” Our healthcare practitioners do not replace traditional cancer treatments. Our mission is to support conventional practices and greatly enhance patients’ medical care and education during this stressful life journey. We believe Integrative Care is the most modern form of healthcare and oncology care. Our aim is to make it easily accessible to all.”Â
The most common question that we are asked in the field of integrative cancer care is ‘What do I eat?!’ There is a vast, insurmountable mountain of information available to people about what they should be eating after being diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately, this information overload can lead to psychological warfare over food when this should be a source of joy. This can lead patients to lose a lot of weight early in the diagnosis, and this can be hard to gain back.
This is the main reason that Integrative Care is now offering nutritional support for patients with a cancer diagnosis. Our approach is sensible, obtainable, realistic, and matches what the patient can achieve.
Your nutrition consultation begins with a comprehensive online questionnaire, where your input is crucial. This questionnaire covers essential information about your diagnosis, health, medical history, medications, cancer treatment, and general lifestyle factors. As part of this, we ask that you carefully complete an online food diary, which will form an important part of the initial assessment.
Next, we book you in for a 70-minute consultation, tailored to your unique needs. We’ll analyze the information you have provided and discuss realistic changes that can be made to support your defined health goals, including a plan of the next steps to take. A protocol, in the form of a report, will be provided to you via email within three working days of the consultation. This protocol may include meal planning ideas, food substitutions, lifestyle adjustments, links to further resources, and supplement recommendations (if required).
What kind of goals can Integrative Care help with?
Any personalised goal that a patient wishes to achieve. Many patients would like to gain and maintain weight by eating nutritious food. Another common goal is to make empowering choices in food selection.
Do I need to supply any test results?
Yes, upon booking, you will be asked to send any relevant testing you recently had done. This includes blood work and functional testing (e.g., microbiome testing).
Will I need to have any testing done?
The practitioner will determine whether you require further testing and supply a letter to request this from your General practitioner. Functional testing can be ordered only if it will change the recommendations given.
Is there a medicare and/or healthcare rebates?
Medicare or private health funds do not cover Integrative Care Consultations.
Delivery of Consultations.
Consultations are done via the Zoom platform. Upon booking, the practitioner will email you the meeting link.
What can I eat when I have cancer?
There is a vast, insurmountable mountain of information available to people about what they should be eating after being diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately, this information overload can lead to psychological warfare over food when this should be a source of joy. Through nutrition plans to suit your specific health needs, Heidi helps you answer this often asked question.
Integrative Care provides Australians facing the most difficult journey of their lives with the best possible cancer care available.Â
She focuses specifically on patient-centred care and specialise in analysing all of your medical information to determine what else could be added to enhance treatment whilst limiting side-effects.
Most people rely upon one mode of treatment for their illness. This is not enough to make the person feel the best that they can be. Integrative Care practitioners have vast experience stemming from both orthodox medical treatment right through to Naturopathy and Herbal Medicine.
We like to think of our healing practices as being like painting a picture and the treatments options are the many various paints in the palette. We choose from a wide variety of modalities (paint) to find which will be the most effective in your treatment (the final picture and treatment plan).
We provide private, respectful online consultations via Zoom. Online consultations give you the benefit of having a consultation from anywhere in the world. There is no travel time and no waiting. If required, herbal medicines and supplements can be posted to you.
Our highly qualified care practitioners have access to the latest credible research on cancer care, chemotherapy support, radiation support and any other standard of care treatment. Treatment options can dramatically lessen side-effects from treatment, enhance treatment and support any toxicity that may occur.
We freely share our expert knowledge during consultations on our integrative care blogs with reference to the latest research in oncology care. We believe that being informed and educated is a very important tool for the patient to have in order to understand and be a part of their own healing journey. Our blogs are easily understood with clear, concise language, artfully taking complicated science and refining it to easy-to-understand information.
We freely share our expert knowledge during consultations, on our integrative care blogs with reference to the latest research in oncology care and cancer nutrition. We believe that being informed and educated is a very important tool for the patient to have in order to understand and be a part of their own healing journey. Our blogs are easily understood with clear, concise language, artfully taking complicated science and refining it to easy-to-understand information.
Integrative Cancer Support is where the practitioner looks at all areas of healing rather than just the traditional medical route. Problems can occur with just one treatment method, including unpleasant side effects and life-altering symptoms. Integrative medicine considers everything from pharmaceutical to herbal medicine as options to support energy. An example of Integrative medicine would be the prescription of antibiotics by a General Practitioner. Generally, the GP will not work with the patient on how to support their gut function and reduce any side-effects from the antibiotics. Integrative Medicine uses a wide range of knowledge to establish the best possible support plan, including nutrition.
Chemotherapy is an essential part of Cancer Treatment. However, there are often side effects that come with the treatment. Many evidence-based therapies can help support, enhance and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. Integrative Care is especially interested in tailoring support to the patient and their type of chemotherapy.
Immunotherapy is a fast-moving and exciting area of cancer treatment. Immunotherapy effectiveness is now linked to the health of the gut as well as certain gut bacteria species. Evidence shows that the preparation that a patient undertakes before immunotherapy can exponentially increase a positive outcome of the therapy.
Most people go through life not needing to think about cancer prevention. It is only when cancer strikes that patients look to change their lives. A person can make many lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of getting cancer. Currently, 1 in 3 people will have cancer in their lifetime. This number continues to rise. We can offer programs to help prevent disease, whether you have cancer or not.
Cancer treatment is just one part of the journey. Often patients feel abandoned at the end of their treatment with no actual directions or guidance on minimising the chance of the cancer returning. We offer practical guidelines to help support the body, improve residual side effects and help keep the body hostile to any potential cancer growth
Standard-of-care Cancer Therapy does not address the aspects of nutrition and its role in potentially slowing down cancer growth. Much evidence-based research supports the importance of dietary modifications for cancer. Diet is the most confusing part of the cancer journey for most patients. We use evidence-based guidelines and assist the patients in implementing these with as little stress as possible.
Often patients go into surgery without preparation as they are unaware that many things can be implemented for better surgical outcomes. Once a patient knows that they are having surgery, we can start the process of supporting this through different therapies. Post-surgery care is just as essential, and there are many therapies that a patient can undertake to assist in healing, immunity and thwarting cancer recurrence.
Many patients choose the option of overseas Cancer Treatment Centres. Many patients report a lack of support upon return from their treatment. We can assist with the support and guidance following overseas cancer treatment.
There are many symptoms that standard medicine cannot support, and this is where Botanical Medicine comes into play. Many botanical medicines have evidence of their support for the body. Herbal medicine can help assist the body in the protection of organs during standard therapy as well as assist with immune enhancement and healing. Herbal medicine is a high focus at Integrative Care. We specifically tailor medicine to suit the patient’s current treatment and symptoms. Our practitioners design Herbal medicine prescriptions upon consultation, considering a patient’s health status, current medications and symptoms.
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