by | | Curated Content
August 18th 2025
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WellBeing Magazine
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Discover 5 key health trends shaping 2025 — from proven supplements to AI, women’s health, fitness personalisation & weight care.
Consumers today think differently about 5 key health and wellness than they did between 2010 and 2020. The 2010s were all about following advice from influencers, fad diets and trends. From 2021 onwards, consumers have shown a stronger preference for products and guidance recommended by professionals. Here are five current trends that are likely to stick around for some time.
1. Proven health supplements
There is a growing demand for clinically proven supplements over unverified natural remedies. More people are opting for products recommended by their doctor or healthcare professional rather than relying on products lacking scientific backing. This shift is encouraging, as it helps protect consumers from being misled by unqualified influencers who promote health products without proper expertise.
2. Influence of AI
Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. It is increasingly shaping the way we access and understand health information. While not without risks, it also has potential to support decision-making. The key lies in using these tools alongside qualified guidance, not in place of it.
3. Women’s health
Women’s health, which has often been overlooked or shoved under the carpet, is finally getting the attention it deserves. Women are spending more on products that help them with menopause, ageing and sound sleep.
4. Personalised fitness
Personalised fitness is normally only accessible for people who can afford it. Now, thanks to AI, there are apps which can take the data you provide about your health and fitness and spit out a very personalised fitness plan.
5. Weight management
With evidence showing a healthy weight may significantly improve various health conditions, it is even more important to maintain a healthy weight. It’s now more achievable with the accessibility of weight loss of medication prescribed by doctors and lifestyle changes.
At Health Academy Australia, all courses are written by health professionals who are highly qualified in their fields. The content is based on conventional medicine and health, which provides the foundational knowledge to make informed decisions or can be used for career and professional development to consult with clients.
Contact Health Academy Australia today.
Telephone: 07589 1500
Website: healthcourses.com.au
Email: admin@healthcourses.com.au
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Health and wellness trends in 2025 and beyond
by | | Curated Content
August 18th 2025
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WellBeing Magazine
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SFI Health raises the bar with gold-standard formulations, bridging complementary & clinical care without compromise.
The complementary medicine space can be incredibly complex and often difficult to navigate for both practitioners and patients. Practitioners face the challenge of distinguishing between products that may appear similar on the surface, due to permitted indications and claims, but vary significantly in formulation, evidence and efficacy. Patients, meanwhile, often rely on marketing or online reviews without the necessary tools to evaluate therapeutic dosage, standardised extracts or excipient profiles. This can lead to poor outcomes, not because of the modality itself, but because the chosen product was subtherapeutic or inappropriate for their needs. The sheer volume of information, and misinformation, available online compounds this issue, making it harder for patients to make informed decisions and highlighting the need for expert guidance.
How do similar-looking products produce vastly different clinical outcomes?
One of the major challenges in complementary medicine is the illusion of equivalence between products. Since permitted health claims are not dose-dependent, two products can carry the same indication, such as “supports relaxation” or “relieves mild stress”, despite having vastly different formulations.
For instance, a magnesium supplement containing a bioavailable form at a clinically effective dose may deliver strong results, while another with a poorly absorbed form at a low dose might not. Similarly, in herbal medicine, one product might use a standardised extract from a specific plant part, while another relies on an unstandardised version with limited therapeutic relevance. Despite these differences, both products can legally make the same claim.
As a result, many products appear similar, but only some deliver meaningful outcomes. Practitioners must look beyond labels and assess formulation quality, standardisation and dosing to ensure clinical relevance and patient safety.
With so much self-selection happening online, why are naturopaths more essential than ever?
Today’s patients are more proactive than ever, often arriving at clinic after trying several over-the-counter products with mixed or sometimes no results. Unfortunately, self-selection based on marketing, influencer content or general symptom matching can lead to poor outcomes or even harm. Naturopaths play an essential role in demystifying this category, educating patients and translating clinical evidence into real-world, individualised care. Their expertise ensures the right product, in the right form and dose, is selected, maximising benefit and reducing risk.
Practitioner-led protocols begin by identifying what is truly happening within the body, considering the whole person rather than focusing solely on symptoms. Through thorough assessment, testing, and clinical reasoning, practitioners prioritise which issues to address first and develop a clear, structured plan targeting underlying causes.
Whereas patient-led approaches often focus on symptom relief alone, relying on trial and error with popular products. While symptom improvement is important, this method risks missing root causes, leading to incomplete or temporary results.
Practitioner-led care offers more targeted, effective outcomes because it addresses underlying imbalances, reduces the risk of inappropriate product use, and supports long-term health rather than quick fixes.
How does SFI Health bridge the gap between naturopathy and clinical healthcare?
SFI Health plays a vital role in aligning naturopathic principles with clinical standards by ensuring all products are research-backed, formulated with therapeutic intent and compliant with regulatory requirements. We collaborate closely with practitioners to provide education, evidence-based support and access to high-quality, standardised extracts. This not only strengthens clinical outcomes but also helps naturopaths integrate more seamlessly within the broader healthcare system, fostering mutual respect and understanding between disciplines.
How does SFI Health help educate practitioners on product quality?
SFI Health prioritises transparency, clinical integrity and evidence-based formulation. We focus on using standardised extracts where available, ensuring therapeutic dosages, and avoiding unnecessary excipients that may affect patient outcomes. By clearly communicating the science and rationale behind each formulation, we empower practitioners to identify what truly matters: therapeutic intent, clinical relevance and patient safety. We also provide tools and education to help practitioners evaluate products critically and confidently.
Standardisation ensures each dose of a product contains a consistent amount of the active constituents that have been clinically researched. This consistency gives practitioners confidence when prescribing, as it supports the expectation of outcomes observed in clinical trials. Without standardisation, variability in active ingredient levels can lead to unpredictable efficacy.
What does SFI Health offer to help practitioners stay up to date in a rapidly changing field?
The complementary medicine landscape evolves quickly, with new research, regulatory updates and shifting consumer trends continually emerging. SFI Health is committed to supporting practitioners through our dedicated healthcare professional-only website, which offers continuing education, clinical resources and access to our internal naturopaths. From webinars to evidence summaries, we equip practitioners with timely, trustworthy information they can confidently apply in the clinic.
Education topics are selected through a multifaceted approach. We keep a close eye on industry developments and emerging clinical issues to ensure our content remains relevant and evidence-based. Practitioner feedback plays a crucial role, as listening to the challenges and questions raised in clinical settings allows us to address real-world needs effectively.
We also align our educational focus with our key pillars: the microbiome, cognitive health and women’s health, areas key to our heart but also areas experiencing significant growth and patient demand.
To enhance learning, we engage respected key opinion leaders who provide expert insights and clinical pearls of wisdom, enriching our educational offerings and helping practitioners deepen their expertise.
What should practitioners look for when recommending complementary medicine products?
Selecting the right product starts with understanding What quality looks like. Here are a few key considerations practitioners can use to make confident, clinically relevant decisions:
Standardised ingredients: Look for products that use standardised extracts or forms shown to be effective in research. This ensures consistency in active constituents and supports reliable clinical outcomes.
Therapeutic dosages: Check that ingredients are included at doses that align with published evidence or traditional use. Subtherapeutic amounts may not deliver the intended benefit.
Excipient list: All excipients in listed medicines are available to the public via the TGA website, allowing practitioners to assess their appropriateness for individual patients.
TGA-listed products: Choosing products that are listed with the Therapeutic Goods Administration ensures they meet Australian safety, quality and manufacturing standards. Be cautious with imported or online-only products that may not undergo the same level of scrutiny.
Company transparency and support: A reputable company should be open about its sourcing, manufacturing practices and clinical rationale. If in doubt, reach out directly as transparent brands are typically happy to provide answers and practitioner support.
What advice does SFI Health have for practitioners who want to set a higher standard in complementary care?
Raising the standard begins with a commitment to clinical excellence and critical thinking. Practitioners should seek products and brands that prioritise quality by looking for standardised extracts, proven dosages and transparent sourcing. Staying curious and committed to continuous learning is vital in this dynamic field.
SFI Health supports practitioners on this journey by providing evidence-based resources, expert support, and sharing a vision of elevating complementary medicine where patient outcomes and practitioner integrity are paramount.
Connect with SFI Health today.
Telephone: +61 2 9431 7299
Website: sfi health.com
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Navigating complementary medicines
by | | Curated Content
August 18th 2025
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WellBeing Magazine
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Supporting your professional journey
Embarking on a degree or career in natural therapies is an exciting and rewarding path — one that calls for passion, dedication and the right professional support. Having a trusted association by your side from the beginning can make all the difference. The Australian Natural Therapists Association (ANTA) is proud to offer support for students and new graduates. From free student membership and professional accreditation to ongoing learning and a connected community, ANTA is here to guide you every step of the way.
For over 70 years, ANTA has been one of Australia’s largest professional associations representing highly qualified natural therapy practitioners across disciplines including acupuncture, naturopathy, clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, myotherapy, remedial massage and Chinese medicine.
Becoming an ANTA-accredited practitioner plays a vital role in helping clients, peers, and the public identify professionals who have met clear, evidence-based professional standards. From the moment you join, ANTA accreditation supports essential aspects of clinical practice — facilitating access to professional insurance, private health fund recognition and a range of other benefits.
Celebrating the profession: The Natural Therapists’ Symposium (2025)
A highlight of ANTA’s calendar is The Natural Therapists Symposium (2025) to be held on the Sunshine Coast on October 10-11. This national event brings together students, practitioners, educators, researchers, industry exhibitors and key stakeholders for connection, learning and inspiration over two days.
Delegates will enjoy access to expert speakers, live panel discussions, practical workshops and invaluable networking opportunities. More than just a professional development event, the Symposium is a celebration of ANTA’s shared commitment to and investment in the profession’s future.
As part of ANTA’s 70-year celebrations, this year’s Symposium exemplifies its continued leadership in the natural therapies space, bringing together some of the most respected and innovative practitioner voices from across natural therapy disciplines.
What unites all the Symposium speakers is that they are not only leaders shaping the future of natural medicine, but also dedicated professionals who generously support their peers by sharing real-world insights and evidence-based strategies.
As part of an extensive, multi-modality curated program of immersive sessions, workshops and discussion forums, the Symposium will feature a diverse lineup of highly respected and innovative voices across natural therapy disciplines, including:
Tammy Guest: Naturopath, author, mentor, educator, entrepreneur: From Reflection to Action: Shape Your Practitioner Future with Purpose
Bodine Ledden: Soft tissue therapist, director, educator – Manual Therapy & the Predictive Brain: Rethinking Pain Modulation in Manual Therapy
Dr Kate Levett: Acupuncturist, epidemiologist, educator, maternal health research specialist – Frameworks for Integrative Models of Care
Tara Nelson: Naturopath, herbalist, nutritionist, author, mentor, educator, thyroid specialist – The Thyroid-Gut Connection – How the Microbiome Impacts Thyroid Health
ANTA is also excited to be joined by two inspiring, expert keynote speakers across the two-day event, with Mark Bunn presenting a transformative talk on “The Daily Habits of ‘Healthy’ High Achievers” and Dr Jodi Richardson sharing empowering insights for practitioners to “Elevate Your Wellbeing for a Thriving Practice”.
As a significant new milestone, the Symposium will also feature the ANTA Professional Excellence Awards recognising the outstanding achievements of practitioners, mentors, educators, innovators and entrepreneurs.
Whether you’re looking to expand your clinical knowledge, enhance your therapeutic approach or simply want to feel more connected and inspired, this is a must-attend event on your professional calendar.
CPD that inspires and informs
ANTA takes pride in offering high-quality Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities that are accessible, relevant and free to ANTA members.
The ANTA Lunch & Learn Webinars provide expert insights, clinical themes, business guidance and practical advice across ANTA-recognised modalities and the broader natural therapies landscape.
ANTA also hosts exclusive Practitioner Roundtable Webinars, offering enhanced application-based learning through topical, expert-led Q&A panels facilitated by ANTA Branch Chairs and guest panellists.
Ready to take the next step?
Join a community of passionate, skilled professionals who are helping to shape the future of natural therapies in Australia. Whether you’re a student, recent graduate or experienced practitioner, ANTA is here to support you in thriving professionally, ethically and resiliently. Visit the website to learn more or to apply for a free student membership today.
Connect with ANTA today.
Telephone: 1800 817 577
Website: anta.com.au
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How ANTA Empowers Students and Practitioners
