Fascia is one of the most fascinating—and often overlooked—tissues in the human body. It’s not just a “muscle wrapping” as it was once thought to be. It’s a complex, intelligent, and responsive web of connective tissue that supports and connects every structure in the body—muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and organs.

Problems with our fascia can not only affect us in the sense of stiffness, flexibility and pain, but it has broader impacts, impacting circulation, lymphatic health and more.

What is fascia?
Fascia is a a connective tissue that holds our muscles, bones and ligaments together. It is so often dismissed, but it’s role is big. When originally thought of as just a wrapper for our muscles, we know that this tissue weaves into every part of our being. Imagine it like a 3D, sponge-like network that compresses and expands, enabling fluid movement and support. It weaves through and wraps around everything, functioning like an internal scaffolding system. It’s a common thought that our bones hold us up. True, but without fascia this wouldn’t be possible. This connective tissue doesn’t just hold things together—it communicates between systems, distributing tension, force, and information.

The interconnection
Fascia allows for communication between all our body systems. While a muscle or bone may be isolated to a particular part of our body, fascia is usually seen as a continual expanse of tissue that exists from one end of our body to another. there are many different types of fascia, but some that exist on the outer layers of our muscles can be seen to run whole lengths of the body, crossing over itself into different pathways, connecting our muscles vertically, diagonally, horizontally. This challenges the reductionist view that treats our organs, muscles, and systems in isolation. In naturopathic medicine, we often emphasize the interconnectedness of health—fascia is one of the physical ways this interconnectedness is expressed.

Types of fascia
There are different types of fascia, including:

• Superficial fascia (under the skin, rich in fat and nerves)

• Deep fascia (surrounding muscles, tendons, bones)

• Visceral fascia (supporting internal organs)
  Each has a unique function, but all work in concert to keep us structurally sound and functionally integrated.

Fascia adapts to movement, pressure, and hydration
Like many aspects of our health, stagnancy leads to dis-ease. This is especially so with the fascia, as it can be seen to be constricted in those who have a lack of movement. Movement keeps fascia hydrated and elastic, like squeezing and releasing a sponge underwater it moves fluid through the tissues and helps to keep it pliable. Fascia also responds to pressure—so manual therapies like massage, myofascial release, or cupping can work beautifully alongside movement. And let’s not forget hydration: fascia needs fluid to glide and slide.

What happens when fascia becomes restricted?

• Reduced blood and lymph flow

• Tightness, discomfort, pain

• Impaired organ mobility (yes, fascia wraps around and affects internal organs too!)

• Restricted range of motion

• Increased risk of injuries

• A sense of physical or even emotional “stuckness”

Because fascia envelops nerves, organs, lymphatic and blood vessels, restrictions can lead to a range of systemic effects—from chronic tension and fatigue to digestive or hormonal imbalances.

Fascia and the nervous system
Fascia is richly innervated—it plays a huge role in proprioception (your sense of body awareness in space) and responds to changes in stress, trauma, and the autonomic nervous system. Relaxed, parasympathetic states support fascial healing, which is why rest and nervous system regulation matter. Our fascia doesn’t just reflect our physical habits—it responds to our emotional landscape, too. Tension in the fascia can also feed into the nervous system, so for those with nervous system imbalance it may be helpful to release fascial constriction.

Fascia and energy pathways
Fascial lines appear to align with Traditional Chinese medicine meridians, the same energy channels used in acupuncture. This anatomical overlap raises big questions about fascia’s role in energy flow, emotion, and perhaps even memory.

Some researchers, like Dr. Jean-Claude Guimberteau in Strolling Under the Skin, have beautifully captured fascia on film—alive with motion, shimmering, interconnected. Watching his work was a moment of awe for me. It confirmed what I see every day in clinic: the body is not mechanical, but organic, intelligent, and deeply interconnected. You can watch this fascinating video here

Supporting your fascia in everyday life

• Move daily. Walking, stretching, yoga, or dancing all nourish fascia. Ballistic exercises can be especially helpful in strengthening and toning fascia.

• Stay hydrated—think of water as lubrication for your internal networks.

• Rest well. Deep sleep is when tissue repair is most active.

• Try fascial therapies like massage, cupping, dry brushing, or somatic movement.

• Breathe deeply and slowly—breath supports fascial mobility through the diaphragm.

• Keep inflammatory foods to a minimum.

• Be patient. Fascia adapts slowly but meaningfully over time.

In short: fascia is vital, vibrant, and deserves your attention. Move it, hydrate it, nurture it—and it will support you back in ways that go far beyond flexibility.

The post Fascia: The Body’s Hidden Super Network appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Guts and Girl Bits Episode #49

Hi everyone, welcome to another episode which I’m so pleased to be able to share with you. Have you ever thought about the things that you wish you’d known when you were younger? Or what advise you would give yourself in the past, or what you’d wish for your children?

As I watch my children growing I find myself thinking of all the things I need to remember to teach them, to show them, wisdom I wish I’d learnt earlier in life.

A little while ago I asked those of you who follow the Instagram page for guts and girl bits what you’d love to hear about, and a common response was how to help your daughters.

It certainly matches a topic for an episode I’d been thinking about, and so this episode was born. I have approached several of my friends and colleagues who are wise women and asked them to share a piece of wisdom or advise to the future generation of girls. The result was an incredibly beautiful and inspiring collection of wisdom that at times reads like poetry.

I will mention that I certainly don’t mean to exclude males in this episode, but have focused this topic here based on two reasons – the requests for the topic from listeners, plus the fact that I work with women’s health predominantly and so it happens that not just this episode, but most of my podcast episodes are centred around women’s health.

Renee Lynch

Renee Lynch is a naturopath and mother, she currently practices in the beautiful Orchard St clinic, Sydney. She shares with us wisdom about being in tune with your menstrual cycle and their relation to the seasons and having a positive relationship with our bodies.

https://www.reneelynchnaturopath.com.au/

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Dear Daughters. I wanted to talk to you about your menstrual cycle, because if you’re anything like me, the chat that I had with my mum when I was 11 years of age basically consisted of her showing me a pad and a tampon and telling me that I’d need to choose one of these methods every month for many, many, many, many years come. 

It wasn’t overly inspiring, it didn’t make me want to have my period, I felt weird, nobody at school talked about it, it was just not a conversation that I would have had with my friends and I find that really sad because it is something that connects women universally and yet we turn our backs on it. We don’t talk about it, and we’re embarrassed by it. 

So as the years have gone on I’ve looked to different cycles in nature or the Universe and now I actually think that women are incredibly blessed to have this cycle to live by. If you think about the moon cycle, the tides in the ocean, the astrological calendar, there are so many incredible cycles that we live with that harness, you know, if you think of even the seasons of the year  – winter how we feel in winter is so different to how we feel in summer. and so I wanted to explain to you today about how I relate to the menstrual cycle and the different stages of our cycle, similar to the seasons of the year.

So we start on day one and that is the first day of your bleed. And this is what I like to call ‘Inner Winter’ and some of the feelings that we have in winter really correlate with how you feel in this first few days of your menstrual cycle. You may feel a little quiet, not as social, you may want to slow down, to go inward we may be feeling sensitive, you want to keep warm so this is beautiful and this should be honoured when you have your menstrual cycle this is a chance for you to slow down let go of things and just go inward. sS that might mean saying no to plans with friends on the weekend and just spending some time at home doing things for you. 

So then we go into roughly day six to 16 and this is your inner-Spring, and this is a beautiful time for creativity. you’re starting to feel more energized a little bit more playful, a little bit more social, more active, you’re definitely a lot more focused and that really correlates with how we feel in springtime especially coming out of winter. You know that feeling from Winter to Spring – everything seems more doable, you have more energy it’s exactly the same. 

So then we move into day 17 to 22 and this is when ovulation occurs and this is what we call our Inner Summer. so this is often when a woman feels her best you are definitely more social you’re feeling fresh, fun and flirty. this is often a time if you play sports that you will have your best performance, you might kick so many more goals in soccer or whatever sport you play, you’re just feeling your absolute best and that again correlates with how we feel in summer. so it’s a really great time to make plans with friends go out to enjoy yourself. 

Then as we come to the end of our cycle roughly days 23-29 this is our inner Autumn and so again this is where we’re starting to quieten down as we go back into winter so it’s a really great time to finish projects, going inward nourishing your body and just winding down for that winter. There’s even different ways that they say we can eat without cycle in that first half of your cycle which is spring summer having a lot more fresh fruits and vegetables and then in the autumn winter as you wouldin autumn winter having things that are a lot more easier to digest like slow cooked meat soups Broths that kind of thing. so this happens to us every month and i think thats just absolutely incredible and if you can understand these different elements of your menstrual cycle you can really harness that power to help you in everyday life. 

I know for me I would always seem to get quite emotional around day 21 and this is before I would track my cycle and that would be something that wouldn’t usually bother me or upset me and by tracking my cycle and understanding these different phases it made sense to me that ok this happens every month it’s just time to slow things down and focus on myself and honour that inner autumn. So I hope this helps you I really really hope to help as many women as possible get in touch with their cycle and not dread it every month and think of it is this beautiful gift that we’ve been given it’s more than just our ability to create life it’s so much more and if you want to do some more research just look into the menstrual cycle and seasons. I really hope this is helped.

Kira Sutherland

Kira Sutherland is a practicing naturopath and nutritionist with a focus in sports nutrition. She is a lecturer at various universities in Sydney, sharing her wealth of information in both nutrition and naturopathy. She is a mother to a 14 year old daughter and has been in clinical practice for 25 years.

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Dear Daughter’s, what would I like you to know or what would I have liked to have known that I’ve learnt over the years what I think will be of great benefit?

I work with a lot of teenagers and I work with a lot of women having issues around eating, emotional eating, how they feel about their body and just what society tells us we should look like and you know social media is not making it any easier for us and I just see the distress is getting bigger and bigger for teenagers twenty-something you know for everybody actually but especially for you, for you in your youth. What I really wish for you is to understand there are many different body types. We always hear this – you come in all different shapes and sizes. But if you actually go into the science of it there are three main body types and we call then an ectomorph, a mesomorph and an endomorph. 

But we don’t all just fit into these three body types. There are actually combinations of each of these body times. In reality, we actually have 6 main body types. And some people are forever going to be trying to put on weight and they’ nerve can and they’re either very short or very tall and they’re that little bird-like body build and unfortunately, in social media and in the modelling industry that’s what we get shown super tall super skinny and they’re a ‘clothes rack’ and that’s their body type and were not all built like that. There are people that put on muscle a lot more easily than others there are people that put on body fat a lot more than others. But in reality, we all have these amazing bodies that all have strengths, and yes all of our bodies have weaknesses but I would really encourage you to learn about different body types and to learn about what your body type is and to try to embrace that because fighting your genetics and fighting your body type to fit into what society says is normal is gonna crush you over time and it’s going to depress you and it’s sometimes goals that are not attainable. So you know look at how tall your parents are or your siblings, look at your grandparents. Yes if your parents are holding too much bodyweight that might now be you, you don’t have to go down that route, you can go and educate yourself on healthy eating and nutrition. but I really would love you to learn about the different body types that there are in the world and embrace the fact that if you’re not the Skinny Mini you might be the one that lays down incredible muscle and there are all kinds of sports that you’re going to excel at that other people won’t. so it’s about finding your strengths and playing to your strengths is what is actually going to make you feel more at peace with your body and with yourself and that is probably the biggest gift I wish I had been given and I try to give to my daughter very frequently we often talk about body types and it’s really powerful to watch her understand that and then learn to embrace how she feels about her body. So that is what i wish for you all. I know people always say ‘I would love for you to find self-love’ but find out who you are and what you’re made of and what you’re going to look like.   And play to the strengths in how you’re built so that’s what I ask of you. thank you very much for having me record this session.

Brooke Blair

Brooke has been a guest on this podcast many times before. She is a Hawkesbury based women’s health physiotherapist who works with women of all ages, making everyone who walks through her door feel comfortable and empowered.

https://www.herhealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

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Dear Daughters. Pain is something you will experience across your life, however there are times that pain is not normal.

For One – your periods should not be painful.

For Two – Sex is definitely not something that should be painful.

There can be many reasons for pain, and all of these can be worked on. Please don’t bottle it up, and don’t let anybody tell you to ‘deal with it’ or that ‘it’s all in your head’ or something that you need to ‘deal with’ for the rest of your life.

Listen to your body, and if it’s not feeling right, speak up. There’s always help available.

Justine Curran

Justine Curran is a Sydney-based photographer – specializing in raw family photography + Children’s editorial/fashion portraits. Inspired by femininity, Motherhood and Summer vibes — Justine’s work is playful, emotive, and nostalgic.

She home schools her two children and will often share wisdom and insights into the world and motherhood that are very inspiring.

https://www.justinecurran.com.au

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Dear daughter, you are a wild creative being.

Everything you touch turns to gold.

 You are one with all and you get to choose your own reality. Choose love and magic will always follow.  In times of darkness, and there will be my love, remember to breathe. You will find the light within.

You get to own your own feelings as others own theirs.

The world is your mirror, a reflection of your agency. The playful self can seem like a trickster. But it is wiser than you think. Make sure to visit her every now and then. She will show you what is true.

Sing ever so loudly My darling. Let our ancestors hear from the stars. Your voice is powerful, my dear, don’t let anyone tell you it’s not. You are a wild creative being my love.

Laura Harrison

Herbs and healing were woven into my life from infancy. Growing up with holistic parents, the support and tool of natural medicine was our go to. As I grew up, it seemed that naturopathy was going to be my path, as it held my heart, my longing to learn and my need to connect deeper with herbs, as plants and healers.

I studied naturopathy at Nature Care College, graduating in 2011. From there my husband, Damian and I travelled to England to spend some months living with and learning with a knowledgeable herbalist in the picturesque Cotswolds. Here we gardened, foraged and created all things herbal as we emerced ourselves deeply into a land where a lot of the herbs we use today grow wildly in abundance. We attended herb festivals and met with a handful of the herbal greats of our time, including Matthew Wood, Sebastial Pole, Romy Fraser and of course our dear Anne McIntyre.

Moving home, coming back to my heartland of beautiful Bellingen we knew we wanted to start our own practice, and that is where Chamomile Naturopathy was born. The far majority of my work is with women, through life’s complexities and challenges. From menarche to menopause and all the chapters in between.

http://www.chamomilenaturopathy.com.au/

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Dear Daughters.

The other day, I called out to find my daughter and I saw her halfway down a muddy bank. She’d lost her shoes some time ago and her hair was curly and wild. Her face was beaming with radiance. She was deep in nature, deep in play and deep in happiness. What I want to teach her, what I wish I knew more when I was a young girl and what I want to learn more about as an adult and a guardian to my small folk is all about nature. 

I want my daughter to be skilled in reading the patterns of nature from the seasons to the specifics. The coming and going of creatures. The Wonder of fireflies, the breezes of springtime, the koala tracks up a tree, the honey smell of a tea tree in full blossom. 

I want her to be patient enough and quiet enough to watch the Platypus play in our river. to walk outside after the sun has gone to bed and to gaze up and watch a shooting star. I want her to be able to read the sky the stars and also the shapes between the Stars hiding their patterns within the darkness. 

I want her to be able to catch a fish and cook it on a campfire that she lit herself. 

I want her to feel her body soaked from the summer storm and give herself permission to Retreat in winter. I want her to be able to whittle herself some bush tools, even if it’s just for the fun of it. I want to walk in the forest, to swim under waterfalls and to find her way home again. 

I want her to be in her body, to feel the earth beneath her feet The Sensations of dirt, rocks sand, water and clay. 

I want her to stand tall knowing the world in which she is apart and knowing that she is a part of her world and I would love for all of our daughter’s to also take on life with this sense of belonging.

Alison Mitchell

Remember that your worth is not defined by what others think of you. When you’re growing up, it’s a challenging time of life because you are figuring out who you are as a person, but also feeling so desperate to fit in and be loved. You don’t have to put a label on yourself, now or ever, but you need to just keep doing what you love and what brings you joy and eventually that will evolve into your own unique loveliness. Don’t feel you need to change this to be like other people. This can be hard. There are so many people out there that don’t know how to feel good about themselves, and they will bring others down to make themselves feel better. Don’t be one of these people, but importantly don’t let these people hurt you. Hold on to the knowledge that you are capable, beautiful, strong, and worthy of love and adoration. Other people may seek to bring you down, by harming your self esteem, but this is a reflection of them, not you. Retain your kindness and your strength, and move on.

There is a saying that first you must love yourself. I think this is true in this case. If you don’t respect and love yourself you won’t believe yourself worthy of love, and dear daughter you are worthy. Somewhere there is a person, no, there are people that love you and adore you and don’t ask of you to change who you are.

I so want for my daughter to be kind and caring, but to be strong and resilliant at the same time. Be confident that you are awesome, just the way you are.

You can listen to the podcast on almost all channels…

iPhone   Stitcher   Youtube   Soundcloud  Spotify 

Guts and Girl Bits is now on teachable where you can find a collection of e-courses on womens health, children’s health and more.

http://gutsandgirlbits.teachable.com

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Health & Wellbeing Podcast #30

When I spoke at the Wise Women Gathering on Chronic Pain earlier this year, I had so much information that I wanted to share, but I couldn’t fit it into an hour. I didn’t even get to begin on the topic of fibromyalgia, so decided instead to share that information in a podcast. It took me a little while to get it to you (what with having a baby and everything) but here it is.

You can see my earlier podcasts on Chronic Pain here: Part 1 and Part 2.

Photo by Ryanwar Hanif on Unsplash

In this podcast I talk about:

• The evolution of Fibromyalgia
• The groups of people it mostly affects
• The diagnosis of fibromyalgia
• The difference between chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia
• Current conventional treatment of fibromyalgia and it’s limitations
• What is currently understood to be the cause(s) of fibromyalgia
• The connection between emotions and fibromyalgia severity
• Ways to improve fibromyalgia
• Sleep and fibromyalgia
• Herbs and nutrients for fibromyalgia

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

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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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Health & Wellbeing Podcast #26

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.

Photo by Hailey Kean on Unsplash

Earlier this year I spoke at the Wise Women Gathering about Chronic Pain and Inflammation. What a wonderful event it was, full of many kind, wise and wonderful ladies. I was honoured to be asked to speak again and this year my topic was something quite different to my talk of the previous year, Herbal Medicine for Motherhood – I spoke on Chronic Pain and Inflammation.

In my clinic I see a lot of people who experience chronic pain of various degrees and the ways that this is dealt with conventionally is sadly, in many cases insufficient. The increasing reliance on potentially harmful medications and lack of holistic care is an issue that compounds the problem.

I had so much content I wanted to share at this talk, but not enough time to cover everything, so I have shared this now in my podcast. I am splitting the topic into sections, and I share with you now the first part, where I will be talking about the underlying issues that feed into chronic pain and inflammation.

Some topics that will be covered include:

• What is Pain?
• What is the difference between acute and chronic pain?
• Understanding chronic pain.
• Causes of chronic pain. These include:
  • Diet and lifestyle
  • Biological make up (including genetics)
  • Gut health
  • Hormones
  • Environment and Personal History
  • Chronic Infections
  • The Mind.

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Bone and Joint Health

Do you experience swollen and painful joints? Do your knees, hips and knuckles feel like they are on fire? Are you finding it harder to be active and agile? These complaints are common symptoms of arthritis.

The word arthritis, when translated from the Greek words, arthron and itis, simply means “joint inflammation”. There are many different types of arthritis, the most common being osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a debilitating condition that is commonly seen in middle aged and older people; the constant pain and reduced mobility can make simple, everyday tasks more challenging and greatly impair quality of life.

The Impact of Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is a slowly progressing disease that involves degradation of the soft cushioning around the joints. It can lead to significant pain and inflammation in the joint, as well as loss of movement. The condition commonly targets the hips and knees, however many smaller joints such as the fingers and spine can also be affected. Unfortunately, the damage may already be done by the time you notice the discomfort.

With the aid of quality nutrients and dietary advice the symptoms of arthritis can be reduced and managed more effectively, enabling you to do things that may have been previously limited.

Nutrients for Knees and Hips

The following nutrients are a fantastic way to provide therapeutic benefits to help alleviate pain, swelling and inflammation in your joints:

Glucosamine: Is a key building block for your joints.  It may stimulate the production of substances which lubricate and act as shock-absorbers for the joints. Glucosamine encourages the rebuilding of cartilage that has been damaged and can be used as long-term support to protect against joint degeneration.

Gelatin: Supports healthy joint structure and connective tissue repair. Gelatin may help reduce the pain of osteoarthritis and reduce requirements for pain relief medication.  Patients with osteoarthritis noticed an increase in mobility and strength in affected knees after gelatine supplementation.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): Is a naturally-occurring nutrient found in small amounts in fruits and vegetables.  As well as having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, MSM is an essential building block especially for joints and cartilage. Combining glucosamine and MSM has been shown to be superior compared to using either nutrient alone, resulting in greater reductions in the pain and swelling of osteoarthritis.

EPA/DHA: The omega-3 essential fatty acids (EPA/DHA) from fish or krill oil can help to reduce the intensity of pain, inflammation and morning stiffness associated with arthritis.

The effect of Exercise on your Joints

Does the thought of squats or a jog make your knees ache?  Do you avoid exercise because you’re worried about damaging your joints?  You’re not alone in that thought – many people avoid exercise in the fear that it will damage their joints.  Recent research has shown that this is not the case(1), as exercise is actually quite beneficial(2), having been shown to improve joint health and reduce pain in several ways.

According to Dr Mercola:

“There are some factors to consider, particularly if your pain worsens with movement, as you do not want to strain a significantly unstable joint. Pain during movement is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of osteoarthritis, and typically this is the result of your bones starting to come into contact with each other as cartilage and synovial fluid is reduced.

If you find that you’re in pain for longer than one hour after your exercise session, you should slow down or choose another form of exercise. Assistive devices are also helpful to decrease the pressure on affected joints during your workout. You may also want to work with a physical therapist or qualified personal trainer who can develop a safe range of activities for you. Your program should include a range of activities, just as I recommend for any exerciser. Weight training, high-intensity cardio, stretching and core work can all be integrated into your routine.”(3)

Muscle strengthening vs. Surgery for knee pain

Did you know that exercises which strengthen your quadriceps and the muscle supporting the knee is AS EFFECTIVE as arthroscopy for several knee problems such as osteoarthritis?

Several studies have been conducted on people with conditions such as osteo-arthritis, torn meniscus or chronic pain in the front part of their knee (known as chronic patellofemoral syndrome, which is also frequently treated with arthroscopic surgery).  These studies compared arthroscopy and a program of physical therapy sessions along with at home exercises.  In the longest study (6 months) thirty percent of the people who were in the exercise group chose to have surgery instead, but had no greater improvements than those who persevered with the exercise and physical therapy program.  The similarity of symptom relief between the two groups was consistent among all the studies examined.(3)(4)

Looking After Your Joints

Adopting the following simple dietary and lifestyle tips, can help keep your joints healthy and happy for years to come:

–          Stay active. Exercising is essential to keep those joints mobile so try activities such as swimming, walking, running, cycling, yoga and daily stretching as these are great ways to keep your joints moving.

–          Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for supporting joint health.  Carrying extra weight can put pressure on your joints, especially hips and knees.

–          Enjoy at least eight glasses or two litres of pure water each day. Reduce caffeinated beverages to one to two per day and minimise alcohol intake.

–          Ensure you get plenty of sunlight.  Vitamin D deficiency is associated with cartilage loss in the knees.  This can be tested for and supplemented accordingly.  Other nutrients to ensure you get enough of are Vitamin K and Vitamin C.

–          Eating a diet that is full of anti-inflammatory foods can optimise your long-term health and vitality, as well as support your joints from top to toe.  Aim for a diet plentiful in fruits and vegetables, unrefined grains and protein-rich foods such as fish, poultry, nuts and seeds.  Also remember to limit red meats and sweets.

What NOT to do.

–          Drink too much caffeine -1 coffee can cause the body to leach about 40 mg of Calcium from bones in order to balance our plasma pH

–          Drink soft drinks – These alter our calcium and phosphorus balance.  The extra phosphorus binds with calcium making calcium less available to the body, so calcium is drawn from bones to balance this.

–          Eat too much sugar – Eating excessive amounts of sugar reduces our ability to absorb calcium and magnesium.

–          Eat too much salt – This increases calcium excretion. For each 6 g of salt, 24-40 mg of calcium is excreted into the urine.

–          Drink too much alcohol – Excessive about of alcohol is toxic to osteoblasts (a type of bone cell) and interferes with our ability to absorb calcium.

–          Eat too much or too little protein – Inadequate protein intake is associated with poor recovery from osteoporotic fractures, and too much protein increases calcium loss.  To work out how much protein you need contact your healthcare practitioner, or for a rough guide use this calculator.

Inflammation

Inflammation is a major influence on reduced bone density and joint problems.  If we’re too inflamed our bone metabolism is affected, which increased fracture risk.  Inflammation also contributes to joint degeneration and pain.

Several inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis etc., have been associated with poor joint and bone health.

There are several factors which can cause inflammation to be worse than it should be, such as diet imbalances, hormone problems, genetics, stress and more.  If you think inflammation is a problem for you, contact your health care practitioner for testing and treatment options.  There are several herbal and nutritional remedies which are safe and effective anti-inflammatories and don’t have the negative side effects of conventional anti-inflammatory medicines, such as gastro-intestinal damage.

Use It or Lose It

There is a great deal of truth in the old adage “use it or lose it”. Stay active and take positive dietary and lifestyle steps to keep you and your joints healthy and happy. Looking after the nutritional needs of your joints can help minimise their degeneration, as well as improve the pain, inflammation and impaired mobility of arthritis. If your joints have worn a little thin over the years, contact me today for an appointment.  You can optimise your joint health, reclaim your freedom and live the life you deserve to lead.

Works Cited

1. Long distance running and knee osteoarthritis. A prospective study. Chakravarty, E F, et al. 2, 2008, American Journal of Preventative Medicine, Vol. 35, pp. 133-8.

2. Harvard Medical School. The secret to joint pain relief — exercise. [Online] September 21, 2013. [Cited: September 25, 2013.] http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-secret-to-joint-pain-relief-exercise?e=mkester%40nci.com&j=28081960&l=16278673_HTML&mid=148797&u=323662523&jb=0.

3. Mercola, Joseph. Peak Fitness. [Online] Mercola.com, April 5, 2013. [Cited: June 3, 2013.] http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/04/05/unnecessary-knee-surgery.aspx#.

4. Surgery versus physical therapy for a meniscal tear and osteoarthritis. Katz, J N, et al. 18, 2013, The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 368, pp. 1675-84.

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When I first read about the health benefits of gelatin a few months ago, I began recommending the consumption of bone broths to my patients with degenerative and inflammatory conditions, knee and joint pain, as well as my patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Broths and stocks are healing foods for the musculoskeletal system and are also alkalizing, making them helpful for these types of conditions.  However, I am now even more excited about gelatin, having discovered an even wider range of health benefits that gelatin and its set of amino acids (in particular glycine and proline) provides us.

What is Gelatin?

Gelatin is a protein substance – essentially it is collagen.  Collagen is sourced from non-muscle animal parts (varying from ligaments, tendons, bone and skin) which are dried and ground into powder.  Because the western diet has veered away from eating these parts of the animal (which our ancestors prized) our protein intake usually consists solely of muscle meats.  Because of this we are not obtaining the balance of amino acids that our body craves which can result in some health problems.

Nose-to-tail eating is a concept which involves not wasting any of the animal by making use of all of it parts (usually by eating them) – this not only reduces food wastage, but is also economical and pays more respect to the animal. Some celebrities and chefs such as Carlo Petrini and his Slow Food Movement, Fergus Henderson, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall from River Cottage, Anthony Bourdain, Colin Fassnidge from restaurant Four in Hand, and Masterchef contestant Chris Badenoch have been promoting this concept for the above reasons, however many people still find that the whole concept makes them squeamish.  If you are one of those people, please read on and I hope I can change your mind.

Benefits of gelatin

From reducing inflammation in joints to promoting thick hair and reducing cellulite and stretch marks, gelatin has a wide range of benefits.

1. 1.  It helps to reduce inflammation (1)(2), by balancing some of the hormones which when too high can cause excess inflammation (oestrogen and serotonin).
2. 2.  It assists in wound healing (3).  Our body will break down our collagen to release glycine which helps to initiate wound healing, and supplementing with gelatin can speed the healing process.  Gelatin has been used traditionally for wound healing and reducing excessive bleeding (e.g. nosebleeds) by consuming gelatin and even by applying it directly to wounds.(4)
3. 3.  It supports digestive health by protecting and healing the digestive lining (5)(6), making it a fantastic dietary addition for people with digestive problems and multiple food intolerances.  Gelatin also contains glutamine, an amino acid which acts as fuel for our intestinal cells.  Our digestion also benefits from adding gelatin rich foods to cooking, as when we cook muscle meats along with gelatin rich parts or meat that’s attached to bone, it helps the breakdown of protein and fat making it easier to digest and absorb.  Gelatin also improves the passage of food through the intestines.
4. 4.  Healthy bones and joints (7).  When gelatin is used as a supplement for knee pain or osteoarthritis, pain relief is usually within a few days.  This fast result is due to its anti-inflammatory properties, but with continued use gelatin can also help to repair small tears in the joint cartilages.  Consider adding gelatin to your post workout protein shakes, or even using it instead of your normal protein shake (glycine and proline are essential for muscle development, and gelatin contains about 6 gram of protein per tablespoon).  There have been claims that when taken 3 hours after dinner, before bed, gelatin helps to boost human growth hormone making it helpful for muscle recovery as well as weight loss (the weight loss could also be due to its protective effect on the thyroid, see below).  Gelatin is also considered beneficial for growing children’s bone health and to promote healthy development.
5. 5.  Better sleep.  Drinking 1-2 tbsp of gelatin or 3g glycine before bed helps your sleep hormones, helping you sleep more soundly and reducing sleepiness the next day(8).  Try adding 1 tbsp of gelatin into some chamomile tea for an awesome before bed beverage.
6. 6.  Beauty.  When you think of collagen, it might conjure up images of women applying ‘plumping/anti-aging/anti-wrinkle’ facial creams.  Collagen is actually poorly absorbed through the skin, but when ingested it does help to improve skin quality.  It tightens skin, reduces/prevents cellulite, and supports hair skin and nail growth(9).  It has been recommended for pregnant women to consume 1 cup of bone broth per day to reduce stretch marks.  Including it in your diet will help your skin to remain youthful a little longer, as well as look more vibrant and heal better.  Some bloggers recommend adding 1 tsp of gelatin into your shampoo to make your hair more voluminous, and it can also strengthen your hair. 

Getting a bit more technical…

Most of what we know about the gelatins’ health benefits is from research done on Glycine, the main amino acid in gelatin (35% of the amino acids in gelatin are glycine, 11% alanine, and 21% proline and hydroxyproline(4)).  Glycine has been shown to have a lot of benefits when supplemented in isolation or in the form of gelatin.  Glycine is a non-essential amino acid, which means that we can make it ourselves in the liver from other amino acids, however by increasing its consumption in supplemental or dietary form via gelatin, we can help to address imbalances and use it as a therapeutic tool.

As mentioned earlier, when we’re not eating in a nose-to-tail method, our amino acids can get out of balance.  The main issue is that we get too much of the amino acid tryptophan, which can affect thyroid function, energy production within our cells (mitochondrial health) and reduces our body’s ability to deal with stress.  Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, which can increase inflammation and upset the immune system when too high(4).  Gelatin contains virtually no tryptophan, and can help to restore the balance.

According to Ray Peat, a health researcher and PhD in Biology/Endocrinology :

“When we eat animal proteins in the traditional ways (for example, eating fish head soup, as well as the muscles, or “head-cheese” as well as pork chops, and chicken-foot soup as well as drumsticks), we assimilate a large amount of glycine and gelatin. This whole-animal balance of amino acids supports all sorts of biological process, including a balanced growth of children’s tissues and organs.

When only the muscle meats are eaten, the amino acid balance entering our blood stream is the same as that produced by extreme stress, when cortisol excess causes our muscles to be broken down to provide energy and material for repair. The formation of serotonin is increased by the excess tryptophan in muscle, and serotonin stimulates the formation of more cortisol, while the tryptophan itself, along with the excess muscle-derived cysteine, suppresses the thyroid function.”(4)

Further reading –

http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/gelatin.shtml

http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/broth-is-beautiful

How to take it

While you’ve been reading this, you’ve probably thought ‘isn’t gelatin what jell-o is made from?’  Well, yes it is!  But I’m definitely not recommending you consume jell-o, which contains too many icky artificial colours, sweeteners and flavours.  As you know, gelatin comes from cows (or pigs), so it is beneficial to ensure the gelatin is sourced from cows that are grass-fed and free from unnecessary harmful chemicals.  I recommend Great Lakes gelatin (use the green bottle for mixing into liquids as it won’t congeal, and the orange one for making jellies, lollies, marshmallows and other foods from).

You can buy it on iherb here.

There are plenty of ways in which you can incorporate gelatin into your diet:

• Mix powdered gelatin into liquid and drink it.  If you choose the hydrolysed gelatin you won’t taste the gelatin and it will mix in well to hot or cold liquids.
• Mix into chamomile tea for a great sleep tonic before bed.
• Opt for more gelatinous cuts (osso bucco, oxtail, beef cheeks, lamb shanks) of meat instead of just muscle meats (steak and chicken breast).  These go great in a slow cooker, and are also much cheaper!
• If you’re having muscle meats on their own, try  to consume some form gelatin alongside it (e.g. mint jelly as a topping, or make a dessert with gelatin for afterwards).
• Bone broths.  You can find some recipes here, here, here, here and here.
• My favourite: A myriad of sweets: Pudding,  Marshmallow,  Mousse, fruit snacks and more fruit snacks, gummies,and jelly.

So have I convinced you on the wonders of gelatin?  Do you have another browser open ordering some gelatin right now?

 Let me know your thoughts, and I would love to hear if you discover any more ways to increase gelatin.

The post Gelatin – a wibbly wobbly wonder appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

10 Benefits of Pregnancy Massage:

1. It relaxes the mother and decreases stress and anxiety, which reduces stress and anxiety in the baby
2. Improves sleep and reduces fatigue
3. Provides emotional support and a nurturing touch
4. Improves mother body awareness and increases her ability to tune in to her body during pregnancy, birth and labour
5. Improves lymphatic circulation and reduces oedema in hands, legs and feet and relieves headaches and sinus congestion.
6. Improves blood flow to all areas leading to improved nutrition, efficient waste removal and reduced pressure of bulging veins
7. Alleviates stress of weight bearing joints
8. Reduces strain on muscles of the abdomen, neck, shoulders and lower back and assists in maintaining proper posture and reduces muscle spasms and cramps
9. Easier breastfeeding and better milk production due to reduction in tension and muscle tightness
10. Enhances post-natal recovery of muscle tissues, relieves fatigue and facilitates post-partum structural re-alignment of spine and pelvis.

And of course, it feels good.

Positioning

The most well known position for pregancy massage is side-lying.  Women can turn over during the massage to allow a more complete coverage, but if she doesn’t want to roll over it is best to lie on the left side for the duration of the massage.  In the early stages of pregnancy it is possible to lie on your stomach with pillows supporting your breasts and hips amd cradling the stomach.  Most women find this very comfortable and are usually quite excited to get to lie on their stomachs again.  Another variation is the semi-reclining position with the right hip slightly elevated, or a seated massage.

Is it safe?

Yes, when performed by a qualified therapist, pregnancy massage is safe.

Some points to consider:

• There are some acupressure points such as ‘gallbladder 21’ and ‘spleen 6’ that pregnancy massage therapists know to avoid certain techniques on, however these areas can be worked on safely with other techniques.
• The abdomen can be massaged safely however some therapists avoid the belly in the first trimester.  The belly is a very sacred spot in pregnant women, and some first time mums choose not to have their belly massaged, which is also completely ok.
• Wait at least 1 week after invasive testing procedures such as amniocentesis before getting a massage.

Massage is also very helpful during labour.  Some women might not want to be touched when they’re giving birth, but if you do then get your partner, doula or birth partner to massage your arms, neck and back during labour which can help to reduce pain and provide some comfort.

I recommend monthly massages during pregnancy, and this can be continued after birth in the post-partum period.  The upper back is often under strain when breastfeeding, and most Mum’s usually have a lot of knots in their neck and upper back as they spend most on the time craning their necks down to look at their new bub!

If you are interested in pregnancy massage, or perhaps you know someone that would appreciate a gift voucher for pregnancy massage feel free to give us a call.

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Relief for Pregnancy-induced leg cramps

Leg cramps are a common complaint for pregnant women, however there is no current standard treatment.  Naturopaths and nutritionists often recommend a magnesium supplement for leg cramps, as magnesium is helpful for relaxing muscles and nerves.

A recent study proved the effectiveness of magnesium supplementation for leg cramps.

The 4 week study looked at 86 pregnant women between 14-34 weeks gestation  and analysed the use of oral magnesium supplementation on leg cramps.  80 women completed the study.

41 women were assigned to magnesium bisglycinate chelate (300 mg per day) and 39 women to placebo.

Details of leg cramps were recorded before beginning the treatment and the fourth week of study. Outcome measure was the reduction of cramp frequency after treatment and cramp intensity measured by 100-mm visual analogue scale.

50% reduction of cramp frequency was significantly higher in the magnesium group than the placebo group. Results included:

• The 50% reduction of cramp intensity was also significantly higher in the treatment group than in the placebo group.
• There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of side effects such as nausea and diarrhoea.

These results demonstrated that oral magnesium supplement can improve the frequency and intensity of pregnancy-induced leg cramps. Therefore, oral magnesium may be a treatment option for women suffering from pregnancy-induced leg cramps.

Supakatisant C, Phupong V. Oral magnesium for relief in pregnancy-induced leg cramps: a randomised controlled trial. Matern Child Nutr. 2012 Aug 22. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00440.x. [Epub ahead of print]

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