar levels that are not yet high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. Addressing pre-diabetes promptly is essential to prevent progression to diabetes and associated complications. Naturopathic medicine offers a holistic approach to managing pre-diabetes.

Fatigue, Supplement, Inflammation, Pre-DiabetesKatherine Matthews30 December 2024Pre-Diabetes, blood glucose, Inflammation, weight lossComment

PMDD and Calcium: The unsung hero for hormonal balance.

If you are one of the many women who experience the intense emotional and physical symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), you know how disruptive it can be. PMDD is more than just “bad PMS” — it affects your whole being, both mind and body, in the days leading up to your menstrual cycle. But as overwhelming as it may feel, there is hope. Nature offers us many tools to restore balance, and one of the most accessible and effective is calcium.

Womens Health, Hormonal balance, Female Health, Fatigue, Mental Health, Supplement, ThyroidKatherine Matthews11 October 2024Hormones, Fertility, PMDDComment

Embracing Natural Solutions for Subclinical Hypothyroidism: The Power of Selenium and Myoinositol

Subclinical hypothyroidism can create disturbances in many areas of a women’s health. This condition, marked by elevated TSH levels, subclinical low T4 and often normal T3, often goes unnoticed . There is one silver lining, it is often transient and reversible in nature when the underlying causes are addressed. Recent studies offer promising natural interventions, specifically with selenium and myoinositol.

Hormonal Testing: The limitations of blood tests and why the DUTCH test tells us so much more.

Are you feeling hormonally imbalance but your lab tests are telling you you're in range? You're not alone. The DUTCH test combines the latest in hormonal research with cutting edge technology to bring human beings comprehensive and accurate information about their hormones. People of any gender and sex can do the DUTCH test.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: How to manage your PMDD naturally.

At some point menstruating human beings will experience cyclical symptoms associated with hormonal mood disorders. Often discussed as Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) its big sister premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is often missed, and underdiagnosed. PMDD affects 3-8% of menstruating women (2). It is more severe and disabling than PMS. Let's take a look at what PMDD is and my go to natural treatments.

The Amazing Benefits of Taurine

Taurine is largely known as that ingredient that is in energy drinks and largely flies under the radar of other nutrients when it comes to supplementation. But could this amino acid be one of the most important nutrients to support energy, slowing down ageing, exercise performance and reduce the effects of stress? Click to read more.

Endometriosis and PCOS: Improving fertility outcomes naturally and in IVF.

When it comes to fertility we always hope it will be easy. We are biologically made to reproduce after all. However with ever increasing infertility rates we instead need to acknowledge we may require some assistance. In 2022 approximately 1 in 4 New Zealanders experience infertility and 1 in 8 require some form of medical assistance to achieve a pregnancy. Read more to understand how you can naturally increase your chances of conceiving naturally and through assisted reproductive procedures.

Is Intermittent Fasting/Time Restricted Eating or Alternate day fasting, healthy for women? : A Naturopathic Perspective

In recent years, various fasting protocols have gained popularity for their so called ‘potential health benefits’, including Intermittent Fasting aka time-restricted eating (TRE), fasting, and alternate-day fasting (ADF). While these practices can offer promising results, it is crucial to consider if the research for fasting has been performed on women. Fasting affects women’s hormones and metabolic health profoundly differently to our male counterparts. In this blog post, we will explore the scientific evidence surrounding these fasting patterns and discuss their potential advantages and disadvantages for women. Read on to find out how.

The Benefits of Supervised Water Only Fasting

Fasting is a practice that has been used for 1000’s of years. Millions of people fast around the world every year. When you are wanting to achieve a specific goal through fasting and have no experience with fasting it can be daunting to fast alone or worse in a house where everyone else is eating. What if you could have supervision? Fasting supervision through phone calls and video calls with a practitioner trained in Water Only Fasting can be supportive and increase the benefits of your fast. Read on to find out how.

Iron Deficiency Anemia: Your options when it comes to prevention and care.

Iron deficiency is the most common deficiency for women worldwide (1). Iron deficiency affects 33% of non pregnant women, 40% of pregnant women and 42% of children around the globe (1). Despite global efforts to educate women and eradicate this health issue it is still prevalent (1). So what do you do if you think you have low iron? Read on to learn how you can check your iron stores and your options to increase them if they are low.

Energy, Fatigue, Female Health, Mental HealthKatherine Matthews22 November 2022Iron, AnemiaComment

Long COVID: The importance of pacing for recovery.

For people experiencing Long COVID a phenomenon termed “post-exertional malaise” (PEM) is a common experience (1). This is when you do physical activity, socialize, or perform a mental task and afterwards you have more severe symptoms (2). Many people with Long COVID are taking individual approaches to managing these symptoms including fatigue and ‘brain fog’ while trying to maintain activities of daily living and basic exercise (2). A practice called pacing has been found in research to be an effective way for people experiencing Long COVID symptoms to help manage energy and reduce fatigue.

Inflammation, Covid 19, Long COVIDKatherine Matthews14 November 2022Long COVID, COVID 19, fatigue, Post-viral fatigueComment

Long COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC): A naturopathic perspective.

Almost three years on from the first New Zealand coronavirus cases and across the country there is a subset of patients that sustain an acute SARS CoV-2 infection (1). They develop a wide range of persistent symptoms that do not resolve over many months. This condition has been labelled Long COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) (1).

Long COVID has been estimated to affect 30% to 45% of populations around the world (2, 3). Due to the majority of the NZ population contracting the virus later than the rest of the world the percentage of the population affected by Long COVID is still emerging.

Inflammation, Covid 19, Immunity, Mental Health, Long COVIDKatherine Matthews12 November 2022COVID 19, Post-viral fatigue, Inflammation, Long COVIDComment

Estrobolome: Do our bacteria really turn our estrogen on or off?

The estrobolome is an amazing new term used to discuss the intricate connection between our ‘estrogen’ and the ‘microbiome’ . Did you know that down there in your gut little species of bacteria are choosing whether you need more active estrogen or more inactive estrogen? We have known for a few years now how the gut plays a role in our mood and now we know it also plays a role in our hormonal balance.

Gut Health, Inflammation, Female Health, Hormonal balance, microbiomeKatherine Matthews9 August 2022liver, Hormones, Oestrogen, microbiomeComment

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