Health & Wellbeing Podcast Episode #16

In this episode Lisa and I continue our chat about Adrenal Fatigue, and this time we’re talking what to do about it.

If you experience adrenal fatigue there is a lot that can be done about it. In this episode we give you some guidance about the strategies that may need to be put in place, such as diet change, adjusting exercise levels, improving sleep, and what herbs we love for adrenal fatigue.

The thing about adrenal fatigue is that it’s not a straight forward condition. So while employing these strategies will help, it may be necessary to consult a practitioner who can help you work out the more complicated drivers of your condition.

Check out Part 1 here

Lisa is a Naturopath, lecturer and writer as as well as an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant. Lisa has an interest in treating thyroid and adrenal health. Her practice is in Caringbah in South Sydney.

Connect with Lisa:

Website: http://lisacostabirnaturopath.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaCostaBirNaturopath
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lisacostabirnaturopath/

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Podcast Breakdown

0:00 Intro and Disclaimer
2:00 The stages of Adrenal Fatigue based on tests and how that affects it’s treatment
3:05 Lifestyle recommendations for Adrenal Fatigue Stages
3:58 Over-exercising could be stopping you losing weight and recovering properly
5:54 When it’s lack of activity that starts the fatigue
8:00 Using herbs to support your ability to cope with training for an event
8:57 What sort of exercise to do if you have Adrenal Fatigue
12:10 Stage 3 Adrenal Fatigue misconceptions
14:22 Diet for Adrenal Fatigue: Balanced blood sugar levels, whole foods. adequate protein, nutrient dense diet, to snack or not to snack, caffeine.
17:10 Food intolerances and Adrenal fatigue
17:53 Reducing sugar
18:05 Keeping your gut healthy, fermented foods, gelatin, prebiotics
19:00 Seaweed
19:10 Sleep
24:30 Vitamin C
26:57 Magnesium
29:03 B Vitamins
30:40 Nutrient depletors
30:58 Adequate nutrient levels to begin with reduces the effect of stress (read more here: www.naturopathnsw.com.au/vitamin-c-and-stress-research-update)
32:04 Phosphatidylserine
32:52 Using test results to determine treatment
34:50 Herbs for Adrenal Fatigue.
37:25 Adrenal fatigue is not always straight forward, and it doesn’t have the most accurate name. Seeing a practitioner can help you target your treatment.
39:58 Immune involvement in Adrenal Fatigue and the importance of treating the gut.

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If you experience anxiety, you are not alone.  Conditions like anxiety and depression are becoming increasingly common.  In Australia and New Zealand about 20% of adults will experience a mental illness at some stage in their lives.    3% of Australian adults experience anxiety in a year (this is high!) and 55 to 60 % of these are women.  The higher incidence of women with anxiety may be due to the fact that men seek treatment less frequently.  The average high-schooler today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s. We are getting more anxious every decade.

When we are presented with a stressful situation it is normal to feel some anxiety, however it is when this becomes more prolonged or severe that anxiety is considered to be a ‘disorder’.  Anyone who has experienced anxiety knows that you can’t just “stop worrying” or “snap out of it” – if it was that simple then it wouldn’t be such a problem.  Thankfully, there is much that can be done.  One of the first steps to overcoming anxiety is understanding that it’s not ‘all in your head’, but learning about the condition, and then taking steps to get better by seeking help.

 WHY?

There are several types of anxiety, such as generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorders, post traumatic stress disorders and phobias.  These can be caused by slightly processes in the body, and will give different symptoms as well.

Given the increased pressure we have on ourselves with work, finance, family, relationships and not to mention all the scary things the media warns us about, it’s no wonder that anxiety is so common.  Support networks (groups of people that we can turn to who listen to and understanding our concerns) used to exist in greater strengths, however with everyone’s busy lives and the impact of technology on social interactions we are no longer able to ‘debrief’ as we once were, and so our stresses are exaggerated and not dealt with properly.

There are many different causes and triggers of anxiety (so many that it could fill a book) so I will only list some of them.

• Neurotransmitters are chemicals which allow our neurons to communicate with the rest of our body by an electrical signal.  If there is an imbalance in these, we can get a problem with mood.  Serotonin, Glutamate, GABA and Dopamine are most often involved with anxiety.  The way that we make neurotransmitters is like a factory line – we start with protein and there are several steps along the way where certain vitamins and minerals add bits and pieces to get the final product.  If something goes wr0ng with that factory line, you get neurotransmitter imbalances.
• Emotional triggers.  This doesn’t really need explaining.
• Hormonal imbalances.  Many women (and their partners) are well aware of the affects of PMS on mood.  Anxiety and depression are very common around ‘that time of the month’.
• Blood sugar level fluctuations.  When your blood sugar levels drop it can cause feelings of anxiety, so eating a low GI diet is important to prevent anxiety.
• Diet : deficiencies.  What you eat can affect your mood.  A lot.  There are a few vitamins and minerals in particular that have very important roles in making our neurotransmitters (think of the factory line mentioned before), and if you are missing one or any of these then the process either doesn’t occur, or goes in the wrong direction. 
• Diet : triggers.  Food intolerances, caffeine or other stimulants, preservatives and additives can trigger anxiety via a complicated chemical process which ultimately – you guess it – disrupts that neurtransmitter factory line.
• Digestive problems.  Did you know we make most of our neurotransmitters in our digestive system?  It makes sense then that digestive problems can upset the subtle balance of these neurotransmitters, affecting your mood.  Most people with IBS have probably noticed this connection for themselves – have a stressful day, and your gut suffers (and vice versa).  Liver issues can also be connected with anxiety, potentially via their effect on intestinal health and bilirubin toxicity, even though some conditions such as Gilbert’s syndrome are frequently labelled as being symptom free.
• Toxicity (e.g. heavy metals)
• Inflammation.  A lot of mental health conditions are now being linked to other auto-immune/inflammatory conditions, and depression itself is considered to be an inflammatory condition.

WHAT CAN I DO?

 Seek help!

According to a research paper from the Lancet published in 2006, despite the great number of pharmacological options less than half of the patients suffering from panic disorder experience a full and sustained remission.  What should we take from this disappointing fact?

We need to realise that what causes anxiety is not the same for everyone.  Treatment of anxiety and other mental health conditions needs to be holistic.  By this I mean that all the factors that combine to cause anxiety need to be addressed, and that treatment should incorporate different methods to do this, such as counselling, nutrition, herbal medicine, massage and acupuncture to relieve the symptoms of anxiety and address the underlying causes.

Complementary medicine can do marvellous things for anxiety, however if your anxiety is severely debilitating then medication may be necessary in the short term.  It is advisable not to self prescribe as anxiety and depression require specific doses and quality of herbs which are difficult to find in the retail range, and there are interactions between some medications and herbs which should be avoided.

There are many different treatment options available giving you plenty of choice and whichever one you choose it is most likely you will get some relief – choose a therapy that you have an affinity with and combine it with a cognitive therapy (e.g. counselling, hypnotherapy or meditation) and you’re on the right path.

Don’t lose hope – if you seek help then you can regain control over your anxiety.

Some tips to help you along your way

Meditation is one of the oldest and most effective ways of managing anxiety and mood disorders.  Research has shown that people who take conventional medications for anxiety who also meditate have a better result.  This is a good practice to incorporate into your daily ritual to help manage anxiety.

Breathing techniques are a very important part of managing anxiety.  A lot of people don’t breathe correctly, which is usually a habit we don’t even realize we have.  Some of us are chronically bad breathers as a result of growing up with breathing conditions such as asthma or sinus disorders.  This incorrect way of breathing can worsen anxiety, often leading to hyperventilation.

Your diet can have a strong impact on anxiety, both positively and negatively.  To begin with, simply reduce the foods that can trigger anxiety (see above) and try to increase your intake of nourishing foods like good fats, vegetables and whole (intact and unprocessed) grains – preferably organic.  For further guidance consult a naturopath or nutritionist.

Exercise.  Walking, jogging, swimming, pilates, yoga.  Get moving – it does wonders for burning up your stress hormones and clearing your thoughts.

Keep Rescue Remedy or Emergency Essence handy to use if you have an acute episode.

Mindfulness exercises are a great technique to ‘unclutter’ your mind.  There are plenty of different techniques available (just do an internet search) but the core of the technique is that you are concentrating solely on what is happening at that moment in time.  Mindful eating is a great habit to get into – it improves stress as well as digestion.

Works Cited

• Brito, D. B. (2012). Bilirubin Toxicity. Retrieved from http://www.ff.ul.pt/FCT/RECI/BIM-MEC/0188/2012/1.pdf
• Charles L. Raison, M., Christopher A. Lowry, P., & Graham A. W. Rook, B. M. (2010). Inflammation, Sanitation, and ConsternationLoss of Contact With Coevolved, Tolerogenic Microorganisms and the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Major Depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 67(12), 1211-1224.
• Hechtman, L. (2011). Clinical Naturopathic Medicine. Churchill Livingstone Australia.
• Leahy, R. H. (2008, April 30). Anxiety: How Big a problem is it? (Psychology Today) Retrieved April 21, 2012, from http://www.china-consult.com.au/2010/09/17/anxiety-how-big-a-problem-is-it/
• Mindfulness in Everyday Life. (2007, January). (Black Dog Institute) Retrieved April 21, 2012, from http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/docs/10.MindfulnessinEverydayLife.pdf
• Overeview of mental illness in Australia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.responseability.org/site/index.cfm?display= 134563
• Roy-Byrne, P. P., Craske, M. G., & Stein, M. B. (2006). Panic Disorder. Lancet, 1023-1032.
• Satish A. Eraly, M. P., Caroline M. Nievergelt, P., Adam X. Maihofer, M., Donald A. Barkauskas, P., Nilima Biswas, P., Agorastos Agorastos, M., . . . Team, f. t. (2014). Assessment of Plasma C-Reactive Protein as a Biomarker of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Risk . JAMA Psychiatry, 71(4), 423-431. Retrieved from http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1833091&resultClick=3

The post Don’t Panic! It’s an anxiety epidemic! appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Losing weight can be a long and frustrating process.  Some people can change their diet slightly or do a small amount of exercise and their weight just drops off.  However, some people find that no matter how much they exercise they cannot lose weight at the rate they want.

If you are struggling to lose weight with the normal methods, it may be that you have an internal barrier to weight loss.  There are several hormonal and chemical issues that can stop you from losing weight more effectively.

In the last newsletter I discussed different hormonal imbalances that can affect your ability to lose weight.  If you missed it, click here to read it: Are hormone imbalances affecting your ability to lose weight?  In this edition I will be covering some other factors that can impede your efforts as well.

Aciditiy

If the pH (acid-akaline balance) of the body is too acidic, then this can cause problems with weight loss.  Ideally our internal pH should be around 6.5 for healthy functioning.  pH can be lowered (made acidic) by drinking soft drink or eating acidic foods such as too many grains or meats, or by stress.  Your pH can be measured by a simple urine pH test.

Food intolerances

If you have an intolerance to a food and you continue to eat it, this can cause all sorts of problems in the body, due to the way it upsets the immune system, causes stress on the nervous system and increases inflammation.

Most often food intolerances cause digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, constipation, reflux, or bloating.  However food intolerances don’t always express the same way in everyone – some people may get mood swings, headaches, skin problems, immune problems, hormone imbalances, fluid retention or aches and pains as a result of eating it.

Food intolerances can be difficult to identify because they can cause symptoms up to 48 hours after eating a food, and because the problems they cause aren’t always obviously food related.

Food intolerances are usually caused by the immune system developing an antibody or immune memory to a food, when the protein of the food slips through an enlarged pore in the digestive system and is then taken up by the immune system.  The next time you eat that food, the immune system recognizes it as being something foreign, so launches an immune attack.

Eating foods which you are intolerant to will affect normal functioning in the body and can interfere with weight loss.  It can also cause bloating and fluid retention, making your feel larger than you are as well.  Most people who cut out food intolerances lose some fat mass after a few weeks.

These can be identified by an in clinic test called Food Detective via a finger prick, with the Hair500 test, by a blood test in external laboratories, or with an elimination/challenge diet.

Gut & Liver Toxicity

There are many toxins present in our environment, and some people can have difficulty detoxifying them normally.  When we are presented with more toxins than we can process and eliminate, our body will still them in our fat cells.  This presents a problem: our body has put these toxins away for a reason – it cannot cope with them, and therefore it will block weight loss until it can effectively detoxify through the gut and liver.

People with gut and liver toxicity may carry weight in a band around the bottom of their rib cage (Naturopaths refer to this as a ‘liver roll’) and they may also experience symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, bad breath, stomach upsets and a foggy mind.

Not only will toxicity cause us to store away fat, but if we have problems with our digestive processes than it makes our weight loss efforts all the more futile.  If there isn’t enough stomach acid and enzymes being produced to break down your food for easy absorption, then all the fuel we’re putting into build our muscles doesn’t get used properly.    There more muscle you have, the better your metabolism, so if you can’t make enough muscle than it makes fat burning very difficult.

 There are many factors which can contribute to this, such as stress, bacterial imbalances, medications, food intolerances and more.  The good news is that when this problem is remedied, weight loss happens much more quickly and smoothly.

The degree of digestive toxicity can be tested by a urine test known as Urinary Indicans (first morning sample only) which is performed by your naturopath.  A VLA/bio-impedance analysis can also indicate if there may be toxicity present This test is no longer available.

A good detoxification program that supports gut, kidney and liver function will allow your body to release these toxins safely.  Most people will lose a few kilos just from detoxifying, and find that weight loss can occur much more easily after the detox is finished as well.

MTHFR

If a person has a particular gene known as MTHFR, they cannot convert folate to its active form in the body folinic acid.  This causes an increase in an inflammatory chemical, homocysteine, which can cause several problems such as weight gain that is very difficult to shift, depression, heart disease, clotting problems, and blood sugar levels imbalances.

A cheek swab or blood test can be done to identify if you have this gene present.  A blood test to assess for elevated levels of homocysteine could also be done to assess the inflammatory impact of this.

Leptin

Our fat cells produce the hormone leptin which regulates our metabolism and determines how much fat will be stored. Altered levels of leptin can cause problems with food cravings, over eating, hunger and difficulty losing weight.  This can be tested by a blood test.

Poor sleep

Is a known risk factor for weight gain, can increase appetite and blood sugar metabolism problems.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Certain nutritional deficiencies can cause a reduction in metabolism and reduce your ability to burn fat, in particular Vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency can be identified by a blood test.  Your Naturopath may be able to tell you if you are showing signs of mineral or vitamin deficiencies by asking symptoms and with some simple in clinic testing.

Inflammation

People suffering from chronic or systemic inflammation may find it hard to lose weight. This is because the inflammatory process diverts energy into fat cells, causing them to thrive and grow. This can make it very difficult to lose weight! The inflammation might come from an existing health complaint, such as an injury, digestion problem, arthritis, allergies etc, or it may be related to current dietary and lifestyle sources.  There are some markers that can be measured by a blood test to assess for inflammation.  A VLA/bio-impedance analysis can also indicate if there may be inflammation present.

If you feel like you have one or more of the above issues that is affecting your ability to lose weight, make an appointment to see how we can help you. We will go through your case history and can suggest which factors may be relevant for you, and can discuss your testing options with you. Once we have identified what is happening we can create a treatment plan to naturally and safely address your internal barriers to weight loss.

The post Internal Barriers to Weight Loss – Part 2 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Guest Post by New Image Personal Conditioning

I know training may not come as a natural love for everybody, however I know most of you would agree that the benefits of exercise flow on to other areas of your life, beyond the walls of New Image. Exercise can affect your life in such a positive way and the psychological benefits cannot be underestimated. Over the years I’ve seen many amazing clients go from lethargic, unmotivated and depressed to people who are motivated, full of life and with an attitude that could conquer any life hurdle. It is inspiring and the main reason I am in this industry.

Dr. Joanna McMillan (resident Dietician and Nutrition consultant for the Today show), states the benefits of exercise perfectly –

“Exercise changes the way your body works – for the better. It increases blood flow and delivery of nutrients around the body. It increases the effectiveness with which your body distributes oxygen and how well the heart can pump blood. It improves the functioning of your brain. It improves your mood (intense exercise is one of the best lifestyle changes you can make to reduce depression). It stimulates muscle growth and strength and muscles in turn get better at taking up glucose from the blood. Insulin sensitivity improves, reducing the risk of diabetes. You get better at burning fat for fuel. In short exercise makes your body work better. And the research clearly shows that if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you’d better make regular exercise a part of your life.”

Exercise and healthy eating are not at short term, ten week event. In order to change our daily habits and create new, more productive and healthy habits, eating healthy and regular exercise needs to become a staple for our lives. Initially the changes can be challenging, but many clients will attest to the life changing freedom that comes from feeling happy in your own skin, confident in your body’s ability to cope with daily activities and the little hint of pride that comes with knowing you have worked hard for every bit of your success. So keep at it! Don’t give up when it’s hard! Remember you are more than capable to achieve your results, you just need to be consistent!

New Image is a results driven private fitness studio located in Norwest Business Park.  Call or email to enquire about individualised exercise programs and professional advice in a fun, encouraging environment, where the only muscle and sweat will be yours.

Unit 216, 33, Lexington Drive, Norwest Business Park, Bella Vista NSW 2153
Phone: 8883 4031 Fax: 8883 4032
 www.newimagept.com.au  www.facebook.com/newimagept

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If you are healthy, your heart and blood vessels work together in a balanced manner to deliver blood to every tissue and organ in your body – keeping you alive and well.

Did you know?

• Your body has its very own pump system that involves around 100,000 kilometers of blood vessels.
• Your heart can beat over 100,000 times every day!
• Adults have an average of 4.7 to 5.0 litres of blood in their body.
• Normal, healthy blood pressure is around 120/80.
• The World Health Organisation has estimated that one in every eight deaths world-wide is linked to unhealthy blood pressure.

Blood pressure

Blood pressure is the force blood exerts on the inside walls of blood vessels as it travels through the body. Blood pressure is largely controlled by the size of the blood vessels: the wider the blood vessels, the lower the pressure. As blood vessel size reduces, the pressure increases. Imagine a garden hose; if the hose is a wide one, the pressure inside as the water rushes through will be less than if it was a much thinner hose. Unlike a garden hose, however, our blood vessels can change size to a certain extent. For example, if your blood vessels contract and become narrower then this will increase your blood pressure. Likewise, if there is a build up of cholesterol plaque or fatty deposits in your blood vessels, this will narrow the diameter of your blood vessels and increase your blood pressure. Continuous high blood pressure can damage your heart, kidney, eyes and blood vessels in the brain, so it is important to ensure that your blood pressure is maintained within healthy limits.

What can you do to avoid an unhealthy rise in blood pressure?

There are a number of things you can do to influence your blood pressure and keep it within normal, healthy limits. At this clinic we have many treatments that can address the underlying factors of unhealthy blood pressure. Here are some examples of what we have to offer that may help to keep your heart and circulatory system in top shape:

• Improving dietary choices. We can help you plan meals to assist your cardiovascular system.
• Stress – we have highly effective stress reduction programs.
• Fat loss programs such as Shake It
• Healthy blood glucose management.
• Cholesterol maintenance programs.

Can’t take the pressure?

To specifically help with blood pressure, you may benefit from a few key nutrients that are well researched for their effects on improving cardiovascular health:

Magnesium: Magnesium is necessary for the health of your muscles and nervous system. Did you know that your blood vessels are actually made up of tiny muscle cells? Magnesium helps these muscle cells relax – the more relaxed they are, the lower your blood pressure will be! The type of magnesium supplement you choose is very important, as some forms of magnesium may upset your digestive system. In this clinic we only use a high quality form of magnesium called magnesium diglycinate and magnesium orotate.  Magnesium diglycinate is form of magnesium that is very well absorbed, tolerated and gentle on the stomach.  Magnesium orotate is a form of magnesium that is well absorbed and is able to target the heart cells.

Taurine: Taurine is another nutrient that may be able to help you maintain healthy blood pressure. It works together with magnesium to support the health of the heart and cardiovascular system. It also seems to have a positive effect on the nervous system, and may be able to assist if your blood pressure goes up when you are stressed.

Fish oil: Essential fatty acids from fish oil can help to improve circulation and may assist in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.  You can get the therapeutic benefits of fish oils by taking a medical strength fish oil supplement that contains high levels (around 50%) of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). It is also important to ensure your fish oil supplement is free from heavy metals and other contaminants so that you get all the benefits without the worry.

Folate, B12, B6: The combination of these nutrients help to prevent your body producing high levels of a substance called homocysteine. A build up of homocysteine has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Coenzyme Q10: (CoQ10) is required for cellular energy production in cardiac muscle and provides nutritional support for healthy heart muscle function.   CoQ10 may assist in reducing LDL cholesterol oxidation.

Alpha lipoic acid:  Alpha lipoic acid demonstrates unique lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant activity and extends the functional capacities of other antioxidants including vitamins C and E, glutathione and CoQ10.  Alpha lipoic acid is involved in the metabolism of nitric oxide in vascular endothelial cells and is required for cellular energy production.

Before you boil over….

Our clinic provides a range of personalised options and lifestyle programs designed to keep your cardiovascular system as healthy as possible. If you are concerned with the health of your cardiovascular system, then come in and see us to discuss the range of options available to help you take the pressure off.

Call now to make an appointment

The post Hearty Facts appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup goji berry and raw cocoa nib mix (I use Power foods which is sold in organic and health food shops)
• ¾ cup mixed seeds; Sunflower and pumpkin
• ¾ cup raw almonds
• ½ cup brazil, hazel or walnuts

Method

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Tips

Trail mix is super easy to make yourself, and by making it yourself you can control the amounts of ingredients. 

Trail mix is great to have before exercise.

Cocoa nibs are rich in magnesium and free from the sugar and dairy convential chocolate chips in retail trail mixes contain.  They are bitter, but this is evened out by the goji berries.  The magnesium is great for healthy mood and reduces cramps after exercise.

Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are rich in zinc and protein, making them great for immunity and a healthy mood.

Feel free to change the ingredients if you wish, but try not to add too much dried fruit (too high in sugar) and if you do, but it organic or un-sulphured (as this can can allergies and asthma). 
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