Saturday 11 April
Chronic Stress & Salivary Cortisol Testing
Presented by Aiyana Ward
Join us for an insightful in-person workshop exploring how chronic stress impacts the body and what can be done to address it.
Stress is a normal physiological response, but when it becomes chronic it can disrupt hormones, energy, sleep and overall wellbeing. This educational session will explore how ongoing stress affects the body, along with the hidden factors that can keep the nervous system in a constant state of overdrive.
In this workshop, attendees will learn:
- The fundamentals of the nervous system: sympathetic vs parasympathetic states
- How chronic stress can impact hormones, sleep, gut health, immunity, thyroid function and energy levels
- The generational impact of stress and ways to help break the cycle
- Signs of dysregulated cortisol and adrenal dysfunction
- Why assessing cortisol rhythm can be clinically useful
- How salivary cortisol testing works, what it measures, and who may benefit
- Practical tools and naturopathic strategies to support nervous system resilience
This session is ideal for anyone experiencing fatigue, burnout, poor sleep, anxiety or ongoing stress and looking for deeper insight beyond surface-level solutions.
Saturday 18 April
Hormonal Health: From Menstruation to Menopause – Clinical Insights & Functional Testing
Presented by Bron Gooden
This session will explore the foundations of hormonal health across the female life cycle, along with common imbalances and approaches to assessment and support.
Topics covered include:
- Menstrual cycle basics: understanding the phases and hormones involved
- What symptoms are considered normal vs potential signs of imbalance
- Overview of hormone assessment, including functional testing such as the DUTCH test
- Naturopathic approaches to support hormonal health through menstruation, menopause and beyond
Learn more about the DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) which is a functional hormone test that provides a detailed picture of:
- Oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels
- How these hormones are being metabolised (detox pathways)
- Cortisol patterns throughout the day (stress response)
- Adrenal function and resilience
- Melatonin levels (sleep hormone)
- Key organic acids linked to mood, energy and nutrient status
It helps identify hormonal imbalances, stress patterns and detoxification issues to guide more targeted, personalised treatment.
Saturday 25 April
Understanding Microbiome Testing
Presented by Kathleen Robb
Curious about what gut health testing can reveal?
This patient‑friendly session provides an introduction to microbiome stool testing and how it contributes to understanding digestive and overall wellbeing. We will go through an example report to explain each marker.
You’ll learn:
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What microbiome testing measures
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Balance and diversity of gut bacteria
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Beneficial and opportunistic microbes,
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Markers related to digestion and inflammation
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How gut bacteria influence overall health
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When testing may be useful
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How results can guide personalised nutrition, herbal, and lifestyle strategies
This educational session is designed to empower you to make informed decisions about your health.
Who is this for?
Anyone wanting to better understand their gut health and what microbiome testing can offer. This may be those with digestive issues unresolved by previous medical testing, or those curious how their gut health contributes to chronic health issues.
Those interested in having a microbiome test can discuss this with the dispensary team after the presentation and book in a follow up consultation to discuss their test results and personalised recommendations.
