dr_faryal_luhar

🎀 THE PINK RIBBON STARTED THE CONVERSATION. IT’S TIME TO GO BEYOND IT.

Awareness matters. Early detection matters. But what if we also spent more time talking about what women can do to actively nourish their breast health — long before a diagnosis enters the picture?

Introducing BEYOND THE PINK RIBBON 🌸

A new initiative I’ve created to help women move beyond awareness and into informed, proactive action.

As a Naturopathic Doctor, I believe that supporting breast health means looking at the bigger picture: nutrition, metabolic health, inflammation, hormone health, gut function, lifestyle and the everyday choices that help support our body’s natural protective systems.

🥦 What goes on your plate matters. A diverse, nutrient-rich diet provides fibre, phytonutrients and other compounds that support normal cellular function and overall health.

🌿 Your daily habits matter. Movement, restorative sleep, stress management and limiting alcohol all play a role in reducing cancer risk.

🧬 Your individual picture matters. Family history, genetics, age and other risk factors influence your breast cancer risk. Knowing your risks and keeping up with appropriate screening are essential — and nutrition is a complement to these measures, not a replacement.

This is not about fear, perfection, or blame. No single food, supplement or lifestyle routine guarantees that cancer won’t develop. It’s about giving women knowledge, practical tools and a more proactive approach to their health.

✨ I’m so excited to share The Healthy Breast Plate — a practical guide to 10 foods that can help you bring more colour, fibre and protective plant compounds to your table. Take 3 minutes for yourself - Take the Quiz -> Download the 2 Guides - Free only until Oct 15th!

📣 COMING SOON: THE BEYOND THE PINK RIBBON MASTERCLASS

Around 28 October, I’m planning a special paid Masterclass where we’ll explore the science and practical strategies behind nourishing breast health — including nutrition, hormone and metabolic health, lifestyle, and what the evidence actually tells us.

Date and registration details coming soon!

💗 Because breast health deserves more than a pink ribbon once a year.

An exciting 18 hour excursion traveling from Tbilisi in Georgia across the border into Armenia.
Our first stop was this beautiful 10th century medieval monastic complex called the representing the highest flowering of Armenian religious architecture.

It was a quiet, peaceful and reflective experience with hardly any tourists. We paused in gratitude to be able to travel back in time to such remarkable historical places.

This monastery is a world heritage UNESCO site showcasing a unique style blending elements of Byzantine architecture and the traditional style of the Caucasus region. The floor of the hall is entirely covered with tombstones level with the ground. Here lie many notable Armenians of the time — kings, queens, members of royal and noble families, and high-ranking clergymen.

When someone hears the word cancer, the world splits into “before” and “after.”
Cancer is becoming disturbingly common and rates are projected to rise sharply..

If you are reading this because you’ve been diagnosed, let me say this clearly:
You are not powerless.
And you do not have to choose between conventional care and nutritional intelligence.

If you are reading this for prevention:
You do not need fear.
You need strategy.

This is Part 1 of the 3 levers I discuss with every individual who is touched by cancer.

I am a Naturopathic Doctor working alongside conventional medicine to support:
• Metabolic stability
• Reduced inflammation
• Immune resilience
• Better treatment tolerance
• Long-term prevention

Cancer treatment targets the tumour.
My work strengthens the terrain.

Stay tuned for Part 2 where I discuss the 3rd lever which is most powerful.

PMOS is more than a name change.
It is an overdue correction in how women’s health is understood...and is very welcome! Finally the pieces fit.

The previous term — Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome — was scientifically misleading. Many women diagnosed with “PCOS” never had ovarian cysts at all. Others were dismissed because their scans looked “normal.” The name narrowed an entire multisystem metabolic-endocrine condition into a gynecological label.

And that narrowing came at a cost.

Women were placed on birth control pills without metabolic investigation. Acne was treated without looking at insulin. Infertility was addressed without addressing inflammation. Weight gain was blamed on willpower instead of mitochondrial dysfunction, circadian disruption, androgen excess, and insulin resistance.

The word “metabolic” entering the diagnosis matters deeply. This is how the Naturopathic perspective views this condition as a "network disturbance" not isolated to just the ovaries.

PMOS is strongly connected to:
🌸 Insulin resistance
🌸 Fatty liver trends
🌸 Chronic inflammation
🌸 Endothelial dysfunction
🌸 Sleep dysregulation
🌸 Cardiovascular risk
🌸 Mood disorders
🌸 Thyroid dysfunction
🌸 Infertility
🌸 Endometriosis overlap
🌸 Histamine and mast-cell activation patterns
🌸 Gut microbiome disruption

And hopefully, it marks the beginning of medicine finally treating women as integrated systems instead of isolated organs. ✨

I'm honoured to be a speaker on Wednesday April 29th hosted by Intellectus Campus which is a platform that showcases health experts within their CPD series.

Join the conversation as we dive deeper into thyroid function as a key driver of women's health and wellbeing. Conditions to be discussed include:






The educational sessions are designed to support knowledge exchange and professional growth within the healthcare sector. The CPD-accredited educational sessions are aimed at advancing continuous professional development for healthcare professionals.

Intellectus Campus also champions education, business, and broader healthcare initiatives, with a strategic focus on creating an inclusive platform open to diverse ideas, collaborations, and communities.

They say an elephant never forgets. What is less said is that once in the presence of these mighty, intelligent beings, one never forgets.
Capturing exciting moments with the matriarch of this herd Sally, who is auntie to Thandi, along with her mother Nandi.
Here's to emulating what these majestic giants teach us - empathy, grace, kindness and a silent inner power.

Question for you...can you use winter to heal?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine and naturopathic philosophy, winter is a time of rest, inward focus, and restoration. The stillness, shorter days and crisp air encourage a natural shift towards rest, repair and rejuvenation.

Yet somewhere between hectic schedules and the pressure to “stay productive,” we often fight that instinct.

But what if slowing down was nature's wisdom - just as nature rests in winter to prepare for spring growth, your body needs time to restore its balance. There is a common misconception that everything is "dead" in winter but contrary to this belief all the bare trees and hibernating animals are shifting their focus from outer being to inner being.

This quieter season offers an opportunity to reset, especially for your immune system, hormones, and nervous system.

Too many of us live our lives in high-outward-summer-energy mode which can lead to irritability, illness, fatigue and burnout.

Winter can be difficult for many people with colder, dreary and darker days but leaning into winter can bring unexpected gifts. Here are some ways to embrace coziness in winter:
❄️ lighting candles or using warm ambient lighting
❄️ drinking hot cocoa by a fireplace (add cinnamon or a pich of cayenne pepper for that extra zing and antioxidant power)
❄️ enjoying cozy sweaters, blankets and scarves
❄️ nourish with warming soups
❄️ revel in more sleep with longer darkness
❄️ schedule a massage or sauna session
❄️ take a brisk walk to activate brown adipose tissue which burns energy to efficiently use body fat and calories better and creates heat internally.