Health & Wellbeing Podcast #27

This episode is part 2 of the Chronic Pain & Inflammation series, covering what natural methods can be helpful for dealing with the underlying causes of chronic pain, as well as some naturals ways to reduce symptoms and provide relief.

In this episode I discuss herbal medicine, nutrition (diet and supplementation) for dealing with pain, as well as the techniques to support the mental aspect of pain.

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the first episode you can check it out here: Chronic Pain and Inflammation – Part 1

Photo by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash

Most people will experience pain at some stage in their lives, however for some this pain can be chronic, at times severe. Many people struggle with the side effects of conventional pain medications, and turn to natural medicine for support.
Herbal medicine and food can be used to assist in the management of pain conditions, both in addressing the underlying cause of pain conditions, and in providing some pain relief.

Listen on the Soundcloud website here or in the embedded player below.

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The post Chronic Pain and Inflammation – Part 2 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Guest Post by Melinda King

What is Mindfulness?

The practice of mindfulness has been around for a long time, mostly in Buddhist, Taoist and Yogic traditions however ‘mindfulness’ is a practice gaining huge popularity in the western world….I’m pretty certain it’s because most of us are super-stressed and this practice largely helps address this.

To practice mindfulness is to allow yourself to be conscious and aware of something, through focusing your awareness on the present moment, as well as acknowledging and accepting your feelings and thoughts, without judgement.

When you practice mindfulness you’re then able to experience your emotions and thoughts safely and without judgement. Therefore, those who practice mindfulness have the ability to live with more calm, balance, peacefulness, self-awareness and self-acceptance.
The thing is though, is that mindfulness is a technique that takes a conscious effort to practice. It’s a practice that can be applied at any time of day, during any moment. But the trick is to have a reminder to do it.

What are the benefits of mindfulness?

Our stress response is often due to fear, therefore the more you practice mindfulness, the more you’re able to be accepting of your fear, reduce your stress and help to let it go. This builds incredible emotional resilience so that you end up handling life’s stressors much easier and therefore are able to enjoy life more. Sounds pretty enticing hey! Here’s a rundown of the benefits of mindfulness:

• Be able to deal with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings safely
• Become aware of what you’re trying to sweep under the carpet
• Be able to accept more easily all those unwanted things life throws at us
• Be less disturbed by unpleasant situations (and people!)
• Realise that you are not your thoughts
• Learn to be less reactive in unpleasant circumstances
• Become more connected to yourself and others
• Become more accepting of yourself and where you’re at
• Become more accepting of others and where they’re at
• Ultimately…..learn how to be fully present in the moment

Mindfulness is ALL about getting into the present moment – ‘the now’ – and to detach from stressful (fear-based) thoughts that are focused either on the past or the future. The bottom line is, mindfulness brings more peace and calm into your life.

How to do it

Step 1

STOP THE CRAZINESS

Physically stop what you’re doing this moment.

Clarity and peace can’t exist in a frenzy! Nor can it exist when you’re beating yourself up about what needs to be done/where you need to go/who you need to see.

WHAT TO DO

Sit upright in a chair. Close your eyes and allow yourself to be still. Take a deep breath in through the nose then exhale through the mouth.

Step 2

SLOW YOUR BREATH

Use the 4-2-6-2 technique to slow your breathing

INHALE for 4 counts, hold for 2
EXHALE for 6 counts, hold for 2
REPEAT
Aim for 30-60 seconds

Step 3

SYNC YOUR THOUGHTS

Consciously sync your thoughts

Thinking “Argh I’m so stressed, I’m totally overwhelmed” will only add to your stress. Guide your thoughts towards supportive and loving affirmations.

WHAT TO DO

Each time you exhale focus your mind on one of these affirmations:

“I am now letting go of this stress”

OR

“I now allow myself to relax”

Step 4

SOFTEN YOUR SHOULDERS

Remember that stress hangs out in the neck & shoulders

When we’re stressed we often hold the tension in our bodies – particularly in our
neck and shoulders. Let go of this tension and shake it out! Roll and relax your shoulders as you exhale.

WHAT TO DO

As you exhale, roll your shoulders backwards in a circular motion. Do this five times.

Step 5

SENSE YOUR SURROUNDINGS

Use your senses to bring yourself into the present moment

Stress is often caused by dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Bring your awareness into the present!

WHAT TO DO

Keep your eyes closed and focus your attention on the air going in through the nose and out through the mouth. How does it feel? Is the air cool or warm? Where in the body do you feel the sensation of the breath rising and falling? You’ll probably have lots of thoughts clamouring for attention but try to simply stay focused on the breath and how it feels. Keep doing this for 2 to 5 minutes or until you feel a little calmer.

Want more information on mindfulness?
Sign up to Melinda’s program Crazy 2 Calm here crazy2calm.com.au

The post What is Mindfulness and how you can do it. appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

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In this podcast episode I interview Melinda King about her stress management program Crazy 2 Calm, stress management techniques and nutrition for stress.  We also chat about her recent New York trip where she explored healthy restaurants, attended a seminar by Gabby Bernstein, Spirit Junkie and generally had a good time.

Melinda is a University qualified Naturopath with a passion for stress management and good health. She practices at at the Terra Madre Wellness Clinic in Northcote, Victoria, focusing on treating anxiety, digestive complaints and women’s health with diet, herbal medicine and counselling.

Connect with Melinda through her website http://melindaking.com.au/ or on Facebook or Instagram, and learn more about her Crazy 2 Calm program at http://crazy2calm.com.au/

Video:

Audio:

Podcast breakdown:

0:55 A bit about Melinda and her personal health journey and how she got into Naturopathy.
6:23 What has Melinda been getting up to lately? She discusses her New York trip and her mission to find healthy places to eat while there.
12:18 Melinda talks about her experience attending the Gabby Bernstein – Spirit Junkie seminar.
15:54 How Melinda developed the ideas for her Crazy 2 Calm program with a ‘Think Week’ in Bali.
18:26 A bit more about the Crazy 2 Calm program
19:44 Step 1- Unwind
20:26 Step 2 – Nourish
20:52 Step 3 – Breathe
21:12 Step 4 – Accept
21:34 Step 5 – Surrender
22:19 Step 6 – Slow
22:45 Step 7 – Refresh
23:03 Step 8 – Connect
23:22 Step 9 – Love
24:00 Step 10 – Create
27:40 Some of the effects stress can have on our health, in particular the way stress affects our nervous system balance which can impede digestion, hormone health, skin health and more.
31:30 The importance of addressing stress as the root cause of ill health
33:06 The ability to heal from injuries and illnesses is affected by stress
33:41 What do you do when you’re too time poor to meditate?
34:42 the 4:2, 6:2 breath as a quick and easy way to pull out of sympathetic nervous system dominance
35:55 How to deal with negative/draining people.
37:19 How to pull yourself out of a bad day.
41:52 Affirmations to get through a bad day and when you feel pressured to be a certain way.
43:50 Why you should set your happiness around gratitude rather than goal achievement
46:55 Stress busting diet
48:51 The importance of blood sugar control for stable mood
50:50 Balanced blood sugar levels for stronger willpower to reduce emotional eating
52:15 Getting on top of the basics: Sleep, stress, whole food diet.
56:08 Our favourite calming herbs
59:28 How to connect with us

The post Crazy 2 Calm with Melinda King appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

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

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