Carahealth Acupuncture Naturopathy Homeopathy

When it comes to your health, qualifications should matter

I hold 4 degrees, including a Masters in Public Health and 3 internationally transferable level 8 (EQF/AQF/NFQ/Level 6 Ofqual recognised by NARIC) honours science degrees in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM); a degree in Acupuncture, Naturopathy (Herbal Medicine/Nutrition) and Homeopathy, having trained in Australia which is at the forefront of natural medicine training. I have been in private practice for 20 years offering treatments in 3 modalities and tailoring treatment protocols to suit individual needs. Being trained in pharmacology and having worked in pharmacies, I am adept in drug/nutrient and drug/herb safety whereby I practice pharmacognosy, matching the pharmacological action of drugs with natural alternative compounds. I have experience using organic pharmacy grade herbs and herbal extracts to treat antimicrobial resistant diseases including MRSA, MDR-TB, MDR Staph. aureus, K. pneumonia, E. coli, Haemophilus influenza, MDR Candida and neglected tropical diseases including Dengue, Ross River/ Barmah Forest virus Lyme borreliosis, and the rising tide of non communicable disease (NCD) including autoimmune, allergic and inflammatory disease.

I have worked in Public Health as acupuncturist at the Northern Hospital Emergency Department (A&E) Epping, Melbourne and Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne’s Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Unit. My ultimate goal is to see the integration of CAM into mainstream healthcare hence I am completing a Masters in Public Health. The WHO is looking at the role Traditional Medicines have in keeping populations healthy and I want to play my part in shaping future Public Health Policy to improve Global Health outcomes using Traditional Medicines. My Masters dissertation was entilteld A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Plant-Derived Antimicrobials (PDAms) in WHO priority antimicrobial resistant (AMR) pathogens.

I have also worked as an acupuncturist and sports nutritionist/ herbalist for an Australian Rules Football team where I recommended natural ergogenic aids to boost performance in professional athletes as recommended by the Australian Institute of Sport and used acupuncture to promote recovery and enhance performance. As a naturopath, I have also raised a family naturally. I am a strong advocate for natural immunity. There is not a childhood disease I have not seen nor cannot treat.

Other interests include environmental health concerns in the air and water that lead to bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), particularly heavy metals and plastics (both ingested BPA/phthalates and inhaled dioxins/furans), and enhancing biotransformation using herbal medicine. Contrary to medical opinion detoxification is not quackery. In medical terms excess toxins are called bioaccumulation of xenobiotics and detoxification is called biotransformation which is the process of supporting Phase and Phase II liver detoxification processes. 

Carina Harkin MPH. BHSc.Nat.BHSc.Hom. BHSc.Acu.Cert.IV.TAE. AFPA mem.

Publications

• Carina Harkin and Dr Robyn Parker, A Prospective, Randomised Control Trial of Acupuncture for Select Common Conditions within the Emergency Department, Journal of Chinese Medicine, Number 85, pp 45-52., October 2007