Wellness by Designs - Practitioner Podcast

What if GLP-1 medications were not the end goal, but a clinical window to rebuild metabolic health with less noise and more intention?

In this episode, we sit down with naturopath Wendy Burke to cut through the hype, stigma, and confusion surrounding GLP-1 therapies and focus on what practitioners actually need to know to support patients well. From first dose to exit strategy, this conversation offers a clear, step-by-step framework that protects muscle mass, gut health, and psychological wellbeing while helping patients maintain results long after treatment ends.

We start with the gut–br...

Want your patients’ brains to feel younger for longer?

In this episode, we explore neuro longevity through a practitioner lens with chiropractor and naturopath Damien Kristof - challenging the idea that better brain health comes from adding more hacks. Instead, Damien unpacks a clear hierarchy: heal the nervous system from the top down and inside out, remove interference, and let the body do what it’s designed to do.

Drawing on decades of clinical practice and lessons from Blue Zones like Icaria and Sardinia, we examine why purpose ignites the brain, community keeps it r...

What if your gut symptoms aren’t about what you’re taking, but who you’re feeding?

Gut change doesn’t start with a supplement aisle sweep. It starts with the small but mighty species running your internal ecosystem. In this episode, functional naturopath Dan Sippel joins us to unpack how keystone bacteria shape gut barrier integrity, immune tolerance and metabolic health, and why the right polyphenols, fibres and bile acids can stabilise a volatile gut without triggering flare-ups.

We explore short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, as the microbiome’s currency, influencing inflammation, insulin se...

Why isn’t your acne responding, no matter how “clean” your skincare routine is?

In this eye-opening episode, skin specialist nutritionist Jacinta Barbagallo shares why stubborn breakouts rarely start on the skin’s surface—and why real solutions lie far deeper. Together, we explore the three root causes of acne: retention keratosis, hypersebum secretion, and skin pH imbalance, and the surprising internal drivers behind them, from nutrient deficiencies and cortisol surges to gut dysfunction and metabolic imbalances.

Jacinta unpacks how to go beyond surface-level treatment with targeted clinical tools like strategic blood testing (e.g. SHBG...

Can modern qPCR technology truly deliver accurate, trustworthy results for your patients?

In this episode, we delve into the world of qPCR stool testing, with Dr Tom Fabian unravelling the common myths surrounding its validity and reliability. 

Throughout the episode, we explore the scientific evidence that underpins qPCR stool testing, addressing misconceptions and highlighting its role in clinical decision-making.

Listeners will gain insights into the types of conditions that qPCR stool testing can effectively uncover and get an insight into the interpretation of test results, offering practical tips on integrating qPCR s...

In this episode, Dr Brad Leech shares the exclusive results of his PhD research, which produced the first comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for intestinal permeability. 

Dispelling common myths about "leaky gut syndrome," Dr Leech explains why intestinal hyperpermeability is a legitimate physiological reaction—not a syndrome—and how his meticulously developed, evidence-based guidelines can transform clinical practice.

This episode provides invaluable insights into the following:

Why Women Are More Vulnerable—and What You Can Do Clinically

Could histamine intolerance be the hidden driver behind your patient’s anxiety, bloating, headaches, or skin flares? In this episode, nutritionist and epigenetics expert Zelda Graham breaks down the complex interplay between histamine, methylation dysfunction, gut health, and hormonal imbalances—especially in women.

You’ll gain critical insights into the role of DAO and HNMT enzymes, estrogen’s impact on histamine load, and why symptoms often worsen during ovulation and perimenopause.

Zelda also shares clinical strategies to identify and address root cause...

Is Ubiquinol the Missing Nutrient for Lifelong Heart Health?

In this eye-opening episode of Wellness by Designs, Dr Ross Walker, a renowned cardiologist with 25 years dedicated to preventative medicine, challenges the conventional approach to heart disease, statins and cholesterol management. Central to the discussion is ubiquinol, the active form of CoQ10, essential for mitochondrial energy production and a powerful antioxidant. Dr Walker explains how our natural production of ubiquinol begins declining around age 30 and drops sharply by 50, contributing to fatigue and reduced cardiovascular resilience.

Dr Walker explores why many patients with “normal” cholesterol stil...

What if the key to growing your clinic online isn’t posting more - but posting with purpose?

In this episode, we sit down with naturopath and strategist Rebecca Talia to explore a calmer, more strategic way for healthcare practitioners to show up on social media. Instead of chasing trends or feeling pressured to be perfect, Rebecca reframes social platforms as a living extension of your website, a place where prospective clients can hear your voice, understand your values, and get a sense of how you work.

We unpack the fears that keep ma...

What if the key to calming autoimmunity isn’t stronger suppression, but a clearer conversation between your gut and your immune system?

In this episode, we sit down with integrative and functional medicine nutritionist Vanessa Vanderhoek to explore how microbiome shifts, barrier breakdown, and nervous system stress converge into autoimmune flares,  and how the GI-MAP can transform complexity into a clear, safe plan. 

We unpack the clinical significance of dysbiosis patterns such as Klebsiella and Prevotella, the risks signalled by depleted keystone species like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and what these patterns reveal about conditions incl...

What if the real fallout from a head knock is not the moment of impact, but the silent systemic storm that unfolds in the weeks, months and even years that follow?

In this powerful episode, clinical naturopath Louise Cork reframes concussion as a whole-body injury that is widely underreported, frequently misunderstood, and too often treated as an isolated knock to the head. Drawing on years of clinical experience, Louise explains why symptoms can appear long after the incident, how intestinal permeability and a disrupted microbiome can amplify neuroinflammation, and why a gut-first approach often becomes...

What if adult acne isn’t hormonal after all, but an inflammatory signal from the gut asking for help?

In this thought-provoking episode, naturopath Asha Evertsz unpacks the gut–skin–brain axis and reveals why most adult acne is less about hormones and more about systemic inflammation, microbial imbalance, and stress. Drawing on years of clinical experience treating complex female acne, Asha reframes the condition as a terrain issue, not a topical one, where digestion, bile flow, and microbial diversity determine how the skin behaves.

You’ll hear how chronic stress, impaired...

What if one of the most overlooked tools in recovery wasn’t a therapy or a stretch - but a specific protein that rebuilds what pain breaks down?

In this episode, integrative physiotherapist Matthew Craig takes us inside the evolving role of targeted collagen peptides in real-world rehabilitation - from fresh surgical scars and stubborn tendon pain to cancer-related cording, fascia restriction, and the creeping loss of bone strength in midlife.

Pain doesn’t follow a neat script, and neither does healing. That’s why Matthew unpacks where collagen makes the biggest impact: in poo...

What if the very nutrient celebrated for preventing neural tube defects is now tipping into excess, disrupting biochemistry, fuelling anxiety, and shaping the health of the next generation?

In this thought-provoking conversation, clinician–researcher Carolyn Ledowsky - now nearing the end of a four-year PhD - shares her evidence-based re-evaluation of folic acid, methylfolate, and the overlooked role of men in preconception care.

Carolyn unpacks why folic acid isn’t the villain, but why unchecked intake poses real risks. We explore unmetabolised folic acid and methylation bottlenecks, the stability challenges of meth...

What if the root of stubborn chronic illness isn’t just poor lifestyle choices, but an invisible toxic burden quietly overwhelming the body?

In this compelling episode, naturopath and mentor Liza Twohill shares insights from her 25+ years of clinical experience helping patients in regional Australia navigate the hidden impact of agricultural chemicals, mining exposures, heavy metals, and everyday pollutants. From her grassroots beginnings in Dubbo to her current role as NHAA Board Director and Adjunct Professional Fellow at Southern Cross University, Liza has honed a practical, step-by-step framework for guiding patients safely through de...

Feeling buried in admin when all you want is to focus on your patients?

You’re not alone. The naturopathic profession has long struggled with burnout as practitioners juggle clinical work, business management, marketing, and ongoing education—often single-handedly.

In this groundbreaking conversation, Amy Skilton and business mentor Tammy Guest explore how artificial intelligence is creating unprecedented opportunities for naturopaths to reclaim their time, amplify their unique gifts, and ultimately become more human in their practice. Beyond the fear-based headlines, AI offers practical solutions to longstanding challenges in our profession.

Discover how...

Could fertility struggles be your body’s way of asking for deeper healing?

For many couples, difficulties conceiving are the first signal that something more foundational in their health needs attention. In this eye-opening episode, holistic fertility expert Eli Huang shares how true preconception care goes far beyond hormones, drawing from her background in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), functional testing, and emotional healing to uncover the hidden factors behind infertility.

Eli’s journey from reluctant IT professional to passionate practitioner follows in the footsteps of her father’s 40+ year TCM career, creating a powerf...

Could one overlooked mineral be the missing link in cardiovascular care?

Magnesium might just be the most critical yet underutilised nutrient for heart health, according to naturopath and former heart failure nurse Gina Robertson. In this compelling episode, Gina draws on her years in cardiac wards and naturopathic practice to uncover magnesium’s profound impact on cardiovascular disease, particularly in conditions like hypertension, arrhythmias, and post-operative recovery.

From reversing life-threatening arrhythmias in seconds to halving rates of post-surgical atrial fibrillation, Gina shares powerful clinical examples and explains why standard blood tests miss magnesium de...

Why isn’t your acne responding, no matter how “clean” your skincare routine is?

In this eye-opening episode, skin specialist nutritionist Jacinta Barbagallo shares why stubborn breakouts rarely start on the skin’s surface—and why real solutions lie far deeper. Together, we explore the three root causes of acne: retention keratosis, hypersebum secretion, and skin pH imbalance, and the surprising internal drivers behind them, from nutrient deficiencies and cortisol surges to gut dysfunction and metabolic imbalances.

Jacinta unpacks how to go beyond surface-level treatment with targeted clinical tools like strategic blood testing (e.g. SHBG...

Is Cellular Energy the Key to Fertility Over 35?

In this insightful episode of Wellness by Designs, naturopath and nutritionist Belinda Kirkpatrick explores how supporting our cells' energy systems may hold the key to optimising fertility, particularly for women over 35. At the heart of the discussion is nicotinamide riboside (NR), a cutting-edge nutrient that acts as a precursor to NAD+, the essential molecule powering mitochondrial function, DNA repair and healthy gene expression. As NAD+ levels naturally decline with age—starting as early as our 30s—so too can egg and sperm quality. Belinda explains how NR effe...

Is Ubiquinol the Missing Nutrient for Lifelong Heart Health?

In this eye-opening episode of Wellness by Designs, Dr Ross Walker, a renowned cardiologist with 25 years dedicated to preventative medicine, challenges the conventional approach to heart disease, statins and cholesterol management. Central to the discussion is ubiquinol, the active form of CoQ10, essential for mitochondrial energy production and a powerful antioxidant. Dr Walker explains how our natural production of ubiquinol begins declining around age 30 and drops sharply by 50, contributing to fatigue and reduced cardiovascular resilience.

Dr Walker explores why many patients with “normal” cholesterol stil...

Is it time to rethink how we treat atopic dermatitis?

Atopic dermatitis is more than skin deep—and naturopath and award-winning clinician Rebecca Hughes is here to prove it. In this practical and insightful episode, Rebecca shares her integrative, root-cause approach to eczema that goes far beyond suppressing symptoms with topical steroids.

Drawing from extensive clinical experience, Rebecca highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis, noting that conditions such as psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and lupus are often misidentified as eczema—leading to ineffective treatment. She walks practitioners through key investigations, from food intolerance and inte...

Why These Drugs Aren’t Magic Bullets—And How to Maximise Their Clinical Impact

The sharp rise in GLP-1 agonist prescriptions – up over 42% in Australia since 2019 – is reshaping how we approach weight loss and metabolic health. But are we ready to support patients beyond the script?

In this evidence-informed episode, dietitian and exercise scientist Robbie Clark joins us to unpack the clinical realities of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic® and Wegovy®. Far from being quick fixes, these medications work best when combined with targeted nutrition, resistance training, and gut su...