Category Archives: Conscious Mindset

Holistic Health, Stress & Overwhelm

Breathe Deeply to Reduce Stress

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Think how often we ask, “How are you doing?”  But maybe we’d do better asking “How are you breathing?”  Many people have forgotten how to breathe deeply into their belly. However, when you reawaken this practice you activate a powerful self-healing tool to create better health.

Have you ever stopped to consider how you breathe?  Have you ever watched and noticed the way you breathe?  If you practice yoga the answer is likely a resounding “yes” as breathing technique is a yogic fundamental. Likewise, meditation and relaxation techniques require breath awareness and control. But how often do you stop and consciously breathe deeply during your normal day?

Consciously controlling your breathing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to diminish the effect of stress on your body and improve your health.

Constant stress leads to raised cortisol levels and is the forerunner of serious chronic disease. When you breathe deeply you reduce the negative effect of cortisol on your body. Efficient, effective and mindful breathing is a basic essential for good health and wellness.

Ninety percent of people breathe completely inefficiently.

Mindful Breathing

Ninety percent of people breathe completely inefficiently. Their breathing is unconscious and purely reflexive. So it often becomes haphazard and irregular.

Becoming mindful of your breath gives you conscious control to command how you breathe, rather than allowing it to become automatic and inadequate. When you’re not in control of your breath, when you ignore it, a primitive part of your brain is triggered to step in and take over. Breathing becomes a simple, unconscious, reflex action.

Stop for a moment to notice just how you breathe. Take a deep breath. Do you find it satisfying or a little difficult? Is it shallow? Is it fast? Do you sigh a lot? Or gasp? Do you hold your breath? Are you able to breathe deeply, down into your abdomen?

Check your breathing. Are you breathing poorly?

Try this experiment. Time yourself and count how many breaths you take in one minute. For most people it will be between sixteen and twenty which indicates they’re breathing poorly, from the thoracic upper chest. They are breathing reflexively and their breathing is under the control of the primitive part of the brain. This way of breathing is very inefficient. The air they breathe is only making it into the upper part of the lungs. This means rapid breathers are not getting the optimum amounts of oxygen that their body requires to stay healthy.

breathe deeply

You can easily recognise when people are thoracic breathing. The upper part of their chest rises with each breath and sometimes even the shoulders rise a little or slump forward.

As newborns we automatically breathed well. When babies breathe their abdomen rises with every in-breath and subsides as they exhale. But most of us lost this innate way of breathing as we got older. As children we copied our parents and those around us who generally shallow breathed. When we get upset, sad or angry we often even hold our breath. By the time we are adults we have become disconnected from our breath, forgetting how to breathe deeply

When I was young, I was told to suck in my belly and to stand tall. But this undermines good breathing techniques and causes diaphragm muscles to tighten, which leads to restricted breathing.  As an adult I had to unlearn this practice and learn to ‘stand loose and relax my belly’ so I could use my abdominal muscles and breathe properly.

Breathe Deeply to Relieve Stress

Ongoing stress and anxiety creates a pattern of shallow, rapid breathing with consequently less oxygen reaching the brain. This leads to feeling light-headed or even dizzy. It also affects thinking processes causing the person to become unfocused.

When our thinking capacity is reduced we deal with anxiety or stress poorly.  We can find it very difficult to move out of a constant ‘fight or flight stress response’.  Shallow breathing can hold us in a continued state of high cortisol production.  Taking slow deep breaths when we’re stressed breaks this pattern and reduces the release of stress hormones.  When you slow the breath down you also draw air more deeply into your lungs.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Most people have at some time been told to slow down and breathe when they’re distressed, or sometimes more simply to “take a deep breath”.

When you slow the breath down you also breathe air more deeply into your lungs which allows more oxygen to enter the blood.

However, there is no point in expecting your lungs to do all the work to breathe. Basically, they are just empty sacs to hold air and are incapable of doing the work of breathing on their own.

Good breathing utilises other muscles in addition to those in the chest and upper back.  Across the front of your body below the ribs is a sheet of muscle called the diaphragm. It sits directly below the lungs and above the abdomen and acts like a pump for the lungs.  When you squeeze in your abdomen the diaphragm moves upward and pushes the air out of your lungs.  When the abdominal muscles relax the diaphragm moves back down, leaving space for the lungs to stretch out which draws air into the expanded lung space.

Healthy, beneficial breathing comes from the diaphragm.

If you put your hand on the bottom of your ribs and take a deep breath you’ll feel your hand rise and fall.  That’s because the diaphragm is doing its job, rising and falling to push air out of the lungs and let air flow back in.  When you are breathing deeply you should also see your abdomen rise and fall.

Benefits of Breathing Deeply

✦  Blood concentration is greater in the lower part of the lungs.  Therefore, drawing air into this area creates a higher exchange of oxygen out of the air and into your blood cells.

✦  Long, deep, slow rhythmic breaths into your abdomen below the umbilicus (belly button) pulls more air and oxygen deep down into the base of your lungs.

✦  Oxygen passes into your bloodstream more efficiently and effectively.

✦  Breathing deeply helps remove more toxins from the body.

✦  It helps to prevent disease and to manifest healing if disease is already present.

Rather than reflexively breathing rapidly, slowing down your breathing to about eight or nine breaths a minute has a dynamic effect on your circulation and reduces the work of the heart.  It also gently massages the heart muscle and relaxes the muscles in the chest, ribs and stomach.

How to Correctly Breathe Deeply

Shallow breathing is a developed habit, so like all habits it must first be unlearned.

Once your breathing style is re-learned practice it frequently until it becomes a normal part of life.  Starting slowly helps your muscles to develop.  Eventually, your body begins to obey your mind and you automatically breathe more efficiently.

Deep rhythmic breathing is simple but for it to become automatic takes conscious practice. The easiest way to begin is to lie down and place one hand in the middle of your chest and the other on the bottom edge of your rib cage.  As you inhale the lower hand at the base of the ribs should rise, and as you exhale it should fall.  The upper hand should barely move at all.

With practice this deep diaphragmatic breathing will become a habitual part of your life.  Eventually, you’ll notice your breathing has become slower and deeper.

Make Deep Breathing a Habit

Become aware of all the times you’re taking shallow breaths, holding your breath, raising your shoulders, or when your chest rises and falls.  These often indicate the onset of a state of stress.  Notice also when this breathing coincides with particular states of mind.  It may be an early warning that your fight or flight response has switched on, triggering a flood of stress hormones into your system.

Simply committing to doing the practice through the day sets up the pattern.  Set the intent to do some deep breathing every hour, or whenever you do a particular action.  It can be as simple as standing up from your desk.  Choose any marker in your day to establish the practice. After a few months, you’ll find that deep breathing has become a habit and you breathe deeply with ease.

I try to consciously breathe slowly and deeply when I’m driving.  It ingrains a new habit that helps maintain the practice.  An extra benefit is that it reduces the inevitable stress caused by driving in heavy traffic. 

It’s essential for almost all of us to re-learn how to breathe correctly

You don’t have to lie down to practice this. You can do it when standing, sitting, or lying on your back with your arms by your side. Breathe out quietly through your nose or mouth and then breathe in through your nose. Minimise the pause between breaths to ensure the air is filtered and moistened. Gradually lengthen the time of each breath.

Practising rhythmic deep breathing ten times a day for a few months will bring you deep rest and relaxation and reduce your stress.  You’ll become calmer and less nervous.  All the functions of your body will reflect the benefits.  You become healthier, happier and more energised.

Remember it’s essential for almost all of us to re-learn how to breathe.   Stop and breathe deeply as often as you can throughout your day to change this damaging habit.

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue. 

© Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2013. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction to the original content

Source articles

http://www.theartofbreathing.com/articles2.htm

Smith Jones, Susan, Health Bliss: 50 Revitalizing NatureFoods and Lifestyle Choices to Promote Vibrant Health, Kindle ed, 2008

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Conscious Mindset, Meditation & Mindfulness, Metaphysics

Chasing Happiness

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“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”    

~  Dalai Lama XIV  ~

For many people the pursuit of happiness is the main focus of their life. This week what happiness is all about has popped up on my radar in a number of ways.

Apparently, according to the Sydney Morning Herald on May 28th this year, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says ‘Australia is still the world’s happiest nation’. Their happiness gauge is based on the majority having paid work, the national economy side-stepping the worldwide recession, people working fewer hours, the existence of a stronger sense of community, and that most people said they have more positive experiences than negative in an average day.

But is this how to define happiness? Is happiness all about the economy and what we possess?

According to the Greek philosopher Epicurus external goods such as status and luxury are not good for us, and putting value on them, and pursuing them is not good for us at all.

Epicurus believes we need to abstain from external desire in order to achieve tranquility. He says the path to tranquility is through choosing the simple things in life.

A quick scroll through my Pinterest feed affirms that this is one belief firmly ascribed to by many others today.

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”   ~ Dalai Lama ~

Happiness is Age-Related

Apparently, our level of happiness is age-related as a study by Hannes Schwandt, a research associate at Princeton University shows. People are happiest at the age of 23 and then again at 69 and life slumps for most people in the mid-50’s, when many battle with regret.

Young people in their early twenties feel very optimistic about their future which, while it equates to happiness can easily turn to misery if the expectations and dreams are not met.

Our happiness is age-related
Our happiness is age related

So, what is it that makes sixty-nine-year-olds happy? Have they come to terms with their failures?

The research showed that the elderly have lower expectations and so are less disappointed. But is this all? It reminds me a little of Eeyore from Winnie The Pooh who never expected anything good.

Is it that they have stopped seeking happiness in the material world, so they are able to find happiness in other ways?

Focus Affects Happiness

Of course, this piece of research presents a perfect example of what happens when you focus on the past or the future.

The famous quote “carpe diem” may have come from the Roman Horace, but many others, including Epicurus also had something to say about living in the moment. Epicurus advocated living in the present moment as it is the only time at which we have any control. He said that by focusing on the past and future we dis-empower ourselves, but when we focus on the present moment, we re-empower ourselves. This has become a very popular approach. It forms the basis of many Buddhist practices and many of the techniques of modern psychology are also based on this concept.

“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”     ~  Dalai Lama XIV  ~

Internal State Affects Happiness

It is widely accepted that happiness is not to be found in the trappings of the world but as the result of our internal state of mind and approach to life. Happiness lies within.  As Elizabeth Gilbert said in her book Eat, Pray, Love, “We search for happiness everywhere, but we are like Tolstoy’s fabled beggar who spent his life sitting on a pot of gold, under him the whole time. Your treasure–your perfection–is within you already. But to claim it, you must leave the busy commotion of the mind and abandon the desires of the ego and enter into the silence of the heart.”

Leave the busy commotion of the mind...and enter into the stillness of the heart
Leave the busy commotion of the mind…and enter into the stillness of the heart

Key to Happiness

However, there is no one thing in life that many agree can be said to be the key to happiness. It seems that many psychologists have given their advice as to what the answer is and there are any number of blogs with lists advising how to achieve a happy life.

Finding happiness seems to boil down to our need to make changes both to the way in which we assess the positive and negative about our life, as well as the attitude we adopt as the purpose of our life.

Greater Purpose

Psychologist Martin Seligman believes the key is to recognize our strengths and virtues and then to use them for a purpose greater than our own. This concept is one that is ascribed to widely.

“One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself.” Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project

The Other Centred Universe

Srikumar Rao, the author of Happiness at Work thinks our biggest obstacle is the belief that we are powerless and the victim of circumstance. He believes that we are the creators of own existence, and that control lies within the attitude with which we approach our work, and by association our life. As he says, “The knowledge we have that we are responsible for living the life we have is our most powerful tool”.

Rao advocates inhabiting the “other-centred universe”. This is a world where our focus lies on others. And is a wisdom that forms an important part of Eastern spirituality. If we are motivated by an attitude of focus that is outside ourselves, of looking for ways to achieve in our life that will be of benefit to others rather than focusing on satisfying our own wants and desires, then we will find happiness in our life.

“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” ~  Dalai Lama  ~

Happiness Through Health Crisis

For many people a disaster may seem a huge negative in their life but in hindsight, can in fact turn out to be a positive. When serious illness forces someone to stop and let go in order to undergo treatment and healing, they are offered an opportunity to turn their life in a different direction, one that can ultimately lead them to a happier life. Often this is a much simpler life.

Changes are made on many levels. Frequently the person finds they need to address their nutrition and they adopt a natural, wholefood diet, including the discovery of superfoods. The often seek out and adopt practices like meditation that allow them to sit in stillness. They recognize the generosity of others around them and begin to regularly express gratitude for those others as well as for the small, simple joys of everyday life.

Importantly, their approach to their life can undergo a radical change which leaves them focused on the world outside themselves. Leaves them asking what they can do to improve and benefit the world and the individuals around them. It leads to a generous approach to life.

Pursuit of Happiness

So, back to the things that reminded me this week about the purpose of life and the pursuit of happiness.

Firstly my free ‘Kindness Cards’ from the Wake-Up Project arrived in the mail. These are beautiful little cards to leave behind when you anonymously perform a random act of kindness. They tell the person that an act has been performed and invites them to repeat the game with someone else, to pay it forward.

Secondly, I entered a competition on Pinterest to create “My Happiness Board”. I am not sure if entering a competition to win a great prize constitutes the true pursuit of happiness, and it has created some stress for me, however, once the event is over, I will slowly build the board to hopefully inspire others.

Thirdly, I re-read a favourite book in which one oft-quoted line is “it is what it is”. Forget about putting a positive spin on life. Life is what it is. We have to make the best of what it is. It could be better, it could be worse. But it isn’t, it just is.

Happiness Depends on Ourselves

Look for your strengths, the things you may not even recognize, and use those strengths to address ways in which you can make the world a better place. Practice kindness, be generous with what you can offer. Accept what life gifts back to you. When you reach the age of sixty-nine you may very well realize that the lemons of your life were indeed gold.  As Aristotle reminds us “Happiness depends on ourselves”.

And lastly, take note of Gretchen Rubins’ advice and try to notice and give credit to others that are living a life focused on giving what they have to offer to others. 

“The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish is misguided. It’s more selfless to act happy. It takes energy, generosity, and discipline to be unfailingly lighthearted, yet everyone takes the happy person for granted. No one is careful of his feelings or tries to keep his spirits high. He seems self-sufficient; he becomes a cushion for others. And because happiness seems unforced, that person usually gets no credit.”

~ Gretchen Rubins ~

Acknowledge your strengths, the things you may not even recognize as they come so easily to you, and use those strengths to address ways in which you can make the world a better place.

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue. 

© Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2012. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction to the original content

Source articles

History of Happiness

http://www.smh.com.au/business/australia-the-worlds-happiest-nation-oecd-20130528-2n87z.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/people-happiest-20s-60s-article-1.1407789

http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/09/the-happiness-project-book/

Natural Remedies & Homeopathy, Stress & Overwhelm

Is Your Thyroid Causing Your Poor Health?

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For many people an underactive thyroid slows them down and leads to a host of other unpleasant symptoms.  Most of those people are never diagnosed with the disorder. Many are never treated. So many fail to make changes to their diet and lifestyle that help ease their symptoms. Most go on living their life in a debilitated state.

The Thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland in the middle of the front of your throat. Its purpose is to release hormones that help in the regulation of many body functions including metabolism, heart rate, maintaining core temperature, healthy skin, weight, fertility and more.

The thyroid gland slows you down or revs you up to make you more energetic. It also activates your immune system. It plays a part in most of the body’s physiological processes, so when it is out of balance, so are you. In fact every cell in your body has receptors for thyroid hormones.

Sometimes the thyroid does not work as it should and, depending on whether it is pumping out too many hormones or too few, it becomes under-active or over-active. This is known as either Hyperthyroidism, too many thyroid hormones in the blood, or Hypothyroidism, too few.

Thyroid conditions can be quite common and it is estimated that about 20-25% of the female population may suffer from hypothyroidism. An estimated 30% more of people over the age of 35 may suffer from ‘subclinical’ hypothyroidism. This is where they either have no obvious symptoms, or their test results are within the ‘normal’ range, but they have mild symptoms of low thyroid function.

Symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction

Many people live with the symptoms of low thyroid function for years, where their thyroid gland works sluggishly without them even realising it. With too few thyroid hormones in the blood the body processes start slowing down, and so does the person.

However, there are some telltale signs to look out for. Here are some of them, although there are many more:

  • Fluid retention or swelling in the legs, feet, arms or face
  • Cold hands or feet, poor circulation and intolerance of cold
  • Dry skin, acne and eczema
  • Lethargy, fatigue, poor stamina and sleeepiness
  • Forgetfulness, slow cognitive function, brain fog
  • Depression
  • Constipation, indigestion
  • Weight gain, or difficulty losing weight
  • Poor brittle, slow-growing nails and hair, hair loss
  • Heavy periods, irregular cycle, PMS
  • Infertility, low libido
  • Insomnia
  • Muscle and joint aches and pains
  • Food cravings, food intolerances, hypoglycaemia
  • High cholesterol/ triglycerides, palpitations, high or very low blood pressure

Illnesses where symptoms seem vague or scattered could actually be providing warning signs that you have a problem with your thyroid. Diseases and syndromes such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, menopausal symptoms, muscle and joint pains, IBS, PMS, heart disease or depression, may also be connected with thyroid problems. They all have a wide variance in the symptoms they present with and each may be improved when underlying thyroid issues are addressed. Sometimes an underactive thyroid can be due to an autoimmune disease, Hashimoto’s disease.

Adrenal Stress

However, low thyroid function may actually not be the root of the problem. There is a strong relationship between your adrenal and thyroid glands and it is very common for adrenal fatigue to go hand-in-hand with hypothyroidism. In many cases the adrenal glands become weakened, leading to a malfunctioning thyroid gland. If treatment is only directed towards the thyroid gland and the adrenal issues are not addressed, then the person’s health will simply not improve.

It’s important to reduce stress in your life as both the adrenals and the thyroid are very sensitive to stress. Practicing meditation, yoga, qi gong, or relaxation techniques goes a long way to reducing the stress response and supports the action of these glands.

Thyroid Hormones

Two hormones, T4 and T3 are produced by the thyroid. T3 is the active form and is the one that does the vast majority of work in the body. When levels are low enough the traditional approach is to use synthetic hormone, but they only contain T4 and the problem with this is that most people have difficulty converting T4 into T3.

Thyroid hormone levels can be tested with a blood test. If symptoms are vague and do not point directly to a disorder, testing will probably be done alongside other blood tests. The normal range for tests is 0.5 to 5.5 IU/ml.

The problem for many people is that they suffer symptoms of low thyroid function even though their measured levels of the hormone are between 2.0 IU/ml and 5.5IU/ml, levels considered to show ‘normal’ thyroid function. They are told their levels are normal and left with no explanation or treatment for their symptoms. When it comes to thyroid hormones, setting the boundaries of ‘normal’ for thyroid levels is very misleading. There really isn’t any ‘normal’ level as the levels change depending on factors such as age or health.

The Delicate Hormone Dance

All the different hormones in the body work together in a delicate dance and when one is not working all the others are affected also. Many reproductive hormone-related symptoms may be experienced when thyroid hormones are low. PMS, infertility, fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, heavy bleeding, menopause symptoms, fibrocystic breasts or even post-natal depression may all result.

Low thyroid function can easily be confused with the symptoms of menopause. While symptoms such as hot flushes, period irregularities, weight gain, night sweats and insomnia are often experienced during perimenopause or menopause, night sweats and insomnia in particular, may also be key symptoms of low thyroid function.

Using hormone replacement to deal with these symptoms simply makes the problem worse, as the oestrogen in the medications further interferes with the thyroid hormones, impairing the thyroid function even more. This in turn slows down metabolism and leads to weight gain. It is a vicious circle.

As usual it is easy to point the finger at poor diet and lifestyle as contributing factors to thyroid dysfunction and sugar, processed foods, stress, lack of exercise or toxic environments all play their part.

What You Can Do

Low thyroid function can be addressed in a number of more natural ways.

I treat many people, mainly women, for low thyroid function with great success using carefully selected Homeopathic remedies. These reverse their debilitating symptoms and allow them to live a normal life. But with this being a complicated chronic issue it is not one that can be self-treated and requires careful prescribing by a fully trained professional Homeopath.

But luckily there are a number of things that you can do as a first-line defense for hypothyroidism, and using natural methods avoids the side effects of medications.

Diet

A well-balanced diet made up of unprocessed, unrefined whole foods, with organic or biodynamic vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy, is the best way to combat hypothyroidism, if you also include the following guidelines.

It’s important that you stay away from sugar and caffeine which simply cause thyroid burn-out. If going ‘cold turkey’ is too hard then cut these back more gradually. Cut out refined and processed carbohydrates as well as they behave just like sugar when they are metabolised in your body.

Make sure to eat protein as it transports thyroid hormone into your cells. Include nuts, nut butters, legumes, quinoa, and less frequently and in smaller quantities eggs, meats, fish and dairy.

Good fats help to create hormone balance, including thyroid hormones. Avocados, one of my favourite good fat sources, coconuts, coconut milk and coconut oil, olives and olive oil, raw nuts and nut butters, organic butter and yoghurt, organic egg yolks, flax seeds are great choices. Avoid trans fats.

Make sure you’re getting enough Vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamin A, Vitamin D, the Vitamin B’s, iodine, selenium, zinc, copper, iron and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Organic produce will be higher in vitamins and minerals as long as it isn’t old and wilting.

Thyroid hormone production is just another of the many functions of Vitamin D which is produced in the body from sunlight. This is yet another reason to have levels of this crucial vitamin tested and maintained, and you may actually need to supplement this.

Cut out gluten especially if you have Hashimoto’s as the gluten mimics thyroid tissue and aggravates the autoimmune response.

Watch out for foods that interfere with thyroid function especially those containing goitrogens and don’t eat them unless they are cooked. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, turnips, spinach, strawberries, peanuts, and millet are all ones to avoid.

Get tested for food sensitivities, especially if you find there is a food or food group that you crave, as eating these foods sets up an autoimmune response in the body.

The thyroid gland requires iodine to make thyroid hormones so iodine deficiency may be a contributing factor to hypothyroidism. Many people are deficient in iodine so include more sources of iodine in your diet like seaweed, kelp, dulce and nori, shellfish, saltwater fish, eggs, yoghurt, mozzarella cheese

Supplements

Take probiotics as good thyroid function depends on healthy gut flora.

Add vitamins and minerals particularly if you are not getting adequate amounts in your diet.

Other supplements that help thyroid activity and the manufacture of thyroid hormones are Tyrosine, Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), magnesium citrate and Potassium iodide. Look for these in a combined thyroid supplement.

Herbs

Ashwaganda can help improve the level of T4 hormone and Commiphora wightii (common name guggul), can help convert the T4 into the active T3. Guggul has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and is now difficult to source due to its scarcity after overuse.

Exercise

Exercise lowers insulin levels and increases thyroid function. Work out or walk for 40 minutes three times a week and make sure you get out of breath.

Exercise lowers insulin levels and increases thyroid function
Disclaimer

The Information contained on this site is for your general health information. It is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes. The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional healthcare. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

© Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2012. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction

Source articles:

http://www.thyroid.org/what-is-hypothyroidism/

http://www.drnorthrup.com/womenshealth/healthcenter/topic_details.php?topic_id=59

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/02/Many-Symptoms-Suggest-Sluggish-Thyroid.aspx

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3139/13-Ways-to-Treat-Hypothyroidism-Naturally.html

http://www.elliotthealthcare.com/low_thyroid.htm

http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/truth-protein-carbs-fats-thyroid-health

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Ancestral Wisdom, Conscious Mindset, Metaphysics

Pause, Before Life Passes You By

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It seems people constantly speak of how fast the world is today, of how hurried they feel. We talk constantly about how fast the year is flying by in our fast-paced world and many people feel overwhelmed by the demands of life in 2013. We all know that we should be taking time out to relax, to re-group, to re-new. But there is simply no time!

Life races on.

Suddenly it is mid-year, the end of the year, ten years later, and that’s when we really feel confused about where all that time went.

In times past there was far more awareness about marking the important times in our lives. Families and communities lived a slower, more measured life and were able to recognise and acknowledge the passing of time more easily. They would gather for birthdays, religious celebrations, housewarmings, engagements and marriages. In many indigenous societies they would also mark the passing of the seasons and the lunar calendar.

But today many of these occasions for celebration have disappeared, while other celebrations are done in such a way that may not hold the same meaning or have a significant effect on the person.

We have all stopped pausing to take stock of our life.

Time to Assess Our Life

Making the effort to stop and mark points in our life forces us to take the time to look at where we have been and how far we have come since the last time we examined our life.

When my clients feel despondent about their health, I often read back their history notes taken months or years earlier, during their consultation. This allows them the opportunity to actually recall how bad their health was in the past and compare it to how much better they are now. Frequently as they improved, they stopped remembering how bad they had felt or how incapacitated they were when they first came to see me. When I remind them, they are able to then appreciate their vast improvement and to go on with a renewed positive outlook. Taking the time to review their life experience provides them with life marking points for later.

However, I don’t see this as simply a time issue. All too many of us are our own harshest critics. We set standards and expectations for ourselves at impossible levels and we fail to recognise our achievements, let alone acknowledge them.

When we pause and assess where we are in life, what we now do differently, what we’ve learnt, how we view the world around us or engage with the people we encounter differently, we create a marker that we can use to compare and notice changes within ourselves. It allows us to realise that although we feel we are racing through our life in fact we are also changing and growing. When we take this pause it affords us a chance to recognise ourselves as the wonderful person we are and perhaps to judge our faults less harshly.

Marking Our Milestones

We have just celebrated a 21st birthday in our family and I insisted we hold a celebration for close friends and family. My son was very reluctant and in fact resistant. But partway through the night he told me how glad he was that I had forced him have the event.

Through the week since the celebration I have watched with joy as his reflections have allowed a wonderful self-appreciation to blossom, and he is bubbling with plans for the next few months. I am sure that without marking this significant occasion he would have drifted on through the year, and perhaps his life, without this exuberance about himself and the possibilities that life offers him.

Our lives now run 24/7. Everything seems to be available at all hours of the day or night. Stores no longer close up on the weekend; movies run non-stop and we can find what we want at any hour, day or night. The world is on permanent ‘GO’. Nobody seems to make the space to ask, ‘Where have I come from, and where might I go from here’.

Tapestry of Our Life

The lyrics of the opening verse of ‘Tapestry’ by Carole King have always resonated with me, and whenever I hear them, I cannot help but pause and reflect on my own life tapestry.

My life has been a tapestry
Of rich and royal hue;
An everlasting vision
Of the ever-changing view;
A wond’rous woven magic
In bits of blue and gold;
A tapestry to feel and see;
Impossible to hold.

~ Carole King

Consciously Weave Your Personal Life Tapestry

Instead of racing on with your life, never noticing or appreciating the intricate and beautiful pattern of the life tapestry you are weaving, take some time out for reflection.

Try to make a regular time each week to ‘take stock’ of what you have done, what you achieved, what you learnt, how you could change things. Perhaps even start a journal in which to record your thoughts. Then do the same monthly, then every year on your birthday.

Mark your life path. Find something you love to do, maybe a meal with friends, a facial or massage, walk a labyrinth, see a show, take a balloon flight, whatever you love to mark the important occasions in your life. This is an acknowledgement of your worth and of the contribution that you are making to those around you and the earth as a whole.

Take some time out to reflect on the rich and royal tapestry of your life.

Do you already have a practice that helps you to reflect and take stock? Leave a comment below and tell me what you do, or what you plan to do, to make ‘acknowledgement’ space in your life.

Hawaiian Tapestry by Jay Wilson Take some time out to reflect on the rich and royal tapestry of your life Photo credit: Daniel Ramirez
Photo credit: Daniel Ramirez

 

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

© Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2013. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Metaphysics, Sleep, Stress & Overwhelm

Get Down To Earth By Grounding Yourself

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This year I decided to ditch my footwear inside the house, ever since learning more about Barefoot Earthing or Grounding. This is a radical new health practice that is quickly gaining momentum as word about its benefits spreads. Its impact can be quite far-reaching and yet it is incredibly simple to do, costs nothing, is always available and feels great.

Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you take off your shoes to walk barefoot? Well it seems there is a scientific explanation, and research into the practice of Grounding has found that it can significantly improve all sorts of health problems. It can help your energy levels, reduce stress, improve your sleep, decrease muscular inflammation and stiffness as well as other chronic pain, reduce anxiety, improve circulation, prevent free-radical damage and associated premature ageing and even heal injuries faster. It brings you back into a state of equilibrium where your body is best able to heal itself. Those who use the practice on a regular basis report great results. I am certainly finding I have less aches and pains whenever I walk round without shoes than when I leave them on.

It all has to do with electrical fields.

These days we live completely immersed in electro-magnetic waves (EMFs) from a huge number of everyday items including mobile phones, computers, wireless technology, many electrical appliances, and even compact fluorescent lights. The air in our houses, our workplaces, our schools and in some outdoor places is full of electro-pollution, harmful positive ions produced by this multitude of electrical contraptions that surround us.

These positive ions contribute to ill health.

Electrical Stress

Electrical stress is now recognized as a significant contributor to many health problems and in fact a new chronic illness. The term ‘Diabetes Type 3’, has been coined to describe illness believed to be caused by electropollution. 

Surrounding yourself with sources of negative ions helps rebalance this disharmony, as does being in places where negative ions are in abundance such as waterfalls or the ocean.

The surface of the earth is electrically conductive and has a permanent supply of free electrons sitting just above the surface. The charge on the earth surface is negative and anything that is close to the surface will also carry that charge.

Your body also has an electrical field, sometimes referred to as the biofield or the aura. When your bare feet are in contact with the earth negative electrons can easily pass into you.

Grounding allows an electron exchange between you and the earth. This helps to prevent a build-up of harmful electrons in your body as well as promoting a discharge of the positive ions from your body into the earth. Simultaneously you receive a flood of free electrons from the earth.

When the ions within your body and within the Earth are different an ion exchange occurs. This neutralizes free radicals in your body which cause inflammation and are responsible for many health problems. The flood of electrons immediately ‘re-balances’ you, which is why you feel so good when you walk outside barefoot.

In case you got lost in that explanation, simply, standing on the earth rebalances the electromagnetic field of your body, helping to strengthen your immune system, and boosting both your health and your wellbeing.

For most of our existence humans have gone barefoot and often slept directly on the ground. Things now are very different. As well as being surrounded by electromagnetic pollution we are cut off from receiving the rebalancing benefits from the earth because the shoes that we now wear have rubber and synthetic soles that insulate and block transmission of the natural beneficial energy of the earth. It’s just like how rubber gloves can provide protection from electrical shock. Your shoes act in much the same way.

How to Ground Yourself

Take your shoes off and stand or walk barefoot on grass, beach, bare earth, even concrete when it is laid directly on the earth, although not if it’s painted or sealed, whenever you can.

To gain the full health benefit you need to walk around on the earth for about thirty minutes.

Other ways to ground yourself and reap the benefits are to swim in lakes, rivers, or the sea; wear shoes with leather soles; purchase and use an indoor grounding mat or an earthing bed sheet.

The reason I am able to benefit from earthing when walking barefoot indoors is because my floor is made of unglazed slate sitting on a concrete slab which is set directly onto a rock shelf on the side of a hill. There are no substances between my feet and the Earth that block the passage of negative ions. You would not get earthing benefit in a home raised above the ground, or with glazed tiles covering the floor, or a layer between the concrete and tile, or with other floor coverings.

If you would like to read up on Earthing get a copy of the book EARTHING – The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?  by Clint Ober, Dr Stephen T Sinatra and Martin Zucker.

Remember though, Grounding is not a substitute for medical treatment and if you have a medical condition you need to consult your healthcare provider.

Taking your shoes off and walking barefoot in the sea helps to rebalance your energetic field.

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

© Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2024. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Source articles:

http://www.barefoothealing.com.au/

https://www.naturalnews.com/028967_electropollution_diabetes.html

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/04/why-does-walking-barefoot-on-the-earth-make-you-feel-better.aspx

Self Care, Stress & Overwhelm, Uncategorized

Are You Suffering From 21st Century Syndrome?

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Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue, sometimes called the ‘21st Century Stress Syndrome’ occurs when your adrenal glands cannot meet the hormone demands of your life and it’s a problem that is becoming more frequently recognized.

If you are living a high-stress lifestyle, eating lots of chemical laden foods, need lots of coffee or cola to keep you going and getting way too little sleep than the chances are you are suffering from adrenal fatigue.

Unfortunately for us, our lifestyle has changed but our bodies haven’t, they still operate as if they ‘re living in the stone age. We can’t live a simple, relaxed lifestyle anymore and instead we all live under constant stress. Sometimes, we become so used to the full-on lifestyle that we forget that it’s actually pretty stressful. Sometimes we don’t even realize that so many different things from worry, anxiety, grief through to the air we breathe, the toxic homes we live in, the foods we eat, or the exercise routine we do, are all building stress on our body every minute of every day.

Adrenal Hormones

Our adrenal glands are responsible for the production of hormones including adrenalin (epinephrine), DHEA, progesterone and testosterone, and cortisol. Adrenals play an important role in the stress response as they release adrenaline which initiates the ‘fight or flight’ response and cortisol to help us deal with acute stress.

Cortisol is the hormone important for keeping our bodies balanced and it plays a big part in regulating the immune system, blood sugar levels and blood pressure. It is also very important in helping us deal with stress. When the levels of cortisol rise too high the immune system becomes weak and susceptible to cancer and infection. If the levels are too low it becomes overactive and opens the way for autoimmune disease.

When acute stress is ongoing the adrenals become overworked and unable to match the demand for continued hormone production. When they just can’t take any more you get what was called a ‘nervous breakdown’ in the past, but we often now call Adrenal Fatigue.

Our problem is that in an ever-stressed fast-paced life our bodies are constantly pumping out cortisol. When we maintain that lifestyle, with long work hours, sleep deprivation, poor diet, smoking, lots of caffeine, little relaxation we overload our adrenal glands until they can’t take any more. Then the next stress simply becomes the straw to break the camel’s back and we fall apart.

Some Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

  • Generally tired but wired: You feel really tired until about mid-morning, then again in the middle of the afternoon when you feel like a snooze. Tired again in the evening until about 11pm when you get a ‘second wind’ and then are wide awake until late
  • Feel tired even after a good sleep and not really feel awake until 10am
  • You perspire a lot even with little activity
  • Dark circles under your eyes
  • Low blood sugar
  • General lack of energy and muscle weakness
  • Cravings for foods high in salt, sweets and carbs, fats
  • Difficulty handling alcohol; difficulty with potassium rich or high carb foods unless combined with fats and protein
  • Low blood pressure, lightheadedness on standing up, dizziness or heart palpitations
  • Low libido
  • Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms
  • Chronic infections
  • Increased allergies
  • Mild depression, lots of sighing
  • Startle easily
  • Less ability to handle stress
  • Low back pain, knee pain and weakness
  • Dry unhealthy skin

Some Illnesses Related to Adrenal Stress are:

  • Blood sugar balance and diabetes – cortisol causes elevated blood sugar levels and leads to insulin resistance
  • Weight gain and obesity – cortisol mobilizes triglycerides into fat cells and changes appetite with a craving for high kilojoule foods
  • Immune system suppression – a higher susceptibility to all diseases
  • Gastrointestinal problems like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), colitis, ulcers, indigestion
  • Cardiovascular disease from blood vessel damage
  • Fertility problems – erectile dysfunction and disrupted ovulation and menstrual cycles

Even though adrenal fatigue is very common in these days of stressful living many doctors don’t pick it up easily. It is one of those things that is often just not diagnosed.

NURTURE YOUR ADRENALS

If you really want to turn around Adrenal Fatigue then you really do have to reduce the stressors in your life. First up you need to recognize and acknowledge what the stressors actually are. This might mean changing your job or aspects of it, organizing some childcare, changing your diet, your activity, your sleep behaviour, recreation, or the people you mix with. It is also vital to address the associated emotional or psychological issues. Sometimes changing your outlook can make a big difference.

But even introducing any stress reducing measures would help. You could try these:

  • Minimize stress – this almost goes without saying
  • Laugh more – even join a laughing club if you need to
  • Eat a clean diet of largely organic whole foods, with an emphasis on lots of vegetables. Include nuts, seeds legumes and whole grains. Eat regular meals. Chew your food well.
  • Avoid junk foods and sugar
  • Get rid of coffee and cola. If you need some caffeine drink green tea. If you can’t remove coffee totally have one quality coffee on the weekend. Peppermint, dandelion or rooibos teas are all good alternatives to coffee. Tulsi Tea (Holy Basil) is awesome for adrenal fatigue because it helps bring cortisol levels back to normal.
  • Do something fun every day
  • Get negative people out of your life
  • Get some exercise – Yoga, Qi Gong or T’ai Chi are all great de-stressors
  • Meditation and relaxation exercises
  • Get good sleep – seven to eight hours a night, get to bed before midnight as that’s when your body heals itself the most, take a rest (lying down) during work breaks
Take supplements
  • 3,000-5,000 mg Vitamin C each day, Vitamin B complex high in B6 and pantothenic acid, Vitamin E
  • Calcium and magnesium
  • Licorice root extract

Homeopathy, Flower Essences and EFT are all very effective at relieving stress and healing some of the emotional issues. Homeopathy can also redress the hormone imbalances in your body.

With adrenal fatigue having such a huge impact on many of our body functions as well as our quality of life it is worth finding out if you have adrenal fatigue so you can begin to redress it. Contact your Natural Therapy practitioner for more information.

But don’t expect a quick fix as it can take anywhere from 6 months to up to two years to reverse adrenal fatigue.

It can take anywhere from 6 months to up to two years to get back your zing after adrenal fatigue

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

 

Source articles:

http://www.naturalnews.com/019339_adrenal_fatigue_chronic_stress.html#ixzz2Q3g07WMc

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/111609p38.shtml

http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/what-is-adrenal-fatigue

http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/fact+sheets/hormones/adrenal+fatigue,11579?gclid=COHVrPHLv7YCFcpbpQodOgsA_w

http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2011/08/do-you-have-adrenal-fatigue/

Meditation & Mindfulness, Metaphysics, Stress & Overwhelm, Uncategorized

Combat Stress In Your Life With Meditation

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The pace of life has increased exponentially over the last few years and we are all living with increasingly rising stress levels
The pace of life has increased exponentially over the last few years and we are all living with increasingly rising stress levels

“We are fragmented into so many different aspects. We don´t know who we really are, or what aspects of ourselves we should identify with or believe in. So many contradictory voices, dictates, and feelings fight for control over our inner lives that we find ourselves scattered everywhere, in all directions, leaving nobody at home.
Meditation, then, is bringing the mind home.”
― Sogyal Rinpoche

Stress plays a major part in the development of many illnesses. It is known to affect many body functions including the reproductive system, cause eczema and psoriasis, cause dry mouth or ulcers and musculoskeletal pain as well as affecting the immune system as a whole.

The pace of life has increased exponentially over the last few years. As we take on more and more in our lives and the influx of information bombards us faster and faster, we live with increasingly rising stress levels. The cause or focus can be our work, family, finances, aging parents, the planet, our own health or any of the myriad of commitments we all have in our life. Some may even stress about whether they’re allowing enough download time to counter the stress they have. Almost all of us, including children, are affected to some degree.

DE- STRESS

I often suggest to clients to offload the effects of this stress in their life by adopting the practice of meditation. Some say they have tried it but just can’t maintain focus. But for others the idea is somewhat daunting and many dismiss the idea out-of-hand. Introducing something new requires planning, and for someone already stressed allocating scarce time seems to only escalate their problem. Some even find the whole prospect a bit ‘woo-woo’ and uncomfortable.

But the fact remains that meditation is a wonderful way to de-stress, and it does not have to be difficult, or to require big chunks of your time. It doesn’t even need to actively involve ‘chakras’. You don’t need to join a class either as it is entirely portable. And it does not have to include burning incense, crystals, difficult yoga poses or the need to ‘get it right’.

Finding the right meditation for you

There are many different ways that the benefits of meditation can be obtained and it’s simply a matter of finding the one that fits you and your life, and then making that a regular part of your day.

There is a misconception that in order to meditate you need to completely shut down your mind. For most people the mind chatter just keeps on intruding, constantly pulling them out of that calm, quiet, thought-free place we all seek.

The truth is that in order to be able to meditate in that way takes many, many years of practice. For the majority thoughts wander in and out, and it’s ok. The key is to accept that your thoughts will wander, and to simply consciously pull them back again whenever they do, by focusing once more on the meditative technique that you are using.

The thing is, meditation does not have to be a big major undertaking. Sure there are yogis who can sit and meditate all day. But there are also others who do it throughout their day in bursts of a few minutes. And many more who allocate a set amount of ‘me-time’ when they are able to do their practice, and re-group.

MINDFULNESS

Walking Meditation

The enlightened Buddist monk Thich Nhat Hanh advocates doing walking meditations. These offer you the opportunity to transform an everyday practice into a healing and nourishing way to develop mindfulness, awaken your consciousness and to bring some peace into a life over-run with stress.

Basically, they are meditation in action. You become mindful of the action of walking and try to keep your mind focused on the experience of walking and breathing. This makes it a lot easier for ‘monkey minds’ to deal with as it gives the flighty mind something on which to concentrate. You can hear him explain it here and watch him demonstrate this form of meditation to a group of followers.

Walking Meditation is a good form of meditation for women, who often benefit from active meditation as it is more yang, or masculine. I learnt the practice of this powerful technique from this wonderful Walking Meditation Kit – comprising book, DVD and CD. Meditation Oasis has clear detailed instructions for doing a walking meditation to get you started right here.

If you find you prefer active meditation Osho offers a number of  dynamic meditations you may like to try.

Guided Meditation

Many people prefer a guided meditation as they find having a voice directing the practice helps them to maintain their focus. Here is a simple ten-minute relaxation meditation that I came across recently. I like it for its simplicity, her gentle, soothing voice and because it incorporates conscious muscle relaxation – perfect for releasing stress. I believe this is one you could even do at your desk if things start to get on top of you at work.

If you are having difficulty actually relaxing any muscles in these meditations one tip is to tighten each muscle momentarily. This allows you to relax the muscle on release. Use this technique until you are able to relax the muscles at will.

BREATHE

Deep Breathing Mindfulness

One of the simplest ways to start meditating is to practice consciously watching your breath, often called mindfulness . It comes out of Buddhist tradition but is not ‘religious’ in itself. It is all about ‘being present’ and allows for your mind to do its own thing while you develop, over time, the ability to detach from the thought. That sounds complicated, but in fact it is very simple.

Here are two variations of a calming and simple meditation that focuses on the breath, again from Meditation Oasis. Breathing Meditation is one of the simplest forms of meditation and yet is also one of the most powerful. You may discover you never need to look any further!

Other Forms of Meditation

Of course, there are many different types of meditation that can be used to fulfill all sorts of purposes. Many have heard of Transcendental Meditation which derives from Hinduism. Zazen meditation involves just sitting for long periods. Kundalini is gaining in popularity and focuses on the rising stream of energy that exists in humans.

Guided visualisations can be a very powerful way to opening your awareness. I use these in my Women’s Circles often with wonderful results. They involve concentration on an image or imagined environment or experience.

Another form of meditation that I have found particularly powerful is the practice of Qi Gong, a Taoist meditation technique. Qi gong is related to tai chi but not the same.

There are others as well and you may like to investigate some once you have established a regular meditation practice in your life.

I am a big fan of not taking on big loads; maybe I have an inner sloth, who knows. But if there is an easier pathway then I am always willing to give that option a go first. One way that always makes things a little easier to achieve is to break tasks down into their smallest bites and to then tackle those one at a time.

If the prospect of meditation seems a bit daunting to you then start small. Start out by adopting a five minute breathing meditation, or if that is too much make it three minutes. Or start by doing a quick body relaxation every day at your desk or before the kids come home from school, or before going to bed at night. Or maybe even do it for a few minutes a few times through the day. Sometimes I picture myself meditating like a Zen monk. But it is far more likely I will be sitting in my car catching a few brief moments to centre my breathing before plunging back into the chaos of life.

Soon you will find that it is easy to meditate.

“Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in Eternal awareness or Pure consciousness without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude in infinity.”
― Voltaire

This is how I picture myself meditating...but it is far more likely I will be sitting in my car catching a few brief moments to centre my breathing before plunging back into the chaos of life

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

Source articles:

A Step-by-Step Guide to Walking Meditation – Wildmind

Holistic Health, Stress & Overwhelm, Uncategorized

Antioxidants: The Rainbow Connection

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As I tossed my dinner in the wok tonight and marveled at the gorgeous array of colours, I was reminded of how bland the meals that I was served as a child always looked in comparison. They were always brown meat with some white (potato) and green (peas or beans) and maybe a touch of orange or red. The vegetables changed a little but always seemed to have the same look about them.

Today’s message in a nutshell is that when you always eat a ‘rainbow’ of fruit and vegetables with a naturally high color intensity you can be sure that you’re getting a wide range and good quantity of antioxidants.

Now, if all you want to know is the ‘what you need to do’ or you are too short of time today, then there you have it. Be conscious to always ‘EAT A RAINBOW’ and you will be sure to get a broad range of nutrients, including antioxidants, to help you combat free radical damage in your body.

But, if you would like to know ‘the why’ and the nitty gritty details, then read on

THE BODY”S DEFENCES

Cells need oxygen to metabolise vitamins and minerals, but when oxygen isn’t metabolized thoroughly it results in extra oxygen molecules hanging round which form free radicals. When you get a sudden rush of free radicals they cause a chain reaction that causes damage to the cells and leads to disease.

The body has its own antioxidant defence system of free radical scavenging enzymes but when there is too much stress put on us from our toxic environment and lifestyle our body gets overwhelmed by free radicals and we get sick. These scavenging enzymes need support from many minerals and vitamins that are not made by the body and must be gained from our food. Unfortunately, because there are so many stresses on the body from our modern world we now need far more antioxidants than were ever needed in the past.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE ANTIOXIDANTS?

Antioxidants are substances that remove potentially damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism. They are capable of neutralizing the effects of free radicals before they are able to cause damage in the cells and tissues of your body. They’re found in the form of vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and so on. Antioxidants have protective effects and can lower the risk of diseases such as cancer or heart disease.

Eat a Rainbow

There are a range of different antioxidants that act in different ways, and you can often tell which they are and what they will do by the colour of the food in which they occur.

There are over 4000 compounds with antioxidant properties – here are some of them:

antioxidant

colours

foods

  vitamin C variousoranges, citrus fruits, capsicum, mangos, kiwifruit,  strawberries, blackcurrants
  vitamin E variousavocado, nuts, vegetable oils
  beta-carotene orange, yellow, greencarrots, sweet potato, mangos, apricot, pumpkin, cantaloupe
  anthocyanins red, blueblueberries, cranberries, raspberries, dark grapes, eggplants, red cabbage
  catechins tawny, redcocoa, red wine, green tea, chocolate
  cryptoxanthins orangemangoes, red capsicum, pumpkin
  lycopene redtomato, watermelon, guava, strawberry, pink grapefruit
  lutein yellow, greenspinach, corn, gold kiwifruit, leafy greens
  flavonoids varioustea, green tea, citrus fruits, apples, red wine
  selenium whitebrazil nuts, seafood, sunflower seeds, rice
  isoflavenoidssoy products, lentils, milk
  lignans whiteflax seeds, sesame seeds, broccoli, curly kale, cabbage, wholegrains
  manganese red, greennuts, berries, shellfish, legumes, leafy greens, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds
  polyphenols green, redthyme, oregano, rosemary, ginger, red wine
  phenolic acid variousapple, citrus fruit, oats

These are just some of the foods associated with antioxidants. Some of the best overall sources are berries, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pomegranates and ginger.

WHAT ARE FREE RADICALS?

Free radicals are molecules produced in our body as a result of our everyday life. They cause oxidative stress in the body and basically feed off other cells to survive. In fact, your body produces free radicals as a by-product of metabolism.

Your body also produces a limited number of antioxidants to neutralize them, but when your body becomes overloaded with free radicals caused by outside stressors it is unable to cope and succumbs to a variety of illnesses. The cells of your immune system are the most likely to suffer damage initially. You may not even notice the effects but left unchecked the DNA held within the cell eventually becomes the target of the free radical damage. DNA acts as the ‘command centre’ of your cells so when it is damaged there can be significant and far-reaching effects.

Free radical damage accelerates the aging process and fosters many diseases. These include cancer, heart disease, arthritis, atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Hypertension, Diabetes, cataracts, macular degeneration, and almost all chronic degenerative diseases. Ultimately the effect of free radicals is to shorten your life.

There are many factors in our life in addition to ageing and basic metabolism that can increase free radicals production.

  • The Western Diet creates a free radical bonanza! It is full of fats, processed foods, pesticides and chemicals, and with an emphasis on meat, dairy foods, sugar, processed ‘white’ grains, coffee and alcohol, that are all excellent free radical promoters. In addition it is deficient in fruits and vegetables, the source of antioxidants
  • The chlorine in the water we drink results in free radical production
  • The air we breathe is loaded with a multitude of pollutants, including tobacco smoke whether you actually smoke or not. We are surrounded by substances such as lead and asbestos and all these produce free radicals
  • Fats in the diet, in the form of trans-fats, animal and other forms of fats. Many people consume excess quantities of fat, with it contributing around 30% of western food intake. Simply put, the more fat you eat the more free radicals are produced, and some fats are worse than others
  • Pesticides are big producers of free radicals. They are found in large quantities in animal fat and present a significant free radical source if you are eating a meat-rich diet. These pesticides are stored in your body in fatty tissue. Non-organic fruit and vegetables also carry pesticides
  • Free radical producing chemicals are found in solvents, cleaning products, glue, paint and thinners, as well as perfumes, and even prescription medications.
  • Ionizing radiation from sunlight, X-rays or electro magnetic fields is another source. Body cells are very sensitive to radiation and even very mild exposure will set off the chain reaction within the cell.
  • Even mental stress, including anger and anxiety can increase the presence of free radicals.

So, this is just another reason to get your daily dose of pesticide and chemical-free, antioxidant-rich, RAINBOW of fruit and vegetables! Be conscious of the foods you need and take the time to enjoy the beauty of a colourful diet.

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

 

Source articles:

http://www.healingdaily.com/conditions/free-radicals.htm

http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/the_power_of_antioxidants#ixzz2HoOfDp34

http://www.naturalnews.com/024710_antioxidants_fruits_antioxidant.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/036992_antioxidants_best_sources_foods.html

Conscious Mindset, Nature's Rhythms

No Resolutions for a New Outlook

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“What exactly is a New Years Resolution?”

“It’s a “To-Do” list for the first week of January”

I woke today, the first day of 2013 to a beautiful warm, sunny summer morning. As I watched from my deck the summer butterflies darted about the parched garden seeking the few open flowers, the surrounding trees were filled with the songs of the lorikeets and magpies, and I began to crystalize my thoughts about the directions I wished to follow in the coming year.

You may call these resolutions, but I have always shied away from using this term. I am not making any resolutions. I hate New Year resolutions. They somehow seem so pointless. I hear people around me making the same resolutions year in and year out – stop smoking, lose weight, exercise more, get a new job, etc. etc. and at the end of the year most of their resolutions have fallen by the wayside and they have made no changes in their life.

The most common top ten resolutions made over the last 10 years have stayed the same every year. Do you recognise yourself in this collection?

New Year Resolutions seem to lock everything into a very narrow field, setting you up firmly and squarely at the end of the success/fail axis. There’s no wriggle room that allows you to change a little.

I prefer to adopt the more accepting belief that whatever we experience or wherever we find ourselves is the right place to be because it’s the place in that moment where we will find the opportunity to learn and understand more about ourselves. So, by setting up resolutions we are setting up inflexible parameters that don’t allow for the shifts of life that provide an opportunity for growth.

Also, this rigid approach causes stress and all the concomitant health problems that stress invariably leads to, which we all prefer to avoid.

What I have noticed is that when people are living in a way that embraces opportunities for personal growth other things in their life fall into place more easily. Exercising or weight loss comes more easily because they want to be out doing whatever activity draws them, difficult decisions are made, new opportunities arise, and life begins to flow more fluidly and easily.

So my thoughts about my directions for 2013 are a little looser than things like “lose weight”, although that would be nice! I decided to take a look at the Virtues Project to form my list of the virtues I would like to see acknowledged and strengthened through this year, both on a personal and a wider community or global level.

13 Virtues to Embrace in The New Year

Here is my list in no particular order of THIRTEEN VIRTUES TO EMBRACE FOR 2013. I’ve selected these from the condensed list of 52 Virtues from The 52 Virtues Project. The full list of Virtues is extensive, and this condensed list provided a little more focus.

1. Assertiveness

Being assertive means being positive and confident. You are aware that you are a worthy person with your own special gifts. You think for yourself and express your own ideas. You know what you stand for and what you won’t stand for. You expect respect.

2. Confidence

Confidence is having faith in someone. Self-confidence is trusting that you have what it takes to handle whatever happens. You feel sure of yourself and enjoy trying new things, without letting doubts or fears hold you back. When you have confidence in others, you rely on them

3. Creativity

Creativity is the power of imagination. It is discovering your own special talents. Dare to see things in new ways and find different ways to solve problems. With your creativity, you can bring something new into the world

4. Integrity

Integrity is living by your highest values. It is being honest and sincere. Integrity helps you to listen to your conscience, to do the right thing, and to tell the truth. You act with integrity when your words and actions match. Integrity gives you self-respect and a peaceful heart.

5. Joyfulness

Joyfulness is an inner sense of peace and happiness. You appreciate the gifts each day brings. Without joyfulness, when the fun stops, our happiness stops. Joy can carry us through the hard times even when we are feeling very sad. Joy gives us wings.

6. Moderation

Moderation is creating a healthy balance in your life between work and play, rest and exercise. You don’t overdo or get swept away by the things you like. You use your self-discipline to take charge of your life and your time.

7. Thankfulness

Thankfulness is being grateful for what we have. It is an attitude of gratitude for learning, loving and being. Appreciate the little things that happen around you and within you every day. Think positively. Thankfulness brings contentment

8. Compassion

Compassion is understanding and caring when someone is hurt or troubled, even if you don’t know them. It is wanting to help, even if all you can do is listen and say kind words. You forgive mistakes. You are a friend when someone needs a friend.

9. Generosity

Generosity is giving and sharing. You share freely, not with the idea of receiving something in return. You find ways to give others happiness, and give just for the joy of giving. Generosity is one of the best ways to show love and friendship.

10. Tolerance

Being tolerant is accepting differences. You don’t expect others to think, look, speak or act just like you. You are free of prejudice, knowing that all people have feelings, needs, hopes and dreams. Tolerance is also accepting things you wish were different with patience and flexibility.

11.Understanding

Understanding is using your mind to think clearly, paying careful attention to see the meaning of things. An understanding mind gives you insights and wonderful ideas. An understanding heart gives you empathy and compassion for others. Understanding is the power to think and learn and also to care

12. Unity

Unity helps us work and live together peacefully. We feel connected with each other and all living things. We value the specialness of each person as a gift, not as a reason to fight or be scared. With unity we accomplish more together than any of one of us could alone.

13. Love

Love is a special feeling that fills your heart. You show love in a smile, a kind word, a thoughtful act or a hug. Love is treating people and things with care and kindness because they mean so much to you. Love is contagious. It keeps spreading.

Of course there are many more virtues to ambrace, and selecting only thirteen was very difficult.

The Virtues Project is a grassroots initiative started in Canada aimed at inspiring the practice of virtues in everyday life. It is widely used in schools but is equally effective in the home or your personal life. It “empowers individuals to live more authentic meaningful lives, families to raise children of compassion and integrity, educators to create safe, caring, and high performing learning communities, and leaders to encourage excellence and ethics in the work-place.” If you would like to start off 2013 doing a daily Virtues Card pick for yourself then go here and click on ‘Do A Virtues Pick’.

“I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since I didn’t become a better person”

3 Resolutions

But, if someone were to twist my arm and force me to make three New Year resolutions, then this is how I would go:

1. make no poorly considered resolutions that would fall by the wayside during January

2. adopt a new Virtue to embrace and practice each week, thirteen of which would take me through to the end of March

3. refuse to take any of those doomsday prophesies literally.

Make 2013 a year of change that you can recognise when 2014 rocks along.

I hope it brings you the opportunity to experience the new, to find joy in the simple things of life and to grow to know and understand yourself and the world around you more fully. I trust that by opening yourself to the world around you experience much abundance in all parts of your life.

Allow your virtues to unfurl

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

Self Care, Stress & Overwhelm

Soak Away Stress In Your Own Home Spa

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reduce stress with DIY home bath products

 

I choose to practice gratitude every day. But no matter how hard I try I still regret that I don’t have a bath in my home.  Soaking in a bath with essential oils is an excellent way to reduce stress.

I love bath products and make a small range of beautiful natural skin care products. They’re simple and fun to make. It’s wonderful to be able to play with aromatic essential oils, beautiful cold-pressed vegetable oils, Himalayan salts and nut butters.

But I still long for a deep tub, candles, oils and salts in the bath, maybe a crystal in the water, music …well you know the scene. So whenever I go on holidays I always pack these goodies and book hotel rooms with a big bath.

Because this is the ‘Stressful-Season’ I’d like to share with you five wonderful super-simple home-made recipes for your Home Spa that sound easy and delicious. I hope you decide to practice a little self-love and steal an hour from your busy life to try them out.

 

1.  YULE RECIPE

So much alcohol goes in through the mouth over the holidays. Do yourself a favour and put that glass of red wine or champagne in your bath instead. Red wine is full of antioxidants which are simply awesome anti-ageing tools. If you feel a little decadent a glass of champagne in the water helps reduce discolouration of your skin as well as fine lines. The bonus is that the champagne needs to be flat! So have a drink first. Instead of throwing the leftover down the sink, throw it into the running water of your bath instead. Then hop in and soak for twenty minutes.

 

2. DETOX RECIPE

This is a great detox bath and my guess is you’ll probably need a couple of these after a dose of holiday partying.

Regular readers know I love Himalayan salt. It has so many health benefits as well as being relaxing and soothing. Unlike table salt it contains 84 minerals which give it the gorgeous pink colour. For it to be an effective detox you must have the right proportion of salt to water. In a tub of 100 litres you need 1200 grams of Himalayan salt.

Don’t use any soap, shampoo or oil with this as the salt cleanses perfectly. Soak for 30 minutes, towel off and then rinse with clean water. The salt leaves your skin beautifully silky smooth.

 

3. DIY BATH SALTS

Bath Salts are really easy to make at home. Try out this one.

Mix 50% epsom salts, 25% sea salt and 25% bi-carb soda (baking soda). Don’t use the stuff labeled “Lectric Soda” as it’s not Epsom salts. You need true Epsom Salts to get the benefits. Use about 2 tablespoons (40mL) of the mix in each bath. You can store any leftover in an airtight jar.

You can also add 7 – 10 drops (0.3 – 0.5 grams) of your favourite essential oil to each tablespoons of salt. I love Sandalwood mixed with Rose Geranium and Lavender. This mix smells amazing and these particular oils have a great nourishing and moisturising effect for my dry skin.

 

4.  GODDESS BATH

Cleopatra was spot on when she added camel milk to her baths. I don’t do dairy so wouldn’t use this. But if you’re not allergic to dairy products milk makes a fantastic mild exfoliant. You can use full cream milk or milk powder, or goats milk to the bath salts mix. Or even camel milk if you have some.

First add 5 drops of essential oils of your choice to the milk. Mix well. Add equal quantities of each mix to the bath (two tablespoons of the salt mix and two of the milk mix). Then soak for 20 minutes.

 

5. BEAUTIFUL BATH OIL

Bath oils are the easiest of all to make and very luxurious.

Use a good quality vegetable oil like Sweet Almond or peach as the base. I choose cold-pressed oils and make my own blend which includes hemp seed, avocado and macadamia oil. For every tablespoon of vegetable oil add 8-10 drops of a single essential oil or a blend that you love. Float a tablespoon of the mix on the water.

You can also add botanicals to the water for their aromatic bliss and health benefits. Be sure to use organic flowers, not sprayed with pest control.

Lavender blossom is a wonderful relaxant. Rose petals have beautiful skin softening properties and their scent is intoxicating. In fact even the water gets softer when you add rose petals. Sprinkle a handful in the gushing water and remember to breathe in the aroma as you relax.

 

MAN SPA

Many men have learnt to love spas too. Lose the candles, music and rose petals, and look for less flowery essential oils.

Grapefruit and orange oils create a feeling of wellbeing. Orange is cheering and uplifting, and the fresh citrus smell appeals to men (as well as women).

Relaxing sandalwood is another good choice and helps with balancing all skin types.

Juniper is a great rejuvenating oil with a smoky note that works really well with citrus oils.

Frankincense, marjoram, cedarwood, orange, sandalwood and vetiver are some relaxants with a less girly tone. Patchouli is another oil suitable for men, that I also love. But it’s definitely one you need to be sure he likes before using.

Use the recipes above as your base and choose oils that suit his emotional state. If he’s a bit reluctant encourage him to try it out just once for at least twenty minutes. With a good magazine to read it’s a much better way to unwind than the television and he’ll surely get hooked.

 

QUALITY OILS

One important thing to note. I’m really fussy about the oils I use and will only use top quality ‘Therapeutic Grade’ oils and you should too.  The effectiveness of aromatherapy is directly dependent on the quality of essential oils employed.

Many oils are promoted as being 100% pure and natural but are adulterated or simply ‘lifestyle products’ using the concept of aromatherapy. These are low quality ‘essential oils’ and ‘aromatherapy oils’ often leave a nasty residue after burning.

I hate the way that advertising loopholes again allow manufacturers to mislead the buyer. Look for therapeutic claims on the oils you use and you’ll then be sure they’re going to actually do you good.

 

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Choose your favourite recipe, mix yourself up a batch of ‘relaxation’ in your kitchen and schedule a ‘recovery hour’ in your calendar.

Then light a beautiful scented candle, especially the ones with multiple wicks, and put on some soothing music. If you have an amethyst or rose quartz crystal put it in the bottom of the bath. Just be sure not to sit down on it. Lock the bathroom door and relax back for half an hour.

After your bath lavish your favourite moisturiser on your skin and emerge rejuvenated and able to face the next holiday challenge.

 

salt detox for bath
Photo credit: Dennis Wong

 

And  here is a little trivia to end with – today 12/12/12 is the very last date that will have all three digits the same until the twenty second century, so almost certainly the last you will encounter.

Enjoy!
Do you have a favourite bath-time recipe? Please share it with us in the comments below

 

 

 

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site.