WHEN naturopath, fitness instructor and mum and step-mum of six Melinda Carbis-Reilly opened her holistic Redhead Wellness Sanctuary in February 2016, her hands were more than full.
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But she found time to jot down a few naturopathic remedies for small ailments her clients asked her about – from the common cold to an ear ache – with the intention of releasing a small booklet.
“Then I got gazumped by the business and didn’t get back to it until January this year, but I just went for it,” she said. On May 5, Mrs Carbis-Reilly will release her first book – The Natural Path, A Naturopath’s Guide to Home Remedies – which will be available on Amazon and also at her Redhead business.
She says it is the result of her desire to help people learn small tricks to help small ailments, always with the recommendation that they see their doctor in the first instance for issues that warrant attention or persist.
Some examples of ailments addressed in the book are pressure headaches, which Mrs Carbis-Reilly says can be eased by things including lavender oil on the temples and placing your feet in hot water to draw the pressure away from the head.
The page that touches on hangover remedies suggests drinking coconut water before bed because it is full of electrolytes and sidestepping greasy food like burgers in favour of good fats like avocado with eggs on toast.
The book also addresses earaches, travel sickness and conjunctivitis, helping readers identify symptoms and treat them but also alert them to signs that a doctor’s intervention is recommended. “The book is super practical and it will empower readers to trust their intuition and listen to their bodies and what their children are telling them, as well as recommending the things that you should have in your pantry to assist,” she said.
In her pantry are items like aloe vera (she prefers the real plant but says gel or liquid forms are good), probiotics and slippery elm powder for upset tummies and throats. Her book is dedicated to her children, who she said with a laugh, have occasionally complained about her naturopathic remedies but learnt with time of their benefits.
Mrs Carbis-Reilly has just finished the draft of her second book, Diggin’ Your Dark Side, which she wrote after experiencing depression related to things she had supressed in her teens and the death of her son.
“It’s autobiographical and shows what I did to overcome it and includes naturopathic remedies, lifestyle changes and meditation.”
Though juggling the business and her family, writing for Mrs Carbis-Reilly has been rewarding and cathartic. “Once I start I just get into a trance.”