Do you recognise that your emotions surrounding your menstrual cycle are heightened? Do you feel inner tension and find that strong emotional feelings impact your day-to-day work and personal relationships? This may indicate a deeper underlying hormonal imbalance known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

PMDD is similar to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) however, PMDD symptoms are more severe compared to PMS as it includes depression, anxiety, irritability and mood swings.

Due to falling hormone levels post ovulation, PMDD symptoms usually starts 1-2 weeks prior to your period and may end 2-3 days after your period begins. For each woman this is different, it may be from as soon as ovulation occurs or may be a few days before the period.

Symptoms of PMDD:

• Feeling tense
• Feelings of anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Feelings of sadness
• Feelings of despair of even suicidal thoughts
• Irritability or anger that lasts and affects others around you
• Mood swings- you may find that you cry a lot during this time
• Lack of motivation in usual activities
• Lack of interest in relationships
• “Out of control” feelings
• Fatigue
• Sleeping difficulties
• Difficult concentrating
• Food cravings
• Binge eating
• Physical symptoms include: breast tenderness, cramps, bloating,
• headaches, joint and muscular pain (note that PMDD diagnosis must
• include the presence of mood/anxiety symptoms)
• Symptoms that interfere with work, school, activities and relationships

If you identify yourself experiencing at least five of these symptoms that begin 1-2 weeks before your period and improve within the 2-3 days after your period begins then you may be experiencing PMDD! There are many options available for managing PMDD and an effective tool for managing emotional feelings during this time is mindfulness!

So what is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is currently a hot topic due to its many positive benefits in managing difficult emotions and situations in our lives.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, the father of Mindfulness in the western world has defined mindfulness as

“The awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally”.

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness techniques can help you to feel a sense of freedom from being reactive to thoughts, feelings and situational events- empowering you to respond rather than being controlled by your emotions.

5 Mindfulness Tips to manage emotional feelings during PMDD:

1. Awareness of breath:

The breath is a powerful tool to help you have a sense of control when you are feeling strong emotions. When feeling irritated, upset or angry with someone, take a moment to take 5 deep mindful breaths. This will help to calm down your sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system state in order to help you to feel grounded and in a better position to respond rather than react (avoiding escalation).

2. Body Scan:

When you are feeling overwhelmed by strong feelings, take a moment to sit down, close your eyes and scan your body from head to toe noticing any sensations that arise. Paying attention to your body will help you to become more aware of what is happening in the present moment as well as the ability to observe the changing nature of sensations.

3. Awareness of thoughts and feelings:

Feeling out of control? Take a moment to observe your thoughts and feelings. Empowerment will arise as you build awareness and gain insight into the context behind your thoughts and feelings. As the observer you are allowing yourself the space to reflect, find perspective and better respond to situations rather than being reactive.

4. Practising non-judgement:

Avoid judging and criticising yourself during this time as this will only perpetuate a negative mindset. Instead become the non-judgemental observer that views and accept your feelings and emotions during this time, knowing with inner wisdom that they are impermanent and will pass.

5. Self compassion:

Mindful self-compassion is important during a time of heightened emotions; we are all part of the human condition and deserve compassion. When you are feeling overwhelmed validate your emotions and recognise your immense inner strength. Allow reflection and acknowledge that you are not defined by your emotions, they are transient and you are worthy of self-love.

Listen to the PMS and PMDD podcast here

The post Managing PMDD with Mindfulness appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

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.

Want to subscribe to get podcasts automatically? You can do that here:

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

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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

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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

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