Dr. Meredith O’Loughlan CMD
(Founder of Eightpeaze Protocol), registered acupuncturist, Chinese medical herbalist (BAppSc(HB)/BAppSc(CM), Nutritional & Functional Medicine practitioner (ACNEM), counsellor (BSW) and researcher (MAppSc(Res).
Meredith has a well developed, working understanding and appreciation of the body, illness and disease and how to support individuals to restore and maintain their bodies to participate fully in life. Meredith has been a private practitioner for 20 years.
Having studied at RMIT University (5 years) with strong emphasis on Western medical Sciences. She then completed a Master of Applied Science in Pharmacology on properties of a Chinese herb, Salvia miltiorrhiza (dan shen), used in women’s health, and a study on herb-drug interactions. Further postgraduate studies in Nutrition and Environmental medicine (ACNEM) with focus on digestive and immune system disease.
Initial studies and practice in Social Work, and provides mind-body counselling. Meredith was previously the Senior IVF counsellor for Ballarat IVF for the past 8 years until finishing in 2020.
An active member of the community providing talks for the general public and health care practitioners on Chinese medicine, acupuncture and the possible role of food as medicine for prevention and better disease management. Meredith was born and raised in Ballarat and enjoys working and being a part of the Ballarat community. A full-time mother of two busy children, practicing part-time and enjoys learning mandarin, meditation and playing violin.
Meredith has special interest in working with all kinds of chronic diseases including various autoimmune disease conditions, digestive complaints including Inflammatory Bowel Disease and conditions including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia and many more.
Why I am passionate about what I do…
Co-founder of Spring Health, Meredith O’Loughlan is a doctor of Chinese Medicine and health coach, living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for the past 25 years , drug free and healed her body naturally. Importantly, the experience has provided vast opportunity over 25+ years of clinical experience to work with many individuals with all kinds of disease and illnesses, working to heal their bodies and restore health.
My story. `At 15 years, I developed severe acid reflux, commenced medication for 10+ years though the symptoms only got worse. Then following two stomach operations, I developed a whole range of severe neurological & other debilitating symptoms.
It was thought likely MS and referred to a neurologist for a lumbar puncture. In the early 1990s, MRIs were not routinely available, a lumbar puncture was the only means to get a definitive diagnosis for MS. I was relunctant to have this procedure as my mother had told us of her experience of having the same procedure when she was young and said that her head blew up to what felt like the size of an elephant! Naturally I was reluctant to go ahead though there were no other options at that time to get a diagnosis. Whilst waiting for Neurologist appointment, I visited a GP specialising in nutritional and functional medicine. He suggested likely MS however ran a series of nutritional and functional medicine tests that all came back with significant findings, providing both relief and hope that perhaps I didn’t have MS after all. At the time I had been studying Chinese medicine and learning how to heal the body naturally. I decided to cancel the Neurologist appointment and set out to heal my body.
Over the next many years I used knowledge from Chinese herbal medicines, combining herbal medicines with Nutritional Medicine, this was an important step, using food as medicine, mindbody medicine and various energy medicine techniques to heal my body.
Through trial and error, I could see what worked and what didn’t work, over time I saw great changes, my symptoms were decreasing significantly, regaining mobility and stable general health. I hadn’t realised at the time, I was essentially developing a method to heal the body from chronic disease.
Mid 2019, 20 years later from when my neurological symptoms first began, I was managing my health well, almost symptom free, life took a turn, I became complacent, I was pushing boundaries & began experiencing many of the old neurological symptoms along with new symptoms. I had an MRI with contrast dye, no active lesions however 12 old lesions consistent with MS. Given no active lesions the results indicated the MS likely developed when the neurological symptoms first began 20 years ago.
The experience has provided much insight as to the amazing capacity of the body to heal, understand mindbody connection, how they directly influence each other and how we can use this to our greatest advantage. The experience has taught me how to use Chinese herbal medicines effectively in practice for various kinds of autoimmune disease and how to integrate safely, the use of Chinese herbal medicines and nutritional medicines in practice to achieve the best of results.
Clinical experience
Integrative Complementary Medicine Practitioner: 2005-current
Ballarat IVF Counsellor: 2011-2020
Monash Medical Centre/ The Northern Hospital: Social Work: Oncology & Palliative Care and Obstetrics & Gynecology, ED/ ICU/CCU: 1990-2005
The Northern Hospital: Acupuncture (Emergency Department):1998-1999
Qualifications
Master of Applied Science (Pharmacology) (RMIT): 2009 - 2012 (RMIT Scholarship)
ACNEM (Nutritional Medicine) (Primary Course) (Melbourne): 2006
Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Biology)/ Bachelor of Applied Science (Chinese Medicine) (RMIT): 1999 - 2005
Bachelor of Social Work (VUT): 1994-1996
Bachelor of Arts (Ballarat University): 1992 - 1994
Publications
Davidson, M. Smith, R. Dodd, K. Smith, J. 2008. Interprofessional pre-qualification clinical education: a systematic review. Australian Health Review: a publication of the Australian Hospital Association.
Zheng, Z. Bai, L. O’Loughlan, M. Li, CG, Xue, C. 2019. Does electroacupuncture have different effects of peripheral and central sensitization in humans: A randomised controlled study. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience.
Professional Registration & Membership
AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency)
AACMA (Australian Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Association)
AASW (Australian Association of Social Workers)
ACNEM (Australasian College of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine)
FSA (Fertility Society of Australia)
Course/ Conferences
J Dispenza - Advanced Retreat: Sunshine Coast 2023
Introduction to scalp acupuncture in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (Prof. Jian Jun Wang): Melbourne 2020
J Dispenza - Advanced Retreat: Malta 2019
Scalp Acupuncture (Dr Zhu Training): Melbourne 2019
VIPASSANA Art of Living 10-day Silent Meditation Course: 2018
Medical Hypnosis (Dr Alan Fahey): 2017
Drug-Herb Interactions and Chinese Medicine (China Med): 2013
Mood Disorders in Chinese Medicine: Depression/ Anxiety (Tony Reid): 2011
Working With It: Managing Anxiety & Depression (Bev Aisbett): 2011
Chinese Medicine & IVF (Kathryn Taylor): 2011
Pregnancy, Maternity & Beyond (Tabitha McIntosh): 2010
Immunotherapy (Michael Ash: Bioceuticals): 2008
Dousing the flames: (Michael Ash: Bioceuticals): 2006
All Diseases Begin in the Gut (Michael Ash: Bioceuticals): 2005
Yarra Yalley Living Centre (Ian Gawler) 5 Day Retreat 2001
Losang Dragpa Centre (Silent meditation & the breath (Wales, England):1995
MEDIA: (Body&Soul) May 2021News.com.au