It’s hard to believe it is Autumn already! Where has the year gone? I know it seems a little premature but now is the ideal time to commence immune building. We often leave it until Winter or even once we start to get sick to start boosting our immune system. Unfortunately, sometimes this can be a little late. One of the big contributors to lowered immune function and increased risk of infection is STRESS. So in this newsletter I thought we could focus on stress, what contributes to it, and how best to deal with it.
Noah is growing in leaps and bounds. He is now walking everywhere and jabbering away so next time you visit, expect to be entertained! Here’s a pic of my boys playing in the pool.
Thank you also to everyone who has referred people to the clinic. I really appreciate your referrals and your faith in my ability to care for your family and friends. I look forward to seeing you all again soon.
Is Stress Deterring You From Health?
Stress is now a common fixture in our hectic, busy lives. Small amounts of stress that are easily resolved can be beneficial in motivating and helping us achieve our goals. Although chronic or long-term stress affects each of us differently, it ultimately affects the whole body in a negative way and may contribute to many health complaints.
Is your health being affected by stress?
Do you often feel anxious, worried, depressed, irritable, exhausted, overloaded or forgetful?
Do you suffer from stiff or sore muscles or joints, tension headaches, high blood pressure, frequent colds or the flu?
Or do you have irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, an increase or loss of appetite, or worsening of an existing illness or condition?
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, your body may be overburdened by stress.
Fight or Flight: Your Response to Stress
Thousands of years ago, we may have been faced with the threat of a sabre tooth tiger and our immediate response to this was one of two reactions: to attack or run away. This is now known as the fight or flight response. Once this stress response is triggered, chemical messengers called adrenaline, cortisol and noradrenaline are produced by the adrenal glands and brain. These messengers increase blood flow to the essential organs such as the heart, lungs, brain and muscles to help us fight or run away. Digestive function slows down as this is less important in survival mode. Cortisol also increases the amount of sugar released into the blood to provide energy for our muscles to attack or run. In the past, stress was shortlived and once the stress was over, these chemical messengers shortly returned to normal.
Where’s the Off Switch?
Over time our bodies have not changed this biological response to stress. Although the sabre tooth tigers are long gone, the physical threat to our lives and limbs has been replaced with the modern day stress of long work hours, financial worries, traffic jams and family issues. So what happens if this stress response does not turn off because of our non-stop busy lifestyles? Unresolved ongoing stress may result in chronic stress, which can be the underlying cause of many health conditions. Chronic stress can impact body systems such as the cardiovascular system by contributing to high blood pressure.
It can also take its toll on your nervous system leading to exhaustion, headaches and insomnia. Your digestive and immune systems can also be weakened by stress, making you more susceptible to irritable bowel syndrome, frequent colds and the flu.
Herbs and Nutrients for De-stressing
Go from ‘dis-stressed’ to ‘de-stressed’ with the help of herbs and nutrients. Both herbs and nutrients along with diet play a major role in getting our body’s back on track. As many of you know I will often prescribe both a herbal and nutritional formulation to help you get the most out of your prescription in a much shorter time-frame. Liquid herbs still do tend to be my favourite option as they are more readily absorbed into the body and give a greater scope for individualised treatment. Where liquid herbs tend to be a downfall is unfortunately in their taste, however compliance has recently improved with the addition of a small dose of flavoring mix – so goodbye to foul tasting herbs!
• Rhodiola and Withania are two of my favourite herbs to enhance the body’s response to stress. Rhodiola has been shown to reduce both physical and mental fatigue during times of stress.
• The herbs, Passionflower, Zizyphus and Magnolia have been traditionally used for reducing stress, anxiety and nervous tension.
• St John’s Wort is well-known for supporting healthy mood and protecting against the effects of stress
• Magnesium, glutamine and B vitamins are used in abundance during times of stress, when the body’s requirement for these key nutrients is increased. Magnesium assists in muscle relaxation and calms the nervous system.
5 Top Stress Busting Tips
Lessen your stress load by practising the following stress busting strategies:
1. Rest and Relaxation – techniques such as tai chi, yoga, and meditation can help you to control stress and improve physical and mental wellbeing.
2. Think Positive – A good attitude and positive outlook is fundamental for de-stressing. Thinking positively will help you get through a stressful period with greater enthusiasm and drive without attracting other negative situations to you.
3. Exercise – Exercise is a brilliant form of stress relief, as it conditions the body and mind, and encourages the release of endorphins, which help you feel good.
4. Indulge Yourself – Enjoy a well-deserved massage or some other blissful treatment – perhaps soak in a bath with relaxing aromatherapy oils such as lavender, ylang ylang, chamomile or geranium. Burning a relaxing blend of essential oils can also be uplifting and regenerating for the mind, body and soul. My favourite blends tend to be bergamot, sweet orange, petitgran and sandalwood to uplift and ground all at the same time!
5. Eat Healthy Foods – For a healthy mind and body, eat a diet abundant in fresh, brightly coloured fruits and vegetables. Consume protein with meals and snacks, and enjoy foods high in essential fatty acids such as oily fish, nuts and seeds. Minimise your intake of caffeine, energy drinks, sugar, alcohol and processed foods as these will contribute to fatigue in the long-term.
Stress Less for Good Health and Wellness
Although the stress of modern life is inescapable, it is important to remember that we can easily manage our response to stress with the help of dietary and lifestyle changes and some key natural medicines. Supporting a healthy stress response will allow you to feel more energised, resilient and ready to tackle life, so you can maintain the state of health and wellness that you deserve.
How is your weight loss journey going?
Jason’s weight loss journey is still going well. So far he has managed to lose 27kg and has dropped 17cm from his waist. He is following the Shake-It Program but also engaging in regular gym activities which are a combination of weights and cardio.
I see many people wanting to lose weight and have helped many successfully reach their weight loss goals. It is not always an easy journey as many of you know and many areas need to be addressed such as hormonal imbalances, stress, insulin resistance, toxicity and inflammation as these can all contribute to weight gain and/or slow weight loss. Prolonged or severe stress will also contribute to weight gain, as increased cortisol increases appetite and contributes to the development of insulin resistance. Another contributing factor involved in insulin resistance is inflammation; finally, exogenous toxins (e.g. organic pollutants such as DDT, phthalates and bisphenol-A) and endotoxins (i.e. LPS from dysbiotic bacteria), can also drive inflammation, insulin resistance and visceral adiposity. So, as you can see, not everyone’s weight loss journey is going to be the same.
A common question I am often asked is “Why am I not in ketosis?” This can be from a number of factors, the most common being:
Carbohydrate intake may be too high. If you are consuming too many carbohydrates your body may be having trouble getting into ketosis as you will not be burning fat stores as energy, rather you will be burning carbohydrates. The best way to assess this is by using a diet diary to evaluate where in the diet problem foods might be. The most significant problems to be aware of are the type and quantity of fruit and vegetables are eating, as well as hidden sugars in beverages and sauces. It is worth noting that caffeinated beverages can be an issue for some people.
Protein intake may be too high. If carbohydrate intake is not the issue then too much protein may be. While over-consumption of protein has been correlated with only minimal effects on weight gain, it must be remembered that protein has the same energy density per gram as carbohydrates, and many protein dense foods may have a higher caloric value due to their fat content. Again a diet diary will assist you in assessing if this is the problem; pay particular attention to the serving size.
pH may be too acidic. Low pH can influence a number of factors which negatively impact weight management. Tissue acidity can cause reduced thyroid hormone levels, increased glucocorticoid production, muscle wasting, and alterations in insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, even mild metabolic acidosis has been shown to reduce ketone production by up to 40%. Monitoring urinary pH will help you in determining if this is an issue. Ensure you are eating adequate amounts of potassium rich foods like allowable vegetables and fruit to help alkalise your system.
Endometriosis Awareness Week
Did you know this week is Endometriosis Awareness Week? This condition is severely debilitating and unfortunately can cause great disruption in the lives of many women. The most common medical solutions are to take the oral contraceptive pill, skip periods, have surgery to remove the growths and in more severe cases hysterectomy. As natural therapists we have some of the most amazing herbs available to us to successfully help with this condition. Endometriosis is an oestrogen dominant condition and there is much debate about its actual cause. As a sufferer of endometriosis myself I can relate to the need to raise awareness but also assist in educating and guiding people to alternative treatment options. Using a combination of herbal and nutritional support with regular microcurrent treatments I was able to improve my symptoms dramatically and now can function when my cycle arrives as opposed to being laid up in pain, unsure whether I’m going to pass out from the pain or vomit. If you suffer from endometriosis or know someone who does, be aware there is help out there. Call today for an obligation free chat to see whether I can help. Ph. 3357 6295
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