Melbourne naturopath Freya Lawler is all about fixing the root cause, not just masking symptoms. From gut health to period repair, she’s on a mission to help women+ feel like themselves again.
Name: Freya Lawler
Pronouns: She/her
Day job: Naturopath
Location: Melbourne
Describe your work in one sentence:
I support women+ to feel like themselves again!
How did you land where you are today?
I grew up in southern Tasmania in a beautiful little town called Cygnet. When I was 14, my first job was at an organic wholefoods café. It really set the scene for my adoration of locally grown produce, farmers, and the amazing benefits of living in a small community. Homeopaths, naturopaths, and healers would frequent the café. I was always very intrigued! Whilst I practise evidence-based naturopathy these days, I always keep an open mind to the healing effects of nature and amazing healers.
What does “repair, not just relieve” mean for period or pelvic pain?
Symptoms are the body's way of communicating with us. My job is to help patients figure out the ‘why’. I am very open-minded and support any individual regardless of their medication prescription. Medication may help relieve the pain, and I’ll provide support and do the background repair work. This will look very different for each person I work with.
For example, improving gastrointestinal function, treating SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), and improving nervous system function can significantly help our experience of pain. Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet and tailoring this to the unique needs of the person in front of me, after all, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach!
Rebuilding your health from the ground up, working on foundations like sleep, movement, nutrition, stress, and nutrient deficiency, will all make an incredible difference to your quality of life and pain experience.
Oh, and education on modern pain neuroscience is essential!
What does a healthy period look and feel like?
A healthy menstrual cycle is ideally between 25 and 35 days long, with a period lasting approximately 2 to 5 days and no spotting beforehand. There is nice, bright red, fresh blood for most of the bleed. Slight discomfort during the bleed is normal. We produce prostaglandins during menstruation, which is normal, but they can cause a little discomfort (not enough to interrupt your day).
How can a cranky gut mess with your cycle?
I am very passionate about gut health! Ideally, we move our bowels daily. However, the majority of my patients move their bowels every 3-4 days and are constipated. Some of our hormones, particularly oestrogen, are detoxified via the gut. If we have a microbial imbalance known as dysbiosis, it’s possible to re-circulate the oestrogen back into the body that is supposed to be detoxified, adding to our overall pool of oestrogen.
I work a lot with endometriosis, which is an oestrogen-driven condition. We don’t typically want any additional oestrogen in the system that we don’t need!
A foundational tip if you have slow bowels is to eat 1-2 golden kiwifruit per day and 1-2 tbsp fresh ground flaxseeds with yoghurt or milk, and make sure you’re consuming enough water.
Where do you start with someone who has period pain and gut issues?
Review nutrition and make necessary tweaks to support gut health, review hydration intake, and movement. Send them off for hormone testing, ensuring it's performed on the correct day of their menstrual cycle (day 2-3- or 5-7-days pre-menses).
Suppose digestion hasn’t improved after foundational interventions. In that case, we will do a gut microbiome analysis (stool test) to see what's going on and create a targeted plan to address their results.
Depending on the nature of the pain and how long it has persisted, I may refer patients for an advanced pelvic ultrasound performed by a skilled sonographer who is trained in detecting endometriosis. (It’s tough to detect, and often it’s very subtle signs that indicate there could be presence of endometriosis.)
One thing every 20-something should know for hormonal health?
I’m a big fan of a great magnesium formula, which will help keep you regular and support hormonal health and the nervous system. (FYI: so are we! Enter our Magnesium+ Spray.) I love magnesium formulas that contain additional ingredients such as zinc, glycine, and passionflower to support deep sleep and soothe a wired nervous system.
What’s your go-to for calming the nervous system naturally?
First, we review their week, from when they wake up to when they sleep. This is crucial for me to understand and get to know my patients. I need to know how they live their lives to tailor their plans to them. After reviewing, we will create a plan and adjust it.
Most of the time, women+ prioritise strength training, Pilates, or walks as their “self-care”, which is necessary and wonderful. But what’s missing is usually that they are running around like headless chooks, and they treat this workout as 'downtime'.
We need to practice breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga to drop into our parasympathetic nervous system state. To make space to do things that we love so much. To light a candle on rising, sit with a favourite cup of tea, and just be still. We need a lot more of this.
Go-to daily ritual for grounding before a period?
Scheduling your cycle and setting a reminder for a few days before it begins can be very helpful to cue slowing down. Doing some meal preparation and prioritising nutrient-dense slow-cooked meats, fibre-rich meals to support digestion, and anti-inflammatory ingredients such as ginger and turmeric in a tea or curry. Take a bath, put on some calming music, and hop into bed an hour early if you can.
Do you track your cycle and energy? Why?
If you experience significant shifts in your mood and state of being, I recommend tracking and setting reminders. I work with a lot of PMDD. PMDD is a severe form of PMS, and you can feel completely normal one day and the complete opposite the next - it can come out of nowhere.
The same goes for period pain. If we are well prepared to cope and have put things in place to support our experience, this can greatly help. Communicating what’s coming up with your loved ones can also help them support you on a deeper level.
If every woman were listening, what’s your #1 health message?
To slow down and breathe. I think we have all forgotten to breathe! Our lives are fast, we are addicted to that dopamine rush, and our bodies and minds are suffering.
MY CYCLE
- My period in 3 words: Regular, painful, insightful.
- Period self-care toolkit: Essential oils (Clary sage is my favourite), heat pack (try the rae Heat Pad), period undies, dark chocolate.
- Favourite herb for hormone balance? Broccoli sprout extract for its amazing oestrogen-modulating properties.
- Most underrated period self-care ritual or hack? Essential oil roller on the pelvis. Anything with Clary sage is amazing, it's so calming and uplifting.
- Contraception of choice: Natural/contraceptive free.
- On day 1, you’ll find me: Ideally taking a day off. Lots of blankets, pyjamas or comfiest trackpants all day long, and beautiful warming food and 15 cups of tea.
- Best way to move your body during your cycle? Gently. I love a gentle walk or yoga stretches to soften the pelvis. If I’m up for it, a yin yoga class is my idea of heaven - slow and considered.
