Welcome Receptionist Kimberly

Kimberly grew up in Tasmania and joined the Australian Defence Force at just 17 years of age. After serving for more than 23 years, she made the decision to relocate back to Cairns, where she has enjoyed a mid-life gap year filled with travel, fitness, and home renovations. She enjoys yoga, running, socialising with friends, and relaxing weekends by the pool with her little cavoodle in tow. Kimberly has recently joined the team with a fresh perspective. With her warm and calm demeanour, she thrives on building connections and leaving a positive impact wherever she goes.

The Gut–Brain Connection: Why Your Digestion Affects Your Mind

By Maddy Bedding, Accredited Practicing Dietitian

You may have heard the gut called the “second brain”, and with good reason. The gut and brain are in constant communication through a network of nerves, hormones, and chemical messengers. This two way system, known as the gut brain axis, means that what happens in your digestive system can directly affect how you feel, and vice versa.

Around 90% of serotonin, often called the “feel good” hormone, is actually produced in the gut. A healthy balance of gut bacteria helps regulate this production, influencing mood, stress levels, and even sleep quality. On the flip side, when the gut is out of balance, due to poor diet, stress, or illness, it can contribute to symptoms such as anxiety, low mood, or brain fog.

Diet plays a major role in supporting this connection. Eating a variety of plant foods, whole grains, lean proteins, and fermented foods can help nourish beneficial gut bacteria. Managing stress, getting regular exercise, and prioritising sleep are also powerful ways to keep both your gut and brain in sync.

In short, caring for your gut health isn’t just about digestion, it’s also about supporting your mental wellbeing. Small, everyday choices for gut health can have a big impact on how you feel overall.

Farewell and Good Luck, Samir!

This month, we say goodbye to Samir, who is moving on from his role as a physiotherapist with us.

Samir has been a valued part of the team, known for his calm, professional approach and dedication to patient care. Over his time here, he’s built strong relationships with both colleagues and clients, and his contributions have been greatly appreciated.

We thank Samir for all his hard work and wish him every success in the next stage of his career. All the best, Samir — you’ll be missed!

Occupational Therapy – It’s a mouthful, but what does it mean?

By Occupational Therapist, Grace Booysen

Many people have never heard of Occupational Therapy (called ‘OT’ for short), and those who have often don’t understand exactly what Occupational Therapists do.

Simply put, Occupational Therapists are health professionals who focus on the things we do every day.

In the OT world, the word ‘occupation’ doesn’t necessarily mean our jobs. It means any task or activity we do. Yes, this can mean employment, but it can also be taking a shower, going grocery shopping, cooking a meal, going out with friends, and on, and on.

As you know, every person fills their day doing different things. Research tells us that being able to do things that are important to us has real and important impacts on our health, and that’s where Occupational Therapists come in.

Occupational Therapists support people to be able to do their tasks and activities in many different ways. OTs can teach people about different (and easier) ways to do things, provide education to increase your understanding or prescribe equipment that can make those things achievable. Every person is different, so OTs personalise their therapy to individuals.

Many people can benefit from receiving Occupational Therapy, because OTs work with people with all kinds of injuries, illnesses or disabilities. This includes physical, mental and social health.

Let me give you a few examples:

• If someone struggles with balance or standing up for a long time, an OT can recommend a shower chair so they can sit down while they shower.
• If someone struggles to use their hands steadily and can’t cook a meal, an OT can teach them different strategies which allow them to cook again.
• If someone struggles to remember important tasks, an OT can set up reminders for them or give them strategies to remember.
• If someone struggles to recognise their emotions and respond appropriately, an OT can show them how to recognise and react to their own emotions.

So, if you’re struggling to do a task or activity that you want or need to do, it might be beneficial to go see an Occupational Therapist.