Events

DEVELOPMENTAL OPTOMETRY by Deon Hattingh, B.Optom (UJ), Post grad certificates in Paediatric Optometry, Amblyopia and Strabismus, Sports vision, Vision in Learning disabilities and dyslexia. Summary: What is my child's eye exam missing? Behaviours that one might not think are related to visual issues. Biography: Optometrist with special interest in Behavioural/Developmental Optometry, Vision Therapy, Sports Vision, Children with Vision Related difficulties, and Dry Eye management. Bookings: Fee: R200 Deposit to SASIM Account number: 1357003986, Nedbank. Please reference your name and the…

ETHICS IN THE APPLICATION OF CAM by Dr. Carel-Piet van Eeden, PhD, OSB Summary: Where do ethics sit in the expanding world of complementary and integrative medicine? This talk explores responsibility, scope, informed consent, practitioner integrity, and the subtle pitfalls that arise when working across traditional and non-traditional modalities. Biography: Dr van Eeden completed his Ph.D and qualified in Holistic Life Counselling in December 2012 through the University of Sedona. He also holds a Certification in Integrative Medicine from the…

LEAD AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE by Dr. Erika Drewes, Specialist Family Physician Summary: Lead is an ubiquitous environmental contaminant that leads to oxidative stress and inflammation over many years in the body. Recent studies have directly linked environmental lead exposure to cardiovascular disease. In this context Chelation therapy becomes an interesting modality when evaluating and treating patients with cardiovascular disease. Biography: Dr Erika Drewes is a Specialist Family Physician with 20 years of experience in South Africa and the United Kingdom.…

VIBRATIONAL HEALING – EXPLORING THE SCIENCE BEHIND RESONANCE AND MERIDIANS by Dr. Wendy Christien, Ph.D. Summary: The body is an interconnected, vibrational system. Vibrational healing is essential for restoring coherence. This talk will encompass what vibrational healing is and why resonance and meridians matter. It will also explore how resonance shapes our physiology and how meridians provide pathways for the flow of energy that is vital for wellbeing. Biography: Dr Wendy Christien (Ph.D.) has been in practice as a Wellness…

NITRIC OXIDE by Dr. Craige Golding, Specialist Physician. Summary: Often overlooked but clinically vital, nitric oxide plays a profound role in vascular, immune, and metabolic health. Dr Golding breaks down the latest science and highlights how restoring NO levels can become a powerful therapeutic tool. Biography: Dr Craige Golding, MD, ABAARM, FAARFM, FICT, FCP (SA), MS USF, Member: NUGO, AAAM is a Specialist Physician, Anti Aging Physician and the chief medical advisor in private practice at 65 Central Street, Block…

AUTISM BASICS AND BEYOND by Gilly Ford, B.Sc Diet, Dip Hosp Diet. Summary: An intro to the ground level treatments, extending onto diverse and novel treatments for recovery from low to high functioning. Biography: Gilly is a mother of four boys, herself and some of them are on the spectrum, which resulted in her changing her career interests from western medicine to alternative medicine in order to help cure them (that and the inverted food triangle). She studied dietetics at…

NEW INSIGHTS INTO CANCER TREATMENT by Dr. Craige Golding, Specialist Physician. Summary: With cancer rates rising worldwide, practitioners must stay ahead of emerging integrative strategies. This lecture offers an evidence-informed overview of nutritional, metabolic, immune-modulating, and complementary interventions to support patients safely and effectively. Biography: Dr Craige Golding, MD, ABAARM, FAARFM, FICT, FCP (SA), MS USF, Member: NUGO, AAAM is a Specialist Physician, Anti Aging Physician and the chief medical advisor in private practice at 65 Central Street, Block B,…

IMMUNE AGING by Dr. Craige Golding, Specialist Physician. Summary: Immunity naturally shifts with age — but decline is not inevitable. This session explores the mechanisms of immunosenescence and offers practical guidance on how to optimise immune resilience as the biological clock keeps ticking. Biography: Dr Craige Golding, MD, ABAARM, FAARFM, FICT, FCP (SA), MS USF, Member: NUGO, AAAM is a Specialist Physician, Anti Aging Physician and the chief medical advisor in private practice at 65 Central Street, Block B, Houghton…

WHEN STRESS BECOMES PAIN AND DISEASE: A VAGUS NERVE APPROACH TO MEASURING, UNDERSTANDING AND REBALANCING THE BODY’S STRESS RESPONSE THROUGH FUNCTIONAL NEUROSCIENCE TECHNIQUES by Simone Sittig, BSc Med Hons Biokinetics and Exercise Science 2003 UCT Summary: This session will focus on the relationship between chronic stress and physical symptoms, offering insights into how the vagus nerve influences stress physiology and how Functional Neuromuscular Techniques can be used for assessment and rebalancing. Biography: Simone is the Founder of the Brain.Body.Balance. technique…

INTEGRATIVE AND NATUROPATHIC APPROACHES TO HISTAMINE SENSITIVITY AND MCAS by Drs. Adele Pelteret, BSc Comp Health Sciences, BSc Naturopathy, Erika Drewes, Specialist Family Physician, Marna Turner, MBChB, DipPEC(SA), Nicola Buchan, MBChB. Summary: Histamine sensitivity is a key feature of MCAS, a condition where mast cells release too many chemical mediators, including histamine, in response to triggers. Unlike histamine intolerance, which is a reduced ability to break down dietary histamine, MCAS involves the overactivation of mast cells themselves, leading to a…