Dr Hale has extensive experience in infectious diseases and general medicine and is unique in her ability to determine what aspects of your health, including your gut health, are likely to be contributing to your susceptibility to recurrent infections. Although some recurrent infections, especially skin infections can be associated with highly contagious and virulent bacteria, most recurrent infections in otherwise healthy people have to do with a breakdown in immune capacity/strength.

Extensive research studies on the gut microbiome (normal bacteria and other flora) have revealed that our over-sanitised modern lives, our exposure to repeated courses of antibiotics, our processed foods and our daily stress all contribute to a reduction in healthy gut flora. An important example is recurrent urinary tract infections in women. These have been linked to a breakdown in normal healthy flora in the bowel and/or vagina. Paying attention to vaginal health, diet and specific probiotics & prebiotic fibres has been shown to reduce susceptibility to urinary tract infections.